Ohio State Seems Right for Price

Ohio State may have found its next candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

Durell Price of Sylmar High, a two-time City Section 4-A Division player of the year, said Tuesday he has committed to Ohio State.

Price chose the Buckeyes over UCLA, California, Washington and Colorado primarily because of their run-oriented offense.

“It’s suited for my style,” said Price, who rushed for 4,135 yards and scored 78 touchdowns in his career at Sylmar and twice was named Valley back of the year by The Times. “They run that big-back offense that not too many schools have been known to do.”

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Price has dimensions similar to Eddie George, who, at 6-3, 227 pounds, won the Heisman Trophy last season.

George played his final season for the Buckeyes in 1995, but Ohio State might see Price as a younger version.

“When I talked to [Ohio State Coach John] Cooper, he said they have one running back [for 1996] about 200 pounds,” Price said. “But they didn’t have a big running back like Eddie George, over 215 pounds.”

Price did not meet George, who was in New York for the Heisman presentation the weekend of Price’s visit to Ohio State.

Price, who said he will sign a letter of intent on national signing day, Feb. 7, also picked the Buckeyes because he wanted a change of scenery.

“I wanted to get out of California and see different things and do different things,” he said.

Price believes he is prepared to leave his parents, Donald and Debbie; his girlfriend, Joy Moss, and their 18-month-old son, Durell Jr.--at least for a while.

“My phone bill’s going to be high because I’m going to be checking in with my family,” Price said. “I’m going to have to suck it up and concentrate real hard for a while.”

Price plans to leave for Ohio State about a month after his June graduation. Once he arrives in Columbus, he wants to find a place to live for his girlfriend and son so they can join him within a few months.

Price, who rushed for 1,659 yards and 36 touchdowns last season, also wants to get a head start on learning the Buckeyes’ offense.

If Price learns the offense and excels, playing time as a freshman is not inconceivable, something he learned during a recent talk with Cooper.

“He told me I could compete,” Price said. “If things happen right, I could be in the mix.

“I made it clear I don’t want to be a fourth-quarter player that goes in there and runs out the clock. I want to be the type that goes into the game in the first half and makes the score outrageous and makes other players want to come there.”

Price is the third Sylmar running back since 1991 to commit to a Division I school.

“I told Coach [Jeff] Engilman one of the things I wanted to do here was get a scholarship,” said Price, who will join Tyrone Crenshaw of Michigan State and Tobaise Brookins of Washington at the Division I level. “A lot of people here helped me get it.”

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Hueneme running back Ronney Jenkins, who set a national record by rushing for 619 yards in a game last fall, has committed to Brigham Young. Jenkins, The Times’ Ventura County back of the year, chose the Cougars over Arizona State, Colorado State and Nevada Las Vegas.

Notre Dame receiver Troy Garner has committed to USC, choosing the Trojans over Notre Dame, Northwestern and Arizona. Garner had 84 receptions for 830 yards last fall.

Teammate Alvan Arzu has committed to Washington State, choosing the Cougars over Cal State Northridge among others.

Charles Bungert, a 6-foot-7, 325-pound offensive tackle from Camarillo, has committed to Utah.

San Fernando multipurpose players Keijuan Douglas and Brandon Campbell have committed to Northern Arizona.

Staff writers Steve Henson, Michael Lazarus and Peter Yoon contributed to this story.