OSU Buckeyes

The University of Alabama found its quarterback of the future on Friday when ESPN 150 selection David Cornwell (Norman, Okla./Norman North) committed to the Crimson Tide. Two days later, they reeled in a target to help Cornwell down the road, four-star wide receiver Derek Kief (Cincinnati/LaSalle).

The 6-foot-5, 198-pound Kief announced his commitment via Twitter and his website. He had narrowed his list to Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio State, but the two-time defending champions won out.

"I love everything about it. I love the coaches, the offense, everything. They will develop me as a football player as well as a person," Kief said Sunday.

Last week, Kief and his family made a second trip to Tuscaloosa, Ala., where they spent time around the program, with the coaches and with several of the current players. Kief first visited Alabama in March during spring practice.

“It’s all business,” he said after that trip. “They’re very disciplined, and it shows if you do that, it’ll help you win.”

As a junior, Kief had 65 catches for 907 yards and nine touchdowns. He set a school record for receptions in a season and was named first-team all-district in Ohio.

"They said they can see me playing in multiple receiver positions," Kief said Sunday. "I run good routes for my size, and they said I'll be a red-zone weapon."

With the addition of Cornwell and Kief this weekend, Alabama has 12 commitments for 2014, a group that now includes eight four-star recruits. Kief becomes the first wide receiver taken by the Tide in this class.

The camp season means recruiting is ramping up, and the Buckeyes are in the mix for a lot of big-time prospects. Ohio State also had one commit at a needed position. This is Across The Field, a regular feature on BuckeyeNation where we point you to noteworthy Buckeyes coverage here and elsewhere. Think something should be included? Send it to espnkendrick@gmail.com.

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• The Buckeyes have their kicker in the 2014 class.
• We'll find out Sunday night if the Buckeyes have done enough to land Cincinnati LaSalle WR Derek Kief.
• Brad Bournival covered Ohio State's senior advanced camp last Sunday, full of big names, plenty of underclassman offers and lessons learned.
• So some school up north is No. 1 in the class rankings right now. But would you rather start fast or finish fast, as Urban Meyer does?
• Chantel Jennings documented ESPN 150 athlete Marshon Lattimore's rapid rise.
• Bournival talked about Lattimore and the 2014 class in this week's B1G Official Visit.
• Brad Bournival talked to OSU pledge Kyle Trout about his goals and gave the first nine players in the class some labels.
• Ohio State is chasing some big-time linemen. But the Buckeyes didn't get one big juco prospect.
• No-nonsense ESPN 150 OL Braden Smith keeps a distant perspective to recruiting, but the Buckeyes are still in contact.
• The No. 3 safety in the country has Ohio State in his top six.
• The Buckeyes lead for a coveted RB from New Jersey, and a Texas RB calls Ohio State and LSU his two favorites.
• Four-star athlete Kiy Hester of New Jersey grew up a Buckeyes fan and is planning a visit.
• DT Poona Ford isn't a prototype at defensive tackle, but he has high-end strength and speed.
• The grandson of a former OSU player got an offer.
• A group of Cleveland-area prospects have a friendly food wager over their growing list of offers, writes Bournival.
• A Kansas tight end made a visit on his way to a camp in Florida.
• Four-star WR Jalen Brown of Arizona visited on a Midwest swing.
• In the 2015 class, top running back prospect Jacques Patrick of Florida loved his Ohio State visit and plans to return. He also visited a school up north.
• 2015 defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick has the work ethic coaches love, writes Josh Moyer.
• Bournival profiled 2015 prospect DE Hjalte Froholdt, an in-state player via Denmark.
• A Tennessee prospect grew up a big Ohio State fan.
• Phil Steele believes Ohio State has the nation's second-best quarterback group and the 15th-best running back group.
• In this week's mailbag, Bournival tackles (what else) the quarterback recruiting situation, Glenville athletes and linemen.
• Who will be Ohio State's X-factor?

Football

• Ohio State's APR scores are on the upswing and now are among the best in the country. (Dispatch)
• The Big Ten as a whole is solid in APR, writes Adam Rittenberg.
• Offensive coordinator Tom Herman is a rising star in the coaching ranks. (CBS)
• Bruce Feldman conducted a wide-ranging interview with Buckeyes behind-the-scenes strength guru Mickey Marotti. (CBS)
• Coach Coop will be in the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame class. (Dispatch)
• What appears to be an artifact from the memorabilia scandal ended up on eBay and sold for $18,000. (CBS)
• Through a public records request, the Lantern obtained the performance reviews of Ohio State assistant coaches.
• Eleven Warriors grades the Buckeyes' assistant coaches in recruiting.
• Maurice Clarett will address the NFL rookie symposium, an event he didn't pay much attention to eight years ago. (FoxSportsOhio.com)
• Former Buckeyes receiver Ray Small was indicted on drugs and weapons charges. (Dispatch)
• Athlon believes Ohio Stadium is the best in the Big Ten.
• The team ratings and player ratings are out for the NCAA Football 2014 video game. (Land Grant Holy Land)

Basketball

• Thad Matta has a great 2014 recruiting class forming that's second in the initial ESPN class rankings.
• It's official: Chris Jent is headed back to the NBA as the top assistant in Sacramento. (Dispatch)
• The Buckeyes will play Ohio in hoops for the first time in 19 years. (No word if Rufus the Bobcat will be invited. But Brutus should be on guard.) (Dispatch)
• The late Charlie Coles assembled quite a coaching staff at Miami of Ohio, including Matta. (Sporting News)

The Gang's All Here

• The Big Ten is pulling for the Hoosiers to represent the league well at the College World Series. It's been almost 30 years. (Dispatch)
• Ohio State named its athletes of the year. (OSU)