WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Leonard Taylor said it casually, transitioning into his next sentence without pause.
"It's a good rivalry," Taylor said Saturday. "Especially if I go to Michigan and beat Ohio State, it's really going to be good. Going to be real nice."
The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is the greatest in college football. Not only do the teams compete on the gridiron simply known as The Game, the two programs battle one another on the recruiting trail for top talent in the midwest and from their own states.
Taylor is a direct example of that part of a matchup Ohio State has dominated for more than a decade. The Buckeyes, led by Jim Tressel and now Urban Meyer, own victories in 10 of the last 11 meetings the NCAA recognizes (the governing body vacated Ohio State's 37-7 victory in 2010 as part of sanctions dropped from the school's tattoo scandal).
Jim Harbaugh leads a revitalization of the Michigan program, however, going 10-3 in his first season in 2015. He took over for Brady Hoke, who led the Wolverines to an underwhelming 20-18 mark from 2012-14 after an 11-2 record his first season. Harbaugh's recruiting efforts, full of satellite camps and a Twitter account that demands attention, has the Wolverines trending upward even though he lost to Meyer 42-13 in November at Michigan Stadium.
Taylor, who is from Springfield, Ohio, knows about all of that. Even so, he committed to Michigan April 1 during its spring game.
"I thought Michigan was a perfect fit for me. I just love it up there," Taylor said. "I like the offense and defense. I just like Coach Harbaugh."
Can't argue with Taylor's logic. Recruits commit to the schools and coaching staffs with which they feel the most comfortable. But as a versatile athlete and four-star tight end and defensive lineman from Ohio in the 2018 class, what follows in Taylor's recruitment will garner plenty of attention.
His uncle, Ormonde Ricketts, played wide receiver for legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes from 1961-63. Ricketts even served as team captain for the 1963 team during his senior year.
"He keeps telling me every day, 'we’re going to be a Buckeye,'" Taylor said of Ricketts to Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.com.
Even Taylor's crystal ball has him as an Ohio State lean, despite announcing his acceptance of Harbaugh's scholarship offer just barely a month ago.
Taylor even showed up to Ohio State's spring game April 16 wearing Ohio State garb, speaking to Meyer beforehand. He visited Michigan State shortly after and has a host of other ventures on tap.
"The first week of summer I'm going to try and get up to Notre Dame, go back to Ohio State, Michigan, I want to go to Happy Valley and see Penn State," Taylor said. "See what it's like up there. Maybe go see Indiana."
Taylor said he's heard from Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame most in recent weeks. Those programs are his top three while he preps to enter his junior season.
It's clear the door in Taylor's recruitment remains open and he intends to see plenty of schools before he has to sign his national letter of intent. After all, that won't happen for another two years.
"I'm just having fun with it," Taylor said, who stands at an imposing 6-foot-6 and checks in at 260 pounds. "Trying to keep my options open and see what everything else is like."
That's why Taylor offered a huge smile when reminded he said the words "if I go to Michigan" despite being committed to the Wolverines.
"It's real early. I got two more years. I'm only a sophomore," Taylor said. "Anything can happen in the next few years."
