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Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Towers teammates to UNC, Western Michigan
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Towers won five of its last six games to nearly make the playoffs in 2006, and the Titans continued their success with two Division I signees Wednesday.
Running back/linebacker DaNorris Searcy was a prized recruit for coach Butch Davis at North Carolina after rushing for close to 2,000 yards, and wide receiver/linebacker Dervon Wallace signed on with Western Michigan.
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Oops: Hebert tells LSU coach, ‘Sweet dreams, baby’
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Greater Atlanta Christian center T-Bob Hebert, who made his commitment to LSU official on Wednesday, said he would receive as many as 20 text messages per day, before he committed to the Bayou Bengals in late October.
At times, it was a little overbearing for Hebert.
“Coaches love text messages,” Hebert said. “It was crazy. Actually, one time I texted my line coach, ‘Sweet dreams, baby,’ because I thought I was texting my girlfriend. I accidentally sent it to him.”
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Four Gainesville recruits sign letters
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Nick Claytor wasn’t the only Red Elephant to sign on the dotted line. While the 6-foot-7, 320-pound offensive tackle became a part of Georgia Tech’s 2007 class, three other Gainesville players signed with schools.
Brandon Cobb and Gavin Young, who both play running back and defensive back, signed with Johnson C. Smith. Also signing was 6-5, 290-pound offensive tackle C.J. Wood, who inked a deal with Marshall.
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Central Gwinnett star, Air Force a perfect fit
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Central Gwinnett High quarterback Logan Hunt was looking for a future in the military — whether or not that future included football. So signing a national letter of intent with the U.S. Air Force Academy on Wednesday “fit like a glove,” his father Tim said.
Hunt’s teammate, lineman Kris Lawson, needed a little more coaxing. The reassurance he sought came from Charleton Warren, an Atlanta-born 1999 Air Force graduate who remains an active-duty captain while in his first year as secondary coach with the Falcons.
“He’s a really nice guy,” Lawson said of Warren. “He pretty much convinced me to go there. He talked to me and reassured me.”
Warren recruits Georgia for the academy and on Wednesday he mined a vein of talent from the area. Three other Gwinnett football players — South Gwinnett defensive end Sean Christy and the North Gwinnett duo of kicker Chad Gross and defensive end Jasper Williams — signed with Air Force, as did Henry County High’s Ron Windham and Andre Morris of Northgate High in Coweta County.
The pluses of a service academy are obvious: a top-notch education and the chance to play football in college for free. For recruiters, the difficult part of the selling job is the service commitment.
At Air Force, the minimum commitment is five years. Hunt might choose to become a pilot, which calls for an eight-year term after receiving flight training, which takes about a year and a half. That’s the path followed by 40-50 percent of graduates, an academy spokesman said.
“Maybe I might fly planes and that would be a 10-year commitment, but that just seems really exciting to me,” said Hunt.
The academy wants to make an outside linebacker out of him, so he’ll attend a year of prep school on the Colorado Springs campus and try to beef up from 185 pounds to 200.
Lawson said what attracted him was the chance for graduates to request the bases where they prefer to be stationed. He said Warren told him graduates almost always receive one of their three requested bases. An Air Force spokesman said graduates receive “a high percentage” of their requested bases.
So instead of considering Division III and I-AA schools, Lawson went for the big time.
“At first I was worried about it because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be in the military, but I prayed about it, I talked to a few people for guidance about it and I think I made the right decision,” Lawson said.
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Coach expects big things from Pope star at Navy
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As a former head coach at Buffalo State, Pope’s Bob Swank has an idea of what makes a good college football player, and he says he’ll be surprised if his top player at Pope, running back Andrew Joseph, doesn’t make an impact at Navy.
Joseph was healthy for only seven full games but rushed for almost 800 yards on a 3-7 team.
“He’s such a freak in the weight room, benches mid-300s, squats mid 500s, ran a 4.51 on an electronic clock at UGA, I thought with that profile, [more Division I schools] would give him a shot,” Swank said. “The Navy guys were all over him. Paul Johnson came to his house.”
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Fulmer ‘extremely excited’ about Vols class
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Tennessee signed some of the nation’s top football prospects on Wednesday, returning the Volunteers to a familiar position among the elite recruiters in the country.
Tennessee struggled some last year on signing day following a 5-6 season, the first losing record under coach Phillip Fulmer. But the Vols finished 9-4 in 2006 and were able to draw in some of the best talent from Tennessee and other states.
The Vols announced 32 newcomers — five freshmen who have already enrolled and 27 signees, making it the largest class of Fulmer’s tenure.
“We are extremely excited about this group of young men,” Fulmer said. “It took a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm by a lot of people. Our coaches, especially; lots of long days and nights and airplane rides and driving backroads and interstates and doing a great job of selling Tennessee football.”
Rivals.com ranked Tennessee’s class at No. 2 behind Florida and ahead of Southern California, and analyst JC Shurburtt hailed the group as a “resurgent class for Phil Fulmer and Co.”
“Tennessee is not a school that’s going to get all their signees from their state just because of the level of high school football talent, but going out there and beating the bush to find in-state talent and building that base and then going into other states like Maryland, like Louisiana, like Ohio and cherry-picking kids speaks volumes for the recruiting ability of the university and football program,” said Shurburtt, who is Rivals’ Southeast recruiting expert.
Max Emfinger, editor of National Blue Chips, ranked Tennessee fourth in his top five with Florida, Southern Cal, LSU and Texas.
“It’s the best class Tennessee has had in a while,” Emfinger said. “They used to always be in the top five but in the last few years they weren’t in the top five. This is a phenomenal group.”
Scout.com and SuperPrep ranked Tennessee’s class fourth, and CSTV had the Vols at second.
“It’s one of the best classes I’ve seen in 10 years,” said Tom Lemming, host of Generation Next on CSTV.
One of the highlights of the class is Eric Berry of Fairburn, Ga., who is listed as the nation’s top cornerback prospect and best recruit in Georgia by several recruiting services.
Berry is a Parade All-American with fellow signees defensive lineman Ben Martin of Cincinnati and linebacker Chris Donald of Huntingdon, the top prospect in Tennessee.
“It’s been a little while since Tennessee has signed the top kid from the state of Georgia. Because of (Georgia coach) Mark Richt’s success in that state, it’s certainly important to get a foothold back there,” Shurburtt said, adding offensive guard Jason Respert in the 2000 class was the last top prospect from Georgia to sign with Tennessee.
Berry’s father, James, was a running back for the Vols and a captain in 1981. The younger Berry is listed on the signing list only as an athlete after he played safety and quarterback in high school. Other highly touted recruits include running back Lennon Creer, one of the top prospects from Texas. His high school teammate, Darnius Moore, also signed with Tennessee.
Receiver Ahmad Paige of Louisiana announced Wednesday morning he chose Tennessee after visiting Southern Cal recently.
The Vols also got Gerald Jones, the Gatorade player of the year in Oklahoma who played quarterback and on defense. He is listed as an athlete by Tennessee but as a receiver or cornerback by recruiting services.
“Is it the best year ever? It’s one of them. I can say that,” Fulmer said. “But we need to get them to campus and let’s see what they really do.”
Five signees enrolled in January — receiver Todd Campbell, athlete Art Evans, defensive tackle Donald Langley and offensive linemen Darris Sawtelle and Cody Pope. Pope was among several 2006 signees who did not qualify academically last season.
Receiver Brent Vinson also didn’t qualify last year and re-signed with the Vols on Wednesday after attending Hargrave Military Academy.
Sawtelle is another player from a Tennessee family. His grandfather Darris McCord was a Vols tailback in the 1950s and played for the Detroit Lions. Receiver Kenny O’Neal, a junior college transfer of California, is the son of former New Orleans Saints tight end Kenny O’Neal Sr.
Tennessee, in need of defensive linemen after the loss of two senior starters, signed six on Wednesday.
With the loss of seniors Jayson Swain and Bret Smith and the early exit of junior Robert Meachem for the NFL, receivers were also a priority. Fulmer believes several of the players listed as athletes could help there and in the secondary.
Tennessee signed a much larger class this year. Of the 22 players signed last February, only 14 made it on the team.
Fulmer said as a whole the class is a “good academic group,” but “there are a couple which would show up in our numbers which we know have work to do to get themselves in good shape to be admitted.” The drop-off in last year’s class was big. Rivals.com rated Tennessee 23rd after being No. 3 in 2005.
“Now you put those two classes together (2005 and 2007) along with some guys from last year that are going to be OK, and I think the future is bright,” Fulmer said.
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VMI hits jackpot in Georgia, signing five
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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One of the biggest winners in the metro area for the recruiting sweepstakes has been Virginia Military Institute.
The Keydets will welcome five Georgia signees to what is the oldest state-supported military school in the nation. Sequoyah’s Tyler Reedy, Campbell’s Sam Palmer and Steven Hite, Peachtree Ridge’s Aaron Blue and Grayson’s James Boatright will play for the Southern Conference team in I-AA.
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Marietta’s Biggs, Osibodu put it in writing
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For the first time in coach Friday Richards’ 12 seasons as head coach at Marietta, the Blue Devils don’t have a Division I-A signee.
Demetrious Biggs, an all-Cobb pick as a defensive back, signed with I-AA Northeastern in Boston, and offensive lineman Michael Osibodu signed with Division II Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Richards says running back Nate Walker and linebacker Eric Shelton will attend North Atlanta Prep Academy in hopes of playing college ball by the 2008 season.
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Nesbitt: ‘I was a Tech guy all the way’
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Josh Nesbitt was there Wednesday, smiling, in a dark blue blazer with a gold shirt and a Georgia Tech tie — just as he said he’d be.
The Greene County High quarterback, one of the most highly regarded members of Tech’s 20-man recruiting class, was rumored by some in recent days to be “wavering” on his commitment to the Yellow Jackets.
Forget that. Nesbitt’s was one of the first letters of intent received this morning by Tech officials, and he showed up for the unofficial party at Buckhead’s ESPN Zone that afternoon saying, “I was a Tech guy all the way.”
That said, Nesbitt is one of the more private players in this recruiting class, and he won’t miss all the phone calls and fuss that come with recruiting these days. “I’m just happy for the day to be over with,” he said. “I’m happy to be a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket.”
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Claytor’s mom upset after getting stuck with big ESPN bill
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When Nick Claytor’s mother began organizing a signing day party for her son and his future Georgia Tech teammates, Lisa Claytor took on a lot and knew it.
Hundreds and hundreds of phone calls and e-mails later, Wednesday’s party at Buckhead’s ESPN Zone was a smashing success. But it came with a hitch, possibly a big hitch. She may get stuck with a bigger bill than they anticipated.
Lisa Claytor and her fellow planner, Torina Walls — mother of Tech recruit Logan Walls — knew how many players and family members to expect ahead of time, and “I collected money at the door,” Mrs. Claytor said.
But several people who were not counted upon in advance wandered into the area where the Tech party was based and ate and drank as if they belonged.
“Now, [ESPN Zone officials] ultimately have my credit card,” Lisa Claytor said Wednesday afternoon after a sometimes heated discussion with restaurant officials. “These extra people that came in, they were alumni and we don’t know who they were.”
It was unclear what resolution would come about, but Mrs. Claytor and ESPN Zone management disagreed about whose responsibility it was to police the area and bar uninvited guests.
The party itself was a lot more fun that trying to tie up its loose ends.
“Before our official visit, a lot of the mothers already bonded, and we said what are we going to do for signing day?” Lisa Claytor said. “Then, after the official visit, we said, ‘Let’s actually do something.’ It just took off from there. I began calling and e-mailing and we came up with the [matching] ties and the hats [for the student-athletes].”
Anyone with information about uninvited patrons can send an e-mail to handsonmom7570@aol.com to contact Lisa Claytor.
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Tech’s plan for justifying ranking: Just win, baby
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The early results are in, and Georgia Tech is universally considered to have its best recruiting class in years, and many believe it to be the most talented in the ACC.
Now it’s time to address the results that matter most. What must this 20-man group do in the next few years to validate all the praise they’re receiving now?
“Win. There are a lot of standards, but our goal is to win an ACC championship, and a national championship,” said Gainesville tackle Nick Claytor. “If we do that, then people can’t deny the kind of class we have.”
Huntsville, Ala., linebacker Albert Rocker agreed when he said, “We definitely have to win games, and we’ll have an opportunity to show we’re better than the team that got to the ACC championship game and didn’t win.”
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Melton makes long-distance trip for Tech bash
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Tyler Melton wasn’t the only out-of-state player to show up for Georgia Tech’s unofficial signing day party, but he traveled the furthest.
The wide receiver arrived Tuesday night with his mother and father from Houston, where he’s been rehabilitating a surgically-repaired torn anterior cruciate ligament. Linebacker Albert Rocker made the trip from Alabama.
“I built it into my schedule, and it was not an issue at all,” Melton said. “It’s signing day, and you’ve got to come down and do it proper.”
All the fuss at Buckhead’s ESPN Zone did not faze Melton; he expected it. “Of course; nothing less,” he said. “This is pretty much my dream come true.”
Melton has graduated from high school and is taking classes as Cy-Fair Community College in Houston. He is strongly considering not enrolling full-time at Tech until next January, in which case he would be a “grayshirt,” and not count against Tech’s scholarship numbers until 2008.
“That decision is still out,” he said. “We’re taking it day by day.”
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Three QBs highlight O’Leary’s UCF class
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Three decades after coaching Mike Tice in high school, George O’Leary is going to get an opportunity to mentor the former Minnesota Vikings coach’s son at Central Florida.
Nate Tice was one of three quarterbacks who signed national letters of intent to play with the Knights on Wednesday. O’Leary coached his father when he was at Central Islip (N.Y.) High School in the mid-1970’s.
“The ideal number for quarterbacks is five and that is what we will have on scholarship next fall,” O’Leary said after announcing a class of 29 recruits that also included quarterbacks Joe Weatherford and junior college transfer Michael Greco.
Weatherford, whose brother Drew is the quarterback at Florida State, threw for 2,141 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior at Land O’ Lakes High School. Louisville, Duke, Colorado State, Bowling Green, Toledo and Western Michigan were among the other schools expressing interest.
“Joe Weatherford was a guy we had our eye on from the get-go. … And Nate (Tice) is a quarterback that I think if he ends up like his old man will end up at tight end,” O’Leary said. “I do think he is a big kid that we will get a lot of use out of. We are happy with our quarterback situation.”
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Tice, whose father is now an assistant coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars, completed 64 percent of his passes for over 1,300 yards and 10 TDs as a senior at Edina (Minn.) High School. Minnesota, Maryland and Oklahoma State also expressed an interest in him.
O’Leary also signed running back Muhammed De’Reese, two tight ends, four receivers, two offensive linemen, three linebackers, four defensive linemen and six defensive backs and a kicker. The Knights listed three recruits as “athletes,” including Darnell Williams, of Winter Park.
“I list him as an athlete, but if you ask Darnell what he wants to play, he will say wide receiver. He is talented enough to play a lot of positions,” O’Leary said. “Again, he will probably start off at that position, but I will leave judgment for the spring and see where our needs are.”
The coach’s top priority was to increase the team’s athleticism. With help from the new stadium the Knights are building, he felt that was accomplished.
“It was obvious that when the athletes came on campus and saw the facilities as far as what is happening at UCF, it was a great attraction. … I think the key with all of this is getting athletes on campus,” O’Leary said. “I think that was something lacking in the past. I think with the addition of the stadium being completed this fall, things are on their way to being very positive in this program.”
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South Cobb’s Wood ‘a steal’ for Kent State
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South Cobb linebacker Dorian Wood, the Cobb defensive player of the year, signed today with Kent State after visiting the Ohio school last weekend. He waited to make his decision until late Sunday, when Michigan State confirmed it would not offer a scholarship, said Wood’s coach, Derek Cook.
“That’s a steal for Kent,” Cook added.
Wood, who is 6-2, 220 pounds, also was a first-team Class AAAAA all-state player with a 4.0 GPA. Teammate Charles Laster, a lineman, also signed with Kent State on Wednesday.
South Cobb’s other Division 1 signee was quarterback Austin Kelly, who will play wide receiver at Duke. Drew Sheldon, a 6-6, 270-pound guard, signed with Stillman College.
Cook says that Murray State is holding a scholarship for defensive back Cedric Wilson pending a qualiying test score.
A.J. Rosa, a wide receiver, should sign later this month. His choices are Carnegie Mellon and Colgate.
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Zook’s Illinois class earns high marks
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After doing the catering for Florida’s national championship season, Ron Zook brought out some tantalizing appetizers for Illinois’ famished football fans Wednesday when he announced his recruiting class.
“This freshman class may be the best around,” Zook said. “In three years we’ll know.”
That’s high praise. When Zook was Florida’s coach he recruited 20 of the 22 starters on the team that knocked off Ohio State in last month’s BCS championship game.
None of the recruiting gurus are suggesting the 21 recruits who have signed letters of intent to play for Zook at Illinois are going to be the second coming of that group of Gators. But their evaluations suggest significant improvement on the Illini’s 2-9 and 2-10 records in Zook’s first two seasons as their coach.
“It’ll take a little bit longer,” recruiting analyst Tom Lemming replied when asked if these recruits are up to Zook’s Florida standards. “They’re not quite up there yet.
“It’s an excellent start. It’s a deep, solid class. It probably rates about 13th in the country and second in the Big Ten, behind Michigan but ahead of Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa, which also are high nationally.”
“I don’t get into how people rank them,” Zook said. “It’s how they perform three, four years down the road.”
Zook was asked about suspicions that were raised by some about his success in recruiting such a highly-regarded class.
“I’ve been doing this since 1978 and … never has there been any accusations (by the NCAA) that there were any improprieties,” Zook said.
Two of the recruits — Arrelious Benn, a wide receiver from Dunbar High in Washington, D.C., and Montez Wilson, a defensive end from Simeon — received 5-star ratings from Rivals.com.
Wilson is ranked No. 2 nationally at his position and Benn, who caught 56 passes from 1,130 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, is ranked No. 11.
Miami, Florida State and Maryland also recruited Benn. Notre Dame, Ohio State, Southern California, Florida and Miami also wooed Wilson.
Five others Illini recruits got 4 stars: Josh Brent, a defensive tackle from Bloomington (Ill.) Central Catholic; Mark Jackson, a 6-foot-6-inch, 312-pound offensive lineman from Cincinnati’s Harmony Prep; D’Angelo McCray, a defensive tackle from Jacksonville; Anthony Morris, a defensive back from Thornton; and Craig Wilson, an offensive lineman from Hargrove Military Academy in Virginia.
“It’s a balanced class,” Zook said. “We had 34 official visits and within the next year we’ll wind up with 22 or 23 of them.”
The Illini took a hit during the weekend when Clint Brewster, a highly rated quarterback from Denver, decided to break his oral commitment and join his father, Tim Brewster, the new coach at Minnesota.
“It’s a tough loss because they lack depth at quarterback,” Lemming said. “Now, they’ve had to scramble for a potential guy.”
Zook said another player could be added to the recruiting class. When asked if it might be a quarterback, he answered: “There’s a very, very strong possibility.”
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Bobby Bowden: ‘We gained a lot more than we lost’
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With a new offensive coaching staff aboard, Florida State went for a new offensive line, too.
The Seminoles signed seven offensive line prospects Wednesday in hopes of shoring up their protection and resurrecting a running attack that has been almost dormant over the past several seasons.
Florida State, which finished 7-6 last year in coach Bobby Bowden’s worst season in 30 years, landed 19 prospects but did not sign a running back or quarterback.
“It would have been very, very nice to have gotten a tailback,” recruiting coordinator John Lilly said. “Obviously, up front we did a great job.”
The new offensive linemen included tackles Will Furlong of Deland, Antwane Greenlee of Columbus, Anthony Grosso from Matawan, N.J. and Jatavious Jackson from Belle Glade; guard Zach Hillery from Hargrave Military Academy (Va.), guard-center Rodney Hudson from Mobile, Ala., and center A.J. Ganguzza of Boca Raton.
They’ll be counted on to help open holes for junior tailback Antone Smith, the lone experienced runner who comes back, and also protect quarterbacks Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee.
Florida State also signed a pair of wide receivers and two specialists, Brandon Paul from Lincoln High School in Tallahassee and Bert Reed from Panama City Bay, who may be receivers and return specialists. Reed, a quarterback in high school, had verbally committed to Florida before signing with the Seminoles.
The receivers, Cameron Wade of nearby Cairo, and Markish Jones of Spartanburg, S.C., could see early action in a group where Greg Carr and De’Cody Fagg are the only two returning wideouts with double-digit catch totals last season.
Bobby Bowden edged his son, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden, for Jones.
“We finally got him to commit to us,” Bobby Bowden said.
On defense, the Seminoles signed four linebackers, a pair of cornerbacks and one defensive end. Plus, Paul could be a cornerback prospect, defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews said.
Bowden said rebuilding his coaching staff was his priority and conceded that they were unable to spend as much time on recruiting with his staff in transition.
“This was the first time that we’ve really had to restructure our whole staff,” Bowden said. “You would have to say we went all out.”
Bowden’s son Jeff Bowden resigned as offensive coordinator under pressure in mid-November after the Seminoles were humiliated 30-0 at home by eventual Atlantic Coast Conference champion Wake Forest. Four other coaches were replaced later.
Bowden, however, was pleased with a recruiting class that wasn’t highly regarded nationally after years of top-ranked recruiting classes.
“We gained a lot more than we lost,” Bowden said.
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Caleb King relieved recruiting’s finally over
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It was 8 a.m. on Wednesday, and Caleb King, one of the most heavily recruited and scrutinized players in the nation, looked relieved. The Greater Atlanta Christian star had just signed his letter of intent to play for Georgia during a ceremony at the school. All the phone calls from coaches, reporters and recruiting analysts — as many as 20 a day — it was all over.
Well, almost.
In order for Georgia fans and coaches to receive the same sense of satisfaction, King will need to qualify academically. That’s something his brother is confident is a mere formality.
“Caleb is working hard. He’s going to be at Georgia next year,” said Andre King. “He’s good, real good. He will be at Georgia on June 2nd or 3rd.”
Caleb King retook the SAT on Jan. 27. According to the SAT’s Web site, CollegeBoard.com, results won’t be posted until Feb. 15 at the earliest. King declined comment on his academic situation.
Said GAC coach Jimmy Chupp: “It comes down to the SAT and grade-point average, and we’re still waiting on scores from the SAT.”
If Caleb doesn’t qualify, he likely would be forced to go the junior college route. That was something the King family was trying to avoid when they decided Caleb would transfer from Parkview to GAC in August.
“I know for a fact that the private school setting has really helped him out,” said Andre King. “He took three core classes his first semester and ended up with two As and a B. He did a great job. With all the criticism he took for transferring, as a family it was worth it. A lot people don’ t understand that kids go to high school to be a student first and an athlete second.
“It was the best move for Caleb in his situation. It might not be the best move for everyone else. We saw going into his senior year that the private school setting and the things that GAC was bringing to the table was great for him as a person and as a Christian. It wasn’t just about football for us; it was about where he’s at right now. He’s socializing and a part of the community.”
While Georgia fans anxiously await the SAT results, Caleb King said his surgically repaired leg has healed. He suffered a depressed fracture of his right tibia in an Oct. 13 game and missed the remainder of his senior season at GAC.
“It’s 100 percent,” said King, wearing a red-hooded Georgia sweatshirt. “I’m running and doing squats, and everything.”
He said he might run track this spring.
But on Wednesday, it was all smiles and plenty of autographs. Soon after signing his letter of intent, King was mobbed by young GAC students and Georgia fans. Some wanting pictures, others autographs.
Twelve-year-old Jake Neubert was among the enamored fans. “[Caleb’s] the most-cool person and a great role model,” said Neubert. “He’s going to be the best running back [at Georgia].”
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What they’re saying at Georgia Tech
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Overheard Wednesday from Georgia Tech’s coach and recruits:
Chan Gailey, on the closeness of this recruiting class: “That has been a unique situation. By far this is the tightest I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if other places have this happen or not, but it certainly seems like something that would be unique.”
Tyler Melton traveled all the way from Houston with his mother and father to be at ESPN Zone with future teammates: “Really, it’s family, family, family. Everyone around here is so close. We all talk outside of Georgia Tech in general. We can all relate to each other. The Georgia Tech coaches did a good job connecting us to each other.”
Josh Nesbitt: “I said that from day one. One of the reasons why I chose GT is the family vibe that everybody’s got going around. I felt like I was at home.”
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Clemson’s class: De-fense, de-fense …
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Was Clemson looking for defensive help? Indication No. 1: the Tigers signed six defensive ends, over a quarter of their entire class of 22.
Clemson did not ignore offensive needs. Quarterback Willy Korn (Lyman, S.C.) was a Parade All-American and offensive tackle Landon Walker (6-foot-6, 275) from Ronda, N.C., ranks in the top 15 nationally at his position.
If there was a disappointment, the Tigers whiffed on wide receiver Dwight Jones of Burlington, N.C., who passed on both Clemson and Tennessee to sign with North Carolina.
But on the defensive side, the Tigers signed talent up front, in the middle and the secondary. Defensive end Kourtnei Brown (6-5, 230), who had 33 sacks last season at Charlotte’s Christian High, had been undecided right up until his signing ceremony. He joins defensive tackle Jarvis Jennings (6-4, 308) from Central, S.C., as immediate help in the line.
Weakside linebacker Scotty Cooper (6-0, 206) from Lake City, S.C. was graded the top linebacker prospect in the state by Scout.com. The secondary was fortified by the signing of cornerback Marcus Gilchrist (High Point, N.C.), the No. 6 corner in the country, according to Rivals.com., and safety DeAndre McDaniel.
McDaniel (6-1, 190), who finished a postgraduate season at Hargrave Military, ranked called the top defensive back prospect in the country by Rivals.com.
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Overton becomes Walker’s first scholarship recruit
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Daryll Overton, a 6-foot-4, 250 lineman, became the first player in Walker’s six-year football history to sign a full football scholarship today. He signed with Alabama State.
Nick Schulz, a wide receiver, is taking an offer to become a preferred walk-on at Wake Forest, and running back Charlie Houston is considering opportunities at Furman and Harvard, according to coach Frank Cuda.
Walker has two alumni playing college football in Bynum Yeager at Furman and Joel Byars at Maryville College, but both came as walk-ons or academic scholars.
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Nine McNair recruits sign letters of intent
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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McNair had a huge signing day as nine Mustangs signed football scholarship papers.
The biggest name of the bunch was Fonterrian Ingram, who signed on with Mississippi after earlier committing to North Carolina. Larry Harris, Deangelo Paschal, Taylor Martin and Justin King all signed with Tusculum; Isaiah Harden, Emmitt Wofford and Johnnie Russell signed with Concordia College; and Antione Andrews signed to play for West Virginia Tech.
Five more players are expected to sign from McNair in the coming weeks.
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Five questions with Cameron Heyward
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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In signing with Ohio State on Wednesday, Peachtree Ridge’s Cameron Heyward capped an intense recruiting battle among some of the nation’s top programs. He spoke with staff writer John Hollis at the ESPN Zone in Buckhead about the experience:
Q: What were your first recollections of being recruited?
A: I’ve been getting letters since the ninth grade. The first one I got was from Auburn for basketball. I was still at [Class A] Whitefield Academy then, and I didn’t play football my freshman year. The next year, my head coach started telling me I had couple of schools looking at me for football. I was definitely like, ‘Yes, [the recruiting process] is going to be fun.’ I didn’t know I was going to be going through all this.
Q: You took an unofficial visit to Ohio State in November, taking in the Buckeyes’ showdown with rival Michigan. What was the moment you knew that would be the place for you?
A: Me and my mom had just had a great trip and [OSU co-defensive coordinator] Luke Fickell, he showed us a great time and I bonded with the other players real well. When we were coming back, my mom and I were at the airport and just talking. We were buying stuff from a souvenir store and we were just like, ‘You might want to go here.’ ”
Q: It seemed like great food was a common denominator in each of your official visits to college campuses. Who had the best spread?
A: LSU had it best. They gave us steaks, wings, ribs. We also had jambalaya, fish and shrimp. I was just so fat after that.
Q: What did you enjoy most about recruiting?
A: Meeting all the different kinds of coaches and seeing how they are. There are definitely some great guys out there and it was an honor to meet them.
Q: What was your least favorite aspect of it all?
A: All the calls that are allowed. It ran up our phone bill. I finally couldn’t handle it anymore [and turned off his cell phone in January]. I was sick and just wanted to be a kid.
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Wheeler DE likes William & Mary
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Defensive end Charles Bay, the top recruit from Region 6-AAAAA champion Wheeler, will visit William & Mary on Friday and sign next week, says his coach, Paul Lombardo. Bay also has offers from Elon and Dartmouth. Bay was a first-team all-Cobb player in 2006.
His teammates Chris Nesbitt and Sammy Siasia, both linebackers, signed Wednesday with Dean Junior College.
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Two Newnan stars sign; Darrah still undecided
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Newnan running back Quarmorris Dixon, who ran for nearly 1,200 yards as a senior, signed with Tuskegee University.
Defensive lineman Prentice Hollins inked a deal with Fort Valley State.
Meanwhile, quarterback Thomas Darrah’s search continues. Georgia Southern is still the leader, but Central Michigan and Valdosta State are still in the running.
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Mobile’s Brandon Gibson puts a smile on Saban’s face
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Four-star receiver Brandon Gibson of Mobile made Nick Saban’s day a little better when chose the Crimson Tide over Auburn and South Carolina.
Gibson, a 6-foot-2, 195-pounder, had officially visited only those three schools. He caught 50 passes for 785 yards and eight touchdowns last year. He also returned a punt for a touchdown.
With Auburn and South Carolina more established right now, Saban has his work cut out for him. But when Gibson came back from his Jan. 19 visit, he told Scout.com that Saban had all the right answers and was a coach that was both humble and worthy of immediate respect.
Gibson was ranked as the 35th best receiver in the nation by Scout.com.
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Westlake’s Williams: ‘It’s a new day’ at South Carolina
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Westlake defensive end Charles Mustafaa, who signed with Kentucky, had the school’s “UK” logo cut in the back of his head. He said it took about 20 minutes for his barber in College Park to make the design.
The biggest fashion statement among the 10 senior signees at Westlake was made by Marvin Smith, who celebrated his 18th birthday today. The defensive end duplicated Savannah State colors with a royal blue suit and an orange shirt. He caught a lot of flak from his teammates about the suit.
Westlake cornerback Addison Williams, who signed with South Carolina, challenged his former teammates Cameron Newton (Florida) and Mustafaa (Kentucky) who signed with other SEC schools.
“All these Gators and Wildcats in here, it is a new day,” said Williams, who has already finished up his school work at Westlake.
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Tech recruits on Gailey: ‘That’s our dad now’
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Georgia Tech’s best recruiting class in years is a big hit with fans, judging by the enthusiastic turnout this afternoon at Buckhead’s ESPN Zone.
And the when two of the newest Yellow Jackets hit the ESPNU airways, they hit a home run. A group of 11 or so future players taped a big clowning around session, and that went on national TV to whoever receives EPSNU at about 2:17 p.m.
Minutes later, Gainesville offensive tackle Nick Claytor and Kell running back Jonathan Dwyer donned ear pieces and clip-on microphones and were interviewed by remote with a several-second time delay. With other members of the signing class, family members and fans standing behind the cameras, Claytor and Dwyer fielded questions through their ear pieces from a studio host.
Dwyer said departing wide receiver Calvin Johnson and safety Djay Jones were his hosts when he made his official visit to Tech, and that Johnson — who is expected to be one of the top players selected in the NFL’s April draft — “was very humble. He just does what he does.”
Both players spoke of a family feel as a big reason they chose Tech, and Claytor said players were very happy when coach Chan Gailey stayed at the school after interviewing with the NFL’s Steelers and Dolphins, because, “that’s our dad now.”
At the end of the interview, Claytor — who is easily the biggest ham in the Jackets’ 20-man recruiting class — gave a “shout-out” to a couple members of the group who are in town: defensive end Derrick Morgan and quarterback Steven Threet.
Because Morgan and Threet have already enrolled at Tech, NCAA rules prohibited them from attending Wednesday’s party just as coaches and current players were not allowed. Just before 2:30, Claytor said on the air, “Morgan, I’m going to eat a steak for you, buddy.”
The interview was on monitors in the ESPN Zone while on delay, and when it ended, a huge round of applause broke out.
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VMI lands five Peach State prospects
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One of the biggest winners in the metro area for the recruiting sweepstakes has been Virginia Military Institute.
The Keydets will welcome five Georgia signees to what is the oldest state-supported military school in the nation. Sequoyah’s Tyler Reedy, Campbell’s Sam Palmer and Steven Hite, Peachtree Ridge’s Aaron Blue and Grayson’s James Boatright will play for the Southern Conference team in I-AA.
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Broderick Green says yes to Southern Cal
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Super Souther 100 running back Broderick Green made for a long day at Penn State. Green, who just completed a 2,042-yard season at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., had flirted with the Nittany Lions in the final weeks but then honored an early commitment to sign with Southern Cal.
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound bruiser was also on a short list at Ohio State.
Green is a dual threat, accounting for another 545 yards and four touchdowns in receptions.
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Marvin Austin becomes latest star to pick Tar Heels
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Washington, D.C. star Marvin Austin, regarded as the nation’s top defensive lineman, signed with North Carolina today as Butch Davis continued steamrolling competition for players who were undeclared.
Austin was the third top-notch prospect of the day to pick North Carolina, after offensive lineman Kevin Bryant and receiver Dwight Jones chose the Tar Heels.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder chose the Tar Heels over Southern Cal, Florida State and Tennessee — schools that North Carolina hardly ever won against in football recruiting.
But this is clearly a new era for Tar Heels football, with a proved coach who has a championship background.
Look for North Carolina to finish in the top 10 — if not higher — in the recruiting rankings.
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Duke’s class leads ACC in good bloodlines
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Trying to find the way out of the ACC’s cellar, Duke coach Ted Roof struck upon an old handicapping system for his class of 2007: bloodlines.
Among the 22 players Duke signed are four sons of NFL alumni. Running back Cameron Jones and defensive back Colin Jones are the twin sons of former New England Patriots player (and Duke alum) Cedric Jones.
Matt Pridemore, a defensive back at Buford, is the son of former Falcons defensive back Tom Pridemore. And tight end Garrett Utt (Lovett, Hargrave Military) is the son of 10-year NFL lineman (and former Georgia Tech captain) Ben Utt.
The Blue Devils got needed help in the offensive line. Center Bryan Morgan (6-3, 255), who played at Birmingham/Hoover before taking a post-graduate year at Mercersburg (Pa) Academy, and tackles Kyle Hill (6-6, 260, Boone/Orlando) and Chris Shannon (6-7, 305, Melrose, Mass.) were all ranked in the top 75 nationally at their positions by Scout.com.
Duke also signed five defensive backs, including respected cornerbacks Randez James (5-11, 175) from San Antonio, and Tony Jackson (5-10, 185) from Rochester, N.Y.
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Experts rave about Yellow Jackets’ haul
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What’s the most impressive part of Tech’s consensus top 20 class? We hit up a few recruiting gurus for their quick thoughts:
JC Shurburtt, Rivals.com: “The number of difference makers they brought in at each position.”
Scott Kennedy, Scout.com: “In the past, they’ve had maybe one or two guys in their class that they went head to head with traditional football factories on. This class is chock full of heavily recruited players.”
Jeremy Crabtree, Rivals.com: “Depth. The Yellow Jackets did a great job of landing high-quality kids at almost every position across the board.
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Analyst breaks down every SEC class
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Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell gives us a quick word on every SEC class:
Florida. Urban Meyer hit every positional need and has put together a class for the ages. DT Torrey Davis, DE Carlos Dunlap and S Major Wright will lead this defense for years.
Tennessee. A great rebound performance from Phillip Fulmer after last year’s struggles on the recruiting trail. CB Eric Berry and DE Ben Martin are key for the defense but ATH Brent Vinson could be the best.
LSU. Chad Jones and Terrance Toliver all in the last week. A great haul for Les Miles, who has proven he can recruit with the best.
South Carolina. Spurrier’s best class and perhaps the best class ever for the Gamecocks. WR Chris Culliver and QB Stephen Garcia highlight the offense and DEs Cliff Matthews and Travian Robertson will provide the pass rush for years.
Auburn. A very solid class from top to bottom led by RB Enrique Davis and OL Lee Ziemba on offense and Johnnie Lee Dixon on defense.
Georgia. Georgia hit their needs big-time, especially along the offensive line. Running back Caleb King will benefit from running behind this group of hogs.
Alabama. Nick Saban did a good job with little time and Alabama did well in state pulling away Rolando McClain, Kerry Murphy and Brandon Gibson.
Ole Miss. DE Chris Strong headlines a good group of players. If DT Jerrell Powe finally makes an impact he and fellow DT Ted Laurent will be a formidable duo in the middle.
Arkansas. The loss of Mustain and Malzahn hurt the Hawgs rep in state and led to an average class following an amazing year.
Mississippi State. A huge class highlighted by running back Robert Elliott and some other top offensive players from in state.
Kentucky. Very good in the trenches but not as athletic a class as last year.
Vanderbilt. A small class with some talent but not enough to compete in the SEC.
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Charlotte’s Brown picks Clemson over Alabama, UNC
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Four-star defensive end Kourtnei Brown, of Charlotte chose Clemson over Alabama and North Carolina this afternoon.
It was one of the few battles the Tar Heels were in today that they didn’t win.
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Hatcher likes ‘quality’ of first Georgia Southern class
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Ten recruiting days isn’t a lot.
New Georgia Southern coach Chris Hatcher knew that going in, but he wasn’t going to use that as an excuse.
As a result, the Eagles got 15, maybe 16, signeess Wednesday, including Greater Atlanta Christian quarterback Lee Chapple.
“I thought we had a good day,” Hatcher said. “I’m excited about the potential of the prospects. Time will tell. Ten days of recruiting for new school isn’t a lot but I’m really pleased with the quality.
“We had three guys who had committed here that we retained and then singed 12 or 13 other guys.”
Hatcher said the key to getting a good class was to simply go after the best player they could, and to not worry yet about specific needs.
“I don’t really have any clue as to what we have coming back,” Hatcher said. “I’ve watched a little film, but it’s been brief. I decided we’d sign the best players we could. If they were all wide receivers, so be it.”
Chapple had Hatcher particularly optimistic.
“We’re extremely excited about him,” Hatcher said. “We thought he was one of best, if not the best, in the state. We really got in there late with him, so that was a thrill.”
Chapple said he liked the fit at Georgia Southern.
“I went down there last weekend and saw film from the Valdosta State’s offense,” he said of Hatcher’s former school. “I think it’s an offense suited for a quarterback, and [Statesboro] is a small-college town. On Saturday nights, the whole town shuts down for football.”
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National Signing Day Central
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And you thought we were done with college football recruiting.
We’re never done here.
In the “latest news” section to the right, you’ll find a hundred or so headlines from yesterday’s big day, when 97 members of the Super Southern 100 signed, Georgia and Georgia Tech filled needs and our top 20 classes looked like this:
Florida
Southern Cal
LSU
Texas
Tennessee
Auburn
Michigan
South Carolina
Pittsburgh
Miami
Notre Dame
Oregon
Georgia Tech
Cal
North Carolina
Penn State
Georgia
Ohio State
Alabama
Clemson
We’ll have more day-after signing day coverage later this morning before we turn our attention to the players to watch at this time next year. Will A.J. Harmon stay in state? Will Georgia add to its six-man 2008 class soon? And how many of those 44 underclassmen who visited Tech last weekend will make a return visit?
Thanks, as always, for reading. Hope our signing day coverage satisfied everyone’s recruiting fix. And if you haven’t seen it yet, check out our nine-page post-signing day section in today’s AJC.
Drop me a line with suggestions on what you’d like to see on the blog from this point forward.
Ole Miss recruit headlines Southwest DeKalb class
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Southwest DeKalb put a cap on its third straight state playoff appearance with a stellar signing class this morning.
Scottie Williams was the biggest name, signing with Ole Miss. David Davis and Morris Council both signed on with Miami-Ohio and are expected to compete for spots at outside linebacker.
Quarterback Brandon Jones also signed with Mars Hill College.
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Tuberville ‘very excited’ about 29-man class
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Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville doesn’t put a lot into recruiting rankings. And who can blame him?
The Tigers rarely have a top-5 or even a top-10 recruiting class. Yet they have competed for SEC and even national titles with these players. In other words, the recruiting classes at Auburn often look a little better two and three years down the road.
“We’ll be ranked somewhere probably, but I’ve never gone by that,” Tuberville said. “I was on three national championship teams in Miami, and none of those were ever in top 10 recruiting. It’s all a guess.
“Our camps have been great for us, we get to know a lot about them, all around, athletically and what kind of person they are. If we have any kind of ranking after today, it’s because of our camps.”
Auburn inked 29 recruits Wednesday. At least four of those will end up in junior colleges or prep schools, keeping Auburn at no more than 25 enrollees.
“I’m very excited about this group, the character and attitude they will bring. It’s been a fun group to recruit, but a long process. They all come from the Southeast and,most wanted to play in SEC and for a team that’s won a lot of games. That’s the key to recruiting — winning games.”
Much like Georgia, Auburn went particularly hard after linemen. The Tigers signed at least five offensive linemen and five on the defensive line.
That group is highlighted by All-American Lee Ziemba, an Arkansas product who chose Auburn over the Razorbacks.
“Lee Ziemba, that was a tight battle,” Tuberville said. “ Hugh Nall did an excellent job of selling the program and Lee saw we had a need there and said it just felt like home.”
Perhaps there’s a reason for that. Ziemba’s parents both attended Auburn.
Auburn also added marquee running back Enrique Davis, a prospect who committed to Auburn very early in the process.
“This is Running Back U,” Tuberville said. “Enrique’s been a breath of fresh air in recruiting for us. He looked at the opportunities here, of what a running back does in our offense. He’ll be a special running back for us and will have chance to play next year. I like his attitude. He reminds me a lot of Ronnie Brown, big, but with the speed it takes.”
While there’s not a lot of mystery on signing day any more, there always is some. Auburn was in the running for a half a dozen or so prospects that hadn’t decided before Wednesday. The Tigers landed at least four of those, including linebacker Josh Bynes and defensive end Antoine Carter.
“Recruiting is different now than it has been over the years, in that we’ve known for a while that a lot of these guys be with our program,” Tuberville said. “Four guys signed with us today that we weren’t sure about. There are usually a few surprises and hopefully they are good surprises. They went our way today.”
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Southern Cal strikes again, lands McKnight
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Equally skilled at the running back and receiver positions, Louisiana Joe McKnight had drawn natural early comparisons to Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush. Now, McKnght can make those comparisons at the proper venue.
The nation’s top-ranked running back according to Scout.com, McKnight signed with Southern Cal, turning his back on LSU and long-shot Ole Miss. A product of John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge, La., the 5-foot-11, 193-pound Super Southern 100 star was drawn not only by the Trojans’ offensive system but by USC communications school.
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Miami’s Van Dyke stays home, signs with Hurricanes
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Barely two months after declaring “I’m a Gator,” after his visit to Florida, Monsignor Pace cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke signed with his hometown University of Miami, according to canestime.com.
The swift 165-pounder had shifted his early allegiance to the Hurricanes, withdrawing an commitment when coach Larry Croker’s future at the school began to fade.
But after committing to Florida following an early December visit to Gainesville — two of the Gators’ top three corners are moving on — Van Dyke met with incoming Miami coach Randy Shannon, who had been recruiting him as a junior, and eventually reversed himself again.
Van Dyke has been timed at 4.32 in the 40.
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Gailey on ratings: ‘Who knows? It’s what happens at the end’
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Leave it to others to call this Georgia Tech’s best football signing class or the best one this year in the ACC. Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey made no such claim Wednesday afternoon.
“You don’t buy into it when you have a low-rated one, and you don’t buy into it when you have a high-rated one,” Gailey said. “You do what you think is right for your school and your situation. That’s the most important thing is to get the guys who fit you and the guys who are going to help you win a championship and get their degree and be successes in life.
“I don’t buy into those [ratings] It’s like a preseason poll. Who knows? It’s what happens at the end.”
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Kell’s Winton signs with Harper College
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Kell nose guard Brandon Winton said today he’s headed to Illinois’ Harper College to play college football.
“It’s a pretty interesting place,” he said. “I chose it because they make me feel at home other than being cold. I will be the only guy from Georgia.”
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A signing day to remember at Grady High
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As the Grady players signed their scholarships in the school’s theatre, a highlight tape of their season played in the background.
The Grey Knights had nine players sign scholarship papers, two of them with Division I-A schools. With 38 wins and a trip to the state semifinals in 2005, this was the winningest senior class in over 40 years at the midtown Atlanta school.
The signees included Dexter Barnett (UAB), Jabari Fletcher (Appalachian State), Anthony Johnson (Villanova), Simeon Kelley (Ball State), Rico Robinson (Alabama State), Xavier Shorthouse (Benedict), Whitton Ukah (Benedict), Devonealo Crawford (Benedict), Carson Phillips-Spotts (Colby College).
“We are going to definitely miss these guys,” Grady coach Ronnie Millen said. “That is a lot of stats and wins leaving. These kids played in 50 games during their career.”
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Quiet national signing day at Washington High
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For the first time in about eight years, Atlanta’s Washington High didn’t have at least one Division I signee.
“It is a little different, but this was a group that many didn’t think was going anywhere,” Washington coach Rodney Cofield said. “This coaching staff put in the work in calling and sending out tapes. It is all about the kids.”
Washington has four of its seven seniors off last year’s time signing scholarships: Brandon Moore and DeAndre Hollie signed with Albany State, while Ryant Sims and Darron Cato signed with North Carolina Central.
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Air Force a good fit for Henry Count’s Windham
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When it comes to selectioning a school, most recruits consider early playing time, academic fit and the prospects of someday playing in the NFL. Henry County safety/receiver Ron Windham considered all of those factors, and one more when he decided to sign with Air Force — he likes the mountain scenery in Colorado Springs.
“He’s an outdoors type, adventurous and curious type of kid,” said Henry County head coach Mike Rozier. “He didn’t grow up out there, but he said he likes the environment. I’ve never been out there either, but it looks beautiful.”
Rozier said Windham eventually would like to relocate to the area, after his college career is done.
“He wants to get into law and live out there one day,” Rozier said. “It takes a certain type of kid to be successful at Air Force and Ron fits that perfectly. He’s a smart, mature kid. He’ll do well.”
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Three Tri-Cities stars sign on with colleges
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Tri-Cities High will send three of its seniors to college football teams next season.
Leading the way is quarterback Giorgio Morgan, who signed with Kent State.
Defensive tackle Terrance Edge signed with Alabama-Birmingham and offensive tackle Jeremy Wilson signed with Stillman.
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Big catch for Vols: Ahmad Paige
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After a recruiting saga that literally roamed coast to coast, Louisiana wide receiver Ahmad Paige provided Tennessee’s biggest surprise of the day by signing with the Vols, according to Scout.com.
The 6-foor-2, 170-pound Super Southern 100 sprinter from Sterlington in north Louisiana, caught 86 passes for 2,071 yards and 29 touchdowns his last two seasons.
Originally committed to FSU, Paige withdrew his pledge after changes on coach Bobby Bowden’s staff. Thought last week to be split between UT and Florida, Paige eliminated the Gators and replaced them with USC after a trip to Los Angeles last weekend.
But his announcement had not quite been expected in Knoxville, which had been Paige first recruiting stop back in October.
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GAC’s Chapple can’t wait to get to Statesboro
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They came Wednesday in all manner of dress to Buckhead’s ESPN Zone, future college football players ranging in appearance from agent lookalike (who was that in the blue suit with orange shirt and tie?) to rolling whiteout (was there a kid under that white tent of a suit?) to guys in simple letter jackets.
Then, there was Lee Chapple, the Greater Atlanta Christian quarterback, who looked like, well, a Georgia Southern student.
Chapple, who signed a letter of intent to play for the Eagles and new coach Chris Hatcher, was wearing a GSU T-shirt, shorts, black socks and sneakers. If you didn’t know better, you’d think he just stepped out of class at Southern.
He sort of did.
“I went down there last weekend and saw film from the Valdosta State’s offense,” he said of Hatcher’s former school. “I think it’s an offense suited for a quarterback, and [Statesboro] is a small-college town. On Saturday nights, the whole town shuts down for football.”
Kind of like the ESPN Zone today.
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Kell’s Duran looking to get on field early for Spartans
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Kell running back Jonathan Dwyer was to be a teammate at Georgia Tech of Detroit cornerback Cedric Everson before Yellow Jackets coaches two weeks agoi pulled Everson’s scholarship offer because he failed to satisfy certain requirements for entry to Tech.
So it’s up to Dwyer’s Kell teammate, tight end David Duran, to team with Everson now.
Duran signed a letter of intent Wednesday to attend Michigan State, where Everson is expected to sign.
“I feel like I have an opportunity to possibly play early,” Duran said. “They’ve got some guys leaving, and there are two new tight ends coming in. [The staff of new head coach Mark D’Antonio] uses a tight end quite a bit.”
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Emotional signing day for Georgia-bound Neland Ball
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Today was not how Neland Ball had pictured it when he committed to the University of Georgia last summer.
Ball and his late best friend, John Keye, had always talked about national signing day with great anticipation. They were going to invite everybody they knew to the signing ceremony to enjoy the moment. This Friday, providing there wasn’t a basketball game, they decided months ago they were going to throw a party.
However, Keye, who intended to sign with Kentucky, was killed in a car accident on Jan. 20.
Ball kept strong and was all smiles as he was surrounded by friends and family in the school’s media center this morning, but he admitted his thoughts sometimes wandered back to his best friend since the seventh grade.
“It’s just odd not having [Keye] here, it’s just odd,” Ball said. “We were like brothers and we even called each other ‘brother.’ We talked all the time about playing against each other in the SEC. He was going to do this and I was going to do that … It’s not going to happen now.”
Ball and Keye were nearly inseparable while playing for Jackson’s football and basketball teams. On Tuesday night, the basketball team had Senior Night. Before the game against Ola, Keye’s mother showed up and was escorted by Ball and three other seniors to midcourt, where there was a moment of silence.
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Starr’s Mill standout signs with Fort Valley State
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Starr’s Mill defensive back Branden Lewis, who had offers fromEastern Kentucky and Austin Peay which fell through last week, signedwith Fort Valley State.
“I’m happy for that young man,” Starr’s Mill coach Mike Earwood said of Lewis. “He had gone right down to the wire [with Eastern Ketucky and Austin Peay] and he needed to go somewhere and play.”
Quarterback Robby Davis, Fayette/Coweta offensive player of the year, officially signed with Navy.
Wide receiver Dante Cheek signed with Grambling State.
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Super Southern 100 linebacker says yes to Auburn
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What difference does a campus visit make? Josh Bynes visited Auburn the weekend the Tigers defeated eventual national champion Florida. After visiting Louisville last month, UL coach Bobby Petrino bolted for the Atlanta Falcons.
Perhaps then it wasn’t surprising that Bynes, a 6-foot-2, 235 Super Southern 100 linebacker from Boyd Anderson High (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.), settled on Auburn. He had also been strongly recruited by Iowa and South Carolina and although incoming UL coach Steve Kragthorpe visited Bynes’ home last month, the Broward County player of the year settled on Auburn in a morning announcement.
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Hebert, Heyward ham it up at ESPN Zone
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Rivals on and off the field, Gwinnett County high school football stars T-Bob Hebert and Cameron Heyward took a few shots at each other this morning.
Maybe it’s a family thing, or perhaps they’ll be hard-pressed to take shots at each other in college at LSU and Ohio State, respectively, so they were getting in final digs while they had a chance.
Heyward, the defensive lineman from Peachtree Ridge and son of the late former Saints and Falcons running back Craig Heyward, had already taken his turn at the microphone at the ESPN Zone, and moved to the other side of a viewing area.
Hebert, a center at Greater Atlanta Christian and the son of former Saints and Falcons quarterback Bobby Hebert, took his turn, saying “of course [his father’s Louisiana roots] factored into it, and I just loved the staff at LSU.”
Then, he moved to nearby table to sign, or pretend to sign, his letter of intent with the Tigers. Heyward said something from about 20 feet away. Hebert looked up and made fun of Heyward, and said, “What do you expect for someone going to Ohio State.”
Heyward wasn’t finished. “What do you got going on there in your coloring book?” he asked Hebert.
“I’m drawing a picture of you.”
Just to be certain, because sometimes in the world of recruiting it’s hard to be sure, these guys were kidding.
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Another Super Southern 100 signee for Tar Heels
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Moments after landing four-star receiver Dwight Jones, North Carolina received word that four-star offensive lineman Kevin Bryant, of Lauderdale Lake, Fla. signed with the Tar Heels.
The 6-foot-7, 375-pound Super Southern 100 star chose North Carolina over Ole Miss, though he had offers from Georgia, Southern Cal and Ohio State, among others.
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Richt on class: ‘I am thrilled to death’
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Mark Richt addressed the crowd at the Butts-Mehre Building at about 10:45 a.m. and also took a few questions from the 150 people.
“Everybody throughout the country knows what a special day it is,” Richt told the crowd. “You find out the new faces of your program.”
The crowd also found out a little earlier about a face that wouldn’t be a part of the program. Columbus Hardaway lineman Antwane Greenlee pulled a signing day switch and went with Florida State.
“I can only comment on the gentlemen who have come through to Georgia,” Richt said before anyone even asked about Greenlee.
As for losing some players at the end, Richt deflected the negative attention.
“I am thrilled to death,” he said. “People may ask: ‘Why are you thrilled to death?’ When I look at these names, I know the evaluation it took and the battles that we were in to get them.’’
That speech didn’t quell all the restlessness. One fan asked if about the dropoff in recruiting and if “some coaches were not carrying their weight.”
“If you get you work done up front, you don’t have to get as much done at the end,” Richt said.
“We don’t care as much about them stars. We think we know what we are looking for.”
Richt said Georgia has a different philosophy when it comes to which coach gets credit for recruiting certain players.
“Some people want to put the recruiting coaches’ name by a player in the media guide,” Richt said. “We don’t do that at Georgia. We all decide as a staff if we are going to take him. We are involved.
“To say so and so got this guy is a bunch of baloney.”
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Harrison’s motto: Wait till next year
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Harrison has sent 40 players to college football in just the last six seasons but had no signees today off a 6-4 team that missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993 last season.
Coach Bruce Cobleigh said it had been 10, perhaps 15, years since his team has been shut out on signing day, although he expects four players eventually to sign at small schools. They are linebacker Jermaine Murphy, defensive end Chris Hocking, lineman Drake Weatherbee and running back Craig Davis.
It’s almost assured that next season’s class will have a major signing. Quarterback Darvin Adams, a wide receiver prospect, already has offers from Auburn, Virginia Tech and Mississippi State, Cobleigh said.
Also being recruited are running backs Jamal Austin and Alphonso Griffin.
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Georgia wraps up class with Logan Gray’s letter
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Columbia, Mo., quarterback Logan Gray signed his letter of intent, becoming the final member of Georgia’s 2007 class.
The Bulldogs finished with 23 commitments, but not the 23 they expected to sign. There was an 11th-hour switch at offensive lineman, with Columbus’ Antwane Greenlee flipping to Florida State and Twiggs County’s Chris Little switching from Notre Dame to Georgia.
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Little going to FSU, then Notre Dame, now … Georgia
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Twiggs County offensive lineman Chris Little has signed with Georgia, softening the blow of the loss of Columbus Hardaway’s Antwane Greenlee.
Little, a four-star recruit and the No. 12 guard in the country according to Scout.com, had previously selected Florida State, then Notre Dame.
Little made the decision this morning, Twiggs County coach Dexter Copeland said.
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Super Southern 100 receiver signs with Tar Heels
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Butch Davis landed a big one at North Carolina today when four-star receiver Dwight Jones selected the Tar Heels over Clemson and Tennessee.
The 6-foot-4 Jones from Burlington, N.C., is the 16th best receiver in the country according to Scout.com, and is the type in-state skill player that has been leaving the state for schools like Georgia and Tennessee lately. Expect that migration to decrease under Davis.
Jones was named to the AJC’s Super Southern 100 team, among other honors.
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Calhoun kicker/punter to walk on at Tech
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Calhoun punter/kicker Scott Blair will walk on at Georgia Tech, his father said.
Blair will be a preferred walk-on at Tech, despite chances of earning a scholarship at others schools, including possibly Wake Forest, Jeff Blair said.
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Roddy Jones on playing early at Tech: ‘We’ll see’
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Roddy Jones will go through Georgia Tech’s “official-unofficial” letter-of-intent party this afternoon at the ESPN Zone, but he signed it this morning and then took his turn in the spotlight with former Chamblee High teammates.
Unlike many recruits from other schools who preceded him who were quick to suggest they will play quickly in college, DeKalb County’s all-time leading high school rushers was more humble.
“I don’t know, we’ll see,” he said during his turn at the ESPN Zone’s microphone. “I’m going to work hard and hopefully things will turn out for the best.”
Asked why he chose Tech, Jones said, “First of all location. Second, education. And the other recruits, we all feel like a family, and the coaches are great.”
Jones’ Chamblee teammates Ivan Sharpe, a defensive end, and Nicolai Schwartzkopf, a linebacker, will play at Savannah State and Harvard, respectively.
Chamblee coach Brent Miller said Schwartzkopf is not related to the more famous Norman of the same last name, “but that’s his nickname, ‘General,’ ” Miller said.
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South Forsyth star glad he answered cell in shower
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South Forsyth defensive end Elliot Campbell, who signed with Elon, learned two good lessons this weekend: Good things happen to those who wait, and always answer your cell phone in shower.
Campbell said as of late Saturday night, he wasn’t sure if he was going to sign today. Then he jumped in the shower and the phone rang. Campbell, who didn’t bother to turn off the water, quickly answered.
It was Elon, offering a full scholarship. Before Campbell left the shower stall, he committed, even though he never took an official visit to the North Carolina school. He did, however, make a trip to Elon’s campus last summer.
“Up until that phone call, I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Campbell said. “I had offers from VMI, Gardner-Webb and Western Carolina, but I was actually leaning a little bit to walking on at Central Florida.
“However, I wasn’t going to commit until I felt 100 percent about anything. I wasn’t in [a rush], which in unusual for me because I’m usually a very impatient person. I guess it’s true: ‘Good things come to those who wait.’ “
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound said he will make an official visit to Elon with his parents within the next few weeks.
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Chamblee’s Sharpe pulls switch, signs with Savannah St.
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Anyone who showed up at Buckhead’s ESPN Zone expecting Chamblee High defensive end Ivan Sharpe to announce that he was going to Wingate was surprised Wednesday.
He changed his mind.
“I went to Savannah State last week on my visit and was really impressed with the coaching staff and what they’re trying to do,” Sharpe said. “I just felt really comfortable with the player and coaches.”
Sharpe otherwise seems clear in his decision making. He said he hopes to major in marketing, and will probably have a minor in political science.
Chamblee coach Dennis Miller said the 6-foot, 240-pound Sharpe, “is one the strongest kids on our team; he’ll bench press about 420 pounds.”
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AJC player of the year Berry signs with Volunteers
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Before a packed school auditorium Eric Berry made it official when he signed with Tennessee.
Just 29 years ago, his father, James, who was sitting at his left side, signed with the Volunteers after a standout high school career in Mississippi.
“Our ceremony wasn’t as big as this,” the elder Berry said. “This is a real special moment.”
Eric Berry was dressed in a black suit with a black shirt and an orange tie. He wore a black Tennessee cap. Would he have worn an orange suit, ala Vols basketball coach Bruce Pearl?
“Nope,” Berry grinned. “Well, maybe if it was the right shade of orange.”
“All these guys are dressed like preachers today, so we might get a sermon,”Creekside coach Kevin Whitley joked about his seven seniors that signed college scholarships.
The others included Kevin Watkins (Alabama-Birmingham); Kemary Funderburk (Elon); Chad Parham (Northeastern); Jason Stanley (Valdosta State); Hannibul Ruiz (Tusculum) and Danny Evans (Morgan State).
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Three Etowah recruits sign on with colleges
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After earning a surprising 7-3 record and region title under new coach Bill Stewart in 2006, Etowah cashed in with three signings this morning.
Buster Skrine signed with Tennessee-Chattanooga, Tyler Hodgson with Mars Hill College and Allen Singleton with Tuskegee.
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Tech fans on hand to celebrate top 20 class
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Fans packed a meeting room at Georgia Tech’s Edge Center this morning to watch the Yellow Jackets put together their highly anticipated signing class.
“It was huge today. The room was full. It’s always been half-full before,” said Steve Griggs of Fayetteville, a football manager from the class of 1973.
Tech pepped up its presentation this year by showing fans film of the players it signed. “There’s no super, super, super star like a Calvin [Johnson],” Griggs said, “but there’s a lot more just under that.”
Griggs was accompanied by his wife, Debra, who got Carla and Jimmy James of Winston to join them. “I didn’t want to be the only girl,” said Debra, who wore a Buzz pin. Carla James brought her Buzz purse
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Woolfolk ‘can’t believe how everything worked out’
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Holy Innocents running back/defensive back Ryan Woolfolk, who signed with William & Mary, is one of the state’s most improbable prospects. Even Woolfolk admits he is still shocked by the turn of events that landed him a football scholarship.
“I don’t know what else to say, except I got really, really lucky,” Woolfolk said. “I still can’t believe how everything worked out like it did.”
Holy Innocents played its first season of varsity football this past fall, and some thought it would be years before one of the team’s players would even get noticed by colleges. Woolfolk was so concerned about his football future that he nearly left Holy Innocents three years ago to play for a higher-profile program.
He stayed because of friends, the school’s strong academics, and wanting to part of the inaugural football team.
“With my academics, I had other options, so it wasn’t a do-or-die situation,” Woolfolk said. “But I did want to play after high school, if at all possible.”
When Woolfolk began his senior season, he accepted the reality that he was unlikely to get scouted by many colleges. To make matters worse, Woolfolk suffered a season-ending leg injury in the fourth game.
Woolfolk never gave up on his fledgling dream of playing college football, and mailed out highlight tapes from those four games and a scrimmage. It wasn’t much, but he thought someone might like it.
Holy Innocents assistant baseball coaches, D.C. Aiken, was a graduate of William & Mary and called his alma mater’s football coaches to lobby for Woolfolk.
This past weekend, the prospect that was virtually unknown went on an official visit to William & Mary and was surprised with a scholarship offer. Woolfolk was recognized in front of Holy Innocents’ entire student body on Tuesday as the first student to earn a football scholarship.
“Maybe it will all sink in soon, but it hasn’t yet,” Woolfolk said.
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Three Banneker teammates make it official
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Three Banneker High players will spread out while continuing their college careers.
Safety Nicholas Hunter on Wednesday signed with Western Michigan, linebacker Cordero Ivory with Albany State, and center Jerry Felton with Georgia Military College.
Western went bowling last season. Although the Broncos lost the International Bowl to Cincinnati, the Mid American Conference school won at Virginia and played tough at Florida State, losing 28-20.
“I think it’s the best fit for me, and I’ll have a good chance to start as a freshman,” Hunter said.
Ivory said he hopes to major in psychology at Albany State, and Felton is considering sports medicine as a major at Georgia Military.
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Five Carver teammates sign letters of intent
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Carver didn’t stop its surprising season in December. It continued today as five players signed on to play college football.
Four of them — offensive tackle Tommy Adams, running back Arsenio Hill, center Tyrone McCarthy and defensive back Artie Sullivan — are headed to West Virginia Tech.
Guard Randall Pittman signed with Concordia.
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Crimson Tide land Marist’s Jennings Hester
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Marist linebacker Jennings Hester signed with Alabama, and offensive/defensive lineman Jamie Germano signed on with Colgate this morning.
Hester committed early to the Tide under coach Mike Shula and never publicly wavered despite Shula’s firing and a search for a new coach that saw multiple candidates turn down the job before former Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban accepted the position.
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North Atlanta QB signs with O’Leary, Central Florida
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Three days before he was to make his official visit to Central Florida, North Atlanta quarterback Justin Boddie did the unthinkable: He committed to the Knights and coach George O’Leary.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Boddie — who threw 23 touchdown passes for the Warriors and rushed for nine — said he embraced the coaches’ vision of the school, the football program and his role in it as a defensive back or safety and committed before seeing the campus as a show of faith.
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Sandy Creek’s Jones signs with Hoosiers
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Fayette/Coweta co-defensive player of the year Fred Jones of Sandy Creek signed with Indiana.
Jones was joined at the table by offensive lineman Shelley Anthony, who signed with Western Kentucky, and Chris James, who is headed to Gardner-Webb.
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That’s a wrap: Tech’s 20-man class complete
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One of the most heralded football signing classes in Georgia Tech history has been completed with the signing of safety/wide receiver D.J. Donley of Folkston and cornerback Jerrard Tarrant of Carrollton.
The 20-member class features Parade All-America running back Jonathan Dwyer of Kell High School and Marietta, big-time quarterback prospects Josh Nesbitt of Greene County High in Greensboro and Steven Threet of Adrian, Mich., sizeable offensive linemen in Nick Claytor of Gainesville and Clyde Yandell of St. Augustine, Fla., and highly regarded defensive linemen in Derrick Morgan of Coatesville, Pa., and Jason Peters of Baton Rouge, La.
The secondary of the future will include safety Morgan Burnett of North Clayton High and cornerback Mario Butler of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Tech reached back to Tampa’s Jesuit High School to sign cornerback Michael Peterson from the alma mater of offensive tackle A.J. Smith and returner Andrew Smith.
Peterson originally committed to Boston College. Peters originally committed to LSU.
Other signees include running back Roddy Jones of Chamblee, offensive lineman Joseph Gilbert of Cartersville, linebacker Kyle Jackson of McDonough, wide receiver Tyler Melton of Houston, wide receiver Willie White of Camden County High School in Kingsland, linebacker Albert Rocker of New Market, Ala., defensive lineman Logan Walls of Dawsonvile and linebacker Brad Jefferson of Wrightsville.
Morgan and Threet enrolled early at Tech and plan to participate in spring practice.
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Two Redan teammates sign letters of intent
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Redan running back Tony McCord signed with North Carolina Central University, and defensive back Marquise Montgomery signed with Morehead State this morning.
McCord led the team with 690 rushing yards, while Montgomery was fourth on the team with 59 tackles in 2006.
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Georgia finalizes 23-man class
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Georgia’s top 20 class started to take shape shortly before 8 a.m. when Peachtree Ridge punter Drew Butler became the first recruit to sign with the Bulldogs.
Butler, son of former Bulldogs great Kevin Butler, was the last player to accept a scholarship offer from Georgia.
Not too long after Butler’s letter came in, ones arrived from Brookwood linebacker Rennie Curran and Chattahoochee offensive lineman Clint Boling.
The next three to sign: Blythwood, S.C., linebacker Charles White and Statesboro High teammates Justin Houston and John Knox.
After that came in letters from Colquitt County’s Vance Cuff, Columbus’ Bruce Figgins and East Hall’s Walter Hill, a one-time UGA basketball recruit.
AJC Super 11 running back Caleb King also made it official this morning in a ceremony at Greater Atlanta Christian.
Hargrave Military Academy offensive lineman Ben Harden, who has not yet qualified academically, sent in his letter of intent for the second straight year. Harden signed last year but had to go to Hargrave. Jackson defensive end Neland Ball signed moments later.
Shortly after 10 a.m., fans at the Butts-Mehre Building cheered as word broke that signed letters had arrived from Columbia, Mo., tight end Aron White and Tift County wide receiver Israel Troupe.
Columbia, Mo., quarterback Logan Gray became the last member of the class to sign shortly after 11 a.m. Tanner Strickland, Trinton Sturdivant and five junior college recruits enrolled early in Athens.
There was some 11th-hour drama, as well, with Columbus offensive line recruit Antwane Greenlee switching to Florida State and Twiggs County lineman Chris Little flipping from Notre Dame to Georgia.
That gave the Bulldogs a 23-man class.
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Caleb King awaits SAT results; brother says he’ll make it
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Caleb King’s brother is confident that the star running back will be academically eligible to play for Georgia next fall. But it won’t become official until he receives the results from his latest SAT exam.
“Caleb is working hard, and he’s going to be at Georgia next year,” said Andre King. “He’s good, real good. He will be at Georgia on June 2nd or 3rd.”
One of Georgia’s most prized recruits, King retook the SAT on Jan. 27. According to the SAT’s Web site, CollegeBoard.com, results won’t be posted until Feb. 15 at the earliest.
King, who signed his letter of intent to play for Georgia Wednesday at the Greater Atlanta Christian Student-Family Center, would not comment on his academic situation.
Said GAC coach Jimmy Chupp, “It comes down to SAT and grade-point average, and we’re still waiting on scores from the SAT.”
While Georgia fans anxiously await the test results, King did want assure everyone that his surgically repaired knee is fully recovered. He suffered a depressed fracture of his right tibia in an Oct. 13 game and missed the remainder of his senior season at GAC.
“It’s 100 percent,” said King, wearing a red-hooded Georgia sweatshirt. “I’m running and doing squats, and everything.”
He might even run track this spring.
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Florida, Alabama recruits meet again … in Buckhead
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East Paulding High quarterback/punter Chas Henry can’t seem to get away from Marist linebacker Jennings Hester.
They met in December at the Georgia Dome, in the state Class AAAA semifinals, and after Henry on Wednesday morning signed his national letter of intent to attend Florida this morning, he went to Buckhead’s ESPN Zone to celebrate.
And there was Hester, who signed with Alabama. So they spoke to one another.
“It’s more congratulations than anything,” said Henry, whom Florida recruited for special teams since he’s the No. 1-ranked punter in the nation by Scout.com. “I know he’s a great player; I played against him so it’s not just somebody I’ve seen on TV.”
Hester will see Henry again, in the SEC, but he said the fact dozens of players filed through the Buckhead eatery today was a testament to the past.
“When you get in the playoffs, every week you play against more college recruits, kids going to the ACC and SEC,” he said. “It really speaks well of Georgia high school football. We all know how hard we’ve worked to get where we are so it’s just a great day for us.”
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Clarkston teammates put it in writing
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Clarkston running back/free safety Isiah Bell signed with Bucknell and tight end/defensive end Travious Jackson signed with Dean Junior College this morning.
Jackson led the team in tackles (78) and sacks (8) in 2006, and Bell was the leading rusher on a team that averaged 167 rushing yards per game.
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Is Chris Little having second thoughts? UGA fans on hold
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Twiggs County offensive lineman Chris Little is expected to sign his letter of intent at 10:30 this morning.
Which school he’ll sign with, we’re still not sure.
Little is “going back and forth,” a Twiggs County assistant said this morning. He committed to Florida State, then Notre Dame, but is apparently reconsidering Georgia.
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Four Tucker recruits make it official
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Tucker’s Brandon Lampkin (Arkansas), Anthony Mosley (Kentucky), Michael Weaver (Centre College) and Devon Wade (Missouri Valley College) signed on with their respective colleges this morning at the high school.
Lampkin expects to play somewhere between defensive tackle and defensive end at Arkansas, while Mosley figures into the receiver position for the Wildcats.
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How did Urban Meyer, Gators do it?
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Palm trees and warm winters help.
The three-plus-hour, nationally televised Gators football advertisement on Jan. 8 certainly didn’t hurt.
But Florida coach Urban Meyer recruited this year like he’s always done, taking nothing for granted, hitting the ground as if his team was an underdog for every top-notch player.
In Lorenzo Edwards’ home, to see a guy like Meyer relentlessly chasing their son went a long way.
“It meant a lot,” said Lorenzo Edwards Sr., father of Orlando linebacker Lorenzo Edwards. “Coach [Charlie] Strong and Coach Meyer stayed after him pretty hard.”
Edwards was one of a national-best 12 AJC Super Southern 100 stars set to sign today with the Gators, who for the second straight year are poised to land the AJC’s top-rated class. The 25-man haul includes nine of Scout.com’s “five-star” recruits, three quarterbacks and players who originally said yes to Texas and Notre Dame.
Justin Trattou, Scout.com’s fourth-ranked defensive end, said leaving New Jersey for Florida was a fairly easy decision — but not because of the weather. The one-time Fighting Irish recruit said he felt more of a sense of family at Florida, and that’s going to be important if he’s going to be that far from home. “The coaches made me want to spend time with them.,” he said. “Of all the places, this was the one that was more of a family atmosphere.” — Bill Sanders
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GAC’s Chapple signs with Georgia Southern
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Greater Atlanta Christian quarterback Lee Chapple played the recruiting game all the way into the last moment before signing with Georgia Southern this morning.
Chapple said an opportunity for early playing time in new Georgia Southern coach Chris Hatcher’s quarterback-friendly offense was the deciding factor over Richmond.
He signed his letter of intent early this morning at the Student-Family Center at GAC.
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Greenlee switches from Georgia to Florida State
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia’s recruiting class took a big hit this morning when all-state offensive lineman Antwane Greenlee signed with Florida State.
The Columbus Hardaway star originally committed to the Seminoles before switching to Georgia. FSU coaches never stopped pursuing the 300-pounder, whose signed letter arrived at FSU at 8:35 a.m.
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Four MLK standouts sign letters of intent
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Four M.L. King players signed scholarships this morning.
Defensive end/linebacker Patrick Hampton signed with South Florida, defensive lineman Adim Obata signed with Furman, while defensive back Lanorris Nixon and wide receiver/linebacker Lyndon Leslie both signed on with Gardner-Webb.
Several more MLK players are either waiting on paperwork to be finalized or coming to a final decision and will probably sign next week.
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Southern Cal shows interest in Norcross junior
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Norcross wide receiver Brice Butler may be the prize of next year’s class.
Southern Cal coach Pete Carroll gave Norcross coach Keith Maloof a call Tuesday to inquire about the 6-foot-2 Butler, who already has offers from Virginia Tech and Mississippi State.
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Vince Dooley’s son lands Athens standout
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Dominique Faust, a 6-foot, 195-pound safety from Clarke Central, will play college football at Louisiana Tech for coach Derek Dooley, son of former Georgia coach Vince Dooley.
“I know it’s a good opportunity for Dominique,” Clarke Central coach Leroy Ryals said. “I coached together with Derek at LSU. I think this just might be a good fit.”
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