Welcome to The Hurry Up, which runs Sunday through Thursday, serving as your last stop for recruiting news ahind notes nightly. We'll recap the day as it happened and preview the days ahead while keeping our ear to the ground on the Ohio State recruiting scene.
CARLTON DAVIS: STILL UNLIKELY TO BE A BUCKEYE
Yesterday in The Hurry Up I mentioned that Ohio State would be ramping up their chase of Fort Lauderdale's Damon Arnette as word of bad news regarding Carlton Davis' commitment status was coming. As the hour grew late last night, there were reports that perhaps things were not quite as dire as I had made them out to be and that the in-home visit for Thursday night — which I reported was unlikely to happen — was still in fact scheduled. Regardless of the semantics, I still don't think that visit will happen and if it does it's being done as a courtesy to Ohio State rather than as an actual "we'll consider what you're saying" type of deal. Today the Buckeyes visited Arnette, who will visit this Friday and right now they feel better about their odds of landing the South Carolina commitment than they do keeping their own commitment, if that tells you anything.
Bottom line: Davis, barring something incredible happening, is going to Auburn. Ohio State will try and convince Arnette to take his place this weekend.
MIKE WEBER SEES THE KHAKI ASSASSIN
Today's big story involves another big-time Buckeye commitment who has been widely speculated about but rarely heard from. Detroit Cass Tech running back Mike Weber reportedly met Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh today, a meeting that will serve as Harbaugh's "in-home" visit with the country's 9th-ranked tailback. Weber, who spent the weekend in Columbus celebrating Ohio State's national championship, continues to tell Ohio State all the right things privately and says nothing — to anyone — publicly.
Last night, prior to the visit with Weber, Michigan offered Grayslake, Illinois running back Titus Booker, a Wisconsin commitment and three-star back who has since scheduled an official visit to Ann Arbor for this coming weekend. This morning, Michigan offered Shreveport, Louisiana's Orlando Bradford, an Arizona commitment, who immediately said "thanks, but no thanks" to the Maize and Blue. Initially, my thoughts were that perhaps this visit was a last ditch effort by Harbaugh, one where he'd lay out Michigan's final pitch and push for an official visit or a flip, and if Weber still rebuked them, they'd part ways and Michigan would aggressively attempt to flip Booker.
Reports from the Michigan side regarding today's visit with Weber were immediately (and predictably) positive and one well-connected Michigan analyst suggested that Weber would flip to the Wolverines at some point prior to signing day. Ohio State, on the other hand, remains very confident that Weber sticks with the Buckeyes. Again, as Weber is not talking to anyone on the record, everything you hear or read about his decision is mere conjecture from people who are paid to have slanted opinions.
My take, from as unbiased a perspective as I can offer, is that people are assuming Weber will flip to Michigan because he's from Michigan and was committed to the Wolverines. I personally believe that many are underestimating how much Weber likes — and has liked for a long time — the Buckeyes. I've said before that people very close to Weber indicated to me over the summer that Ohio State was his first choice even prior to committing to Michigan, but with Damien Harris looming for the Buckeyes Michigan was the business decision he made in August. I often speak of "head or heart" decisions and usually it's heart that wins out, I just (and now I'm best-guessing based on what I've observed and been told) think that people are reading Weber's decision backwards. No matter how close he is proximity-wise to Michigan, he's closer relationship-wise to the Buckeyes and their coaching staff, which has been a consistent force in his recruitment, an advantage over Michigan's staff.
There are many people saying that because his decision is "difficult" it must mean he's leaning towards Michigan and I vehemently disagree. That's the easy choice. The difficult decision is doing what he feels is best for him and his future when it directly conflicts with advice and urging of friends, family and coaches surrounding him daily. The hard thing to do is to say "no" to everyone telling him what he should with his life. As I read it — and again I could be completely off base — the decision to remain quiet and hear out Michigan fans, coaches and others is to avoid further backlash and pressure leading up to signing day. Maybe he visits Michigan this weekend and gives them another last chance to change his heart, but I'm going down with the ship: Weber sticks with the Buckeyes.
BUCKEYES IN IT FOR BECKNER?
So, from the "Huh, I Didn't Really Expect That" department comes this little tidbit. I talked last night with the head coach at East St. Louis High School, the home of Terry Beckner, Jr. briefly about the defensive tackle's recent official visit. Ohio State accepted a verbal commitment from Pickerington Central's Da'Von Hamilton on Monday evening, and most have assumed that the offer to Hamilton was a reaction to the Buckeyes' perception of their chances with Beckner. After talking to his coach, I'm not saying Ohio State lands the 6-foot-4, 293-pounder, but I am saying there's a chance.
"Yeah, it's real close," his coach said about the Ohio State odds. "(Ohio State) has a lot to offer. (The visit) was a surprise to him, there's nothing like seeing it in person."
Asked how Beckner will make his final decision, his coach said he's advised his star to try to not think about it yet.
"He's just kind of letting it ride," he added. "We told him to not even start thinking about it until Monday."
I still expect Missouri to come out on top for Beckner, but the Buckeyes need at defensive tackle and the time he spent with Justin Hilliard and Jashon Cornell in Columbus did at least make an impact.
ISAIAH PRINCE DISCUSSION AND GUT FEEL
The Isaiah Prince situation does — at the very least — have a conclusion date.
#Rivals100 #Bama OT commit Isaiah Prince will be announcing his final commitment at 9:30am at his school on Signing Day #OSU #UMD
— Adam Friedman (@RivalsFriedman) January 28, 2015
Last night, 'twas Nick Saban and Alabama who made their final pitch to the 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive tackle; likely an effort to convince Prince to reaffirm his verbal commitment from last Friday. He did not do that, and tonight it's Ohio State's turn to sit face-to-face with the Greenbelt, Maryland lineman, where they hope to capitalize on a swell of momentum gained this past weekend when Prince and his family visited Columbus.
After Ed Warinner and Larry Johnson, Sr. leave tonight, the ball flips squarely to the Maryland Terrapins and DMV recruiting extraordinaire Mike Locksley. College Park is spitting distance from home for Prince, and the Terps will get him on campus this weekend, a place he's been a number of times. In the past, recruiting battles in Maryland have rarely going Ohio State's way, and Locksley's presence doesn't help that at all. If Ohio State doesn't seal the deal with Prince tonight, whether privately or publicly, I think Maryland moves into the control position.
