Thank You Urban Meyer and the Ohio State

        Although I am going to attend three college football camps in July, the college camp season is over for me. In some ways, I am glad, and in some ways, I will miss them. Quickly reminding myself about standing out in the sun for six hours, maybe I will not miss them at all.
       All of the camps that I attend are good. Whether it be Michigan's large number, the satellite camps of BGSU, Toledo, or Ohio University, camps for me are what I make them. Hopefully, I make them good. Have not been to Michigan State or Notre Dame lately, but they are good, as well. From what high school coaches and recruits tell me, they are all good.
       I often get asked, "What camps should we attend?" My answer, " 1. They are all good. 2. Go to the camp that the schools you are really interested in are hosting. 3. Go to a smaller camp. 4. Go to a MAC satellite camp to save on travel expenses."
       Years ago former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel began allowing Mid American Conference staffs to come a senior camp. Two assistant coaches from a college would help at Ohio Sate, but Tressel opened the gate. Full staffs eventually were allowed to evaluate.
       A practice at many schools is to allow assistant college coaches work bigger BCS schools. The Division 2 colleges will allow Division 3 schools to work their camps. Satellite camps will allow both D-2 and D-3 colleges to work.
       Coach Urban Meyer, when he first came to Ohio State, had some different views on allowing complete staffs to evaluate prospects. Not only that, he was concerned about college assistants working the camp. This past winter I had even heard some "stuff" that he was going to change some of the format this summer. Although I do not always agree some of Coach Meyer's ideas, I can see his point.
       The purpose of this blog entry is to thank the Ohio State staff, and, of course, Urban Meyer, for putting on the best camp that I have been to, since Coach Meyer's been on the scene. Being an Ohio high school football "kid's guy," the camp was good. 1 A solid turnout. 2. A variety of prospects in the Classes of 2015, 2016, 2017, and some from the Class of 2018. 3. Really good instruction.
       Mid American coaches, including some head coaches, were allowed to walk around and evaluate. Urban Meyer was giving many high school players a chance to be evaluated by other D-1 schools, and mostly schools from Ohio. Of course, no BCS schools, other than Ohio State. were present. Will not put a number on how many recruits OSU was really evaluating, but I really appreciate the fact that so many campers were evaluated by other D-1 schools.
        Finally, I enjoyed the freedom that people were given. Of course, parents and observers had to stay behind the red lines. Recruiting reporters were allowed more freedom. Most importantly of all, I was allowed to roam within reason. Huge for me. Keep my mouth shut and my ears and eyes wide open.
       This blog is not a knock on any other BCS schools and their camps. Especially the ones that pay for my service. Anytime so many college staffs, regardless of Division, can evaluate players, mostly from Ohio, every high school football coach in Ohio should be pleased.
       Thank you, Urban Meyer and Ohio State football staff for hosting such an event.