The Hurry Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.
SOONER THAN LATER
One week after calling off a trip to Ohio State because of inclement weather, Cincinnati Winton Woods linebacker Christopher Oats was forced into another audible. This time, though, the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder will miss quite possibly the most-anticipated matchup of the college football season.
“I'm actually not going [to Oklahoma] because my game is in Toledo this Friday,” he told Eleven Warriors.
Oats was set to be an unofficial guest of the Sooners, who offered back in April.
Though he also holds scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State and Nebraska, the 10th-best player in the state and the No. 13 outside linebacker in the Class of 2018 said the Buckeyes maintain a lead in his recruitment.
“Ohio State is still No. 1,” Oats said. “Oklahoma is No. 2, and Michigan State [is] No. 3.”
The Buckeyes will have a chance to cement that status when Oats returns to Ohio Stadium for his rescheduled visit, which he hopes will be Oct. 1 against Rutgers.
PRIME TIME
Ohio State has done a great job in recent years of getting the country's top prospects on campus for the biggest home game on its schedule. Though The Game against Michigan will always be the premier contest, regardless of record, the noon start time — in my opinion — really dilutes the atmosphere.
That's why the Buckeyes' coaching staff looks at the Nov. 5 night game against Nebraska as the prime recruiting opportunity. Bright lights and a possible Top 10 opponent … what better way to impress a recruit that may be on the fence?
Ohio State was one of the first players the recruitment of Calabasas, California, five-star corner Darnay Holmes, offering back in May 2014. He has seemingly fallen off of the radar in recent months thanks to the program's already impressive defensive backfield haul, but the Buckeyes have a chance to get back in the thick of things in early November.
To make things more interesting, Holmes recently altered his official visit schedule to make Ohio State the first stop on his five-week, end-of-season trip.
5-star CB Darnay Holmes is set to make Ohio State his first official visit: https://t.co/cRlau9t0mu
— Tim Moody (@TimLMoody) September 13, 2016
“Darnay is not taking any official visits until November,” his father, Darick, told Scout.com. “We want him to take them when a lot of those games count more.”
Holmes will also visit Michigan, Nebraska, UCLA and USC before making his decision at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January.
TOO MUCH SAUCE
Fans anxious to see Las Vegas, Nevada, Bishop Gorman wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey in action for the first time since he committed to Ohio State last month will finally have their chance on Saturday night.
The five-star prospect broke his collarbone in a preseason game but announced on Twitter Wednesday night that he has been cleared to play against Kahuku, Hawai'i.
Just got the call. T-WAYNE IS CLEARED. #ComingToAFieldNearYou... pic.twitter.com/PiEl4I3Uaq
— T. (@tyjonlindsey) September 15, 2016
We're back... #DynamicDuo pic.twitter.com/TRMObYdTkh
— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) September 15, 2016
Top-ranked Bishop Gorman hasn't needed Lindsey so far this season thanks to the stellar play of Ohio State quarterback commit Tate Martell. The Gaels easily dispatched three nationally ranked opponents by an average score of 42-14.
Bishop Gorman would probably like to ease the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder back into the lineup. But with a matchup against fellow commit Trevon Grimes and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, St. Thomas Aquinas just two weeks away, I'm sure Lindsey and Martell will try to shake off the rust rather quickly.
WADE-ING GAME
Jacksonville, Florida, five-star cornerback Shaun Wade has been committed to Ohio State since January 2015, but has not been shy about his interest in other schools.
That means the Buckeyes pretty much have to pitch themselves all over again despite the fact that Wade is currently occupying one of the in-demand spots in this scholarship-restricted class.
The staff will have one less chance to do so this fall, too, as Wade's father, Randy, told Landof10 his schedule has changed.
“He'll visit for Nebraska,” the elder Wade said. “I have family coming Thanksgiving weekend, so no Michigan [visit].”
The 6-foot-1, 177-pounder was previously set to take two trips to Columbus this fall, officially on Oct. 8 against Indiana and unofficially on Nov. 26 for the highly anticipated matchup with the Wolverines.
“The Ohio State coaches are ready for November,” Randy Wade said. “I'll just leave it at that.”
Wade will take his first official visit this weekend when Notre Dame hosts Michigan State.
