Myles Autry texted me and has tweeted himself that he does not have a top 3. I was suspicious because in OZ interview, was high on OSU & GT.

— Michael Chung (@MChungOZone) November 15, 2012

• Michigan State offers DeShone Kizer
• Demarre Kitt has a Top 3 of Clemson, USC & Ohio State in order. Georgia seems to be out of the running. Hopefully Nick Glass will decommit and follow Kitt to Ohio State.

Rivals$--Watkins set for ND visit '14 OH ATH Dareian Watkins

• Dareian is excited to visit ND and also says he enjoyed his conversation with Coach Meyer last week. He plans an early commitment.

Scout $ - Elder's Ready for First Official '13 TN ATH Cornelius Elder

• By Simmons.....First official is to UCLA this weekend. Will take an official to Ohio State in December, but doesn't have a date yet.

Glass not completely full with Georgia (Go Upstate)

Junior DB Nick Glass of Atlanta has been a Georgia commitment since early April but continues to consider other options despite being what he calls "95%" committed to the Bulldogs. "It's still Georgia but a lot can happen in a year and a half," Glass said. 'I'm still committed but I'm looking at all options." Glass has been to Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and Georgia this season and might go back to Georgia this Saturday. He is going to Ohio State for the Michigan game. "I'm looking hard at Clemson and Ohio State," he said. "You could say they are tied for second. I'm also looking at UCLA and Alabama." Glass said he talked with Clemson recruiters Marion Hobby and Charlie Harbison on Tuesday for about 20 minutes. "They need real good defensive backs and I like the overall plan they are putting together," said Glass who has visited Clemson three times for a junior day, a camp and a visit. USC recruiter Lorenzo Ward stopped by the school a couple of weeks ago to check on Glass but he's not interested in the Gamecocks. This season Glass has 48 tackles and 2 interceptions.

Prestonwood’s Mike Mitchell a finalist for national player of the year (dallas News)

Plano Prestonwood linebacker Mike Mitchell was named one of 16 finalists for the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award today.

Mitchell, ranked the No. 32  recruit in the nation by Rivals, is the only Texan to make the final 16. He is currently uncommitted.

The Player of the Year will be announced on Jan. 4.

Mitchell lead Prestonwood to a 7-3 record this season. It will play Tomball Concordia Lutheran in the first round of the TAPPS Division I playoffs on Friday.

Receivers wait it out as National Signing Day creeps up (sports illustrated)

In this week's edition of the Recruiting Roundup, Mike Farrell discusses why so many receivers remain uncommitted, whether Reuben Foster will play for the school tattooed on his arm, and what Leon McQuay may be thinking as an early enrolee.

What's with wide receivers this year? Major recruits such as Laquon Treadwell, Marquez North, Robert Foster, Stacy Coley, Shelton Gibson, Tyler Boyd, Jordan Cunningham, James Quick, Taj Williams and Devon Allen are all uncommitted.

It should make for an interesting finish for many of them, especially Quick, who has a top two of Louisville and Ohio State. With Charlie Strong the top target of some big programs and the Big East an afterthought in the new non-BCS playoff system, will Quick remain interested in Louisville if Strong leaves or will he head to Ohio State? Or will Quick follow Strong to Arkansas or wherever he ends up if he decides to leave?

Treadwell's saga has been fascinating since his leaders frequently switch. The latest info has Notre Dame and Florida rising and Michigan falling.

North is a tough read as well with so many schools still in play. He's looking at Oregon now and also likes Clemson, Tennessee, Florida,Ohio State and North Carolina. With so many early commitments out there this year, thank goodness for the wideouts.

cont...

Vikings Lewis presented with Extra Effort Award (daily southerner)

TARBORO — Tarboro Vikings five star defensive end and Ohio State commit Tyquan Lewis was presented with the WRAL Extra Effort Award Wednesday. The presentation was a surprise to Lewis, because the coaching staff and his mother, Tyronda Whitaker, knew about the award but didn't let Lewis in on the news until he was called to Vikings head coach Jeff Craddock's office and was introduced to Tom Suiter, WRAL sports anchor. The show will air Thursday at 6 p.m.

"It means a lot to me to receive this award," Lewis said. "It shows how much things are paying off for me and how people acknowledge me for my hard work as a football player and a student."

The news put a big smile on Lewis' face when he was told about being the recipient of the award. Suiter had Lewis filmed in several segments and finally presented Lewis with the award on the Vikings football practice field in front of the entire team.

"I didn't know what to expect when I walked in coach's office and saw him (Suiter) here," Lewis said. "It hit me when I thought about him passing out the extra effort award."

Lewis was presented the award for all of his hard work on and off the field. Lewis has a 3.8 GPA in the classroom and will graduate after the first semester.

Lewis has set the bar high for himself once he arrives at Ohio State. He will enroll in the university during the second semester, because he will be done with high school in December. He wants to graduate from college in a little over three years.

"I want to get my degree and just be successful in life," Lewis said. "If God gives me the opportunity to go to the next level then I will continue to strive for greatness."

Lewis made his big college announcement in September, that he had chose Ohio State and said that is where he will carry his talents to play college football.

Lewis had over 20 Division I schools recruiting him when he made his announcement. He had narrowed his list down to five but pegged the Buckeyes.

cont...

Myles Autry (Norcross, Ga./Norcross) didn’t waste much time in naming his top three as interest continues to mount for the ESPN Watch List junior.

With offers from Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Syracuse, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, the 6-foot, 175-pound running back could have waited before trimming his list.

He had Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Maryland, Oklahoma and Oregon showing interest as well.

cont...

As the Oregon Ducks try to piece together a huge recruiting weekend, one of the rumored visitors was LB Mike Mitchell of Plano (Texas) Prestonwood Christian Academy. The No. 121 player in the ESPN 150 has the Ducks among his top four schools, along with Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. The Ducks currently trail favorite Ohio State, as well as the Sooners and the Aggies, and seem like a long shot. By Mitchell's own admission, the Ducks are running fourth, but mostly due to the fact that he knows less about them than his other finalists.

Mitchell was rumored to be heading to Oregon for an official visit this weekend. But like so many other potential visitors, Mitchell is focused on the playoffs and will not make the trip to Eugene according to his father, Ken.

"I'm not sure where that rumor came from really. He is only focused on football right now. During the football season it's really just school work and football for Mike," Ken Mitchell said. "I believe he has been in contact with Oregon but he will not be visiting there this weekend or any other weekend until his season is over."

cont...

Any time Dublin (Ohio) Scioto’s William Houston needs to find a little extra during Ohio State’s August two-a-days, the 5-foot-11, 231-pound fullback will look to his left biceps.

That’s where a tattoo with the word “earned” rests and that’s exactly what Houston will be doing as a preferred walk-on for the Buckeyes in the fall.

“I got it the end of my sophomore year,” Houston said. “Until now, it really never had a meaning, but now this is going to push me to prove I deserve a spot on the big stage and deserve a scholarship.”

cont...

Jalen Tabor will visit Maryland this weekend for the Florida State game, the ESPN Watch List safety said on Thursday.

cont...

This is UCLA's best chance to wow Cornelius "Corn" Elder.

The ESPN 300 tailback from Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth will visit Los Angeles to see the Bruins play Southern California on Saturday. The official visit might be the last Elder will be able to take out West.

"I just wanna see the campus, meet the coaching staff and see the atmosphere," the ESPN 300 running back stated via text message.

cont...

Junior Noah Brown (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII) has spent the season split between receiver and running back, but he’s excelled at both, registering 21 touchdowns and 1,300 yards from scrimmage.

“I think I had a pretty productive junior season,” said Brown, who helped his team to a league championship and a No. 3 seed in the playoffs.

The playoffs begin this weekend, but there is a built-in bye the second week of the playoffs in New Jersey, as several programs play an annual rivalry game on Thanksgiving. Pope John XXIII is one of the schools that does not play on Thanksgiving, however, and that has afforded Brown the opportunity to make his first gameday visit.

cont...

Demetrius Knox (Fort Worth, Texas/All Saints) is ready to make his decision.

The ESPN Watch List 2014 offensive tackle is planning to announce his choice on Nov. 26 at a ceremony at his school.

"I was talking it over with my coach and he said we should just go ahead and get this whole thing over with," Knox said. "I'm kind of tired of talking to other coaches and all that stuff. I just want everybody to know where I'm going."

cont...

Gareon Conley next Urban Meyer flip? (espn)

In the recruiting world, they call it flipping when one school has a recruit under its wing but by signing day that athlete commits to a different university.

As the days dwindle until national signing day, attention has turned to which players Urban Meyer and Co. might roll their way in an all-important 2013 recruiting class for Ohio State.

Some look at Tony Stevens (Orlando, Fla./Evans) or Trey Johnson (Lawrenceville, Ga./Central Gwinnett). However, if odds were set, the most likely candidate is one most fans already know about.

Gareon Conley (Massillon, Ohio/Washington) has made it no secret that he wants to take visits -- whether official or unofficial -- before giving Michigan his signature.

A longtime Wolverine pledge, the cornerback has said he chose Michigan because no other big-name schools were really after him.

The Wolverines were the only visit Conley took, but now that he has interest from schools including Oregon and Ohio State he wants to see what they’re all about, even if that means he is no longer committed to Michigan.

The Ducks have shown strong interest, while Ohio State has extended an offer.

The offer from the Buckeyes is for him to play as an athlete, just like former Buckeye and two-way standout Chris Gamble. While Conley has gone on record as saying Oregon is his favorite school, for him it's really about making the best choice forself.

cont...

Basketball

Area standouts: Loving to OSU; Donnal to UM; Brown, Hayes pick Wisconsin (toledo blade)

Marc Loving woke up Wednesday morning with the same frame of mind as he would typically have on any other Wednesday.

The St. John’s Jesuit senior got dressed and showed up at school ready for another full day of classes followed by basketball practice.

The fact that it was national signing day for high school basketball players across the country didn’t cause the normally even-keeled 6-foot-8 teen with a silky smooth jumpshot to deviate from his usually calm demeanor.

Loving made it official that he will attend Ohio State next fall by signing a National Letter of Intent. He averaged 22.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists as a junior.

“I wasn’t nervous but I will say that my parents were definitely more excited than I was,” said Loving, who completed the paperwork before family, friends, and media on hand at St. John’s for the special moment. “I can’t say that I get excited over a lot of stuff, but this was a pretty exciting moment.”

Loving had known since the summer between his freshman and sophomore years of his college plans. He verbally committed to Ohio State and Buckeyes coach Thad Matta during that time.

“It seems like I just committed like a couple of weeks ago,” Loving said. “I’m happy to have the process out of the way and behind me.”

Loving was one of several highly regarded seniors in northwest Ohio to make things official Wednesday.

Anthony Wayne’s Mark Donnal signed his letter of intent to attend Michigan. The 6-10 center is considered one of the top frontcourt players in the state heading into his senior season. He averaged 19.6 points and 9.2 rebounds as a junior.

Bowling Green’s 6-8 post player Vitto Brown signed to attend Wisconsin. The senior is coming off a junior season in which he turned heads with his play around the basket by averaging 19.2 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Bobcats.

cont...

Matta “Couldn’t be Happier” about Wednesday’s Signings (The Ozone)

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Take a quick glance down just about any recruiting rankings that are out there for the early signing period. One thing you won’t see, at least near the top, is a ‘Block O.’

After a number of years near the top of the recruiting rankings, Ohio State has been nowhere to be found over the last two classes. According to Rivals.com, the Buckeyes rank 27th in the class of 2013, as signatures pour in from around the country on the first day of college basketball's early signing period.

Even that might be generous, considering Ohio State landed just two players on Wednesday – neither of whom are rating among the top 50 in the country – but OSU head coach Thad Matta isn’t worried about the future of the program.

“I think from the standpoint of what’s been accomplished in this program, there’s reason to everything and there’s nothing more true in recruiting,” Matta said Wednesday.

“If you look at the last six years, we’re number three in total wins in college basketball history, we’re trying to get our fourth straight Big Ten championship, get to our fourth straight Sweet 16…we know what we’re doing.”

cont...

Thad Matta pleased with early recruiting success: Ohio State Basketball Insider (cleveland)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State locked down basketball recruits Marc Loving and Kameron Williams on Wednesday, as the high school seniors signed national letters of intent on the first day of the early signing period for the Class of 2013.

While the Buckeyes did miss on several other national recruits, coach Thad Matta had a message for anyone worried about the players that Ohio State didn't get.

"You look at the last six years, I think we're number three in total wins. We're trying to get our fourth straight Big Ten championship and get to our fourth straight Sweet 16," Matta said, before pausing. "I think we know what we're doing."

Loving, a 6-8, 215-pound forward from St. John Jesuit in Toledo is ranked as the No. 63 player in the class by Rivals.com. He gave an oral commitment to Ohio State in August of 2010, before his sophomore season.

"He's a guy that I think can play multiple positions for us, with his skill level and his ability to shoot the basketball," said Matta, who also noted that Loving has grown nearly three inches since deciding to become a Buckeye.

Williams, a 6-2 point guard from Baltimore, is rated 83rd by Rivals. He came on the radar much later after impressing Matta over the summer.

"That's exactly what I was looking for," Matta said. "A guard who finds ways to score the basketball. He can do it a variety of ways. He's a great free-throw shooter and he gets to the foul line, he shoots threes, he finishes, he's very, very athletic for his size."

cont...

Have a good Thursday!