Terps linebacker commitment Ryan Donohue and his St. Joseph (N.J.) team will take on Don Bosco Prep at 8 p.m. tonight in a game televised on CBS College Sports. Donohue has led the Green Knights to a 7-0 record.

They are led by a pair of Division I linebackers, headlined by Maryland-bound Ryan Donohue, a 6-1, 220-pound senior who led the team in tackles last year (116) and does so again this season with 68.

“He’s sort of our quarterback out there on defense,” Karcich said. “He’s even bigger and stronger and faster than he’s been the last two years.”

• Ralph Friedgen and James Franklin took a helicopter to Baltimore last week to see the Dunbar-Edmondson game, in part to check out Poets running back Tavon Austin. But despite Maryland’s efforts, the Terps might be on the outside looking in for Austin. According to The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer, Austin will visit North Carolina this weekend and could pick a school soon after.

Highly touted running back Tavon Austin from Dunbar High in Baltimore, Md., is scheduled to make an official visit to Chapel Hill for Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech.

Austin, a 5-9, 160-pounder, has narrowed his choices to the Tar Heels and Michigan. He’s expected to announce a decision soon after this weekend’s visit.

West Virginia is also a major contender for Austin’s services.

• Hoboken, N.J., defensive tackle Isaac Holmes told GatorCountry.com this week that he’s considering six schools.

There are quite a few schools out there who hope to land Holmes. The list includes Florida, Penn State, Maryland, Rutgers, Tennessee and Oklahoma.

“I’ve been talking to schools everyday,” he said. “Right now, I am focused on finding a school that has a great coaching staff and players that I want to be around. I need a place where I feel comfortable, because I am going to be there for the next four years.”

• The Gazette spoke with cornerback Travis Hawkins and Quince Orchard head coach Dave Mencarini this week about Hawkins’ commitment to Maryland.

Last Tuesday, Oct. 28, Hawkins woke up and told Mencarini to set up an announcement ceremony.

"It's been weighing on him," Mencarini said. "It's hard for kids, especially kids like him who are highly recruited, being pulled and tugged in every direction. At some point they have to figure out what's important to them, and I think that's what he's been doing the last couple weeks."

Basketball recruiting

• Maryland received good news earlier this week when freshman forward Jin Soo Kim was declared eligible by the NCAA Clearinghouse.

There were questions about some of the online courses Kim took while at home that precipitated a deeper inquiry by the Clearinghouse.

As recently as last week, The Washington Post reported that his eligibility was denied but the decision wasn't final. Maryland had until Thursday to appeal the decision and provide paperwork to verify the courses Kim took were legitimate.

• Former Terps center recruit Gus Gilchrist won his appeal with the NCAA this week, making him eligible to suit up for South Florida in mid-December. The Baltimore Sun’s Don Markus spoke with UM senior associate athletic director Kathy Worthington about the decision.

Worthington said that the explanation she was given for the NCAA's decision was that Gilchrist sat out a year's time between his stint at Maryland and the first semester at South Florida. It marks the first time in 17 cases that the NCAA has waived its transfer penalty for a men's basketball player, dating back to around 2000.

It might open the door for others to do the same, Worthington said.

• Maryland’s top point guard target for the class of 2010, Isiah Epps, visited another primary contender in his recruitment last weekend.

Isiah Epps, a four-star point guard from Plainfield N.J., attended the scrimmage while on a visit to Pitt. Epps (6-2, 170), also is considering Maryland, Rutgers and Seton Hall, is regarded as one of the top 10 point guards in the Class of 2010.

• One of Maryland’s top targets in the 2007 recruiting class, point guard Jai Lucas, has decided to transfer from Florida after a freshman season in which he averaged 8.5 points and 2.3 assists per game. Lucas spoke to KentuckySports.com about his plans for picking a new school.

First, he said, he wanted to play "somewhat close to home." He's from Houston. Does that mean Oklahoma State, his older brother John's alma mater and one of Jai's finalists two years ago, might be in prime position?

Lucas said it was "really difficult" being in Gainesville, Fla., and far from home.

Note: Jeff Ermann of TurtleSportsReport.com passes along the following -- Inside the Shell magazine’s basketball preview issue, which includes an ACC recruiting breakdown, is almost ready to ship. Click here for more info.