Link: 2026 Transfer Portal

[Cruiser]

Does anyone realize that we are mostly swooning over players that weren't good enough to get recruited by Alabama the first time?

Neither was 80% of the Indiana team, so....

 

[gtgilbert]

Does anyone realize that we are mostly swooning over players that weren't good enough to get recruited by Alabama the first time?

True statement, but how many players at Indiana would have gotten a sniff from us out of HS? The portal is changing the equation.

in many cases

23yr old 3* with a chip on his shoulder > 18yr old 5* with potential

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

Neither was 80% of the Indiana team, so....

Which has deep meaning for the whole portal mess and recruiting system.

 

[VirginiaTide57]

Does everyone get paid? Such as the long snapper? Seems the players parking lot has gone from beaters and pick up trucks to Mercedes and exotic sports cars!

 

[Snuffy Smith]

Does everyone get paid? Such as the long snapper? Seems the players parking lot has gone from beaters and pick up trucks to Mercedes and exotic sports cars!

And Landon Dickerson would still have a railroad tie for a bumper.

 

[CB4]

True statement, but how many players at Indiana would have gotten a sniff from us out of HS? The portal is changing the equation.

in many cases

23yr old 3* with a chip on his shoulder > 18yr old 5* with potential

Might I add an 18 year old 5* with probably a bag o’ cash three times bigger than the 23 yr old 3* that was based on “potential alone”.

 

[Jack Bourbon]

Does anyone realize that we are mostly swooning over players that weren't good enough to get recruited by Alabama the first time?

Yes, and even someone like Haywood, whom we did recruit, has only two games under his belt when we need solid experience at that position. But at least we are seeing some progress. If we can make a big dent in the depth dept then the pressure isnt so great relative to handpicking the starters

 

[Jack Bourbon]

If he passes Talty.....and I think he does....wont matter if they are cousins.

Is Talty going to leave? Wonder what kicker NIL situation is

 

[Transplanted]

If I had to choose between having him back or getting Coleman or Smothers, I'd take Hubbard without hesitation. That's a big get. I honestly just assumed he was gone to the NFL.

Hubbard will decapitate Coleman

 

[The Ols]

Awbarn will basically be USF 2.0 next year so we will see if that strategy is something we want to use moving forward.

Get a new coach and bring all his guys?

 

[BamaFanInTally]

Haywood is a big time pickup

Is he signed or just committed?

 

[Snuffy Smith]

Get a new coach and bring all his guys?

Basically what CCC did last year at IU. I think I remember reading that 13 of his portal players last season were from JMU.

 

[The Ols]

Does anyone realize that we are mostly swooning over players that weren't good enough to get recruited by Alabama the first time?
[/QUOTE]
WR chose tOSU 1st…

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

Basically what CCC did last year at IU. I think I remember reading that 13 of his portal players last season were from JMU.

So ..... was he tampering with University athletes from JMU?

 

[sanjosecrimson]

So our potential starters on defense next season have picked their destination.
Keeley to ND, Smith and Russaw to Ohio State.
this just confirms what we already know, it's not about wanting to start at your respected position.
it boils down to $$$. period.

 

[The Ols]

So our potential starters on defense next season have picked their destination.
Keeley to ND, Smith and Russaw to Ohio State.
this just confirms what we already know, it's not about wanting to start at your respected position.
it boils down to $$$. period.

Honest question…how does tOSU afford ALL of these guys? Someone commented earlier asking if they all get paid…
Utah gave out 85 trucks last year…85! (2 yrs ago?)
Utah…that had to be expensive…I know, boosters…but yeah, they’re all getting paid…

 

[Snuffy Smith]

So ..... was he tampering with University athletes from JMU?

Guess we will all just have to draw our own conclusions about that. Was he tampering or did they all just go in the portal to see if he would make them an offer

 

[The Ols]

Guess we will all just have to draw our own conclusions about that. Was he tampering or did they all just go in the portal to see if he would make them an offer

I guess it would depend somewhat on when CCC knew he was going to IU?

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010816638287769701

This is amazing. If he is even just a solid kicker he's going to be a legend

 

[KrAzY3]

Honest question…how does tOSU afford ALL of these guys? Someone commented earlier asking if they all get paid…
Utah gave out 85 trucks last year…85! (2 yrs ago?)
Utah…that had to be expensive…I know, boosters…but yeah, they’re all getting paid…

I don't have intimate knowledge of their athletic department and booster situation, but I followed things like athletic department revenue, attendance, ratings, even the size of states and that sort of thing.

Ohio State always performed well. They're typically a top 3 athletic department in revenue, they are the dominant program in the 7th largest state. They have a massive endowment (6th largest, dwarfs all non-Texas SEC schools). They're just sitting on fertile ground. There's also probably more legit NIL opportunities there than just about everywhere else as well.

When I was predicting the fall out for NIL when it was introduced, they were one of the programs I thought would excel, along the ones like Texas and Oregon (while I thought programs like Clemson would falter). They're just well positioned, plenty of people with plenty of money. They don't even need billionaires, they have quantity.