The Great Wall of (Jim) Tressel

In an earlier article I argued that for Brady Hoke to be successful at Michigan, he will need to be able to recruit Ohio better.  I described Ohio as “The Great Wall of Tressel” comparing it to the Great Wall of China.  In this article I wanted to analyze Jim Tressel’s recruiting classes from 2006-2011 and see if indeed there exists a “Great Wall of Tressel” around Ohio recruits.  Rather than focusing on all the recruits, or even the top 50, I will just focus on the top 10 recruits from 2006-2011 and see what percentage of those top 10 recruits from Ohio did Tressel sign. All recruit rankings will be based on Rivals.com.

1. Chris Wells, RB        

2. Robert Rose, DE        

3.Connor Smith, OL        

4.Justin Boren, OL        

5. Ray Small, WR      

6.Thaddeus Gibson, LB

7.Aaron Brown, OL

8.Ross Homan, LB

9. Cobrani Mixon, LB

10. Kurt Coleman, DB

Of the top 10, seven signed with Ohio State and Justin Boren later transferred to Ohio State, giving Tressel 80% from the Top 10 in 2006.

1. Ben Martin, DE

2.Brandon Saine, RB

3.Eugene Clifford, DB

4.Antonio Jeremiah, DT

5. Nate Oliver, DB

6. C.J. Peake, DB

7.Jermale Hines, LB

8. Devon Torrence, DB

9. Diauntae Morrow, S

10.Donnie Evege, DB

Ben Martin signed with Tennessee and not all of the top 10 even received scholarship offers.  Still, six of the 10 would sign with OSU as well as Solomon Thomas, who was No. 11.

1. Mike Adams, OL

2.Kyle Rudolph, TE

3. DeVier Posey, WR

4.Devoe Torrence, ATH

5. Brandon Beachum,  LB

6. Michael Shaw, RB

7. Jake Stoneburner, TE

8. Zebrie Sanders, OL

9. Mike Zordich, LB

10. Kevin Koger, TE

This was not one of Tressel’s best years in Ohio but it was the year that he signed Terrelle Pryor as well as other top players from outside of Ohio.  Only four of the Top 10 signed, though Ohio State did not offer Zebrie Sanders a scholarship.  Devoe Torrence also had his scholarship rescinded for behavior that would not warrant an OSU scholie.  Nathan Williams was No. 11 in Ohio in this class.

1. Justin Turner, DB

2.Marcus Hall, OL

3. Jamie Wood, DB

4. Chris Fields, WR

5. C.J. Barnett, DB

6. D.J Hunter, DB

7. Corey Linsley, OL

8. Bud Golden, RB

9. Jack Mewhort, OL

10. Storm Klein, LB

Again, Ohio State did not make offers to everyone in the Top 10, but Tressel still signed seven of the top 10 players in Ohio, rebounding from the previous year.

1. Latwan Anderson, DB

2. Jordan Hicks, LB

3. Spencer Ware, ATH

4. Braylon Heard, RB

5.  Andrew Norwell, OL

6. Mat James, OL

7. Christian Bryant, DB

8. Skyler Schofner, OL

9. Andrew Donnal, OL

10. Dominique Brown, ATH

This was probably Tressel’s worst year in signing players from Ohio’s Top 10.  Like previous years, they did not offer everyone like Braylon Heard, Skyler Schofner and Andrew Donnal.  But this may have been the toughest year for offers that went to other schools.  Jordan Hicks went to Texas, Latwan Anderson went to West Virigina and then to Miami.   Matt James chose Notre Dame.  Only two players signed from Ohio’s top 10, but it is likely that only five scholarships were offered.

The 2011 recruiting season is not over yet, but already Ohio State has signed six of the eight players in Ohio’s Top 10 and a seventh player, OL Aundrey Walker from Cleveland. Glenville is also likely to sign with Ohio State, making it seven of eight players in the Top 10 that they offered and signed.

Based on straight mathematics, Ohio State averages signing 57% of the players in Ohio’s Top 10.  This percentage increases if you factor in that not everyone in Ohio’s Top 10 received an OSU offer. 

It is clear that Tressel is keeping most of the talent OSU wants in Ohio.  He truly has created a “Great Wall.”  The base of recruiting must be Ohio but it also must be supplemented from outside.  It is clear that OSU’s influence goes beyond the “Great Wall” in Ohio.  This is bad news for Michigan, Notre Dame and any other program that recruits the Midwest as their base. 

Is there a new wonder of the world?  One can argue that one of the wonders of college football recruiting is “The Great Wall of Tressel” in Ohio.