ESPN Midwest recruiting Blog

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez and his first Wolverines team came up with a big victory Saturday in Ann Arbor. Trailing Wisconsin 19-0 at halftime, the Wolverines came back to take a 27-25 lead and withstood a last second 2-point conversion to hang on for the win.

The win is considered by some as the best comeback in Michigan football history and came before a good group of recruits. Arguably the top Michigan target in Ann Arbor Saturday was defensive lineman William Campbell (Detroit/Cass Tech).

The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Campbell originally committed to Lloyd Carr while he was still in charge of the Michigan program. When Rodriguez took over, Campbell reaffirmed his commitment to the Wolverines.

However, over the summer Campbell decided he had made his decision too quickly and decommitted. At the time Campbell said he would continue to consider the Wolverines but wanted to open the recruiting process back up.

Rodriguez was happy Campbell made it to the Michigan game Saturday though he certainly would have preferred the huge lineman could have witnessed the entire comeback.

"We had to leave early," Campbell said. "My coach had to leave early and we went with him."

Two of Campbell's senior teammates also attended the game, running back Teric Jones and defensive back Thomas Gordon. Gordon committed to Michigan over Michigan State the day before attending the Michigan-Wisconsin game, and Jones committed in March. A fourth Cass Tech prospect, junior defensive back Dior Mathis, also was in Ann Arbor Saturday.

Rodriguez hopes he can convince Campbell to join his two teammates on the Michigan football team. While he did not see the entire game, Campbell saw a number of things he was impressed with before he had to leave.

"I liked how Michigan kept rotating their defensive linemen," he said. "I know they are a well conditioned team. And I liked the crowd. But they always have a big crowd at Michigan."

Campbell said his plans have not changed. He still intends to schedule official visits to Michigan, USC, LSU and Miami. He also plans to schedule a fifth visit, but is not sure who he will select for that trip.

"I have four schools," Campbell said. "I'll take all five visits, then I'll decide.

"Everybody is still equal."

Campbell and his teammates were just part of a talented group of recruits in Ann Arbor over the weekend. Offensive lineman Quinton Washington (St. Stephen, S.C./Timberland) was on his official visit with the Wolverines.

Washington was impressed with what he saw. He indicates Michigan is now one of his top choices but stopped short of committing to the Wolverines. Washington will likely at least take official visits to Clemson and South Carolina after the season before selecting a college.

A number of Michigan's verbal commitments attended the Wolverines' game Saturday as did some of the top juniors in the state of Michigan.

Rodriguez was also happy to pick up a commitment from a junior not in Ann Arbor over the weekend. Wide receiver Ricardo Miller (Orlando/Dr. Phillips) has decided to end the recruiting process very early with a commitment to his long-time favorite, Michigan. Miller's mother is a Michigan graduate. Miller selected the Wolverines over Florida, Tennessee, South Florida and others.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Arguably nobody does a whiteout better than Penn State. In primetime Saturday night, the Nittany Lions fans held their whiteout, and the Penn State football team held up its end with a 38-24 victory over Illinois.

An impressive group of recruits were on hand to see the win, the whiteout and everything associated with Penn State's fifth straight victory.

Slot receiver and kickoff return prospect Devon Smith (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) was on his official visit. The trip went very well, though Smith is not yet ready to proclaim he is going to play for the Nittany Lions. He is still talking about a visit to Temple and perhaps Eastern Michigan, but Joe Paterno and his staff are in good shape.

Defensive back Travis Hawkins (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) also made the trip from Maryland to Pennsylvania. Hawkins was impressed, but at this point he still plans to at least make an official visit to Michigan this weekend before he selects a college.

Hawkins' teammate, defensive end Jason Ankrah, was also in State College on Saturday night. Hawkins, who is considering scholarship offers from Penn State, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Nebraska, was very impressed with what he saw this past weekend at Penn State.

"I loved it," Ankrah said. "It was alive. I liked how the fans are into it the whole game. Whether Penn State is winning or losing, the fans are into it."

Linebacker Glenn Carson (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional), who had previously made official visits to Notre Dame and Boston College, made an unofficial visit to Penn State on Saturday.

"It was awesome," Carson said. "The whiteout was amazing."

Offensive lineman Oday Aboushi (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) has offers from Penn State, Maryland, Iowa, Rutgers, Virginia and Boston College. His visit to Penn State on Saturday did nothing but help the Nittany Lions' cause.

"It was great," he said. "I had a lot of fun."

Some outstanding juniors also attended the Penn State-Illinois game Saturday night as did many of Joe Paterno's class of 2009 verbal commitments.

Paterno has 16 Class of 2009 verbal commitments. Don't be surprised if he capitalizes on Saturday's big win and that number grows by at least one in the next day or two.

Midwest Notes
Wide receiver Marlon Brown (Memphis, Tenn./Harding), the No. 17 prospect in the ESPNU 150 and the No. 2 receiver, made his official visit to Georgia over the weekend as scheduled. Despite the Bulldogs' loss to Alabama, Brown had a great trip. However he did not commit to Georgia and is still planning to take his next scheduled official visit to Ohio State the weekend of Oct. 11 when the Buckeyes play Purdue.

Offensive lineman Kyle Koehne (Indianapolis/Cathedral) considered making an official visit to Florida last weekend but decided to wait until the weekend of Oct. 11 when the Gators play LSU.

"That will probably be it," Koehne said. "Right now my plan is to decide after my Florida visit."

The other school in the running is Boston College. Koehne made his official visit there in early September.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

It is going to be a big recruiting weekend for two Big Ten schools, as Michigan hosts Wisconsin and a very good group of prospects Saturday afternoon while undefeated Penn State hosts Illinois and an excellent group of recruits Saturday night in primetime.

Joe Paterno will welcome in two prospects on official visits. Slot receiver and return man Devon Smith (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) will leave for State College Friday night immediately after his game. Smith also has an official visit scheduled to Eastern Michigan the weekend of Nov. 8, and says North Carolina and Temple are the other two schools on his list.

All four schools have offered Smith a scholarship, but Paterno would like to wrap up a commitment this weekend.

"I want to go around and look at the campus and see how I like it up there," Smith said. "And I want to see a good game."

Wide receiver Justin Brown (Wilmington, Del./Concord) is also scheduled to make an official visit to Penn State this weekend. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Brown has scholarship offers from: Penn State, Iowa, Boston College, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Rutgers, among others.

Paterno will also welcome in a very good group of prospects for unofficial visits including linebacker Glen Carson (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional), who has already made official visits to Notre Dame and Boston College.

One of the top juniors in the Big Ten region, linebacker Mike Hull (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan), will be at the game with teammate Chad Hagan, a running back and defensive back.

Rodriguez is set to welcome in running back Tavon Austin (Baltimore, Md./Dunbar) to Ann Arbor on an official visit. A couple of prospects that have already committed to Michigan will also make their official visit this weekend.

Among the prospects expected to be in Ann Arbor on unofficial visits are a trio of Detroit Cass Tech teammates, defensive lineman William Campbell, safety Thomas Gordon and running back Teric Jones. Jones has already committed to the Wolverines while Gordon will announce this evening whether he will play for the Wolverines or Michigan State. Campbell at one time was committed to Michigan, but decommitted during the summer and will eventually make official visits to Michigan, USC, LSU and Miami.

Dior Mathis is a fourth prospect from Cass Tech who will be in Ann Arbor Saturday. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Mathis is one of the fastest juniors in the state of Michigan. Mathis, who has run the 100-meter dash in 10.47 seconds, plays cornerback and wide receiver for Cass Tech. Mathis has four interceptions in four games this season and is being recruited as a cornerback. He names USC and Miami as his two favorite schools.

Mathis is receiving mail from those two as well as many others including Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon and Notre Dame.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

There is no questioning junior Mike Hull's (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) ability -- he is one of the top all-around athletes in the Big Ten region. The questions are which position Hull will play at the next level and who he will play for?

Hull was an all-conference selection as an outside linebacker his freshman year in one of the top conferences in the state of Pennsylvania. He made 104 tackles.

The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Hull played inside linebacker, safety and running back his sophomore season. He led the WPIAL Quad A in rushing with 1,300 yards, averaging 7.1 yards per carry and scoring 14 times. On defense he made 117 tackles.

"He has tremendous explosiveness," Canon-McMillan Coach Guy Montecalvo said. "He is extremely strong and he runs a legit 4.45 (seconds) in the 40-yard dash. His football instincts are uncanny. He has a bright, bright future ahead of him if he stays healthy."

Hull is also one of the top wrestlers in the state of Pennsylvania and an outstanding center fielder in baseball.

"He is a great athlete and a great kid," Montecalvo said. "I've been a head coach for 29 years and he is one of those guys that comes along every five to ten years."

Hull is also a legacy. His dad Tom Hull played linebacker for Penn State as well as in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.

Mike Hull already has scholarship offers from Penn State, Pitt, Michigan and West Virginia.

"I sort of like all the Big Ten schools," Hull said. "I'll probably stay in the Big Ten. I like Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, pretty much anyone that gives me the opportunity. I've heard from all of them."

Hull plans to attend the Illinois at Penn State game this weekend. He also would like to see games at Pitt, West Virginia and Ohio State. Hull will attend the Penn State at Ohio State game Oct. 25 and it is quite possible his decision could come down to one of those two schools.

"I'd say Penn State is probably my favorite right now," Hull said. "But I want to give every other school equal opportunity and see what is out there."

A Sleeper At Canon-McMillan
Hull is not the only major college prospect at Canon-McMillan. Junior running back/safety Chad Hagan is not as well known as Hull, but it will only be a matter of time until his name comes up among the top Class of 2010 prospects in the Keystone State.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Hagan was a varsity starter at both outside linebacker and running back his freshman year. He rushed for 493 yards that season.

However as one of the top basketball players on the Canon-McMillan team when he was a freshman, he decided not to play football his sophomore year so he could concentrate on basketball.

Hagan is back on the football field this season playing both running back and free safety, and recruiters have noticed. Hagan has received mail from Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse and some others.

"I'm really interested in Penn State," Hagan said. "Michigan is another one. I like Pitt too because it's close to home."

Hagan plans to attend the Illinois at Penn State game this weekend. He also will likely attend the Michigan at Penn State game Oct. 18 and possibly the Penn State at Ohio State game Oct. 25 and the West Virginia at Pitt game Nov. 28.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has a commitment from Detroit-Cass Tech running back Teric Jones. At one point he had a commitment from Jones' teammate, defensive lineman William Campbell. However Campbell de-committed during the summer, though he is still very much considering the Wolverines.

A third Cass Tech star, Thomas Gordon, is set to announce his college choice Friday shortly after the conclusion of his team's game against Detroit-Martin Luther King.

The 6-foot-0, 200-pound Gordon plays quarterback and safety for Cass Tech and is being recruited as a safety. Down to Michigan and Michigan State, he attended the Notre Dame at Michigan State game last Saturday and had planned to announce a decision before the end of the weekend but postponed it.

"I just wanted to talk things over with my family," Gordon said. "I'll announce on Friday after we play."

Gordon plans to attend the Wisconsin at Michigan game Saturday with Jones, Campbell, and Cass Tech junior defensive back Dior Mathis.

Campbell has no plans to announce his college choice any time soon. He is going to make official visits to USC, LSU, Michigan and Miami.

"I'll take all five visits," Gordon said. "I don't know who the fifth will be."

Campbell decided to open his recruitment back up after talking things over with his mother. He felt he had made his decision too quickly and wants to take a look at other schools. The Wolverines are still very much in the race for the 6-foot-5 and 315-pounder.

"Everybody is the same right now," Campbell said. "Everybody is equal."

Landing a commitment from Gordon Friday and eventually regaining a commitment from Campbell would be very big for Rodriguez. Mark Dantonio and rival Michigan State have recruited well in the state of Michigan this year, upsetting the in-state dominance the Wolverines had for the most part under Lloyd Carr.

Among the top Michigan Class of 2009 prospects, running backs Edwin Baker (Oak Park) and Larry Caper (Battle Creek/Central) selected Michigan State as did linebacker Chris Norman (Detroit/Renaissance). Wide receiver James Jackson (Grand Ledge) selected Ohio State. All four had a scholarship offer from Michigan. Grabbing commitments from Gordon and Campbell to go along with the one Rodriguez has from Jones would help level the playing field.

Midwest Notes
Quarterback Terrance Owens (Cleveland/Glenville) has led the Tarblooders to a 5-0 record and has had an excellent first half of his senior season. Recruiters have noticed.

The 6-foot-3 and 170-pound left-hander has scholarship offers from almost every school in the MAC, and Ohio State and Cincinnati are showing interest. Owens will attend the Minnesota at Ohio State game Saturday as a guest of the Buckeyes.

Josh Davis (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) is a Class of 2010 prospect on the rise. The 6-6, 270-pound defensive tackle is drawing interest from: Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina and Duke, among others. Like Owens, Davis has been invited to the Ohio State-Minnesota game and will be in Ohio Stadium for that contest.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Offensive lineman Kyle Koehne (Indianapolis/Cathedral) is one of the top uncommitted prospects in the Midwest. It remains to be seen how much longer Koehne goes without selecting a college, but it is almost certain that when he does, it won't be to a school in the region in which he resides.

The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Koehne, a three-year starter at offensive tackle, has scholarship offers from: Florida, Boston College, Indiana, Michigan State, Iowa, Louisville, N.C. State and a few others.

Koehne made an official visit to Boston College the weekend of Sept. 6 when the Eagles played Georgia Tech. He will make an official visit to Florida either this weekend when the Gators play Ole Miss or the weekend of Oct. 11 when LSU travels to Gainesville.

"Those are my top two right now, but that could change," Koehne said. "Most likely I'll decide after I visit Florida."

The only other two schools in the picture at this point are N.C. State and Louisville. Koehne says both are talking to him quite a bit, but all indications point to him selecting either the Gators or Eagles.

"I've been to Florida a couple times," Koehne said. "I like their football tradition. I like the coaches a lot. I just like their whole program.

"But I like the tradition at Boston College. And I like their academics a lot."

During Koehne's first two years as a varsity starter, Cathedral went 25-4 and won a state championship. Cathedral is off to a 3-2 start this season, but the big left tackle is confident his team will finish strong.

ESPNU 150 wide receiver trims list to five
Memphis (Tenn.) Harding wide receiver Marlon Brown, the No. 17 prospect in the ESPNU 150 and the No. 2 wide receiver, is set for his first official visit this weekend.

Brown will visit Georgia and see the Bulldogs play Alabama. Brown also has an official visit scheduled to Ohio State the weekend of Oct. 11 when the Buckeyes play Purdue. The other three schools on Brown's list are Tennessee, Florida and LSU. He has eliminated USC from contention.

"It's too far away," Brown said.

Brown will play in the Under Armour All-American game in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 4. He plans to announce his college choice sometime after that game.

"I'm sure I'll take all five official visits," Brown said. "I'll probably schedule two more during the season, then one will be after the season. I think I'll announce my decision right after my last visit, sometime in January."

Midwest Notes
Last weekend when Notre Dame was in East Lansing, Michigan State hosted a good group of recruits on unofficial visits. This weekend it is Michigan's turn. Coming off a bye week the Wolverines welcome Wisconsin to Ann Arbor, and the Michigan coaching staff will welcome in some talented senior and junior prospects.

Two of the top Class of 2010 prospects in the state of Michigan, Detroit-Southeastern teammates defensive end William Gholston and defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins, are planning to attend the game.

ESPNU 150 Watch List quarterback Devin Gardner (Inkster, Mich.) continues to see his scholarship offer list grow. The 6-4, 205-pound Gardner now has scholarship offers from: Michigan State, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Cincinnati and several MAC schools.

Kofi Hughes (Indianapolis/Cathedral) and Willie Ballard (Trotwood, Ohio/Madison) are two more athletic junior quarterbacks Big Ten football fans should keep in mind. The 6-0, 185-pound Hughes is a terrific athlete who has both football and basketball recruiters interested. The 6-foot-2 and 200-pound Ballard has already received mail from: Michigan, Notre Dame, Indiana, Michigan State, Iowa, Pitt, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Louisville and Oregon, among others.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio certainly hopes to reap the fruits of his team's 23-7 win over Notre Dame on the recruiting trail.

Some of the Spartans' top targets attending the game included Detroit-Cass Tech teammates defensive lineman William Campbell and quarterback/athlete Thomas Gordon and St. Mary's (Orchard Lake, Mich.) tight end Dion Sims.

Some top juniors were at the game too, including defensive end William Gholston and defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins (Detroit/Southeastern). Hankins is the only one of those five prospects not currently holding a scholarship offer from Michigan State, and it may be just a matter of time until he also receives an offer from Dantonio.

Running back Edwin Baker (Oak Park, Mich.), wide receiver Bennie Fowler (Detroit, Mich./Country Day) and wide receiver Donald Spencer (Ypsilanti, Mich.) were among the Spartans' verbal commitments to attend the game.

"I liked the fans and the student section," Sims said afterwards. "Being in the middle of the field before the game was pretty cool."

Sims has been out of action since St. Mary's first game when he strained the MCL in his right knee.

"I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday," Sims said. "We'll see how it goes. I'm hoping to play this weekend, and if not, the following weekend."

Sims is considering: Ohio State, Georgia, Tennessee, Miami, UCLA, Michigan and Michigan State for football, and a number of schools for basketball including Iowa, Penn State and Michigan State.

Prior to attending the game, Gholston would not rule out a commitment to the Spartans before returning home. He liked what he saw in East Lansing Saturday and was impressed with the Michigan State defense but wants to continue looking at schools.

He plans to attend the Wisconsin at Michigan game Saturday and will likely attend the Penn State at Wisconsin game on Oct. 11. Ohio State, Illinois and Clemson are other schools on Gholston's list.

Midwest Notes
Minneapolis-Washburn tight end Ra'Shede Hageman had three official visits scheduled. He was going to Minnesota this past weekend when the Gophers hosted Florida Atlantic, then Wisconsin Oct. 4 when the Badgers play Ohio State, and Ohio State Oct. 11 when the Buckeyes play Purdue. However the first of those scheduled trips did not happen.

"The visit to Minnesota got rescheduled," Hageman said. "But I still went to the game. Coach (Derek) Lewis wanted to reschedule my (official) visit because he wants me to see all the recruits coming in from Texas and Florida. They couldn't make it because of the hurricane."

The 6-foot-6, 252-pound Hagemen watched as the Gophers remained undefeated with a 37-3 victory over Florida Atlantic.

"I saw the new Gophers," Hageman said. "They're 4-0. They blew them out. All the new recruits that have come in have been great. And the tight ends caught a couple balls."

Hageman would not say the Gophers are his clear leader, but they have the edge.

"I'm giving the Gophers a head start because I'm from here," Hageman said. "But I still want to take my visits. I still want to take a trip down to Florida too."

Hageman said his official visit to Minnesota will now be Nov. 8 when the Gophers play Michigan.

"I'll decide (on a college) in December after I take my visits," Hageman said.

The Gophers did not cancel all of the prospects from Florida scheduled to make an official visit to Minnesota over the weekend. Miami-Gulliver Prep defensive back Artice Kellam made his visit and liked what he saw. Kellam, however, did not commit to the Gophers and plans to take at least one more official visit before selecting a college. He will visit Ole Miss in October.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Offensive lineman Chris Freeman (Trotwood, Ohio/Madison) went out for football for the first time his junior year. At Madison, the 6-foot-9, 320-pounder had previously been a basketball player only. Freeman played in just one football game his junior season, making a start in his team's final game.

But recruiters, impressed with what they saw in that one appearance along with Freeman's size and potential, quickly came calling. Michigan, Florida, Tennessee, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Missouri, UCLA and Oregon are all currently on Freeman's list. The first five are his favorites.

"But that might change," Freeman said. "I'm still checking out schools. I haven't set up any (official) visits yet. I'll do that after the season."

Freeman is working on a schedule of some unofficial visits. He has been to Florida before but would like to get down to a Gators game. He says he will likely attend the Ohio State at Wisconsin game Oct. 4 and will try to catch a few other games, including a West Virginia game if possible.

"I talked to Coach Rudolph from Wisconsin last Saturday," Freeman said. "They were playing Fresno State that night and he called me earlier that day. Coach (Dave) Clawson from Tennessee, Coach (Bruce) Tall from Michigan and Coach (John) Hevesy from Florida have called too."

Freeman was forced to miss one of his team's first four games. He has had a heart problem but has been put on medicine and is confident he will be fine the rest of the season. Madison is looking for its first win of the season Friday.

Midwest Notes
• Tight end Ra'Shede Hageman (Minneapolis/Washburn) is set to make his first official visit this weekend. He won't have far to go; he's visiting the Minnesota Gophers. He also has visits set to Wisconsin Oct. 4 when the Badgers play Ohio State, and Ohio State Oct. 11 when the Buckeyes play Purdue. Hageman has narrowed things down to those three schools.

• 

Some of the top junior and senior football players in the state of Michigan will be in East Lansing Saturday to watch Michigan State take on Notre Dame. Senior tight end Dion Sims (Orchard Lake, Mich./St. Mary's) will be at the game as will junior ESPNU 150 Watch List defensive end William Gholston (Detroit/Southeastern). Both have been offered a scholarship by the Spartans.

The 6-6, 245-pound Gholston is the cousin of former Ohio State and current New York Jets defensive end Vernon Gholston. William is off to a great start this season with 35 tackles and six sacks in three games, all Southeastern victories. His team has yet to give up a point as Southeastern has outscored its opponents 93-0. Gholston says Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State are the top schools on his list, though he is also looking at Wisconsin, Clemson, Illinois, Cincinnati and a few others.

Gholston would not rule out a commitment to the Spartans this weekend. Provided he does not, he plans to attend the Wisconsin at Michigan game on Sept. 27, the Ohio State at Wisconsin game Oct. 4 and possibly the Penn State at Wisconsin game Oct. 11.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Oday Aboushi (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) has started at defensive tackle on varsity since his freshman year and also started at offensive tackle the past two seasons. The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Aboushi could play either position in college.

Whichever position he plays, Big Ten fans could be seeing a lot of Aboushi over the next four or five years; he is considering Penn State and Iowa. He has scholarship offers from those two as well as Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia and Boston College.

"Those are the schools I'm still looking at," Aboushi said. "I'm going to take official visits, but I'll probably wait until after the season because most of our games are on Saturday mornings."

Though he is on the East Coast, Aboushi is familiar with the Big Ten. He does not buy into the perception by many across the country that the conference is weak.

"The Big Ten is a great conference," Aboushi said. "There is a lot of competition there. It's one of the great conferences in the country."

Aboushi is also not concerned with Joe Paterno's age and whether or not the Nittany Lions coach is slowing down.

"He's a great coach," Aboushi said. "He's a Brooklyn guy. He does a great job. I like his style of coaching. I like the way he treats his players."

Aboushi attended the North Carolina at Rutgers game on an unofficial visit. He has yet to schedule any official visits and says he has no favorite.

"I want to take some official visits before I say who my favorite is," Aboushi said.

Midwest Notes
• Offensive lineman Matt Couch (Camp Hill, Pa./East Pennsboro) is hoping to land a scholarship offer from a couple Big Ten schools. The 6-foot-2, 265-pound center is hearing from Michigan, Penn State, Stanford, Pitt, Boston College, Vanderbilt, Connecticut and Navy.

Navy has offered a scholarship and hopes others will soon join in.

"A lot will be based on my senior tape," Couch said. "I'll be getting that out pretty soon."

Couch has been invited to games at all of the schools on his list. He attended the Utah at Michigan game and will likely attend a game at Penn State and possibly another Michigan game.

"I talked to Penn State the other night," Couch said. "Right now I'm very interested in Michigan and Penn State. Boston College, Stanford and Connecticut are in there too."

• Notre Dame travels to East Lansing, Mich., this weekend for a big game against Michigan State. The Spartans hope to take advantage on the recruiting front. A good group of prospects is expected to be in attendance including tight end Dion Sims (Orchard Lake, Mich./ St. Mary's). Sims is considering football scholarship offers from: Ohio State, Georgia, Tennessee, Miami, UCLA, Michigan State and Michigan. He has basketball offers from Penn State, Iowa and Kent State, and is leaning towards basketball in college.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Linebacker Glenn Carson (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) made an official visit to Notre Dame last weekend and might be headed to Boston College for an official visit this weekend. Carson has narrowed his long list of scholarship offers down to those two schools as well as Penn State, Virginia and Stanford.

Carson feels an obligation to his team, which has its second game on Friday. For that reason he might not visit Boston College at the end of the week.

"I have to talk to my coach about it [on Wednesday]," Carson said. "It's tough making a visit right after your game. You miss things [on Saturday] when you do that. I want to talk to my coach about that."

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Carson is one of the top inside linebacker prospects on the East Coast. He made close to 100 tackles during his junior season.

The Irish rolled out the red carpet in hopes of landing Carson. The victory over Michigan did not hurt.

"I liked it a lot at Notre Dame," Carson said. "The game was an awesome experience. There is tradition everywhere. The campus is beautiful and the facilities are nice. The education is great."

Carson would not rule out committing to the Irish without taking any additional official visits. However he will likely at least check out Penn State once more before making a decision.

"I think I'll go to the Penn State-Illinois game for an unofficial visit," Carson said. "I've been there a couple times, but I've never been to a game there."

When asked if he has a timetable for selecting a college, Carson said, "I'll decide when I feel ready. I'm not sure right now when that will be."

Midwest Notes
Defensive end Davon Custis (Columbus, Ohio/DeSales) made an unofficial visit to Notre Dame Saturday and came away impressed as the Irish rolled over Michigan. Custis had previously made an official visit to Boston College.

After his visit to Notre Dame, Custis said the Irish are among his top three along with Boston College and Northwestern. Custis will make an official visit to Wisconsin when the Badgers play Ohio State the weekend of Oct. 4. He also plans to schedule official visits to Notre Dame, Northwestern and Stanford. Cincinnati is the other school in the mix and Custis has scholarship offers from all six schools.

Offensive lineman Peter White (Washington, D.C./St. John's) has scholarship offers from Penn State and Illinois and at one time was considering the two Big Ten schools. However he has now narrowed things down to Maryland, Miami, Tennessee, Florida and Oregon. Ron Zook has had great success recruiting the greater D.C. area with 18 prospects from the area currently on the Fighting Illini roster, but he couldn't work his recruiting magic on White.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan have traditionally been the big three among Midwest college football. Over the years they have battled it out on the field but even more on the recruiting front.

For the most part, the recruiting battles between the three are over for the Class of 2009. Ohio State already has 25 class of 2009 verbal commitments, while Michigan and Notre Dame each have more than half of their 2009 classes filled.

However battles are already brewing for a number of Class of 2010 prospects. Two such prospects are linebacker Jamel Turner (Youngstown, Ohio/Ursuline) and safety/linebacker Marvin Robinson (Eagle Lake, Fla./Lake Region).

The 6-foot-2 and 215-pound Turner, who recorded 23 sacks during his sophomore season, recently received scholarship offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, Stanford and Nebraska. He already had offers from Ohio State, Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin and Akron.

Turner is not close to selecting a college and says he has no leader, but it would not be surprising to see his decision come down to Ohio State, Notre Dame or Michigan. Turner plans to attend the Penn State-Ohio State game in Columbus. He also says he will attend a Notre Dame game and possibly a game at Michigan.

"I really didn't have a favorite school growing up," Turner said. "All of this recruiting stuff is new to me."

The 6-foot-2 and 195-pound Robinson has been a varsity starter since his freshman year when he made 35 tackles and had two interceptions. Turner made 45 tackles and intercepted three passes during his sophomore season.

Turner has scholarship offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, Florida, Florida International, Tennessee and Boston College.

"Right now he is interested in Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia," Lake Region Coach Stephen Reynolds said. "But he's warming up to Florida."

Midwest Notes
• Tight end Dion Sims (Orchard Lake, Mich./St. Mary's), one of the top uncommitted Class of 2009 prospects in the Midwest, has scholarship offers from his top five choices for football -- Ohio State, Tennessee, Miami, Georgia and UCLA. He also has offers from Michigan and Michigan State.

Sims has basketball offers from Iowa, Penn State and Kent State. He is looking at those three as well as Illinois, Michigan State, Louisville and Syracuse.

Sims is leaning towards basketball at the next level but has definitely not ruled out football or giving both sports a try. Sims will likely attend the Michigan State-Notre Dame football game.

Sims was injured in St. Mary's first game of the season, sustaining a sprained MCL in his right knee. He has missed St. Mary's last two games, but expects to return to the lineup in the next two or three weeks.

• Class of 2010 defensive end Derrick Bryant (Columbus, Ohio/Brookhaven) recently received a scholarship offer from Illinois. Bryant is one of the top ten juniors in the Buckeye State.

Another Class of 2010 prospect to recently land a scholarship offer is quarterback/athlete Derek Roback (Waverly, Ohio). Roback received a scholarship offer from Ohio University.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

A few lingering 2009 Ohio prospects have still yet to pick a college.

Defensive end Pat Muldoon and linebacker Luke Kuechly, teammates at Cincinnati St. Xavier, are mostly concerned with leading the Bombers to a second straight big-school state championship. The two played a key role in St. Xavier winning all 15 of its games last season. Though they are off to a 2-1 start this season, the Bombers are definitely a threat to repeat as state champions.

While Muldoon and Kuechly are firmly focused on their senior season, they know recruiting is an ongoing process.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Muldoon has narrowed his list of more than three dozen scholarship offers down to four schools: Boston College, Virginia, Wisconsin and Cincinnati. He made an official visit to Boston College last weekend and will make an official visit to Wisconsin the weekend of Oct. 4 when the Badgers host Ohio State. Muldoon says he will likely schedule official visits to Virginia and Cincinnati after the football season.

"It will come down to how well I fit in with the team and the coaching staff," Muldoon said. "I want to feel like I can go to the school for the next four or five years."

Muldoon might see a familiar face when he gets to college. Kuechly is considering two of the same schools.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Kuechly has more than two dozen scholarship offers, including every school in the Big Ten except Ohio State. However Kuechly won't be playing in the Big Ten.

"Most of those schools a really big," Kuechly said. "I'm kind of looking for a smaller school."

Kuechly made an official visit to Boston College with Muldoon last weekend. He says he will probably take an official visit to Stanford and possibly Virginia and Duke.

"Pat and I have talked about going to the same school," Kuechly said. "It would be cool, but we have to make the right decision for ourselves. We'll see what happens. We are both looking at Boston College and Virginia, so it is a possibility. I'm sure we will talk about it before we decide."

Midwest Notes
• Linebacker Will Studlien (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut) has also yet to select a college. An injury has complicated the process. Studlien had an outstanding junior season but injured his left knee in April playing rugby. He had reconstructive surgery and missed the first two games this season. Studlien returned to action last weekend and had an excellent game, making close to 20 tackles.

Studlien landed an early scholarship offer from Illinois but said he has not heard much from the Illini recently. He has offers from Northwestern, Cincinnati and Miami of Ohio.

"I'm going to Northwestern on an unofficial visit this weekend," Studlien said. "I'll probably schedule an official visit to Miami of Ohio and I'll get down to Cincinnati for a game."

• Junior quarterback Mark Myers (Cleveland/St. Ignatius) moved into the starting lineup for the last four games of his sophomore season when Vikings starter Andrew Holland went down with a shoulder injury. Myers did well, throwing for close to 500 yards. With Holland 100 percent healthy for his senior season, Myers has returned to backup status this season.

However, recruiters are still keeping an eye on the 6-foot-4, 195-pounder. The Ohio State coaching staff invited Myers to attend the Buckeyes' first game of the season, which he did. Myers was also invited to a Louisville game but was not able to make it to that one.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Two traditional Midwest powers square off in South Bend this weekend as Michigan travels to Notre Dame. Irish boss Charlie Weis is hoping to take advantage on the recruiting front.

Defensive back E.J. Banks (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour), who committed to the Irish during the summer, will make his official visit to Notre Dame this weekend. He is looking forward to a fun weekend and a great game but also has some work in mind.

"I'm looking forward to the game," Banks said. "It's going to be crazy. But I'm going to be a recruiter too. I'm going to try to get guys to jump on board."

Banks will have a number of targets. A half dozen prospects are expected to make an official visit to Notre Dame this weekend including defensive end Davon Custis (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales).

Custis made an official visit to Boston College last weekend. In addition to Notre Dame this weekend, Custis also has visits set to Wisconsin Oct. 4 and Northwestern and Stanford the first two weekends in December. Indiana rounds out Custis' list of schools of interest.

The Irish have some catching up to do. Custis says Boston College is his leader.

"I'll look for a family atmosphere at Notre Dame," he said. "I'll look at their academics. I'm going to try and get an idea how well I would fit in at Notre Dame."

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Custis has helped DeSales win their first three games of the 2008 season. He is averaging six tackles per game and has two sacks.

Also expected to make official visits to Notre Dame this weekend are RB/DB Nyshier Oliver (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep), tight end Gabe Ikard (Oklahoma City, Okla./McGuinness), linebacker Glenn Carson (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) and defensive lineman Chris Bond (Columbia, S.C./Richland Northeast).

Banks might have some help as he tries to convince others to join him at Notre Dame. Running back Theo Riddick (Somerville, N.J./Immaculata) is scheduled to make his official visit to Notre Dame this weekend and defensive lineman Tyler Stockton (Princeton, N.J./ Hun School) might make his official visit with the Irish this weekend. Both have committed to Notre Dame.

Midwest Notes
• Linebacker Jonathan Davis (Tucker, Ga.) is planning to schedule an official visit to Penn State. According to his father Ty, Jonathan is keeping his options open. He has scholarship offers from: Penn State, Georgia Tech, LSU, South Carolina, Louisville and Clemson, among others, and will definitely consider those schools.

"We know Penn State likes Jonathan," Ty Davis said. "He'll make an official visit there. Penn State is talking about linebacker. Some schools say strong safety or running back."

• A Midwest prospect whose stock is on the rise is defensive back Michael Edwards (Cleveland/Glenville). In his first three games -- all Glenville victories -- Edwards has two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown. He has displayed a hard-hitting style and has proved to be a very sure tackler.

Edwards has seen his scholarship offer total rise to 16. He says from his offer list his favorites are Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Cincinnati and West Virginia. Edwards is also interested in Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State; the Spartans have also offered. Edwards said he might attend the Wisconsin at Michigan game Sept. 27.

• An Ohio Class of 2010 prospect whose stock is on the rise is QB/ATH Spencer Ware (Cincinnati/Princeton). The 5-11, 210-pound Ware threw for 2,200 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 982 yards and 18 touchdowns his sophomore season.

Ware is being recruited as an athlete who could play quarterback, running back, wide receiver or safety in college. He has written scholarship offers from Ohio State, Tennessee, Cincinnati and Duke but says he has no favorites and is not planning to select a college anytime soon.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

The eyes of the college football world will be focused on California this weekend as No. 5 Ohio State travels to No. 1 USC. The winner could have the inside track to the national championship game.

The Trojans and Buckeyes are also battling for recruits. While Buckeyes boss Jim Tressel has already landed 25 verbal commitments, he is not done yet. The Bucks are still in the running for a handful of the country's top prospects and one of them will be a very interested observer Saturday night.

Defensive lineman Corey Adams (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) has narrowed his list of over three dozen scholarship offers down to three schools: USC, Ohio State and Arizona State.

The 6-foot-3, 278-pound Adams, ranked No. 51 in the ESPNU 150, has led his team to two straight state championships and a 27-1 record.

At one time Adams had planned to make an official visit to USC this weekend and see two of his three finalists play in person. However the magnitude of the game necessitated a change of plans.

"The original plan was to go there for an official visit," Adams said. "But [the Trojans] are not taking any official visits this weekend now. They said I could come on an unofficial visit and I could be on the sidelines, but I would have to pay my own transportation."

Adams plans to stay at home and watch the game on television. While he would seem to have a rooting interest, Adams said the outcome of the game won't have any bearing on his college choice.

"I just hope it is a nice and equal game where both teams are battling it out for a win," Adams said. "My decision will be based on my official visits, not who wins the game. I'll take my official visits and weed out my pick."

Adams will likely make official visits to all three schools he is considering.

"None of them are set in stone yet," he said. "I'm pretty sure I'll take all three before the end of the season. Then I'll announce my decision at the Under Armour All-America Game (Jan. 4). Right now all three are equal."

Linebacker Frankie Telfort (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep), the No. 39 prospect in the ESPNU 150, is also considering USC and Ohio State. Telfort has narrowed his long list of scholarship offers down to: USC, Ohio State, Florida, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Stanford.

Telfort was considering an official visit to USC for the big game but was told the same thing as Adams. However, the Trojans staff said if this was the only weekend he could make an official visit to USC he could make the trip but they preferred he come out at another time.

Telfort will speak with USC assistant coach Todd McNair in the next day or two and hopefully decide on a date to visit. Providing the visit does not need to be this weekend, Telfort said he will definitely watch the game on television.

"I won't be rooting for either team," Telfort said. "I'll be watching how each team uses their safeties and linebackers. I'll be looking at their defensive schemes."

Telfort, who said he will likely also make an official visit to Ohio State, will play in the Under Armour All-America Game. He doubts he will announce his college choice at the game and has another idea in mind.

"I'll announce on ESPN," he said. "I think they'll come over to video it."

Midwest Notes
• Offensive lineman John Martinez (Salt Lake City, Utah/Cottonwood) will attend the USC-Ohio State game on an unofficial visit. Martinez and his father will fly to California Saturday and fly home Sunday. Martinez is considering USC, Ohio State, LSU and UCLA, and all but the Buckeyes have offered a scholarship.

• The Ohio State-Michigan game is a long way off and just about all of the recruiting battles between the two are over as far as class of 2009 prospects are concerned. But a big battle is brewing between the two rivals for a standout Class of 2010 prospect. Safety Marvin Robinson (Eagle Lake, Fla./Lake Region) already has written scholarship offers from: Ohio State, Michigan, Florida, Boston College, Tennessee and Florida International.

According to Lake Region coach Stephen Reynolds, Robinson's top three choices in no particular order are Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

Wisconsin Badgers coach Bret Bielema's list of verbal commitments stands at an even dozen, but it may not stay that way for long. Bielema brought in just one prospect on an official visit over the weekend, but it may soon result in Badger verbal commitment No. 13.

A.J. Fenton (Erie, Pa./McDowell) was in Madison for his first and what might be his last official visit.

"I loved it there," Fenton said. "It's my favorite place I've been so far."

Fenton has made unofficial visits to Michigan, Illinois, Pitt and West Virginia, but his trip to Madison had something extra to offer.

"I really liked the city," he said. "It's not a big city, but it's not a small town either. I liked the atmosphere. The stadium was packed and they won... Right now Wisconsin is my top choice."

After a somewhat slow start, the Badgers scored 51 straight points for a 51-14 victory over the Thundering Herd.

The 6-foot-1 and 215-pound Fenton, who rushed for over 1,000 yards during his junior season, is being recruited by the Badgers as a linebacker. In addition to Wisconsin, Fenton also has scholarship offers from Pitt, Iowa and Illinois.

Ending the recruiting process in Madison crossed Fenton's mind.

"I thought about committing, but I decided I didn't want to rush into anything," Fenton said. "I'm supposed to make an official visit to Pitt Sept. 20. I'll probably take that visit, but I'm not sure. We'll see what happens."

Smith postpones official visit to Penn State
Wide receiver and return specialist Devon Smith (Waldorf, Md./ Westlake) was set to make his first official visit to Penn State over the weekend, but Tropical Storm Hanna kept him home.

"The rain from [Tropical Storm] Hanna carried over to Maryland," said Smith. "It was real bad down here. I really wanted to go, but my mom was scared to drive up there in all the rain."

After his game Friday night, Smith, his mother and father were going to drive to State College first thing Saturday morning. The trip will be rescheduled.

"I called coach (Larry) Johnson and told him we wouldn't be coming up, and we would come up for another game," Smith said. "He was OK with that. I'll probably go up for the Temple game or when they play Michigan."

Smith has scholarship offers on the table from Penn State, Temple, Akron and Eastern Michigan. He plans to at least make official visits to Penn State and Temple.

Midwest Notes
• Running back Jaamal Berry (Palmetto, Fla), the top rated running back in the ESPNU 150, committed to Ohio State last weekend while on an unofficial visit. But a couple days after committing to the Buckeyes, reports he would make an unofficial visit to Florida for the Miami game began to circulate. However, Berry did not make the trip to Gainesville Saturday and says he is a Buckeye.

• One of the fastest juniors in the state of Pennsylvania attended the Penn State-Oregon State game over the weekend. Wide receiver Alex Kenney (State College, Pa.), who has run the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, was on hand as the Nittany Lions defeated the Beavers 45-14. Kenney already has a Penn State scholarship offer on the table.

• On Friday, junior defensive end J.T. Moore (Youngstown, Ohio/Boardman) received a written scholarship offer in the mail from Ohio State. Moore is a strong candidate to become the Buckeyes' first class of 2010 commitment.

Posted by Bill Kurelic

The recruiting timeline in the Midwest is far different than it is in the South, and, to a lesser extent, the West. Most of the top prospects in Big Ten country select their college before September arrives, and this year is no exception.

That is why, as the college football season kicks off each year, recruiting fans from the Big Ten region are often just as interested in the top junior prospects as they are the seniors. Monday was the first day written scholarship offers could be sent to juniors.

Offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham) is a strong candidate for the No. 1 Class of 2010 prospect in the Midwest. Recruiters were clamoring over Henderson early in his sophomore season. By the end of the campaign Henderson had helped his team win 13 straight games and a spot in the state championship contest.

Henderson has the entire package. At 6-foot-8 and 310 pounds, he has prototypical offensive tackle size. Henderson can bench press 300 pounds and is athletic, averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game on the Cretin-Derham basketball team his sophomore season. He's also in good shape academically with a 3.0 GPA.

Minnesota coach Tim Brewster has made landing Henderson a priority. He made sure the talented lineman received his scholarship offer very quickly but wasn't alone. By Sept. 3 Henderson had written offers in hand from Minnesota, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Michigan.

The Gophers are far from a lock to land the state of Minnesota's No. 1 class of 2010 prospect.

"Coach Brewster told us he really wants to keep Seantrel at home," said Sean Henderson, Seantrel's father. "He said he is going to do everything he can. I told him he's going to have to try real hard. We are waiting for an offer from USC. That's who we like."

Ohio State, Oklahoma, UCLA, North Carolina, Michigan State, North Carolina and Iowa are just some of the many other schools making their pitch for Henderson. It may not be long until Pete Carroll and the Trojans join in.

Midwest Notes
• Another one of the Midwest's top junior offensive line prospects, Matt James (Cincinnati/St. Xavier), has received written scholarship offers from Ohio State, Tennessee, Illinois, Stanford and Cincinnati. He is expecting Michigan and Duke to soon join in with written offers. James will likely attend games at Ohio State, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Cincinnati over the next two months.

• Wisconsin is home this weekend taking on Marshall while Penn State welcomes in Oregon State, and Bret Bielema and Joe Paterno will each welcome in a prospect on an official visit. Linebacker A.J. Fenton (Erie, Pa./McDowell) will make an official visit to Wisconsin. Fenton has a scholarship offer from the Badgers as well as three other Big Ten schools -- Illinois, Iowa and Indiana. Wide receiver Devon Smith (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) makes an official visit to Penn State. Smith has offers from Penn State, Temple, Akron and Eastern Michigan.

• Michigan travels to South Bend, Ind., the weekend of Sept. 13 to take on Notre Dame, and the Irish are hoping to take advantage on the recruiting front that weekend. At least three prospects are expected on official visits: defensive end Davon Custis (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales), defensive lineman Chris Bonds (Columbia, S.C./Richland Northeast) and already committed DB/QB E.J. Banks (McKees Rock, Pa./Montour).

Posted by Bill Kurelic

If Joe Paterno is slowing down it is not showing. The Nittany Lions are coming off a 66-10 pasting of Coastal Carolina and are set to take on Oregon State in Happy Valley Saturday.

Paterno is also in constant motion on the recruiting front. The legendary coach has 16 verbal commitments and is hoping to pick up at least one more this weekend when he welcomes in wide receiver Devon Smith (Waldorf, Md./ Westlake).

"I really don't think of it as him getting old," Smith said. "He said he will be there as long as he can. He said he's not going anywhere. I take his word for it."

Already with six 2009 commitments from Maryland, Paterno is making a strong effort to land No. 7. The Nittany Lions and Temple have been recruiting Smith the hardest; he also has offers from Akron and Eastern Michigan and is interested in N.C. State, North Carolina and Boston College.

The 5-foot-7, 150-pound Smith was a varsity starter for Greenbelt Roosevelt his freshman and sophomore seasons. He had to sit out his junior season as he transferred to Westlake and will play his first game Friday before leaving for State College Saturday morning.

Defensive end Garry Gilliam (Hershey, Pa./Milton) also says he is not worried about Paterno's age.

"That doesn't matter," Gilliam said. "They haven't mentioned it and I'm not worried about it."

The 6-7, 260-pound Gilliam registered ten sacks during his junior season. He is playing both defensive end and tight end this season and has about ten scholarship offers.

"Penn State, Pitt, Virginia and Connecticut, I'm mostly looking at those four. I'll take official visits after the season, but I haven't scheduled any of them yet."

When Gilliam makes an official visit to Penn State it will mark his third time there.

"I liked it. Penn State is a good school."

Midwest Notes
• Junior quarterback Devin Gardner (Inkster, Mich.) has verbal scholarship offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Toledo. He received his first written offer Tuesday from Nebraska and said he's been promised the others shortly.

• Another junior from Michigan expecting written offers this week is running back Austin White (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson). White has verbal offers from Michigan State and Michigan and expects both schools to follow up with written offers.

• Junior running back Corey Brown (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) received written offers from Pitt, Stanford and Tennessee Tuesday. He expects written offers to come in from Penn State and Ohio State this week.

• Junior linebacker Jordan Hicks (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) said Florida and Stanford faxed written offers to his high school Tuesday. He is expecting written offers this week from Ohio State, Texas, West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana and Cincinnati.