Minter signed 10 recruits from the fertile Greater Cincinnati area, compared with just two in 1997.
''It's still a tough place to recruit to,'' Minter said. ''But we want the bar raised. This will go down as one of the better classes we'll have, and I want to especially thank the local kids who stayed home.''
UC comes off an 8-4 season and its first bowl bid in 47 years.
''With them in a bowl game, (three) straight winning seasons and coach Minter planning on staying, the program's really on the up-and-up,'' said tackle Kirt Doolin of Covington Catholic, a UC signee.
The class includes four players from Division I state runner-up Moeller. Tight end Doug Brandt, linebacker Willis Edwards, offensive lineman Josh Gardner and defensive lineman Ben Piening give UC its largest Moeller haul since the 1970s.
Terry Forbes, a former Notre Dame assistant coach who runs the Forbes Recruit Evaluation out of Miami, said UC's top recruits include:
Antwan Peek (Woodward), a defensive back who might walk on in basketball.
Antwan Bell (Columbus Mifflin), huge but nimble as a 6-foot-2, 270-pound linebacker.
Reuben Dunbar, a running back from Huber Heights Wayne who rushed for 1,057 yards and 18 touchdowns last year.
P.J. Mays, a running back from Youngstown who rushed for 1,414 yards and 17 TDs.
Name to watch: Nathan Wize, a 5-foot-7 running back from Tucson, who set an Arizona record by rushing for 3,101 yards and scoring 51 touchdowns as a senior.
Another signee is defensive end Darryll Ransom of Indianapolis, brother of former UC defensive end Derrick Ransom.
Nationally, Allen Wallace of California-based SuperPrep Magazine said he knew little about UC's recruits and could not comment. And there are no UC signees among the top 100 of the ''O-Zone'' national list, a combination of ratings from the National Recruiting Advisor, PrepStar and Student Sports services.
But UC is making inroads on the mid-major Division I level, according to Bill Kurelic of Ohio Football Recruiting News.
''It seems like they're doing better down there,'' Kurelic said. ''And it's a pretty good year for talent from Cincinnati.''
SEASON IN STORIES
