Hytchye will wait
Cincinnati (Ohio) La Salle three-star Jaleel Hytchye toyed with the idea of committing prior to the start of his senior season. Hytchye has an ordered list of favorites, but has decided to wait before making a commitment.
"I think I am going to go ahead and take my officials," Hytchye said. "I am going to try to get it done as soon as possible, I just want to make sure I am 100 percent comfortable with my decision. When I commit somewhere, I am going to be committed."
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Hytchye was close to a final decision earlier this summer. Three teams have jumped out as favorites, and there is a pecking order among that group.
"Northwestern, Pitt and then Arizona State," Hytchye said. "As of now, that is the order."
Northwestern and Arizona State have been at the top of Hytchye's list the longest, with Pitt making the most recent move after a visit to their campus earlier this month.
"I just liked the coaching staff and the history of the place itself," Hytchye said of Pitt. "I love the football part of the program and it seems like their academics are nice too. I feel like I can fit in there just fine."
Arizona State has made as strong an impression on Hytchye as any team on the list, but the distance from his Cincinnati home to their campus in Tempe.
"That was by far probably the best visit I've been on, to be honest," Hytchye said. "I just want my mom to check it out. She was more the person that was [concerned] with that one. I loved it out there, but I want her to check it out and if she likes it we'll see where they stand."
Heading into the fall, though, Northwestern is the school that holds the edge for Hytchye, who notched a 3.7 GPA during his junior year.
"I know degree-wise I will be pretty much set after football is done," Hytchye said of Northwestern. "That's what is standing out about them."
Hytchye expects to take all five of his officials before making his final decision, with Kentucky and Cincinnati in line to receive his final two visits.
"I feel the coaches there have shown so much love that it would only be right if I showed them the same amount of attention," Hytchye said.
Hytchye and his La Salle team open their 2012 season with a big game in the Crosstown Showdown against West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West. That game will be played in the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium.
"It's a great atmosphere to play at and a great place to play at," Hytchye said. "I think we have a great team this year and I'm confident in our team, so I'm just ready to get this season started."