The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s events with an ear on the ground for what’s next.
LINDSEY ADDS "BIG-TIME OFFER"
In early July, 11W introduced you to one of the country's best 2017 wide receivers, Tyjon Lindsey from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. The country's third-ranked wide receiver, Lindsey told Eleven Warriors he'd been hoping to hear from the Buckeyes.
"I haven't yet heard from the Buckeyes," Lindsey told Eleven Warriors. "But I want to. I love how Ohio State breeds NFL-ready athletes. I've been watching their receivers ever since a friend of mine showed me the way they play. I love what I've heard about them and would love to hear from them."
Late last night, Eleven Warriors broke the news that the Buckeyes finally came through and Zach Smith was able to extend an offer to the 5-foot-9, 160-pounder.
"It's a big-time offer," Lindsey shared with 11W. "It means a lot. Every offer is a big opportunity for me and my life. I've worked my butt off for these offers but the work can't stop now."
With family in Middletown, Lindsey has Ohio ties that made this offer mean just a bit more to him. He spent a week in the Buckeye State in late June but – because it was a recruiting dead period and he's a 2017 prospect – he was unable to arrange a visit to Ohio State. Now that he's got the offer he wanted, he says he's going to look for the next opportunity to head to Ohio.
"I'm checking my calendar right now," Lindsey said. "They said they think I should visit, check out how they treat their players. Ohio State told me that I shot way up their board when they got a chance to really evaluate my tape."
Don't expect any decision from Lindsey for a while, and just because he's been waiting for an Ohio State offer, don't expect the Buckeyes to jump to the top of the list. There's a long way to go until signing day 2017 and the relationship between Ohio State and Tyjon is just beginning, but there's a lot of mutual interest.
MARTELL DISCUSSES HIS UPCOMING ANNOUNCEMENT
In my conversations with Lindsey, he mentioned to me that his teammate, a fellow 2017 five-star prospect, also had deep ties to Columbus and the Buckeyes. Tate Martell, who's scheduled to make his college choice in the upcoming week, is the country's 12th-ranked overall prospect and he confirmed there's a definite affinity for Ohio State in his heart.
"My whole family on my mom's side is from Ohio," Martell told 11W. "I love that school, I wish they had offered but they have Danny Clark already committed."
If it sounds like Martell has already made up his mind, it's because he has. Still, he added that there's no fear on his part going into any school. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound sensation is confident in what he brings to the table.
"Danny being there wouldn't have been a problem for me," Martell added when asked if he wants to be the only quarterback in his class. "I would have committed to Ohio State with him there and with Tristen Wallace."
Martell's not bothered though, he's got his mind on his future and he's happy with his choice. Most people suspect it will be Texas A&M that lands him, which could give the Aggies the next next Johnny Manziel, after they signed Kyler Murray in 2015.
"I really like the school I am choosing," he added. "It's really the best fit for me. I would not want to go anywhere else in the country. I'm excited and it will be something to remember."
Martell won't be a Buckeye, but he could still impact Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class by going hard after his current teammate, the aforementioned Tyjon Lindsey.
"(Tyjon) is a great player," Martell added. "I'm going to have to recruit him to my school."
KEY WEEK APPROACHING FOR OHIO STATE?
The Buckeyes have the country's top-ranked 2016 recruiting class and this week could be pivotal in determining how it finishes. A pair of Ohio State's top remaining targets (defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson and defensive back Andrew Pryts) are on the clock and may commit to their school of choice this week, though neither has set an official announcement.
Jackson's rumored announcement is – presently – thought to be happening on Friday. Right now, both Ohio State and Auburn feel they've done "enough" to land the country's eighth-ranked defensive tackle but each school is at the very most only cautiously optimistic. From sources close to Jackson that I've spoken with, he feels very comfortable with each of his leaders and although he may actually favor Ohio State, if he makes a decision this week Auburn is probably the pick. It's a classic head vs. heart scenario, but right now the question that is really up in the air is whether or not the Buckeyes are in his head or in his heart. I've got the Buckeyes on the crystal ball and I'm going to stick it out, but no matter what school he picks this week (if he picks this week), they'll be sweating it out through signing day.
As for Pryts, there's less confidence that he'll announce this week, but if he does, it seems that it's become an Ohio State versus Penn State battle. Notre Dame, who had been the biggest competition for the Buckeyes over the last few months, seems to have fallen off a bit as a decision creeps ever closer. The longer Pryts waits to decide, the less confident I am that it will be Ohio State and Penn State seems to have regained momentum thanks in part to a visit there two weekends ago.
GET OUT OF TOWN: THE HYPE TRAIN VERSUS THE REAL
Yesterday afternoon, the esteemed Demetric Warren of VarsityPreps.com dropped this big ol' bag of "ooh" on Twitter:
Breaking: Former 2015 5 Star QB Ricky Town has requested a transfer from #USC. Coach Sarkisian verbally agreed to Ricky Town's decision.
— Coach Warren VP (@DemetricDWarren) August 16, 2015
That is former five-star quarterback Ricky Town, a 2015 signee and early enrollee, who is transferring from USC 8 months after arriving on campus and two weeks after fall camp started for the Trojans. Town, who had originally committed to Alabama before flipping to the Trojans in January of 2014, leaves Tinseltown in a hurry and one USC source shared with me a possible reason.
"(Town) just didn't have the goods," the source said. "He was never going to see the field. Offering him over (Josh) Rosen was so stupid. (Sam) Darnold smokes him."
Rosen signed with UCLA, Darnold signed with the Trojans as well and it appears that, despite his lofty rankings, the less-heralded Darnold has a better future with USC.
I had a chance to talk with a few Ohio State freshman on Sunday at media day and the only thing I wanted to know was how different life was as a player at Ohio State versus being a recruit.
"It's different," Torrance Gibson told me. "When you're recruited, everyone tells you how great you are and you get here and there's none of that anymore."
The table is set for the big-name recruits when they come into town, there's no doubt about that; it's up to the individual to take advantage of it. Even Gibson, with his realization that things change when you're not a recruit, is in a different spot than say, Joe Burrow, simply because of his elite athleticism. If Burrow went to the coaching staff and said "I don't want to redshirt" there's no chance he'd have been moved to defensive back for a season.
Reality hits hard when you arrive on campus and the more upfront and honest a coaching staff can be with a player during his recruitment, the better off that player will be in college. If you're a prospect being recruited by the best of the best, part of that means you've got the goods, the ability to handle criticism and instruction? Take it and improve yourself.
