There is already a significant amount of pressure on a star football player to make the correct decision in choosing a scholarship offer from the handful of colleges he visits.
St. Rita coach Todd Wernet feels that some colleges magnify that decision-making process by making the athlete feel that he had better make a verbal commitment now, or gamble that it will still be there later. The signing date is not until Feb. 6, even though the verbal commitments are starting to grow.
”Sometimes these kids are pressured into making commitments before they make their visits,” said Wernet. ”From Dec. 1 on, they are pressured, even though some of their visits are not scheduled until January. Some of these kids know that they want a scholarship, and after they take one of two visits, they start getting pressure from the school that it won`t be there (if they wait). The signing date isn`t for another seven weeks, and it seems like some places want everything done by Christmas.”
On Thursday, St. Rita`s prize recruit, All-State defensive back Tracy Graham, committed to Notre Dame and teammate Tom Dennis, a lineman, committed to Wisconsin.
Wernet said he was ”a little disappointed” to hear that the two had committed. He was under the impression that both Graham and Dennis would make their decisions last month.
Plus, the schools involved didn`t contact Wernet.
”I don`t begrudge their choices,” Wernet said of Graham and Dennis.
”It`s just the way it was done.” He added: ”It`s just like buying a car at eight at night. You take a ride around the block and you want to buy it.
”I think it really makes a farce out of the whole recruiting process. They put kids in compromising positions.”
– Veteran Evanston football coach John Riehle said that one of the biggest changes in coaching from his early days at Austin is the ever-growing recruitment process.
”From a coach`s perspective, people don`t have a clue as to the time we spend on it,” Riehle said. ”Rarely is there a night when you don`t get three or four phone calls, and then you get calls in school.
”I`m not complaining. To me, there`s no question that the hardest part of our jobs is to help place our kids. We try to get all kids some exposure. The recruiting is becoming heavier and heavier. The coaches are leaving no stone unturned.”
Evanston`s No. 1 recruit is 6-4, 240-pound lineman Reggie Fleurima, who has visited Notre Dame, Illinois and North Carolina, and will still visit UCLA and Tennessee. Notre Dame leads, but is no sure lock.
– Morgan Park lineman Trezelle Jenkins, who admitted early last week that he was ”all visited out” announced Thursday that he would attend Michigan. The reason was very simple. ”My family and friends can see me on TV,” Jenkins said.
– Rich East quarterback Jason Stanicek cancelled a trip to Nebraska this week before making an oral commitment to North Carolina. Stanicek chose North Carolina over Iowa, Virginia and Arizona State.
Stanicek, who set a state record when he passed for 529 yards in his final game, said he wanted to play for a school that would offer him playing time as a freshman. North Carolina was the choice.
”It`s a nice campus and the quarterback situation is good down there,”
Stanicek said.
– Chicago Vocational tackle Greg Wilkins has visited Colorado and Notre Dame and has scheduled a visit to Oklahoma. His other choice is Illinois.
– Thornwood kicker Brett Larsen has visited Illinois and has visits scheduled to Arizona State, Colorado State and Wisconsin.
– Hinsdale Central linebacker Tyler Quast has been to Kansas and will visit Memphis State, UNLV and North Carolina.
– Libertyville`s Matt Christensen, a 6-4, 225-pound linebacker, has planned visits to Ohio State, Michigan State, Purdue, Colorado and Arizona. Academically, Christensen is sound. When pressed, he admits he is leaning toward Ohio State because of its tradition.
– At Mt. Carmel, which has won three straight state titles, coach Frank Lenti said 6-foot-3, 260-pound tackle Charles Edwards has scheduled visits to Kentucky, Oklahoma and Illinois. Running back Bobby Sanders will visit Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Louisville and Iowa State. Tight end Bryon Koepke is considering Iowa State and Northern Illinois. Linebacker Jeremy Nau has visited Wisconsin and is considering Illinois, Notre Dame, and Michigan.
– North Chicago quarterback Johnny Johnson committed to Illinois earlier this week after visiting the school last weekend. He had visited Wisconsin and was scheduled to visit UNLV, Minnesota and Louisville.
– Shepard running back Tyrone Washington will visit Wyoming on Dec. 18.
– Oak Park defensive back Dan Bonner has set up visits to UNLV, Miami of Ohio, Illinois and Memphis State. His brother Spencer, also a defensive back, has visited Kentucky and plans to visit Minnesota, Illinois, UNLV and Northern Illinois. Oak Park lineman Aaron Johnson also has visited Kentucky and plans to travel to Wisconsin this weekend and then Illinois, UCLA and Tennessee sometime in January.
– Todd Jesewitz, a tight end for Fenwick, is scheduled to visit Northern Illinois and Minnesota.
– Jeff Riney, a 6-5, 241-pound lineman for Sterling Newman Catholic, has visited Indiana and plans to visit Louisville, Northwestern and Iowa. Riney scored a 29 on the ACT and has a 3.5 grade point average.
– Geneseo linebacker Brad Diericx has visits planned with Northwestern and Illinois State. Colorado State has shown late interest in Diericx. Teammate Shawn Wehrspann, a defensive back, has been offered a scholarship from the film school at Eastern Illinois, but he turned it down. Wehrspann has visits planned to Northern Iowa and Illinois State, with the latter school in lead. Coach Vic Boblett said both players, who have qualified academically, are
”real excited about the possibility of getting their education paid for. They both will have academics play a big factor in their decision.”
– Scott Green, a 6-4, 230-pound defensive end for Stanford Olympia, will visit Iowa State, Northwestern, Purdue, Louisville and Arkansas. All five already have offered Green scholarships.
– Bishop McNamara linebacker Jay Fanning will visit Colorado State, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville and either Kansas, Northern Illinois or UNLV.
– Stevenson linebacker Mark Robich`s visits are Louisville, Miami of Ohio, Southern Methodist, Wisconsin and probably Arizona, Colorado State or UNLV.
– Sandburg quarterback Brian Goehl has his official visits down to Northwestern Purdue, Western Michigan and Ball State.
– Justin Kovarsky, a lineman for Carmel, will visit Northwestern. Carmel linebacker Jim Maciag will visit Purdue, Northwestern and Illinois State. He is leaning toward Northwestern.
– Conant wide receiver Vaurice Patterson has trips planned to Wyoming and Iowa State.
– Elgin defensive back Charles Stafford will visit Michigan State, Iowa, Iowa State and Minnesota. Northwestern has made an offer to Elgin linebacker Paul Pennington.
– Barrington linebacker Brady Smith will visit Colorado State, Purdue, Memphis State, Illinois State and Eastern Michigan.
