AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January > 11
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Lincoln County star set to commit to Callaway, UAB
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Lincoln County running back Darell Norman helped guide the Red Devils to two consecutive Class A state titles.
Now Norman, an AJC all-state player who rushed for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, is poised to commit to former Georgia assistant Neil Callaway’s UAB program this weekend, according to Lincoln County coach Larry Campbell.
“Darell has the physical abilities and speed,” Campbell said. “He can be a special player when he makes his mind up.”
Permalink | |
Douglass star captures college recruiters’ attention
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Douglass running back/linebacker Reginald Williams is being recruited by Bowling Green and East Carolina.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Williams, who rushed for over 1,200 yards this season, is projected to play running back on the collegiate level.
“Reginald is a good, tough runner who is rarely brought down by one tackler,” Douglass coach Gary Cantrell said.
Permalink | |
How much credit should Zook get for Gator success?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
How much credit does former Florida coach and ace recruiter Ron Zook deserve for the Gators’ national championship season? Depends whom you ask:
Mike DiRocco, beat writer, Florida Times-Union: “Twenty-one of the 22 starters — everyone but Percy Harvin — are Zook recruits. That being said, they lost 15 games in Zooker’s three seasons. He deserved all of the credit for getting the players to UF. Urban Meyer deserves all of the credit for coaching them to the national title.”
Marty Cohen, publisher, Gatorbait: “Not much. Yes, he recruited quite a few of the upperclassmen on this team, but that’s what he was supposed to do, bring in top talent. It was Urban Meyer and his staff who turned these guys into champions. Zook is over two years removed from having any impact at all on Florida football. Does he deserve credit for bringing in Chris Leak, Dallas Baker, Andre Caldwell, Brandon Siler, Earl Everett and Jarvis Moss? Sure. But he’s also responsible for the inconsistent recruiting that left Florida with no junior or sophomore classes, no depth anywhere by defensive line, no dependable tailback and as a result, 14 true freshmen had to play this year, some in valuable roles. Like everything Zook did, it’s a mixed bag, but I give him much less credit than other folks.”
JC Shurburtt, Southeast recruiting analyst, Rivals.com: “Zook deserves some credit for the championship seeing as how he recruited a lot of the key players on that team. It’s kind of like when a pro team wins the Super Bowl. The player personnel people always play a part. But make no mistake about it, it is highly unlikely that Florida would be celebrating the national title today had it not replaced Zook with Urban Meyer.”
Permalink | |
Update: Why Chris Little picked Irish over FSU
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
A breakdown in communication led Twiggs County’s Chris Little to commit to Florida State during Saturday’s U.S. Army Bowl in San Antonio, his coach told the AJC’s Jeff Hood today.
In the end, the mammoth 6-foot-5, 340-pound offensive tackle wound up following his heart by switching his commitment to Notre Dame
“Notre Dame was his first school at the start,” Twiggs County coach Dexter Copeland said. “This was all a miscommunication between Chris and his mother.
“He thought she wanted him to stay close to home. They discussed it Sunday night on the flight home [from San Antonio].”
Copeland disputed rumors that Little committed to Notre Dame on Wednesday after Florida State chose to withdraw its offer.
“Not true,” Copeland said. “In fact, Chris called FSU, they agreed to [him changing his mind] and they wished him well. He just explained to them that he had made a mistake and it was all a misunderstanding.
“It’s no slap in FSU’s face. Chris just wanted to get this right.”
Permalink | |
Five recruits arrive early at Clemson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Clemson announced this afternoon that five prospects who plan to sign in February have enrolled in classes:
— Xavier Dye, a wide receiver from James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C.
— Willy Korn, Dye’s highly regarded quarterback at Byrnes
— Brian Linthicum, a tight end from Farmington, N.M.
— DeAndre McDaniel, a defensive back from Havana, Fla.
— Landon Walker, an offensive lineman from North Wilkesboro, N.C.
Permalink | |
Transcript arrives; Irvin begins classes at UGA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Corvey Irvin signed with Georgia last month. But the former Georgia Military College defensive lineman was not quite sealed and delivered until Thursday.
Irvin told the AJC’s Carter Strickland that there had been a hold-up in the delivery of his transcript and that forced him to miss the first couple days of classes in Athens.
That has since been taken care of, Irvin said.
“Everything is good to go now,” he said Thursday. I’m supposed to start today.”
Irvin is one of six newcomers to Georgia’s program this winter. He is expected to make an immediate impact on a defensive line that lost five players, three of which were starters.
Permalink | |
Georgia Southern in running for Dothard
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Georgia Southern, Tennessee-Chattanooga and Coastal Carolina are courting 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive back Jason Dothard of Carrollton. Dothard was a two-year starter for the Trojans.
“Jason has been a really good player for us,” Carrollton coach Rayvan Teague said. “He’s a big-hitter and he made a lot of plays for us.”
Permalink | |
Top tight end ‘loves’ Clemson, picks Arizona
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Pittsburgh star Rob Gronkowski, Rivals.com’s fourth-ranked tight end, has committed to Arizona in a surprise move.
The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder also considered Clemson, Ohio State and Syracuse.
“I love Clemson but I just love Arizona a little bit more,” Gronkowski told GOAZCATS.com.
Permalink | |
Star corner eliminates Vols, considers Arkansas
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Norman, Okla., cornerback Ryan Broyles has narrowed his list of finalists to two.
Tennessee is out; Arkansas and Oklahoma State are still in.
Broyles, ranked the No. 11 cornerback nationally by Rivals.com, told the Web site he’ll visit Oklahoma State this weekend.
Permalink | |
Carrollton standout commits to Furman
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Ryan Lee, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound offensive lineman for Carrollton, has commited to Furman. Lee was a three-year starter at Carrollton under coach Rayvan Teague.
Lee also started at guard for the north squad in last month’s North-South all-star contest in Columbus.
“He’s a great one,” Teague said. “Ryan is high-integrity, very strong and very intense.”
Permalink | |
Yellow Jackets in line to land Calhoun kicker
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Calhoun kicker Scott Blair has been offered an opportunity to join Georgia Tech’s team as a “preferred walk-on.”
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Blair connected on 12 of 15 field goal tries last year, including a season-high 42-yard effort.
“Furman, Samford and a lot of other schools were interested in Scott,” Calhoun coach Hal Lamb said. “But I’m pretty sure he’ll go to Georgia Tech.”
Blair handled all kicking and punting chores for the Calhoun Yellow Jackets. He averaged 41.7 yards per punt last season.
“This is a kid with 4.5 speed that we could have played at defensive back or wide receiver,” Lamb said. “But he’s so valuable to us as a kicker, I couldn’t risk him getting hurt.”
Blair dazzled Georgia Tech coaches with his kicking abilities during a camp last summer.
Lamb figures Blair can eventually be a factor on Tech’s special teams as a kicker or punter.
“He’s really a good, smart competitor who loves to win,” Lamb said.
Permalink | |
Richardson picks Memphis over Kentucky, Vandy, others
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Kendrick High free safety Jermaine Richardson has committed to Memphis, his coach, Ahmand Tinker, e-mailed to tell the recuiting blog.
Tinker said Richardson chose Memphis over Kentucky, Vanderbilt, UCLA and Indiana.
Permalink | |
Georgia makes late push for Clinch County star
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Clinch County defensive end Eugene Kinlaw, an AJC all-state honorable mention, will visit Georgia on Jan. 26.
The 6-foot-4, 285-pound Kinlaw already has offers from Arkansas, Mississippi State and Georgia Military College.
Now, Georgia is making a late push.
“Georgia called the other day and said they’d like him to visit,” Clinch County coach Jim Dickerson said.
So why did the Bulldogs wait until less than a month to contact Kinlaw?
“I really don’t know,” Dickerson said. “We’re just a little school here in south Georgia and are hidden.
“But a lot of people saw him play in the Dome [in the Class A semifinals] and saw his size and speed. His stock really started to rise after that.”
Kinlaw has never stepped foot on the UGA campus.
“It will be my first visit there,” Kinlaw said.
He indicated the Bulldogs will be his front-runner if they make an offer.
“That would be great,” he said. “I would be closer to home.”
Permalink | |
Twiggs County’s Little picks Notre Dame
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
All-state offensive lineman Chris Little of Twiggs County switched his commitment from Florida State to Notre Dame this morning, his coach told Scout.com.
Little announced during Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl telecast on NBC that he’d picked the Seminoles over Georgia and Notre Dame, among others.
“Well, Notre Dame was his first choice for the start, and he committed to Notre Dame,” Triggs County coach Dexter Copeland told Scout.com. “Really, it was a communication thing, sitting down with him the night before the game it was ND.”
Copeland told Scout that Little began to have second thoughts after Saturday’s game in San Antonio. Copeland said he told his star player to go home Monday and think about it for a day.
“He came back on Tuesday and said he was ready to pick Notre Dame,” Copeland told Scout.
Copeland said Internet rumors about FSU taking its scholarship off the table were not true.
Permalink | |
Thursday: Burnett to Tech; Little picks Irish
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Georgia Tech added the final piece to its recruiting puzzle late Wednesday when North Clayton safety Morgan Burnett made it official.
Now Georgia’s on the clock.
Will Cameron Heyward, Allen Bailey or Miguel Chavis pick the Bulldogs, giving Mark Richt’s class the late boost it needs to rejoin the top 10? Or will the final piece be a surprise?
It will not be Twiggs county offensive lineman Chris Little, who surprisingly took back his commitment to Florida State less than a week after saying he’d be a Seminole and committed this morning to Notre Dame (see full story to right).
We’ll work the phones all day to try to find out the latest on the recruits who have Georgia on their short lists.
Meanwhile, just posted a few more items in the “latest news” section to the right, including an item on Clemson entering the picture for another Douglass High running back.We’ll have updates throughout the day from around the state, the SEC and ACC.
As always, if there’s someone whose recruitment you’d like us to update, just drop me an e-mail and we’ll see what we can find out.
Tar Heels join mix for Miami star tailback
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
New North Carolina coach Butch Davis has made an impression on AJC Super Southern 100 tailback Antwain Easterling of Miami Northwestern.
Easterling’s coach, Roland Smith, told Scout.com that his star may be planning a visit to Chapel Hill on Jan. 19. Easterling has already visited Rutgers, and may take trips to Florida and Nebraska, according to his coach.
North Carolina hasn’t officially extended a scholarship offer to Easterling, but Smith told Scout.com he believes one is forthcoming.
“Coach Davis has coached some great backs when he was at the University of Miami,” Davis told Scout. “He’s probably going to run the same type of offense when he coached Edgerrin James, Najeh Davenport, Willis McGahee and Frank Gore. He feels that Antwain Easterling fits into that mold.”
Permalink | |
Redan back has ‘same type of ability as Reggie Bush’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Tony McCord, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound running back/wide receiver at Redan, is getting looks from Indiana, North Carolina Central, Tennessee State, Alabama A&M and Tuskegee.
“Tony has a lot of speed, good quickness and is very versatile,” Redan coach Ronnie Fleetwood said. “He has the same type of ability as Reggie Bush. He can run the ball, catch the ball and returns kicks and punts.”
Permalink | |
Saban’s visit to Corley put on hold
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
New Alabama coach Nick Saban made a stop in Mobile, Ala. on Wednesday to participate in a Crimson Tide booster pep rally. But he didn’t visit AJC Super Southern 100 defensive end Sidell Corley as had been previously announced.
Corley had been led to believe earlier this week that Saban’s stop on the Alabama coast would include a visit to his high school, McGill-Toolen, and later his home.
But Corley’s father, Sidell Corley Sr., didn’t realize Wednesday was a dead period for college recruiters.
“[Saban] didn’t come [Wednesday], but he will definitely be here on Monday or Tuesday for an in-school and in-home visit,” said Corley Sr., the tight end coach at McGill-Toolen. “If he doesn’t visit him on Monday, I bet you he’ll be there at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.”
Corley, who has what his father described a “soft commitment” with national champion Florida, will visit Tennessee this weekend.
Upon returning from Knoxville, he’ll be prepared to hear Saban’s sales pitch.
“[Sidell] is still out there looking,” Corley Sr. said. “He’ll take all of his visits, then make up his mind.”
Permalink | |
Surprise: Twiggs County lineman no longer FSU-bound
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
In the most surprising development of the week, Twiggs County all-state offensive lineman Chris Little is no longer committed to Florida State.
“He has made a change,” Twiggs County coach Dexter Copeland told Scout.com Thursday morning. “He is not going to Florida State.”
Little announced he’d be a Seminole during Saturday’s NBC telecast of the Army All-American Bowl.
With FSU out of the running, Little’s other finalists are back in the mix: Clemson, Georgia and Notre Dame.
Expect a decision soon, Copeland says.
“It’s been interesting for sure,” Copeland told Scout. “I think sometime today or tomorrow Chris will let everyone know where he is headed to school.”
Permalink | |
Clemson recruiting another Douglass running back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Clemson is showing interest in 5-foot-10, 180-pound Harvey English, who rushed for nearly 900 yards this season for Douglass. East Carolina is also in the recruiting hunt for English, whose 40-yard dash speed is 4.4 seconds.
“Harvey is a scatback-type of back with real quickness,” Douglass coach Gary Cantrell said. “He’s makes you miss tackles. He’s also got good strength.”
Clemson already has one former Douglass running back on its roster: sophomore star James Davis.
Permalink | |
Mississippi State courts Redan defensive back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Mississippi State and Alabama A&M are in the hunt for Redan defensive back Markesie Montgomery.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Montgomery, who also spent time at outside linebacker for the Raiders, intercepted two passes this season.
“Markesie is very intelligent and has lot of ability,” Redan coach Ronnie Fleetwood said. “He’s a team player who will fit in wherever he goes.”
Permalink | |
It’s official: Tech lands Morgan Burnett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
As North Clayton safety Morgan Burnett made his commitment to Georgia Tech official, it was clear that nothing — not even the fact his brother, Cap Burnett Jr., played for Georgia — was going to change his mind.
“I just like they way Tech plays, and the coaches and players,” said Burnett, whom the Yellow Jackets have recruited as a safety/defensive back even though he’s also played wide receiver. “This is kind of a relief, and I’m just happy and looking forward to being a part of Georgia Tech.”
Cap played safety for Georgia, where he was in school from 1998-2002. He was keenly involved in his brother recruiting, and went to Tech on Morgan’s official visits and most other occasions he visited campus.
“I really told him to look at everything, not just the football, but how you get along with players, living arrangements, everything,” Cap said. “Don’t get me wrong, I had a great time at Georgia. But when it comes down to it, blood is thicker than water, and wherever Morgan is, I’m behind him.”
Burnett, ranked the No. 19 safety in the nation by Scout.com, considered several schools, including Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia Tech, but made only one official visit — to Tech. He is the Jackets’ 19th verbal commitment, and Tech expects to sign 19 or 20 prospects next month.
Permalink | |
