The Hurry Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.
A FLY ON THE WALL
Yet another huge recruiting weekend at Ohio State has come and gone, and despite what was arguably the most thrilling home win of the Urban Meyer era, the Buckeyes — much to my surprise — did not land a single commitment.
With dozens of prospects on campus, there were numerous storylines to follow. First and foremost was four-star quarterback commit Emory Jones, who has been surrounded by rumors of a potential flip to Alabama for months. For the staff, this weekend was about gauging the likelihood of that happening.
After all, four trips to Tuscaloosa since March is a little bit concerning, no matter how much Scarlet and Gray tint you have on your glasses.
Jones has always kept things close to the vest in his recruitment, and a missed flight out of Columbus (and his subsequent arrival late last night in Atlanta, via Washington D.C.) has made it hard for anyone to get in contact with him. Either way, I anticipate we'll soon find out whether Jones reaffirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes or if he's going to reopen his recruitment.
Jones did offer the following tweet on Friday night, though, with one word in particular — “home” — standing above the rest with regard to his visit.
Coming home tomorrow!!!!! The shoe will be LIVEEEEEE pic.twitter.com/iv7Y11FRUx
— Emory Jones (@eXjones6) October 28, 2017
Now, it's extremely easy to read too much into a simple tweet. But I watched before the game as Jones stopped to talk and take pictures with numerous fans, smiling the entire time. He seemed to be enjoying his visit and soaking in the atmosphere of his soon-to-be home. We'll find out soon enough, though, won't we?
There was a great chance Jones added a go-to wide receiver this weekend, as St. Louis four-star Kamryn Babb was on his official visit. But it appears he's hoping to take a few more visits — to LSU, UCLA and USC, most likely — and held off on making a decision this weekend, as a result.
Thank u to @CoachZachSmith @OSUCoachMeyer & @markpantoni for the amazing visit this weekend!Couldnt have asked for a better game&atmosphere pic.twitter.com/JpNsPeRakI
— Ty Babb (@ty_babb1) October 30, 2017
There's no doubt in my mind the Buckeyes continue to lead for Babb's services, I just think he's being smart about the recruiting process as a whole. He hasn't been to very many schools outside of Michigan, Missouri and Ohio State, and trips to Baton Rouge and Los Angeles would surely satisfy any desires he has to make sure Columbus is the place for him.
Arizona four-star quarterback Jack Miller, meanwhile, was on campus from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. And though it's clear Ohio State is his leader at this point in time, it's likely he held off on making the call because his father did not make the trip with him.
Great time in Columbus this weekend! pic.twitter.com/g0ckJqINmj
— Jack Miller (@2jackmiller) October 29, 2017
As I mentioned in Friday night's edition of The Hurry Up, the elder Miller recently underwent double bypass surgery and still in the hospital at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale.
This weekend only created a stronger bond between the young quarterback and the program, and I expect a decision will come sooner rather than later as a result. Maybe after the elder Miller is home and resting comfortably will they decide as a family. If not, maybe the next time they're all on campus together.
Of course, we'll continue to keep you monitored on the situation regarding Jones, and hope to bring you updates on Babb and Miller in the coming days.
BLOWN AWAY
A number of other prospects, meanwhile, made their first trip to campus on Saturday. Among them, Roswell, Georgia, Blessed Trinity Catholic four-star athlete Steele Chambers.
“It was great,” Chambers told Eleven Warriors, noting it was colder on his arrival in Atlanta late Sunday night than during the game Saturday. “The game day traditions are like nothing I have ever seen before. The energy is really high.”
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Chambers is considered the 33rd-best athlete and No. 330 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he's rushed for 2,300 yards and 30 touchdowns in his two-year varsity career as a running back for the Titans. He's also added more than 150 tackles and five interceptions as a safety, which is where the Buckeyes are recruiting him.
Chambers, who holds more than a dozen offers from programs such as Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Stanford and Tennessee, spend a significant amount of time on Saturday with defensive coordinator Greg Schiano and assistant coordinator Kerry Coombs. They didn’t spend much time talking about football, though.
“The most important thing I leared is about the Real Life Wednesday program that coach Meyer has started,” Chambers said. “It's a great way to get you set up for life after football.”
That’s a big part of the reason Chambers, who at the very least plans to return for a game next fall, has Ohio State in his early Top 5.
SAME HERE
Though he attended last season's win over Northwestern, Louisville Dupont Manual three-star athlete Aidan Robbins also left Columbus in awe of everything Ohio State has to offer.
“I had a ball,” Robbins told Eleven Warriors. “They possess a very exciting and active fan base. Tailgating was second to none. And who can complain about 100,000 people yelling and screaming until the final play?
“I loved everything about it, from the facilities to the ball game,” he continued. “Everything about the visit stood out to me.”
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Robbins is considered the 10th-best prospect in Kentucky and No. 54 athlete overall in the Class of 2019, as carried the ball 72 times last season for 370 yards and three touchdowns for the Crimsons last fall. He holds offers from Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Louisville, Miami of Ohio, South Carolina, Toledo and Vanderbilt.
The Cardinals, however, are the early favorites to land his pledge given his affinity for former running back Michael Bush — which, coincidentally, is the player to whom he's most often compared.
Robbins has been in contact with assistant linebackers coach Ryan Crow and recruiting assistant Ed Terwilliger, and hopes it one day leads to an offer from the Buckeyes.
“I think they will eventually offer. They like me, they just don't know where they wanna put me,” Robbins said, explaining it doesn't matter to him where he lines up on the field. “Whatever will be best for the team.”
