What's new in the recruiting war for South Jersey's best football prospect, Holy Spirit High linebacker/defensive end Marcus Witherspoon?

Witherspoon said early last night that he would attend Michigan, Tennessee or Rutgers.

Yes, Rutgers is a late entry in the recruiting picture.

You may recall that Witherspoon made an oral commitment to Michigan before the season. But when Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr resigned in November, Witherspoon started to have second thoughts.

"Right now, I'm not sure what I'm going to do," he said. "All I can say is, I will sign on Feb. 6," the first day recruits can sign binding letters of intent.

Witherspoon recently enjoyed his visit to Tennessee, and Rutgers coach Greg Schiano paid him a visit last week at Holy Spirit in Absecon.

"He's a good person, a very good person," Witherspoon said. "I would love to play under him, but we shall see."

Witherspoon, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior who made a staggering 27 sacks last fall, also said he felt comfortable with new Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, who recently visited him at Holy Spirit.

What will be the deciding factor in his decision?

"Most likely, my gut," he said. "And I'm praying about it."

In another recruiting note, West Deptford's Mike Carbone, an all-South Jersey linebacker, has made an oral commitment to attend Colgate.

Are there any South Jersey players who will have an effect in the Super Bowl matchup between the New England Patriots and New York Giants?

Yep. Giants offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie, the pride of Willingboro High, will have to play a major role if New York is going to register one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.

McKenzie, a 6-6, 327-pounder who is a seven-year NFL veteran, is the only player on either side with South Jersey ties. He was a third-round pick of the Jets in 2001 and has been with the Giants since signing as a free agent before the 2005 season.

When the NJSIAA boys' basketball tournament starts on Feb. 25, which South Jersey sections will have the most talented teams?

The Non-Public A and Group 3 sections.

Non-Public A has three teams in The Inquirer's top 10: No. 1 Holy Spirit, No. 2 Paul VI, and No. 9 Camden Catholic. And it wouldn't be surprising if St. Augustine made its way back into the top 10.

In addition, South Jersey Non-Public A also includes out-of-the-area powers such as Christian Brothers Academy and Monsignor Donovan.

The South Jersey Group 3 section has three top-10 teams: No. 5 Shawnee, No. 6 Camden, and No. 10 Hammonton. Deptford, Timber Creek and Pemberton are also very dangerous.

Is it possible that the first two quarterbacks selected in this year's NFL draft will be from the area?

Yes, Mel Kiper breath.

The consensus No. 1 quarterback is Boston College's 6-5 Matt Ryan, a resident of Exton, Pa., and a former star at Philadelphia's Penn Charter.

The No. 2 quarterback could be Delaware's 6-6 Joe Flacco, an Audubon graduate who, according to scouting services, is generally ranked between second and seventh among college quarterbacks. That means Flacco could go as high as the first round or as low as the third.

Flacco, who threw for 4,263 yards, 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions this season, hopes to raise his stock while playing in Saturday's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. He will be one of the North quarterbacks, along with Michigan's Chad Henne and Southern Cal's John David Booty.

Not bad company for a player from tiny Audubon.