This is getting old fast.

[hawkfeever]

This is why it will be hard to ever beat Alabama. They bring in top recruiting classes every year. And now with the transfer portal, they can pick and choose elite players who will be eligible immediately. Hell, Ohio State is not even immune.

From the story:

It's the second straight week that Alabama coach Nick Saban has pulled a potential impact player from the transfer portal.

Last week, former Ohio State starting wide receiver Jameson Williams announced that he would be going to Alabama.

And Saturday, Henry To'o To'o, a former SEC All-Freshman selection who led Tennessee football in tackles last season, announced that he is transferring to Alabama.

To'o To'o, a California native and the No. 4-rated outside linebacker in the Class of 2019, started all 10 games at weakside linebacker last season and led the Volunteers with 76 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss.

Agree to a point, but just as in politics, even if you can't beat someone, eventually time takes the person out. No one is immortal and someday Saban will be gone and I doubt there is anyone exactly like Saban in the wings.

Are Alabama's 2nd stringers happy sitting on the bench? It could work both ways and they have people leave, but maybe they just want the name and maybe a ring. Why wouldn't some of those guys go in the portal?

 

[hawkfeever]

Time for Kum & Go, Casey’s, HyVee to throw some cash our way!

HyVee certainly cut back on their fuel saver rewards in the last year or so.

 

[hawkfeever]

Call me old school, but I personally think paying college players will eventually ruin College football, just as I think this transfer portal is a push in that direction. I think the transfer portal is already in the mold of the NFL's free agency, and eventually by paying players, the best players will go to the highest bidder. Then what, when those high paid players are irritated, or don't get their way, they threaten to not play? Just look how the NFL and NBA are ruining their own sports with social justice and wokeness. As a former correctional officer, I can honestly say it's not a good thing to let the inmates run the institution ( figuratively speaking). I think D1 college sports with the transfer portal has already opened Pandora's box, and now with all the talk of paying players it's too late to put the lid back on. You know, like I said, I am old school, but these kids get a free education, eat better food then ANY paying student, and are getting these to play a sport they love. Isn't that enough? It appears not to be. I'll say this, I don't watch the NBA or the NFL because off all the kneeling and social justice BS. I don't care if an athlete wants to protest what he believes in, just not on my dime. Pro athletes are paid to play and entertain, and I fear this will be the fate of College sports. Then, for me it will be unwatchable. If your going to pay college players, do it this way. Take all the money from whoever wants to pay them, and put it into a sharing deal similar to how the BiG does it and divide it between EVERY player on EVERY team. Just my opinion for what it's worth.

I think it will also. I guess just enjoy what we got for now. I'd be all for it, if the schools allowed kids to opt to one of two things, they get free tuition and board and they don't accept outside money or they can opt out and pay their own way and collect money from outside. Lower ticket prices for fans coming to the stadiums.

 

[hawkfeever]

Iowa is already at a disadvantage as far as recruiting, facilities (let's be honest - Iowa's facilities are good but jaw-dropping), and doesn't rely on bribing players with additional perks like some other programs do. Yet Iowa still finds a way to compete. Was Iowa "supposed" to beat Ohio State in 2017? Was Iowa "supposed" to beat Mississippi State in the Outback Bowl? Was Iowa "supposed" to beat USC in the Holiday Bowl? The first two were definite "hell to the nos", yet the talking heads chalked that up to a bad day at the office for Iowa's opponents without actually directly crediting Iowa for making their opponents play like garbage rather than them intentionally playing like garbage. Iowa was favored in the Holiday Bowl I believe, but it was projected to be a nail-biter and not a blowout.

Iowa (and to a similar extent, Wisconsin) succeeds because the players really want to be there, not because a local business owning-alumni give out $500 handshakes, or simply use the school as a means to get to the next level.

Iowa is in a pretty damn good spot right now. Time is not on KF's side right now, but he'll leave when he's good and ready, and my guess is he'll have a say in who his successor is (I know he's close to Brian, but he's also keenly aware of the political climate, so my guess is if there's going to be any continuity, the sports car keys should go to Phil P should he so choose).

Iowa benefits greatly from the Big Ten and the revenue sharing. Let's not kid ourselves here. It is a lot like the NFL with the lesser teams still getting their "share".

 

[MepoDawg#]

It’s all about me and not we as a team anymore. No wonder Roy Williams called it quits. When you have to recruit the current players on your own roster, no thanks.

The saying now....”There is an M and E in team, and that’s ME.”

I’ll stick with there’s no “i” in team but there is an “a-hole”.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Call me old school, but I personally think paying college players will eventually ruin College football, just as I think this transfer portal is a push in that direction. I think the transfer portal is already in the mold of the NFL's free agency, and eventually by paying players, the best players will go to the highest bidder. Then what, when those high paid players are irritated, or don't get their way, they threaten to not play? Just look how the NFL and NBA are ruining their own sports with social justice and wokeness. As a former correctional officer, I can honestly say it's not a good thing to let the inmates run the institution ( figuratively speaking). I think D1 college sports with the transfer portal has already opened Pandora's box, and now with all the talk of paying players it's too late to put the lid back on. You know, like I said, I am old school, but these kids get a free education, eat better food then ANY paying student, and are getting to play a sport they love. Isn't that enough? It appears not to be. I'll say this, I don't watch the NBA or the NFL because off all the kneeling and social justice BS. I don't care if an athlete wants to protest what he believes in, just not on my dime. Pro athletes are paid to play and entertain, and I fear this will be the fate of College sports. Then, for me it will be unwatchable. If your going to pay college players, do it this way. Take all the money from whoever wants to pay them, and put it into a sharing deal similar to how the BiG does it and divide it between EVERY player on EVERY team. Just my opinion for what it's worth.

Old school is a good metaphor. Can you really say life in America today is as secure, prosperous, happy and free as it was 50 years ago? Buddy, the Post Modern ethic is so insensible they think we should take global action, resulting in the Mother of all Great Depressions, based on the ridiculous scientific advice of an emotive 16 year old girl disgorging her personal terror for the future. All for the Great Reset.

 

[FWIW4922463]

Most of these posts make good points, but I'm reminded of the Sport Magazine cover my dad had in his collection. The cover story from an issue in the 1930s was written by Grantland Rice and headlined something like this: "Money is ruining college sports."

That was almost a century ago. And long before that was written, there was this: "The love of money is the root of all evil." And please note that it isn't money itself that's the problem . . . it's the "love" of it, the never-ending yearning for it, no matter how much or how little you have.

Things are never as bad--or as good--as they may appear. And it also has been written, "There is nothing new under the sun."

Sure things change, and yet the fundamentals tend to stay the same. College sports are evolving again, but they'll probably survive. They always have.

 

[anon_b29nm7v7dwp6r]

I’d like to live in the magic world some of you do where Iowa is already competing for the top players. This changes nothing... The transfer road runs both ways too, that five star recruit that has to sit way down on the bench at Bama could come start at Iowa.

This is way over due, and don’t talk to me about loyalty when the coaches are making millions and jumping whenever they want....LOL at someone bringing Roy Williams up....ask Kansas about him...

 

[Rifler]

No one is immortal and someday Saban will be gone and I doubt there is anyone exactly like Saban in the wings.

Saban isn't the reason that Alabama is what it is,.. Nick could drop dead tomorrow and the roll would continue...

 

[Pawkhawk1]

Saban isn't the reason that Alabama is what it is,.. Nick could drop dead tomorrow and the roll would continue...

Didn't they used to say that about Michigan? Or Notre Damn? Or Debby?

 

[grayhair81]

Saban isn't the reason that Alabama is what it is,.. Nick could drop dead tomorrow and the roll would continue...

Well they sure as hell weren't dominating like they are now before he got there.

 

[KingGable]

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...-henry-too-too-transfers-alabama-crimson-tide

Why do you care, Iowa will never have to worry about playing Alabama.

 

[biggreydogs]

Why do you care, Iowa will never have to worry about playing Alabama.

I appreciate college football to stay away from being more and more like the NFL. Maybe it is gone and never to recover. What is your take?

 

[desihawk]

Others have already said this but the portal is a great development for teams like Iowa that build and develop players. These aren't the type of guys that leave, not simply because of loyalty but because their best shot for future success will continue to be Iowa. What the portal does is allow us to plug obvious holes and weak links. The way our program is built and the football that we play, that's exactly what we need. Without the portal, we have no shot at shoring up a hole between seasons since we don't recruit 3-deep 4-5 stars. As long we field a complete team, we can straight up play with any team, which is something to be proud about.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Absolutely, said this when the portal started. People who think the portal is a good thing for Iowa are being naive. Sure we'll get an occasional player, but ours will pale in comparison to what Bama, OSU and Oklahoma will reel in. This will be much like the new NBA where players simply line up to win championships. This destroys the chance to catch up by team building, and development, the benchmarks of Iowa football. Once every 4 or 5 years we would have a very competitive team, but even the last several years we've seen our top juniors leave early for the league, and now this crap. Other then an occasional Josey Jewell type player who is all in on Iowa, what will stop our top players from heading for the big dogs? Sheer numbers say they can't take them all, but the overall strength of those top few teams will make ever catching them damn near impossible, because they'll never have a down year talent wise, or a hole in their lineup. Can't really blame Saban, he's operating within the current rules, but the NCAA neeeds to fix this, though we all know thats a fantasy.

Time for the rest of the schools to leave Ohio State, Alabama, Oklahoma and Clemson and let them be a 4 team league.

 

[SoDakHawk]

I’d like to live in the magic world some of you do where Iowa is already competing for the top players. This changes nothing... The transfer road runs both ways too, that five star recruit that has to sit way down on the bench at Bama could come start at Iowa.

This is way over due, and don’t talk to me about loyalty when the coaches are making millions and jumping whenever they want....LOL at someone bringing Roy Williams up....ask Kansas about him...

This is often brought up when it comes to transfers, that coaches can leave but players can't, even if the coach leaves. These players want to be paid for their services, freedom to transfer, etc. Well, we're fast approaching college sports becoming pro sports. Irony is in pro sports players sign contracts they have to adhere to and there is a structure to how the system is set up. College is becoming a free for all of transfers.

 

[obfuscating]

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...-henry-too-too-transfers-alabama-crimson-tide

Just need to make 2 levels of D1 football.

The Alabama's of the world (Alabama, OSU, Clemson, Okl, Ore, USC, FL, LSU, TX, Mich) and then everyone else. Let the elites fight it out by playing each other over and over, no one from the "other" level should play them. Let them eat their own.

 

[blhawk]

I think the bigger problem is only having a 4 team playoff so the best players all go to one of the big 3 or 4 programs. That's what is ruining college fball for me....besides having to root for outdated, unimpressive offenses the majority of the last 22 years. The NFL is a much better product these days IMO and I've always preferred college more, until recently

 

[TonyTheTiger.1865]

CFB will die when the fans no longer care.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I’d like to live in the magic world some of you do where Iowa is already competing for the top players. This changes nothing... The transfer road runs both ways too, that five star recruit that has to sit way down on the bench at Bama could come start at Iowa.

This is way over due, and don’t talk to me about loyalty when the coaches are making millions and jumping whenever they want....LOL at someone bringing Roy Williams up....ask Kansas about him...

We may not have many 5 stars coming in, but we have developed many of them over the years. Just look at the NFL draft to see how much top tier talent we've had on the team over the years. Now we can look forward to trading Alabama our college football proven 5 stars for their high school "5 stars" that didn't pan out. That'll be awesome.

 

[anon_bb9wlf9kj42py]

I’d be for this. And schools would still get top talent. What would you rather watch? The semi pro team from the quad cities playing the semi pro team from Omaha, or the Iowa Hawkeyes playing the Nebraska Cornhuskers? I think most people still care about the name on the front of the jersey more than the one on the back.

The schools absolutely would not get the top talent because no way are you getting kids to come pay out of state tuition at a lot of these institutions to put the pads and no way should they.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

College sports will continue to exist but the bigness is going to implode. The simple reason is the country is really running out of real money and politics is increasingly a battle for what's left. For example, buyers invest in Treasury zeroes when they anticipate a sharp decline in equity prices.

Think of all the expensive sticky wickets will explode when the feminist strain of the Post Modern virus clashes with the tranny strain over men competing in female sports? Those lawsuits will all cost universities and colleges money, or divert resources better spent in other ways. That's just a tiny part of the gnashing and grasping for a cut of the declining wealth that will occur when the money really starts to dry up-or is hyper inflated.

Remember, all animals are equal. Some are more equal than others.

 

[jo12208]

The schools absolutely would not get the top talent because no way are you getting kids to come pay out of state tuition at a lot of these institutions to put the pads and no way should they.

Why not start Go Fund Me campaigns for top level high school players and transfers?

 

[SchwartzUndGold]

I'm going to make one observation about this entire thread in one word "Equity". It started out based on a player transfer from Tennessee to Alabama and how that was inequitable since Alabama is rich with top flight recruits. The the followup comments were what to do about the inequities caused by the transfer portal. Some commenters recognized that Iowa and other similar college programs have a built in inequitable situation. The Social Justice instinct that has been cultivated among the masses kicks in on how to fix it. I was guilty as well as I tried to think through an equitable solution.

I'm guided by the Freedman and Hayek philosophies about free markets and how they cultivate innovation and greater prosperity. At some point the University of Iowa must decide if it wants to compete in a market and a conference where the measurement of success is a national college football championship or does it want to be an organization that promotes an opportunity to gain an education that qualifies the individual to be competitive in life. The U of I can't provide equity but it can promote equality by the education it can provide.

With all that said, college football has probably entered into the period of creative destruction where it falls apart. Fan interest in pro sports is waning by some accounts and game attendance at college games has dropped. The drift away from cable and satellite subscription to streaming services may mean the revenues won't support the current college model. The name in likeness movement will further erode revenues for the sponsoring organization. Trying to achieve equity always fails.

 

[grayhair81]

I'm going to make one observation about this entire thread in one word "Equity". It started out based on a player transfer from Tennessee to Alabama and how that was inequitable since Alabama is rich with top flight recruits. The the followup comments were what to do about the inequities caused by the transfer portal. Some commenters recognized that Iowa and other similar college programs have a built in inequitable situation. The Social Justice instinct that has been cultivated among the masses kicks in on how to fix it. I was guilty as well as I tried to think through an equitable solution.

I'm guided by the Freedman and Hayek philosophies about free markets and how they cultivate innovation and greater prosperity. At some point the University of Iowa must decide if it wants to compete in a market and a conference where the measurement of success is a national college football championship or does it want to be an organization that promotes an opportunity to gain an education that qualifies the individual to be competitive in life. The U of I can't provide equity but it can promote equality by the education it can provide.

With all that said, college football has probably entered into the period of creative destruction where it falls apart. Fan interest in pro sports is waning by some accounts and game attendance at college games has dropped. The drift away from cable and satellite subscription to streaming services may mean the revenues won't support the current college model. The name in likeness movement will further erode revenues for the sponsoring organization. Trying to achieve equity always fails.

I think you just raised the IQ of this forum by ten points. Well done!

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

I'm going to make one observation about this entire thread in one word "Equity". It started out based on a player transfer from Tennessee to Alabama and how that was inequitable since Alabama is rich with top flight recruits. The the followup comments were what to do about the inequities caused by the transfer portal. Some commenters recognized that Iowa and other similar college programs have a built in inequitable situation. The Social Justice instinct that has been cultivated among the masses kicks in on how to fix it. I was guilty as well as I tried to think through an equitable solution.

I'm guided by the Freedman and Hayek philosophies about free markets and how they cultivate innovation and greater prosperity. At some point the University of Iowa must decide if it wants to compete in a market and a conference where the measurement of success is a national college football championship or does it want to be an organization that promotes an opportunity to gain an education that qualifies the individual to be competitive in life. The U of I can't provide equity but it can promote equality by the education it can provide.

With all that said, college football has probably entered into the period of creative destruction where it falls apart. Fan interest in pro sports is waning by some accounts and game attendance at college games has dropped. The drift away from cable and satellite subscription to streaming services may mean the revenues won't support the current college model. The name in likeness movement will further erode revenues for the sponsoring organization. Trying to achieve equity always fails.

Very well said. Every university will face that choice. Eventually an ever diminishing number of schools will be able to afford the price of competition. Viewer interest will wane and largely die. See the NBA.

The only real alternative is to dial back the cost voluntarily, a very difficult decision that most policy makers historically avoid. That would mean significant cut backs to scholarships, requiring varsity participants to waive any right to compensation other than a scholarship/varsity perks (e.g. training table, housing etc...). The portal closes and transfer/participation rules adapted to provide strict limitations on transferring. Those kinds of diminution of cost and improved parity aren't a panacea but they would start to "right size" the significance of college athletics to the larger public.

Reforms only happen when an organization recognizes they are on the brink of extinction. The NCAA and its constituent members need to remember that maxim and try to respond off trend.​

 

[anon_bb9wlf9kj42py]

I'm going to make one observation about this entire thread in one word "Equity". It started out based on a player transfer from Tennessee to Alabama and how that was inequitable since Alabama is rich with top flight recruits. The the followup comments were what to do about the inequities caused by the transfer portal. Some commenters recognized that Iowa and other similar college programs have a built in inequitable situation. The Social Justice instinct that has been cultivated among the masses kicks in on how to fix it. I was guilty as well as I tried to think through an equitable solution.

I'm guided by the Freedman and Hayek philosophies about free markets and how they cultivate innovation and greater prosperity. At some point the University of Iowa must decide if it wants to compete in a market and a conference where the measurement of success is a national college football championship or does it want to be an organization that promotes an opportunity to gain an education that qualifies the individual to be competitive in life. The U of I can't provide equity but it can promote equality by the education it can provide.

With all that said, college football has probably entered into the period of creative destruction where it falls apart. Fan interest in pro sports is waning by some accounts and game attendance at college games has dropped. The drift away from cable and satellite subscription to streaming services may mean the revenues won't support the current college model. The name in likeness movement will further erode revenues for the sponsoring organization. Trying to achieve equity always fails.

You're guided by Milton Friedman but can't spell his name?

 

[TonyTheTiger.1865]

The problem is going to kill CFB is that football is no longer a huge part of a lot of peoples lives growing up. I came from a generation where we all played football. People would question your manhood if you did not. These days most white kids, if they play a sport at all, play lacrosse and soccer, they have no connection to the game at all. I am willing to bet there are thousands of students walking around the campus in Iowa City that could care less if the football team wins or loses.

 

[Eternal Return]

How does this change anything? Bama is in the CFP finals almost every year as it is. Are they going to now field two teams?

Look at the CFP since it started. Bama and Clemson have dominated. Oklahoma and OSU are perennial semifinalists. Georgia, LSU, ND, and Oregon occasionally getting into the mix.

And that's about it. So how is anything going to be different than it has been? The CFP was already closed to all but eight schools every year. How are schools like Iowa or Pitt or ASU or Okie State any worse off than they were before?

People are delusional if they thought the previous iterations of personnel rules created competition. Nothing's changed. The game always was stacked toward a few elite teams and this won't change that. It's just going to be more of the same. The only difference is they'll be paying players above the table instead of under it.

 

[obfuscating]

I think the bigger problem is only having a 4 team playoff so the best players all go to one of the big 3 or 4 programs. That's what is ruining college fball for me....besides having to root for outdated, unimpressive offenses the majority of the last 22 years. The NFL is a much better product these days IMO and I've always preferred college more, until recently

FCS does it right.

 

[hawkfeever]

Saban isn't the reason that Alabama is what it is,.. Nick could drop dead tomorrow and the roll would continue...

Yeah because they won natty after natty when Bryant was gone. Sometimes it is the person.

 

[obfuscating]

The problem is going to kill CFB is that football is no longer a huge part of a lot of peoples lives growing up. I came from a generation where we all played football. People would question your manhood if you did not. These days most white kids, if they play a sport at all, play lacrosse and soccer, they have no connection to the game at all. I am willing to bet there are thousands of students walking around the campus in Iowa City that could care less if the football team wins or loses.

Wait, but equality is plastered all over College sports now. If it is truly about equality then shouldn't every team have an equal representation based on the population %? It seems that one demographic dominates football, basketball rosters. If they are going to scream "equality" then they need to start looking at their rosters first. Base it on data which is %, which will completely dismantle the "equality" drum.

Feeling good vs Doing good are two very different things.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Wait, but equality is plastered all over College sports now. If it is truly about equality then shouldn't every team have an equal representation based on the population %? It seems that one demographic dominates football, basketball rosters. If they are going to scream "equality" then they need to start looking at their rosters first. Base it on data which is %, which will completely dismantle the "equality" drum.

Feeling good vs Doing good are two very different things.

Fortunately for the post modern left their delusional religion requires neither logic or fact to support it's social and economic conclusions. They just have to feel good about themselves to know they're doing right, as you aptly note.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

This thread has become pretty existential. I'm not sure football and political socioeconomic theory belong in the same discussion - but I could be wrong.

Bottom line - if college athletes get paid, it's professional sports. It's the NFL-lite. Is that different than it is now? Definitely. Is it bad? I don't know, but I'm not excited about finding out either.

 

[obfuscating]

This thread has become pretty existential. I'm not sure football and political socioeconomic theory belong in the same discussion - but I could be wrong.

Bottom line - if college athletes get paid, it's professional sports. It's the NFL-lite. Is that different than it is now? Definitely. Is it bad? I don't know, but I'm not excited about finding out either.

But the athletes are the ones who brought politics into the mix with their "equality and kneeling"... reap what you sow. If you want equality, then base it on % (data) for ethnicities, not on performance.

 

[obfuscating]

FCS did it right, SDSU and SHS was a great game and the top 2 programs that whittled their way through the playoffs. Super happy to see locally grown talent on the field.

 

[ChiDoc]

Hell, Ohio State is not even immune.
From the story:
It's the second straight week that Alabama coach Nick Saban has pulled a potential impact player from the transfer portal.
Last week, former Ohio State starting wide receiver Jameson Williams announced that he would be going to Alabama.

That excerpt is not telling the whole story. Jameson Williams started as their 3rd WR last year but was slated to be passed on the depth chart so he entered the portal. Brian Hartline has proven to be one of the best young coaches in the country since they hired him in 2018 and his recruiting for their WR room has been absolutely insane. A smart team should try to poach him as an OC or hell even head coach, I can’t remember any young coach absolutely dominate a position group in recruiting immediately from go like he has.

Their top two WRs Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are both preseason all Americans projected to be 2022 first round picks. Then after that there are 3 different 5 star players fighting to be the 3rd WR who are all better than Jameson Williams, plus Marvin Harrison Jr who looked unbelievable in their spring game as a spring early enrollee who should still be in hs, plus another 5 star signed for 2022. Hartline signed the number one WR in the country in 2020, 2021, and 2022 from PA, WA and TX respectively, though the 2022 guy Burton got hurt and is now a mere lowly five star. I think their WR room now has as Many 5 stars as any other B1G team has combined at all positions, and close to what the entire rest of the league has combined, if not its seriously close....

This is the guy who passed Jameson Williams on the depth chart and was the TX 6A player of the year in HS after putting up a ridiculous 2100 yards and 35 TDs receiving in his Sr year in Texas’ largest class, making an absolutely unreal catch in his first college game vs Debbie last fall as a true freshman, I'd run for the door if I was Williams too:






Their WR room is an absolute murderers row of studs, Petras would look like Chuck Long throwing to these guys, this is probably the most talented position group on any team in the country right now after Alabama’s WR room was raided by the NFL a few weeks ago:

Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State Buckeyes, Wide Receiver

Two-sport athlete in football and baseball. 2019: As a junior, helped Steilacoom to an 11-3 record and Washington 2A state runner-up finish; returned three...

247sports.com

Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State Buckeyes, Wide Receiver

Marvin Harrison Jr. is a Wide Receiver from Philadelphia, PA.

247sports.com

Caleb Burton, Ohio State Buckeyes, Wide Receiver

Played at Del Valle (Texas) prior to his senior year. 2020: Suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the schedule as a junior. 2019: First-team...

247sports.com

The Buckeyes did need Henry To’o To’o really badly though, they lost their top 4 LBs last year and he would’ve been their best LB on their roster by far, Saban really hurt Day with that pickup pretty badly, it came down to Bama vs OSU for him. Absolutely massive win there for Saban.

The best defensive player in the country for 2021 is reportedly going to decide between Alabama and OSU in a couple weeks after he takes visits in early June, If the Buckeyes hold on and land him they will have two top 5 overall 5 star DE's in their 2021 class to go along with all their offensive firepower. Imagine having two Chase Youngs, it'd be unprecendented, even for them (would be 3rd and 4th highest recruits they've ever signed as bookend DEs in same class). If they can do that they should win another title in the next three years, but If Saban steals him away after doing the same for To'o To'o it'd be pretty devastating for Ohio State and the B1G's chances at a title in the near future IMO...

 

[grayhair81]

That excerpt is not telling the whole story. Jameson Williams started as their 3rd WR last year but was slated to be passed on the depth chart so he entered the portal. Brian Hartline has proven to be one of the best young coaches in the country since they hired him in 2018 and his recruiting for their WR room has been absolutely insane. A smart team should try to poach him as an OC or hell even head coach, I can’t remember any young coach absolutely dominate a position group in recruiting immediately from go like he has.

Their top two WRs Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are both preseason all Americans projected to be 2022 first round picks. Then after that there are 3 different 5 star players fighting to be the 3rd WR who are all better than Jameson Williams, plus Marvin Harrison Jr who looked unbelievable in their spring game as a spring early enrollee who should still be in hs, plus another 5 star signed for 2022. Hartline signed the number one WR in the country in 2020, 2021, and 2022 from PA, WA and TX respectively, though the 2022 guy Burton got hurt and is now a mere lowly five star. I think their WR room now has as Many 5 stars as any other B1G team has combined at all positions, and close to what the entire rest of the league has combined, if not its seriously close....

This is the guy who passed Jameson Williams on the depth chart and was the TX 6A player of the year in HS after putting up a ridiculous 2100 yards and 35 TDs receiving in his Sr year in Texas’ largest class, making an absolutely unreal catch in his first college game vs Debbie last fall as a true freshman, I'd run for the door if I was Williams too:

View embedded media

Their WR room is an absolute murderers row of studs, Petras would look like Chuck Long throwing to these guys, this is probably the most talented position group on any team in the country right now after Alabama’s WR room was raided by the NFL a few weeks ago:

View embedded media

View embedded media

View embedded media

Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State Buckeyes, Wide Receiver

Two-sport athlete in football and baseball. 2019: As a junior, helped Steilacoom to an 11-3 record and Washington 2A state runner-up finish; returned three...

247sports.com

Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State Buckeyes, Wide Receiver

Marvin Harrison Jr. is a Wide Receiver from Philadelphia, PA.

247sports.com

Caleb Burton, Ohio State Buckeyes, Wide Receiver

Played at Del Valle (Texas) prior to his senior year. 2020: Suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the schedule as a junior. 2019: First-team...

247sports.com

The Buckeyes did need Henry To’o To’o really badly though, they lost their top 4 LBs last year and he would’ve been their best LB on their roster by far, Saban really hurt Day with that pickup pretty badly, it came down to Bama vs OSU for him. Absolutely massive win there for Saban.

The best defensive player in the country for 2021 is reportedly going to decide between Alabama and OSU in a couple weeks after he takes visits in early June, If the Buckeyes hold on and land him they will have two top 5 overall 5 star DE's in their 2021 class to go along with all their offensive firepower. Imagine having two Chase Youngs, it'd be unprecendented, even for them (would be 3rd and 4th highest recruits they've ever signed as bookend DEs in same class). If they can do that they should win another title in the next three years, but If Saban steals him away after doing the same for To'o To'o it'd be pretty devastating for Ohio State and the B1G's chances at a title in the near future IMO...

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Meh. ISU wants OSU, Bama, and Clemson in consecutive weeks. Stars are overrated.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Just need to make 2 levels of D1 football.

The Alabama's of the world (Alabama, OSU, Clemson, Okl, Ore, USC, FL, LSU, TX, Mich) and then everyone else. Let the elites fight it out by playing each other over and over, no one from the "other" level should play them. Let them eat their own.

Nebraska. You totally forgot Nebraska.

 

[Kinky F]

Nebraska. You totally forgot Nebraska.

Texas has been mediocre for a decade.