West Virginia '16 OH LB - Brendan Ferns (West Virginia Verbal)

Heidi Ferns, mother of 2016 recruit Brendan Ferns, received a valentine from the Ohio State football staff. http://t.co/hLLFZjCxwm

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) February 14, 2015

 

247 has moved Ohio State target Brendan Ferns to the #1 MLB in the country................

 

2016 OSU Linebacker Target Brendan Ferns One of Nation's Best http://t.co/VsYHuYG2bW

— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) February 17, 2015

 

BRENDAN FERNS // ST. CLAIRSVILLE, OHIO // ST. CLAIRSVILLE
Ohio's best linebacker in 2016 and perhaps the Buckeyes' top target overall at the position is St. Clairsville's Brendan Ferns. Ferns is the country's 72nd-ranked overall player and the brother of West Virginia's Michael Ferns, who recently transferred from Michigan. Ferns, Ohio's 6th-ranked player, is interested in many of the best schools in the region but the Buckeyes, Mountaineers, Oklahoma and Penn State remain near the top of his list.

Ferns could make a decision by the end of the spring, but since the end of the football season has not focused much on recruiting, instead focusing on his junior season of basketball. With a limited number of spots available at linebacker, not much will happen with other names on this list until Ferns makes his decision.

 

#PennState will host the country's No. 1 ILB Brendan Ferns later this month: http://t.co/p21UX0G3ix via @247Sports #NittanyLions

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) March 16, 2015

 

#Georgia offers Top100 LB Brendan Ferns: http://t.co/LjMiDLoHEY #UGA #Dawgs @Mansell247 @Rowe247

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) March 16, 2015

 

Have confirmed that LB Brendan Ferns will be at #PennState this weekend ($) http://t.co/OGc00fJPGU

— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) March 27, 2015

 

Next up for Saint Clairsville (Ohio) High Top100 LB Brendan Ferns is a return visit to #OhioState: http://t.co/VznI79u5Dg #Buckeyes

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) March 31, 2015

 

FERNS RETURNS
Last week I reported that Ohio State was expecting to see St. Clairsville's Brendan Ferns back on campus this upcoming holiday weekend. Last weekend Ferns went to Happy Valley to visit Penn State and take part in an All-American photo shoot for Tom Lemming's magazine, and enjoyed the visit according to all accounts.

Ferns is expected to make his visit to Columbus on Friday and plans to stay through Saturday's morning practice before heading back home. The country's top linebacker – who has been the Buckeyes' top target at the position for almost a year – is not expected to be bringing much family with him to Ohio State this weekend so I would caution anyone to avoid putting him on "commitment watch" at this time.

West Virginia and Penn State are the pair of schools that seem to be providing the biggest challenge to Ohio State right now.

 

St. Clairsville 4-star LB Brendan Ferns will reschedule this weekend's planned trip to Ohio State for another weekend http://t.co/uRRsaKHP0q

— Bill Greene (@BillBankGreene) April 4, 2015

 

Penn State Impresses Ferns - Football Recruiting - Scout http://t.co/129NNaA7VZ

— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) April 4, 2015

 

Nation's No. 1 ILB and Major #WVU Target, Brendan Ferns, to play in US Army All-American Bowl... http://t.co/so0OKbPmDa

— Chris Anderson (@CMAnderson247) April 8, 2015

 

@BrendanFerns_5 proud to represent the great state of OHIO in the 2016 @ArmyAllAmerican pic.twitter.com/CPAD0UmGiv

— Joe Bouffard (@joebouffardusa) April 28, 2015

 

FERNS AND OHIO STATE
In case you missed it earlier, there's been some movement on the Brendan Ferns/Ohio State front and it's not a positive update for those of you hoping for/counting on Ferns, the state's top linebacker, to end up Ohio State.

So, what happened? Basically, and quite simply: nothing went wrong, Ohio State just does not provide Ferns the academic program that he has long discussed as being a major component in his college choice, petroleum engineering. The Buckeyes and the Ferns family looked at a number of different options to try and make that work, but in the end, Brendan is making a forty-year choice, not just a four-year choice. Despite growing up rooting for Ohio State, and great relationships with Chris Ash and Luke Fickell, he will essentially "re-open" his recruitment and take a closer look at the programs who do offer that academic path. Obviously West Virginia and Penn State have been discussed in the past, but don't be surprised if LSU or any number of Texas schools finds their way into the mix.

So, what do the Buckeyes do at linebacker? Is it as simple as just moving ahead to Aaron Hansford and calling it a day? I don't think so, especially as Hansford continues to suggest that he'll wait until his senior season to make a choice.

The more likely scenario is that Ohio State, as the numbers tighten in this class, step back and consider sticking only with Tuf Borland at linebacker. However, Luke Fickell will visit IMG Academy to check in on native-Ohioan Jango Glackin tomorrow, and he's been picking up some excellent recruiting momentum in recent weeks, including an offer from Wisconsin.

 

4-Star LB Brendan Ferns will likely only visit two schools before making his decision. http://t.co/1o1FLHl75J pic.twitter.com/0wA7rFQ4BK

— 247Sports Recruiting (@247recruiting) July 20, 2015

 

ScoutNow: 4-star LB Brendan Ferns will decide soon between West Virginia and Penn State. http://t.co/uu54L3jwCt #PSU #WVU

— Bill Greene (@BillBankGreene) August 16, 2015

 

It still remains a #PennState #WestVirginia battle for Top100 LB Brendan Ferns. He talks how close it is: https://t.co/gd3KjhJxfu

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) January 3, 2016