The messaging, Cade Stover remembers, never changed.
Throughout his recruiting, Ohio State always wanted the four-star in-state prospect from Lexington to turn into a linebacker. Growing up idolizing James Laurinaitis, Stover envisioned himself as a hard hitter at the second level of the Buckeyes’ defense. And even though his 6-foot-4 frame allowed for some positional wiggle room, the Buckeyes’ coaches sold him on their vision of a future at linebacker and he bought in.
“It was pretty much all (linebacker),” Stover told Eleven Warriors at Fiesta Bowl media day. “Especially when coach Davis was recruiting me.