Ohio High September 2007

t’s been 15 years since I played on the opening night of the high school football season. I can still tell you exactly what happened that Friday and what should have.

I can also recall the next nine weeks, including senior night when my coach unleashed his final play.

“You’ll remember this night forever.”

And I do.

We lost to our rival Valley View. Bad. A year later the Spartans won the first of three Division IV state titles in four years. We finished 6-4.

Two years earlier – on senior night in 1991 – the outcome had been different. That time it was Bellbrook big over Valley View. We finished that season 10-0, went to the Division III playoffs and picked up the school’s first postseason win (over Graham) before bowing out in the regional finals to the Cincinnati Academy of Physical Education. That year CAPE finished state runner-up. The next year they won it. Two years later the school was closed.

This fall coaches and clichés mix again for 10 weeks as another huddle works its way towards the final drive and unforgettable moments.

I was fortunate enough to play college football, but I prefer high school. To me, every Friday in September, October and November is a holiday.

There’s something about wearing a jersey to school on game day, marching bands, cadences, homemade signs, fight songs, cheerleaders, hometowns, rivalries, car decals, helmet stickers, rural stadiums, stadiums with no parking lots, local radio, homecoming, upsets, playoffs, pep rallies, mascots, traditions, the unlikely and the impossible.

It all happens in high school football.

And it’s all starting again.

On the heels of our extensive high school football preview, we unleash even more football in our September issue.

The centerpiece is our cover story by Gary Housteau on Youngstown Cardinal Mooney.

The Cards are looking for the program’s seventh overall state title and third in four years.

Loaded with talent, Mooney could challenge for the Division I title. Thing is they reside in DIV. We also have stories on: * New Mount Vernon head coach Gary Keller who is making the transition from college to the prep level; * Logan head coach Dale Amyx who has led the Chieftains to 10 SEOAL titles in 17 years; * Painesville Harvey junior Chris Fields, who helped rescue his family from a natural disaster and has became one of Ohio’s top junior prospects; * Madison senior tight end and Ohio State commit Nick DiLillo; * Cincinnati Elder tight end and Notre Dame recruit Kyle Rudolph; * The Third Annual Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs USA Challenge For those looking to see whom the state’s best senior college prospects are, we also have Duane Long’s anticipated and debatable updated Top 100 seniors – and a lengthy list of others to watch.

Besides football, we have a story on Huron’s Sara Sage who became the first Ohio native to commit to UCLA for volleyball; Lakota West’s Amber Gray who will pursue womens basketball at Tennessee; and Cincinnati basketball recruit Yancy Gates. Editor in Chief Steve Helwagen also has recruiting updates for both girls and boys basketball.

Of course this is the fall and that means one thing.

Is it Friday yet?

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Volume 5

Issue 2

Editor in Chief Steve Helwagen Managing Editor Eric Frantz Assistant Editors Matt Natali, Dave Biddle Recruiting Editor Duane Long Staff Writers Gary Housteau, Kirk Larrabee, Glenn Forbes Contributors Paul Boggs

Photography

Gary Housteau, Nick Falzerano, Stephanie Porter, Jason Werling, Sandusky Register, Logan Daily News, Mount Vernon News

Printing Miami Valley Sports Magazine (MVP) miamivalleysports.com

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Ohio High Magazine is published bi-monthly, six times a year. Ohio High is an independent source of news and features relating to Ohio high school sports. Ohio High strives to report information based on fact, but assumes no responsability for any inaccuracies that may appear within the pages. Ohio High is not authorized, sponsored or sanctioned by any university, athletic conference or athletic governing body.

Subscriptions are available for $29.95 and may be purchased online at jjhuddle.com.

Single copy price is $6.95 each. c Copyright 2007, Ohio High Magazine and MVP Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved.

COVER PHOTOS: Gary Housteau

Eric Frantz Managing Editor

Upcoming Issues

Going forward, here are general topics that will be covered in each edition of Ohio High: * November (Due out Oct. 15) – Basketball preview issue, football playoff preview. * January (Due out Dec. 15) – Football playoff and fall sports recap, top 100 senior prospect bios updated. * March (Due out Feb. 15) – Basketball and wrestling tournament previews. * May (Due out April 15) – Recap of basketball and wrestling state tournaments and first top 100 football recruit bios * July (Due out June 15) – H.S. football preview, spring sports recap Check out JJHuddle.com every day for season previews and daily coverage of Ohio high school athletics. For subscription information on Ohio High, check the Internet at www.jjhuddle.com

Huron’s Sara Sage Headed West

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Senior becomes first Ohio native to play volleyball for UCLA

Keller Back In Saddle At Mt. Vernon

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Former Ashland University football coach takes over H.S. program

Photo by Jason Werling/Sandusky Register

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Youngstown Cardinal Mooney football program going for fourth straight championship game appearance, third consecutive title

Duane Long’s Updated Seniors

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A look at the updated Top 100 in the Class of 2008

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The Next Best

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Other To Watch

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Elder’s Kyle Rudolph

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Madison’s Nick DiLillo

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State’s top-ranked tight end headed to Notre Dame Tight end commits to Ohio State after Clemson, Pitt verbals

Painesville’s Chris Fields

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Receiver heads to front of 2009 class after overcoming obstacles

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Boys Basketball Recruiting

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Girls Basketball Recruiting

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Class of 2008 top-heavy with talent

Photo by Gary Housteau

Ohio remains national hotbed for high school girls basketball Also...

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Logan High School football coach Dale Amyx

High School Football News, Notes & Nuggets Herbstreit Challenge Preview

Cincinnati Withrow’s Yancy Gates

West Chester Lakota West’s Amber Gray

65 Photo by Nick Falzerano/MVP Magazine

STORY BY ERIC FRANTZ

Volleyball

Hot Commodity

Sara Sage (center) chose UCLA over Ohio State, Minnesota, Penn State, USC, Pepperdine, Michigan and Georgia Tech.

Photo by Jason Werling/Sandusky Register

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Volleyball

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Sara Sage set a Huron school record with 531 kills last season. The old record was 350.

Photo by Jason Werling/Sandusky Register

hen asked to rank Sara Sage among the other Huron High School volleyball players he’s coached over the last 15 years, Tigers coach Don Wood called the question “unfair.”

Opponents probably feel the same way when lined up opposite the 6-3 outside/middle hitter.

“She’s one of the best players to come out of northwest Ohio period,” Wood said. “Her physical stature and talent level is phenomenal. She’s a special player.”

Sage is so unique in fact that there has never been one like her before – so to say. Having verbally committed to UCLA, Sage will become the first Ohio native to don the powder blue and play for the NCAA powerhouse Bruins.

“If you play volleyball for anybody in the Pac-10 Conference that says a lot,” Wood said. “I can only think of a handful of Ohio players who were able to make it to the Pac-10 so that right there puts her in an elite group.”

According to UCLA, there have been few Ohio players who have even been invited to the Los Angeles campus for recruiting visits, the most recent being Toledo St. Ursula’s Sarah Florian (USC/Minnesota) and Ben Logan’s Nicole Fawcett (Penn State). Sage ranks with those former Ohio standouts and carries similar credentials.

In addition to becoming the first Buckeye to land at UCLA, Sage also has U.S. National Team experience to add to her resume. In July, Sage was one of just 18 athletes across the country invited to USA Volleyball’s Under-18 National Team training tryouts in Chula Vista, Calif. She made the 12-woman roster (along with Cincinnati Mt. Notre Dame senior Rachael Adams) and competed with the squad at the FIVB U-18 World Championships held July 31-Aug. 11 in Mexico’s Baja California region.

The one thing missing from her bio? A state title.

Last year Sage helped the Tigers reach the Division III state semifinals before bowing out to Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph. The trip to state was Huron’s first since winning the title in 2002.

If Sage has her way, that championship drought will end this year.

“Let’s just say we have high hopes and we plan on being very competitive,” Sage said. “I’m not going to say we’re going to win the state title, because on any given day anything can happen. We should be pretty good though.”

When Sage speaks of potential pitfalls, she draws from experience.

Despite being a natural when she started the sport as a 10-year old, Sage has had her downtimes.

Breaking onto the scene as a member of the Northshore Volleyball Club, Sage made strides quickly. Less than two years after picking up the sport, she was selected for an invite-only USA High Performance Camp.

Always the tallest girl in her class, Sage had big-time ability as well.

“She was pretty skilled right from the beginning,” Wood said. “She was tall, but she also had skills. Everyone knew early on she was special.”

Sage received her first recruiting letter in seventh grade.

Entering high school, Sage experienced her first setback. Sidelined with a leg injury she says was caused by “continual, non-stop activity,” Sage missed the majority of her freshman year with a broken femur. She returned in time for the tournament and tallied 78 kills in just 36 games as Huron finished as a regional runner-up.

As a sophomore, Sage missed parts of the regular season with the same injury. She says she didn’t give the leg proper time to heal and went under the knife again. Huron was upset in the district semifinals. Despite the injury and limited playing time, Sage still tallied 305 kills and was named third-team All-Ohio.

“One moment that sticks out to me was a match against Toledo St. Ursula that year,” Wood said. “She had 25 kills and even though we lost, it was a high-level match that she performed extremely well in. I was amazed by what she accomplished that night, let alone the fact that she did it on a broken bone.”

The time away from the game and the uncertainty wore on Sage.

“She was upset because she couldn’t play, but the whole ordeal was a

delicate issue for any teenager,” Wood said. “She could come to the gym but she couldn’t compete and help out and I think that got to her. She makes a big difference to our team when she’s in there and as a coach you tend to be selfish because you want her out there but our first concern was getting her healthy.

“I know it was a big personal battle for her and for her to work through that and get where she is today is a pretty special feat. She’ll say she’s probably a better person to have had to go through that. It was definitely tough on her.”

Sage added, “It was a disappointing time, but it also strengthened me as a player and person.”

Sage’s full capabilities were on display during Huron’s run to the state semifinals last season.

Playing her first complete high school season, Sage shattered Huron’s single-season kills record with 531. The previous mark was 350. Sage was

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Volleyball named the Sandusky Bay Conference Player of the Year and earned first team All-Ohio honors.

“Her kill percentage last year was over 60 percent which is unbelievable,” Wood said. “In high school if you get someone near 50 percent that’s impressive. But that’s her strength. She also handles the ball and blocks very well.”

As a sophomore, Sage’s kill percentage was 59 percent.

Besides her size and athleticism, Sage’s mind-set is a strength. Both coach and player pointed out her desire to succeed.

“She has a real good competitive edge,” Wood said. “She does not like to lose and that filters down to her teammates. Her teammates are confident with her on the court and you can see the carryover.”

“Determination,” Sage said. “I don’t give up. I’ve got fight in me and I don’t like to lose. I always give my best effort at everything.”

It was that effort that helped Sage land at UCLA. Making an impression on Bruins coaches at the USA High Performance camp as a 12-year-old, Sage remained in contact with the West Coast school over the years. She decided last year she was headed there after weighing additional offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota, Michigan, USC, Pepperdine and Georgia Tech.

“The coaches got me out there and once I got out there you couldn’t beat it,” Sage said. “It is the perfect situation for me.”

The Bruins have been to 25 NCAA tournaments and have six national championships. As a conference, the Pac-10 accounts for 13 of the 26 NCAA D-I volleyball titles, making it the mecca of collegiate volleyball.

As for the mecca of Ohio High School volleyball, Sage hopes to lead her team back to Wright State’s Nutter Center and the state finals.

The Tigers have plenty of talent in addition to Sage – fellow senior Susie Isphording has committed to Bowling Green – and have their sights set on the big trophy. It would be the school’s third title following wins in 1999 and 2002.

“Sara has a bigger goal than just getting back to state,” Wood said.

“Potentially it could be a very special year for us. I’m not going to say we’re going to win the title but it could be a special year.”

Huron already has its special player. — OH

Ohio Volleyball Commitments

A look at Ohio’s verbal commitments in the Class of 2008

Abby Niekamp, Marion Local (Florida State) Alli Hook, Findlay (IPFW) Alliya Drzewiecki, Toledo St. Ursula (Florida State) Ashley Frazier, Toledo Central Catholic (Alabama) Ashleigh Slemmer, Dublin Coffman (Oakland) Brooke Maher, Cincinnati Ursuline (Evansville) Cassie Sowers, Westfall (Eastern Michigan) Courtney Boggs, Worthington Christian (Liberty) Emily Kauth, Chaminade-Julienne (Bowling Green) Emily Shelton, Cincinnati St. Ursula (Coll. of Charleston) Jenna Caylor, Centerville (Miami) Jordan Goad, Toledo Notre Dame (Cleveland State) Kelli Barhorst, Anna (Ohio State) Lauren Simon, Norwalk (Kent State) Maddy Shalter, Ottawa Glandorf (Northwestern) Megan Barhorst, Marion Local (Cleveland State) Missy Harpenau, Cincinnati Mother of Mercy (Cincinnati) Rachel Krabacher, Cincinnati McCauley (Dayton) Sara Sage, Huron (UCLA) Sarah Mignin, Sylvania Northview (Ohio State) Sharon Strizak, Cincinnati Mt. Notre Dame (Dayton) Susie Isphording, Huron (Bowling Green) Tricia Mullen, Botkins (Duquesne)

Huron could have a lot to smile about this season with two Division I recruits back from last year’s team that made the state semifinals.

Photo by Jason Werling/Sandusky Register

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Gary Keller

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STORY BY ERIC FRANTZ

Eagle Eyes

New Mount Vernon High School football coach Gary Keller spent 22 years at Ashland University, including 10 as head coach (1994-2003)

Photo by Mount Vernon News

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Gary Keller

scan of authors whose articles are posted on the American Football Coaches Association website reveals some memorable names. Legendary college coaches like Tom Osborne, Eddie Robinson, LaVell Edwards and Vince Dooley all have pieces published.

So does Gary Keller.

The new head coach at Mount Vernon High School, Keller begins his high school head coaching career after a highly successful stint on the collegiate level. Keller spent 22 seasons at Ashland University, including 10 as the head coach from 1994-2003.

After spending the last three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Mansfield Senior, Keller embarks on a new phase.

“The kids (from high school to college) are a whole different ball of wax,” Keller said. “At Ashland, we only had guys who wanted to play football. Here, kids are trying to find themselves and figure out what position they want to play or if they even want to play at all. Those are things you have to work through, but right now we’re just trying to build numbers and enthusiasm.”

During his stay in Ashland, the Eagles had plenty to get excited about.

Over his 22 total years at the school, Ashland produced 18 winning seasons and five conference championships. Keller’s 1997 team won the school’s last conference title (Midwestern Intercollegiate Football Conference) and made the school’s last NCAA Division II playoff appearance. He is the second winningest coach in program history (52 wins) behind only College Football Hall of Fame member Dr. Fred Martinelli (217 wins).

Martinelli hired Keller in 1982 and promoted him to defensive coordinator in 1985. Over the next nine seasons, the Eagles mustered 67 wins and earned the school’s first playoff berth in 1986.

In 1994, Keller took over as head coach after Martinelli retired. The two remain close.

“I got to work with Fred and that was big for me,” Keller said. “It was an honor to coach with him and we had a lot of good times at Ashland.

“I remember he hired me in 1982 to coach the offensive line and then three years later when John Valentine retired I asked him if I could become the defensive coordinator. He said, ‘Yeah, let’s go with you.’ He was going out on a ledge there to do that for me.”

Martinelli knew what he was doing.

In 1991 and 1992, Keller coached the No. 1 overall defenses in NCAA Division II. His ’91 squad allowed 195.5 yards per game, while the ’92 unit surrendered just 211.5. His ’91 defense also led the NCAA in run stoppage. In 1993, the Eagles owned the No. 3 overall defense.

Nineteen defensive players earned All-American honors while Keller was at Ashland.

Despite being an integral part of the program, being named the 1997 MIFC Coach of the Year and compiling a 48-37 record after eight years as a head coach, Keller was fired by Ashland after back-to-back 2-9 seasons in 2002 and 2003. His 2003 squad lost five games by eight points or less.

After being ousted at Ashland, Keller got some help from former coaching counterpart and current Ohio State football director of player development Stan Jefferson. Jefferson, who coached with Keller at Ashland, brought him to Mansfield Senior to be his defensive coordinator.

“At that point in time I was in a little disarray because of the job situation,” Keller said. “I had to get back mentally to where I wanted to be.”

Keller is no stranger to high school football or Mount Vernon for that matter.

After graduating from Wapakoneta High School, Keller continued his playing career at Bluffton College. Following graduation he spent three years coaching and teaching at each Olentangy and West Geauga high schools. After a one-year stint as a graduate assistant at Ohio University, where he says his desire to coach college football became evident, Keller went to Kenyon College. While at Kenyon, which is five miles from Mount Vernon, Keller led the offensive line and linebackers and headed the weight program. His wife taught at Mount Vernon Middle School.

On March 8, Keller returned to Knox County when he was announced as the new Mount Vernon coach.

Unlike his previous stops where winning was a tradition, Mount Vernon is a reclamation project of sorts. The Yellow Jackets are 2-28 the last three years and riding a nine-game losing streak. Mount Vernon’s lone playoff appearance was in 1993.

Keller is not concerned.

Opponents should be.

“I’ve found out that the kids here are pretty good,” Keller said. “They want to work hard and succeed. I’m interested to see how we do once we get the pads on and get rolling. The overall goal is to create some excitement around what we’re doing and of course have fun. That’s the key. Having fun – and kicking some butt while doing it.” — OH

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Photo by Gary Housteau

Cardinal Mooney

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STORY BY GARY HOUSTEAU

Cardinal Mooney

Ring Bearers

Pictured from left to right are: Danny McCarthy, Johnny Simon, Brandon Beachum, coach PJ Fecko, Taylor Hill and Michael Zordich.

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Cardinal Mooney ith 20 trips to the postseason tournament and six state championships to their credit, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney is already one of the most storied programs in the proud history of Ohio high school football.

After following the legendary Don Bucci, who compiled 309 victories in a span of 34 seasons at the helm, P.J. Fecko, who once played for Bucci at Mooney, has already done things during his relatively brief seven-year stint as the head coach to add to the school’s legacy that Bucci himself never even accomplished.

With three trips to the state title game in three seasons, and an odds-on-favorite to make it four trips in four seasons, Mooney is currently in the midst of making a run that is not only the most successful in the history of its own school, but it’s one that’s on par with some of the best championship game runs by some other prominent schools, programs like Cincinnati Moeller, Cleveland St. Ignatius and Newark Catholic, in the entire history of Ohio as well.

"It’s definitely an exciting time here at Mooney," Fecko said. "We’ve played some great football over the course of the school’s history and most recently, in the last three years here, we’ve made some trips to the state finals. Winning two state titles in three trips is nice and adding to the overall school’s total of six is exciting. So it’s an exciting time around here and it’s great for our community and it’s great for our high school."

After a slow start in which Fecko’s first three teams went 5-5, 0-10 and 5-5, Mooney has rebounded with four consecutive playoff berths. The last three ended in playing for a state title.

"It’s always exciting to not only reach and live up to the winning tradition here at Cardinal Mooney, but add to it as well," Fecko said. "And I think we’ve done a pretty good job with that here recently."

A specific line in the school’s fight song refers to the Cardinals from Mooney High as being "brave, loyal and true." And, when it comes to the football program in particular at the school, those are the kinds of characteristics that seem to permeate throughout the student-athletes that represent Mooney and their alumni as well.

"Cardinal Mooney has a huge, rich tradition in football and it’s a program that has impacted this area locally, it’s impacted the state, it’s impacted the NCAA and the college level in football and it’s also impacted the NFL," Fecko said. "We’ve been very successful at every single level with alumni from here. We have the ‘Camp of Champions’ every year and the same people are always front and center like the Stoops family and Bo Pelini and everybody else that has worked so hard and has had so much success in the NCAA. And the DeBartolo family with the San Francisco 49ers are graduates of Cardinal Mooney."

Overall, it’s been a very productive 50-plus years on the gridiron for Cardinal Mooney, which recently competed in its 50th season of football during the 2005 campaign.

"We’ve been fortunate here I think because we’ve had some stability," Fecko said. "We’ve just recently celebrated our 50th-year anniversary and in those 50 years I’m just the fourth head coach in Cardinal Mooney’s history. So we’ve had some stability here and we’ve had

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people here that believe in the school and believe in the traditions here at Cardinal Mooney."

Fecko, himself, in so many ways, is sort of the poster boy in regards to him being the ultimate disciple of all of the beliefs and traditions in the institution that is Cardinal Mooney.

"I went to school here and I played here and it’s a place that is very, very special to me and I’ve lived and learned all of those traditions," Fecko said. "I’ve been fortunate because I’ve experienced them as a fan in grade school. I couldn’t wait to come here, and saw my sister Pam succeed here, she was a cheerleader here when they won the ‘82 state championship. My sister Pandora was an outstanding athlete here in the late ‘80's and then I came here in the early ‘90's. So I was fortunate enough to experience the traditions as a fan, a student, a player, and then as an assistant coach and now as a head coach. So I’ve seen the full circle of it and before long I’ll be seeing it as a parent also.

"It’s really a special place and it’s an exciting place where great things happen and they happen for a reason, because people believe and there are just some great traditions here that our people live up to."

With six state titles in football, the gravity of the serious nature of the program is easily understood by the current crop of players.

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Cardinal Mooney "I think you definitely realize the ground work that people laid before you," Fecko said. "It’s important that they understand and appreciate all of the hard work and the dedication and the commitment that it took to build this program over the years here at Mooney.

I think a lot of people work hard and I think a lot of people are dedicated, but how committed are they? And our guys know that they better be pretty committed and that’s what these people over the years have taught them in our tradition."

But 2007 is a whole new season and tradition alone certainly won’t get this team back to the state title game.

"The key going into this season is to remember all of those things, and those things are great, but ‘06 is gone, ‘04 is gone, ‘73 is gone, and it’s the ‘07 season and the ball is in their court now," Fecko said.

"How will the team of ‘07 be remembered because ‘06 is gone and that was all great and we’ll never forget that, and we have that to build on, but now it’s ‘07 and the building blocks are in their hands and they have to build it."

One of Mooney’s longstanding traditions is to ring the school’s victory bell when they return home to their school after every victory. It’s something that they did 14 times last season en route to winning their sixth state championship. This year, they’d like to do it 15 times as the try to defend their state championship, something they were unsuccessful at in the ‘05 season, losing to Coldwater in the state championship that year.

"I think that’s obviously something that if we are fortunate enough, after game 10, to make the playoffs then maybe you start to look at that," Fecko said. "But I think, right now, you just have to work on this team of ‘07 coming together, where’s the leadership, where’s the chemistry, and putting all of the pieces together and getting through doubles and the summer. And then, from that point, you turn to the season and take one game at-a-time. If you can do that, defending a state title will take care of itself."

The leadership part that Fecko alluded to is in extremely good hands as Mooney has four seniors, all of whom have committed to a top Division I university already, that are ready and anxious to assume that role for this season. Michael Zordich committed to Penn State in early June, Danny McCarthy committed to Notre Dame in the middle of July, and Brandon Beachum and Taylor Hill committed to Penn State and Oklahoma, respectively, at the end of July. All of them, along with junior Johnny Simon, another certain D-I commit next season, provide Mooney with not only the requisite leadership to defend their state title, something they’ve never done at Mooney, but also the top-notch talent that will give the Cardinals more than a fighting chance to be able to ring their victory bell 15 times this season, something else that’s never been done at their school.

"All of these young men are outstanding athletes and there’s no secret about that but they’re great people and they’re great to be around," Fecko said. "There’s no egos and there’s no selfishness and it’s just very refreshing to walk into the locker room and see leadership like this. And when you take guys like them with their outstanding athletic ability, all of these young athletes in the classes below them and all of these young fans in the grade schools get to see how great they are and how great they act.

“It’s fun to work with these guys and go out on the field every day.

And with these guys, you put in the extra time and those extra hours because you know you’re going to get it back out of them. They’re the hardest workers that I’ve ever seen and they’re people that get a lot of accolades and deservingly so.”

McCarthy is going to Notre Dame as a safety prospect but he certainly led the Cardinals on their championship run last season at the quarterback position.

"Danny was obviously the leader of the team as far as running the show offensively for us last year at quarterback and I expect that and

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2004: Division IV State Champions (12-2) Date 8/27 9/4 9/10 9/18 10/1 10/8 10/15 10/23 10/29 11/5 11/12 11/19 11/26 12/3

Opponent Score East Liverpool W, 26-0 St. Thomas Aquinas W, 24-3 Shaw W, 35-0 Warren G. Harding L, 20-22 Riverside W, 36-7 Benedictine L, 25-49 Akron SVSM W, 19-13 Youngstown Ursuline W, 55-27 Bishop Watterson W, 14-10 Garfield* W, 42-21 Chagrin Falls * W, 42-13 Liberty* W, 14-6 Martins Ferry# W, 28-6 Versailles@ W, 28-6 *-OHSAA regional tournament games #-Division IV state semifinal game @-Division IV state championship game

2005: Division IV State Runner-Up (12-3)

Mooney finished the regular season 8-2 with wins over (Walsh Jesuit, St. Francis (N.Y.), Shaw, Warren Harding, Canton Central Catholic, Painesville Riverside, ASVSM and Ursuline). Their losses were to Benedictine and Watterson. In the playoffs the Cards beat Cuy. Valley Christian Academy, Manchester, CCC and Bellaire before losing to Coldwater (33-9) in the state final.

2006: Division IV State Champions (14-0) Date 8/25 9/2 9/8 9/16 9/23 10/6 10/13 10/20 10/27 11/3 11/10 11/17 11/24 12/2

Opponent Score at Cuy. Falls Walsh Jesuit W, 20-14 Athol Spr. (N.Y.) St. Francis W, 28-0 Akron Hoban W, 40-13 at Warren Harding W, 28-13 at Mentor Lake Catholic W, 21-16 Cleveland Benedictine W, 52-14 Akron SVSM W, 47-7 at Youngstown Ursuline W, 10-0 Columbus Watterson W, 32-14 CVCA* W, 28-0 Perry* W, 41-0 Orrville* W, 50-21 Bellaire# W, 49-7 Plain City Jonathan Alder@ W, 26-12 *-OHSAA regional tournament games #-Division IV state semifinal game @-Division IV state championship game

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Cardinal Mooney probably more this year. And he does of last year. himself," Fecko said. "I know one thing, "Everybody talks about his strength and Danny is not a kid that I’m going to have how powerful he is and how well he moves to motivate very hard because he’s very and how dominant he is, and those things self-motivated. So he’s going to be even are all true," Fecko said. "But I think the more comfortable this time around. That best way to describe Johnny is that he’s a year of experience is going to do nothing guy that comes with his lunch box and but make him better. punches his time card in and goes to work Date Opponent "And defensively it’s the same deal. every day. He just gets after it and then He’s a guy that’s going to play with an when he’s done he’s going to gather his Aug. 24 Mentor extreme amount of confidence and that’s things and punch out and he’ll back in the Sept. 1 Monroeville (Pa.) something with his athletic ability that’s morning to do it all over again. He’s defiGateway going to be dangerous back there in the nitely a guy that loves to work. He works (at Canton’s Fawcett secondary." very, very hard and he loves it. He loves to Zordich’s father, Michael Zordich, was practice and that’s really carried him a long Stadium) an All-American at Penn State before he way, along with his impressive physical Sept. 7 at Akron Hoban played for 12 years as a safety in the NFL. attributes."

Sept. 15 Warren Harding Young Michael will follow in his dad’s footWith this kind of talent, it’s easy to see steps and play for Joe Paterno at the why Mooney has been in three straight Sept. 21 Mentor Lake Catholic school where his mom, Cindy, was a title games and they have a really good Sept. 28 at Athol Spr. (N.Y.) cheerleader. Zordich will be a linebacker at chance, obviously, to be in four. At just 32 St. Francis Penn State but he’s a much better player years of age, Fecko has already won two Oct. 6 at Cleveland on offense then he gets credit for rushing state titles and has led his teams to a 14-2 for over 1,000 yards last season as a fullmark in the post-season in the post-Bucci Benedictine back. era at Mooney.

Oct. 12 at Akron St. Vincent"Michael is just a guy that loves to play "It all got off to a little bit of a rough start St. Mary the game and it’s very evident," the coach but we got our system into place and then said. "He’s a guy that enjoys going out we started to have some success," Fecko Oct. 19 Youngstown Ursuline there and playing the game. He’s a guy said. "We went to the playoffs and we got Oct. 26 at Cols. Watterson that works very, very hard, takes nothing knocked out in the first round and then we for granted and is somewhat of a throwwent to three state titles and won two of back and a refreshing breath of air to them, so it’s been exciting. But I feel very watch him out there. He’s that guy that, by far, when you talk about fortunate. I feel fortunate that I surrounded myself with some great giving 110 percent, he definitely does. He’s not only a vocal leader for people. I have a really great staff. They’re a group of guys that are us but he’s a leader by example and when you put those two togethnot only knowledgeable, but they’re very hard-working and they’re a er, he’s a pretty energizing guy." great group of loyal guys to be around. And we just have a lot of fun."

After transferring to Mooney from Poland after his sophomore seaA father of three with another one on the way, Fecko also credits son, Beachum was banged up during the preseason last year but got the support of his wife Gina, a Cardinal Mooney graduate also, for better and better on both sides of the ball as he regained his health. much of his success.

Beachum plans to enroll at Penn State in January and will compete, "I’m very fortunate that my wife and my family have given me the at least initially, for a chance to carry the football for the Nittany Lions. opportunity to spend so much time and dedicate my life to this pro"He was on-and-off for the first four or five games and then he realgram," he said. "It’s not easy at home and she does a heck of a lot ly started to get comfortable," Fecko said. "So I think Brandon is a and I’m thankful for that. Her brothers played football here so she guy that’s going to be comfortable right out of the gate this year. He’s knows what it takes." healthy and he’s stronger than ever and now he’s going to have a lot And all of the people that count at Mooney are 100 percent behind more confidence. And it’s a little more easy for him this year because Fecko and the team as well. he was a new guy last year and he had to learn a new system and he "I’m just fortunate to be surrounded by the support we get here was injured and it was a little frustrating for him for a while last year. from the student body and the administration as well as the school’s But, obviously, this year it’s going to be a little different." alumni," Fecko said. "Obviously the buck stops here with the head The most low-profile member of the quartet, Hill is easily the most coach but truly it’s a whole team effort and I’m really excited and I’m underrated contributor of the "Big Four" when you consider the very fortunate and I’m extremely humbled to be in the spot that I’m amount of big plays that he’s already made in his career at Mooney. in."

Hill will play linebacker for Bobby Stoops, a proud graduate of In his senior photo day at Mooney back in ‘93, Fecko never even Cardinal Mooney, at Oklahoma. imagined that he’d ever be in the spot that he’s in right now as the "Taylor has probably made more game-changing plays than any of fourth head coach in the history of Cardinal Mooney. them. Whether it’s a blocked punt, an interception, a fumble recovery "No. I really, truly didn’t," Fecko said. "I knew I loved the game and or a forced fumble, he by far has created and made more gameI knew that I wanted to do something in it and I was fortunate enough changers than any of them," Fecko said. "He’s a very exciting player to come back here and coach with Coach Bucci for all of those years to watch. He’s a guy that just does a really great job coming to play. and then take over for him. At first, they thought I was crazy. But, He plays every single play and he makes no excuses, he keeps his obviously, it’s all worked out the right way." mouth shut and he plays. And it’s fun to watch him."

A fourth straight trip to the state championship game for Fecko and And finally having a high profile junior like Johnny Simon is nothing his Cardinal Mooney Cardinals at this young stage in his career would new for Fecko this year when you consider that he had four of them obviously be a bonus. — OH

2007: Mooney Schedule

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Cardinal Mooney

Dynasty

Cardinal Mooney is going for its third state title in four years this season. The school has six championships overall.

JJ Hu d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Photo by Gary Housteau

J J H U D D L E . C O M 17

Duane Long’s Top 100 Photo by Nick Falzrano/MVP Magazine

Stacked

Trotwood-Madison enters the season with several players ranked in Duane Long’s Top 100. Among those players ranked are (clockwise) Douglass Rippy (No. 29), Domonick Britt (No. 26), Branon Moore (No. 5), Issac Washington (No. 82), Roy Roundtree (No. 24), Michael Shaw (No. 14) and Norman Young (Others to Watch). Not pictured is Jamiihr Williams (No. 31).

18 J J H U D D L E . C O M

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Duane Long’s Top 100

STORY BY DUANE LONG

Cool Summer: Changes to Ohio’s top 100 prospect list after summer camp circuit

S

ome want to deny it but the simple truth is the camp and combine circuit in the late spring and early summer is as much a part of the recruiting process as is the football season.

Really it goes beyond that.

It is what I call the “athlete season,” which runs from the end of football season to the start of the next football season. There really is no time off anymore.

Some high school coaches talk about players enjoying other sports and the cross training that comes from it. A case in point five years ago shows just how important focusing on one sport has become. After their junior years a couple of players from northeast Ohio had popped up on the radar.

They were Ronnie Bourquin from Canton South and Curt Lukens from North Canton Hoover. At the end of that season, I expected Bourquin to be a top-20 player and likely the No. 1 safety in the class. Lukens was a good player, possibly a top100 player but he was not in the same rarified air as Bourquin. That winter, Bourquin played basketball, the most overrated sport for football cross training, while Lukens ran indoor track, the best football cross training sport, and lifted weights.

In the spring, Bourquin played baseball, which holds no cross training advantages whatsoever for football. Meanwhile, Lukens ran track and went on to be one of the fastest players in the state.

That summer, Bourquin played baseball again, while Lukens went to camps and combines.

Bourquin coveted an Ohio State offer. He ended up getting one for baseball. Lukens, a player some could not even project a position for, ended up with the offer that likely would have gone to Bourquin.

The simple fact is any player who does not have offers coming off his junior year tape needs to accept the reality that he has not done enough in the eyes of the college coaches to earn an offer.

The camps are another opportunity. Why not take it?

Another case in point is occurring this year with Glenville cornerback Derrick Fletcher. He just did not stand out on tape coming off his junior year. In talking with other people in the business of scouting

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

as well as some college coaches, we never talked about him. It isn’t like he is from some obscure school and had not been seen. I know of no offers to him coming off his junior year tape. He went on the Ted Ginn Bus Tour and, at last count, he now has 26 offers. He may have had some of those before the tour, I am just not aware of them. I am sure the bulk of them came from his performance in the camps he hit on the Ginn Bus Tour.

“Athlete” means everything to the college coaches. They all believe if given a superior athlete they can make a football player out of him, a player superior to the good football players that they are seeing in abundance on tape all the time. This process is not about what players are. It is about what players will be. In the camps they get to evaluate the athlete in every football player at the camp.

Some, maybe too many, want to dismiss the camps but what they have become is a football practice without pads. It is not simply running 40-yard dashes and doing shuttle drills. It resembles a practice.

Isn’t that where coaches formulate their opinions of players?

The college coaching staffs also get an opportunity to spend time with players and see if that player is a person they want in their locker room. We are seeing more and more how important the character issue is.

This advantage of the camps is a two-way street.

Recruits get the opportunity to be around the coaches and the campus. They get an opportunity to evaluate a place where they will spend at least the next three years and maybe as many as five.

Last but not least is the opportunity to what amounts to practice against a high level of competition, and get instruction from college coaches. That alone is reason for players to go to camps.

Camping has a great impact on the rankings here in Ohio High. Good camps push players up.

Average camps are still better than no camps.

When a player is ranked in the early issue of Ohio High and then disappears, it is because of not appearing at camps. Not taking the opportunity to get better that is what the camps are about in the first place. I am not going back and deciding that a player is not as good as I thought he was. I am

looking for players to do things to make themselves better players.

If an athlete is not doing anything in the so called off-season and other players are doing things to get better, that active player is going to move up the rankings and the idle one is going to drop. Track and wrestling count. Basketball does not.

We talk about football being a game of blocking and tackling. That is true but it is first about running.

Getting faster is the most important thing a player can do to help himself for football. Nothing does that better than track. The big boys get so much out of throwing the shot and discus. Weight training is important to that sport. The explosion that is required to throw the shot and discuss and the footwork to do it properly directly translate to the explosion and footwork necessary to be a good lineman.

I hear about big athletes being able to play basketball. That is a good thing that a really big player is agile enough to be able to play basketball, but line play has so much to do with leverage.

It is not surprising how many great linemen were great wrestlers. You learn more about leverage in one month of wrestling practice than a year of football practice. Basketball is something most skill athletes do after football season. I would like to see more of them running indoor track and lifting weights. They get something out the defensive side of basketball but I think they could get even more out of tennis or handball.

Camps are most important to smaller school players. The big knock on them is the level of competition. Camps are an opportunity to go against players from big schools. It is an opportunity for those small school players to prove they are not just big fish in a small pond. Quarterbacks need to get to camps regardless of school size, but it is most important for the smaller school quarterbacks.

I would say linemen, too. Most high school linemen are not playing against players big enough to challenge them week in and week out like it will be when they get to college so the college coaching staffs want to see them up against players their own size before offering scholarships in a lot of cases.

I have thought about bringing this up before but this year I look around at the number of players that did not camp and then I look at their offer lists and see a big zero. I don’t think it is a matter that they don’t care. I think it is a matter of not knowing.

Colleges can start contacting prospects on May 1 of their junior year. If nobody is in contact, it is time to get on the internet and find out when camps start and get yourself registered. Like it or not, camps have become a make or break for all but the nation’s elite players, those 250 to 300 players that have their pick of schools.

The final word on camps is the college rosters. I know the Ohio State roster so I will use it as an example. I can count at least 10 players who were offered scholarships just off camp performances.

Get to camps. It is that simple.

Here we go with the updated top 100 for the Class of 2008. For most of the players, we include what was written about them in the May issue, when we unveiled the top 100, and then provide a preseason update...

J J H U D D L E . C O M 19

(tie)

1

Mike Adams 6-8, 305, OL; Dublin Coffman

The word franchise gets tossed around a lot when it comes to athletes. All it takes is one glimpse of Mike Adams to see he is one player that fits the tag. My associate Steve Helwagen saw a tape of Adams and said, “We looked at about five plays. That was all it took. We saw he was the real GH deal.” When Steve throws in his two cents, that speaks volumes.

About five plays are all you need to see of Adams. He has a body that is perfect for a left tackle. He is a massive kid but you are not going to find a better conditioned big athlete. He has a V-shaped body at better than 300 pounds. He has the long arms and is long bodied, something that stands out to me with the great left tackles I have seen. He is already an advanced pass blocker. He sits down and moves his feet, none of this reaching stuff that so many young offensive lineman do. He gets out of his stance and finds his man quickly.

So much of what he does are things I do not expect out of a player this young. I was already convinced that he was the number one prospect in this class when I saw the Coffman playoff game versus Gahanna Lincoln. G-L came into the game with an outstanding senior defensive lineman in John Hughes, a Michigan State commitment. Adams stoned him. Hughes is an explosive and determined player.

Adams dominated the match-up to such a degree that Hughes stopped trying to rush the passer. I don’t know if it was his decision or the coaching staffs to quit on the futile attempt to rush the passer and try to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage but it sent the message home loud and clear. Getting by Mike Adams was futile.

Adams helped Coffman post a 9-4 record and advance to a Division I regional final as a junior. This is a national top-100 player and a top-10 national lineman. He is the best offensive lineman in Ohio since Orlando Pace. Adams gave the Buckeyes a verbal in March.

Preseason Update: With such an early verbal you would think that Adams would not have a lot on his plate right now but that is not the case. He has taken the lead in trying to make the Ohio State recruiting class, the best that it can be. It seems that I do not speak to a recruit who has not had contact with Adams. That speaks volumes about his attitude and commitment.

This is a young man who wants to be part of a national championship team in the worst way. The better the class he comes in with the better chance he has of making that happen. In my mind this falls into the category of work ethic.

I have noticed that on the field too as I have been reviewing more and more tape of Adams. He is being compared to Ohio State legend and future Hall of Famer Orlando Pace.

One thing Pace is remembered for is the hustle. He would get downfield and block once backs broke the line of scrimmage. I noticed that out of Adams, too. He plays to the whistle. That is one of those little things that is so important for big players.

We never think about motor when it comes to skill players. For the big players it is a make or break attribute.

Adams has it. This is the kind of player that will have an immediate impact at the college level. Not many offensive linemen are ready to play as true freshmen. Adams is one that is. Adams is an ESPN national top-150 player.

Verbal Commitment 20 J J H U D D L E . C O M

1

(tie)

Duane Long’s Top 100

DeVoe Torrence 6-2, 215, LB/RB; Massillon Washington

Every year there are several names that end up at the top of this list who could have been No. 1. Last year it was Ben Martin, but I also considered Eugene Clifford. Never have I had a tougher time, or thought about it longer, than I did this year with Adams and DeVoe Torrence.

GH We talk about players being the best player on the field. DeVoe Torrence was that in every game despite the presence of his older brother Devon, an Ohio State recruit. Devon took it to another level. Torrence was the best player on the field at every position he played. He was always the best linebacker but also played running back and wide receiver.

He even played a little quarterback.

I don’t see Torrence as a wide receiver in college but there is a lot to like about him as a running back. He rushed for nearly 1,000 yards despite splitting time between running back, wide receiver and quarterback.

Despite splitting positions, DeVoe Torrence is the best back in Ohio. There is no question he is the best linebacker. He had over 130 tackles and six sacks as a junior, leading Canton South to an 8-4 mark and a Division III playoff berth. He has been clocked at 4.5 second in the 40-yard dash. He stands 8-10 yards off the ball and still makes plays in the backfield. He has such instincts and has that motor that is so important to defensive players. He plays the middle in high school but is too good a football player to be a middle linebacker in college. I would put him on the weak side and let him make plays.

Torrence got it over with making a surprise verbal to Ohio State in March.

Preseason Update: I debated making Devoe Torrence the No. 1 player in the class when the top 100 for the Class of 2008 debuted in Ohio High. He is doing something that most players don’t do. He is going to camps and combines. He is such an ultra-competitive kid that he has to go and compete against the best. He went to a combine in Pittsburgh, where he went up against superstar linebacker Shayne Hale in some one-on-one drills. On my board Hale is one of the top three linebackers in the country. Torrence got the better of him to the point that he and Hale ended up trash talking back and forth. He also ran a 4.5-second 40 and had a very impressive 10-3 broad jump.

As I review his film again, I paid more attention to him as running back. I paid more attention to his linebacker film leading up to my last review since that was his projected position. He is so much better than he should be based on his experience. I do not recall Torrence playing running back until he was a junior. He shows patience then explosion once it opens up for him. He is an elusive back for such a big kid. He reminds me of Chris Wells in that respect. He does not give tacklers a clean shot. His agility may be the most impressive attribute he brings to the table as a back. He changes direction on a dime effortlessly.

I also looked at his film as a receiver. He has a body for running back or linebacker but wide receiver may be his best position. What a weapon he is going to be coming out of the backfield catching passes. Torrence is an ESPN national top-150 player.

Verbal Commitment

3

Cordale Scott 6-3, 197, ATH; Cleveland Glenville

All Ted Ginn, Sr. needs to do to promote Scott is get the first half of the GlenvilleWarren Harding game out to colleges. Scott dominated the contest. He had a touchdown catch, two interceptions (one for a TD) and had a hit that forced the receiver to drop the ball. A quarter-and-a-half GH is closer to the time frame it took for Scott to do this. He is an impact player on both sides of the ball. The two interceptions show a player that did not simply use his athleticism. He read the play and broke on the ball both times. On the first he was in a better position to make the play. On the second it was pure Scott. He reads the deep out and gets there before the receiver.

Scott first came on the radar as a receiver. Right now I would recruit him as a safety. He has great hands and the size advantage as a receiver but has run a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and has the frame of a player that is going to get a lot bigger. I say safety but I list him as an athlete. That is because what I really think when I see Scott is the size, the athleticism and the aggressiveness.

A few years ago Ohio State had a player with a very similar build name Tim Cheatwood. He came in as a receiver, moved to safety then to linebacker. By the time he earned playing time he was a defensive end. Javon Kearse had an almost identical body and came out of high school as a receiver. Gaines Adams is going to be the first or second defensive end taken in the 2007 draft.

He was this size and came to college as a receiver. I think Scott is highly likely to follow the same path. I see him as a safety and possibly a linebacker, but I am not going to be surprised to see him wind up as a defensive end.

Preseason Update: Scott is another player showing just what kind of competitor he is. Despite an offer list that includes Ohio State and most of the other Big Ten schools, Scott continues to go to camps and combines looking to compete against the best the country has to offer. He won the MVP Award at the Cleveland Elite skills camp.

The early reports on his size seem to be exaggerated.

Coming from a combine I assumed the over 6-4 measurement was accurate. Now it looks like he is more like 6-3, which changes how I project him. I think he could be an elite receiver, but there is something about him that says defense to me. I have never heard him state a preference for offense or defense.

There is an edge to his game. He seems to relish the physical side of the game. He needs to work on his tackling but getting bigger will help. I no longer believe he has the body to fill out to defensive end size but he is a long lean kid with long limbs, and quite thin. He is going to get a lot bigger. I think linebacker is just as likely as safety, if not more likely.

Whether it is wide receiver, linebacker or safety, I think Scott will be a surefire star. We are unlikely to hear his college choice for some time. Ted Ginn’s players are making a habit of appearing in the national all-star game.

Scott has talked about making his announcement at the game. His chances of being selected are quite high.

Ohio State leads.

Undecided JJ Hu ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

4

Kyle Rudolph 6-7, 220, TE; Cincinnati Elder

One question I get asked all the time by fans is why college coaching staffs are always asking for more tape.

Many think it is a stalling tactic and in some cases that may be true but for the most part it is about wanting to get as good an assessment on a player as possible. Case in Sub point is Ohio State’s Anthony Gonzalez. I had him rated down my list a bit. Ted Ginn Sr. told me I had him too low. Another Clevelander whose opinion I respect told me the same thing. I had seen two games and he did not really leap out at me as an elite player. Now he is looking at an NFL career. The same thing almost happened with Kyle Rudolph.

What I saw from him early on had me scratching my head about the top twenty programs that offered him so early. Late in my evaluation process I saw more of Rudolph and could not have been more impressed. He has a complete game.

He makes the classic tight end plays with the short stuff over the middle, the button hooks and quick outs but he also can go down the field like a big receiver. He creates the classic miss matches that everyone is looking for in a tight end. He is too fast and athletic for a linebacker to cover and is just too big for a safety. He has great hands and I can see why he is such a good basketball player. He is an explosive leaper. What completes his game is the blocking. I think the top tight ends in this class are all excellent athletes and receivers but Rudolph is such a great blocker. As a junior, Rudolph caught 32 passes for 400 yards and seven touchdowns.

Rudolph recently gave Notre Dame a verbal. He also had offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Miami (Fla.), Virginia and Boston College.

Preseason Update: To think that at one time I could not believe all the talk about this kid. When I first saw him I remember thinking how could he have a Miami (Ohio) offer let alone an Ohio State offer. I was recently going over his film again because I am doing national rankings at each position for Bucknuts.com and named Rudolph the No. 1 tight end in the country in a class as loaded as I have ever seen at the position. I watched him split out and beat defensive backs on fade routes.

Then he lines up tight to the line and pancakes defenders. He shows great hands and knows how to use his body to wall off defenders. He runs the classic tight end routes but he can get down the field and threaten the safeties.

He is an explosive leaper so he is hard to defend on those fade routes and is almost unstoppable down on the goal line.

The ribbon on the package is he is nasty. He comes off the ball on blocks and really gets into his man. After every catch he turns getting tackled into a struggle. I just love his attitude. He is as complete a tight end as you will ever see.

Notre Dame has verbals from three nationally ranked tight ends. The other two need to find comfortable spots on the bench with a good view of the field.

They are going to be spending a lot of time there.

Rudolph is an ESPN national top-100 player.

Verbal Commitment JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

5

Brandon Moore 6-6, 230, TE; Trotwood-Madison

I remember the first play I ever saw of Moore. He was running a wheel route up the sidelines. The quarterback threw the ball. I thought there was no way a player the size of Moore had a shot at the catch. He went up over the linebacker covering him and made the play on the ball at NF its highest point. It was not luck. It was not really a great catch but for the fact that this was a sophomore tight end making it, and he made it look simple. He made it look routine.

I only needed to see a few more plays by Moore to see that this was a special talent. I only hoped to see a better tight end prospect than former Youngstown Ursuline tight end Louis Irizarry. I have now seen that player. Moore is bigger but just as athletic. In fact, he is so athletic that he played wide receiver this past season under new Trotwood offensive coordinator Jeremy Beckham. I have spoken to people that think that was a waste. I could not disagree more.

Moore is going to have to learn more about running pass routes to be effective as a college player. He is not your basic inline blocking tight end who will catch a pass on occasion. This is the kind of talent that you can build a passing attack around. He is going to be asked to run routes that most tight ends will never be asked to run.

Moore can be one of those players that only spends three years in the college ranks before going on to the NFL. He is also a very good track athlete, throwing the shot over 50 feet and the discus over 140 feet. The wrapper on the package is a 4.28 GPA in honors classes and a 22 ACT. Preseason Update: Moore is a weapon. You have to understand what kind of unique athlete he is. At 6-6 and about 230 he was doing wide receiver screens last season. That is a play where you are trying to take advantage of the quickest and most elusive player you have.

When there is a player as talented as Roy Roundtree, a Purdue verbal and a member of this Ohio top 100, on the other side of the line from Moore it makes it all the more impressive. I think Moore going back to tight end is important though. He worked on his receiving skills last year. He learned a great deal about running patterns, something most tight ends do not learn until they arrive in college. Now he needs to work the rust out of his inline blocking.

This is one of the most gifted big athletes you will ever see. He has such great hands.

He catches the ball away from his body naturally. I watch his tape over and over again and marvel at what I see is such a big athlete. A player this size being fast is something we are starting to see more and more.

Watching them running away from defenders is one thing. Moore takes it to another level with the elusiveness.

We have become fond of the word freak. Moore is one in the truest sense of the word. The only reason I have Rudolph ranked above him is the blocking.

Michigan got a surprise verbal from Moore in May. It looked like he was surely headed south. Moore is another Ohioan on the ESPN national top 150

Verbal Commitment

Duane Long’s Top 100

6

DeVier Posey 6-3, 180, WR; Cincinnati LaSalle

Posey quietly went about being one of the most athletic and dynamic players in the state last year. He is as athletic as any player in the state. He returns kickoffs. Only the best of the best at this size are elusive enough to return kicks. He has the GH ability to change direction and stop and start like a much smaller player. He is special after the catch. He runs like a back once he has the ball in his hands, which is something LaSalle head coach Tom Grippa tried to do every way he could. Grippa used him on reverses and lined him up at quarterback.

Something that really impressed me about Posey was how he works the middle of the field. He is utterly fearless.

Time and time again he ran slants and posts knowing what awaited him and I never saw any hesitation.

The best plays I saw from him were those where he ended up in the middle of the field then made great open field runs after the catch.

Posey has an impressive frame. Just looking at him you would guess 200 pounds. That he is this good after his first year of football speaks volumes about his upside.

Posey had 1,371 all-purpose yards (750 receiving) as a junior. He caught 33 passes and scored nine TDs. Those are good numbers when you consider that La Salle lost its starting quarterback for the year before the season started.

Ohio State, Virginia, Michigan State, California, Indiana, Northwestern, Cincinnati, and Ohio have offered.

He took a visit to Ohio State in the middle of March and committed to the Buckeyes soon after.

Preseason Update: I want to clear up something that I stated in the May issue. Posey did play football before last season. Last season was his first on the varsity but the point still stands. He has not played a lot of football.

That Posey was that good in his first year of varsity football shows what kind of upside he has. He is just now coming into his own on the football field.

The more I see him the more impressed I am. He is such a natural. I like that he has a complete game.

He can play wide receiver because he can go down the field and go over the top of defenders to take passes. Put him in one-on-one situations and he is going to win those battles. That is where I would play him but he is also versatile enough to line up at flanker running those underneath routes and drag routes then driving defenders mad as they try and catch him.

Posey has been very active with future teammates Mike Adams, Florida offensive line verbal Michael Brewster and Jake Stoneburner in recruiting other players for this class.

Posey is a national top 100 player and the kind of athlete that can come in and threaten the depth chart as a freshman despite the talent level at Ohio State.

Posey is an ESPN national top-150 player.

Verbal Commitment J J H U D D L E . C O M 21

Duane Long’s Top 100

7

Nathan Williams 6-4, 235, DE/LB; WCH Miami Trace

This is the best player in Ohio that nobody knows about. I know that Williams was an invitee to Ohio State games as a sophomore. I had not seen him until right before his junior year. The first thing that jumped out at me was the fact that he was always listed as a defensive end, but he Sub plays middle linebacker in high school. The next thing that occurred to me was why anyone would move this dominating middle linebacker to defensive end. He may grow into a defensive end but I can’t believe anyone would move him before giving him a shot first at showing he can be at middle linebacker.

He reminds me of a combination of recent top Ohio linebackers, Matt Wilhelm and Ross Homan. He reminds me of Wilhelm because he is a big kid that everyone thinks is a foregone conclusion he will play defensive end. He reminds me of Homan in the fact that he plays small school football but he is one of the rare ones that rises so far above his level of competition that you have to discount it. He is not a big fish in a small pond. He is Moby Dick in a goldfish bowl.

Like Homan he needs to be taken off the field to make the game fair.

He has had two straight 100-plus-tackle seasons. As a sophomore, he had 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. As a junior, Williams had 149 tackles (67 solos), 23 tackles-forloss and five sacks. I don’t know if I have ever seen a Mike linebacker with double digit sacks. He rushed for over 1,000 yards as a fullback as a sophomore and averaged better than 10 yards a carry this past year. It is defense where he really stands out. He has run 4.67 in the 40 at 235-240.

Preseason Update: It has been an eventful off-season for Nathan Williams. He has been putting up some impressive numbers as part of the Miami Trace track team. He has been running the 100 meters and the relays. He was running 11.5 in the 100-yard dash while weighing in between 250 and 255. That is not a number supplied by any of his coaches. That is an official track meet time.

After the season Williams continued to work on his times and his lifting. He wanted to come to Ohio State camp running a 4.5 40-yard dash. Last report he had almost succeeded. He had three people using stop watches and the average time of the three watches was 4.56. He was about 258 pounds at the time. He is cleaning 325 and he is benching 420. Those are numbers that put Williams into the freak category. The most impressive thing is he is not satisfied. He wants to arrive on campus bench pressing 500 pounds in addition to still having 4.5 as a target for his 40time.

Williams is headed to Ohio State. The offers were coming in so fast for Williams in the month of May that I was speaking with him about every other day. That ended when he spoke to OSU coach Jim Tressel who offered. Williams accepted on the spot. He had just received offers from Georgia, Oklahoma and UCLA. You are not going to find a better big athlete. He is going to get a chance at the Leo position, one that Bobby Carpenter parlayed into becoming a first round NFL draft pick, but likely gets reps at middle linebacker and defensive end. Despite his verbal Williams will be camping. That commitment to getting better is one something that will serve him well on and off the field.

Verbal Commitment 22 J J H U D D L E . C O M

8

Dan McCarthy 6-1, 190, S;

Youngstown Cardinal Mooney

I had not seen McCarthy since his sophomore year when I was told about offers from Ohio State and Notre Dame about midseason.

Surprised was a better word than shocked. Not that he was offered but that he was offered this early by two of the Midwest’s Big Four.

GH I think about dominating players when I think about early offers. I saw McCarthy for the first time as a junior a few weeks later. I can see why these powers came in with offers. He went from a possible Big Four player to a bonafide national level player. He was really something.

He is bigger and can he ever move. He reads the game well and attacks with abandon. He runs like a back and hits like a linebacker.

McCarthy helped lead Mooney to a 14-0 record and the Division IV state championship. In the state title game win, McCarthy rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown on offense and recovered a fumble on defense.

As a junior, he rushed for 1,921 yards and 21 touchdowns, while also throwing for 780 yards and eight touchdowns.

McCarthy doubles as the free safety and averaged eight tackles per game to go with two interceptions.

Fans like to get a comparison out of me with a player they are more familiar with. I could not come up with a name until I saw him on offense. He is a left handed quarterback on offense. Watching him play there is what gave me a name. He bears a great resemblance to former Buckeye quarterback Steve Bellisari, who would have been an NFL safety if he had been able to make the move.

Unlike Bellisari, McCarthy sees himself as a safety at the next level.

Because his brother is at Notre Dame and his Catholic school background everyone assumes he will accept the Notre Dame offer but there is a lot of buzz that this McCarthy may choose to make his own mark and that Ohio State is the school to beat. Wherever he chooses to go, that school will be getting one of the nations top safety prospects.

Preseason Update: McCarthy is one of the most elusive players in the state on the football field. He was just as elusive when it came to recruiting.

He eventually narrowed his choices to Notre Dame and Ohio State before verbaling to the Irish in mid-July.

That move made sense as his brother is at Notre Dame.

McCarthy is a special player.

I think he has the physical tools and the football smarts to be a dominating safety at the next level.

Verbal Commitment

9

Kevin Koger 6-4, 235, ATH; Toledo Whitmer

The northwest of the state has always been highly regarded as a basketball region but the way things are going these days I am going to have to cultivate more contacts in the area.

Dane Sanzenbacher earned an offer from Ohio State last year and Koger is GH the next in line to receive offers from two of the Big Four as Michigan came in with an offer right before Ohio State.

I first glimpsed at Koger in a film from Massillon. He is a very athletic big kid. He moves well and is a tenacious blocker. He needs work on his technique but he has the tools to be a fine blocker. Whether that is at tight end or on the offensive line remains to be seen.

That he could end up on the defensive line is not out of the realm of possibilities. Whitmer head coach Joe Palka is seeing him every day in practice and thinks tight end. There is never such a thing as too many big athletes. As a junior, Koger had 21 catches for 358 yards during the regular season.

Koger competes in the long jump, where he has a 22foot jump to his credit, and runs the 200-meter and 400meter sprint relays.

Coach Palka thinks he is can carry 265 pounds easy.

I think he can get even bigger and in the end he will be an offensive lineman. I love his frame, his feet and his tenacity. Ohio State and Michigan were the schools he wanted offers from so it is likely he will choose from one of those schools. Koger’s father is originally from Detroit.

Preseason Update: The more I see of Koger the better I like him.

I received a tape from Whitmer coach Palka. I was impressed with him before but that was another school’s tape. It was meant to feature their players at their best, which means the other team is not looking so good.

Koger still showed on that tape well enough for me to rank him highly.

Now that I have seen a tape featuring Whitmer players I even more impressed. He showed well as a blocker when I first saw him. His receiving skills were a bit of a shock to me. He is not just another talented big athlete plugged in at tight end to take advantage of his athleticism. He has a real feel for the passing game. He shows good hands and has some idea what to do with it after he catches it.

Great looking tight end prospect, no doubt, but where I think Koger could be an NFL player is at defensive end. He plays tight end like he has been playing it all his life. He seems a bit more comfortable there but when I look at him at defensive end, that is where I get excited.

I think he could become a really special player at defensive end. I see such raw potential in him as a pass rusher. He has the motor you want in a defensive player. He has the long body and long limbs that are ideal for a defensive end.

He shows the burst you want to see to get around the tackle and to close on the quarterback.

Koger had offers from the two schools he wanted to get offers from, Ohio State and Michigan. He chose the Wolverines in early July.

Verbal Commitment JJ Hu ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Jake Stoneburner 6-5, 215, TE/WR; Dublin Coffman

The only problem with Stoneburner is where to play him. He reminds me a lot of a player from the class of 2006, Lakewood St. Edward’s Kyle Hubbard. Both players are tremendously athletic kids for their size. They both have great hands and are strong leapers. They both catch the GH ball with their hands. The downside is also the same.

Where do you project that at?

Schools were all over the place with Hubbard. Some thought big wide receiver. Most thought tight end.

Stoneburner made the decision easier because he ran a 4.53 40 at the national junior combine. I would imagine he will be brought in and given a look first as a wide receiver with no worry about whether he grows into a tight end. He has shown the ability to get down the field and make catches. What I really like about him is his ability to make something happen after the catch. He isn’t just looking to get as much yardage as he can until he gets tackled. He is looking to take it to the house. He is used to deadly effect on wide receiver screens because he is so elusive.

At the same time, Stoneburner uses his size to great effect. He seems to understand that he is bigger than the defensive backs out there. He breaks a lot of tackles, has superb ball skills and attacks the ball at its highest point.

As a junior, Stoneburner hauled in 63 passes for 948 yards and eight touchdowns. As a sophomore, he caught 31 passes for 538 yards and five touchdowns.

Stoneburner committed to Ohio State in March. He also had offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Iowa, Clemson, West Virginia, Maryland and Nebraska.

Preseason Update: Just when I thought I had Stoneburner all figured out he comes in and messes things up. There is every reason to believe that with his size Stoenburner is going to add weight and that will impact his speed, so he will end up at tight end. That is the consensus of opinion of those in the evaluation business. It is settled. Wrong.

Stoneburner goes out and runs a 4.46-second 40 this spring. He is actually getting faster. That changes everything. For one it changes his position on this list. The previous mark of 4.53 is very impressive for his size. That is what brought him one of the best offer lists in Ohio. Now he is putting up size to speed numbers that put him near the freak category. That he can bring this kind of size to the table while running like a much smaller player means the decision about moving him to tight end just became more problematic. The thought of a target this big running down the field with a 5-10 cornerback trying to cover him has to have the coaching staff dreaming up ways to get him into one-on-one situations.

Even if Stoneburner moves to tight end, he is going to create mismatch problems. Linebackers and safeties are going to have a better chance to match up with him physically but Stoneburner will run by them like they are standing still.

It always impresses me when already committed players continue to show up at camps and combines to take advantage of opportunities to drill against the best of the best. Stoneburner has been doing that. This is another ESPN national top-150 player.

Verbal Commitment JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Zebrie Sanders, Northmont

11. ***** Zebrie Sanders (6-6, 265, OL; Clayton Northmont) Any other year, Sanders would be the first name out of anyone’s mouth who follows recruiting in Ohio when asked about the best offensive lineman in the state.

Adams has been soaking up all that talk, but Sanders is at least an all-region lineman and should be a name on the national scene.

Sanders has the body you look for in a tackle. He is long and lean with the wingspan of a jumbo jet. The Clayton Northmont system is going to give any offensive lineman a leg-up going into college because the ball is in the air so much. Sanders does a good job of pass blocking, getting out of his stance and getting into his pass pro quickly. He also has great feet, moves like a player 80 pounds lighter and has a great body to add weight.

Sanders will be in the 310-320 pound range by the time he is finished growing and needs to work on his intensity. Linemen, in particular offensive lineman, come along slower than skill position players. Sanders has a tremendous upside and is a high character kid. He is benching 300 pounds which is a bit of a surprise. These long arms kids have a tough time in the weight room.

That tells me he is working hard in there.

The list of interested schools is a long one. In addition to USC and Florida, Miami (Fla.), Florida, Notre Dame, Michigan, Wisconsin and Louisville have been in contact.

He has been to Ohio State twice.

Preseason Update: We are seeing one of the best offensive line classes in Ohio history. One of the sure signs of how talented Sanders is, is to look on his offer list and see Florida State. How often do the Florida schools come north for talent? How often do they even leave the state of Florida? The Seminoles lead a list that includes Georgia, Clemson, Arkansas, Michigan and more than a dozen others. Ohio State has not offered and I would be surprised if they did in this small class for the Buckeyes with Mike Adams already committed.

Sanders is mainly looking south. He is originally from South Carolina and has already been down to take a look at Clemson. He does not appear to be in any hurry to make a decision but has narrowed things down.

Michigan, Clemson, Georgia, and Arkansas, where his mother works and he recently toured, are his top four. He threw in Florida State as the fifth school he is considering. This list could change according to Sanders so those schools should not get too excited. A 3.4 GPA to go along with a 23 on the SAT make Sanders all the more appealing.

12. ***** Shawntel Rowell (6-4, 330, DT; Cleveland Glenville) The word that came out of out of Texas at the national

Photo by Nick Falzerano/MVP Magazine

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Duane Long’s Top 100

junior combine, which is held the same weekend as the national all-star game, is this is going to be a great year for offensive linemen nationally. And a good number of them were at the combine.

Shawntel Rowell was there as well and was a nightmare for any OL he came up against. What makes it more impressive is Rowell did not play much defense for Glenville this past year, if any. He let his weight get out of hand (reportedly 370 at one point), and Ted Ginn Sr. is not going to have someone that GH big on his defense. The fact is that even when he was closer to 400 pounds than 300 he was still the most athletic big man out there every time he stepped on the football field. I think this all comes down to his weight.

If he is in shape (320 or less), Rowell is a defensive tackle, a five-star national player and top five in this instate class. With his weight up, he is a three star player.

Most of Rowell’s experience has been on the offensive side of the ball, but his future is up to him. From the look of things he has taken his conditioning seriously. He has no offers right now but that will surely change as word gets around that the football version of “Shaq” is back.

Preseason Update: Shaq Rowell is one of those players that is going to be an interesting story to track as the recruiting season rolls along. He has appeared at a couple of combines and performed extremely well in one-onone drills.

He was down in San Antonio at the junior national combine, taking on the best offensive linemen high school football has to offer. He was nearly unblockable. He was at the recent Cleveland Combine and left observers talking about his performance once again. Yet the offer list is not an impressive one. Illinois is the only Big Ten team to offer. Miami (Ohio) has offered from the mighty MAC. Rowell wants to get offers from Ohio State and Iowa. His brother is a defensive back at Iowa.

It all comes back to the weight. He now admits to being 370 this time last year. He was reported to be down to 325 at one point but now it looks like he is back up to about 340. His ability to control his weight is what is going to determine Rowell’s destiny. He has NFL skills but it is apparent the big schools are just not going to take a chance on him at this weight.

I think it goes beyond that. I think the weight loss is going to tell schools about his discipline and work ethic. If he does not beat it with so much on the line, a scholarship to one of the top 20 programs and a better chance at the NFL, what is he going to do when that enticement is no longer there? This is one of the most likeable kids you will ever meet. He is doing well in school. Everyone will

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Duane Long’s Top 100 be cheering for him.

13. **** Elliott Mealer (6-6, 280, OL; Wauseon) This is a really outstanding year for offensive linemen.

In any other year, this high school tight end would be the number one offensive lineman in Ohio. He has tight end hands but has an offensive lineman’s body. On one play down near the goal line he does a quick out. The ball is thrown away from him but he manages to stretch out and make the catch, keep his feet and get into the end zone. It was a great play but I don’t think anyone sees him doing any more of that beyond the high school level.

GH Mealer is a great blocker.

Wauseon head coach Mark Emans uses him a lot as a lead blocker and runs behind him when he pulls him like a guard from the backside of the formation. Whether it is pulling or inline blocking he is devastating. Pancakes are the order of the day. He has outstanding feet and is lean for a 280-pound player. He will likely be over 300 pounds by the time he leaves high school. He has as good a frame as Adams and Sanders.

Mealer is likely to need to work on his pass blocking since Wauseon does not throw the ball much and he was not kept in to block when they did. I see a tackle. He has the wingspan you want in a tackle and great feet. He plays end on defense and is a three-year starter on the basketball team.

He will camp at Ohio State and Michigan. Most of the Big Ten is paying attention as is Boston College and Notre Dame. I think he leaves the camp season as one of the hottest prospects in Ohio.

Preseason Update: Mealer was one of those players that showed up late on the radar but he certainly took the recruiting world by storm. He was starting to get attention from schools outside the region when he decided to pledge Michigan, who offered him in May. Other schools have never stopped recruiting him. He is that kind of player. He can play four positions on the offensive line. That kind of versatility in this day and age with only 25 scholarships is invaluable. He has the frame and the length I like to see in a tackle prospect but I think he has the game of a guard. Wauseon head coach Mark Emans used Mealer as a “pulling tight end.” He was not sending him in motion.

He was quick enough and athletic enough to pull around and still get out in front. A nice wrinkle if you have a tight end that can pull it off.

He is an outstanding run blocker whether straight ahead or pulling. He has a little more experience as a pass blocker than you would think because he has pass blocking assignments some of the time when they do pass. Great body. He has plenty of room to fill out to 320 or so. I think he could have gotten more big-time offers if he had waited but Mealer wanted to get it over with, committing to the Wolverines in May. 14. *** Michael Shaw (5-11, 185, ATH; Trotwood-Madison) Shaw rose to the occasion in the Division III state championship game, when he almost led Kettering Alter to an upset win over the mighty Big Red of Steubenville. On one play he took a swing pass and outran the entire defense. He had another run on a pitch out that left him looking like he was hemmed in but he weaved his way into the end zone, breaking a couple of tackles along the way. Shaw was an impact player then entire game.

NF This is a kid with an entirely different level of speed. He can run with Brandon Saine. He ran the 100-meters in 10.6 seconds at a track meet last year and will be the fastest football player in Ohio next season. He has some skills as a running back and is well put together despite not having

24 J J H U D D L E . C O M

ideal running back size, but his success has more to do with him being the best athlete on the field than it does with having top drawer runner skills. I think he would be better off outside or at corner to take better advantage of that extra gear he has. He does not play defense but he does not shy away from contact. I think he has the feet and hips to make the transition.

Shaw has made the decision to transfer to Trotwood Madison. I am sure no matter where he lines up offensive coordinator Jeremy Beckham will find a way to get him the ball. He is a game changer.

Preseason Update: I remember watching former Colorado Buffalo running back Rashaan Salaam win the Heisman Trophy back in 1994 then get drafted by the Chicago Bears at the top of the draft that year. He was Rookie of the Year but it all went downhill from there. I was baffled. Another great college back that did not pan out in the pros. I looked at so many backs that I saw come out of college in the 1970’s into the 1990’s who did not pan out in the NFL. Something so many of them had in common is they came out of option offenses. The offense is designed to get a back out in space with most of the work done by good blocking and a smart quarterback. As I look at Michael Shaw on new tape provided by coach Maurice Douglas, I can see that is what happened with my initial evaluation of Shaw.

I saw the state championship game and that was it on Shaw. He had a great game but as it turns out I needed to see more. I needed to see him doing something but running in space. The new film shows a clearly more natural back than I saw before. He handles traffic better than I thought he did and shows better vision. He is a very determined runner with great balance and is very strong for his size. I have not changed my opinion that he might be better off as a corner or maybe a receiver but I am more of a mind that he could be a running back. If he were bigger I would project him as a running back. He is one of the hottest properties in Ohio, having recently picked Penn State. Shaw had 28 offers overall, including Michigan, Tennessee and West Virginia.

15. ***** Brandon Beachum (6-1, 220, LB/RB; Youngstown Cardinal Mooney) Watch the 2006 Division IV state championship game to understand what all the fuss is about with Beachum.

You want impact players? Players that make things happen whenever they are on the field? That is Beachum. He plays both ways. On offense, he rushed for 61 yards and scored a touchdown. He had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a sack and an interception on defense. It seemed like every time there was a big play No. 3 was GH involved. He had 12 offers at last count.

Most of the offers are as a linebacker but some are as an athlete because he is that good a running back. He is a big back who shows good instincts and has excellent vision. What makes him a possible running back is he has a good burst and quick feet. That is what usually kills the chances for a back this size to stay there.

Size will say a lot about where he ends up in college. I think he is a bit better as a linebacker. He reads very well, runs well and strikes hard. He is a solid tackler. I think he is getting excellent coaching under P.J. Fecko. When I watch Mooney the one thing that stands out is how well organized and sharp the team is.

Beachum is already a full qualifier.

Preseason Update: Beachum is the poster child for the strength of the class of 2008. A player who has an offer list that includes LSU, Oklahoma, Florida State, Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin among others, is falling down the recruiting rankings. He is coming off a season where he ran up a 123 total tackles and doubledigits in sacks. That is two years in a row with over 100 tackles. He rushed for 1,500 yards, the second year in a row where he had a 1,000 yard rushing year. He missed a few games last year, shared the carries with several other D-1 prospects but still had a total that a workhorse back

would be happy with.

One thing that is having an impact is his size. At one combine Beachum was measured at 5-11 and 216. I think that changes how he is going to be recruited. That is not ideal linebacker size but it is excellent for a running back.

He is a physical player on either side of the ball.

Regardless of where he lines up there is one thing that nobody can deny. Beachum makes plays. He committed to Penn State in late July.

16. ***** Justin Staples (6-3, 220, LB; Lakewood St. Edward) I had more people telling me about Staples than any player on the loaded Lakewood St. Edward roster. Once I got film it did not take long to find him. He lived up to all the hype I had thrown at me. There is no fudging on the size. He is legitimately 6-3. If I were building a high school linebacker prospect he would look like Staples.

He is long and lean. He could end up being big enough to be a middle GH linebacker and maybe even move back to defensive end (where he played as a sophomore).

Right now I see a very athletic outside linebacker who brings plenty of speed. He needs to work on his reads but that is not a concern. He was playing linebacker for the first time as a junior so he’s raw but the physical tools are something to get excited about. I saw him early in the year and then again late. There is no question he became a better player.

Staples is strong enough to play at the line of scrimmage but athletic enough to be used in coverage, and not just against tight ends and backs – the coaching staff has enough confidence to let him play against wide receivers as well. Considering the level of competition St. Edward played against that is a real testament to what kind of talent Staples is.

He says Ohio State and Michigan are his top two schools. He has been to Ohio State for the Minnesota game. He also lists Florida State, Notre Dame, Virginia and Georgia Tech.

Preseason Update: One of the best physical specimens in Ohio. He catches your eye just by walking on the field. There is so much to like but what most impressed me was the fact that he took to the move from defensive end to linebacker so well. He was at his best when asked to attack off the edge when he lined up almost like a defensive end but he was also asked to play in space and he handled it like it was something he had done all his life.

Staples is athletic enough to regularly line up on slot receivers. He had a feel for zone defense that you don’t see from players who have played nothing but linebacker all their lives. He is very good at getting off of blocks. For one thing he does a great job of getting those long arms on a blocker and keeping him away from his body.

One thing that is going to be in the minds of everyone recruiting him is Staples could just as easily slide into his former spot at defensive end. With his frame and long limbs he could add the weight and slide down. Versatility means a lot. It could be the difference for him with the really big schools.

Staples had offers from Michigan State, Colorado, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Syracuse, Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

He considered all of them before choosing Illinois in late July.

17. **** Harold Coates (6-3, 315, OL; Youngstown Ursuline) Talk about coming out of nowhere. I had never heard the name Harold Coates until January. He was nowhere on the radar. Linemen come along slowly and Harold Coates is the proof.

He is playing left tackle in high school and has the feet to play tackle but his height seems to dictate a move to guard. He has the wingspan of a much taller player.

JJ Hu ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Duane Long’s Top 100 No lineman in Ohio comes off the ball quite like Coates. He really brings it. His punch is something to see as he takes his man out of the play right away in most instances simply by blowing them back off the snap.

Coates has good technique and really stays with it. He plays the game with the kind of nasty that is often the difference between a really good lineman and a really great one.

He is just now coming into his own, so his upside is exciting. He has his weight under control and this is a 290 pound kid that is supGH posed to weigh 290 pounds.

Ursuline is loaded with talent so this under the radar player will not stay under the radar for long. The position Coates ends up in college is going to depend on the needs of the schools he chooses. It is not often that I find myself not being able to project a lineman as an inside player or a tackle but Coates has tools that make him a potential player anywhere along the offensive line.

Grades are going to be the issue here. With his academics in order, Coates is a top-20 player and he would have a who’s who of college football powerhouses on his offer list.

Preseason Update: Back when I first evaluated Coates I said that he would be a top-20 player with his grades in order. I have learned that Coates has indeed seen the light and has taken his academics serious. The first thing he did was enroll in summer school. Back when I made my evaluation I was assured that Coates was simply a kid that had not taken the classroom seriously. He was very much capable of doing the work. It is good to see one of the best players in the state of Ohio realize what an opportunity he has in front of him and take advantage of it. It seems in recent years I have seen too many not get it.

I have been evaluating players across the country this year as the fans at Bucknuts.com have asked me to in years past. This is one of the best years for offensive line nationally in recent memory. We are not hearing Coates name thrown around with the top players in the country but I think that is an oversight. I see him as a guard at the next level. While Coates is a good looking athlete he might not be up there with the likes of Michael Brewster and Josh Jenkins but when you just look at him as a run blocker at guard I think he belongs in the conversation.

I love his take no prisoners attitude and he comes off the ball with power. Once he locks his man up it is over.

He is so quick off the ball that most of the time they don’t have a chance. Even though he is still not qualified he has offers from Illinois, North Carolina State, Indiana and Marshall. If none of them can talk him into an early verbal, I think Coates will see an offer list that will stack up against any player in the state of Ohio when schools are more certain he will qualify.

18. **** Isaiah Pead (5-11, 175, ATH; Columbus Eastmoor Academy) If they kept a statistic for most ankles broken by an offensive player Pead would certainly be a threat to break the season and career records. The very first play on his film he makes nine defensive players miss. Yes, I said nine. He is a human highlight film with pretty good size. He has a good frame and can add weight. Even if he doesn’t, he shows the hands and athleticism to move out to wide receiver.

Pead plays safety on defense and I think with work, he has the GH feet and hips to play corner. In the end if I were making the decision I would leave him at running back. He is so elusive. He reminds me of former Chaminade-Julienne and current Michigan State star Javon Ringer in the fact that in tight spaces he still manages to create space to avoid tacklers.

And like Ringer, once cornered that does not mean the

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

play is over. He spins and uses a stiff arm to avoid being tackled and breaks a lot of tackles. In 10 regular season games, Pead ran for 1,696 yards and 19 TDs on 158 carries (10.7 yards-per-carry). He scored 26 TDs overall in the regular season.

Pead was the Ohio D-IV Co-Player of the Year. He has a 4.4 40-yard dash time and made the state finals in the 200- and 400-meters as a both a freshman and a sophomore. Pead has a strong argument for being the top skill player in the class.

Preseason Update: It has been a busy off-season for Pead as he is one of Ohio’s best sprinters, with the 400 meters being his best event. He also runs the 100, 200 and is part of the Eastmoor Academy 400- and 1,600relay teams. He has run under 49 seconds and won the state title in that event in June. He has run an officially timed 4.41-second 40-yard dash and has a reported 100 time of 10.7.

It is not just speed for Pead. This is one of the nation’s most spectacular football players. His highlight reel is truly a highlight reel. He has also been a regular on the combine circuit where he has sent observers home singing his praises. He was on the Ted Ginn bus tour. He has a nice list with Wisconsin, Pitt, West Virginia, Akron, Cincinnati, Indiana, Louisville, Miami (Ohio) and Marshall having offered.

The Ted Ginn bus tour usually winds up in Columbus at the Ohio State senior camp. That is exactly where Pead wants to be. He has not hidden the fact that he wants to be a Buckeye. There is more to it than showing well at the camp. Pead has not put up a test score yet. I think that has everything to do with why his offer list is not even more impressive. He is supposed to have taken the ACT in June or July. He has a solid GPA. I think a qualifying score sees Pead add to his offer list and I would not be surprised if one of those offers is from his dream school.

19. **** Johnny Adams (5-11, 170, CB/WR; Akron Buchtel) In the open field, Adams is something to see. A fan asked me once about recruiting just for special teams. I said that doesn’t happen. But when you see a kick returner of the caliber of Adams you rethink that. He put up some amazing numbers and could make a highlight reel just of kick returns (both kickoffs and punts).

Most see Adams as a college cornerback. If a cornerback touches the ball 20 times in a season, he is likely going to be an AllAmerican. As a wide receiver, Ted Ginn Jr. could touch the ball that many times in two games. I say the same thing about Adams. You have to want him to touch the ball GH as much as possible. I don’t know if Adams has Ginn’s pure speed but there is no doubt he is right there with him in elusiveness.

The kid is a big play machine. He only had 11 receptions last year but scored four times. He had six interceptions (taking two back for TDs) and added three return TDs (two on punts and one kickoff return).

An offer from Ohio State would likely end his recruitment.

Preseason Update: There has been a lot of buzz about Adams ever since his junior tape hit the internet.

For a while the Buchtel head coaching job was open which makes it very hard to get tape. Once that tape was made available the chatter increased as this spectacular player was once again demanding attention. He is worth a scholarship just to return kicks. With so few touches of the ball to score 14 total touchdowns is one of the most impressive numbers you will see.

I can sum Adams up in three words, big play guy. He is listed by most as a cornerback but I think he is too good with the ball in his hands to put him at corner, and it is asking a lot of a player this size to play every down on defense. He is going to have to get to camps to show his body to coaching staffs. Adams is his listed 5-11 but the 170 I give him in weight might be generous. Even at that

weight asking him to be an every down player is asking a lot. Schools will want to see if he has the body to carry the weight and still fill up a highlight reel with plays.

Some do not need convincing. He has offers from Syracuse, West Virginia, Akron and Marshall. I have not been able to confirm a qualifying test score or a GPA so that could be having an impact on his offer list.

20. **** Anthony Allen (6-1, 185, RB; Toledo Whitmer) Preseason Update: That Anthony Allen is just now appearing in Ohio High is the smoking gun on the lack of coverage in the Toledo area. I want to make it a priority to see that it does not happen anymore. This is a runner with special skills. I start with the body.

I love to see backs built like this. He is tall and lean, every bit his listed 6-1, and he could be taller. He has plenty of room to add muscle on his impressive frame. I see him carrying 210 or maybe more by the time he is done filling out. I see an NFL body with Allen. Devoe Torrence is the only runner in Ohio that I see with a better upside.

Allen is such a natural. He sees the field so well.

Instinctive runners are “pickers” more than runners. Allen picks his way, making changes in his speed and direction as he winds his way through traffic. When he finds daylight he explodes to it. He shows very impressive acceleration and outstanding balance. He needs to get stronger but does a good job breaking tackles and carrying tacklers for a player who officially weighed 178 during the season.

I take solace in the fact that his only offers are from Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois. That means I was not the only one who overlooked this very talented runner.

He should have offers from every school in the Big Ten. A tremendous talent with a big upside. He rushed for 1,700 yards and 22 touchdowns last year.

21. **** Nic DiLillo (6-5, 220, TE; Madison) I recently watched DiLillo’s junior tape and I was impressed with him as a receiver. He catches anything he can reach. He has a long lean body, perfect for packing on the right kind of weight, and he is already bigger than last year. Not just heavier but he looks taller. I see him blossoming as an athlete. He is the one of the four tight ends we are talking about that is most football ready to play. He is right at home working the middle of the field like a classic tight end and he runs the routes that you need a GH tight end to run.

DiLillo plays physical and seems to relish that part of the game. He knows what to do with the ball after the catch and gets north and south quickly.

As a junior, he had 46 catches for 580 yards and four touchdowns.

DiLillo ended the suspense in early April, verbaling to Clemson over offers from Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

Preseason Update: This is one of those years that there is so much talent at a position that a talent like Dilillo gets overlooked. Any other year he is the No. 1 tight end in Ohio and one of the best in the region but you have the two best tight ends I have ever seen in Ohio in Kyle Rudolph and Brandon Moore, plus Jake Stoneburner who may or may not be a tight end. They are spectacular athletes at the tight end position.

Dilillo is a classic tight end with a classic tight end game. He plies the short zones and catches everything thrown his way. You can call tight ends like this lifeguards as they are always bailing quarterbacks out. He is a tenacious blocker with a body to add plenty of weight, and the work ethic to make it happen. Plenty of schools recognized this.

After rescinding his verbal to Clemson and committing to Pitt, DiLillo had another change of heart when he became an Ohio State recruit in late July (see story, page 49).

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Duane Long’s Top 100 22. **** Taylor Hill (6-2, 215, DE/LB; Youngstown Cardinal Mooney) For the last couple of years there has been an endless supply of names coming out of Cardinal Mooney. It is no different this year. The upside is players get to be part of something special – a state championship-caliber program. The downside is it is crowded in the spotlight.

Sometimes players get pushed out. Taylor Hill is a prime example.

This is a big time football player.

He makes plays all over the field, runs great and has the motor that is so important to defensive players. He is explosive. I have seen Hill punch linemen in front of him and send them reeling and he also has the ability to run down plays from behind, which he seems to GH make look routine. Hill has long arms and a good frame. I think he would be best as a 3-4 outside linebacker/defensive end or at linebacker in a 4-3. He has the instincts, the speed and the motor to make the transition.

Hill plays smart football. One of the best plays I saw out of him was staying on the quarterback until he forced a pitch then having the speed to get over to the back and make a tackle for loss. In the end, the one thing stands out about Hill the most is his uncanny ability to avoid blockers. I don’t recall a play where he did not have a blocker in front of him. He runs through or around every single obstacle. Many of my associates went to see Mooney and came away talking about Hill. If he were just a little bigger, where he would surely be a defensive end, I would have him in the top ten.

Preseason Update: I am one of the few people who is not surprised at the scholarship offer list that Hill can claim. Despite one of the most star studded high school lineups we will ever see in Ohio, Hill stood out to me. He is an impact player. With players like Mike McCarthy, Brandon Beachum, Mike Zordich and super junior to be John Simon on the same team, Hill had as many impact plays as any of them, and I think he has a strong argument for being the big play king on what amounts to an all-star team. After some recent numbers coming out of camps and combines I think he is going to be a linebacker since he is not as big as listed but I always thought he would likely wind up at linebacker anyway. Hill committed to Oklahoma in late July after also weighing offers from Syracuse, Pitt, Indiana and Akron. Hill had 98 tackles and 12 sacks as a junior.

23. **** Michael Zordich (6-1, 210, LB; Youngstown Cardinal Mooney) I was watching a Cardinal Mooney tape of star safety Dan McCarthy who was making a great run around the left side. A defender was trying to angle him to the sidelines and all of a sudden he got bent in half by a block.

Before I could find the remote and rewind to see who made the block there came another. When I got the remote and reviewed both plays I saw it was the same blocker – Michael Zordich.

Zordich plays fullback in addition to linebacker and is a throwback to the days when fullbacks were more than another offensive lineman in the backfield. He runs the belly plays and can catch the ball out of the backfield. He knows what to do with it after he catches it. Brian Leonard is getting a lot of press this year coming out of GH Rutgers and could end up being chosen on the first day of the NFL draft. Zordich could be the same kind of player.

I will never understand why the fullback position has morphed into the waste that it is these days. That is why Zordich will be a linebacker. He is too talented to be wasted like that. He is a good middle linebacker with top notch instincts, and he runs well enough to take advantage of those good instincts.

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Zordich was a one-man wrecking crew in his team’s Division IV state championship game win over Plain City Jonathan Alder. He had two touchdown runs on offense and had 10 tackles and two fumbles forced on defense.

Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State are all showing interest. His father played at Penn State and later in the NFL. Preseason Update: Whether you like Zordich better as a linebacker or as a fullback, there is no question about one thing. He is a striker. You see him on tape and time and time again you see explosive hits.

Most, if not all, of his offers were as a linebacker. He is a good linebacker but where I am impressed with him is at fullback. We don’t see fullbacks used in a traditional fashion. All you have to do is see Zordich’s tape to discover how effective a fullback can be in an offense if allowed to do more than block. He is an outstanding lead blocker but is a major headache for any defense with the ball in his hands.

He had early offers from Ohio State and Penn State, with Michigan, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Michigan State and Wisconsin coming in later. Both of Zordich’s parents are Penn State grads. He made his parents proud by pledging the Nittany Lions in early June. Joe Paterno knows how to use a fullback. Maybe Zordich will lead a renaissance for the position.

24 (tie). **** Kenny Stafford (6-3, 175, WR; Columbus DeSales) I have had ties before but never a three way tie. I just cannot decide between these three outstanding receivers.

Each brings something different enough that it comes down to picking what you like. Bakari Bussey is big, strong and very athletic. Roy Roundtree, though they all have hands, has the best hands and is so difficult to corral after the catch. Stafford is big and the fastest of the lot.

You were not going to see the ball in the air a lot under former DeSales head coach Bob Jacoby, but what weapons he had a receiver with Stafford and tight end Justin Thompson. Thompson is likely the fastest tight end in an outstanding class. Stafford is likely the fastest receiver in this impressive class of receivers. On one play he is downfield throwing a block for one of the DeSales backs that has legitimate 4.4 speed.

Stafford actually pulls ahead of him at one point. He shows hands, GH making catches on badly thrown balls and diving to make other catches. Bussey is a fine blocker. Stafford is even better.

Long runs are the result of receivers blocking. No team had more long runs than DeSales. I am always happy to see receivers who block, but what stands out about Stafford is when he catches a ball in stride and explodes by every player on the field. I don’t have a 40-yard dash time on him but his football speed is special.

Stafford has some outstanding genetics. He is the nephew of former Buckeye great Cris Carter.

Preseason Update: Stafford has a nice offer list with Akron, Indiana, Miami (Ohio), Ohio University, Ball State, Central Michigan, Buffalo and Eastern Michigan. All nice schools but in my mind Stafford should have a much bigger and more impressive list. I think it should include some of the Big Four in the Midwest, if not all of them. I would love to sit down with any of the Big Four recruiting coordinators and ask why he does not have an offer. He has size, he ran a 4.4 at Ohio State camp and handled himself well competing against national top-100 player and Buckeye commit Devier Posey. He shows hands.

He is the best blocking receiver in the state. I have him second to Posey and in my opinion there is not a lot that separates them. This is one of the best years I have seen for receivers nationally. Any other year I would see Stafford as a national top 20 receiver.

I know he is currently not fully qualified. He needs a test score. Maybe that is the hold-up. If someone asked me for the 10 biggest mysteries since I have been doing this I would say that Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State not offering Stafford, and doing so early,

would definitely make that list. He is currently in Florida working with his uncle, former Buckeye receiver Cris Carter, at his Fast Program facility.

24 (tie). **** Roy Roundtree (6-2, 170, WR; Trotwood-Madison) Roundtree is a long lean receiver with all the attributes to be a Big Ten player. He shows outstanding hands, uses his hands to catch the ball (not his body), shows excellent concentration and adjusts to the ball extremely well. He does a great job of checking his stride so he can run through catches for more yardage. Trotwood head coach Maurice Douglas calls him “TG3”, meaning he is the next Ted Ginn, but who Roundtree reminds me of is Cincinnati Bengal receiver Chad Johnson in body and style. He plays more of a big receivers game with the ability to go over the top of defenders. Ginn uses speed to create separation. Like Johnson, Roundtree is more of a north-south runner after the catch. He is not looking to make any sideline to sideline runs like Ginn where he gives up 10 yards before gaining 50.

NF Roundtree, who had 43 catches for 726 yards and seven TDs in the regular season, is just a brutally effective receiver who is a threat to take it to the house on every touch. Get the ball and get up field as quickly as possible. He is surprisingly strong. He breaks tackles and uses a stiff arm. In general he is not as easy to get off his feet as you would think a receiver his size would be. He is mostly a split end but he lines up in the slot and shows no hesitation about running over the middle. This will be his second year under Trotwood offensive coordinator Jeremy Beckham. It should be interesting to watch him take it to another level. If he runs well at camps and combines this spring and over the summer, Roundtree will have an argument to be the No. 1 receiver in the class.

Preseason Update: It did not take long for Roundtree to start racking up offers after his tape started circulating.

This is the kind of player that every offense is looking for.

He can change games. With All-American Brandon Moore on the other side of the line Roundtree did not see a lot of time in the spotlight but he had better numbers and made more big plays than Moore did.

He is going to need to add some weight to his slight frame. He was listed at 170 but was weighed officially at 155. He has the frame to carry about 190. This is a player that can do it all. He can play wide receiver and go down the field or line up in the slot and run the underneath stuff.

He is as impressive as any receiver in the state after the catch.

I spoke to Roundtree in late May and got the impression he was going to wait to make a decision on college but soon after he pledged to Purdue. He still needs to work on his academics and does not have a test score yet. I think his offer list would be more impressive if his academics were squared away.

26. **** Domonick Britt (6-5, 190, QB; Trotwood-Madison) Last year at this time I was looking at film of Britt and thinking what a great athlete. Now I am looking at him and saying what a great quarterback he is becoming. There was never any question in my mind that Britt would be a D-I football player.

The first time I saw him I thought he would come in as an athlete, maybe get a shot at playing quarterback but eventually take all that athletic ability to wide receiver. He has come along so much that I NF think his odds of being a quarterback in college are improving.

He credits the improvement in his quarterback skills to offensive coordinator Jeremy Beckham who doubled as the quarterback coach.

JJ Hu ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Duane Long’s Top 100 Britt completed 165-of-301 passes for 2,889 yards and 21 TDs. He added 1,039 rushing yards on 139 carries.

He has really good arm strength and on one play he is running to his left and lays a ball out 50 yards throwing against his body. He has an odd motion but that is a work in progress. He is coming along.

Britt was invited up to practice at Ohio State with teammate Brandon Moore and really enjoyed himself. He could still end up moving to wide receiver but I am calling him a quarterback. He is a pass first play maker that could develop into one of the countries most sought after quarterbacks. If he takes another step up in his quarterback skills from his junior year to his senior year like he did from his sophomore year to his junior year, he will have his pick of schools. He will surely hit Kent State and Ohio State for camps. Others will be added based on interest.

Preseason Update: This will be Britt’s second year under offensive coordinator Jeremy Beckham. The improvement was dramatic. He will have another year to throw to Brandon Moore and Roy Roundtree. Now he is going to add Michael Shaw to the mix. If he improves like I think he will we will see numbers from Britt that we will not soon forget. Despite offers from at least two Big Ten schools, Illinois and Minnesota, and one Big East school, West Virginia, Britt decided to get it over with and make his commitment to the University of Cincinnati. I think this is a very wise decision on the part of Britt in the fact that he is a raw quarterback. He passed for 900 yards as a sophomore then over 2,300 as a junior. That shows how coachable he is.

New Bearcat head coach Brian Kelly showed last year how good he is at developing quarterbacks by taking a player who was not even a quarterback in high school and making him into a player. This is a combination that could be the beginning of something special in the Queen City. Like his teammate Roy Roundtree, Britt has some work to do in the classroom. I spoke to him about this. I think he is fully aware of what he needs to do and will make it academically. I think with his raw skills and the coaching of Kelly that we could see a Cincinnati Bearcat quarterback playing in the NFL. 27. *** D.J. Woods (6-0, 175, WR; Strongsville) I first heard about Woods last year from Strongsville coach Russ Jacques. Jacques was not ready to put pressure on a kid as young as Woods who was starting his junior year at the time. He mentioned that he had a receiver that he thought was going to be special. He just wanted to let him grow into the role. Last summer Woods took that step with a breakout performance at the Cleveland combine. There were any number of top receivers at that combine but Woods was the one everyone came away talking about.

He impressed everyone present with his combination of speed, hands and route running. You don’t see that very often. You will see a receiver with two of those attribGH utes sometimes but you don’t often find a player with all three. He is an explosive leaper. He is right around 6-0 and well put together. I have quite a bit of film of him and I have yet to see him shy away from contact.

Woods is also an excellent kick returner, both punts and kickoffs. On the season he averaged 28.6 yards on his punt returns and took three back for scores. He returned two kickoffs for TDs. At receiver, Woods had 35 catches (25.4 yards per catch) and eight TDs. Defensively, he had 48 tackles playing cornerback. He has recently returned from a combine in Florida where he ran a set of three 40-yard dashes. He got off to a bad start with a 4.43. It was a bad start when you consider he followed up with a 4.35, then finished with a 4.37.

Woods has been a guest of Notre Dame and has been to Michigan.

Preseason Update: Woods continues to take the “athlete” part of the recruiting process, the camp and com-

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

bine circuit, by storm. If you asked me to pick one name as the player who stood out most during this part of the process it would be Woods. He continues to run great times and he has done a great job in the one-on-one drilling. He has been going against some great talent as it seems this year we are seeing more of the big-time kids showing their competitive natures by showing up despite lengthy offer lists.

I can’t think of a camp or combine that Woods has attended where his name did not pop up on the list of outstanding players. Running a sub 4.4 40-yard dash is one thing. What is really impressive is to run that fast multiple times at different events over time. One time can be a fluke. When someone does it consistently, that is when you can say he is fast.

There is a great deal of chatter about Woods as a corner these days. He has the speed and his size as given

by Coach Jacques has been accurate. Everybody wants bigger corners. I think he would prefer to play wide receiver but he is not opposed to being a corner. The offers continued to pile up with Michigan State, Iowa and Nebraska standing out. Woods narrowed it down and picked Nebraska in late July.

28. *** B.J. Machen (6-1, 210, LB; Hilliard Darby) Machen is one of the best kept secrets in Ohio for the Class of 2008.

Most of the top prospects in this linebackers class are best on the outside, but Machen is one that is an inside player. He is physical, handles traffic really well and does a great job of getting off blocks without slowing down.

Don’t let the weight fool you. He is a big 6-1 and has a great frame. I just don’t see him as a safety. I think he is going to be a college-sized linebacker by the time he is ready to step on a football field at the next level.

He shows outstanding speed, so if he does not fill out he could step back into the secondary. I just don’t see it.

This is a sideline to sideline defender with a serious motor. Machen is a tough minded kid. He had a bad shoulder but never took a series off. He is doing cleans with 245 pounds for five reps. He has the work ethic, is a team leader and has the grades.

Preseason Update: After watching his tape I was very impressed with Machen. He is an active linebacker with good speed and great instincts. I was impressed hearing from Hilliard Darby coach Paul Jenne about what kind of leader he was. He also told me how Machen played through a shoulder injury. At no position would a shoulder injury be more of a problem than at linebacker. He did not leave the game because of it.

I had him in the top 50 for that reason despite lacking ideal size for middle linebacker, his best position. I moved him up not because of the impressive offer list or anything he has done at camps and combines. I moved him up after speaking with him.

Jenne spoke to truth about Machen as a leader. This is one of the most impressive young men it has been my pleasure to speak with. He is looking to be a doctor when he leaves college. It is not just talk. I am sure that Machen will be a doctor. He is a driven young man that excels in the classroom. I have little doubt he might add the doctor title to his name after a successful stint in the NFL. Young men this motivated, ones that understand the meaning of sacrifice, are successful no matter what they try to do.

He has offers from about every high academic school you can think of. His father is a Stanford grad who now lives in the Maryland area. Maryland made an offer as did Georgia Tech, Syracuse, West Virginia, Stanford, Pitt, Nebraska, Illinois, Duke and Michigan State. Machen has verballed to Georgia Tech.

29. *** Douglas Rippy (6-2, 215, OLB/DE; Trotwood-Madison) This is the best year for Columbus City League talent in a few years and Douglas Rippy is one of the reasons why. He played linebacker and defensive end last year, where he broke the school record with 148 tackle and had nine sacks to go 22 tackles for loss.

On offense Rippy played tight end, running back and wide receiver.

He is getting a lot of interest from some major schools.

Boston College has been showing a good deal of interest for some time while Ohio State recently came in and invited Rippy to spring practices. Other Big Ten teams have also been in contact including Michigan State, Illinois and Indiana. Duke has also been in contact.

Some are recruiting him as an athlete but most will be looking at him as a defensive end or a linebacker.

He is carrying a 3.2 GPA, but has not taken the test. I suspect that interest will turn into offers once Rippy has a test score he NF can send to their respective admissions offices.

Preseason Update: Rippy, who has transferred to Trotwoood-Madison, has been one of the stars of the “athlete” part of the recruiting process. He is showing a great body and good speed. I did not see him as a really athletic kid but he showed well in passing defense drills.

He is going to be a middle linebacker initially but I am not going to be surprised at a move to defensive end.

Despite showing well in pass defense drills he is still at his best running straight forward. Put him on the edge and just let him go. Let him take advantage of that 4.5 speed. That is a combine time not a school time.

He camped at Ohio State and liked the Buckeyes, but he has committed to Nebraska. Cincinnati, Michigan State, Illinois and Akron had come in with offers, too.

Rippy is one of the hottest prospects in Ohio right now.

That last year was his first playing football speaks volumes about what he will be when he really learns how to play the game.

30. **** Fred Craig (6-2, 210, LB; Cincinnati St. Xavier) Preseason Update: I almost made a mistake with Kyle Rudolph. I managed to find what I needed on him before the first issue. I did make a mistake with Fred Craig. Like with Rudolph I did see something of Craig but it did not stand out. Better late than never. I recently saw Craig and it was immediately clear why so many fans were asking me why I did not have him in the top 100.

The very first clip I saw of him on the new tape was Craig coming from the far hashmark to make a play on the opposite sideline. Not only did it show his speed and instincts, when he got to the ball carrier he leveled him.

The very next play he is lined up in the middle of the field and makes a hit on the ball carrier for a five-yard loss. He never cut him in half. Craig is not the biggest player but he plays big. He does not have a middle linebackers body. If he did I would say he is a inside guy but he does show the speed to play outside. He reminds me a lot of a another Cincinnati player who appeared on my radar late, Buckeye linebacker/safety Tyler Moeller.

This kid brings it. He committed to Standford after receiving offers from Michigan State, Nebraska, Indiana, Cincinnati, West Virginia and Louisville.

31. ***** Jamiihr Williams (6-2½, 230, LB; Trotwood-Madison) Williams is just now starting to be a name that fans are familiar with. In Ohio the recruiting trail is what is known as the “3-C highway”, Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati. Williams was at Lima. That is off the beaten path. A standout on the combine circuit, his tapes did not appear until after his sophomore year.

Williams is just as impressive on the football field as he is in drills.

As a sophomore he registered double-digit sacks as a stand-up defensive end and then moved to a true linebacker spot as a junior. He was on his way to a 150-tackle year when a high ankle sprain took about half his junior year away. He went to the national junior combine after the injury healed and picked up where he left off.

Williams is outstanding at the line of scrimmage, but

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Duane Long’s Top 100 size might dictate that he stay at linebacker. He has all the tools to make the transition. Williams has shown that he has the crucial ability to find the ball and the burst to do something about it once he finds it. He has the top end speed to get to the ball carrier anywhere on the field and the motor to stay in every play until the whistle blows.

Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State, Michigan State, Iowa and West Virginia are all showing early interest.

Williams went to two Michigan games last fall and has Ohio State, Michigan and Florida State at the top of his list. He is already fully qualified. I think he is a strong side linebacker but he could easily grow into a middle linebacker.

Preseason Update: When I first heard about Williams it was after an outstanding performance after his sophomore year at a combine. He continues to turn heads at combines. He has had several outstanding performances so far this year. Williams has a nice offer list with Cincinnati, Akron and Miami (Ohio) and I think more are to come.

It is always a dicey situation with a player coming off an injury. A high ankle sprain took away a good portion of Williams’ junior year. You think things like that are minor and will be over with in time but I point to Ted Ginn again, this time Ted Ginn Jr, as an example of why schools are careful. His foot injury was supposed to be minor. He is still not healed. I think schools will want to see Williams up close to be sure about the injury and I think they will want to take a look at his body to see if he is a linebacker or if he will be a player that moves down and puts his hand in the dirt. He has played both.

I have spoken to people that think he was better as a sophomore but that is too simplistic. He was moving to another position and he caught the injury very early on.

He is going to be on a really outstanding team this year.

That is going to help. I spoke to one opposing coach from last year that said their entire game plan was built around taking him out of the game. A good season on the field could send his stock soaring again. I think the injury took its toll and being the focus of every team he played against. That won’t happen at Trotwood.

32. **** Whitley Mercilus (6-3, 225, DE; Akron Garfield) Preseason Update: Tape is always coming in the door. This is one that I really wish I had received sooner.

This is one of the best football players in Ohio and I would say the best pure pass rusher. He has an explosive first step. I would argue Mercilus has the best first step in Ohio this year. He often just blows by blockers but you really see the impact when he fires right into a blocker. The shock is obvious. Blockers look like they are trying to grab a bull by the horns.

The very first play I saw of Mercilus he blows up the blocker in front of him and carries into the quarterback and hits his arm forcing a bad throw that results in an interception return for a touchdown. He is not just an edge pass rusher. He is an excellent run defender. He has outstanding closing speed. Once he clears his blocker the ball carrier or the quarterback can just start thinking about trying to keep the number of yards lost to a minimum. He reminds me a lot of Kevin Koger, the difference being that Koger is a little bigger.

Like Koger, Mercilus is a good tight end. He is as good if not a better blocker than Koger. He has quietly gone about collecting an impressive offer list with Illinois, Boston College, Purdue, Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Kansas, Akron, Ball State and Toledo making early offers.

I don’t know about grades. I don’t know if “Merciless” Mercilus has a timetable but I think if he waits he could see some of the Big 4 come in with offers.

33. *** Joe Pachuta (6-7, 285, OL; New Concord John Glenn) Ohio is just chock full of outstanding athletes in the small school ranks. Pachuta is one of the best.

He is all of his listed 6-7 and carries his 285 pounds very well. He is built a lot like current Ohio State left tackle Alex Boone as a high school player.

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Photo by Jim Rinaldi

Pachuta moves very well and John Glenn head coach John Kelley has him getting into the second level to make blocks and he handles it well. Overall, he is very raw but players this size that are this athletic are rare. He needs to be as big as he is to carry that nasty streak.

He has the attitude of a defensive lineman. On one play last year he is riding his man so far they end up out of bounds where someone on the opposing sidelines grabs Pachuta to make sure he does not finish the block out of bounds. I love that kind of nasty and tenacity. He finishes every block and does a great job in pass protection with his outstanding reach and the fact that he just will not quit.

Once he learns technique he is going to be a hard man to beat. He plays tackle and guard for Kelley but mostly at tackle. I think he could be a left tackle but that nasty he brings to the table would better serve him at right tackle. I think he could be a camp star.

Preseason Update: Another player who has suffered from coming from a small school. Pachuta earned offers from Maryland and Akron with quite a number of other schools thinking about stepping into the fray. West Virginia, Michigan State, North Carolina State and Purdue were all thinking about an offer. In mid-July Pachuta accepted an offer from the Maryland.

Quarterbacks from small schools have it the worst but offensive linemen are awfully close. A good number of offensive linemen from larger schools are not going against players who are as big or as fast as the players they will see in college. That is even a bigger problem for a lineman from a smaller school. They can usually dominate just on size alone. Great looking football player. Big, nasty and moves well.

34. *** Zac Dysert (6-4, 190, QB; Ada) Ada is not the acronym for something. It is a place here in Ohio. Recruiters will need to find it. Every year there are players that I see in the top 100 that I peg as players that could move the most by signing day of their senior year. Dysert tops that list. About the only question I can see with Dysert is the level of competition. He has all the tools. He is 6-4 which seems to be the minimum requirement for most of the big schools, and he may be closer to 6-5. He has a really good arm. I saw him make

Trevor Walls, Waverly

every throw that you would want – he can throw the long ball and the deep out with velocity. I was very impressed with his coolness under fire.

We talk about a quarterback being a field general. This kid looks the part. There is a Peyton Manning-quality about him. He is mechanically very sound, setting his feet and delivering the ball over the top. His numbers last year were spectacular. He completed 293-of-448 passes for a 65-percent completion percentage, 3,835 yards and 31 TDs. Dysert also ran for eight TDs. He is a good enough athlete that he also plays defense. One thing he is going to have to work on is avoiding collisions. No coach is going to happy about his quarterback taking on tacklers like Dysert does when he runs. If he gets to camps and combines I think Dysert will be one of the most talked about recruits in Ohio next summer.

Preseason Update: There is more buzz about Dysert than there is any quarterback in Ohio after his performance at the Cleveland Combine. I was not as surprised as some. I saw a lot of good things out of this small school quarterback. The words small and school are the key words. Small school players fight an uphill battle. No players are more negatively impacted by coming out of a small school than quarterbacks. It is essential that they get out to camps and combines. Dysert has done that and proved to some big schools that is ready to compete at the highest levels of D-1.

With additional offers from Cincinnati, Akron and Kansas, as well as about half the other MAC schools, Dysert got it over with giving his pledge to Miami (Ohio) in mid-July.

35. **** Aaron Van Kuiken (6-7, 285, OL; Cincinnati Turpin) Preseason Update: I have heard about Van Kuiken for some time but only recently have I seen video of him.

It was worth the wait. I love line play and this is one of the elite linemen in the state of Ohio. When I look at his body I see a template for a tackle. The only better body in the class is Mike Adams.

I once heard an old coach talk about liking linemen that were mobile, agile and hostile. He would have loved Van Kuiken. His mobility is on display early in the tape.

He gets out leading sweeps from his right tackle position.

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Duane Long’s Top 100 He gets out on long hand-offs to run interference. That is something you only see with the exceptionally lineman at the high school level. He is asked to get out into the second level and make blocks, another block that most coaches don’t ask a player this size to execute.

A lineman that brings some nasty to his game is a big plus in mind. There is no question about that with Van Kuiken. He gets after his man and plays to the whistle.

He plays right tackle in high school and I think that will be his college position. Van Kuiken has already verbaled to Virginia. That is another great job by Virginia head coach Al Groh’s staff to come in here early and get a player of this caliber before anyone knows about him. They did the same thing with Matt Mihalik.

36. *** Trevor Walls (6-6, 215, QB/TE; Waverly) Preseason Update: I can’t recall many players coming out of southeastern Ohio who have made it into the Ohio High top 100. Last year, Greenfield McClain standout Dante Jackson, who ended up signing with Xavier for basketball, became the highest ranked football player ever to appear in Ohio High from the Southeast District.

Walls is just now appearing in Ohio High, because I am just now hearing about him. What a pleasant surprise it was.

He brings some impressive skills to the table. He is every bit his listed 6-6. He actually looks bigger than 215.

He is a beautiful touch passer. Several times on his tape he drops passes into double and even triple coverage for completions. If the ball was put anywhere else it would have been intercepted. He throws a very catchable ball and he has the arm strength to gun it when he needs to.

There is no question he has big school arm strength.

I am saying all these great things about him as a quarterback, but you will notice I project him as a quarterback/tight end. That is because he is such a great looking athlete. I would not be surprised to see schools recruit him with the idea that if he doesn’t work out as a quarterback they will just give him a new number and move him to tight end. The first play on his tape he takes a quarterback draw off left tackle, leaves two tacklers grasping at air with great moves, breaks a tackle and nearly outruns everyone for a score.

37. **** Salvador Battles (5-11, 205, ATH; Youngstown East) The first time I saw Salvador Battles, it only took me a few plays to see that he was a great athlete playing quarterback. Battles had a strong arm and it allowed his staff to maximize the talent on the field with underrated running back Gary Thornton. Battles always had a big arm, arguably the strongest in the class, but he was not an accurate passer and seemed to want to run first.

He has matured as a passer to the extent that I think he gets tried first as a quarterback. He is staying in there and showing patience waiting on receivers to come open, is showing touch on his passes and is showing a comfort level with the GH position. He is still a work in progress but one that with some patience could earn long term benefits.

Everyone is looking for quarterbacks who can make plays with their feet and there is no question Battles can do that. If he is not a fit at quarterback, he is certainly a fit at running back. He has a great body for a back, powerfully built but not so much that he has lost his speed and agility. He is explosive to the hole and runs with the power of a much bigger back. He has vision and good speed. He is a back that can take it outside as well as he takes it between the tackles. There is an argument that he is the top back in the class.

Preseason Update: I see a nice offer list for Battles but it is not as impressive as I thought it would be at this point. I am a little baffled. I could understand if it were just about being a quarterback. I think he might be able

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to play quarterback somewhere. He is much improved over his sophomore year as a passer but he still has a ways to go. His running skills are exceptional. I assumed he would see some Big Ten and Big East offers as a running back. In fact, it seems more schools are looking at him as a safety than as a running back. I have not seen him play as a defensive back. I know he didn’t play any defense last year. If there is tape of him playing defense I am unaware of it and it would have to come from his sophomore year. Battles says he would play defense but I just don’t see how anyone could not see what a dynamic runner he is and that he has a great running backs body. At Akron he was measured at 5-11 and 215. He ran a 4.5 40-yard dash. He has some good scholarship offers on the table with Akron, Kent State, Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio) and Eastern Michigan. Some have offered him as a quarterback.

He has been a regular visitor to Columbus and has a connection as Buckeye verbal offensive lineman Mike Adams is his cousin. He would love to get an offer from Ohio State. Michigan State is the other Big Ten school paying the most attention to him.

Battles told me Ohio State sees him as an athlete while Michigan State is looking at him as a safety.

Indiana has been one of the schools recruiting him as a quarterback. Battles is in no hurry. I suspect he will wait for a while to see if he can get that coveted Ohio State offer.

38. *** Darius Reeves (5-11, 185, CB; Gahanna Lincoln) One of the most gifted athletes in the Class of 2008.

Reeves is a tremendously skilled runner. I would say Isaiah Pead is the only runner in this class with skills to match Reeves. Both have the same problem. Are they going to be big enough to be backs at the next level?

Reeves can stop and cut on a dime then get back to top speed before anyone knows which direction he went. On some runs Reeves looks like he is running obstacle courses, which is a credit to his vision and elusiveness.

Reeves has explosive speed. That is one thing that will make him a good corner where recovery speed is crucial. Reeves does play corner in high school and is quite a good one. Something that really stands out about him as a corner is his tenacity. He stays with it, digging and scratching when others would have given up. He is a good leaper and with solid size, listed at 6-1 but looking more like 5-11, he can match-up with big receivers.

Another plus for him is he is a willing and solid tackler.

Reeves has excellent genes – his father was a safety for Michigan under Bo Schembechler. As good as he is as a cornerback if he were a little bigger I am sure the schools recruiting him, Michigan, Michigan State, West Virginia, LSU, Boston College and all the MAC schools would be looking at him as a running back. As a junior, he had 1,700 yards and 16 TDs. Like Pead, I would look at him as a receiver. Reeves is such a tremendously gifted athlete with the ball in his hands I would want to have him on offense.

Preseason Update: I have to say one of the big surprises to me so far this year is that Reeves only has two early offers, Toledo and Kent. He has solid grades. His tape speaks for itself. He has great genes in the fact that his father was a top defensive back in college at Michigan. He may not be his listed 6-1 but he is not small so it is not about size. For a corner, his projected position, he has really good size in fact.

He had 50 tackles and two interceptions last year. He is both quick and fast. He can stop and start as quick as anybody in the state. He does not shy away from contact.

I see a tenacity and a competitiveness in coverage. He plays in the Ohio Capital Conference so there is no question about his level of competition and he was a part of Gahanna’s state qualifying 400 relay team. Any other year I would have him ranked much higher but this is such a deep class that a player of Reeves talent sits this low in the rankings. I know he attended spring games at Cincinnati and West Virginia. He camped at Ohio State, his father’s alma mater Michigan and West Virginia.

Plenty of schools talking the talk like Boston College, LSU, Michigan State, Northwestern and any number of

others, but they have not walked the walk.

I have Isaiah Pead ranked higher so I think he is a better player but Reeves is a similar player and has but two offers. That makes no sense to me. A pulled hamstring that has kept him from running at camps and combines is the only thing I can think of that is keeping him from more offers.

39. *** Donnie Fletcher (6-0, 170, CB/WR; Cleveland Glenville) Preseason Update: One of those players that went on the Ted Ginn Bus Tour and came away from it as one of the most talked about players this spring. To say Fletcher is a hot commodity would be an understatement.

I do not recall the timeline as far as when the offers started coming in but I do not recall any offers for Fletcher before the 13 camps in 15 days whirlwind that the tour was. At last check, he was up to 26 including Iowa, Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Boston College, Purdue and Pitt.

What you get with Fletcher is a big corner. That 6-0 measurement is not from school. It is from the tour. One of the most coveted things in recruiting these days are big corners. He ran a 4.03 shuttle at one combine. That is one of the best times I have seen. He has a 4.5 40yard dash at another combine.

Fletcher has a very impressive body. He has long arms and the kind of build that will allow him to add another twenty pounds with no impact on his speed and athleticism. When you see him on film there is one thing that stands out. Fletcher brings it. When you see the body and the skills you think cornerback but there is no question Fletcher could play safety. He is also a good student carrying a 3.5 grade point average. Offers from Ohio State or Wisconsin would likely end his recruitment.

40. *** Jake Current (6-3, 270, OL; Troy) It is easy for an offensive lineman to get overlooked in this class and that is the only reason Current is not a name that is being passed around a lot. This is a twotime winner of the best lineman award at the Ohio State camp. Keep in mind that this is a junior we are talking about so one of the awards he earned as a sophomore.

When you add in the number of players that attend those camps it makes it all the more impressive.

Current is a high school tackle that projects as a guard in college. I think he has the potential to be one of the better offensive linemen in the Midwest. He just needs a little more publicity. He is equally adept at going straight ahead and at pulling and he can really run. He is technically sounder than any lineman in Ohio, staying low and firing out when going straight ahead and getting good leverage on his blocks. Where he really stands out is when he pulls. He has the ability NF to get out in front of a back like no lineman in Ohio. He is not asked to pass block a lot but handles it well when Troy throws the ball. He has such great feet and athleticism.

He has been to Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa and Duke.

If there is a Big Ten school that is not recruiting him, I am not aware of it. Boston College and Georgia Tech are both showing early interest.

Preseason Update: This is a really great year for offensive linemen in the state of Ohio. Any other year Current’s name would be getting kicked around in the discussion about who is the best lineman in Ohio. This is a one of the more complete players in the state.

He can run block and pass block equally well. He is the son of a high school football coach. We always seem to see the sons of coaches as a little more advanced.

Current is no exception. I think he could shock with how soon he steps into the lineup. I do not think he makes an impact as a freshman because there are few high school offensive linemen that are ready to play as freshmen.

Nowhere is the disparity in maturity more apparent than

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Duane Long’s Top 100 on the line. We are talking about the possibility of an 18 year old going up against full grown men with years of weightlifting under their belts. That is what it is going to take for Current.

A year or two in the weight room and he will make an impact.

Wisconsin made an early offer and Current accepted in mid-June. Oklahoma State, North Carolina State, Maryland, Indiana, Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio) were some of the other programs Current had to choose from.

I projected Current as a guard but it looks like he is going to play center at Wisconsin.

41. *** Jake Stoller (6-4, 250, DT; Hunting Valley University School) This is a small academic school in Cleveland that is putting out good football prospects on a regular basis.

For the third straight year, University School has put a player in the Ohio High top 100. This is a kid with great size. Stoller is a big, wide body that is athletic enough to be a high school defensive end. He will most likely move down to tackle to play his college ball.

He runs so well chasing plays all over the field. There is probably not another lineman in Ohio making more tackles down the field than Jake Stoller. There is no such thing as too many big kids that can run.

University School’s level of competition is going to be the only question mark so it will be important for him to get to camps this summer. Coming from this school, academics will not be a problem. Previous players from University School put a strong emphasis on academics when choosing a school.

Preseason Update: I did not know what was going to happen with Stoller. So often players from schools this size get pushed down the possible offer lists simply because they are from smaller schools. It looks like that recruiting rule was trumped by the rule of there is no such thing as too many big kids that can run. Stoller has put up a 4.72 40-yard dash at about 255 pounds. He has a body that can add more weight.

I do not think he will play defensive end in college. It looks like he will be a tackle. Wisconsin has come in with an early offer and it sounds like Stoller likes what he is hearing. The Badger coaching staff is talking about trying him on defense first then moving him over to offense if he is not looking like a potential contributor.

The one thing I am sure of is he will give it everything he has. Stoller is a hard working kid that plays to the whistle on every play. Miami (Ohio), Bowling Green and Akron have all come in with offers. Kansas, West Virginia and Pitt are talking like they might offer but they need to decide. The way Stoller is talking his recruitment could be over before the summer is out.

42. *** Chad Hounshell (6-6, 300, OL; Mentor Lake Catholic) Preseason Update: I had two high school coaches ask me if I had seen Hounsell after the first top 100 came out. When the second one questioned why he was not in with the elite prospects in the state, I decided to take another look. The tape I had was not the best. It was grainy to the point I could not see the players’ numbers and was not at a good angle to see line play. Soon after one of those coaches got a better tape in my hands and I see why he was questioning not seeing Hounsell in the top 100.

This is a big kid with one of the better frames in Ohio.

He plays left tackle but I think he could make a great guard in college. He was used to pull and showed really good athleticism and was a very physical player. He is what we call a finisher. I see a player with a good motor and some nasty in his game.

Any coach will tell you it is a huge plus to see a lineman that comes into college with an edge to his game already.

He has a nice offer list and an interesting one as schools like Colorado and Kansas do not come into Ohio a lot. He also has offers from Indiana and Cincinnati. He is likely to have offers from Michigan State and Illinois by the time you read this.

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43. *** Dawawn Whitner (6-2, 245, DT; Cleveland Glenville) The theme for this year seems to be “if he were only a little bigger.” No player in the class exemplifies that theme more than Dawawn Whitner.

Whitner comes off the snap like he is shot out of a cannon. He has the motor that makes or breaks all great linemen, going full bore until the whistle shedding blockers with ease.

He has that same nasty disposition that helped make his older brother, former Buckeye Donte Whitner, become a first round draft choice. Donte was so aggressive that his natural cornerback skills took a backseat and forced him to safety.

There is so much to like about Whitner’s game but the one thing that stands out is the speed. A 4.75 40 has been reported and it would not surprise me if that time is accurate based on what he does on the field. His closing speed is something to see.

Glenville head coach Ted Ginn, Sr. uses him in a zone blitz, dropping him back like a spy. There are plays where he runs quarterbacks GH down from that position.

If Whitner had size, he would be a sure top-40 player in this class.

Preseason Update: Whitner went on the Ted Ginn bus tour and it is paying off big time. Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota and Louisville have all stepped up and offered this explosive, tenacious, high-motor player. I would like to know what they are going to do with him.

He has a strong square body. I assumed he would be looking at adding weight and staying at defensive tackle.

With those kinds of schools offering him this early I wonder of maybe the thinking is to control his weight, redistribute it, and see if he can be a defensive end. He has the tools.

The only thing Whitner lacks is ideal defensive line size. Where is lack of size going to be less important, defensive end or defensive tackle? He has all the other tools. He has the closing speed of a linebacker. Some of his video is truly amazing, like watching him run down backs and quarterbacks. Maybe they think he has the frame to carry the extra weight it will take to be a Big Ten defensive tackle. No matter where he lines up if you take away the size factor this is one of the top defensive linemen in the Midwest.

44. *** Phillip Barnett (6-2, 180, WR; Middletown) I regularly mention that I think a player is going to be someone to watch. If I was to make a separate list for them the name at the top of this year’s list would be Barnett. He has been a basketball player all through his high school career and came out for football for the first time as junior. He is so raw, but being such a tremendous athlete, he is getting attention from the mid-majors on the hardwood as a point guard.

Barnett’s athleticism and hands were put on display the first play that I saw from him. He makes a leaping twisting catch of a pass thrown a little too high. The next play I see Middletown’s underrated senior quarterback from last year, Skyler Jones, gun one right at Barnett’s face. There was a bit too much on the ball and Barnett had little time to react but he made the catch look easy.

He has a reported 4.56 40-yard dash time. I think once he decides to concentrate on football he will get that down. It is a good time but I think he has a great time in him. I have seen it many times when a basketball player gives up the sport to concentrate on football. He has not decided what he is going to do yet. He has been to Ohio State for the Indiana game and has tremendous upside.

Preseason Update: Barnett needed a good summer to make up for lack of experience and took it to heart. He camped at Ohio State, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green and Purdue.

He camped at Michigan and E. Michigan on the same day. He accomplished the one thing that he needed the

most. At one of those camps Barnett got his 4.5 40-yard dash. He needs to get his academics in order but the important thing is he knows it. He has taken his ACT. He is awaiting his results.

This is a young man that has everything going in the right direction but I think he is still going to need to have a great senior year to have the offers coming through the door. He has only one year of football under his belt. I think most schools are going to want to see him on the field again before pulling the trigger on an offer. Barnett had a particularly good camp at Ohio State. He will have the luxury of a good quarterback to throw the ball to him this fall as Middletown has a young player that coach Ron Johnson thinks is going to be a good one.

45. **** Bakari Bussey (6-3, 190, WR ; West Chest Lakota West) Everyone is looking for big receivers. Here is a prototype. Bussey is big and he plays the big receivers game.

He knows he is the biggest guy on the field away from the line of scrimmage and he is physical with defensive backs. Get him one on one and throw the ball up. He has the leaping ability to go up and make a play, the hands and the strength to take the ball from any defender and the balance to keep his feet and make a play after the catch. He works the middle of the field like a big receiver needs to. Lakota West head coach Larry Cox has found an effective way to use him running quick outs.

He knows Bussey is going to make the catch, turn and then make cornerbacks try to tackle him. It is a chore. On the first play on his video he catches an out, stiff arms the corner and takes it to the house. On another he drops his shoulder on the corner and gains an extra five yards.

I did not see a play where he was stopped in his tracks.

Coach Cox says he has the biggest hands he has ever seen. Body-wise Bussey reminds me of former Buckeye David Boston and current Buckeye Brian Robiskie. Bengal fans will remember his father Dexter Bussey.

Bussey caught 21 balls for 358 yards (17 yards-per-catch) and four TDs. He has been hearing from schools as far away as Oklahoma State. If he runs well this summer GH he will have his pick of schools.

Preseason Update: This son of a former NFL defensive back has gone about his business quietly.

Bakari did run track this past year and it really helped him with his speed.

He has offers from Indiana, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Bowling Green, Toledo, Western Michigan and he has camped at Cincinnati, Kentucky, Tennessee. He is going to Michigan and Michigan State for camps. As I look at the lack of Big Ten offers to the outstanding crop of receivers in Ohio I am reminded of how good the crop is nationally.

I have started ranking the top players by position nationally for Bucknuts.com. I cannot recall a year with this many big, athletic and fast receivers. The top 10 I put together could have just as easily been a top 20. When I think about a national player I think about the really unique ones so going twenty deep at one position is something I never thought I would see. The number of players that could prove times of 4.5 or better and had size to go with it was phenomenal. Like any year with an abundance of talent at a position we are going to see the top schools focus on those players until they know they are not going to get one.

That is when they will come after the next tier of players, which will include Bussey. If he runs well at some of these camps he won’t have to wait. He has everything else.

46. *** Justin Brown (6-4, 230, DE; Youngstown Ursuline) Early on, Brown was looking like he was going to be one of the better defensive ends in Ohio. He is still

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Duane Long’s Top 100 playing as a defensive end but he has a game better suited to play defensive tackle. I think he has the frame to add the weight to be a defensive tackle and seems more at home in the trenches than he does as an edge rusher.

When I first saw his junior year tape, it was apparent he was at his best at the point of attack. He is an excellent and tenacious blocker as a tight end, but I don’t think he gets recruited as a tight end. His receiving skills are not what schools are looking for, but I could see him SP recruited as an offensive lineman.

He moves really well. He is as adept at moving people as an offensive player as he is at not being moved as a defensive player.

He will fill out to 280 pounds or so by the time he is ready to step on the football field. We are seeing more defensive coordinators using the 3-4 and other schemes that ask for three down linemen. That may be where Brown fits in best.

Preseason Update: Brown has drawn a lot of interest this spring. He does not have any offers that I am aware of, but that is an academics issue. It is something Brown has taken steps to get squared away. I do not think it will be a problem. I was not even aware that there were some issues he needed to iron out, which gives me every reason to believe it is not serious and I know Brown is on top of it.

I was sure that Brown would be recruited as a defensive tackle, not at his high school position of defensive end. I commented that he is a tenacious blocker and could be recruited as an offensive lineman. That seems to be the route most schools that are in contact are taking. He has the athleticism to play tackle but I think he has the body of a guard. Justin is also taking the weightroom serious.

Those that have seen him up close recently comment on how he is looking bigger and thicker yet he looks leaner.

Once Brown is sure to qualify I think he will see MAC and possibly some Big Ten teams come in on him.

47. **** Will Fleming (6-4, 205, ATH; Akron Hoban) Talk about an introduction. On Fleming’s tape, the very first play is a pass. The quarterback throws the ball with enough air under it to get it over the defender, who is actually in good position. The receiver leaps to make a great catch. He is coming down with the ball and there is a flash of gold.

Suddenly the receiver is horizontal in the air. The tape goes on to show play after play of Fleming coming up from his safety position and making hit after hit. He is like a heat seeking missile. He is a good enough receiver to be a scholarship level player at that position but GH where he really stands out is on defense. He shows his 4.6 40-yard dash speed on the tape by running down a ball carrier that has broken through the line of scrimmage. The angle is negligible. He just runs him down.

With his body I think he is likely to move at least to linebacker, and like Stewart, he could add enough weigh to that long lean body to eventually find himself at defensive end. He has the speed and ball skills to stay at safety but I just don’t think his body is going to allow that. The way he plays the game I think he would be happier closer to the line of scrimmage where there is more hitting. Fleming really brings it. This kid is not going to stay the best kept secret in Ohio for long.

Preseason Update: The only offer right now is from Akron but I think that will change once Fleming gets out to camps. He has a schedule that looks more like the tour of a rock and roll band. It would be easier to list the schools he is not going to than to list the ones he will be visiting. I think the holdup on offers is about these staffs wanting to see his body. This is a kid with a long lean body. I think the question is, does he stay at safety or does he fill out into a linebacker. I think Will would like to stay at safety but he is fine with a move to linebacker. He is such a good athlete

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that he has some schools talking to him about wide receiver but I think he is a defensive player.

There could be a complication to Fleming’s tour. He preformed very well at the North Carolina camp against a lot of the best competition in the south but ended up with a ligament stress fracture in his foot. His most recent 40 time was 4.62 run at his training center, High Intensity Training.

He also ran 4.7 at North Carolina and that was after the foot injury. He plans on camping at Ohio State and visiting Michigan State, Pitt, Illinois, Purdue, Wake Forest, Cincinatti, and West Virginia over summer. He told me those are the main schools that are recruiting him the hardest. Wait until all those schools get a look at his body and lock him into a position. That is when the offers come in on Fleming.

48. *** Bruce Parker (6-3, 230, DE/OLB; Sandusky) Parker is the best edge player in the Class of 2008.

There are other players in the class that are going to have better measurables but none of them play the position better. When I say edge player, I mean as a pass rusher and as a run defender. So many players at this age are headed to the quarterback on every play. Parker takes care of his run responsibilities too. He is going to check down and not let runners get wide of him. He is a savvy player.

He rushes inside as well as outside and uses a rip move, something so few high school players capable of. He is a thinking man’s football player.

Parker has the motor that I want to see in a defensive player and has the ability to chase plays all over the field and plays to the whistle. He is so quick off the snap that he beats many tackles before they get into their pass pro and he has outstanding closing speed. That leads me to believe that he could get a look as a linebacker. In my opinion his best position would be as a stand-up defensive end in a 4-3. He is an ideal fit for that position. Parker had 13 sacks and 65 tackles last season.

Preseason Update: I don’t often do this but I think Parker is an exception to the rule. I have heard nothing about offers and nothing about camps that he has attended. This process is all about what a player will be, not what he is right now. Development along the way is essential.

That is why you will see players moving up and down these rankings this time of year. I call this the athlete season. Players will be offered because they are good athletes but they will not be offered just because they are good football players. Recruiting rankings would look a lot like all-state lists if that were the case.

This part of the year is that important. We regularly see players nobody has ever heard of getting offers based on camps showings. Others have college coaches watching their senior year because of good camp performances. For me to not have any kind of new information about a player but leave him just about where he was in the last issue speaks volumes about that player. Parker may or may not have offers right now. I am confident he will have some to choose from come signing day.

49. *** Derek Wolfe (6-5, 260, DL; Beaver Local) Preseason Update: How this kid flew under the radar is beyond me. School size likely has a lot to do with it but with this kind of body and athleticism it seems someone would have noticed him. He is one of the more impressive big athletes I have seen in this class. He is a lean 260. He is going to get a lot bigger. That is why I project him as a defensive tackle. He is athletic enough to be a defensive end in high school. I hear some talking about Wolfe as an offensive lineman. I just don’t see it. I would not put a player this athletic on offense. He shows a high motor as a defensive player. That is something I do not see out of him as an offensive player.

I feel confident Wolfe could have gotten Big Ten offers but he went down to Cincinnati and performed well. He was offered by new Bearcat head coach Brian Kelly and accepted soon after. This is one of the real steals of the recruiting year as far as I’m concerned. Former Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio had done a great job of recruiting at Cincinnati before moving on to Michigan State. I feared

that recruiting would be hurt by the loss of Dantonio, but Kelly has stepped in and not missed a beat. He is getting players like Wolfe and Domonick Britt to verbal early instead of seeing them wait until bigger name schools come in later.

50. *** Tito Toles (6-0, 180, SS/RB; Youngstown East) A well done tape gets your attention right off the bat.

The first few plays should have me wanting to watch the entire thing. I can’t remember a tape from anyone this year where the first play caught my attention more. Toles is lined up on the weak side of the formation right at the line of scrimmage like a defensive end. At the snap he is off like a shot and blows up the back that comes to pick him up, then grabs the quarterback with one hand and reaches around to strip him with the other.

The next play he reads the quarterbacks eyes and steps in front of a pass for an interception.

On offense, he has a go ‘til you GH hit something reckless running style, but I don’t see him as an offensive player. He has a defensive player’s mind-set. I don’t have a 40-yard dash time on Toles but his football speed is excellent. This is one of the best tacklers in Ohio and a hard hitter. The word that comes to mind when I watch Toles play football is dynamic. An expression we see used a lot these days is, he brings it. Toles is the epitome of that expression.

Preseason Update: I have not heard a lot about Toles during the athlete phase of recruiting except for one major exception – he ran a 4.5 40-yard dash at a combine. The 40-yard dash is being eclipsed in importance for some positions but when you get into receivers and defensive backs it is still the number everyone is looking at. Ohio is so loaded with high-end talent this year that some players are getting overlooked. If I put together a top 10 most underrated list, Toles would be in the top five. He is tough at the line of scrimmage and he is comfortable enough in coverage that he could play free safety if pressed into service. I love his competitiveness. I watched him turn and chase a receiver that caught a ball and broke a tackle. One of the receivers teammates threw up a hand in celebration thinking nobody could catch him. Toles would not give up on the play. He turned, chased him and showed the speed to run him down. He is both a solid tackler and a hitter. He has now shown speed. I think this is one of the most underrated players in Ohio. I see a Big Ten caliber player.

51. *** Evan Klepac (6-4, 245, DE; Youngstown Boardman) Klepac is not only one of the most impressive defensive ends I have seen this year, but he is one of the most impressive players I have seen in this class. Klepac is big.

I try to get fans to understand that weight is not a good indicator of size. This kid has a big frame and long arms. I do not have any weight room totals on him, but there are several plays where he blows up blockers and pulls down runners with one hand. He plays the weak side in high school but I see a strong side defensive end in Klepac. He is an excellent pass rusher but he excels versus the run, too.

You want a defensive end this size and one that is this strong to be lined up on the strong side where most teams run. He is so strong at the point of attack and has such a great body I could see someone taking Klepac and moving him to defensive tackle.

Last season Klepac missed half the season with an undisclosed injury. That is the only reason I can see why he is just now appearing on my radar screen. If he goes to camp and shows he has put the injury behind him, this could be one of the fastest rising prospects in the state come this summer.

Preseason Update: For a player that missed half the year due to injury Klepac has done an awfully good job of collecting offers. He has been offered by Miami (Ohio), Army, Kent State, Ohio, and Ball State and has committed

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Duane Long’s Top 100 some bigger schools come in. Everyone is looking for pass rushers. Everyone is looking for big kids that can run. Klepac is both. The injury is going to have a lot of schools leery. They are going to want to see him on the football field again to see if the injury is behind him. I think natural strong side defensive ends are just as hard to find as weak side pass rushers. One of the problems is so many that could play the position want to play the weak side. He is big enough that he could add the kind of weight you want in a defensive tackle. It looks like he is going to hit the camps this summer. That will be another opportunity to show that he is fully healthy. I like his motor. I like his athleticism and I like his body. Getting out there and letting the schools see him again in camps and on the field could push Klepac up the recruiting boards of the top programs in the region.

52. *** Casey Williams (5-11, 175, WR; Waverly) Preseason Update: I was watching the Waverly video looking at the newest quarterback on the radar, Trevor Walls. The very first play I see a very well thrown ball on a skinny post but what the receiver did was what caught my eye. He makes the catch, while being interfered with.

He shakes off the defender, cuts inside the next tackler, then another and outruns the rest of the defense. The next couple of plays he makes leaping catches on fade routes. I can only imagine what his vertical would be.

This kid can really climb the ladder. The same goes for his 40-yard dash time.

I never heard anything from camps he attended, but Williams runs away from people on the football field. He shows outstanding hands, as good as any receiver in the class, and impressive body control. Walls is as accurate a passer as any quarterback you will see but he doesn’t have to be with Williams around. He makes any number of catches on balls that are thrown behind him, and he manages to stay on his feet after making these difficult catches. I was surprised to see his size. He looks bigger than that. As I think Walls will be a target player later in the process Williams will get a good hard look from colleges. I think he is at least a MAC player and I would not be surprised if Big Ten teams come in on him.

53. *** Bill Dugan (6-5, 280, G; Poland Seminary) Dugan plays both guard and tackle for Poland and I think he will be a college guard. He has fine feet and experience at tackle will give him a better feel for pass protection than most high school guards. Poland is a little off the beaten path for recruiters but that should change this year. Dugan has a great looking body and could add another 20-30 pounds with no impact on his athleticism.

I was very much impressed with his technique. So often at the high school level the D-I caliber linemen just use their superior size and athleticism to push around their opponents. Dugan gets his hips down, and his face into his man and drives. He runs SP very well and could be an ideal pick for a team that likes to pull their guards a lot. He is athletic enough to get into the second level and make blocks. He does not have the publicity of some of the other linemen in this class but he does not have to take a backseat to any of them. His level of competition should not be a question. In that part of the state, there are no Fridays off.

His team did not throw the ball much but he looks solid in pass protection. The only reason I can think that Dugan is not seeing offers come his way is that recruiters did not know about him. I just found out about him recently myself.

Preseason Update: I saw Dugan late in the process.

Tapes come in continuously. I thought that was the reason his name was not out there, that his tape was just starting to make the rounds. It does not appear that tape has gotten into the right hands. I am still not hearing any

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buzz about him. I have not heard anything about him camping. College coaches may still be unaware of him. I have to think that is what is going on. He has all the tools. He has a great body. He comes off the ball well and shows better technique than most high school linemen. He plays with excellent pad level.

He is athletic enough that the Poland staff uses him to make second level blocks. Dugan was not asked to pass block a lot in the Poland offense but he showed that he can pass block when asked. I have to think recruiting coordinators don’t know about him. There is no way that they have seen him and nobody has offered him. I see a Big Ten talent and a Big Ten body in Dugan.

54. *** Juandez Brown (6-3, 190, QB; Cincinnati Withrow) Withrow head coach Doc Gamble set this tape up perfectly. In the first few plays it is plain as day that Brown may have the best arm of any of the quarterbacks in this class. Brown can really cut it loose. He can make all the throws that define a next level arm. Brown throws the deep out with velocity and he is very accurate throwing balls where a coach wants to see the ball thrown. Brown throws out to outside not allowing the defender to make a break on the ball. On come back routes, he throws low only giving his receiver a shot at the ball.

Brown is a fine athlete but is a throw-first quarterback.

Even when he has opportunities to run he shows patience, waiting on a receiver to come open and delivering the ball.

When Brown does run, he is very effective. He had some time under center last year, enough to put together a nice video package on him, but he was only a part time starter last year. He handled himself very well for a part time starter with his decision making. Brown has some good receivers to throw to next year, so I am very much looking forward to next season.

Brown’s best is in front of him. He is one player I suspect will make a big leap up the rankings by seasons end. This could be one of the breakout stars in Ohio.

Preseason Update: The paper reads 22 of 31 for 297 yards and three touchdowns. No, that is not a stat line from a game. That is a stat line for the year as a quarterback for Juandez Brown. I don’t care. The kid can cut it loose. He does not have the experience. He can get that.

What he can’t get is an arm and the instincts. You are born with that.

He recently ran a 4.57 40-yard dash, which makes him very appealing as an athlete but I would give him as shot first as a quarterback. I think there is a great deal of potential there. He has a slew of programs looking at him. I think most are looking at this outstanding athlete with the idea of moving him to wide receiver or for defense but I think if Brown is patient and waits until everyone sees him with a full season of throwing the ball he will get offers at his preferred quarterback position.

Maryland has come in with an offer after Brown camped there. Purdue, Tennesee, Louisville, Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, Connecticut and Marshall are all still regularly checking in and after showing that arm at camp. Ohio State has stayed in touch.

55. ** Andrew Radakovich (6-5, 275, OL; Steubenville) Steubenville quarterback Zack Collaros was one of the most effective football players in Ohio high school football history.

No skill player is going to have the career he had without some help up front like he had from Radakovich.

Radakovich shows really good feet and good form along with some tenacity but what is not on there is the size.

“Upside” is one of the words GH you always hear when recruiting is the subject and there is plenty of upside here. In the Steubenville system, he will have had excellent coaching and he has some experience as a

pass blocker. He is likely going to need to show that new body after growing some in the offseason and what he can do with on the field next season before the offers start coming in. But come next January, Radakovich is a name that I think everyone will be hearing and he will be much higher on this list.

Preseason Update: I have watched more tape of Radakovich and become all the more impressed with him. He shows outstanding mobility, getting out and making second level blocks. I get a better view of his body with this new tape. He has a big wide well balanced body that can add more weight. He plays with good pad level.

That is something lineman have trouble with in high school because they are often so much taller than their opponents. He has some experience as a pass blocker but he is already an excellent drive blocker.

One play really stood out to me. Radakovich had driven his man back about five yards but he seemed to sense that the back was coming through behind him. He planted his foot, pivoted and turned his man away from the hole and pancaked him. The video I am looking at is Radakovich at 6-3. He is now 6-6. He offers a strong argument for being the lineman with the most upside of any lineman in the state of Ohio.

56. *** Steve Yoak (6-2, 210, LB; Akron Hoban) This is a name that is not yet familiar to Ohio high school football recruiting fans but he will be. Yoak was coming off a fine camp season last summer where he ran a 4.47-second 40-yard time at Akron and impressed someone whose opinion I have a lot of respect for at the Ohio State camp. He ran under 4.6 seconds in the 40yard dash at another camp. Everything was set for him to have a breakout season, but then Yoak broke his leg in the second game of the year. He had a great first game with 173 total yards, 126 rushing and 46 receiving. He is playing running back in high school but projects as a linebacker at the next level. He has a body to add 30 more pounds with no impact on his speed and athleticism.

Yoak is hearing from Akron, Boston College, Cincinnati, Colorado, Duke, Florida State, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Notre Dame. He has a shuttle run of 4.3 seconds.

He had 1,688 yards and 21 TDs on 332 carries as a sophomore.

He looks to have the injury behind him. I think he could be one of the camp stars and will only GH need to show in a couple of games next year that he really has completely healed, then the offers will start coming in and he will move up this list.

Preseason Update: This is a kid that gets it. He is coming off an injury that took his junior year away from him. He did not pout. He got right to work as soon as he was cleared to run and workout. He went on the Ted Ginn bus tour, which ended up hitting 15 different campuses. He worked out wherever they asked him to. Some wanted to see him at linebacker and others at running back. Some asked him to drill at both spots.

Since he has returned home Yoak has an extensive list of schools showing renewed interest. The ones showing the most interest are Miami (Ohio), Indiana, Eastern Michigan, Southern Mississippi, Northwestern, Michigan, Purdue, Ohio University and Bowling Green. Yoak is not done. He is still going to camps at Michigan State, Syracuse and Southern Mississippi. He has no offers yet but I think that will change once he hits the field again. I know he ran for all these schools and did all the drills but seeing him back on the field, hitting and getting hit is what I think most of these coaching staffs are going to want to see before coming in with offers.

57. *** Jerel Worthy (6-3, 285, DT; Huber Heights Wayne) One of those players I saw late in the process who shook up my list is Worthy.

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Duane Long’s Top 100 He is a real force in the middle of the line and does a good job of playing with his pads low and balanced.

Moving Worthy is a real chore. He takes on blockers very well and gets off of them consistently. He has the build of a nose tackle but has the game of a three-technique tackle. Worthy is tough at the point of attack and could play the nose but I think he is at his best attacking. He comes off the ball like a shot and shows good speed once through the line of scrimmage. On one sack, Worthy was on the quarterback so fast that even though the passer had made it into his drop he could do nothing but make sure he NF did not fumble the ball. Worthy impressed me later with his football smarts diagnosing a screen pass early enough to make the tackle in the backfield. Most high school lineman are not going to recognize that play until the ball is gone.

Worthy has a serious motor and if he were a little bigger he would be another twenty spots higher on this list.

Preseason Update: If I were keeping track of the number of arguments I have been in about a player this year, Worthy would be at the top of the list. I suppose it is my fault to a certain extent. Worthy does not look the part so I am getting it thrown back in my face. All you have to do is look at the tape. This is a player that can line up at the nose because he is so difficult to move but his first three steps are as quick as any tackle in the state. He has a burst that puts him on top of quarterbacks and running backs that you see them freeze. He beats blockers with his first step. He uses his hands so well to get off blockers. He has a motor that won’t quit.

He has been outstanding at camps and combines.

Sometimes you have to step outside the box. There are exceptions to every rule. Nebraska, Cincinnati, Ohio U. and Marshall have already done so stepping up and offering Worthy a scholarship.

58. *** Demicus Brown (6-5, 315, OL; Hamilton) I was a little surprised to see the film of Brown and see him lined up on defense at his size. That was before the ball was snapped.

Brown comes off the ball doing his best Dan ‘Big Daddy’ Wilkinson impression. Hamilton head coach Jim Place told me he could run but I was more than a little surprised to see him run like this. Big kids that can move like this one are a high value target in recruiting. He was a very disruptive force as a defensive tackle.

He also plays right tackle and that is where he is likely to end up playing his college ball. But if any college coach saw this film, they have to be very intrigued by the prospect of at least giving him a look on defense. From the way he plays, Brown would probably be very excited about the possibility of playing on defense. He is athletic enough to play basketball for the Big Blue, one of the legendary programs in Ohio.

Place says he is a hard worker with a great attitude. He needs to work on his grades but he should be a qualifier.

Place said, “He has unlimited potential,” and I would agree. Brown is one I will be watching closely as we get into the combine and camp part of the evaluation process.

Preseason Update: This son of the south has been making a tour of southern schools and making a good impression. Brown and several of his teammates went to Virginia Tech. He stopped by Louisville and has been to camp at Miami (Ohio). He has an offer from Eastern Kentucky. I think someone will take a shot on Brown because he is so raw and needs to get his every-down intensity level up.

He is a massive kid that is not carrying a lot of extra weight. When you see him on film there are times when he looks like he should be a top ten national defensive tackle. He needs to do that consistently. I think eventually someone sees that Brown has physical tools that you can’t teach. He needs experience and he needs someone who can convince him to play hard every down. He is going to get a does of that this fall with coach Jim Place now at Hamilton. Brown was born and raised in the south

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and wants to return.

59. *** Ashante Williams (5-11, 200, Ath; Mayfield) Preseason Update: I have been trying to get across the point of how important camps and combines are.

There is no better case in point than Williams. He was a relative unknown going into the “athlete season” but performed so well on the Ted Ginn Bus Tour that he ended up with offers from Illinois, Virginia, Syracuse, Indiana, Marshall and Kent. You want to talk about bodies. This is a kid that immediately grabs your attention with his physique. Body-wise he is as impressive as any player in Ohio. A coach who saw him at the Cleveland Combine said he looked like Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston. He is a very physical player. He is a high school linebacker and running back but projects as a cornerback in college. That gives you some idea of what kind of athlete he is. He is tough enough and physical enough to be a high school linebacker but quick enough and has the feet and hips to play corner. He had 75 tackles last year.

He ended his recruitment early by committing to Illinois in late June.

60. *** Adam Bice (6-5½, 255, OL/DT; Dresden Tri-Valley) College recruiters need to find Tri-Valley on the map.

Adam Bice is one of the more athletic big athletes that can be found in Ohio in 2008. He is a defensive end on defense and shows a lot of the things looked for in a defensive end – tenacity, the ability to keep blockers off his body, relentlessness in pursuit, the wingspan to go with his listed 6-5½, but I think he outgrows the position.

He shows the toughness to be a defensive tackle and the frame to get a lot bigger.

He plays center on offense and plays it well but I see a player with all the tools to move outside to tackle. Outside of the great frame the one thing that stands out to me is the relentlessness. He chases plays from sideline to sideline as well as down the field on defense and he stays with blocks until his man is down or until the whistle blows.

Level of competition is going to be a question so he has to get to camps.

Preseason Update: It seemed like I could not find anything about Bice after the season ended. He was one of the most impressive offensive linemen in Ohio last year.

Maybe I am getting out in front of myself. He is athletic and quick. He might yet end up on the defensive line. He comes off the ball like a shot and sustains that surge. He does a great job in pursuit. He is a high school defensive end but if he ends up on defense he will be a tackle. While I think he could be a defensive tackle I think he will be a great offensive lineman. He plays center on offense and natural centers are so hard to find. Most college centers were moved over from guard and sometimes from tackle.

One that has been a high school center is going to be a huge advantage.

I finally found Bice right before Ohio High went to press. He has made a verbal commitment to coach J.D. Brookhart and the Akron Zips. That program will become a fixture at the top of the MAC because coach Burkhart manages to get a couple of Big Ten caliber players to come on-board every year. Great get of a much-underrated player by the Akron staff.

61. *** Kenny Veal (5-11, 175, CB; Hamilton) Veal is one of the toughest kids in this class. Pound for pound, he is right up there with Lamonte Lattimore from Winton Woods.

There is one play in particular from his tape in which takes on the blocker, beats him, hits the quarterback who pitched the ball, then got up and made a tackle for loss on the runner. He really gets after it. Veal is a cornerback that has a linebacker’s game. Everyone wants tough run defenders these days on a cornerback and Veal is as tough as nails and an excellent tackler. On offense last year, he had 706 yards on 121 carries but he will be a defensive player in college. He has a defensive players

mind-set. If he runs well this summer his stock will soar.

Preseason Update: I did not think it would take long for Veal to appear on the recruiting radar. He is a fine looking prospect and has Hamilton coach Jim Place to look out for his best interest. Veal is one of those players that every team needs. He is going to play his position and he is going to play it well. He is going to be sound and smart in what he does on the football field. He is going to tackle as well as cover. He is going to work as hard as anyone in the weightroom and be a good lockerroom guy.

He is a tough enough player that he could play safety if needed but he has such outstanding ball skills that you want him at corner.

Veal has offers from West Virginia, Akron, Ohio and E. Michigan. He camped at Virginia Tech and impressed enough that he might see an offer. He has also been to Michigan State, Louisville, Purdue and Miami (Ohio). I would not be surprised to see at least half of them offer this fine defensive back.

62. *** Trey Fairchild (6-0, 185, WR; Dublin Coffman) Fairchild is one of the names to watch going into the combine and camp circuit.

He has both explosive speed and top end speed. After recording a 4.36 40 at the Rivals elite combine in Ft. Lauderdale, people were left wondering who the 6-0, 185 pound speedster was. He also added an impressive 9-1 broad jump and an outstanding 36-inch vertical. Fairchild carries those numbers over to the football field. He looks like he is running while everyone else on the field is walking.

He is late to the radar because he played his natural receiver position for the first time last season.

GH Fairchild was at was a quarterback and still plays there occasionally. In his first season last year at slot receiver, Fairchild reeled in 45 catches for 725 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 229 yards on 21 carries and three touchdowns on the ground. On special teams, Fairchild took a pair of kicks back for touchdowns.

Fairchild is outstanding after the catch but he does not just count on his speed. He can cut on a dime and does not go down easily. He is tough, competitive and has great feet. I would not be surprised to see him get a shot at cornerback but I would want this kind of explosiveness on offense. Fairchild has early offers from Syracuse, Duke and Ball State.

Preseason Update: Any other player this good would likely be a little jealous of the attention Fairchild’s teammates have received. Both Mike Adams and Jake Stoneburner are Ohio State verbals and had a who’s who of college football making offers to them. It did not faze Fairchild. He was happy for them. All he did is work that much harder and he ended up with a nice offer list himself, with Syracuse topping the list. Fairchild did not wait around long. He gave the Orangemen a verbal in May. What they get is a player who brings speed to their lineup.

He consistently runs in the low 4.4s and has run in the 4.3s in the 40-yard dash. I noticed on his film that you have to tackle Fairchild. Arm tackles are not going to get it. We tend to think about these speedy players as ones who go down with the slightest touch. I understand that he has a job and that is why he is not camping more this summer. This is a young man with his priorities in order.

63. *** Steve Gardiner (6-1, 210, LB; Dublin Coffman) Preseason Update: It is hard to believe that I just recently saw tape of Gardiner. How could I possibly miss him with all the Dublin Coffman tape that is out there? I have four Coffman players in this top 100. The answer is very simple. Look at those players. Mike Adams, Jake Stoneburner, Trey Fairchild and Zack Stoudt. What do they have in common? They are all offensive players.

All I ever saw of defense for Coffman was a full Gahanna Lincoln game and I do not recall Gardiner

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Duane Long’s Top 100 standing out in that game. He is a good looking linebacker with excellent instincts. He takes good angles and does a good job of keeping himself clean of blockers. He runs well and comes up with big plays regularly. Where he plays is the issue. He is more outside linebacker in size but is more natural inside.

GH He ran very well at the Ohio State camp, clocking a 4.51 40yard dash. The Buckeyes continue to stay in touch and Gardiner would love to join his fellow Coffman teammates at Ohio State. He currently holds offers from West Virginia, Pitt, Syracuse, Northwestern, and Cincinnati.

64. *** Lamonte Lattimore (5-11, 190, CB; Cincinnati Winton Woods) Winton Woods head coach Tory Everhart calls Lattimore one of the best he has ever had. Lattimore plays the slot on offense but he does a little of everything and does it all well. He runs the ball, catches the ball and blocks.

On defense, Lattimore is a corner and this is where he will play his college ball. He is fearless in run support and a great open field tackler. He is as good a tackler as any defensive back in Ohio.

He also shows great leaping ability going up with bigger receivers and making plays on the ball. The one thing that stands out more than anything with Lattimore is speed.

Coach Everhart put a number of plays on his film where he runs down ball carriers from behind with no angle.

Bottom line is Lattimore is a tough, physical kid with football smarts and speed.

Preseason Update: When I think about putting together a list of players who I am baffled by their lack of offers, this is one player that would certainly be on that list. His film speaks for itself. He is the best player on the field. You can see he is another level. He went to the Cincinnati camp and simply outran everyone there. He went to Bowling Green and there was only one player there that was able to run with him. He was a player that left the Toledo and Eastern Michigan camps with plenty of buzz from his performances. I have heard nothing about his academics so maybe that is the hold-up.

He can play so many positions. That is such a prize in this day and age of limited scholarships. I can not believe we have heard the end of Lattimore. He is too good a player to not see some offers come his way.

65. *** Walt Stewart (6-5, 210, DE; Ashville Teays Valley) I remember seeing the first couple of plays Stewart made on the tape I received from Teays Valley coach Steve Evans and Stewart flashed through the screen from out of nowhere. I wanted to know where he came from. As I was hitting the rewind button, it occurred to me that Evans has him playing safety.

Yes, this kid is that athletic that at 6-5 and in the 205210 pound range he can play safety. He was a camp star last year at Ohio State. He plays safety now and will be at least a linebacker, but I think he grows into a defensive end. He has the body to end up in the 255-pound range once he is eating like an athlete should and lifting in a college program. Both his sacks on the year are on the tape.

The lineman in front of him did not have a chance. Neither did the quarterback.

He has a 4.7 40-yard dash and with that body he will carry that speed as he moves down. I spoke to both Coach Evans and his former coach at Franklin Heights Eric Gillespie. Both spoke of Stewart in glowing terms as far as work ethic and attitude. The current coach you can expect that from but the former coach saying the same thing resonates with me.

This is not an immediate impact player. He will need time to add strength and size and find his way to his college position. Stewart has a 4.47-second shuttle time and registered 81 tackles last season. He’s one of the players that has the biggest upside in the Class of 2008.

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Preseason Update: There is good news and there is bad news on Stewart. The good is it seems like everyone is talking about him these days. He has the kind of frame and athleticism that everyone wants. The bad news is he only has one offer right now, and that offer is from Akron. I think the hold-up on the offers is the fact that Stewart has not played either of his projected college positions, defensive end and linebacker. He has played safety.

Coach Evans is looking to remedy that. He is moving to a 3-4 where Stewart will get reps at defensive end and outside linebacker. I see a player who will draw a lot of interest after a season of showing film at his college positions. I spoke to a high school coach who mentioned that he played against Jason Taylor in college. He said Stewart reminds him of Taylor.

Stewart camped at Ohio State, Purdue, Indiana and Cincinnati.

66. *** Josh Fitzpatrick (6-3, 210, LB; Columbus DeSales) Preseason Update: Dublin Coffman is the only school in central Ohio with more talent than DeSales. This kid is a big-time talent. He plays defensive end in high school but I think he will be a college linebacker. He shows that he will have the speed when you see him chase. His video has more plays where he runs backs and quarterbacks down than any defensive lineman in the state. He shows a good motor and he is really good at keeping blockers off his body.

That is something that will help him greatly when he makes the transition to linebacker. He has a really good body. I think he could grow into a 3-4 outside linebacker but not big enough to be a 4-3 defensive end. One of the best kept secrets in Ohio but that will change considering how many scouts will be at DeSales games this fall.

67. *** Kenny Annunike (6-5, 215, Ath; Lewis Center Olentangy) Preseason Update: A high school coach I have a good relationship with contacted me soon after the Cleveland Combine very excited about this kid. He said he ran great routes and showed good hands in drills up there. He was one of the stars of the camp as far he was concerned. He said he had one of the best bodies in the camp.

Considering who was there, that was a big statement.

I spoke to coach Ed Terwilliger about Annunike. He had nothing but high praise for him. In their offense he was not going to see a lot of balls thrown his way but was highly effective when he did get the ball. He also thought he showed well in limited action on defense. He was especially complimentary about his work ethic, coachability, and motor on the field. I saw a game soon after.

Line up players without knowing who is who. Just look at the bodies. Annunike would be one of the first you would pick. I think he could have a better upside as a defensive end. He is very raw. With his athletic ability and work ethic he could be a very good player in time. His recruitment was always about academics. Both of his parents immigrated to this country and are doctors. When Duke offered it was just a matter of time before Annunike accepted.

68. ** Jeremy Ebert (6-0, 170, ATH; Hilliard Darby) I like this Ohio quarterback class. There are several underrated players that could help themselves with good summers throwing the ball.

There are also a number of high school quarterbacks that will set themselves up with good summers showing as athletes and Jeremy Ebert is one of them.

He could end up being a good defensive back but I like him as an offensive player. He is very elusive with the ball in his hands and can get to top speed in just a couple of steps. There are several throws on his film where he puts the ball 60 yards down the field. He passed for more than 1100 yards and seven touchdowns, and rushed for better than 1000 yards and seven more touchdowns. Hillard Darby head coach Paul Jenne reports a 4.4 40.

At least one major conference school sees him as a

quarterback. He was invited to a couple of Ohio State games. Northwestern, Indiana and Miami (Ohio) are also showing interest.

Preseason Update: To say Ebert has had a meteoric rise would be an understatement. He went from a high school quarterback projected as an athlete, likely in the MAC, to a Big Ten receiver. Northwestern came in with an early offer and Ebert, looking at the benefits that come with a diploma from one of the great academic institutions in the Midwest, accepted.

He had made a great recent run. He ran 4.37, 4.38 and 4.39 40-yard dashes at three different camps back-toback. He measured in at 5-11 to 6-0 at every stop on his personal camp tour. He is cleaning 250 at a body weight of about 170. Northwestern is going to play him as a slot receiver and use him to return kicks.

69. ** Joe Madsen (6-4, 270, OL; Chardon) What a powerhouse Madsen is. He has impressive weightroom numbers with a 365-pound bench press, a 405-pound parallel squat and a 275-pound power clean but I really did not need to see those numbers to come to that conclusion.

Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Russell said basketball was a contact sport, while football was a collision sport. Joe Madsen brings that point home.

Madsen is like a human bowling pin knocking defensive players all over the field. I saw him score two pancake blocks on one play. On another, he shows the nasty streak I want to see in a lineman knocking defenders down that get right back up. He is quick enough to get into the second level to make blocks.

He does not look the part but has a 4.9 40. Madsen is also a very disruptive at defensive tackle. He has a nonstop motor collecting five sacks and 16 tackles for loss.

Chardon head coach Bob Francis drops him back in zone coverage. This is not a body-beautiful athlete but he is one good looking football player. Madsen is likely a guard at the next level.

Preseason Update: I think there was never any doubt about Madsen the football player. He is a very disruptive defensive tackle and a road grader as a guard on offense.

I think coaches wanted to get him on campus and take a look at his body and see him against other players they were high on. Madsen did not disappoint. He earned offers from Bowling Green, Kent, Ohio U., then went to West Virginia and won the camp Most Valuable Player Award. There were over four hundred campers in attendance. That performance earned Madsen an offer from the Mountaineers.

Madsen’s mother is from West Virginia. Joe called West Virginia his dream school. He was due to take a visit down there. I think that by the time you read this Madsen will be committed to West Virginia. They have not decided whether he is going to be a defensive tackle or an offensive lineman.

70. *** Blaec Walker (6-4, 290, OL; Middletown) Walker plays tackle on the left side of the massive Middletown offensive line. He has an offer from Illinois like his line mate Chip Robinson. Walker has the wingspan of a 747 airplane yet is very good in small spaces. He has also learned to use his weight and leverage well. Despite the left tackle reach, I think his college position will be guard. Walker is also an excellent student. Middletown head coach Ron Johnson calls him, “the complete student-athlete package.” He needs to dedicate himself in the weight room and get his intensity level up. Long-limbed kids always have a tough time in the weight room when they are young and most college coaches could not care less about strength as they know they can make any player stronger.

Walker is a raw prospect with a lot of upside. A program like Illinois that is looking to rebuild its talent base is making a wise decision in coming in early on a raw prospect like Walker.

He is also wrestler, which always helps lineman. There is no sport where leverage is more important than wrestling,

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Duane Long’s Top 100 especially with heavyweights. Walker will learn more about leverage in one month of wrestling practice than he would a year of football practice.

Preseason Update: Massive kid, quality person, smart and a hard worker. That is how I would sum up Walker in a sentence. He is very raw but with his intelligence, coachability and work ethic he will overcome the lack of experience in time. Someone will take a chance on him and in time Walker could be a fine guard. He plays tackle right now but projects as guard. I think he would put himself in better position by dropping some weight but does not seem to have hurt him so far.

It has been a successful off-season for Walker. Illinois, Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan have already offered. Nebraska and Wake Forest are making noises like they might step up and make offers too. Michigan, Wisconsin and Cincinnati are still in the mix for Walker.

71. *** Chip Robinson (6-7, 340, OL; Middletown) The one characteristic that stands out about Robinson is just how big he is. In football, bigger players at a young age are not uncommon anymore and Robinson is one that is so big it gets your attention.

At one time, Robinson was even bigger but is working hard on getting his weight down even more. I don’t know if he will ever get below about 320, though. He is moving so much better now that he has lost some weight but he is never going to raise any eyebrows with his 40 time – but I have come to the point where I don’t put much stock in 40 times with offensive linemen. Robinson comes off the ball better than most kids this size, and he packs a punch. His first three steps are impressive.

Middletown head coach Ron Johnson was a former college coach. That shows in the play of his twin towers at offensive tackle. Robinson and fellow D-I prospect and teammate at the other tackle, Blaec Walker, are showing better technique than most high school offensive linemen.

Robinson is a high school tackle but before he can move inside to guard he has to have good footwork, and he has the reach. Last season, Robinson went one-onone with Ohio State recruit Solomon Thomas a good percentage of the night and not only held his own but he won the battle.

Robinson already has an offer from Illinois and good camp showings could see his stock soar.

Preseason Update: Robinson is another player that gets it. Early offers say that a college coaching staff is sure about you. What does not occur to too many is what they are saying by not offering. They are saying they are not convinced. Camps and combines are another opportunity to show the something.

Robinson has been to camps at Bowling Green, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Marshall, Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, Purdue and Miami (Ohio). One aspect of the camps and combines that gets overlooked is the opportunity to get better.

Robinson has dropped four tenths of a second off his 40yard dash time with all this work. He is doing this while his weight remains in the 340 range. All that camping has resulted in offers from Bowling Green, Marshall, Kent State and Eastern Michigan. Both Pitt and Louisville are showing the kind of interest that could end with an offer.

Michigan State and Purdue continue to show interest.

72. *** Eric Herman (6-4, 265, OL/DT; Toledo Central Catholic) Preseason Update: Herman is in a part of the state that does not get looked over as thoroughly as some other parts of the state. He also missed a good part of the year with an injury that occurred in Week 4. He has made up for that lost time with some impressive camp showings. The most recent was Western Michigan. He left that campus with a scholarship offer. Akron, Bowling Green and Ohio University have also stepped up with offers.

Herman has indicated he plans on taking his time to make a decision. That is likely going to help him with more offers. I think he likely ends up on offense but someone may want to give him a look as a defensive

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tackle first. He had seven sacks and nine tackles for loss in those four games.

73. *** Nate Shuler (6-1, 208, ATH; New Middletown Springfield) I get asked all the time which player is the fastest, which is the biggest and which is the strongest.The one question I get asked the most, though, is who the hardest hitter is. For the class of 2008, Nate Shuler would get my vote.

I don’t know if I can come up with 10 great hits for anyone in the class but for Shuler I would have to pick 10. He brings it like nobody else.

Shuler is also a very good high school quarterback but he is going to make his mark as a defensive player.

Exactly which position on defense has yet to be determined. He could be a strong safety or he could grow into an outside linebacker at the next level.

Shuler really needs to get to camps since there is still a very real bias towards these small school players.

Springfield Local is a Division V school.

Preseason Update: One of the best players nobody is talking about. Schuler is from a small school and has only camped at Akron to my knowledge, but he did earn an offer from the Zips out of that camp. This is a kid that I think could play safety for most of the Big Ten schools.

He has an ideal size-to-speed ratio. He shows a great nose for the ball and once he finds it, he is going to bring it as well as any kid in the state. He strikes like a linebacker.

Right now, Akron stands to make one of the recruiting coups of the year by getting in on Schuler early. Since he has no other offers that I am aware of there is little chance that the level of competition he is going to encounter his senior year will inspire anyone to come in with an offer. All they will see is another year of domination of the football field by Schuler. It was not enough last year so I am not optimistic another year of the same will change anything.

74. *** Larry Black (6-3, 285, OL; Cincinnati Wyoming) Preseason Update: This is one player I cannot believe I did not notice before. I saw film of Wyoming. I ranked several of his teammates. I reviewed a number of others as possibles for the magazine. It was not until my associate at ScoutingOhio.com, Mark Porter, mentioned that I should take a look that I saw what kind of player Black is. He reminds me a lot of a player from last year, Ismailly Kitchen from Cardinal Mooney, in the fact that he is a natural wide body with very quick feet for a kid his size and comes off the ball fast and hard. The difference is this kid is in better shape both in body and in the classroom.

Black is as good if not better a defensive tackle as a high school player but he will be an offensive lineman in college. He plays left tackle but he will be a guard in college. He has offers right now from Indiana, Ohio U. and Eastern Michigan. He has camped at Cincinnati, where his cousin Khalil El-Amin plays and West Virginia. He said he is done camping and ended speculation this summer by committing to Indiana.

75. *** T.J. White (6-3, 240, ATH; Troy) White is one of the better football players in Ohio and is as good a blocker at tight end as you will ever see. He has great feet and uses leverage well. If he were a little bigger he would be right up there with the other tight ends in this class but at his size I have to rate him as an offensive lineman, despite the fact that he shows good hands when the ball is thrown his way.

Where I think he is at his best is as a defensive tackle.

He is going to get a good deal bigger and I suspect he will be able to carry 280 pounds or so with little impact on his impressive athleticism and 4.82 40-yard dash. He shows the ability to get off blocks and to find the ball. He shows the motor that is such a key to top defensive players and is able to chase plays down the line. He’s also

strong enough to make plays that come right at him. I am sure he will see offers as a tight end but I think he will see a more impressive collection of offers as a defensive tackle.

With his blocking ability, I am sure someone will offer as an offensive lineman.

Preseason Update: White had an excellent year in track this spring. He had a personal best in LW the discus of 155-9 at the Miami County Invitational. Despite track taking up a lot of time White has been hitting combines and camps all over the place. He was named to the second team defense at one combine that drew players from all over the Midwest. He will be attending camp at Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue and Tennessee. He has been working with a personal trainer and has his weight up to 265.

I think that will help him since he is going to be a defensive tackle or a guard in college. He is an impressive looking athlete and a really good football player but size has been a question mark. He looks to be adding weight the right way, and ran a 4.8 40-yard dash at Georgia Tech at that 265.

White is hearing from Ohio State, Tennessee, Purdue, Wisconsin, Boston College, Michigan State with Nebraska and Kansas State recently starting to make contact. He has visited Ohio State, Iowa, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Michigan State.

TJ will be going to senior camp at Ohio State, Tennessee, Georgia Tech and Purdue. He has yet to receive an offer. I think most are going to wait and see where his body goes before they make offers. At least one school told him they wanted to decide on a position because they do not like to make offers just as an athlete.

76. *** Gary Thornton (5-9, 200, RB; Youngstown East) Long time readers know I am not a fan of small backs.

Lets be clear from the start –Thornton is not a small back. Thornton is a short back with thick legs and a thick lower body. He might be the strongest football player in the state pound for pound, with a 350 pound bench press and squat in excess of 500. He has the quickest feet of any back in the state and his ability to change direction at speed is remarkable.

I sometimes give players nicknames. I am going to call Thornton “Freeze Frame.” As I watch his tape there are so many moments where he leaves defenders frozen as they try to change direction with him. He is such a natural runner. – explosive to the hole and fearless.

He is as good, if not better, between the tackles as he is going wide. Getting him off his feet with GH that low center of gravity and his strength is a chore. Thornton is such a tough kid that he is getting some attention from schools as a linebacker. We are seeing Brian Westbrook with the Philadelphia Eagles and Maurice Jones-Drew with the Jacksonville Jaguars have some success at the highest level. Thornton is the same kind of back.

In addition, this is one of the classiest and most likable young men I have come in contact over the years. He will be the first one in the weightroom and the film room, and the last to leave. Whether he is a starter or never leaves the bench, you can bet Thornton will be the first to congratulate a teammate for a good play and the first to console someone that made a bad one.

Preseason Update: Thornton is one of my favorite players this year. I have had more questions about ranking him in the top 50 than any player this year. I think everyone got too focused on the things he did not have than on the things he does bring to the table. He has such great feet and instincts. No player in the state has feet as quick as Thornton. He is a tough runner. He

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Duane Long’s Top 100 shows good power and a fearless attitude hitting the hole.

I think speed is the most overrated aspect for backs.

Quickness and explosiveness are more important.

Thornton has that. A back has to be fast enough. At this point Thornton has not answered the question about his speed. If he can do that I think he starts seeing offers.

This is a high character young man that coaches are going to want in their locker rooms.

77. *** Zack Stoudt (6-4, 200, QB; Dublin Coffman) Preseason Update: Stoudt is evidence of just how much talent is available to Coffman coach Mark Crabtree this year. He is a member of this year’s top 100, one of the best and deepest classes in years, despite the fact that he was not the starter last year. He had a knee injury that kept him out about half the season but he would have been the backup anyway. It also shows what kind of talent Stoudt is that he was not a starter last year but still makes the top 100. He has excellent size and a good arm.

GH He has been getting around to camps all over the country, from hometown Ohio State all the way to Alabama. Along the way he has picked up offers from Pitt and Eastern Michigan. I suspect once he has a full season under his belt as the fulltime starter that his offer list will increase.

The name Stoudt might be a name that rings a bell. His father is former NFL player Cliff Stoudt.

78. *** Phillip Manley (6-4, 305, OL; Hamilton) Hamilton coach Jim Place said, “(Manley) has dominated games inside.” And never have truer words been spoken. This kid is a real powerhouse.

We use the expression ‘road grader’ and Manley is the epitome of the expression. He locks defenders up, keeps his feet moving and moves them. Manley is athletic enough that he played right tackle at times and he moves well enough to be a really good pulling guard. His time at tackle has made Manley a better pass blocker since he is a wide body that is not carrying extra weight. He is also very young for his class.

Manley is solid in the classroom and Place could not be more impressed with his work ethic in the weightroom and in the classroom. This is a raw kid and a young one with an impressive upside.

Preseason Update: Manley has been making the rounds with several teammates. He has been making an impression. He ended up having a one on one conversation with Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer. One-onone conversations with head coaches are a big deal when you consider the number of players that are at a camp as large as Virginia Tech.

The Hamilton players also hit Louisville and Miami (Ohio). He also found time to get over to Maryland and left a favorable impression on that staff. They certainly left a favorable impression on Manley. The Terrapins are high on his list. This big kid, and I do mean big kid as he is not 17 years old yet, has a really high ceiling. I think after another year under Jim Place, in the weight room and on the practice field, we will see a nice offer list for Manley. He has an offer from Eastern Kentucky.

79. ***Joshua Smith (6-2, 170, ATH; Cincinnati Withrow) This defensive back class has really come around.

Maybe it was the distraction of last year’s class, but at first blush, I did not think that this would be a good class. So many of the players that made early impressions – few that they were – are now not at the top of the class.

Joshua Smith is one of those that just came to my notice. This is one fine football player. The versatility of the safeties is a feature that seems to be unique about this class and Smith is no exception.

He shows the instincts, the ball skills and the range to

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be a free safety and he is some kind of hitter. He is a very physical kid making sacks and plays behind the line of scrimmage like a linebacker.

Speaking of linebacker – that could be in Smith’s future. He is such a long lean kid that he could add a good deal of weight and make someone a fine weak side linebacker.

Preseason Update: This is one on my All-Underrated team. I see a kid with good size, good enough to be looked at as a possible linebacker.

Versatile players are something every school is looking for with no more than 25 scholarships to offer every year.

He is comfortable at the line of scrimmage but does a good job in coverage so his best position might be strong safety.

He is a good tackler and has a knack for big plays. He is raw. The best is yet to come from Smith.

He has been flying low under the radar but still has offers from Eastern Michigan, Ohio U., Ball State, Kent State on the table right now and some other schools are actively recruiting him, Louisville, Indiana and Michigan State just to name a few. Another season as good as last year, and another year to see where his body is going, and I expect some of those schools to come in with offers.

80. *** Patrick Omameh (6-4, 240, Ath.; Columbus DeSales) Preseason Update: He is the least well known but if you see DeSales’ top returning players all lined up the one that would stand out the most is Omameh. He already looks like a college player. Where his body is going to go is going to determine where he plays in college.

He could be a strong side defensive end. He could very easily grow into a defensive tackle. It would not surprise me if he ended up as an offensive tackle.

He will be a target of all the high academic schools as he is right around the 4.0 mark in the classroom and has a reported 28 ACT. This is a player you take and worry about where he lines up later. Duke just landed another super athlete from Ohio in Kenny Annunike from Olentangy but they are not the only elite academic school taking a hard look. Northwestern is also involved. Miami (Ohio) has offered.

81. *** Jordan Bright (6-6, 225, DE; Cincinnati Wyoming) Nobody is higher on my list of players to keep an eye on than Bright.

The first word that comes to my mind when I think about Bright is rangy. He looks taller than his listed 6-6, has the wingspan of a small airplane and can run. I don’t have a 40-yard dash time but his game speed is excellent.

He uses those long arms well, getting his hands up and knocking down passes regularly. I think we are not hearing so much about him because everyone will want to get him in camp and see how he is going to handle a move down.

He plays a stand up defensive end in a five-man front. I don't know how he is going to make the transition to playing with his hand in the dirt. His frame says he is going to add some weight.

Bright uses his hands very well to keep blockers off his body. He bears an uncanny resemblance to Jason Taylor in build and game. If he has a good summer this is my pick for the fastest rising prospect in Ohio for next year.

Preseason Update: One of the real disappointments this spring is not hearing anything about Bright. I have not picked up any news since football season. If he played basketball I am unaware of it. If he has camped anywhere I am unaware of it. That is a recipe for disaster. Only the really elite kids can get away with that these days. The ones that have offers before camps even start.

A player with Bright’s physical tools is going to see offers if all he does is show the kind of frame that can handle some additional weight and show some athleticism.

He falls into the category of big kids that can run. There are never too many of them on your roster. It isn’t like he does not have a highlight tape. He shows well at times but needs to develop consistency. That is something a coach believes he can bring out in a player. What he can’t coach is the body and athleticism Bright has.

82. *** Isaac Washington (6-2, 270, LB/DE; Trotwood-Madison) There are some things I always look for in a middle linebacker. I want a big body because a lot of large bodies are going to be thrown at him. He has to have no help like a 3-4 inside linebacker – with no help beside him he can’t miss. He has to have that knack for finding the ball carrier and he needs to take on blockers to get to the ball carrier.

I want to see a player that has the ability to get off blocks.

And finally, he has to be a sure tackler. A big hitter is nice but sure tackler is a must.

I see all those things in Isaac Washington. Washington is a very smart and sound football player. He blitzes great and his speed is extra on a blitz. If a blitzer times it right, he is going to get there anyway. I see so many players going for the big hits up high in the chest, and too often missing. Washington gets down into the runners legs making sure the play is over.

He could be a possible defensive end. Washington is a big kid and could outgrow linebacker but he could probably stand to take off NF about 10 pounds by the time the camp and combine season arrives.

College coaches looking at Washington as a middle linebacker will help him get more offers. Washington is just a good football player.

Preseason Update: Back when I first did an evaluation of Washington I noted that he would do himself a favor by dropping some weight. He has done the complete opposite and gained more weight. That is only a problem in the fact that it now means be is likely to see colleges want to see him on the field with his hand in the dirt before they come in with offers. He is now at least a defensive end and likely a defensive tackle. If he embraces it there should not be any problem.

He will simply be recruited at a different position. I was impressed with him as a football player period. He has great instincts and a knack for beating blockers. He is just going to have to show he can do those things from a different position. I have seen players start to add weight or not show the speed for their preferred position. How they adjust to that mentally means everything. The sooner and more enthusiastically he embraces it, the better chance he has of being a success and getting better offers.

83. *** Ben Buchanan (6-0, 197, K; Westerville Central) I don’t know if I have ever had a kicker in my top 100.

But Buchanan is a unique kicker. He has a leg that has to be seen to believe. He has a 54-yard field goal to credit, which is the longest field goal for a junior off grass in Ohio high school history. The kick would have been good from 60 at least.

Buchanan has kicked 60 yards in camps and has successfully kicked 65 yards in practice. He was the best punter at that elite camp run by Dan Stultz, the former Ohio State kicker, which brought in kickers from all over the Midwest.

Buchanan’s goal is to be a complete kicker. He fully expects to be the place kicker as well as the punter for Ohio State as he made his commitment to the Buckeyes in GH early March. His offer list was as impressive as any player in the state. That is especially impressive when considering how many kickers are initially walk-ons.

This kid is just a fine athlete. He is also a starting receiver for Westerville Central and a talented baseball player.

Preseason Update: It is unusual for committed players to camp. This year’s recruits seem to be turning that way of doing things on its head.

Buchanan is one of those going against tradition. He dominated the Ohio State specialists camp June 13-14.

He won the distance kicking competition, hitting field

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Duane Long’s Top 100 goals of 58 and 63 yards. He punted extremely well, spending a lot of time working with former Buckeye Tim Williams.

He was also awarded the top Buckeye Award at the end of the two-day camp. When you see a freshman kicker in the starting lineup it is usually because he has to be in there. Ohio State was solid in the kicking game last year but we may see a freshman push the returning starters. That is how good Buchanan is.

change his mind about his verbal to Virginia so far. Then again nobody has stepped up with an offer to my knowledge. At least, not any schools that are on par with Virginia. He preformed well at the combine held at Penn State.

He showed he has the feet you are looking for in a tackle and a much underdeveloped upper body. That is not a bad thing. He is a 270 pound kid but is not fat. That gives you an idea of just how big his frame is. It shows he is not going to have to fight his weight. It shows that he is going to be able to fill out a lot. There was a nice collection of talent to work against. Level of competition is always a concern with small school kids

84. *** Travis Kelce (6-5, 230, QB/ATH; Cleveland Heights) New Cleveland Heights coach Jeff Rotsky could not be more excited about the upside for Travis Kelce. He thinks he will be the most heavily recruited quarterback in Ohio come season’s end.

Kelce is a physical specimen and a great athlete.

Rotsky thinks he will end up at about 245 pounds and at that size all it does is expand his possibilities. He is a quarterback now but at 6-5, 245 pounds coupled with his athleticism schools will start thinking about tight end should he not pan out as a quarterback He is being recruited as a basketball player, too, and has not decided which sport he will play in college. The list of schools looking at him for basketball includes Florida, Wisconsin and just about all the MAC schools.

Kelce has been down to Ohio State for a couple of games as a guest of the Buckeyes.

North Carolina, Syracuse, Pitt and Indiana are showing interest in football.

Kelce just moved into the starting lineup for the first time as a junior so he is very raw but has all the tools that every major school looks for in a quarterback prospect. Rotsky has done some impressive work preparing athletes for the next level and this is one player I will be tracking closely. If he develops like Rotsky thinks he will, Kelce will completely shake up this top 100.

Preseason Update: Where Kelce was going to play has been more the question than if he was going to be offered. He has been getting interest but the picture is becoming more clear about what position he will play in college. He is getting drilled by schools he visits as both a quarterback and tight end with most schools liking him better as a tight end. On his tape he shows so well as an athlete. He has some skills as a quarterback.

He has the size that everyone covets in quarterbacks and has a good enough arm but you can’t help but notice how well he runs once he decides to pull it down and make something happen with his feet, or when he was scrambling which he had to do far too often last year.

Kelce has not said if he is open to the move to tight end.

He has not said whether he will play football or basketball, he may have bigger schools looking at him for basketball right now, but if he is open to the move to tight end I think that could change.

86. ** Brad Bednar (6-5, 230, OL; Mentor) This is a player I expect to see getting a lot of attention once he starts hitting the combines in spring and the camps this summer. Bednar has quietly played at a high level against quality competition. His weight is down now but he is going to fill out nicely. I expect a 280-pound player in the next couple of years.

Bednar moves very well and has better technique than most high school players. Since he is playing against good defensive ends and is lighter than most at his position, I think has played a role in his more advanced technique. The fact that in practice every day he was going against scholarship level players has helped him greatly as well.

I suspect that by his second year of college he is going to be in the mix wherever he ends up playing his college ball. Bednar is one of the real sleepers in the class of 2008.

SP Preseason Update: I am a bit surprised that Bednar has not received more attention. He is playing in a big city in a high profile program with a potent offense. He has such a great frame and superior feet. That is what offensive line recruiting is about. He moves well. He has the length is his body and his wingspan to be a fine pass blocker. He is already an advanced player technically. He does not let defenders get into his body. He is a good run blocker for a player that is only about 240 pounds and playing against the level of competition Mentor plays against.

He did a great job in two games against top defensive end LeBron Daniel from Glenville who is headed to Iowa.

Bednar has an offer from Bowling Green and Stanford and Cincinnati are saying the right things but have not come in yet. I think this is a Big Ten player in the making.

Someone is going to steal a really good football player in Bednar.

85. *** Matt Mihalik (6-7, 270, OT; Gates Mills Gilmour Academy) This is likely a player that not many are aware of.

Mihalik is coming out of a small, elite academic school in Cleveland and he committed very early in his junior year when Virginia made him an offer. He has heard from the likes of Ohio State and West Virginia since but has not wavered in his commitment.

He is a highly athletic kid and has the feet and frame everyone is looking for in a tackle prospect.

Mihalik is a three-sport kid also playing basketball and baseball. There is a lot of controversy about whether that is a help or a hindrance in the development of an athlete.

He is going to need a lot of work in the weight room as he is an awfully lean kid. And the level of competition is going to be questioned despite the fact that Gilmour played and beat some larger schools last year. But in time and with hard work this could be one of the real steals in the class of 2008. Great job by Al Groh and the Virginia staff.

Preseason Update: Mihalik has been listening to what other schools have to say and has been going to combines and camps. He was at the combine held at Penn State and he camped at Ohio State. He has yet to

87. *** Luther Nicholas (6-0, 200, RB; Columbus Independence) It does this old Columbus City League grad’s heart good to see a nice group of talent coming out in this year’s class.

Nicholas is seeing the spotlight on Isaiah Pead from Eastmoor but he does not need to take a back seat to anyone.

He rushed for 1,918 yards on 304 carries scored 14 touchdowns last year. Some are going to question the level of competition in the Columbus City League but Nicholas ran for better than 100 yards on the Hilliard Davidson defense which stuffed everyone on its way to their first state championship last year. He also had a100 yard rushing effort against another Ohio Capital Conference defense in Upper Arlington.

Nicholas has a 4.5 40 and if he shows that time at camp this summer he will really boost his stock as his measurables line will get the attention of college coaches.

With his measurables line, he could play running back, wide receiver, safety or even grow into a linebacker. That kind of versatility is something highly valued in this era of limited scholarships.

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Preseason Update: Last year there were discussions on the Bucknuts.com message boards about who was the best back in the Big Ten. Most thought Buckeye Antonio Pittman was the conference’s best. Michigan’s Mike Hart was the pick of most as the Big Ten’s second best back. I think Penn State’s Tony Hunt was the leagues next best back. He is a brutally efficient back. He was not going to do anything that really leaped out at you but he moved the chains, he was consistent and he did not turn the ball over.

That is what I see in Nicholas. He is not going to make the highlight reels but he is a back with good size that runs well and does all the things his team needs him to do to win football games, and he does them well.

88. *** Mike Spooner (6-0, 220, LB; Lakewood St. Edward) Spooner had a breakout season last year. If not for the misfortune of another player, we may not have seen him until this year. Senior captain Ken Lamedola broke his foot before the season started and that thrust Spooner into the starting lineup sooner than expected. And he was ready for it.

His teammate at inside linebacker was Jeff Lucas, a D-I recruit in his own right, but Spooner was the better player. In fact, a long time St. Ed watcher whose opinion I respect, thinks Spooner was the best defender on an outstanding defense that boasted the likes of Ohio State recruit Nate Oliver, Iowa signee Diauntae Morrow and top ten 2008 prospect Justin Staples.

Early last season, I had the opportunity to see St. Edward and Spooner definitely got my attention.

He is a tough inside linebacker with top drawer instincts and football smarts. He is pretty athletic and plays faster than he will run on any GH track.

I am looking forward to seeing his shuttle time. That will tell us a lot about where this outstanding linebacker ends up playing.

Preseason Update: I was not surprised to see no offers for Spooner in the early offer period. He is not the kind of player that leaps out at you and demands that schools get in line early. Position has a lot to do with it. It is only the unique middle linebackers that get early offers.

Spooner showed well at the Penn State camp despite a slightly pulled hamstring. He is drawing interest from the Big East with Syracuse showing the most interest, and the MAC. I think size could also be playing a factor with Spooner. He is an inside player but has measured in at 6-0 and 210 in official measurables checks at combines.

That is strong safety size. This is the time of year to find every little fault. Come January recruiting coordinators will again notice that this kid makes plays and against as high a level of competition as any player in the state.

89. *** James Howard (6-0, 170, WR; Warren JFK) All the fuss at JFK was about super sophomore Desmar Jackson, who has since moved on to Warren Harding. The accolades are deserved.

Jackson is a special athlete but Howard is not getting the attention he deserves. This is an outstanding receiver in his own right. He is not a big receiver but nobody is going to call him small. I think that height is legitimate.

Howard is a slot receiver in the JFK offense and really knows how to play the position. He shows great hands, knows what to do with the ball after the catch and is elusive, but what I love about Howard GH is he is always making yardage. He is not going to give ground.

Howard is a smart football player. He always seems to

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Duane Long’s Top 100 do the smart thing. He is more comfortable working the underneath routes but he shows no hesitation in going over the middle. There is a Marvin Harrison-quality to his game. With Jackson on the other side of the field there is not going to be a shortage of coaches in the stands at JFK games so Howard will have the opportunity to show his skills this fall. If he runs well this summer they will not be there just to see Jackson.

Preseason Update: This is another player that had everything to gain from a good off-season but seems to have disappeared. He could have taken the good impression made by his internet video debut and turn it into scholarship offers. He is not the kid of athlete that just leaps out at you. In that respect, he reminds me of Dane Sanzenbacher from last year who was not going to leap out at anyone with his physical tools or his speed but went to camp and ended up getting an Ohio State offer.

Howard is about the same size as Sanzenbacher and has a similar game. I think if he would have gotten out more and showed himself off like Sanzenbacher did he would find himself with scholarship offers. He has none to my knowledge. He still has time to change that.

90. *** Darius Ashley (5-9, 170, TB; Cincinnati St. Xavier) Every year there seems to be a back in Ohio that has everything but size. Tyrell Sutton was that player a couple of years ago, last year it was Jordan Mabin and this year it is Darius Ashley.

Ashley has quick feet and is explosive. He also has outstanding vision finding the holes and hitting them quickly. Ashley is pretty tough between the tackles and does not go down as easy as so many backs his size.

He can carry potential tacklers.

Ashley also shows that he can be effective catching the ball out of the backfield. In the right offense he can be a highly effective back. He is working on getting his 40 time under 4.4 but he has exceptional football speed.

As a sophomore, Ashley rushed for 1,634 yards on 254 carries and 26 touchdowns in the perfect 15-0, state championship season. He also had 14 catches for 192 yards and 2 TDs. Last year in his junior campaign, Ashley had 1,450 yards rushing on 273 carries with 17 TDs in a 10-2 Bomber effort.

Like Sutton and Mabin before him, if he is three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier he is at least a four-star player.

Ashley already boasts scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Virginia and several of the Mid-American Conference programs. Cornerback or receiver could be his ticket to GH more and better offers. This is one of the most skilled players in Ohio.

Preseason Update: I know I do not have Ashley rated where his offer list would seemingly put him. I see a very skilled player. I see a very determined runner. I see a player with all the skills necessary to be an outstanding back at the next level. What I don’t see is the size necessary to be a top back. I don’t see the frame to add the weight he will need to be a force at the next level.

There is quite a list of recruiting coordinators that disagree with me on Ashley. Boston College, Virginia, Wisconsin, Louisville, Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana, Miami (Ohio), Cincinnati, Akron and about another dozen schools have made early offers to Ashley. I have not heard whether they are offering him as a back or as a receiver or maybe just as an athlete. Any school that is interested needs to get in line now. Ashley has said he wants to get this decision over with before the season starts.

91. ** Doug Reynolds (6-2, 190, S/QB; Colerain) I first noticed Doug Reynolds in the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge last season and was not used to a Colerain quarterback being this effective as a passer. Though he did not throw a lot, he showed a good arm and was

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effective when he threw the ball.

Reynolds is such a fine athlete that he is going to be a safety at the next level. He has excellent size for a safety. But there are some that disagree with me and they think he has what it takes to be a quarterback in college.

With a summer to prepare in camps and combines, and another football season to hone his skills, he could very well end up as a college quarterback.

Preseason Update: I did not hear a lot of buzz about Reynolds in the camp and combine circuit.

He mentioned that he could have obligations to his team and team comes first. I have not heard anything about offers either but that did not surprise me. He was a first year starter in an offense that was not going to be putting the ball in the air a lot.

GH Despite the ground dominated offense Reynolds did manage to throw for over 1,000 yards and 20 TDs last year. He has a reported 4.6 40-yard dash. The option offense that Reynolds ran for Colerain allowed him to show that he is a good athlete. He attended junior days at Tennessee and Cincinnati that I am aware of.

I think we will hear more about Reynolds after another year under center.

92. ** Marc Stevens (6-6, 295, OL; Lexington) Buckeye legend Woody Hayes was a firm believer in big players. He said he could do a lot of things to make them better but he could not make them bigger. Hayes would have loved Marc Stevens.

It seems we are seeing more big kids that are not carrying excess weight every year and Stevens is one of those kids. There is not going to be any dieting in the future of this 300-pound kid. I see a raw prospect that will only get better as he gets in the weightroom. He plays hard all the time and he works hard.

Stevens plays both guard and tackle at the high school level but I see a guard in college. He has an offer from Akron and was a bowl game practice invitee to Ohio State. He was in attendance for the Ohio State-Bowling Green game by invitation while has shown some interest as well.

Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Louisville and Vanderbilt are asking about him and has been down to Louisville for a game and to Vanderbilt for a junior day.

Preseason Update: Over the years I have tried to emphasize the importance of hard work in hopes that some of the readers might be young men who are on their way to college or hope to be in the next few years.

With players at this level it is often the difference between who ends up getting a college education and who ends up playing on Sundays. College coaches notice the players who are willing to work hard to get better. No player in this class has worked harder at that than Stevens. Whenever there is a camp you will find Stevens there.

He has the frame to get bigger and the work ethic to make it happen. It has resulted in offers from Akron, Bowling Green, Ball State and Western Michigan.

Louisville is thinking about joining them.

In between camps, Stevens found time to qualify for the regionals in the discus.

93. *** Jason Albertini (6-3, 200, QB; Vandalia Butler) Albertini is one of the early quarterbacks to step up in this class. He has filled out, looks taller and is obviously stronger. Albertini is a technically sound quarterback with a picture perfect motion. He might want to work on getting rid of it quicker but that is just nit picking.

He also shows great feet getting his feet under him and throwing over the top.

Albertini also shows coolness under pressure and seems supremely confident back there. He moves well enough not only to get himself out of trouble but to make

plays with his feet.

Albertini shows good arm strength with the ability to throw the deep out and he has great touch on his long ball.

He throws great on the run and his junior year performance is all the more impressive because he is in a pro-style offense. He was 99-of215 passing for 1,264 yards with seven touchdowns, eight interceptions and three touchdowns on the ground. The spread offenses are all the rage in Ohio High school football.

This is a player I will be watching when the camp circuit starts up.

NF Preseason Update: There was a coaching shake-up at VandaliaButler and it has had an impact. The big loss for the Butler players was assistant coach Kevin Moeller who handled recruiting. He knew all the ins and outs. He knew who to contact and get film to. All this matters a great deal.

Sometimes I hear from fans who ask me why it seems the same schools are in Ohio High year after year. One reason is coaches who are recruiting savvy. The full title of the top 100 should be the Ohio High top 100 players that we know about.

Albertini has not camped like he needed to but he has gone to camps at Ohio University and Miami (Ohio), and he made it to several combines.

There is a lot to like here. The coaching shake-ups have an impact. It is harder for the college coaches to get transcripts and find out anything about players. I think it definitely had an impact with this solid quarterback prospect.

94. *** Brandon Williams (5-10, 175, CB; Lakewood St. Edward) A few years ago, Williams would have been 20 spots higher on this list. But with the big, freaky athletes we are seeing coming into the college ranks these days at wide receiver, most schools are looking for big freaky players to cover them.

Williams has exceptional speed and the feet and hips to change direction quickly – a crucial skill for a cornerback. He has good instincts and will come up and play the run despite his stature. He is an excellent returner, both kickoff and punts. He is an explosive and electric player.

Lakewood St. Edward has had a run of super athletes recently but Williams cracked the starting lineup as a sophomore regardless.

He intercepted four passes last year and also played wide receiver. I think he would be smart to ask to workout at wide receiver in camps over the summer.

Someone might get the idea to move him over and give him a shot at receiver down the road.

He is hearing from the Big Ten with Ohio State and Michigan at the top of the list. Virginia, Syracuse and most of the MAC schools are also in the mix.

Preseason Update: Williams is a tough and skilled corner that is a little bigger than I thought he would be. When I say bigger, I mean he has a bigger frame. I think he can add some weight.

GH He has been around a lot this spring and summer, hitting the combine and camp circuit. We always think about these things as an opportunity for the players to show their skills but it is also an opportunity to get better. He is fearless when it comes to breaking on the ball and does not hesitate to come up and play the run.

I doubt there is a corner in Ohio that has gone up against a better level of competition than Williams has.

St. Edward played as tough a schedule as any school in the state, plus every day in practice he was going up against talented and big receivers. There are some play

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Duane Long’s Top 100 ers in state that are going to get more attention early on, mostly due to size, but Williams will be a name to watch later in the process.

95. *** David Fleming (5-11, 200, DB; Centerville) Fleming is one of the best athletes in Ohio. He was forced into service as a quarterback for Centerville head coach Ron Ullery and showed what kind of athlete and competitor he is.

Fleming broke his hand last year but only missed one game while playing five others with a soft cast. I was impressed with his command of the offense. For someone that is not a natural quarterback, he sure carried himself like one.

He had 606 yards rushing and eight touchdowns in nine games.

He added 567 yard passing completing 23-of-45 attempts with eight more touchdowns and only three interceptions. The TD-INT ratio shows this is a heady guy.

NF Fleming is a hard-nosed, smart football player with athleticism, good speed (4.55 40) and has good size.

Preseason Update: Fleming camped all over. Coach Ron Ullery could not even come up with a number. He was at Ohio State and Cincinnati. He remembered those two. He has no offers on the table yet but it was important for him to get out and let those coaching staffs make decisions about him as an athlete. That is how he is going to be recruited. He is an option quarterback on offense.

I don’t know if any D-I program is currently running the option. He could be a receiver but likely he will be a safety. I think he can be a good one. Fleming is not one of those players that is going to put up eye popping combine numbers. Put down the stop watch and pick up the tape.

He is one fine football player. I don’t know what kind of forty time he put up at any of those camps. I know his football speed is impressive. He is a solidly built kid that is smart and very tough. Keep in mind he played five games with a broken hand.

96. ** Nathan Cope (5-11, 185, S/RB; Warren Howland) Cope is a good high school running back with quick feet and an explosive reckless, physical style of running.

But I think he will end up being a fine safety at the college level. He has some impressive measurables with a 4.56 40 at the Penn State camp last May. He had a 4.21 shuttle at that same camp, and added a 33-inch vertical.

On the season, Cope had 93 carries for 536 yards.

He showed he can be effective catching the ball out of the backfield with 10 catches last year scoring six times.

On defense, he had ten passes defended and racked up three interceptions. Cope showed good coverage skills and was aggressive at coming up and playing the run and he is an excellent tackler.

I think when he is focused on playing just one position he will become that much better a player.

Preseason Update: Cope had a very active spring and summer on the combine and camp circuit.

He camped at Buffalo, Kent, Bowling Green, Toledo, Ball St, Miami and Ohio. He was clocked at a 4.04 pro shuttle time at Kent SP State and recently dropped his 40yard dash time to a 4.47 (at Toledo). He had an impressive broad jump at Kent with a jump of 9-feet and and even more impressive vertical of 35-inches. He is benching in the low 300 pound range.

Cope currently holds no offers but Miami and Ohio are showing the kind of interest that says an offer is likely in the not too distant future. Last year Cope spent

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most of his time at SS and TB, but this upcoming season he will be starting at cornerback on defense but will move to S in certain situations.

Offensively he will starting tailback but will be moving to slot receiver to take advantage of his open field skills.

Cope is getting recruited as a defensive back, mostly at corner but some schools are looking at him as a slot receiver and a safety. Some are even talking about running back.

97. ** Jared Province (6-0, 185, Ath.; Warren JFK) Preseason Update: Talk about overlooked. This is a kid that defines the word athlete. He can do just about anything on a football field. He is a high school running back but if he is an offensive player in college I think it will be a receiver. Where I think he will play is safety.

Likely strong safety as he is a very phsycial player and at his best close to the line of scrimmage. Free safety is not out of the question as he is one of the faster players in Ohio. Akron found a real gem here. Province has an offer from Akron.

98. ** Matt Schooley (6-3, 225, DE/OLB; Louisville) Preseason Update: There is no Ben Martin in Ohio this year but there are a handful of edge rushers out there. Schooley is one of them. He plays on the edge in the Louisville scheme. That means on one play he is a stand-up outside linebacker. On the next he has his hand in the dirt in a three-man front.

He comes off the ball like a shot. He has a first step as good as any defensive lineman in the class. He has the motor I love to see in a defensive player. Schooley does not have ideal defensive end size but he has everything else you want in a pass rusher. He plays the run as well as the pass. His body will dictate where he ends up in college. He could be a better fit as a stand-up defensive end in a 3-4.

99. ** Eric Polen (6-3, 225, LB; Youngstown Boardman) Preseason Update: The first play on Polen’s tape says a lot about him. You get a really good look at his body. That is one thing that separates him from so many other linebackers in the state of Ohio this year. Polen has size. He is listed at 6-3 and he looks it. The other thing that stands out about him is he can run.

Most of the plays on his video are plays where he shows he can run. On one particularly impressive play he is lined up on the short side of the field outside the numbers and runs down a back coming completely across the field. That speed allows him to be an outstanding blitzer.

Another thing I like about Polen is he has that uncanny ability to keep himself clean. A linebacker with the kind of speed Polen brings to the table is very difficult to deal with if you can’t find a way to get bodies on him.

Polen may be an even better fullback. He is also an excellent receiver out of the backfield.

100. ** Anthony Mullen (6-2, 200, Ath.; Niles McKinley) Preseason Update: The first two plays on the Mullen video are perfect examples for the positions he is best suited for. On the first he is playing the middle of the field as a free safety. He breaks on the ball thrown to a receiver running a skinny post pattern. He makes the interception then weaves his way for about a 70-yard touchdown return. He is a receiver on offense and he plays like you want a big receiver to play. He runs fade routes going over the top of the defender to make the catch and he uses his body to wall off defenders to make catches.

I notice he tends to catch the ball with his hands, something every coach wants to see. I think he could be a fine safety but if he shows speed I think wide receiver is where he could be a special player.

101. ** Andrew Phalen (6-5, 270, OL; West Chester Lakota West) There were two things that immediately got my attention when I first saw Phalen. This is a really big kid that played at about 250 last year, is up to about 270 now and still looks like he needs a sandwich.

The other characteristic is he has that nasty streak that I like to see in an offensive lineman. Phalen is going to hit anyone who is in reach. Standing around the pile with Andrew Phalen around is just asking to get hit.

He played both tackle spots and some at right guard but projects as a guard in college.

Phalen is raw but he has a great frame and the right mindset.

A lot of schools have taken notice. He was a bowl practice invitee to Ohio State and he attended junior days at Michigan and Cincinnati and was invited to Tennessee, Illinois and Pitt.

Preseason Update: You can find some linemen here in Ohio that may bring more to the table physically than Phalen, but I learned a long time ago that being a success has less to do with what you have than what you do with it. That has everything to do with why Phalen is on this list and some aren’t. This is a big-framed kid who works as hard as any player in Ohio.

He is also very young. As I write this he has yet to turn 17. He will not be 17 until right before fall camp starts.

He has taken unofficial visits Michigan State, Michigan, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Akron, Toledo, and Illinois and was invited to but unable to attend several others (including Louisville, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana, Miami (Ohio), Ohio University, Marshall, and Kent).

He has offers from Toledo and Buffalo. He plans to attend one day camps at Indiana, Louisville, Miami (Ohio), Cincinnati, Ohio U., Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Virginia so there is a chance Phalen adds to his offer list.

102. ** Eric Magnacca (5-10, 172, WR; Massillon Perry) It boils down to one thing with Eric Magnacca: speed.

This kid has another level of speed with a 4.3 40 that is explosive speed. He does not need to get cranked up hitting top speed in a couple of steps.

Because of his size the thinking is he will be a cornerback at the next level but his coach, John Miller, thinks he will be an offensive player. I do too. He is a high school running back but he shows really good hands catching balls out of the backfield and could make a good college receiver.

Magnacca (5-10, 187, 4.3 40) tallied 1,332s yard on 197 carries (6.6 ypc) and had 15 TDs for the Panthers while averaging 10 yards per catch out of the backfield and 24.5 yard per return on kickoffs.

Those are the numbers that are going to be most important to his college options.

Magnacca is getting mail from Ohio State, Florida State, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Akron and Ball State. He attended several junior days and was an invitee to the Ohio State-Michigan and Florida State-Florida games last season.

Preseason Update: What Magnacca brings to the table is speed. We get reported speed numbers that are oftentimes exaggerated. That is not the case with Magnacca. His 40-yard dash time was reputed to be in the low 4.4s. He even had a sub 4.3 recorded at his school and at one combine. He also had a 30-inch vertical and a 9-foot broad jump which gives us a good indication of his explosiveness.

He has not offers to date but he has been on the Ted Ginn bus tour and could go to school and find something sitting on his coach’s desk when he returns home. I have been reviewing his tape.

I think receiver is his best position but I don’t if he has the feet and hips for corner. He has a nice strong square build and shows toughness when he runs so I would say his next best position would be running back.

He weighed a solid 190 when he ran that 4.4 at a combine.

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Duane Long’s Top 100 103. ** Jordan Graham (6-1, 250, DL/OL; Canfield) Graham is an explosive, athletic, disruptive force that the the major college programs will not come in on because he lacks size.

He is an excellent offensive lineman that comes off the ball with a punch always knocking back his assigned target. He has more pancake blocks pound-for-pound than anyone.

Now that I have built him up as an offensive lineman I will say that I think he is a defensive player at the next level. He is off the ball with such quickness that he is often by the offensive linemen before they know the ball is SP snapped. He is very disruptive but it is not simply a matter of disrupting the play – Graham can run. He regularly runs down backs once he is in the backfield.

A couple of inches taller and I think Graham would be getting Big Ten offers.

Preseason Update: I have sat down with any number of people whose opinions about football I respect. A couple of current high school coaches, a couple of retired coaches and one former college coach amongst the group. I ask them to look at Graham and tell me what they like about him. They all say he is a nice athlete for a big kid, he runs well, he packs a punch. Then I ask why they would not offer him. He is not tall enough was a constant response.

That is not good enough for me. I remember just a few scant years ago that most of the defensive tackles and offensive guards were in the 6-1 to 6-3 range. All of a sudden players under 6-4 at those positions can’t play football it seems.

This is a big kid athletic enough to be an outstanding swimmer. He has run 4.9 40-yard dash and 4.4 in a shuttle at one camp. This kid can play and he is a fine athlete. He will carry 270-280 and still be the first kid off the ball on every play.

That he has no offers makes me shake my head.

104. ** Keith Herring (5-11, 200, TB; Massillon Washington) The past couple of seasons, Herring has had so much talent around him. Last year, he had top ten athlete and Illinois recruit Brian Gamble in front of him to share carries with and top ten junior to be Justin Turner behind him. He just never got enough carries and to really step into the spotlight.

Herring rushed for 546 yards and seven touchdowns despite the crowded backfield, however. He has the best speed of the talented trio of backs at Massillon last year with a sub 4.4 40.

He is a well put together kid. He is effective between the tackles and in space and he is a brutally efficient runner. There is no wasted movement as he gets in the hole and out of the hole. Once he sees daylight, he has the speed to take it the distance.

I suspect Herring’s speed and solid size are going to boost his stock this summer at camp but having the chance at more carries next fall is what is going to fill his mailbox with offers.

Preseason Update: Herring does not leap out at you when you see him on tape but when you take time to watch you see why he is so very effective. He doesn’t waste any motion. He is going to get in the hole and out of the hole. He is going to get North and South as quickly as possible where he can use his 4.38 40-yard dash speed. I think exposure means a great deal to him but he is having a tough time getting it. He was behind a super player last year in Brian Gamble.

He will be short of reps this year with national top-100 player Devoe Torrence transferring to Massillon and likely national top-100 player Justin Turner a year behind him.

This is a sturdy built back who managed nearly 600 yards rushing despite sharing the ball with two other backs and only getting into six games because of injuries. He averaged 7.5 yards a carry. The kid can’t

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catch a break.

105. ** Shae Selsor (6-4, 240, DT; Piqua) Preseason Update: Turning out top defensive line recruits has become commonplace at Piqua. Going back to national top 100 player Quinn Pitcock through last year when there were a number of Division I prospects in the trenches, and now this year with Selsor. He could be the most sought after since Pitcock. He has a great frame. No question he is going to be 280 pounds in no time. He plays all over the line in high school. I have film of him mostly at defensive end but he plays tackle and during one of his best plays last year Selsor is lined up at nose. He has a nice square body but he carries the weight well enough to be a high school defensive end.

There are a couple of plays that speak volumes about him on his film.

On the very first play he runs down on a kickoff and makes the tackle inside the 20 yard line. A few clips later he is tied up at the line of scrimmage, breaks away and makes the runner cut back in by the time he reaches the numbers. Good football player and a good athlete.

106. **Rodney Stewart (5-7, 170, Ath.; Brookhaven) Preseason Update: One of the things that fans on the Bucknuts.com site take me to task about is size. They say I put too much emphasis on the importance of size. I could not disagree more. I am a firm believer in the old adage that speed kills, but a player has to have enough size to stand up in a physical game like football.

Sometimes that minimum limit gets pushed. Last year it was with Colerain’s Gary Pride. He was so fast and elusive that a coach was asked at a camp what position he projected him at. His response was “speed.” This year the player with speed and quickness is Stewart. He lost his entire junior year to a knee injury. He had three interceptions as a sophomore.

He did things right this year going out on the Ted Ginn bus tour where he picked up offers from Akron, Toledo and Eastern Michigan. I suspect others will come in once they see him on the field getting hit and get some idea of how the knee is holding up. They got a good indicator when Stewart ran 4.4 40-yard dashes regularly on the Ginn tour and run 4.39 at least once.

107. ** Steve Schott (6-1, 165, K; Massillon Washington) I have never had a top-100 kicker – not that I can remember at least – but this year I have two. Both have been so good it is hard to ignore.

Steve Schott is 23-of-34 on field goals in his first three years and he is 133-of-140 on PATs accounting for 202 total points – 44 from the state record with a year to go.

Last year, he was 3-for-3 on field goals over 40 yards with his longest in a game being 47 yards.

GH His longest in practice is 60 yards and I know that is practice, but kickers just don’t often get opportunities to try kicks from that distance. It shows he has the leg to get it there.

Schott has been contacted by over 50 Division I colleges so far including UCLA, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Boston College, LSU, Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, Duke, Wisconsin, Hawaii and Washington State.

Schott has a 4.8 40 and when the kicker is the last line of defense, it is nice to have someone back there that at least has a shot ay making the tackle.

Preseason Update: There is so much to like about Schott as a football player. He has a good leg and is very accurate. Consistency is outstanding. He is still getting a lot of looks but has no offers since the last time I checked.

That is not unusual for kickers as most programs are very aggressive trying to get kickers to walk-on in their first year, so they end up needing to wait until later to decide if previous players that have walked-on are panning out.

Schott has come along in an unusual year where as good as he is, he is not the states top kicker. How he has handled that has been the most impressive thing about Schott.

He should be the talk of the state as far as kickers are concerned. He is not but we have not heard any complaints from Schott. That is he a top-100 player purely as a kicker speaks for itself. This is not a walk-on kicker.

Someone will offer him a scholarship.

108. ** Dave Rolf (6-4, 225, LB; Piqua) Preseason Update: I really liked Rolf’s brother Pete last year.

He was a little bigger and a more physical player than Dave, who plays as a receiver on offense and a linebacker on defense. He has a great looking body.

He can add 20 pounds easily with no impact on his speed and athleticism. He runs great. The NF fact that he is an effective receiver is proof of that. He is not a tight end. He is a wideout.

On defense, I see a player that would be excellent playing over the tight end. He is very comfortable in space. He is very good in coverage and is a good open field tackler. Rolf is an excellent blitzer. S ome players just seem to have a feel for it. He is one of them. He has the body to fill out into a defensive end or he could be an H-Back but I think he is ideally suited to be a strong side linebacker.

109. ** Nathan Bame (5-10, 175, Ath.; Hardin Northern) Preseason Update: I watched Bame’s film over and over again. I had so many people ask me why he was not in the top 100 in the last issue. I found him to be small and questioned his level of competition. Then I started to see what was right with him.

This is a player who might not be an every down player because of his size but he can be a third down back and he can return kicks. He could be a slot receiver. He has that explosive speed.

He is a tough little kid and strong for his size. We want to compare players this size to Tim Dwight. This is the one player who reminds me most of Dwight. What little defense I have seen him play he shows me he could possibly be a corner.

He shows good ball skills and is a fine athlete. Bame breaks a lot of tackles for a player his size and I guarantee he is not going to shy away from blocking. I think we will see him on someone’s commitment list come February. He is such a playmaker and has such speed someone will take him.

110. ** Matthew Niese (6-2, 240, MLB/DE; Napoleon) Preseason Update: First impression is everything.

The very first play I see from Niese was enough to make me want to see more. The first thing you notice is how big he is. He looks bigger than he is listed. He is a very well put together young man.

He is a middle linebacker and that is where I think he gets his first look as a college player. He does a good job of reading the game and is a solid tackler once he finds the ball carrier. He runs well.

While I think he is a natural middle linebacker his body is going to have a lot to say about where he ends up. He could be a defensive end by the time he is ready to hit a college football field.

He does play on the line on offense but I think he is a defensive player all the way.

JJ Hu ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

The Next Best

The Next Best Photo By Nick Falzerano?MVP Magazine

Troy Gilmer, Wayne Darrion Brown 6-1 175 WR Cincinnati Withrow Transfer from Idaho has won best receiver awards at several camps.

One to watch.

Aaron Breitfeller 6-0 180 S Gahanna Lincoln A very underrated safety prospect. Good tackler and has good ball skills.

Matt Greiser 6-5 305 OL Columbus Watterson Good body and technically sound. Comes off the ball with some pop.

Nate Gaynard 6-1 220 LB Niles McKinley Lack of camps hurt this small school talent. A coaching change didn’t help him.

Jared Suvak 6-2 225 LB Big Walnut One of the real head scratchers as to why no offers. Plays his position well.

Nick Scott 6-5 265 OL Bedford 4.8-second 40 time at 265 pounds but no word on how he did at camps, or even if we went to any.

Jordan Miller 6-3 215 QB New Philadelphia Good size and arm. Underrated player. Committed to Akron.

Troy Gilmer 6-1 200 RB Huber Heights Wayne If he is the focal point of the running attack he will be back in the top 100.

Antoine Rucker 6-0 170 CB/WR Warren Harding Speed and a playmaker. More camps would have helped a great deal.

Canal Fulton Northwest Teddy Robb 6-1 175 WR A poor man’s Dane Sanzenbacher. We have not heard the last of Teddy Robb.

Andy Cruse 6-4 205 WR Cincinnati Turpin Big, athletic receiver may not stay there in college. Too good an athlete to ignore.

JJ Hu d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Danny Milligan 5-11 180 Ray Guy kicking camp MVP.

P/K

Cincinnati St. Xavier

Tyler Wilson 5-10 215 LB Milton-Union At 6-1 or better he is a top 50 player. Great natural linebacker instincts. Quick.

Luke Kelly 6-4 220 LB/DE Cincinnati Turpin Linebacker now but projects as a defensive end. Verbaled to Miami (Ohio).

Mark Carrocce 5-11 180 DB Canfield Has been asked to play just about every skill position and has played well.

Sam Valiquette 5-10 210 RB Youngstown Struthers Powerful runner with quick feet and good vision.

Cameron Kimbrough 5-10 210 LB Walnut Ridge Hard-nosed, instinctive and fast. Size is scaring them away now but we will see later.

Cody Conare 6-3 230 DT Olmstead Falls Tough physical high school defensive end will be a good tackle in college.

J J H U D D L E . C O M 43

The Next Best Tyler Wilson, Milton-Union

Photo By Nick Falzerano?MVP Magazine

6-2 180 WR Ryan Fleck Napoleon Tall athletic playmaker that someone has to take. Worth a scholarship as a punter.

Dave Nehlen 6-2 185 QB/S Brookfield Reminds me a lot of Mitchell Evans from last year, now at Indiana. Athletic and smart.

Chris Harvey 5-11 185 S Walnut Ridge Reckless and a hard hitter who always seems to find his way to loose balls.

Justin Thompson 6-2 1/2 225 TE Columbus DeSales Has completely disappeared at the worst time. Camps could have changed his options.

Chaz King 6-1 205 LB Cin. Winton Woods If his academics were in order King is a top 50 candidate. Great football player.

Bradley Gallick 6-1 190 S Northmor Underrated athlete. More camps would have really helped him.

Brandon Williams 6-1

185 WR Cincinnati Withrow The next good one from a school making a habit of producing great receivers.

Ryan Hughes 6-2 200 QB Carroll Bloom-Carroll I think he is going to be a name we hear kicked around a lot before signing day.

Chris Crockett 5-10 185 RB Columbus Academy Still no decision on football or basketball but the latter is more likely.

Tim Kamczyc 6-5 190 QB Strongsville Missed a lot of time to impress this summer concentrating on basketball.

Seamus Garvey 6-7 240 OL Gahanna Lincoln Very raw but moves well and you can’t coach bodies like this one.

Mason Takacs 6-2 190 QB Bishop Watterson Some may not be surprised to see him here but not as a QB. I think he is.

Connor Pain 5-11 185 Ath Napoleon The fastest player not to make the top 100.

6-4 255 DT Jamil Sims Marion Harding If he camped, I did not hear about it.

J.D. Ingalls 6-1 180 QB Madison Solid accurate southpaw caught my eye watching Nic Dilillo.

Briggs Orsbon 6-1 190 Ath Convoy Crestview Good news out of camps likely would have pushed him into the top 100.

Cameron West 5-11 180 Ath Dresden Tri-Valley Fast enough to play receiver. Quick enough to play corner. Tough enough for LB. Taylor Housewright 6-4

200 QB Ashland Big and athletic. A good senior year could have him at the top of recruiting boards.

Jermil Martin 5-11 220 DE/FB Cleveland Glenville A strong argument for the best edge rusher in the class but lacks size. Great blocker.

Mark Turnbull 6-0 220 LB Poland Lacks ideal size for the middle, his best position, but does he ever bring it.

Marquis Powell 6-5 185 WR Hamilton Lack of experience means he will need a good senior year.

Anthony Oden 6-8 280 Ath Dayton Dunbar Another potential top-50 player that has not done what he needed to do.

Daren Youngberg 6-2

190 S Clayton Nothmont If his grades were better he would be at least top 50. Great player.

Eric Stoyanoff 5-9 200 RB Strongsville Effective and a workhorse, but does not have the measurables everyone wants to see.

Dominique Chandler 6-2 210 Ath Franklin Heights No show on the camp circuit hurt his stock.

Zach Brown 6-2 285 OG Canal Winchester A lot of interest but everyone wants to see that knee in full contact this fall.

Darrian Cordale 5-11 175 CB Beechcroft A real threat to make the season ending top 100.

Andrew Strauss 6-1 190 S Lakota West Ankle injury decimated his camp and combine plans and ended a chance at early offers.

Jason Lude 5-10 185 SS Collins Western Reserve Strongly built physical high school running back could be a fine strong safety.

Chandler Burden 6-5 250 DE Cincinnati LaSalle With better grades he would be top-100 and likely top-50.

Da’Jouir Cornnielies 5-11

218 LB Middletown Another linebacker that would be top-50 if he were bigger.

44 J J H U D D L E . C O M

Bart Tanski 6-2 200 QB Mentor One of the most effective quarterbacks in Ohio. Beat Glenville twice last season.

JJ Hu ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

Others To Watch

Others To Watch Quarterbacks

Colton Catani Zach Domicone Marc Kanetsky Matt Krumpak Mickey Mohner Russ Oltorik Shane Porter Ryan Radcliff Cody Reardon Patrick Ryan Tyler Osterman Chris Stucke Keith Morgan Marvin Stewart

6-2/180 6-1/185 6-0/180 6-1/190 6-3/190 6-1/185 6-1/190 6-1.5/200 6-2/200 6-2/170 6-2/175 6-0/185 6-1/200 6-1/205

Running Backs

Sir Abernathy James Cravens Stephen Curtis Larry Dawson Dominic Goodwin Anthony Hitchens Chevis Jackson Drew Jones William Lowe Ishmael Pope Travis Smith Les Tabor Damon Taylor Sam Valiquette Jeff White Dorian West Paris Wicks Tyler Amendola Fred Newet Kendell Owens Chris Hardy Sean Egler Roger Smith Jared Edwards Bryan Gaiters Aston Jackson Corey Roark Dan Jacob Logan Zecher John Elder

5-9/180 6-0/220 5-9/180 6-1/190 5-8/180 5-10/170 6-0/200 5-10/180 5-10/165 5-10/205 5-10/190 5-10/220 5-10/170 5-10/210 5-9/185 5-9/205 5-9/175 5-11/185

5-7/165 6-2/215 5-10/180 5-10/200 5-11/190 5-7/170 5-10/195 5-10/190 6-0/160 6-1/200 5-8/170

Wide Receivers

Jordan Bell Brandon Boyd Kendal Coleman Andy Cruse Jeff Davis Steve Davis Torrieal Gibson Corey Gilbert Josh McCloud Isaiah Mincy Anthony Mullen Nick Olthaus Matt Rinehart Teddy Robb Anthony Steplight Clay Swigert Matt Wakulchik Tyler Walker Ray West Nate Wilburn-Ogletree Jordan Bell NaRonn Goddard Pat Fening Daniel Haddix Josh McKee Brandon McMonigle Tim Missimer

5-11/180 6-4/200 6-0/185 6-4/205 6-1/175 5-10/175 5-9/140 6-1/180 6-0/170 6-1/160 6-2/180 6-1/170 5-11/160 6-1/175 5-10/170 6-0/170 6-1/175 6-1/175 5-7/170 6-2/180 5-11/180 6-0/160 5-11/180 5-11/180 6-2/190 6-0/195 5-10/165

Photo by Nick Falzerano

Liberty Twp. Lakota East Beavercreek Hubbard McDonald Painesville Harvey Cincinnati Moeller Portsmouth Sherwood Fairview New Richmond Cleveland St. Ignatius Lemon-Monroe Marion Local Bellefontaine Columbus Beechcroft Cincinnati Withrow Centerville Huber Heights Wayne Akron North Lakewood St. Edward Chillicothe Cincinnati Finneytown Wadsworth Cleveland Glenville Cincinnati Withrow East Cleveland Shaw Niles McKinley Fairfield Youngstown Struthers Alliance Cincinnati Princeton Akron Ellet Yʼtown Boardman Lyndhurst Brush Cincinnati LaSalle Dayton Oakwood Bellefontaine Dayton Christian Bellbrook Zanesville Xenia Kettering Alter Lehman Catholic Vandalia-Butler Trenton Edgewood Barberton Springfield South Hillsboro Cincinnati Turpin Springfield North Steubenville Cleveland Glenville Sandusky West Carrollton Cincinnati Withrow Niles McKinley Cincinnati Elder Dover Canal Fulton Nʼthwest Garfield Heights Louisville North Canton Hoover Hamilton Springfield South Clayton Northmont Barberton Dayton Dunbar Canfield Urbana New Carlisle Tecumseh Lemon-Monroe Kettering Fairmont

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Defensive Linemen

Chandler Burden John Hiles Jake Hochendoner Corey Holt Zack Leimberger Aaron Lowe Chad Maynard Dan McClendon Matt Rose Matt Snovak Josh Spillman Blake Steward Steven Thomas Steve Yoder Craig Brooks Adam Dittmer Jordan Goffena Tyler Kunk Sean Jansen Mike Miller

6-5/250 6-3/255 6-2/230 6-3/265 6-2/215 6-0/285 6-3/290 6-3/280 6-2/230 6-2/250 6-1/240 6-0/250 6-2/230 6-5/255 6-2/215 6-1/260 6-2/190 6-2/230 6-0/240 6-2/215

Linebackers

Miamisburg senior Michael Willey is one of Ohio’s top defensive backs.

He’s also the defending Division I state champion in the 300 hurdles.

Tight End

Christian Hanna Josh Lott Tom Klempin

6-3/237 6-2/240 6-7/190

Shaker Heights Warren Howland Pickerington Central

Offensive Linemen

Isaac Anderson Jay Campbell Nate Carman Vince Carter Reggie Comeaux David Dick Tim German Tim Goodman Kurt Hanenkrath Chad Hounshell Maurice Harris Gabe Patten Eric Sluszka Grady Spidell Jarod Emerson Sean McCarthy Eric Simmons Matt Prichard

Athletes

Ryan Clark T.J. Viscuso Justin Hemm Gerald Nixon Travis Kelce

6-4/290 6-5/280 6-4/275 6-3/270 6-4/310 6-3/280 6-6/280 6-6/290 6-7/265 6-4/290 6-5/270 6-4/240 6-4/290 6-4/305 6-5/275 6-3/265 6-3/275 6-2/270

5-11/185 5-11/170 6-0/180 5-9/185 6-5/230

Upper Sandusky New Albany Wellsville Clayton Northmont Massillon Washington Chaminade-Julienne Newark Licking Valley Copley Ayersville Mentor Lake Catholic Youngstown East W. Chester Lakota West Westerville North Akron North Cardinal Mooney Tol. St. Francis DeSales Cleveland Glenville Clayton Northmont

Columbus DeSales Uniontown Lake Piqua New Albany Cleveland Heights

Kevin Dahl Alex Gideon Steven Greer Steve Hangehold Dustin Harrison J.J. Lassic Mike Latessa Grant Lewis Emmett Lydon Damien Macintosh Mike Niam Ray Parry Eric Polen Nick Schneider Jared Suvak Dean Walker Trevante Wallace Kirk Wetherell Miles Harp Brian Wagner Luke Homan Eric Beisner Tyler Williams Jordan Thompson Evan Wray Scott Shear Kyle Corbin Greg Koesters Cody Destro

6-0/220 6-2/220 6-2/210 6-2/205 6-0/230 6-2/210 6-1/190 6-1/200 6-2/225 6-3/205 6-2/220 6-1/225 6-3/210 6-3/220 6-1/230 6-1/190 6-2/220 6-2/195 5-10/215 6-0/195 6-0/200 6-3/200 6-1/200 6-3/210 6-2/205 6-4/230 6-2/190 6-0/185 6-3/225

Cornerbacks

Patrick Bourne D.J. Brown Darrian Cordell Cole Hanlin Berchard Hines Brandon Mingo Ravelle Sadler Ryan Smoot Isaiah Thompson Cameron West Mike Willey Duran Robinson Ricky Franklin Cory Sniffin

Safeties

Jimmy Ferguson Matt Foor Dominique Sams Mike Kindel

Cincinnati LaSalle Columbus DeSales Poland Seminary Trotwood-Madison W. Chester Lakota West Clayton Northmont Lancaster Col. Walnut Ridge Canton GlenOak Youngstown Boardman Franklin Heights Cincinnati Withrow East Cleveland Shaw Massillon Washington Girard Arcanum Sidney Coldwater Dayton Carroll Lemon-Monroe North Canton Hoover Hudson Solon Cincinnati Elder Huber Heights Wayne Mentor Cincinnati Sycamore Westerville North Cleveland St. Ignatius Hamilton Hudson Maumee Youngstown Boardman Cincinnati St. Xavier Sunbury Big Walnut Cincinnati LaSalle Columbus Brookhaven Marietta Lakota West Springfield Catholic Marion Local Ansonia Centerville Rockford Parkway Kettering Fairmont Dayton Carroll Tippecanoe Marion Local Mogadore

6-0/190 5-11/177 5-11/175 5-8/170 5-10/175 5-8/150 5-10/175 5-8/176 5-10/165 5-11/175 6-0/170 6-2/195 6-0/170 5-8/175

Hamilton W. Chester Lakota West Beechcroft Copley Cleveland Glenville Canton McKinley Cincinnati Colerain Columbus Africentric Col. Bishop Hartley Dresden Tri-Valley Miamisburg Fremont Ross Chaminade-Julienne Anna

6-2/195 5-10/200 6-2/210 6-3/195

Barberton W. Chester Lakota West Trotwood-Madison Springboro

J J H U D D L E . C O M 45

Kyle Rudolph

C

harlie Weis could not leave recruiting Kyle Rudolph to chance. The Notre Dame coach and Super Bowl winning offensive coordinator was not going to let one of the best high school tight ends in the country, and a lifetime Irish fan, play anywhere but South Bend.

“Kyle’s family has always been fans of Notre Dame, but I think Charlie Weis really won him over,” said Doug Ramsey, Rudolph’s coach at Cincinnati Elder. “When he was here, Charlie came up to me and said, ‘I’m going to personally recruit Kyle Rudolph. I want him that much.’ ” Rudolph gave a verbal commitment to Notre Dame this spring after a junior season where he caught 30 passes for 400 yards and seven touchdowns. He is an imposing threat near the end zone. Rudolph stands 6-7, weighs 235 pounds and runs a 4.7-second 40-yard dash.

“He’s as good as I’ve ever coached,” Ramsey said. “He’s a great receiving tight end and a great blocker. We could put him at tackle and he’d be a great tackle. We could put him on defensive line and he’d be great there.”

Rudolph essentially had his choice among several of the best football schools in the country. He listed Tennessee and Ohio State as the other schools he was seriously considering, but the lure and tradition of Notre Dame was too great.

“I would say I picked Notre Dame just because of everything about it,” Rudolph said. “The environment was great, the atmosphere, just being there was amazing. And all the coaches were great, too.”

The possibility of early playing time and learning under Weis and tight ends coach Bernie Parmalee also attracted Rudolph.

“Notre Dame throws the ball to the tight end as much, if not more than anyone in the country,” Ramsey said. “That and what Bernie Parmalee has done for the tight ends in that system, it’s a great opportunity for Kyle.”

Rudolph was excited at the prospect of earning playing time early because of the number of tight ends that play in the Irish offense.

“At Notre Dame, I have an opportunity to play right away,” Rudolph said. “They use two or three tight ends, so it’s a great opportunity to play with two or three in the offense.”

The off-season gauntlet of skill camps and intense weight training has consumed Rudolph during the summer.

“We lift as a team and do strength and conditioning work a lot,” Rudolph said. “I got to go to the Nike camp and work on my quickness and agility. I put on some good weight this summer, not sloppy weight. “

46 J J H U D D L E . C O M

STORY BY GLENN FORBES Ramsey noted that Rudolph’s strength has improved and believes his focus on nutrition will help him at the next level.

“He’s gotten a lot stronger, put on more muscle mass,” Ramsey said. He’s real conscious of his diet, eats right and lifts hard. He’ll be that much better to block and play football.”

In 2006, Elder finished the season 6-4. The mark is respectable but not up to expectations at the Cincinnati power. A healthy offensive line and creativity with Rudolph has Ramsey feeling better about 2007.

“I think we had more injuries last year than in my past nine seasons combined,” Ramsey said prior to the season. “And a lot of them were on the offensive line. We have great receivers and a great tight end, but we’re a running team first. A couple of guys have jumped up and had a great off-season and I feel better about the line going into the season.”

Rudolph likes to go over the middle to catch the long pass, but also takes pride in his blocking. Both he and his head coach recognize the need for mismatches on the field.

“Sometimes I’ll be flexed out in the slot, or I’ll go be the outside guy,” Rudolph said. “We try to create mismatches with linebackers or safeties.”

Ramsey can see using Rudolph in every situation on offense in multiple positions.

“We try to line him up in different spots, we’ll put him on the three receiver side or we’ll put him by himself,” Ramsey said. “We’ll use a lot of play action with him and get him one-on-one with a linebacker or a cornerback. If we get him one-on-one with anybody, he’ll win it.

And near the end zone it’s easy, just throw it up and get it to him.”

Despite all the ways an offense can use a tight end, with Rudolph’s speed and size, Ramsey believes his most important quality is his demeanor off the field.

“Of course, he’s a great competitor, he’ll fight you tooth and nail for every yard out there,” Ramsey said. “But the way he is, that’s how I want my sons to be. He works hard, he’s humble, he plays hard and he helps others. That’s just who he is.”

It might be easy for Rudolph to look past this season and imagine catching passes for his family’s favorite team under the gaze of Touchdown Jesus. While his mind inevitably wanders, Rudolph knows the next task is the 2007 season.

“I definitely think about Notre Dame sometimes,” Rudolph said. “It’s exciting and I know it’ll be worth the wait. At the same time, I want to go out and have a great senior season.” — OH

“He’s as good as I’ve ever coached. He’s a great receiving tight end and a great blocker. We could put him at tackle and he’d be a great tackle. We could put him on defensive line and he’d be great there.”

Submitted Photo

Elder Head Coach Doug Ramsey

JJ H u ddle ’s O h io Hi gh

STORY BY GLENN FORBES

Nick DiLillo

Photo by Stephanie Porter

I

n the dead of winter, living in the Lake Erie snow belt can cause a longing for the balmy temperatures of the Carolinas. The top high school football recruits are no exception.

“Sometimes when you go from the Cleveland snow to 75 degrees and sunny that can be a factor,” said Madison Coach Tim Willis about senior tight end Nic DiLillo. “He made a quick decision to commit to Clemson, but it came down to that’s too far away. It would’ve been a stretch even for his family to see him play.”

DiLillo informed the coaches at Clemson on June 18 that he was retracting his verbal commitment to play for the Tigers. A unique string of events then led DiLillo to commit first to Pittsburgh, and then, finally, to Ohio State on July 30.

Toledo Whitmer tight end Kevin Koger passed on Ohio State to play for Michigan. The Buckeyes lost out on another tight end when California prospect Blake Ayles committed to USC. The Buckeyes wanted a tight end in their 2008 class, and late in July Ohio State coach Jim Tressel offered DiLillo a scholarship.

"I was at the (Cleveland) Indians game," DiLillo said. "I got a text from Ohio State saying they have a scholarship offer for me. I was texting back and forth with Coach Tressel from about the fifth inning on. I thought my buddies might be playing a joke on me. So when I got to my car I called Coach Tressel. When he offered, I was speechless."

DiLillo’s indecision was because he did not have a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes until three months after his first verbal commitment to Clemson.

Upon receiving the offer, DiLillo and his family members came down to Columbus to meet with the OSU coaches. He found several Buckeye coaches waiting for him including offensive coordinator Jim Bollman and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator John Peterson.

"They showed me around," DiLillo said. "They showed me the dorms, around campus, the stadium and the Woody Hayes Center."

At that point, it was time for the DiLillo's to meet with Jim Tressel.

"We talked with coach Tressel for about an hour and a half," DiLillo said.

"And I met a couple players like Chris Wells."

Both Pitt and Ohio State are roughly the same distance from Madison and DiLillo’s family, but an offer from the Buckeyes was special to him. It was only a few hours after that July 30 visit that DiLillo committed to the Buckeyes.

"What Ohio kid doesn't want to play for Ohio State?" he said. "Ohio State was always my dream school."

DiLillo was an All-Ohio selection at tight end for Division II in 2006, a year he recorded 46 receptions for 580 yards and four touchdowns. The 6-5, 230pound DiLillo, rated as Ohio’s No. 21 prospect by Ohio High, is not a onedimensional player.

“He can line up at a tight end position and block down, or line up as a wide receiver and run those routes,” Willis said. “He’s really a hybrid-type guy that you can line up in the slot, as a wideout or as a tight end.”

DiLillo has a more modest approach when he talks about his ability.

“I’m a typical tight end,” DiLillo said. “Some have their strong points, but I can block, catch, run or do whatever. Basically, whatever you ask me to do, I can do it.”

JJ Hu d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Ohio State might not use a lot of two- or three-tight end sets, but DiLillo dismisses the idea that the Buckeyes don’t utilize the tight end.

"Everyone thinks Michigan throws to the tight end so much," DiLillo said.

"But I looked it up. Michigan tight ends caught two more passes than Ohio State's tight ends last season."

DiLillo knows there is a long way to go between now and lining up for the Buckeyes at the Horseshoe.

“I’ve been focusing on my velocity during the off-season, just trying to get faster,” DiLillo said. “I’ve been lifting five or six times a week and I’m a lot stronger now than I was last year. I put on about 15 pounds of muscle and I’m benching over 300 pounds. I’m just eating as much as I can and lifting as much as I can.”

That statement doesn’t surprise Willis, who described DiLillo as a “weight room type of guy.” But both player and coach acknowledge DiLillo’s need to get faster.

“He runs about a 4.7-second 40-yard-dash,” Willis said. “If he can get that down about one-tenth of a second or two, he can be a dominating player. He can bench and clean lift 300 pounds, he can squat 400 pounds, but he needs to work on things like footwork.”

The progression of Madison’s spread offense should help DiLillo’s route running and game speed. Willis said the offense was a two-year project that they will add to and tweak after last seasons’ 6-4 finish. The Blue Streaks will employ several methods to get the ball in DiLillo’s hands.

“He is our number one receiver,” Willis said. “We know the defense is going to double team him, so we’ll look for match-ups in our benefit, linebackers he can beat athletically or whatever. We want teams to think about where he’s going to be, so we’re going to put him in motion and line him up all over the field. And then our other athletes need to step up for us to be successful and take some pressure off of him.”

The Blue Streaks will look to improve on last years’ disappointing 1-3 conference record in the tough Premiere Athletic Conference. Madison will face stiff competition from Riverside, Willoughby South and perennial contender Chardon, who reached the regional finals last year. DiLillo is ready for the next of many challenges.

“Traditionally, we’ve been a running team but we didn’t have much success with that last year,” DiLillo said. “So we’re going to develop the running game, and individually, they might stick me in the backfield and motion me to receiver. In a lot of our formations, I can play anywhere.”

DiLillo brings the complete package as an athlete and student. He has been a varsity starter on the Madison basketball team since his freshman year. He has a 3.5 GPA and scored a 19 on the ACT. But DiLillo knows he will now enter the 2007 season with a target on his back, a versatile weapon defenses will key on and possibly look to expose because of his status as a major college prospect. Willis, however, does not expect the praise and accolades to affect his tight end’s performance.

“Of the 46 balls he caught last year, he probably dropped one,” Willis said.

“He has great hands and he is all he’s hyped up to be.” —OH Bucknuts.com recruiting expert Bill Kurelic contributed to this report.

J J H U D D L E . C O M 47

Dale Amyx

STORY BY PAUL BOGGS

F

ew football programs in the state of Ohio have enjoyed a When asked about his role in Logan football history, Amyx downreign of stability quite like Logan has. plays his success despite witnessing nearly a third of the school’s That’s because, for nearly two decades, there has been football fortunes throughout his life. one Chieftain in charge on “The Hilltop.”

Instead, he credits his players, his coaching staff and the Chieftains The chief of chiefs has been Dale Amyx, who enters his that have come before.

18th season as the Logan High School head football coach.

“I always remind the kids that we’re part of a great football tradition And, in the first 17 years, Amyx has amassed 109 career here,” he said. “I tell them we all need to think about the guys who victories, 10 Southeastern Ohio Athletic League championships and came before us. A lot of them are in the stands watching. We need to four Division I state playoff berths. do things right and uphold the tradition. We’ve had so many good Amyx, easily the longest-tenured football coach at Logan, has actukids come through here.” ally been with the Chiefs for 26 years. He was a varsity assistant for Amyx also discussed the hard work that must be put in to become an entire decade.

– and remain – a head coach.

Amyx took over for Clarence Perry prior to the 1990 season and, “I may not be the smartest coach, but no one is going to outwork as they say, the rest is history. Logan’s 22 league championships are me or my staff,” he said. “It’s seven days a week for me during footthe most in the SEOAL, as three straight crowns have put them in ball season, and that’s the way it has to be. It’s the nature of the front of Jackson’s 20. beast. I’ve always said that when it’s not enjoyable and it becomes a Amyx, the Chieftains’ 17th head coach since 1931, has been the job, I would get out. I would be doing a disservice to the kids … any head coach for nearly half of those SEOAL titles. coach would be.

“It seems like yesterday that Clarence Perry left and I took over,” “I’m still excited about looking at game film and getting the game said Amyx. “I figured I might get fired after the first year, but I had plan together. And I still want to do everything I can to help us win on great support from the administration and the community and we Friday nights.” bounced back.”

And Amyx has done, and continues to do, his share.

In fact, with the exception of his first campaign (2-8), and three Entering this season, the Chiefs are on a 16-game SEOAL winning straight losing seasons from 1995 to ‘97, an Amyx-coached Chieftain streak with the last league loss coming in 2004. club has never been below .500.

In each of Logan’s four playoff berths under Amyx, the Chieftains Of Amyx’s 10 league titles, seven have come in the last 10 years, went a perfect 7-0 en route to capturing the SEOAL championship. including at least a share of the last three.

The Chiefs have qualified for the playoffs a total of five times in Sandwiched in between the three school history, including a three-year straight losing seasons and back-to-back string from 1999 to 2001.

6-4 seasons were four straight conferLogan then returned to the Region 3 ence championships. playoffs last season.

Last season, with the SEOAL expandWhile losing in the first round of the ing to 10 schools and two divisions, postseason in three of his four appearLogan went undefeated in conference ances, Amyx and his team made it all play and Amyx earned his 10th – either the way to the Division I regional finals in outright or shared – title in 17 tries. The 2000. It was there in which Logan fell for 1994 and 2005 championships were also the first time in 13 tries, and to eventual won outright. state champion Upper Arlington.

Under Amyx’s command, the Chiefs However, the Chieftains, with the chief have shared a title with Marietta (1991), of chiefs Amyx still in charge, remain a Jackson (1998) and Gallipolis (2004), strong force throughout Southeastern and were tri-champs with Jackson and Ohio football.

Gallipolis in 1992.

Look no further than their dominance Moreover, his 17 seasons more than in the SEOAL, as Amyx is 78-25 in the double the next-closest Chieftain boss in league, part of 109-67 overall.

Photos by Logan Daily News terms of years coached. Dwight Diller Stability breeds success. Few football directed the Purple and White from 1947 programs have enjoyed such a reign like Logan High School’s Dale Amyx has led the until 1954.

Logan has. — OH Amyx has a framed photo of Diller’s Chieftains to 10 Southeastern Ohio Athletic 1950 squad, which was taken at what is Craig Dunn of The Logan Daily News League championships and four Division I now known as Bill Sauer Field. contributed to this story. playoff apperances in 17 seasons.

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STORY BY GARY HOUSTEAU Photo by Gary Housteau

Painesville Harvey junior Chris Fields

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Chris Fields

he Painesville flood of 2006 not only had a very harsh and immediate impact on the life of Chris Fields from Harvey High School, but it also left an everlasting impression on him that, he believes, has made him an even better football player.

On the morning of July 28, 2006, Fields was in the midst of a sound sleep when he was awoken because, as he would quickly discover, his home was in the path of a natural disaster. Two days of storms dumped more than 11 inches of rain in parts of Lake County that ultimately resulted in the evacuation of some 600 homes. Fields’ home in an apartment complex was one of them.

"I was in a deep sleep and all I heard was banging on the door and people saying that we’re getting flooded and we have to leave now," Fields said.

"I was in my bedroom when it happened and my family (members) were in their rooms sleeping. It’s really shocking to be in a nice, deep sleep and then wake up to a disaster that you have to hurry up and move quickly and think quickly and be smart. You just had to grab your important things at the time because it all happened really quickly."

With the water rising all around their home, Fields didn’t have a lot of time to grab much of anything with regards to his personal belongings.

"It was scary,” Fields said. “I was frightened. It was like you were in a movie but it was real. I think I was in shock. At first I was thinking, ‘What should I grab?’ So I just grabbed my wallet for my identification and my social security number. I grabbed my shoes and I just left. That was it. I can replace everything else."

Fortunately for Fields and his family, important memories that were permanently etched in photographs that really could never be replaced were actually spared from the destruction of the flood.

"Our photos were safe," Fields said. "All of my photos and all of my mom’s photos were in her room and they were safe. So photos and identification, I think, are the most important things that you probably want to save in a situation like that."

More than a year later now, Fields still can’t believe that he was even involved in a situation like that.

"The flood was unexpected and it directly affected our lives by forcing us to move," Fields said. "Everybody else around the (Painesville) area, except for us, their basements got wet but we had to move from our house. We had water from our basement to our living room and almost half way up the steps. After we left our home, we had to swim out."

The situation was so bad that the Coast Guard was involved in the rescue, but even they couldn’t do much to help initially because of the rapidly moving flood waters.

"The water was about up to my chest at first so we really had to hurry up," Fields said. "The Coast Guard actually couldn’t save us because the water was going so fast into our complex and the Coast Guard had to wait until the water settled down. So we ended up swimming about half way to the Coast Guard. It was kind of shocking. By the time the flood waters had settled there was about 18 to 20 feet of water in our complex."

Fields remembered thinking, for a brief moment, that his life was really in danger. But he didn’t really have time to be scared.

"I was just thinking if this was the time that my life was going to be lost," Fields said. "But I had to stay by mom and my brother, too. As we were running up this hill to be rescued, I had to pull my mom up first and my brother up first. The most important things I wanted to save, and make sure they were safe, were my mom and my brother. I knew I was going to be safe and I knew God was right there beside me. So I was scared but then again I told myself, ‘I could do this, this is nothing.’ " His younger brother Jalen is 13 years old now.

"My first priority was to make sure my mom (Kathy Fields) and my little brother were all right before I was because I knew I would be all right because I had confidence in myself," Fields said. "You’ve got to have confidence in that situation. I knew my mom and brother needed me to push them up the hill because they couldn’t do that by themselves. I knew I was going to be all right so I made sure they were all right and safe."

J J H U D D L E . C O M 49

Chris Fields He even managed to care for his animals during the whole ordeal.

"I’ve been through the hard times and I’m successful and it’s made me a "I had a rabbit that passed away sometime after the flood and a dog and I stronger person and it’s going to continue to make me a stronger person and had to carry them while we were swimming through the water," Fields said. a better football player," Fields said. "Other people can sit there and say that "It was difficult from the very beginning, but God made me a stronger person they’ve been through a lot of stuff but how many have actually gone through and it was my mission to get everyone out of there and we made it out sucand survived a flood 20-feet deep." cessful."

The entire experience has clearly made him a better person and he’s elatAlthough it was obviously a tragic situation to live through, Fields truly ed about it. believes that he has personally benefited from it.

"I’m happy. Everything happens for a reason and I’m happy because I sur"I’ve been really blessed because I made it out alive and so did my family vived it and I know that I have confidence in myself now," Fields said. "It and my animals, and all of my friends are alive and I’m truly thankful for that," makes me a happy person to know that I’m still on my feet and God is still on he said. "It’s just made me a stronger person inside and I just thank God for my side." that. Everything is meant to be and obviously that flood was meant to be to Just the fact that he was able to perform with any degree of success on make me the stronger person that I am right now." the gridiron last season really speaks volume about the kind of ability that Life’s most important lessons can sometimes come from the cruelest of sit- Fields has. uations as Fields unfortunately found out for himself first-hand.

"After the flood, we had two-a-days at the side of our high school and I "The biggest lesson that I learned from this was how to deal with such an stayed in the high school. I slept in my gymnasium for about a week," Fields unfortunate situation," he said. "If something like this would ever happen said. "And that’s not fun sleeping in the gym with a little inch (thick) cot and a again, I know that I just have to stay calm and think fast because I’ve already little blanket." been through something like this."

But things got progressively better as the season began and continued on Anything adverse on the football field last season simply paled in comparifor Fields. son to the flood and what happened to Fields and his family after the flood.

"My season went good. I didn’t think about (the flood) when it came time "It made me a stronger person than any person on the field," said Fields for game day so it really didn’t effect my season," he said. "I had a pretty as he reflected back to his sophomore season. "Even after the flood, it wasn’t good season. I’m the top-ranked receiver in the state for Ohio High easy for us. We had to move four times because of the flood. Right after the Magazine, so that’s a confidence boost for me. So I’m happy because I’m flood, we lived in my school for about a week. And then we moved to a hotel ranked No. 1, I have colleges looking at me and I also went through a flood for about two months and then we moved to my aunt’s house (in Willowick) during that process. I’m really thankful to God for that. I’m still on my feet and and then we moved back to a (different) home in Painesville." my family is still here and that’s all that matters."

Playing football last season was actually the easy part of the equation for The speedy Fields, who’s been previously clocked at 4.35 seconds in the Fields when it came down to it.

40-yard dash at an Akron combine and a 4.4-second 40 at Ohio State, has a "Going through all of the stuff that I went through, I couldn’t really have a promising future at wide receiver at the college level. bad season because I was suppose to be stronger than everybody else," "I want to play wide receiver,” Fields said. “I don’t play very much defense Fields said. "I don’t think anybody else went through the stuff that I did except so I’m really looking forward to playing as a wide receiver in college. It’s all for the people in New Orleans." about size. I’m 6-1 and almost 180 pounds as a sophomore going into my With somewhat of a heavy heart and a fatigued mind, Fields still managed junior year. Teddy Ginn is 6-0 and 180 pounds and I feel that I got size to grab 22 receptions for around 700 yards during that fateful sophomore because Teddy Ginn did it and I got his speed. And that’s my role model. campaign.

Teddy Ginn is my role model and Keyshawn "My season was successful but at times I was Johnson is my role model."

"I have a lot of stuff to work on, upset because the flood got to me and I got That’s quite the benchmark for a high school emotional," he said. "But on game days, I was junior, but it’s an obvious sign of the confidence nobody’s perfect, but just performing pretty much able to put that stuff to the back of that Fields has in his own ability. my mind. I had to get ready for game time."

"I feel that if Teddy Ginn, at 6-0 and 180 for someone like Jim Tressel or having And as Fields prepares to go into his junior pounds, can do it then I can do it," said Fields, him watch me at their camp is like a season now, one where he’s ranked sixth in the who actually wears No. 9 in honor of Johnson, preseason by Ohio High Magazine, his family life and now Ginn. (Harvey didn’t have a 19 jersey dream come true because I’ve been is about as stable as it can possibly be. so he went with one of his two digits on his "We don’t live as comfortable as everybody back.) "I’m 6-1 and 180 pounds and I run a 4.35 an Ohio State fan ever since I’ve else does because my mom is a single mother 40, so I know I have speed over anyone that I been watching college football. So and she’s struggling financially," Fields said. "We play and I feel confident so when I’m catching a actually have to move out of the place we’re pass and someone is chasing me, I know that now I’m trying to get my skill up so it staying now because she can’t afford this. But they’re not going to catch me because I know back then, we had to get a house quickly, we I’ve got the speed." can be at an Ohio State level. And if had to hurry up and try to get moving because Being proficient in more than one sport is we couldn’t stay in the hotel for that long. So another thing Fields has going for him. He’s a I get everything perfect, I feel that when we got this house, my mom thought she solid basketball player for the Red Raiders, but maybe I can get a scholarship to could get it and we were excited about it. We live he’s a tremendous baseball prospect with profesin a nice neighborhood that we really can’t afford sional potential.

Ohio State and that would be really so we’re trying to find another place now. We are "At our school, we have a really good basketstable family-wise but financially-wise we’re not ball group of guys and as a team they’re really exciting." that stable." good. I’m pretty good at basketball but I guess I It’s all a part of the formidable growing process wasn’t successful enough to start for varsity so I Painesville Harvey junior off of the field that Fields is going through as he played JV," said Fields who eclipsed the 20-point tries, at the same time, to become an even better mark in a game three times last hoop season.

Chris Fields player when he’s on it.

"I’m pretty good in basketball, but in baseball I

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Chris Fields Fields helped both his mother and brother escape floodwaters around their apartment during July of 2006 when their complex was surrounded in water.

had a batting average of .467 and I’ve started ever since I was a freshman.

Baseball is my first love. I’m already getting letters from colleges that are letting me know that they’re looking at me for baseball. So if I get to go to college or Ohio State, I would like to have the pleasure to play baseball and football at the same time."

Devon Torrence obviously shares a similar passion for baseball and he played minor league baseball this summer before enrolling at Ohio State in the fall. The similarities between the two are rather shocking.

"I play center field and I’m the leadoff batter,” Fields said. “I stole more than 17 bases last year. I’m the fastest guy on the team so they like to have me steal and play center field and I’m the leadoff batter. I can get the bunt down so I get down to first base. Sometimes I hit a home run here and there. My main focus is high school baseball, but I also play summer baseball to make myself better."

Like Torrence, Fields knows that he’ll have to eventually make a choice between playing the two sports after high school.

"There’s going to be a choice and I know that there’s going to be a choice and I’ve heard that from a bunch of coaches who are telling me, ‘You’re going to have to make a choice next year or the year after that,’ and I’ve told them that’s fine," Fields said. "Baseball is my number one love, but if I have to give that away for football to go to a college then I’m going to do it. But if I can play both, I’m going to play both. Any opportunity I get I’m going to take.

But if I can’t do both I’m not going to cry about it because I love both sports so if I let baseball go I’m still going to be loving football and vice-versa."

Fields will have a better idea about his football future after Sept. 1, when colleges are officially allowed to extend a scholarship offer to potential recruits in his junior class.

"A lot of people say they’re watching me now and they want my tape but I can’t wait until Sept. 1 when people are allowed to say I want you," Fields said. "And after the first offer comes, then I’ll have to work even harder to be successful so that more colleges want me."

But if he could magically have his way in the end, Fields would ultimately like his story to unfold in a similar manner to the way that Torrence’s situation has.

"I wish I would be recruited to Ohio State right now because that’s my number one college and that’s the school that I want to go to," said Fields, who attended one of Ohio State’s two advanced senior camps this past sum-

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Photo by Gary Housteau

mer and performed well. "But as long as I’m doing my job and being successful, the recruiting business will take care of itself."

Fields has a good feeling about Ohio State, however.

"I have a lot of stuff to work on, nobody’s perfect, but just performing for someone like Jim Tressel or having him watch me at their camp is like a dream come true because I’ve been an Ohio State fan ever since I’ve been watching college football," he said. "So now I’m trying to get my skill up so it can be at an Ohio State level. And if I get everything perfect, I feel that maybe I can get a scholarship to Ohio State and that would be really exciting."

The flood of 2006 would instantly become a distant memory for Fields if an Ohio State offer ever made it to his hands.

"If Ohio State gives me a scholarship, no matter what, I’m going to take it," Fields said. "I don’t care if 24 other colleges give me a scholarship. If Ohio State gives me a scholarship, then I’m going to take that one. I’ll be disappointed if I don’t get a scholarship to Ohio State but I really have the confidence to know that I can do it. I’ve learned that you have to speak out loud and tell yourself, ‘You know what Chris, you can do it. This is nothing.’ " Compared to the life-or-death ordeal that Fields went through with regard to surviving the flood, getting a scholarship to Ohio State would really be something amazing.

"I feel that if I keep doing what I have to do and keep my 3.3 GPA and pass my ACT and still be successful and make myself better on the football field then hopefully I’ll get into Ohio State," Fields said. "If they send me that letter in the mail saying that they want me and they’ll give me a scholarship, then I’ll take it. Just like that. Like I said Ohio State is my dream. If they throw me that scholarship, then I’m not going to drop that pass."

The flood certainly didn’t dampen his dreams in any way.

"I’m blessed,” Fields said. “Even if I don’t become a Buckeye, I know I’m going to be in college period and that’s my dream. I’m trying to get out of Painesville and I’m trying to be successful and I want to be an NFL player. I don’t want my mom struggling any more and I don’t want me to struggle period. So just being in the NFL and getting that big check some day doing the thing I love, like playing football or playing baseball, will go a long way toward supporting my mother because my mother is number one out of anybody."

With a son like Chris, it’s Fields’ mom, and his little brother, of course, who are the ones that might be really blessed. —OH

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Football Notes

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OHSAA hearing bids on state football championship TV contract

ince 2001, Ohio News Network has been the home of the OHSAA state championships in football and girls and boys basketball.

But the rights for those OHSAA events for the 2007-08 school year and beyond were still up in their as Ohio High went to press in early August.

This past spring, the association enlisted the help of Home Team Marketing, its official marketing partner, to lead the process in finding a long-term partner for television and related electronic media rights.

“We are looking for a partner who values interscholastic athletics and all of the positive educational and lifelong lessons that come from participation at this level,” said OHSAA commissioner Dan Ross. “The OHSAA offers thousands of opportunities for live content of our events and we believe this is one of the most comprehensive packages ever offered for interscholastic athletics.

“Based on participation numbers and attendance figures, we consider Ohio to be the best high school sports state in the nation.”

The OHSAA was offering rights to televise state championships in all 24 of its sponsored sports. Plus, the association was also looking to reward rights for Internet/broadband streaming, video-on-demand, wireless delivery and other emerging platforms.

“The potential package truly represents an unprecedented and dynamic opportunity for the television rights holder,” said Peter Fitzpatrick, president of Home Team Marketing.

Interested media companies had until early August to submit proposals to the OHSAA. Assistant commissioner Bob Goldring said a media committee would likely evaluate those proposals and make a recommendation to the OHSAA Board of Control. A final decision could be made by mid-September.

“We did not know what to expect from the proposals,” Goldring said. “It is possible that some companies could partner with other companies to see what they could do together. It is possible some companies may only bid on football and basketball. Others may look at the new media opportunities, so it could be a case where we are comparing apples to oranges and it could get complicated.”

Goldring said the OHSAA was not unhappy with ONN’s performance on the state playoff coverage.

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“The ONN contract was signed by (former commissioner) Clair Muscaro and John Butte, the former general manager at ONN,” Goldring said. “A lot of the elements of that contract were set up by predecessors and there wasn’t a lot of wiggle room.”

Goldring said Home Team Marketing conducted surveys on what the OHSAA rights fees and television packages were in comparison with those in other states.

“Our goal is to increase the exposure of high school athletics,” Goldring said. “We feel there is more interest in high school athletics than ever before.”

There were three cable outlets that seemed to be in the running to secure rights: ONN, Fox Sports Net Ohio and Sports Time Ohio.

However, all three had some limitations, meaning that partnerships between them could be a viable option.

For instance, there are still several small pockets in Ohio where ONN is not available. In particular, ONN is not widely distributed in the Massillon, Steubenville and Toledo areas. Plus, it is unavailable to satellite dish owners.

FSN Ohio would have to juggle high school football and basketball championship coverage around its highly valued coverage of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. And Sports Time Ohio, owned and operated as a venue for the Cleveland Indians, is not available on cable television in much of southwest Ohio.

ONN began televising all of the state playoff football games in 2001. Prior to that, FSN Ohio (and its forerunner, SportsChannel Ohio) televised Ohio playoff games back to the early 1990s.

Stay tuned to JJHuddle.com for more details on the OHSAA state championship TV contract in the weeks ahead.

ONN Set To Cover High School Football

Although the state playoff TV rights had not been settled, ONN was still ready to provide complete coverage of Ohio high school football this coming season.

According to ONN programming manager Jason Pheister, the network’s coverage of high school football will largely remain the same this fall. ONN will continue to show a game on tape

delay each Friday night beginning with a pregame show at 9:30 p.m. Then, following the game at midnight, the weekly Sports Site show with new host Beau Bishop, J.J. Huddle and Jerry Rudzinski will air highlights from the evening’s action from around the state.

ONN will also carry its weekly Varsity Ohio show on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. That show serves as a recap of the previous weekend, a preview of the coming weekend and also as a magazine show providing feature coverage from around the state. Both the Sports Site show and the Varsity Ohio show will be replayed at various times throughout the week.

Pheister said ONN will carry a game each Friday night throughout the fall. And, regardless of what happens with the state playoff TV contract, ONN also figures to carry some early round playoff action as well.

ONN will also do some Saturday games, although those will come on weeks when the network is not obligated to televise a game as part of its new affiliation with the Big East and MAC college packages.

Pheister also said ONN will not televise a Saturday night high school game up against an Ohio State night football game on ABC or ESPN. (The Buckeyes are set for such night appearances Sept. 29 at Purdue, Oct. 6 at Purdue and Oct. 27 at Penn State.)

As of early August, ONN was working on finalizing the first portion of its game schedule.

As the season wears on, games in the final weeks will be selected. Pheister said ONN was in negotiations to open the series with a bang by carrying the Fri., Aug. 24, game between Division IV state champion Youngstown Mooney at Division I state runner-up Mentor.

FSN Ohio Announces Slate Of Regional Games

Fox Sports Net Ohio delved head-long into Ohio high school football last year with a game of the week series, typically on Thursday nights.

FSN Ohio is going one step further this fall by announcing a pair of high school football packages designed to cater to fans in the southwest and northeast quadrants of the state.

The network is teaming with Classic Teleproductions to produce 11 games in the northeast Ohio package and with Don Schumacher and Associates to produce seven

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Football Notes

Photo by Stevce Helwagen

STORY BY STEVE HELWAGEN

Youngstown Mooney senior-to-be Danny McCarthy gets intereviewd by ONN following last season’s D-IV state final. games in the southwest Ohio package. The southwest Ohio package will be sponsored by Toyota.

Here is the weekly schedule for FSN Ohio: * Sat., Aug. 25 – Charity Game doubleheader from Cleveland Brown Stadium: Chardon Notre Dame/Catherdal Latin vs. Cleveland Benedictine, 2:30 p.m.; Avon vs. Avon Lake, 6 p.m. (Northeast Ohio package). * Thurs., Aug. 30 – Lakewood St. Edward at Euclid, 7 p.m. (NE package). * Thurs., Sept. 6 – Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy at Cincinnati Mariemont, 7 p.m.

(Southwest Ohio package); Wadsworth at Medina, 7 p.m. (NE package). * Thurs., Sept. 13 – Cincinnati Colerain at Mason, 7 p.m. (SW package); Tallmadge at Green, 7 p.m. * Thurs., Sept. 20 – Sycamore at Liberty Twp. Lakota East, 6:30 p.m. (SW package); Lyndhurst Brush at Mayfield, 7 p.m. (NE package). * Thurs., Sept. 27 – Brunswick at Elyria, 7 p.m. (NE package). * Thurs., Oct. 4 – Cincinnati Turpin at Kings Mills Kings, 7 p.m. (SW package); Canton McKinley at Massillon Perry, 7 p.m. (NE package). * Thurs., Oct. 11 – Boone County (Ky.) at Dixie Heights (Ky.), 7 p.m. (SW package); Parma Normandy at Lyndhurst Brush, 7 p.m.

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(NE package). * Thurs., Oct. 18 – Harrison at Cincinnati Glen Este, 7 p.m. (SW package); Youngstown East at Warren Harding, 7 p.m. (NE package). * Thurs., Oct. 25 – Fairfield at Hamilton, 7 p.m. (SW package); Strongsville at Solon, 7 p.m. (NE package).

Also Notable

* Former Lakewood St. Edward and Mentor Lake Catholic coach John Gibbons is now the coach at Bedford. The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported that Gibbons was just as nervous as his new players on Aug. 2, the team’s first day of practice.

"I got up at 4:30 this morning and I was pacing," Gibbons said.

The newspaper noted the energy the veteran coach showed at the hot early morning practice session.

"You have to have enthusiasm even if you're a coach, because nobody out here cares how old you are," Gibbons said. * Cleveland Collinwood was hit with a devastating loss when senior linebacker William Seldon, a three-year starter, was diagnosed with cancer.

He will be out for the year as he undergoes radiation treatments as often as five times a week this fall.

"There was a lump on my neck," Seldon told The Plain Dealer. "Three blood tests came back negative, but when a biopsy was taken, that's when they found it was cancerous. But the doctors told me they caught it in time and it is curable."

Despite the illness, Seldon joined his teammates at early season practices.

"It was a devastating shock to all of us," Railroaders coach Cecil Shorts Jr. said.

"To look at him, he doesn't look sick. William's bigger, stronger than he ever was, he had his best (grade-point average) of 2.92 the last grading period and he was definitely going to be one of our captains. This was supposed to be his year.

"But he's strong, and he'll get through this.

We're going to get through this together. He's an outstanding example, role model for the rest of the guys and he will be an asset to our team." * Cincinnati Colerain moves into the new year with a different head coach for the first time since 1991 as Tom Bolden replaces Kerry Coombs, who moved on to become an assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati.

Coombs won 161 games and a state title during his time with the Cardinals.

“I’m ready for the challenge,” the 37-year-old Bolden told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “People are wondering if we’ll drop off, but I’m telling you it’s going to be the same Colerain football as always. We’ll run fast and hit hard and do all the things we’ve always done.”

Colerain, which boasts seven straight unbeaten seasons in the Greater Miami Conference, opens Aug. 24 against Huber Heights Wayne in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown at Miami University’s Yager Stadium in Oxford. * PrepNation.com tabbed Cincinnati St. Xavier as its preseason No. 1 team nationally.

USA Today’s national rankings were due out in late August.

"I can't give you the full list yet, but I can tell you that St. X will be preseason No. 1 in my poll," PrepNation.com’s Jamie DeMoney told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "Colerain will probably start the year ranked between No. 15-20 nationally."

When told of the No. 1 rating, St. Xavier coach Steve Specht said it is a tribute to past St. X teams.

"This year's team hasn't done anything yet," said Specht, who led St. X to the 2005 Division I state title.

"It's an honor, but it's a credit to the program (former coach) Steve Rasso built here and all the coaches and kids who have been involved."

St. X opens against Winton Woods Aug. 25 in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown at UC’s Nippert Stadium.

Then, a week later, St. X meets powerful Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha in the Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge. — OH

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Photo By Nick Falzerano?MVP Magazine

Herbstreit Challenge

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Last year Cincinnati St. Xavier tangled with Lakeland (Fla.) in the Ohio vs USA Challenge.

This season the Bombers face DeMatha Catholic (Md.)

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STORY BY MATT NATALI

W

hat many consider to be the top high school sporting event in the country was in jeopardy of not happening this year just a few short months ago.

After two successful years of putting on the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge, which showcases the top high school football programs in Ohio pitted against the top programs in the country, the event ran into some behind-the-scenes issues, mainly financial, that nearly signaled its end.

The event began two years ago and matched Ohio’s big school champion against the Texas big school title holder and grew into an unprecedented nine-game showcase featuring the top high school football programs and players in the country in 2006 was in danger of not happening in 2007.

“The thing that we were the most proud of is the high school players, coaches and fans walked away with a great experience,” said Herbstreit.

“But behind the scenes there was just turmoil. It was a group – I think when we put it together – it was a group that probably thought like any other company thinks that it was going to make things for the better. But as it turned out, there were a lot of shenanigans and problems made it clear that it was not going to work out.

“What you learn from it is to be careful who you go into business with. I think I made a mistake in trusting some people and learned from that.

Now I am in a position where I have a company and a group of people that I have a lot of faith in and trust in and there is a lot more harmony behind the scenes. Last year, I think it was more fragmented. I don’t mean to pound the old regime, I would just simply rather look at the positive direction the event is going in now.”

For a period of time in the spring Herbstreit entertained the thought of taking his name off the event and let it proceed without him.

Enter Intersport – a Chicago-based sports marketing firm that specializes in event marketing and promotion.

“I decided that if I was going to keep my name on the event and stay involved there needed to be a change,” Herbstreit said. “That is why Intersport, who I was familiar with in working under the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award for college football, I was impressed with them and the way they work that event. I thought it would be great if they got involved at the high school level and they also agreed. We ended up starting the talks and it just became a reality.

“Once they came on, they took care of a lot of the debt and concerns from the (2006) event. And I think this year with everything underneath one umbrella and with Intersport working as a professional company – its just first class – everything they do.

“So, there has been a lot going on but at the end of the day the thing I am most appreciative of is Intersport’s involvement for saving the event.

Also, (I am appreciative of) the high school administrators understanding the position we were in this transition year and being willing to work with us to get the schedule set in stone and move forward.”

With Intersport’s involvement, the title sponsor of the Ohio vs. USA Challenge has shifted from McDonald’s to Burger King, which has agreed to sponsor the event for the next three years.

Herbstreit, who was an All-American quarterback at Centerville High School, captain of the 1992 Ohio State team and has been an ESPN college football analyst since 1995, had the original intention of putting on just a handful of games with the top programs in the country battling the top Ohio schools. This year, there are 11 games on the schedule split between two locations (Canton Fawcett Stadium and Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium). In the future, he would like to scale back the number of games played.

“I think that is the goal down the road. Ideally, we’ll have anywhere from four or five games,” he said. “We’re also going to try to figure out what makes the most sense as far as location. From this point on, I think you’ll see that the event will be a little smoother run and hopefully down the

JJ Hu d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Herbstreit Challenge road we’ll be in one facility as opposed to two facilities throughout the state.”

Regardless of the disorder behind-the-scenes since last year’s event, what the Ohio vs. USA Challenge’s main objective and focus is the best high school football in the country and last year’s games did not disappoint.

“My thought all along was a weekend of high school football and having a chance to bring in the best high school players and teams from around the nation into our state every year to compete against the best individual players and teams in (Ohio) – that is the goal of the event. That is what we’ll continue to strive for,” Herbstreit said.

“I know just from talking to the players and to the coaches that we’ve been successful these past few years getting the feedback we have gotten. It is amazing what this atmosphere and this event did for the rest of their seasons and how it prepped them for league play or the playoffs. A lot of them pointed to that weekend as a point for them to really learn a lot about themselves. To me, that is really exciting to think that we are putting on that kind of event that is creating that kind of buzz for them.”

If last year’s match-ups are any indication, this year’s games won’t fail to impress either.

Perhaps the marquee game of this year’s event – Cincinnati St. Xavier vs. Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic – will air on ESPN live Sunday, Sept. 2 at noon. The Clayton Northmont vs. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pa.) will follow at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Streaming video internet broadcasts will be available at www.ohiovsusa.com for the four Sat., Sept 1 games at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium. Those games include Cincinnati LaSalle vs. Indianapolis Cathedral (Ind.) at 11: 30 a.m., Cincinnati Colerain vs. Hoover (Ala.) at 2:15 p.m., Cincinnati Moeller vs. Mission Viejo (Calif.) at 5 p.m. and Cincinnati Elder vs. Charlotte (N.C.) Independence at 8:15 p.m.. The details for the internet broadcasts are still being finalized and may include a small fee for viewing.

Games set for the Canton Fawcett Stadium location on Sat., Sept. 1, including Grove City vs. Buford (Ga.) at 11:30 a.m., Cleveland Glenville vs. Long Beach (Calif.) Poly at 2:15 p.m., Youngstown Cardinal Mooney vs. Gateway (Pa.) at 5 p.m., and Canton McKinley vs. Tulsa (Ok.) Union at 8:15 p.m., will air on tape delay on the NFL Network.

“We’re thrilled to offer fans around the country a chance to watch these great games on TV and on the Internet, not to mention help increase the visibility of high school football,” said Intersport VP Dan Jones. “Intersport was founded as a television production company, and securing NFL Network and ESPN as partners is an extension of the strong relationships we have with those networks.”

The only game of this year’s Challenge that is not scheduled to be broadcasted via TV or internet as of yet is the Highlands (Ky.) vs.

Trotwood-Madison game on Sept. 2 at Nippert at 6 p.m.

Jones added, “Locking up national TV distribution deals and an Internet partner is more evidence that the Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs.

USA Challenge is without question the premier high school football event in the country.”

With the train back on the tracks from an organizational standpoint, high school football fans can look forward to some of the top high school football match ups for years to come in the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge.

“I think anytime you start something of this magnitude you always feel you have the right concept and the right idea of how to go about it,” Herbstreit said. “But it really is unchartered waters and there is a bit of trial and error.

“But rest assured, we will have an event not only in 2008 but beyond,” said Herbstreit. — OH

Teams, Players and Info on next page.

J J H U D D L E . C O M 55

Herbstreit Challenge

Game Schedule

Fawcett Stadium – Pro Football Hall of Fame – Canton, Ohio September 1, 2007 Grove City, Ohio vs. Buford (Ga.) 11:30 a.m.

Cleveland Glenville vs. Long Beach (Calif.) Poly 2:15 p.m.

Y’town Cardinal Mooney vs. Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway 5 p.m.

Canton McKinley vs. Tulsa (Okla.) Union 7:45 p.m.

Nippert Stadium – University of Cincinnati – Cincinnati, September 1, 2007 Cincinnati LaSalle vs. Indianapolis Cathedral Colerain vs. Hoover (Ala.) Cincinnati Moeller vs. Mission Viejo (Calif.)

Cincinnati Elder vs. Charlotte (N.C.) Independence September 2, 2007 Cin. St. Xavier vs. Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Cath.

Clayton Northmont vs. Pittsburgh Central Catholic Trotwood-Madison vs. Fort Thomas (Ky.) Highlands

National Teams What you need to know

Buford (Ga.) finished last season 12-1 and Region 6-AA

Champions. It was the sixth consecutive Region Championship for the Wolves. Head coach Jess Simpson is in his first year at the helm after 10 years as an assistant.

Long Beach (Calif.) Poly has produced more NFL players than any other high school in the country. The Jackrabbits are ranked preseason No. 5 in the country by PrepNation.

Gateway (Pa.) has won two PIAA state titles in school history

and five district championships. The Gators have won 23 Big East Conference championships and in five years under current head coach Terry Smith they have won three. Gateway claimed the conference title in Smith’s inaugurual season for the first time since 1987.

Tulsa (Okla.) Union won 2004 and 2005 state titles in Oklahoma’s big school division (6A).

Indianapolis Cathedral (4A No. 5) defeated Concord

last season to capture the IHSAA 4A State Football Championship.

The title is the sixth IHSAA football championship in the school's history (1986, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2006).

Hoover (Ala.) has been nationally ranked by USA Today and has won five of the last seven state championships, including four straight (2002-2005). Hoover was featured on the MTV program Two-A-Days chronicling the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

56 J J H U D D L E . C O M

Ohio 11:30 a.m.

2:15 p.m.

5 p.m.

7:45 p.m.

Noon 3:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

Mission Viejo (Calif.) has won three California

Interscholastic Federation state championships. In 2004, the Diablos finished No. 2 in the country according to USA Today have finished in the top five amongst the nation’s best from 2001-2005.

Mission Viejo is 85-8 in the last seven seasons under head coach Bob Johnson, who has a 226-81 career record.

Charlotte (N.C.) Independence ended last season

with its 108th consecutive win, the longest current winning streak in the country. The record for most consecutive wins is held by 2006 Ohio vs. USA Challenge participant Concord De La Salle (Calif.).

Independence has won six straight NCHSAA state championships at the 4-AA level. Ranked preseason No. 7 in country by PrepNation.

Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic is one of the premier high school football programs on the east coast. The Stags have won four straight Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships and six of the last seven. DeMatha finished 11-0 last season ranked No. 1 in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Ranked preseason No. 3 in country by PrepNation.

Pittsburgh Central Catholic was the WPIAL Quad A

Champion and the PIAA Quad A State Champion in 2004. Notable alumni include Pro Football Hall of Famers Dan Marino and St. Louis Rams QB Marc Bulger. Ranked preseason No. 15 in country

by PrepNation.

Fort Thomas (Ky.) Highlands has claimed 16 state

championships in school history including five Class AAA state titles under current head coach Dale Mueller. Under Mueller’s direction, the Bluebirds are 5-2 in state championship games and won three straight from 1998-2000.

JJ Hu ddle’s O h io H igh

Herbstreit Challenge

Players To Watch Ohio

RB Darius Ashley (5-9,185, Sr.), Cin. St. Xavier; Boston College, Illinois, Louisville, Northwestern, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin offers; WR Stephon Ball (6-5, 210, Sr.), Cin. St. Xavier; Cincinnati, Miami (Oh.), W. Michigan offers; RB/LB Brandon Beachum (6-0, 200, Sr.), Youngs. Mooney; committed to Penn State; QB Domonick Britt (6-5, 195, Sr.), Trotwood-Madison; committed to Cincinnati; OL Chandler Burden (6-5, 290, Sr.), Cin. LaSalle; LB Fred Craig (6-2, 205, Sr.), Cin. St. Xavier; committed to Stanford; OL Evan Davis (6-4, 250, Sr.), Colerain; committed to Cincinnati; OL Jarod Emerson (6-6, 260, Sr.), Youngs. Mooney; CB Donnie Fletcher (5-11, 170, Sr.), Clev. Glenville; Bowling Green offer; LB/DE Taylor Hill (6-2, 205, Sr.), Youngs. Mooney; committed to Oklahoma; QB/S Danny McCarthy (6-2, 190, Sr.), Youngs. Mooney; committed to Notre Dame; TE/WR Brandon Moore (6-6, 245, Sr.), Trotwood-Madison; committed to Michigan; K Danny Milligan (5-9, 160, Sr.), Cin. St. Xavier; WR Nick Olthaus (6-1, 185, Sr.), Cin. Elder; QB Ross Oltorik (6-1, 210, Sr.), Cin. Moeller; WR/DB DeVier Posey (6-3, 190, Sr.), Cin. LaSalle; committed to Ohio State; LB Doug Rippy (6-2, 217, Sr.), Trotwood-Madison; committed to Nebraska; QB Doug Reynolds (6-2, 185, Sr.), Colerain; WR Roy Roundtree (6-2, 190, Sr.), Trotwood-Madison; committed to Purdue; DL Shawntel Rowell (6-2, 330, Sr.), Clev. Glenville; Illinois offer; TE Kyle Rudolph (6-7, 235, Sr.), Cin. Elder; committed to Notre Dame; CB Ravelle Sadler (5-11, 175, Sr.), Colerain; Central Michigan offer; OL Zebrie Sanders (6-6, 273, Sr.), Clayton Northmont; Florida, Georgia, Clemson, Michigan, UCLA offers; WR/LB Cordale Scott (6-3, 200, Sr.), Clev. Glenville; Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin offers; DE Greg Scruggs (6-4, 225, Sr.), Cin. St. Xavier; RB Michael Shaw (6-0, 190, Sr.), Trotwood-Madison; Committed to Penn State; RB Dominique Sherrer (5-10, 195, Sr.), Colerain; committed to E. Michigan; DL Johnny Simon (6-3, 250, Jr.), Youngs. Mooney; Ohio State offer; DL Dawawn Whitner (6-2, 260, Sr.), Clev. Glenville; Illinois, Louisville, Michigan State, West Virginia offers; LB Jamiihr Williams (5-11, 188, Sr.), Trotwood-Madison; Cincinnati, Buffalo, E. Michigan, Marshal, Miami (Oh.) offers; LB Michael Zordich (6-2, 210, Sr.), Youngs. Mooney; committed to Penn State;

National

LB Garrett Armstrong (6-1, 225, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); OL Jeff Baca (6-4, 270, Sr.), Mission Viejo (Calif.); committed to UCLA; WR Ken Barfield (6-0, 190, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); LB Dorian Bell (6-1, 205, Jr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; DT Steve Bing (6-0, 265, Sr.), Long Beach (Calif.) Poly; QB Allan Bridgford (6-4, 190, Jr.), Mission Viejo (Calif.); WR Corey Brown (6-1, 180, Jr.); Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; RB Tayler Caldwell (5-11, 200, Jr.), Charlotte (N.C.) Independence; TE Mario Carter (6-4, 218, Sr.), Charlotte (N.C.) Independence; committed to North Carolina State; DT Jurrell Casey (6-2, 282, Sr.), Long Beach (Calif.) Poly; USC,

JJ Hu d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

Mississippi, Oregon, Arizona, Nebraska offers; LB Alex Castellanos (6-1, 215, Sr.), Mission Viejo (Calif.); RB Rod Chisholm (5-8, 182, Sr.), Charlotte (N.C.) Independence; S Chase Daniel (6-3, 185, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); RB Jonathan Graham (6-0, 160, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); S Leon Green (5-10, 175, Sr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; DT Jordan Gross (6-3, 310, Sr.), Long Beach (Calif.) Poly; DE Shayne Hale (6-4, 232, Sr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; Ohio State, Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia, LSU, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh offers; WR Cortez Hill (5-10, 170, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); S Devonte Holloman (6-2, 200, Jr.), Charlotte (N.C.) Independence; Clemson, Georgia, Marshall, NC State, Virginia offers; DT Omar Hunter (6-2, 300, Sr.), Buford (Ga.); committed to Notre Dame; CB Jeffery Johnson (5-8, 150, Sr., Long Beach (Calif.) Poly; OT Eric Jones (6-6, 270, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech, Tulane offers; OT Matt Jones (6-3, 310, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); DL Bill Kemp (6-2, 310, Sr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; K Ryan Lichtenstein (5-10, 155, Jr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; WR Marcus Linson (6-0, 160, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); RB Eric Livsey (6-0, 200, sr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; Temple offer; DE Robert Maci (6-4, 225, Sr.), Indianapolis Cathedral; committed to Purdue; S Alex Mascarenas (6-0, 170, Jr.), Mission Viejo, (Ca.); WR Rodney McLeod (5-10, 180, Sr.), Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha; committed to Virginia; RB Demetrius Murray (5-11, 205, Sr.), Buford (Ga.); C. Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, S. Florida, Wake Forest offers; WR Kevin Norell (5-10, 183, Sr.), Long Beach (Calif.) Poly; DE Jarvis Pierce (6-3, 221, Sr.), Charlotte (N.C.) Independence; WR Paul Pierce (5-10, 180, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); LB T.J. Pridemore (6-2, 235, Sr.), Buford (Ga.); Duke, S. Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia offers; S Jon Pryor (5-9, 165, Sr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; E. Michigan, Temple offers; CB Makiri Pugh (6-0, 175, Sr.), Charlotte (N.C.) Independence; committed to Georgia; QB Tyler Ray (6-1, 180, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); WR Warren Reuland (6-5, 205, Sr.), Mission Viejo (Calif.); committed to Stanford; OL Ed Revers (6-4, 252, Sr.), Pittsburgh Central Catholic; LB Romeo Robinson (5-8, 190, Sr.), Long Beach (Calif.) Poly; OL Colin Rodkey (6-4, 265, Jr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; QB Brandon Rogers (6-2, 210, Sr.), Tulsa (Okla.) Union; E. Michigan offer; RB Cameron Sadler (5-8, 170, Sr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; Michigan, Syracuse, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State offers; RB Andre Shields (5-10, 175, Sr.), Hoover (Ala.); DE B.J. Stevens (6-2, 235, Jr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; QB Tino Sunseri (6-0, 180, Sr.), Pittsburgh Central Catholic; committed to Louisville; WR Kenny Tate (6-4, 195, Sr.), Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha; Ohio State, Maryland, Florida, Illinois, Notre Dame, Tennessee offers; S Vaughn Telemaque (6-2, 190, Sr.), Long Beach (Calif.) Poly; Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon offers; OL Erik Thompson (6-3, 270, Sr.), Charlotte (N.C.) Independence; LB Dylan Troutman (60-, 200, Sr.), Tulsa (Okla.) Union; OL Eric Warning (6-3, 250, Sr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway; Bowling Green, Temple, Ohio, Buffalo offers; K Tress Way (6-1, 185, Sr.), Tulsa (Okla.) Union; committed to Oklahoma; DE Ross Williams (6-3, 210, Sr.), Mission Viejo (Calif.); committed to San Diego State; TE Quentin Williams (6-4, 230, Sr.), Pittsburgh Central Catholic; Boston College, Michigan State, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin offers; MLB Jimmy Wilson (6-1, 215, Sr.), Monroeville (Pa.) Gateway.

J J H U D D L E . C O M 57

Boys Basketball Recruiting

I

n most editions of Ohio High, we provide updated rankings of the state’s top boys basketball prospects.

We typically defer to Chris Johnson, the Ohio editor of HoopScoopOnline.com, for his expertise in these matters. It has been interesting to track the progression of the 2008 basketball class – the group that is currently beginning their senior campaign.

Within that class, five players have consistently stuck out as national top-100 players.

They are Toledo Libbey wing William Buford, Lakewood St. Edward forward Delvon Roe, Canal Winchester center B.J. Mullens, Cincinnati Withrow power forward Yancy Gates and Massillon Perry center Kenny Frease.

Then, within that group, Buford, Roe and Mullens have seemingly separated themselves as national top-20 prospects. Over the last two years, Johnson has constantly jockeyed those three players within those top three spots in Ohio. His rankings would be based on the latest observations from high school competition, camps and AAU team performances.

As we go back to January 2006, we find that Roe had the No. 1 spot in the Ohio 2008 class in that edition of Ohio High. Buford then held it for both the May and September issues in 2006. Roe moved back to No. 1 for the November 2006 and January 2007 editions.

Mullens then took over the top spot for the May and July 2007 editions.

Now, with this September 2007 edition, Buford returns to the top spot, followed by Roe, Mullens, Gates and Frease.

“You could really put all five of them up there,” Johnson said. “It is just an ever-evolving process. At one point in time, you could rank any of those top three guys one, two or three.

Or you could cop out and make it a three-way tie. But in my mind, somebody has to be one, two and three.

“Over the last several months, I look at what Buford has done. He was probably the top player on the Reebok select team that played in Europe and he was one of the top five players at the Reebok U. camp as well.”

As the major summer events wound down, Johnson said it seemed almost certain that Buford, Roe and Mullens would be strong candidates for the 2008 McDonald’s All-American Game. That game will be played in Milwaukee in March. It was unclear when the state had

58 J J H U D D L E . C O M

Cincinnati St. Xavier senior-to-be Walt Gibler led the Bombers to the D-I state title game last season.

Photo by Gary Housteau

last had that many McDonald’s All-Americans in the same year.

We have once again enlisted Johnson to assist in ranking the state’s top boys basketball prospects. We will look at the top 15 seniors in the 2008 class as well as the top 15 juniors in the 2009 class. Then, we have the state’s top 10 sophomores in the 2010 class and even five names to keep an eye on for the class of 2011. (Keep in mind, the state’s top seniors will sign letters-of-intent in the November early signing period.)

The players are ranked by class by Johnson.

We also include the most recent national class rankings by ScoutHoops.com (SH) and HoopScoopOnline.com (HS).

Seniors (Class of 2008)

* 1. William Buford, 6-5, wing forward, Toledo Libbey (SH, 12th nationally in 2008 class; HS, 21st) – Buford verbaled to Ohio State last fall, picking the Buckeyes over Michigan, Arizona, Louisville and Michigan State. He then had an amazing junior year, averaging 28.4 points and 10 rebounds a game for Libbey.

JJ H u dd le’s O h io High

STORY BY STEVE HELWAGEN Buford has been one of the nation’s busiest players. He played AAU events with the D-One Greyhounds. He also traveled to Italy to play in a Reebok international event and also attended the Reebok U. camp.

“Buford disappointed some scouts by not attending the NBAPA camp due to some classwork,” Johnson said. “But he more than made up for it at Reebok U., where he was one of the top five players. He also played well at an AAU event in West Virginia and had a couple of big games at the AAU nationals in July.”

As a sophomore, Buford averaged 22.7 points per game and was a first-team all-district pick in Division I. Libbey could be moving down to Division II, which could make them a state tournament favorite in 2007-08. * 2. Delvon Roe, 6-8, power forward, Lakewood St. Edward (SH, fourth nationally in junior class; HS, fourth) – As a junior, Roe averaged 22.0 points and eight rebounds a game in earning Division I All-Ohio honors. He helped guide the Eagles to a 25-1 mark and a berth in the state final four. Roe had 14 points in his team’s state semifinal loss to Cincinnati Moeller.

Roe averaged 19.3 points per game as a sophomore, earning first-team all-district honors in Division I. He averaged 17 points as a freshman and earned Special Mention All-Ohio honors.

He ended the suspense in April, when he picked Michigan State over North Carolina and a host of other schools. He played for the King of the Court AAU team and was also at the Nike LeBron James U.S. Skills Academy.

“He played very well for King of the Court out in Las Vegas,” Johnson said. “At the LeBron Camp, he played a lot on the wing.

That is probably his long-term position. But when he plays that position, he’s not skilled enough right now to play there. He will probably go back to his usual power forward spot for his high school team.” * 3. B.J. Mullens, 7-0, center, Canal Winchester (SH, ninth; HS, 25th) – Mullens averaged 26.4 points, 14.1 rebounds and 4.4 blocked shots a game as a junior. His scoring average was second only to Diebler’s among all Division II players, although he was somehow left off the first-team All-Ohio list.

Mullens played his first two varsity seasons at Canal Winchester World Harvest Prep before transferring to nearby Canal Winchester.

He averaged 17.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.0 blocked shots per game as a sophomore.

He was already offered and committed to Ohio State in September 2004 -- before he averaged 11.3 points per game in his varsity debut season as a freshman.

He has been busy this summer playing in adidas Nation events. He also attended the NBA Players Association top 100 camp in

JJ H u d d l e ’ s O h i o H i g h

June. He has also split time between two AAU programs -- the Ohio Basketball Club and King of the Court.

One web site – www.nbadraft.net – has already projected Mullens as the top pick in the 2009 NBA draft on size and potential alone.

“He is obviously not the most talented player in this class, but he should be the first guy drafted into the NBA from this group whenever he decides to come out,” Johnson said. “He played solid at the NBAPA camp, but not up to his capabilities. That’s the reason why he has dropped to No. 3. His AAU team (OBC) has struggled. He does not get a lot of touches.

“He just needs to play harder and be more consistent.” * 4. Yancy Gates, 6-8, power forward, Cincinnati Withrow (SH, 32nd; HS, 14th) – Gates averaged 19.4 points and eight rebounds a game in earning second-team AllOhio honors in Division I as a junior. He verbaled to Cincinnati in April, picking the Bearcats over Georgetown, Indiana, Xavier, Michigan and others. Gates transferred to Withrow after averaging 20.3 points per game as a sophomore at Cincinnati Hughes. That was up from 13.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a freshman. He played AAU ball for the Ohio Basketball Club and was spotted at the NBAPA camp.

“He played well at the NBAPA camp,” Johnson said. “He had a very solid summer.

One of the things that hurts him is he tends to float out on the perimeter too much. His shot selection also needs some work.”

For more info see page (62). * 5. Kenny Frease, 7-0, center, Massillon Perry (SH, 41st; HS, 79th) – Frease averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds in an injury-plagued junior year. Still, he was a third-team All-Ohio pick in Division I. He averaged 18.6 points per game and earned third-team All-Ohio honors in Division I as a sophomore.

Frease verbaled to Xavier after receiving overtures from the likes of Kentucky, Notre Dame and Michigan. He joined Buford in Italy for the Reebok international event and also played at the NBAPA and LeBron James camps. He switched AAU teams from King of the Court to the D-One Greyhounds.

“The experience in Europe was good for him as he battled some bigger, stronger competition there,” Johnson said. “He flew back for one day and went to the NBAPA camp, where, although he was drained, he was one of the best big men there. He was then one of the best big men at the James camp as well.” * 6. Josh Benson, 6-10, power forward, Dayton Dunbar – Benson has already verbaled to hometown Dayton. He averaged 10.1 points per game in leading Dunbar to a 24-4 mark and a second straight Division I state title.

Benson had 16 points and 10 rebounds in

Boys Basketball Recruiting Dunbar’s 87-85 title game win over Upper Sandusky. He played AAU ball with Dayton Metro.

“In most years, a player like Benson would be highly talked about,” Johnson said. “He is probably the best kept secret, at least from a national perspective. At 6-10, he has tremendous agility, athleticism and skills. He is an absolute steal for Dayton. If he played on a higher profile AAU team, he’d probably be a national top-60 player.” * 7. Chris Johnson, 6-5, wing forward, Columbus Brookhaven – Johnson averaged 24.4 points, 13.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a junior at Brookhaven. He was a second-team All-Ohio pick in Division I. Johnson, who played AAU ball with All-Ohio Red, has joined Benson in verbaling to Dayton. * 8. Robert Wilson, 6-5, wing forward, Garfield Heights – Wilson transferred in from Cleveland Rhodes. He played for King of the Court before that program splintered and he moved to the King James Shooting Stars. He attended the James camp, but did not play due to injury. He is committed to Wisconsin. * 9. Tom Pritchard, 6-8, power forward, Lakewood St. Edward – Pritchard averaged 13.0 points per game in helping the Eagles advance to the Division I state final four. He plays AAU ball for King of the Court.

“No player in the senior class improved their stock this summer like Pritchard did in July,” Johnson said. “He is a left-handed power forward with a tremendous motor. Plus, he is an outstanding student. He is attracting looks from teams in the Pac-10 and Big Ten, all the way down to the Ivy League.” * 10. Damian Eargle, 6-8, power forward, Warren Harding – A number of MAC schools as well as Xavier are in on Eargle. He played AAU ball for King James Shooting Stars. * 11. Kyle Rudolph, 6-6, power forward, Cincinnati Elder – Rudolph averaged 17.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in earning Special Mention All-Ohio honors in Division I. He repeated as the GCL South player of the year. In March, Rudolph issued a verbal commitment to play college football as a tight end at Notre Dame. * 12. Anthony Hitchens, 5-9, point guard, Chillicothe – Hitchens averaged 18.5 points per game and earned second-team All-Ohio honors in Division II as a junior. He averaged 17.4 ppg as a sophomore. He played AAU ball for the Queen City Prophets. He has verbaled to Akron.

“Hitchens missed the first part of July with an ankle sprain,” Johnson said. “But he recovered from the injury and was impressive at AAU events in Orlando.” * 13. Devon Moore, 6-3, point guard, Columbus Northland (HS, 81st) – Moore averaged 16.5 points per game as a junior.

J J H U D D L E . C O M 59

Boys Basketball Recruiting

60 J J H U D D L E . C O M

Junior-to-be Desmar Jackson is preparing for his first season at Warren Harding.

Photo by Gary Housteau

Moore, who plays AAU ball with Ohio Basketball Club, is looking at various Big Ten and MAC schools.

“He was injured for much of July, which affected his play and prevented coaches from seeing him,” Johnson said. “He will need a big senior year to improve his stock.” * 14. Ryne Smith, 6-3, shooting guard, Toledo Whitmer – Smith averaged 17 points per game as a junior at Whitmer. He played AAU ball with the Ohio Gators. He verbaled to Purdue in July, picking the Boilermakers over UMass, Akron and Mississippi.

“Smith gets my Dow Jones award,” Johnson said. “He is the best shooter in Ohio. He can flat out drain it. He can also shoot off the dribble.” * 15. Walt Gibler, 6-6, power forward, Cincinnati St. Xavier – Gibler averaged 15.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as St. X went 21-6 and advanced to the Division I state title game. He had 21 points in St. X’s title game loss to rival Cincinnati Moeller. Gibler averaged 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds as a sophomore.

Gibler, who played AAU ball for the King James Shooting Stars, is hearing from Miami (Ohio), Notre Dame and Bowling Green. * Also Notable: Greg Avery, 6-4, shooting guard, Newark; Courtney Davis, 6-3, shooting guard Cincinnati Taft (transfer from North College Hill); Rayshawn Goins, 6-5, wing forward, Garfield Heights (transfer from Cleveland Rhodes); Anthony Oden, 6-8, center/power forward, Dayton Dunbar; Lee Tabb, 6-8, power forward, Toledo Rogers; Troy Long, 5-11, shooting guard, Cincinnati Withrow (transfer from Cincinnati Woodward); Damon Butler, 510, point guard, North College Hill; Johnie Davis, 6-1, shooting guard, Canton Timken; Anthony McBride, 6-0, point guard, Cincinnati Withrow; Chris Crockett, 5-9, point guard, Columbus Academy; Ashen Ward, 6-3, shooting guard, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Zac Taylor, 6-8, power forward, Oregon Clay; Brandon Baker, 6-6, wing forward, Cincinnati Milford; Chris Grimes, 6-5, power forward, Cincinnati Woodward; Greg Avery, 6-3, shooting guard, Newark; Julius Wells, 6-5, wing forward, Toledo Libbey; Alex Sullivan, 5-9, point guard, Painesville Riverside (committed to Akron); Scott Thomas, 6-6, wing forward, Delaware Buckeye Valley; Kyle Smith, 6-10, center, Norwalk; Chris Henderson, 6-7, power forward, Warren Harding; Travis Kelce, 6-5, wing forward, Cleveland Heights; Logan Aronholt, 6-4, wing forward, Zanesville; Robbie Taylor, 5-10, point guard Gahanna Lincoln; Quinn McDowell, 6-3, shooting guard Cincinnati Moeller; Sean Hobbs, 7-1, center Columbus DeSales; Taylor Hobbs, 6-4, wing forward, Worthington Thomas Worthington; Tyrone Lindsay, 6-2, shooting guard, Mansfield

Senior; Charles Winkfield, 6-2, shooting guard, Huber Heights Wayne; Antonio Bumpus, 6-2, shooting guard, Columbus Eastmoor Academy.

Juniors (Class of 2009)

* 1. Desmar Jackson, 6-4, shooting guard, Warren Harding (HS, 63rd nationally in junior class) – Jackson was a two-sport star in football and basketball at Warren JFK, but he may just pick one sport at much larger Warren Harding. He earned Special Mention All-Ohio honors in Division III after averaging 20.2 points per game as a sophomore. Jackson plays AAU ball with the King James Shooting Stars. Jackson attended the Nike Hoops Jamboree – a top underclassman event – in June.

“He is probably the best talent and the best athlete in this class,” Johnson said. “He tends to coast. If he is going to keep the No. 1 ranking, he will have to play harder all the time.” * 2. Bill Edwards, 6-5, forward, Middletown (HS, 56th) – Edwards averaged 13.0 points per game as a sophomore.

Edwards, who plays AAU ball for the Nike Ohio Force, averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a freshman. Edwards joined Jackson at the Nike Hoops Jamboree event.

“He was one of the most outstanding players at the Nike Hoops Jamboree,” Johnson said.

“He is a very skilled player. His dad was a star at Wright State and played professionally in Europe. Edwards needs to watch his weight to

maximize his ability.” * 3. Reggie Keely, 6-6, power forward, Bedford – Keely left Solon at midseason and transferred to nearby Bedford. He ended up earning second-team all-district honors after averaging 16.3 points per game. He plays AAU ball for the D-One Greyhounds. * 4. Danny McElroy, 6-7, power forward, Cincinnati LaSalle (HS, 46th) –McElroy ended the suspense early and committed to new Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin last October.

As a sophomore, he averaged 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He averaged 8.0 points and 4.7 rebounds as a freshman. He plays AAU ball for the Queen City Prophets. * 5. Robert Capobianco, 6-7, power forward, Loveland – Capobianco averaged 19.5 points and 11.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Loveland. He plays AAU ball with Indiana Elite. * 6. Randal Holt, 5-11, point guard, Bedford – Holt was a second-team all-district pick after averaging 20.4 points per game as a sophomore. * 7. Mario Hines, 6-8, power forward, Garfield Heights (HS, 80th) – Hines plays AAU ball for the Ohio Basketball Club. * 8. Matt Kavanaugh, 6-9, center, Centerville * 9. Carl Jones, 5-7, point guard, Garfield Heights – Jones was a third-team all-district pick after averaging 18.7 points per game as a sophomore. * 10. Darren Goodson, 6-4, wing forward, Cincinnati Aiken * 11. Marquis Horne, 6-7, power forward, Cincinnati Winton Woods -- Horne is a move-in from Marietta, Ga. * 12. Garrick Sherman, 6-9, center, Kenton * 13. Drew McGee, 6-8, power forward, North Ridgeville * 14. Robert Johnson, 6-4, wing forward, Bedford * 15. Dane Kopp, 6-8, center, Newark * Also Notable: Orlando Williams, 6-2, point guard, Cincinnati Princeton; Shawn Joplin, 6-1, combo guard, Sylvania Southview; Chris Freeman, 6-8, center, Trotwood-Madison; Stephon Johnson, 6-5, power forward, Cincinnati Princeton; Mike Taylor, 6-2, shooting guard, Toledo St. John’s; Jared Porrini, 6-3, shooting guard, Massillon Washington; Aaron Robinson, 6-1, point guard, Trotwood-Madison; Zack Brown, 6-3, shooting guard, Mason; Ryan Siggins, 6-4, shooting guard, Kettering Alter; Brian Wozniak, 6-5, wing forward, Cincinnati Loveland; Tiondre Johnson, 6-5, wing forward, Akron Buchtel (possible transfer from Peninsula Woodridge); Allen Roberts, 6-2, shooting guard, Middletown; Luke Kraus, 5-11, point guard, Findlay; Cortez Howell, 5-11, point guard, Cincinnati Aiken; Jack Smith, 6-4, wing

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Boys Basketball Recruiting forward, Cincinnati Hughes; Jon Smith, 6-7, power forward, Grove City (transfer from Grove City Central Crossing); Jamel Harris, 68, center, Bedford; Sheldon Brodgon, 6-1, shooting guard, Warren Harding; Roy Brown, 6-3, shooting guard, Shaker Heights; Nate Cadogan, 6-6, power forward, Portsmouth; Delonta Heard, 6-6, power forward, Toledo Rogers; Randy Greenwood, 5-11, point guard, Mentor Lake Catholic; Tony Peters, 6-4, wing forward, Middletown; Aaron Deister, 6-1, point guard, Dayton Christian; Anthony Wells, 6-0, point guard Shaker Heights; Daylen Harrison, 6-6, power forward, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary; LaQuan Smith, 6-5, wing forward, Akron Kenmore.

Sophomore-to-be Jared Sullinger has already given Ohio State a verbal committment.

Sophomores (Class of 2010)

* 1. Jared Sullinger, 6-7, power forward, Columbus Northland (HS, 17th nationally in sophomore class) – Sullinger plays for his father, coach Satch Sullinger, at Northland. He is also the younger brother of J.J. Sullinger, who was a co-captain on Ohio State’s 2006 Big Ten championship team. In fact, the younger Sullinger followed in his brother’s footsteps. He was offered and accepted a scholarship offer from OSU in May. Jared Sullinger is making quite a name for himself in his own right. In his first season of varsity competition, Sullinger earned Honorable Mention All-Ohio honors in Division I. He averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds in leading Northland to a 24-1 mark and its first district title since 1985.

“Jared Sullinger is the next great player from Ohio,” Johnson said. “He probably ranks among the top 20 freshmen in the country nationally right now. If he grows any more, look out. Unlike the 2008 and 2009 classes, this class has a surefire No. 1 prospect in Sullinger. It will probably stay that way, barring a meteoric rise by anybody else.”

Sullinger plays AAU ball for All-Ohio Red’s 15-and-under team. He returned from a foot injury this spring to lead that team to the 15and-under national title.

“He finally came back from the foot injury he suffered in late April in the King James Shooting Stars (AAU) event in Akron,” Johnson said. “He led All-Ohio Red to the 15and-under national title in Michigan in early July. Then, he went down to Orlando and played up two levels with All-Ohio Red at the Nike Super Showcase and the AAU nationals.” * 2. Pe’shon Howard, 6-2, combo guard, Lakewood St. Edward (HS, 60th) – Howard was a key reserve on St. Ed’s Division I state final four team. Howard had 11 points in his team’s state semifinal loss to Cincinnati Moeller. He plays AAU ball for King of the Court.

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Photo by Steve Helwagen

“Howard earned an invite to the Reebok U. camp,” Johnson said. “He was one of five underclassmen chosen for the big camp.

“Howard should be the starting point guard at St. Ed’s next year. With Roe and Pritchard coming back, they are probably set up as the team to beat in Division I this coming year.” * 3. Allen Payne, 6-5, wing forward, Cincinnati Winton Woods – Payne averaged 11.0 points per game as a freshman at Winton Woods. He plays AAU ball for the Queen City Prophets.

“Payne is already drawing comparisons to former Cincinnati area star Damon Flint,” Johnson said. “He is a thin, athletic wing forward. He played up with the 17-and-under team and also helped lead the 15-and-under team during the AAU nationals.” * 4. Juwan Staten, 5-10, point guard, Dayton Colonel White (HS, 79th) – Johnson on Staten: “He is the best pure point guard in Ohio. I just like his quickness. He knows how to control tempo and has a great change of pace. He was the quarterback of the All-Ohio Red team that won the AAU nationals. They won six of the seven AAU tournaments they were in. He joined Sullinger in playing for the 17-and-under team in Orlando.” * 5. Kenny Knight, 6-5, wing forward, Cincinnati Northwest – Knight is due to transfer from Northwest to Cincinnati Winton Woods.

“He is a big-time athlete,” Johnson said. “He

played with the Queen City Prophets 15-andunder team.” * 6. Adrian Payne, 6-8, center, Dayton Jefferson * 7. Cameron Wright, 6-3, shooting guard, Cleveland Benedictine * 8. Griffin McKenzie, 6-8, power forward, Cincinnati Moeller * 9. Nick Kellogg, 6-3, wing forward, Columbus DeSales (HS, 43rd) – Kellogg, the younger son of Clark Kellogg, averaged 10.0 points per game for DeSales’ state final four team. Kellogg’s brother, Alex, signed with Providence this past year. * 10. J.D. Weatherspoon, 6-6, wing forward, Columbus Northland * Also Notable: Jordan Hicks, 6-3, shooting guard, West Chester Lakota West; Storm Sanders, 5-10, point guard, Canton GlenOak; Cody Smith, 5-11, point guard, Lima Shawnee; Kevin Gray, 5-10, point guard, Reynoldsburg; Courtney Avery, 5-11, point guard, Lexington; Aaron Craft, 5-11, shooting guard, Findlay Liberty Benton; Ralph Hill, 6-4, wing forward, Westerville North; Greg Gainey, 6-4, wing forward, Trotwood-Madison; Liam Walsh, 6-6, power forward, West Geauga; Ricardo Johnson, 6-3, shooting guard, Cincinnati Taft; Jordan Siebert, 6-4, wing forward, Cincinnati Princeton; Darryl Wallace, 6-1, shooting guard, Dayton Dunbar; Derek Jackson, 5-9, shooting guard, Cleveland Benedictine; Deon Stewart, 6-3, wing forward, Dayton Dunbar; Jordan Berlin, 6-2, shooting guard, Wilmington; Curtis Moore, 6-8, center, Cleveland Central Catholic; Aaron Ashley, 6-3, wing forward, Cleveland Heights; Brock Turson, 6-4, wing forward, Plymouth; Ryan Bass, 5-9, point guard, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne; Eric Lefeld, 6-8, center, Coldwater; Storm Stanley, 6-9, center, Toledo St. Francis; Barry Cobb, 5-9, point guard, North College Hill; Jay Springs, 5-10, point guard, Toledo St. John’s; Nick McCoy, 511, shooting guard, Cincinnati Sycamore; Duwan Thomas, 5-11, point guard, TrotwoodMadison; Antoine Hutchins, 6-2, shooting guard, Lima Senior.

Freshmen (Class of 2011)

Here are six names to watch in Ohio’s Class of 2011: Stevie Taylor, 5-8, point guard, Gahanna Lincoln; Paul Honigford, 6-8, power forward, Sugarcreek Garaway; Jehvon Clarke, 5-10, guard, Canton Timken; Marcus Graham, 6-1, shooting guard, Dayton Jefferson; Brandon Neel, 6-5, wing forward, Cincinnati LaSalle; Ricky Johnson, 5-7, point guard, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.

For more updates on Ohio’s top prospects and those nationally, check out Chris Johnson’s work at hoopscooponline.com

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onsider it the perfect setting for a July business trip for Cincinnati Withrow’s Yancy Gates at the adidas Super 64 tournament. The power forward and other top recruits went to Las Vegas -- coincidentally at the same time and location that Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and the rest of Team USA held their training camp.

“We got a chance to see Team USA warming up before one of our games and that was great,” Gates said. “We also went out and saw the Strip one night. We’ve been playing a lot of games, but we had fun, too.”

Under the guidance of Withrow coach and former Xavier star Walt McBride, Gates might become a future invitee of the U.S. national team.

An imposing senior, Gates stands 6-9 and weighs 255 pounds.

A second-team All-Ohio selection in 2006, Gates recorded 19.4 points and 8 rebounds per game during Withrow’s run to the Division I regional finals. Passing on offers from Ohio State, Indiana and Georgetown, Gates gave a verbal commitment this past spring to his hometown Cincinnati Bearcats. He plans on signing with UC in November.

“I chose Cincinnati because they are a rebuilding program and I’m from Cincinnati, so my family and friends can see me play,” said Gates, who is considered one of the nation’s top 30 prospects for 2008 and a top-five Ohio prospect as well. “And I like that it’s in the Big East, but just having my family close makes me feel more comfortable.”

Wanting to go to a rebuilding program might sound like a unique perspective when Gates passed on the chance to go to Ohio State and Georgetown, two Final Four teams in 2007.

“Cincinnati (11-19 a year ago) didn’t do to well last year,” Gates said.

“But they’ve got some great recruits this year, and by me coming in as the hometown kid, that will impact the rebuilding process and we can get it back to where it was when (Coach Bob) Huggins was there.

“I’m really excited about that, to be able to stay home and play in my hometown. I think I have a chance to come in and make a big impact. I felt comfortable with them. I watched them.”

The Bearcats also stumbled to a 2-14 Big East finish two years after Huggins was fired by university president Nancy Zimpher. But coach Mick Cronin netted a highly touted recruiting class in 2007 and a major commit from Gates for 2008. McBride knows Cronin will maximize Gates potential.

“I’m trying to get Yancy to play both ends of the floor and not take any breaks,” McBride said. “He’s getting better at it, and when he’s successful at it, we’re successful. But Mick’s going to make it happen, I know that. I’m just trying to get him to that point.”

Gates has already received the message about playing hard and he has focused on it during the offseason.

“The two main things I’ve been working are free throw shooting and my endurance on the court,” Gates said.

His rigorous camp schedule has likely done wonders for his stamina. In addition to playing with the Ohio Basketball Club AAU team in the adidas Super 64, Gates also participated in the USA Basketball developmental camp, the NBA Players Association top 100 camp and the Nike LeBron James U.S. Skills Academy.

“It can get tiring when you play a whole lot and you don’t get many breaks,” Gates said. “But if you love basketball it’s all good because you’re playing all the time. It is great to get out over the summer and play against the best players in the country. It is a great challenge. I came to a lot of these events last year so I knew what to expect. That makes it easier.”

His busy summer comes a year after Gates endured a personal tragedy and a transfer from Cincinnati Hughes tfollowing his sophomore season.

Shortly after he arrived at Withrow, criticism and complaining came from players and parents of his new teammates.

“You’ll get complaining from everyone any time a kid transfers,” McBride

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STORY BY GLENN FORBES

said. “But hey, we’re fine. Any kid that comes in that threatens playing time, you’ll get parents and kids complaining. But if you don’t want to be a part of the team, a part of the betterment of the team, then there’s the door.”

Gates transferred from Hughes after the sudden death of basketball coach Greg Mills in March 2006.

“It felt kind of weird,” Gates said. “Me and Mills were close. I went to Hughes because of Coach Mills so it felt weird to be there without him. I wanted to play with a coach that I knew.”

Gates was hesitant to say the emotional year impacted him as a person or a player, but McBride has seen the growth.

“He matured after last season,” McBride said. “He’s getting bigger and stronger. He’s also getting others involved. I would say he’s progressing just fine.”

McBride also said Gates was working on his outside game in preparation for what Cronin might ask him to do at UC. “At this point, 15 feet and in is basically automatic for Yancy,” McBride said. “But he’s working on shooting threes. If he’s going to play the ‘three’ or the ‘four’ with Mick, that will determine how much he’ll shoot threes in college. But right now, he’s throwing them up there at a decent percentage.”

For now, Gates still describes himself as a back to the basket player who can rebound, but his willingness to expand his game and improve his endurance speaks to his basketball intelligence. He also has a good idea of what he needs to do to contribute to a Big East team in 2008.

“I’m going to hit the weight room a lot before I get to Cincinnati,” Gates said. “Most freshmen come in and can’t play because they’re too weak or too skinny to contribute right away. I’m going to work on my strength and try to get some playing time.”

In the meantime, Gates is determined on building on his first year at Withrow. His team finished 18-6 last year following a Cincinnati heartbreaking 58-57 overtime loss to eventual state Withrow’s Yancy runner-up Cincinnati St. Gates spurned Xavier in the regional finals.

Ohio State, Indiana “I am excited about my team and Georgetown to this year,” Gates said. “We should commit to UC. have a good team. We will be all seniors and we think we’ll have a very Photo by Steve Helwagen good chance.” — OH

JJ H u ddle’ s O h io Hi gh

STORY BY STEVE HELWAGEN

Girls Basketball Recruiting Columbus Eastmoor senior Ayana Dunning is considering Ohio State, Rutgers, Maryland, LSU and others.

I

t has been several issues since we have tracked down Ohio’s top girls basketball prospects.

One man who makes it his business to keep tabs on the state’s top girls basketball talent is Tom Jenkins of the Ohio Girls Basketball Report. Jenkins discussed how college coaches flock to Ohio each year in search of talent.

“Nationally, Ohio is considered by Division I college coaches as one of the three major hotbeds year in and year out,” said Jenkins, who has been following girls basketball closely for over 10 years. “In the time I have done this, the state usually averages 60 to 80 Division I signees a year. Compare that with Iowa two years ago, which had just one signee.”

According to Jenkins, the class of rising seniors in Ohio is considered one of the nation’s very best. It is led by a pair of national top-10 talents in West Chester Lakota West wing Amber Gray and Columbus Eastmoor post Ayana Dunning.

“The 2003 class in Ohio was the best and most abundant we have seen with 103 D-I signees,” Jenkins said. “But this 2008 class is considered by coaches and recruiting services as the best and most abundant in America. It is pretty amazing here.”

Jenkins gathers his information by attending games and off-season tournaments and camps. He also helps put together the annual Classic In The Country event at Berlin Hiland. This year’s event, which will feature a number of the top teams in the state and across the country, is set for Jan. 19-21.

Below, Jenkins has supplied us with lists of the top 10 players in each of the next four classes (2008-11) in Ohio. He has further broken them down to the top five and second five with each group listed alphabetically. (We will have more on Ohio girls basketball in our November edition, which will be our basketball preview issue.)

Class Of 2008: Top 5

* Cierra Bravard, 6-5, post, Sandusky Perkins – Bravard was chosen as a first-team All-Ohio pick in Division II after averaging 22.3 points per game. She led Perkins to a 21-4 season and a state final four berth, tallying 19 points in a state semifinal game. Bravard, who also averaged 22.2 ppg as a sophomore, is rated as the nation’s No. 26 senior by HoopGurlz.com.

“You like her physical presence,” Jenkins said. “She is a big strong post player with great hands. She gives you a strong anchor on the offensive end. She is wide open on college choices. I see her somewhere in the Big Ten or ACC.” * Ayana Dunning, 6-3, post, Columbus Eastmoor – Dunning was a first-team All-Ohio pick in Division II after averaging 18.1 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. She led Eastmoor to a 19-5 mark and a state semifinal berth. Dunning, who averaged 19 ppg as a sophomore, is pegged as the nation’s No. 6 senior prospect by HoopGurlz.com.

“Without question, she is the best post player in this class,” Jenkins

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Photo by Gary Housteau

said. “She is a big, strong, physical athlete that has a very high basketball IQ.” Dunning’s long list of schools includes USC, LSU, Illinois, Boston College, Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, Rutgers and Maryland. * Amber Gray, 6-1, wing/post, West Chester Lakota West – Gray averaged 20.9 points per game as a junior on her way to first-team AllOhio honors in Division I. Gray, rated as the nation’s No. 4 senior by HoopGurlz.com, has verbaled to Tennessee (see story, page XX). Gray, who averaged 20.7 ppg as a sophomore, is the daughter of former UCLA and NFL football player Carlton Gray.

“Amber has probably transformed her game more than any player in this class,” Jenkins said. “She started out as a post player. But she worked hard on her game to become a complete player. Her dad was also a good basketball player and he worked with her. It was normal for them to be in the gym at 5:30 a.m. to work on her game.” * Tyeasha Moss, 5-9, wing, Columbus Africentric – Moss earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Division IV after averaging 16.7 points, six rebounds and five assists per game. She helped lead Africentric to a 271 record and the D-IV state title. Moss averaged 17.9 ppg as a sophomore.

“Tyeasha Moss is probably the best offensive player from the perimeter in this class,” Jenkins said. “There are kids who are shooters and some are scorers. Ut Moss is a combination of the two. She is just silky smooth offensively.”

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* Shay Selby, 5-7, point guard/wing, South Euclid Regina – Selby, ranked as the nation’s No. 15 senior by HoopGurlz.com, averaged 23 points per game on her way to first-team AllOhio honors in Division III as a junior.

Selby averaged 22.1 ppg as a sophomore after averaging 15.4 ppg as a freshman. Selby committed to Duke over the likes of Connecticut, Michigan State, Ohio State and Tennessee.

“There is not a thing Shay Selby can’t do with a basketball in her hands,” Jenkins said. “She has a tremendous handle and she sees the floor exceptionally well. She is a tremendous passer and she can score. She is legit.”

Photo by Gary Housteau

Girls Basketball Recruiting last year and will play college basketball at Dayton. * Shardai Morrison-Fountain, 5-6, point guard, Columbus Africentric – MorrisonFountain averaged 12.0 ppg as a sophomore in helping Africentric claim the D-IV state title. * Karisma Penn, 6-1, power forward, Shaker Heights * Mikaela Ruef, 6-3, wing/post, Beavercreek * Gabby Smith, 5-10, wing, Cincinnati Mt. Notre Dame – Averaged 9.3 ppg as a sophomore for MND’s D-I state championship team.

Class Of 2010: Top 5

* Natasha Howard, 6-3, wing/post, Toledo Waite – Jenkins on Howard: “She can play anyClass Of 2008: Next 5 where on the floor at 6-3. She has a legit shot to * Brittany Orban, 6-0, forward, North be the No. 1 player in America in her class at her Canton Hoover – Orban averaged 21.6 ppg position.” and earned first-team All-Ohio honors in * T'Sheara Lucas, 5-10, wing, Division I. She is committed to Northwestern.

Reynoldsburg – Jenkins on Walker: “Likewise, Orban averaged 22.7 ppg as a sophomore. she has a shot at being the No. 1 player in the * Jessie Pachko, 6-1, power forward, country at her position. She is extremely good Cincinnati Oak Hills and fundamentally sound.” * Katie Popovec, 6-3, post, Canfield -* Tay'ler Mingo, 5-6, point guard, South Cincinnati Mt. Notre Popovec has verbaled to Pittsburgh.

Euclid Regina * Tiera Stephen, 5-7, point guard/wing, * Samarie Walker, 6-1, power forward, Dame’s Kendall Dayton Chaminade-Julienne Dayton Chaminade-Julienne Hackney is one of the * Amber Stokes, 5-8, point guard/wing, * Mylan Woods, 5-9, wing, Shaker Heights state’s top juniors.

Gahanna Lincoln – Stokes averaged 18.1 ppg Hathaway Brown – Woods was a second-team as a junior.

All-Ohio pick in Division II after averaging 14.1 ppg as a freshman. She had 15 points in her team’s D-II state semifinal win over Sandusky Perkins. Hathaway Brown Class Of 2009: Top 5 ended the year 22-5. * Kendall Hackney, 6-1, wing/post, Cincinnati Mt. Notre Dame – “She has transformed her game from being strictly a post player to Hackney averaged 11.5 ppg as a sophomore. But she stepped forward and had 21 points and 14 rebounds in her team’s Division I state champi- being one of the top three players in this class on the wing,” Jenkins said. onship game win over Stow-Munroe Falls. MND ended up 23-4 on the Class Of 2010: Next 5 year. * Tiffani Blackman, 5-10, wing/power forward, Toledo Bowsher “The top five in this junior class is just so close,” Jenkins said. “Kendall * Darryce Moore, 6-2, post, Youngstown Boardman Hackney has probably the best inside-out game in the state of Ohio.” * Amy Scullion, 6-0, wing/post, Salem * Emilee Harmon, 6-2, power forward, Pickerington Central – * Latasha Walker, 6-2, post, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East Harmon averaged 20.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in earning * Noelle Yoder, 5-7, point guard/wing, Millersburg West Holmes first-team All-Ohio honors in Division I as a sophomore.

“Harmon is one of the most explosive players in this class,” Jenkins Class Of 2011: Top 5 said. “She is a big, physical player who can face up to the basket.” * Dayeesha Hollins, 5-7, point guard/wing, Cincinnati Winton * Therany Dunnigan, 6-2, post, South Euclid Regina – Jenkins said Woods – Jenkins on Hollins: “She is long athletically and lightning quick. he is already impressed with the star power in the 2011 class.

She can be dominant in transition and on the defensive end.”

“Those top five are as talented as any of the top five lists from the * Alexis Rogers, 6-1, wing/post, West Chester Lakota West – other classes, given their level of development,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins on Rogers: “Rogers is the most athletic player in this class. She * Raven Ferguson, 5-9, wing/power forward, Columbus Africentric * Allyson Malott, 6-1, wing/post, Middletown has an extra gear in transition.” * Dominque Singletary, 5-6, point guard, Hamilton * Brianna Sanders, 5-11, wing, Cincinnati Princeton – Jenkins on * Shaquia Stokes, 6-0, post, Columbus Africentric Sanders: “She is the daughter of Steve Sanders, who played basketball and football at Cincinnati. She is a silky smooth player and maybe the most fundamentally sound of any player in that class.”

Class Of 2011: Next 5 * Alexandris Azeez, 5-7, wing, West Chester Lakota West Class Of 2009: Next 5 * Brinae Harris, 5-9, wing, Marion Harding * Kari Daugherty, 6-2, wing/post, Warsaw River View – Daughterty * Brianna Holmes, 5-5 point guard, Columbus Brookhaven averaged 12.0 points per game and was a first-team all-district pick in * Tanisha Lawler, 5-7, wing/point guard, Shaker Heights Hathaway Division II as a sophomore. She had 16 points in her team’s D-II state Brown title game win over Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown. River View ended * Kathyrn Reynolds, 5-6, wing/point guard, Cincinnati Mt. Notre up 26-1. Daughterty’s sister, Kristin, was the Ohio High player of the year Dame — OH

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Amber Gray

STORY BY GLENN FORBES

A

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Lakota West’s Amber Gray selected the Vols over Ohio State, Duke, Maryland and North Carolina among others.

Photo by Nick Falzerano

mber Gray is living proof that recruiting for women’s basketball is changing. From the constant phone calls and text messages from coaches to the gauntlet of AAU games and invitational camps in the summer, the girls are catching up to the boys when it comes to the intensity of recruiting.

“For me, the recruiting process was crazy,” Gray said. “I started getting phone calls from coaches the summer I was going into eighth grade.”

Four years later, Gray is ready for her senior season at West Chester Lakota West. And for now, the recruiting storm has calmed. Gray gave a verbal commitment to play for legendary coach Pat Summitt at Tennessee.

“I looked at a lot of different schools, but many of them were going through coaching changes and I wanted stability,” Gray said. “Even if Coach Summit would retire, the other coaches behind her (on staff) are just as good.”

Gray, a 6-1 forward, had her pick of the best programs in the country. Ohio State, Duke, Maryland, Rutgers, North Carolina and LSU were all on her short list, but the coaching changes at many of those programs made a “huge impact” on her decision. Gray also didn’t want to attend a university where women’s basketball is an afterthought.

“Tennessee has a good crowd,” Gray said. “When the football team is good, they’re big down there. But the Lady Vols really get them going.”

Firebirds coach Andy Fishman was not short on praise for Gray, who led Lakota West to the regional finals, averaging 20.5 points and nearly eight rebounds per game.

“She’s already the leading scorer in Lakota school district history (East and West),” Fishman said. “She has the rebounding record and she’ll break the shotblocking record this year. She’s second all time in assists. She is a multidimensional, all-purpose player.”

Fishman thinks so highly of his star player, he believes Gray’s senior year is almost unnecessary for her to succeed at Tennessee.

“Whether she was playing for Lakota West or Tennessee, she could not be defended by one individual,” Fishman said. “It’s not possible. With her shooting, her skills off the dribble and her ball-handling, she can’t be guarded by one person. And she’s always working on footwork to improve her defense.

She wants to defend any player, perimeter or post.”

Gray’s versatility is a point of pride for her. She relishes the chance to play any position on the floor effectively.

“I’m a little bit of everything from every position,” Gray said. “I want to get my teammates involved and set them up when they’re open. At the same time, when the game is on the line, I want the ball in my hands.”

Gray’s diversity on the floor made her a popular target of coaches across the country. After the designated no contact period, Gray was flooded with correspondence every year.

“Once Sept. 1 hit, it was ridiculous,” Gray said. “The e-mails, the phone calls, the text messages, they were calling my coaches all the time, too. It got annoying at times, but the process is something I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

Fishman saw the intensity of women’s recruiting first hand, and does not see a large gap between the girls and boys “It’s not all that different now,” Fishman said. “The amount of mail, text messaging, e-mail, it’s pretty much on par with the boys. It can be quite distracting and overwhelming, but Amber handled it all very well.”

With the verbal commitment out of the way, the question becomes how will Gray be used at Tennessee? What position do you play when you want to play them all?

“Coach Summitt is arguably the best coach in the world,” Fishman said.

“She is going to put Amber in the best possible position for her team and for Amber. If you look at a player like (current Lady Vol) Candace Parker, some games she’s bringing up the ball, other games she’s on the wing waiting to get the ball, sometimes she’s in the post.

“You can do the same with Amber. Putting her in a traditional box doesn’t work. That doesn’t utilize her skills, and Coach Summitt will find a way to maximize her skills.”

Gray gave a long list of what she’s trying to improve this off-season.

Playing against top competition in AAU games and the Adidas Summer Jam, Gray is focusing on her footwork, speed and agility, ball-handling and shooting from the outside and at the free throw line. Her improvement, along with the improvement of the rest of the Firebirds, will be a major factor in trying to avenge the 58-49 loss to Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame in the regional finals.

“When you’re a few points away from the state final four, you don’t scrap everything and start over,” Fishman said. “Every girl needs to improve as individuals for the collective improvement of the team. We’re on a good lifting and AAU schedule right now. We expect to be better. We’re going to have to be better.”

While Gray works on her defensive footwork and agility, she knows how dangerous she is on the floor, seemingly from any position “My ability to play anywhere on the floor has come a long way,” Gray said.

“I’m proud of it because I worked so hard. I can step outside and hit the three, and I can go inside and give you a nice post move.”

Fishman gushes when he talks about the versatility of his forward, and knows how lucky he is to coach someone like Gray.

“She has a combination of strength, speed and agility that few players of her size possess,” Fishman said. “She has incredible strength at 6-1 to finish against bigger players. If you step off, she’ll hit the shot, or she’ll just go around you. Other girls her size just don’t have that combination.” —OH

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