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Josh Brent (official thread)

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8/17

Josh confirms that his visit date is still December 8th, and that both Doc and Jim Tressel are in touch regularly. He says that tOSU, Illinois, and Michigan will for sure get visits. Josh says that he thinks about staying in state, but it won't be a big factor. He says that playing both football and track is the #1 factor.
 
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From what I have been told by multiple people, between his grades, Hughes and Wilson, and Zook putting the full-court press on, I would be surprised if Josh didn't end up at Illinois...
 
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Unless he's been an Illini fan his whole life or just wants to stay close to home, there is really no reason for anyone to go to Illinois over OSU (or, unless they want to play early). Zook is nowhere near the coach that Tressel is (obviously), and I really don't think that Zook can revive that program. Sad.
 
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Saints hold Pioneers scoreless
By Randy Kindred
[email protected]
NORMAL -- At 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, senior Josh Brent takes up a lot of space on Central Catholic High School’s defensive line. He occupies two blockers almost every play, freeing up the Saints’ linebackers to zero in on the football. “They’d better be making plays, because if they’re not, we’re in trouble,” Central coach Bobby Moews said.

Inside linebackers Sean Stokes and Matt Smith made the most of their freedom Friday night, registering nine tackles apiece in helping the Saints limit University High to one first down in a 36-0 victory at Hancock Stadium.

The sophomore Stokes and senior Smith each had five solo tackles and four assists as Central held the Pioneers to 64 yards of offense in the opening game of the Intercity Doubleheader.

“Our line gave them good pressure and it allowed the linebackers to get in there and do what we could,” Stokes said. “We also had good play from our safeties and corners. We played as a unit. That’s what Saints football is all about. We get in there and play as a team.”

Brent, a blue-chip recruit being wooed nationwide, clogged the inside enough for safeties Kyle Hundman and Pat McNeil to make seven tackles each (five solos, two assists). Junior Ryan Waldron added four solos, two assists and a tackle for loss as the Saints improved to 2-0 overall and in the Corn Belt Conference.

“We just wanted to get after it on defense because we knew if we could stop the run, we could stop them,” Waldron said. “It (Brent’s presence) gives is more range outside to maneuver and worry about containing the outside more than the middle.”

Waldron also was a key man on offense, rushing for 116 yards and first-half touchdowns of 4 and 3 yards. Senior Nick Arnold added 93 yards in nine attempts, including a 20-yard TD in the third quarter as the Saints broke the game open.

Central, ranked No. 5 in the Class 4A state poll, led 14-0 at the half on Waldron’s TD runs and two of Michael Fenger’s four extra-point kicks. The lead grew to 16-0 early in the third quarter when an errant punt snap resulted in a safety.

The Saints pulled out to a 30-0 cushion on Arnold’s 20-yard score and a 5-yard TD run by Hundman late in the third period. Hundman added a 21-yard scoring pass to Javier Safford in the fourth quarter.

“We kind of hurt ourselves in the first half by jumping (four false starts) and getting ourselves in second-and-15,” Moews said. “Then we’d block the wrong guy or miss somebody. I got on them pretty good at halftime about how we needed to take care of the little things and start executing the way I thought we could. We got physical with them in the second half and kind of stuck it at them.”

Hundman finished 9 of 15 passing for 135 yards. Senior Bobby Selzer was the top receiver with four catches for 60 yards, helping Central to 387 yards of offense.

Vince Chiodo had an interception for U High (1-1, 1-1), which had blanked Olympia 34-0 in its season opener.

“Up front they manhandled us,” Pioneers’ coach Kurt Olson said. “We couldn’t handle their size and strength. I think our youth really showed. I give credit to them. They dominated both sides of the ball.

“I thought our defense played well, but when you’re not picking up first downs, the defense is out there a long time and eventually you’re going to break.” <!-- END CONTENT -->
 
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118932.jpg


Central Catholic High School senior lineman Josh Brent (69), one of the state's top recruiting prospects, looks to make a block during the Saints' 36-0 victory over University High last weekend at Hancock Stadium in Normal. (Pantagraph/B MOSER)
Click to expand...

Friday, September 8, 2006 1:24 AM CDT

Central Catholic's Brent a 'wanted' man

By Douglas Hamm
[email protected]

BLOOMINGTON -- When a college football powerhouse like top-ranked Ohio State comes knocking at your door, it can be pretty heady stuff. Add nearly every other Big Ten Conference school to the list plus Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Missouri, and it can get overwhelming.

Welcome to the world of blue-chip prospects such as 6-foot-3, 300-pound Central Catholic High School senior lineman Josh Brent.

"It's been a humbling experience having all these schools wanting you," Brent said. "I'm just taking it as it comes, trying to stay humble and trying not to get a big head."

Brent, a rare combination of size, speed, strength and athleticism, is also the state's reigning Class A state shot put champion and a starter for the Saints' basketball team.

While he isn't close to making a decision, Brent is definite about his plans to pursue football and track and field on the college level.

"I'll make my decision when I feel comfortable about it," Brent said. "I've made sure all the coaches know doing track and field and football is my No. 1 priority. The only official visit I've set up with is Ohio State on Dec. 8. I probably won't do any official visits until after the season so I can focus on my high school season.

"All these things are great, but I've got teammates that depend on me so I have to be with my team first before I deal with any of that."

Dealing with Brent is a big problem for Central Catholic's opponents. As Central Catholic coach Bobby Moews explains, "He's got it all."

"A guy of his physical stature will probably never come along again at our school," Moews said. "You're talking about a kid that can bench press 350 pounds, that's squatting close to 500 and runs a 5.1 (40-yard dash), which is pretty darn good for a 300-pounder.

"He has all the physical, God-gifted tools that you'd want in a guy. That's probably the No. 1 thing all the recruiters have been saying. He's very athletic for his size and he moves well."

Amazingly, Brent didn't play football his freshman year. Former Saints teammate Michael Hoomanawanui, currently a freshman tight end at Illinois, and the Central Catholic coaches finally persuaded Brent to play as a sophomore.

"My freshman year I went to a lot of the summer practices and felt it wasn't for me," Brent said. "My sophomore year Michael Ho and some of the football coaches convinced me I could be a pretty good football player. I went out and I've been there since.

"With the success I've had and the success the team has had, I'm glad I came out. I sort of wish I would have come out my freshman year and maybe I could be better than what I am today having a little more experience with the game. I think there's a lot of room for improvement."

Brent, one of 400 national nominees for the annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, was an immediate starter for the Saints but far from an instant success.

"You could tell he was raw," Moews said. "He was big and strong and physical, but the technique wasn't there. We kept thinking there's going to come a day when he's going to get it figured out and start getting some technique. Certainly last year he came around and by the end of the year he became just a dominant force.

"Schools started looking at him and getting interested and he's just gotten bigger and better. He's got a great upside to him. He's only going to get better because experience is going to be the best thing for him."

Brent has displayed his versatility this season for the Saints, moving from offensive tackle to guard while playing a variety of defensive positions. Central Catholic (2-0), ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, will visit Rantoul tonight at 7:45.

"He's better this year than he was last year," Moews said. "His leadership has been the biggest thing I've been impressed with. He's not a rah-rah type guy, but this year he has become much more of a leader by telling the younger kids what they need to be doing. He has been a really pleasant surprise in that aspect."

Nothing about Brent surprises senior teammate and fellow two-way lineman Nathan Rebholz.

"He's just a beast," Rebholz said. "He's big and he has good handwork and feet. He can just throw you around, use his weight and do what he wants to do with you. If he gets lower than you, you basically have no chance against him."

Brent apparently isn't so "beastly" off the field.

"He's fun to be around," Rebholz said. "He'll crack jokes with everybody. He's not one of those big intimidating guys you can't go up and talk to."

Moews said whatever college lands Brent will be getting "a nice kid."

"He's a yes sir, no sir kid," Moews said. "He's very quiet and very reserved. He will certainly give you his opinion, but he's never out of line. He's just a pleasure to coach, and you don't say that about a lot of kids."
Click to expand...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/09/08/sports/118932.txt
 
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