The Hurry-Up: The Hurry-Up: USC and UCLA Joining the Big Ten Would Grow Ohio State's Recruiting Footprint, Five-star RB Kameron Davis Picks Up an Offer

By Garrick Hodge on June 30, 2022 at 5:50 pm
Rose Bowl
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USC and UCLA: Big Ten members.

That still just doesn’t sound quite right. Nevertheless, after one of the most news-filled days in college football in quite some time, it appears it’s only a matter of time before both California schools are announced as future members of the Big Ten. 

From a recruiting standpoint, there’s an immediate takeaway that comes to mind: Ohio State is about to get a lot more exposure in West Coast markets, and that can only help its West Coast recruiting. 

Several years from now, Ohio State could be playing both USC and UCLA in primetime games, an occasion usually only reserved for the Rose Bowl. Recruits local to California are plausibly going to see the Buckeyes play teams local to them year in and year out, which can only help their brand expand into Western markets. 

OSU already tries to capitalize on West Coast recruiting chances it wouldn’t normally get. For example, in the week leading up to the Rose Bowl last year, the Buckeyes invited several California recruits to watch their team practices. Among those that attended were 2024 five-star safety Peyton Woodyard and four-star 2024 wideout Ryan Pellum, who was offered by the Buckeyes that week.  

Woodyard, one of the Buckeyes’ top safety targets in 2024 and who holds offers from multiple Pac-12 and Big Ten schools, is certainly intrigued by the move. 

“It would be interesting to leave the PAC 12 and go play in the Big 10 which has traditional rivalries already built into it,” Woodyard told Eleven Warriors of USC and UCLA’s potential move. “It would be exciting for all the programs involved. I’m sure those other teams would like to come to Cali in November.”

Ohio State has already had multiple success stories recruiting out west in recent years. In a few years, the possibility to expand on that success will only grow. 

Five-star Kameron Davis picks up OSU offer

You know it’s a busy news day when Ohio State offering a five-star running back in the class of 2024 is somehow the second item in the Hurry-Up. 

Nevertheless, the Buckeyes are taking their shot at flipping five-star Georgia 2024 running back Kameron Davis from Florida State after Tony Alford extended an offer to the 5-foot-10, 190-pound prospect Thursday. 

Davis is considered the 21st-best prospect nationally per 247Sports’ composite rankings. He was Dougherty High School’s (Albany, Georgia) quarterback last season, but will play running back at the collegiate level. Last season, he racked up 3,150 total yards and 31 total touchdowns. He’s been committed to Florida State since Feb. 25., 2021. 

OSU will have plenty of competition in addition to the Seminoles for Davis, though. He’s received 14 Division I offers to this point, including from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Florida, Miami and Notre Dame. 

Buckeye Twitter reacts to Calvin Simpson-Hunt commitment

Apparently, USC and UCLA aren’t the only ones itching to play in the Big Ten. 

Priority 2023 four-star cornerback target Calvin Simpson-Hunt officially committed to Ohio State on Thursday after he had decommitted from Texas Tech 45 minutes earlier. It gave Tim Walton another big recruiting win in his first recruiting class and the second of the week after Kayin Lee committed Monday. 

Simpson-Hunt had only taken two official visits this summer, one to Ohio State on June 17-19 and one to Texas Tech last weekend. Despite several valiant last-minute attempts to keep Simpson-Hunt’s commitment, the Texas prospect still decided Columbus was a better fit for him. 

Ohio State conceivably could have its 2023 cornerback recruiting all wrapped up within 24 hours. The Buckeyes will be getting answers on Friday from two of their other top remaining cornerback prospects, Jermaine Mathews and Daniel Harris, both of whom have commitments scheduled. Mathews is considered a heavy favorite in the recruiting industry to commit to Ohio State, while Harris is likely to join Georgia. 

If everything goes as expected, the Buckeyes could wind up with a 2023 cornerback corps of Dijon Johnson, Lee, Simpson-Hunt and Mathews. Not bad for Tim Walton’s first recruiting cycle.  

As expected, after landing Simpson-Hunt, various members of Buckeye Twitter went ecstatic. Commits and members of Ohio State’s football staff alike chimed in on the news of landing their newest recruit. 

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