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OL Alex Boone (Official Thread)

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http://www.dispatch.com/football/football.php?story=dispatch/2004/12/17/20041217-D4-00.html&chck=t

Touted recruit won’t get a head start
High school insists offensive tackle go the full four years
Friday, December 17, 2004
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Ohio State has waited 16 months for Alex Boone, and now they’ll have to wait another eight.

Boone, an offensive tackle from Lakewood St. Edward, is perhaps the most anticipated player in the Buckeyes’ 2005 recruiting class. He committed in August 2003, and at 6 feet 8, 300 pounds with rare athleticism, he could make an immediate impact in college.

"Probably the fact OSU offered him as a 10 th-grader tells you they saw something," St. Edward coach John Gibbons said. "The way he bends his knees, his quickness and ability to go get linebackers, the way he creates movement at the line of scrimmage . . . he’s the whole package."

Boone was hopeful of enrolling in March and

participating in spring practices to get a jump-start on his college career.

But St. Edward principal Gene Boyer yesterday said that won’t happen. Boone could cobble together enough credits to be finished early, but Boyer said there are larger issues.

"Our decision is this is a fouryear institution and at private schools you should not graduate early," Boyer said. "I think private schools are very different from the public sector, where once you satisfy the requirements, you’re free to graduate. Our philosophy is more all-encompassing.

"As a Catholic school, we take a much more holistic approach to education. It’s not just simply delivering a curriculum. We take a developmental approach with values appropriate all through freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years."

So that’s that, although Boone still was hopeful of pushing the issue.

"Inside, it’s tough to take, but on the outside, I can’t let anyone know I’m frustrated," Boone said. "I just thought if I came down early I’d know all the plays and get a feel for it."

The Buckeyes would love that, in part because playing Boone right away might help shore up what has been a mostly disappointing unit the past two seasons.

Hopes were high coming into 2004 that the Buckeyes’ lighter, faster linemen would portend improvement. Toward the end of the season, there were some positive signs, but it’s safe to say very few spots are settled for 2005.

"I think we’ve come along," coach Jim Tressel said. "We’re not sitting here at all saying we’re where we need to be. I think we’re progressing."

Boone said no Buckeyes coach has ever mentioned the word redshirt, so he’s expecting to get early playing time.

Potentially, he could create a logjam at left tackle, where junior Rob Sims is a two-year starter and true freshman Steve Rehring saw time this season, as well.

One possibility is moving Sims to guard, where he’s more natural anyway.

"Guard is something that I thought I was going to come in playing, and I kind of got pushed into tackle," Sims said. "If I get to play guard, I’ll be real happy."

Two other linemen have committed to Ohio State, Jim Cordle of Lancaster and Kevin Bemoll of Mission Viejo, Calif. But it’s safe to say Boone is by far the most anticipated arrival.

"Hopefully, there are big expectations" for him in 2005, Boone said. "Obviously, my goal is to start as a true freshman, but that’s going to be a tough one. There are a lot guys right now (at OSU) that could blow me away. We’ll have to see when I get there."

The only hitch is he’ll have to wait until August to get there.

"In conversations I’ve had with coach Tressel, he has not pushed the issue," Boyer said. "His bottom line is, ‘We would like Alex at Ohio State, period, whether it’s early or as normal.’ "
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OL Alex Boone
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</td> <td valign="top"> Boone Brothers Make Pact
By Chris Pool Midwest Recruiting Analyst
Date: Jan 9, 2005

San Antonio - Alex Boone arrived in San Antonio today as one of the best football players in the United States. As Boone and the other All-Americans go through interviews, pick up equipment and go through physicals, Alex has more than a football game on his mind. His brother, J.J. Boone will leave for Iraq next week for a tour of duty.


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The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is played in San Antonio, Texas., at the Alamodome on Jan. 15, 2005, and broadcast nationally on NBC at 1 p.m., Eastern. Scout.com is a sponsor, the official selection partner and exclusive on-line partner of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, as well as the associated U.S. Army Combine for underclassmen.

Boone, easily a 6-foot-8, 300-pound, offensive lineman from Lakewood (Ohio) St. Ed’s is one of the most dominating football prospects in the nation and he says a lot of his success is because of his older brother.

“J.J. (Boone) has always been my biggest influence,” Boone said. “He leaves for Faluja next week and that’s been on my mind more than any football game.

“I promised my brother that if he comes home from Iraq, I’ll start next year at Ohio State. We promised that we weren’t going to let each other down.

“My brother is only 5-10 but he’s all heart. He’s a Marine that gave me a lot of crap for playing in the Army Bowl. You know how Marines are. he’s very gung ho about the Corps.” Boone exploded onto the recruiting scene as a sophomore and earned a scholarship from Ohio State before he entered his junior year. Alex quickly committed to the Buckeyes.

“I’m Ohio State through and through.” Boone said. “I’ve always wanted to be a Buckeye. I’ve had a lot of people tell me that I owe it to myself to look around but that’s just crazy. I knew I’d always be a Buckeye.”

Boone has only been in San Antonio for a few hours but he’s been extremely impressed with the spread so far.

“The Army has done a great job,” Boone said. “When you walk through the hotel for the first time, it takes your breath away.

“It’s such an honor to be here. This is more than I ever imagined and I’ve only been here for a few hours.

"I’m looking forward to meeting all the guys and playing in the game. This is something that I’ll be able to take with me the rest of my life.”

We asked Boone who his toughest competition was at the high school level.

“Definitely Freddie Lenix,” said Boone. “That dude really packs a punch. I think Freddie is at Ohio State this weekend on his official visit. Hopefully he’ll be my teammate next year.”

What advice does Alex Boone have for future blue-chip prospects?

“Don’t believe all the smoke that college recruiters blow. They all say what you want to hear. Most of the coaches I spoke to even had negative things to say about other schools.

“Be patient, be true to yourself and take visits. If you’re good enough, these schools are going to wait for you. If they don’t wait, how much did they want you any way.” Alex Boone is going to have to do battle this week with the best defensive tackle prospects in nation but that’s nothing compared to the battle that his brother will face in Iraq.
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I was over at the ND board and they are saying Weiss is calling everyone - even recruits solidly commited to other schools. They are talking about making a push for OSU commit 'Aaron' Boone and how good a fit he would be at ND. We could be in real trouble.
 
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