buckeyedanpt2 wrote: I'm taking this as humor as I don't buy for a second a punter with no ties to Alabama would suddenly decide to go be their backup punter or that Alabama would have 4 scholarship kickers next year.

BuckinDayton wrote: Looks like we pulled his offer, which I'm not a fan of.

buckeyewalt wrote:

buckeyedanpt2 wrote: I'm taking this as humor as I don't buy for a second a punter with no ties to Alabama would suddenly decide to go be their backup punter or that Alabama would have 4 scholarship kickers next year.

I agree with what you are saying, but, Townsend has been a "commit" since June of last year.. and now he delayed his  LOI..just don't have a warm fuzzy on this.

BuckinDayton wrote: http://www.orlandosentinel.com...,0,2268918.post

Chidragon wrote:

BuckinDayton wrote: Looks like we pulled his offer, which I'm not a fan of.

+1   Likely shows the staff could not have known before today that they would get Wilson AND Clark AND Bell...  My count says we are at 81 schollies with returnees and the signed commits - with EzE and Townsend still unsigned.

buckeyedanpt2 wrote:

Chidragon wrote:

BuckinDayton wrote: Looks like we pulled his offer, which I'm not a fan of.

+1   Likely shows the staff could not have known before today that they would get Wilson AND Clark AND Bell...  My count says we are at 81 schollies with returnees and the signed commits - with EzE and Townsend still unsigned.

Nut they don't have to get to 82 until Fall.  That won't be a problem.

dabuks wrote: I am hearing that he was offered a "gray-shirt" to make room in this class

buckeyedanpt2 wrote: Again not buying it.  Makes no sense.  The only way they'd do that is if they were getting him a baseball scholly or something crazy like that.  

Folks are looking for reasons to worry about something.  OSU needs a punter and has no reason to worry about schooly numbers.  Even if they go over by a couple the odds that they can't get back down by fall (when it counts) is crazy.  They could easily add all 25 and probably Elder or somebody else later and be fine.

BuckinDayton wrote: http://www.orlandosentinel.com...,0,2268918.post

Punters do not normally dominate headlines on National Signing Day, but Boone’s Johnny Townsend is the exception.

Townsend, one of the top punters in the country, was expected to sign with Ohio State today but an unspecified "family matter" has put his signing of the National Letter of Intent on hold.

Townsend's father, Clay Townsend, however, said speculation about any scholarship offer being pulled was "completely false."

Clay Townsend said: "Coach Meyer has not pulled anything and everything regarding the scholarship offer remains intact. We just have a family matter that has required extra consideration and he has not signed, but the status of his scholarship is the same."

A noon press conference was called at Boone today where Townsend was expected to announce his decision. Instead, he made a statement asking for patience and privacy as he still sorted things out. This came after his initial signing was delayed in the morning.

Townsend is expected to make a decision at 4 p.m.

Boone athletic director Doug Patterson said the situation is being discussed between the school and the Townsend family.

"Right now it's a personal matter between the Townsends and Ohio State and they are working as fast as they can to make sure that any concerns they have is taken care of," Patterson said."They really want to hold off on a binding commitment until they feel 100 percent comfortable with everything from the University."

MrBuckeye wrote:

buckeyedanpt2 wrote: Again not buying it.  Makes no sense.  The only way they'd do that is if they were getting him a baseball scholly or something crazy like that.  

Folks are looking for reasons to worry about something.  OSU needs a punter and has no reason to worry about schooly numbers.  Even if they go over by a couple the odds that they can't get back down by fall (when it counts) is crazy.  They could easily add all 25 and probably Elder or somebody else later and be fine.

Well. . .then why/where is all this smoke coming from?  We're talking about a 2-star punter!!

MrBuckeye wrote:

dabuks wrote: I am hearing that he was offered a "gray-shirt" to make room in this class

Based on the numbers today falling at 83, they'd have to tell him there is the possibility of needing to gray-shirt, but as someone just above alluded to, we have 5 months to get to 82.  I have to believe that the odds are good that we get there.  All it takes is a transfer, an injury or an arrest.   

So now, if I'm him, is it worth the risk?  Well. . .it depends on whether my family has the means to potentially float me at college for a year.  If they can. . .then go where you'll be happy.  I have to believe he had a reason to come all the way up to Columbus besides JUST a scholarhip.