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As many know by now, Ohio State couldn't land recruiting target Stefon Diggs, who on Friday ended a drawn-out and moderately annoying decision-making process by choosing to stay home and play for Maryland.

Ohio State had saved a roster spot for Diggs, rated as the nation's No. 3 athlete and No. 13 overall prospect by ESPN Recruiting. The thought is that Diggs, who played both running back and wide receiver in high school and displayed excellent quickness, potentially could fill a spot that looms large in Urban Meyer's offense.

It's a receiver/running back hybrid, better known as "The Percy Position" because of Percy Harvin, who stood out for Meyer at Florida. Harvin recorded more than 400 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards in each of his three seasons with the Gators, topping out at 764 rush yards and 858 receiving yards in 2007. He scored 10 touchdowns in 2007 and 17 in 2008.

Although Meyer didn't really find another Harvin in his final two seasons at Florida -- Jeff Demps filled the role at times -- he knows what an effective and dynamic hybrid player can do for his offense.

And while Ohio State addressed numerous needs in its decorated 2012 recruiting class, namely defensive line, the Buckeyes didn't appear to fill the Percy position.

From SI.com:

"The question I have is, do we have that dynamic player on offense?" said Meyer. "Where's the Ted Ginns of the world? Were they hiding [last] year? I hope we have those guys. That's a big concern of mine right now."

It's possible Ohio State can fill the Percy position from the current roster. Talented players could easily get lost in the ultra-conservative offensive scheme the Buckeyes employed last season. Ohio State barely passed the ball. On the other hand, no wide receiver caught more than 14 passes (Devin Smith and Corey Brown led the team, along with tight end Jake Stoneburner). Senior DeVier Posey would have easily eclipsed that number had he been eligible all season, but Ohio State's receiving corps was a weakness.

Ohio State signed three wide receivers in the 2012 class: Michael Thomas (already enrolled), Frank Epitropoulos and Ricquan Southward. But all are bigger players, seemingly more suited to receiver than a hybrid position. If one could see time at the Percy position, it would likely be Southward.

There are some hybrid candidates among returning players:

• Jordan Hall (5-9, 195, Sr. in 2012): Meyer's offense might be the system Hall has been waiting for. He has had the potential to be a hybrid player, but hasn't been in an offense than encouraged it. Hall logged 99 rushing attempts in 2011, but also caught 12 passes for 114 yards (9.5 ypc). He boasts good speed as a return man, and has a similar size profile to Harvin's. Don't be surprised to see Hall's role increase under Meyer.
• Corey "Philly" Brown (5-11, 182, Jr. in 2012): Brown tied for the team lead in receptions, and averaged 14.6 yards per catch with a touchdown. He didn't record any carries, but rushed for 3,000 yards in high school and also ran track. Like Hall, he fits the size/speed profile Meyer usually wants for this spot.
• Devin Smith (6-3, 190, So. in 2012): Smith tied for the team lead in receptions, and seemed to have good chemistry with quarterback Braxton Miller. He had no carries in 2011, and might be better suited as a wide receiver rather than in a hybrid role. It'll be interesting to see how the coaches use him in the spring.

Whether Ohio State finds an answer from the current roster or the incoming recruits, you can bet Meyer and his staff will make the Percy position a priority in 2013 recruiting.

Did you survive the first weekend without any college or professional football?

• Missing out on Stefon Diggs leaves a hole in Ohio State's otherwise stellar recruiting class.
• Penn State signee Jamil Pollard had to endure the slaying of two of his sisters. Michael Mauti expects to be 100 percent healthy by the spring.
• Someone wrote a love song to Denard Robinson. No, really. Former Wolverine Warde Manuel is the new athletic director at UConn.
• Minnesota doesn't need anyone with local ties as its next AD if it wants a successful Big Ten leader, Jim Souhan writes.
• Lavonte David is gone, so opportunity abounds for some young Nebraska linebackers.
• Some notes on Iowa's recruiting class. The Hawkeyes shouldn't change much despite the departure of Ken O'Keefe.

Realizations are the worst!

• Brady Hoke calls Ohio State "Ohio" and now Urban Meyer will only refer to Michigan as "that team up north," like Woody Hayes did. The Buckeyes are still waiting for Stefon Diggs, who might not be ready to make a decision yet.
• Iowa's president said the school is simply obeying federal law by not disclosing information about investigations of students, including the Marcus Coker case. Hawkeyes AD Gary Barta talks about the hiring process, playoffs, Mika'il McCall and some other issues.
• A tight end recruit was shocked when a Michigan scholarship offer recently came his way. There wont be a night game at the Big House in 2012, but 2013 is a real possibility.
• Minnesota is discussing whether to move its opener against UNLV to a Thursday night.
• Illinois set its spring game date, and that will be the only chance for fans to see Tim Beckman's team before the fall.
• Joe Paterno's grave site has become a mecca for Penn State fans. The nation's top tight end recruit likes what he's heard from Bill O'Brien.
• The lawyer for a former Wisconsin athletic department staffer accused of making sexual advances to male students says his client is the victim of character assassination.

It's a progressive culture. Most of them travel by zipline.

• The Big Ten's playoff plan makes a lot of sense, David Haugh writes. It's not a perfect plan, but it's a good start.
• Pat Harty wonders whether Kirk Ferentz's second act at Iowa will be better than Hayden Fry's. Ferentz likes familiarity more than flashiness when hiring assistants, Mike Hlas writes. Running back Marcus Coker made the decision to leave Iowa.
• Urban Meyer reiterates that there's no gentlemen's agreement in the Big Ten. Ohio State recruiting target Stefon Diggs still hasn't made up his mind.
• Ross Els talks about his new duties as Nebraska's recruiting coordinator.
• Michigan's regents OK the Big House to be used for the NHL's Winter Classic. Michigan offensive line recruit Kyle Kalis boasts a bruising style of play.
• Running back recruit Akeel Lynch talks about signing with Penn State. The Joe Paterno memorial services cost Penn State $29,000. Jay Paterno thanks Penn Staters for their support.
• Check out how Russell Wilson learned Wisconsin's playbook so quickly last summer.
• Mountain West commish Craig Thompson is open to returning to Minnesota, his alma mater, as athletic director. If Minnesota signs off, its season opener at UNLV will kick off on Thursday night.
• Former Northwestern and Minnesota offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar lands at Northern Illinois.
• Indiana track recruit Cornelius Strickland hopes to play football for the Hoosiers as well.
• Illinois fans watching the end of Super Bowl XLVI might have been reminded of Lou Tepper's decision at Minnesota in 1996.
• Rivals.com names its top recruiters in the Big Ten.

As Carlos Boozer would say when grabbing an uncontested rebound, "Gimme dat!"

• More on the Big Ten's college football playoff proposal here and here and here.
• Urban Meyer is showing the Big Ten how to compete with the SEC, Bob Hunter writes. Ohio State recruiting target Stefon Diggs will make his college choice Friday.
• Some advice for new Penn State coach Bill O'Brien on how to follow a legend. Penn State students welcome O'Brien back to campus.
• A former Wisconsin administrator faces more misconduct allegations. Eddie Faulkner talks about returning to his alma mater and coaching a new position.
• Some good insight on Iowa's coordinator candidates from The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette crew. Before teaming up on the gridiron at Iowa, Mitchell Keppy and Reid Sealby face off on the wrestling mat.
• Former Michigan Star star Greg Jones gets a ring (Super Bowl) and gives one (engagement) Sunday night. Spartans safety Trenton Robinson claims his civil rights were violated during a traffic stop.
• Michigan receiver Junior Hemingway has his Sugar Bowl swag stolen.
• Michigan sells out its ticket allotment for the season opener against Alabama. In case you missed it, Michigan already has three commits for the 2013 class.
• Minnesota AD Joel Maturi discusses his impending retirement.
• New Illinois offensive coordinator Billy Gonzales took an interesting route in his career. Illini receiver/punter Ryan Lankford will run track this offseason.
• Former Northwestern star Frank Aschenbrenner, who earned MVP honors in the 1949 Rose Bowl, passes away.
• Purdue linebacker Joe Holland gears up for the NFL draft.

The Super Bowl is Sunday, but the super bowl of recruiting arrives on Wednesday. So on the eve of national signing day, we thought we'd check in with some of ESPN.com's top recruiting experts to get a feel for what's going on in the Big Ten.

Our esteemed panel included senior national recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill, Midwest recruiting writer Jared Shanker and Scouts Inc. recruiting coordinator Craig Haubert. This is Part I of our discussion; look for Part II later on today.

Topic 1: What impact has the arrival of Urban Meyer had on the league and in general when it comes to recruiting?

Tom Luginbill: "It's been fairly significant. If there's one thing Urban Meyer understands and has been able to do, it's that you build a championship team from the inside out. Whether it was at Florida or now at Ohio State, if you notice who essentially all his first commitments were, they were all on the defensive line and offensive line. So he understands that, if they're going to compete for a national championship, the gap has to be closed in the defensive front seven. That's the difference between what's happened in the SEC and everywhere else. So I think that's where he's made his biggest impact."

Craig Haubert: “What Urban Meyer has been able to come and do down the stretch has been huge. I knew when he took over, they would get better as a class, but I didn’t really think when this happened, they’d have a chance to crack the Top 25. They’re still in a position to possibly land some guys. Davonte Neal, the No. 1 athlete, could be headed there. Stefon Diggs and Jordan Diamond are also in the mix there.” [Diggs and Neal are both post-signing day announcements].

“If you look at this class, it’s all in the trenches, really. And our philosophy is there’s always an increased value to upper-tier linemen because they’re harder to find. Noah Spence obviously is huge, he’s a five-star, but so is Adolphus Washington. The other thing that stands out to me about Ohio State is he’s been plucking guys from other Big Ten schools. [Se’Von] Pittman was a Michigan State kid. Joey O’Connor had decommitted before he got him, but he was a Penn State kid. Same thing with Tommy Schutt. Armani Reeves. So his upper part of his class, a lot of them have come from other Big Ten schools.”

Jared Shanker: “He’s exceeded my expectations. He’s obviously a great recruiter. At the same time, I wouldn’t call it walking into a perfect situation, but with what was going on at Penn State, I think he’s taken five recruits from Penn State, so there were opportunities for him to come in and flip some guys. Noah Spence was a Penn State lean. He had O’Connor and Tommy Schutt, two other ESPNU 150 guys who were committed to Penn State. Camren Williams and Armani Reeves, two other guys at Penn State. Obviously, he’s one of the best recruiters in the game. He also had some good fortune in being able to come in at a time when things were shaky at a rival school and pick up some of their commitments. Se’Von Pittman, the other ESPNU 150 guy, he was really looking for a reason to get to Ohio State.”

Topic 2: How good is Michigan's class, and has the Wolverines' momentum slowed down in the last several weeks?


CH: “They came out fast. We’ve always had them in that 5-to-7 type range. People might get frustrated that it’s getting near signing day, when there’s a lot of buzz and things going on, and they’re not doing much, but to be fair to them, what they did has allowed them to maintain in the same area where they’ve been for most of the recruiting process. The thing that sticks out to me about this class is a lot of people kind of scoffed when Brady Hoke got hired and he said, ‘I’m a Michigan man.’ But he’s been true to that. They’ve done very well in state. A lot of their key players are Michigan guys, led by Terry Richardson. So he’s brought a little bit of that Michigan man feel, and there seems to be an excitement among recruits.”

TL: "Michigan was rolling before Meyer got the job, and they were teetering on maybe swinging Bri'onte Dunn, the running back, and Ohio State was able to keep him in the fold. Is Michigan in competition with Ohio State for some players? Yes. But Michigan right now is more focused on revamping the roster to the mold that Brady Hoke wants. They need more size up front, some size at the linebacking positions and some size at the skill spots. And I think they've done that in all three areas. [The lack of recent commitments] is a reflection of numbers and how much room they have. With the Big Ten's hard cap, they don't have a ton of wiggle room. If anything, the winning on the field and the sustained excellence helped solidify that the class would stay intact."

JS: “I don’t know if I’d say they’ve lost momentum. They really were hoping to get Josh Garnett, who ended up going to Stanford. Their class filled up so quickly, and they only had about four or five spots left midway through the season. They’re hoping to get some of the guys who are closer to signing day. They’re in good position to get Jordan Diamond. I think he’s No. 94 overall. So it seems like they’ve maybe fallen off, but they were at 21 or 22 commitments by the time the season started. They really had their run of success in the spring and summer. I’m sure they would have liked to maintain that a little bit and gotten some of those final targets like Garnett, but they’re also able to get the two receivers, [Amara] Darboh and [Jehu] Chesson, right after the season ended. So they’ve still been able to pick up some guys along the way.”

Topic 3: How has Penn State fared given all the turmoil surrounding the program and the flurry of decommitments?

JS: “My thinking for them was, if they could have just held on to their 14 commitments, that would be the main thing. They were obviously going to get some more commitments, but they weren’t going to be the top-caliber guys. If they could hold onto the 14 and add those sleeper guys who have a chance to be something at the next level, that was my expectation for them. I like that they got Akeel Lynch, the running back. I think he could be a good player. They’re probably a little disappointed that it looks like they’re going to miss out on [Skyler] Mornhinweg and the two Massachusetts guys in Reeves and Williams.”

TL: "I think to this point, Bill O'Brien has done a good job. But a lot of credit needs to go to that previous staff. Outside of the guys they lost to Ohio State, through all of this, they're still siting here with 18 verbal commitments. If you think about it, that's astounding. And I would say that the top third of them, athletically, can compete for a conference championship. Of course, you don't know all the intangibles and all that, but based on pure player level, this is a pretty strong class. It certainly isn't anywhere near where people would have expected it to be. ... But just to have bodies in this class, in my opinion, is a positive. [O'Brien] won't be judged on this class. He will be given a long leash, and in my opinion, it was made very clear with the timetable the administration set with this hire that the 2012 class is not the priority. If it had been, they would have hired a guy in December."

Big Ten teams are making the final push toward national signing day, and several of the nation's top recruits remain uncommitted.

ESPN's recruiting experts have made predictions on where several coveted uncommitted prospects will end up signing on Wednesday. If they prove to be correct, some Big Ten fan bases will be pleased.

Let's take a look:

• Athlete Davonte Neal (No. 8 in ESPNU 150): Five of seven experts predict Ohio State
• OT Andrus Peat (No. 9 in ESPNU 150): Three of seven experts predict Nebraska
• Athlete Stefon Diggs (No. 13 in ESPNU 150: One of seven experts predicts Ohio State
• OT Joshua Garnett (No. 44 in ESPNU 150): Three of seven experts predict Michigan
• OT Jordan Diamond No. 94 in ESPNU 150): Six of seven experts predict Michigan
• DE Jamal Marcus: Five of seven experts predict Ohio State
• S Trae Elston: Two of seven experts predict Penn State
• WR Monty Madaris: Five of seven experts predict Michigan State
• WR Andre McDonald: Four experts predict Minnesota, one predicts Illinois
• Athlete Demetrious Cox: Four experts predict Michigan State, two predict Penn State, one predicts Ohio State
• G Alex Kozan: Four experts predict Iowa, two predict Michigan
• RB Imani Cross: One expert predicts Nebraska

It'll be interesting to see how these predictions turn out.

WolverineNation has more on Michigan's most recent win and latest recruiting news:

Michael Rothstein writes: Michigan is feeling good after its eighth victory and finally looking sharp on the road, with Nebraska and Ohio State coming to the Big House.

Tom VanHaaren writes : Stefon Diggs, the No. 2 WR in the country, suddenly is talking up Michigan and says he’ll visit in December.

Rothstein writes : Illinois tape analysis

Video: Wolverines look ahead to Nebraska.