As April rolls along, the commitments keep rolling in.
Berger is the newest addition to the '14 classThe latest player to pledge to the Buckeyes is Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius linebacker Kyle Berger.
The 6-3/205 linebacker tallied 44 tackles for loss to go along with 10 sacks in his breakout junior season.
Berger became the seventh member of Ohio State's 2014 recruiting class after choosing the Bucks over Michigan and a host of other schools including Arkansas, Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee, UCLA, and West Virginia.
The Cleveland native has been to Columbus on multiple recruiting trips, but ultimately decided Ohio State was the right place for him a couple of weekends ago during his most recent visit.
We caught up with Berger to find out what led him to committing to Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.
Keep reading to learn more about the newest Buckeye, Kyle Berger.
You committed to Ohio State Monday. Why did you choose the Buckeyes?
Originally I was planning on committing in May or so. However, when I had my visit to Ohio State a couple of weeks ago, I fell in love with the school. I talked to Blake Thomas (Buckeye TE and a former high school teammate of Berger's) and a few other guys and they said I would know when a school feels right for me. I though about it over spring break and decided I was ready to commit to OSU.
How did you commit to the coaches? How did Coach Meyer react?
I messaged Coach Fickell on Twitter and told him I was going to be calling him after school. I called him and gave him the news. He was very excited and then he told me he was going to put Coach Meyer on the phone. Coach Meyer came out of a meeting and I told him I was committing. He was really happy and told me I had made his month. I also heard him yelling to people that I had committed.
Why did you choose Ohio State over Michigan?
The big reason was the closeness to home. Both Ohio State and Michigan have good programs and good coaching staffs as well. I just feel Coach Meyer has a better chance of leading his team to a national title.
What's up with the Coach Hoke calling you "Alex" story?
I was walking out of a meeting with all of the Michigan coaches. My dad and I were talking to Coach Mattison when we were walking out and I heard Coach Hoke say something like, "See ya, Alex. Thanks for coming!" Coach Heck and Coach Mattison immediately realized Coach Hoke's mistake and started talking to me and my dad. I'm not sure Coach Hoke noticed the mistake he had made right away. I tried not to factor this into my decision.
Do you have good relationships with the other commits? Are you guys recruiting for the class?
Actually the night I committed, the seven of us started a group message on our phones. I'm getting to know them all really well. I already knew Kyle Trout and Sam Hubbard. I've been texting them a lot the past couple of weeks.
We divided up the players we're going to recruit to OSU. I already texted Chase Winovich and I'm planning on contacting Dante Booker in the near future.
Will you be attending the spring game this weekend?
I'm having surgery to repair a hernia Friday so I won't be at the spring game. The doctor told me that I should be able to start lifting about four weeks after surgery.
Describe your relationship with Coach Meyer and Coach Fickell.
I have a really good relationship with both of them. I talk to Coach Fickell almost every day and Coach Meyer about once a week. We know each other pretty well, so we just talk about non-football things and how I would be used in their defense.
What do you have to say to Buckeye Nation?
I'm ready to come in and give it my all and help Coach Meyer win another crystal ball. I can't wait to get to Columbus and work my butt off on the football field.
