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.
FULLER READYING FOR OHIO STATE TRIP
One of the biggest targets left on Ohio State's 2016 recruiting board, as discussed earlier Tuesday afternoon, is New Jersey four-star Jordan Fuller.
Fuller, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder from Westwood, has a brother at UCLA and the Bruins, along with Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State remain in fierce competition with Ohio State for his services. Fuller will make his second official visit, to Ohio State, this weekend. He was in Texas this past weekend, where he played on the East squad in the US Army All-American Bowl.
"It was great," Fuller said of San Antonio. "I liked the practices a lot actually, the chance to compete against the best of the best."
One of "the best" Fuller went up against in Texas was Austin Mack, a wide receiver now enrolled at Ohio State. Mack, along with his college roommate Jonathon Cooper, will be instrumental in the Buckeyes' efforts recruiting Fuller this weekend. The country's eighth-ranked athlete says those developing relationships are something that will help the Buckeyes.
"Yeah, it does help," Fuller said when asked if that comfort with other players makes an official visit more enjoyable. "I want to have some familiarity with the players if I decide to go to that school."
Fuller has not been to Ohio State in a while, and this weekend's visit is big for that reason, but bigger perhaps because he'll be making the trip with his mother, who's never been to Columbus. She does have an existing relationship with new assistant coach Greg Schiano, who recruited Jordan's brother while he was the head coach at Rutgers. Fuller himself says this trip is going to help him get reacquainted with Ohio State in general.
"I just want to get around the players and get a refresher on everything, I want to know their exact plan for me as a player and person. I also want to chill with the players," he said. "Also my mom will be there for the first time so that's big."
Fuller says he's been hearing a bit more from Schiano on social media, but that he's been talking to primarily with Urban Meyer. He acknowledged that the recent wave of Buckeyes heading to the NFL is on his mind.
"I've been talking a lot with Coach Meyer," Fuller said. "I can see they develop their players well and it helps to know I'm needed, definitely."
MECOLE HARDMAN MAKING OFFICIAL VISIT TO OHIO STATE
Ohio State will receive an official visit this weekend from Georgia five-star athlete Mecole Hardman, per a report from Rivals.com analyst Woody Womack tonight. Hardman confirmed the visit with Eleven Warriors.
Austin Mack spoke highly of Hardman in San Antonio last week and was in the ear of Hardman, as well as fellow Georgia star Demetris Robertson about a potential visit, and with an open spot for a trip, the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder from Elberton decided to give the Buckeyes a look.
Over the weekend, Hardman was chatting with Mack on Twitter about the fact that he didn't have an Ohio State offer.
@johnjeren @ArmyAllAmerican @Austin_Mack10 don't even have an offer
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@iiAm_Mesho) January 7, 2016
It appears that the Buckeyes were paying attention and whether or not Hardman ends up in Columbus–there was some speculation following his Michigan visit he wasn't entirely fond of the cold northern weather–the Buckeyes are going to get a shot.
Hardman is the country's 21st-ranked overall prospect and a composite five-star and is without question one of the most dynamic athletes in the nation.
He has has previously made official visits to Michigan and Miami has a trip TCU scheduled for January 22nd. On January 3rd, he named Alabama his leader, but the majority of recent scuttlebutt has hinted he was likely to stay home at Georgia.
MICAH CLARK LISTS BUCKEYES IN TOP 15
Another New Jersey product, this one in in the 2017 class, is listing the Buckeyes among his Top 15 schools.
Lineman Micah Clark, a 6-foot-5, 285-pounder from Holmdel, is the country's ninth-ranked tackle in 2017.
My list is not in order. I want to thank all the College Coaches who gave me the chance to play at the next level. pic.twitter.com/8KvIvpDUnk
— Micah Clark (@MicahClark17) January 12, 2016
About a month ago, Clark listed the Buckeyes as his favorite following a visit from Urban Meyer to his high school.
From Scout.com:
"The visit from Urban Meyer put them No. 1," Clark said. "I was like, ‘Wow, the head coach actually came down to see me.’ I know he goes to see other players, but I know for a fact he only goes to see players he is really interested in. It was cool he came to my school."
With Josh Myers and Jake Moretti already committed, the Buckeyes are in a position to take their time and really get to know Clark. His early 247Sports.com crystal ball lists Penn State as the favorite, but with the Nittany Lions now searching for a new offensive line coach, it seems likely that Clark's recruitment will slow down a bit as he explores his list thoroughly. He originally had planned an announcement for Tuesday, but until he makes visits to Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Clemson and others, decided against it.
HARBAUGH'S CAMPS CAUSING SEC/ACC REACTION
He's a bit weird, but Jim Harbaugh's recruiting methods have obviously proven effective. Michigan, currently ranked as the country's second-best 2016 recruiting class and the Big Ten's best, made waves last summer with their "Swarm" camp tour, which took their program all over the place in a search for relationships and prospects. Schools from other regions, namely the SEC and ACC-related parts of the country, weren't happy with the satellite camps and today they made an effort to put a stop to them before Harbaugh and other northern schools can repeat it this year.
Two proposed rule changes, one from the ACC and one from the SEC, made their way into the public sphere today.
#ACC proposed 2015-59-FBS where institution's camp must be held on campus or at facilities regularly used by program. No satellite camps.
— Jeremy Crabtree (@jeremycrabtree) January 12, 2016
Ohio State held one satellite camp last summer, at FAU in Florida. That camp put the Buckeyes in direct contact with a host of big-time prospects, including five-star wide receiver Trevon Grimes. The second rule proposed aims to stop coaches from traveling to other schools to participate in a camp that isn't their own, this one seems to be in direct opposition to Harbaugh's "Exposure U" camp that invited any coach from anywhere to help instruct during Michigan's summer camp in Ann Arbor.
#SEC proposed 2015-60-FBS, where a coach may be only employed only at his institutions camp. Would eliminate guest coaching at other camps.
— Jeremy Crabtree (@jeremycrabtree) January 12, 2016
What's the next recruiting loophole that Harbaugh is hoping to exploit? According to Mark Synder of the Detroit Free Press, Michigan is attempting to move some of their spring practices: to Florida's IMG Academy.
The issues would be the location and the amount of practice time. The NCAA spring practice rules (bylaw 17.10.6.4) govern how often a team can practice (15 times) and the span (34 calendar days not counting schools vacations) and how much contact there can be (only in 12 of the 15 practices). There is nothing noted about the location.
If that doesn't work, Harbaugh can always resort to his new style of recruiting he's made into his calling card: Being Creepy to the Max.
Jim Harbaugh will be at Quinn Nordin's house at 12:01am Friday and will spend the night: https://t.co/aDBECiNeLn pic.twitter.com/TvLLGJkmZ2
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) January 12, 2016
Future Headline Alert: "SEC proposes that schools can only hold practices on their own campus and coaches can't have sleepovers at a kid's house."
JAMARI LOGAN GETTING TO KNOW THE BUCKEYES
As the Buckeyes search for defensive tackles, new names and faces have popped up in recent weeks, including Norfolk, Virginia's Jamari Logan. Logan has recently begun hearing from Ohio State's Larry Johnson Sr. but there's been nothing so definitive as a visit planned or a scholarship offer discussed.
"I'm waiting for Coach Johnson to let me know when I can come up," Logan told 11W. "We talk like every three days."
Logan has scholarship offers from North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, NC State and a few others, but the late attention from other schools has him feeling that his time is coming.
"It's great, my hard work has been paying off," Logan said. "Maryland is supposed to offer this week when (Mike) London comes down."
Logan is one of a handful of potential late offers at defensive tackle for the Buckeyes and he hopes to get the news about a possible visit. The 6-foot-4, 340-pounder is a three-star prospect according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings.
