Moffitt names top four

This weekend offensive guard John Moffitt will be making a trip to State College to check out Penn State. What does the West Haven (Conn.) Notre Dame prospect think about the upcoming visit?

"I'm very interested in Penn State and I'm excited," he said. "I want to give them the message that I'm interested. I've talked to coach Norwood and I've got a good feel for them and I've always liked the Nittany Lions. I like that they are closer than the other schools I'm looking at and I've got family in New Jersey I'd be close to also. I'm hoping they'll make an offer.

"I'd love to go to Penn State, I feel like they are a good program. I know they've had trouble lately, but they had a good recruiting year last year and now they are trying to get the line. I still think coach Paterno is a great coach and the program is on the rise."

If Penn State offered, would the 6-foot-4, 290-pounder take it?

"To tell you the truth, I really probably wouldn't," he said. "That's not reasonable and I want to see what's out there still. They would definitely be at the top of my list though. I really want to get to Michigan State, Virginia and Wisconsin, but I don't want to drag my commitment on too long for all the school's sake."

Currently, those four schools are leading for the No. 12 player in New England.

"I really want to get down to all these places for visits. If I visit them, I think I'll really know what I'm going to do then," he said. "I like how Wisconsin was very straightforward with me. They are a good program with coach Alvarez and I think they'll maintain that tradition with their new coach. I really like Michigan State's line coach. I have a good feeling about them. Virginia is a great program, plus they aren't too far away and they are in the ACC, I like that."

Is either of the local schools still in the running for the lineman?

"I'm getting letters from Boston College and Connecticut," he said. "They both told me that if I didn't go to camp, I wouldn't get offered and to tell you the truth I really don't think I want to play on the East Coast. I think both are great programs, but they aren't where I belong. I'm just not really that interested in staying close to home too."

With four probable officials, who will land the fifth for Moffitt?

"It might be Purdue, I've been talking to them a lot," he said. "I'm not sure who they've offered scholarships to, but they are another great program that could be in the mix if they offered. I'm still in the dark about them now though."

The offensive guard prospect plans to make his decision sometime in December.

The season is quickly approaching for Moffitt as his first game kicks off on September 16th.

"This whole summer I've been training and looking forward to this season," he said. "I don't want recruiting to distract me from it. I'm just looking forward to playing and having a great year."

Moffitt was named all-county, all-league, all-conference and honorable mention all-state as a junior last season.