On the Borderline

Nathan Scheelhaase has already attended junior days at Kansas and Missouri, which are the two local alternatives for Scheelhaase, who lives in a border town. "I live in Overland Park, which is in Kansas, but I go to school in Missouri," he said. "We can literally throw a rock over the fence (at Rockhurst High) and hit Kansas..."

Nathan Scheelhaase, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound four-star quarterback/safety from Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo., has nine scholarship offers but denies a favorite.

Scheelhaase's dad, Nate Creer, played defensive back for Iowa during the 80's and participated in the1986 Rose Bowl game. Scheelhaase admits that he was a big Iowa fan as a kid, but says that won't have any impact on his decision. "I really always tried just watching college football in general and once I got into high school I didn't really follow one team."

In fact, Scheelhaase's dad played on the same Hawkeye team with Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops and (assistant offensive coordinator) Jay Norvell. "My dad has a great relationship with both of them," he said. "I've been there a few times and I like how the coaches just have a knack for winning games. The coaches there are some of the best and they are a top team every year."

The Hawkeyes were his first offer last summer and Scheelhaase will be attending their junior day on March 30. "I went to their camp last summer and that's when they offered me," he said. "I really like coach Kirk Ferentz a lot and my dad knows all the guys there already. I've been there many times and I'm pretty comfortable around all of them."

So is Nathan's dad trying to persuade him to go to his old alma mater? "No," Scheelhaase said. "He doesn't push me to go there. He just helps me evaluate everything and said that I should take all my visits and give every school an equal opportunity. He just wants me to take my time."

And that's exactly what Scheelhaase plans to do. "I feel like if these coaches are taking the time to recruit me then I should at least check them out," he said.

He has already attended junior days at Kansas and Missouri, which are the two local favorites for Scheelhaase, who lives in a border town. "I live in Overland Park, which is in Kansas, but I go to school in Missouri," he said. "We can literally throw a rock over the fence (at Rockhurst High) and hit Kansas.

"But we're not locked into Kansas City or anything," he said. "Distance isn't going to be an issue because my parents will probably move wherever I go."

While their close proximity might not be a factor, Scheelhaase admits that the Tigers and Jayhawks impressive '07 campaigns have definitely piqued his interest. "It was nice to see two local schools on top of the rankings," he said. "I know a lot of guys on both those teams, guys like Tony Temple and Jeremy Maclin and it was just great to see them do well. It was nice to finally see both Missouri and Kansas on the big stage. It really did make me like them more. Nobody wants to go to a school that is losing all the time. They really stepped up last year and got some good publicity too."

Although Scheelhaase denies a favorite, he says his top six are Iowa, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Stanford. All of his favorites have offered as well as Arkansas, Nebraska, San Diego State and Wake Forest.

The only schools in his top six that he hasn't visited yet are Stanford and Illinois. "I call coach Jim Harbaugh like every week," he said. "He's a real nice guy and he's really knowledgeable too, especially at quarterback. There are actually two guys (defensive tackle Derek Hall and free safety Jerome Jackson) from my high school that already go there and they're really enjoying it.

"Stanford is a top-ranked university and for being so far away they are really recruiting me a lot," he said. "To hear from a West Coast school you've got to be doing something right."

Scheelhaase says he definitely plans to attend camps at Stanford, Iowa, Oklahoma and Illinois. "I love the style of offense that Illinois runs," he said. "They let the quarterback use his arm and his legs and they let him manage the field. It really fits my style well. I think I'd be able to do really well in that type of offense."

But the right kind of offense is just one of the things that Scheelhaase is looking for in a program. "First and foremost I've got to feel comfortable in the community and on the campus and around the coaches and players," he said. "I need to be able to live there for four years, so liking it is really important.

"Second, I'm looking at the coaching staff," he admitted. "I'll see how stable the situation is and what kind of coaches they have.

"Third is how early I'll be able to play. I don't expect to start and I'm not opposed to redshirting my freshman or sophomore year, but I want to know I'll have a shot.

"Those are the three main things I'll be looking at in a program," he said.

Scheelhaase helped lead his team to a perfect 13-0 season and the state championship. He completed 86 of 137 for 1861 yards, 20 touchdowns and only five interceptions. On the ground he also rushed 120 times for 917 yards and 14 scores.

"I have the ability to run as well as pass," he said. "I'm a dual threat and I catch the defense off guard. I scramble well and can throw on the run."

He played safety as a sophomore and admits that some schools are still talking about the possibility of him playing on defense, but under center is where he wants to be. "Most everybody is recruiting me at quarterback and that's what I think I'm gonna play."

While Scheelhaase moves extremely well, he admits he's working on improving his mechanics. "You can never perfect your mechanics," he said. "I work with a quarterback coach about twice a month to work on all the little things. I also play basketball and lift a lot. I also run track to improve my speed (4.5 forty)."

He reports a 3.7 core GPA and is taking the ACT on April 12.