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.
MEYER, BECK, SMITH SEE EMORY JONES, CAMPS ABOUND
The week of Emory Jones has begun.
This morning, Urban Meyer, Tim Beck and Zach Smith were outside of Atlanta taking part in the Minority Coaches Association of Georgia camp at Woodland High School. While there are a number of reasons it's good for the Buckeyes to be visible in the talent-rich state of Georgia, the chance for Urban Meyer to see Emory Jones, the country's second-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2018 recruiting class, was high on the list.
Of course, Jones is a player the Buckeyes will see again next week – and maybe twice – because the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder will visit Ohio State next Tuesday and Wednesday and could very well see Beck again next Thursday at the Lawrenceville Central satellite camp if he can schedule out his trip well enough.
Ohio State would love to get their 2018 quarterback committed as soon as possible, but expect Jones to at least make another trip to Tennessee and Clemson before anything that drastic were to take place.
Meyer also was in Fairfield, Ohio tonight, according to one observer outside of Cincinnati.
Can confirm that Urban Meyer is here at the Michigan satellite camp in Fairfield. Likely here to see 5-star OT Jack Carman. #Buckeyes
— Tyler Waddell (@Tyler_Waddell) June 9, 2016
Kerry Coombs was in Detroit for Sound Mind/Sound Body, Tony Alford was in Warren, Ohio taking part in the satellite camp there alongside 25-plus Michigan staffers. Camp season is here and it's got the Buckeyes all over the place.
BARON BROWNING EYES FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS RETURN VISIT
First reported by 247Sports.com analyst Bill Kurelic, five-star 2017 linebacker Baron Browning has narrowed down a date for a return visit to Ohio State this summer: July 22nd, or Friday Night Lights in Columbus.
The country's eighth-ranked player in 2017, Browning made his first visit to Ohio State last month with his good friend and fellow five-star prospect, Jeffrey Okudah.
"I know that his visit was a homerun," one source said of Browning. "Getting him back next month with his parents, if it happens, is a major win and I think we can get him. He's going to see a few schools coming up, including the one 'Up North' and his brother played for Harbaugh, so it's far from a done deal, but it's developing nicely."
GILL, THOMAS AMONG UNDERCLASSMEN INVITED TO THE OPENING
The Opening is the summer's premier recruiting spectacle, and every year the prestigious Nike event invites a handful of the country's best underclassmen to participate in "football heaven." Last night, they finalized their underclass invites and a few names familiar to Ohio State fans – and the first ever freshman invited by Nike – will get a chance to shine in Beaverton next month.
Congratulations to the six underclassmen invited to #TheOpening Finals. #GOTOPEN pic.twitter.com/FK2W9nSfdu
— The Opening (@TheOpening) June 8, 2016
Westerville South's Jaelen Gill, South Carolina's Xavier Thomas, Florida's Patrick Surtain II, California's Jalen Hall and Texas athlete BJ Foster are all juniors-to-be with Ohio State offers to their name. Owen Pappoe is the country's top-recruited 2019 prospect and the first ever freshman to be selected for The Opening.
"It means a lot to be invited, it's been a dream since I was young," Gill told Eleven Warriors. "It means everything to be able to represent my school. I know I have another family behind me supporting me and it'll put my school more on the map than it already is."
Gill's former teammate at Westerville South, Marcus Williamson, now at IMG, will join him in Oregon. Xavier Thomas, the country's fourth-ranked player in 2018, says he's eager for the chance to take part in the event. He's joining a pretty exclusive club of underclassmen defensive linemen.
Xavier Thomas joins @DashawnHand & @RashanGary33 as underclassmen DL invited to #TheOpening. Good company. #Final5 https://t.co/uUh4JFYQMi
— Todd Huber (@ToddHuberSS) June 8, 2016
"It means everything to me," Thomas told 11W. "It has been a dream of mine to represent what I am all about on a national stage. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am very blessed to be given it."
The Opening will take place in Beaverton, Oregon on July 7th-10th. The full roster can be seen here.
JEREMY RUCKERT ENJOYS TIME WITH WARINNER AND BUCKEYES
An emerging Ohio State 2018 target, Lindenhurst, New York tight end Jeremy Ruckert, took part in the Rutgers' Tri-State camp in New Jersey last night, giving him a chance to hand out with Ed Warinner and the Buckeyes as well.
"It was cool," Ruckert said of the chance to work with Warinner. "He definitely knows his stuff and I took a lot out of it today. I definitely got better and had great talks with all the coaches."
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Ruckert picked up offers from Miami and Nebraska in the last day, and he's hoping to visit Ohio State this summer.
"I may go July 22nd," Ruckert said about a potential Friday Night Lights visit. "If not I'm definitely checking out a game this season."
BUCKEYES MAKE TOP 10 FOR 2017 FORWARD KYLE YOUNG
Thad Matta's Buckeye hoops program is in the Top 10 for one of Ohio's brightest 2017 stars.
So blessed and thankful for all the amazing schools that have recruited me. I have narrowed it down to 10 pic.twitter.com/6tHaKA1jvA
— Kyle Young (@kyleyoung3144) June 9, 2016
Kyle Young, a 6-foot-6, 205-pounder from Massillon's Jackson High School, was offered by Ohio State just about a month ago. He's the country's 100th-ranked overall prospect in 2017 and holds 16 offers at this point.
Young told 11W at the end of April that he had been hoping to earn a scholarship from Ohio State.
“It would be an awesome to get an offer from Ohio State,” Young said. “They’re a great school so yeah, that’d be pretty cool. They’re the home school and stuff like that...I always grew up watching them so [hearing from OSU] was pretty cool.”
Will he be the player to join Westerville South's Kaleb Wesson in the 2017 class?
