BG football gets 1st verbal commitment
5/31/2012BOWLING GREEN -- The Bowling Green State University football team received a verbal commitment from the first member of its 2013 recruiting class.
Brush High School coach Josh Wells said senior-to-be Patric Hannon committed to BGSU earlier this month.
The six foot, one inch, 210-pounder plays running back on offense and linebacker on defense, but Wells said Hannon was recruited to play linebacker for the Falcons.
NCAA rules prohibit BG coaches from commenting on a recruit until that player has signed a national letter of intent.
Hannon has played for Brush, which is located in the Cleveland suburb of Lyndhurst, since his freshman year, but played in only four games as a freshman because of an ankle injury.
Last season he carried the ball 45 times for 237 yards (an average of 5.3 yards per game) and two touchdowns. For his career he has 147 rushing attempts for 742 yards (a 5.0 average) and 14 TDs.
On defense Hannon had 58 tackles as the main "hitter" in the Arcs' 5-2 defense.
"He didn't play much at running back because we had another player who fit our spread offensive scheme better," Wells said. "But Patric is such a team player and great kid, he accepted that. BG is lucky to be getting him."
Wells said that BG coaches -- particularly defensive coordinator Mike Elko -- were very excited to get the commitment from Hannon, who also had offers from Toledo and Northern Illinois, among others.
"He's very hard-nosed, and he's a hitter," Wells said of Hannon. "When he gets an opportunity to make a hit, he makes the hit. He's very aggressive on the field, and he's a strong leader for our team. Plus, he's a smart player: When he sees an opening, he takes it.
"He never takes a play off because he has a high motor. Losing just isn't an option for him."
KEZUR JOINS CC TEAM: Southview High School graduate Kendra Kezur will transfer to BG from Cleveland State and run for the Falcons cross country team starting this fall.
Kezur finished 71st in the Division I state cross country meet as a high school junior in 2009 and just missed qualifying for that meet as a senior.
She placed second for CSU at the Horizon League meet last October, covering the five-kilometer course in a time of 21:00.8 to place 31st overall.
VOLLEYBALL TRANSFER: Kelsey Bates will transfer from Syracuse to join the BG volleyball team starting this fall.
Bates is a 6-1 native of Willshire, Ohio, who will play middle blocker and right side for the Falcons. She played in six matches for the Orange last fall.
She was named All-Ohio third team at Parkway High School in 2010 after leading her to team to the Division III state semifinals as a senior.
Bates is the first player to commit to first-year head coach Danijela Tomic.
The Falcons return five starters and the starting libero, to go with nine returning letterwinners, from a team that went 19-12 a year ago.
Contact John Wagner at: jwagner@theblade.com, 419-724-6481, or on Twitter @jwagnerblade.