David Durham, LB from Texas, committed to Ohio State for the 2010 Class.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/02/24/osufb_24.ART_ART_02-24-09_C3_VUD11VS.html?sid=101 Tuesday, February 24, 2009 3:07 AM
By Tim May
The Columbus Dispatch
Just when recruiting was starting to heat up for linebacker David Durham from Austin, Texas, he turned off the stove yesterday and committed to Ohio State.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound pass-rusher -- he had 11 sacks last season for a team that made it to Texas' big-school quarterfinals -- became the fourth member of the 2010 OSU class. He had no misgivings, either, even if his high school is a 20-minute drive from the University of Texas, which edged OSU in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 5.
"I see myself as being more of a Big Ten kind of player," said Durham, projected as a hybrid defensive end/linebacker such as Ohio State's Thaddeus Gibson.
Besides, Durham originally is from Charlotte, N.C., has relatives in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and his father lives in Atlanta. He grew fond of OSU during a trip by his Westlake High School wrestling team -- he's a state title contender at 215 pounds -- to Columbus in late January.
He was given a tour of the Ohio State football facilities by co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell. Durham said he met coach Jim Tressel when he and his father returned for another visit Friday. When OSU made the scholarship offer yesterday, he committed.
"When I was there it just felt like home, honestly, and I wanted to be a Buckeye 100 percent," said Durham, who also had early offers from Illinois, West Virginia and Virginia. "I felt like I fit in well with the system, fit in with the guys."
