Ohio Prep Stars Look To Build Rivalry In Big East

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

CLEVELAND -- If Brian Kelly takes the job at Notre Dame, that could bring a double-dose of bad news to Cincinnati football fans.

First of all, the Bearcats would obviously be losing one of the nation's finest coaches, but if they don't tread carefully, they could also lose local quarterback prospect Luke Massa.

Massa said in a telephone interview with OGS Thursday that he doesn't know what he'll do if Kelly bolts, and the tall teen sounded fairly convincing as he said it.

"Right now I'm hoping he stays," said Massa, who this fall helped the Bombers to their eighth Greater Catholic League crown in the last 10 years, and the second round of the state playoffs. "When the time comes and he makes a decision, I'll have a decision to make, too."

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Massa gave the Bearcats a verbal commitment in July, but is well within his right to sign on someone else's dotted line when national letter-of-intent day hogs the headlines in February. Charlie Weis's regime at Notre Dame expressed interest, so perhaps there still might be room for him in South Bend if Kelly takes the job there after all?

Wisconsin and Cincinnati were the only schools to make offers, but Massa also "talked to Boston College, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and Michigan State." Not a bad list of options.

With Kelly entrenched in the gossip section of the sports world, you'd think a few of the aforementioned schools would re-open those conversations. But Massa said that hasn't been the case, adding that in a perfect world, he'll play for Kelly at Nippert Stadium.

"It would be pretty cool to play in your hometown," he said. "Brian Kelly has been so successful here the last few years, and I'd love to be a part of it. The program is still on the rise."

And of course Massa is keenly aware how well the UC offense would showcase his talents for NFL scouts a few years down the line.

"I think UC would give me a great opportunity," he said. "They have such a good system and their offense is explosive."

St. Xavier's Jesuit rival in Cleveland, St. Ignatius, boasts first-team all-Ohio quarterback Mark Myers. The Wildcats beat Massa's Bombers in the regular season, and Myers's football future seems a little more stable than Massa's.

Myers is headed to Pittsburgh, where he hopes after a year or two of growing and learning, he can contend for a starting position and lead his Panthers to a couple of victories over Massa's conference-rival Bearcats.

"It will definitely be fun to play against him in the Big East," Myers said.

Added Massa: "I think both of our first starts were against each other as sophomores in 2007. The quarterback ahead of him got hurt, and the quarterback ahead of me got hurt too. It would be cool to compete against him again at the next level."

Myers said he visited Pittsburgh, just two hours away from Cleveland, three times over the summer. He said he likes that the school is in the city, adding he was also impressed by the facilities and the school's academic offerings.

Myers said he grew up watching Ohio State on autumn Saturdays, but despite a few conversations with Buckeyes brass, he "didn't think (he) would fit in with their offense."

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound lefty has drawn comparisons to Dave Ragone, among other strong-armed southpaws.

"I'll have to be very dedicated to football because it's your job in college for four years," Myers said.

Comments

[sa in florence]

This QB is fortunate that UC offered. Can't vision him in this offense. QB from Winton Woods is a much better fit. If BK stays I hope to see more Defense recruited especially some D-lineman.