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.
VICTOR WILL NOT VISIT FLORIDA THIS WEEKEND
This past summer, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Coconut Creek, Florida 2016 wide receiver Binjimen Victor would commit to the Florida Gators. Fortunately for Ohio State and other schools still chasing the 6-foot-4, 175-pounder, a couple of visits in mid-June–including one with the Buckeyes–gave him pause and he backed off his decision.
Since then, Victor has been low-key and–while maintaining he has no leaders publicly–his focus seems to have narrowed to a small group of schools: Ohio State, Tennessee, Florida, West Virginia and Southern Cal among them. He's visited two schools officially (West Virginia and Ohio State) and was slated to visit Florida this weekend for their showdown with Florida State but will not be making that trip.
While Florida's chances with Victor seemingly continue to wane, it'd be unwise to completely write off the Gators. Jim McElwain's staff is hosting a number of the hottest recruits in the country this weekend and according to Florida folks it was their call to move Victor's official visit–if he makes one–to a later date, perhaps in January.
My prediction has been Ohio State for a while now and I'll leave it there, but don't be surprised if Victor makes a late official visit to Gainesville after he's committed elsewhere.
FINAL TRIP FOR JACKSON?
The final countdown in the recruitment of Ellenwood, Georgia defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson has begun been going since the summer, but this weekend may very well prove to be the final trip for the country's 9th-ranked defensive tackle before a decision is made.
Jackson was slated to return to Auburn to watch the Tigers take on Alabama in the Iron Bowl, clearly the biggest game of the year in Auburn and one of the country's biggest rivalries, but instead will travel to Florida for an official visit with the Gators as they host Florida State. Jackson made his official visit to Ohio State last weekend and has visited Gus Malzahn's program so many times he could give tours to the other players the Tigers are hosting, so whether or not he makes an official to Auburn (tentatively scheduled for December 11th) remains to be seen.
It's Jackson himself who has spurred the discussion of a potential decision coming soon, so it's going to be interesting to see how this weekend's trip, immediately on the heels of his visit to Ohio State, shapes things. The Buckeyes will have an in-home visit with the 6-foot-2, 285-pounder as soon as possible, but the decision between Ohio State and Auburn seems to be nearing its conclusion.
One thing to watch is whether or not the Florida visit–which appears to be kind of out of the blue–forces even more postponement from the Jackson side of things.
Something to note: four-star Georgia prospect Michail Carter is a late addition to Auburn's huge recruiting weekend. The Tigers have no shortage of interested defensive lineman on hand.
MORRIS EARNS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
One of Ohio's more intriguing and versatile 2016 prospects, Akron Archbishop Hoban's Jonah Morris, was named the Akron Beacon-Journal Player of the Year. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Morris, who recently decommitted from Michigan State so that he could make sure he was making the right college choice, has been a playmaker for the Knights all season long.
“Jonah has finally realized his own potential this year as a football player,” Hoban coach Tim Tyrrell said. “You saw it at certain times last year where he knew he was good, but I don’t think he completely understood he could take over a game on either side of the football. That has been the progression this year. He has had a lot of big games.”
Morris told Eleven Warriors two weeks ago that he's not had much contact with Ohio State since re-opening his recruitment, but he remains a player to watch as December and January reveal the need for new names on the big board.
Right now, it appears that Notre Dame has the inside track for Morris and as long as they're willing to take him, it may not matter if Ohio State tries to get back in the mix. In October, while he was committed to Michigan State, I caught Morris wearing Ohio State gloves during one of the Knights' football games.
And here's video of #MichiganState commit Jonah Morris wearing #Buckeyes gloves tonight... pic.twitter.com/JH0cyPF4rt
— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) October 11, 2015
Maybe his heart is in Columbus? We'll see if the Buckeyes come calling, especially if they strike out with Daelin Hayes.
CORLEY SAVES KING
Detroit Martin Luther King took on Lowell today in the Division 2 state championship in Michigan.
Trailing 38-34 with :02 seconds left in the game, King needed a miracle and Buckeyes' target Donnie Corley helped deliver it.
UNBELIEVABLE. Detroit King wins the Division 2 state title on a Hail Mary. Went 97 yards in 38 seconds. pic.twitter.com/hykmmtnTQt
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) November 27, 2015
That's a pretty insane way to end your high school football career.
