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.
MACK READIES FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE
While the Buckeyes get ready to land in Phoenix for their next challenge, a handful of future Ohio State football players are making final preparations for their next challenge: enrolling in college in two weeks.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, wide receiver Austin Mack is one of those players. Mack, whose recruitment was nicely summed up by Andrew earlier this week, talked with Eleven Warriors about getting ready for the next step.
"I'm very excited about what's coming," Mack said. "I can't wait to get on campus and begin competing for my spot."
With the likely departures of Michael Thomas and Jalin Marshall, the Buckeyes are going to lose a hefty percentage of their receiving yards. Mack, who intends to room with defensive end Jonathon Cooper when he arrives in Columbus, has plans on being in the mix for playing time as a freshman.
"We're gonna make sure we're on task," Mack said of Cooper. "We're going to be doing what we gotta do to be on top this spring."
Mack, the country's 10th-ranked wide receiver, will finish his high school career in the US Army All-American game in San Antonio, then be at Ohio State two days later. From there, he's got a little bit of a break before he'll put the pads back on, but he's already looking ahead to those battles wearing the Scarlet and Gray.
"I'm looking forward to the practices," Mack concluded. "Just being able to compete against the top guys each day and getting myself better."
KEANDRE JONES FEELING OHIO STATE STILL?
Ohio State's pursuit of a second linebacker in the 2016 class continues, even though there's a good chance that it could be Walnut Ridge's Malik Harrison who eventually fills that role. If Harrison surprises and eschews the Buckeyes for Wisconsin or another school, Olney, Maryland's Keandre Jones could be another name worth watching.
The four-star linebacker, the country's eighth-ranked outside backer, has been committed to Maryland for over a year but has continued to entertain conversations with a few other schools, including the Buckeyes. An Under-Armour All-American, Jones has only visited Maryland officially but is considering two other schools for a potential trip: Ohio State and Florida.
Anything familiar about those two schools? Yep, you guessed it, they're the two schools waiting on a potential flip from Maryland commitment Dwayne Haskins.
Jones has been a favorite of the Buckeyes' staff for a while on the field, but rumblings that he had some work to do academically had slowed their pursuit for a while. Now, as signing day approaches and marks have been reviewed, he told 247Sports that Ohio State is one of the schools he talks to most ($).
If Haskins decides on the Buckeyes, don't be shocked if Jones makes a decision about an official visit to Columbus in mid-January.
BRUCE RECRUITMENT LIKELY TO OPEN UP?
Fort Lauderdale (St. Thomas Aquinas) four-star wide receiver Sam Bruce, who visited Ohio State officially in October, has said repeatedly he is likely to open up his recruitment if Miami (where he's been committed since July of 2014) didn't retain wide receivers' coach Kevin Beard.
We'll find out soon if Bruce is serious about that, it appears.
Was just told that Kevin Beard is not expected to return. Bright coaching future for him ahead. He will have opportunities. #Canes
— Peter Ariz (@PeterAriz) December 27, 2015
The Buckeyes, along with Florida (again), have been considered by most as the potential flip spots for Bruce were he to make a move, although the Gators seem to be in the driver's seat for the country's sixth-ranked wideout.
As far as Ohio State goes? The interest in Bruce has been there for a while, but with only a few spots left in their 2016 class I'm not entirely convinced they'd have room for him even if he wanted in, especially with the tides changing for Donnie Corley and their position with Binjimen Victor.
Bottom line? Bruce loves Miami, he loves the idea of staying home and even though Beard was his "guy" on their Hurricanes' staff, Mark Richt isn't going to make staffing decisions based on one recruit, and he shouldn't. I believe the chances that Bruce stays with Miami are greater than the odds he ends up decommitting, but if he does, it's Florida that is probably the winner come signing day.
