The Buckeyes hosted a myriad of visitors at their recent Junior Day recruiting event. One such visitor was a Buckeye Legacy, three-star EDGE Cal Thrush. The Instate pass rusher has had two family members play for the Buckeyes.
The Viist
A ton of positivity came from Thrush, as he told The Silver Bulletin “The visit was awesome. What stood out to me was the family atmosphere between the coaches and really the entire staff.” Not only did he get close with the staff but so did the defensive recruits, “We played a sort of game show with all the defensive recruits in the team room, and it was really fun to get to know the other guys.” He raved about the coaches personalities, and how they were different, “Coach Knowles is one of the funniest dudes I’ve ever met, and I would’ve never known had we not done that activity.”
Had a great day at The Ohio State University, always great spending time around the coaches and staff!! Looking forward to getting back for spring ball!! @R2X_Rushmen1 @etwill21 @N_Murph @RyanMayhew_ @OhioStateFB @jbuttermore2 @GoldenBears_FB pic.twitter.com/Qm9pBBBMR6
— Cal Thrush (@cal_thrush) January 20, 2024
Relationship wise, Thrush easily said his best relationship is with Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, “He sat down with me and my family at lunch, and just started dropping knowledge.” Additionally, Thrush said, “I mean he’s the GOAT of d-line, so it was pretty cool to have him do that, and to build such a good relationship with him.” It was the third time he was around Coach Johnson, and won’t be the last. “He gave me an open invitation to stop by whenever to watch them practice, and just spend time around them, and told me he had some drills he wanted to show me so I could do them on my own.”
Buckeyes and Thrush
The Buckeyes are very high on his radar, “I’ve visited three times and it’s been amazing all three times.” Things could be trending the right way for Thrush to earn a Buckeye offer. He is coming off a very good junior season, and camp season is soon. “I just have to ball out at camp over this summer, and hopefully get that offer.” He grew up a Buckeye fan, and both his dad and uncle played for the Buckeyes. “I’ve grown up about 5 minutes from the shoe, so it’s always been a dream of mine to get an offer from [Ohio State], and have the opportunity to play for them.”
As said, a return visit is definitely in the Thrush’s future, “Of course I’m gonna take advantage of that and get coaching from some of the best in the country.” He will stop by for some spring practices and wants to spend as much time as possible near the Buckeyes.
Thrush’s Recruitment
Overall, Thrush’s recruitment has picked up, “It seems like every day I get pulled out of class to talk to a new coach, so it’s been pretty crazy.” Thrush quoted former QB CJ Stroud when talking about his recruitment, “I just gotta stay patient and things will come. CJ Stroud said comparison is the thief of joy, so I try to live by that.” Additionally, Thrush has made visits to Louisville and Indiana. Michigan State and Pitt are battling for a visit. With those and the Buckeyes, other schools in the mix are Texas A&M, Northwestern, Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin, and more.
Featured image via: 247Sports.com
Kaleb Longhurst, a Cincinnati, Ohio native, is a recruiting analyst that covers Ohio State. A trusted source for Buckeyes recruiting, Kaleb has experience at Mike Farrell Sports, but has blossomed at TSB. Kaleb is an up and coming writer who is just getting started.