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Recruiting Updates
Recruiting for college athletics is always changing with new athletes, sports, and
regulations making this area exciting. No matter the sport, from baseball to football,
Student Athlete Recruiting will help keep you in touch with the recruiting updates
that matter.
| | | | Duron Carter, a wide receiver from Fort Lauderdale, has become the 18th commitment for the 2009 recruiting class at Ohio State, where he'll follow in the footsteps of his father, Cris, a former Buckeyes All-American and likely future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
"He was very happy," Duron said of his dad's reaction to his college choice. "It was definitely one of his dreams for me to go to Ohio State. His legacy can carry on."
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| | | | So a few days back the SEC's coaches voted 9-3 in favor of a proposal that would have instituted a one-day early signing period in late November, and I opined that this seemed like a good idea. I, however, missed these weird stipulations attached to the early period:
Bulldogs coach Mark Richt, an opponent of the early date a year ago, supported it this time around after a stipulation was added to allow only those players that had not taken any official visits to sign. That would allow Richt to keep the focus mostly on his current team and its games in the fall. ... Prospects to sign also could not have been visited personally by any head coach or assistant.
What? That's completely bizarre. I don't get the logic behind prohibiting potential early signees from taking official visits. If a guy takes four visits and then decides to commit somewhere, why should he be excluded from signing early?
Most of the blah blah blah coming from opponents of an early signing period is transparent bunk. My favorite is Urban Meyer decrying the idea because he needs more time to figure out which guys are going to use dead people's credit cards when that particular gentleman 1) had a Florida offer($) more than a year before Signing Day and 2) committed to Florida($) two weeks before this early signing date would kick in.
However, this particular edition of an early signing period needlessly excludes a bunch of guys who are just going about their recruitments. It's a moot point anyway: the SEC's presidents and athletic directors shot the idea down en masse for some reason, and nothing will be changing this year or next. |
| | | | Most of the SEC coaches are in favor of it, but count Penn State's Joe Paterno as one coach who opposes an early signing period in college football.
"I don't like it," Paterno said. "I would change some things about when you can talk to kids and when you can't talk to them, but I'm not for the early signing date."
Paterno says he thinks having high school football players sign during the season would be a distraction, especially when recruits make official visits during weeks of big games. The SEC rule says high school players could only sign early if they haven't made any official visits, but Paterno says it's better for players if they take their time, make their visits, and sign letters of intent later.
"I don't want to turn into a used car salesman," Paterno said. "We're dealing with a young man's life, and we'd like to be able to present the situation as best we can, and as honestly as we can."
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| | | | Florida coach Urban Meyer says NCAA recruiting rules make it harder for coaches to assess high school players' character, and therefore more likely that off-field problems will arise.
Meyer made his comments to Florida boosters days after one of his players, Jamar Hornsby, was charged with stealing the credit card of a woman who died in a motorcycle accident that also killed another Florida player.
"The NCAA is pulling us off the recruiting process," Meyer said. "I'm not allowed to go out [to visit players] anymore. I'm not allowed to text message. I'm trying to find out as best I can. You just keep re-evaluating. If you just look around and see some of the things that are going on, it's amazing. It's concerning. It's alarming. So we take a great deal of time and effort in trying to educate guys, work with them and recruit character. Are we perfect? Absolutely not."
NCAA restrictions might make it harder for coaches to learn about players before they come to campus, but Meyer's problem with regard to Hornsby was allowing him to stay on the team after repeated off-field problems. In April of 2007 he was arrested on misdemeanor charges when he threw a man onto the hood of a car during a fight, and during the 2007 season he violated NCAA rules when he sold his tickets to the Georgia game.
Meyer acknowledged that the Hornsby case made him think, "you have to reevaluate how you're doing."
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| | | | Peter Rose, an 18-year-old who was supposed to be a freshman quarterback at Virginia Tech in the fall, is facing felony drug charges.
Rose has been charged with two counts of distribution of marijuana and two counts of distribution of drugs within 1,000 feet of a school.
According to the Associated Press, the Amherst County Sheriff's Office says that the investigation of Rose uncovered 18 purchases of drugs made by students at Amherst High School, which Rose led to consecutive Group AA state championships.
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| | | | Speaking at the school's booster club banquet, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden made a blunt assessment of the lack of talent his program has turned out in recent years.
"The draft tells the story," Bowden said. "Not having anybody in the first round, the second round, that's about the way you're playing. But I think the crowd we've got coming in, there's more big-play potential guys in there. We need another year like that and I think we'll be very solid."
Bowden was once a great recruiter who could tap into the great talent base in Florida to ensure that the Seminoles would reload every year, not rebuild. But he's not anymore. In this year's draft, only three Seminoles were selected, none on the first day.
As recently as 2006, Florida State had four first-round picks, and through the 1990s Florida State produced NFL-quality players as frequently as any program in the country. Now the talent just isn't coming in anymore. All the talk that the game has passed Bowden by is true -- but it's the recruiting game, not the game on the field.
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| | | | John Walters of NBCSports.com has a great look today at the way the most heavily recruited high school quarterbacks are often failures in college football.
Walters writes that when you look at the top couple of quarterback recruits in each of the last four years, you find something rather surprising: Most of them have left the school they signed with.
Xavier Lee (Florida State), Rhett Bomar (Oklahoma), Mitch Mustain (Arkansas), Ryan Mallett (Michigan) and Ryan Perrilloux (LSU) were all either the best or the second-best quarterback in high school football during their senior years, according to Rivals.com, and they've all transferred thanks to personal problems or legal problems or coaching changes.
The three top quarterback recruits who are still on the team they signed with are Mark Sanchez (USC), Matthew Stafford (Georgia) and Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame).
The lesson here? Ohio State fans think they've got their savior in Terrelle Pryor. But if recent history is any guide, there's less than a 50 percent chance that they're right.
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| | | | He's no Terrelle Pryor, but a quarterback who looks like the right fit for coach Rich Rodriguez's spread option offense has committed to Michigan.
Kevin Newsome, a four-star recruit from Chesapeake, Virginia, will join Michigan's 2009 freshman class. Newsome is a 1,500-yard passer and a 600-yard rusher, and he's the third player rated by Rivals.com as one of the top 50 in the country to commit to Michigan.
"I love the winning tradition of Michigan," Newsome said. "I really believe Michigan is the godfather of college football, and that's what makes the Michigan-Ohio State game so notorious."
Expect to see Newsome and Pryor across the field from each other in a couple of those Michigan-Ohio State games.
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| | | | Freshmen on college football teams often face hazing and always have to earn the respect of their older, more experienced teammates. But it sounds like the older, more experienced players on the Ohio State team are just as giddy as Buckeyes fans about soon-to-be freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
"When he didn't sign on signing day, it created this buzz that I've never seen before," Ohio State tight end Rory Nicol said. "Then when he signed with Ohio State, it was like, 'Wow, we got this kid who was making headlines on ESPN.'"
Added linebacker James Laurinaitis, who could have been a high NFL draft pick next weekend but elected to return to Ohio State for his senior season, "He is a very impressive kid who looks like he has all the tools to be a success."
However, there are questions. For starters, there's a chance that Pryor could redshirt. It seems a little silly to get too excited about a player who might not even step on the field for more than 16 months.
And even if Pryor does play, he has virtually no chance of beating out Todd Boeckman, a very good quarterback, for the starting job. Is it a bit disrespectful to Boeckman and his backups, Antonio Henton and Joe Bauserman, to give so much attention to a guy who's still in high school?
Boeckman doesn't seem to think so. He told the Columbus Dispatch he's met Pryor and likes him, and he seems to even like the idea of taking a few plays off each game and letting Pryor run the show. Not many senior returning starters look forward to giving up playing time to freshmen, but freshmen like Pryor don't come along very often.
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| | | | The Bruins went "over the wall" Tuesday, a UCLA football tradition in which players bolted from practice for a self-imposed day off -- high-tailing it through a gate instead of scaling the practice facility wall as tradition demands. It left Bruins coaches angry, high school coaches and potential recruits in attendance perplexed and fans questioning the team's commitment. Though visibly upset, first-year Coach Rick Neuheisel tried to put a lighter touch on it Tuesday, saying, "Maybe we can banish it forever since no one went over the wall." Pascal said he and other coaches had yet to receive an explanation or apology from UCLA as of Wednesday afternoon even though they were required to leave their e-mail addresses when they signed in before practice. "They had recruits there, and can you imagine what they think after being driven there and being sent back onto the freeway at 5 p.m.?" Pascal said. "The four of us were standing there for a half-hour, someone could have said something. On the way home we thought about going over to USC because we knew they would be on the practice field." Reaction from UCLA fans was equally harsh Wednesday. Bruins players expect to pay the price when they return to practice today.
Los Angeles Times
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| | | | Milton (Ga.) running back Toney Williams holds scholarship offers from Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, N.C. State, Rutgers and Tennessee. He is also being actively recruited by Florida. "I don't have a front-runner right now," he said said. The 6-foot-1, 227-pound Williams has visited Tech, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Atlanta Journal Constitution
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| | | | Mason Robinson isn't sure how Rutgers' scrutinized tailback competition will play out between now and preseason camp in August as the Knights look for a replacement for Ray Rice, but he is certain of one thing. The days of Rutgers having a workhorse back like Rice are over. With Kordell Young sitting out the serious work this spring as he continues to recover from knee surgery, Robinson and Jourdan Brooks have been the spotlight tailbacks -- with Joe Martinek working his way into the mix. Young is considered the heir apparent to Rice, the greatest running back in school history, but hasn't shown he is an every-down back yet. His absence has given Robinson and Brooks the opportunity to showcase themselves this spring as they bid for some of the 380 carries -- 29 per game -- that Rice had a year ago.
Newark Star-Ledger
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| | | | Linebacker Mike Olson has pledged Wake Forest over interest from N.C. State, Virginia, Boston College and Syracuse, the Washington Post reports. Last fall, Olson made 103 tackles and four sacks |
| | | | One of the nation's premier wide receivers, Northeast High junior Je'Ron Stokes, yesterday gave an oral commitment to play football at Tennessee. The 6-foot-1, 178-pound speedster chose the Volunteers over Illinois, Penn State and Oklahoma. Stokes made his decision after returning to Philadelphia on Saturday following his second unofficial visit to Tennessee.
Philadelphia Inquirer
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| | | | At this rate, perhaps Notre Dame and the Golic clan can just sign a binding oral commitment agreement for all of eternity and save everyone some time. On Saturday, the Irish football team received its first oral commitment for the class of 2009 from -- surprise! -- Jake Golic, a 6-foot-4, 202-pound tight end from Hartford, Conn. This after older brother Mike, Jr., continued the bloodline pipeline to South Bend by signing with the Irish out of the class of 2008.
Chicago Tribune
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| | | | ESPN 150 Watch List prospect Bryn Renner committed to North Carolina while visiting campus, tarheeltimes.com reports.
He said of the decision, "They were my No. 1 school the whole time and I just wanted to make it clear that's where I wanted to go."
Programs such as Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Michigan State, Maryland and Virginia were also recruiting the talented junior who threw for 2,749 yards and 32 touchdowns last fall.
ESPN's Tom Luginbill said, "Renner is one of the best 2009 quarterbacks no one is talking about. Despite this commitment, expect his recruitment to gain momentum during the summer camp circuit."
"North Carolina has really upgraded their quarterback situation with this pickup. He's the dual-threat guy they were lacking."
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| | | | ESPN 150 Watch List prospect Jamal Patterson has been offered by LSU, ESPN's Tom Luginbill reports.
Patterson's already holding offers from programs such as Florida, Florida State, Clemson, Alabama and South Carolina. |
| | | | Of his final choices, Terrelle Pryor said he first ruled out Oregon because it was too far away for his family to visit regularly. Penn State Coach Joe Paterno made a rare home visit to recruit Pryor, who said the university was in an area that was "too country" for his tastes. It came down to Michigan and Ohio State, and Pryor said it was emotionally painful for him to turn down Michigan because "I had such a bond" with Coach Rich Rodriguez. What drew him to Ohio State was a variety of factors, from the quality of the Buckeyes' offensive lineman, his familiarity and comfort with many of the players, and that he would not have to jump in and start right away, because the Buckeyes' senior quarterback, Todd Boeckman, is returning. He said he also liked Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel's idea of using him his first year the way Florida used quarterback Tim Tebow, last year's Heisman Trophy winner. Tebow was a backup as a freshman, coming in primarily for running plays. Ultimately, though, it came down to one thing. "I just feel comfortable with Coach Tressel," Pryor said.
New York Times
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| | | | A single visit to Stanford was all it took for Lassiter (Ga.) offensive lineman Camden Wentz to realize he'll be calling the Cardinal's campus his home for the next four years, beginning in 2009. Other schools in the mix were Vanderbilt, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.
Atlanta Journal Constitution
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| | | | Kansas football coach Mark Mangino didn't fill his 2008 recruiting class, leaving two spots open. Back on signing day, he explained that he may give the remaining scholarships to a couple of deserving walk-ons. Turns out, Mangino's program was bracing for more bad news from the NCAA. KU announced on Monday that it will lose two scholarships for the 2008 season because its academics fell below NCAA standards. The NCAA levied a penalty against Kansas for two reasons: First, the football program had a four-year Academic Progress Rate of 919 -- six points below the minimum success rate of 925. Secondly, two players left the program during the 2006-07 school year not in good academic standing with the university.
Kansas City Star
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| | | | Terrelle Pryor, the nation's No. 1 football recruit, told reporters after winning the Pennsylvania Class AA title Saturday that he had narrowed his college choices down to two schools and will make his decision by the end of the week. What two schools is he down to, though? Ohio State is a safe bet since it has been in the picture since day one, but is the second team Penn State or Michigan? Rivals.com's National Recruiting Analyst Mike Farrell made his best guess at who Pryor's final two schools are. "To me, it's Ohio State and Michigan," Farrell said. "Had he eliminated Penn State before the basketball title game in State College, things could have gotten a little ugly or at least distracted the basketball team. There could have been some signs, some hecklers, just some general distractions that he didn't want. I also don't think he has ever wanted to disrespect Penn State in any way. Some of the things he's said about Penn State like not liking the area and such, that's just who he is ??? he's honest and tells it like it is. He loves coach Tom Bradley and has great respect for Joe Paterno, he's always said that. I know he really wanted to win the state title and didn't want his football issues to get in the way of things for his basketball teammates."
Detroit Free Press
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| | | | Highly regarded Texas high school quarterback prospect Russell Shepard will tell you luck had nothing to do with him committing to LSU's 2009 recruiting class. "It was a gut feeling for me," Shepard said. Shepard, who is 6 feet 2, 185 pounds with sub-4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash, is rated among the nation's top prospects as he prepares for his third season as a starter at Cypress Ridge High School in Houston.
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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| | | | Touted Battle Creek Central running back Larry Caper has committed to play for Michigan State in fall 2009, Rivals.com reported on Wednesday. Caper, a 5-feet-11, 210-pound junior, rushed for 1,473 yards on 160 carries in 2007 and clocked a 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash. Rivals ranks him as the 64th-best junior prospect in the nation regardless of position. Caper also had offers from Michigan, Iowa and Stanford, among others.
Detroit Free Press
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| | | | Bad news for Penn State: Terrelle Pryor was at Ohio State yesterday even though he's yet to schedule an official visit to Happy Valley. Pryor, the No. 1-ranked high school quarterback from Jeannette, Pa., made news earlier this month when he delayed his college decision on national signing day. He was set to sign with the Buckeyes but chose to extend the process because he wanted to visit with the Nittany Lions. However, because he is still playing basketball, a trip to State College has been delayed. And yet, there Pryor was at the Ohio State-Wisconsin basketball game in Columbus yesterday, one day after leading the Jayhawks to the WPIAL Class AA championship.
Philadelphia Inquirer
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| | | | Euless (Texas) Trinity junior cornerback Eryon Barnett has given an oral commitment to Texas. Barnett visited Texas' junior day last weekend and wasted no time in finalizing his college choice. Oklahoma and Miami were among the schools in the running for Barnett.
Dallas Morning News
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| | | | Class of 2009 ESPN 150 Watch List prospect Bryce Brown decided to end the recruiting process early by giving coach Randy Shannon his pledge, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
Brown family adviser Brian Butler said, "He talked about it with coach Shannon on Tuesday. It wasn't a matter of him wanting to get it over with, he just really felt at peace with the University."
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| | | | Defensive end Terry Franklin has made an early commitment to Oklahoma, ESPN affiliate OUInsider.com reports.
He said, "I really like the environment at OU. It just suited what I feel like college football is all about."
Franklin added, "OU was the first team to offer me, and that's what I was looking for. I have followed OU ever since I got into high school. OU kind of caught my eye and everything, and when the opportunity arose, I had to take advantage of it."
He originally attended Mansfield Summit High School before transferring to Mansfield Legacy. Legacy, a new high school which began operating last fall, plays a football schedule against several junior varsity schools. |
| | | | Less than two weeks after the ink dried on one of the nation's top football signing classes, Miami officially got started on 2009 on Tuesday by getting a commitment from a player whose name is familiar to Hurricanes fans. A.J. Highsmith, the son of former UM running back Alonzo Highsmith (1983-86), gave UM assistant Tommy Robinson his word Monday night that he will sign with the Hurricanes next year.
Miami Herald |
| | | | Georgia's rivalry with LSU this year may go beyond its Oct. 25 contest with the Tigers in Baton Rouge. LSU continues to heavily recruit Emanuel County Institute junior defensive end Dexter Moody, who recently committed to the Dogs. Moody, who is also being recruited by Clemson, Florida and South Carolina, admitted Tuesday night that he's willing to listen to LSU.
Atlanta Journal Constitution
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| | | | Terrelle Pryor, the heavily recruited quarterback from Jeannette, Pennsylvania, may be the most-scrutinized high school athlete in American history. And he is just a teenager, which means that if the scrutiny is starting to get under his skin, it's hard to blame him for it.
But Pryor needs to get better at handling negative attention, and he needs to get better in a hurry.
A story in the Observer-Reporter, a local paper near Jeannette, describes a situation in which opposing fans at a basketball game probably went too far in taunting Pryor, but also in which Pryor went way too far in reacting.
According to the Observer-Reporter, one opposing fan dressed up like Ohio State's football coach, and someone yelled to Pryor, "Hey, Pryor, look, it's Jim Tressel." Another yelled "Here's your daddy for the next four years." I'm personally opposed to taunting of any kind in high school sports, but as taunting goes, that's pretty minor compared to what college fans do.
Pryor, however, responded by yelling back at the opposing team's fans, continued to do it as he led Jeannette's basketball team to an overtime victory, and then went toward the opposing student section after the game with what the Observer-Reporter describes as a "ridiculous, prolonged exchange" that only stopped when Pryor's teammates intervened.
The Observer-Reporter also says that a police officer told a Jeannette assistant, "You're lucky we didn't take your kid [Pryor] in. He threatened to go into the crowd."
If that's the way Pryor reacts to a couple of high school kids making stupid comments, just wait until he faces the student section at his first college football road game. Pryor needs to learn how to walk away, and he needs to learn it now.
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| | | | After stud high school running back Darrell Scott committed to Colorado, the recruiting coordinator at Scott's high school implied that he made his choice because Colorado offered an improper benefit to his family.
Now Scott's high school, St. Bonaventure in Ventura, California, has fired the recruiting coordinator, Roger Sonsini.
This may be the end of an odd story that started when Scott chose Colorado over Texas on National Signing Day. Many Texas fans suspected that something was amiss, and Sonsini seemed to confirm their suspicions when he said, "Colorado came in on Friday and said and did something and offered something that Darrell and his mom couldn't pass up."
It now appears that Sonsini spoke without knowing the facts, and that St. Bonaventure has canned him as a result.
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| | | | Everyone in the recruiting world seems to think that stud Pennsylvania high school quarterback Terrelle Pryor's delay in making up his mind is bad news for Ohio State.
"I think that every day that Terrrelle Pryor doesn't commit to Ohio State is not good," recruiting analyst Bill Conley said. "Because when you're the front-runner as Ohio State apparently was and the kid doesn't sign on signing day, other influences start coming in and you don't know what's going to happen."
Really, though, the only part of that quote that matters is the last seven words. It's now clear that no one knows where he'll end up, including Pryor himself. Pryor is a teenager who is quite clearly more interested in enjoying his senior year of high school, especially his final basketball season, than in picking a college. And good for him: He should live his life on his own schedule, and if that means making college football coaches and fans wait to hear from him, so be it.
And contrary to the conventional wisdom, there's no reason to think Pryor was any closer to picking Ohio State a week or two weeks ago than he is now. It has always appeared that Pryor feels ambivalent about his options, with Michigan's Rich Rodriguez the coach he most wants to play for, Ohio State the program he likes best, nearby Penn State where his family wants him to go and Oregon the far-off football paradise whose facilities intrigue him.
So while Pryor's delay is bad for Ohio State in the sense that the Buckeyes' coaches and fans wish he'd make up his mind already, those coaches and fans shouldn't feel any more or less confident that he'll end up in Columbus than they ever have.
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| | | | Alabama coach Nick Saban reeled in a highly regarded class of 32 recruits last week on National Signing Day, and I was among a number of observers who didn't do a thorough enough job of exploring how Saban is going to manage that many players, considering that there's an NCAA-imposed limit of 25 per class.
Fortunately, Tim Gayle of the Montgomery Advertiser has explored the issue, and Saban offers some odd answers.
"That's not something we're going to address publicly or make a public issue," Saban said, "or is it something I think anybody needs to be worried about."
Saban also used the word "grayshirt," a term that refers to players who start their college careers at a community college while waiting for a scholarship spot to open up at their chosen football school. That was a surprising choice of words from Saban, who said last year that he wasn't familiar with the term.
"I'm not going to expound on this, but some guys grayshirt, some guys have academic issues that you might have to place [in junior college]," Saban said. "We have a way to manage the future of that."
The bottom line is that the sheer number of players Saban signed this year looks a lot more impressive right now than it will in the fall, when at least seven of them won't be on the team.
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| | | | Some prospects have yet to announce their intentions, most notably No. 1 QB Terrelle Pryor (Jeannette, Pa.), so these rankings may change. Here are the post-signing day Top 25 classes.
1. Miami
12 ESPN 150 prospects
Coach Randy Shannon did an outstanding job landing top-tier defensive talent in his first full recruiting class. The Canes boast five of the top seven outside linebackers, led by the top three -- Arthur Brown (Wichita, Kan./East), Sean Spence (Miami/Northwestern) and signing day recommit Ramon Buchanan (Melbourne, Fla./Palm Bay). The talent continues up front with Marcus Fortson (Miami/ Northwestern), the country's No. 1-rated defensive tackle. Taylor Cook (Eagle Lake, Texas/Rice) and Jacory Harris (Miami/Northwestern) have different types of games but are both quality quarterback prospects. ESPN 150 receivers Aldarius Johnson (Miami/Northwestern) and Davon Johnson (Miami/Booker T. Washington) both project to haul in a bunch of balls in their careers.
2. Clemson
10 ESPN 150 prospects
This year's surprise class closed with a bang down the stretch on signing day with signatures from No. 6 offensive tackle Antoine McClain (Anniston, Ala.), No. 3 tight end Dwayne Allen (Fayetteville, S.C./Terry Sanford) and No. 3 running back Jamie Harper (Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian). This was all while ESPN's No. 1-rated overall prospect DaQuan Bowers (Bamberg, S.C./Bamberg-Ehrhardt) was already hitting the books on Clemson's campus with No. 4-rated quarterback Kyle Parker (Jacksonville, Fla./Bartram Trail).
3. Alabama
Seven ESPN 150 prospects
One of the biggest movers on signing day, the addition of ESPN's No. 2 overall player, receiver Julio Jones (Foley, Ala.), gives Alabama perhaps its best class since the turn of the century. Jones, offensive tackle Tyler Love (Birmingham, Ala./Mountain Brook) and athlete Burton Scott (Prichard, Ala./Vigor) give the Tide three No. 1-rated prospects at their respective positions, but the Tide's 15 |
| | | | 7:11 p.m.: Thanks for following the signing day happenings with us today. Check out the Briefing Room for any news breaking later tonight. See you next year.
6:40 p.m.: Both top-50 RB Milton Knox (Van Nuys, Calif./Birmingham), a UCLA verbal commit, and ESPN 150 LB Uona Kaveinga (Lawndale, Calif./Leuzinger), a BYU verbal commit, will announce who they will sign with tonight on FSN Prime Ticket.
6:18 p.m.: Tracking more previously uncommitted prospects, top-25 quarterback prospect Corey Trisby (San Diego/Hoover) signed with UTEP, a nice get for Mike Price.
Top-30 QB Tommy Reamon Jr. (Gloucester, Va.) signed with D-IAA Old Dominion over South Florida, Buffalo and Missouri.
6:17 p.m.: No. 39 outside linebacker Leandre Lance (Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast), one of the top remaining committed prospects, has signed with D-IAA Missouri State.
5:43 p.m.: The Sam McGuffie situation is getting stranger.
"I talked to him," Cy-Fair offensive lineman Chris Lathrop, who signed with Texas A&M this morning, told the Houston Chronicle. "It's like a wedding almost. He got cold feet and didn't come to school. He told me that doesn't know where he wants to go."
McGuffie is reportedly now choosing between Texas A&M, Cal and Michigan.
5:24 p.m.: Ole Miss' signing list has a big omission so far, as star in-state running back Darius Barksdale (Batesville, Miss./South Panola) has yet to sign. The Rebels did sign running back Enrique Davis (Hargrave), who signed with Auburn last year.
5:15 p.m.Rutgers' class has finally been posted. It's led by two Floridians -- quarterback D.C. Jefferson (Winter Haven, Fla.), whose initials don't stand for de-commitment despite his switch from Rutgers to LSU and back again, and WR Malcolm Johnson (Bartow, Fla.).
While the Scarlet Knights landed in-state top-25 OT Art Forst (Manasquan, N.J.), they still lost out on five of the top six Garden State prospects.
5:00 p.m.: Texas' class has been posted on i |
| | | | No. 2-rated running back Darrell Scott (Moorpark, Calif./Saint Bonaventure), Buford, Ga. teammates Under Armour All-American defensive tackle Omar Hunter and inside linebacker T.J. Pridemore, the DeSoto, Texas pair of ESPN 150 running back Cyrus Gray and cornerback Adrian Bushell, and another Under Armour All-American, athlete T.J. Lawrence (Lakeland, Fla./Kathleen) are all expected to take in Gainesville, Fla. this weekend, the Star-Banner reports.
Hunter decommitted from Notre Dame last week during Under Armour Game practice and is reportedly favoring the Gators. |
| | | | Jeff Demps committed to the Gators over Tennessee and Kentucky Wednesday night on SportsCenter U.
He said following the decision, "I like that they recruit speed and I feel I fit best in their system. I am going to play running back, slot receiver and catch the ball a little bit."
Additionally, the fastest Class of 2008 football prospect, who owns a state-best 10.37 100-meter time, also hopes to run track in Gainesville, Fla.
This fall, Demps carried 157 times for 1,401 yards (8.9 average) and 16 touchdowns. As a junior, he gained 1,761 yards and 21 scores on 170 carries (10.4 average). |
| | | | Class of 2007 ESPN 150 quarterback Ryan Mallett will transfer from Michigan, ESPN reports. His father, Jim Mallett, said, "He's on his way home. We don't know where he's going to go yet, but we need to do something quick. We're going to visit three, four or five schools.
Mallett completed 61 of 141 pass attempts (43.3-percent) for 892 yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions as a true freshman this fall while filling in for the injured Chad Henne. |
| | | | Walton's Chase Thomas wasn't quite ready to pull the trigger on a commitment to Auburn Sunday morning.The defensive end was still in Auburn celebrating the Tigers 17-10 victory over Alabama in the Iron Bowl. He is scheduled to return to metro Atlanta this afternoon. "I just had a good visit," Thomas said. "The atmosphere was crazy. It's a big rivalry game." Thomas, who confirmed Sunday morning that he will likely choose between Auburn and Stanford, said the timing wasn't right to commit this weekend.
Atlanta Journal Constitution
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| | | | Several of the 14 high school players who have committed to Georgia Tech said Monday night they did not know if they will stick with the Yellow Jackets or not after coach Chan Gailey's firing. Like Techs fan base, they're in a wait-and-see mode, interested in which assistant coaches are retained, and who will be hired as the next head coach. Their first source for inside information in the first 12 hours after Gailey's firing was athletics director Dan Radakovich, who called them.
Atlanta Journal Constitution
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| | | | Louisville quarterback commit Tino Sunseri, who sits just outside the ESPN 150, has "reopened" his recruitment, has new offers from Pitt and B.C., and will take an official visit to check out the Eagles in Chestnut Hill, Ma., the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
He said, "With how early I committed, I just want to make sure it's the right thing. I'm going to compare Louisville with a couple other programs and make sure it's right for me." |
| | | | Etienne Sabino committed to Ohio State over USC Thursday night on ESPNU, joining high school teammate and fellow ESPN 150 prospect, cornerback Travis Howard as part of the Buckeyes' Class of 2008.
He said, "There is something about it [Ohio State], I've always liked it. When I went there as a junior for camp I really liked it and when I went back I fell in love with it."
Sabino, who was born in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, wanted to leave the state of Florida for college, "Nothing against the Florida schools, I just wanted to branch out."
Additionally, the highly touted senior who hopes to enroll early said he'll begin reaching out to other Ohio State targets such as athlete Terrelle Pryor (Jeannette, Pa.), and South Florida prospects such as cornerback Brandon Harris (Miami/Booker T. Washington). |
| | | | Harper, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound prospect, has committed to Miami-FL over Mississippi, Alabama, and Illinois, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
The senior, who's from the same high school as 'Canes running back Craig Cooper, said, "I've always wanted to go to Miami. It's always been a dream since I was little." |
| | | | The time has come for us to make a move at the top of our quarterback rankings in the 2008 class. I realize that this comes at a bad time for Blaine Gabbert, as we are airing Parkway West's game against Parkway North this Friday on ESPNU, but Gabbert has really struggled to this point in the season. Whether it is a lack of personnel around him or him just not performing to his ability level, Gabbert for whatever reason hasn't gotten it done, capped by going 6-15 for 49 yards and an interception last week.
E.J. Manuel (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside) moves into the top spot. He has come on strong the last two weeks after starting slow in the first two weeks of the season. Last weekend, Manuel had his best outing to date, going 10-13 for 218 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for another.
Still, Gabbert is going to get a chance to show the country he is for real and get back on track for his senior campaign that has not started the way he had envisioned.
The quarterback class of 2008 in my opinion is a good one, but not great. It has its positives and negatives, and there are a lot of guys with upside and physical tools to succeed who need work and polish. Having seen so much of our top three players (Manuel, Gabbert and Dayne Crist) and continued study of the guys behind them in the rankings has led me to believe that there is only an eyelash difference between many of them. Nick Crissman is underrated, but got sidetracked due to his appendectomy surgery, Landry Jones is steady and strong and Mike Glennon seems to be coming on strong as well.
While we feel Gabbert's physical prowess is likely the best in this class, his production has not been on par with his tools. I look for him to rebound this week however and make a case for his return to the top spot.
Tom Luginbill
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| | | | Notre Dame is off to the worst start in school history at 0-5. But Jamoris Slaughter of Tucker, Ga. says he's not wavering on this summer's decision to commit to the Irish. "[Notre Dame coaches] told me at the beginning of the season that they have a young team and this year was going to be one of the years where they don't have a lot of experience," Slaughter said. "I just see this an opportunity for me to go there [next season] and help. Just because they're having a bad year, it really doesn't affect me." Slaughter still holds scholarship offers from Georgia and Georgia Tech. "I like Georgia, but I really decided I wanted to get out of the state for some reason," he said.
Atlanta Journal Constitution |
| | | | Carlton Thomas got an up-close view of the Georgia run game Saturday in Athens. Sunday, the high school running back decided he might want to be a part of it. Georgia, according to Scout.com. Thomas is the Bulldogs' 20th commitment. Thomas had plenty of interest from several schools such as Clemson, Notre Dame and West Virginia.
Atlanta Journal Constitution |
| | | | On the heels of its huge win over Miami this past weekend, Oklahoma received a pleasant surprise with the commitment of wide receiver Jeff Fuller (McKinney, Texas). He committed despite still having a pair of other official visits set, though that's hardly a shock when you look at the big picture. Fuller was in attendance at the Miami game, and while the big win would undoubtedly impress any recruit, what happened during the game had to open Fuller's eyes. |
| | | | One week after visiting Athens for Georgia's loss to South Carolina, Orlando Boone wide receiver Jeremy Brown committed Saturday night to Florida. Brown, Scout.com's 15th-ranked receiver, broke the news after taking in the Gators' rout of Tennessee at The Swamp. "The game was amazing," Brown told Scout.com. "I've never seen anything like it in the world. At times, I could feel my seat shaking." The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Brown also had considered scholarship offers from Auburn, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Wisconsin.
Atlanta Journal Constitution |
| | | | Coach Charlie Weis isn't worried about Notre Dame's slow start hurting the upcoming recruiting class. Recruiting could be the silver lining to the 0-2 start, he said. "All these guys want to go to a school where they think they have an opportunity to play, and I think that most of them, based off the evidence they have after the first two games, would like their prospects," he said. Weis has talked to most of the players who have verbally committed -- 19 so far according to media reports -- and has received encouraging responses.
Detroit Free Press |
| | | | Wisconsin hasn't given up on Brookfield Central (Wis.) punter/linebacker/tight end Brad Nortman, who has orally committed to Minnesota. All a member of Nortman's family would say Monday is that Brad has made a "verbal" commitment to Minnesota.
St Paul Pioneer Press |
| | | | Butler (N.C.) High quarterback Jacob Charest, who has 16 touchdown passes in three games, committed to Illinois on Monday. Charest, a senior, visited Illinois on Saturday, a day after setting a school record with seven touchdown passes in a 55-0 victory against Berry.
Charlotte Observer
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| | | | Nick Williams, a high school quarterback who's being recruited as a safety, committed to Georgia head coach Mark Richt Sunday over South Carolina, Alabama, Louisville, and Arkansas, the Athens Banner-Herald reports.
"You know how you get that feeling? That was the place for me. I would love to be a part of that program," said Williams, who attended Saturday's loss to South Carolina. |
| | | | Wide receiver / cornerback Allante Battle has committed to Arizona State over offers from other Pac-10 programs such as Arizona, according to the Arizona Republic.
His father, Greg, played linebacker for the Sun Devils from 1982-85 and his brother, Avory, is a walk-on running back for the Wildcats. |
| | | | Averin Collier told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that Clemson, Pittsburgh, and Georgia Tech are his top three choices, but that he probably won't decide until after his senior season.
However, Collier added, "I'm leaning toward Clemson. I've talked quite a bit with their coaches and I feel really good about them and the style of offense that they run."
He rushed for 1,542 yards and 22 touchdowns last fall and was named the All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year. |
| | | | ILB T.J. Pridemore has committed to Georgia Tech over offers from programs such as Tennessee, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Duke, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He said, "Here lately I just realized Georgia Tech is the best place for me and there's really no point in dragging it out or taking any visits if I've already decided that's where I want to be. For a middle linebacker, I think the defense is a great fit for me."
T.J.'s father, Tom, played at West Virginia before moving onto the NFL, and some believed the Mountaineers had the edge with the younger Pridemore.
"I grew up a West Virginia fan and always thought I wanted to go there, and my dad would've been happy for me to go to West Virginia, but he said from the beginning he wanted me to think the decision through and be happy with it. He never pushed me in any direction," said the all-state performer. |
| | | | Defensive end Keith Wells announced shortly after 1 P.M. Friday that he's committed to Florida State over Florida and Auburn, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. |
| | | | Alex Beierwalter has committed to a scholarship offer from Eastern Michigan, according to The Times. Other programs such as Purdue, Indiana, Central Michigan, and Toledo have shown interest without extending an offer.
He said, "Some colleges wanted to wait and see how my season went. [Eastern] told me I was like their No. 1 guy. They had two guys start last year who both had shoulder surgery and a freshman who also had shoulder surgery, so if I go and play well, I'll have a great chance to play soon."
The third-year starter who passed for 2,569 yards and 17 touchdowns last fall added, "They're really rebuilding everything. The coaches are really excited about all the recruits. It sounded like a place I'd like to be. Maybe I can help them get over the hump." |
| | | | Masengo Kabongo has committed to Maryland over Florida, UConn, and Notre Dame, according to the Connecticut Post.
His high school coach, Rich Magdon, said, "It's a nice fit for him. It has good academics, it's a great conference. He just loved the coaching staff and he loved the people."
Last fall, Kabongo became an all-state performer after recording 87 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles. |
| | | | Jonathan Willard picked the Tigers Wednesday over South Carolina and Tennessee, in large part because of the potential for early playing time, the Myrtle Beach Sun reports.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound prospect said Tommy Bowden's hot seat-standing doesn't bother him, "Coaches come and coaches go. Coaches make players but players make themselves, too. I'm going to give it my all." |
| | | | Detroit Southeastern senior Fred Smith walked confidently up the steps at the high school Sunday. He was holding three caps: Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State. And as the crowd gathered around, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound wide receiver donned the MSU cap and the onlookers applauded. The decision capped a weekend where Smith admitted to changing his mind between MSU and Michigan at least twice.
Detroit Free Press |
| | | | Thomasville (Ga.) defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, rated a four-star recruit by Scout.com, said late Sunday he will commit within two weeks. Thompson is still considering Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Miami. Thompson claims that living 25 miles from Tallahassee doesn't necessarily give the Seminoles the upper hand
Atlanta Journal Constitution |
| | | | Urban has elected to play his college ball for Maryland over West Virginia because of the opportunity to play defense, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
He added, "I was looking for a campus-type feel, and that is what Maryland provides. They have a great football program, and the Atlantic Coast Conference is one of the best conferences."
Indiana, Duke, Pitt, Cincinnati and several Mid American Conference programs have also extended offers to Urban. |
| | | | Quarterback Adam Follett has committed to Indiana over Western Michigan and Virginia, according to the Indianapolis Star.
He said, "Virginia was very interested, but they hadn't offered me. I figured I felt good with Indiana. I felt good with their coaches and really respected them." |
| | | | Following its breakout season last fall, Rutgers continues to haul in top players on the recruiting trail. Art Forst, a 6-foot-8 offensive tackle who also had offers from Florida and Notre Dame, gave a verbal commitment to Greg Schiano this weekend.
Newark Star-Ledger |
| | | | Michigan football received good news Sunday when the nation's top all-purpose running back, as rated by Rivals.com, gave head coach Lloyd Carr a verbal commitment. Sam McGuffie will be a senior at Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair High School in the fall.
Detroit Free Press |
| | | | Tyler Sands, who is reportedly holding 23 scholarship offers, has committed to head coach Ron Zook and the Fighting Illini, illinoisloyalty.com reports. |
| | | | Destin Route, who committed to Marshall in June, is contemplating dropping that pledge. Memphis could be his new choice, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"I'm leaning toward Memphis. I liked Memphis a lot. I'm trying to get in touch with them," said Route.
However, he added, "I'm not decommitting from Marshall yet. Let's just say I'm a soft verbal." |
| | | | Inside linebacker Steve Filer has committed to Notre Dame over Ohio State and 35 other scholarship offers, the Sun Times reports.
He said, "In the beginning, Notre Dame wasn't at the top of my list. I liked Ohio State and Michigan. But I got a good feeling for and players and coaches. In the end, I felt Notre Dame was the best move for me and my family. It is close to home and it will give me a good education." |
| | | | Aldarius Johnson has elected to stay home after committing to first-year head coach Randy Shannon and the Miami Hurricanes, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
ESPN's No. 80-rated overall prospect and 11th-best wide receiver was a key member of Miami Northwestern's Class 6A state title run in 2006, hauling in 72 balls for 1,361 yards (18.9 average) and 19 touchdowns. |
| | | | Northview (Ga.) defensive tackle Cordian Hagans, who was perhaps the state's most heavily recruited player without offers from Georgia or Georgia Tech, committed to LSU on late Sunday night. Hagans made an unofficial visit to LSU this weekend, and picked the Tigers over nearly 20 offers, with Auburn, Virginia Tech, Boston College, North Carolina and South Carolina among his finalists.
Atlanta Journal Constitution |
| | | | Desmond Brigham has committed to the Mean Green over scholarship offers from Arkansas, Iowa State, Missouri, and Louisiana-Monroe, texashsfootball.com reports.
Texas A&M was also showing interest in the senior-to-be how hauled in 47 passes for 702 yards (14.9 average) and seven touchdowns last fall. |
| | | | ESPNU HS All-American Game prospect Terrance Parks has picked Florida State over scholarship offers from several other top programs including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Miami-FL, and Tennessee, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
His high school coach, Kevin Whitley said, "Terrance grew up watching Florida State. Once they offered, he felt that was the place for him to commit. They (Florida State) had seen him on tape, but they hadn't seen him in person. He worked out for them, they liked what they saw, so they offered him."
Additionally, Parks would like to graduate from high school in December and play in the ESPNU AA Game before enrolling at Florida State early in January. |
| | | | Major is currently holding 51 scholarship offers but is now only considering 11 schools. He told ESPN's Billy Tucker that in-state Colorado, Oklahoma, Michigan, Oregon, Wisconsin, USC, Alabama, Nebraska, Northwestern, Tennessee, and Virginia have survived his first cut.
Additionally, Major said he intends to narrow this list down to five or less sometime in early August to decide on official visit destinations. |
| | | | Kevin Koger, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound defensive end / tight end prospect, has picked the Wolverines over the in-state Buckeyes, the Detroit Free Press reports. |
| | | | Chattahoochee (Ga.) defensive end Justin Smith will travel to Arkansas this weekend to visit coach Houston Nutt and the Razorbacks. Arkansas joins Michigan State, Boston College, Marshall, UAB, Southern Miss, Central Florida and Ole Miss as schoools with scholarship offers to the 6-foot-3, 280-pound Smith
Atlanta Journal Constitution |
| | | | Savannah Jenkins defensive end Chaz Sutton preferred to delay a public announcement. But when rumors began circulating on Wednesday that the 6-foot-4, 242-pound lineman and teammate Franklin Green, a running back, were both committing to Florida, Sutton decided it was time to do the Gator chomp. "Word wasn't supposed to get out," Sutton said. "It was going to be a silent commitment. "But it's cool. I'm really very excited about it." Sutton, who was also considering offers from Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Rutgers and West Virginia, had hoped to tour several of those campuses this summer. His plans were derailed on Monday.
Atlanta Journal Constitution |
| | | | Charlotte Latin quarterback Braden Hanson committed to North Carolina. Hanson, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound left-hander, completed 70 percent of his passes (172-of-245) for 2,695 yards and 39 touchdowns as a junior last season. He had several offers, including Missouri, Colorado, Rutgers, Kansas State and Wisconsin.
Charlotte Observer |
| | | | The top-ranked player nationally is quarterback Terrelle Pryor from Jeannette, Pa. The comment line on Pryor says, "The next Vince Young?" Good news, Ohio State fans. The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder lists OSU among his potential schools. The bad news? There are 10 others on the list, including Michigan, Florida and Notre Dame.
Dayton Daily News |
| | | | Now that Georgia coach Mark Richt has turned over play calling to Mike Bobo, perspective, pressure and life have changed. The coach already can sense where he is going to be more effective and why this move will benefit the program. It also will help in recruiting. On a typical fall Saturday, Georgia could have 10 or more recruits at a game. Those recruits need to come through and talk to the head coach in his office. But Richt was in his "play-calling mode" and focused on the calls he was going to make three hours later. It was tough to give recruits, or play-calling, 100 percent of his attention.
Atlanta Journal Constitution
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| | | | Keith Morgan is set to stay in-state after pledging the Bowling Green Falcons, miamihawktalk.com reports |
| | | | Tight end / offensive line prospect Ari Tatum spoke with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about his commitment to Houston. He said, "I went to their camp, saw their facilities, and thought it would be a nice place to be. They told me that I'd have the opportunity to play tight end as a freshman, they'll see how I grow into my body."
Auburn, LSU, Mississippi, and Kentucky have also showed some interest in Tatum but have not offers. "I'm firmly committed to Houston," added Tatum. |
| | | | Terrance Williams attended Baylor's camp this weekend, was offered a scholarship, and then committed to the Bears, according to the Waco Tribune. Previously, Williams was favoring programs such as Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Kansas State.
"(The camp's) what made me change my mind to go there. Their coaching staff was just unbelievable. Just the stuff they talked about during the camp, something clicked, and I felt like I would be a perfect fit there," said Williams, who posted 30 receptions for 615 yards (20.5 average) and five touchdowns last fall and is also holding an offer from Colorado State |
| | | | Defensive end Bernard Obi has pledged Texas-El Paso, texasfootball.com reports. He is the Miners second consecutive commitment from the Houston area. |
| | | | Michael Yancich committed to the Nittany Lions over Connecticut, Michigan State, West Virginia, and Pitt, according to the Post-Gazette.
He said, "When you are a running back, if you want to be the best, you go to USC. But, when you're a linebacker and you want to be the best and you think about tradition, you see yourself in a Penn State uniform. I just think about it like this: That's why they call the place Linebacker U."
The chance to play for head coach Joe Paterno also swayed Yancich. "I looked up at him and said to myself, 'This is the greatest coach in college football history, and he wants me to play for him.' When that happens, you feel pretty special. I mean, think about it, this is Joe Paterno telling you how much he likes you," said the ESPN 150 Watch List prospect. |
| | | | Offensive lineman Corey Lewis, who attended Christchurch (Christchurch, Va.) before moving to Pennsylvania, has committed to the Virginia Cavaliers over offers from Connecticut, Akron, and Temple, according to the Daily Progress. |
| | | | ILB Michael Mauti gave head coach Joe Paterno his commitment on Saturday during an unofficial visit to campus, ESPN's Billy Tucker reports. While Mauti does have family ties to the program (father Rich played at PSU before the NFL and brother Patrick is currently a wide receiver on the team), he had other reasons for making his decision.
"I just felt at home and relaxed around their coaches and players. I particularily got close with linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinder," said the ESPN 150 Watch List prospect.
He continued, "They are known for producing great linebackers and have a great tradition at that position. I want to be a part of that." |
| | | | As expected, ESPN 150 Watch List prospect Josh Haden has committed to first-year head coach Jeff Jagodzinski and the Eagles, ESPN affiliate gatorcountry.com reports. |
| | | | DT William Campbell, a massive 6-foot-4, 327-pound junior-to-be, committed to Michigan while attending a summer camp, mlive.com reports. |
| | | | TE Randy White has committed to head coach Butch Davis and North Carolina over Tennessee and Virginia Tech, according to the Bristol Herald Courier.
"I just feel in love with UNC on my trip. The (North Carolina) coaches really know their football, and I felt real comfortable with them, plus the campus is beautiful and offers a great learning environment," said White. |
| | | | Kenny Barnes, who has also lined up at running back, tight end, and defensive tackle in high school, has joined Arizona's Class of 2008, the Tucson Citizen reports. |
| | | | Russell Ellington committed to the Cyclones because he likes his chances of playing early, the Des Moines Register reports.
"That really tipped me to the Cyclones," said Ellington, who was also drawing some interest from Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Michigan. |
| | | | Dawson Zimmerman performed in front of the Tigers coaching staff on Thursday and committed after receiving an offer on Saturday, the Post and Courier reports.
He said, "I was just kind of waiting and I heard Saturday morning. I really liked what their program is all about. I'm real excited about being a part of that."
Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Maryland, Virginia, Harvard and more were also showing interest in Zimmerman |
| | | | Dee Finley (Auburn, Ala.) verbally committed to Urban Meyer and the University of Florida on Saturday while on an unofficial visit to the Gainesville campus. Finley, the No. 1 rated defensive prospect on the 2008 ESPN Watch List, had narrowed down his choices to Florida, LSU and Auburn. However, the Gators offered more than just a national championship atmosphere to the hard-hitting safety.
"It was the people and coaches at the school who sold me, not just football," Finley said. "The whole coaching staff is down to earth and seem to care about you as a person."
One of the most coveted defensive prospects liked the feel of the campus and surrounding community just as much as the athletic facilities. Finley was also quick to acknowledge Meyer's recruiting touch.
"Coach Meyer is different than a lot of coaches," Finley said. "You can tell he actually cares about the little things in a person.
"He is a good guy to talk to."
At 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, Finley is a rare athlete who can cover, close and hit. He should offer co-defensive coordinators Greg Mattison and Charlie Strong great scheme versatility with his range in coverage and physicality supporting the run.
Finley joins defensive end Earl Okine (Gainesville Fla.), another talented ESPN 150 Watch List candidate as Florida's only two 2008 commits thus far. However, it appears the Gators are just beginning to heat up.
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| | | | In-state North Carolina may be Braden Hanson's current favorite, but that will not stop him from checking out some other programs this summer. According to the Fayetteville Observer, the ESPN 150 Watch List prospect wishes to take unofficial visits to Kansas State, Missouri, and Rutgers before the start of his senior year. |
| | | | Lyndell Gibson committed to a scholarship offer from Virginia Tech on Wednesday, according to the Daily Press. |
| | | | QB / ATH Jacory Harris committed to the hometown Miami-FL Hurricanes over the LSU Tigers after receiving a scholarship offer while participating in a camp, according to the Miami Herald.
He said, "I just played in one session and they came up and offered me after that. The choice was obvious to me at that point."
However, the touted signal-caller who threw for 2,920 yards 37 touchdowns as a junior, still plans to take official visits in the fall. |
| | | | Offensive lineman Michael Via has picked Virginia Tech over several other schools including Georgia Tech and Penn State, according to the Roanoke Times.
Via, whose family has held Tech football season tickets for more than 30 years, said, "It's always been my dream to play there. It's kind of crazy to think that after going up there to watch all those games, I'm going to be playing there."
Via and his family were on their way to Blacksburg, Va. for a visit during the tragic shooting episode, but were phoned by assistant coach Mike O'Cain, who instructed them to turn around. However, Via wasn't dissuaded by the shootings, "It was just a terrible thing that could have happened anywhere. Unfortunately, it happened at Tech." |
| | | | GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Summer is almost here, and for those players looking to improve their game in between part-time jobs and vacation, football camps are the way to go. From coast-to-coast, there are many opportunities like specialized camps, camps catering to kids not yet in high school, padded and non-padded camps and more.
One version of the camp offerings is the team camp. Whereas many individual camps are "come one, come all" offerings where you pay your money, specify your position and receive daylong instruction in a particular area, team camps do that but focus more on the team concept.
The team camp can offer much more than a regular camp experience. Every school is different, but many have interest from enough players to attend. Players still receive invaluable instruction from college coaches like they would at an individual camp of a college, but that instruction is supplemented by their own high school coaches, allowing the chance to learn and jell with the coach they will be working with year around. Some schools like the University of Florida, which was kind enough to let me observe its team camp, will combine a team camp with a lineman camp, with attending teams bringing a combination of skill players and linemen.
A neat feature of the team camp is the use of 7-on-7 play, which benefits the skill players and allows a team to work on cohesion by running its plays and getting valuable repetitions. One of the necessary evils of practice is going against your teammates day after day, but a team camp setting allows each team through the 7-on-7 games to face different competition. Spending time together and competing helps build team unity.
The team camp is a great recruiting tool for both the host school and the players attending. Naturally for the school putting on the camp, it opens the door to get a variety of different players on your campus. Coaches get to work with players they may be interested in recruiting in this or future |
| | | | Kale Pick chose the Razorbacks on Saturday, giving Arkansas two quarterback recruits for 2008, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He said, "I'm excited to be a Razorback. It just felt good. The biggest factor was the coaching staff. They made me and my parents feel comfortable." Additionally, Pick singled-out offensive coordinator David Lee. "Coach Lee's pro experience (with the Dallas Cowboys last year) was a big factor." Kansas, Iowa State, Colorado State, Rice, and SMU have also offered Pick, who completed 105 of 190 attempts for 1,779, 19 touchdowns, and six interceptions as a junior. |
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