Frey now at five offers

One of the Midwest standouts at the U.S. Army Junior Combine earlier this month was Upper Arlington, Ohio, linebacker Chris Frey. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Frey earned second team all-combine honors and holds five early scholarship offers.

"I just picked up my fifth offer right when I got back [from the Army Combine] from Bowling Green," Frey reported.

Besides Bowling Green, Frey has received offers from Syracuse, Akron, Northern Illinois and Toledo. The offer from Northern Illinois actually came from Dave Doeren's staff, which is now at North Carolina State.

"I talk to Coach [Richard] McNutt from North Carolina State periodically," Frey said. "Having a scholarship from Northern Illinois before they switched over, I was really close with Coach McNutt. He is one of my favorite coaches. Me and him get along really well and could talk football for days. He wants me to get down there and visit."

Frey was able to speak with Doeren when he received his offer from Northern Illinois in the fall, and came away impressed with the now-N.C. State head coach.

"I really like Coach Doeren and how he coaches," Frey said. "He told me straight up when I got my [Northern Illinois] scholarship, 'If you commit to me, there is no more talking to other schools or your scholarship is gone.' That's something I would like is a full commitment to me from a coaching staff, so that's one thing I really like about them."

Frey is currently planning a Feb. 23 visit to North Carolina State. He also expects to attend junior days at Bowling Green and Indiana in the coming weeks.

Another coaching change that has affected Frey's recruitment is Butch Jones and his staff going down to Tennessee. Frey had visited Cincinnati this past fall when Jones and his staff was there.

"I had gotten really close with Coach [Mike] Bajakian and we talked a lot," Frey said. "I went to one of their games and met every coach on the staff. Then, a week after that they came into the school. Hopefully after National Signing Day it will pick back up and maybe go down for a visit."

Frey's interest in Cincinnati was not limited to the coaching staff, and he is looking to make contact with the Bearcat's new staff under head coach Tommy Tuberville.

"I want to get up to Cincinnati and meet the new coaching staff," he said. "I would like to get to know the new coaching staff because I really like it there."

This past fall, Frey collected 157 tackles, two interceptions, six forced fumbles and four sacks from his linebacker position for Upper Arlington.