'25 Portal Thread

So we are relying on a couple coaches that might change jobs to add a couple players? Seems risky don’t you think?
That’s not what he said. He said:

“Additionally there are a couple of other players that are connected to possible departures by two high profile coaches. There (sic) are players we’d make room for”

Additionally. Would make room for. In other words, these aren’t players we’re “relying” on getting, but will make room for IN ADDITION TO the ones we’re primarily targeting (who he alluded to before the passage I quoted). They’d be icing on top. Not risky at all.
 
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We have Gentle too. He redshirted. Also Lindstrom at Edge/DE. Ross is the only Dlineman that didnt redshirt from the 24 class IIRC. We were able to redshirt 3/4s of that class...which is great. We finally have depth pretty much everywhere. Our roster is now over 50% bluechip Top300 players for the 1st time in decades. We are young...but very talented
Yes. I was referring to the DTs. We almost certainly aren’t going to sign an EDGE or SDE. We’re already 3 deep at both.
 
Heupel likes the roster AND we will probably sign three more portal players. As for the numbers, there are some current players that know they will move up at their position or leave after Spring. This particular thread is too exhausting to service regularly, or engage in Q&A, but we are down the road with a difference-maker at WR, a guard/center, and a safety. With the WR, I know everyone is very tight-lipped for some reasons that will make sense after the fact. I’m not trying to be cryptic, but I can’t (and I assume others can’t) share anything until that one is on the dotted line. Additionally there are a couple of other players that are connected to possible departures by two high profile coaches. There are players we’d make room for, and specifically a very good RB has reached out. If a coaching move happens, he’ll come. There is a lot to shake out, but the signs seem to point to three additional signings between now and Summer, and possibly more. As for how I feel about the current state of things— keeping Boo and Matthews, and others who entertained leaving, is huge. I think our WR room has more promise than we are acknowledging. I’m a bigger fan of Jefferson than many, and I continue to think he, Matthews and Staley are very underrated. My only concern is that the three guys were heavily pursuing are all in bets with no backup plan. In fairness, this staff has done very well delivering on a focused portal plan to date. I think they will again this year.
Please please please, everyone read this part. Don’t badger those few individuals who actually have some kind of inside knowledge
 
Please please please, everyone read this part. Don’t badger those few individuals who actually have some kind of inside knowledge
Right? I had to laugh at all of the people who read this and then chimed in with follow up questions.

People need to understand that @Stoerner Fumbles is a very busy man running a global criminal enterprise, so he doesn’t have time to come back and “give clues” about which school your next WR plays for. He has key witnesses to execute, people!
 
Through back channels we're talking to some impact/splash guys, but nothing is set in stone until they've officially entered. Regardless, we're going over fit more than anything. Lack of funds has nothing to do with it, but we're not going to overpay just to over pay either.

In the spring, you'll see some more guys leave, and we'll be a bit more aggressive.
Don’t be too stingy with the money and miss out.
 
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To be fair, I have questions about the Joe Moore Award. What criteria are they using to judge OLs? I saw Army won it this year. Seems like a lot of how they judge these lines is by rushing yards. We've established we can run block. But what about pass blocking? Pass blocking has to improve. We have to be able to protect Nico in the pocket. And if we had questions about pass blocking behind a veteran OL, I think it fair to carry those questions over to what will be almost an entirely new OL.
It's not. Each year is different. Don't question the "new" OL until you have reason to do so. Pass blocking is hard, and our line didn't give up the most sacks in the SEC or country for that matter. With that said, a lot goes into the protections. Maybe Nico or Cooper called the wrong protections leading to the sacks.
 
It's not. Each year is different. Don't question the "new" OL until you have reason to do so. Pass blocking is hard, and our line didn't give up the most sacks in the SEC or country for that matter. With that said, a lot goes into the protections. Maybe Nico or Cooper called the wrong protections leading to the sacks.
A lot is also about the OL having familiarity with one another. As you said we won't know until we see them through a few games.
 
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Please please please, everyone read this part. Don’t badger those few individuals who actually have some kind of inside knowledge
It’s too exhausting because every day brings 5 pages that has nothing to do with particular names just banter that should go somewhere else.
 
Loves the roster so much that he continues to take swings at the portal, and reportedly will continue to do so.

Two things can be true at the same time:

1. Heup likes the players he has, and is proud of what they and the staff achieved.
2. He recognizes to get where they (and we) want to get, his roster and staff will have to evolve (i.e., improve).
everyone is always going to try and upgrade. you can like what you have, but still want to improve it if you can. thats just smart business. Even if you have the #1, and #2 guys at a position on your roster, and the #3 also wants in, you try to make it happen.

also sometimes the juice isn't worth the squeeze. you still got to test the waters to find out how much its going to cost you, but there is always going to be a line.
 
I can't tell you how many times I've seen the term "1 year rental" in this thread to either justify or not taking a player out of the portal.

In the current landscape of bigtime college sports (football, basketball, and baseball), which player is not a "1 year rental"? Scholarships and NIL deals are structured yearly and reevaluated yearly. Can we let the term die when used in this context?
 
I can't tell you how many times I've seen the term "1 year rental" in this thread to either justify or not taking a player out of the portal.

In the current landscape of bigtime college sports (football, basketball, and baseball), which player is not a "1 year rental"? Scholarships and NIL deals are structured yearly and reevaluated yearly. Can we let the term die when used in this context?
1 year lease with extension option?
 
In the spring, you'll see some more guys leave, and we'll be a bit more aggressive.

If we add guys after Spring, are any of the caliber that we expect to be starters by Fall? For many players it’s asking a lot to show up in the summer and be a starter by September unless they’re supremely talented.
 
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everyone is always going to try and upgrade. you can like what you have, but still want to improve it if you can. thats just smart business. Even if you have the #1, and #2 guys at a position on your roster, and the #3 also wants in, you try to make it happen.

also sometimes the juice isn't worth the squeeze. you still got to test the waters to find out how much its going to cost you, but there is always going to be a line.
Of course. That’s essentially what I said.

That’s true too. I’m not advocating overpaying everywhere. If the players were too expensive, that’s one thing - but they don’t have to resort to “we like the roster” right after missing on multiple attempts… to upgrade the roster.
 
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Of course. That’s essentially what I said.

That’s true too. I’m not advocating overpaying everywhere. If the players were too expensive, that’s one thing - but they don’t have to resort to “we like the roster” right after missing on multiple attempts… to upgrade the roster.

It's no different than the coaching searches around here. No other coaches turned us down and the coach we hired was definitely our first choice lol. It's quite obvious we aren't willing to pay what certain players are looking for and that strategy may work. We will just have to see how it plays out in the long run I guess but it's possible Heupel is correct with this approach and others are overpaying for players that just aren't that great
 
Right? I had to laugh at all of the people who read this and then chimed in with follow up questions.

People need to understand that @Stoerner Fumbles is a very busy man running a global criminal enterprise, so he doesn’t have time to come back and “give clues” about which school your next WR plays for. He has key witnesses to execute, people!
I’m just trying to find my socks.
 
He was looking for the biggest bag. Hope it works out for him.
Ohio State's NIL must not have the $$$ to compete with the big programs like Missouri. This is a fail on the part of their staff. They aren't serious about winning IMO.
*Edit* They just got stuffed in a locker by Drinkwitz.
 
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