There have been a couple recent developments on the Thayer Munford front as far as it concerns Pitt recruiting in recent days with interest from new schools. We've talked about Thayer extensively in the past and noted that he's pretty much the most highly-valued target remaining on the offensive line for Pitt's purposes. Pitt is involved with some other players, kids like Connor Robbins and Jerry Drake, and they've even discussed the possibility of trying to wiggle in with local four-star Notre Dame commit Josh Lugg. Lugg has done nothing himself to fuel that discussion, but it's worth considering. Still, Munford has been the critical target for Pitt to land at offensive tackle to pair with Carter Warren and Gabe Houy.
Munford, a highly-regarded three-star from Massillon (Ohio) Washington, recently picked up his 12th offer from a Power Five conference school from the Michigan State Spartans. Michigan State joins programs like Pitt, Alabama, Tennessee, Penn State, Iowa State (where he will take an official visit this weekend), and others in offering Munford.
Sparty has done well in recent years in Ohio and has clashed with Pitt in this class for players like Josiah Scott and Charles Reeves and others. Their offer to Munford is a big one in his recruitment. Despite the thoroughly abysmal season that Michigan State is experiencing, they are still one of the Midwest's pre-eminent powerhouse programs under Mark Dantonio and this means something. While Pitt is certainly also recruiting against schools like Tennessee and Alabama for Munford, the sense is that he'd prefer to stay somewhat close to Ohio for his college football, meaning Sparty carries a bit more weight than a Maryland or Wisconsin getting involved.
The other point of concern that is arising with Munford is the potential of an Ohio State offer coming his way increasing over the last 24 hours or so. We've talked a bit in the past about players like Texas five-stars Baron Browning and Jeff Okudah and how their relationships with Ohio State could have an impact on Pitt's recruiting class due to Ohio State backing off of Lamont Wade, but they're coming back to the surface again here in a different capacity.
College football recruiting classes only have a certain number of spots that are eligible for players who wish to graduate high school early and begin at a school in January to get spring practice reps and acclimate to college. Ohio State's recruiting class features a number of players planning to enroll early and they're very likely going to land a couple more in the aforementioned Texans. The pending commitments of Browning and Okudah to Ohio State in the next few weeks leave the Buckeyes in a bind for early enrollee spots. While Columbus local Brendon White, a Rivals100 commit, and his former NFL father agreed to pay for one semester of school on their own before a scholarship kicks in to open up one spot, Ohio State had to find another opening. The Ohio State coaching staff informed Rivals100 offensive tackle Jake Moretti of Colorado that if he was still interested in coming to Ohio State he would either have to wait until June to begin classes and practices (which is not something he wants to do as he rehabs from a knee injury) or pay his way for the first semester of school. Moretti is now looking around to evaluate other options and it is becoming increasingly likely that he ends up staying home with Colorado. Obviously that's a big pick up for the Buffs, but how does that effect things down the food chain for Ohio State and Pitt?
We've discussed the possibility of Ohio State offering Munford before, but kind of always as an abstract concept. It becomes a much more concrete scenario that could emerge now. Basically, the Buckeyes are going to do one of three things on the offensive line:
1) Sit tight and only bring in five-stars Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis at OL while continuing to try to land Tennessee standout Trey Smith and lure him away from UT and Bama. They're only losing one to three OLs to graduation or the draft
2) Offer Ohio's best uncommitted lineman in Munford
3) Use the scholarship at another position, likely wide receiver or defensive line
Ohio State really likes Munford. He looked great at their camps this summer (one in June, one in July) working out for new OL coach Greg Studrawa and his performance on the field this season has carried over from his camp work. Still, they view him as a right tackle or a guard at the college level and not a sure-fire tackle. They feel similarly about Myers and Davis, although it's looked increasingly likely that Davis can play tackle for them.
Basically the question becomes: how confident is Ohio State that Munford is capable of playing tackle? If they're sure he can, they're going to offer and they're almost certainly going to land him. I think this is probably what happens, because I don't think they're going to land Trey Smith. I also think they have a couple fourth-year redshirt juniors who won't be renewed for a fifth year scholarship and they'll need a third body in this class. Ohio State could make a move as soon as this week on Munford, which probably spells the end for Pitt and Michigan State and everybody else in this recruitment.
Why probably and not certainly? Munford is very tight with his high school head coach Nate Moore. Moore is his legal guardian and Munford moved from Cincinnati clear out to northeast Ohio to follow Moore to Massillon Washington High School. There has been a possibility bandied about that Munford could follow Moore one more time, this time to the college ranks. Moore is an ambitious coach and won a state title at La Salle before coming to Massillon, a school that has better football resources than nearly anybody in America. Massillon is a precarious spot though and they expect state championship contention every year, despite not winning a title since playoffs began in the state. Could Moore make the jump from Massillon to the college coaching ranks or a QC/recruiting staff position? That's an idea that has some legs to it and a couple Power Five schools have broached the possibility. The only scenario where Munford does not go to Ohio State if they offer is if another school offers and lands Moore in some capacity as an assistant. That does not guarantee Munford following Moore to that school and spurning Ohio State, but it makes it a possibility at the least. Pitt has not explicitly offered Moore a job and I'm not sure if they've even spoken with him about the possibility, but I do know that the door is not closed to him jumping to college. If Ohio State offers soon - and I think they're going to - that is probably what a school would need to do to fend them off.
Munford, a highly-regarded three-star from Massillon (Ohio) Washington, recently picked up his 12th offer from a Power Five conference school from the Michigan State Spartans. Michigan State joins programs like Pitt, Alabama, Tennessee, Penn State, Iowa State (where he will take an official visit this weekend), and others in offering Munford.
Sparty has done well in recent years in Ohio and has clashed with Pitt in this class for players like Josiah Scott and Charles Reeves and others. Their offer to Munford is a big one in his recruitment. Despite the thoroughly abysmal season that Michigan State is experiencing, they are still one of the Midwest's pre-eminent powerhouse programs under Mark Dantonio and this means something. While Pitt is certainly also recruiting against schools like Tennessee and Alabama for Munford, the sense is that he'd prefer to stay somewhat close to Ohio for his college football, meaning Sparty carries a bit more weight than a Maryland or Wisconsin getting involved.
The other point of concern that is arising with Munford is the potential of an Ohio State offer coming his way increasing over the last 24 hours or so. We've talked a bit in the past about players like Texas five-stars Baron Browning and Jeff Okudah and how their relationships with Ohio State could have an impact on Pitt's recruiting class due to Ohio State backing off of Lamont Wade, but they're coming back to the surface again here in a different capacity.
College football recruiting classes only have a certain number of spots that are eligible for players who wish to graduate high school early and begin at a school in January to get spring practice reps and acclimate to college. Ohio State's recruiting class features a number of players planning to enroll early and they're very likely going to land a couple more in the aforementioned Texans. The pending commitments of Browning and Okudah to Ohio State in the next few weeks leave the Buckeyes in a bind for early enrollee spots. While Columbus local Brendon White, a Rivals100 commit, and his former NFL father agreed to pay for one semester of school on their own before a scholarship kicks in to open up one spot, Ohio State had to find another opening. The Ohio State coaching staff informed Rivals100 offensive tackle Jake Moretti of Colorado that if he was still interested in coming to Ohio State he would either have to wait until June to begin classes and practices (which is not something he wants to do as he rehabs from a knee injury) or pay his way for the first semester of school. Moretti is now looking around to evaluate other options and it is becoming increasingly likely that he ends up staying home with Colorado. Obviously that's a big pick up for the Buffs, but how does that effect things down the food chain for Ohio State and Pitt?
We've discussed the possibility of Ohio State offering Munford before, but kind of always as an abstract concept. It becomes a much more concrete scenario that could emerge now. Basically, the Buckeyes are going to do one of three things on the offensive line:
1) Sit tight and only bring in five-stars Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis at OL while continuing to try to land Tennessee standout Trey Smith and lure him away from UT and Bama. They're only losing one to three OLs to graduation or the draft
2) Offer Ohio's best uncommitted lineman in Munford
3) Use the scholarship at another position, likely wide receiver or defensive line
Ohio State really likes Munford. He looked great at their camps this summer (one in June, one in July) working out for new OL coach Greg Studrawa and his performance on the field this season has carried over from his camp work. Still, they view him as a right tackle or a guard at the college level and not a sure-fire tackle. They feel similarly about Myers and Davis, although it's looked increasingly likely that Davis can play tackle for them.
Basically the question becomes: how confident is Ohio State that Munford is capable of playing tackle? If they're sure he can, they're going to offer and they're almost certainly going to land him. I think this is probably what happens, because I don't think they're going to land Trey Smith. I also think they have a couple fourth-year redshirt juniors who won't be renewed for a fifth year scholarship and they'll need a third body in this class. Ohio State could make a move as soon as this week on Munford, which probably spells the end for Pitt and Michigan State and everybody else in this recruitment.
Why probably and not certainly? Munford is very tight with his high school head coach Nate Moore. Moore is his legal guardian and Munford moved from Cincinnati clear out to northeast Ohio to follow Moore to Massillon Washington High School. There has been a possibility bandied about that Munford could follow Moore one more time, this time to the college ranks. Moore is an ambitious coach and won a state title at La Salle before coming to Massillon, a school that has better football resources than nearly anybody in America. Massillon is a precarious spot though and they expect state championship contention every year, despite not winning a title since playoffs began in the state. Could Moore make the jump from Massillon to the college coaching ranks or a QC/recruiting staff position? That's an idea that has some legs to it and a couple Power Five schools have broached the possibility. The only scenario where Munford does not go to Ohio State if they offer is if another school offers and lands Moore in some capacity as an assistant. That does not guarantee Munford following Moore to that school and spurning Ohio State, but it makes it a possibility at the least. Pitt has not explicitly offered Moore a job and I'm not sure if they've even spoken with him about the possibility, but I do know that the door is not closed to him jumping to college. If Ohio State offers soon - and I think they're going to - that is probably what a school would need to do to fend them off.
