More than a game might be on the line on Saturday in Happy Valley. Recruiting could be on the line as well. Bucknuts.com takes a look at recruiting battles between Ohio State and Penn State that are taking place or may take place.
At one point when Woody Hayes was the Buckeyes’ coach, there was such a large contingent of players on the Ohio State roster from the Keystone State that there was an informal weekly award during the football season called the “Pennsylvania Buck Of The Week.”
The way Jim Tressel and his staff have recruited the state of Pennsylvania in recent years, the Bucks have felt very comfortable in the Keystone State. Two years in a row Tressel has landed the No. 1 prospect in Pennsylvania, quarterback Terrelle Pryor two years ago and linebacker Dorian Bell last year.
In addition to Pryor and Bell, in recent years the OSU staff has signed running back Jordan Hall, defensive back Corey Brown and linebacker Andrew Sweat who were all Top 10 prospects in the Keystone State.
Other Pennsylvanians on the Ohio State roster include offensive linemen Andy Miller and Evan Blankenship. In all there are eight players from the state of Pennsylvania on the Ohio State roster. That figure is tied with Florida for the second most players from any one state on the Bucks’ roster behind only the state of Ohio.
The number is on the rise. The Bucks have a commitment from running back/wide receiver Corey Brown from Springfield (Pa.) Cardinal O’Hara, this year’s No. 2 prospect in the Keystone State. They have a legitimate shot at the No. 1 guy, defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd from Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington.
The Bucks currently lead for the No. 1 class of 2011 prospect in the Keystone State, tight end Ben Koyack from Oil City. Koyack currently has Ohio State at the top of his list, a little ahead of Penn State.
Koyack had planned to be in attendance at Saturday’s Big Ten showdown game in Happy Valley. However, after undergoing surgery on Tuesday to repair cartilage in his right knee, Koyack won’t be able to attend the game. His doctor does not want him to risk infection in the knee
But even without Koyack in Beaver Stadium, Joe Paterno and his staff will welcome in a large group of recruits for the big game.
Two of the top three 2010 prospects the Nittany Lions are still recruiting, running back Marcus Lattimore from Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes and defensive lineman Mike Thornton from Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson,are expected to make official visits to Penn State this weekend. Lattimore is the No. 10 prospect on the ESPNU 150 and the No. 2 running back.
The other top senior prospect the Nittany Lions are going after, Sharrif Floyd, won’t attend the Ohio State-Penn State game on Saturday. His team has a playoff game on Saturday at 6:00 pm. Floyd is considering both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions.
Even though Koyack won’t be in Happy Valley on Saturday, the Penn State staff will welcome in many top juniors and sophomores that the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions may vie for. Some of those expected in State College on Saturday include defensive back Maika Polamalu and athlete Terrell Chestnut from Pottstown (Pa.) Pottsgrove and running back Jameel Poteat from Harrisburg (Pa.) Bishop McDevitt.
Plenty will be on the line in Beaver Stadium on Saturday including current and future recruiting battles.
