Re: OHIO STATE ( 2013 summer talk , The Great & Powerfull Coach OZ. )
Once Osiecki arrived at OSU at least five of Markell's recruited players slated to come in 2011 and 2012 were dropped from the recruitment list.
The remaining players on that list included Cristofoli, Dzingel, Fritz and McCormick. Osiecki chose to keep them on the recruitment list for OSU and they've done well for him and the team.The roster is Osiecki's and people have to stop making excuses and relying on the "let's blame Markell's players" theme.
Osiecki also has to stop leaning on his standby line of "it's a young team". All schools transition at one time or another with a younger roster and they perform well.
As for Osiecki turning this team around in another several years, I don't believe it will happen. You're fooling yourselves if you think he'll be here in another few years. He has been busy padding his resume since his arrival at OSU.
Don't kid yourself, he has his sights on bigger and better things for himself in the near future. OSU is only a stepping stone, and if the opportunity presents itself, he will be gone.
I dont see why this is so hard. This isnt making excuses, it is simply correcting factually incorrect statements - and it isnt like it is difficult to look it up.
Yes, some of the commitments from the Markell era were not accepted (Dominick Shine anyone?), but it remains a fact - as in not up for debate - that the entire senior class next year was recruited for, and signed by, Markell. Oz took over in Spring of 10 - signing date for the senior class was late 2009, before he took the job. That doesn't mean Gedig, et. al. are bad players - in many cases they are not. They just weren't recruited by Oz. The same can be said for some, not all, of the junior class as you mention above. Guys like Fritz and Dzingel were Markell recruits that Oz honored. On the other hand, McCormick was actually the very first verbal commitment that Oz got after taking the job, so he is all on him.
Regardless, next year will be the first that the vast majority of players are hand picked and will have worked only with Oz. I expect improvement, in my mind it will really be the first time it is "his" team.
As for Oz viewing this as a stepping stone? I dont really care and dont blame him. If Ohio State wants to turn this into a destination program rather than a stepping stone program, they have the resources to do it. If not, we will be to college hockey what Xavier is to college basketball. If that is the case, I hope that the guy that replaces Oz continues what I see Oz building right now.
It must seem odd to him to see a guy that came after him coaching Green Bay in the USHL now an NHL head coach...
Oh - and I just saw a tweet that Chris Crane signed with the Sharks.
