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.
QUARTERBACK OPTIONS WITH JURKOVEC COMMITTED TO NOTRE DAME
So Monday night, the Buckeyes got some unexpected bad news as Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, 2018 quarterback Phil Jurkovec committed to Notre Dame on the tail end of a visit to South Bend. Jurkovec, the country's top-ranked 2018 dual-threat, had been – according to many, including sources at Ohio State – thought to be trending towards the Scarlet and Gray. But Notre Dame, which had been the favorite previously, sealed the deal. There's a long way to signing day certainly, but there's nothing about Jurkovec's situation that seems open to interpretation at this point; barring any major changes at Notre Dame, he's all Irish.
So who is next?
You know the name Emory Jones from Franklin, Georgia, and is going to be the top guy moving forward. He may have been close to the top guy anyway, as he's the only other 2018 quarterback that would've been able to supplant Jurkovec if he wanted to commit. He will visit Ohio State in three weeks and the Buckeyes may make a push at that time, hoping to keep him away from Tennessee and a host of others that have made him one of the country's hottest prospects this fall.
Another quarterback on the list that hasn't gotten much press is Oklahoma's Casey Thompson, who received a visit from Ohio State quarterback coach Tim Beck Tuesday. He's dynamic with the ball in his hands and is one of the few guys that really has caught the Buckeyes' attention.
There are going to be other names that pop up, New Jersey's Arthur Sitkowski could be one, as could Bishop Gorman's Dorian Thompson-Robinson, but the next in line right now are Jones and Thompson.
BUCKEYES MAKE TOP TEN FOR WILLS
Ohio State tried to get involved in Kentucky the last few years – and succeeded last year taking defensive back Rodjay Burns – but they've failed to make a move in the trenches, missing on Matt Elam, Drake Jackson and Landon Young in the past two cycles. This year, they're working to stay in the mix for Lafayette's Jedrick Wills, who earned an invitation to The Opening for his recent work at the Columbus regional.
So far, so good. Tuesday the big offensive lineman celebrated his birthday by releasing his Top 10 schools.
thanks to all the schools who have offered me and all the coaches I have met throughout this process #TOP10 no order pic.twitter.com/7XKkrDKRI0
— poo (@JWills73) May 17, 2016
A 6-foot-5, 320-pounder, Wills is the country's 35th-ranked overall prospect for 2017 and is expected to stay home and play for the Wildcats, but Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan and others have made it a bit more contentious than Mark Stoops and his staff would like.
Ed Warinner has been leading the way for Ohio State, but the Buckeyes are going to have some ground to make up. As with most cases, until an official visit is scheduled to Columbus, it's hard to take this Top 10 list too seriously.
ANOTHER DEFENSIVE LINE OFFER GOES OUT
Last week Ohio State offered 2017 defensive lineman Jordan Williams from Virginia Beach, and they've continued to be aggressive at the position by offering Jonathon MacCollister, from Orlando's Bishop Moore High School.
But not really at the position, because MacCollister could be a tight end at the next level, and it appears that's the spot Tony Alford and the Buckeyes have been discussing with him. From this tweet, it seems that the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder has been back-and-forth with that decision.
— JonathonMacCollister (@bigbird__54) March 14, 2016
The Buckeyes have not entirely committed to the idea of pursuing a tight end for 2017, so don't be surprised if a MacCollister visit this summer could change. He certainly looks like a high Division I player.
Notre Dame, Tennessee, Auburn and others have all made themselves a player his recruitment so far. If he makes an Ohio State visit this summer as he'd like to, he could be a name to watch at tight end as numbers get worked out.
RIEP BREAKDOWN FROM CHICAGO
When you look at the defensive backs that are currently being pursued by Ohio State for 2017, you see a lot of names that have been discussed for a year or more. Shaun Wade, Jeff Okudah, Lamont Wade and others have had offers for what feels like forever, but Cincinnati's Amir Riep – who was offered in January – may be emerging as the must get of the group.
This past weekend in Chicago, Riep was the alpha dog at The Opening regionals, where he dominated nearly every rep he was a part of.
From Scout.com analyst Allen Trieu:
He has the size you want in a cornerback, but he also had some of the best feet in attendance. His ball skills were excellent and he was also a competitive kid who took on the best receivers at the camp. He ran down the field with Jeff Thomas, which is not something many in the country can do. We knew Riep was good, but judging off of this one camp, he's probably better than we thought.
Riep's physicality is evident but what's most impressive his how fluid he is in coverage thanks to a surprising ability to turn his hips and run with anyone he went up against.
The Buckeyes have been the presumptive favorite in Riep's recruitment since they offered this past winter, but right now it appears that it's Michigan State who may have the momentum. The Spartans have done a great job selling their successes at defensive back and the number of targets Ohio State is pursuing give other programs ammunition that seems to hitting its mark.
Riep's decision had been planned for this summer and the Buckeyes are not going to be able to coast to victory in this one, even with Kerry Coombs' lasting legacy at Colerain.
Are we looking at another LJ Scott situation where Ohio State feels they've got this one wrapped up and get surprised by a Spartan haymaker?
