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.
ABOUT TIME
Ohio State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ryan Day was in Michigan on Thursday morning to check on a pair of quarterbacks.
He first stopped by Walled Lake to watch Western three-star Sam Johnson throw and then traveled to Oak Park to see Michigan State four-star commit Dwan Mathis, whom he then offered a scholarship.
Blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State University pic.twitter.com/ynnlEvslsy
— WANNYLIVE5 (@DwanMathis) May 3, 2018
The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Mathis is considered the 11th-best dual-threat quarterback and No. 262 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, but was without a doubt the most impressive quarterback at the Buckeyes’ one-day camp last June and at Friday Night Lights one month later — a group that included former four-star commit Emory Jones, Ole Miss four-star pledge Grant Tisdale and Arizona four-star Jack Miller II.
Despite those strong performances, Mathis left Columbus both times without an offer. He then committed to the Spartans in September.
Communication between the two sides dropped off considerably after that, as Ohio State focused most of its attention on trying to hold onto the aforementioned Jones and finding his replacement, Matthew Baldwin, late in the last cycle. But with Day leaving no stone unturned in the staff’s search for a quarterback this year, the Buckeyes finally made their play for Mathis.
The offer comes as a bit of a surprise following last weekends’s home-run official visit from Houston St. Pius X four-star quarterback Grant Gunnell. But it’s clear the staff has learned not to put all of its eggs in one basket after they went all in on Deshaun Watson in 2014, only to have to scramble to find a quarterback after he committed to Clemson.
Mathis is the 13th quarterback to receive an offer from Ohio State, but only Gunnell; California four-star Jayden Daniels; Oregon four-star Michael Johnson Jr.; and Colorado three-star Luke McCaffrey remain uncommitted. The list of backup options if Gunnell doesn’t pick the Buckeyes in June — as is widely expected — is slim to none, especially given Johnson is the only one who’s been to campus and told Eleven Warriors he hasn’t talked to the staff in months.
If it came down to flipping a quarterback late in the process, Day and head coach Urban Meyer would certainly feel most comfortable trying to land Mathis.
That said, Mathis told Eleven Warriors that Ohio State’s offer has no impact on his commitment to Michigan State — he actually tweeted earlier in the week he’s “1000 percent” with the Spartans. However, he did leave the door open for a visit to Columbus this fall.
Another — and the most likely — reason for Thursday’s offer is that Buckeyes may look to take two quarterbacks this cycle, depending on what happens within the current quarterback room.
If Dwayne Haskins wins the job and Joe Burrow transfers, then Haskins sets the world on fire and declares for the NFL Draft following a stellar redshirt sophomore season, the Buckeyes could be left with just two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster following the 2018 season in the above-mentioned Baldwin and redshirt freshman Tate Martell.
Bringing on two quarterbacks would be a necessity in that situation, which is why Day has also kept tabs on Kettering Archbishop Alter three-star Connor Bazelak and Florida three-stars Brian Maurer and Hayden Wolff, among others.
OOZING WITH POTENTIAL
Ohio State offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Kevin Wilson, meanwhile, was in Dayton on Thursday afternoon, at which time he offered a scholarship to Dunbar three-star offensive tackle Jonathan Allen.
The news was first reported by Land of 10's Ryan Donnelly and since confirmed by Eleven Warriors.
Ohio State has offered 2019 Dayton Dunbar tackle Jonathan Allen, Dunbar head coach Darran Powell has informed Land of 10.
— Ryan Donnelly (@L10Ryan) May 3, 2018
The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Allen is considered the 43rd-best offensive tackle and No. 460 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, but holds more than a dozen offers from programs such as Cincinnati, Iowa, Louisville, Michigan State, Syracuse, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Not bad for someone who put on a helmet for the first time just two week prior to last season — and then went out and earned first-team all-district honors while leading the Wolverines to the second round of the state playoffs.
“Even though he’s real raw, they see the potential,” Dunbar head coach Darran Powell told Eleven Warriors. “It was a little rough for him at first, but he’s a smart kid. He has a 3.5 grade-point average, so it was easy for him to learn. Once he got it, the technique and everything else just came naturally.
“He’s just naturally talented, and to be his size and move like he’s 250 pounds… He latches on, finishing guys 10 yards down field,” the coach continued. “His IQ is one of the best things about him. Despite being a first-year player, he’d come to the sidelines calling out plays and making adjustments. He did great things for us last year. It was a blessing to have him. He’s still raw, but has a lot of upside.”
Allen visited campus for the first time for the Buckeyes’ Junior Day back in early February and then again in March, but plans to return following the Rivals adizero camp in Hilliard on Sunday. I don’t think he commits this weekend, but I agree with his coach’s assessment and believe he’ll end up with Ohio State sooner rather than later.
NEED ANOTHER JOHN(NIE) DIXON
In other news, Tampa Chamberlain three-star cornerback John Dixon included Ohio State in his Top 5 on Wednesday night alongside Alabama, Miami, Penn State and South Carolina.
#top5 no order. Bringing this process to an end soon pic.twitter.com/eno3ULMqtg
— JDixon$ (@Jxnny_Dixon) May 2, 2018
“I’ve been talking with and getting to know the coaches for a while now,” Dixon told Eleven Warriors. “They have a good history with defensive backs under coach Meyer and I feel like they can benefit my future.”
The 6-foot, 170-pound Dixon is considered the 33rd-best cornerback and No. 367 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he’s recorded 87 tackles, 10 pass break ups and three interceptions in his two-year varsity career.
Defensive coordinator Greg Schiano — who has strong ties in the Tampa area from his time as the head coach of the NFL’s Buccaneers — offered Dixon a scholarship last June. He’s never been to campus, but is tentatively scheduled to visit on June 8.
The Buckeyes are hosting the first of three one-day camps beginning that morning, but Dixon won’t be able to participate after he tore his patella in January. He will be cleared to resume football activities in late June, though.
