ESPN

Citing multiple sources, ESPNU is reporting that South Kent 7-foot center Isaac Freeman is headed to the Atlantic 10 after committing to the University of Massachusetts earlier today.

Freeman, a Manassas, Va. native, chose the Minutemen over Drexel. He did a post-graduate season this year at the South Kent, Conn. campus after a standout career at Osbourn (Va.) High.

He played an integral role two years ago on an Osbourn squad that made its first Virginia state tournament appearance in program history, and could potentially be a sleeper for the Minutemen. He was reportedly cut from his middle school squad and didn't make the varsity until his junior year of high school, as the Washington Post's Preston Williams points out:

The most important choice for Freeman, who got cut from his middle school team and did not play high school varsity basketball until his junior year, might not have been the decision he made Monday but the decision he made last year to not go to college directly out of Osbourn. Freeman said at South Kent he has diversified his offensive game in particular, polishing his 12- to 15-foot jump shot, which in turn has boosted his confidence.

“The transition from high school to college would have extremely damaged my self-esteem and the way I thought of what college would be like,” Freeman said. “I thought the transition in the beginning of the school year was very, very hard. But once I started getting used to it, I accepted it and loved it.”

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Millis/Hopedale coach Dale Olmstead recalled Jon Baker's first varsity action a year and a half ago, starting at center as a freshman for the Mohawks, and reflected on a 250-pound kid throwing both hands in the air and letting out a howl as he got down in his stance.

A year and a half later, Olmstead sees a kid who shows up at UMass' junior day, and impresses enough to move on coach to utter, "Maybe we don't have to redshirt this kid."

Baker, a Class of 2014 offensive line prospect and Millis resident, still has two more years with the Mohawks, but he's already making waves. UMass head coach Charley Molnar became the first Division 1 FBS coach to extend a verbal scholarship offer this afternoon to the 6-foot-4, 300-pound sophomore.

The Minutemen first reached out to Olmstead two months ago for film. They invited Baker to their Junior Day last month at Gillette Stadium, and his combination of physique and athleticism immediately impressed. Baker wears his frame lean, demonstrates good footwork, and tests well for a 16-year-old -- reportedly, Baker runs a 5.1-second 40-yard dash, benches over 400 and squats over 500.

"He actually looks lighter right now than he did last year, but he's already 15 pounds heavier," Olmstead said.

Off the field, Baker carries a 4.0 grade point average, further speaking to a maturity beyond his years.

"He's just so motivated and so focused for such a young man," Olmstead said. "I've never seen anything like this in my 22 years. He gets it, and he got it from the first game.

"This kid has been playing every game like it's his last, and he just keeps better and better."

Boston College has also been showing interest in Baker, and had him on campus for their Junior Day last February. Both programs currently project him right now as either a center or guard, due to his IQ and mobility.

"He's one of those kids that I say, 'Jon, take a break, take a week off'," Olmstead said. "And he says, 'I don't see the point'. He always wants to become something better, and I think UMass saw that in him."

The University of Massachusetts football program has never landed a recruit like quarterback Todd Stafford before.

When Stafford told UMass coach Charley Molnar that he wanted to be a Minuteman last Thursday he became the first player to commit to UMass during his junior season in high school.

“I really liked the coaching staff and the more I researched UMass the more I liked it,” Stafford said. “My dad grew up in Massachusetts [Somerset] and he likes it there. I really felt like it was a perfect fit for me.”

Stafford, who plays for the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn., received a scholarship offer from UMass after he attended a UMass junior day in February. He also received early interest from Boston College, Duke and Miami, but UMass was his only offer.

Stafford is a pro-style quarterback with good size (6-foot-6, 245 pounds), but suffered season-ending knee injuries during his sophomore and junior seasons. He missed almost all of the 2011 season after being injured during the second quarter of Brunswick's opener against Taft.

“I was planting and got my foot stuck in the turf, then I got hit,” Stafford explained. “The rehab went well. The doctor told me my knees right now are as strong as they've ever been.

“I'm more of a drop-back quarterback. I prefer to throw it more than run it. Their style of offense fits me pretty well.”

Stafford said he first heard from UMass about two months after his junior season. The UMass coaches were watching film of Brunswick wide receiver Donqutae Robinson and saw something from Stafford's sophomore season that they liked.

“I had some solid film from my sophomore year,” Stafford said. “They told me they liked what they saw. They were debating about offering me because of the injuries, but they made the offer at the first junior day. I've been thinking about UMass since then.”

UMass is transitioning from the FCS level (Colonial Athletic Association) to the FBS (Mid-American Conference). The Minutemen will begin play in the MAC this year.

Stafford, who also plays lacrosse for Brunswick, said he would have committed to UMass even if the program wasn't moving to the MAC.

“If they had remained at the I-AA level (FCS) the appeal would have still been there,” he said. “It just seemed like the right place for me.

“I'm glad I made the decision early. Now I don't have to go to all of those one-day camps. I can focus on my team.”

Shortly after University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar secured his first recruiting class in February, he talked about how he wanted New England players to form the foundation of his program. Apparently that was more than just talk.

UMass has clearly made New England –- and Massachusetts in particular –- the focus of much of its recruiting efforts.

BC High offensive lineman Jack McDonald, Everett offensive lineman John Montelus, Xaverian defensive lineman Maurice Hurst Jr., Tabor Academy defensive lineman Tevin Montgomery, BB&N tight end Brendan O'Neil and Catholic Memorial defensive end Peter Ngobidi have each received a scholarship offer from UMass, which held two junior days last month.

In addition, Todd Stafford, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound quarterback from the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn., committed to UMass on Thursday. He became UMass' first commitment from the class of 2013.

“I went to the first junior day and [Molnar] said with the move to the MAC they want to start with the local kids,” McDonald said. “He talked about how good the talent is around here, and they want to bring in as many local kids as they can.”

UMass has been competing at the FCS level in the Colonial Athletic Association, but will move up to the FBS level when it begins play in the MAC next season. The Minutemen won't play on campus, but will use Gillette Stadium as their home field.

“It's a little bit of a drive from the campus, but I got to play at Gillette in last year's Super Bowl and it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” McDonald said. “They'll have their own locker room there. I think the positives will outweigh the negatives.”

McDonald also has offers from Boston College and Maryland, and has received significant interest from Duke and Temple.

“Right now I'm considering everything,” he said.

Montelus and Hurst each have at least 10 Division 1 scholarship offers. Hurst received his offer from UMass while at one of the junior days last month.

“I'll definitely consider UMass,” Hurst said. “I really like the coaching staff and a lot of Mass. kids seem to be going there.”

There were six players from New England in Molnar's first recruiting class: wide receiver Khary Bailey Smith (Weymouth), tight end Nevin Cyr (Pelham, N.H.), quarterback A.J. Doyle (Lakeville), linebacker Vondell Langston (Everett), linebacker John Robinson (Springfield) and linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox (Middletown, Conn.).

Wide receiver Derek Beck, a New Jersey native who played at Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, Maine, signed with UMass as well.

Jake Kennedy, who is perhaps the best offensive lineman from New Hampshire in the Class of 2013, also has a UMass offer. Kennedy plays for Souhegan High School in Amherst.

Kennedy received his offer from UMass defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo earlier this week. He's also receiving interest from Boston College, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Brown and Harvard.

Kennedy said UMass is a school he'll strongly consider.

“Most definitely,” he said. “I could see myself there.”

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in today on the East Recruiting Blog with BB&N tight end Brendan O'Neil and Avon Old Farms (Conn.) wideout/defensive back John Van Allen, who both received offers over the weekend from UMass.

The offers were made following the program's Junior Day on campus, and are also the first scholarship offer for both players.

Brown writes:

“It was definitely a good feeling to get that first offer in the books,” Van Allen said. “They didn't tell me specifically what position, but I got a strong feeling it was as a safety.

“UMass is an up-and-coming school at the Division I level. They're joining the MAC and it looks like they have a bright future. I can definitely see them as one of my options. They showed interest in me and I appreciate that.”

Van Allen said he plans to take an unofficial visit to Connecticut on Feb. 25 and an unofficial visit to Duke on March 31.

O'Neil said UMass coach Charley Molnar told him the school is committed to landing the best players from Massachusetts.

“He told me they believe the core part of their team can be the top players in Massachusetts,” O'Neil said. “He said he believes there's a great base of talent here in the state.”

Molnar first heard about O'Neil from Shane Waldron, a former assistant coach at BB&N who is now on the UMass staff.

O'Neil said he plans to attend a junior day at Duke next month. He has attended a junior day and a game at Boston College, and a game at Notre Dame.

“The tour of the [UMass] campus was good and the offer was exciting, but it's too early to speculate where I might end up right now,” O'Neil said.

Brown also reports that the Minutemen have also extended an offer to BC High offensive lineman Jack McDonald, while Rutgers becomes the ninth school to extend an offer to Everett offensive tackle John Montelus. In the last week, Montelus has seen offers pour in from Florida, West Virginia and Michigan, in addition to the Scarlet Knights.

WEYMOUTH, Mass. -- We're nearly a week past the first day high school seniors are permitted to sign National Letters of Intent for football, but last night was the first chance we've had the opportunity to catch up with Weymouth wide receiver Khary Bailey-Smith since he signed with UMass exactly one week ago.

Bailey-Smith, a member of ESPN Boston's MIAA All-State Team last fall after catching 936 yards and 13 touchdowns. He spoke with us as he warmed up for the Wildcats' basketball contest with Newton North, an eventual 73-63 loss.

When he decided: "The night before [Jan. 31]. I was pretty sure a couple days earlier, but I was still going back and forth in my mind about whether I felt like it was the right school for me. But I made the right decision."

What made it the right decision: "The chance to play football at Division 1 [FBS] level. And also, the chance to jump with track, and it's not too far away from home."

His duties with the track and field program: "High jump. I'll probably just do spring, because of football."

Other schools he considered: "UConn and Pitt. They were partial scholarships for track."

What the coaching staff envisions his role being: "They said the best player gets to play. They have me coming in at safety, and that if they need help at wide receiver on offense and I show up at practice, do my stuff, I'm looking good at wide receiver, then maybe I'll get a shot. But, more defense, and it's up to me to show that I have what it takes to play on the field."

What he'll be working on between now and the day he reports to camp: "We haven't really talked about that much yet. I'm just trying to relax a little bit after that stressful period, but I'll get back in touch in not too long, and we'll talk about that more...I'm going to go train and do some conditioning, and I'm doing spring track so that should keep me in shape. I'll go out with Cam [quarterback Cam McLevedge], who's going to St. Anselm, and catch some passes, run routes, work on my coverage and technique."

On his official visit to UMass: "I took it the weekend before signing day. I liked it, it was fun there. Everyone got along really well, and the coaching staff sounded like they were into this. It sold me."

Did he go down to Gillette Stadium? "No, but I've been there a couple times, seen it. It's a very nice facility, and I can't wait to call it home."

EVERETT, Mass. -- Two days after the first day high school seniors were allowed to sign a National Letter of Intent, Everett High quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso announced at a noon press conference in the school's reception room of his college intentions before a crowd of nearly 50 servicemen, local selectmen, teachers, teammates and media.

DiBiaso -- a two-time ESPN Boston All-Stater, this year's ESPN Boston Mr. Football, and the state's all-time leader in touchdown passes (103) -- will pursue a post-graduate year at Philips Exeter Academy, before enrolling at Dartmouth for the 2013 season. He follows in the footsteps of his father and head coach John, who did a post-graduate year at Exeter in 1975 before playing four years at Tufts University.

The rest of Everett's seniors were honored, and revealed their college plans. Linebacker Buck McCarthy signed a National Letter of Intent with Stetson University for baseball last November; defensive end Ralph Jonathas, an ESPN Boston All-State selection, was the only senior absent, as he was on an official visit to the University of New Haven.

Here are some highlights with interviews conducted with both DiBiaso's, along with linebacker Vondell Langston, another All-State selection who signed with UMass on Wednesday.

QUARTERBACK JONATHAN DIBIASO
On his decision: "I've had my mind made up for a while, and then last night I was just having second thoughts. I don't know, just weighing both options, I've liked Dartmouth since day one. I don't know, not so much making the wrong decision, but I think just factoring in that I'm leaving home was a big factor. I've been in Everett my entire life, and I think that was just [played a factor] when coming into the decision, but both schools I considered are great schools and I believe I made the right decision for myself, to put myself in a great position for the rest of my life."

On pursuing a post-graduate year first: "They [Dartmouth] said it was up to me, that I could have came this year and contributed, battle for a No. 1 spot, and where Ivy Leagues don't have redshirt years, that I was more than welcome to do a P.G. year. That's what I took into a factor. Going into an Ivy League school, I know the academics are going to be very tough, so going to a prep school like Exeter, which is known for their academics, I think will prepare me very well. And where I'm still so young for a high school senior, athletically I'm going to mature more and grow as a player. And it's just another year of playing football, which I like."

Where the coaching staff sees him fitting in the system: "Basically, they just said I bring both to the table. My stats show the passing, but I'm a good enough athlete where we're still going to be able to run some option, spread it out, they want to adapt to more of a spread offense and I'm more than happy to be a part of that. I mean, I think it's a great situation for me. The recruiting class coming in, I met them all, they're a great group of players, and I think the talent is really going up.

"I think the program itself is going in a great direction, and I think they're going to compete, and I think they're going to win some Ivy League championships, so I feel lucky to be a part of that."

On if there's any disappointment that some of his Division 1 FBS feelers didn't pan out: "I mean, being a player you always have expectations to do the highest possible thing. So in the end, if I weigh both options, coming out with an Ivy League degree, you can't go wrong with that. The level of competition is still Division 1, so I mean I'm still going to be playing against great players.

"No matter what, if I have aspirations and I'm good enough after four years to play at the next level, they'll find you. Jay Fiedler, he's a legend up there [at Dartmouth]. And [Ryan] Fitzpatrick is from Harvard, so I mean, I don't think you can go wrong with the decision I made. I'm happy with it."

EVERETT HEAD COACH JOHN DIBIASO
If he influenced Jonathan going to Philips Exeter: "No, I let him decide. He spoke with Joe O'Donnell, and Joe was the one who swayed him that the prep school was a good idea. He spoke with [former Everett running back] Gennaro Leo too, who spent a year there also."

On Jonathan's decision to do a post-graduate year first: "They [Exeter] are excited, it's a great school, it's the No. 1 ranked prep school in the country, so it's a great opportunity for him. It's an avenue to the Ivy League. He could have gone to Dartmouth and some other schools this year, but we felt that extra year of maturity and getting bigger and stronger would help him...Exeter was the one and only prep school we were looking at.

"A lot of people repeat in the eighth grade. We had decided early on that we were going to do it at the end, rather than have him repeat the eighth grade year and be an older senior. He just turned 18 last week. We thought this was the best of both worlds. He gets to go to high school with his friends, and then go to an elite prep school for a year, then go to an Ivy League school."

How hard Jonathan's decision was: "It was tough. He was up until 3 a.m. last night. He was talking to coaches last night, he was talking to different schools last night, it was very tough. It's been an ordeal and a half, because there's no bad choice. UPenn, Dartmouth, Harvard, there was no bad choice."

How the Dartmouth coaching staff sees Jonathan fitting in: "They were very excited when we told them last night. We didn't even tell them we were sure, but said it was a possibility. They're probably finding out from you, like everybody else. They're excited, they're looking forward to having him. They would have taken him this year, they said, or if he wanted to go to prep school, my wife and I and Jonathan jointly decided that a year of prep would be it.

"They [Dartmouth] ran the ball a lot this year, they had Nick Schweiger. They're starting to transition into more of a passing team this year, and they like the fact that Jonathan can both run and throw. That's what they articulated to us, they were looking for someone who could not only throw the ball in the pocket, but be mobile and run with the ball. And the fact he could do both attracted him to them. They actually came to him last spring and said they wanted him, and they've stayed with that the whole way. I think that was another reason he made the choice."

LINEBACKER VONDELL LANGSTON (UMASS SIGNEE)
On the incoming recruiting class at UMass: "From what I heard, it was a good class. The guys I met while I was up there on my official, they're a good group of guys, so I'm excited to get the season started."

What he'll be working on between now and the start of camp: "Right now, what they've been talking about is finishing up academically, and just lifting. They should be sending me the packet they send out for workouts, but it hasn't came yet, so I've been doing whatever."

What the coaching staff's plan is for him: "They told me they like me at 'Will' linebacker, which is outside. The defensive coordinator told me he watched my offensive highlight tape along with my defensive one, and he told me he liked the paths I chose, my sense of direction on the field, knowing exactly where I'm at on the field. It's going to translate over well to the defensive side, because being a linebacker you have to weave through traffic sometimes to get to the ballcarrier. So he said he really liked the way I moved."

His reaction to Jonathan DiBiaso's decision: "I was shocked. I thought he was going to Harvard, that's just me personally. But you know, he shocked me, and I'm sure he shocked other people. But he knows what's best for himself. Best of luck to him in the future."

Has he visited Antonio's Pizza? "My host [Chad Hunte, from Brookline] was supposed to take me there, but he forgot about me, so I ended up going back to the hotel. He forgot about me, my own host! (laughing) But no, he didn't do it intentionally though. I was like 'You forgot to take me' and he goes, 'Yeah, I'm sorry', the next morning he said, 'I'll take you tonight', but he ended up getting Domino's instead."

Buckingham, Browne and Nichols' All-ISL and All-New England lineman Dan Connaughton committed to the University of Pennsylvania Friday, head coach John Papas wrote in an email to ESPNBoston.com this morning.

The 6-foot-3, 272-pound Sudbury resident had eight scholarship offers, including Temple and UMass, besides 3 offers from Ivy League schools, according to Papas. In the end it came down to Penn and UMass, with the Quakers getting the commit late last week.

"Dan did a great job with his recruiting," Papas wrote. "It wasn't easy at times, with 11 schools recruiting him. His choice of Penn was well thought out and calculated. In the end the combination of Ivy education, football tradition and great location proved to be the best fit for him."

Everett High senior running back/linebacker Vondell Langston told ESPNBoston.com this afternoon that he has verbally committed to UMass for the fall of 2012.

New UMass tight ends coach Shane Waldron walked into Everett High's athletic office at the end of the school day Friday and told Langston that a scholarship offer was on the table for him. It was the first scholarship offer for Langston -- who said he also had the Minutemen high on his list under former coach Kevin Morris -- and the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder wasted no time accepting the offer right on the spot.

"It felt good," Langston said. "I can finally exhale now that I know where I'm going to school, and concentrate on getting ready for next season and finishing strong in school."

Langston was planning on taking an official visit to the University of Maine this weekend, but cancelled as soon as he got the UMass offer. He will take his official visit to Amherst next weekend, his first trip there since watching the Minutemen beat Central Connecticut State at McGuirk Stadium in early October.

"I just like the environment there," he said. "I went to one of their games and they treated me real good. When that coaching staff left it made me nervous, but then the new staff told me they were interested, too. So it took a while, but I'm feeling good."

Langston will likely play at linebacker for the Minutemen, but he says he hasn't been given any indication yet as to whether he will play outside or inside.

Langston leaves Everett as a two-time Eastern Mass. Super Bowl champion, and developed a reputation as both a feared hitter and one of the state's best at blitz pickup, paving the way for quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso to throw for a state all-time record of 103 touchdown passes. He was one of four Crimson Tide players to make this year's ESPN Boston MIAA All-State Team.

ESPN's Roger Brown is reporting that Boston College High tight end Jameson McShea picked up an offer from UMass this morning.

“Yes, I like [UMass],” McShea told Brown via text message. “I'm going to check it out some more though.”

McShea, who decommitted from Temple earlier this month, said last week that he was considering four schools: Boston College, Dartmouth, Harvard and Maryland. Of the four, Harvard is the only school made an offer. He's hoping he'll know if the other schools are going to offer by Christmas.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Cotuit resident played an integral role as a blocking tight end in the Eagles' run to their second Division 1 Super Bowl championship in four seasons. As a defensive end, he was named the Catholic Conference's Lineman of the Year for recording 68 tackles, 12 for loss. He also made ESPN Boston's MIAA All-State Team, as a tight end.

Former Abington High baseball star Zach Littman, currently a post-graduate at Bridgton Academy (Maine), has verbally committed to UMass for the fall of 2012.

The news was first reported by John Botelho of the Brockton Enterprise, via Twitter.

This fall, he batted .470 with four doubles and five RBI, stole six bases and recorded two saves, in nine games.

A.J. Doyle's relationship with Charley Molnar goes back two summers ago, when the latter was offensive coordinator at Notre Dame and the former was a rising junior quarterback prospect looking to make a name for himself at the Fighting Irish's prospect camp.

Earlier this week, the Catholic Memorial quarterback spoke with ESPNBoston.com about reconnecting with Molnar, now the newly-anointed head coach of UMass, last weekend. Upon being named head coach of the Minutemen on Dec. 8, Molnar made it a point that the first recruit to call was Doyle, to assure him the scholarship offer initially extended by fired head coach Kevin Morris was still on the table.

This afternoon, Molnar met with Doyle in his Lakeville home for nearly an hour and half, and reiterated all the things he had told him on that Saturday night.

Just as it was two summers ago, the connection between the two has been strong. And so it wasn't too long after Molnar left -- in fact, just as the coach was pulling out of the driveway -- that Doyle declared his intent.

"He said everything that you could ask for a coach to tell you, except this coach wasn't B.S.-ing me, he was telling me the truth," Doyle told ESPNBoston.com tonight. "Just the whole, UMass going Division 1, the pride in Western Mass., just wanting to be part of history and make history. Coach Molnar came to my house today and everything he said, it was something I couldn’t pass up. I have a chance at history, and a chance to play for a guy who all he wants to do is win."

Doyle initially committed to NC State last summer, but as a linebacker. Only the Minutemen and Western Michigan had extended a scholarship offer to him to play quarterback at the FBS level. In talks with Molnar, Doyle wasn't just told he has a chance at playing early, but that he would be "a cornerstone recruit for everything he'd try to do here."

"Obviously this was before I committed, but [he told me] if I had gone there, it'd be my job to lose as starting quarterback," Doyle said of today's in-home visit. "He told us everything he envisioned going on at UMass, and I couldn’t pass it up. It felt right."

He continued, "He [Molnar] told me he wants me to come in and prepare to be the starter. He feels that if I'm equal...he didn’t say I have to be better, he told me 'If you're equal to the ability of the other guys, you're gonna get the shot. We want to play you, and you're only gonna get better'. He wants me start if I'm capable of starting, if I know the playbook.

"He didn’t say he wouldn’t rush it, but if I have to redshirt that's something he's willing to do. But he wants me to go in and compete for the starting job right away. If he feels I'm ready, they're gonna give me the keys to the car, so to speak."

Catholic Memorial senior quarterback A.J. Doyle has verbally committed to UMass tonight, he announced on his Twitter account earlier tonight.

"I am officially UMass bound," he wrote.

Doyle becomes the first commitment for new head coach Charley Molnar, who was officially named to the position last Thursday. Earlier this week, ESPNBoston.com reported that Doyle was the first recruit Molnar reached out to following his hire.

Doyle initially committed to NC State last summer, as a linebacker. At the time of the commitment, the Minutemen were one of two Division 1 FBS schools offering Doyle an athletic scholarship to be a quarterback, the other one Central Michigan. Doyle decommitted from the Wolfpack two months ago, and one of Molnar's first orders of business was assuring Doyle that the offer was still there for him to take.

"That was the thing he called me about, to make sure I knew it was still on the table," Doyle told ESPNBoston.com on Monday. "Basically, there was no other quarterback he'd rather want, being a Mass. guy and everything."

Doyle, who was named the Catholic Conference's Co-MVP this fall as well as an Honorable Mention on ESPN Boston's All-State Team, was planning to take a visit to Purdue on January 13.

Catholic Memorial quarterback A.J. Doyle first met Charley Molnar two summers ago at Notre Dame's football camp, working with the then-offensive coordinator alongside some of the nation's top quarterback prospects, including Gunnar Kiel and Gray Crow.

Last Thursday, Molnar was named the new head coach of UMass, and the first recruit he called was Doyle, to reassure him that the scholarship offer first extended by fired head coach Kevin Morris was still on the line.

Molnar has big plans for the Minutemen going forward, from loading up with a coaching staff with Division 1 and NFL experience, to installing a fast-paced, no-huddle offense. Those plans also include him directly, if he so wishes, saying he has a chance to compete for the starting job as a true freshman.

"That was the thing he called me about, to make sure I knew it was still on the table," Doyle said tonight. "Basically, there was no other quarterback he'd rather want, being a Mass. guy and everything."

Molnar will coach Notre Dame in the Champs Sports Bowl on Dec. 29. After that, Molnar plans on having an in-home visit with Doyle.

Doyle, who was named the Catholic Conference's Co-MVP this fall, said he still plans on taking a visit to Purdue University on Jan. 13. He has also sent tape to Arkansas, which has shown interest.

Roger Brown checks in today on ESPN's East football recruiting blog with Worcester Academy senior running back/linebacker John Robinson, a senior Springfield native who missed most of last season with a torn ACL.

That injury may have played a part in the recruiting process, as he's yet to receive a scholarship offer. Brown writes:

“The injury did make some schools back off, but it feels good,” Robinson said. “They said it won't completely heal for one-and-a-half or two years, but it doesn't hinder me in any way. I'm actually faster now because having the injury made me work out more.”

Robinson said Connecticut and New Hampshire are the schools that have shown the most interest. He has attended a junior day at each school.

“I've also talked to coach [Sean] Devine from BC,” Robinson said. “Stony Brook, UMass, Villanova and Old Dominion are some of the other schools that have contacted my coach. Plus I've talked to Dartmouth.”

Robinson, a senior, repeated his junior year last year. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, he's been told he could play either running back or linebacker at the college level.

“I see myself as a defensive player first,” he said. “I like to hit people.”

Robinson has several teammates who have already committed to Division I schools. That group includes wide receiver Canaan Severin (Virginia), linebacker Steven Daniels (Boston College) and linebacker Corey Majors (Villanova).

“That's how I know I'm a Division I player -- because I line up beside these guys every day,” Robinson said. “I'm just waiting so see how things unfold and which school is the right fit for me not only athletically, but academically.

“At first it was hard not to think that the injury would hurt in terms of recruiting, but my coach told me not to worry about anything. He said things will come, and once it comes it'll all come.”