Local flavor
The Miami Valley has been a steady supplier of football talent for Big Ten teams. Here is a list of area players either playing for conference schools this season or planning to attend them next year.
School Player Yr. Pos. High school
Illinois
Jake Feldmeyer Jr. OL Centerville
Reon Dawson* HS DB Trotwood-Madison
Jarrod Clements* HS DL Trotwood-Madison
Indiana
Fletcher Dawson Fr. DB Lakota West
Cody Latimer So. WR Jefferson
Adam Replogle Sr. DL Centerville
Mike Replogle So. LB Centerville
Iowa
Brant Gressel* HS TE Centerville
Sean Welsh* HS OL Springboro
Michigan
Roy Roundtree Sr. WR Trotwood-Madison
Kaleb Ringer Fr. LB Northmont
Brandon Moore Sr. TE Trotwood-Madison
Michael McCray* HS LB Trotwood-Madison
Michigan State
Denicos Allen Sr. LB Hamilton
R.J. Williams Fr. DB Dunbar
Benny McGowan Fr. OL Centerville
Nebraska
Greg Hart* HS TE Alter
Northwestern
Ifeadi Odenigbo Fr. LB Centerville
Nick VanHoose Fr. DB Graham
Purdue
Collin Link So. LB West Libert-Salem
Jake Replogle* HS DL Centerville
Ohio State
C.J. Barnett Jr. DB Northmont
Michael Bennett So. DL Centerville
Taylor Decker Fr. OL Vandalia Butler
Zach Domicone Sr. DB Beavercreek
Rashad Frazier So. DL Middletown
Adam Homan Sr. RB Coldwater
Braxton Miller So. QB Wayne
Tim Trummer Fr. OL Fairmont
Cameron Burrows* HS DB Trotwood-Madison
Jalin Marshall* HS QB Middletown
Evan Lisle* HS OL Centerville
Wisconsin
Chris Borland Jr. LB Alter
Cody Byers So. LB Alter
Connor Cummins So. WR Alter
Josh Harrison So. DL Wayne
Kevin Wilson, the second-year Indiana University football coach, has put much effort through the years into recruiting in the Miami Valley — and not always just to woo prospective players.
He once spent considerable time in the area courting the woman who would later become his wife.
Angela Wilson attended Edgewood High School in Trenton and later lived in Miamisburg while Kevin was an assistant at Miami University. The couple now has five children, ages 8 to 15.
Wilson visited his wife’s hometown so often that he said he knows the high school fight song by heart.
“It’s ‘On You Fighting Cougars.’ It’s the same as the Miami of Ohio fight song. I could actually sing it for you if you wanted,” he said.
Wilson may not know the fight songs from other high schools in the Miami Valley, but he recognizes the importance of the region to his success as the Hoosiers’ coach.
“I had great respect for coach Gregg back in the day,” Wilson said of Centerville High School legend Bob Gregg. “It was one of my favorite stops. There’s some great coaches in Dayton. Shoot, it’s two hours and 10 or 15 minutes away – right down I-70 for us.
“When we go to Ohio, Dayton — no disrespect to Cincinnati — but Dayton is probably the easiest first stop. Those two areas butting up to our state need to be complementary areas for us in recruiting.”
Other Big Ten schools also have been tapping into that same talent pool, turning Dayton and its surrounding communities into something of a recruiting hotbed.
Most schools have a projected starter from the Miami Valley, and some of them are blossoming into stars: Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland (Alter High School), Michigan receiver Roy Roundtree (Trotwood-Madison), Michigan State linebacker Denicos Allen (Hamilton) and Ohio State safety C.J. Barnett (Northmont).
The Big Ten has benefitted from a bumper crop of recruits this year, getting commitments from 10 players entering their senior years. Ohio State has landed three players from the 2013 class, while Illinois and Iowa have nabbed two each.
“The state of Ohio is such a strong football state,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “It’s a big part of the culture, high school football. It’s just outstanding. I don’t think Dayton is unique at all in that area.
“There’s a lot of good programs and, we feel, a lot of good players. Ohio State can’t take them all.”
Although the Buckeyes lost out on two recruits in the ’13 class when Alter quarterback Malik Zaire chose Notre Dame and Centerville defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo picked Northwestern, they did land Trotwood-Madison cornerback Cameron Burrows, Middletown quarterback Jalin Marshall and Centerville offensive lineman Evan Lisle.
The Miami Valley has always been a consistent source of talent for OSU, and new coach Urban Meyer plans to keep the pipeline flowing.
“I’ve always loved Dayton,” he said. “I went to Cincinnati (to play college football) and I know a lot of the coaches from the Dayton area. They play some great football. They’re very well coached. And we’re going to try to get as many players as we can from there.”
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio has recruited the Dayton area for years, starting when he was an assistant at MSU in 1995 and continuing during his stint as defensive coordinator at Ohio State under Jim Tressel.
“We have some great relationships with the players down there,” Dantonio said. “They have outstanding high school football in Dayton and the surrounding areas. You look at Centerville and (2012 recruit) Benny McGowan coming out of there, Xenia and Mike Austin (in the late 1990s). We’ve always been strong down there.
“Denicos Allen from Hamilton is a great player for us now, very productive. He’s got a motor, man. … He’s ready to have a big year.”
Dantonio, who is starting his sixth season, was able to get off to a rousing start with the Spartans because of two other local players, running back Jevon Ringer (Chaminade Julienne) and defensive lineman Jerel Worthy (Wayne).
“It’s a great football area,” Dantonio said. “Southwest Ohio just has great high school sports — I don’t care whether you’re playing soccer or volleyball or whatever it is.”
About the Author