Episode Details

Episode Notes: Ohio State Primetime Live #84 – "All Hands On Deck Recruiting For David Gabriel Georges" Host: Garrison Gaddy Platform: Voice of College Football (OhioStateVOCFB / vocfb.com) Length: ~59 minutes Air Date: Monday, May 4, 2026 (based on May 29 visit reference)

Overall Summary

Garrison opens with Big Ten financial dominance and UCLA’s recruiting surge, then dives deep into Ohio State’s aggressive pursuit of elite 5-star RB David Gabriel Georges (DGG). He emphasizes staff commitment, projects future Big Ten hierarchy, defends Jeremiah Smith against “JDS” (Jeremiah Derangement Syndrome), and shares thoughts on the 2027 QB room and broader program outlook.

Key Segments & Highlights

1. Big Ten Revenue Dominance (Opening Monologue)

• Big Ten distributed a record $1.37 billion for FY 2024-25 (up ~$500M).
• Ohio State received the highest payout: $91.57 million.
• Penn State: $88.92M; most others $76–80M.
• Oregon & Washington on partial shares but still strong.
• Comparison to SEC ($1B+ distributed).

2. UCLA Recruiting Momentum

• Massive weekend: jumped from ~#83 to top-5 nationally.
• Key commits: Deuce Jones (son of Maurice Jones-Drew), Roper, Jerry Alhouse (flipped from Georgia), etc.
• Beat out Michigan, Notre Dame, USC.
• Garrison impressed; predicts UCLA can reach middle/upper tier in Big Ten with new coach and conference resources.

3. Big Ten Recruiting Landscape

• Current top-10 has multiple Big Ten schools (USC, UCLA, Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington).
• Predicted future hierarchy (next 5 years):
  • Tier 1: Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana.
  • Tier 2: Michigan, Penn State, USC, Washington.
  • Rising: UCLA, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc.

4. Ohio State Recruiting – All Hands on Deck for David Gabriel Georges (Main Focus)

• 5-star RB from Chattanooga, TN (#2 RB, top-10 overall nationally).
• Official visit to Ohio State: May 29.
• Heavy Ohio State staff presence (Arthur Smith, Carlos Laughlin, Cortez Hankton, Keenan Bailey, Tyler Bowen) at his high school — treated as #1 target.
• Physical profile: ~6'0", 205 lbs, 4.38 40-time.
• Garrison’s take: “Can’t-miss prospect,” faster/better athlete than Bo Jackson at same stage; believes he picks Ohio State over Tennessee.
• Ohio State RB room context: Bo Jackson, Isaiah West, Turbo Rogers, Legend Bay, incoming Elijah Newman Hall (2028). Depth makes elite talent addition critical.
• Broader 2027 class: Already strong; Garrison expects top-3 finish, highlights Brady Edmonds (QB) as confident commit.

5. Quarterback Room & Portal/Recruiting Philosophy

• Comfortable with Brady Edmonds as QB1 in class.
• Lost Champ Mons & Peter Bork but staying loyal to committed/recruiting kids.
• Lesson from past (McCarthy/McCord): Prioritize players who truly want the program.

6. Jeremiah Smith & “JDS” Rant

• Strong defense of Jeremiah Smith against national/SEC/Alabama fan hate.
• Stats vs. Julio Jones (through two years): more yards, receptions, YPC.
• Calls out box-score watchers; predicts massive usage in 2026 under Arthur Smith.
• Urges 8–10+ catches/game target.

7. Power Rankings & 2026 Outlook

• Agrees with much of Michael Cohen’s post-spring Big Ten rankings.
• National top-5 discussion: Ohio State/Oregon/Georgia/Texas/Notre Dame interchangeable at the top.
• Optimistic on