Written by Duane Long
| 24 May 2009
I watched the Buckeye staff stumble through the early part of recruiting and could figure out what they were trying to do. Recently I think we are seeing a turnaround that I would go so far as to call impressive. Starting with the offer to William Gohlston in early May, I am seeing the staff offer players that make so much sense. The way they started the year made so little sense. For example, Marvin Robinson, the great athlete from Florida. We knew his family connection to Michigan. I have to assume the staff knew that. The odds of that kid going anywhere but Michigan were so long that it was a waste of time to recruit him. Great player but he was always going to Michigan. We have a couple of kids right here instate in Christian Bryant and Latwan Anderson who want to be Buckeyes but we don't offer them. That is another thing that indicates the staff has found its mojo again. There is an offer to a great looking safety prospect in Christian Bryant who actually wants to come here. Tight end is a huge need. The top tight end in the state, and arguably in the region, in Alex Smith never did get an offer. Now we see the Buckeyes going hard after C.J. Fiedorowicz, the other candidate for top TE in the region on my board, plus an offer to the kid I see as the #3 tight in the region on Alex Welch. The way things are shaking out I think the Buckeyes have a shot at both. The recent offer that I love is Brent Benedict from Florida. Massive talent. A physical freak that runs like a tight end hits like a truck. He is my #2 national offensive lineman. Any other year he is #1. He was quoted in a local paper as saying he would very much like to hear from Ohio State. Who thought all this up? Chasing players who were not showing interest in Ohio State to recruiting players about on par with the ones we were recruiting but these have a genuine interest in Ohio State. It was my thinking 2 months ago that the staff was focused on spring practice. Jim Tressel likes to do one thing at a time, do it very well and move onto the next. With so many young guys stepping into the 2-deep I think JT wanted to put spring practice as the priority. The timing of this return to recruiting sanity just reinforces that belief. I really like where we are at right now right before senior camp where I hope we see an offer at least to Andrew Donnal.
