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Oklahoma eighth to offer Garrett

High schools and college across the country are in the midst of summer camps, but that did not stop class of 2014 linebacker Clifton Garrett and the Oklahoma Sooners' coaching staff from conducting a little recruiting business on Wednesday.
"We got out [of practice] at 11 o'clock and then we go back at four, so I had a little time to rest," Garrett said. "David Smith, one of the running backs there, told me the best time to call coach was around one o'clock. I called Coach [Tim] Kish, the linebackers coach, and that's when they offered me."
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Smith is a 2012 graduate from Bremen High in Midlothian, Ill., who signed with the Sooners in February. Garrett knows Smith because the two have worked out together at Core 6 Athletes in the Greater Chicago area and Smith has been encouraging Garrett to give the Sooners a look.
"He just told me it is a great place," Garrett said. "He said it is a very family-like organization and everything is very nice down there. He said it is a good place to play football and also get a good education."
The offer from Oklahoma is the eighth for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound rising junior linebacker thus far in the recruiting process.
"They said I have a great passion for football, and the way I explode to the football and hit people he said he loves," Garrett said. "That's the type of player they like at Oklahoma."
The other schools that have offered Garrett are Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin.
"At this time I don't really know if I would call a team a leader, but I definitely like a few schools," Garrett said. "Definitely Oklahoma. Then I like Michigan State, Notre Dame and I also like Ohio State. Wisconsin is in the mix as well."
Schools from across the country have shown early interest in Garrett, but one program he would like to hear from is USC.
"It's USC… I love the Trojans," Garrett said. "I haven't talked to them or heard anything from them yet, but I would love to get down there sometime."
In the immediate future, Garrett's focus is on his team and the upcoming 2012 football season. When the fall arrives, however, he expects to attend several college games.
"I want to get to some Michigan games, some Michigan State games," Garrett said. "I definitely will be at the Michigan-Ohio State game at the end of the season. I will be going to some UofI games and the Notre Dame-Miami game at Soldier Field. Also Michigan at Notre Dame."
Garrett has proven to be one of the Midwest's top linebacker prospects in the 2014 class and has already been selected to play in the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
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