Badger or a Lion, RB still thinking

Warren (Ohio) Howland three-star all-purpose back Lance Smith has been a long-time Wisconsin commitment. But with the change in coaching staff in Madison, question marks about what assistant coaches are coming and going and just the general second guess that many recruits have, has allowed him to think more and more about other schools.

But the good news for Badger fans is that it's now just one "other" school.

"I'm committed to Wisconsin still," Smith said. "That's where I want to go. I'm trying to set up a visit to Penn State right now, though. Those are the only two schools still in it."

Smith then goes on to say he's very solid with the Badgers, but then seconds later he talks about how strong his bond is with the Nittany Lion coaches.

"I'm Wisconsin all the way," Smith, who is 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, said. "They're still the team to beat, and they have a big lead with me. I didn't commit there for reasons, but I owe it to myself to know it's the right place for me.

"It's going be real tough to change my mind, but it could happen. I have a pretty good relationship with coach Jay Paterno. I haven't talked to him in a couple days, but I hear from him from time to time."

Smith said he rushed for 1,845 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior. The numbers were up from his junior season and Smith said he knows why.

"I have improved my whole mentality on the field," he said. "I'm faster, quicker – just way better than I was at this time last year. But I know I need to get better at reading blocks. Everything is so much faster at the next level and I need to learn to make my reads quicker."