The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s events with an ear on the ground for what’s next.
EWELL DIGGING BIG TEN
Yesterday's Hurry Up featured two 2017 defensive tackles (Fred Hansard and Aubrey Solomon) and, as noted, there's no doubt that the Buckeyes will be chasing a number of players at that position next year.
One of those players is Darnell Ewell, a Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Virginia) defensive tackle who has a Buckeye offer among his 17.
Last weekend Ewell visited Michigan State and currently lists the Buckeyes as his leader, although the Spartans made a big push with him last week and are now sitting right near the top of his list.
Zach Smith, who is recruiting Ewell, has had great success at Lake Taylor, nabbing both Jalyn Holmes and 2016 commitment Wayne Davis from the Titans' program.
Ewell's 247Sports.com crystal ball reads 100-percent in favor of Ohio State.
He is slated to make his first visit to Ohio State next weekend when the Buckeyes take on Western Michigan.
GRIMES RESTS FOR ANOTHER WEEK
Last week, as the Raiders of St. Thomas Aquinas were throttling Plantation 43-20, five-star 2017 wide receiver Trevon Grimes was taking some time off. After suffering a bone bruise in his foot two weeks ago, the country's top-ranked junior will also miss this weekend's game against Cypress Bay.
His father, Lebron, says that Trevon is handling the injury just fine.
"He missed last week, and he'll be sitting out this week also," Lebron Grimes told Eleven Warriors. "We just want him to take the time to heal and get to 100-percent."
In a Facebook post, Grimes praised the work of the team doctors and the coaches at St. Thomas Aquinas, celebrating their decision to hold his 6-foot-3, 180-pound son out of the upcoming game.
PROUD TO HAVE A COACHING STAFF THAT CARES MORE ABOUT MY SONS HEALTH THEN WINNING A GAME... THIS IS A BIG GAME FOR US.Trevon Grimes IS A WARRIOR BUT SOMETIMES THINKS HE IS INVINCIBLE (WONDER WERE HE GETS THAT FROM)... THANKS TO ALL THE STAFF AND DOCTORS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH HIM TO GET HIM BACK ON THE FIELD!! - Lebron Grimes via Facebook
Trevon wants to get back on the field as soon as possible.
"He's doing better," Grimes added of his son. "He's a competitor and an athlete so it's difficult to keep him from rushing back out there on the field."
PENNSYLVANIA STAR BREAKING RECORDS AND INSPIRING PEOPLE
I know that this space is usually reserved for information pertinent to Ohio State and the Buckeyes' recruiting efforts, but every once in a while I come across something that I feel like I should share regardless.
Meet Kris Silbaugh, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound wide receiver from Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania who reportedly runs a sub-4.45 forty-yard dash. With measurables like that, you'd expect Silbaugh, the all-time leader in receiving yards at Cambridge Springs, to be a national-level recruit with big-name schools hot on his trail.
From USA Today High School Sports:
“I’m pretty confident because of my speed and I just feel like every ball is a catchable ball for me,” said Silbaugh, who also plays volleyball and basketball. “I’ve been getting a few letters from colleges, but I’m just focusing on the season. I just want to help the team in any way that I can.”
What's holding him back? Silbaugh was born with one hand.
“It was just some sort of birth defect,” Silbaugh said. “Nothing was wrong. It has never stopped me. I just don’t let it; never have.”
Be clear: Silbaugh isn’t “good for a guy with one hand” he’s downright dominant.
Last Friday, Silbaugh became Cambridge Springs’ all-time receiving yards (915) leader when he snagged a 43-yard touchdown catch during a 63-0 win over Saegertown (Saegertown, Pa.).
Far too often people are looking for excuses for not succeeding, not stepping up and giving something their all. For Silbaugh, it's just not in his DNA. He wanted to play the game he loved and he wanted to be viewed no different than anyone he lines up against.
“I never wanted anyone to pity me,” Silbaugh said. “I hate that feeling.”
Instead, the pent-up feelings created a football-sized chip smack-dab on his shoulder and by freshman year the desire to suit up outweighed the discomfort.
“I knew I wanted to be a receiver, but I didn’t know how everyone would react when I tried out,” Silbaugh said...
It didn’t take long for Silbaugh to transition from being the “one-handed player you’ve just gotta see” to being the player you’d better focus on stopping.
“It went from the guys being excited to see if he could actually do something to them counting on him to make plays...It’s just amazing to see what he’s able to do. He makes catches that you wouldn’t believe.
If you're a parent, or a coach, or if just need a little inspiration in your day today, look no further.
This is a kid worth rooting for.
RECRUITS BE ADVISED: YOU'RE BEING WATCHED
While we're off on a tangent tonight, I'm going to keep going. I mean, how many times can we talk about Binjimen Victor and Antwuan Jackson anyway?
We all know that Twitter is an excellent, life-changing tool when used correctly. Of course, it's also a potentially life-changing tool when used incorrectly, as many athletes have found out over the last few years. Ignorant comments, tasteless videos and reckless language have cost kids scholarships multiple times. The new coaching staff at SMU, led by former Clemson coordinator Chad Morris, is taking their attack on misguided social media behavior to a higher level and showing kids exactly how closely they're being watched.
We have a team of people who monitor what recruits are putting on social media. Watch what you tweet and retweet. pic.twitter.com/MNjrwSbuEd
— SMU Coach Van Malone (@SMUCoachMalone) September 16, 2015
What's interesting in exactly how detailed this report is. For the most part, this particular recruit was aces, but there are still concerns near the top of the document.
What do you think? Is this a good investment by a college football program or is it just spending time, money and resources in an unnecessary way? When you consider the amount of money spent recruiting, developing and training each athlete you bring on board, is it worth it to make sure that they are cognizant of how their behavior reflects on the entirety of the football program?
