David Lighty is back!!! Jae'Sean "The Beast" Tate has committed to play for Thad Matta, a day after our first '14 commit Keita Bates-Diop

4-star ILB Trey Johnson of Central Gwinnett (Ga.) visits #OhioState this weekend officially. IMO, that's now team to beat

— Keith Niebuhr (@Niebuhr247) November 20, 2012

No commitment coming today from #glenville ATH chris #worley, glenville coach tells PD's @joemaxse Worley not ready to commit yet #pdvarsity

— PD's Kristen Davis (@CleveHSsports) November 20, 2012

Per his father, Rivals 100 WR Marquez North will visit #Clemson unofficially this weekend for their game against #SouthCarolina

— Blake Alderman (@MistaAlderman) November 20, 2012

The Butkus Award 2012 High School Finalists

Reuben Foster, Auburn High School - Auburn, AL
Trey Johnson, Central Gwinnett High School - Lawrenceville, GA
Peter Kalambayi, Butler High School - Matthews, NC
Isaac Savaiinaea, Punahou High School - Honolulu, HI
Jaylon Smith, Bishop Luers High School - Fort Wayne, IN

Scout $ - Bank Blog: Recruiting Update

• By The Bank.....Confirms that James Quick will be in Columbus this weekend for an official. Also has positive news regarding Mike Mitchell & Vonn Bell.

247 $ Meyer offers in state linebacker '14 OH LB Kyle Berger

• By Kurelic... Called Meyer and Fickell today and got the good news. Racked up 10 sacks and 44 tackles for loss this season.

Scout $ - Berger's First Offer Is A Big One '14 OH LB Kyle Berger

• By The Bank.....Spoke to Coach Meyer & Coach Fickell last night on the phone and was offered. Will be visiting this weekend (first college game) & the staff wants him to return with his family over the winter.

Vonn Bell’s Top Three School Choices Heading Down Different Paths (rant sports)

One of the top safeties in the nation Vonn Bell recently narrowed down his recruiting choices to three schools: the Tennessee Volunteers, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Ohio State Buckeyes. All three schools at this time are still very much in the running and it’s Bell who holds the keys to the car.

With the Volunteer’s firing Derek Dooley recently, it poses a very important question. Does the firing of Dooley make a decision for Bell any easier? Obviously I cannot answer for him, but I’m sure Bell would like to know who the Volunteer’s plan on bringing in. Now getting rid of a coach that has the worst winning percentage in school history (.417) in the three years he was with the Vols does help to a certain degree. Bell could be the type of recruit who could just very well start to turn the football program around.

On the other hand, does Bell want to go to a program who will be going through a major overhaul? A lot of questions will be answered once the Vols do announce who their next head coach will be. Bringing in a high profile name could very well indeed sway Bell that way.

With the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes though, Bell would be looking at two teams that are already very well established and (for the most part) on solid ground. Yes the Buckeyes are going through their probation and what not for the time being, but the bowl ban will be lifted next season and the way head coach Urban Meyer has the Buckeyes playing this season, there is no doubt the team will be playing in a major bowl.

The Crimson Tide is rich with tradition and head coach Nick Saban shows no signs of slowing down. Year in and year out the Crimson Tide are at or near the top of not only the SEC but the nation as well. Not to mention Saban has his program always in the top 10 of recruiting. Oh and by the way the Tide have won two of the last three BCS national championships. Just adding more food for thought.

Bell has a very interesting decision ahead of him. Does he want to be apart of a rebuilding process with the Volunteers and start to turn that program around? Or does he want to choose one of the two other school’s, both of which are prominent programs and will be contending for championships.

Dooley's firing changes Williams' plans (go upstate)

RB David Williams of Philadelphia was scheduled for an official visit to Tennessee this coming weekend but the coaching change there changed his plans. Williams now plans to take an official visit to Ohio State this weekend for the Michigan game. He has been to Arizona State and will also set officials with USC and Miami. USC will be his last visit January 19th. He's looking at Nebraska, Pittsburgh and Penn State for the fifth visit. Williams talked to USC running backs coach Everette Sands Monday and planned to call recruiter GA Mangus Monday night. And the Gamecocks, who have been strong with Williams for months, remain so. "South Carolina is my favorite but I'm liking Miami right now," Williams said. "And you can say Ohio State is a favorite. But South Carolina leads right now. I have a great relationship with the coaching staff. I enjoyed myself on my visit and I can see myself playing there." Williams has been planning to announce his decision at the Semer Fidelis Game January 4th in Carson, CA but he said Monday night he could announce soon after some more official visits. His team is still in the playoffs and Williams has rushed for 1500 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Burroughs Star Ezekiel Elliott Named Metro League Football Player of the Year (ladue-frontenac patch)

Among the many honorees in nine different sports announced as 2012 All-Stars by Metro League commissioner Dory Smith on Monday, one announcement was no surprise at all.

And that worst-kept secret of probably the entire 2012 Fall sports season was that John Burroughs running back Ezekiel Elliott -- the conference leader in rushing yards, total yards, all-purpose yards, and the St. Louis area leader in touchdowns -- was named Metro League Football Player of the Year, after a weekend vote conducted amongst the league's coaches.

Elliott, who was a city-wide Player of the Year candidate last year, after scoring 44 touchdowns and leading the Bombers to their second straight Show-Me Bowl state title game, is widely considered the leading candidate to win the award this year, as he heads into his final high school game with 1,965 yards and a whopping 47 touchdowns in only 13 games.

Burroughs (13-0), the No. 1-ranked team in Missouri Class 3 football, will play second-ranked Maryville (14-0) in the Show-Me Bowl state championship game, Friday at 1 p.m., at the Edward Jones Dome.

And with a mere 35 yards and three more touchdowns, Elliott would reach the previously thought impossible milestone of rushing for 2,000 yards and scoring 50 touchdowns in the same season.

Eight other Burroughs players were named to the Metro League first-team as well, with twin brothers Xavier Bledsoe (Sr., DL) and Christian Bledose (Sr., LB) leading the way.

Jack Maritz (Jr., OL) and Griff Palan (Sr., OL) were the Bombers' other offensive selections, with Solo Ceesay (Sr., DL), Foye Oluokun, Sr. (DB), and Peter Schnuck, Sr. (DB) making up JBS’ other defensive honorees, and Rushil Sheth (Sr., K) getting the nod on special teams.

Four other JBS players made the Metro League second-team, with Nick Duncan (Jr., QB), Andrew Bartnett (Sr., WR), Jimmy Fort (Sr., OL), and Trevor Bain (Jr., DB) each narrowly missing out on nabbing first team honors.

Rivals 250 Watch List: 10 for Florida Fans to Follow (rivals)

On Monday Rivals.com released the 2014 Rivals250 Watch List. It is an early look at the top juniors from across the nation. Florida already has commitments from two members off the list - defensive lineman Travonte Valentine and wide receiver Ryeshene Bronson. Here are 10 other Watch List members Florida fans should be aware of and are well worth keeping an eye on as we get an early jump on the next recruiting cycle.

Michael’s Sunday Recruiting Rundown (the ozone)

The Rivals 250 2014 Prospect Ranking came out this week. Ohio State has offered a number of prospects on the list but some notable players that have not received Buckeye offers yet are: QBs Kyle Allen, Drew Barker, and Caleb Henderson.

Offensive linemen Kyle Trout and Nick Richardson are both are Ohio football players, possess a 4-star ranking and do not yet have Ohio State offers. With the offensive line being a high priority for 2014 (5 spots likely going to O-lineman) securing Ohio talent like Trout, Richardson, and Jimmy Byrne will be key for the Buckeyes. With such depth on the defensive line, OSU could also look to recruit d-linemen who are open to the o-line like Chase Farris and Darryl Baldwin.

Next week is the “Big One,” not only for the rivalry game but also in recruiting.

Many national recruiting analysts are starting to predict a 2013 class of 24-25 scholarships available. With 15 seniors, 4 open spots, Ricquan Southward leaving, Jordan Hall redshirting, and 17 verbal commitments, OSU currently has only two open spots.

Jamie Wood has hinted he may leave football due to health reasons and many project Big Hank (Johnathan Hankins) to leave early for the NFL, something he has yet to confirm or deny. If those two spots open, there would be four spots. Bradley Roby’s status is uncertain whether or not he would leave early and there is likely one to two that will transfer which could equal the 24-25 experts are predicting the class will be at.

But until next weekend when the recruiting banquet hits the Shoe, here is this week’s rundown.

cont...

Urban Meyer’s quest for a big-time linebacker in the Class of 2014 continued this week when Ohio State offered a big name from a big program.

Kyle Berger (Cleveland/St. Ignatius) picked up his first offer, but the 6-foot-3, 205-pound outside linebacker will likely get plenty more after a junior season that put the Wildcats in the Division I state quarterfinals.

“It’s awesome just thinking you’re possibly going to be playing football in college and it’s possibly going to be for a school like Ohio State,” Berger said. “It’s always been my goal to play Division I football.”

cont...

Buckeyes add energy guy in 2014 SF Tate  (espn insider)

ESPN 60 small forward Jae'Sean Tate (Pickerington, Ohio/Central) committed to Ohio State Monday, joining ESPN 60 power forward Keita Bates-Diop (Bloomington, Ill./University High) to get the Buckeyes off to a tremendous start tin the Class of 2014.

At 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, Tate brings toughness and competitiveness to the floor. He runs the floor hard and finishes above the rim with power in transition. He is a slasher in the half court and finishes through contact with ease. He rebounds and blocks shots in and out of his area and is capable of defending all three perimeter positions. Tate plays hard and is not afraid to do the dirty work help his team. As his skill develops, his offensive production will increase rapidly.

cont...

The Ohio State Buckeyes have had a significant 48 hours of recruiting. Thad Matta’s group accepted a commitment late Monday night from ESPN 60 small forward Jae’Sean Tate (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central). Tate is ranked the No. 43 overall player in the junior class.

On Sunday, the Buckeyes had landed No. 27 overall junior Keita Bates-Diop (Bloomington, Ill./University). It’s clear the Buckeyes are already on the verge of piecing together a strong 2014 recruiting class.

Tate had visited Columbus unofficially a number of times this fall. Over time, he’d developed a deep relationship with Matta, one that proved to be vital in allowing him to feel comfortable enough to pledge. Tate also considered Michigan and Iowa.

cont...