Ohio safety Anthony Hitchens said going in that if everything went well on his visit to Iowa this weekend, he would leave a Hawkeye and that is exactly what happened. In fact, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Hitchens said it was even better than expected. He talks about his decision and much more.
Q: Can you talk about the visit this weekend and your decision?
HITCHENS: First, they showed me around campus and the academic center. I met with some of the players and they showed me what a day of being a Hawkeye is like and I really liked it. I couldn't really find anything that was bad about the University of Iowa. So when I met with the head coach on Saturday and he told me that I had a scholarship, right then and there I took it.
Q: What made you comfortable in committing so soon after getting the offer?
HITCHENS: Iowa was my first choice the whole time. I was pretty much just waiting for them to offer and if they did, that's where I was going to sign. So when I met with the coaches, I just did it.
Q: Who was your host this weekend?
HITCHENS: Micah Hyde, a freshman cornerback.
Q: What did the coaches tell you about the strong safety position and what they like about you there?
HITCHENS: They like how I'm aggressive and hard hitting. They're low on the depth chart at safety right now and they're looking for me to come in and compete.
Q: Going back, what were some of the things you liked about Iowa?
HITCHENS: It's a great university and everybody loves it there. There's no NFL team, so Iowa football is crazy out there. Everybody loves Iowa football. They care as much about football as I do, so I like the whole atmosphere they have in the community.
Q: With just a week until signing day, how does it feel now that you've made your decision?
HITCHENS: Oh, it feels great.
As a senior, Hitchens earned all-state honors after rushing for 1,428 yards and 21 touchdowns on offense and collecting 76 tackles and a pair of interceptions on defense. Along with Iowa, the Ohio native held scholarship offers from Kansas, Indiana, Akron, and Eastern Michigan.
