Hoke says there’s no "Gentleman’s Agreement" in the Big Ten

The Urban Meyer effect is up and running in the Big Ten and a couple of coaches aren’t happy about it.

This past recruiting season the new Ohio State football boss Meyer managed to flip his fair share share of recruits including Mark Dantonio’s top recruit in Se’Von Pittman. The same can be said for Bret Bielema at Wisconsin who lost prized offensive lineman Kyle Dodson on recruiting day to Ohio State.

“(Ohio State has) a new coach, and it’s different,” Dantonio told the Detroit News. “I would say it’s pretty unethical, in the end.”


Bielema echoed those sentiments after losing prized offensive lineman Kyle Dodson to Ohio State on signing day.


“There are a few things that happened early on that I made people aware of that I didn’t want to see in this league, that I had seen take place in other leagues,” Bielema said on Wednesday. “Other recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal.


“I was very up front and was very pointed to the fact, actually reached out to Coach Meyer and shared my thoughts and concerns with him. The situation got rectified.”

According to AnnArbor.com, Bielema told Sporting News that Badgers athletic director Barry Alvarez would be talking to Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney today in Chicago about Meyer’s tactics.

Now you may be wondering why Bielema and Dantonio are so upset in a conference that’s extremely competitive and takes great pride in their rivalries?

It all boils down to a so-called “gentleman’s agreement” amongst the Big Ten coaches.

Bielema further called Meyer’s recruiting tactics “illegal” in light of the “gentleman’s agreement” which says that no coach in the Big Ten will actively go after a recruit that is already verbally committed to another Big Ten school.


Not all Big Ten coaches though agree on this “gentlemen’s agreement” and on those coaches is Michigan’s Brady Hoke…

“As far as I’ve known, it’s always been fair game until they sign,” said Hoke, who’s been in the league one year as a head coach and seven as an assistant. “I don’t have as much a problem with that and, hopefully, we don’t get too many of those that go away from you.

“But, I don’t think there needs to be an agreement, to be honest with you. Kids are going to be kids. They’re 18 years old, 17 years old. As long as everything has been handled in an ethical manner and professional manner, and by the rules, I don’t have a problem with it.”

Now Hoke hasn’t experienced the same draw backs that Dantonio and Bielema have experienced with recruits flipping to Ohio State. In fact Hoke was able to flip five-star offensive lineman Kyle Kalis from Ohio State prior to Meyer being announced as the new head coach.

Again though in a competitive conference with top notch coaches it should be expected that programs are going to do everything they possibly can to make their teams better. This includes trying to flip rival schools recruits to their own.

In the end a verbal commitment means nothing. Hoke isn’t about making excuses about anything. He knows the game and isn’t going to whine about anything.

Now about those 16 scholarships OSU had open and oversigning at 25 commitments is another story.

Beano Cook Guarantees Urban Meyer Will Coach Ohio State In 2012

With the toruble Jim Tressel is having at Ohio State, there are many predicting his demise. I don’t think he’ll be there much longer but only time will reveal.

One man thinks this year will be his swan song and that there is only one man for the job.

Beano Cook guarantees Urban Meyer will be the coach at Ohio State in 2012.  Here we go again. I hate to say this but Cook comes off as a senile old man.

“I think Ohio State has major problems and I think Jim Tressel has major problems. I’ve said on my Podcast. . . (that) Urban Meyer will be the coach at Ohio State in 2012. That was my prediction and I stick by that prediction. Urban Meyer will be ready to coach somewhere. He said when he was coaching Florida that there were only three schools he would ever coach at – Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame. I think Brian Kelly is going to do the job at Notre Dame and Michigan just hired a new coach, and I think this will be Jim Tressel’s last year. I’m not saying it should be. . . . This is a mess, it isn’t over yet and I think this is his last year coaching at Ohio State.”



“I just think that now that it’s come out that he talked about this problem with an alumnus from Jeannette, Pa., (Terrelle) Pryor’s hometown about selling these jerseys and other things and he did not tell the president or athletic director. I think Ohio State will get hit by the NCAA because they were misled. The worst thing you can do with the NCAA is not tell them the truth right away and that’s what happened. I think Ohio State is going to get hit.


“I just think it’s a mess. … I just think he will resign. That’s my opinion. That’s all. It’s just a prediction and that’s what we do in this business. Predict.”

Ok, more of a prediction than a guarantee, but remember this is the same guy that said Ron Powlus would win two Heisman’s and scores of national championships. So take this how you want. I’m not writing off Tressel, but it would take an act of Houdini like proportions to escape the mess he’s in right now.

Urban Meyer Steps Down. Who’s Next At Florida?

Urban Meyer is leaving Florida and this time its for real. I won’t get into specifics or anything, all I know is he wants to spend more time with his family. Can’t fault the man for that. There’s gonna be plenty of speculation on who takes over.

The first name from everyone’s mouths’ was Mississippi State’s Dan Mulllen. Mullen didn’t know anything about Meyer leaving and texted Brad Locke of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal “news to me. Happy at State”. He’s still a candidate for the open Miami job.

Louisville’s Charlie Strong could also be in the mix. He was Meyer’s defensive coordinator and had Louisville bowl eligible this year. I personally think that won’t happen.

Bob Stoops’ name has been thrown into the mix but I see him leaving for an NFL job before jumping ship at Oklahoma.

Here’s one name that I think could hit the ground running at Florida. Mike Leach. The offensive personnel seems to be tailored to his style of play. There’s a pro style quarterback in John Brantley, who seemed an odd fit in Meyer’s spread. Everyone knows Leach loves his qb’s to chuck the ball around 50 times a game. There’s speed to burn at the skill positions and those players are also highly thought of. He would have a solid defense. And he could recruit like mad with that crazy scheme he runs. His name isn’t on the list but I wouldn’t be surprised if he landed in The Swamp.

Meyer does a double take.Just a leave of absence will do

The head Gator,Urban Meyer has decided that all he needs is a leave of absence to recharge his batteries and spend aome time with his family.I’m not gonna rant on him,but in some ways it was too good to be true.Meyer had a great job,in a good locale,with a team expected to contend for championships for years.Sometimes,someone just needs to take a time out and assess what’s important in the short term to be able to last for the long haul.Since it was more because of health reasons,I wouldn’t want to see him possibly lose his life and leave behind a grieving family because of football.Good for you Urban,and I’m also glad you chose to stick around so we don’t have to hear the numerous Urban Meyer to fill in the blank school.

Urban Meyer leaving Florida?

As I’m sitting here watching the Meineke Car Care Bowl,a report comes out that Urban Meyer is stepping down from the head gig at Florida.Supposedly,it’s for health reasons he says he’s been neglecting.I would hope it’s nothing serious or life threatning.Sometimes it’s better to leave and step back than to risk your health.Although it’s puzzling to me,I understand.
  Meyer burst onto the coaching scene and made a name for himself at Bowling Green.He then went to Utah and led them to a BCS win over Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.He then went to Florida and racked up two championships in five seasons and had them in contention for another this season.The man has been a winner everywhere he’s been.If this is indeed true,I wish him the best.Live a full life and live it well Urban.Your name will be mentioned with every coaching job that opens up.