• Corey Clement officially visits Wisconsin
• Rutgers offer Quincy Wilson
• Shane Beamer and Cornell Brown from Virginia Tech visit Dorian Johnson
• Shawn Elliott from South Carolina visits Donell Stanley. 
• Jalin Marshall carried the ball 10 times for 91 yards and two TD's and completed 7 of 15 passes for 40 yards and a TD in Middletown's win
• Josh Malone had three receptions for 61 yards, an interception, a fumble recovery and an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 41-7 win over Gallatin (Tenn.) High. 
• Cornelius Elder rushed for 296 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-17 win over Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor. 
• Jalen Hurd rushed for 299 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Mt. Juliet (Tenn.) HIgh and helps run his Beech team's record to 5-0. 
• Drew Barker passed for 371 yards and 3 TDs in a come-from-behind win. 
• Joey Bosa made six tackles, but Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas lost 20-10 to Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco
• Darron Lee rushed for four touchdowns including a 58-yarder and threw for two in New Albany's 53 to 33 win over Olentangy Orange
• Tracy Sprinkle made six tackles, had a sack and four quarterback hurries in Elyria's 41-14 win over Strongsville.
• Billy Price had four tackles including a sack in Austintown Fitch's 45-0 win over Barberton
• Vonn Bell, MarQuez North, Todd Kelly, Nick Glass, Demarre Kitt & Josh Malone unofficially visits Tennessee for Florida game 
• Derrick Green officially visits Tennessee 
• Malik McDowell, Caleb Henderson, Jamarco Jones, Damon Webb, Dareian Watkins, Kyle Trout, Nyles Morgan & DeShone Kizer unofficially visits Michigan State for the Notre Dame game
• Cornelius Elder & Laquon Treadwell unofficially visits Ole Miss
• Malik McDowell unofficially visits Michigan for the Massachusetts game
• Sam Mustipher unofficially visits West Virginia for the James Madison game at FedEx Field. 
• Devon Allen uofficially visits UCLA
• Ashton Jackson, Courtney Love, Jae'Sean Tate (basketball), Dominique Booth, Zach Yousey, Thaddeus Snodgrass, & Steven Moss unofficially visits Ohio State for the Cal game
• Tyler Boyd & Dorian Johnson unofficially visits Pittsburgh for the Virginia Tech game
• Taivon Jacobs had two touchdowns, one on a 30-yard reception and the other on a 20-yard rush as Suitland defeated Parkdale 41-0 today.
• Ezekiel Elliott had four rushing touchdowns and another on a punt return in Burroughs' win over Lutheran North
• JT Barrett passed for 206 passing yards and rushed 22 times for 119 rushing yards as Rider defeated Amarillo 26-17

Loyola lineman makes most of 6-7, 295-pound frame (Detroit News)

Detroit -- Greg McDowell sees a bright future for his son, Malik. Most recruiting experts do, too. The difference is Greg McDowell's emphasis is on academics and his son's development as a person, not football.

"Football wasn't my intention when we decided (to attend Loyola)," Greg McDowell said. "My main thing was, he would get the attention he needed for his education. I didn't want him to have all the distractions (with) girls and such; being in a setting where he might think about girls, and not his education."

Greg McDowell can consider that area on track. His son has a 3.3 grade-point average at the all- boys school.

As for football …

Malik, a junior lineman, is one of the top players in his class, and has received scholarship offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oregon, Stanford, Syracuse and Wisconsin. He's a nimble 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds — and nine months short of his 17th birthday, still growing.

Still, Loyola has provided the best of both worlds for father and son.

"I am very proud of my son, dominating the way he does on the field; he's finding his way," Greg said. "He's becoming more engaging as a person."

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Hargis: Vonn Bell one of Vols' visitors (times Free Press)

The competition won't be relegated to the on-field action Saturday at Neyland Stadium when Tennessee hosts SEC East rival Florida. The list of highly touted high school recruits -- the lifeblood of any program's future success -- making official visits to UT this weekend reads like a who's who of the top-rated prospects at every position.

Ridgeland four-star safety Vonn Bell is included.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Bell made an official visit to Alabama last weekend, just after trimming his list of potential colleges to the Crimson Tide, Ohio State and Tennessee. He whittled the list from seven after asking coaches three questions each about their academic program and their plans for how he would fit into their program.

He already has been to all three finalist campuses, so these official visits are designed to help him gauge the game-day atmosphere at each and build relationships with coaches and potential teammates.

"It's all about the people and how comfortable I am around the coaches and other players," said Bell, who is rated among the top five safeties in the nation by 47most recruiting services. "That's the next step in the process for me, is the relationship and the feeling on game day.

"All three are really good programs, so now it's just where I believe I would fit in best. And I don't have any idea when I'll make my decision. I'll just know when the time is right."

Asked what stood out most from his trip to Tuscaloosa last weekend, Bell replied simply, "Coach [Nick] Saban."

Bell said he expects a lot of excitement on the UT campus with ESPN's "College GameDay" set and a fan base hungry for a win over a big rival. Among the numerous prized prospect expected to be at the game with Bell are UT's top three running backs targets -- five-star recruits Derrick Henry, Derrick Green and A.J. Turman -- as well as North Carolina prep star receiver MarQuez North (he has 10 TD catches in two games this season) and four-star junior college receiver Jonathan Rumph.

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Dorian Johnson names top 3, plans visits  (espn insider)

Dorian Johnson (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) had a top three after giving his decommitment to Penn State a month ago.

Now, the 27th-ranked player in the ESPN 150 has a temporary order for those top three.

“Pitt is No. 1, Ohio State is No. 2 and Virginia Tech is No. 3,” said Johnson before his American Family Insurance Selection Tour presentation for the Under Armour All-America Game on Friday. 

He then added: "For right now."

Johnson has been a hot commodity and one Ohio State covets, but the Buckeyes will have to wait in line a bit before getting a chance to wow the 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive tackle.

He'll be traveling to Heinz Field on Saturday for the Pitt-Virginia Tech game on an unofficial visit and then has plans to travel with his mother and aunt for the Ohio State-Nebraska game on Oct. 6 for another unofficial visit.

Johnson is the second-ranked offensive tackle in the country. 

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LB Davonte James: One to Watch for 2014 (the ozone)

Do you remember Michigan’s “Fab Five?” You know, the guys who turned out to be anything other than fabulous? With no championships and laying the foundation for Michigan basketball sanctions, their legacy has been marred.

But they did leave one indelible contribution to the sports world. Since Chris Webber and Jalen Rose first graced the hardwood in Ann Arbor, many groups have been referred to as the Fab Five (or in some cases four) – most recently the United States women’s gymnastics team.

Ohio State also has such a group in the 2014 linebacker recruiting class. What many may someday dub as the ‘Fab Four’ – Raekwon McMillan, Dante Booker, Clifton Garrett and Davonte James – are all linebackers coveted by major college programs.

The-Ozone already had a chance to interview one of the Fab Four in Georgia product Raekwon McMillan, but now another member – Davonte James – took some of his time to answer some questions.

James has been compared to a former Springfield linebacker, Trey DePriest. The 6-3, 220-pound linebacker had 52 tackles and an interception as a sophomore last season at Springfield and many are anticipating a breakout junior season for him this fall.

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Gholson: Barrett delivers big-time final drive (time record news)

Urban Meyer, I hope you were watching.

J.T. Barrett validated his Ohio State credentials with a gutty, refuse-to-lose performance Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

Down 17-14 to Amarillo, the Rider quarterback started a win-or-lose drive 85 yards away with just 4:24 to play.

Fourteen plays later — with just nine ticks left on the clock — Barrett lined up in the single wing and took it in for the final yard and a 26-17 victory.

Barrett, showing unbelievable toughness, ran nine times for 59 yards in the drive and completed three passes for 36 yards.

"That was crazy," the 6-foot-2, 215-pound senior said after running 22 times for 119 yards and throwing for 206 more.

"I made big-time mistakes, and I get down on myself a lot. But my team picked me up and won this. They pushed me along the way."

Sure, he had a lot of help from his friends, and it also didn't hurt that linebacker Brendon Day dropped a sure pick-6 on the first play of the drive.

But Barrett was the star of this show. He just wouldn't let his team lose.

Barrett said the strategy for the winning drive was use all the clock and not give it back to the Sandies, who had an unstoppable running attack with Drake Reid and Josh Woods.

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Barrett a leader at QB, coach says (columbus dispatch)

J.T. Barrett can throw, and J.T. Barrett can run.

But his high-school coach believes that what sets him apart as a prep quarterback in Wichita Falls, Texas — and can do the same at Ohio State — is what’s between his ears.

Last week, Barrett’s Rider High School Raiders went on the road and ended Denton Ryan’s 25-game regular-season winning streak with a 21-15 victory.

Barrett scored the winning touchdown on a 6-yard keeper with four minutes left. Barrett’s numbers last week weren’t extraordinary: He ran for 97 yards and passed for 84.

But Rider coach Jim Garfield said Barrett willed Rider to victory.

“J.T.’s stats are not what you would call superstar stats, but it’s the hidden yards that you really can’t see from statistics,” Garfield said. “He just kept the chains moving. He kept our defense off the field. He made great decisions. He ran the ball well, threw the ball well. I can’t say enough about way he handled the game. His leadership, that’s always been the main selling point to the guys who were recruiting him.”

That includes OSU coach Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator Tom Herman.

Garfield said Barrett is the kind of kid who befriends cafeteria workers and special-needs students as well as teammates.

“He’s a very personable kid,” Garfield said. “He’s got a great sense of humor.”

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QB likely to be running back/receiver (columbus dispatch)

Jalin Marshall lives by a strict code these days: He gets his rest during the week so he can run wild on Friday nights.

Not in the streets, mind you, but on the football field for the Middletown Middies, for whom he is the do-everything quarterback. That explains why Marshall, already committed to Ohio State’s 2013 recruiting class, is in bed by 9:30 almost every other night of the week.

“I just try to keep my body in the best situation,” Marshall said. “If you don’t get your rest, you won’t be able to produce like you need to in practice and the games. So I just try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and get plenty of rest.”

That approach has paid dividends through the first two weeks of the season. Entering last night’s game, Marshall had rushed for 377 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per carry, and scored three touchdowns. He also had passed for 199 yards and four scores.

“I think things are going real well,” Marshall said of his senior season. “We work hard every day on getting our offense right, and I think it’s paying off.”

The quarterback’s stats speak to why OSU coach Urban Meyer and most other college recruiters have pegged the 6-foot, 195-pound Marshall as a versatile running back/receiver — “athlete” is the term used by recruiting services — instead of a quarterback at the next level. Rivals.com ranks him as the No.2 “athlete” in the nation among the 2013 prospects.

Meyer sees Marshall as a playmaking hybrid back who would fit nicely in the Buckeyes’ spread offense.

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Donovan Munger struggling with top five  (espn insider)

Right now, the one thing Donovan Munger (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights) knows is that he doesn’t know.

The ESPN 300 defensive tackle has 30 offers and said after Ohio State’s Friday Night Lights camp that he wanted to have his decision process out of the way by midseason.

As that mark nears next week, the 6-foot-3, 280-pound Munger is having a hard time.

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Mikel Horton makes it back to Ohio State  (espn Insider)

Mikel Horton (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) is no stranger to The Horseshoe. The 2014 running back was at Ohio Stadium once again to take in the Buckeyes’ game against California.

“It was a great experience. The crowd was crazy, and (Ohio State) had a great game,” Horton said.

Horton has already been to Ohio State this season a few times, but he has not heard it as loud as when Devin Smith caught a long touchdown late to keep the Buckeyes among the ranks of the undefeated for at least one more week. 

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De'Niro Laster narrows to a top five  (espn insider)

Shelton Gibson (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) isn’t the only Tiger with his eyes on the Buckeyes.

Athlete De’Niro Laster, who will most likely play wide receiver at the next level though he looks strong at linebacker, broke out his top five on Friday after a 41-21 win over Bedford.

“There could be a decision before the season is over,” Laster said. “Louisville, Pitt, Ohio State, West Virginia and Nebraska are all on the list. 

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Kyle Trout in line for Michigan State offer  (espn insider)

Kyle Trout had a little trouble finding where he was supposed to go on Saturday, but eventually the Lancaster (Ohio) junior offensive tackle made it to Michigan State and it was worth his trouble.

The game did not go as planned for Michigan State in a loss to Notre Dame, but Trout still enjoyed his visit and especially the scene at Spartans Stadium.

“It was extremely loud and energetic. I like how loud stadiums can get,” Trout said. “I liked how even when the fans weren’t cheering -- which wasn’t very often -- the players were keeping themselves up.” 

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MSU shows DeShone Kizer love on visit  (espn insider)

On his first visit to Michigan State, DeShone Kizer (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) fell in love with the campus. On his second visit, it was pretty much the same, except it was the atmosphere and fans that made the biggest impression.

The 2014 dual-threat quarterback already holds eight offers, and it might not be long before Michigan State becomes team No. 9 and makes Kizer only the second quarterback the Spartans have offered in the 2014 class.

“They said they’re going to meet up the next couple games and come see me play and that I’m high up on their list and want me to be a Spartan,” Kizer said. “I feel great vibes from the coaches and the relationships are there.” 

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WR Gibson at OSU, plans three more trips  (espn insider)

Shelton Gibson (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) isn’t hiding his love for Ohio State.

After saying the Buckeyes were his top school at the beginning of the month, the ESPN 300 wide receiver showed he’s serious with his itinerary for the upcoming months.

Gibson didn’t catch Ohio State’s 35-28 win over Cal on Saturday, but was in Columbus shortly afterward and spent time with former teammate Kyle Dodson. 

He took in Sunday's OSU practice and will do the same thing next week when the Buckeyes play UAB.

"I want to check out the practice, see how the pace is and everything," Gibson said. "I want to talk to Coach [Urban] Meyer, talk to Coach [Zach] Smith and talk to Coach [Stan] Drayton for a bit and then get back on the road."

Gibson plans to attend the Ohio State-Nebraska game on an unofficial visit with his official visit tentatively set for the Michigan game on Nov. 24. 

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Dominique Booth gets red carpet treatment  (espn insider)

With one of the biggest wide receivers in the 2014 class on hand, it was only fitting that a wideout came up with the play of the game to lift Ohio State over Cal 35-28.

Dominique Booth (Indianapolis/Pike) was in Columbus on Saturday for an unofficial visit and saw Braxton Miller hook up with Devin Smith on a 72-yard touchdown pass with 3:26 left in front of 105,232 in Ohio Stadium.

“It was great,” Booth said. “The whole time I was watching how the wide receivers played. I saw the DB come up and I knew it was going to be a touchdown. Everybody in the whole stadium knew that was the game right there. It was loud.” 

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Snodgrass, Rogers amped after OSU visit  (espn insider)

Thaddeus Snodgrass (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield) and Devon Rogers (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) picked a great day to make some memories.

The duo out of the 2014 recruiting class were on hand for Ohio State’s game against Cal and watched the Buckeyes hang on for a thrilling 35-28 win at The Horseshoe.

“It was a lot of fun,” Rogers, a safety, said. “I talked to the coaches before and after. The experience was just great. Everybody should get to experience that. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.” 

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