Cheers, all, we’re one day away from the start of Ohio State’s season.
And what better way to start it than with a top-five matchup between the Fighting Irish and the Buckeyes. If you’ve been a frequent reader of this site, you already know how pivotal the weekend is both from an on-field and recruiting standpoint. More than 60 recruits will be making the trek to Columbus for what could be the largest recruiting weekend of the year for OSU.
We’ll have plenty of coverage to come from that throughout next week. But in the meantime, there are a few other recruiting storylines worth mentioning.
OSU coaches reach out to Stover, Smith, Hudson
In case you missed it, Thursday was the first day 2024 prospects were permitted to be contacted directly by coaches. Ohio State certainly put the work in all throughout Thursday, contacting numerous prospects that are priority targets in the 2024 cycle.
Since Thursday’s Hurry-Up was published, three more prospects have confirmed to Eleven Warriors they had heard from Ohio State: Five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson, four-star defensive end Nigel Smith and four-star safety Garrett Stover.
Hudson said Ryan Day personally reached out and was thrilled to be able to make more direct contact from now on and that he hopes to see him at a game in Columbus this season. The 6-foot, 186-pound wideout told Eleven Warriors he hopes to make that happen, but it will be largely dependent on his schedule.
Smith essentially had a full-court press of OSU coaches contact him, including Day, Larry Johnson, Ed Terwilliger, Nick Murphy and a few others. The Texas prospect will be in Columbus for the Notre Dame game Saturday.
“They were just letting me know how excited they are to be able to finally text me and can’t wait to get me down this weekend and further the relationship with me,” Smith said.
Stover said several OSU coaches reached out to him, including Matt Guerrieri and Koy McFarland. The Ohio safety said he also talked with Jim Knowles and Day earlier in the week, and will also be in attendance for the home opener Saturday.
“They are just excited to see me this weekend and excited to start growing this relationship and said that they can’t wait for me to be in scarlet and gray,” Stover said.
Frye staying in touch with Wheelock
Ohio State has continued to stay in touch with a 2024 Ohio offensive line prospect after he camped in Columbus earlier this summer.
Dayton resident Jake Wheelock told Eleven Warriors Justin Frye spoke with him Wednesday evening to touch base about how his season has gone so far at Stebbins High School.
“Coach Frye was checking in to tell me about what he’s been seeing and me and ask some questions about the team,” Wheelock said. “He just told me he plans on getting me to a game later this fall. He said that he’s enjoying the intensity he’s seeing from me, and loves the destruction I’m causing on both sides of the ball.”
Thank you @CoachSollenne Appreciate the love!!! @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/YEWZGqCLTx
— Jake Wheelock (@jakewheelock_) September 2, 2022
The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Wheelock said he does not have any set plans to visit OSU at the moment, but hopes to later this season. Wheelock currently holds offers from Akron and Toledo and does not hold a composite ranking from 247Sports, but could be worth monitoring going forward if he has a breakout junior season.
Atkinson hopes to visit OSU game
Only in his freshman year of high school, Tyler Atkinson was arguably the most impressive prospect that camped with Ohio State all throughout June. His measurables met the eye test so much that OSU offered him a month before he camped with the Buckeyes, making him the first player OSU offered in the 2026 class.
Atkinson confirmed to Eleven Warriors he hopes to be back in Columbus sometime this fall for a game, though is unsure of what specific date he’ll be there. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound defensive end already holds at least 20 Division I offers, and will be a huge target for OSU in future seasons.
