Welcome to The Hurry Up, which runs Sunday through Thursday, serving as your last stop for recruiting news and 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.
TONY BUTLER LATEST
The decision on whether or not Tony Butler receives a scholarship offer soon from Ohio State is close to being made. The 6-foot-2 defensive back from Lakewood St. Edward was visited by Ohio State's Chris Ash last Thursday and the Buckeyes are still in the process of how to best proceed recruiting him. Butler, committed to Pittsburgh and recently offered by Michigan, should know by Wednesday if there's a Buckeye offer with his name on it, according to a conversation I had with the country's 56th-ranked cornerback last night.
If an offer were to come for Butler this week, it'd be wise to expect a quick turnaround on his part, decision-wise. The Buckeyes could hold off this week and hope to convince him to make a camp visit in June, but something tells me that if an offer doesn't happen, he may end up accepting Michigan's offer. That would – for all intents and purposes – end the dalliance between he and Ohio State.
AUSTIN ANDREWS/KENNEY LYKE
What's the hold up on Butler from Ohio State's point of view? It could be the continuing saga with Columbus athlete Austin Andrews and Fremd, Illinois defensive back Kenney Lyke, each of whom is expecting to see the Buckeyes in the halls of their school this week.
Andrews and Lyke, similarly to Butler, are waiting to find out if the Buckeyes are willing/ready to extend an offer without requiring/asking for a camp appearance in June. From Ohio State's side, the Buckeyes would prefer to see each player they offer in camp, but as the recruiting calendar speeds up – and teams like Michigan State wait patiently for a decision from Andrews and Lyke – Urban Meyer's hand may be forced a bit offer-wise.
Lyke named his top five schools last night, and the Buckeyes were in the mix.
This is my Top Five! pic.twitter.com/zdtIIqQpL3
— Kenney Lyke (@Kenney_Trill14) April 27, 2015
Chris Ash is expected in Illinois on Wednesday, but I don't get the feeling that Lyke is necessarily in a hurry to decide, so there's a chance that if the Buckeyes don't offer him this week that they could still get him in camp in early June.
For Andrews, things are a bit different. If Ohio State doesn't offer this week, expect the local product to choose Michigan State soon thereafter and make his longterm recruitment that much more difficult.
MEET PARIS FORD
One of the standouts this weekend at the Rivals Camp Series Cleveland stop was 2017 Pittsburgh defensive back Paris Ford. At 6-foot-tall and 175-pounds, Ford has eight offers currently but says the Buckeyes are one he's waiting for.
"I like Ohio State a lot," Ford told Eleven Warriors. "They've always been in my top three."
Pittsburgh and Penn State are also in Ford's top three, but he also has offers from Auburn, Michigan and others. He grew up, he said, rooting for Ohio State's success because of Terrelle Pryor, who was from his area.
"I've talked to (Luke) Fickell twice," Ford said. "I hope they offer soon. I love the winning atmosphere around their program."
With Shaun Wade and Marcus Williamson already in the mix for 2017, Ford and another Pittsburgh area standout – Clairton's Lamont Wade – are definitely names to look for down the road.
2018 QUARTERBACK LOVES OHIO STATE
With Tristen Wallace in the bag for 2016 and Danny Clark committed for 2017, it could be time for the Buckeyes to turn their quarterback recruiting attention to 2018...yes, 2018. Hours after Wallace committed, Ohio State offered 2018 Florida star Joey Gatewood, a 6-foot-3, 208-pounder from Jacksonville. While Gatewood is likely to end up at Florida State (and that commitment could happen soon) the Buckeyes are definitely in contention for another 2018 quarterback, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) freshman Dorian Thompson.
Last night, Thompson – getting way head of his recruitment – tweeted his top five schools, disguised as a top three. What's clear is that he likes Ohio State.
Top 3 (in order) Ohio State Arizona/ AZ State USC/ UCLA
— Dorian Thompson (@doriannn__) April 27, 2015
Thompson told 11W that his family has some roots to Ohio and that's one of the reasons he's long held the Buckeyes in such high regard.
"My mom's side of the family is all living in Columbus, I go there to visit my uncle like once a year," Thompson said. "They've always been 'my school.' Plus, with their success and the offense. Everything Ohio State runs, I run right now at Bishop Gorman just about. The whole spread concept I've been running my whole life. That's part of the reason they're number one right now."
At 6-foot-2 and 170-pounds currently, Thompson said he expects to grow to at least 6-foot-5. He says he models his game after Braxton Miller, a style that may not be well suited for his future frame. He wants to keep growing his game, and recognizes that the two players he tries to emulate appear to be quite a juxtaposition.
"I try to model my game – throwing wise – after Tom Brady," he said. "But overall style of play, like Braxton (Miller). When I get bigger I might have to tweak my running style a bit. Brady did go to Michigan, though, so I have to keep that on the low, for sure (laughs)."
Thompson does not yet have any offers, but says he's hearing from a number of schools. Playing at Bishop Gorman means having very talented upperclassmen ahead of him on the depth chart, so his time may not come at the varsity level for another two years. In the meantime, he says he plans to get back to Columbus for a camp with the Buckeyes this summer.
"I'm most likely taking a visit (to Ohio State) this summer," Thompson said of his next trip to Ohio. "I may try and camp there if it doesn't interfere with my high school team. My mom is trying to get everything situated so I can get in front of them face-to-face as soon as possible."
