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Monday, January 12, 2009
How It Went: Cedar Shoals LB returns from South Florida
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Cedar Shoals linebacker DeDe Lattimore took his first official visit to South Florida this weekend but did not commit.
“They offered while I was down there and it was tough to say no, but I wanted to wait and think it over with my mom,” the 6-foot, 230-pound senior said. “Tampa is a real cool town.”
Lattimore also has an offer from Kentucky and he has an official visit scheduled for Jan. 30. He said he will wait until Signing Day before making a decision.
“I’m trying to set something up with Auburn as well,” he said. “I think they will be next to offer.”
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to pgiltman@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Are you a senior prospect overlooked by colleges? Here’s what to do about it and it’s never too late.
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Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Auburn, Other schools
Blessed Trinity OL gets two offers in 24 hours
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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William and Mary offered Matt Crisafi a scholarship on Monday, in advance of the Blessed Trinity lineman’s official visit there this weekend.
The Georgia 150 player had been set to leave Friday for the Williamsburg, Va., school with his parents, Frank and Diane, and 14-year-old brother Jack. But to the 6-foot-3, 305-pound lineman’s mild surprise, William and Mary offensive line coach Bob Solderitch called with the offer ahead of time.
The Tribe’s offer followed Furman’s offer to Crisafi Sunday, just hours after he returned from an official visit to Samford.
“I just started talking to (William and Mary) two weeks ago,” Crisafi said. “I knew an offer was either going to come or not come this week, but I didn’t think it’d be (Monday).
“It’s going to be a tough decision, now that I have Samford and Furman and now William and Mary to choose from,” he added. “I’ve got a lot on my plate.”
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Are you a senior prospect overlooked by colleges? Here’s what to do about it and it’s never too late.
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 (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Other schools
Mary Persons holding off to decide between UAB and Middle Tennessee
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Mary Persons offensive lineman Jadareius Hamlin returned from an official visit to Alabama-Birmingham this weekend but did not commit.
“I was really impressed,” the 6-foot-2, 245-pound senior said. “It got me thinking about UAB more than before.”
Hamlin said he knew he wasn’t going to commit even before he made the visit.
“I want to take all my visits,” he said. “I will make my decision on Jan. 20 after I take my last official visit to Middle Tennessee.”
Hamlin, who visited UAB with Carver-Columbus offensive lineman Chris Hubbard, said Troy, UAB and Middle Tennessee are his top choices. Hamlin said Hubbard text him after he committed to UAB.
“It kind of made me want to commit too,” he said. “And what’s funny is that we are going to Middle Tennessee together.”
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to pgiltman@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Are you a senior prospect overlooked by colleges? Here’s what to do about it and it’s never too late.
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 judgement.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Other schools
Steve Spurrier “no longer welcome” to recruit Tucker prospects
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks are “no longer welcome” at Tucker High, one of the state’s top producers of college football prospects.
Tucker coach Franklin Stephens told the AJC of his proclamation after speaking with Spurrier on Sunday night. It had to do with Tucker linebacker Jonathan Davis, who had committed to South Carolina but was told on Friday that the Gamecocks had withdrawn the scholarship offer.
“The bottom line … what South Carolina did to Jonathan was wrong,” Stephens told the AJC. “Coach Spurrier accepted blame for the situation … [but he] is not going to do anything to fix the situation, therefore South Carolina will not be recruiting any more Tucker players.”
On Friday, Stephens had a “heated” conversation with Gamecocks assistant Shane Beamer, who ultimately said “South Carolina had to do what was in South Carolina’s best interests when it came to recruiting,” according Stephens. How did the Tucker coach respond? “I am … not even going to say. It was a heck of a phone call. I’ll just leave it at that.” Stephens held off on commenting until he heard Spurrier’s side of the story on Sunday night.
“It’s not fair what happened to Jonathan,” Stephens said. “When he committed to South Carolina, he turned down scholarship opportunities to other schools. And then those other schools moved on to fill that spot. What South Carolina did was wrong, and the timing of it, so close to signing day [Feb. 4], is worse. It’s just a bad deal.”
After being shocked by South Carolina on Friday, Davis scrambled for college options and made an official visit to Alabama-Birmingham over the weekend. When Davis committed to South Carolina on Dec. 17, he said he had also considered offers from Georgia Tech, Boston College, Central Florida, Oklahoma State, and Louisville. Stephens said he had made some phone calls, but was unaware if any of those schools would offer again.
What really went wrong between South Carolina and Davis? The Gamecocks, per NCAA rules, are not allowed to comment on prospective-student athletes. The 5-foot-7, 205-pound Davis said he was told South Carolina withdrew the offer because it needed to recruit cornerbacks. The Gamecocks projected Davis to play safety.
Everything began to unravel after South Carolina assistant Ron Cooper was hired away by LSU on Jan. 6. Cooper coveted Davis and was the catalyst behind South Carolina’s offer.
What other factors may have contributed?
Stephens said South Carolina’s switch had nothing to do with academics. “Based on his grades and an ACT score, [Davis] is on track to qualify.”
Also, South Carolina is loaded up on commitments, with 25 players saying they intend to sign with the Gamecocks, and scholarship offers still out to several elite prospects, including defensive tackle Kwame Geathers of Carver’s Bay, S.C., and Garden City Junior College wide receiver Cameron Kenney, who is from Dacula. UGA has also offered both Geathers and Kenney.
Stephens is not setting any precedents with his stance toward South Carolina. For example, Carver-Atlanta coach Darren Myles Sr. told the AJC earlier this year that he has banned one Conference USA school from recruiting at his school because it offered scholarships to two of his players last spring, then pulled them when the players were considering a commitment.
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to mcarvell@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Are you a senior prospect overlooked by colleges? Here’s what to do about it and it’s never too late.
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 (232) | Post your comment | Categories: South Carolina, Tech, UGA
RB Washaun Ealey meets with UGA’s coaches about academics
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Washaun Ealey, who some say is the state’s most accomplished tailback since Herschel Walker, has to clear one final hurdle before making it to Georgia.
The record-breaking senior from Emanuel County Institute told the AJC he met with UGA coach Mark Richt to discuss academics on Friday. Ealey said he is close to meeting college entrance requirements.
“I’ve got to make a little higher on my SAT,” Ealey said. “I need to improve my score by just a couple more points.”
Ealey and his ECI teammate, linebacker Dexter Moody, were both early commitments to UGA. They were visited by Richt and assistants Tony Ball and Jon Fabris in Twin City.
“We talked about grades, qualifying and all that,” Ealey said.
During his prolific high school career at the Class A powerhouse, Ealey rushed for nearly 8,000 yards and set state records for career and single-season touchdowns.
The 6-foot, 205-pound Ealey is considered to be one of the headliners of Georgia’s 2009 recruiting class. The Bulldogs are counting heavily on Ealey to qualify so he can add depth to running back after the departure of Knowshon Moreno to the NFL.
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to jhood@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Are you a senior prospect overlooked by colleges? Here’s what to do about it and it’s never too late.
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 (162) | Post your comment | Categories: UGA
Lovejoy OL Andre Harris sticks with Auburn over Georgia Tech
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Categories
Lovejoy offensive lineman Andre Harris reaffirmed his commitment to Auburn this weekend after meeting the new coach Gene Chizik on his official visit.
“[Chizik] is a pretty cool guy to be around,” the 6-foot-4, 305-pound offensive tackle said. “He talked about a new beginning and bringing the winning tradition back to Auburn.”
Harris, who committed to Auburn last July, received an offer from Georgia Tech and was considering taking other official visits to look at different schools.
“That was my first and probably last official visit,” he said. “At this point, my whole experience made me appreciated Auburn even more. That’s where I want to go.”
Got a recruiting item? Please send an email to pgiltman@ajc.com
Here are briefs on the day’s top recruiting stories. Click on the headline of each story to read more.
Do you want to talk about UGA and Georgia Tech recruiting? Or have questions about the state’s top prospects? Then go to the AJC’s “Inside Georgia Recruiting” forum with Michael Carvell
You just want to read about UGA? Click here to go directly to all the UGA recruiting stories
You just want to read about Georgia Tech? Click on this link to go directly to all the Georgia Tech recruiting stories
Are you a senior prospect overlooked by colleges? Here’s what to do about it and it’s never too late.
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 judgement.
Permalink | Comments (25) | Post your comment | Categories: Auburn, Tech
