First and foremost, he’s still very much committed to Florida State. But he definitely knows a good offer when he sees one, especially when it comes from a coach that used to mentor the Florida Gators.
Throw in the fact that Urban Meyer is very stingy with his offers to quarterbacks and the one De'Andre Johnson (Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast) picked up from the Buckeyes wasn’t taken lightly.
Throw in the fact that Urban Meyer is very stingy with his offers to quarterbacks and the one De'Andre Johnson (Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast) picked up from the Buckeyes wasn’t taken lightly.
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This isn’t Woody Hayes’ team anymore.
Three yards and a cloud of dust has been replaced by three split out wide on one side and another two receivers on the other with an empty backfield.
While Ohio State will likely still keep one bruising running back -- this season’s version is Carlos Hyde -- the running back position is changing in Columbus, Ohio, for the most part.
One look at the offense shows exactly what has happened at the position under Urban Meyer.
Three yards and a cloud of dust has been replaced by three split out wide on one side and another two receivers on the other with an empty backfield.
While Ohio State will likely still keep one bruising running back -- this season’s version is Carlos Hyde -- the running back position is changing in Columbus, Ohio, for the most part.
One look at the offense shows exactly what has happened at the position under Urban Meyer.
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Urban Meyer is at it again.
The two-time national champion knows where the talent is and he’s not afraid to tap into Georgia time and again.
Ohio State went back to the Peach State late Wednesday night with offers to safety Kirk Tucker (Tucker, Ga./Tucker) and his teammate linebacker Detric Dukes, a Louisville commit.
The two-time national champion knows where the talent is and he’s not afraid to tap into Georgia time and again.
Ohio State went back to the Peach State late Wednesday night with offers to safety Kirk Tucker (Tucker, Ga./Tucker) and his teammate linebacker Detric Dukes, a Louisville commit.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There was a time when cutting Carlos Hyde some slack on the practice field would have been unthinkable, and it wasn’t all that long ago.
With the running back perhaps not in the finest shape and somewhat easily fatigued, Ohio State could use every rep available to it to try to get him ready for a heavy workload.
Maybe not the most mature guy on the roster, the Buckeyes also might have needed to keep him involved in the offense as much as possible just to keep his confidence at a reasonable level.
Even after a successful season as a junior, which included his first significant opportunity to be the featured tailback, there was also the threat of Hyde slipping back into a comfort zone and resting on his laurels.
Running backs coach Stan Drayton has been around long enough to know all those things about Hyde, and somewhere in the back of Drayton's mind they might have nagged at him a bit, as the Buckeyes decided to keep the starter largely on the sideline during live work this spring as they evaluated options behind him. But Drayton never wavered, Hyde never complained, and there might not be a clearer example of how far the senior’s reputation has come than how little management was necessary in a camp that was productive even when he didn’t have the football in his hands.
“You know, he does have a complacent bone in him,” Drayton said. “I cannot underestimate that, but I haven’t seen it in a long time. I’m hoping that it’s gone forever.
“I’ll tell you, he’s getting to the point where his psyche is not easily killed. At some point you have to sit down with a senior and have real man-to-man, face-to-face conversations about where you are and where you need to be. ... Maturity proves itself on how you go about improving those weaknesses, even when I’m not watching.”
The Buckeyes needed to devote more time to watching the backups than Hyde this spring, and in turn the veteran was forced to turn his attention to his younger teammates throughout workouts, effectively serving as a coach.
That Hyde could handle the responsibility of watching reps without taking many or that he would offer pointers to guys who could conceivably chip away at his carries reflects the increased faith the Buckeyes have in him. But that Hyde was also more than willing to take on that role reinforces some of the changes he has made heading into his last season with the program, validating himself as more than just an integral part of the rushing attack in the process.
“It’s just me getting older,” Hyde said during camp. “Last year kind of matured me, too, and I’m just getting older and learning the game better.
“I feel like mentally I’m still hungry. I feel like there’s still more to improve on, and I feel like people probably still have doubts about me and I want to prove those people wrong.”
There wasn’t much he needed to show on the field during spring practice after rushing for 970 yards and 16 touchdowns last fall, and the Buckeyes had no concerns about limiting him during some full-contact situations in workouts or holding him out entirely from the spring game.
That doesn’t mean Hyde is a finished product, and he’s the first to admit he can become a more elusive runner to break a few longer runs and that his pass protection can be improved as well. It also doesn’t mean Drayton stopped paying attention to Hyde's handling of his new responsibilities -- but there were at least some aspects of his game that no longer required as much monitoring.
“He wants to play, he wants to practice and I love him for that,” Drayton said. “He can be a pain in the butt out there, but I told him in our individual meeting, 'I didn’t know you had that in you.' I thought he hated practice. I thought he was one of those guys that kind of fatigued early.
“But now he’s got some endurance, he’s got some confidence about him and I was really excited to see how bad he really wanted to practice, play, the whole deal. ... I don’t want him to feel like he’s there, because he’s not there. But he’s definitely heading in the right direction.”
At this point in his career, Hyde didn’t even need a football to prove it.
With the running back perhaps not in the finest shape and somewhat easily fatigued, Ohio State could use every rep available to it to try to get him ready for a heavy workload.
Maybe not the most mature guy on the roster, the Buckeyes also might have needed to keep him involved in the offense as much as possible just to keep his confidence at a reasonable level.
[+] Enlarge
Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesBuckeyes RBs coach Stan Drayton said Carlos Hyde does indeed have a 'complacent bone' in his body, but the coach is happy to report it has been missing in action so far in 2013.
Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesBuckeyes RBs coach Stan Drayton said Carlos Hyde does indeed have a 'complacent bone' in his body, but the coach is happy to report it has been missing in action so far in 2013.Running backs coach Stan Drayton has been around long enough to know all those things about Hyde, and somewhere in the back of Drayton's mind they might have nagged at him a bit, as the Buckeyes decided to keep the starter largely on the sideline during live work this spring as they evaluated options behind him. But Drayton never wavered, Hyde never complained, and there might not be a clearer example of how far the senior’s reputation has come than how little management was necessary in a camp that was productive even when he didn’t have the football in his hands.
“You know, he does have a complacent bone in him,” Drayton said. “I cannot underestimate that, but I haven’t seen it in a long time. I’m hoping that it’s gone forever.
“I’ll tell you, he’s getting to the point where his psyche is not easily killed. At some point you have to sit down with a senior and have real man-to-man, face-to-face conversations about where you are and where you need to be. ... Maturity proves itself on how you go about improving those weaknesses, even when I’m not watching.”
The Buckeyes needed to devote more time to watching the backups than Hyde this spring, and in turn the veteran was forced to turn his attention to his younger teammates throughout workouts, effectively serving as a coach.
That Hyde could handle the responsibility of watching reps without taking many or that he would offer pointers to guys who could conceivably chip away at his carries reflects the increased faith the Buckeyes have in him. But that Hyde was also more than willing to take on that role reinforces some of the changes he has made heading into his last season with the program, validating himself as more than just an integral part of the rushing attack in the process.
“It’s just me getting older,” Hyde said during camp. “Last year kind of matured me, too, and I’m just getting older and learning the game better.
“I feel like mentally I’m still hungry. I feel like there’s still more to improve on, and I feel like people probably still have doubts about me and I want to prove those people wrong.”
There wasn’t much he needed to show on the field during spring practice after rushing for 970 yards and 16 touchdowns last fall, and the Buckeyes had no concerns about limiting him during some full-contact situations in workouts or holding him out entirely from the spring game.
That doesn’t mean Hyde is a finished product, and he’s the first to admit he can become a more elusive runner to break a few longer runs and that his pass protection can be improved as well. It also doesn’t mean Drayton stopped paying attention to Hyde's handling of his new responsibilities -- but there were at least some aspects of his game that no longer required as much monitoring.
“He wants to play, he wants to practice and I love him for that,” Drayton said. “He can be a pain in the butt out there, but I told him in our individual meeting, 'I didn’t know you had that in you.' I thought he hated practice. I thought he was one of those guys that kind of fatigued early.
“But now he’s got some endurance, he’s got some confidence about him and I was really excited to see how bad he really wanted to practice, play, the whole deal. ... I don’t want him to feel like he’s there, because he’s not there. But he’s definitely heading in the right direction.”
At this point in his career, Hyde didn’t even need a football to prove it.
AKRON, Ohio -- Getting Dante Booker (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) to say much of anything about his recruitment oftentimes can be like trying to wear a short-sleeved shirt in Northeast Ohio during the month of February.
It’s just not going to happen.
But the 6-foot-3, 215-pound outside linebacker whispered three letters Wednesday that should have the Ohio State faithful very happy.
It’s just not going to happen.
But the 6-foot-3, 215-pound outside linebacker whispered three letters Wednesday that should have the Ohio State faithful very happy.
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Throughout the next few months, BuckeyeNation will look further into those juniors offered by Ohio State.
We’ll give as much detail as we can and go behind the scenes to see why these Class of 2014 standouts are so attractive to the Buckeyes.
Next on the list is Brandon Harris, who wowed Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman in a workout last week before picking up an offer three days later.
Vitals: Harris (Bossier City, La./Parkway) is 6-foot-2 and 186 pounds.
We’ll give as much detail as we can and go behind the scenes to see why these Class of 2014 standouts are so attractive to the Buckeyes.
Next on the list is Brandon Harris, who wowed Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman in a workout last week before picking up an offer three days later.
Vitals: Harris (Bossier City, La./Parkway) is 6-foot-2 and 186 pounds.
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As the 2014 recruiting class comes into focus following what was yet another strong national signing day for Urban Meyer, BuckeyeNation will take a position-by-position look at the juniors.
Today, we examine the quarterbacks. Ohio State took its time in offering the position in regards to the Class of 2014, but has since offered three in the last week.
Here are the top five junior quarterbacks not committed somewhere else. Three have an offer from the Buckeyes. Two have the interest of the scarlet and gray.
Today, we examine the quarterbacks. Ohio State took its time in offering the position in regards to the Class of 2014, but has since offered three in the last week.
Here are the top five junior quarterbacks not committed somewhere else. Three have an offer from the Buckeyes. Two have the interest of the scarlet and gray.
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JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- A month ago, Jonathan Hilliman released a top 10. He is slowly whittling his list to a final school.
“It’s coming down to seven. I dropped some schools,” Hilliman said. “We narrowed it down so we could go out and see these places and get a feel for who’s who and who’s interested and who’s not.”
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ESPN 150 athlete Dravon Henry (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) listed his top four schools about two months ago with the understanding it would slow down his recruitment.
With the mailbox now stuffed with 50 letters by the middle of the week, it's safe to say the four-star athlete understood incorrectly.
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An offer goes out to a Georgia athlete. It's one of 20 to the Peach State from Ohio State in the Class of 2014.
Click, clack.
Urban Meyer sends assistants to Florida and Texas, and more offers are issued. The Sunshine State now has 23 juniors with offers from the Buckeyes. The Lone Star State has 14.
We must protect this house? It hardly seems like it these days.
Ohio athletes hold just 12 offers from Ohio State and make up only eight percent of the ones handed out by the Buckeyes in the junior class.
As the 2014 class gets deeper into the recruiting season, there are fans wondering out loud why Meyer is disregarding the Buckeye State and heading north, east, south and west for recruits.
Yet, in the end, he’s really not. He's just being more choosy with the in-state talent.
Click, clack.
Urban Meyer sends assistants to Florida and Texas, and more offers are issued. The Sunshine State now has 23 juniors with offers from the Buckeyes. The Lone Star State has 14.
We must protect this house? It hardly seems like it these days.
Ohio athletes hold just 12 offers from Ohio State and make up only eight percent of the ones handed out by the Buckeyes in the junior class.
As the 2014 class gets deeper into the recruiting season, there are fans wondering out loud why Meyer is disregarding the Buckeye State and heading north, east, south and west for recruits.
Yet, in the end, he’s really not. He's just being more choosy with the in-state talent.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
We've been ranking top Ohio State targets by position for a few months now, but what some want to know is who is the best in Ohio.
Like the lists before them, the criteria is the same. In order to qualify, these standout juniors must have an offer from Ohio State and not be committed somewhere else.
That cut the list down considerably, as only 12 players from the Buckeye state have been offered so far. With five already in the fold and three committed elsewhere, just four names survived the cut.
Here they are in order:
Like the lists before them, the criteria is the same. In order to qualify, these standout juniors must have an offer from Ohio State and not be committed somewhere else.
That cut the list down considerably, as only 12 players from the Buckeye state have been offered so far. With five already in the fold and three committed elsewhere, just four names survived the cut.
Here they are in order:
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Buckeyes get a boost in 2015 Baker's eyes 
May, 6, 2013
May 6
8:02
PM ET
By
Brad Bournival | ESPN.com
Growing up in Cleveland, Jerome Baker Jr. knew everything he needed to about Ohio State’s football team.
What the Benedictine sophomore wanted to find out Sunday was the other side of the Buckeyes.
What the Benedictine sophomore wanted to find out Sunday was the other side of the Buckeyes.
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Corey Avery (Dallas/Carter) isn’t the most boisterous or most flamboyant athlete. In fact, when he’s on the field, he seems to be all business.
Sometimes, not being the most vocal can result in the “sleeper” title. For months Avery was considered a sleeper, but recently he’s picked up offers from Texas Tech and Nebraska to go along with his first offer, which came from West Virginia.
Sometimes, not being the most vocal can result in the “sleeper” title. For months Avery was considered a sleeper, but recently he’s picked up offers from Texas Tech and Nebraska to go along with his first offer, which came from West Virginia.
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Curtis Samuel (Brooklyn, N.Y./Erasmus Hall) is confident he will make an impact on either side of the field, but the four-star athlete does have a desire to play his college football on one side in particular.
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Editor's note: Finding the Future is a RecruitingNation feature that will appear throughout camps and combine season, ranking prospects strictly on their on-field performance at the particular event. It does not reflect where each will land when the class is ranked by ESPN.
ADDISON, Ill. -- Seven 2014 prospects earned invitations to The Opening on Sunday at the Chicago Nike Football Training Camp, but there were plenty of 2015 and 2016 players who also played at a high level.
1. 2015 DE Jashon Cornell
6-foot-4, 230 pounds
St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Durham Hall
Notable offers: Notre Dame, Florida, Cal, Ohio State, USC, Wisconsin
What we learned: Cornell is a long, lanky player with a lot of speed and quickness. For a 6-foot-4 kid, he has really good hips and agility, but he needs to add weight. However, he looked solid in the one-on-ones and showed why he has a big offer list already and why schools such as Michigan, Michigan State and Arkansas are also showing heavy interest.
"I'm looking for a college that has a great business program," Cornell said of what he wants in a school. "I'm also looking for a college that will challenge me as a student-athlete and help me become a better football player and student, one that will help me reach my dream, which is to play in the NFL."
ADDISON, Ill. -- Seven 2014 prospects earned invitations to The Opening on Sunday at the Chicago Nike Football Training Camp, but there were plenty of 2015 and 2016 players who also played at a high level.
1. 2015 DE Jashon Cornell
6-foot-4, 230 pounds
St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Durham Hall
Notable offers: Notre Dame, Florida, Cal, Ohio State, USC, Wisconsin
What we learned: Cornell is a long, lanky player with a lot of speed and quickness. For a 6-foot-4 kid, he has really good hips and agility, but he needs to add weight. However, he looked solid in the one-on-ones and showed why he has a big offer list already and why schools such as Michigan, Michigan State and Arkansas are also showing heavy interest.
"I'm looking for a college that has a great business program," Cornell said of what he wants in a school. "I'm also looking for a college that will challenge me as a student-athlete and help me become a better football player and student, one that will help me reach my dream, which is to play in the NFL."
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ABOUT BUCKEYE NATION
Austin Ward
Austin Ward joined ESPN.com in 2012 after five years as a college football writer at the Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune and the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel. The award-winning journalist lives with his wife in Columbus, Ohio. Email him at ajward.espn@gmail.com.
Brad Bournival
Brad Bournival, a lifetime Northeast Ohio resident, joined ESPN in 2012 and is the recruiting writer for BuckeyeNation. He has covered sports at the professional, college and high school level for 16 years. Recently, Bournival was a freelance writer for The Plain Dealer, The Medina Gazette and SportsInk.com. Email him at bradbournival.espn@gmail.com.