The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s events with an ear on the ground for what’s next.
BUCKEYES CHECK IN ON WALKER
There's so much that happens on a daily basis in the world of recruiting, but few high school prospects draw as much speculation as Ohio State commitment Kareem Walker. The country's top-ranked running back had a talk with the Buckeyes last night according to his Twitter, and a hashtag caught some folks' interest.
Interesting talk with Coach Meyer and Coach Alford. #GoBuck #Shhhh #Zone6
— AlightyReem (@_KareemWalker) September 10, 2015
Walker told Eleven Warriors that there's nothing to see here, so don't get caught up on the inclusion of #Zone6 into his lexicon.
"(Laughing) There's no position changes coming," Walker told 11W. "I just like Zone 6, that's the zone I'm in when I score."
One of the topics of conversation with Walker was his early enrollment plans, which he says are still in the works.
"I'm still planning on enrolling early," Walker said. "The application is done I just need to get my essay done."
The 6-foot-1, 210 pound running back scored four touchdowns in his regular season debut last Friday night.
GERALD CONTINUES TO FIGHT THROUGH INJURY, EXCELS AT IMG
Despite an injury that has slowed him down a bit in the early part of the season, Ohio State verbal commit Tyler Gerald continues to play very well for the IMG Academy.
Last week, the Ascenders visited DeSoto, Texas and Scout.com was there to check out the game and analyst Greg Powers said Gerald stood out on a very talented offensive unit.
Gerald is the country's fifth-ranked offensive guard and the 142nd-ranked overall prospect. He's playing through a nagging injury and seems to be living up to some lofty expectations.
AJIAN VISITS IRISH, LISTS NEW LEADER
One of the country's highest-rated 2017 athletes hails from Mansfield, Ohio but as his junior season gets underway, it looks like the Buckeyes are trailing in his recruitment. Tyrell Aijan, a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder at Madison High School, visited Notre Dame this past weekend and the Irish have jumped to the fore in his recruitment, according to 247Sports.com.
Aijan camped with the Buckeyes over the summer and was hampered by a leg issue that prevented him from showing Ohio State what he's able to do at 100-percent. The coaching staff in Columbus isn't sure what position he'd best fit their program, but Notre Dame is looking at Aijan as a slot receiver.
Ohio State has not offered Aijan and it's unlikely an offer comes any time real soon, at least until junior tape shows what he's capable of. He's visiting Michigan State, who – unlike Notre Dame has not offered – this weekend.
VICTOR CRYSTAL BALL EXPLANATION FROM NEWBERG
Although I put in my 247Sports.com crystal ball for Binjimen Victor and Ohio State a while ago, I wanted to reach out to Josh Newberg, a Florida recruiting analyst who recently joined me in that prediction, to see why he's now picking the Buckeyes.
Newberg was gracious enough to explain his recent change of heart as it pertains to Victor. The explanation sounds familiar, or at least it does if you're a regular reader of The Hurry Up.
"Victor has been trending toward OSU as the summer came to an end, and I felt confident enough to change my CB this week," Newberg told me. "I don't see Florida landing all of Sam Bruce, Freddie Swain and Nate Craig-Myers and Victor."
Bruce made a visit to Florida last week – so did Swain and NCM – and Victor's been trending outside of the state for a while. One school that hasn't made much of an effort to recruit him is Florida State, and that's left some people wondering.
"(Florida State) never went in on Victor," Newberg added. "I'm not sure why."
HAWAII WEEK VISITOR LIST
Here's a (daily updated) list of players expected to visit Ohio State this weekend:
- 2016 WR Austin Mack • Fort Wayne, Indiana
- 2016 OL Jack Wohlabaugh • Stow, Ohio
- 2016 OL Gavin Cupp • Leipsic, Ohio
- 2016 OL Michael Jordan • Canton, Michigan
- 2016 TE Luke Farrell • Perry, Ohio
- 2016 DT Antwuan Jackson • Ellenwood, Georgia
- 2017 QB Danny Clark • Akron, Ohio
- 2017 RB Todd SIbley • Akron, Ohio
- 2017 DL Jerron Cage • Cincinnati, Ohio
- 2017 DB Marcus Williamson • Westerville, Ohio
