HOUSE HINTS THIS COULD BE WEEK FOR COLLEGE DECISION


Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 02/16/1999
Page: P4B
Headline: HOUSE HINTS THIS COULD BE WEEK FOR COLLEGE DECISION
Byline: JIM WORKMAN

 

FOR THE GAZETTE

Former Nitro High quarterback J.R. House has a busy week ahead of him.

A week that may lead to a decision on his choice of colleges.

"I'm going back to West Virginia on Tuesday to talk with the [Nitro]
coaches,' said House from his Ormond Beach, Fla., home. "Maybe by the
time I get back, I'll have a decision.'

On Monday, House played in Seabreeze (Fla.) High's baseball opener. He
is flying to the Mountain State today.

On Thursday, the QB will be in Pittsburgh to accept the National High
School Football Player of the Year Award from Top Recruit Magazine.
Among others scheduled to attend the Ray Anthony Charitable Banquet
are Pete Rose, Ken Stabler and Mario Lemieux.

Then, on Friday, House and his ex-Nitro teammates will be honored by
the West Virginia legislature. The Wildcats won the 1998 Class AAA
football championship.

"Our senior year was great,' said House. "We were the smallest Class
AAA school in the state and came out and beat the biggest ones. And we
did it in a new way - with our offense. I think we silenced a lot of
critics.'

On Saturday, House will attend a Duke Blue Devil basketball game. The
QB is being recruited by the school's football coaches.

Nancy House, J.R.'s mother, said her husband would also like the
standout to revisit Tulane, another school recruiting the QB, before
making a decision.

The major league baseball draft will be held in June, but playing a
season of pro baseball and delaying a football career is not in
House's plans.

"I'd like to play football this fall,' said the QB. "I'd like to have
the college experience.'

He said Duke and Tulane, as well as Marshall and Georgia, are still in
the mix.

"I'm just trying to find the best situation for me,' said House.
"It's not a decision that affects you for just four years. It's a
decision that will affect me for the rest of my life.'

An expanded version of this story may be found on WVSPN (West Virginia
Sports on the Net) at www.wvspn.com. Workman may be reached at
WVSPN@aol.com.