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.
GANT BREAKS DOWN EARLY RECRUITING
One of Ohio's top 2018 prospects has finished his sophomore football season and is now starting to turn his attention towards what's next: recruiting. Toledo St. John's Dallas Gant, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound linebacker with offers from Kentucky and Toledo, made his first trip to Columbus this past weekend and came away feeling good about the Buckeyes.
"My visit was really good," Gant said. "I had fun seeing Ohio State for the first time, talking to the coaches and all that."
Gant, who has visited Michigan State (twice) this season, as well as Notre Dame, said that the Buckeyes, Spartans and Irish all bring something unique to the table.
"All three are great schools," Gant said of his recruiting trips. "Every place is different and unique from the others. Whether it's the way their campus, stadium, or facilities are and looked, but I've enjoyed them all."
As far as the visit with the Buckeyes went, Gant just tried to absorb as much of the trip as he could. Tim Hinton, who recruits Toledo St. John's High School, was one of the few folks he got to spend some time with.
"Like I said, it was my first time going there so everything there was new to me. All of it was outstanding to see," Gant said. "I talked to the coaches for just a little while eating. They just came by and said hello. It was good to see them again."
As one of the state's top 2018 prospect, Gant's scholarship opportunities will increase and he's trying to take everything in stride. Doctors are telling him that he could grow to as tall as 6-foot-5, and so it's hard to project exactly where this road leads him. But, the region's top programs are already swooping in and he says that right now no one school has the upper hand.
"No schools right now stand out," Gant added. "It's just a blessing to be looked at by schools of that level and also to already have received two offers from two very great programs in Toledo and Kentucky."
ALABAMA 2017 BACKFIELD SITUATION AND THE BUCKEYES
Yesterday, Alabama (why are we talking about Alabama Jeremy!!!) received a commitment from Tuscaloosa running back named Brian Robinson.
I would like to announce that I am now officially committed to the University of Alabama. Roll Tide Roll . #205 pic.twitter.com/9ZKBqzBOk3
— Brian Robinson (@BrianR_4) November 10, 2015
Robinson, a 6-foot-1, 213-pound back is the country's 18th-ranked running back and a four-star talent, according to those who judge #teens. So what? Bama got a good player, Jeremy, that's not new.
Ok, ok. Here's the deal, Robinson is the third running back already committed to the Crimson Tide, joining four-star Cam Akers, the country's fifth-ranked running back, and Najee Harris, a five-star ranked as the country's top back. That's a pretty good haul, no?
Ohio State, on the other hand, has one committed running back – four star Todd Sibley, Jr. – and they're certainly looking for another. One name that has regularly been bantered about is Trey Sermon, the fourth-ranked tailback in the nation, but don't sleep on the Buckeyes and Harris. As a California native committed to the Tide, it's obvious he's willing to leave the traditional West Coast footprint and the Buckeyes are among the teams keeping a close eye on him.
Could a third running back commit this early increase the odds of Harris looking around? It's absolutely reasonable to think that and it'd not be a surprise if Ohio State is one of those places he'd decide to make a trek to.
RECRUITING REALITY BITES
So, you want to be recruited and be a big-time college football player because you think it's going to be easy? Think again.
This monologue from Chad Wilson, the father of 2017 defensive back recruit Marco Wilson, who has an offer from Ohio State, and Quincy Wilson, a former Buckeyes' target now playing for the Florida Gators, is pretty eye-opening.
"Your every thought was getting a college football scholarship or what you were going to do when you landed at the school of your choice. Then one day you became a college football player."
What happens next isn't always pretty.
First, that laid back atmosphere that you thought college was, that’s for other students, not you the college football student. You thought leaving mom and dad’s house would bring you freedom, you were wrong. You were just sold to another keeper. This keeper is often meaner, more demanding and more present.
Being a "star" in high school often just means you're a target in college.
You thought you were a college football player and then you saw a muscle bound, fast running redshirt junior playing your position that has not played a snap yet in his college career. You start to wonder if you are good enough to play. You start to wonder if you even like football. My coach doesn’t make it fun, watching from the sidelines isn’t fun and practicing day after day without a moment to come for air is not what I expected.
This is why you see guys flame out, transfer, quit and just walk away. This is why the coddling, the smoke that gets blown up people's derriere's can be so dangerous.
You thought you wanted to be an Ohio St. Buckeye but realize that you would have been in over your head if you had gone there. You can’t even handle things at Northwest Middle State A&M.
Read the full article, it's pretty great.
DEXTER LAWRENCE SETS DECISION DATE, BUCKEYES' OFFICIAL LOOMING
The country's third-ranked 2016 prospect, Wake Forest, North Carolina's Dexter Lawrence, will make his college decision on December 14th, he announced yesterday.
From the News Observer:
Lawrence, one of the nation’s top recruits of 2016 who will make his college decision on Dec. 14, was one of 90 players selected across the country. The game is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2016 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Lawrence is expected to make an official visit to Ohio State the weekend of November 21st. If he does, he could be one of three top-ranked defensive tackles (Antwuan Jackson should be in attendance, Rashard Lawrence may be) on hand for the Buckeyes' biggest home game of the year.
Of the three, Dexter Lawrence is probably the least likely of the group (at least as of today) to be a potential Buckeye, but like we always say "get them on campus and see what happens."
