That escalated quickly.
The last several weeks – and really the last few months – have been filled with twists and turns on the trail. Joe Burrow's departure has led to some major inexperience in the quarterback room, and though Dwayne Haskins is only a redshirt sophomore, many have been wondering what the future has in store at the position.
We've talked ad nauseam about the different possibilities for 2019, and heading into Friday Night Lights we were expecting to get some clarity at quarterback. Following the annual recruiting event and the proceeding official visits, there's an an entirely new outlook for the most important position in sports.
Seven days ago we were wondering if three-star quarterback Brian Maurer would earn a Buckeye offer and side with Urban Meyer and Ryan Day over the likes of West Virginia, UCF, and others. The Ocala, Florida native did earn that offer after an impressive showing Friday evening.
However, a surprise official visit from four-star quarterback Dwan Mathis was the biggest news of the weekend. The news got even bigger when the former Spartan commit flipped to the Buckeyes on Sunday evening. Listed as the nation's No. 9 pro-style passer, Mathis has plenty of mobility to move around in the pocket. At 6-foot-4 and a tad under 200 pounds, adding to his frame should be a top priority for the Belleville, Michigan star.
The Mathis pledge will go a long way in solidifying the quarterback spot, but there's plenty more going on at the position as the outlook has gone from questionable to extremely promising.
Jack Miller has been on Ohio State's radar for some time now. The No. 48 overall prospect for the Class of 2020 has made numerous trips to schools like LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, and most recently Alabama. While there had been speculation of a commitment for the last several months, the Arizona standout is still on the market.
At least for the time being.
The Dwan Mathis news was big for a number of reasons, including keeping a talented player away from a Big Ten rival, but Miller may very well be Ohio State's top quarterback target in the entire country – regardless of class. The staff has offered several 2020 signal-callers, but the Scottsdale native has seemingly been at the top of the board for some time now.
Miller was in town this past weekend for Friday Night Lights, and it sure seems as though the visit could not have gone any better for both parties. He worked out for Urban Meyer and Ryan Day despite the lack of fanfare that the event usually sees. He left town uncommitted and headed to Tuscaloosa, but he made things pretty clear as to where his recruitment stands.
Jack Miller left the WHAC with a hearty goodbye to Ryan Day. pic.twitter.com/xXRnLFRykD
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) June 23, 2018
Miller holds offers from nearly all of the nation's powerhouse programs. He's listed as the No. 3 pro-style quarterback, but again it's worth noting that Ohio State isn't going to recruit a Christian Hackenberg or some other statue in the pocket. Miller moves around well and has run plenty of read option in high school.
In two seasons – one at Scottsdale Christian and one at Chaparral – he's thrown for nearly 5,388 yards and 73 scores; that includes an absurd 3,653 yards and 53 (yes 53) touchdowns as a freshman. He's also totaled over 1,000 yards rushing and 12 scores with his legs. The mobility is clearly evident in the second play of the below linked highlights (as well as the play directly after the one-minute mark).
To spice things up a bit more, Ohio State extended an offer today to 2020 tailback Darvon Hubbard; Miller's teammate at Chaparral High School. An Akron native, Hubbard is the country's No. 10 tailback in the class and his crystal ball is already 100 percent in favor of the Buckeyes. Andrew Lind will have a bit more on that tonight, but a certain quarterback already appears to be doing a bit of recruiting.
Oh yea Hubb!!! The move??
— Jack Miller (@jackjamesmiller) June 26, 2018
For the Buckeyes, Dwayne Haskins is set to take over with a myriad of weapons on offense. There's always the chance that the redshirt sophomore could have a decision to make after the season, and the depth at the position is questionable right now due to the lake of experience – not talent – in Tate Martell and Matthew Baldwin.
Ryan Day and the Buckeyes now have a talented 2019 quarterback in the fold and the commitment watch is in full effect for one of the best in the Class of 2020.
What a difference a couple of days can make.
