November 20, 2010; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta (left) and assistant coach Jeff Boals watch their team against the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks at Schottenstein Center. Ohio State Buckeyes won the game 81-41. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-US PRESSWIRE

Thad Matta and Jeff Boals have their work cut out for them in this year’s recruiting season.

With the likes of Jabari Parker, Julius Randle and James Young — all ranked No. 1 in their respective positions — considering to play ball for Ohio State in 2013, it’s definitely time to break out all of the promises, gifts, luxury cars and cash advances (just kidding, but seriously) to bring some real talent to Buckeye Nation.

Jared Sullinger and Williams Buford are already gone, and with DeShaun Thomas inevitably next on the list, the Bucks are running low on the fuel that’s been keeping them going thus far.

Boals did a great job of snagging Ohio native, Marc Loving, early in the game, but if OSU wants to remain a dominant force in college basketball; they’re going to need more than a stretch four carrying the team.

Barring a historic season, Lenzelle Smith Jr. should be around for two more high-quality years, and Aaron Craft will likely stay for four years before leaving for the draft, but those two on their own can’t carry OSU.

Other five-star recruits considering OSU are third-ranked small forward, Ishmail Wainright (Montrose Christian H.S., MO) and third-ranked power forward, Chris Walker (Holmes County H.S., FL).

According to ESPN RecruitingNation, OSU has already made offers to each of the five-star recruits, except Walker, yet none of their prospective freshmen have visited the campus yet. It’s still early, so there’s lots of time, but if they’re going to beat out Kentucky, Kansas and UCLA’s recruiting teams, Matta and Boals need to take charge now.

Mar 25, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; The Kansas Jayhawks celebrate during the trophy presentation after the finals of the midwest region of the 2012 NCAA men

It’s tough to imagine better all-around storylines in an NCAA Tournament Final Four than this year.  There are 48 Final Fours (U of L = 9, OSU = 10, Kansas = 14, UK = 15) and 13 National Championships (OSU = 1, U of L = 2, Kansas = 3, UK = 7) among this foursome.  There is a bitter in-state rivalry between U of L and UK.  There are regular season rematches on both sides, as UK beat the Cardinals earlier in the year, and Kansas beat a Sullinger-less Buckeyes team back in December.  If that’s not enough, OSU still hasn’t been able to get over the fact that the 2010-2011 team, arguably the best in school history, was stopped in the Sweet Sixteen by a young, athletic UK squad that returns a few of the same players.