TROTWOOD — Brandon Moore heard from people all around the neighborhood a few months ago when he announced he would accept a football scholarship to the University of Michigan.

"They said, 'We'll root for you in every game but one,' " said Moore, the Trotwood-Madison tight end. "They say that when they see me around."

Whether they root for Ohio State or hope for a Trotwood state championship, those around Moore can't ignore him, and not only because of his

6-foot-6, 243-pound frame. Partly because of his size and partly because he is the country's 61st-ranked football prospect, Moore faces expectations unfamiliar to most area players.

"There's a lot of pressure to be great coming out of Trotwood and great when I get to Michigan," Moore said. "I feel pressure from my family to the coaches. I feel pressure from my teammates. I feel pressure from my girlfriend, everybody.

"Sometimes if I don't make a play, I will get down on myself. I think about what people might say: 'Oh, he's overrated.' So that's the pressure, the pressure to be great. But that's what motivates me, also."

It motivated him to be a leader in the Trotwood weight room this summer, which comes with specific rules. One says players aren't allowed to sit unless they're lifting. The punishment involved grabbing the closest 45-pound plate for a quick, high-rep reminder set.

Moore tried to ensure that didn't happen often.

"That's the one thing everyone hates to do, except for the big, strong, burly cats on the team," Moore said. "The rest of us, we're hurtin'."