Ohio State Buckeyes step up football recruiting with Illinois trying to take Ohio high school stars
Wednesday, April 23,
2008
Story by Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus - Jim Tressel was always willing to nurture his
foot ball recruiting classes and allow potential future
Buckeyes to come out of their shells in due time.
Then a poacher arrived at the border.
With Illinois coach Ron Zook stalking nearly every one of
Ohio State's in-state targets, the Buckeyes have
countered with a recruiting flock this April that is more
than double its usual size.
In the previous six years combined, Ohio State had a total
of 15 oral commitments by April 23. This year, the Buckeyes
have 11, including seven from Ohio. Coincidence? Or could
the Illini's tactics be inspiring earlier OSU
recruiting strategies?
"Well it should," said Glenville High coach Ted
Ginn Sr. "Illinois is coming in hard."
"When [Zook] first offered me," said Garfield
Heights defensive end Melvin Fellows, "he told me that
he wanted to be one of the top programs in Ohio, and that he
wanted to offer [scholarships to] the best kids in
Ohio."
So far, Zook, an Ohio native and former OSU assistant, has
won two head-to-head battles with Tressel. He beat the
Buckeyes for Glenville's Cordale Scott in the Class of
2008; and scored a less-than-firm commitment for 2009 from
Fellows, who is one of three oral pledges to Illinois but
still attended Ohio State's spring game Saturday.
Not a huge windfall.
So perhaps the Illini's most significant in-state
recruiting influence can be seen in the Buckeyes -- although
they won't admit it.
"We can't worry about other things," said OSU
recruiting coordinator John Peterson. "I just think
that kids are more prepared."
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