Ohio State’s highly anticipated matchup with Penn State is just two days away. And although the game has Big Ten and national title implications, a win is sure to pay dividends on the recruiting trail, as well.
With that said, I’m joined by Roar Lions Roar senior editors Matt de Bear and Nick Polak and fellow Eleven Warriors recruiting analyst Andrew Ellis. I asked them three questions regarding the ongoing recruiting battles between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions, and they thoroughly shared their thoughts on each one.
And away we go...
Ohio State signed 14 players from Pennsylvania former under head coach Jim Tressel, but only two — soon to be three if you include three-star cornerback commit Marcus Hooker — have signed with the Buckeyes under Urban Meyer.
Why isn’t the program having the same kind of success in the Keystone State in recent years? Is there simply not enough talent there?
DE BEAR: The biggest reason is James Franklin. Ever since he was brought on board in January 2014, he has made locking down Pennsylvania a top priority. That was not necessarily the case during the latter stages of Paterno's tenure.
That focus, a staff that recruits as well as anyone and the on-field success has paid dividends for Penn State. The talent level has definitely ebbed and flowed as well. Just look at the 2019 class in the state, where only four players are composite four-stars.
POLAK: I think the answer to this lies somewhere in the middle. Firstly, when James Franklin took control at Penn State, he famously used the phrase "Dominate the State". While he wasn't referring solely to recruiting, keeping your most talented players inside the state lines is obviously a huge part of fulfilling such a mantra.
So in the time that Franklin and Meyer's Big Ten tenures have overlapped, Franklin has done everything he can to bring top-tier Keystone State talent to State College, while Meyer has been busy ravaging Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Texas and every other talent-packed state. And while the talent level in Pennsylvania is plenty good enough to grab some big-time players from (though the 2019 crop is very weak), it's not quite on the same level as those states that Meyer loves to recruit in.
So in the end, with the way that Meyer recruits, I think he simply aims slightly higher than what the recruiting rankings will tell you about Pennsylvania, but I also think relationships are a factor here. While at Florida, Meyer didn't often venture up to Pennsylvania for talent, and that hasn't changed since he's been with Ohio State. He likely just doesn't have the kind of relationships with the high school coaches in Pennsylvania that he does elsewhere, while I've heard plenty of positive things from those same coaches about their relationships with James Franklin and his staff.
ELLIS: I think it’s a combination of factors. Obviously Penn State is in a totally different place than it was three-plus years ago, so the home school is much more formidable now than when it was losing five or six games each season. Additionally, James Franklin is a hell of a recruiter, so the success of the program only adds to his allure.
For Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes, the national recruiting approach has certainly paid off, so I don’t think you’ll hear anyone complaining about the lack of success in the Keystone State. There’s plenty of talent in Pennsylvania, but states like Texas and Florida should continue to be the priority for Ohio State. If something happens in one of the more targeted states – such as Tom Herman elevating the program and landing more and more of the top players in Texas – then the Buckeyes may be forced to switch the focus elsewhere, and Pennsylvania would be an option due to its proximity.
There was a point in time where it seemed as if Pennsylvania five-star defensive end Micah Parsons was sure to end up at Ohio State. After all, he’d been to campus half a dozen times while committed to Penn State, and his decommitment in April made the path that much easier.
Then, following his official visit for the Oklahoma game, the parties seemed to go in opposite directions. Was that solely because of his tweet, or is there more to it? Would Penn State take him back in spite of how things fell apart?
POLAK: We've heard enough publicly about Parsons attempting to rebuild relationships with Ohio State (and Penn State, for that matter) that it seems fairly clear that the tweets he sent really did make an impact. Now, should they have? That's for you to decide for yourself. But from my vantage point, if the Ohio State coaches were willing to at least partially burn a bridge with Parsons over such an issue, perhaps they already have their sights set elsewhere.
I am of the opinion that Penn State will take Parsons as long as they have space for him. There's already going to have to be some impressive roster-juggling to fit the class in as it currently stands, but we've also heard that the Penn State staff is operating as if they're taking a 25-man class. However that shakes out between the guys we're going to talk about in a moment, will ultimately determine whether or not Parsons ends up Happy Valley.
ELLIS: I think the Parsons recruitment has been one of the most interesting ones to follow in recent years. Obviously there have been some incidents in high school and rumors have been running rampant for a while now.
Without getting too deep into those rumors, I guess I will just say that I do not think his tweet was the sole reason for the parties moving in opposite directions. In fact, I think the tweet had very little to do with this whole fiasco. My guess is that the Buckeyes wanted to monitor things for a while and see how he progressed. He’s without question one of the best players in America, but – for one reason or another –the staff doesn’t seem to feel that he’d be a fit in the program.
And yes, I do think Penn State will take him back. I can’t say if they would accept his commitment right now at this very minute but I do feel that he ends up in Happy Valley one way or another.
DE BEAR: You could write a book about Parson's recruiting journey, and we don't even know the final chapters yet.
From the outside, it seemed like the tweet during the Oklahoma game played a key role, but it probably was more of a final straw in Ohio State's decision to move on.
As for the Nittany Lions, a case could be made he is, at best, third on the board at this point, behind Jayson Oweh and Tyreke Smith. With Penn State's scholarship count already an issue in 2018, his spot in Happy Valley is far from a sure thing.
Ohio State and Penn State are considered the favorites to land some combination of Parsons, Cleveland Heights four-star defensive end Tyreke Smith, New Jersey four-star defensive end Jayson Oweh and Maryland four-star offensive tackle Rasheed Walker. How do you foresee things shaking out? And why?
ELLIS: I see the Nittany Lions getting the best of the Buckeyes here. Right now I’ve got Smith, Parsons and Walker to Penn State. I do, however, think the Buckeyes will land Jayson Oweh.
James Franklin got involved early on for Tyreke Smith, and I truly believe his family is enamored with him. The Buckeyes still have a shot, but I’ve got Smith ending up at Penn State.
Parsons is anyone’s guess right now. He will take his visits and flirt with SEC programs, but I still think Penn State takes him in the end.
Walker seemed like a Penn State lock for some time, but the numbers got tight and Ohio State really began pushing for his services. I think this one is far from over, but losing a player like Dorian Hardy perhaps opens up a spot for him to ultimately end up at Penn State, and that is what I think happens.
Jayson Oweh seems to be all about player development. He’s a raw prospect and may very well be a player who redshirts before making an impact at the next level. His relationship with Larry Johnson is especially strong, and I know he’s aware of what the veteran coach has done when it comes to sending players to the league. Brenton Cox and Jayson Oweh would be a great defensive end haul, but personally I think three would be the ideal number for the Buckeyes.
POLAK: Right this second, everything seems to point to Penn State grabbing Tyreke Smith. That's the only thing I feel most confident about here.
Oweh is tough to read since his most recent visit seems to always become his favorite one. He has his official visit to Penn State scheduled for mid-November with another to Michigan the following week. I think Penn State will be in good position, but it's tough to know for sure. Gun to my head, I'd say Ohio State.
Rasheed Walker has been an interesting case to follow. He seemed super high on Penn State and basically ready to commit for some time, but it just never materialized. When Penn State grabbed Juice Scruggs, it seemed like the door may have closed on him in Happy Valley. However, with Dorian Hardy's removal from the 2018 class due to off the field issues at his high school, it sounds as if Walker once again has an in at Penn State. With Ohio State cranking up the heat on him recently, though it may be too late. As far as where he ends up, I think this is 50/50 right now, so I'll go with the Crystal Ball favorite and say Penn State.
DE BEAR: Penn State's focus is absolutely on the defensive line with Smith and Oweh. Smith was just on campus again for last week's Michigan game, and is returning in December on an official visit. Oweh followed up his official visit to Columbus with a trip to Happy Valley, and will be back for Penn State's home finale vs. Nebraska next month. I think Smith is a heavy Penn State lean, with Oweh quite torn between the two, and now a Michigan offer giving him pause. As for Walker, he seemed destined for the Nittany Lions over the summer, but the numbers crunch and Ohio State's growing interest slowed that down.
If I had to pick today, I think Smith and Walker end up in State College, with Oweh heading to Columbus, and Micah Parsons shut out from what were one time his top two schools.
