The Hurry Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.
GETTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
Ohio State linebackers coach Billy Davis and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa traveled to Toledo earlier this week to see St. John's Jesuit four-star linebacker Dallas Gant.
“It went well,” Gant told Eleven Warriors. “[We're] not really allowed to talk at all, so I just got to say hello.”
We've mentioned before how NCAA rules don't allow contact outside the exchange of a greeting with a recruit before July 1 of their senior year. But the 6-foot-3, 201-pound Gant said he's been able to form a relationship with Davis fairly quickly.
“I've got to talk to him on the phone a couple times,” Gant said. “Great guy and [he] seems like an outstanding coach.”
Gant, the sixth-best linebacker and No. 132 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, isn't concerned about Davis' lack of coaching experience at the college level.
“I think all his NFL experience outweighs it,” Gant said.
That's certainly good news for Ohio State, as Notre Dame has also made its presence felt in Toledo recently. Gant doesn't plan to attend Ohio State's junior day later this month, but expects he'll be on campus again sooner rather than later.
16 AND COUNTING
Ohio State defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs offered a scholarship to Acworth, Georgia, Kennesaw Mountain sophomore tight end Ryland Goede while on his recent excursion through the Peach State.
He becomes the 16th underclassmen from the state to earn an offer from the Buckeyes in the last year.
Honored and blessed to have received an offer from THE Ohio State University! #true19 pic.twitter.com/2tHNtLceVE
— Ryland Goede (@rylandgoede10) January 18, 2017
“It's an absolute blessing,” Goede told Eleven Warriors. “I always gotta thank God for it, first and foremost. It's absolutely huge, though. I've been wanting an offer from them, so this was really exciting.”
The 6-foot-5, 234-pound Goede is not yet ranked by any major recruiting sites, but holds offers from Auburn, Georgia, North Carolina State and Tennessee after he hauled in 39 catches for 437 yards and five touchdowns for the Mustangs this season.
“Probably what stood out first is the fact that I pass the 'eye candy' test,” Goede said. “[My size] usually draws the attention, which is an absolute blessing from God. Also for being that big, I move really really well and can go get the ball. I also am able to sustain blocks in the box, as well as on the perimeter.”
Goede hopes to make it to campus soon, but he's not sure when because he also plays on an ultra-competitive travel baseball team.
“It's just going to be my family and I working around that to get up there,” Goede said.
YOU GET AN OFFER, AND YOU GET AN OFFER
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and wide receivers coach Zach Smith were in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday morning, at which time they offered a scholarship to University School of Nova Southeastern University four-star sophomore athlete Kenny McIntosh.
Truly blessed to say I've been offered by The Ohio State University #GoBuckeyes @UNCLELUQ @coachwb45 @RyanBartow @Corey_Bender @HamiltonESPN pic.twitter.com/cCNldhJ9E9
— Blueprint#1 (@dattboikenny) January 19, 2017
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound McIntosh is considered the fourth-best athlete and No. 38 prospect overall in the Class of 2019. He recorded 1,189 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns while primarily playing running back for the Sharks this season to earn offers from 14 programs such as Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Syracuse and West Virginia.
As mentioned yesterday, the Buckeyes also extended a scholarship offer to his teammate Josh Sanguinetti.
JUST KEEP IT IN COLUMBUS
After a three-year run at Ohio Stadium, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced on Tuesday the high school football state championship games would be moved to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton in 2017.
#OHSAA Football State Championships Moving to Canton in 2017 and 2018: https://t.co/EBot03W2kQ pic.twitter.com/pjJWbBUGHU
— OHSAA Sports (@OHSAASports) January 19, 2017
The title games had been played at Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and Canton's Fawcett Stadium from 1990 through 2013 before moving to Columbus.
"We had great hosts in Stark County before, and I know we will again," OHSAA Commissioner Dr. Dan Ross said in a press release. "We are blessed in Ohio to have so many outstanding playoff venues like Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton and Ohio Stadium here in Columbus, and our intent all along has been to rotate the finals between the two sites. The last three years in Columbus have been great, and the timing worked out well because Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame had major stadium renovations underway at the same time."
The exact date and times of the games will be finalized this spring, but will take place Thursday, Nov. 30, through Sunday, Dec. 3. The OHSAA intents to return the games to Ohio Stadium for the 2019 state championship games.
