Our Honor Defend

A while back, we pushed the newfangled Buckeye Battle Cry 2008 that we are featured prominently in. Indeed, we have two articles featured in there, which may or may not make us the MVP of the magazine should our uncontrollable egos and unquenchable thirst for self-aggrandizement permit such a silly claim. Really though, we were just excited to be a part of something that featured so many big names and who’s who of Buckeye fandom. We hoped that our inclusion in some way meant that we could feed off the crumbs of their leftover charisma and talent, scrounging on it like an wild dog on a discarded chickenwing.

Well, we finally got our copies of the Buckeye Battle Cry 2008 through the Pony Express down here and had a chance again to thumb through our contributions. Naturally, I feel the need to openly admit where I screwed up (as the guy who wrote most of it), particularly in the 2009 article. So, here goes. On 2008:

• I use the conditional tense waaaay too much. It’s a bad habit of mine and I’ve only recently identified it as something to look for when self-editing. Sadly, I only realized as such after I contributed the 2008 and 2009 articles. Whoopsie.
• I fear I may have painted Michael Brewster in the 2008 article in such a way that he may come off as Ron Zook (sans pimped out golf cart, of course). I didn’t mean to, and really, it’s more important to note that what people like Brewster, Stoneburner, Shugarts and Adams were doing was not making “program prestige” pitches or anything like that, rather just developing friendships. I hope it didn’t come off too much like Brewster and company were Zook incarnate.
• I think I should’ve clarified the nature of Travis Howard and his offer. Travis Howard apparently had an offer before his visit (for how long, I don’t know), but apparently he never knew about it. He called to make sure he had an offer, found out he had one for quite some time, and then committed.
• The Pelini connection regarding Zach Domicone is still technically unverified, but it’s the most plausible story on how Zach got the Nebraska offer. As I noted in Zach’s BKAB feature, it’s also the most commonly believed.
• Further, most signs point to Zach eventually becoming a weakside linebacker at the moment. I wrote the article still thinking (and I’m still hoping) that he remains at safety, because he would be quite an anomaly for opposing offenses. Coaches know best, though.

And, now… on to 2009:

• At the time of writing, all signs pointed to Henton staying at Ohio State. He has since left. I still think that unless both Bauserman and Henton leave, the Buckeyes wait for 2010 for a bigtime QB. Remember: the Buckeyes did take a walk-on at the position (Ross Oltorik) and still have Orhian Johnson for emergency scout team duties.
• Tailback: Looking good. We have Hall, and we now have Hyde. I think we end up with Berry too and that should be that. Even without Berry, I don’t think the Buckeyes go after Bud Golden. I put forward Bud Golden’s name as a what-if for the scenario that both Berry and Hyde opt to stay south.
• Tight End: At the time of writing (late April, with some updates added by the editor when someone like James Jackson committed and when Darrell Givens decommitted), Stephen Plein was the only other tight end on the Buckeyes’ radar. That has since changed in a big way. Plein will basically not be coming to Ohio State. Meanwhile, Ra’shede Hageman has since emerged and does have an offer. Dion Sims also got his offer. Given new developments with Sam Longo, I’m not sure if the Buckeyes take two TEs after all.
• Wide Receiver: Boom. Nailed it. Still, though, I want to make a special note of how special Duron Carter’s commitment is because at the time of writing, Duron was a very serious LSU lean. It’s remarkable that he’s coming to Ohio State, at least I think. Marlon Brown will not have his offer revoked (because he is that good), but don’t expect him to come to Columbus.
• Corey Brown: At the time of writing, everything I had read on Corey Brown gave off the vibe that he wanted to be recruited as a wideout. At the time, I was thinking that Corey Brown might get an offer as a wideout should Duron Carter go elsewhere and eventually be moved/delegated to cornerback, thinking that the latter position is where he’s best. Honestly, it seems as if Corey Brown expressed a new interest in playing cornerback knowing that’s how he could get his coveted Ohio State offer. I have no way of proving that, but that’s just the feeling I get from what I’ve read and what I’ve been told.
• Offensive Line: Lots of updates on this one recently. I didn’t see the Sam Longo offer coming, but I knew we probably wouldn’t get Nixon or Shrive and we wouldn’t offer Spiker or Freeman. At the time, everything pointed to Chris Watt becoming a Buckeye. As of right now, everything seems to point to Chris Watt becoming a Domer. This may account for why Longo got his offer, but that could also be hearsay. The Buckeyes are prepared to take Mewhort, Linsley, Longo, Watt and Hall. John Martinez also now has an offer.
• Defensive Line: Corey Adams might be a lifelong Buckeye fan, but I’m not expecting him to leave the southwest (probably going to USC or Arizona State). Pat Muldoon looks like an Irish lean at the moment. Cornelius Carradine looks a Michigan lean at the moment. Oh, and Adam Bellamy is a name that I didn’t see coming. Nor did I see Tyron Ezell getting an offer. I’ve lost track of the defensive line offers.
• Linebackers: No surprises here. The only thing I stress, and you may have picked up as much from the article if you read it: don’t lose sight of Jordan Whiting. I’m really keen on him.
• Secondary: …and here’s where everything goes FUBAR. When I wrote this, Darrell Givens was an Ohio State verbal. He is not anymore, nor does he really have an offer¹. I don’t know for sure, but I think Givens’ decommitment changed a lot of things for Buckeye recruiting for 2009. Starting with the secondary, it appears that the Buckeyes started extending scholarships to players that the staff knew they could get secure commitments from early. Clarke, Green, McDougald and Brown were all immediate beneficiaries of the Givens’ decommitment. All are now Buckeyes. In hindsight, I should’ve seen Dominic Clarke coming, and that’s a mistake of mine not to include him. If I had to guess, it looks like the staff doesn’t see much of a difference between a Vlad Emilien and a Bradley McDougald, except that a McDougald would be an almost certain summertime commit whereas Emilien wants to draw things out. Presently, both McGee and Emilien still have offers, but they don’t appear as much as the Ohio State leans that they were several months ago. Victor Marc has since committed to USF and Patrick White has committed to Sparty. The staff is still in contact with Mike Edwards, though.
• DJ Hunter: At the time, Hunter had led most recruiting services and recruitniks to believe he had an offer from Ohio State. At the time of writing, that’s what I understood as well. However, he never had an offer from the Buckeyes, and I don’t think he will ever get one. Reason? He just committed to Tennessee today.

Since this contribution was written 10 months before signing day, I hope the reader will grant me some leniency for these misses of mine.

That said, here’s where the editor disappointed me².

• The author bio I originally sent the editor included a radical call for action for other Buckeye diaspora down here to band together under our lead here at OHD and launch a secessionist conflict in West Alabama to detach the territory and repatriate it to Ohio as a satellite state (or some other kind of dependency or fiefdom). I was hoping it would make the final cut (just to see if it would). It did not. How am I supposed to wage irredentist wars down here if the reader doesn’t know from glancing those 2 articles that I’m trying to start one down here? Grrr… grumblegrumblegrumble. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my Angry Chamber.
• I asked (or at least after a few beers, I think I asked) the editor to include only pictures of Mike Adams in the 2008 article. So, when reading about DeVier Posey, Ben Buchanan or Etienne Sabino, the reader should always be reminded of the divinity of Mike Adams. Failing that, I asked (or I think I asked) that the caption for every other picture of every other recruit in the 2008 article should simply read “not Mike Adams”. Or, because I’m so generous and accommodating, the caption for each non-Mike Adams picture should inform the reader of what the person in the picture will be doing for Mike Adams. For example, the caption for the Terrelle Pryor picture should have read “Will be the beneficiary of multiple pancake blocks from the power and the divine glory of Mike Adams, allowing Pryor to QB sneak for multiple touchdowns.” Sadly, I got none of my requests (that I think I made). None!

Really, though. I just got my copy today and started reading. The Brian Hartline article by Matt Markey is worth the price of the magazine by itself. Sadly, it does not reveal what I was hoping it would reveal. But it does remind us of one thing…

…We all fall short of the glory of Brian Hartline.

If you haven’t already, feel free to buy your copy of the Buckeye Battle Cry 2008. You can purchase it online or in most grocery stores and book stores around the state of Ohio (should you live there). I’ve really enjoyed what I have read so far (and I think you Buckeyes out there will too) and we also get royalties for every copy sold!

Or at least, we like to think that because we’re soooo hungry . Plus, we already had stuffed squirrel (an Alabama delicacy) for breakfast and we want to buy some real food down here, like stuffed raccoon .

1. rumor is that Givens inquired about coming back and that the staff told him “thanks, but no thanks” [↩]
2. What follows is an exercise in being silly. Please don’t think that I have a serious beef with the editor or Maple Street Press. I’m still thrilled for the opportunity and hope they’ll have us back. [↩]