AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 05
Monday, February 5, 2007
Gators, Gamecocks land recruits; Bailey to Miami
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The decision’s in for the last uncommitted AJC Super 11 star: Allen Bailey is headed to Miami.
The Darien’s McIntosh County Academy defensive end/linebacker, who last month crossed Georgia off his list, was also considering Alabama and Florida.
You’ll find more on this breaking story in the “latest news” section to the right, along with items on …
— All the big Monday commitments, including late ones for Florida, Florida State and South Carolina.
— Bobby Bowden, who gives our Tony Barnhart his five tips for sealing the recruiting deal.
— One recruit’s take on how Steve Spurrier has been able to muster what experts are calling a top-10 class.
— AJC Super Southern 100 safety Steoin Francois, who told Les Miles he’d sign with LSU on Wednesday.
— Georgia’s top juniors, including A.J. Harmon and Tavarres King, who talk recruiting with our Jeff Hood.
Sounds like we’ll have to wait until signing day for decisions from most of the nation’s top uncommitted stars — Marvin Austin, Chad Jones, Dwight Jones, Joe McKnight, Ahmad Paige, Deonte Thompson and Terrance Toliver.
As always, if you’ve got someone whose recruitment you’d like updated, drop me a line and we’ll get on it.
Be sure to come back on signing day for up-to-the-minute commitments. And pick up Thursday’s AJC for our nine-page signing day special section.
That’s all for now. T-minus 24 hours till signing day. Blog away.
South Carolina lands sure-handed Saunders
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Weslye Saunders, a tight end/defensive end from Riverside High in Durham, N.C., committed to South Carolina.
The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Saunders, who caught 58 passes for nearly 700 yards and seven touchdowns last season, had also considered Florida State, Penn State and Clemson.
“I picked South Carolina because Steve Spurrier is a great coach and he knows how to get his playmakers the ball in his offense,” Saunders told GamecockCentral.com. “I also wanted to get away from home a little bit and do my own thing.
“I feel like doing it at an up-and-coming program like South Carolina was the best fit for me personally.”
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Another big in-state catch for Gators
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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National champion Florida added another jewel to its star-studded lineup of recruits on Monday when Moses Jenkins, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound cornerback from Boyd H. Anderson High in Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., committed to the Gators.
James brings 4.4-second speed in the 40 to a Florida secondary in search of quality cornerbacks.
“It’s an open and shut case, he is going to Florida,” Boyd H. Anderson coach Mark James told GatorCountry.com. “He is just tired of the recruiting process. It was his lifelong dream to play for the Gators.”
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Seminoles find kicking help in Rome
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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AJC all-state kicker Shawn Powell of the Darlington School has committed to Florida State.
Powell, who will be greyshirted by the Seminoles, plans to enroll at FSU in January of 2008.
“As of right now, Shawn will go to a local college, to be determined, and work on his core curriculum,” Darlington School coach Tommy Atha said.
“He will come out and help us in the fall. He’ll be out there with us everyday helping our punter and kicker.”
Powell, Darlington School’s basketball center and first baseman for the baseball team, was relatively unnoticed during the recruiting season.
“He hasn’t got a lot of publicity, but he’s been recruited pretty heavily,” Atha said. “If Georgia hadn’t signed the [Drew] Butler kid, I think they would have offered him.”
Powell was 11 of 12 on field goal attempts last season. He averaged 51.2 yards per punt.
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FSU, Tennessee early leaders for Griffin junior
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Griffin coach Steve Devoursney has labeled his junior defensive end Toby Jackson as “an NFL kid if he keeps progessing like he is.”
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Jackson already has offers from Florida State, Tennessee, Georgia, Clemson, Auburn and Ole Miss, who is still contemplating where he will play college football.
“Florida State and Tennessee are in the lead right now, but something might change in the future,” Jackson said. “I want get in there and concentrate on my education and have a successful season. I expect myself to go in there and get some action early.”
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MLK’s Hampton commits to South Florida
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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M.L. King defensive end Patrick Hampton will play his college football in Tampa for South Florida.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Hampton chose South Florida over Purdue.
“I feel like South Florida will be a good fit for Patrick,” M.L. King coach Corey Jarvis said Monday night. “I felt like he’d end up being a linebacker, but I’m hearing they actually play him at defensive end.”
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Bobby Bowden’s five tips for sealing the deal
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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With national signing day less than 24 hours away, we asked the best “closer” in the business for five tips on how to seal the deal with recruits. Here’s what Florida State’s Bobby Bowden had to say:
1. The last 4-5 years we’ve gone into the last day of recruiting really not knowing where we stood but we have managed to finish real strong. I get a lot of the credit but the truth is the assistants do all the work. Maybe I get the credit because I’m so sweet.
2. A lot of schools like to lock in all 24 or 25 guys before signing day. They kind of want to know that all the hay is in the barn. We don’t like to do that. I like to leave at least eight or more spots open until signing day to give us a chance to get those special guys who decide late. We usually offer 16 guys to get those final eight.
3. Patience is important. I heard Joe Paterno say one time that he felt like he was taking too many early commitments. He would be done in recruiting during the spring before the season. You can’t get too nervous in recruiting. Being patient is the best way to avoid mistakes. Mistakes in recruiting can just kill you.
4. We have an advantage because we’re in the state of Florida so the worst we should ever do is good. Look at it this way: There are usually at least 20 wide receivers who can play at this level in Florida and we can only sign two or three. So no matter what happens we should get good players. You really can’t be bad in recruiting in this state. And least you shouldn’t be.
5. We’re in the same situation this year in that we don’t know how we’re going to finish. But what’s different this time is that I’ve got a lot of new coaches and that put us behind a little bit. Is that going to affect the way we close? I don’t know but we’re sure going to find out on Wednesday. There is no magical formula to being a good closer. And if there were, I don’t believe I’d be telling everybody about it.
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What’s behind Spurrier’s recruiting magic?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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With two days to go until national signing day, Steve Spurrier and South Carolina are poised to land a top 10 class.
So what was the ol’ ball coach selling this year that was attractive so recruits?
Prized signee Cliff Matthews, who chose South Carolina over Georgia, said it was a real belief that the wait at South Carolina was over.
“He has us convinced that there’s a real chance to win a championship,” Matthews said. “We were pretty close this year and didn’t have a lot. Coach Spurrier’s got a history of getting the job done.”
Notice, Matthews is already using the word “we.”
Matthews said Spurrier also sold him on the chances of playing right away — both on the line and perhaps at tight end. Even so, Georgia was a very close second.
“It was neck-and-neck for a while,” Matthews said.
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Blue becomes latest Peachtree Ridge star to pick college
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Peachtree Ridge defensive end Aaron Blue has become the latest Lions football star to make his collegiate intentions known when he committed to Virginia Military Institute.
Blue, a 6-foot-3, 230-pounder, totaled 10 sacks this fall to help Peachtree Ridge claim a share of the Class AAAAA championship.
He’ll join former teammates Cameron Heyward (Ohio State), Drew Butler (Georgia), Phillip Davis (Tulane) and Sidney Haynes (Central Florida) on Wednesday afternoon to their binding national letters of intent.
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Allen Bailey picks Hurricanes over Gators
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Randy Shannon added a big piece to his first Miami recruiting class today when Allen Bailey announced he’d sign with the Hurricanes.
The Darien McIntosh Academy star told Rivals.com he picked Miami over Florida, in large part because of the relationship he built with Shannon.
“He’s a cool person, seems real,” Bailey told Rivals. “When he came to my house we didn’t talk about football; he was telling my parents about him and his background and stuff like that.”
Bailey was the last member of the AJC’s Super 11 who hadn’t announced his college choice. The only remaining wild card: LaGrange defensive end D.J. Stafford, who says he still isn’t sure he’ll follow through with a commitment to Kentucky.
Bailey, a U.S. Army All-American, had been projected as a defensive end in college but said Miami coaches have told the 6-foot-3, 260-pounder he’ll get a shot to play midde linebacker for them.
That’s one big middle linebacker.
“They told me there’s a good chance for me to start because their linebackers are pretty small and they need big linebackers,” Bailey told Rivals.
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Getting to know … UGA recruit Vince Vance
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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We went one-on-one with Georgia Military College lineman Vince Vance, part of Georgia’s 23-man recruiting class …
— Three words to describe me: Strong, unpredictable, intelligent
— What I hope to accomplish at Georgia: Get my degree and have a chance at the league
— Something people don’t know about me: I play the snare drum and the trombone
— Favorite flick: I like so many, I really don’t have a favorite
— In my iPod: Mostly R&B
— Proudest accomplishment: In high school, I would say my proudest moment was graduating. At GMC, my proudest moment wasbeing named a first-team All-American
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LSU lands another one: Stefoin Francois
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Make it two Super Southern 100 commitments in as many days for Les Miles and LSU.
A day after Mobile defensive end Sidell Corley announced he’d sign with the Tigers on Wednesday, Reserve, La., safety Stefoin Francois did the same.
“He committed to Les at about 7:30 this morning,” East St. John head coach Larry Dauterive told Rivals.com.
The 6-foot-0, 190-pound Francois picked LSU over Florida State, where even his coach thought he was headed.
“I don’t know what happened yesterday but I’ll tell you what, when I left here Saturday, I thought he was a Seminole,” Dauterive told Rivals. “He came in this morning and said he wanted to get it over with. He initially said he wanted to wait until signing day.”
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A.J. Harmon: ‘I want my parents to be able to retire early’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jefferson offensive lineman A.J. Harmon, who’ll be one of the state’s most highly recruited juniors at this time next year, gives us the latest on his recruitment:
“At first, I got offers from Clemson and Georgia. Then here came Florida State, Ole Miss, Auburn and South Carolina.
“They all are basically telling me the same thing. I’d say right now they’re all even. These are SEC and ACC programs. They’re the best two conferences in the nation.
“I kind of want to commit this summer or before the start of my senior season. If not, I may do it at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, if I make it. I want to see who puts out more linemen.
“Football is my life. I want my parents to be able to retire early. My freshman year, I’m looking to learn and get strong. The next year, I’ll be ready to knock a couple of people out.”
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UGA-bound Samuel hears from Gators, Fighting Irish
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Cartersville Cass running back Richard Samuel, one of six juniors to commit early to Georgia, gives us the latest on his recruitment:
“I have committed to Georgia, but also have offers from Florida, Notre Dame, Clemson and Tennessee. I hope for a good education and a place where I feel at home. I want a good, stable athletic foundation where there’s no fussing and fighting between the coaches and players.”
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Burke County junior sticking with Bulldogs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Burke County defensive end Cornelius Washington, one of six juniors to commit early to Georgia, gives us the latest on his recruitment:
“Georgia is the only one that’s offered to this point. But I still get a lot of letters.
“But I feel good about my decision to commit to Georgia. As far as what I’m looking for from Georgia, No. 1 is my education. I also want a chance to be something great and a chance to excel.”
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Florida, Tech, UK ‘all about the same’ to Jackson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Heard County running back Dontavius Jackson, who’ll be one of the state’s most highly recruited juniors at this time next year, gives us the latest on his recruitment:
“Florida, Kentucky and Georgia Tech have made offers. Those are the only three, but I expect more offers to come.
“If I had to pick between Florida, Kentucky and Georgia Tech, it would be difficult. They’re all about the same right now.
“I’ll announce where I’m going by December. I plan to graduate early and enroll in college in January. Atmosphere, playing time and education are all important to me.”
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Tech, FSU, South Carolina offer Union Grove junior
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Union Grove linebacker Steven Sylvester, who’ll be one of the state’s most highly recruited juniors at this time next year, gives us the latest on his recruitment:
“I have offers from South Carolina, Georgia Tech and Florida State. One of my options will probably be [to commit] before the season starts. Definitely, the academics and how close it is to home is important to me.
“I’d like to stay in the South, and the program’s prestige is also important.”
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Tavarres King: Georgia’s my leader
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Habersham Central junior wide receiver Tavarres King, who’ll be one of the most coveted recruits at this time next year, gives us the latest on his recruiting status:
“Georgia, Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt have made offers. If I had to choose between these schools, Georgia would be my leader.
“It’s just a great place. I took a couple of unofficial visits down there. I really like the players and fans. I could see myself playing there in the future.
“I want a college where I can just succeed in life. Obviously, like most high school football players, I want to play in the NFL someday. But an education is important to me. I’m really high on academics.”
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