College football fans get all excited and hyped up each year about how their favorite teams did on National Signing Day.
I admit I'm as guilty as anybody when it comes to checking out what top-notch recruits Ohio State - and of course its Big Ten rivals as well - along with WVU, Marshall and Ohio University in particular have landed.
On the national stage, Urban Meyer completed a consensus top-5 recruiting class for the Buckeyes on his very first try, despite obviously getting a late start and taking some flak from Wisconsin and Michigan State about his swooping in to talk some verbal commitments into switching to OSU.
"He's done an amazing job flipping kids away from schools like it was easy as can be. And it's not," said Mike Farrell, national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com
But even with all the accolades lauding Meyer's recruiting efforts, perhaps Meyer himself put it best.
"I keep hearing this is a top 5, top 3, top 10 class," he said. "That doesn't' mean much to me. What really matters is what happens two, three years from now."
Even with the strength of the Buckeyes' 2012 recruiting class being in the defensive line, one recruiting guru - Scott Kennedy, director of scouting and recruiting for Scout.com - "had to add an exception to the rule that it takes a full year for a new coach to make an impact. Urban Meyer's impact at Ohio State this quickly has been unprecedented."
Meyer cemented his reputation as a prime-time recruiter with two more key acquisitions just before and right on signing day itself.
Defensive back Armani Reeves from Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Mass., followed the lead of his teammate, linebacker Camren Williams who decided to go to Ohio State last week, and joined the Buckeyes as well.
Then, Durham (N.C.) Hillside High School defensive end Jamal Marcus announced for OSU on signing day, said he knew he wanted to go to Ohio State after talking to Meyer for the first time.
Marcus, ranked as the 15th-best prep player in the Tar Heel state by Rivals.com, indicating ''one of the biggest reasons'' he chose the Buckeyes is their tradition. "I know I will have a chance to play for a national championship," he said.
Dawson, 6-5 with a state playoff berth in his first season on the job last fall for the Rebels, will guide the West Virginia team of high-school seniors against their Ohio counterparts, directed by Schob, who has been at the Warrior grid helm for two years now.
West Virginia leads the series 12-6 after last summer's 14-0 win on a pair of fumble-return touchdowns.
Also, the 11th annual BACF Basketball Classic will be played Friday, April 6 at Parkersburg South, again pitting Ohio vs. W.Va., with the girls game at 5:30 p.m., followed by boys contest at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for both BACF events will be be sold at area Burger King restaurants for $5 each.
Contact Steve Hemmelgarn at shemmelgarn@newsandsentinel.com
