Elite junior LB set to visit Ohio State

One of the region's top Class of 2012 linebackers will be at Ohio State's huge home game against Miami this weekend, so the Buckeyes have a great opportunity to make a statement on the field in a way that resonates with him.

Deaysean Rippy is a 6-foot-2, 198-pound linebacker from McKees Rocks (Pa.) Sto Rox and he has already received verbal offers from Florida, Maryland, Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

"I'm actually going to the Ohio State-Miami game this Saturday," Rippy explained. "Other than that, locally I'll probably be at a couple of Pitt games this year.

"One of the coaches I've been keeping in touch with is coach [Urban] Meyer from Florida. I talked to him a couple of days ago. I've talked to coach [Greg] Gattuso from Pitt and coach [Luke] Fickell from Ohio State.

"Some of the new colleges that contacted me are USC, Cal, coach Bruce Daniels from Cincinnati, LSU and Georgia."

Rippy said Alabama is also interested and the school has been mailing him information for a while.

Sto Rox's first game was last Friday and though they started out slow they managed to put everything together and start the season with a win.

"I'd probably give myself a 'C'," Rippy said. "I could have done better. I'm actually at a new position from what I played as a freshman and sophomore on varsity. I was a MIKE linebacker and now I'm actually an outside linebacker. I'm still getting the feel for it. Other than that I've played very well. I made a few tackles and a couple of good plays [on defense] and on offense I had two receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown.

"A couple of people who have looked at me have said I pursue to the ball and I'm an aggressive hitter so I'll probably be a safety in college."

Last year as a junior Rippy recorded 77 tackles and seven sacks.