MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – On Wednesday, Jerry Kill announces his recruiting class as part of signing day.

The Gophers missed out on some key in-state recruits and are hoping they stole a couple from other areas of the country.

Wayzata’s Chris Wipson is at home in the weight room. One coach said he lives here and that’s why the linebacker is bound for the Gophers next season.

“I took a visit and I just really loved the coaching staff and all the facilities – it was just my favorite place I had been to,” Wipson said.

Cretin-Derham Hall’s James Onwualu is going to Notre Dame. Actually, he’s already in South Bend, Ind., as he graduated early and enrolled in college this winter.

At Robbinsdale-Cooper High School, 14 seniors are committed to playing college football next year and one will play at Iowa.

Malik Rucker’s heading to Iowa to play in the secondary, finding a fit because of a comfort level in Iowa City.

“The players told me good things about the school and the coaches,” Rucker said.

Osseo’s Bridge Tusler is arguably the star athlete. He had a scholarship offer to play basketball, but the Metro Player of the Year chose South Dakota State to play football, in part because his football career has a shelf life.

“If I were to play basketball, it would be at the D-II level and I’d try to play both sports,” he said. “I could never give up football because I only have four or five years left of it. With basketball, I could play in the gym anytime. But you can’t put on the helmet so many times.