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.
TROUBLE BREWING?
Alabama's game against Arkansas this weekend has been circled on Ohio State's calendar for several weeks now, as a likely visit from four-star quarterback commit Emory Jones loomed. He's not going to be the only pledge on the sidelines Saturday, though, as he'll be joined by five-star defensive end commit Brenton Cox.
“Yeah, I'm going,” Cox told BamaOnLine. “I'm just looking forward to seeing a good game.”
So, is this reason for Ohio State fans to worry? In short, I wouldn't.
Cox told Eleven Warriors this summer Alabama and Georgia were two of the programs working hardest to flip his pledge, but he wasn't entertaining their overtures. He's always planned to take a few official visits, and he's more so interested in seeing the atmosphere than anything.
“I'm still committed,” Cox continued. “I'm just going.”
That's good new for the Buckeyes, of course, as he'll surely be in Jones' ear all weekend — that is, if he does visit. As far as we're aware (at least before I stepped on my flight to Nebraska at 2:30 p.m.), that was still the plan. We'll see if that happens, though.
CAN'T FALL BEHIND
As it continues to comb the country looking for elite talent, Ohio State offered a scholarship on Thursday night to Cornelius, North Carolina, William Amos Hough four-star cornerback Tyus Fields.
Honored to receive a offer from OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/2NsDh4osBq
— Tyus Fields (@FieldsTyus) October 13, 2017
“It means a lot,” Fields told Eleven Warriors. “I've always watched them play and do big things, and for them to have interest in me is pretty cool.”
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Fields is considered the 17th-best cornerback and No. 224 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he's recorded 109 tackles, six tackles for a loss, five interceptions and one sack in his varsity career with the Huskies. He also plays running back, and has rushed for 329 yards and seven touchdowns on offense.
In addition to Ohio State, Fields also holds offers from Appalachian State, Clemson, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Penn State and Tennessee. He said the offer from the Buckeyes didn't come as a surprise, as he's been in contact with offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and executive director for football relations Tim Hinton for several weeks now.
Fields has never been to Columbus, but hopes to change that sooner rather than later. He's eyeing the Oct. 28 game against Penn State as a potential visit.
“I want to try and make it up to a game this season, but if I can't, I'll go up during the summer,” Fields said.”
FIRST-TEAM ALL-NAME
The staff also extended a scholarship offer on Wednesday evening to Roswell, Georgia, Blessed Trinity Catholic four-star athlete Steele Chambers.
Excited to announce that THE #OhioState is the latest offer for the 6-2, 220-lb @SteeleChambers - RB from Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity pic.twitter.com/TnJHiiDDRX
— Murf D. Baldwin (@MurfBaldwin) October 13, 2017
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Chambers is considered the 33rd-best athlete and No. 330 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he's rushed for 2,320 yards and 32 touchdowns in his two-year varsity career as a running back for the Titans. He's also added 153 tackles, five interceptions and 1.5 sacks as a safety.
Chambers holds more than a dozen offers from programs such as Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Stanford and Tennessee. Some schools are recruiting him as a safety, but most — including Ohio State — have him pegged for running back at the next level.
Chambers hopes to make it to a game in Columbus this season, but the Buckeyes will still have an opportunity to impress even if he doesn't. He is expected to be in attendance when Ohio State travels to Michigan in late November as a guest of the Wolverines.
ON THE DOCKET
They say time flies when you get older. But I'm only 27 years old and feel like it was just Friday yesterday.
How much faster does this thing we call life go?
Anyway, it's now Week Eight in Ohio high school football (Week Nine nationally), and there's another full slate of high school football games this evening.
The biggest game of the weekend involves Emory Jones. Heard County is well-rested after two open weeks, but has a tough battle on its hands with defending state runner-up Callaway. Running back Jaelen Gill, meanwhile, will be sidelined for tonight's game against Westerville North after he reaggravated a hamstring injury last weekend.
Running back Master Teague III remains on the shelf as he rehabs from an ankle injury suffered last month, while offensive tackle Max Wray, defensive tackle Taron Vincent and linebacker Teradja Mitchell all have the week off.
A full list of games:
| name | pos | high school | opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMORY JONES | QB | FRANKLIN (GA) HEARD COUNTY | CALLAWAY (GA) |
| JAELEN GILL | RB | WESTERVILLE (OH) SOUTH | @ WESTERVILLE NORTH (OH) |
| BRIAN SNEAD | RB | SEFFNER (FL) ARMWOOD | @ TAMPA KING (FL) |
| MASTER TEAGUE | RB | MURFREESBORO (TN) BLACKMAN | @ COOKEVILLE (TN) |
| JEREMY RUCKERT | TE | LINDENHURST (NY) | @ WILLIAM FORD (NY) |
| L'CHRISTIAN "BLUE" SMITH | WR | HUBER HEIGHTS (OH) WAYNE | @ FAIRMONT (OH) |
| MATTHEW JONES | OG | BROOKLYN (NY) ERASMUS HALL | @ LINCOLN (NY) |
| MAX WRAY | OT | FRANKLIN (TN) | OPEN |
| BRENTON COX | DE | STOCKBRIDGE (GA) | @ EAGLE'S LANDING (GA) |
| ANTWUAN JACKSON | DT | BRENHAM (TX) BLINN COLLEGE | @ NEW MEXICO MILITARY INSTITUTE (NM) |
| TARON VINCENT | DT | BRADENTON (FL) IMG ACADEMY | OPEN |
| TERADJA MITCHELL | ILB | VIRGINIA BEACH (VA) BISHOP SULLIVAN | OPEN |
| K'VAUGHAN POPE | ILB | DINWIDDIE (VA) | @ MEADOWBROOK (VA) |
| DALLAS GANT | OLB | TOLEDO (OH) ST. JOHN'S JESUIT | @ OREGON CLAY (OH) |
| SEVYN BANKS | CB | ORLANDO (FL) JONES | @ POINCIANA (FL) |
| MARCUS HOOKER | CB | NEW CASTLE (PA) | KNOCH (PA) |
| JOSH PROCTOR | S | OWASSO (OK) | @ SOUTHMOORE (OK) |
| JAIDEN WOODBEY | S | BELLFLOWER (CA) ST. JOHN BOSCO | @ MATER DEI (CA) |
| name | pos | high school | opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOUG NESTER | OT | HUNTINGTON (WV) SPRING VALLEY | RIPLEY (WV) |
I'm currently en route to Nebraska (via Atlanta), so I won't be able to provide any links to games broadcast online until I land. Make sure to follow me on Twitter for updates throughout the evening, though.
And, as always, stay tuned to Eleven Warriors on Sunday morning for the Supreme '18 Tracker, which will recap the weekend's events.
