In his first full football recruiting season, Illinois coach Ron Turner is on an all-out blitz.
The latest reward for his personal sales touch is Dunbar’s two-time All-State running back Rausell Harvey, who became the state’s all-time leading rusher this season.
“Turner was the only head coach who contacted Rausell himself,” said Dunbar coach Glenn Johnson. “All the other schools sent their assistants.”
The 5-foot-9-inch, 160-pound Harvey made an oral commitment to the Illini over the weekend and joins Schaumburg quarterback Kurt Kittner, Bolingbrook running back Antoineo Harris and Lockport’s 6-7, 320-pound offensive tackle Tony Pashos among talented Chicago area products who are headed to Champaign.
“Coach Turner is going to turn the program around, and he is recruiting some top players,” said Harvey, whose 2,630 yards rushing and 40 touchdowns this season gave him 7,395 yards and 107 TDs for his career–both state records. “Coach Turner told me I’d get a chance running the ball and they would also get me the ball on screen passes and punt and kick returns.
“Illinois was the only major college that believed in me. Purdue and Michigan State showed some interest, but never offered a scholarship. Eastern Michigan said I could have one after I made a visit.”
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“Now I’ve got a chance to prove myself to all the other schools that said I didn’t have the size to be a running back in college.”
Harvey carries a 3.0 grade-point average and scored a 16 on his ACT. He plans to retake the test in February, and to qualify for a scholarship he must improve that score slightly.
Also committing to Illinois were punter Steven Fitts of Gaston, S.C., and kicker Brent Peterson of Columbus, Ohio.
Wavering: Notre Dame’s 23-22 squeaker over Hawaii might have been good enough to earn the Irish a bowl bid, but one of their top recruits was unimpressed.
David Terrell, ranked by many analysts as the nation’s top wide receiver, was so troubled by Notre Dame’s meager passing game against the Rainbows that he is considering reneging on his oral commitment.
“Before they played Hawaii, there was no question where he was going to school,” said Richard McFee, Terrell’s coach at Huguenot High School in Richmond, Va. “But that game erased it.”
The Irish attempted 20 passes, completing seven for 100 yards.
Terrell visited Michigan last weekend and plans to visit Florida and Penn State before making his final decision in January. He also will attend the Citrus Bowl, which pits the Gators against the Nittany Lions.
Terrell isn’t granting interviews, but McFee said the 6-foot-3-inch, 195-pounder was impressed with his Michigan visit.
“He watched them practice, and right now, there’s no comparison,” McFee said. “It’s Michigan No. 1, Notre Dame No. 2.”