Sims Adds Name to IU Commit List

Bloomington – Indiana was still looking for an outside linebacker to add to its 2009 recruiting class, and it landed one Sunday night.

Shortly after returning home from his official visit to Bloomington over the weekend, Damon Sims called the IU coaching staff to let them know he was ready to pledge to the Hoosiers. A 6-3, 215-pounder from Cincinnati’s Colerain H.S., Sims totaled 12 tackles for loss and 4 ½ sacks this past season while helping them to an 11-2 record.

“I had a feeling I was going to (commit),” Sims said Monday. “But I promised my high school coach that I would wait because of the other offers I had. But when I got up there and saw the facilities and all the new stuff coming in, and the weight room and the new end zone, I was like, ‘wow, I’d really like to be here.’”

Sims said he plans to major in business, so the reputation of IU’s Kelley School of Business was also a big selling point. But on top of the facilities and the academics, he also liked what he heard from IU’s players about the direction the program is headed.

“I asked them about how they are rebuilding,” said Sims, who was hosted by freshman defensive tackle Larry Black. “They were talking about how they feel really good about next year and how they’re going to surprise a lot of people, and I was liking what they were telling me.”

While Sims is now officially pledged to Indiana, one program is still hoping to get him to reconsider. The West Virginia coaching staff was on the phone with Sims this morning and still hoping to get him to make a visit to its campus this weekend.

“They still want me to come and give it a fair comparison,” Sims said. “They said if I go up there and still want to go to Indiana, no hard feelings. But I’m not sure if I’m going to go or not.”

Whether Sims goes on the final visit or not, Indiana still figures to be tough to beat considering the feeling Sims had during his weekend in Bloomington.

“I had a great time, the players were all really cool,” Sims said. “The coaches showed me what to expect when I get to Indiana. It was all really nice.”

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