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High school football: Purdue the right fit for Michigan City's Isaac
By MATT KOPSEA
Tribune Staff Writer

Ryan Isaac's instincts were right on target.

An unplanned visit to Purdue recently paid off for the 6-foot-4, 265-pound Michigan City High defensive end as he accepted a scholarship offer to play football for the Boilermakers next fall.

Entering his third year as a starter for the Wolves, Isaac also had offers from Indiana, Bowling Green, and Illinois State.

Logan's Run 2009
"Everyone kept telling me that (Purdue head) coach (Danny) Hope was a great player's coach, so I wanted to find out for myself," Isaac said. "I really just went there to look around and get a feel for the campus. After talking with coach Hope, some of the players, and other coaches, I knew exactly what they meant. I really felt secure and drawn there."

Thanks to a little bit of help from Michigan City coach Craig Buzea, one visit to West Lafayette was all it took to convince Isaac.

"With the exception of some (Mid-American Conference) schools, Ryan had been pretty much flying under the radar in terms of interest," explained Buzea. "Once Ryan told me he was hoping to get his commitment done before school started in the fall, I decided to send an e-mail to all of the Big Ten schools about him.

"Within a couple of hours, I got back inquiries from several of them, including Indiana with an offer. It just so happened that Purdue had a camp going on that coming Saturday (June 27), so I drove him over there and the rest is history.

"What stands out about Ryan is his athleticism. There aren't a lot of guys with his

frame and length that can also run a 40 (yard dash) in 5.0. He's mainly played on defense for us the last two years, but we're hoping to utilize his talents on offense this year."

Isaac had a big role in helping the Wolves achieve a 4-6 mark in 2008 with 46 tackles and six tackles for losses.

"The coaches at Purdue told me that I have the ability to play both inside and outside on the defensive line," Isaac said. "I agree with that because I believe I have a lot of quickness for a kid my size. It really doesn't matter to me where I'm at on the field just as long as I'm out there contributing to the cause."

Staff writer Matt Kopsea:
mkopsea@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6315