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Teague waits for interest

All Osceola's Jason Teague did in three years was rush for 4,504 yards and score 50 touchdowns, and impressively top each previous year with a slew of amazing performances.

Now he wants to know, did anyone notice?

Area coaches did, routinely rattling off Teague's name when asked about Pinellas County's Division I-caliber players. But those Division I schools aren't showing the interest Teague hoped they would, and he has no visits planned.

"They say he's not quite fast enough for what they're looking for, and the reason he's fourth or fifth on their depth chart," Osceola coach George Palmer said. "But the best assets about Jason are not recruitable. He plays with a lot of heart, whether we're ahead or behind. He's very low maintenance. It's just breaking my heart that nothing's happening."

Teague, who also played linebacker, was timed in the 40 at 4.55 seconds last spring at a combine at Seminole High. He also has a 37-inch vertical leap. That was enough to impress Michigan State then despite his size (5 feet 91/2 and 182 pounds). Teague said the Spartans said they would have made him an offer had he academically qualified at the time.

Since, he has raised his SAT score from 720 to a qualifying 920, and his 2.4 grade point average is expected to get a boost next week because he has two B's and two A's in his core classes.

Teague also has had a little bad luck: Palmer said former Indiana coach Cam Cameron was going to offer Teague a visit, but was fired a day after the promise.

Troy State also expressed interest before backing off, but could re-enter the picture. And Bowling Green's defensive coordinator visited Monday and took film of Teague back to Ohio.

Teague, who ran for a career-best 1,638 yards this season, is also getting a hand from his mother, Sandra, who is culling highlights from videotapes of some of his performances (perhaps the 114 yards in a win over Seminole and its vaunted defense, or the 247 against Class 4A, District 9 champion Largo?) to send to colleges.

The assists by his mom and Palmer, who continues to hunt for schools for Teague to play at, are keeping Teague's spirits up.

"It's frustrating to wait," he said, "but I'm going to get offered something."

TOP DOG: St. Petersburg Catholic's Chris Davis, one of the country's top 10 prospects according to a number of recruiting services, is keeping everyone guessing by not naming a favorite.

In fact, the 6-0, 170-pounder won't reveal where he'll take his remaining two visits.

He took his third this weekend at South Florida, which wants him to play quarterback, his preferred position (others, like Florida, want him as a receiver).

Davis said he thought USF's offense, the same spread style he played in high school, was a "good fit for me." Davis also said seeing former Dixie Hollins star Marquell Blackwell get a chance there is encouraging.

Davis said he will talk to new Florida coach Ron Zook Wednesday. Since the coaching change in Gainesville, Davis said no one there has talked to him.

But if Gator fans are looking for any hint that Davis might choose to play receiver in college and head to Gainesville, here's this: usually when he plays NCAA Football 2002 with Teague, who lives two doors down, he plays as Florida.

"That's his team," Teague said. "Don't even pick them when he's playing you, because he wants him. Doesn't help him though because I always beat him with Oklahoma."

Davis doesn't dispute he usually takes Florida, but says Teague is off base on the results.

"He never wins," Davis said. "I've probably beaten him 80 straight times. And I can beat him with anyone."

CALIFORNIA DREAMING?: Davis' teammate and best friend, linebacker Mike Ross, visited Southern Cal over the weekend and returned raving about his visit and coach Pete Carroll.

"He was the first coach to visit me at my house," said Ross, a 6-0, 180-pounder who will probably move to safety. "He's a nice guy. The players told me at first they thought the switch (to Carroll before last season) would be terrible, but after summer (they) started to take a liking to him. They told me I needed to come there because they were going to win the national championship."

Ross visits South Carolina this weekend, and Purdue after. That would leave one visit, which Ross said he'll probably take at USF.

WARM OR COLD?: Countryside kicker Jon Peattie, who hit a state-best 57-yard field goal this season, visits Miami this weekend. The national champions are his top choice, so barring a terrible visit and some second thoughts, expect him to accept a full-scholarship offer soon after.

Peattie moved up a scheduled Jan. 25 trip to Northwestern to the past weekend. But he is still leaning heavily toward Miami. In fact, father Steve said the visit was "just a formality."

-- John C. Cotey covers recruiting. He can be reached at (727) 893-8129 or at cotey@sptimes.com.

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