When Jim Harbaugh sent the tweet inviting every coach in America to the University of Michigan's high school football camp, fans of their biggest rival most likely scoffed at the vanity.
"Surely Harbaugh isn't so much of a kook to really think someone like defending national champion Urban Meyer would even consider heading to Ann Arbor to learn alongside him, is he?" Buckeye fans probably thought. "Is he really that far out in outer space?"
He might be, and whether or not you think Meyer and the rest of his staff would consider going up north for a friendly chat about the sport that encompasses their lives (they won't), don't for one second think they didn't know they were going to join in on the satellite camp fun.
They have to — in order to keep pace.
"I think we're thinking of doing one, I can't tell you if it's been finalized," Meyer said April 13. "Am I fan of that? Not really. A big lure to Ohio State is getting here on campus."
That's true — just like any other massive university, Ohio State sports a gorgeous campus smack dab in the middle of Ohio's state capital, Columbus.
"You keep score against the rival in everything we do. They are great recruiters, they always have been. That's gone on long before us and will take place long after us. You absolutely keep score of that one."– Urban Meyer
A key reason the Buckeyes can lure talent from all across the country is because Ohio State has everything you could want and more to enhance your college experience.
"I think what happens is monkey see, monkey do. They did this, so let's go do it," Meyer said. "I think the thing is, there's easy ways to evaluate. 'How'd your camp go? Well, good. Did you get anybody out of that camp? No. Did people visit? I don't know that.'"
Whether or not he likes it or agrees with it, Meyer's joining the other monkeys in yet another branch for recruiting, evident by the news Saturday that he and the rest of his staff are heading to Florida Atlantic University in June.
"That's something that if you do it, we're not going to do it because some other schools are trying it," Meyer said.
Well, clearly they've found some good that could come out of doing a satellite camp.
Whether it's due to some recruits and their families being unable afford a trip up from Florida, Georgia or another southern state to see Ohio State's campus, or if they want to keep pace with Nick Saban at Alabama, or they want to meet up with old colleagues at the camp, the Buckeyes seem ready to put the satellite into orbit.
Sure, this doesn't mean Ohio State's quite prepared to host a camp where all are welcome like Harbaugh and the Wolverines. But, like anything else, Meyer is showing he's plugged in to what his competition is up to — after all, he'd like to stay on top of the sport.
"You keep score against the rival in everything we do," Meyer said in February on National Signing Day. "They are great recruiters, they always have been. That's gone on long before us and will take place long after us. You absolutely keep score of that one."
Recruiting's the lifeblood of any college program and Meyer is aware of Harbaugh's presence regardless even if he admits it or not.
It's part of his job to keep tabs on him, after all.
"If it helps us we'll do it. I think we might try one this year," Meyer said. "I don't know if it's been finalized, you'll certainly hear about it if we do."
Well, we've heard about it, and while Meyer said coaches going to other campuses just to show their faces should be "outlawed," don't think he's about to fall a step or two behind guys like Harbaugh or Penn State's James Franklin.
"There is a lot of conversation in our recruiting meetings every Wednesday about making a move and trying one," Meyer said.
It appears the Buckeyes are ready to take the plunge.
