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Colleges come calling for Wesley Chapel lineman

 
Published Jan. 11, 2005|Updated Aug. 24, 2005

Khalil Madani saw clocks Gen. Robert E. Lee kept at his bedside, the site of the first forward pass and the barracks where Cadets live during a visit to West Point last weekend.

"There are little historical things about the campus that make it so neat," the Wesley Chapel senior lineman said of his trip to the military academy in New York.

Next week, Madani gets to return Army's hospitality.

Madani's family will host Black Knights coach Bobby Ross, who led Georgia Tech to a share of the national championship with Colorado in 1990 and took the San Diego Chargers to Super Bowl XXIX, where they lost to the 49ers.

Ross follows in the footsteps of Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry, Wofford offensive line coach Eric Nash and a recruiter from the Citadel who have visited the Madani home. Dartmouth coach Eugene "Buddy" Teevens III, Steve Spurrier's former running backs coach at Florida, is next on the list.

Madani's blocking ability attracts the coaches to his home, but it is the cooking of his mother, Claudia, that keeps them there. Claudia has prepared lasagna, steak and fried fish for previous visitors.

"We're pretty used to it," Khalil Madani said. "We're pretty much used to setting up every night."

Madani, 6 feet 3, 290 pounds, said he seeks a school where education comes first and he feels comfortable around players and coaches.

Though he liked Army's campus and coaches, including offensive line coach Stan Brock, a former Chargers and New Orleans Saints tackle, Madani said Air Force, which he visited in December, is his current favorite. He won't make a decision until he takes all of his visits, which include the Citadel on Friday, Wofford on Jan. 21 and Dartmouth on Jan. 28.

"I'm definitely not going to make a decision before I see everywhere," Madani said.

"I don't think that's fair to my coaches, and I definitely don't think it's fair to myself."

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