Iowa pledge Pierschbacher looking at visits

Cedar Falls, Iowa four-star offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher committed to Iowa in January, but that has not stopped other schools from continuing to recruit the Rivals100 prospect.

On Wednesday, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound Pierschbacher added an offer from Alabama.

"I had known for about a week that it was going to happen," Pierschbacher said. "Coach Bobby Williams had called my coach and said they wanted to offer me. They wanted me to hear it from Coach [Nick] Saban personally, so I called him today."

Pierschbacher remains committed to Iowa, but the offer from Alabama did catch his attention.

"When you think of college football you think about Alabama right now," Pierschbacher said. "They are a top program right now, producing at a high level and good players are going there, so that's definitely an attraction to high school kids. Playing for a national championship is definitely in the back of my mind."

A trip to Alabama had already been taken earlier in the recruiting process, and Pierschbacher expects to make a return visit to Tuscaloosa.

"I went down for the Auburn-Alabama game and definitely am going to go down there again ... I'm not sure when," he said.

With close to ten months remaining before he signs his national letter of intent, Pierschbacher does expect to visit schools before the first Wednesday in February.

"I think I want to take official visits," Pierschbacher said. "I don't want to make anyone mad, but it is almost a year away and anything can happen. I just don't want to be left out in the cold if something does happen or something changes. If something were to happen I don't want to be scrambling at the end, so I think I will take official visits."

Among the schools Pierschbacher said could be in line for those official visits are Alabama, Stanford, Notre Dame, USC and, of course, Iowa. Despite the increased attention from other schools, Pierschbacher is still high on the Hawkeyes.

"I am still committed to Iowa and [the interest] hasn't gotten any weaker as things have gone on," Pierschbacher said. "I like the new coaching changes they have gotten and think they are a better coaching staff as a whole.

"Now I am looking forward to seeing what they can do this season. I think they have a good team from what I have been seeing, so I'm excited to see what they can do with it."

Pierschbacher attended a spring practice at Iowa two weeks ago, and plans to return to Iowa City for the Hawkeyes' spring game on April 27.

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