Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
THE STORYLINE
It is almost certainly a two-team race for five-star defensive end Zach Harrison, who was one of many top recruits who closely watched the news out of Ohio State this past week when coach Urban Meyer decided to retire.
Michigan and the Buckeyes are the frontrunners for the 6-foot-5, 245-pound standout from Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy Orange with Penn State and possibly some others staying in the race as well.
Meyer’s departure might not really be a nail in the coffin in terms of landing Harrison. BuckeyeGrove.com recruiting analyst Marc Givler giving the slight edge to Ohio State in the neck-and-neck battle.
It would be a tremendous statement if Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh could dip into the state of Ohio for its top player especially after getting walloped by the Buckeyes only a few weeks ago and still not beating Ohio State in now his fourth season. Michigan has not landed the top player from Ohio since 2012 in Kyle Kalis.
Can the Wolverines snag Harrison or is he going to stay home and play for the Buckeyes?
TAKE ONE: BRANDON BROWN, THEWOLVERINE.COM
“Harrison’s recruitment has already been filled with intrigue and it went up another notch with the announcement of Meyer’s retirement.
"Early on, many people just assumed that Harrison would end up at Ohio State because the Buckeyes simply don’t miss on big-time prospects in their backyard. Some time passed and Michigan actually seemed to pull into the lead for his services, but then OSU smacked the Wolverines in Columbus giving a lot of people around Harrison a chance to give their two cents.
“Then Meyer dropped his bomb. Michigan must be back in front by default, right? Not exactly. It’s been reported that Harrison didn’t see eye-to-eye with Meyer and that the retirement may actually be a positive for Ohio State in terms of landing Harrison.
"Michigan had more momentum as of late, so I still think it leads, but I’m not as confident as I was before U-M’s bad loss and Meyer’s surprising announcement.”
TAKE TWO: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“Losing to Ohio State the way Michigan did hurts the Wolverines in their pursuit of Harrison, especially when you’re talking about recruiting an Ohio kid. But the way Michigan has recruited this year getting some kids in the Southeast, going out-of-state and getting some big-time kids, if it gets Harrison that would be another example of how well Harbaugh can recruit.”
