Monday May 23, 2011

Steve Helwagon, Managing Editor for Bucknuts

Although he was sporting a knee brace, Appleby showed few ill effects from the

knee injury that cost him the last few games of his junior season.

“Dr. (Chris) Kaeding, Ohio State’s team doctor, did my procedure,” Appleby said.

“He cleared me on the sideline at the spring game. He said I’m months ahead in

my rehab. Everything is feeling great. The last time I felt pain was in January. I’m

feeling great right now.

“I play baseball and basketball, but this was my first real off-season since I couldn’t

play. I put on 20 pounds. I feel great. I’m so much stronger and faster. They tested

me and the knee is actually stronger than the other one.

“It’s been such a blessing. God only gives you what you can handle so it’s been

awesome. I’m working hard.”

Appleby was among the eight quarterbacks selected out of 120 for the

end-of-camp drills.

“I’m getting there,” Appleby said. “Today was not the best I’ve ever thrown in my entire

life. Not even close. But it’s still early. I’m only a couple of months back out of it. I’m

just shaking the rust off. We’re getting it back. My coach says I’m about 80 percent.

I’m looking forward to getting all the way back this summer.”

Appleby understands that major colleges may be taking a wait-and-see approach with

his knee rehab before they offer.

“Wherever we’ve gone, we’ve asked where I am on their recruiting board and we’ve

gotten pretty straight answers,” Appleby said. “What it’s going to take is some camp days. They want to come out and see me throw. A lot of the BCS schools are on the edge. They want to make sure the wheel is OK. But I’m ready. When I get out there and they see me, I think (the offers) will come.”

To date, Appleby has offers from eight MAC schools. That group includes Akron, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Toledo and Bowling Green. He is planning on making camp trips across the country to earn my scholarships.

“We haven’t sat down and made the camp schedule yet,” Appleby said. “But we’re going to go through the Big Ten. We’ll be at Ohio State, make a trip up to Ann Arbor and also Michigan State and Iowa.

“I’m excited about every one. Every trip I take, it’s awesome. I feel I could be successful at any school I choose.”

He and his family have already toured a number of colleges.

“Starting in the fall, we’ve been to 14 schools,” he said. “We finished a couple weeks ago. We went everywhere from Gainesville (Florida) to West Virginia to Northwestern. We’re just building that list. It’s the funneling process. That’s what we call it.”

Appleby revealed that he attended OSU’s 2003 Fiesta Bowl national championship win over Miami (Fla.).

“I’m an Ohio boy and everybody here loves Ohio State,” he said. “You grow up being a fan. Seeing that stadium over there just gives you goosebumps. To play for Ohio State would be unbelievable. If I get that opportunity, it would definitely be a big consideration.”

But he also sees a good opportunity at Michigan State as well.

“They have a pro style offense,” he said. “The coaching staff there is great. We talk on the phone with the coaching staff there very often. I’m actually looking forward to getting out there and push my parents to take a trip up to East Lansing. I’m really interested in Michigan State.”

As for some of his other BCS possibilities, Appleby said, “We did a lot of Big East stops. Louisville, Syracuse and Connecticut all said I was up there on their board. In the SEC, Vanderbilt said they were impressed. Michigan even said, ‘Come earn a scholarship at camp. We’re high enough on you.’ That’s an opportunity and a challenge for me.”

When asked what he is looking for in a school, he said, “First and foremost, I am looking for academics. I want to study business marketing and minor in psychology. I want to get the best possible degree. Then, I want to play at the highest level of competition possible. I want to earn my spot wherever I go. I want to play where football is important and everybody is behind you.”

This fall, Appleby will try to improve on a solid junior campaign where he threw for 1,480 yards and 14 touchdowns in 7-1/2 games for the Vikings. Click here for video of Appleby in action from his junior year.

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