The Buckeyes head to the dreaded Kohl Center to take on the No. 20 ranked Wisconsin Badgers (18-5, 7-3). It has been over a decade since Ohio State has escaped Madison with a win, a place where Thad Matta has never won.

The Buckeyes currently sit alone atop the B1G standing at 7-2, and a win this afternoon would be monumental. After today, the Buckeyes have a very tough eight game stretch which includes Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Michigan State twice. Time to buckle in for the ride!

The game tips at 2 PM ET on ESPN, but the LiveBlog will get going at 1:30. We will be joining the other guys from the Buckeye Blogger Network - Men of the Scarlet and Gray, Our Honor Defend,The Buckeye Battle Cry, Buckeye House Call, the Buckeye Blog, and Fox Sports Ohio.

LiveBlog after the break!

Michael Chung (10:02 am)

National Signing Day has come and gone leaving Ohio State with a top 5 recruiting class.  Soon, all the talk of the 2012 recruits will end and a new conversation will begin.  25 players signed their LOI and there maybe room for one more, but Urban Meyer is already hot on the trail for 2013.  The next class could be even better. 

The Buckeyes already have early commitments from two of the top prospects in Ohio: Cameron Burrows and Jalin Marshall.  This could be the start of a loaded class.  When ESPN asked Meyer how 2013 recruiting was going, Meyer responded, “Oh, we're killing it. We're all over it.” 

It is likely that the class will be around 20 give or take a few. With Marshall and Burrows already in the 2013 fold, who will follow their lead and fill out the 2013 class?  I will try to have an early prediction here. Schools in Ohio will only list the name, out-of-state prospects will list the name of their school, city and state.

1. LB Ben Gedeon, Hudson, 6-2, 220 - One of three prospects to receive an offer on Junior day and could be the third commit of the 2013 class.  Though OSU recruited five linebackers in 2012, Meyer will want more depth.

2. LB Courtney Love, Youngstown Mooney, 6-1, 222 - Love already has an offer with Gedeon and will likely be part of the 2013 class unless he feels there is too much depth at LB.

3. RB DeVeon Smith, Warren Howland, 6-0, 215 - Jordan Hall will be gone and an extra back would be nice.  Has an offer from OSU and will likely be part of the 2013 class.

4. ATH Caleb Day, Hilliard Darby, 6-1, 185 - Though he could play offense, Day will likely be asked to play DB, either corner or safety.  Has an OSU offer but is also considering Notre Dame and Florida as well as Cincinnati.

5. WR Shelton Gibson, Cleveland Heights, 5-11, 175 - Seems to be favoring Auburn but has an OSU offer.  If current receivers Spencer, Smith and Fields develop and OSU lands Stefon Diggs or Davonte Neal, look for Gibson to go elsewhere unless Urban really needs him or can convince him to play DB.

6. OL Lovell Peterson, Huber Heights Wayne, 6-4, 280 - This will likely be a battle between Nick Saban and Urban Meyer. Though neither Alabama nor OSU has offered yet, look for them to be coming soon.  Illinois has offered but will not stand up to OSU and Bama.  It will be between Braxton Miller and Trey DePriest on who can convince Peterson to come.  Meyer and Saban may take a back seat in the recruiting process for Peterson.

7. OL/DL Billy Price, Austintown Fitch, 6-4, 285 - After the massive haul of DL in 2012 and depth from previous classes, there will not be too many DL recruits but Price will be one. He could also move to OT.  Every Midwestern school from Notre Dame to Pitt to Michigan has offered including Ohio State.  My guess is he ends up Buckeye or Irish.

8. QB Malik Zaire, Kettering Alter (D-3/10-1), 6-1, 188 - An amazing athlete, if he is not a QB, can play pretty much any skill position.  OSU will need one QB in this class and Jalin Marshall is already being mentioned as a Percy Harvin type player. Could Malik be the one behind Braxton?  He has an offer and will likely end up Scarlet and Gray.

9. OT Evan Lisle Centerville , 6-5, 260 - No Ohio State offer yet but the Sooners and Hurricanes have.  OSU will always need O-lineman and Lisle will likely be one of them.

10.  DB Eli Woodard, Voorhers, NJ-Eastern, 6-1, 185 - Schools like Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Cal, and Wisconsin along with OSU have offered.  Knowing that Urban will try to add DB depth in this class along with so many DBs from OSU in the NFL, it looks like Eli will be Buckeye.

11.  QB Tra'Von Chapman, Roosevelt, 6-2, 200 - Tra’Von only has MAC offers as of now. Some call him a Braxton Miller clone but my guess is that Urban would want him at DB.  If he insists on QB then he will likely not be a Buckeye.

12.  OT Alex Gall, Moeller, 6-5, 285 - No OSU offer yet but Urban is from Cincinnati and don’t be surprised if Gall begins a pipeline from Cincinnati Moeller to OSU.

13. RB Derrick Green, Hermitage-Richmond, VA, 5-11, 220 - Green has offers galore from coast to coast.  He has always favored OSU and considers Eddie George an idol.  Look for Urban to ask #27 for some help in luring Green to Columbus and look for Green to try to wear 27 in Scarlet and Grey.

14. OLB Mike McCray Jr., Trotwood-Madison, 6-3, 220 - Does not have an OSU offer but if he gets one, will follow his teammate Cameron Burrows to Columbus and continue the Trotwood-Madison pipeline.

15. TE Mike Heuerman  Barron Collier Naples, FL 6-4, 215 - Does not have an OSU offer yet but would like to play with his big brother.  Would come north if Buckeyes offered.

16.  WR Kevin Gladney, Firestone, 6-3, 180 - Gladney has an offer from Michigan so look for Urban to try to get in on this prospect from Akron.  But Tressel is now at UA so maybe the Zips look more appealing.

17. WR Robert Foster, Central Valley Monaca, PA, 6-2, 190 - This is a “must get” player for Urban and he will pursue Foster relentlessly.  At 6-2, he is a player that can score whenever the ball is in his hands and his size will also allow him to go over as well as around defenders.  He will be a five star prospect and one that every college will want to have.

18.  OT Logan Tuley-Tillman, Manual Peoria, IL, 6-7, 280 - He has stated that Michigan is his favorite but Urban has begun the process.  He has offers from almost everyone in the country but this battle will be between Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama and Notre Dame with Ohio State or Michigan coming out on top.

19.  OT Kyle Meadows, Lakota West, 6-6, 275 - No offer yet but the process is still early.  If he gets one, look for Meadows to be Buckeye.

20. OLB Dymonte Thomas, Marlington, 6-1, 180 - Already a Michigan verbal, many believe he has always wanted to play with his cousin Bri’onte and that he will flip to OSU. Let us hope he does.

It will be interesting to see how this list compares with the actual commitments come NSD 2013.  Some of these names will be deleted and some new names added but one thing is for sure, Urban and his assistants will work very hard to make sure 2013 is equal or surpasses 2012.  They already have two of Ohio’s best in Burrows and Marshall.  Look for more top Ohioans and non-Ohioans to join Urban and the crew for hopefully many championship runs.

Drew Thurman (2:55 pm)

War is not a civilized endeavor.

Dust off your history books and look back at the American Revolution. I can promise if you do you'll find a section entitled "Guerrilla Warfare." One of the great stories of the war was that the American militia men used hit-and-run tactics (aka Guerrilla Warfare) against the British forces, hiding behind trees, fences and rocks in dark clothing to gain an advantage. The British on the other hand were "gentleman" and viewed war as such. They wore red coats and marched in straight lines, and followed a civilized style of warfare. In fact, they viewed the guerrilla warfare tactics as ruthless.

One of the largest thorns in the British's side was Francis Marion, who would gain the name the "Swamp Fox." He mastered the art of the surprise hit-and-run tactic, and the British hated and feared him. In fact, they still do. When The Patriot came out in 2000 honoring his character (and exaggerating it too), the London Evening Standard made their disdain for the film well known. They described Marion as "a thoroughly unpleasant dude, who was, basically a terrorist." I'm sorry, but I'm chuckling as I type that quote out.

Flash ahead to 2012. In the battle on recruiting in the B1G, it appears the other powers in the conference also want a gentleman's war. Whether overtly stated or not, several coaches made it abundantly clear that they expect other coaches to not talk to or steal their recruits, to fight nice, and to be ethical. The latter is rather ambiguous, but more on that in a minute. Apparently Meyer, like the Swamp Fox, isn't playing by those rules and is winning the war, so much like the British they have resolved to complaining. 

Michigan State assistant Pat Narduzzi was the first to speak up, or should I say cry. Early in the week, he complained about Urban Meyer not being nice to Dantiono like Jim Tressel because Meyer flipped Se'Von Pittman.

"The only thing I said is guys like Jim Tressel and Mark Dantonio never would've done that to each other," Narduzzi said. "When I have best friends out there that someday if I were the head coach, I won't take their guys. That's just part of how it goes."

Bret Bielema also had some beef with Meyer he wanted to make public after Kyle Dodson flipped to the Buckeyes on signing day.

"There's a few things that happened early on I made people aware of that I didn't want to see in this league that I had seen take place at other leagues," Bielema said. "Other recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal. I was very up front and was very poignant to the fact. I actually reached out to Coach Meyer and shared my thoughts and concerns with him and the situation got rectified."

He was far from done complaining though. He would go onto let the public know that he wants the war on recruiting to continue to be a gentleman's game, unlike the SEC.

“We at the Big Ten don’t want to be like the SEC—in any way, shape or form.”

Obviously, Bielema would rather whine about how the war is being fought than do what needs to be done to win the war. No wonder the Badgers have one of the worst classes in the B1G this year. Ironically, Bielema was neither a gentleman in airing his grievances to the media (that were supposedly already rectified), nor in the fact that he made it clear that he had tattled to AD Barry Alvarez, who would be talking to B1G commissioner Jim Delaney. So much for ethics and chivalry. Thankfully, Alvarez shut the whole thing down and declared recruiting to be an open war like a man. 

Next in line was Mark Dantonio, who decided Pat Narduzzi's words hadn't been enough. He had this to say:

"They've got a new coach, and it's different. I would say it's pretty unethical, in the end."

Do you hear it? Another coach screaming, "How dare you not wear a red coat and march in straight lines. That's what GENTLEMAN do!" Who cares if the tactic isn't producing results or helping anyone in battle, as long the battle is being fought civilized, that's all that matters.

Like Bielema though, Dantonio should have looked in the mirror before making such comments. His past is far from spotless in the "ethics" game, and it would probably do him and the rest of the coaches in the conference some good to come down from their ivory towers and join in some guerrilla warfare. In fact, they will be doomed to a repeated history lesson from the American Revolution if they don't decide to start altering their tactics and egotistical judgment.

Meyer did what had to be done to produce victory, and don't count on him feeling badly about it any time soon. Not only did he dismiss that he was doing anything wrong in his signing day presser, but he shot back at the negative comments from other coaches in true Swamp Fox fashion.

"You're pissed because we went after a committed guy? Guess what, we got 9 guys who better go do it again," said Meyer. "Do it a little harder next time."

War is not a civilized endeavor. I'm glad to see Meyer understands that.

Ken Kohl (11:01 am)

Believe it or not, there are other things going on at The Ohio State University besides football and basketball. In our new feature, Campus Spotlight, we will periodically catch you up with what is happening with those sports and activities. 

On these blogs the topics are likely about football and men's basketball. I'd like to cover another topic. The other nationally ranked team at OSU is at the Ohio State University Medical Center. Specifically, those at the the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

This is the first of two parts covering "The James". We had a few questions about The James and they were more than answered by Eileen Scahill, Media Relations Manager, Ohio State University Medical Center. Please join me for Part 1.

Can you please start out with an overview of The James' mission? That might lead to the following questions...

Our Vision - Creating a cancer-free world. One person, one discovery at a time.

Our Mission - To eradicate cancer from individuals’ lives by creating knowledge and integrating groundbreaking research with excellence in education and patient-centered care

Overview - The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC–James) is one of the nation's premier cancer centers for the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer. It is the Midwest's first and Ohio's only fully dedicated cancer hospital and research institute.The OSUCCC–James is one of only 40 centers in the United States designated by the National Cancer Institute a Comprehensive Cancer Center. In addition, we are a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of 21 of the world's leading cancer centers.In 2009, The Ohio State University Board of Trustees approved a $1 billion expansion of the cancer hospital and Medical Center facilities, including a new 276-bed (not including ICU) cancer hospital and critical care building. This increased capacity to help keep pace with the projected 21 percent growth in admissions during the next decade.

The new James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute's state-of-the-art facilities will allow the Medical Center to serve 310,000 patients annually.

The Ohio State Cancer Program:

OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center
Established in 1973 as a cancer center and receiving the NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center designation in 1976, the OSUCCC–James has six highly interactive cancer research programs that include more than 200 leading cancer researchers and scientists from 12 of the 18 colleges at Ohio State and includes physicians from 16 specialties.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center the highest possible rating – “exceptional” – after completing its scientific peer review of the University’s cancer program. This action renews the Ohio State University’s designation as an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center for at least another five years.  The panel deemed Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center as “the model for other matrix university-based centers.”
 
During the past 15 years, the OSUCCC – James has recruited some of the world’s leading cancer researchers and seen extraordinary growth in its science-based clinical programs. Because of that, Ohio State's National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding has more than quadrupled, making this University the 15th highest NCI-funded cancer program in the nation.

Ohio States' Comprehensive Cancer Center–James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Ranked as one of the top cancer hospitals in the nation, the OSUCCC–James is the Midwest’s first and Ohio’s only freestanding cancer hospital.

Our ability to translate groundbreaking cancer research into innovative patient care distinguishes The James as an academic medical institution and positions us for a leadership role in personalized medicine.

The innovation creates a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care with surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists, researchers and more, all collaborating to provide the latest in cancer diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

The hospital also includes a 24-bed bone marrow transplant unit, intra-operative radiation therapy, special isolation rooms, chemotherapy and special transfusion areas and specialized diagnostic equipment. It also has a 9-bed clinical trials unit for early phase investigational drug delivery. The OSUCCC–James is one of only seven centers in the country approved by the National Cancer Institute to conduct both phase I and phase II clinical trials for new anti-cancer drugs.

Ohio State’s cancer program is also part of the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LIVESTRONG™ Survivorship Center of Excellence Network, one of only eight such centers in the nation.

With "The James" affiliated with Ohio State University, I'm assuming that a significant amount of research takes place there. What specific areas of research do you focus on and what specific types of cancer has research  focus? How are research results shared with other cancer treatment centers, such as Roswell Park Cancer Institute, for example?

Clinical Trials
The James is one of only seven centers in the country funded by the National Cancer Institute to conduct both phase I and phase II clinical trials for new anti-cancer drugs. The resulting benefit to patients is that they have access to some of the most advanced cancer treatments and clinical trials offered anywhere in the world.

In cancer research, every discovery is significant for its potential use against a dreaded disease. Hence the rising global emphasis on “translational research,” which the NCI defines as “transforming scientific discoveries from laboratory, clinical and population studies into medical applications for reducing cancer incidence, morbidity or mortality”.

The OSUCCC-James provides an ideal atmosphere for translational research. Research collaboration is evident from our standing as one of the most comprehensive health sciences institutions in the United States, to our emphasis on open labs and shared resources that promote working across disciplines and efficient use of research funding, to our creation of biomedical informatics data banks that help us share our discoveries across the University and around the world.

OSUCCC-James researchers are conducting hundreds of clinical trials in virtually every form of cancer, with particular focus on hematologic malignancies, including leukemias, lymphomas and multiple myeloma; along with solid tumor including breast, lung, and prostate cancers. Other clinical trials are being conducted for colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer; liver cancer, melanoma, stomach and thyroid cancers, among others.

From how far away do patients come for treatment? How large is your treatment center? What portion of the James' efforts are spent on research?

We attract patients primarily from central Ohio, but also have patients who seek treatment here from elsewhere in Ohio and nationwide.

For Fiscal Year 2011, we had: 10,368 Hospital Admissions, 239,155 Outpatient Visits and 107,452 Clinic Visits
Our research portfolio is in excess of $110 million, representing roughly one-fifth of Ohio State’s entire research portfolio.

What patient support programs do you have at The James?

Currently we have 15 disease-specific support groups and in each of the support groups we offer caregiver support as well as support to the cancer survivor. We also put on an annual caregiver conference in conjunction with the neuro-oncology team.  

Last question: for the Buckeye blog community, bloggers, writers, readers; what can we do to support The James in it's mission?

Despite the fact that the groundbreaking cancer research performed at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James) is beating cancer every day, there remains a desperate need for additional resources to fund the research that will change lives.

Moreover, due to ever-dwindling federal funding, it is becoming harder for great hospitals like OSUCCC-James to attract the talented doctors and scientists whose research will make the difference. Facing these obstacles in 2008, Dr. Michael Caligiuri, Director of the OSUCCC and CEO of The James, began exploring ways to fill the voids. Fortunately, Dr. Caligiuri quickly found gracious and enthusiastic support throughout the Columbus community. With the community’s support of Dr. Caligiuri's passion, Pelotonia was born, and through that support, 100% of every dollar raised by Pelotonia and its riders will directly support essential and innovative cancer research at the OSUCCC-James. By supporting the OSUCCC-James, Pelotonia is leading the charge against cancer - a charge that only becomes stronger with your help. During the first three years, Pelotonia has raised more than $25 million for cancer research at OSUCCC-James. For more information about Pelotonia, visit www.pelotonia.org
----------------------------------------------------
Speaking of Dr. Caligiuri, please click on the link, below, for a good, brief (<2min) presentation. And, of course, living in Buffalo, I would be remiss not to point out that Dr. Caligiuri is one of Buffalo's better “exports” to the world. You're welcome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsxSICuQluE

For more information about OSUCCC-James, please go to http://cancer.osu.edu/Pages/index.aspxThe

Dave and Drew Thurman (4:04 pm)

The holiday known as National Signing Day was an absolute whirlwind for Buckeye Nation, and most of us are still recovering from yesterday. With signings, commitments and drama, most of us are still wrapping our minds around this very solid 2012 class. To give some perspective, we have joined with a group of Buckeye Blogs to take a closer look at how this class will play out in the future and the impact they could have. You can check out opinions on the same questions from The Buckeye Battle Cry, The Buckeye Blog, Buckeye House Call, Men of the Scarlet and Gray, and Our Honor Defend.

Anyway, here are our thoughts:

Who are you most excited to see in scarlet and gray?

Dave: Adolphus Washington.  Even though Noah Spence was more highly rated I think Washington is going to be special.  More than that he was the top-ranked Ohio prospect according to many experts and hails from Cincinnati, which has been an area where Ohio State has found little success in recent years.  I was overjoyed to get this pass rush specialist.  Even with the return of Nathan Williams, I look for a couple of the freshmen ends to play, and help beef up the anemic Buckeye pass rush.

Drew: The easy answer here is one of the defensive lineman or running backs, who have tons of hype coming in. I'm going have to go with Jamal Marcus though. Urban Meyer praised the kid more than about any other prospect yesterday, and considering his track record with evaluating talent, I'm sold. His film is incredibly impressive, and his athleticism is through the roof. With the depth at linebacker currently, especially at outside linebacker, I'm looking forward to seeing what he can provide. I am little biased because of my ongoing enjoyment of solid linebacker play, and with this year's horrendous unit (sans Ryan Shazier), I'm ready to see Linebacker U re-emerge.

Who makes an immediate impact from the 2012 class?

Dave: Well, I already mentioned Washington, and I think he and Spence both play, and maybe Pittman, too.  I never hurts to have a bunch of guys who can get off the edge and disrupt the opponent's passing game.  Armani Reeves is almost guaranteed to see the field due to the need at corner, so he is a candidate.  I also think one or two of the receivers play, and my guess is that Michael Thomas leads the pack due to the fact that he has enrolled already.  And, you know some linebackers will see the field this year.  David Perkins has awesome speed, so I think he works his way into the two-deep, although there are a number of LB candidates.  Finally, a couple of offensive lineman will have to play.  Taylor Decker is the one I would keep an eye on to get serious playing time in 2012. 

Drew: Urban Meyer doesn't seem to interest in redshirting his players, so there could be a bevy of freshman contributions this season. That being said I think when the dust settles after this next season, Michael Thomas will be the biggest contributor. The wide receiving core seems very "blah" to me right now. There not only seems to be an absence of speed, but also of big physical receivers who can be depended on to move the chains. We a got a chance to see what Braxton actually looked like as a passer when Posey returned at the end of last season. He was the only guy who physically created separation and caught what was thrown his way. I look for Michael Thomas to take over that role this season and become one of the major targets for Braxton. It definitely doesn't hurt that he arrives as an early enrollee.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see a guy like Camren Williams make an early statement. While I don't think he possesses the athleticism of Perkins or Marcus, I do believe he is possibly the most intelligent guy in this class. Guys that pick things up see the field quickly, and that might be what helps Williams contribute immediately.

Who do you wish that OSU hadn't "missed" on? 

Dave: I wish we had been able to keep Kyle Kalis. I know that isn't popular at this point, since he chose the dark side, but we need tackles, and he is a good one.  Of course, had he stayed with the good guys, we probably would not have secured both Decker and Dodson, so there is a silver lining. It will be fun to see him get whipped four times in "The Game."

Drew: Kalis, really? You are a nicer man than me.

Anyway, I have a hard time complaining about missing anyone in this class as the staff did a great job filling needs. At this point I'm going to go with Ifeadi Odenigbo, but my answer will change if either Davonte Neal or Stefon Diggs don't end up in Columbus. Odenigbo just seemed like a smart, standup kind of kid and one that could really help the front seven quickly. It's obviously a selfish answer given the sheer amount of linebackers and defensive ends that jumped on board in this class, but I was very impressed with him at the Under Armour All-American Game. He's also an Ohio kid, which you always want to see in scarlet and gray. That being said, I wish him the best at Northwestern.

Don't miss out on the perspectives of our friends:

The Buckeye Battle Cry - Three Questions from Ohio State’s 2012 Signing Day
The Buckeye Blog - It’s a Great Day for Ohio State: Thoughts on Signing Day
Buckeye House Call - National Signing Day – The New Beginning
Men of the Scarlet and Gray - National Signing Day: The Aftermath
Our Honor Defend - National Signing Day Thoughts

Despite finding out WR Joel Caleb and S Bam Bradley had picked other schools early in the morning, Buckeye fans had no time to be disappointed as LB Jamal Marcus selected the Buckeyes around 10:30 a.m. Marcus was down to East Carolina and Ohio State, and most believed he would stay close to home and pick ECU to please his mom. Instead, Buckeye Nation got a surprise from one of the most underrated prospects in the country.

Marcus is in fact rated as a three star prospect my multiple recruiting services, though his offer list suggests a much better player than that rating. At 6-2 230 pounds he already his great size and runs a 4.6 forty, and his film shows that speed in a very impressive fashion. Speaking of that film, Meyer referenced it multiple times today in his press conference, calling it "ridiculous." He mentioned Marcus in the same breath as the top tier talent in this class, and encouraged everyone to go YouTube his highlights. Considering Meyer is one of the best evaluators of talent in the country, his hyperbole should be taken seriously. He will definitely help fill a position of big need at outside linebacker, and joins Josh Perry, Luke Roberts, David Perkins and Camren Williams at linebacker in this class.

Then early in the afternoon Kyle Dodson selected the Buckeyes in one of the longest recruiting ceremonies ever, with what seemed like ever other student at Cleveland Heights announcing their choices before Dodson. It was well worth the wait though. Dodson decided to come to the front of the stage and called his teammates up to help announce his decision. They surrounded him as Dodson pumped them up much like a pregame huddle screaming out Ohio State at the end. It was easily the coolest announcement I have ever seen.

His decision is critical for the Buckeyes as things wind down with this class. In fact, Meyer said he would have almost traded him for every other player OSU signed. The 6-6 315 pound offensive tackle his all the tangibles you look for in a big time offensive lineman, and fills a position of great need. Not only were the Buckeyes in need of depth on the line, but were desperate for help at tackle. Dodson along with Taylor Decker slow the bleeding, and the staff should be able to get out ahead of the offensive line situation in the 2013 class. Thanks Bollman!

Storyline #2 - 19 Guys Faxed In NLOI

Including Marcus and Dodson, the Buckeyes had 19 young men sign on the dotted line. You can read about each young men here. With six players in this class already enrolling early (Jacoby Boren, Bri'onte Dunn, Cardale Jones, Josh Perry, Tyvis Powell and Michael Thomas) the Buckeyes have 25 guys in the 2012 class.

Obviously, the focus of this class is on guys like Noah Spence, Adolphus Washington, Se'von Pittman, Taylor Decker, and Tommy Schutt. While it's hard not get caught up in their hype and national ranking, Buckeye fans shouldn't forget about the original eleven guys (not counting Dunn) who never waivered and stuck with Ohio State throughout all the mess. There are a couple of very solid guys in that group too. Josh Perry got praise today for his work ethic and growth already in the month of January. Warren Ball is quietly one of the better backs in the country, though all Buckeye Nation ever talks about is Dunn. Blake Thomas is a high quality pass catching tight end. And guys like Najee Murray and Tyvis Powell both have futures in the secondary.

All together, the original commitments and Urban's new star power, the Buckeyes are high on the national recruiting rankings for a second straight year. Meyer has a great foundation to work with, especially on the defensive side of the ball. After a season where the Silver Bullets were hardly recognizable, the staff has stocked the front seven to be elite again.

Storyline #3 - Urban Gives an Update

We also got to hear from Urban Meyer and several of the coaches today about this class and their recruiting methods. In his opening statement he had this to say...

Let me say this about recruiting for Ohio State. Recruiting is work ethic, it's uncovering who the champions are for each young man that you're recruiting, but most of all it's a belief in the place you're at and knowledge of the place you're at. To be able to do that in such a quick time period, a lot of credit goes to our coaching staff.

On dealing with the bowl ban...

The bowl ban was a shot. I don't know the exact date and timing. I should be better versed in that. We're hired, we go out, recruit as hard as we can. I mean, as hard as we can. I had a belief we would not get a bowl ban. When that hits, it was damage control for two, three weeks. The way we did it, the way we instructed our staff, hit that as hard as you possibly can on the front end. Don't wait for them to attack you with it. Your competitors are all over that. We went and were extremely proactive as far as the bowl ban. That was a little bit of a sucker punch for a little bit. Obviously, the month of January, I haven't heard about it even in the last two weeks.

On the scholarship count...

I think we're at 81 right now. I think we have room for one more.

On what needs didn't get met...

Yeah. Speed at the skill. I would say some of the things we like to do offensively, you're going to hear us talk -- we want the defense to defend the width and length of the field. There's only one way to defend the width, that's flat speed. We've tried it. There's no other way that you can make a defense defend the entire width of the field.

The way to make them defend is vertical. I ideally like speed there, too. In our offense, we're still lacking that game-changer that you can hand the ball to speed-wise. I think we got some bigger guys, but we're still looking for a difference maker in one of those 10.4 100 meter guys that can change the game.

On the importance of competitiveness...

I'm glad you brought that up. I have a note here to bring that up. I've grown as a coach. You grow, change, always adapting, thinking how to get better. That year off helped me to kick back, relax - well, not relax - kickback and evaluate what programs are doing a really good job. The one common denominator wasn't black, white, yellow, jump, I formation, West Coast, pro style, spread; it was the competitive nature of the program, the competitive nature of the athletes on the team.
The great ones that I see going on to the National Football League, doing the same thing they did in college, it's amazing, they did the same thing in high school. They're competitors.

There's a couple ways we evaluate it. How do they compete in a big game. Bri'onte Dunn had 300-yard back-to-back games. That's real. What sold me on him, other than the fact he comes from a great family, great-looking guy, he didn't tap out in the big games. How do they perform in a rivalry or state championship, state playoff game. That's usually an indicator of a high-end competitor.

Basketball is a great evaluator. Adolpus Washington, had a chance to watch him play basketball. Very impressive. I don't know how he shoots, I don't really care. I just watched the way he plays, bangs, moves guys around. I like to see a guy's face. He's very upset when it doesn't go his way.Without question that's the number one thing we look for, that I look for. If he's a track guy, is he a guy that's always competing, if he runs a 10.5, try to run a 10.4.

The best evaluation is cornering that coach. You get about six inches from that coach's face and say, Tell me about this guy. There's no other nonsense in the room.

I notice a lot of pro scouts, pro head coaches, pro assistant coaches, the really good ones, that's all they want to know. At the end of the day, will that kid compete at the highest level, do what it takes to win a game.

On going after committed guys...

That's up to each individual school. We went after a young guy in Cleveland, Ohio. I asked him if he was interested in Ohio State. He said no. I wished him the best of luck, do well in school, move on. Especially from your home state, you ask a man, Are you interested in Ohio State? Yes, coach, I've always wanted to be a Buckeye. That's really the only way we've recruited.

Like I said, Taylor Decker recruited us. He called me and said, I want to be a Buckeye. Whoa, what are you talking about? Some guys, What do you think about this? Then his high school coach called us said, He wants to come to Ohio State. If the kid is not interested, we're done, we move on.

Storyline #4 - Filling the Final Spot

Meyer stated that the Buckeyes have one final spot open. Obviously, he and the staff know of further attrition that we do not at this point to make that possible. As he also stated, the biggest need is an offensive playmaker, most likely Davonte Neal or Stefon Diggs. Both young men have been on campus in recent weeks, though it has been hard to gauge their interest in recent days. This morning there was some buzz that Neal was leaning towards OSU, though that is merely speculation.

Then tonight, Mike Farrell dropped a Twitter bomb that OSU would not be taking Neal. Then later tweeted that Neal tried to commit and couldn't. Though Neal's father later seemed to not back up such claims, it was hard to tell what was true. If Farrell's sources are right, and that's still a big "if" at this point, do the Buckeyes stand in a good place with Diggs? We will wait and see.

Dave's Update and Comments:

-Tight End Blake Thomas got us started early this morning

-The Roxbury, Mass. duo, Camren Williams and Armani Reeves have faxed their letters of intent. What a pair of studs!

-Pat Elflein and Warren Ball are in the fold.  Hopefully Elflein will be opening holes for Warren in a couple of years.

-Taylor Decker has sent in his NLOI.  What a great, late pick up for the staff.

-Ricquan Southward, the Florida WR is official.  Hope this guy can join the two-deep right away.

-David Perkins, out of South Bend, is a Buckeye.  Can't ever remember a player from Notre Dame's hometown in scarlet and gray.

-LB Luke Roberts has faxed in his letter.  He may be flying under the radar but could be a positive surprise.

-Najee Murray has faxed in his letter just before 8 AM.  These guys aren't messing around.  Murray is one of the nicest kids in the class...until he hits the field.

-Noah Spence, the highest rated of the recruits, has joined the party.  This kid is a stud.

-Tommy Schutt wasted no time in joining his future D-lineman Noah Spence. It is 8:10 AM and we are halfway home.  Guess these guys won't mind the early workouts!

-Frank Epitropoulos is officially in at 8:15 am.  Interested to see if he plays receiver, safety or punter. 

-Devin Bogard is in the fold.  Some thought we might lose this guy...glad we didn't!

-Cincinnati Taft's Adolphus Washington is in.  He is the guy I have picked to have the biggest early impact.

-Se'von Pittman is now aboard.  With the guys who enrolled already that only leaves Joey O'Connor. And he is on Mountain time!

-Joey O'Connor is in the barn which means OSU has a full house...but plenty of room left for a couple of late additions!

-Surprising many Jamal Marcus jumps on the Urban express.  Now to get Dodson.  Sure hope he does not pick the Trojans. 

-Christmas in February as Kyle Dodson signs with the good guys. 

Drew Thurman (5:54 pm)

We are less than 24 hours away from National Signing Day, and there is still some drama to play out for the Buckeyes. While the 2012 class is very loaded, the staff is still looking at a handful of prospects to fill needs. Ideally, they would close things out by grabbing one more offensive tackle and wide receiver/playmaker. Any other commitments on top of those two positions would just be icing on the cake.

Currently the '12 class has 23 total commitments, as Roger Lewis will not sign with Ohio State tomorrow due to academic issues. The Buckeyes sit right on the 82 scholarship line, and further attrition will have to happen with several more players expected to jump on board when the dust settles.

So who will those players be? Well let's take a look at who's left and where I expect them to announce. My last set of predictions were spot on, and I guess we'll see if I keep batting a high percentage in the prediction game.

OL Kyle Dodson -  The Cleveland Heights offensive tackle is scheduled to announce his decision tomorrow. He was originally committed to Wisconsin, but began wavering in that commitment back in November and has been looking around. Things are down to Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State, and USC.

There has been lots of rumblings that the Trojans might come out of nowhere and steal Dodson at the last second, much like they did with Aundrey Walker from Glenville High School last year. Still, it's hard to bet against the Buckeyes. Dodson was on campus this last weekend for an official visit, which has to be a good sign several days before his announcement. I also envision him wanting to stay closer to home in the end. Prediction: Ohio State

LB Jamal Marcus - Marcus was on campus two weekends ago and was very impressed with Ohio State and with what Urban Meyer had to tell him. The problem is I think he likes the idea of heading to Columbus much more than his family does. I wonder how big of a factor that will be in the end. 

He is announcing his decision tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. at his high school, and will pick between Ohio State and East Carolina. My guess is that he will end up staying closer to home, though Meyer's influence and sway make this an interesting announcement. Prediction: East Carolina

DB Bam Bradley - The recruitment of Bradley really has been a confusing mess. Over the last several months he has seemed so personally confused it's been practically impossible to figure out where he might land. He delayed his announcement early in January at the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl, and at that time I thought that played into the Buckeyes' hands. Since then, though, he has seemed to be more enthralled with schools beyond the Ohio boarders. Even the announcement of teammate Cam Burrows has very little effect on his ultimate decision.

He was down to Stanford, Pittsburgh and Ohio State, before learning that he didn't get accepted at Stanford. Now it's down to OSU and Pitt, but I still see the Buckeyes striking out here like they did with Demetrious Cox. Prediction: Pittsburgh

ATH Stefon Diggs - Just over a week ago Diggs seemed like a pipe dream. He consistently claimed to be interested in the Buckeyes, but things never seemed to be heating up. Well that changed as Meyer and the staff were able to get him on campus this last weekend. In fact, the visit seemed to have "confused" Diggs on where to go and has delayed his announcement.

Currently he is down to Auburn, California, Florida, Maryland and Ohio State. The staff has a lot of ground to make up for the Maryland product, especially against two SEC powers in Florida and Auburn that have been the perceived favorites for some time now. While again, Meyer shouldn't be counted out, I'm not sure he has enough time to make up that ground. Prediction: Florida 

WR Davonte Neal - Neal, who is from Scottsdale, AZ, was on campus a couple of weekends back. At that time it appeared that the Buckeyes were in the driver's seat and that former Ohio native would be coming back home. Things have quickly changed though, and it's hard to get a feel where things sit for Neal.

He's down to Notre Dame, Arizona, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Ohio State, and there is lots of speculation that this will be a Buckeye-Wildcat battle in the end. While that would seem like a good thing, Neal and his father have lots of connections to Arizona and new coach Rich Rodriguez. I think that wins out in the end. Prediction: Arizona

WR Joel Caleb - Caleb visited the Buckeyes in early December and walked away from his visit almost ready to commit. Since then, though, things have cooled. There were rumors that the staff slow played him, while others claimed his visit to Virginia Tech the following weekend made him put his visit to Columbus in perspective. Regardless, it doesn't appear that he will be in this class. He's down to Virginia Tech, Ohio State and West Virginia, and unless the staff starts chasing him again I think he ends up a Hokie. Prediction: Virginia Tech

So there you have the six guys left on the board. You'll notice the absence of names like Jordan Diamond, Dalton Santos, Joe Jackson and Reggie Northrup. They will be heading elsewhere. The list could expand, especially at wide receiver if Diggs, Neal and Caleb do end up other places. Outside of that, though, things are officially winding down in 2012.

Make sure to keep an eye out for the next Recruiting Rundown when I take a deeper look at the 2013 class.

Dave Thurman (7:26 pm)

Jalin Marshall, rated the top Ohio prospect in the class of 2013, verballed to Ohio State today, becoming the second member of what promises to be a special group of athletes.  Marshall hails from Middletown (Ohio) High School, which has given the Buckeyes such legends as Jerry Lucas in hoops, and Cris Carter in football.  Although Jalin intended to wait until tomorrow and verbal on his father's birthday word leaked out of his eventual destination so he went ahead and made it offical this afternoon.

The 6'1", 190 pound quarterback is ranked by 247 Sports as the number 5 overall prospect in the class of '13, and the top rated athlete.  Although some expect him to eventually move to receiver or even become a defensive back, he will begin his OSU career as a quarterback, his postion of preference.  As a junior, Marshall rushed for 1,972 yards and 20 touchdowns, and he also passed for 781 yards and six more scores. He is reported to have run a 4.42 40 yard dash, and one look at his video shows his blazing speed.  When I look at him I see visions of Tedd Ginn Jr. and wonder if he won't eventually return kicks and punts in Columbus.  Wherever he plays, Marshall is a special athlete who brings speed and a competitive spirit to the gridiron. 

Combined with last week's verbal from corner Cameron Burrows, Ohio State has already scored the top two rated players in state for next year's class.  And Urban and company are only getting started.

Welcome aboard Jalin.  We can't wait to see you in scarlet and gray. 

Check out his highlights after the jump.

_Drew Thurman (9:39  pm)

Tonight the Buckeyes grabbed their 24th commitment in the 2012 class as cornerback Armani Reeves picked the Buckeyes. He joins his high school teammate and friend, Camren Williams, who committed to Ohio State just over a week ago.

Reeves, like Williams (and Joey O'Connor and Tommy Schutt), was originally committed to Penn State before narrowing things down to Ohio State and Michigan recently. After taking visits to both schools over the last couple of weekends and hosting both coaching staffs, Reeves was reportedly very torn on where to go. In the end, Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes emerged victorious.

The commitment of Reeves fills a huge and unexpected need. With DerJuan Gambrell and Dominic Clarke being dismissed from the team, the depth chart is very thin at corner. There was not another true cornerback in this class, so Reeves could be fighting for some playing time right away. This is also a big commitment for the staff because of Reeves' potential. He is ranked as a four star prospects across the board by all the major recruiting services, and is considered one of the top cornerbacks in the country. It's nice the staff could navigate him away from two rival schools.

Highlights after the break.