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.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LISTENING AND CONSIDERING
One year ago, Emory Jones could have watched as Tate Martell and Danny Clark took center stage at Friday Night Lights. The two were both committed to Ohio State, and most of the conversation revolved around how long Clark would remain in the fold with the highly touted Martell breathing down his neck.
But Jones, who was undecided at the time, stepped up and staked his claim to why he should be the Buckeyes' quarterback for the future. He pledged his services to the staff just a few days later.
Fast forward a year, and the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Jones has all eyes on him. He was in a groove, finding receivers in stride and in the end zone, in what should be his home stadium next year.
"I was just coming out here, trying to have fun, get completions and see how it feels to play in this stadium," Jones told reporters gathered after the event. "I think I did good. This time coming up here, they're kind of coaching [like I'm] a player who's learning the offense."
The mood of the interview session following the event quickly shifted when Jones was asked about a reportedly clandestine trip to Alabama last weekend. He, of course, continues to be recruited pretty hard by the Crimson Tide, among a host of other schools. He acknowledged he's listening to what they have to offer, but that doesn't mean he's looking to switch his pledge.
"I mean, if I were considering it, I'd probably go up there two more times," Jones said, referring to an official and another unofficial visit sometime throughout the season. "But I'm just listening to them and letting them talk."
The Buckeyes are certainly not thrilled that Jones continues to look around, but understand so long as he is honest in his intentions and continues to communicate with the staff. I mean, it's only natural for there to be some second-guessing for a kid who made his decision ahead of his junior season.
"[I'm] just making sure this is the right place for me," Jones said. "I never really had the chance to go on visits before I committed, so I feel like I need the chance to do that."
Jones planned to visit Florida this fall, too, but that was before California four-star quarterback Matt Corral committed to the Gators this weekend following their own rendition of Friday Night Lights. Even so, he said there's no reason to fret.
"I'm still committed. I'm still a Buckeye, so there's nothing to worry about right now."
Jones, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last fall, has been both stellar and inconsistent at times on the camp circuit this spring. He earned an invitation to the Elite 11 Finals, but missed out on joining eight other Buckeye pledges at The Opening Finals earlier this month.
"When I went to Los Angeles, I felt like I did everything I could to earn my spot at The Opening, but some things don't work out that way," Jones said. "But I felt like I did everything I could."
Rather than sulk, Jones is now just focused on getting healthy for his senior season and leading the Braves to the playoffs one last time.
"I think I'm 95 percent now," he said. "I'm still working on shoulder exercises to get my shoulder stronger."
YOU'RE MY BOY, BLUE
Jones seemed to be creating quite the rapport in drills with Huber Heights Wayne four-star wide receiver L'Christian "Blue" Smith, who returned to campus for the first time since he called Ohio State "the place to be" during a one-day camp in mid-June.
"Just having fun with some of the top guys in the country and in the state," Smith said. "It was a fun day, and I learned a lot from coach [Zach] Smith."
The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Smith wasn't able to spend a lot of time with coaches this weekend, as he had a 7-versus-7 tournament at Dublin Coffman on Saturday. Most commits and top targets stayed on campus through the weekend, so he planned to talk with head coach Urban Meyer on the phone instead.
That's especially important, too, given Smith is coming off a visit last weekend to Kentucky.
"It was good. It just kind of cemented more of what they want from me," Smith said of the trip to Lexington. "I could go down there and be a big-time player. That's what they're telling me, and I believe that. Anywhere I go, though, I feel like I can be a big-time player as long as I put in the work."
The Buckeyes and Wildcats have long been considered the favorites for Smith, who plans to make a decision on his future ahead of Wayne’s season opener at Pine-Richland of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, Aug. 27 on ESPN.
"I'm praying on it every night. I'm talking to my close friends, my family and everyone. I've spent a lot of time thinking about it," Smith said. "It's going to be one of the biggest decisions I'm ever going to make. This is my future, and I get to pick it. I think about it all the time."
The two programs have made quite the impression on Smith, and he admits he hasn't made a decision just yet.
"Down at Kentucky, it's a family. It's a family here, too, but you kind of get that business sense. They're about winning, putting players in the league and making players the best people they possibly can," Smith said. "It's a lot of aspects I have to look at before I make a decision."
JUST ANOTHER FACE IN THE CROWD
Just one week after he included Ohio State in his Top 5 alongside LSU, Oregon, Penn State and Texas, Houston Heights four-star cornerback Jalen Green pledged his services to the Longhorns.
The 6-foot, 171-pound Green is considered the ninth-best cornerback and No. 53 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He played with eight future Buckeyes on Team Vapor Speed at The Opening earlier this month, and trailed only cornerback commit Sevyn Banks with six interceptions at the event.
Ohio State offered Green a scholarship in late May, but he never to make it to campus. Texas made him a priority from the very beginning of his recruitment — he's been to Austin several times and is close friends with a number of Texas commits.
It's not a huge loss for the Buckeyes, who remain among the favorite for five-star cornerbacks Anthony Cook and Tyson Campbell.
