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 GOING INTO DECISION MODE?
Ohio State's top remaining defensive target for the 2016 class, New Jersey athlete Jordan Fuller, made an official visit to Michigan this past weekend. The trip, scheduled from Friday through Sunday, was extended an additional day as some little storm affecting the East Coast stopped Fuller, along with fellow Jersey residents Donald Stewart, Rashan Gary and Drew Singleton, from traveling back home. That was a nice little bonus day for Jim Harbaugh and his staff with an assist from Mother Nature, giving them more of an opportunity to use the Paramus Catholic trio (Stewart was on his official visit), all of whom are potentially going to end up at Michigan, to help try and sway Fuller to "go Blue."
Ohio State, for their part, feels they've done a good job with Fuller, recruiting him as thoroughly as they have for as long as they have. His official visit to Columbus last weekend was a homerun visit and they knew the weekend in Ann Arbor would provide a big-time roadblock to securing his signature. Michigan's efforts this past weekend had a balanced approach, trying to impress Fuller's family with their attention to academics and how it complements their football pursuits, and no doubt the influence of Kareem Walker, Ahmir Mitchell, Rashan Gary and the other New Jersey guys made some impact.
There have been a number of recruitments in the last year that have been labeled as "Urban Meyer vs Jim Harbaugh" but Fuller's decision may be one of the first true, split down the middle, Maize and Blue vs Scarlet and Gray, without outside influences, without behind-the-scenes stories and shaped narratives, recruitments.
Fuller has not stated if he'll make a signing day decision, but with just over a week to go before the big day, I'd expect him to bunker down and focus on the task at hand. He's in a position where he'll be choosing between three great opportunities because it'd be unwise to discount Notre Dame's chances even if they are not being commonly discussed. There had been some talk about a potential visit to Penn State this upcoming weekend for Fuller, but it does not appear that will happen and he'll instead focus on making a decision between Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan.
The Michigan staff is scheduled to visit the Fuller household on Wednesday. Urban Meyer still has an in-home visit remaining and it's expected that he too will make that trek to New Jersey this week.
My crystal ball is on Ohio State, and there's been nothing I've heard that will make me change it at this point. I expect Fuller, after making a difficult choice, to end up a Buckeye.
OKUDAH GETTING TO KNOW SCHIANO
Texas 2017 defensive back Jeffrey Okudah told Eleven Warriors in November that if Chris Ash were to leave Ohio State for a head coaching job, it'd obviously have some affect on his recruitment.
"It would have some effect," Okudah told 11W. "If he was to leave and a great defensive backs coach was hired, I'd have no problem. I'd be confident with whomever was hired, I'd just have to do some research."
Who was hired, as you know, was Greg Schiano, the former head coach of the Scarlet Knights and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Okudah–the country's seventh-ranked 2017 prospect and top-ranked safety, is now building that relationship.
#Buckeyes assistsant Greg Schiano is expected to visit Grand Prairie, Texas today to see 2017 5* DB Jeffrey Okudah (@TheJeffOkudah)
— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) January 25, 2016
Schiano visited Okudah today, but the pair have started to get to know one another in recent weeks.
"Me and Coach Schiano got off to a great start," Okudah told 11W. "We talked about me playing corner in college and overall the conversation just went really well. That (cornerback) is what most of my offers are to play now with these new staffs evaluating my film. It's actually what I like playing."
Okudah was expected to visit Ohio State in November but a personal matter prevented the trip from occurring. He will not visit Columbus this weekend for the Buckeyes' big invite only, junior weekend, but he says he's got plans to be back in Ohio a few times in 2016.
"I'm coming in for the spring game," Okudah said. "Then maybe again in the summer, and God-willing, for an official visit."
Until then, the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is focusing on building relationships, and not just with Ohio State's coaching staff. He got to know a few Buckeye commits when he was in Florida in early January for Under-Armour Future 50 camp.
"I spent some time talking with Todd Sibley," Okudah said. "Me and Marcus Williamson got to know each other a bit as well."
MUTERSPAW WILL HEAD TO OHIO STATE AS PREFERRED WALK-ON
While we don't often report on preferred walk-ons here at The Hurry Up the Buckeyes did receive one today and it's a player that I think fans should be excited about.
Matt Muterspaw, a 6-foot-7, 285-pound offensive tackle from Middletown, Ohio made the decision today that he'd take the opportunity to walk-on with the Buckeyes.
Muterspaw chose Ohio State over Michigan, who was offering the same opportunity, and Walsh University, a Division Two school he'd been committed to,
Middletown, Ohio OL Matt Muterspaw
The decision for Muterspaw was not an easy one, according to his father, Rodney. Aside from making the difficult choice to decommit from Walsh, a school he'd developed incredibly tight relationships with, Muterspaw grew up a Michigan fan. Despite growing up a Wolverines' fan, the Buckeyes were the right choice.
"Coach Studrawa and Coach Coombs made him feel comfortable," Rodney Muterspaw told 11W. "He really liked that they paid him personal visits and he felt good about them working with him to get him better over the next four years."
At his size and skill and having played against Ohio Division One talent, the questions many have is why Muterspaw has not garnered more recruiting attention.
"He is a late bloomer and did not hit adulthood until this past year," the elder Muterspaw said. "He's grown almost 3 inches and put on almost 60 pounds in the last 14 or 15 months. He was heavily recruited by Indiana State, Eastern Michigan and some schools before breaking his ankle and then the recruiting stopped because he missed most of the season. He only played the last three games and he was lucky to even play those. All the colleges dropped off after he got hurt."
It will be interesting to see how Mick Marotti's strength and conditioning program, along with the two-pronged offensive line wizardy of Ed Warinner and Greg Studrawa, bring a player like Muterspaw along.
SAM BRUCE, FINAL ANSWER
Dearly beloved,
We are gathered here tonight to–once and for all–lay to rest the rumors and reports that Sam Bruce will select Ohio State as, about a half-hour ago, he made his announcement and will be sticking with the University of Miami, where he's been committed since July of 2014.
Explosive 4-star receiver Sam Bruce fresh off announcing for the #Canes. @_QUICK6 pic.twitter.com/4WL4RHR329
— Ryan Bartow (@RyanBartow) January 26, 2016
The Buckeyes love Bruce, and Bruce, for his part, had grown quite fond of the Scarlet and Gray, especially after an official visit to Columbus in October. His friendship with the Bosa family a driving force, and Bruce's recruitment has been spearheaded by Zach Smith who's stayed close and involved with the Miami four-star for two years.
Unfortunately for Smith and Bruce, the Buckeyes just couldn't come to an agreement on how to make a spot for the St. Thomas standout. When all was said and done, it was a simple reaffirmation to Miami, where he made an official visit this past weekend, the pursuit is officially over.
If I, as your tour guide, can offer one bit of advice, even though I know most will not appreciate the sentiment?
Relax, Urban Meyer and his coaching staff knows what they're doing.
The end.
