QB doesnt believe Clarrett allegations

When your coach is under attack, it’s not uncommon for your star quarterback to rally behind him. That rule even applies to future coaches and their future star quarterbacks. Just look at how Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier and Ohio State commitment Rob Schoenhoft supports his future coach Jim Tressel.

Tressel and his staff have come under attack this week when former player Maurice Clarrett launched allegations that Ohio State had committed numerous NCAA violations when he was the Buckeyes’ star running back.

Schoenhoft, a four-star prospect that is 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds, doesn’t believe that accusations – not one bit.

“I didn’t believe them for one second,” Schoenhoft said. “I doubt they’re true at all. I know that the NCAA cleared them of all of the Clarrett stuff, and I really think that coach Tressel and the coaches there at the most honest and professional people that I dealt with in the recruiting process.

“They stand behind the rules 100 percent. Even at the buffet at halftime of the football games, they make you pay the $6.50. You can’t even sneak in and get water because that’s against the NCAA rules. I don’t think coach Tressel would ever do anything like he’s being accused of.

“He is a man of integrity.”

Being one of the Buckeyes’ star recruits and kind of the poster boy for their class, Schoenhoft has already fielded calls from other Ohio State recruits about all the allegations.

“I just talked to Rico McCoy about it, and he was asking me about all the talk,” Schoenhoft said. “I told him that’s not true. He was telling me about how worried he was about it, but I told him to just come in on the visit and see for yourself what it’s like to be around the coaches. He’s coming on December 3. He’ll see what they’re about.”

Schoenhoft said he’s likely going to make his visit to OSU on December 10, but he also might re-work his visit to come in on December 3, so he can spend time talking to McCoy, who he’s developed a really good relationship with.

“I really want him to be one of my teammates,” Schoenhoft said.

Schoenhoft will lead his team into the second round of the Ohio state playoffs. St. Xavier battles rival Cincinnati Moeller on Saturday.

"We have to be in precise in our assignments," he said. "It's going to take 11 guys to do their jobs. If we do, we're going to win."