Ohio State took a significant loss on the field Saturday against the Michigan Wolverines. Arguably nearly as concerning, however, are some of the losses they have taken off the field as well.
One Ohio-born recruit, offensive lineman Luke Hamilton, committed to rival Michigan on Sunday, one day after watching the Wolverines beat Ohio State in Columbus. Hamilton, a four-star recruit in the class of 2024, said his visit was a major factor, but not in a good way. He felt like he was not treated well, a symptom of what he believes is the Buckeyes taking in-state recruits for granted.
“(Ohio State) did this to all of the in-state (recruits). They put us on the back burner and will wait until the last second because they think they have us committed there if they offer, which I think is totally stupid. That is not how that works at all,” Hamilton told Mark Perez-Krywany of the Morning Journal. “I’ve talked to linemen all around Cleveland and people that I know and they all feel the same way. … I think Ohio State is taking too long and I don’t think they are doing it right.”
In contrast, Hamilton said he felt at home in Michigan from the start.
“At Michigan, I always feel like I am at home. Even before I got the offer, I always felt like I was at home,” Hamilton said. “Going to Ohio State, I was kind of on edge on whether they were going to treat me good or they were going to treat me bad. As soon as I walked in the door, I could tell that there was not good energy.”
Just as worrying for Ohio State is that Hamilton was not the only Ohio-based recruit to commit to Michigan in light of Saturday’s game.
This is certainly a marked change from where things were not that long ago. In fact, Urban Meyer had been critical of Michigan’s lack of effort in Ohio, noting that the Buckeyes essentially monopolized top recruits in the state. Perhaps Ohio State got lazy after Meyer’s departure, or Jim Harbaugh bolstered his efforts. Maybe it is a combination of both, but the result is not great for the Buckeyes.
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