[w00t]

Whoever feels that Akron and OSU do not compete in the recruiting arena is not paying attention.

Let's see the list of football recruits who were offered by OSU and enrolled at Akron.

[Dr Z]

Let's see the list of football recruits who were offered by OSU and enrolled at Akron.

I'm not interested in making a list for you, but I'll start it with this one

[Zipmeister]

Apparently Tressel called him on Tuesday (as in January 27, 2009) and offered Boucher (pronounced boo-SHAY) a scholarship and only after the QB that OSU really wanted verballed to Clemson. I imagine Tressel is incredulous that an Ohio high school kid could turn down a last second invitation to ride the pine in the horseshoe.

[ZachTheZip]

Apparently Tressel called him on Tuesday (as in January 27, 2009) and offered Boucher (pronounced boo-SHAY) a scholarship and only after the QB that OSU really wanted verballed to Clemson. I imagine Tressel is incredulous that an Ohio high school kid could turn down a last second invitation to ride the pine in the horseshoe.

I don't think Tressel is incredulous so much as most of OSU's fans. It's beyond their comprehension that a kid would choose any school at all over OSU.

[Captain Kangaroo]

He's sticking with Miami

[UAzipsMan]

First off, Dr. Z, thanks for finding that. At least now I know I'm not all alone on this one.

**edit - just saw Cap'n's post

[w00t]

Let's see the list of football recruits who were offered by OSU and enrolled at Akron.

I'm not interested in making a list for you, but I'll start it with this one

"A Florida coach who worked at the camp called Brookhart late in the summer to tell him Kennedy no longer had the scholarship he was offered that spring by Ohio State."

So, none then?

[Dr Z]

Here are two more for you:

Bain was a US Army All-American in 2004 and was offered a scholarship by Ohio St

Andrew Johnson was offered and hotly pursued by many big-name schools in the country, including Ohio St

My unofficial list is at three without really trying.

Wasn't there something about Da'Von Moore being offered a scholarship by OSU and then pulled?

[Captain Kangaroo]

Wasn't there something about Da'Von Moore being offered a scholarship by OSU and then pulled?

Davoe Torrence?

I think it should also be made clear - Competing against OSU for recruits and successfully competing against OSU for recruits are two separate things.

I would bet the Zips' staff had contact with most Ohio players on OSU's roster at some point during their HS careers. Just because the vast majority of these kids elect to play for OSU doesn't mean the Zips didn't compete for their services at some point.

[Dr Z]

Yes, Torrence. I was just answering the request of; "offered by OSU and enrolled at Akron"

[InTheZone]

Unless we start dominating the MAC with our new facilities and get into a better conference, we'll never really "compete" with OSU for anything. Any recruit we brought in this year, OSU could've had them if they wanted them, and that's just a reality. The only time that might be an exception is when we start seeing kids who's dad's played at Akron wanting to come here and follow in their footsteps, and we've never really seen that to this date.

We just don't really have the fan support and tradition to compete with OSU as a mid-major. It does happen in other places, for example ECU competes with the ACC Carolina schools for recruits, Memphis competes with Tennesee, Southern Miss competes with Miss St and Ole Miss, and TCU competes with a lot of the Texas BCSers for recruits, but that just simply isn't the case here.

[w00t]

Bain was never offered by OSU, Johnson spurned OSU for Miami FL and tallied only 35 carries there in three years (hence, OSU wasn't interested in him when he xfered to Akron), Torrence and Kennedy had scholarships pulled by OSU and then landed at Akron.

CK understands what I'm getting at... there are no football players who have had an offer on the table from OSU and thumbed their nose at it to come to Akron. That's not really a competition, it's more just wishing we had some of their players. And we do, how great would it have been if Chris Wells would have stayed home? Maybe we will someday, but in the meantime, who are we trying to kid? I really think OSU gets used as a convenient scapegoat for our program's shortcomings.

[Zippysgotagun]

I spurned an offer for any D-I school in the country for Akron when I played NCAA 09 for the PS2. Does that count?

Seriously though. CK and w00t are right. It's both good and bad to be in talent rich Ohio. OSU gets the premium talent, but even the second tier here in the state can make an impact at UA. The key is keep winning. Winners attract winning athletes.

[timmyboy]

OSU gets another QB, looks like nicely is safe and they wont tryt o steal him away from us.


Kenny Guiton and his father are supposed to visit Columbus on Saturday, but according to Guiton's high school coach, Ray Evans, Guiton has already given an oral commitment to Ohio State' 2009 recruiting class.

How did the Buckeyes wind up with a quarterback they started checking out on Wednesday?

Ray Evans, Guiton's high school coach at Eisenhower High in Houston, said Guiton was being recruited by several schools, including Rice, Kansas, and Iowa State. Evans said Guiton chose to wait on making a decision, and then some of his offers started to evaporate as those schools received pledges from other quarterbacks. By Christmas, Evans said Guiton's only remaining offer was from Kansas State, and he said that changed after a new offensive coordinator was brought in there.

So by this weekend, Guiton was supposed to visit Wyoming. And Army and Air Force were interested, but Evans said Guiton didn't want to go to a military school.

And then on Wednesday, Ohio State recruiting coordinator John Peterson arrived in Houston.

On Tuesday, Ohio State found out five-star quarterback recruit Tajh Boyd had chosen Clemson over the Buckeyes. Tuesday night, two-star quarterback Austin Boucher was offered and by Wednesday afternoon, he had decided to turn down the Buckeyes.

And then there was Guiton. Evans said Peterson procured a DVD of Guiton highlights and promised a quick decision.

"(Thursday) right after school, I spoke with Coach Peterson on the phone and he said it looked like a thumbs up with the quarterbacks coach," Evans said. "He said the only one he was waiting on was the head coach. And then they called back about an hour later and made the offer."

Evans said Guiton accepted that offer on Thursday.

More to come.

[pdt1420]

This just in: Guiton is now a 17 star on Rivals