Overlooked '04 Mr. Football is ready for OSU

Tyrell Sutton of Akron Hoban graduate holds the state's rushing record.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Ohio's 2004 Mr. Football and Northwestern tailback Tyrell Sutton has a message for Ohio State, which didn't recruit him despite a state high school rushing record.
"Come look at me now. If you don't want me, I'm going to make you wish you did want me," said Sutton, a product of Akron's Hoban High School who was discounted by some recruiters as too small at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds.
Sutton is determined to show what he can do against Ohio State, but it's not personal.
"I'm not going into the game with a personal vendetta," Sutton said. "It's the same as meeting Iowa or Northern Illinois."
While he set a state rushing record with 9,426 yards and scored 117 career touchdowns at Hoban, the only other Big Ten school to offer him a scholarship was Illinois.
No interest
Did Ohio State show any recruiting interest? "No, none," Sutton said.
"To get passed up by your home-state college, it doesn't make any sense," Sutton said. "They had an opportunity for four years to try and pursue me.
"Of course I got letters, but they were letters they send to every prospect across the country. Nothing from Jim Tressel or a coach."
Northwestern coach Randy Walker hopes Sutton keeps it impersonal against Ohio State.
"I hope he doesn't get too carried away with it," Walker said. "I don't think anything outside the normal framework of emotions is usually good."
No. 10 Ohio State (7-2, 5-1) plays host to No. 25 Northwestern (6-3, 4-2) Saturday.
Rushing leader
Sutton ranks sixth in the nation in scoring with 102 points (17 touchdowns) and is tied for seventh in rushing with 120.6 yards per game.
At 1,085 yards with two games remaining, Sutton has recorded five games with at least 100 yards and two with 200, including his career-best 244 yards on 29 carries and three scores against Wisconsin.
"Against Ohio [University] he made two consecutive spin moves, I don't think either guy got within three yards of him," Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez said. "He's the human highlight film."
For its class of 2005, Ohio State pursued running backs Jason Gwaltney (6-1, 230 pounds) from North Babylon, N.Y., and Maurice Wells (5-10, 185) from Jacksonville, Fla. Gwaltney opted for West Virginia, while Wells is trying to establish himself as No. 2 at Ohio State behind Antonio Pittman.
Tressel said Tuesday that it wasn't a matter of Sutton not fitting in the Buckeyes' system.
"Tyrell Sutton would be a good fit in anyone's system," Tressel said. "He is tough, competitive, and everyone has seen what he's done. Every team would love to have a guy like him."
Asked if it came down to Sutton's size, Tressel said: "I would say his was more of a timing issue than anything. You have to tip your cap to Northwestern. They were early; they did a good job," Tressel said.
Ohio State has the nation's third-best rushing defense (76.6 yards per game) and has allowed only one 100-yard rusher -- Minnesota's Laurence Maroney (25 carries for 127 yards, nine carries for 13 yards in the second half).