Lake Travis star sticks with Ohio State
It’s week 3 of Urban Meyer’s paid administrative leave from coaching the Ohio State football team. But as far as the commitments to the Buckeyes’ next two recruiting class are concerned, it is business as usual.
Thus far, all 15 pledges to the 2019 class, headlined by Lake Travis receiver Garrett Wilson and offensive lineman Harry Miller, have stood firm with OSU.
That doesn’t mean that other schools are sitting idly by without trying to make new inroads while OSU officials complete their investigation of what Meyer knew and how he responded to allegations of domestic abuse against former assistant coach Zach Smith.
Wilson, for example, said some of the schools he spurned when he committed to Ohio State on April 29 have been calling to gauge potential new interest.
“I’m definitely solid in my commitment,” Wilson said. “But if they’re just talking, asking me how I’m doing, I’ll tell them. It’s not going any farther than that . ... I’m solid to Ohio State and I plan to stay solid.”
Besides, he added, “I am confident coach Meyer is going to be all right.”
Steve Wiltfong, director of recruiting for 247sports. com, said credit for projecting stability should go to the OSU assistant coaches and the personnel staff, directed by Mark Pantoni.
“This staff ’s ability to build relationships is second to none,” Wiltfong said. “Those bonds the prospects have with the staff aren’t easy to break.
“I believe these recruits are hoping for the best regarding coach Meyer and his future with the program. They believe in him and their future playing for him and his staff so much they’ll wait and see what happens.”
Wilson and his family lived in Dublin into his middle-school years before making the move to suburban Austin, so he already leaned toward Ohio State. Then offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ryan Day made him a priority in the recruiting process soon after being hired by OSU in January 2016. Day is now the acting head coach as the Meyer situation is sorted out.
“Coach Day is an NFL-level coach, he had NFL job offers over this offseason,” Wilson said. “I definitely feel confident he’ll be a good head coach one day, and, I mean, if he was my head coach I’d still feel confident with that.”