This is a question about recruiting strategy. Riley Starnes from Gallia Academy, about 40 minutes from Athens, is a three star recruit that has committed to Toledo. He has also had offers from Miami, Ball State, Akron among others. I don't know Riley, have no information at all about his recruitment. But it appears that Ohio did not offer him. I'm just curious if local SE Ohio players get a "benefit of the doubt" in being recruited because they are local, or must be that much better to get an offer just because they are local, or are evaluated with no impact on whether local or not.

https://247sports.com/player/riley-starnes-46100109 /

I think they are often overlooked because we are focusing more on other areas. These are the kinds of recruits that, in basketball, Jim Snyder was so good at finding -- Jerry Jackson, Mike Haley, Charles Gill Sr., etc.

Teams generally recruit based on their needs. One year you may see a team go heavy on offense, the next year more so on defense, or one year go hard on skill positions, and maybe the next year on the lines, etc. I highly doubt very much the Ohio coaches are unaware of him, but I'm willing to bet if Ohio doesn't offer based on the kind of offers he's getting from peer MAC schools that they've already offered other guys who they feel are better at his position the he is, or are simply focussing more on the allotment of scholarships at other positions. Recruiting local kids makes the proximity nice both ways, but it isn't always the best answer to filling a team's specific needs. Don't discount the fact he simply might just want to play elsewhere than SE Ohio too. Lots of variables to consider over simply just giving the kid the benefit of the doubt.

Ohio offers a certain caliber of athlete for the position which doesn't always translate into a highly successful HS player. They also offer players across the country rather than the immediate backyard. Perhaps the coaches viewed Riley as more of a walk on type player in their system.

Or perhaps he indicated that he had no interest in Ohio. We have no way of knowing. We can just wish him luck at his school of choice (except when playing Ohio), and hope that the players that Ohio ends up with are outstanding.

It's about scheme and positon need that year/for the future. If Galia is a "pipeline" high school then it would be a different convo. Hope that helps!

When do you ever have too many O-linemen?

I could be wrong but i think Ohio may have been caught off guard by Riley's commitment. i know he unofficially visited Ohio more then once. And i was given the impression that he was not going to commit anywhere until this fall or after this season. But soon after the COVID situation he went ahead and committed. My guess is the cancellations of camps and visits might of made him go ahead and make his decision.

I haven't talked to Riley since like around Christmas time at a basketball game so i have no idea. I don't know that Ohio would of offered him or that he would of went either one. J just know he was enjoying the being recruited process.