AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January > 22
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Ohio State’s Tressel recruits in Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Gainesville defensive end Keith Wells received an in-school and in-home visit from Ohio State coach Jim Tressel on Tuesday.
“It was a really, really good experience for me,” Wells said. “Over the past couple of months, Coach Tressel [and I] have grown together.
“Out of all the coaches I’ve talked to, he’s probably one of the most genuine guys I’ve met. He’s definitely a person to meet.”
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Wells, who originally committed to Florida State in August, confirmed Tuesday evening that he will choose between Ohio State and Tennessee in just over a week.
“I’m actually going to commit next week, probably Thursday or Friday,” he said. “It’ll be between Ohio State and Tennessee.
“I’ll evaluate and keep asking all the questions I can ask.”
Wells, who visited the Buckeyes in early December, enjoyed a successful trip to Knoxville last weekend.
“Tennessee has a legacy of winning, and I definitely like that,” Wells said. “They’re a solid program and I have an opportunity to play there.
“They have about three real defensive ends, and two of them are seniors. I could go in and make an impact as a freshman.
“It’s not too far away from home, but distance isn’t an issue. They have a great tradition of defensive ends coming out of that school. The visit to Tennessee was probably my best visit.”
Permalink | Comments (43) | Categories: Other schools, Tennessee
Hunter spurns UGA for The Swamp
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
So much for Georgia’s late pursuit of Omar Hunter. The Buford defensive tackle is headed for The Swamp.
Hunter, one of the top-rated players in the country at his position, scrapped plans to visit Athens this weekend and said Tuesday he will commit to Florida.
The Gators had been the favorite to land Hunter since he de-committed from Notre Dame earlier this month. A visit to Gainesville last weekend convinced Hunter that’s where he wants to be.
“Florida is a great place,” Hunter said. “I love the coaches, the players and the recruits coming in with me. I just fell in love with Florida.”
Georgia expressed interest in Hunter in recent weeks but apparently did not have room for him. He said the Dogs could only offer him a scholarship if another recruit de-committed or was ruled academically ineligible.
There have been academic concerns about Georgia recruit DeAngelo Tyson, a defensive tackle from Statesboro. And even if running back Xavier Avery signs with the Dogs, the Cedar Grove senior might forego college to pursue a pro baseball career.
Still, Florida had a guaranteed spot for Hunter, and he didn’t want to wait on Georgia.
“I went in last weekend looking at Florida and Georgia,” Hunter said. “They were two outstanding schools, and I really loved them both. But unfortunately, Georgia didn’t have a scholarship. It was just bad timing for Georgia.”
At 6-foot-1 and 311 pounds, Hunter anchored a defense that allowed just 4.4 points per game last year. He helped Buford win the Class AA state championship and was named defensive player of the year by the AJC Gwinnett News.
Hunter was set to attend Notre Dame after committing to the school last June, but his recruitment became open question over the past two months. In December, he expressed doubts about the Irish, which finished just 3-9 in 2007. In early January, he backed out on the Irish and said he was considering Florida, Southern California and Auburn. And finally, it came down to Florida and Georgia.
The Gators wooed Buford linebacker T.J. Pridemore during a Jan. 12 visit, and did the same with Hunter last weekend. Highlights of the visit included dinner at coach Urban Meyer’s house and attending a Florida basketball game.
When asked what part of the trip swayed his decision the most, though, Hunter said, “Probably getting to hang out with [Heisman trophy winner] Tim Tebow and the other recruits and getting to know those guys. It just felt like the right place.”
Permalink | Comments (140) | Categories: Florida, UGA
Recruiters swarm to Roswell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Roswell coach Tim McFarlin said he is busier these days than he was during football season, which is hard to imagine until finding out why.
For the first time in school history, Roswell is projected to lead the state in the number of players (six to eight) who will sign major-college scholarships.
“You have no idea, ” McFarlin said. “As much as I enjoy people, I rarely get to eat lunch and dinner these days. It’s just nonstop, meeting coaches at school, returning phone calls from coaches. … I could work until midnight and still not be caught up.
“It’s just the way it works this time of year. Everyone thinks football is over when the season ends. It’s not over at all.”
McFarlin said he’s not complaining and is very happy for his seniors. But he also admits national signing day (Feb. 6) won’t come soon enough. Five Hornets have committed: linebacker Ebele Okakpu (North Carolina); wide receiver Garrett Embry (Oregon); tailback Alex Daniel (Northwestern); defensive tackle Curtis Hazelton (Duke); and cornerback Dominique Wheeler (Butler Jr. College).
Hazelton picked Duke a few months ago, but opened up his recruiting again after Duke’s coaching staff was fired. He then decided to go back to the Blue Devils after David Cutcliffe was hired.
Four other players will make college decisions in the next three weeks:
Dustin Taliaferro: The quarterback has 11 offers, including Southern Miss, Tulane and East Carolina, along with three Ivy League schools. Duke, Louisville and Alabama-Birmingham also have shown recent interest.
Zack Waddell: The linebacker appears to be favoring Air Force over offers from Louisiana-LaFayette, Murray State and Western Carolina.
Jim Broadway: The kicker has offers from Navy, Georgia Southern, Western Carolina and Chattanooga. He is still waiting to hear back from Georgia Tech, while N.C. State has discussed a walk-on status.
Lavelle Larry: He can play safety or tailback and has offers from Louisville, Georgia Southern and Alabama A&M.
- Staff writer Michael Carvell contributed to this report
Permalink | | Categories: Other schools
Down to Auburn, UGA for Lipscomb
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Tucker defensive back Neiko Lipscomb, who is coming off a visit to Auburn, hopes a trip to Georgia will materialize this weekend.
“I’m still waiting to find out about Georgia,” Tucker coach Franklin Stephens said Tuesday night. “Neiko went to Auburn last weekend and had a good visit.
“We’ll see what transpires with Georgia.”
The recent loss of Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who now coaches at Texas, may have an impact on whether Lipscomb commits to the Tigers.
“I think recruits have to deal with relationships,” Stephens said. “And Muschamp was more than the defensive coordinator. He was the coach from Auburn that was recruiting Neiko.”
The 6-foot-1 Lipscomb could be a nice addition to the Dogs’ secondary. But with national signing day two weeks away, does Georgia have a scholarship remaining for Lipscomb?
Stephens believes the Dogs will make a run at his talented defensive back.
“I think Auburn and Georgia have a lot to offer, both academically and athletically,” Stephens said. “He’s going to have an opportunity to play on a very good football team.
“He has a hard decision to make. He’s choosing between two top-flight colleges.”
Services »
