Danny Clark had only just completed his freshman season at Massillon Washington High School when he verbally committed to Ohio State. It was presumed that he would be the only quarterback taken in the Buckeyes' 2017 class, so Clark got a giant Block “O” tattooed on his arm to symbolize the bond that he had forged with the program.
A lot can change in 2 1/2 years, though — especially in the recruiting world — and when five-star quarterback Tate Martell of Las Vegas, Nevada's, Bishop Gorman decommitted from Texas A&M in May, so did Ohio State's quarterback plans.
The Buckeyes' 2017 quarterback room looks to be exceptionally thin and light on experience if you're under the assumption that starter J.T. Barrett forgoes his redshirt senior season, so it only made sense for head coach Urban Meyer to bring in another talented signal caller to compete for the job.
But while a competition between two of the most talented quarterbacks in the country is a dream scenario for any coach, Clark is clearly unhappy that Martell is now considered the face of the class. He's said as much on social media — though it's since been deleted — and it has created a bit of an awkward situation for the two of them.
“I don't care who they bring in,” Clark said after Friday Night Lights. “I don't care if they bring in Joe Namath, Aaron Rodgers. I'm going to come in and compete.”
And with just over six months until national signing day, there's still the possibility that Clark changes his mind.
Todd Sibley, his current teammate at Archbishiop Hoban in Akron, was also once committed to Ohio State. He flipped to Pittsburgh, though, shortly after La Grange, Texas, running back J.K. Dobbins committed to the Buckeyes in March.
Recruiting can be a very fickle business, as schools offer hundreds of prospects each cycle and then urge the players to make an early commitment to lock down a spot.
The only issue, however, is that programs will most likely continue to recruit other players at that position.
If the school finds a prospect whom it feels is a better fit, they may then pull that offer from the already committed player. Though, I'd wager that Ohio State will still take both Clark and Martell when it's all said and done — even if it's only to avoid the backlash that Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh dealt with one year ago.
It's clear that the recruiting process is unpredictable, and it's hard to gauge how a young prospect may fit into what you do as a program. But I don't believe that it's right to tell a recruit you once believed was talented enough to warrant a scholarship offer that you found someone you like better.
If you want to avoid situations where you are stuck with a player who isn't necessarily the caliber of which you'd like to recruit, wait until they've played more than their freshman year of high school before offering them.
