Photo by: Nick Mays

Special to the Vindicator

Photo

Mike Kunzer (20) strips the ball from Landon Smith as Eric Ahmer (5) tries to get in on the play Friday night in Struthers.

Girard’s Landon Smith said he will likely honor his YSU commitment.

By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Darius Patton may be headed to Cincinnati, but it’s not official. Landon Smith is probably headed to Youngstown State but could change his mind.

If that sounds confusing, well, the Mahoning Valley’s two best high school wide receivers still have time to sort it out.

Several websites reported that Patton, the senior second team All-Ohioan from Poland, had verbally committed to the Bearcats on Tuesday. But his high school coach, Mark Brungard, refuted those reports Wednesday afternoon.

“Darius did not commit to Cincy or anywhere else yet,” Brungard wrote in a text.

Patton, whose father Shawn was a running back on YSU’s 1994 national championship team, also has Division I offers from West Virginia, Michigan, Syracuse, Michigan State, Boston College, Wisconsin, Kansas, Indiana, Buffalo, Akron, Bowling Green, Toledo, Miami (Ohio) and Kent State. YSU has also pursued him heavily.

Brungard was YSU’s quarterback on that 1994 national championship team.

Patton (5-10, 170), who was not available for comment, had 49 catches for 800 yards and 12 TDs for the Bulldogs, who lost to eventual state runner-up Akron Buchtel in the first round of the playoffs. He is reportedly taking his official visit to Cincinnati this weekend.

The Bearcats have already received a commitment from Ursuline running back Akise Teague, Ohio’s Mr. Football this season.

Smith (6-0, 180), a second team All-Ohio receiver from Girard, caught 37 passes for 928 yards and 12 TDs this season.

He verbally committed to YSU last summer and said Wednesday he is likely to honor that commitment. He took official visits to Akron and Miami (Ohio) and will visit Ohio University this weekend.

“But YSU is still No. 1,” said Smith, who also has offers from Kent State, Toledo, Indiana, Ball State and Syracuse. “After I take my last visit, I’ll have a definite answer.”

If he chooses YSU, Smith could enroll in time for the start of the spring semester on Jan. 18. Smith said he is set to finish classes at Girard this month and graduate early.

“I’m just trying to produce like I did in high school in my first year in college,” said Smith, a three-year starter for the Indians. “All I want to do is play.”

The Penguins will lose their best receiver, Dominique Barnes, to graduation and Smith could see playing time on a team with several question marks at that position. Smith said his former Girard teammate, WR Dominic Morgan, is also planning to play at YSU next season after taking a year off.

“There’s some things I still need to improve on, but I’m always ready for the next level and new competition,” Smith said. “YSU is going to be doing some good things over the next couple years.”

Penguins coach Eric Wolford was in New York on a recruiting visit Tuesday but has spent the past few months targeting the Valley’s best players, including Patton and Teague.

YSU is planning to host more than a dozen potential recruits on Jan. 14 and will host about 20 on Jan. 21 and between 12-14 on Jan. 28.

The Jan. 21 date will include many players who have already committed to the Penguins.

YSU’s recruiting efforts have centered around high school seniors and junior college players, although that could change now that there have been several coaching changes at the Division I level.

YSU has commitments from 12 players and Wolford has said he would like to add about 30 players this offseason.

The Penguins will lose 21 seniors from last fall, including 17 that saw game action.

Including Smith, the Penguins have secured five local commitments, with the others coming from Warren Harding running back Demond Hymes, West Branch offensive lineman Brandon Ferguson, East cornerback Mike Thomas and Fitch defensive lineman Steve Zaborsky.

National signing day is Feb. 2.