None — By Chris Harlan from our newspaper exchange partner the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
West Allegheny's Mike Caputo, a rising senior who helped the Indians win a WPIAL title, made a verbal commitment Tuesday to play football for Wisconsin.
"I had a good feeling when I visited," said Caputo, a running back and safety who was the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review high school football player of the year last season. "I liked the other schools that I visited — Penn State, Ohio State and Pitt — but there was just a certain feeling when I went to Wisconsin."
Player Profile l Interview With Caputo
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Caputo rushed for 2,615 yards and scored 37 touchdowns as a junior, leading West Allegheny to the WPIAL Class AAA title. He also had 89.5 tackles and expects to play defense in college.
Wisconsin hasn't yet determined his position, but Caputo said he likely would be used at strong safety. He called Wisconsin coaches Monday evening, telling them he was coming.
Caputo also called the three other schools to tell them he wasn't.
"That was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done," Caputo said of his calls to Pitt, Penn State and Ohio State.
Caputo had more than a dozen scholarship offers, including from West Virginia, Boston College, Michigan, Michigan State, N.C. State and Purdue. Boston College was recruiting him as a running back.
But, ultimately, Caputo chose Wisconsin over his other finalist Ohio State, another Big Ten school. He decided that moving 600 miles from Pittsburgh wasn't an issue.
"My family is going to see me play wherever I go," Caputo said.
Wisconsin has several ties to Western Pennsylvania.
Washington County native Barry Alvarez, the former Wisconsin coach, is now the school's athletic director. Brashear's Manasseh Garner and Erie McDowell's A.J. Fenton are both on the roster. And former West Allegheny standout Ben Herbert, who played for Wisconsin, is the strength and conditioning coordinator for the Badgers.
Seniors can sign national letters of intent beginning Feb. 2, 2011.
Caputo was the second leading rusher in the WPIAL last season behind only Hopewell's Rushell Shell, who had 2,740 yards. When the two met in November at Heinz Field for the WPIAL championship, Caputo and Shell totaled 452 yards and each scored four touchdowns. Caputo and West Allegheny won, 36-28, and advanced to the PIAA semifinals.
Last season was Caputo's first at West Allegheny, having transferred from Blackhawk, a rival in the Parkway Conference.
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