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.
BIG TRIP FOR BIG TACKLE
One of the two "surprise" commitments inside of Ohio State's 2017 class, Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) defensive tackle Haskell Garrett, has just arrived in Columbus for the start of his first ever visit to Columbus.
Garrett, who committed to the Buckeyes exactly one week after receiving a scholarship offer, is scheduled to be at Ohio State for upwards of five days. This trip will give him plenty of time to make darn sure Urban Meyer's program is the one he sees as the best fit for his future.
The visit to Columbus comes on the heels of what could be a telling trip to Notre Dame that was made over the weekend. The Fighting Irish were among the early favorites to land the country's fourth-ranked defensive tackle and there is certainly reason to be concerned that his commitment could be on shaky ground because well, logic dictates as such. A Top 100 player, from anywhere but Ohio, who has committed to the Buckeyes this early in the process (especially without a visit) is very likely to be a wild ride.
Notre Dame, as we talked about a few weeks ago, is very likely to be one of the more common potential thorns in a Buckeye recruiting rose garden. The Irish are not only going to be a long-term contender for Garrett, but fellow defensive tackle Jerron Cage is obviously connected to them as well with his brother getting ready to enter his redshirt sophomore year in South Bend.
Brian Kelly's program just received a commitment from another defensive tackle (Pittsburgh Central Catholic's Kurt Hinish, whose teammate and Buckeye offeree David Adams also committed to Notre Dame Monday), but Garrett, Cage and others are certainly going to be on their list moving forward.
OHIO STATE OFFERS 2018 OHIO WIDE RECEIVER
'Tis the season for 2018 offers, apparently.
Days after offering Springfield's Leonard Taylor, Ohio State has reportedly offered Wayne (Huber Heights) star L'Christian "Blue" Smith.
Smith, 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds, is one of Ohio's most explosive athletes regardless of class, starring on the football field and the basketball court for the Warriors. He visited Ohio State twice last season and it's expected that this offer will ramp up his recruitment to the next level.
MALONE-HATCHER WORKING TO SET UP BUCKEYE VISIT
Another big-time 2017 defensive lineman that was in South Bend this past weekend was St. Joseph, Michigan's Corey Malone-Hatcher, the nation's 13th-ranked defensive end.
The Irish, along with Michigan, are the two schools that are most commonly associated with CMH. The Buckeyes and Larry Johnson were among the first to offer, however, the summer after his freshman season. It was Johnson that was among the subjects of a conversation at Notre Dame this weekend according to Orlando Malone, the father of the 6-foot-3, 246-pounder.
"(Haskell Garrett and Corey) hit it off immediately," Mr. Malone said. "Corey's uncle played high school ball with Haskell's dad. They talked about Larry Johnson."
It was not just the pair of prospects that are in talks with the Buckeyes' defensive line coach.
"I've been talking to (Larry) Johnson," Orlando shared. "We'll be there this spring. Just trying to get him back out there."
Malone-Hatcher has been recovering from an ankle injury that slowed down his junior season. He's on his way back to full health according to his father.
"He's doing good. It's time to start making a push to get in shape. He could only lift for a while and he got pretty big," Malone said. "We didn't expect him to muscle up so much. Now I'm going to shave about 20 pounds off him (laughs)."
BLAINE SCOTT RETURNING TO COLUMBUS
Another of Ohio's top 2018 prospects, Portsmouth's Blaine Scott, will make the first of two planned trips to Ohio State this week, Tuesday.
Scott is a former teammate of Buckeye freshman lineman Tyler Gerald at East and the Tartans' staple has been around campus a bit already to see Gerald. He says he hopes this visit shows him a bit more about what Ohio State has to offer him when he's a recruit, not just a friend.
"I have been up with Tyler a few times, but this time I am playing more if the recruit role," Scott told Eleven Warriors. "I am really interested to, of course, talk to and meet Coach Stud, and also see how he coaches. Other then that though I have seen about everything like the facilities and all that good stuff. So it will be interesting (Tuesday)."
Scott is set to be back on Saturday for another Ohio State practice. He's set up these trips through conversations with Ed Warinner and Tim Hinton, but as he said, he's excited to meet new offensive line coach Greg Studrawa in person.
"He knows who I am and is very interested in meeting me," Scott said of Studrawa. "I am very interested in meeting him (Tuesday). I will be going up with Coach, it should be a good day tomorrow. (I'm going back) with my mother Saturday."
