OSU FOOTBALL
Kicker stuck in limbo but still committed to Buckeyes
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The people of Raceland, Ky., are starting to wonder about Aaron Pettrey.
It’s a small town, so everyone knew the kicker was supposed to be a grayshirt at Ohio State, meaning he was to enroll at Ohio State last month after he finished high school in June.
But as the calendar turned to February and people still saw Pettrey around town, the questions began.
What are you still doing here, son?
"I get asked about it all the time," Pettrey said with a sigh yesterday from his parents’ home. "It’s been real hard."
Despite the change in plans, which might result in Pettrey temporarily paying his own way, he remains committed to Ohio State.
"That’s been where I’ve wanted to go for a while," he said, "so I’m going to do whatever it takes."
Pettrey was recruited last year and agreed to grayshirt rather than sign a letter of intent last February. He would have competed for a job starting this spring.
But since then, Buckeyes kicker Josh Huston has applied for and is likely to receive a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA to make up for time lost to injuries.
Now, Ohio State will have Huston and second-year kicker Jonathan Skeete on scholarship this fall.
Not wanting to use a third scholarship on a kicker, the Buckeyes recently told Pettrey he would have to walk on this fall if Huston’s extra year was approved. He then potentially could go on scholarship in January 2006.
Pettrey said some people around Raceland have suggested he’s getting the runaround from Ohio State.
"Me and my dad talked about me going somewhere else," he said, "but I didn’t want to do it. I want to get up there (to Columbus). I came up to some games and I really liked the place."
Pettrey, 6 feet 3, 195 pounds, was a three-sport athlete at Raceland High School. In 2003, he connected on 8 of 13 fieldgoal attempts, including a staterecord 58-yarder.
Buckeyes coaches can’t officially comment on Pettrey because he has not signed with the university.
"The only thing I’m allowed to say about Aaron is that we are very interested in him," coach Jim Tressel said.
Pettrey has busied himself by taking courses at Ohio University’s branch campus in Ironton, just a 10-minute drive across the Ohio River from Raceland. He needs to take courses in order to beef up his chance of being admitted at OSU, which apparently is not a done deal.
If he does get in, Pettrey hopes to come north over the summer and work with Ohio State’s long-snappers and holders before fall camp begins. In addition to Huston and Skeete, Pettrey also would be competing with walk-on Ryan Pretorious.
To save money during fall quarter, he said he will live with his uncle, Rick Pettrey, in Dublin.
Having endured two delay-ofgame penalties already, so to speak, Aaron Pettrey hopes he finally can escape the prying eyes in Raceland.
"I have one high-school buddy left in town," Pettrey said. "We hang out about every day. I’d better be up there in the fall."
Turano gone ?
While Huston’s petition for a sixth year is considered a done deal, Ohio State officials say they now are assuming punter Kyle Turano, who also was hopeful of getting a sixth year, will not return.
That would leave Pickerington native A.J. Trapasso as the lone scholarship punter. Tyson Gentry and at least one other fellow walk-on would compete with Trapasso for the job.
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