The 11W Community Interview is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people. You submit the questions, vote on them, and then we pass the top ones on to the biggest names in the world of Ohio State athletics.
Texas – and the Dallas area in general – has been kind to Ohio State's recruiting efforts in the last few years. In 2013, Dontre Wilson, JT Barrett and Mike Mitchell all matriculated north to become Buckeyes. In 2014, it was Demetrius Knox who decided Ohio State was the place for him. After a down year in Texas in 2015, the Buckeyes struck gold in DeSoto again this year when four-star quarterback Tristen Wallace pledged to Urban Meyer and his staff on April 15th.
Wallace, who had been committed to Texas Tech from early January to early March, took a visit to Columbus with his family on the weekend of March 28th and needed only two weeks post-visit to decide that the opportunities in Columbus were too good to pass up. A 6-foot-3, 228-pound quarterback, Wallace selected the Buckeyes over Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, Nebraska and others, primarily because of the style and efficiency of the Ohio State offense.
Wallace, the ninth commitment in Ohio State's 2016 recruiting class, is the country's 125th-ranked overall prospect and third-ranked dual-threat quarterback. Today, he takes questions for the Eleven Warriors community about recruiting, how he'll prepare for the winters in Ohio and more.
They say competition breeds champions. With the QB depth do you think it will make you a more complete player competing at such a high level each practice? – OSU_1992_UFM
TW: Yes, I think going up against my future brothers will make me better as a player and as a person. I can learn a lot from them. Every day I'm trying to get better and improve, and that's what it's valuable to have great competition.
We all know schools use "negative" recruiting to talk kids out of their leading school. What is the most common piece of negative recruiting that other schools use against Ohio State with you? And how do you handle that? – PotatoDigger
TW: The quarterback situation, obviously. That's a no-brainer. I don't let it get to me. I'm just trying to learn and soak everything in like a sponge. I'm a workaholic. Competition brings out the best in me and I'm looking forward to that, not running from it.
Texas is known for having high-quality high school football. Do you feel that the level of competition and coaching has helped prepare you for the next level? What additional steps will you take to be as prepared as possible for your enrollment at Ohio State? – OSU407
TW: Yes, 6A, Division 1 Texas high school football is, in my opinion, the best in the country when it comes to competition. Texas is also "QB heaven." So I think there are some advantages that will help me in my college career, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it carries over to college.
Who are you specifically targeting to try and recruit to join you in the 2016 class? What is your best attribute right now as a quarterback? – Jeezy78
TW: Offensive lineman Greg Little, from Allen, Texas. I've played against him and he is absolutely a beast. He is who I'm really talking too, along with a few other guys. I think right now my best attribute is my leadership and my play-making ability, period. If something breaks down I can still make things happen.
What was the moment when you realized that you were picking OSU? – Seattle Linga
TW: The moment I knew I was picking Ohio State? That was about three days after I de-committed from Texas Tech. It was always just a matter of getting up there because I'm from Dallas, which is the "home of Dontre Wilson."
I felt at home at Ohio State...
What part of the recruiting process did you enjoy/dislike the most. Essentially what's the best and worst of being a nationally sought after recruit? – SoDakBuckeyeFan
TW: I think what I liked about the recruiting process is that you get to go places and see different types of football. I'm a more of up-tempo, zone-read QB because that's what I do at my high school. So I got to see different schemes and things I still have to learn, which was great. Other than that, it's hard because some fans seem to forget that we're kids trying to figure out some tough choices in the public spotlight.
What did you enjoy most during your visit to tOSU? Did anything surprise you? – TeddyBallgame
TW: The best thing on my visit was talking to Braxton Miller, and just hanging out with him and Dontre. Also, finally get a chance to really talk to (Urban) Meyer. I felt at home at Ohio State and I knew it was going to be the place for me.
What field of studies do you plan on pursuing while at Ohio State? – KevinJ
TW: The field of study I will be in at The Ohio state is sports management. I want to be sports agent if football doesn't work out. Doing that means I would need to go to law school as well.
How will you prepare yourself when the freeze shows up in late October and November? Have you been given any advice on playing in the cold and if so, from who? – Maka
TW: I can handle any type of weather, that's a non-factor. In Dallas we play in the cold during the playoffs, it's not a warm weather place like people think all the time. I've played in freezing temperatures. It's just something I'm just going to have to get used to like anything else.
What would you say is your greatest strength as a QB? And what would you like to work on the most? – BuckAbroad
TW: I think my greatest strength right now is the athleticism I bring to the position. I'm 6-foot-3, and 220 pounds and should be coming out of high school. It's the mental part of the game that (Meyer) and Tim Beck are going to help me with even more. I can make quick decisions and reads and throws that any other QB can't make. I'm also used to big crowds. Not like Ohio State big (laughs) but pretty big compared to most high schools in the country.
If you were stuck on a long airline flight, who would you want to be sitting next to you and why? – Dc28
TW: I would want to be next to Michael Jordan. That's my favorite athlete of all-time and I am sure he'd be interesting to talk to.
For all the Buckeye fans, I want to say "thank you" for the time and the questions and we're going to keep competing for championships. Thanks, Buckeye Nation.
