Football Recruits To Make Choices
Columbus Dispatch
Friday, January 14, 2005
Tim May
Jim Tressel of Ohio State is coaching a college all-star game Saturday in Florida, but he’ll have one eye on the U.S. Army High School All-American Classic in San Antonio.
During the game, running back Maurice Wells of Jacksonville, Fla., and linebacker Rico McCoy of Washington will be among at least 10 players who are expected to announce their college choice. Wells is expected to choose between Ohio State and Georgia Tech, with a possible late push from Southern California, and McCoy between Ohio State and Tennessee.
Running back Jason Gwaltney of Brooklyn, N.Y., had planned to announce his choice of Ohio State or USC on Saturday but pushed it back to Wednesday.
"It’s been hard for me to concentrate on this game because I’ve been thinking about my decision so much. I’m thinking about it all the time, just like a lot of these other players here," Gwaltney said yesterday.
Does he go to USC, which is coming off its second straight national title but is loaded at running back? Or does he go to Ohio State which, despite being investigated by the NCAA, won the national title in 2002 and has only two scholarship tailbacks returning?
"That’s why I really think Ohio State might be the place I go to, because I know I can come in and have a chance to make an impact," Gwaltney said. "But whatever decision I make, it’s got to be the best for me all around."
If Wells chooses Ohio State, it wouldn’t necessarily dissuade Gwaltney. Wells is a slashing speedster and Gwaltney more of a power back with good speed. Besides, the Buckeyes could use both because they have no true running back in the 2005 class.
They already have two commitments from linebackers, but adding McCoy would be ideal. All three starters from Ohio State’s 33-7 victory over Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl — A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel — will be seniors next season.
The Buckeyes will find out about McCoy and Wells during the all-star game, which will be televised nationally. That’s part of the lure of the game, said recruiting expert Tom Lemming, who was one of the forces behind its creation.
"On one hand, you have most of the nation’s top high-school football players in one game at the same time," he said. "On the other, you have quite a few of these guys announcing where they plan to go to college. For the people out there who care about recruiting, and there are millions of them, it’s a big day."
Like last year when, among others, Ted Ginn Jr. picked Ohio State over USC and Miami, and Adrian Peterson announced he was going to Oklahoma instead of Texas.
"I know for me it’s going to be a big decision, because I like Ohio State, and I like Georgia Tech as well," Wells said.
McCoy had leaned heavily toward Ohio State but leaned back toward Tennessee after making his official visit there. With the Buckeyes trying to gain commitments from probably no more than six prospects before signing day Feb. 2, "what happens Saturday could sew up one-third of those spots," said Bill Kurelic, recruiting expert for OhioState.rivals.com. "And in McCoy and Wells, you’re talking about two of the better players at their positions in the country."
