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Old 02-25-2010, 07:12 PM   #11
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West Branch is a small town of less than 2,000 people in the northeast part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. It hasn't been known as a hotbed of college football talent in the past, but coaches from major programs are quickly locating the town on a map, all because of West Branch Ogemaw Heights offensive lineman Anthony Zettel.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Zettel led Ogemaw Heights to an 11-2 record in 2009 and a state semifinals appearance. He plays both offensive tackle and defensive end and has the ability to play both at the college level. As a junior, he earned All-Northeast Michigan Conference and first team All-Division 3 accolades for his play.


Zettel is a testament to the maxim that coaches will find talent wherever it is located. The well-traveled recruiting paths do not run through the northeast corner of the Lower Peninsula. Saginaw is traditionally the farthest north college coaches recruit in Michigan, but Zettel has given them reason to head further north on I-75.


“I’ve been to a lot of good camps and I know how the Internet is now… it is a lot easier to get recognized now,” Zettel noted. “I didn’t expect it to come this quick, but my coach, (Andrew) Pratley, helps me a lot and my parents are real good with that, too.”


Last weekend, Zettel participated in the Badger Sports Elite lineman camp in New Jersey. The event featured top talent from Arizona, Georgia, Florida and Ohio. After the camp, Zettel was receiving as much attention as any prospect in attendance. He was ranked by Rivals.com as the top offensive lineman at the camp and he earned Defensive MVP on the second day of the event.


On Tuesday, Rivals released its top 250 prospects to watch in the class of 2011 and Zettel was one of five prospects from Michigan to make the list. He received scholarship offers from Michigan and Michigan State within the last two weeks to go with a previous offer from Central Michigan. Schools like Notre Dame, Iowa, Cincinnati and Illinois have also been by the school and are sending mail.


Growing up, Zettel was a big Michigan fan and he first got exposure at the Wolverines' summer camp in June. He planned to attend every one of the Michigan’s home games last season and almost accomplished the feat, but Ogemaw Heights kept advancing in the state playoffs.


Michigan still has Zettel’s interest, but the other offers and additional attention from colleges has the lineman considering his options. West Branch does not have many opportunities to follow a native son’s recruitment, but Zettel will give them that opportunity this off-season.


http://www.freep.com/print/article/2...lege-attention
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Old 03-08-2010, 06:35 AM   #12
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Going to ND junior day. Had contact from them and Penn St.

May make a decision before school starts in the fall.
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Old 03-08-2010, 09:48 PM   #13
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Holding six scholarship offers from the likes of Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Michigan State, Zettel admits that he is most comfortable with the three programs closest to his West Branch, Mich. home.

However, all of that could change very shortly.

“I'm just sorting everything out,” Zettel said of his potential collegiate destination. “I've been to Michigan's campus so many times that right now, I'm most comfortable with them because I've been there so much but I'm still open to anything. I just want to see other colleges because I've really only been to Michigan, Central Michigan and Michigan State. I've been to Michigan so many times that I'm comfortable with them, but that can change just by meeting other college coaches.”

On March 20th, Zettel will get his chance.

That weekend, the junior will meet Notre Dame’s new coaching staff as he plans on making it into South Bend to participate in the program’s Junior Day scheduled for that afternoon.

The 6-foot-4, 254-pound prospect has been hearing from Notre Dame’s staff, but has never met them in person and will make his first ever trip to Notre Dame.

“I've always been interested in Notre Dame as a program,” Zettel said. “Now they've got some really good coaches in there. I'm just waiting to go out to their Junior Day and get to them in person. I know they'll be good in football, record-wise, so I just want to meet them in person and get to know the people there.”

Although Zettel is receiving mail from a number of different programs, he is unsure whether or not more offers will be trickling in.

“I've been getting a lot of letters from everywhere, but I don't know if other schools are going to offer yet.”

However, two programs have indicated that scholarship offers may be coming in the near future.

“Penn State is pretty close to offering too and so is Notre Dame,” he said.

If all goes well March 20th, the Irish offer may come sooner rather than later.

As the offensive tackle begins to generate a list of favorites into the summer, he knows specifically what he is looking for in his final choice.

“A great education, good teamwork and a good family background in the football program with great facilities and coaching,” Zettel said.

In any case, the Ogemaw Heights High School product isn’t looking to extend his recruitment any longer than it has to. Deciding to focus his attention on his senior-season athletics instead, the junior is looking to have the process finalized before the start of the next school year.

“Right now, I kind of want to wait it out a little bit, but then again I don't want to carry it out past this summer,” he said. “Probably late summer. I want to concentrate on my high school sports.”

Wherever he does end up playing college football, Zettel indicated what his future program will receive with his commitment.

In addition to agility and leadership traits, Zettel can also bring versatility and an ability to play several positions.

“Team leadership, speed, high athleticism,” he said. “I don't know where I'd be playing right now. There are a couple of positions I could play. I don't know if I would for sure be on the offensive line. Last year, I started out on the offensive line, but as my body is filling out, I have other options, too. O-line could work, but I don't really know, I could be a tight end.”

http://www.irishsportsdaily.com/recr...ng-irish-offer
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Old 03-16-2010, 04:45 PM   #14
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Old 03-16-2010, 04:46 PM   #15
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Top 3 of Michigan, MSU, and ND. Thinks ND will offer him on their Junior Day.
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Old 03-20-2010, 08:12 PM   #16
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From 2/20/10

"Balancing, explosiveness, flexibility — all that's come together, too," said the junior, who's projected as an interior lineman. "It helps a lot. I can only imagine what four years of that'll do."

He's seen the dividends on the field and in the weight room. In about a year, the junior said, he increased his personal best in the bench press from 240 to 370 pounds.

And interest has picked up as a result. He boasts offers from Central Michigan, Michigan and Michigan State. Zettel also plans on attending Notre Dame's Junior Day next month and said he's getting mail from every Big Ten school — including Penn State, which recently called his coach.

"I didn't talk to Penn State. I was in the room, and my coach was talking to them awhile," Zettel added.

He couldn't specifically recall who the coach was but remembers it was a defensive coach who had ties to Michigan. (Penn State assistant Ron Vanderlinden was born in Michigan and was a graduate assistant for two seasons there.)

"They got a good program, a really winning school," Zettel said about the Nittany Lions. "I haven't seen anything of what they're like, but I did see on the Internet that their facilities are nice."

Zettel said he wants to keep an open mind but acknowledged he's leaning toward the Wolverines right now. He's looking for four elements in his ideal college: Academics ("Like a school with a high graduation percentage," he added), fan base, program strength and coaches.

He assumes Penn State is currently evaluating his film, and he's hoping a trip to an upcoming NIKE camp will help his recruiting stock. Zettel's high school coach said he boasts the physical tools necessary to impress.

"He's got such great explosiveness and athleticism for a big fellow," Pratley said. "He can move, and he's just got that motor. He's tenacious from the beginning of the snap, and he likes to finish plays."

http://www.nittanynetwork.com/index....ngthens-effort
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Old 03-20-2010, 08:14 PM   #17
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Left ND w/o an offer, which he wanted. UC needs to move into his top 3.
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Old 04-05-2010, 06:22 AM   #18
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One of the interesting aspects about Zettel’s recruitment is that he could project on either side of the ball. Some teams see him as an offensive guard while others project him as a defensive tackle. MSU apparently is willing to allow Zettel workout at both positions.


Zettel was recently in East Lansing to check out a spring practice and meet with the coaches. Zettel's primary recruiter for MSU is defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi. Zettel plans on being in Ann Arbor for the Wolverines’ spring game on April 17.


Zettel's offers not only include the Spartans and Wolverines, but other BCS-conference programs like Wisconsin, Stanford and Iowa. Zettel has an outstanding chance of being a Rivals.com top 250 prospect and a four-star recruit when the national rankings come out later this spring.

http://www.freep.com/article/2010040...-best-for-2011
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Old 04-11-2010, 04:15 AM   #19
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owever, I don't think we should fill up on in-state kids. With Zettel and Beyer likely commits - plus Hollowell and Conway - offering and taking commitments from too many other in-state guys might limit the rest of our class. There are still guys like Showers, Beavers, Raymon Taylor, Hosley, Rawls, Hayes, etc. out there, too.

I'm not making an argument that we have to get out-of-state guys to be successful, just that the talent level in Michigan only goes so deep. With a small class and a [hopefully] good season coming up, I think we should be able to get some nationally renowned recruits.

http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2...update_28.html


We'll see, as it's very early (not that I don't necessarily disagree with it)
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Old 04-19-2010, 12:43 PM   #20
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Was at UM spring game on Saturday.
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