AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2008 > October > 15
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Auburn recruit Lutzenkirchen exploring options after Franklin’s release
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Tony Franklin has fallen out of favor with Auburn. The Tigers may be doing the same with Lassiter’s Philip Lutzenkirchen.
Lutzenkirchen, a 6-foot-4, 240 pound tight end, has been loyal to the Tigers through and through until the past week, when Franklin was fired as Auburn’s offensive coordinator. He indicated via text message Wednesday that he will now explore his options until the Tigers fill the position.
The Trojans senior has attended virtually every Auburn home game and familiarized himself with campus life during the recruiting period. He wasn’t planning on taking an official visit until the week of bowl preparation later in the season.
Lutzenkirchen said he will now visit other schools. That list could include Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas Tech, Miami (Fla.), Florida State and Oklahoma. Lutzenkirchen is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150.
He is the No. 9 tight end prospect in the nation by Scout and No. 5 prospect by Rivals. Lassiter runs a version of the spread offense that is similar to the one Franklin was running at Auburn. The transition would have been a smooth one for the versatile tight end.
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Washington DB Branden Smith schedules official visit with UGA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Booker T. Washington cornerback Branden Smith, who is ranked as the state’s No. 1 prospect by numerous recruiting publications, has scheduled his official visit for Georgia on Dec. 12.
“I just got off the phone with [Georgia recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner] a few minutes ago,” Smith said.
“Coach Garner has always wanted me to take my official visit when Georgia has its football banquet. I guess he just found out the exact date for the banquet, so we set up my visit for that same weekend.”
Smith said Garner reiterated three things that he has said all along: Georgia will sign one more cornerback, he is the team’s No. 1 target at that position, and the Bulldogs will hold a scholarship for as long as Smith needs to make a decision.
“It seems like everybody wants me to go to Georgia.”
“I played with [Georgia sophomore safety Reshad Jones] when I was in ninth grade. It was one of the best experiences of my life. He shut down one side of the field and I’d shut down the other.
“That’s what everybody loves to see, when Georgia boys stick together … there’s a lot of people that would love to see Reshad and me playing together again in college.”
After Smith opened up about his feelings toward Georgia, he quickly pointed out that he still has no favorites and is considering all options. Smith made his first official visit last weekend, traveling to Florida.
Smith’s other recruiting trips are planned for Tennessee on Oct. 25, Auburn on Nov. 15, and Florida State (replacing Clemson) on Nov. 29.
Wednesday was a big day for UGA’s recruiting efforts. Wide receiver Marlon Brown of Memphis, who took an official visit to Georgia for the Alabama game, revealed that he is paying his way for a return trip to look closer at the Bulldogs.
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Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, Tennessee, UGA
Clemson loses third recruit since Bowden’s departure
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Wide receiver Larry Raper of Shelby, N.C., said he is no longer committed to Clemson, according to CUTigers.com.
Raper is the third prospect to de-commit from Clemson since Monday’s departure of coach Tommy Bowden. The other two are the country’s No. 1 and 2 safeties by Scout, Craig Loston of Aldine, Texas, and DeVonte Holloman of Rock Hill, S.C.
“I want to look at other schools, I really like Clemson but I want to see what else is out there,” Raper said.
Georgia Tech and Georgia do not appear to be heavily involved with either Loston, Holloman or Raper.
Baldwin linebacker Corico Hawkins, the only Georgia player committed to Clemson, told the AJC’s Phil Giltman that he remains loyal to the Tigers “for now.”
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Georgia State on the brink of offering Gainesville DL Stringer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Gainesville nose tackle Shamond Stringer appears to be closing in on a scholarship offer from Georgia State, which will field its first team in 2010.
“They are about to offer me,” the 6-foot-1, 250-pound Stringer predicted. “It would be pretty good. It would be like history to be on their first team ever.”
Stringer, who is also being recruited by Georgia Tech, Louisville and N.C. State, listed several reasons to consider an offer from the Panthers.
“The newness, that’s the big thing,” he said. “And I used to live in Atlanta. I’d still be close to home [in Gainesville] if I go to Georgia State.”
Though he’s still waiting for his first overall offer, Stringer plans to delay a commitment should Georgia State comes through with a scholarship.
“Me and my family want to see what other offers come along, and then we’ll pick the best one for me,” he said.
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Walton’s Biggers set to visit Vols again this weekend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Walton kicker Brady Biggers will take his second trip to Knoxville Saturday to see Tennessee face Mississippi State.
Biggers father, Steve, told the AJC on Wednesday that his son will visit the Vols. Biggers has yet to receive a scholarship offer but was visited by Tennessee assistant coach Steve Caldwell last Friday for the Walton-Milton game.
Tennessee invited Biggers to both its home games against UAB, which he attended, and Northern Illinois, which he missed due to an SAT examination. Biggers has been in contact with a variety of other schools, including Tulane and South Carolina.
He is still waiting on his first scholarship offer but is very interested in the Tennessee.
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McEachern LB Edouarzin offered by West Virginia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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McEachern linebacker Emmanuel Edouarzin has been contacted by West Virginia to schedule an official visit.
“[West Virginia assistant coach Lonnie] Galloway contacted me and [teammate] Terrell Mitchell about coming up in the next two to three weeks,” Edouarzin said. “I don’t really care which game I go to; I just want to go up and visit.”
Edouzarin, 6-foot-2, 232 pounds, has offers from West Virginia, Ohio, Western Michigan and UT-Chattanooga. He said Ole Miss offered in the spring but withdrew its offer because of problems with his transfer from South Cobb.
“I think Ole Miss will offer again,” he said. “I’m having a real good season and I’m doing the same things I did when they first offered.”
Edouarzin said his highlight reel was against Etowah, when he recorded 15 tackles and one forced fumble.
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ACC schools offer Cedar Grove RB William Pratcher
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Cedar Grove tailback William Pratcher is one of the state’s top “sleeper” prospects.
The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Pratcher, who was virtually unknown to college recruiters at the beginning of his senior year, has offers from Boston College and North Carolina State. He also is being recruited by East Carolina, Memphis and Middle Tennessee State.
“I guess I had been flying under the radar with colleges, I was really surprised, but they started calling me right after the second game [after rushing for 262 yards against Washington High],” said Pratcher.
Pratcher has turned into an overnight sensation, rushing for 1,448 yards and 15 touchdowns on 157 carries (9.2 yard per carry) for the Class AAAAA school. Pratcher’s quickness and raw speed (4.47 in 40-yard dash) has overwhelmed opponents all season.
Last season as a junior, Pratcher started the Cedar Grove’s final three games and finished with 490 yards rushing.
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Recruiting Inside The Stat: Starr’s Mill punter Chris Ward
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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77: Yards of a punt by Starr’s Mill’s Chris Ward, a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150, who is committed to North Carolina State.
— On the kick: “We were deep in our own territory, I got a really good snap and I got a lot of leg into it. It was in the air a long time. My drop was perfect. I couldn’t have hit it any better, to be honest.”
— On his longest kick: “I’ve hit a 60-yarder maybe. This was definitely my longest.”
— On how much of it was roll: “My mom told me it rolled about 15 yards so I guess it went about 60 yards from the line of scrimmage. I got it to turn over and the nose hit the ground and it rolled forward. Whenever I first started doing this, I thought it would be easier, but it’s pretty difficult.”
— On how people reacted: “They were very excited for me. We were down 28-7 so nobody was too pumped up, but I got some high fives.”
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UGA recruit Arthur Fontaine had ‘frustrating” start to official visit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Tight end Arthur Fontaine of Dartmouth, Mass., who has committed to Georgia, had a terrible start for his official visit to Athens last weekend.
Fontaine caught an Atlanta-bound flight from Providence, R.I., at 6 a.m. Saturday. But the plane made an emergency landing in Baltimore because the fuel gauge wasn’t working.
After sitting around the airport for three hours, Fontaine contemplated flying back home and saving the recruiting trip for another weekend. “I was so, so frustrated … very frustrated,” he said.
But Fontaine decided to try another flight to Atlanta and drove up to Stanford Stadium only minutes before kickoff of the Tennessee game.
He said watching Georgia win calmed him down from the day’s earlier events. “Everything ended up it good. I’m glad I went,” he said.
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