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Sam Carchidi: Witherspoon will go with his gut by Feb. 6 | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/22/2008

What's new in the recruiting war for South Jersey's best football prospect, Holy Spirit High linebacker/defensive end Marcus Witherspoon?

Witherspoon said early last night that he would attend Michigan, Tennessee or Rutgers.

Yes, Rutgers is a late entry in the recruiting picture.

You may recall that Witherspoon made an oral commitment to Michigan before the season. But when Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr resigned in November, Witherspoon started to have second thoughts.

"Right now, I'm not sure what I'm going to do," he said. "All I can say is, I will sign on Feb. 6," the first day recruits can sign binding letters of intent.

Witherspoon recently enjoyed his visit to Tennessee, and Rutgers coach Greg Schiano paid him a visit last week at Holy Spirit in Absecon.

"He's a good person, a very good person," Witherspoon said. "I would love to play under him, but we shall see."

Witherspoon, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior who made a staggering 27 sacks last fall, also said he felt comfortable with new Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, who recently visited him at Holy Spirit.

What will be the deciding factor in his decision?

"Most likely, my gut," he said. "And I'm praying about it."