FOOTBALL Area stars find good and bad with recruiting

Football recruiters are persistent as colleges roll out the red carpets.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
In early January, Ursuline High senior Branndon Braxton took an all-expenses paid trip to the University of Georgia.
He received free food. He received a decorated locker, complete with his own Bulldog jersey. He even was given a campus tour from one of the "Georgia Peaches."
That's the fun part. And, after hearing about stuff like that, you might think that Braxton is a big fan of the recruitment process.
You would be wrong.
"Heck no, I didn't like it," Braxton said. "It was cool at first, but all the attention is a little overboard.
"I mean, the coaches call you every day and say how great their school is and tell you all the same stuff. You get letters every day. You have a bunch of people giving you advice.
"It's crazy."
It's also a good problem to have.
Bound for Oklahoma
Braxton took just two official visits -- Georgia and Oklahoma -- before choosing the Sooners, but he could have taken more. Unlike most college freshmen, he won't have to worry about college loans or getting involved or being lost in the crowd.
All because he's 6-foot-6, weighs 300 pounds and has the type of ability that makes recruiters drool.
It's called winning the gene lottery.
"I got offers from everywhere," Braxton said. "Big Ten, SEC, Big 12. Some people just stopped calling because they didn't think they had a chance [to recruit me]."
It's exciting, it's fun, it's stressful and it's overwhelming.
Coaches call at all hours of the night. Fans offer advice. Reporters -- especially Web site reporters -- ask for updates all the time.
"The recruiters call every 10 minutes," said Warren Harding running back Delbert Ferguson, who will sign with Cincinnati. "My mom doesn't even answer the phone anymore.
"But it's a fun time. You only get to do this once."
Ups and downs
Two years ago, Ferguson was the top-rated junior in Ohio by Ohio's Future Stars magazine. He was drawing comparisons to Robert Smith. He was a sure Division I prospect.
But the attention brought extra scrutiny. People questioned his work ethic. They said he fumbled too much. They said he wasn't fast enough.
After transferring from Ursuline to Warren Harding last winter, Ferguson battled injuries and, ultimately, broke his leg.
Some of the recruiters stopped calling. And when Ferguson looked at a college, he thought about more than playing time.
"One of the things I liked about Cincinnati was the trainers," said Ferguson, who is still rehabbing his broken leg. "I had a chance to sit down and talk with the trainers and they already had a plan for if I came there."
He even talked to Bengals receiver Peter Warrick, who was rehabbing his injured knee with the Bearcats' staff.
"He was telling me about how much he loved the training staff," said Ferguson, who graduated in December. "I got to talk to him for a long time and he told me all about the city and everything. It made me feel comfortable."
Ferguson also considered Washington State -- Ursuline High graduate Josh Swogger is a quarterback for the Cougars -- but Cincinnati gave him a chance to enroll this spring and possibly play next fall.
"It seemed like a great opportunity," Ferguson said.
A head start
At this time last year, Alex Engram was a junior quarterback at Irving McArthur High in Texas. He was a highly touted recruit, he liked the system and he liked his coach.
Then his parents split up. His mom, Stacey, wanted to go back to her hometown and, before he knew it, Engram found himself back in his birthplace, Warren.
"When they told me about it, it really didn't bother me," Engram said. "Some things are way more important than football. I just wanted to come up here and compete for a starting job."
He played well, leading the Raiders to an undefeated regular season before losing in the regional final to Lakewood St. Edward. And after weighing his decision for a few weeks, he landed at Western Michigan.
"They offered the most potential," Engram said. "I liked their offense and I felt like I could fit in well. I liked the coach, they play four wides and they have some nice receivers. It was a good fit."
Engram graduated in December, enrolled in January and has already learned an important rule of college.
"You have to have good time management," Engram said. "You're on your own now."
Family tradition
Mooney's Ron Stoops comes from one of the most prestigious coaching families in the country, but he didn't need much help making his college decision.
The senior defensive back committed to Michigan State last November before he even took his official visit.
The whole process was laid-back, kind of like Stoops.
"I pretty much knew right away," Stoops said. "It really wasn't nerve-wracking or anything. I liked the campus and the coaches were real nice."
Michigan State decorated his hotel room door and took him out to eat at Champps restaurant, but it wasn't anything over the top. A couple people recognized his name -- his uncle Bob coaches at Oklahoma and his uncle Mike just got hired at Arizona -- but they didn't make a big deal out of it.
Neither does he.
"I'm pretty much down to Earth," he said. "I've kinda got used to [the name] by now. It's no big deal."
And when Stoops steps on the East Lansing campus next summer, he won't be alone. Two other Valley players -- Fitch wide-out Miles Williams and Poland tight end Dan McGarry -- have committed to the Spartans.
Support group
Ursuline quarterback Daryll Clark also will have company at Penn State -- Howland defensive back Tony Davis committed to the Nittany Lions -- but he didn't even have to look that far for support.
He just talked to Braxton.
"Me and him talked a lot," Clark said. "We were going through the same thing. He could relate."
Not that he needed much help making his decision.
"Penn State laid out the red carpet," Clark said. "They were up front at all times and they treated me right. They had steaks and pasta and all the good things you'd want."
They also had tradition and success and Joe Paterno.
And for all the minor irritations, Clark knows he's a lucky guy.
"I guess the most enjoyable part is all the attention they show for you," Clark said. "Not to be arrogant, but it's nice to get the calls and to have them see you in school and to take a visit where they make you feel right.
"It's pretty nice."
scalzo@vindy.com