Cliff Watson no longer committed to Ohio State

With any coaching change inevitably comes roster and recruit turnover, and Ohio State is feeling the effects of that this week. The latest involves Sioux City defenseman Cliff Watson, who is no longer committed to Ohio State.

A 6-foot-2, 215-pound shut-down defenseman, Watson was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round (168th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft in Pittsburgh.

The Appleton, Wis., native has spent the past two seasons in the USHL, and recorded 11 points with a +10 plus/minus in 62 games this past year. Watson had talked to Miami and Wisconsin before originally committing to Ohio State in the fall of 2010.

The Watson news comes on the heels of our own Chris Dilks reporting yesterday that Chicago Steel defenseman Nolan Valleau had decommitted from the Buckeyes.

Mark Osiecki was fired from Ohio State April 15, much to the surprise of many who felt the well respected coach was putting the pieces in place for the Buckeyes to elevate their national profile. While Osiecki was under .500 during his three years at OSU, he had built a solid stable of recruits, and the program appeared ready for takeoff with the launch of the new Big Ten Hockey Conference in 2013-14.

Ohio State hired Osiecki's top assistant, Steve Rohlik, and most assumed things would remain status quo in Columbus. However, it appears the Buckeyes will have more turnover than previously expected, and it sounds like there are possibly more changes to come.

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