The Hurry Up: Official Offers Go Out to Commits, Top Targets While New Recruiting Calendar Begins

URBAN WANTS YOU

As you know, today marks the first day college can send official offer letters to prospects from the Class of 2018, giving us a look at which recruits the Buckeyes' are actually pursuing and/or hold committable offers. A number of them shared their official offer letter from head coach Urban Meyer on Twitter this morning or afternoon.

Among them:

• Pennsylvania five-star defensive end Micah Parsons
• Ohio State four-star cornerback commit Sevyn Banks
• Florida four-star offensive tackle William Barnes
• Baltimore four-star defensive end Thomas Booker
• St. Louis four-star wide receiver Cameron Brown
• Ohio State four-star defensive end commit Andrew Chatfield
• Ohio State four-star linebacker commit Dallas Gant
• Ohio State four-star linebacker commit Teradja Mitchell
• New Jersey four-star defensive end Jayson Oweh
• Ohio State four-star safety commit Josh Proctor
• Miami four-star defensive tackle commit Nesta Silvera
• Huber Heights Wayne four-star wide receiver L'Christian “Blue” Smith
• Ohio State four-star safety commit Jaiden Woodbey
• Florida State three-star wide receiver commit Antoine Green
• Ohio State three-star running back commit Master Teague III

Of course, that doesn't mean other programs will stop recruiting Ohio State's committed players — or vice versa — through National Signing Day. Chatfield, for example, shared an offer from Florida shortly after the clock hit midnight, which is significant given the Gators are considered a legitimate threat to flip his pledge sooner rather than later.

DON'T FORGET TO UPDATE YOUR CALENDARS

The turn of the month also means a new NCAA recruiting calendar. New rules that take effect today include the early signing period and the permitting official visits during a prospect's junior year of high school.

The NCAA Division I Council approved the early visits in April, which means prospects can now take official visits — which are paid for by the school — from April of his junior year through the Sunday before the last Wednesday in June. Official visits were previously not allowed before Sept. 1 of a prospect's senior year.

This part of the proposal was written to work hand-in-hand with an early signing period, which was then approved by the Collegiate Commissioners Association in May.

The proposal — which was previously endorsed by the American Football Coaches Association and the NCAA Division I Council — will add a second National Signing Day on the third Wednesday in December. That day was previously known solely as the first day junior college prospects can sign with a four-year university.

High school student-athletes will now be allowed to sign their National Letter of Intent in December or during the traditional signing day, which falls on the first Wednesday in February.

HONESTY IS KEY

Ohio State's national recruiting approach mixed with the age of social media certainly makes it harder than ever for the Buckeyes to hold on to prospects who commit earlier in the process. In the last week alone, Proctor and Woodbey had to announce they were shutting down their respective recruitments just to end all talk of a potential flip to Oklahoma or USC.

Though he can't discuss prospects until they sign their financial aid letter or National Letter of Intent, Meyer shared during his first press conference of the 2017 season his strategy for maintaining a relationship with such highly sought-after pledges.

“I think it's our players, and I think it's our players' families [that help us be successful],” Meyer said. "A lot of the players try to commit right out of the jump, and you take your time, because those are the ones that often say, 'Now, I've got to rethink this thing through,' and they start taking visits. That's part of the game though. We don't try to be overforceful one way or the other. I always make sure, 'Are you sure you want to do this?' 'Well, I'm kind of sure.' 'Well, hold off.' We're not a very pushy program.

“Honesty is the best policy, and do the very best you can,” he continued. “The recruiter has a hell of a responsibility. The position coach and obviously me to make sure you maintain a great relationship.”

LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN

If you ask Kentucky recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow, that same national approach has helped Wildcats recruit the state of Ohio at an unprecedented rate. 

“A lot of people probably don’t care for Urban Meyer,” Marrow told reporters at Kentucky's media day on Monday. "I love Urban Meyer, and I’m going to tell you why. He recruits nationally. And Ohio is [one of the highest] producing states in football. I have to tell him, ‘Thank you for not recruiting all those guys.’

"If Jim Tressel was there," he continued, "half of these kids you see out here from Ohio would be at Ohio State."

Marrow proceeded to ramble off a number Kentucky players from Ohio including Dorian Baker, C.J. Conrad, Mike Edwards, Jordan Jones and Benny Snell. Under Tressel, the Buckeyes averaged nearly 13 in-state prospects per recruiting class.

The current class? Two: Jaelen Gill and Gant.

"They did a great job in Ohio," defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale, a native of Youngstown like Marrow and head coach Mark Stoops, said of Tressel and his staff. "They always took the top players and would find a few hidden gems, like what Coach Marrow has done. He’s found a couple of those guys that have come in and have been excellent players for us."

It's wise to note the Wildcats have never landed a prospect the Buckeyes actually wanted. But that could change later this month when the above-mentioned Smith makes his college decision. 

If it happens — not that I expect it to — it will because of Marrow's relentless efforts.