Fall weekends can be hectic with all the football going on Friday through Sunday. Under the lights is your weekly primer on what is going on for Ohio State commitments and recruits that weekend.
Under the lights will detail the top-three games that Ohio State commitments are playing this weekend, the game that Eleven Warriors will attend and some predictions for how Ohio State's commits will perform.
FUTURE BUCKEYES IN ACTION
IMG ACADEMY (FLA.) VS. ST. JOSEPH'S PREP (PA.)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Coverage: ESPN2
- Future Buckeyes: Kyle McCord (St. Joseph's), Lejond Cavazos (IMG)
- Targets: Marvin Harrison Jr. (St. Joseph's), Lovasea Carroll (IMG), Dekel Crowdus (IMG), JC Latham (IMG), Elias Ricks (IMG)
This matchup features Ohio State's 2021 quarterback commitment Kyle McCord on the St. Joes offense and 2020 cornerback commit Lejond Cavazos leading the IMG defense.
In addition to the two Ohio State commitments, this game also features a number of Buckeye targets.
2021 wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is McCord's main target in the St. Joseph's offense and a key prospect for Brian Hartline and the Buckeyes.
As for IMG, they have four Ohio State targets: four-star 2021 running back Lovasea Carroll, four-star 2021 receiver Dekel Crowdus, four-star 2021 defensive end JC Latham and five-star 2020 cornerback target Elias Ricks.
As for the matchup, it looks to be a good one. IMG Academy has one of the deepest rosters in the country but St. Joseph's features the game's best quarterback. With IMG's depth, McCord will have play a near-perfect game against Cavazos, Ricks and the rest of the Ascenders defense for St. Joseph's to win.
Both teams play tough schedules that feature many of the top high school teams from all across the country, which should prepare them for this matchup. There's a reason it will be nationally televised.
GOOD COUNSEL HIGH SCHOOL (MD.) VS. ST. JOHN BOSCO (CALIF.)
- Day: Friday.
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Kourt Williams (St. John Bosco), Mitchell Melton (Good Counsel)
- Targets: Beaux Collins (St. John Bosco), Landon Tangwall (Good Counsel)
This is yet another big-time high school football game that features Ohio State commitments on both teams and numerous targets.
Both commitments are on the defensive side of the ball with Kourt Williams and Mitchell Melton leading their opposing teams. While both play the outside linebacker position, they each have different styles of play that contribute to their team's success.
Williams plays on all three levels of the defense for St. John Bosco, playing as edge player, roaming the field as a linebacker and covering ground as a safety. As for Melton, he plays primarily as an outside linebacker that occasionally comes off the edge in pass-rush situations.
Beyond Ohio State's two commitments, the game features Buckeye targets in four-star 2021 wide receiver Beaux Collins (St. John Bosco) and four-star 2021 offensive tackle Landon Tengwall (Good Counsel).
Similar to IMG Academy, St. John Bosco has a very talented and deep roster that makes them one of the best teams in the country. Good Counsel is also talented but does not have the amount of depth as the Braves. Look for both of Ohio State commitments to have big impacts in this primetime high school football game.
LA HABRA HIGH SCHOOL (CALIF.) VS. CALABASAS HIGH SCHOOL (CALIF.)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Clark Phillips III
This matchup might not have the national implications that the previous two game have, but it features Ohio State cornerback commitment Clark Phillips III going up against a team with two top-10 wide receivers in the 2020 class.
Phillips is known for his lockdown coverage at the cornerback position, and that will be tested against Calabasas. Not only are its two wide receivers talented but they also have very different skill sets.
Jermaine Burton, the No. 6 receiver in the class and an LSU commitment, is 6 foot and 190 pounds with great speed that will challenge Phillips all game. The other receiver is Oregon commit Johnny Wilson, the No. 9 receiver in the class. He stands at 6 foot 6 and 225 pounds, which will no doubt present a challenge to the 5-foot-11 Phillips.
These two matchups will go a long way in showing just how talented of a cover man Phillips is.
WHERE WE'LL BE
REVERE HIGH SCHOOL (OHIO) VS. CUYAHOGA VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (OHIO)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Future Buckeyes: Ben Christman
The Revere High School football team is led by four-star 2021 Ohio State offensive tackle commit Ben Christman.
Christman plays on both sides of the ball for his high school team where he excels at left tackle and is a dominant defensive tackle. Revere is 2-0 and CVCA is 1-1.
I will be posting updates of the game in the comment section of this article. I also will be tweeting them out at @MickDWalker.
Five Predictions
- McCord will throw for at least 250 yards and two touchdowns against a talented IMG team.
- All of Ohio State's wide receiver commitments will catch one touchdown.
- Lathan Ransom will get his first interception of the season against NEXT Friday
- Cameron Martinez will once again have more than 200 all-purpose yards.
- Jack Sawyer gets three sacks and breaks double-digits sacks through three games.
