Good read on Gary recruitment. Looks like we still got a chance with him
Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12, ACC schools remain in mix for Rashan Gary
BRIAN DOHN
1:21 PM
A Big Ten power is making a strong push for No. 1 prospect Rashan Gary. What else is happening with the defensive tackle prospect?
Ohio State was involved with the No. 1 player in the nation for a while, but the addition of former Rutgers and NFL coach
Greg Schiano to the coaching staff could have the Buckeyes squarely back in the race.
Jennifer Coney, the mother of top recruit
Rashan Gary, had a pair of phone conversations with Schiano, who was named the Buckeyes defensive coordinator. In addition, Gary, whom Schiano offered as an eighth grader when he was the coach at Rutgers, spoke with Schiano.
"(Ohio State defensive line coach) Larry Johnson was at the house twice and after the dead period, Schiano and Johnson are going to come by," Coney said. "I know that football will take care of itself. (Schiano) said the academic part is what you and your mom seem most concerned about. I like that. He didn't talk about football too much with Rashan. He spoke more academically, and I like that."
Gary already made official visits to Michigan, Ole Miss and Auburn, and he is set to officially visit USC on Jan. 15. Clemson, Alabama and LSU were in the running for the last official visit, but now Ohio State is in the fray.
During the first two weeks of December, schools were flocking by Paramus (N.J.) Catholic to see the five-star defensive tackle, and it continued until the start of the dead period Monday.
"(Ole Miss defensive line coach) Chris Kiffin was the last one to call me last night," Coney said. "He called me about 10:30 p.m. He said Ole Miss was going to be over as soon as the dead period ends.
"Michigan had (assistant) coach (Chris) Partridge and (defensive line) coach (Greg) Mattison come by yesterday," Gary said ."Michigan was on point because Chris Partridge knows us from the transfer from Scotch Plains to Paramus Catholic. He was going to be a great football player, but I wanted to make sure he was going to continue to be a great student."
Partridge was the head coach at Paramus Catholic during Gary's junior year. He left for Michigan in the spring.
"Chris Partridge knew academics was not only important to Rashan, but was even more important (than football) to me," Coney said. "They knew how to approach us. Academics are first."
Auburn -- "I like Auburn," Coney said -- and Michigan are in the process of hiring defensive coordinators, and Coney said she was interested to see what happened with each school.
Also, the trip to USC will give Gary a chance to learn more about the type of program new coach Clay Helton will run.
"We need to see what is going on with the football," Coney said. "Rashan loves to work out, he loves football, so that is going to work out for himself. I want Rashan to be comfortable academically, and in an environment with good people. Those are the things we're looking at right now. As for USC, we're going to go because it's great academically."