Link to article: http://www.azfamily.com/story/38746041/buckeye-brotherhood-chaparral-duo-commits-to-ohio-state

Darvon Hubbard and Jack Miller have a strong bond. They’re best friends, backfield mates at Chaparral High School and are both committed to play football for The Ohio State University in the fall of 2020.

“It just felt right. It felt like it was time for me go back home, " said Hubbard, who grew up in Akron. "Definitely an Ezekiel Elliott type of back, Le'Veon Bell, being from Ohio. I model my game after those two guys."

Miller was one of the most sought after quarterbacks in the country. He committed to Ohio State on July first. Prior to making the decision he made trips to  Michigan, Michigan State and Alabama. 

“It was a long couple weeks for sure, driving four hours after a 15-hour day at the campus," said Miller, who sat down face to face with Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh and Mark Dantonio. "I turned my phone off for like five hours after (posting his commitment) because it was freezing so much."

Hubbard is an Akron, Ohio native. His family moved to Arizona last August to improve his mother’s health. Darvon averaged over seven yards a carry as a sophomore at Chaparral. He became a hot recruit this spring in the SEC, with offers from Auburn, Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Mississippi State. 

Minutes before his interview with AZ Family, Hubbard made the decision to play for the Buckeyes.

“My whole family are Buckeyes fans,” said Hubbard, who played at Akron’s Buchtel High as a freshman. “Just my relationship with Coach Alford. We’ve had a good relationship since I was in the eight  grade. He’s known me better than anybody else.”

His bond with his quarterback started from a couple states away.

"I actually dm'd him on Instagram one day," said Hubbard. "He told about his love for Ohio State and I was in Ohio at a time."

"He was like 'I think I'm moving out to AZ," said Miller of his first conversation with Hubbard. "I was like, 'oh you have to come to Chap you don't have a choice!"

These Buckeyes will make for a smooth transition for his first year coach Brent Barnes.  Barnes was hired from Norman, Oklahoma in the offseason. 

"I'm not sure that I've had two power five guys going to the same school. That's a unique special deal,” said Barnes, who lead one of Oklahoma’s top programs, Norman North. 

“For those guys to grow together as teammates and continue that on at the next level is pretty rare.  We feel fortunate to have those guys on our roster along with a number of other talented guys that we have."

There isn’t much time to bask in the excitement of being Buckeyes. Chaparral makes the move to 6A this season and has perennial powers Hamilton, Desert Mountain, Saguaro and Mountain Ridge all on the schedule within the first month. Jack Miller and Darvon Hubbard know it won’t be any tougher than anything they’ll see in the Big Ten two seasons from now.