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Take that RR

Posted by Willy on 2/6/2008, 2:21 pm
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Josh Jenkins goes into press conference with Michigan hat
By Derek Taylor
Daily Mail sportswriter
PARKERSBURG - Parkersburg High's Josh Jenkins decided to cast his lot with the WVU Mountaineers today, but not before showing he had a flair for the dramatic and startling a crowd of about 250 people who gathered at PHS's Memorial Fieldhouse for the offensive lineman's long-awaited announcement.

As the three-time, first-team All-Stater approached the podium, he held a University of Michigan hat.

Parkersburg's Jenkins picks WVU

Andy Spradling
Parkersburg's Josh Jenkins chose WVU. .. Rich Rodriguez had received a commitment from Jenkins in 2006 that he would play football for WVU. After Rodriguez took the Michigan job on Dec. 16, he attempted to get Jenkins to follow him to Ann Arbor.

"I just wanted to announce my intentions to attend the University of ...," Jenkins said, before suddenly flinging the Michigan hat toward the bleachers.

Then Jenkins swiftly placed a WVU hat on his head, beamed, and said enthusiastically to wild applause, "It's a great day to be a Mountaineer."

That, of course is WVU broadcaster Tony Caridi's signature line at the conclusion of big Mountaineer football and basketball victories.

Ohio State and Florida State, along with WVU, were considered to be in the hunt for Jenkins' services as signing day approached.

OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel visited Jenkins in Parkersburg last week, as did Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett. As a former West Virginia assistant on Rodriguez's staff, Trickett was instrumental in getting Jenkins to commit to the Mountaineers in 2006.

"People know me here," Jenkins said. "I'm Josh Jenkins from Parkersburg. I'm not some recruit who happens to be from West Virginia. That made a big difference."

Jenkins and some of his PHS coaches spent part of Tuesday night calling other suitors, thanking them for their interest, and informing them that the 6-foot-5, 305-pounder would sign today with the Mountaineers.

He actually made up his mind last Wednesday after a visit from WVU recruiting coordinator John "Doc" Holliday.

"After Coach Holliday left, I talked to my mom and said, 'You know what? I think I'm going to be a Mountaineer,'" Jenkins said.

Jenkins cooled on his commitment to WVU before his senior season at PHS in 2007.

New Mountaineer Coach Bill Stewart, Holliday and offensive line coach Dave Johnson met with Jenkins repeatedly in recent weeks.

He was WVU's top recruiting target.

The first player in the storied history of Parkersburg High School football to earn first team All-State honors three straight seasons, Jenkins was ranked as one of the top five guard prospects in the nation by most recruiting services.

During his career, Jenkins twice won the Hunt Award as the state's best high school lineman, the only player to ever accomplish that feat.

In early January, Jenkins became the first player in state history to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, which was televised nationally from the Alamodome in San Antonio. He was named a Prep All-America selection by USA Today last month and Parade magazine last weekend.