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.
TIME TO MAKE A PUSH
One of Ohio State's top remaining targets, Blairstown, New Jersey, Blair Academy four-star defensive end Jayson Oweh, told Eleven Warriors on Wednesday morning he'll take his official visit to Ohio State for this weekend's game against Oklahoma.
The 6-foot-5, 236-pound Oweh — who is considered the seventh-best strong-side defensive end and No. 158 prospect overall in the Class of 2018 — was last on campus for Friday Night Lights in late-July, during which he got individualized attention from defensive line coach Larry Johnson while his mom spent close to an hour chatting with defensive coordinator Greg Schinao.
“It was very reassuring,” Oweh said of the full-court press. “Makes you feel like you're doing something right. They were just telling me that my ceiling is higher than any other defensive end in the country and that with coach Johnson's coaching, not only can I be the best in the country, but the class that I'd be coming in with could be the best of all time.”
Oweh initally planned to make a decision shortly after his visit for Friday Night Lights, which was immediately preceded by trips to Penn State for the Lasch Basch and Notre Dame for the Irish Invasion. He's pushed back that timeline, though, and will instead announce at the Under Armour All-America Game on Jan. 4, 2018.
“I just felt like it was best to see how these teams did this season,” Oweh said. “Just more time to evaluate, basically.”
Oweh has long mentioned the desire to see how patient coaches are with his learning curve and his recruitment in general. This fits that mindset.
“Exactly,” he said.
Notre Dame and Penn State are undoubtedly using Ohio State's desire to land Oweh and fellow highly sought-after defensive ends Brenton Cox, Micah Parsons and Tyreke Smith against the Buckeyes. But that'll have no impact on Oweh's decision.
“[It] doesn't matter,” he said. “I worked out with Brenton and Micah at Friday Night Lights and I'm confident I can compete.”
NOT GIVING THEM A CHANCE
When Ohio State landed a commitment at halftime of the Spring Game from four-star safety Josh Proctor, Oklahoma held 100 percent of 247Sports' Crystal Ball predicitons. After all, Owasso — his hometown — is only 136 miles from the Sooners' campus.
Teammates, classmates, teachers and coaches have since tried to nudge Proctor toward staying home, but he remains entirely committed to the Buckeyes in spite of that.
“One hundred percent,” Proctor told the Tulsa World when asked about his pledge. “One hundred and ten percent.”
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Proctor will return to campus for this weekend's game, convieniently against Oklahoma. This will be his first time on campus since Friday Night Lights, shortly after which he announced he was shutting down his recruitment and would not visit other schools — just says ahead of the Sooners' annual recruiting barbecue.
Even so, Oklahoma continues to pursue Proctor, just as you would expect Ohio State to do for a top in-state prospect if he were committed elsewhere. And with the looming matchup between the Buckeyes and Sooners just days away, head coach Urban Meyer was asked about Proctor's recruitment during his weekly teleconference on Tuesday.
Of course, the question was not specifically about Proctor because of NCAA rules, but danced around the idea that Meyer and the Buckeyes had to recruit him harder because of their opponent this weekend.
“I know exactly where you are headed and the answer is yes, you have to be all over him,” Meyer said. “You have to certainly recruit guys very hard, especially if they are from a state that's not traditional. If we want you and you are committed to us, we recruit you like you're uncommitted.”
MUMMY MYSTERY
Ohio State will welcome a somewhat unexpected visitor for Saturday's game against Oklahoma, as Land of 10's Jeremy Birmingham reported Thomson, Georgia, four-star cornerback Christian Tutt will be on campus for the first time since last season's 62-3 shellacking of Nebraska.
“I talk to them every other day on the phone or text,” Tutt said. “I talk to [assistant coordinator Kerry] Coombs, Schiano and Meyer. They tell me I’m a top priority.”
I say unexpected because the 5-foot-11, 193-pound Tutt was supposed to make his college decision on May 30 to honor his late brother, Chris, who passed away in a single-car accident in June 2016. He changed his mind, though, as that day — which would have been Chris' 21st birthday — was already difficult enough for his family.
Tutt, the 23rd-best cornerback and No. 216 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, had previously narrowed down his choices to Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Nebraska, Ohio State and Texas. And it's widely assumed the Crimson Tide or Seminoles would have been the choice had he made his decision in late May.
The Cornhuskers have surged into the lead following their rendition of Friday Night Lights, however.
As Ohio State continues to court five-stars Anthony Cook and Tyson Campbell, it's hard to see where Tutt fits into the Buckeyes' plans. If both fall through, though, expect the staff to go all-out for Tutt or IMG Academy four-star Houston Griffith.
KEEP IT LOCAL
As you know, Sept. 1 marked the first day college coaches could contact prospects from the Class of 2019. And among those to whom the staff reached out, Reynoldsburg three-star linebacker Dezman Cooper.
“I have been receiving direct messages [on Twitter] from their Ohio State football account daily,” Cooper told Eleven Warriors. “Direct messaged [assistant linebackers coach] Ryan Crow after I sent him my Hudl film, and coach [Kevin] Wilson has texted me.”
The 6-foot-2, 215-poun Cooper is considered the 18th-best prospect in the state and No. 37 outside linebacker in the country, but has anchored Reynoldsburg's stout defense this fall — he's recorded 13 solo tackles, seven tackles for a loss and one quarterback hurry while the Raiders have allowed only 6.5 points per game.
So far this month, Cooper has heard from Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Virginia and Wake Forest, among a handful of other small schools. But growing up an Ohio State fan, there's nothing more he'd love than to play for the Buckeyes.
Cooper has the size and speed of a prototypical outside linebacker. So here's to hoping the staff gives him a serious look.
