The Hurry Up: More Opening Updates, Buckeyes Making Lists, Talk About Tristen and More

By Jeremy Birmingham on July 8, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Who does Tristen Wallace remind you of?
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The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s event with an ear on the ground for what’s next.

THE OPENING NEWS AND NOTES

Another day, another round of updates from Beaverton, Oregon where Nike is holding their prestigious football camp, The Opening. Let's get to it.

Today was SPARQ testing day and that means numbers galore. We're talking 40-times, power ball throws, shuttles, etc.

Panasiuk managed 43 reps at 185-pounds to break the record.

  • Donovan Peoples-Jones was impressive again, earning a Top 10 SPARQ score and will compete in the finals.
WHAT DOES TRISTEN WALLACE LOOK LIKE?

With all the hullaballoo surrounding The Opening and the Elite 11, it's hard not to notice that for the second straight year, Ohio State does not have a committed quarterback present in Oregon. That fact is somewhat difficult to understand considering the success of quarterbacks in Ohio State's system, but it sheds some light on a few things.

First, being a good quarterback at a camp doesn't matter. Think Urban Meyer cares what a kid does when there's no pressure and no pass rush? Think again.

Second, what the Buckeyes are looking for in a quarterback isn't easily defined. The ability to throw a pass into a net (as noted), or having a flawless delivery and technique, is a good thing, but those are things that can be taught. Being a tireless, non-stop competitor? That's innate, ingrained in your being and that's what Ohio State is looking for. That doesn't mean the kids they recruit, at 15, 16, 17-years-old, are going to be finished products, but it means they're going to be kids that are dogs in the gym and in the film room.

I talked last night to someone who is pretty close to the Ohio State quarterback situation and the conversation turned to Tristen Wallace (and Danny Clark). I found some of the comments pretty interesting, but one thing about the duo really stood out.

"These guys aren't perfect," he told me. "But they work their (butts) off and take the pressure of being committed to Ohio State and instead of resting, they work harder."

Wallace, the source went on to say, impressed him more than he thought he would when the 6-foot-3, 225-pounder was in Columbus a few weeks ago.

"He was great, sure there are things to improve on, but he was great," the source said. "He is going to remind people of a combination of Cardale Jones and Braxton Miller. He's got a cannon but man people don't know how fast he is. He's really fast."

BUCKEYES MAKE LISTS 

It's the summer and that means shorts, swimming and mostly meaningless "Top Schools" lists, but the Buckeyes made a few big ones this week so let's take a look at the latest.

2016 Clovis West (Fresno, California) linebacker Caleb Kelly, a five-star prospect and the country's 18th-ranked overall player, released his Top Seven.

What you see on Kelly's list are many of the country's elite athletic/academic hybrid schools (and Oklahoma) which should reveal a bit about Kelly's intentions and character. He's a student-athlete in every sense of the word and one of the very few linebackers left in 2016 that Ohio State would actually take in their class. Of course, being included on his list means essentially nothing until he visits Columbus, which he has not yet done. (If you're an Oklahoma fan, I was just kidding, they're a fine school.)

One of the country's premier 2017 athletes, Jaymest Williams, also announced his Top 10 15 late on Tuesday night.

Williams is the 129th-ranked player in the 2017 class and one of the most explosive players in the country. Ohio State, who offered in May, has yet to receive a visit from Williams and I imagine their inclusion on his list is more about the Buckeyes' national appeal and the name on the list than actual knowledge/consideration of them at this point. Considering the Archer High School (Lawrenceville, Georgia) star has been to Michigan three times on his own dime and the Wolverines didn't (did?) make the cut, he might be looking for a bit of attention here.

Moving on to the hardwood, Thad Matta's squad made the list for nation's top 2016 basketball prospect, Harry Giles.

One small problem for Ohio State? They don't have any scholarships available at the moment, but there's been some discussion that 2016 commitment Micah Potter could reclassify as a 2017 which could open up the opportunity to really go after Giles.

EXTENDED STAY FOR JUDSON

Expected to be in Columbus only for the July 24th Friday Night Lights camp at Ohio State, 2017 commitment Bruce Judson revealed some good news; he'll be spending three days on campus this month and continuing to develop his relationship with the Buckeyes' coaching staff and players.

Judson says he's likely to stay on campus or with fellow Ohio State commitment Danny Clark.

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