Ohio State 2012 Recruiting

Ohio State Buckeyes 2012 ... Head Coach: Urban Meyer

Ohio State Buckeyes

2011 Record: 6-7

Sep. 3 Akron W 42-0
Sep. 10 Toledo W 26-22
Sep. 17 at Miami L 24-22
Sep. 24 Colorado W 37-17
Oct. 1 Michigan State L 10-7
Oct. 8 at Nebraska L 34-27
Oct. 15 at Illinois W 17-7
Oct. 22 OPEN DATE
Oct. 29 Wisconsin W 33-29
Nov. 5 Indiana W 34-20
Nov. 12 at Purdue L 26-23 OT
Nov. 19 Penn State L 20-14
Nov. 26 at Michigan L 40-34
Gator Bowl
Jan. 2 Florida L 24-17

2010 CFN Prediction: 11-1
2010 Record: 12-1

Sept. 2 Marshall W 45-7
Sept. 11 Miami W 36-24
Sept. 18 Ohio W 43-7
Sept. 25 Eastern Mich W 73-20
Oct. 2 at Illinois W 24-13
Oct. 9 Indiana W 38-10
Oct. 16 at Wisconsin L 31-18
Oct. 23 Purdue W 49-0
Oct. 30 at Minnesota W 52-10
Nov. 6 OPEN DATE
Nov. 13 Penn State W 38-14
Nov. 20 at Iowa W 20-17
Nov. 27 Michigan W 37-7
Sugar Bowl
Jan. 4 Arkansas W 31-26
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The Entire 2012 Recruiting Class

Top 5 Ohio State Recruits To Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. DE Noah Spence
6-3, 240, Scout.com 2nd ranked, five-star defensive end. Spence is the best pure pass rusher to play in the state in a long time. He has a long wing span and uses his hands well. He is well versed in a number of pass rush moves. He gets a good up-field push and always seems to be a disruptive force in the backfield. Spence is not just a pass rusher, he is an athlete and is outstanding in pursuit from sideline to sideline.

2. DE Aldolphis Washington
6-6, 250, Scout.com 3rd ranked, five-star defensive end. Solid basketball player who will have to make the choice to be a hoops player or top football prospect.

3. DT Tommy Schutt
6-3, 290, Scout.com 5th ranked, five-star defensive tackle. Very good athlete who gets off the ball and shows good ability and effort in pursuit. Compact and strong, he gets under the pads of offensive linemen and does a good job with his hands disengaging. Right now, he's a disruptor and a playmaker and plays outside a lot. In college, if he's going to be a true defensive tackle, he'll have to be a little more disciplined and tie up blockers more, rather than being the one making the play.

4. RB Brionte Dunn
6-1, 220, Scout.com 7th ranked, five-star running back. Dunn is a big, powerful back that runs with surprising speed, but it's his vision, patience, and ability to break a tackle that make him a part of an elite group. He uses subtle feints to get a defender off balance and break a tackle. He's an instinctive runner that has a great feel for following and setting up his blocks. He's not a speed burner, but he has enough speed to take a run the distance

5. CB Armani Reeves
5-10, 185, Scout.com 6th ranked, four-star cornerback. As a junior, Reeves had 1701 total yards and 16 touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, he registered 37 tackles and intercepted four passes. He had two punt return touchdowns as well. Runs a 4.12 short shuttle. Reeves first cousin is Charles Barkley and is originally from Leeds, Alabama.

The 2012 Class Was Heavy On... Welcome to Urban being Urban. Meyer appears to have a renewed energy, and it shows with a typically great Ohio State recruiting class. Even with almost no time to work, he’s getting just about everyone he wants from Ohio and has been able to get a few key players from outside the state. In just a short time he’s putting together a monster that’s as good as any class in the country, particularly on the defensive front where he’s loading up with the best prospects for any line in America. The skill positions aren’t being ignored, but the Buckeyes need to keep building up the defense. Meyer will go more for the offensive side next year.

Team Concerns For 2012: How quickly will the offense adjust to what Meyer wants to do? Top receiver DeVier Posey is gone, as is RB Dan Herron, but Braxton Miller might be the perfect quarterback for Meyer’s attack. The problem is on the offensive line with three starters gone including both tackles and center Mike Brewster. The defense should be experienced up front, but the most talented linemen will be in coming in the fall.

Looking Ahead To The 2012 Season: Urban Meyer’s team might not have anything to play for this year – being ineligible for the Big Ten title and a bowl game – but there’s still a ton of talent and plenty of excitement. Even after top recruiting class after top recruiting class under Jim Tressel, there’s no one leaving early for the NFL, and the returning team is loaded with promise and potential … for 2013.

Braxton Miller will challenge Michigan’s Denard Robinson for the honor of being the Big Ten’s most thrilling player, and he’ll get a year of experimenting and experience to be ready to be truly special in two years. Three starters are gone off the offensive line, while top receiver DeVier Posey and running back Dan Herron have to be replaced. On the other side, the line could be the best in the Big Ten, and linebacker Ryan Shazier appears to be a mortal lock for All-Big Ten honors. In all, ten starters could be back on defense, both kickers return, and of course, the coaching situation is a major positive. Now it’ll all be up to motivation.

The 2011 Class Was Heavy On … the defensive front seven. All eyes will be on Braxton Miller, who might be the quarterback and the key to the start of the 2011 season, but the Buckeyes will be loaded for years to come thanks to the pickup of several amazing defensive players. The Signing Day coup of Curtis Grant, the nation’s top outside linebacker, was the icing on the cake for a class that came up with NFL talents in Michael Bennettat defensive tackle and Steve Miller on the outside. Ejuan Shazier will be the team’s next great inside linebacker, while brother Ryan Shazier will be a star on the outside.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 20. That Class Was Heavy On ... Receivers. Predictably, Ohio State didn't come up with its normal jaw-dropping haul of NFL talents after coming up with the nation's top class last year. But that didn't mean that a few key prospects weren't signed led by superstar offensive tackle prospect Andrew Norwell, who'll be great once he hits the weight room. The receivers aren't the sure things of past classes, but Corey Brown, James Louis and Tyrone Williams can move. Roderick Smith is a freakishly talented running back who could've gone anywhere in the Big Ten and got a big push from Georgia and Oklahoma.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 1. That Class Was Heavy On ... everything. Name the position and about 100 other teams would be ecstatic to do as well overall as Ohio State did in any one area other than quarterback (and Kenneth Guiton isn’t a bad prospect). Running back? Jaamal Berry and FB Carlos Hyde are the stars of a good group. The receiving corps, led by Cris Carter’s son, Duron, is special, the offensive tackles are all prototypes, the defensive tackles big and quick, the linebackers fast, and the defensive backs even faster. This class has it all.

Gator Bowl
Florida 24 … Ohio State 17
- CFN Thoughts on the Gator

Florida: Sacks. Florida 6, Ohio State 0 … John Brantley completed 12-of-16 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown with a pick. … Chris Rainey ran 16 times for 71 yards and returned a punt for 31 yards. He also led the team with three catches for 31 yards and came up with a blocked punt for a score. … Jon Bostic made eight tackles with foru tackles for loss. … Andre DeBose returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes converted 2-of-10 third down chances. … Braxton Miller completed 18-of-23 passes for 162 yards and two scores. … Dan Herron ran 12 times for 82 yards. .. DeVier Posey caught five passes for 38 yards and a score. … Ryan Shazier led the team with ten tackles

(AP) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Florida's special teams came up big in the Gator Bowl, scoring twice as the Gators beat Ohio State 24-17 on Monday in a game between Urban Meyer's old team and his future one.

Andre Debose returned a kickoff 99 yards - the longest scoring play in bowl history - and Chris Rainey blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown.

The speedsters helped the Gators (7-6) avoid their first losing season since 1979 and pick up some much-needed momentum after losing six of their previous eight games.

Ohio State (6-7) finished below .500 for the first time since 1986. The Buckeyes can take solace in knowing that Meyer, who officially takes over at Ohio State this week, will make it a priority to improve special teams. Meyer did that in his six seasons in Gainesville, and Rainey and Debose were two of his most prized recruits.

Ohio State fell to 0-10 in bowl games against teams from the Southeastern Conference. Yes, the Buckeyes beat Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl last year. But that victory was vacated.

The latest loss had everything to do with Florida's speed.

The Gators dominated the defensive line of scrimmage. They had a season-high six sacks, harassing Braxton Miller on nearly every passing play. Jaye Howard and Sharrif Floyd were disruptive all afternoon.

Florida had similar success the last time it played Ohio State. The Gators were dominant on defense in a 41-14 win in the 2007 Bowl Championship Series national title game in Glendale, Ariz.

Debose and Rainey proved to be the difference in the much-hyped rematch that centered around Meyer.

Just after Ohio State tied the game at 7 on Miller's 5-yard pass to DeVier Posey in the second quarter, Debose took the kickoff, made one cut to the outside and went untouched for his third career special teams touchdown. The Buckeyes never got close enough to even swipe at him, let alone make the tackle.

Florida was up 14-10 at halftime and essentially put the game out of reach on the opening possession of the third.

Rainey came off the left end and blocked Ben Buchanan's punt. Seldom-used linebacker Graham Stewart scooped it up at the 14-yard line and scored the first touchdown of his career.

It was Rainey's sixth blocked punt of his career, breaking the school and SEC record.

Rainey also ran for 71 yards on a warm and sunny day in Jacksonville. John Brantley completed 16 of 22 passes for 132 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He had a 17-yard strike to Deonte Thompson in the first.

Jeff Demps added 31 yards on the ground.

Ohio State wasn't nearly as effective.

Miller completed 18 of 23 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 15 times for 20 yards. He completed an 11-yard TD pass to Jordan Hall with 57 seconds remaining. The Buckeyes failed to recover an onside kick, and Florida ran out the clock for its sixth bowl victory in the last seven years.

Ohio State's Dan Herron ran for 82 yards, but also had a fumble. Posey finished with five catches for 37 yards.

Miller, a freshman, gives Meyer an experienced and improving quarterback for next season. The Buckeyes won't be bowl eligible, though.

The NCAA hit Ohio State with a one-year bowl ban and additional penalties last month for violations stemming from players who exchanged jerseys, rings and other Buckeyes memorabilia for cash and tattoos. The violations cost coach Jim Tressel his job, and the Buckeyes turned things over to interim coach Luke Fickell.

The Buckeyes lost four in a row to end the season.

Nov. 26 at Michigan 40 … Ohio State 34
CFN Analysis: Braxton Miller was tremendous. He kept the offense rolling in a shootout with his legs, and shockingly, with his arm. … DeVier Posey only caught three passes for 58 yards and as score, but he took all the attention away from the other Buckeye receivers. … Dan Herron only ran 15 times for 37 yards and a score. Miller was the only other Buckeye to get a carry. … 31 runs, 26 carries. That’s not how the game was supposed to play out. … The defensive front seven couldn’t contain the speed and quickness of Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint. The linebackers always seemed a step out of place. … Losing to Michigan might stink, but it was a good performance and should set the tone for a big 2011. The pieces are in place for Urban Meyer – potentially - to step in and rock right away. 

Nov. 19 Penn State 20 … at Ohio State 14
CFN Analysis: Braxton Miller might be a superstar in the making, but there wasn’t any chance of coming back in the second half without a passing game. Penn State didn’t care a lick about anything down the field, even with DeVier Posey back. … Posey caught four passes for 66 yards, but there were a few big drops from the receivers and Miller was too erratic on the midrange passes. Even so, Miller’s legs kept the chains moving. … Ryan Shazier might have been out of position on a few key plays, but he ate up almost everything he got to with 15 tackles. … With all the Urban Meyer rumors floating around, a win over Michigan is a must for Luke Fickell. He might have dealt a lousy hand this year, but 6-6 at Ohio State doesn’t cut no matter what. 

Nov. 12 at Purdue 26 … Ohio State 23 OT
CFN Analysis: This might have been the moment the Buckeyes lost the division title – at least if Wisconsin wins out – but there were plenty of bright spots. Once again, Braxton Miller looked like a franchise-maker with a flair for the dramatic and with more of a passing touch. He only completed 8-of-18 passes, but they went for 132 yards and two scores. … However, he took the sack he couldn’t take in overtime. … The lines had a rough time. The defensive front was fine, but the offensive line never established itself for the ground game. … Purdue’s defense was giving up over 400 yards per game, and OSU couldn’t hit the 300-yard mark. … Instead of thinking Leaders title, 6-6 is on the table if the Buckeyes can’t beat Penn State and Michigan. 

Nov. 5 at Ohio State 34 … Indiana 20
CFN Analysis: This is what Ohio State is going to have to deal with this season. The lines were phenomenal against Wisconsin and the team was pumped up enough to get through the big game, but without a lot of pop to the passing game or the offense, there are going to be problems from time to time to put games out of reach. Braxton Miller completed 5-of-11 passes for 55 yards and a pick – a Tom Brady-like performance compared to some of his games – but the ground game made up for it with Miller, Dan Herron, and Carlos Hyde gouging IU for rushing yards in chunks and combining for 346 yards and four scores. Even so, the Hoosiers were still alive late because too many drives turned empty because Miller couldn’t hit on enough key throws. Indiana might have given OSU a push, but with three wins in a row and a date at Purdue next, everything appears on track – at least when it comes to wins – after the Nebraska collapse. 

Oct. 29 at Ohio State 33 … Wisconsin 29
CFN Analysis: Be careful, Ohio State; there’s still lots and lots of work to do. Even after this big win, there’s still no margin for error, needing to win out to likely win the Leaders, but for now, this was a breakthrough moment when Braxton Miller looked like a playmaker to get truly excited about – the Badgers couldn’t tackle him – while the return of Dan Herron at home made all the difference for an offense that needs more playmakers. The lines beat up the Badgers with John Simon getting his mail sent to the UW backfield, but for all the great things OSU did and for all the positives, it took an epic play by Miller to pull the win out of the fire after the D broke down. Now the division is there for the taking. Win out, hope for a Penn State loss to Wisconsin or Nebraska, and the Leaders title can be a phenomenal reward after such a tough year.  

Oct. 15 Ohio State 17 … at Illinois 7
CFN Analysis: 1-of-4, 17 yards, one touchdown. Yeah, Ohio State beat an undefeated Illinois with a great game form the defense and helped by the return of Dan Herron, but all anyone will notice is the one completed pass. The Buckeyes might have come up with the win, but it was a Band-aid in a hemorrhaging season. They can’t beat Wisconsin if the offense keeps playing like this, and they probably can’t beat Penn State or Michigan, either. However, the defense was swarming all over the red hot Illini attack, and after a disastrous few weeks, the O line seemed to decide it was time to start playing. It’s a win. For now, that’s enough. 

Oct. 8 at Nebraska 34 … Ohio State 27
CFN Analysis: The loss of Braxton Miller didn’t cause the defense to go bye-bye. The offense went nowhere with Joe Bauserman, who completed just 1-of-10 passes for 13 yards and a pick, but he didn’t get any help from a running game that worked well early with Carlos Hyde and Jordan Hall putting up decent yards. The D needed to step up when Miller went down, but instead the line got pushed around and gashed over the last 20 minutes. The linebackers missed too many stops and took too many poor angles, and the line didn’t hold up when it needed to close down the middle. On the plus side, Miller looked terrific, running for 91 yards on ten carries and making things happen on the move completing 5-of-8 passes for 95 yards and a score. The Buckeyes need more tune-ups, and they won’t get it with Illinois and Wisconsin up next. 

Oct. 1 Michigan State 10 … at Ohio State 7
CFN Analysis: It all starts with the offensive line. MSU didn’t think for a single second that Braxton Miller or Joe Bauserman could push the ball deep, so the defensive front sold out to get into the backfield and the Buckeye front five didn’t have a chance. The ground game only netted 35 yards with Jordan Hall getting stuffed time and again, and Miller never got a chance to breathe. The defense wasn’t bad, with Travis Howard and Andrew Sweat keeping the Spartan ground game under wraps, but it needed to score; that’s how bad things are for the Buckeye offense. Will everything change when DeVier Posey, Dan Herron, and Mike Adams come back? Absolutely. The O needs playmakers and offensive stars, and they’re on the way just in time. 

Sept. 24 at Ohio State 37 … Colorado 17
CFN Analysis: It’s just a simple home win over an awful Colorado team, and Braxton Miller only completed 5-of-13 passes for 83 yards, but all of a sudden, there appears to be a spark of life. Miller is going to make mistakes and he’s not going to be razor sharp, but he’s the future, and he showed he’s ready to be the present with 83 rushing yards and two fantastic touchdown passes. After an awful game against Miami, the Buckeye O line came out roaring, paving the way for 226 yards and two scores. The pass rush wasn’t great, and the defense wasn’t a brick wall, but this was an easy blowout win just when the team needed one the most. However, next week the lines have to be even more physical against a tough Michigan State.  

Sept. 17 at Miami 24 ... Ohio State 6
CFN Analysis:  This was an inexcusable performance by the Buckeyes, especially through the air. The defense did what it could after getting popped a bit early by Lamar Miller and the running game, but the offense was pathetic with Joe Bauserman completing 2-of-14 passes for 13 yards. This is Ohio State University; it’s loaded with next level talent and top prep prospects and it should be able to complete more than four forward passes against anyone in America. Braxton Miller added a bit of a spark with his legs, and he completed 2-of-4 passes for 22 yards and a pick, but the offense needs playmakers. Suspensions have been part of the problem, but this just seemed like a team that didn’t have any ideas. Against Colorado, the Buckeyes have to figure out the offense in a hurry or else the start of the Big Ten season won’t be pretty. 

Sept. 10 at Ohio State 27 … Toledo 22
CFN Analysis: Toledo is a good team that should be in the hunt for the MAC title, but that will be little consolation for the Buckeye fans hoping for business as usual through all the turmoil. The offense is going to stumble a bit, and that’s expected with just 301 yards and shaky play from all aspects, but the bigger concern is a defense that struggled way too much with the Rocket passing game. Yes, the D came up big when it had to, and yes, Ohio State football is used to getting the big plays at the right time out of the special teams, but Joe Bauserman only completed 16-of-30 passes for 189 yards with a touchdown, and Carlos Hyde only ran for 76 yards with two scores on 20 carries. The firepower just isn’t there, but the team survived and moved on. Next week against Miami might not be a tougher test, but it’ll show whether or not the coaching staff can adjust and improve after so many problems.  

Sept. 3 at Ohio State 42 … Akron 0
CFN Analysis: Remember, Ohio State didn’t always start out hot under Jim Tressel, either. It might have taken a little while to put away Akron and make it a true blowout, but the defense was the Ohio State defense – holding the Zips to just 90 yards – and the offense wasn’t as poor as it should’ve been considering all the personnel problems. The one concern was an offensive line that wasn’t quite as physical that it should’ve been, but as the game in the heat wore on, everything started to click and the Buckeyes rolled up 224 yards on the ground. Joe Bauserman did his part, completing 12-of-16 passes for 163 yards and three scores, and Braxton Miller looked great in his time, completing 8-of-12 passes for 130 yards and a score, and both ran well combining for 62 yards on 12 carries with Bauserman running for a score. It might have been a little ragged, but really, everything was fine. 

The 2011 Recruiting Class Is Heavy On … the defensive front seven. All eyes will be on Braxton Miller, who might be the quarterback and the key to the start of the 2011 season, but the Buckeyes will be loaded for years to come thanks to the pickup of several amazing defensive players. The Signing Day coup of Curtis Grant, the nation’s top outside linebacker, was the icing on the cake for a class that came up with NFL talents in Michael Bennettat defensive tackle and Steve Miller on the outside.

Five Ohio State Recruits You Should Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. Curtis Grant
6-3, 225, Scout.com’s 1st ranked outside linebacker. Plays inside for his Hermitage team. He has the frame of an outside linebacker, but the toughness and pad level to stay inside should he fill out during his college years. He has good instincts and has excellent vision to spot the play in advance and once its underway. Exceptional closing speed for a big linebacker and does a good job in the passing game whether its in coverage or containing the quarterback.

2. QB Braxton Miller
6-2, 185, Scout.com’s 2nd ranked quarterback. A true dual-threat quarterback, Miller could beat a team without rushing for a yard and is athletic enough to run a wishbone. Miller has the arm strength to put pressure on the back of a defense which opens up even more running lanes for him as the defensive backs are forced to be honest and not crowd the line of scrimmage. Miller has all the tools to be a star on the next level and simply needs to keep progressing.

3. DE Steve Miller
6-4, 230, Scout.com’s 9th ranked defensive end. Miller does a very good job with his hands of controlling his blocker and discarding him as he recognizes the play. He form tackles like a well disciplined linebacker and rarely fails to wrap up the ball carrier. Strong enough to play on the strong side and occupy a double team from his end spot, but he's quick enough to blow past a tackle on a pure speed move if he's left out on an island.

4. C Brian Bobek
6-2, 278, Scout.com’s 1st ranked center. One of the few elite linemen in the country that will enter college with experience under center, Bobek has incredibly quick hands and is able to make his snap and get his hands up before the defensive lineman has a chance to react. Very good feet enables him to stay square on his blocks or reach the second level easily. A smart interior lineman, Bobek can often be seen disengaging from a double team to pick up a delayed blitz.

5. LB Ryan Shazier
6-2, 202, Scout.com’s 5th ranked outside linebacker. Shazier is a very good athlete and he's shined at defensive end on the high school level, but he will drop back to linebacker in college. He will still have speed at that position, but he will need to work on shedding blocks and dropping into coverage. He has shown solid instincts in 7-on-7 events this spring/summer, but the position will be new to him. He is best when turned loose off the edge to rush the quarterback. Speed is his biggest weapon.

2011 Entire Recruiting Class
Mike Bennett DL 6'3" 280 Centerville, Ohio/Centerville
Brian Bobek OL 6'2" 280 Inverness, Ill./William Fremd
Tommy Brown OL 6'5" 320 Akron, Ohio/Akron Firestone
Jeremy Cash DB 6'2" 190 Plantation, Fla./Plantation
Conner Crowell LB 6'1" 220 Waldorf, Md./North Point
Chase Farris DL 6'6" 265 Elyria, Ohio/Elyria
DerJuan Gambrell DB 6'2" 180 Toledo, Ohio/Rogers
Curtis Grant LB 6'3" 225 Richmond, Va./Hermitage
Doran Grant DB 5'11" 180 Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent'St. Mary
Joel Hale DL 6'4" 310 Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove
Kenny Hayes DL 6'5" 240 Toledo, Ohio/Whitmer
Bryce Haynes LS 6'4" 185 Cumming, Ga./Pinecrest Academy
Jeff Heuerman TE 6'5" 240 Naples, Fla./Barron Collier
Cardale Jones QB 6'5" 215 Cleveland, Ohio/Glenville
Braxton Miller QB 6'3" 210 Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne
Steve Miller DL 6'4" 245 Canton, Ohio/Canton McKinley
Ejuan Price LB 6'0" 235 Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills
Ryan Shazier LB 6'2" 210 Pompano Beach, Fla./Plantation
Devin Smith WR 6'3" 190 Massillon, Ohio/Massillon Washington
Evan Spencer WR 6'1" 190 Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills
Ron Tanner DB 6'1" 190 Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor Academy
Tony Underwood OL 6'3" 305 Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights
Nick Vannett TE 6'6" 235 Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central