Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
MORE TAKE TWO: Would a one-loss Notre Dame team deserve a playoff spot?
THE STORYLINE
Five-star quarterback Emory Jones continues to say he’s fully committed to Ohio State, but he also continues to visit Alabama. So in the case of the Franklin (Ga.) Heard County standout, will actions speak louder than words?
Jones, who has been committed to the Buckeyes for more than a year, took another visit to Alabama this past weekend for the Crimson Tide’s blowout win over Tennessee. He saw Alabama play Ole Miss as well in Tuscaloosa and was in Atlanta when the Crimson Tide beat Florida State in the season opener.
So will Alabama be able to flip the five-star quarterback?
After Jones took a trip to Tuscaloosa this summer, which seemed unexpected to the Ohio State coaching staff, the five-star player and his mother were on a conference call with Urban Meyer and other coaches as the Buckeyes continued to try to keep Jones in the recruiting class.
Jones has said all the right things about his Ohio State commitment. But if he’s sticking with the Buckeyes, why does he continue to visit Alabama and show so much interest?
FIRST TAKE: ANDREW BONE, BAMAINSIDER.COM
"It's a tough question to answer. It seemed like more of wishful thinking from Alabama fans three months ago. Fast forward, and Jones has watched the Crimson Tide play three times this year.
The interest has always been high from Alabama's side, and it seems vice versa these days for Jones. He will likely wait until after his senior season to make a final decision, and will take at least one more trip to Ohio State. This has become a major, unexpected recruiting battle.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“This is a tough one. He’s the quarterback Ohio State wanted early in this class. He’s a good fit for what Urban Meyer wants to do but it’s not like they’re hurting for quarterbacks there.
Then you have Alabama, that has Jalen Hurts, who’s not going to be a three-and-out guy, and then Tua Tagovailoa, and they can recruit quarterbacks at will. He keeps visiting, so there’s something there, but if a kid hasn’t de-committed by now he’s likely to stick to what he originally committed to - but I don’t really have a good read on this one.”