Seventeen Sign National Letters of Intent With the Buckeyes – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 7, 2001
Audio of Coach Tressel’s Signing Day Press Conference (2/7/01)
Video (part 1) of Coach Tressel’s Signing Day Press Conference (2/7/01)
Video (part 2) of Coach Tressel’s Signing Day Press Conference (2/7/01)
COLUMBUS, Ohio — After being named Ohio State’s head football coach on Jan. 18, Jim Tressel has spent the better part of the past three weeks on the recruiting trail.
Judging by the quality of Tressel’s first recruiting class, that time appears to have been well spent.
A total of 17 players (16 high school and one junior college transfer) have signed national letters-of-intent to continue their education at Ohio State. The list of future Buckeyes includes 10 players from Ohio, four from Florida and one each from the states of California, Indiana and Kentucky.
There are 10 offensive players, six defensive players and one kicker in Tressel’s initial class. The list includes four running backs, three wide receivers, two offensive linemen and a tight end on offense, and four defensive linemen, a linebacker and a defensive back on defense. All have won all-state honors in their respective states. Several have been accorded First-Team All-America status.
But Tressel is equally impressed by what his new players have done off the field.
“What excites me most about this class is the quality of young men that we were able to attract to Ohio State,” he said. “If you look at their characteristics across the board, they are the kind of young men who will work hard in the classroom and conduct themselves well in the community. They are willing to be role models for others.”
Turning back to football, Tressel added, “I like the geographic blend of this class. It was important for us to do well in Ohio, and we did. Ohio will always be our recruiting base. But we also were able to get four players out of Florida, which annually produces some of the nation’s top players, and we maintained our recruiting ties in California and Kentucky. We were able, too, to go into Indiana and get a fine player. I like that balance.
“We also have a good blend by position. I think we were able to fill some holes on both sides of the ball.”
2001 Ohio State Football Recruiting Class
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wg. | Hometown | Last School |
| Redgie Arden | LB | 6-5 | 225 | Ironton, Ohio | Ironton H.S. |
| Angelo Chattams | WR | 5-11 | 185 | Dayton, Ohio | Chaminade-Julienne H.S. |
| Ryan Cook | OL | 6-7 | 295 | Martinsville, Ind. | Martinsville H.S. |
| Dustin Fox | DB | 6-0 | 185 | Canton, Ohio | GlenOak H.S. |
| Simon Fraser | DL | 6-5 | 250 | Upper Arlington, Ohio | Upper Arlington H.S. |
| Chris Gamble | WR | 6-2 | 180 | Sunrise, Fla. | Dillard H.S. |
| Marcus Green | DL | 6-3 | 300 | Louisville, Ky. | Male H.S. |
| Maurice Hall | RB | 5-10 | 180 | Columbus, Ohio | Brookhaven H.S. |
| Ryan Hamby | TE | 6-4 | 245 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Moeller H.S. |
| Mike Nugent | PK | 5-10 | 165 | Centerville, Ohio | Centerville H.S. |
| Adam Olds | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Dublin, Ohio | Dublin Coffman H.S. |
| JaJa Riley | RB | 6-2 | 188 | San Diego, Calif. | Mission Bay H.S. |
| Lydell Ross | RB | 6-0 | 205 | Tampa, Fla. | Gaither H.S. |
| Brandon Schnittker | FB | 6-1 | 255 | Sandusky, Ohio | Perkins H.S. |
| Quinton Thomas | DL | 6-5 | 255 | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | Dillard |
| Andree Tyree | DL | 6-3 | 280 | London, Ohio | London H.S. |
| Chris Vance | WR | 6-2 | 185 | Fort Myers, Fla. | Fort Scott C.C. |
