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Josh McKee's football ability lies on a hazy line somewhere between Division I athlete and Division I prospect.

One of the Springfield area's top football players, the Tecumseh senior wants to continue his career at the next level. Several Division I schools have expressed interest in him, and he spent many hours speaking with college coaches, visiting campuses and pondering his future.

With the NCAA National Signing Day three days away, McKee still isn't sure where he will attend college next year. Possible options are Dayton, Wittenberg, Tiffin, and Ohio Dominican. If he doesn't sign Wednesday, he can commit at a later date.

"I can't wait for it to be over," McKee said. "That's what I'm feeling right now. I can't wait to find out where I'm going and be done with it."

McKee owns many career, season and single-game records while playing several positions for the Arrows. He was the quarterback of the 2006 playoff team and was named to the Division II All-Ohio first team in 2007.

That still might not be enough for a Division I scholarship.

"That part gets frustrating," Tecumseh head coach Kent Massie said. "(College coaches) are spending time with him and talking to me. You're thinking they're interested and things are going well.

"It's a funny business, because then all of the sudden you're told they're going to go a different route."

A college football coach has no restrictions on the amount of contact with a high school coach (no-contact times are in place for athletes). A promise today might not be honored tomorrow. Months of recruiting can be thrown away in one phone conversation.

Like a scramble for a fumbled football, colleges chase after high school seniors with reckless abandon.

After phone conversations, visits are planned. For many, financial-aid packages are prepared. For some athletes, scholarship money gets tossed around.

Once a conversation is initiated, coaches will say just about anything to impress a recruit.

"They stretch the truth a little bit," Catholic Central senior Brian Wagner said. "Coaches come in and say, 'You definitely would be one or two on the depth chart right away when you come in.' There's no way. They feed you a bunch of crap. You just have to filter the truth."

Fortunately for Wagner, he did have a scholarship offer. He will attend Akron on a football scholarship in the fall.

McKee might not get that offer, but he still wants to play football — somewhere — next year.

"In the end, I guess, it really doesn't matter as long as I get an education," he said. "As long as my education is helped getting paid for by my hard work in sports, that's really what matters."

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0366 or bplasters@coxohio.com.

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