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Sunday, July 1, 2007
Tech lands QB; UGA in Butler mix; Adams near decision
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Add a new name to the race to succeed Taylor Bennett as Georgia Tech’s quarterback.
Sean Renfree of Notre Dame Prep in Scottsdale, Ariz., said Monday he has committed to the Yellow Jackets and plans to sign in February, redshirt in the fall of 2008 when Bennett is a senior and compete for the starting job in 2009. Renfree said he chose Tech over Oregon State, Army, Stanford, Boise State, Arizona and Arizona State.
“It was just the right fit for me,” Renfree said of Tech, where he plans to major in engineering, possibly civil engineering. “It’s a great combination of athletics and academics.”
Jackets assistant coach Curtis Modkins found Renfree through a mutual acquaintance of Renfree’s father, Renfree said. Tech offered Renfree a scholarship a couple of months ago after viewing game tape.
Renfree and his parents came to Atlanta three weeks ago for one of Tech’s summer camps. The visit included a five- or 10-minute talk with Tech President Wayne Clough, who connected with the Renfrees by discussing the work Tech people have done on improving the Crescent City’s levees. Renfree’s mother is from New Orleans.
Rivals.com rates Renfree, 6 feet 3, 185 pounds, as the nation’s No. 8 pro-style quarterback. He is likely to compete with Steven Threet, Josh Nesbitt and Byron Ingram in 2009.
Adams decision imminent
Harrison wide receiver Darvin Adams is likely to announce his decision between Auburn and Tennessee before practice begins next month, his coach, Bruce Cobleigh, said Monday.
Adams hasn’t ruled out other offers, including ones from South Carolina, Maryland and North Carolina, according to Cobleigh,
Adams was Harrison’s quarterback as a junior, throwing for 974 yards, but he will return to his natural position this fall. Adams caught more than 40 passes as a sophomore.
Cobleigh compares Adams to former Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver, who played some wide receiver at Harrison.
”He’s not quite as fast [as Oliver] but is more athletic as far as agility, and he’s taller [at 6 feet, 4 inches],” Cobleigh says. “When he goes up on a cornerback, he’s usually got 4-5 inches, and he’s got a 36-inch vertical leap.”
Cobleigh said he has three other players getting Division I attention. Running back Alphonso Griffin has been offered by Colorado, and tight end/defensive end Kyle Madden has an offer from Cental Florida.
Jamal Austin, a running back, can expect Division I offers but is focusing on baseball this summer. A member of the East Cobb Astros traveling team, Austin is a top prospect in two sports.
Butler: ‘I like Georgia’
Norcross wide receiver Brice Butler said recent rumors of him dropping Georgia from consideration are unfounded.
“I like Georgia,” Butler said. “They have a good program. I know the coaches there real well. In fact, I see them a lot.
“They’re racking up a pretty good class. I’d be part of a good team if I commit to them.”
Butler, who is rated as the sixth-best wide receiver in the nation by Scout.com, also denied reports that had him narrowing his recruiting list to three programs.
He confirmed that Florida State, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Arizona State, Penn State, Georgia, Oregon, Oregon State, Florida and LSU are still in the running to gain his commitment.
“I’m putting together my top-five,” Butler said. “It will be ready in about a week or two.”
The 6-foot-2, 189-pound Butler said he is working to develop a clear understanding of the abilities of the receiving corps at each school he is considering.
“I don’t look at the depth chart,” said Butler, the son of former Atlanta Falcon Bobby Butler. “But when I visit schools I want to see what kind of guys are there and if I can play with those guys.
“Now, I don’t want to go to a school with eight sophomore receivers. Wherever I go, I want to go in there and start my freshman year. But I know I’ll have to work hard.”
Roswell’s Okakpu visits North Carolina and Clemson
Roswell’s Ebele Okakpu spent the final weekend of June touring the campuses of North Carolina and Clemson.
The Tar Heels edged the Tigers in making a more favorable impression on the running back.
“It all went pretty good,” Okakpu said Sunday evening. “I like both of them. But North Carolina was probably the top one. It was really nice.”
Okakpu has scholarship offers from Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Miami, North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
Georgia made an offer to the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Okakpu last month.
“They’re still a possibility,” Okakpu said. “I liked them before and have visited them before a couple of times. But they’re not ahead of the other schools. They’re all about the same.”
“I’m just going to weigh all the schools and see how I like them and try to make a decision before the season starts.”
After some prodding, Okakpu finally hinted that the Tar Heels are the slight favorites to gain his commitment.
“A front-runner? Probably North Carolina,” he said.
Fayette’s Daniels still headed to Duke
One month after committing to Duke in early April, Fayette County safety Matt Daniels got word he had received a scholarship offer from Georgia.
But Daniels’ commitment to the Blue Devils has remained solid, despite the repeated efforts of Fayette teammate and Georgia-bound Brandon Boykin to convince his friend to become a Bulldog.
“Brandon was telling me that Georgia likes me a lot,” said Daniels, who has a 4.0 GPA. “I was still pretty surprised when they offered me.
“Brandon used to be on me all the time about [switching my commitment to] Georgia. He’s let up some. But a couple of months ago, he was on me hard. It was ridiculous. But he was just being a recruiter.”
Along with Duke and Georgia, Daniels has quietly accumulated offers from Georgia Tech, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Daniels claims he has no intention of changing his mind.
“The campus at Duke is beautiful,” he said. “Even though Duke doesn’t have a great football team, the fans support them really well.
“They’re trying to turn things around. And I want to be part of that.”
Peachtree Ridge’s Demps to become a Hokie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Peachtree Ridge cornerback Cameron Demps verbally accepted a scholarship offer from Virginia Tech Sunday morning.
The 5-foot-10, 172-pound Demps is touring the Blacksburg campus this weekend.
“This is just a good atmosphere,” Demps said by phone. “Plus, my parents really like it.”
Demps said a visit by one of his future Virginia Tech teammates at his hotel Saturday night cemented his decision.
“And they have the best defense in the nation,” Demps added. “That really attracted me to this school.”
Demps expects to receive some playing time with the Hokies in the fall of 2008.
“They said I’ll be able to come in and have a chance to start on defense and special teams,” Demps said. “They play a lot of freshmen on special teams.”
Demps is eager to break the news to first-year Peachtree Ridge coach Bill Ballard.
“I just sent him a text message telling him to call me,” he said.
Demps also had offers from North Carolina, Ole Miss and Buffalo.
