AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 02
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
South Paulding CB Ayers invited to Georgia Tech junior day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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South Paulding cornerback Ryan Ayers has been invited to junior day at Georgia Tech on Jan. 31.
“I really do like Georgia Tech a lot,” Ayers said. “I went to three of their games this year. I’ve been getting letters from them.
“I’ve talked to [Tech assistant] coach **[Brian] Bohannon. I’ve talked to him a few times.”
Ayers’ current scholarship offers are from Arkansas, Duke and North Carolina.
A solid performance during Tech’s junior day will likely result in an offer from the Jackets.
“I want to go in and make a good impression,” Ayers said.
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MIlton RB excited about Tennessee’s coach, but still looking around
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Milton running back Toney Williams looks at new Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin and thinks two words: LenDale White. Well, that one other thing.
“I’m fired up,” said Williams, who opened up his recruitment following the firing of former UT coach Phillip Fulmer. “He said everything I wanted to hear at that (opening) press conference. He said we’re going work hard, and we’re going outwork other people. Stuff like that makes me comfortable being there. You work hard, and good things will happen.”
Williams — who has been considering visits to Kentucky and Arkansas — is rated a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and was the fourth commitment of the Vols 2009 class. The firing of Fulmer and doubt about the job security of assistant coach Latrell Scott led the bruising senior runner to look around.
Schools like Georgia Tech were just waiting on the doorstep, but Williams for the most part said told area teams that he’s not interested. He was just waiting to see what developed in Knoxville. So far so good for the new administration.
“I’m still undecided about my official visits, but after that press conference, I’m really excited about Tennessee,” Williams said. “I’ve always liked the whole program. The whole environment is amazing, just how much people actually care in Knoxville.”
Williams is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150. He’ll be taking his official visit to Tennessee on Dec. 12.
He was considering a visit to Kentucky this weekend but has remained undecided. There’s a good reason, too. With Kiffin comes images of Southern Cal’s potent offense that included great tailbacks like Reggie Bush and White, whom Williams said he could model his game after in Kiffin’s new system.
Kiffin’s decision to retain Scott could make a small different in what Williams chooses to do, but it won’t end his attachment to the Vols.
“I would love to have him around but even if they let him go, I still really, really like Tennessee,” Williams said. “But him being there would make me more comfortable. I just like him a lot as a person. I really do want him around.”
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Stephenson LB likely to stick with Tennessee commitment
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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You can have Lane Kiffin. The man Stephenson linebacker Nigel Mitchell-Thornton is interested in is his old man.
The expected hiring of long time NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin to the new Tennessee coaching staff has players excited, but none more so than the Jaguars star.
“Right now, I’m still committed to them,” Mitchell-Thornton said. “When Coach ( Phillip) Fulmer was fired, I was probably about 60 percent committed to them. But now, Coach (Lane) Kiffin is in there, and I’m about 80-90 percent. You look at the defensive staff that he might put together, and it’s exciting.”
Mitchell-Thornton, like most UT commitments, began looking around the NCAA landscape after the firing of Fulmer. The developments of the past few days, including Lane Kiffin’s hiring, have placed his attention on the Vols.
“That peaked my interest,” Mitchell-Thornton said. “I haven’t read that much on him (Monte Kiffin), but he’s a big time NFL coach. You would come into a situation where you could learn about the NFL and how to play there before you even get to that level. That’s exciting to me. You’re just going to learn so much more.”
Mitchell-Thornton is a member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150 and will take his official visit to Knoxville on Dec. 12.
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Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, South Carolina, Tech, Tennessee
Lassiter TE Lutzenkirchen expecting UGA offer this week
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The race for Lassiter tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen could grow more crowded this week. The Trojans senior said via text message that he expects offers from Georgia and Texas sometime this week.
Lutzenkirchen reaffirmed his commitment to Auburn with an official visit to the Tigers in November but has remained open to other offers while Tommy Tuberville decides on his new offensive coordinator.
The 6-foot-4, 240 pounder has received offers from Texas Tech, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina since the firing of Tony Franklin. He has visited Florida twice, unofficially, and Florida State once on an official visit. Georgia Tech offered Lutzenkirchen last year.
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Permalink | Comments (26) | Post your comment | Categories: Auburn, FSU, Florida, Other schools, South Carolina, Tech, UGA
New Tennessee coach to meet Georgia prospects on Thursday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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New Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin plans to be in Georgia on Thursday to meet with two of the state’s top prospects, according to Centennial coach Jeff Measor.
Kifffin is scheduled to talk with Centennial defensive end Euclid Cummings, who is one of the state’s top uncommitted players and hearing from Georgia Tech and Florida. Kiffin will also greet Milton fullback Toney Williams, who is committed to Tennessee but was looking around at other schools after the departure of Phil Fulmer.
A chief purpose of the visit is to reassure both players that the Volunteers’ program is stable under new leadership.
“He’s going to see Toney to reassure him, then come get to know Euclid,” Measor said. “It’s a chance for Euclid to get out of class for a sec, meet [Kiffin] for a few minutes, match a face to the name and whatnot. They’ll tell him they like him a lot, are still interested in him a lot, etc.”
Kiffin, a former coach of the Oakland Raiders and assistant at Southern California, is making rounds during the open contact period with high school players, which began this week. Measor said the Vols’ 21st head coach is coming with assistant coach Latrell Scott, Tennessee’s primary recruiter in Georgia.
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Spurrier meets with Perry OL Johnnie Farms
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier met with Perry offensive lineman Johnnie Farms on Tuesday to try to convince him to take an official visit to Columbia, S.C., next weekend.
“There is a good chance I’ll go, but I’m not sure yet,” Farms told the AJC.
The 6-foot-3, 306-pound Farms said he and Spurrier spoke for about 20 minutes in the coaches’ office at Perry High School, and Spurrier explained to him the difference between playing in the SEC and ACC.
“He also compared the graduation rate between the two schools,” said Farms. “He said South Carolina is No. 6 and North Carolina is No. 15.”
He said Spurrier also spoke with his mother and grandfather for more than an hour about the program.
“He wants me to go to South Carolina and see what they have to offer,” he said. “I’m thinking about it, but I’m still committed to North Carolina.”
Farms de-committed from South Carolina on Nov. 23, then committed to North Carolina after his official visit to Chapel Hill.
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Kiffin makes WR Marlon Brown a top recruiting priority
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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UGA’s chances of landing its No. 1 target at wide receiver, Marlon Brown of Memphis, may have gotten a little more challenging after Monday’s turn of events.
When Lane Kiffin was introduced as Tennessee’s new coach, he made it a point to say he wanted to “put a fence around the state of Tennessee” to keep recruits from going elsewhere.
Then Kiffin left the press conference, hopped on a plane, and met in person with Brown later that evening. Kiffin attended Brown’s basketball game and then made an in-home visit, according to VolQuest.
“It was very important that he came to see me first,” Brown told the website. “He told me that he could have went to an alumni dinner and stuff in Knoxville to get settled in, but that he came to see me because he wants to recruit the best in America.”
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Brown has made official visits to UGA and Ohio State, and will take recruiting trips to LSU, Florida and Tennessee in January. Brown said last month that he plans to return to Georgia for an unofficial visit to watch a basketball game.
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Georgia Tech coaches hitting the recruiting trail
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson and assistant Brian Bohannon were scheduled to visit quarterback Jordan Luallen of Center Grove High in Greenwood, Ind. on Sunday.
But the visit was delayed several days.
“They were supposed to be here on Sunday, but they wound up rescheduling,” said Luallen, a Tech commit who led Center Grove to the Class 5A state championship on Saturday. “They wanted to give us some time to celebrate our big victory.”
Tech coaches will travel to Valdosta on Tuesday to meet with offensive lineman Antonio Foster, who committed to the Jackets last month.
Courtney Dalcourt of Franklin-Simpson (Kent.) High, who is high on Tech’s quarterback wish list, will receive an in-home visit on Wednesday or Thursday.
Euclid Cummings, a defensive end for Centennial, confirmed that Tech coaches are scheduled to meet with him on Thursday.
Tech commit Orwin Smith of Central High in Phenix City, Ala. said Jackets coaches will visit him on Thursday.
Quarterback David Sims of Calhoun County (S.C), who committed to the Jackets nearly two weeks ago, will receive a visit from Tech on Friday.
Jacket coaches will conduct in-home visits with Tech commits Jeremy Moore of Johnson High in Austin, Tex. and Luella’s Roderick Sweeting on Tuesday Dec. 9.
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Are you a senior prospect “overlooked” by colleges? Here’s what to do about it
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Permalink | Comments (21) | Post your comment | Categories: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Other schools, South Carolina, Tech, Tennessee
Salem OL Sam Watts sticking with Mississippi State
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The coach that recruited him won’t be at Mississippi State, but Sam Watts will be. The offensive tackle from Salem High was disappointed when he learned that Sylvester Croom resigned.
“I’m going to miss Coach Croom a lot, but hopefully a lot of the staff will stay,” Watts said.
Watts received a call on Saturday from an assistant coach, and on Monday from MSU athletics director Greg Byrne. Both were very positive and assured Watts that they’re “going to get a good coach in there, so I’m pretty excited.”
Croom was “a big plus,” in the recruiting process, Watts said, but he committed for a lot more reasons than Croom: the campus, the facility, and players. “It’s sad to see him leave but it will be okay,” Watts said.
Louisiana-Monroe called Watts over the weekend, but the player told them that he is firmly committed to Mississippi State.
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Are you a senior prospect “overlooked” by colleges? Here’s what to do about it
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Georgia Tech’s win catches attention of Westlake LB
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Westlake linebacker Dearco Nolan learned a lesson in recruiting: Things are moving pretty fast. Maybe too fast.
“Last night was so crazy. I thought ‘Whoa, I’m not used to this,’” said Nolan, referring to the seven calls from recruiters he had received the previous night. The calls were from schools already recruiting him, including calls from the head coaches at Iowa State and Middle Tennessee State, two of the schools that have been recruiting him the longest.
With the regular season over for most colleges, the recruiting season has picked up. That’s one reason why he said he doesn’t plan to make any visits to prospective schools until after Christmas.
“Right now, I’m just trying to chill and not get caught up in all of the hype,” said Nolan, who has offers from Iowa State, Middle Tennessee, North Carolina State, North Carolina, Mississippi and Marshall.
Nolan said he plans to visit Iowa State on Jan. 16 and is trying to set up a visit to Middle Tennessee. He also wants to make an official visit to UCLA, which hasn’t offered, “but they’re highly interested.”
He said he’s not leaning in any direction yet, but pointed out that Iowa State has been recruiting him for more than a year and a recruiter was at Westlake on Monday.
“I give them the most respect because they’ve been there since the beginning,” he said.
Middle Tennessee has been recruiting Nolan quite a while, too, and the school has appeal because he is a Tennessee native and has a lot of family living in the Volunteer State.
Nolan also expressed interest in Georgia Tech, which hasn’t offered but has been contacting him. He said he wasn’t that interested in the Yellow Jackets, but their strong finish may be changing his mind. “The way they finished the season was amazing,” he said.
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North Atlanta QB receives visit from Georgia Tech coach
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Georgia Tech assistant coach Buzz Preston met with North Atlanta quarterback Jamal Londry-Jackson earlier today. The visit took place on the North Atlanta campus.
“Coach Preston talked about their offense,” said the 6-foot-4, 185-pound Londry-Jackson, who doesn’t have a scholarship offer but is being recruited by the Jackets, Georgia Southern, Miami (Ohio), Middle Tennessee State, Old Dominion and Wofford.
“I asked him questions about Georgia Tech and he said he heard I had done some good things at North Atlanta.”
Londry-Jackson accumulated 1,652 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air this season in a spread offense. He rushed for 276 yards and five touchdowns.
The Jackets already have commitments from quarterbacks Jordan Luallen of Center Grove High in Greenwood, Ind. and David Sims of Calhoun County (S.C). They are expected to sign a total of three quarterbacks in the current recruiting class.
The front-runners for the remaining opening are Dontae Aycock of Chamberlain Senior High in Tampa, Fla. and Courtney Dalcourt of Franklin-Simpson High in Kentucky. But Londry-Jackson remains hopeful that he will receive an offer from Tech.
“It all sounded pretty encouraging,” he said. “Coach Preston said the coaching staff thinks I am an important recruit. He said they’ll take a look at my highlight tape.”
Londry-Jackson sat out part of his junior season after suffering a torn muscle in his calf.
Got some recruiting news? jhood@ajc.com
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Are you a senior prospect “overlooked” by colleges? Here’s what to do about it
Note: Any inappropriate comments will not be tolerated, along with offensive “screen names.” Your posts are identified by the AJC with logging your IP address, not your screen name or email address. We encourage your comments and opinions, and only request that you use good judgment.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech
