The Hurry-Up: Recapping a Busy Recruiting Weekend for Ohio State, 2022 Quarterback Drew Allar Steadfast in Commitment to Penn State

By Garrick Hodge on September 13, 2021 at 5:30 pm
Joshua Padilla
Joshua Padilla
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Last weekend was one of Ohio State’s biggest recruiting weekends of the fall.

Various OSU recruiting targets and commitments alike flocked to Columbus to watch the highly-billed matchup between the Buckeyes and Oregon. Of course, the end result was less than stellar for the Scarlet and Gray, with OSU getting upset 35-28. 

If it’s any consolation, one disappointing loss likely isn’t going to prevent a recruit from coming to Ohio State if that’s where they planned on committing in the first place.

Anyway, most athletes that visited campus have spoken highly of their visits in the days since, including Wayne 2023 four-star offensive lineman Joshua Padilla. Padilla, rated the 194th-prospect and the 10th-best interior offensive lineman in the cycle per 247Sports’ composite rankings, told Eleven Warriors via text Monday he enjoyed the atmosphere at Ohio Stadium. Even though he resides in Wayne, this was Padilla’s first-ever Buckeye game. 

“My visit was great,” Padilla said. “Finally going to a game feels good knowing I couldn’t go to any games last year. I feel it opens my mind up more about Ohio State now after seeing a game.” 

Massillon 2023 running back Willtrell Hartson has received lots of interest from the Buckeyes in the last few weeks, especially after running backs coach Tony Alford personally attended one of his prep games two weeks ago. Hartson, who does not yet hold an OSU offer, made the trip to The Shoe for Saturday’s game. He told Eleven Warriors Monday his trip was “great,” and was very happy Alford has shown interest in him. Hartson said he has not been told when an offer may come. 

Meanwhile, Dylan Lonergan, the only 2023 quarterback that made the trip, told 247Sports he talked to Ohio State quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis and that he enjoyed his time at Ohio Stadium. 

“The fans were crazy, they were really into it,” Lonergan told 247Sports. “I kind of expected it to be that way, but being there and experiencing it is a whole other story.”

Priority 2022 defensive line target Caden Curry was in attendance, and Ohio State made quite the impression on him, per On3. 

“I went through the visit and could see that this could be home,” Curry told On3 sports. “It was really nice being out there and just talking to guys like C.J. He would be my teammate, and it was kind of cool just seeing what the future could be in front of your eyes.”

The top-rated player in 2024, quarterback Jadyn Davis, was also at the game, and spoke to Dennis for a bit before kickoff, flashing a big grin. 

Priority 2023 offensive line target Luke Montgomery also spent a bit of time before the game speaking with wide receivers coach Brian Hartline.

Other recruits took to Twitter to tell their social following about their visit. 

RELATEDPhotos of Ohio State Recruits Attending Oregon Game

Nation, Bosco athletes postpone visit

While Saturday saw countless recruits visit, some key recruiting targets had to postpone their visits at the last minute. 

Four-star 2023 cornerback Ethan Nation confirmed to Eleven Warriors Monday he couldn’t make it from Georgia to Ohio for a noon kickoff after playing Friday night. Nation, rated the 154th-best player in the 2023 cycle and the 21st-rated corner, said he will attend another game this fall but is unsure of when that will be. 

Meanwhile, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, California) 2023 defensive back Jshawn Frausto-Ramos, 2024 defensive back Marcelles Williams and 2024 linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa each confirmed to Eleven Warriors on Monday their prep game against East St. Louis Sr. High School Friday ran late, finishing at 10:40 p.m. Pacific time, causing the eight expected Bosco attendees to miss their flight. Other expected attendees from the California powerhouse were Peyton Woodyard, R.J. Jones, Earnest Greene, Matayo Uiagalelei and Ty Lee.

They have not yet scheduled another visit as of now. Another note according to Rivals: Marvin Jones Jr. did not make his scheduled official visit to OSU because his team's game on Friday went past midnight.  

Allar remains committed to PSU

If Ohio State is going to take a prep quarterback in the 2022 class after Quinn Ewers’ reclassification, it’s probably going to require flipping Penn State commit Drew Allar. In the month since Ewers joined the 2021 squad, the Buckeyes picked up their interest in Allar, sending Dennis to scout the Medina product in person two weeks ago and following that up with an offer a day or two later, according to Rivals.

But that offer hasn't been made very public as you'll usually see with recruits on social media whenever a new school presents them with a scholarship opportunity. There's a reason for that, as the interest from Allar's camp doesn’t seem to be mutual as of now. On the heels of a career night on Friday where he threw for five touchdowns and 523 yards, Allar told Rivals that although he’s an Ohio product, his commitment to Penn State remains steadfast. 

“Yeah, there’s been a lot of people asking me about it, especially over the past two weeks,” Allar told Rivals. “But nothing has changed and nothing will change for me. That’s how I look at it. I'm locked in.”

The whole article concerning Allar is definitely worth a read, as it details how the four-star signal caller has already spoken to Penn State coaches about the offer to assure them nothing has changed. But bottom line, unless Allar has a significant change of heart, it looks like if the Buckeyes are going to add a quarterback in the offseason, it’s going to come from the transfer portal instead of the high school ranks.

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