Andrew Johnson commits

The buildup was there, although it had been reported earlier in a local newspaper where Pittsburgh (Pa.) North Hills running back Andrew Johnson was headed. When it came time to make the announcement official, Johnson leaned over and put the hat of his school of choice on his mother and father. The 6-foot-0, 205-pound star is finally committed.

"He committed to Pitt just a few minutes ago," said Rick Jancosao, the owner of Papa Razzi restaurant in Pittsburgh where Johnson made his announcement. "Andrew put a Pitt hat on both his mother and father right after he announced. He's all smiles."

Johnson, who rushed for 746 yards and eight scores in just three games as a junior, chose the Panthers over Ohio State. He also had offers from schools like UCLA, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Iowa and Boston College.

"He said it came down to where he felt most comfortable," said Jancosao. "He liked the players at Pitt, the atmosphere and the coaching staff. He's very happy with his choice. The press conference is still going on now, it's a huge deal around here."

Johnson had earlier stated what he liked about the Panthers.

"I like that they're close to home and they use a spread offense where I can run in space and catch the ball out of the backfield as well," he told us earlier. "Pitt is a great school and they've always been my favorite."

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