Hoover's Howard leading toward playing at Akron
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Todd Porter, Canton Repository
NORTH CANTON As the Feb. 3 college football signing day creeps closer,
Hoover High School senior Erick Howard has choices.
The two-time Mr. Football winner and Stark county’s all-time leading rusher said
Wednesday he has verbally committed to sign with the University of Akron next week,
though he could change his mind.
And Howard has another option as well. He could choose not to sign with a college
and enroll in a prep school. There he would play football and try to boost his grade-point
average. Howard would not lose a year of college eligibility by doing this.
“I will probably decide before the weekend or during the weekend,” Howard said.
“It’s between Akron and Toledo right now.”
Howard ran for 6,013 yards in his four years at Hoover. He also set county records for
career points (478) and touchdowns (79). He made 208 tackles as a linebacker during
his final two seasons.
He visited Toledo recently and said he fell in love with the campus setting there.
“It’s more of a college campus than Akron, which is sort of in the middle of the city,”
Howard said.
The Zips hired former Notre Dame assistant Rob Ianello last month as their head coach. Akron’s offense may be a better suit for Howard’s running style. The Zips will use the I-formation similar to the one employed at Hoover.
Toledo Head Coach Tim Beckman made a favorable impression on Howard, though. Beckman just finished his first season with the Rockets. The former Ohio State assistant has Perry High School standout Matt Campbell as his offensive coordinator.
“I like the Toledo players a lot and Coach Beckman and Coach Campbell,” Howard said. “It’s tough because I like Coach (Ianello) too.”
Campbell recruited Howard, and former McKinley running back Morgan Williams hosted Howard during his visit to Toledo.
Howard would need a 2.2 GPA for a BCS conference school such as Ohio State to offer him a scholarship. He is just shy of a 2.0 GPA necessary to avoid Proposition 48 and play for a Mid-American Conference schools.
Most BCS schools don’t offer scholarships to Prop 48 non-qualifiers. A MAC school will allow a Prop 48 player to attend college as a freshman, pay his own way and not participate in football. By remaining good academic standing, an athlete can then receive a scholarship as a sophomore.
That may not be necessary for Howard, however. He said he needs to get average a B in four of his five classes this semester to become qualified.
“I was close to Bs this nine-week period,” Howard said. “I can do it. It’s just going to take some hard work.”
Howard and Hoover head coach Don Hertler Jr. will discuss the senior’s options this week.
“It doesn’t matter to me where he goes,” Hoover head football coach Don Hertler Jr. said. “I just want what’s best for Erick. We’re going to talk (Thursday), and hopefully he can make a decision that is best for him.”
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