Auroraadvocate.com - AHS's Bellamy picks OSU Buckeyes

by Brent Hovey

Reporter

Aurora -- Since the first day a college football program showed interest in him, Adam Bellamy has waited for one specific school to come calling.

In that time, more than 15 schools had called and offered the senior-to-be defensive tackle a scholarship. Schools like Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Northwestern, Pittsburgh and Boston College all did their best get to Bellamy to come to their campus.

Bellamy had planned to spend his summer visiting all of those schools to see what they could offer.

His summer plans changed June 9, when he received the one phone call he had been waiting for.

The call came to Aurora head football coach Bob Mihalik from Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman. He told Mihalik to have Bellamy call head coach Jim Tressel as soon as possible.

Mihalik rounded up Bellamy, who was helping with the Aurora youth football camp. Bellamy almost didn't believe his coach, thinking he was playing a joke.

But Bellamy called Tressel back and the latter offered a scholarship to play for the Buckeyes.

"It doesn't get much better than OSU," said Bellamy, who told Tressel he was 99 percent positive he would go to OSU, but needed a day to talk with his parents.

"He told me to get that other 1 percent," Bellamy said. "I called him the next day [June 10] and told him I was at 100 percent. He said the Buckeyes just got a great football player."

Ohio State's offer came one day after Bellamy worked out at a camp at OSU.

"I didn't really expect OSU to offer it to me," Bellamy said. "I went to camp and busted my butt, but I didn't expect them to take action, especially so fast."

The 6-foot-4, 275-pound lineman plays defensive and offensive tackle for the Greenmen. The Buckeyes recruited him to play defense.

IT'S BEEN a long recruiting process that started with the University of Akron making a visit shortly after football season last fall, continued with every Mid-American, Big Ten and the majority of Big East schools coming to Aurora and ending with Bellamy getting the offer from the school he's always wanted to play for.

This is the first time in his career Mihalik has been around a big time Division I recruit, and he has been impressed with the way Bellamy has handled it.

"He's never let it go to his head. He's not worked one less minute; he continues to work harder," said Mihalik. "He knows now more than ever, he need to be a role model for the kids. I'm proud of how he's acted during this whole thing."

Bellamy thanked Mihalik and the AHS program for giving him this opportunity.

"I'm glad I got into the program with coach Mihalik and his assistants, lifting and conditioning, and their football knowledge is unbelievable," said Bellamy. "I was blessed with good genetics, but they gave me the foundation and put me in a good position."

Since Bellamy's summer plans of visiting different colleges no longer serves a purpose, he has other plans -- relaxing with friends and spending a few days at a teammate's lake house, where he was when reached for this interview.

"It's definitely great to get this done," he said. "I can sleep better at night, just have fun with my teammates, hang out, play cards and go lift in the morning.

"I can concentrate on the upcoming season and we can go out and tear things up."

The Greenmen open their season Aug. 21 against Avon on the new artificial turf which is being installed at Veterans Stadium.

E-mail:

bhovey@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3115