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.
WILLIAMSON, PRYOR ADJUSTING TO LIFE AT IMG
A pair of Ohio State 2017 commitments are adjusting to a new life at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Defensive backs Marcus Williamson and Isaiah Pryor transferred into the Ascenders' program last month, and the future teammates are adjusting to the changes that have made them current teammates as well.
"The hardest part," Williamson, who played last year at Westerville South High School outside of Columbus, told Eleven Warriors, "is just being away from home, being away from my family and what I've known for so long. The first week or so was rough, but I'm getting acclimated and it's going pretty smooth."
For Pryor, the country's second-ranked safety, the adjustment has been a bit easier. Traveling from Georgia to Florida isn't quite the same as leaving Ohio.
From Scout.com:
"I've liked it a lot," Pryor said when asked about the brief time he's spent at IMG. "It's been an easy transition and a lot of the other players that have been here helped me get used to the system and everything, so I've been enjoying it.
As roommates, the duo are learning a bit about what makes the other tick. Pryor, known as a quiet, private kid, has been a tad difficult for Williamson to crack, though he says he's trying.
"I try to get him to open up a bit," Williamson joked. "But he doesn't really leave the room (laughs)."
Williamson though, for his part, is leaving the room and working hard to help the Buckeyes' 2017 class, the country's best, get even better.
#Select17 Just wait on it!! @r_hainsey56 @Jordan_LittleBO @_jkaindoh @s_marchiol32
— Marcus Williamson (@WW_Marcus) February 6, 2016
IMG will be a regular stopping point for the Buckeyes this spring, and not just for the players (running back/linebacker Jordan Anthony, lineman Robert Hainsey, defensive end Josh Kaindoh and linebacker Santino Marchiol) that Williamson mentioned in his tweet. Of course, Ohio State won't be the only program checking out IMG's campus, colleges from all over the country will be in Bradenton trying to woo Williamson and Pryor, among others. According to the Scout's Corey Bender, Pryor is 100 percent, all in with the Buckeyes.
"I speak with coach (Kerry) Coombs. We talk every week, like about our lives and everything, so we've built a good relationship," Pryor told Scout. "I'm very solid with Ohio State."
SERMON VISITING OHIO STATE NEXT WEEK
Ohio State has one 2017 running back commitment in Akron's Todd Sibley, but they're still actively searching for a second and one of their top targets will visit next Monday, as first reported by Rivals.com analyst Marc Givler.
"I'll be up there on the 15th," Trey Sermon told 11W. "I'm just visiting Ohio State."
Sermon, the country's seventh-ranked tailback, was offered by the Buckeyes after an eye-opening performance at Friday Night Lights last July and was immediately labeled by some as a Buckeye "lean." Since then, however, a number of other schools have moved into the mix for his services but perhaps none are a bigger threat than Florida, where he visited two weekends ago.
The Buckeyes visit will be another in a series of trips that could prove to be huge in the 6-foot, 200-pound running back's recruitment. After he returns from Columbus, he'll also visit Auburn, Tennessee, and Georgia, all of whom have offered.
Sermon told me that he intends to wait a while to decide on a college choice, despite the upcoming visits.
"No," Sermon said when asked if he had any plans to commit soon. "I will wait until I take all of my officials then commit."
LINDSEY CONFIDENT HIS GAME WILL STAY STRONG AT CENTENNIAL
If you're a five-star wide receiver at a national powerhouse with a five-star quarterback, it's easy to get numbers and accolades, as Tyjon Lindsey learned first hand at Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman.
Last week, the 5-foot-9, 170 pounder transferred to Corona (California) Centennial High School to be closer to his family, but he's confident that he won't see a dip in his numbers or his role in the offense.
"It's going good," Lindsey said of his move. "I'm very comfortable (at Centennial). I was working out with the quarterback, Tanner McKee, yesterday. The guy has a cannon."
If you look at McKee's tape, you see a 6-foot-5, almost 200-pound junior-to-be with a big arm.
Lindsey says that he expects to be a centerpiece in the Huskies' offense.
"We'll run a spread offense," Lindsey said. "I'll be the focus more than ever."
Ohio State, USC, Oregon, and Texas A&M are the schools that have been most closely associated with Lindsey's recruitment and the five-star slot receiver says he's hoping to visit the Buckeyes soon.
"I want to come out there this spring," he said. "I just don't know for sure yet if I can."
OHIO STATE GOING BACK TO THE WESTERN PA. WELL
If the Buckeyes want to finish off 2017 with their seventh straight Big Ten recruiting title, they'll need to dominate not just Ohio but the entire region. We looked at Michigan and the top players from up north two days ago, and on this day we'll head east to Pennsylvania.
In the last two recruiting cycles, Ohio State has gone down to the wire for the Keystone State's top prospect (Jordan Whitehead and Damar Hamlin) and have fallen just short each time: both cornerbacks decided to stay home and play for Pitt, a common choice for Western Pennsylvania's best players.
Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class is already more than half full, and because of that, they're going to be extremely selective as they look to round out the #Select17 Pennsylvania's top prospect is definitely on the list. TribLive.com put together a list of the the all-important Pittsburgh area's Top 10 players and a few are going to be familiar to Buckeye recruiting fans, including four of the region's top five.
- 1. Lamont Wade • DB • Clairton
- 2. Paris Ford • DB • Steel Valley
- 3. David Adams • LB • Pittsburgh Central Catholic
- 5. Donovan Jeter • DL • Beaver Falls
Wade has been the top defensive back target for the Buckeyes for months, and he continues to be a priority for the entire coaching staff. Urban Meyer, Luke Fickell, Greg Schiano and Kerry Coombs have been involved in the recruitment and Ohio State is the presumed leader for his services.
Paris Ford has committed to Pitt, but has a Buckeye offer. Adams, a teammate of Hamlin's at Central Catholic has an offer and so does Jeter, who made multiple visits to Ohio State in the last year and is a player Larry Johnson, Sr. has spent a lot of time getting to know.
Urban Meyer isn't a fan of falling short, though that's what happened in recent years in the Pittsburgh area. 2017 could have a decidedly different result with Lamont Wade being the key piece for the Buckeyes.
