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Middie standout Marshall picks OSU

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12:14 AM Tuesday, January 31, 2012

By Rick Cassano

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — Jalin Marshall’s high-profile recruiting journey has reached a scarlet-and-gray conclusion.

The Middletown High School junior quarterback ended months of speculation Monday by giving a verbal commitment to the Ohio State University football program.

“It’s one of the biggest decisions of my life, and I feel like I made a great choice,” Marshall said. “It’s close to home, and it’s my childhood dream school. When they gave me the opportunity, I kind of knew where I wanted to go.”

He broke the news to the Middletown Journal after basketball practice Monday afternoon, with the Middies set to host rival Hamilton tonight.

Marshall can’t sign with OSU until he’s a senior, but he saw no reason to hold off on his announcement.

“It’s just a relief,” Marshall said. “Why not do it now? I already know where I want to go. I know where my future is, and it’s at Ohio State.”

The 6-foot, 190-pound Marshall made no official visits, but did take several trips to Ohio State. He also visited Notre Dame, Cincinnati and Tennessee, the three schools he listed as his other finalists.

Asked if he would’ve chosen OSU had Urban Meyer not been hired as coach in November, Marshall replied, “Probably. I don’t know if it would’ve been this early.”

Middletown coach Troy Everhart said he’s happy for Marshall and noted that his parents, Angel and Richard, have been role models.

“He’s got great parents who are setting the right example,” Everhart said. “There’s no silliness. We didn’t pull hats out of a bag. We didn’t hold a press conference. He’s one of the few lucky ones who has someone at home who’s paying attention and doing things right. If we had more parents like his, we’d all be better off.”

Marshall, among the top-ranked recruits in the nation for the Class of 2013, went to Columbus last weekend and said he “hit it off” with Meyer.

“He could sell anything,” Marshall said with a smile. “I had a chance to sit down and talk to him a lot. He’s a great person.”

Ohio State’s problems have been well documented in the last year, and the Buckeyes are banned from playing in a bowl next season. Marshall said he considered those issues, but ultimately thought OSU was the best place for him.

“I was just waiting for some of that stuff to pass over, and I just went from there,” Marshall said.

The big question Ohio State fans want answered is this: What position will Marshall play?

He said he’s going to Columbus as a quarterback, but if Meyer decides he needs him somewhere else, so be it.

“I’m at Ohio State for wherever they put me,” Marshall said. “They want me to come up there and throw for them. If they don’t like how I throw the ball, then I can be dangerous as an H-back. He’s going to use me in a lot of different ways.”

And right away, apparently. Marshall said the coaches expect him to be an immediate impact player and have no plans to redshirt him.

Marshall said he’s already developed a close relationship with current OSU quarterback Braxton Miller. And what about the possibility of Marshall and Miller together in the same backfield?

“Hopefully they put me in places he’s not when we’re there together,” Marshall said. “We can do some things when we’re on offense together.”

Everhart believes Marshall can be a good collegiate quarterback if given the chance.

“There’s a lot of guys that might throw a better ball, but I want winners on the field,” Everhart said. “The kid’s a winner.”

Marshall said playing for Meyer at Ohio State is an excellent way to prepare for the next level. And he’s clear about his desire to play in the NFL.

Marshall said he’s contemplating a sports management major at OSU. He wants to be a coach when his playing days are over.

“Now I can relax and work hard for this senior season coming up,” Marshall said. “We want to make more history at Middletown, and I think we’ve got a chance to do that.”

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