One of Ohio State’s top offensive lineman targets in the 2025 class had a productive visit to Columbus earlier this month.
Four-star Michigan offensive tackle Avery Gach camped at Ohio State on June 20, opting to camp at OSU despite already receiving an offer from the Buckeyes in October because he wanted to get feedback from offensive line coach Justin Frye.
“I had a good experience,” Gach told Eleven Warriors. “I definitely learned a lot from coach Frye and all the other coaches out here. He definitely helped my pass sets for sure and getting to a spot, not just setting. I’ve been here multiple times and I’ve wanted to get to a camp.”
Afte visiting Ohio State and speaking with Frye multiple times, Gach has developed a strong rapport with OSU’s offensive line coach.
“I love Frye, he’s a really good coach,” Gach said. “He produces a ton of NFL talent and he’s a really good guy.”
Gach resides in Michigan and holds an offer from the Wolverines, but is still strongly considering the Buckeyes as a potential school.
“It’s a really big rivalry,” Gach said. “People are surprised I’m really interested in Ohio State being from Michigan. But it’s really cool to see them go at each other every single year. (They talk about each other) a little bit, they’re definitely fighting against each other to get me.”
Ohio State 2025 offensive lineman target Avery Gach getting some work in with Justin Frye. pic.twitter.com/BvR88gnhoN
— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) June 20, 2023
Both of Gach’s parents attended Michigan State, so the 6-foot-5, 275-pound transfer said he grew up a Spartans fan, not a Wolverines fan, though he said both Michigan schools are recruiting him hard.
Gach said he doesn’t have a timeline in mind for a decision and is comfortable taking his time and letting the process play out. He said a school’s tradition, offensive line coach, head coaches, players on the roster and culture will all play a large role in his decision.
Currently, Gach is considered the 157th-best prospect and 15th-ranked offensive tackle in the 2025 cycle, per 247Sports’ composite rankings.
“Honestly I’d like to get better in pass sets because I’m really strong in the run game right now,” Gach said of his upcoming goals for this season. “I gotta get better at pass sets. I’d (consider myself) nasty, physical and having a high motor.”
Gach said he plans on returning to OSU for a game this fall, but isn’t sure of a specific date as of yet.
Daniel Cruz commits to Texas
One of Ohio State’s remaining offensive line targets is off the board. Four-star interior offensive lineman Daniel Cruz announced his commitment Wednesday to his hometown Texas Longhorns, which was expected when he began his round of official visits.
BREAKING: Four-Star IOL Daniel Cruz tells me he has Committed to Texas!
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 28, 2023
The 64 310 IOL from North Richland Hills, TX chose the Longhorns over Texas A&M, Oklahoma, & Ohio State
Im coming home! HookEm https://t.co/g2gxxEnIyE pic.twitter.com/EgahN85rcf
Cruz officially visited Ohio State during the first weekend of June, but visited Texas last weekend after also visiting Texas A&M and Oklahoma. While Cruz told Eleven Warriors after his official visit that his Ohio State visit “set the standard pretty high” for the rest of his recruitment, that didn’t end up being enough for the Buckeyes to lure Cruz away from his home state.
NCAA considers shortening transfer portal window from 60 to 30 days
The window for college football players to enter the transfer portal could shrink. The NCAA Division I Legislative Committee announced Wednesday in a release that it's considering reducing the window for student-athletes to enter their names in the transfer portal from 60 to 30 days.
Under the current rule, football players have a 45-day window to enter the transfer portal in December and a 15-day period to enter in April. It’s unclear whether the proposal would limit transfers to a single December period or keep two periods with 15 days in December and 15 in the spring.
The shortened window would be only for athletes announcing their intention to transfer, as transferring players can still select their new destination outside of that window.
Per the release, NCAA data from the past year indicates the majority of athletes enter the transfer portal at the beginning of the window. A final vote on the proposal will be conducted during the committee’s meeting in October.
As far as Ohio State is concerned, that may impact depth for any potential College Football Playoff teams. To take last year for example, second-team defenders Javontae Jean-Baptiste and JK Johnson both entered the transfer portal after the Peach Bowl; if the December transfer window is shortened to only 15 days after bowl selections, players with a desire to transfer after the fall semester would have to enter the portal before the conclusion of the CFP.
That doesn’t necessarily mean a player that enters the transfer portal couldn’t play in a playoff game. Former OSU linebacker Teradja Mitchell entered the portal in December but stayed with the Buckeyes until their season was over before transferring to Florida.
