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DEL.ICIO.USArkansas coach Bobby Petrino offers Gainesville juniors
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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On a whim, Gainesville assistant coach Todd Wofford picked up the phone Thursday night and called the Arkansas athletic department.
He proceeded to brag about two of the Red Elephants’ talented juniors: receiver Tailer Jones and quarterback Blake Sims.
“I told them we have a couple of kids here they might want to look at,” Wofford said.
Much to Wofford’s surprise, he noticed a gentleman wearing an Arkansas shirt enter the Gainesville field house less than 24 hours later.
“[Arkansas] head coach [Bobby Petrino] had said ‘get on a plane and get out there [on Friday]’,” Wofford said. “I had no idea they were coming.
“I gave them a couple of DVDs on [Jones and Sims] on Friday and they said they’d evaluate them.
“I checked with them today after practice and they said ‘we’re offering both of your juniors.’ They said they love them.”
It was the first scholarship offer for both players.
“It was great, just an overwhelming feeling,” Jones said. “I wasn’t expecting it from Arkansas.
“But they’ve got a great program and they compete with the best. It would be a great college to go to.”
Jones said he’d like to continue playing with Sims for the next six years.
“That would be great,” Jones said. “I’m trying to go to college with a teammate if I can, to make the transition easier.
“And me and Blake are very close.”
“It feels real good,” Sims said. “A big smile came on my face when I found out [about the offer].”
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Comments
By Paddy
October 15, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
Go and play anywhere Bobby P is not coaching. He showed his true colors in this state. Ask your parents to call Mr Blank or Mr McKay for their insight on this very important decision you are about to make.
By shut up paddy
October 15, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
Paddy, dont be so angry about Petrino leaving your terrible team in Atlanta. Why is it that an owner can fire a coach in mid-season, yet a coach cant leave a team in mid-season??
By Bobby
October 15, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this
Telling a qb not to go where Bobby Petrino is coaching, is in a word…..crazy. Like him or not, you can’t deny the fact that he is a great qb coach. As far as Blank goes, he’s just a few years removed from being the next Al Davis.
By HomerDave
October 15, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this
Petrino is a great coach,let me make it even more clear…he is a great great college coach. He does like to run things his way and the pro game, especially the owners in Atlanta, would not allow this to happen. He has that question answered about how he would fit in the pro game….he will do great things at Arkansas and with the program totally in his control, he will be there for a long time. This makes for a win win situation for the university and for him as well.
By Proud GHS Alum
October 15, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
Congratulations to both of these young men. I’ve had the opportunity to see them in action this season and was very impressed. Best of luck where ever you end up!
By 13jas
October 15, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this
petrino wont last 5yrs as Hoggs coach.If he dont leave they`ll fire him.Remember I said it 1st!
By kelly
October 15, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this
Turn off Home Depot/Blank sponsored ESPiN for a minute, do a little research on what really went down in Atlanta before you guys continue bad mouthing everything Bobby Petrino. By 2010 Petrino’s Pigs will be making slop of opposing teams!
By talex
October 15, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this
I have followed the HOGS for 44 years. I was at the Auburn game Saturday night and the game that Petrino called was great.I have never, never seen our offense look so unpredictable. Auburn’s defense never knew what hit them,and they have one of the best defenses in the SEC. If these 2 young men come to Fayetteville,Arkansas and see our facilities and fan support, they’ll become HOGS!!!
By AJ
October 15, 2008 6:07 PM | Link to this
I think it’s great to see two kids get the chance to have a full scholarship to anywhere…How many get that chance?
I’m also proud of Petrino doing for our Hogs what Houston Nutt could not do…Go outside the state of Arkansas, recruit aggressively, effectively, compete with more prominent programs on their own territory, and finally get quality recruits to consider the U of A…Finally.
By kuder
October 15, 2008 6:07 PM | Link to this
Petrino did the Falcons a favor by leaving. He did not fit into the pro environment. Both Atl and Arky are better off.
By Hogules
October 15, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this
Anyone who has observed Bobby Petrino coaching on the college and wasn’t impressed must reside in delusionville! And as for his ability to recruit, Houston Nutt wasn’t a pimple on this mans @$$ when it comes to identifying top notch talent AND coaching it up once they arrive at college. If some people choose to believe the BS spewed by Arthur Blank and the Falcons they are either to lazy to learn the truth, or just plain gullible. Bobby Petrino will do great, GREAT things at the University of Arkansas and any recruit offered would be crazy not to want to go along for the ride.
By pistola
October 15, 2008 6:17 PM | Link to this
I agree. Petrino leaving was the best for both programs.
By pistola
October 15, 2008 6:18 PM | Link to this
I agree. Petrino leaving was the best for both programs.
By Ditto shut up
October 15, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
Hey paddy, The afore mentioned Mr. Blank is the same a$$ hole that fired Mr. Reeves mid season. What goes around comes around. Plus, nobody wanted him there anyway so why cry??
By What the #$%@
October 15, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
If they want to see talent tell them to come to Roswell and check out the talent that caused Jones dad to pull him from Roswell to send him to Gainesville. Boyd and Hughes are two outstanding talents to just name a few. Roswell’s coaches need to do a better job of marketing their players like these other schools do!
By Prudent Voice
October 16, 2008 12:24 AM | Link to this
Words spoken are the heart’s reflection! And your comment tells us everything we need to know about you and Roswell. If this is how you respond to someone’s good news about furthering their career, no wonder he’s at Gainesville. I’m sure those gentlemen are as great as you say, then they will have no issues securing scholarships! Why hate on another’s success! Be part of the solution and not the problem. Boyd, Hughes, and Jones sound like wonderful young men and great athletes. Why ruin this moment with your petty jealousy! Arkansas has offered a great young man of God, a great student, a tremendous athlete, and a great corporate citizen! Go Hawgs!! You’ve got a great on in T.J. Jones.
By Andre Jones
October 16, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
(1.) While we are saddened by this venter’s position, we are aware he/she doesn’t speak for all of the 1,000’s of people at Roswell H.S. that we have served the Hornet Family with for 10 years. We miss Roswell, our friends, and family, but we know in life, change beyond our control occurs every day. We are for ever indebted to Roswell and to Gainesville for assisting us in raising 6 wonderful children. Both communities have treated us with open arms! (2.) I will discount this venter’s frustration, because it’s obvious your frustration, is not with T.J.’s success, but with issues you have with Roswell’s coaching staff. They’ve always been open to my conversations; I suggest you address them directly, instead of anonymously. (3.) Obviously, this venter doesn’t understand the evaluation process of DIV-I football, because no marketing ploy secures scholarship offers, production secures scholarships. (4.) We love Hughes, Boyd, and all the young men at Roswell and Gainesville. They will receive all that God has in store for them as well. The great thing about football, there are multiple scholarships searching for real talent, and they always seem to find each other! (5.) Lastly, we thank the team and coaches at Gainesville, because with out the line, Blake Sims, and the other WR’s, we couldn’t have been successful. We also thank Coach BP and the Razorback family for “First Believing” in T.J.’s academic and athletic ability!!! We are truly honored and ask all to rejoice with us and every H.S. scholarship recipient!!! It’s a testament to that athletes hard work and persistence!!
By Paddy
October 16, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this
If asking Blank & McKay is such a bad idea, as some of you suggest, ask a few of the Falson players for their input. If this is a career decision, getting all the info you can is a good way to go. All I know is what I saw of his actions in Atl. It did not speak well of this man. If my son were going thru this process again, I know what input I would give him. But in the end it would be his call. Get all the facts and make a informed decision based on those facts. Once made, I would support his choice.
By Cobra Ball
October 16, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this
Congrats to TJ…..We miss TJ and his family here in Roswell!!!!!
By hogfan
October 16, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
kuder, to bad Michael Vick didnt fit in the Atlanta program either. Maybe he would still be a QB instead of a PI - prison inmate.
By We Left Roswell Too......
October 16, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this
Congrats Andre on what is the first of many offers TJ receives before he leaves Gainesville.The apple surely does not fall far from the tree although I hope TJ makes a better choice of colleges than the place in South Bend.LOL. Andre remain above board and continue to react positive to the negative attacks like Obama and allow your surrogates to do your work for you.We all know that politics dictates what is done at most of the North Fulton public high schools. The ones that come on here and try to make it seem like TJ was moved because he could not break into the line up are the very ones who the politics work for. If it were not for the politics alot of the kids that get significant playing time would be buried on the roster at other schools. It makes no sense that the father of a player who is not a school board employee be on the sideline with a headset on calling plays for his son the starting QB. Now I know we have community coaches in GHSA but when you have the QB issues at Roswell that you have it gives off the appearance of cronyism.Not to take anything away from the current starting QB but it makes you say hmmmmmm. I personally know of community coaches killing to get on the staff only to be told there was no place for them on the staff . The politics have not only run TJ and my son away but other players are in the process of looking for other schools to play at. It is all a result of kids unfairly being buried on the depth chart to appease the boosters who conribute hefty to the pot in order for junior to play. Say what you want and deny all you want but it is the way business is done in affluent communities. Claim poverty all you want but when a booster club can install jumbotron score boards and their own field turf your community is affluent.Thus the politics. I am We Left Roswell Too…. and I approve this message
By Sup Dawg
October 16, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
RE:By 13jas
October 15, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this
petrino wont last 5yrs as Hoggs coach.If he dont leave they`ll fire him.Remember I said it 1st!If you believe that then your in for a major shock brutha.Petrino is running things his way in fayetteville and the fans love him.Petrino has the perfect setup here for him. 1) He wanted to play in the SEC. 2) Wanted an surrounding and enviroment like back home in Montana (Small city & Mountains) 3) The fans love him here 4)He gets to run things his way.5) He plans on retiring here. Petrino knows he will not get another oppertunity like this anywhere and strongly believe that he will be here until he retires.Arkansas Football never looked so good!! GO HOGS!!
By havok
October 16, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
Who the hell with more than 50 brain cells, Doesn’t want to get out of Atlanta?? When a toilet is flushed anywhere in America…it ends up in the Sewer called Atlanta.
By Paddy
October 16, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this
” one man’s crap is another man’s ice cream”
By jimmy morara
October 16, 2008 8:00 PM | Link to this
I have been a Bobby Petrino fan since his days at Louisville,congrats on the two recruits from Florida,by the way Michael Smith Arkansas Razorbacks running back as of now is leading in yards per game in the SEC,and where did we get that jewel,FLORIDA.
By jimmy morara
October 16, 2008 8:05 PM | Link to this
I have been a Bobby Petrino fan since his days at Louisville,congrats on the two recruits from Florida,by the way Michael Smith Arkansas Razorbacks running back as of now is leading in yards per game in the SEC,and where did we get that jewel,FLORIDA.