Bucknuts Morning 5: An Ohio State athletics podcast

The Bucknuts Morning 5 lives up to its name today. There are exactly five topics on the docket and Jonah Booker joins Dave Biddle to discuss all of them:

1. What are general impressions of Ohio State's 2018 recruiting class?

2. Where does the recruitment of Nicholas Petit-Frere rank in the pantheon of Urban Meyer "recruiting upsets" at OSU?

3. What in the world is going on with Michigan's recruiting efforts under Jim Harbaugh?

4. Will the No. 1 player in Ohio in the 2019 class (and the No. 1 player overall in the country according to 247Sports) Zach Harrison pick the Buckeyes?

5. What are the expectations for Ohio State's basketball team following the Buckeyes' win at Purdue?

Yes, the Friday extravaganza is loaded with all kinds of Buckeye chatter.

Now ... THAT was a day.

We are here basking in the glow of an unreal National Signing Day finish capped off last night by Ohio State's biggest win on the hardwood in ... a decade?

But today's show features 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong putting the Class of 2018 in perspective. 

Wiltfong was in Nashville at 247Sports HQ for all the festivities and reports on why Nicholas Petit-Frere and Javontae Jean-Baptiste ultimately chose Columbus.

There are superlatives to discuss as Ohio State finished the cycle with the No. 2 class and top prospect value for the second straight season.

Spend 20-plus basking with us this a.m.!

It is signing day and there is plenty of intrigue for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

What will happen with Javontae Jean-Baptiste (who was scheduled to announce at 8 a.m. but his school is closed due to snow), Nicholas Petit-Frere and Rasheed Walker?

The People's Champ, Matt Baxendell, joins Dave Biddle for that and more.

National Signing Day is less than 24 hours away.

With the sand almost totally through the hourglass, Ohio State remains in hot pursuit of several prospects ... but two in particular: offensive tackles Nicholas Petit-Frere and Rasheed Walker.
Petit-Frere is the nation's No. 1 offensive tackle. Walker is No. 6.

Both are expected to be foundational pillars on the edge.

Both are strongly considering the Buckeyes.

Both are expected to announce their decision on Wednesday morning.

Duane Long joins us to talk impact of those decisions depending on if they pick the good guys or not.

We also chatted about the decision to stop recruiting Tavion Thomas and which NFL hopeful among the Buckeyes is headed for the best career.

Spend 5ish with us this a.m., Nutters!

What really happened with the recruitment of Tavion Thomas?

At one point it looked like Thomas was a safe bet to join Ohio State's 2018 recruiting class. However, the Buckeyes decided to back off.

But why?

They knew about the academic concerns for months. So, what changed?

Alex Gleitman joins Dave Biddle to discuss that, plus what Gleitman refers to as the "crazy" twists-and-turns in recruiting for OSU down the stretch with signing day just two days away. That includes:

* The latest on Javontae Jean-Baptiste.

* The latest on Rasheed Walker.

* And the latest on Nicholas Petit-Frere.

* We finish the show with thoughts on Ohio State's basketball team. The Buckeyes beat Illinois on Sunday 75-67 behind a career-high 35 points (plus 13 rebounds) from Keita Bates-Diop. Chris Holtmann's crew is now amazingly 20-5 overall, including 11-1 in Big Ten play.

All that and more on an 18-minute edition of the Monday extravaganza.

With college football programs now permitted to have 10 assistant coaches, many teams have as many as four minority coaches on their staff.

Ohio State currently has just two minority coaches -- running backs coach Tony Alford and defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

Now, obviously Urban Meyer is going to try and find the best coach he can for the Buckeyes. However, all things being equal, is it a safe bet that OSU's next hiring will be a minority candidate?

This is a polarizing topic, but like Jim Tressel was often fond of saying: "It's real." With almost every team in the country having three or four minority coaches, it just does not seem realistic that Ohio State would only have two. Especially if it could be used against them on the recruiting trail. (And let's be honest, it would be used against them on the recruiting trail.)

Jonah Booker joins Dave Biddle to discuss that topic, plus:

* The latest on OSU football recruiting.

* Which of Meyer's assistant coaches is the most important on his staff?

* Does Ohio State have a true rival in basketball?

All of that and more on the Friday extravaganza.

The names have not changed.

The outlook has for a few of them.

Ohio State is laser focused on several prospects with National Signing Day looming. 

So 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong is here to share the absolute latest on the following standouts:

* Nicholas Petit-Frere

* Rasheed Walker

* Tavion Thomas

* Chris Oats

Steve also previews his upcoming feature story on Class of 2019 star and Columbus native Zach Harrison.

Spend 5ish with us this a.m.!

In what many thought would be a close game, Ohio State's basketball team got off to an early lead over Indiana and never looked back.

The No. 17 Buckeyes (19-5, 10-1 Big Ten) beat the Hoosiers (12-11, 5-6) 71-56 on Tuesday in Columbus. This is an OSU team that was picked 11th in the Big Ten. It is amazing what they are accomplishing.

Does anything even come close to this as far as preseason expectations for an Ohio State team, compared to how they are actually performing?

Also, if you preferred Archie Miller over Chris Holtmann last summer, what are your thoughts now?

The People's Champ, Matt Baxendell, joins Dave Biddle to discuss all things OSU hoops, plus the latest on the football recruiting front with signing day exactly one week away.

What will happen with Tavion Thomas, Rasheed Walker and Nicholas Petit-Frere and more?

Raise your hand if you knew all along Tavion Thomas would be a Buckeye.

Put your hand down! Nobody knew that!

The recruiting surprise of the weekend had legs and the Dayton running back has become a serious Ohio State target.

What changed?

Who on Ohio State's staff is particularly smitten with the Gem City star?

Why take three running backs?

Will Thomas be in the Ohio State backfield next season?

We brought in Duane Long to talk Thomas as well as the addition of Chris Olave and we got his thoughts on the Senior Bowl efforts of Tyquan Lewis and Jalyn Holmes.

Spend 5ish with us this a.m., 'Nutters!

With signing day merely nine days away, the Monday Bucknuts Morning 5 is all about recruiting.

And who better to talk about that topic than the Dean of Ohio State Football Recruiting, Bill Kurelic.

Kurelic joins Dave Biddle to discuss the following:

* The Buckeyes landing four-star wide receiver Chris Olave Sunday night, giving them 24 players in their 2018 class thus far.

* How many spots does OSU have open to finish out this class? Could the Buckeyes add three more if they wanted for a giant class of 27?

* What is the absolute latest with four-star offensive tackle Rasheed Walker? Is his leaning one way or the other in terms of the Ohio State-Penn State battle?

* What about five-star OT Nicholas Petit-Frere? are the Buckeyes really in this thing, or are they more of a darkhorse candidate?

* What is the latest on Christopher Oats and D.J. Brown?

We have all that and more on the Monday extravaganza.