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DEL.ICIO.USRecruiting Rewind: Stone Mountain LB tells what happened with South Carolina
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Stone Mountain linebacker Robert Nelson thought he was going to be a South Carolina Gamecock. But in the cut-throat world of college football, coaches come and go, communication lines break down, and often times players fall through the cracks.
“All I have to say about South Carolina is they better be ready when we play them,” said Nelson, who will be playing for Tennessee next year.
With signing day over, Nelson shares the real story:
Q. What happened with South Carolina? A. “[Former South Carolina assistant Ron Cooper] led me to believe that he was giving Coach [Ellis] Johnson all the information he needed about me. But he wasn’t and when Cooper left for LSU they didn’t know much about me. I ended up not having a scholarship offer. I was forgotten about.”
Q. What one piece of advice can you give juniors who will be going through this recruiting process next year? A. “Keep in touch with the schools you have on the back burner. You never know what could happen.”
Q. What kind of guy is Lane Kiffin and how did he influence you to come to Tennessee? A. “He seems fired up about the up and coming season. He wants to make a change and he is passionate about it. He told us it’s easy to come into a winning program and continue winning, but it’s a lot harder to come into a losing program and turn it around. I’m ready to help him out with that. He wears his passion for football on his sleeve.”
Q. What was the best single experience you had on any of your recruiting trips? A. In Monte Kiffin’s office we had a meeting with just the linebackers and Coach Monte got right in my face and told me I’d be playing exactly where Derrick Brooks played. He had me ready to go and hit somebody right then and there. For an older guy you can really see his passion for defense and the game of football.
Q. Who was the best player you ever played against in high school? Tucker’s Jonathan Davis [who had his scholarship rescinded by South Carolina after committing to the Gamecocks]. He is a hard runner and he is a good friend of mine. We were both going to go to South Carolina, but it didn’t work out that way for either of us.
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Permalink | Comments (36) | Post your comment | Categories: South Carolina, Tennessee
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By c robinson
March 10, 2009 7:58 AM | Link to this
Two coach you don’t want your son to play for. Can you figure out whih SEC coaches they are?
By baloney
March 10, 2009 11:24 AM | Link to this
Well, if I were muslim I doubt I would want to play for coach Richt since he is of a different faith.If I were a defensive player, I probably would not want to play for UGA (Martinez) or Carolina (Offensive minded team) And Les Miles is way out there, Brooks at Kentucky is ready to retire, so they will be an unknown. Houston Nutt is a good coach, but probably facing probation soon.Saban has too many great players to compete with.Meyer has too many great players to compete with plus he tends to be an expert on the offensive side. MS State nevermind, Vandy nevermind. Auburn? jury is out on their new coach. I guess Kiffin would have to be high on the list to play for. They have a good opportunity for players and they have a proven defensive coach, plus the younger Kiffin has had success as an offensive coach in college.Plus since UGA is always so good I doubt that they have any openings for early play time. Plus their staff reeks of the ole buddy system.
By GeoffDawg
March 10, 2009 12:58 PM | Link to this
I just want to say that with this guy and that gas pumping (according to Kiffin) WR at SC, the Vol v Gamecock game may be a must see for the next few years.
By Smyrna Man
March 10, 2009 1:04 PM | Link to this
Yes Sir Robert!! USCjr better be ready!!
Welcome to the Volnation
By Captain Obvious
March 10, 2009 1:07 PM | Link to this
“Baloney” fits your name to a T. I guess you have forgotten about Musa Smith and Mo Massaqoui being muslims, huh? Keep drinking that orange poision and be sure to keep us in the loop when Tennessee is looking for a new HC a couple of years from now.
Back to the topic at hand. Nelson is a fine LB and will be an asset to any program, even the one that’s run by The Pacifier. And no surprise that Nelson cited Jonathan Davis. UCF got them a steal with this young man.
By baloney
March 10, 2009 1:16 PM | Link to this
Where did I say anything negative about muslim or christian faith. Sure different faiths attend different schools. I just said what I would do. I didn’t say what any other muslim or any other jew,budist,catholic etc. would do. You idiot.
By dap01
March 10, 2009 1:25 PM | Link to this
Baloney: Thanks for that injection of intellect!
By Sorry about That
March 10, 2009 1:59 PM | Link to this
I owe Tucker’s Jonthan Davis an apology. I didn’t realize he was doing this to other kids, too. Stone Mountain’s High School coach ought to ban Spurrier, too
By Captain Obvious
March 10, 2009 2:10 PM | Link to this
LOL, as Mr. Dap just mused, Baloney, you are indeed a fountain of intellect. You post that you doubted a muslim couldn’t possibly want to play for Richt/Georgia, I mention that Smith and Mo Mass are both muslims, and then you throw out the “you idiot” card. Take some advice (or don’t)……Be sure to see if your middle school has a course in Logic, and see if you can sign up for it next semester. It will do you a world of good, because if you don’t, you may have to attend the University of South Carolina. And as The Pacifier told another recruit, you’ll then only be able to look forward to a lifetime of pumping gas! Best of luck, dolt.
By atlgamecock
March 10, 2009 2:53 PM | Link to this
this is not steve’s fault. this is ron coopers fault, there is a reason why he is gone.
By baloney
March 10, 2009 2:55 PM | Link to this
Can you not read? I said I would not I would not repeat I would not play for UGA if I were muslim. If those other 2 want to play for UGA then so be it. That is their business.Cocklips.
By baloney
March 10, 2009 3:02 PM | Link to this
And don’t cry just because someone else doesn’t speak as highly of UGA and their coach as you may. That is one of the many reasons there are some many teams and coaches to play for. Each has their own personality. Some may not fit with others.Just as Richts son fit with Tommy Bowden and didn’t apparently mesh too well with Dabo Swinney. You see Jon Richt has a choice.??
By Captain Obvious
March 10, 2009 9:55 PM | Link to this
C*cklips? Thanks again for reaffirming the belief that you are truly a freaking genius, and evidently, really a middle school student. As far as crying? Bad news for you, sporto, in that I’m not a Georgia fan, and while I think Richt is a good coach, there are a bunch out there that I think are as good, if not better, than him. You still don’t understand, do you? By your reasoning, if someone’s a Muslim, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, or a Scientologist, then they possibly wouldn’t want to play for Richt because they wouldn’t be the same faith as he? Again, brilliant!
Don’t forget to tell mommy to help you lay off your sugar intake as it seems to make you all jumpy and your thoughts convoluted. Either that, or you need to have your pediatrician increase the dosage per day of the ritalin you take.
By Someone In The Know
March 11, 2009 2:22 AM | Link to this
Steve Spurrier is in charge of the program, not some rinky dink former or current assistant. Man up Spurrier.
By DeployedDawg
March 11, 2009 7:35 AM | Link to this
It isn’t smart for SOS to keep alienating schools in GA. SC needs out of state talent to compete in the SEC and GA is its best neighbor for talent.
By JW
March 11, 2009 9:22 AM | Link to this
As a Gamecock Alum, I want to chime in on this. First the Nelson and Davis situations were totally different. Following our recruiting we filled up at LB very early in the process with 5 before December, and still wanted to take a JUCO to come in and help us immediately. Nelson is gonna be a BEAST and I wish we still had a spot for him but we didn’t point blank, it happens all accross America (UGA, Tenn, Ala, Clem, etc etc) so I’m not really sure why this is being made any sort of big deal. With Davis you have Coach Cooper who offered a kid that was not approved by Spurrier for multiple reasons… I have heard (from a Coach I might add) that this has happend before with Cooper and we have been forced to take a kid because of it. Spurrier was not having it this time and informed Cooper that he should “look around”… which is why he is now employed by LSU. It has been said that he is a very GOOD COACH, just struggles communicating in recruiting…
By JW
March 11, 2009 9:27 AM | Link to this
As a Gamecock Alum, I want to chime in on this. First the Nelson and Davis situations were totally different. Following our recruiting we filled up at LB very early in the process with 5 before December, and still wanted to take a JUCO to come in and help us immediately. Nelson is gonna be a BEAST and I wish we still had a spot for him but we didn’t point blank, it happens all accross America (UGA, Tenn, Ala, Clem, etc etc) so I’m not really sure why this is being made any sort of big deal. With Davis you have Coach Cooper who offered a kid that was not approved by Spurrier for multiple reasons… I have heard (from a Coach I might add) that this has happend before with Cooper and we have been forced to take a kid because of it. Spurrier was not having it this time and informed Cooper that he should “look around”… which is why he is now employed by LSU. It has been said that he is a very GOOD COACH, just struggles communicating in recruiting…
By gamecockboy
March 11, 2009 6:08 PM | Link to this
WHO IS NELSON? AS A GAMECOCK I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF HIM…LOL WE HAVE ALSHON JEFFERY AND GILES AND THE VOLS R JUST MAD THAT THEY SAW THOUGH THE LIES…GET READY NELSON B/C U R GOING TO BE ON THE BENCH WATCHING YOUR OLE UGLY AS YELLOW VOLS GET SPURRED BY THESE GAMECOCKS!!!
DON’T MESS WITH THE COCKS OR U WILL GET SPURRED!!!
GOOO COCKS!!!
By UT WILD BOY
March 11, 2009 8:36 PM | Link to this
I think UT maybe in trouble if we are taking Gamecock rejects - time to go rip off my shirt!!!
By SOS
March 11, 2009 11:44 PM | Link to this
This article is based on a lie…….Nelson is lying if he is trying to imply that he was led on throughout the recruiting process that he had a scholarship. USC was VERY high on Nelson, and told him during our July Showcase camp that he was the #1 LB on our list.
Ron Cooper did have a bad habit of promising schollies to too many prospects he recruited, without consulting with our recruiting director or with Spurrier or our defensive coordinator. But Nelson WAS communicated to early on that we were filling up at LB, and he needed to pee or get off the pot, or there won’t be a committable offer left for him. This was communicated to Nelson as early as September 2008:
http://www.goupstate.com/article/20081010/PSPORTS02/810100293/-1/PSPORTS
There was a reason why we put the secondary coach of the #1 secondary in the SEC for two straight seasons into a position where he needed to find a job or be fired quick. Spurrier had gotten fed up with Cooper’s shenanigans, and wouldn’t take it anymore. It’s caused some PR issues at some high schools in Cooper’s former regions, but in time they will be healed. But Mr. Nelson is not being true nor fair to USC in this article….
By SOS
March 11, 2009 11:47 PM | Link to this
This article is based on a lie…….Nelson is lying if he is trying to imply that he was led on throughout the recruiting process that he had a scholarship. USC was VERY high on Nelson, and told him so during our July Showcase camp.
Ron Cooper did have a bad habit of promising schollies to too many prospects he recruited, without consulting with our recruiting director or with Spurrier or our defensive coordinator. But Nelson WAS communicated to early on that we were filling up at LB, and he needed to pee or get off the pot, or there wouldn’t be a committable offer left for him. This was communicated to Nelson as early as September 2008:
Palmettosports.com
There was a reason why we put the secondary coach of the #1 secondary in the SEC for two straight seasons into a position where he needed to find a job or be fired quick. Spurrier had gotten fed up with Cooper’s shenanigans, and wouldn’t take it anymore. It’s caused some PR issues at some high schools in Cooper’s former regions, but in time they will be healed. But Mr. Nelson is not being true nor fair to USC in this article….
By SOS
March 11, 2009 11:59 PM | Link to this
Rats…..sorry on the double-post……after I made my post, and selected “Post” below it, it just kept processing and processing, and never confirmed that it took……so I tried it again….
lol, sorry……
By USC FAN
March 12, 2009 7:57 AM | Link to this
Ron Cooper promised those guys scholarships after being told not to? That is not SOS’s fault. Cooper is,was a cancer and now he is Miles’s problem. He was out at USC anyways after the season, so good riddance!
By B.Springs C**
March 12, 2009 10:33 AM | Link to this
So this crybaby has SC circled on his schedule. Big deal… the entire SEC has Tennessee circled on their schedule due to the @ss-clownery of their HC, so he’d better be ready for the entire season, not just the SC game.
By cockyspur2001
March 12, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this
Robert Nelson??!! Neva heard of him. Good luck Robbie. I’m sure you’ll be ready to cheer your teammates on from the bench….HAHAHAHA. We steal UTs top recruit, and they steal a guy our DC didn’t even know about….yeah, we’ll be ready!
By cockyspur2001
March 12, 2009 1:04 PM | Link to this
Robert Nelson??!! Neva heard of him. Good luck Robbie. I’m sure you’ll be ready to cheer your teammates on from the bench….HAHAHAHA. We steal UTs top recruit, and they steal a guy our DC didn’t even know about….yeah, we’ll be ready!
By Borderbash
March 12, 2009 3:11 PM | Link to this
Ron Cooper had major issues in his last year in Columbia. The AJC writer should’ve written about that too, but we’ve come to expect such from the vast majority of sports “journalists”. Cooper was specifically miffed because he wasn’t offerred the Defensive Coordinator position. The very coach that did get that job, Ellis, is the same one Cooper supposedly didn’t keep up to date with Nelson’s info. SOS helped Cooper to the door (not saying that Cooper isn’t a GREAT position coach, he is). As for the other kid, Davis, SOS specifically told Cooper, during a meeting with the other recruiters present, NOT TO OFFER Davis. Cooper offerred and didn’t even tell anyone else until later. When SOS did find out, he was extremely unhappy with Cooper and told him that Davis still wouldn’t be in a Gamecock uniform.
Now who’s for a little responsible journalism around here?
By Gamecock grad
March 13, 2009 6:19 AM | Link to this
Borderbash, do you work in South Carolina’s football office? No, so shut the $@#* up. Cooper did a great job at South Carolina. That’s why LSU wanted him. We wish him the best at LSU. He’ll do great there. Coach Spurrier knew all about Jonathan Davis. We got Coach Spurrier on the phone with Jonathan Davis the night he committed to South Carolina. Spurrier himself accepted the commitment. We had too many kids on scholarship, and had to cut someone loose. Because Cooper wasn’t in the recruiting meetings anymore, he wasn’t around to fight for his players like the other assistants. Coach Spurrier admits he should’ve handled the Davis situation a little better. But Jonathan moved forward, and so did we. Borderbash, you don’t speak for anybody in S.C.’s football office so shut up.
By borderbash
March 13, 2009 2:44 PM | Link to this
I guess I’ll have to admonish my good friend for giving me that terrible information then. Maybe we shouldn’t let him recruit for us anymore.
By YOURNAME
March 14, 2009 6:15 PM | Link to this
I hate to tell you Gamecock grad but I was close to the situation and borderbash is hitting the nail on the head. Cooper was a joke and wont be missed at all. Hell, he told munnerlyn he would be a first round draft pick, what a joke.
By David M.
March 15, 2009 10:58 AM | Link to this
Once again baloney proves he is full of something a lot smellier. Musa Smith and Muhammed Massaquoi were both Muslims and they may not be the only ones to play for coach Richt during his tenure at UGA.
By David M.
March 15, 2009 10:59 AM | Link to this
Once again baloney proves he is full of something a lot smellier. Musa Smith and Muhammed Massaquoi were both Muslims and they may not be the only ones to play for coach Richt during his tenure at UGA.
By DawgBite
March 15, 2009 11:07 AM | Link to this
By Gamecock grad
March 13, 2009 6:19 AM Borderbash, you don’t speak for anybody in S.C.’s football office so shut up.
And neither do you dumbazz so STFU you ignorant poser.
By Groovy
March 18, 2009 6:28 PM | Link to this
Gamecockgrad, borderdash is EXACTLY right. Cooper was a mess & caused the problems with both Nelson & Davis. He also tried to convince Captain, E Cook & Darian Steward INTO going pro when he knew Ellis Johnson did not want him around.
The guy caused major problems. That is a FACT. He is gone now, & the recruits anger should be directed at HIM, not at SC & SOS.
By Groovy
March 18, 2009 6:28 PM | Link to this
Gamecockgrad, borderdash is EXACTLY right. Cooper was a mess & caused the problems with both Nelson & Davis. He also tried to convince Captain, E Cook & Darian Steward INTO going pro when he knew Ellis Johnson did not want him around.
The guy caused major problems. That is a FACT. He is gone now, & the recruits anger should be directed at HIM, not at SC & SOS.
By Jeff
March 22, 2009 8:02 PM | Link to this
Cooper was a mess last year and tried to screw the program in more ways than one. He’s a heck of an evaluator and developer of talent but a terrible recruiter and a worse person. I’m glad he’s gone. After taking a closer look at Nelson the Gamecocks decided they didn’t want him and never received a commitment from him. The Davis situation wasn’t handled well b/c of Cooper’s maverick attitude. Then the kid embarrassed the program with some derogatory comments and had his offer rescinded as a result. I’m glad all three are elsewhere.