The intense scrutiny and media coverage given football recruiting these days can often manufacture more drama than a soap opera.

A case in point occured this week involving North Gaston High School quarterback A.J. Blue.

The story began Sunday evening when CarolinaBlue.com associate editor Adam Powell called Blue to ask about his unofficial weekend visit to UNC. During the conversation Blue answered “yes sir’’ when Powell asked if he had verbally committed to the Tar Heels.

CarolinaBlue.com is part of the Rivals.com web network.

A subsequent report by Dan Callahan from InsideCarolina.com and the Scout.com network later Sunday evening quoted Blue as saying he had not committed to UNC. Blue verified he had received a scholarship offer from the Tar Heels, but would wait until he received an “adequate’’ score on the SAT before making a commitment.

Powell and Callahan are well-respected, well-connected reporters on the recruiting scene.

So whose version is right?

Probably both, although North Gaston coach Bruce Clark confirmed Tuesday that his star is not committed to the Tar Heels ... yet.

“A.J. Blue has been offered a scholarship by the University of North Carolina,’’ Clark said. “But I spoke to him this morning about 11:30 and he has not made any type of commitment. He is honored and flattered by the scholarship offer and he’ll be making a decision as time moves on.

“I really think he’s going to enjoy what’s going on here now and hopefully we can get into the playoffs and make a run. Then, after all that’s over, he will sit down with his mom and make a decision.’’

So how are both reports correct?

It’s just my take, but consider in recruiting that scholarship offers are often made on a conditional basis and are contingent upon the player qualifying academically. Maybe, in his excitement over the scholarship offer from a school he’s dreamed about playing for, Blue told Powell he was “committed’’ to the Tar Heels. Perhaps later he remembered or was reminded about the “conditional’’ aspect of the offer after Powell’s story hit the Internet, prompting him to alter that statement later to Callahan.

Either way, it’s an example of how intricate and fragile the recruiting process can be for 17-and 18-year-olds and those who report on them.

All we really know is that Blue is an exceptional talent, who could play any number of positions in college. He was ranked No. 32 among the state’s top college prospects in The Fayetteville Observer’s preseason Top 50.

The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder has thrown for more than 1,000 yards and rushed for close to 1,400 this season for North Gaston. He also holds offers from Duke, Illinois and “a conglomerate of schools waiting on his SAT,’’ according to Clark.

Pirates score big man

East Carolina’s recruiting class grew has grown to eight members with the addition of defensive lineman Anthony Garner from Jordan-Matthews High in Siler City.

Garner, a 6-1, 295-pounder, helped propel Jordan-Matthews to an 11-2 finish as a junior when he made 90 tackles, 23 tackles for losses and 13 sacks.

But four games into the 2007 season, Garner suffered a season-ending broken left leg. A plate and two screws were inserted during surgery to repair the injury and Garner is now on his way to recovering.

“I’m doing good,’’ he said. “I’ve been rehabing about three weeks. The doctors told me I’d be walking again soon. Right now I’m wearing a brace and using crutches. I’m counting down the hours when I can put these crutches away.’’

Jordan-Matthews coach Marty Scotten said Garner’s quickness is what caught the attention of the ECU coaching staff.

“His quickness for his size is outstanding,’’ Scotten said. “And he has the ability to diagnose plays. That was one of the first things I noticed about him.’’

Garner has been quite an athlete away from the football field, too. He played on the varsity tennis team as a freshman and has been a valuable big man on the Jordan-Matthews basketball squad.

The Pirates have recruited him to play defensive tackle or nose guard, Scotten said.

ECU was the first school to offer Garner a scholarship, but N.C. State and Georgia Tech had also shown interest.

Garner is the first lineman to join the Pirates class.

Veteran writer Sammy Batten covers college football for the Fayetteville Observer. His reports will run on WRAL.com this season. He can be reached at battens@fayobserver.com or (910) 486-3534.