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'10 OH RB Erick Howard (Ohio U Walk-On)

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Zips willing to risk it for Mr. Football
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal staff writer
Feb 03, 2010

New University of Akron football coach Rob Ianello considers himself a ''calculated risk-taker,'' although his wife, Denise, might beg to differ.

''My wife would say I'm conservative,'' Ianello confessed.

But Ianello was not risking anything Wednesday, when Ohio's two-time Mr. Football Erick Howard of North Canton Hoover signed a national letter of intent with the Zips.

Offering the 5-foot-11, 225-pound running back a scholarship had nothing to do with Ianello sticking his neck out and everything to do with taking the program to the next level.

Howard might not qualify academically, telling the Canton Repository recently that he needed B averages in four of his five classes to be able to join the Zips for fall practice.

Hoover coach Don Hertler Jr. said Wednesday morning that Howard's status won't be known until June 1, when Howard's final transcript is available.

It could go longer than that. The NCAA allows an athlete to enroll in one summer class to apply to his GPA.

''He's taking the ACT at least one more time,'' Hertler said. ''He's got to have a great second semester. We'll have to wait and see how he finishes.''

But who wouldn't wait on one of only two Ohioans to repeat as Mr. Football, joining future Ohio State and NFL back Robert Smith of Euclid in 1988-89?

Who wouldn't wait on a player who finished with 6,013 career yards and 79 touchdowns, including 2,056 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior?

Who wouldn't wait on a Parade All-American ranked the 24th-best prospect in the state by Scout.com?

The Zips wouldn't have even been in the picture for Howard if academics weren't an issue. If the NCAA clearinghouse had declared Howard had a 2.2 grade-point average (he was reportedly less than three-tenths short), Ohio State's Jim Tressel would have been banging down Howard's door, not Ianello and Toledo's Tim Beckman, a former Buckeyes assistant.

If Howard's last-gasp academic push fails and he's declared a Proposition 48, he could attend UA this fall but would have to pay his own way and not participate in football. Or he could attend a junior college or a prep school like Fork Union Military Academy, which would open the door for the Tressels of the world to go after him. That would happen next year in the case of a prep school, or in two years after Howard graduated from junior college
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Ohio.com - Zips willing to risk it for Mr. Football
 
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CollegeFantasyFootballInsider.com

2010 Recruits: Running Backs
Alex Esselink
February 04, 2010

...
Erick Howard, Akron (Highlight Video) - Obviously there is a reason Mr. Football from the State of Ohio received few offers from Big Ten schools; he has some work to do in the classroom. If he can boost his grades in his final semester and get qualified, you're are looking at the classic big fish in a small pond scenario. He's strong between the tackles with a running style that keeps his pad level low, which is rare to see from high school backs. We won't know until the summer if Howard has made the grade.

cont...
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osugrad21;1695573; said:
I'm more impressed if EH actually used 'epiphany'
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I literally lol'd when I first saw the tweet because I thought the same thing.

Great to see the rich get richer at RB, and for a kid to really follow his heart and go that extra mile to be where he wants to be. He bleeds S&G and it's well deserved for Erick.
 
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glad to see he took the harder route and did not fall through the cracks and continue leading down the same path. Not to say anything bad about Akron, but he admitted himself that it would have been the easy way out. He realizes it will be a challenge making it to OSU but it sounds like Tress is in his corner and has been the entire process. Good to see. Hopefully fork union will help him become a better student, person, and player for when he one day dons the S&G. Good luck to you Howard.

Go Bucks!!!
 
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I always was hoping this kid would end up in S&G! Glad to see he's getting his priorities in order, and we can see him playing in the shoe in a years time! Congrats E. Howard!!!
 
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Scout $

More from Jardy on Howard's decision. Wants to get to the NFL and believes he has a better chance of doing it at OSU. Also thinks a degree from OSU and the networking opportunities will benefit him. Thinks Fork Union will help him with self-discipline.
 
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Awesome decision from this kid. He knows that to be the best...he should go to OSU and make himself the best player he can be and compete. I'm gonna expect a lot from Erick Howard now.

My question is...if he had gotten his grades in order before, how good would people think that he is??
 
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KingLeon;1696071; said:
Awesome decision from this kid. He knows that to be the best...he should go to OSU and make himself the best player he can be and compete. I'm gonna expect a lot from Erick Howard now.

My question is...if he had gotten his grades in order before, how good would people think that he is??
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For a while there he seemed to be on the right track and people thought he was in. IMO people were excited but not to the extent of a big OOS recruit. I think Howard is a good all-around back. Shows good power and sufficient speed, not just a situational guy. If his work ethic matches what he has said in interviews, hard to think he won't be a good one.

Edit - Disclaimer: Keep in mind that I don't really know what I'm talking about.
 
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I haven't seen Erick play, but I know there was talk that he may have "maxed out" his potential while he was in HS.

Must not be the case if the staff still wants to take him despite his academics and the stable of RBs we have currently.
 
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BuckTwenty;1696100; said:
I haven't seen Erick play, but I know there was talk that he may have "maxed out" his potential while he was in HS.

Must not be the case if the staff still wants to take him despite his academics and the stable of RBs we have currently.
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My question is does he actually have an offer on the table , or is it one of those "wait and see" type of deals? I'm just curious since 2012 is going to be a GREAT year for RB's and I dont foresee more than two being taken that year.
 
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