SoCal OL up to eight offers
You can never get enough dominating big men on your roster. When you have the grades to match your mammoth talent then you have the makings of a big time prospect and that's exactly what you have in offensive lineman Michael Philipp (6-4, 305, 5.1) from San Bernardino (Calif.) Arroyo.
The talented behemoth already has written offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and Colorado.
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Philipp was recently on the UCLA campus for the Bruin/Oregon Ducks basketball game with three other class of 2009 prospects.
"UCLA told me I would be a good fit for their school," Philipp said. "They didn't offer though.
"UCLA showed me around the campus," Philipp said. "It is a really nice school and I really liked it around there.
"I want to get as many offers as I can so I can have a better variety schools then I can find the right school for me," Philipp said. "I probably won't make my college choice until signing day next February.
"The most important factor will be academics," Philipp said. "I really want to get a good education.
"I also want to play for a school that wins and has a good offensive line coach,' Philipp said. "I think it is very important to go to a school with a good coaching staff that really knows what they are talking about and sends their best players to the league.
"I will be attending the NIKE Camp at USC and I will be going to the camp they have at San Bernardino Valley College every year," Philipp said. "I am planning on going to UCLA's or USC's camp as well."
As a junior, Philipp earned all-league, all-county and all-state honors. In the weight room, Philipp currently benches 300-pounds, squats 450 and hand cleans 245. He has recorded an outstanding for a guy, 29.5 vertical.
In a previous interview with Arroyo Valley coach Tony DiThomas had the following to say about Philipp.
"In my 27 years of coaching, Michael is the best offensive lineman I have ever coached," DiThomas said. "He will be the most sought after lineman in the Inland Empire next year and maybe even all of Southern California.
"Michael also has great character," DiThomas said. "He is about as perfect a player as you can get.
"Michael is a great athlete who plays left tackle for us and he does a great job out there on an Island," DiThomas said. "He also has great bloodlines. He has three older brothers that have played college football, two of them played in the Pac 10 with Arizona."