Peter Diana, Post-Gazette

Gateway High School running back/defensive back Justin King ? "We went to Applebee's and the waiter asked if I was Justin King. Then he started asking me about schools and told me, 'Don?t go to Michigan.'" MORE HIGH SCHOOL The Fumbler: Thoughts on tonight's WPIAL semifinals and the City League championship Playoff games a football talent showcase High School Focus: Reports, profiles, commentary and analysis on high school sports across the region drawn from our midweek zoned editions.

Justin King's favorite part of the school day is study hall. No, he doesn't hate school. He likes study hall because he puts on his headphones, listens to music and doesn't have to hear this question for the 900th time in the past few weeks:

"So, where ya going?"

King is an outstanding senior running back/defensive back at Gateway High School who is one of the most heavily recruited players in Western Pennsylvania in the past decade. King will announce his college choice Monday night at a news conference, most likely choosing between Michigan and Penn State. Ohio State is trying to make a late push. A few weeks ago, King had decided Florida was his No. 1 choice, but then coach Ron Zook was fired and everything changed.

Since the end of September, King has made official visits to Michigan, Florida and Penn State.

"Up until a few weeks ago, he was going to Florida," said Gateway coach Terry Smith, who also is King's stepfather. "I was a little surprised at that when he told me, but he just loved everything about the place.

"We sat and met with the athletic director at Florida [Jeremy Foley] and he lied right to our face. He said, 'Ron Zook will be here no matter what because he does things the right way.' Two weeks later, Zook is cut."

The closer it gets to Monday, the more people want to know King's decision. Gateway principal Bill Short has seen students yell out a college when they see King in the hallway. The media ask King his college choice. His classmates ask. Numerous representatives of recruiting internet sites ask.

King can't even get in a food order without someone asking.

"We went to Applebee's and the waiter asked if I was Justin King," King said. "Then he started asking me about schools and told me, 'Don't go to Michigan.' "

Smith gets the "Where's he going?" question constantly.

"I probably get it more than Justin," Smith said with a laugh.

That's why he keeps the door closed to his office at Gateway High School.

"People come in here to buy tickets to our games," Smith said. "Then they just want to poke their head in my office to say hello. It's always, 'Hey, you're doing a good job, good luck this week ... and where's Justin going?' You know eventually they're going to get to that question. So, I keep my door shut to get some work done."

College coaches aren't the only ones tugging at King. ESPNews wanted to televise King's news conference live. That was nixed because "they only wanted Justin and myself there. Justin wants all of his family, friends and teammates involved," Smith said.

KDKA-TV wanted an exclusive on King's choice before the news conference, but Smith said that won't happen, either.

"TV is demanding. But this is about Justin and not TV," he said. "We're having the news conference and whatever media wants to come, can come."

King (6 feet, 180 pounds) is rated by some scouting services as the No. 1 defensive back in the country. Rivals100.com ranks him the No. 9 player overall in the country. He also is an outstanding running back and said he has been told by Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State that he will have a shot to play some offense during his career. King also plans to graduate from Gateway High School in December and enroll in college for the spring semester.

How much King is coveted was evident last Saturday when he was on the Penn State sideline for the Nittany Lions' game against Northwestern. The Penn State student section started chanting his name. Some students held up signs with King's name on them.

"It was a great visit," he said. "The fans showed they really care about Penn State football. A lot of them knew me and I would never think that."

College coaches can only talk to a senior on the telephone once a week. King said some schools have made their final pitches to him and have left him alone. But you can bet the heat will be turned up this weekend.

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley is persistent in his recruitment. King seems to have a liking for Bradley. There is a color picture of Bradley on a filing cabinet right outside Smith's office.

"The only coach who still is sending me letters is Tom Bradley," King said. "Sometimes, it's two a day."

Michigan, though, has signed some standout WPIAL players the past few years, including Woodland Hills' Steve Breaston and Ryan Mundy, and Belle Vernon's Scott McClintock. Breaston was King's host on his official visit to Michigan in late September.

King isn't letting anyone know what he's thinking. He's trying to keep his mind on Gateway's WPIAL Class AAAA semifinal tonight against Penn Hills.

"Justin is the most level-headed kid you'll meet, but he's getting tired of the question 'Where you going?' " Smith said. "I think it's actually becoming overwhelming to him. But he amazingly keeps it all in perspective to get himself ready for Friday nights."

The soft-spoken King said he thinks he knows his college choice, but he's still not totally sure. Smith said King is not overly concerned about Penn State's losing record or coach Joe Paterno's age.

King still would have considered Florida if Steve Spurrier became coach.

"But when Spurrier turned it down, that was it," Smith said. "It's too late to start a relationship with a new coach."

Smith played receiver at Penn State, but said he will not give his opinion on colleges to his stepson. Smith said he doesn't know what college King will choose.

"He gets mad at me because I won't tell him," Smith said. "His mom and grandparents get mad at me for that. But I feel it's right of me to not tell him where to go."

Funny. Everyone else will.