College football recruiting | Ohio State transfer Willtrell Hartson commits to Southern Illinois

After spending one season at Ohio State, Willtrell Hartson has found a new college football home.

The former Massillon Tiger confirmed Thursday evening that he would take his chances at the FCS level, committing to Southern Illinois.

"(I'm) grateful for the opportunity to still be able to pursue my career, and I want to thank Coach James, Coach (Nick) Hill and Coach (Larry) Warner for the opportunity to play for Southern Illinois University," Willtrell explained to The Repository. "After taking a visit and being in that atmosphere and around the players and the coaching staff, I knew Southern Illinois would be the perfect place. And with the standard they expect out of the players and the culture, I knew it was home. (I'm) ready to get to work and start my new journey. "

Without seeing a single snap in a game at OSU, Hartson believes he has something to prove as he stated in his hashtag on his social media page. Hartson entered the transfer portal on Dec. 11. Hartson did, however, travel with the Buckeyes for the Cotton Bowl last month.

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When Hartson starred at Massillon, Southern Illinois was one of many teams that offered him a scholarship before he decided to walk on at Ohio State. Also worth noting is SIU assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Antonio James, who helped recruit Hartson, is a Massillon alum.

Hartson was a three-star prospect coming out of Massillon. The former All-Ohioan gained interest from Division I schools as a three-year starter. In 2022, Hartson broke Travis McGuire's 30-year-old for most rushing yards in a season, becoming the first Massillon player to hit the 2,000-yard mark (finishing at 2,042). Hartson also broke Edwin Hill's 100-year-old record for most points in a season by scoring 208 and tied Hill's mark for most touchdowns in a season with 34. Massillon went 12-2 in his last year with the Tigers, reaching the state semifinals.

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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Massillon's Willtrell Hartson commits to Southern Illinois football