Welcome to The Hurry Up, which runs Sunday through Thursday, serving as your last stop for recruiting news and notes nightly. We'll recap the day as it happened and preview the days ahead while keeping our ear to the ground on the Ohio State recruiting scene.
CHRISMAN TALKS BUCKEYE OFFER
As we mentioned last night, Ohio State pulled the trigger on an offer to Cincinnati La Salle 2016 punter Drue Chrisman last night. Chrisman is the country's top punter and was excited to hear about the offer from Ohio State's Kerry Coombs and Urban Meyer himself.
"I was overwhelmed," Chrisman said of his response to the offer. "I was like 'wow' - I was not really expecting that. I was pretty tempting to commit right away, but I didn't. We're planning on deciding at the end of the month."
The Buckeyes have a potential All-American junior at punter in Cameron Johnston, and there's some discussion that the Australian could consider early-entree in the NFL, which would open the door for Chrisman. If he decides to take Ohio State's offer, of course.
Chrisman has a number of big-time offers, including Florida State, UCLA, BYU and Kentucky aside from the Buckeyes. He's a practicing Mormon, and BYU is certainly a school he's considering.
"I have seen a few of their games," he said of the Cougars. "I will probably only consider taking a (religious) mission if we go to BYU."
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.
BONNER CHECKS OUT BUCKEYES
Sycamore (Cincinnati) 2017 running back Ra'Von Bonner has been an outspoken Buckeye fan on Twitter and yesterday afternoon he and a his family visited Ohio State.
"It's a dream come true," Bonner said of getting the chance to visit the Buckeyes. "I saw the weight room, the locker rooms, the trophies, and more. I didn't get to spend much time with Urban Meyer, because of practice, but I loved his intensity."
Bonner is being recruited primarily by Kerry Coombs, another coach well known for his intensity.
"I talked to (Kerry) Coombs after practice," he continued. "He is very intense. We've got a pretty good relationship."
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Bonner said he's not sure when he'll return to Ohio State, but it could be in a few weeks for their spring game.
"I might not be able to make it up for the spring game, but I am going to see if I can," he added. "But I will definitely be there for camp this summer."
GET OFF OUR LAWN
Make no mistake, the SEC isn't really happy about the Big Ten – led by Urban Meyer's usurping of their national title rights – infringing on their territory. Last year it was Penn State's James Franklin who skirted the SEC's rules about "assisting" at coaching camps and clinics by no longer being an SEC coach. Georgia State's Trent Miles, who welcomed Franklin and the Big Ten into the south, didn't give much of a rat's rear end about the belly-aching from his peers south of the Mason-Dixon.
This year it's Jim Harbaugh and Michigan who have decided to try and branch out by moving south, co-hosting a camp in Prattville, Alabama on June 5. The Wolverines have offered Prattville's Kingston Davis and signed quarterback/cornerback Keith Washington in February, who also suited up for the Lions. Harbaugh and the Wolverines clearly found some success in Alabama; quid pro quo says "hey, we'll come help you out as well", and that's what Michigan will do at the Prattville Elite Football Camp.
Gus Malzahn, Alabama's second most important football coach, wasn't a fan of the practice last year and he's doubling down on his point of view.
"I think the SEC coaches last year made it clear that we'd like it to be that way throughout the country," Malzahn told the Montgomery Advertiser. "That was a stance after our last spring meetings and I still feel the same."
The SEC has long been a bastion of college football ethics and virtue, so it's hard to ignore their feelings on this, or any, matter.
