Hoosiers Add WR

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It’s been apparent for most of the offseason that Indiana has been focusing its recruiting efforts on defense and the offensive line, essentially anywhere but the offensive skill positions.
Through Tuesday night when word of offensive lineman Jalen Schlachter’s commitment broke, the Hoosiers had 17 recruits for the Class of 2011 and only two of them were in an offensive skill position — Lawrence Central quarterback Tre Roberson and Columbus North tight end Jake Reed, expected by many to serve as a blocking tight end.
But on Wednesday afternoon, word surfaced that IU had also received a commitment Tuesday night from Jay McCants, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound wide receiver from Princeton High School in Cincinnati. He’s the first player the Hoosiers have added in more than two months who will be getting the ball in his hand by design.
“He’s a big possession receiver,” Princeton coach Bill Leach said. “So we just split him out wide and forced teams to match up. He’s got the speed to stretch the field, and he’s a big physical target to. Most of the time, we split hm out by himself, but sometimes we would bring him in and put him in different places to get mismatches. We would move him around and create problems.”
McCants was the primary target for Spencer Ware, a dual-threat quarterback who signed with Louisiana State for the 2010 class and will play running back for the Tigers. McCants had 29 receptions for 446 yards and a touchdown in Princeton’s spread offense.
“We can line him up on the boundary right now, and just run a 7-yard hitch to him until they come up on it or drop somebody underneath,” Leach said. “And if they cheat, we can just have him run a go route. … We can just throw it up to him and have him go get it. He’s a great athlete.”
McCants reportedly had an offer from Buffalo and interest from Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue, Cincinnati, Louisville and West Virginia.