By Brian Bennett (ESPN.com) -- Urban Meyer hasn't coached a game yet at Ohio State, but his impact on the Big Ten has already been massive. Though he was only hired in late November, Meyer managed to put together an impressive first recruiting class that ESPN ranked as the sixth-best in the country. Several players in the class were at one time committed to other league schools. The Buckeyes put together one of the best groups of defensive linemen ... Read More

By: Matt Hayes (Sporting News) -- So this is what it has come to. After 60-plus days on the job at Ohio State, there’s no avoiding it. Either the Big Ten bows to Urban Meyer, or Urban Meyer bows to the Big Ten. “I can tell you this,” says Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema. “We at the Big Ten don’t want to be like the SEC—in any way, shape or form.” Just so we’re clear: Bielema wasn’t talking about winning national championships. He was ... Read More

By Adam Rittenberg (ESPN.com) -- Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema made waves Wednesday when he suggested new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer used "illegal" recruiting practices in signing his first class. Now it appears that Bielema and Wisconsin are taking things to the next level. Sporting News reported Thursday that Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez will speak Friday with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany about Meyer's recruiting methods during the league's athletic director meetings. During his National Signing Day press conference, Bielema ... Read More

By Eric Lacy (The Detroit News) -- First-year Ohio State coach Urban Meyer isn't wasting any time stocking the program with fresh talent. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported at 10: 30 a.m. today that Meyer already had 23 commitments for his 2012 recruiting class. He added a 24th after noon: Cleveland Heights, Ohio, offensive lineman Kyle Dodson. Dodson, a 6-foot-6, 315-pounder, is a four-star recruit. He originally gave a verbal commit to Wisconsin, and also has expressed interest in Michigan State and ... Read More

From: OhioStateBuckeyes.com --COLUMBUS, Ohio - By 10:45 a.m. Wednesday morning it was already official: 18 student-athletes had signed and faxed in their National Letters of Intent (NLI) to attend The Ohio State University. One more NLI in the afternoon followed and this group of 19 joins the six student-athletes who were already enrolled and attending classes at Ohio State to give head coach Urban Meyer a 2012 class of recruits totaling 25 in number. "Everything went smooth ... Read More

By Adam Rittenberg (ESPN.com) -- Most of the Big Ten recruiting classes are complete, and there haven't been too many surprises around the league. As we wait for some of the bigger names to make their selections, a few nuggets from around the league: Michigan got a nice surprise Wednesday morning as running back Dennis Norfleet signed with the Wolverines. Norfleet, a Detroit native, had committed to Cincinnati but made the switch after receiving an offer from ... Read More

BY MIKE CLARK (suntimes.com) -- 1. Ohio State: The Buckeyes can’t play in the Big Ten championship game or a bowl this season, thanks to the fallout from the scandal that led to Jim Tressel’s forced departure. But new coach Urban Meyer still recruited the conference’s best class, including Glenbard West DT Tommy Schutt, and they’ll be ready for the postseason in 2013. 2. Michigan: Second-year coach Brady Hoke has another exceptional class, one that’s just behind ... Read More

By Doug Lesmerises (The Plain Dealer) -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When football recruits at Ohio State sign their National Letters of Intent Wednesday, they should have greater guarantees about their future than ever before in the modern era of college sports. Buckeyes, as well as players at most -- if not all -- Big Ten schools and some other programs around the country, are signing four-year scholarships instead of renewable one-year scholarships, as has been the standard. ... Read More

By: Rob McCurdy (MansfieldNewsJournal.com) -- COLUMBUS -- Lenzelle Smith Jr. is listed as a guard on Ohio State's roster. It's because jack-of-all-trades, as his coach likes to call him, isn't a recognized position on the floor. The 6-foot-4 sophomore is basketball's version of a utility infielder, a roundball handyman who sees a problem and fixes it. Against Indiana, he became a knock down 3-point shooter, hitting 4 of 5 from the arc and finishing with 28 points. Against Michigan, he turned ... Read More

From: AP via northcoatnow.com -- COLUMBUS — Not long after No. 3 Ohio State hung a 64-49 shiner on No. 20 Michigan on Sunday, coach Thad Matta was asked how pleased he was to reach the midpoint of the Big Ten season with at least a share of the lead. “It beats second, I do know that,” he said. Trouble is, the Buckeyes (19-3, 7-2) know that most of their work is ahead of them. All of their remaining nine games will be ... Read More