Fall weekends can be hectic with all the football going on Friday through Sunday. Under the lights is your weekly primer on what is going for Ohio State commitments and recruits that weekend.
Every week, Under the Lights will detail the top-three games featuring Ohio State commitments, the game that Eleven Warriors will attend, and some predictions for how Ohio State's commits will perform.
FUTURE BUCKEYES IN ACTION
PRINCETON (OH) VS COLERAIN (OH)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Paris Johnson Jr. (Princeton), Darrion Henry (Princeton)
Paris Johnson Jr. and Darrion Henry are among the main reasons Princeton High School was able to end its playoff drought this year. Now that the Vikings are in the playoffs, it won't get any easier as they play the reigning Division I state runner-up in the first round.
Colerain defeated Princeton earlier this year 24-14 in a game where the Vikings only had 191 yards of total offense. Clearly, if Princeton wants to win this game they are going need a better offensive output, but they'll also have to step up to stop Colerain's high-powered running game that is made for the cold.
Princeton has the star power to be a very good team especially when it comes to studs in the trenches, but can they'll need their best on Friday night to beat Colerain, who is annually one of the best teams in the state.
LA SALLE COLLEGE (PA) VS ST. JOSEPH'S PREP (PA)
- Day: Saturday
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Kyle McCord (St. Joseph's), Marvin Harrison Jr. (St, Joseph's)
Two 2021 four-star commitments Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. lead the best team in Pennsylvania against a top-12 foe in La Salle College
St. Joseph's Prep is led by McCord at quarterback and Harrison out wide. These two Buckeye commitments form one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos in the country.
La Salle College is no slouch seeing as they boast an 8-2 record and overall team that contends with just about anyone in the state. However, these St. Joseph's is a favorite to win the state title and when these two teams met earlier this year, St. Joseph's Prep came out on top with a lopsided 44-13 win.
As long as St. Joseph's has McCord and Harrison Jr. clicking, it is hard to see this team losing as they chase a second straight-state title.
LAKOTA WEST (OH) VS ELDER (OH)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Joe Royer (Elder), Jakob James (Elder)
- Targets: Tegra Tshabola (Lakota West)
This time of year every game is a big game because it is win or go home for just about every high school team across the country.
As for this game, it is the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup in Ohio Division I Region 4.
Elder comes into the postseason at 8-2 while Lakota West heads into this matchup with a 7-3 record. In short, this is will be a close game between two very talented teams in southwest Ohio.
As many Buckeye fans know by now, Elder's offense is powered by a pair of 2020 three-star Ohio State commitments with offensive lineman Jakob James in the trenches and tight end Joe Royer leading his team in receiving. Meanwhile, Lakota West is led by 2020 three-star Cincinnati commitment Daved Jones on defense and 2022 Ohio State offensive line target Tegra Tshabola on offense.
Elder has a very strong offense with a talented offensive line that powers the run game along with talented pass catchers on the outside led by Royer. However, Lakota West has a very tough defense that has bottled just about every offense its played this year. Both teams have the potential to make a deep playoff run if they get on a roll but first, they will have to win this game.
| NAME | POSITION | HIGH SCHOOL | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| JULIAN FLEMING | WR | SOUTHERN COLUMBIA | NORTH PENN-MANSFIELD |
| PARIS JOHNSON JR. | OL | PRINCETON | COLERAIN |
| CLARK PHILLIPS III | CB | LA HABRA | CAPISTRANO VALLEY |
| JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA | WR | ROCKWALL | BYE |
| GEE SCOTT JR. | WR | EASTSIDE CATHOLIC | GIG HARBOR |
| LUKE WYPLER | OL | ST. JOSEPH REGIONAL | BYE |
| MOOKIE COOPER | WR | PATTONVILLE | RULED INELIGIBLE BY THE STATE OF MISSOURI |
| LATHAN RANSOM | S | SALPOINTE CATHOLIC | BYE |
| CODY SIMON | LB | ST. PETERS PREP | BYE |
| KOURT WILLIAMS | LB/S | ST. JOHN BOSCO | BYE |
| JACOLBE COWAN | DL | PROVIDENCE DAY | RAVENSCROFT |
| DARRION HENRY | DL | PRINCETON | COLERAIN |
| JACK MILLER | QB | CHAPARRAL | BYE |
| LEJOND CAVAZOS | CB | IMG ACADEMY | SEASON COMPLETED FINISHED 9-1 |
| RYAN WATTS | CB | LITTLE ELM | THE COLONY |
| CAMERON MARTINEZ | ATH | MUSKEGON | CEDAR SPRINGS |
| GRANT TOUTANT | OL | DE LA SALLE COLLEGIATE | HAD SURGERY ON A TORN LABRUM. OUT FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON |
| JOSH FRYAR | OL | BEECH GROVE | SEASON COMPLETED FINISHED 3-7 |
| JOE ROYER | TE | ELDER | LAKOTA WEST |
| MITCHELL MELTON | OLB | GOOD COUNSEL | BYE |
| TY HAMILTON | DL | PICKERINGTON CENTRAL | REYNOLDSBURG |
| JAKOB JAMES | OL | ELDER | LAKOTA WEST |
| TREY LEROUX | OL | NORWALK | GLENVILLE |
| JAKE SEIBERT | K | LA SALLE | LITTLE MIAMI |
| NAME | POSITION | HIGH SCHOOL | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| JACK SAWYER | DE | PICKERINGTON NORTH | OLENTANGY ORANGE |
| KYLE MCCORD | QB | ST. JOSEPH'S PREP | LA SALLE COLLEGE |
| BEN CHRISTMAN | OL | REVERE | SEASON COMPLETED FINISHED 5-5 |
| MARVIN HARRISON JR. | WR | ST. JOSEPH'S PREP | LA SALLE COLLEGE |
| JAYDEN BALLARD | WR | MASSILLON WASHINGTON | WARREN G. HARDING |
| REID CARRICO | LB | IRONTON | WELLSTON |
11/9 MARYLAND VISITOR LIST
OHIO STATE COMMITMENTS
- Five-star 2020 offensive tackle Paris Johnson
- Four-star 2020 wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba
- Four-star 2020 defensive lineman Darrion Henry
- Five-star 2021 defensive end Jack Sawyer
OHIO STATE TARGETS
- Four-star 2020 all-purpose back Jahmyr Gibbs
- 2022 athlete Kaden Saunders
