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Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Fun and games for Alter’s Boucher brothers
KETTERING — The game was called Interception. But a neighbor of Austin and Collin Boucher, who were about eight-years old at the time, thought an intervention might be more appropriate.
“It was a lot of one-on-one football in the backyard,” their father Richard Boucher said of the game pitting a receiver against a defender with Richard serving as the quarterback. “It was one-on-one all the way down the field until you scored, then you turned around and started over again. … I might have thrown it a little hard sometimes. One of my neighbors heard me say, ‘You have to sacrifice your body.’ He’ll never let me forget that because they were only about eight-years old. ”
Collin remembers the game well.
“We’d be falling, getting hit in the face, diving for them. My dad ran me into a fence face first one time. I dropped the ball and lost the game. It was fun,” Collin said. “One of our neighbors asked if he was trying to hurt his kids. I guess it made us more athletic, tougher. It was all in good fun. I’d like to give a little credit to him for making us better football players.”
Miami University said thank you on Wednesday, Feb. 4, too. Austin and Collin both signed national letters of intent to play for the RedHawks next season. Austin will challenge for time at quarterback and Collin at linebacker. Now that he’s a Division I quarterback, how did his dad do in those outings?
“For a back-yard quarterback I think he did just fine,” Austin said. “We’ve probably played (Interception) since I knew what a football was. We always played tackle and it was always physical. … I think I won 90 percent of the time.”
High Five
Five Knights signed scholarships Wednesday. Chris Borland (Wisconsin), Evan Neff (Ball State) and Max Plunkett (Kent State) joined the Bouchers. In addition, Danny Jasper has been invited to Ohio State asa preferred walk-on at kicker and receiver. Scott Anderson, Justin Hall and Philip Sower are undecided.
They said it
• “Definitely beating Coldwater and the state title is more rewarding (than signing today), especially for the whole team.” — center Evan Neff (Ball State).
• “I told Richard I feel like the hand of God just reached down. Two weeks before we found out about Miami, Collin was going to Southern Illinois and Austin was going to Toledo. I made peace with that. In my heart I felt one of them would transfer within the year. Then this whole Miami thing came out of midair.” — Lisa Boucher, mother of Austin and Collin.
• “He better find a girl at Wisconsin to do that for him.” Alter coach Ed Domsitz after seeing linebacker Chris Borland getting help tying his tie.
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Signing Day notebook: From Y-town to U.S. Air Force Academy to Missouri to Vanderbilt
CJ’S KURT HESS SIGNS WITH
YOUNGSTOWN STATE, WHERE
RON ‘JAWS’ JAWORSKI BECAME
AN IMMORTAL PENGUINS STAR
YOU CAN WIN I-AA NATIONAL TITLES
AND GET TO NFL FROM YOUNGSTOWN
Kurt Hess threw for 42 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards during his Chaminade Julienne High School career.
Pretty soon, he’ll be moving on to Youngstown State. The 6-foot-3 quarterback signed his national letter of intent with the Penguins on Wednesday, Feb. 4.
“Kurt’s big and strong, can sit in the pocket, make throws and manage the game,” CJ coach Andy Helms said. “He’s such a bright kid. It’s hard to have that overshadowed by his competitiveness.
“He’s going to get you in the right play and find the open guy. When things break down, he’s able to extend the play and be incredibly accurate with the ball.”
More than football
Wayne defensive back Javon Marshall chose Vanderbilt for its academics and football.
“Football doesn’t last forever,” he said. “I wanted the opportunity to go to a school where I could get a great job after college.”
Marshall plans to major in international business and help the Commodores to an SEC title.
“The competition in the SEC is ridiculous,” he said. “I believe it’s the best conference for football.. I’m going to love the competition. I want to bring the same attitude I have at Wayne. I want to step up and be a leader at a young age.”
Double trouble
Northmont’s Mark Mays and Wayne’s Erique Geiger will compete at the same position for Bowling Green — tailback.
“Hopefully, with my speed, I can get out there early, show what I can do and make a big impact,” Mays said.
Added Geiger: “I’m definitely going to bring something they don’t have right now — a compact back with speed; a balanced back. Hey, it’s all about the competition.”
The bodyguard
Missouri is nicknamed “The Show-Me State,” and Trotwood-Madison’s massive Chris Freeman plans to show he belongs at left offensive tackle.
“You’re the bodyguard, protecting the quarterback’s blind side,” Freeman said. “So you’ve got to be big and be able to move. You’ve got to be quick and have good feet.”
Freeman loves the trenches.
“That’s where you get down and get dirty,” he said. “That’s where all the fun is. I love it, man.”
Trench warfare
Adam Replogle, Centerville’s Indiana-bound star, is a leverage machine. With his strength and low center of gravity, he’s an ideal 6-foot-3 defensive tackle.
Playing center on the Elks’ basketball team has him in great shape.
“Basketball is more agility and footwork, so it really helps me out,” Replogle said. “Defensive tackle is all about speed, strength and agility. I’m going to work hard on that in the spring and summer, and hopefully get some time on the field.”
Mr. Versatility
Jake Feldmeyer looks to play on the interior of Illinois’ offensive line. He can play both guard spots and the Illini coaches may move him to center.
“I’ll bring the Centerville attitude — work hard and do whatever you can for the team,” Feldmeyer said. “The (Illinois) coaches are great guys and hungry to win.”
Perfect combination
Serving his country and playing football attracted Wayne defensive end Anthony Pyle to the U.S. Air Force Academy.
“I like the way they play; the intensity they bring,” Pyle said. “It’s a bunch of guys who fly around the ball. None of them are the fastest guys or the biggest guys. They’re always undersized. But, man, they play hard.”
First things first for Pyle.
“I’m going to the (USAF) Prep School first,” he said, “so I’ll have some time to put on a little weight and get myself ready for the Academy.”
A Buffalo Bull
Springfield offensive tackle Jeremy Johnson is ready to follow the “Pied Piper” — Buffalo Bulls coach Turner Gill.
“When I went there on a visit, he made you feel like you’re at home,” Johnson said. “He’s just a wonderful guy.”
Contact Chick Ludwig at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com
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Former Ohio State coach John Cooper helped develop Buckeyes as ‘Cornerback U’
OSU’S LEGACY OF CORNERBACKS
LURES BARNETT TO COLUMBUS
Northmont High School senior C.J. Barnett didn’t envision wearing Scarlet and Gray when the recruiting process began.
“I wanted to go down South, where it was warmer,” he said.
But a closer inspection of Ohio State history — especially its ability to crank out NFL cornerbacks — and a promise from a friend changed his mind.
Barnett, one of the nation’s top cornerback prospects, signed his national letter of intent with Ohio State on Wednesday, Feb. 4, joining a dozen other Greater Western Ohio Conference stars in a ceremony on National Signing Day at the Huber Heights Athletic Foundation Center.
“When I first started playing corner my sophomore year, I didn’t know how,” said Barnett, a 6-foot-1, 187-pound first-team All-Ohio Division I performer in 2008. “I got a DVD that taught me how to play.”
The instructor: Former Ohio State head coach John Cooper.
“He spoke about all their DBs who had a chance to go to the next level,” Barnett said. “I figured if I can do what I need to and be a starter, then I have a good chance. After looking at Ohio State and seeing what they have to offer, that’s the best choice for me.”
Kurt Coleman, the Buckeyes’ starting strong safety from Northmont, decided to return to Ohio State in 2009 and not make himself eligible for the NFL draft in April. He urged Barnett to join him in Columbus.
“Kurt told me, ‘If you come, I’ll stay and show you the ropes,’ ” Barnett said. “I said, ‘All right. I’ll hold you to that.’ He held true to his word.”
The powerful GWOC is sending two other players to the Big Ten in the Centerville duo of defensive tackle Adam Replogle (Indiana) and center-guard Jake Feldmeyer (Illinois); plus six to the Mid-American Conference; and one each to the SEC, Big 12, Mountain West and Ohio Valley.
Headed to the MAC are Bowling Green tailbacks Mark Mays (Northmont) and Erique Geiger (Wayne), Miami linebacker Austin Moore (Springfield), Kent State linebacker Danny Gress (Northmont), Akron cornerback Jordan Houser (Fairborn); and Buffalo offensive tackle Jeremy Johnson (Springfield).
Wayne spread its wealth of talent beyond Ohio’s borders by sending defensive back Javon Marshall to Vanderbilt of the SEC and defensive end Anthony Pyle to the U.S. Air Force Academy of the Mountain West.
Trotwood-Madison left offensive tackle Chris Freeman pledged his allegiance to Missouri of the Big 12, while Springboro defensive end Eric Damian signed with Morehead State of the OVC.
“The great experiences these players are having today just puts an exclamation point on our league and what our league’s all about, when you have this many guys going Division I,” Wayne football coach and athletic director Jay Minton said.
“It’s neat to see these guys come together. They compete so hard throughout their careers for their own schools. Now they represent our league and each other. When they go off to college, they’re taking not only their own schools and their own reputations with them, but the reputation of this league. Everything is positive about this.”
OHIO STATE CORNERBACKS
CURRENTLY IN THE NFL
(Years lettered at OSU)
• Donte Whitner, Buffalo (2003-05)
• Ashton Youboty, Buffalo (2003-05)
• Dustin Fox, Buffalo (2001-2004)
• Chris Gamble, Carolina (2001-03)
• Antoine Winfield, Minnesota (1995-98)
• Nate Clements, San Francisco (1998-2000)
• Shawn Springs, Washington (1994-96)
• Note — Ahmad Plummer, SF’s first-round draft pick in 2000 (24th overall), spent 6 seasons with the 49ers before retiring on June 16, 2006.
IN JOHN COOPER’S WORDS
“We’ve had a bunch of corners go to the next level. Some of them played who are no longer in the league like Ahmad Plummer. He was a No. 1 pick who’s not in the league anymore. Of course you’ve got Antoine Winfield, Shawn Springs and Nate Clements. There’s a ton of ‘em.
“Two things we did. We started nationwide recruiting and we kept these kids here 12 months a year and worked them out. When you go nationwide recruiting, you’ve got to … I used to tell people: ‘You’ve got to sell John Brown what John Brown buys. You’ve got to see things through John Brown’s eyes.’
“In other words, these guys all want to win football games. They want to get an education. And — these academic people at the university don’t want to hear this stuff — but thease guys all want to play on Sunday. If they’re good enough, they want to play in the NFL.
“I told ‘em: ‘If yiou want to play in the NFL, come to ohio state. We’re going to run a pro offense. We’re going to run a pro defense. You come here and we’ll get you ready to play in the National Football League.
“We played a lot of man coverage on defense. We played a lot of bump and run — basically the same coverages you see in the NFL. Man, Cover-2, Cover-3. And we haad a ton of great wide receivers — probably as many good wide receivers as defensive backs. Terry Glenn and David Boston and Joey Galloway.
“These guys went against each other every day in practice. Saturday was a picnic for them. If you’re out there covering Joey Galloway every day in practice like Shawn Springs was, on Saturday afternoon you’re not going to face Galloway.
“And then once you start getting guys going — just like the kid you’re talking about (Northmont’s C.J. Barnett) — he wants to come to Ohio State because of the great legacy we’ve had with corners — it sort of snowballs.”
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Alter signing day update: Good Knights!
KETTERING — Signing day just wrapped up at Alter High School without any surprises. Chris Borland (Wisconsin), Austin Boucher (Miami), Collin Boucher (Miami), Evan Neff (Ball State) and Max Plunkett (Kent State) all inked their national letters-of-intent in front of friends, family and fellow students today, Feb. 4.
Alter coach Ed Domsitz doesn’t remember a bigger class going D-I, and more could be coming. Danny Jasper has been invited to be a preferred walk-on at Ohio State, and Scott Anderson and Justin Hall are still deciding.
Signing day caps off a dream season for the Knights, who won the D-IV state title in December.
“I know what people out there say. They look at a D-IV team and say if you have five D-I players you darn well ought to win the state title,” Alter coach Ed Domsitz said. “You have the five, but it took all the rest of the kids. The non-D-I players and the kids who are just great high school players had a tremendous season for us.”
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GWOC signing day: When dreams come true
GWOC CELEBRATES
‘BAKER’S DOZEN’
HEADED TO COLLEGE
FOOTBALL BIG TIME
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009, is a day every kid dreams about.
It’s national signing day, when high school athletes sign national letters of intent with colleges.
Thirteen football players from the Greater Western Ohio Conference in suburban Dayton, Ohio, signed their national letters at a 1 p.m. news conference at the Huber Heights Athletic Foundation Center.
“The great, positive experiences they’re having today just puts an exclamation point on our league and what our league’s all about — when you have this many guys going Division I,” Wayne head football coach and athletic director Jay Minton said.
“It’s neat to see these guys come together,” Minton added. “They compete so hard throughout their careers for their own schools. And then to come together and now represent our league and each other. When they go off to college, now they’re taking not only their own schools and their own reputations with them, but the reputation of this league.
“This is a great way to meet a lot of great players. Everything is positive about this. There’s not one thing negative.”
Here’s “The List”
Javon Marshall-DB-Wayne-Vanderbilt
Erique Geiger-TB-Wayne-Bowling Green
Anthony Pyle-DE-Wayne-U.S. Air Force Academy
Jeremy Johnson-OT-Springfield-Buffalo
Austin Moore-TB-Springfield-Miami of Ohio
Danny Gress-LB-Northmont-Kent State
C.J. Barnett-CB-Northmont-Ohio State
Mark Mays-RB-Northmont-Bowling Green
Adam Replogle-DT-Centerville-Indiana
Jake Feldmeyer-OL-Centerville-Illinois
Jordan Houser-CB-Fairborn-Akron
Chris Freeman-OT-Trotwood-Madison-Missouri
Eric Damian-DE-Springboro-Morehead State
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