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.
WALLACE BOUNCING BACK FROM ROUGH START
After a few rough weeks to start the season, things seem to be getting straightened out for Tristen Wallace, even if the DeSoto Eagles are still struggling to live up to their lofty preseason expectations.
Last night, Wallace racked up 362 yards of total offense (260 passing, 102 rushing on 17 carries) and two scores. Still, it wasn't enough to overcome a 35-21 third quarter deficit and DeSoto lost 35-33 to Steele (Cibolo, Texas), falling to 1-3 on the year. If you were able to watch any of the Eagles' season opener against Martin (Arlington), the reports from the field should be familiar.
From Scout.com:
The Steele defensive line led by Mark Jackson and Joshua Croslen harassed DeSoto QB Tristen Wallace all night and didn’t allow DeSoto a chance to get much rhythm offensively.
Wallace is understandably frustrated, but trying to maintain his optimism.
"I'm doing good," Wallace said of the slow start. "It's not how you start, it's how you finish."
BARROW FINALIZES EARLY-ENROLLMENT PLANS
In case you missed it earlier this afternoon, Ohio State 2016 commitment Malik Barrow, a four-star defensive tackle from Tampa, has officially been welcomed by the Buckeye coaching staff and has signed his midyear financial agreement.
Barrow is the fourth 2016 commitment to make the plunge and do the paperwork to enroll early at Ohio State in January, joining Austin Mack, Tuf Borland and Jonathon Cooper in doing so.
Earlier in the week, we had the unfortunate news that Barrow, who had quickly risen in the national recruiting rankings thanks to two huge games to start the season, suffered a leg injury and would miss the rest of his senior season. His father Malcolm talked then to 11W about the process.
"He is doing relatively well," Malcolm Barrow told 11W. "He just wants to heal up and get his grades right so he can graduate in December as planned."
IMG CONTINUES TO CATCH PEOPLE'S ATTENTION
This week, the juggernaut that is the IMG Academy's "prep" football team is headed to New Jersey where they'll take on Bergen Catholic and Tennessee commitment Jarrett Guarantano. Last week, the Ascenders steamrolled Ohio State commitment Bruce Judson and the Cocoa Tigers 49-7, dominating the nationally-ranked Tigers on all fronts.
John Wilkinson, Cocoa's head coach, knew what he and his team were up against and he welcomed the challenge.
From NorthJersey.com:
“They’re technically a high school team, but they’re really not a high school team,” Wilkinson said of the Ascenders, who will face No. 1 Bergen Catholic on Saturday in Oradell. “It is what it is. They’re basically an academy for kids getting ready for college. They’re just a different bird.
“They’ve got 25 guys on [ESPN.com’s recruiting rankings]. We’ve got three. They should be able to do what they did.”
Others aren't taking such a laissez-faire attitude towards IMG.
“Enough of calling IMG Academy a high school team,” FloridaHSFootball, a high school football news website, tweeted on Sept. 11 following IMG’s win over Cocoa. “They are just an All-Star team. Pure embarrassment to high school football.”
IMG's opponent this weekend, Bergen Catholic, is looking at this game as an opportunity to see where they stand against the country's largest collection of high school football talent.
But never one to back down from any team, Bergen Catholic coach Nunzio Campanile sees Saturday as a great opportunity. It will represent, perhaps, the sixth-year coach’s biggest challenge to date.
“Do I consider them a traditional high school? No, I don’t,” Campanile said. “The more I’ve thought about it, I can’t say I really like their motto. But I understand what they’re doing. They’re a specialized school preparing kids in a different way than the rest of us.”
IMG isn't cheap, and to some the idea that the school offers "assistance" to football players belies the mission of a high school football program.
Tuition for the private institution is $70,800 for the 2015-16 school year, according to its website, with additional fees sometimes adding another $10,000. IMG offers financial aid – considered scholarships by many – to its top incoming athletes.
Some have called it a sports business masquerading as a high school.
I personally find myself on the fence a bit towards IMG. All schools have a responsibility to prepare their students for the next stage of their life, right? Does the way IMG handles their business bother you?
TWITTER DESIGNER, MICHIGAN WEAPON?
Fans aren't supposed to tweet recruits; we all know that, yes? The Buckeyes' compliance team certainly wants you to know it.
Buckeye Fans: Please do not tweet @ prospects. Leave the recruiting to the coaches! pic.twitter.com/XfuCsibIa3
— OSU Compliance (@OSUCompliance) July 30, 2015
Of course, the rules about fans tweeting at recruits are loosely enforced and as of yet there's been no real repercussions from the NCAA about anyone doing so. Still, the general rule of thumb remains: don't tweet at prospects.
Some in the world of Twitter-fandom have developed a growing legacy for doing exactly what the compliance departments across the country would prefer they not. Take the example of Clay Williams, a 15-year-old from Columbus who has provided a number of recruits with photo edits and received subsequent "shout-outs" from the prospects for doing so.
Week 2 lets get it ! #Lu S/O to my guy @Claywill3_ for the edit pic.twitter.com/vPJPBEjRiq
— Austin Mack (@Austin_Mack10) August 27, 2015
What makes this teenager's story unique? He's a teenager in Columbus, who roots for Michigan, and in at least a roundabout way, his method of gaining recruits' trust by bartering artwork is endorsed by the coaching staff at the University of Michigan.
From Cleveland.com:
Among the 700 people who follow Clay are Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, assistant coach Jay Harbaugh and director of player personnel Chris Partridge. Jim Harbaugh has 308,000 followers and he only follows 386 people. One of them is Clay.
Also following Clay are Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and Rutgers recruiting staffer E.J. Barthel, who reached out to Clay in the past. Countless recruits with whom Clay has a relationship are also following.
As you dive into Ari Wasserman's well-written story, it's hard not to notice a number of photos with Michigan dignitaries, including Jim Harbaugh himself. Some of those photos coincide with camps in Ann Arbor, but is Michigan walking a thin line by, in any way, endorsing what is clearly a violation, even if it's an admittedly tepid one?
VICTOR SETS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT
Ohio State 2016 wide receiver target Binjimen Victor has set his first official visit.
Will be in Morgantown WV next weekend for my 1st Official visit Vs Maryland
— BVIC #9 (@BinjimenVictor) September 18, 2015
The 6-foot-4, 175-pounder has, before this announcement, stated that Ohio State and Tennessee would receive official visits, but he'd not made any decisions on which other schools he'd check out. Right now, it's likely that Victor's next trip to Columbus will be in late November, probably for the Michigan State game on November 21st.
