This past weekend, Ohio State hosted eight uncommitted official visitors on campus following the conclusion of the dead period.

Half of that group are members of the Rivals100, with those being Omari Abor, Xavier Nwankpa, Zach Rice and Zion Branch. Following their visits, we had an opportunity to speak not only with Abor, Nwankpa and Rice, but also their parents as well.

Read the story below to see what each of them had to say following their officials in this brand-new piece called Parent Perspective. Be sure to join the discussion at The Horseshoe Lounge by clicking HERE.

In this section, we spoke with Mary Rice, mother of five-star offensive lineman Zach Rice. You can also check out our visit recap with the coveted prospect HERE after reading what Mary had to say.

On the visit: "I was very impressed. I knew The Ohio State was an amazing, top-notch program. I went in... going in with no real expectations, but it exceeded anything I could have imagined. We were very impressed with how personal the staff was. You felt the energy, the vibe there. It felt really good, really positive. Another Virginia native, TreVeyon Henderson, we had an opportunity to have lunch with him, speak with him.

"He's a great young man, but just hearing him say everything they told him came to fruition, he saw it and it was true. Sometimes, you hope and pray the things that these schools tell you are true, but to hear that it's absolutely true what they're telling him and seeing that play out. Being around, seeing the other players talk about the program. Zach's host, Nick Petit[-Frere], hearing him talk about the program. Hearing it from the players first-hand."

"Just really impressed overall. Genuine, good people. Coach Stud talking about where he sees Zach's trajectory and the program. I was really impressed with everything. We felt very good about it."

On meeting with Gene Smith and off-the-field opportunities: "He met with us one-on-one. That's an area of study Zach is very interested in. Hearing him talk so positively about the program to discussions about a possible internship with him down the road. Those kinds of things just have you really excited about the options and opportunities for what the city of Columbus has to offer as far as internships.

"Also, the Real Life Wednesdays and how they have people come in and they're constantly grooming these young men for the real world. Making connections, building their brand, building them as a person outside of football. They're focused on the Circle of Care, and just building the whole totality of a person."

Can Mary see her son going to Ohio State?: "We're a family of faith and we're big on praying and really seeking God's will. If that's God's will for Zach's life, with what I saw this weekend, I would certainly feel good about it. I do believe that that program has the makings to help Zach be successful both on and off the football field.

"Something that's very important to me as well, I think they really do character development, too. I look at those details, and all of those young men who were hosts to these kids, watching them, how they conduct themselves and how they present themselves, they seem like really great people and great young men. I would be very proud for my son to follow in their footsteps like that."

In this section, we spoke with Randy Abor, father of Duncanville High School's Omari Abor. You can also check out our visit recap with the elite pass rusher HERE after reading what Randy had to say.

Thoughts on Larry Johnson: "Honesty. I believe Coach Johnson was real honest, and he hung around us all weekend. In my mind, I was wondering if he had other kids to be around since he was around us so much. That made me feel like my son was really wanted. He really wants my son. His wife is so sweet. We talked and we laughed. I had a good time. My wife had a good time.

"His resume is good. Like I said, he's been around, and he's done it. That's why my son likes him so much. He's good at what he does. I believe in his honesty. He's been great at what he does. I've talked to two Power Five schools, and both of them said the same thing... one of the schools said, 'Hey man, I'm not even going to lie. Coach Johnson, he's the best. He's good at what he does. I want your son at my school so I can be like Coach Johnson.' Two schools said that and they're opposite schools. One SEC and one Big 12."

On academic side of visit: "My wife was asking a lot of questions, and they broke it down and they told us about the academic side. Which I thought was real cool because Duncanville High School, the coaches don't really get into that. They just want you to play. As parents, we have to be on my son, like, 'Hey, you've got to turn this in. Hey, you've got to email the teacher.'

"They talked about what his major is, what he wants to do and just about how when he graduates, if he's not in the NFL, he'll have people who can make phone calls and guide you in certain ways through your field. Real Life Wednesdays... he wants to do what you do, journalism. He says he wants to talk about sports. They said they have people that come in [for that]."

In this section, we spoke with Amy Erickson, mother of Iowa-based rising senior Xavier Nwankpa. You can also check out our visit recap with the sought-after safety HERE after reading what Amy had to say.

On the visit: "It was actually a really good experience. We got to hang out with a lot of the other parents, whether they were commits already or they were there to be recruited as well. Long story short, we did run into a couple of people that we knew through another group of people that I went to college with. So, it was really kind of a small world atmosphere. We connected that way."

On non-football side of things: "We did sit down with one of the professors there that was kind of in the same category as what Xavier wants to get in for school. So, he did sit down with us and talked with us about what they do and how many different resources they have that he can use while he's there. He answered a lot of questions that we had.

"I think our main focus for him is to make sure he goes somewhere that when he graduates, he's not just done. They're going to continue to be in his life when he's done and help him either land a job somewhere or get into coaching like he wants to. That's most important for me, as well as making sure that somebody is there on top of him all the time, making sure he's getting the things done that he needs to be getting done."

On conversations with the coaches: "I think after talking with Coach [Matt] Barnes, he really instilled a lot of things he can do to make him better. Instead of just hooting and hollering about how good he is, he talked about how he can make him better than what he is right now. I thought that was pretty impressive on my end to hear him say the things he can critique and help him become a better football player.

"I felt the staff was very honest, and they were all very family oriented. So, whatever it is they do, they do it with their full hearts. I totally got that vibe. I know a lot of people said Coach Day is a player's coach. You can totally tell that by just sitting down with him and talking to his wife, and some of the other coaches and their wives, about how they're 100 percent committed to these players and doing everything they can to make them a better man."

Stay tuned to BuckeyeGrove.