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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
UGA-bound Orson Charles says he’s focused on Bulldogs, not Florida
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Orson Charles said a “horrible” recruiting effort by Florida’s former tight ends coach was one of the major reasons he didn’t sign with the BCS champions, the Palm Beach Post reported.
The tight end from Tampa signed with Georgia last Friday over Southern Cal and Tennessee. Charles had also considered Florida earlier in the recruiting process.
When the AJC asked Charles about the comment on Wednesday night, he said, “I’m not trying to stir anything up. I’m trying to get ready to go to the University of Georgia. The only thing that really turned me off about Florida was I had a gut feeling it wasn’t the best place for me. However, I wish Florida the best. Right now, my only focus is getting ready to play at Georgia.”
According to the Post’s Ben Volin, Charles said the Florida assistant John Hevesy, who left the Gators in January for Mississippi State, was one of the biggest reasons Charles isn’t a Gator. The story said that Florida later assigned another coach to recruit Charles, but it was too late.
“John Hevesy, when he came, that was just horrible. That turned things around,” Charles was quoted by the Post. “He just wasn’t a good recruiter. He wasn’t really recruiting me, just calling me once a month.”
Charles said he has met three out of the last four days with Aaron Murray to study Georgia’s playbook. Charles and Murray played together at Tampa’s Plant High, which won Florida’s Class AAAA championship last December. Murray, who plays quarterback, signed with Georgia and enrolled early in college. Murray returned to Tampa this week for Spring Break.
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.
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
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
Permalink | Comments (105) | Post your comment | Categories: Florida, UGA
Hillgrove QB Days makes school history with offer from Oklahoma State
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Hillgrove junior quarterback Syjyn Days made history earlier this week when he became the first football player in the school’s three-year history to receive a Division 1 scholarship offer after receiving a phone call from Oklahoma State.
“He’s probably our first athlete in any sport to receive a Division 1 offer,” Hillgrove coach David Ironside said of the Powder Springs-based school.
“Something like this is always good because it boosts the morale for kids to want to come and play.”
For Days, the offer from Oklahoma State will give him even more confidence heading into spring practice.
“He’s a highly-recruited player, but nobody had offered,” Ironside said. “That put a lot of pressure on him.
“Now he’s got that comfort in knowing he’s got the first offer. It will make it a lot easier on him.”
The Cowboys are recruiting the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Days as a safety and outside linebacker. Days starts at quarterback for Hillgrove and plays part-time at free safety.
“Synjyn mentioned prior to getting the offer from Oklahoma State that he thought it would be an exciting place to go,” Ironside said.
Days is also being heavily recruited by Georgia Tech and N.C. State.
“And there’s a lot of other schools sending mail, like Alabama, Louisville, East Carolina and Duke,” Ironside said. “He’s going to a lot of junior days and will going to camps this summer.”
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.
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
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
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Alabama, Tech
Henry County’s Markeith Ambles a big fan of Lane Kiffin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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It’s been nearly two weeks since Henry County’s Markeith Ambles attended Junior Day at Tennessee.
But the positive impression made by Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin that weekend remains fresh on the 6-foot-3, 185-pound wide receiver’s mind.
“I think he’s pretty cool,” said Ambles, who currently hold just over 30 scholarship offers. “He’s different from all the other coaches.
“I like him. I think he’ll change that program a little bit. And I like the offense they’re going to run, the pro style like Southern Cal.”
Ambles went on to proclaim that he’ll make another trip to Knoxville.
“I will go back there for another visit,” he said.
His newest offer arrived from UCLA. Ambles said he’s intrigued by the thought of playing for the Bruins.
“It’s a great possibility,” he said.
Though he doesn’t have an offer from Georgia, he still plans to visit Athens for the Dogs’ Junior Day on March 21.
“We’ve been talking lately, but there’s nothing really new with Georgia,” he said.
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.
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
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
Permalink | Comments (30) | Post your comment | Categories: Tennessee, UGA
Recruiting Rewind: Perry OL didn’t believe Steve Spurrier about academics
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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When it comes to recruiting, college coaches will pull out all the stops. Some pray, some disrobe, and some may even bend the truth.
Steve Spurrier fell in the latter when he drove to middle Georgia to try and convince Perry offensive lineman Johnnie Farms to recommit to South Carolina by explaining that the SEC is academically superior to the ACC.
“It’s not even close,” said Farms, who committed to South Carolina before committing and eventually signing with North Carolina. “I knew all along the ACC is better academically. I just wanted to see how far he would go. He didn’t go too far, but he went far enough.”
With signing day over, Farms shares the real story:
Q. Any regrets about the recruiting process? A. “No regrets, but I wish I would have explored my options a little more. I wanted to look at some other schools like Oklahoma, Texas and LSU. I had offers from OU and LSU, but I never looked at them. I thought they were too far, but they are the same distance as North Carolina.”
Q. How did you end things with Spurrier? A. He is a cool guy. Recruiting is a big game and someone has to win. Everyone is coming after you saying the same things trying to get you. You can’t let them get to your head. [Steve] Spurrier tried to tell me the SEC was better academically than the ACC, but I knew all along it wasn’t. I just listened to what he had to say. No hard feelings.
Q. What one piece of advice would you give a junior going through the recruiting process? A. Weigh all your options and make a decision early so you don’t lose the school you want. (Farms received an offer from Alabama and when he tried to commit Crimson Tide coaches told him they were full at his position).
Q. Was decommitting from South Carolina hard? A. It was hard, but I got through it.
Q. What happened with Georgia and Georgia Tech? A. Tech came in my sophomore year, and I told them I wasn’t going to Tech. I didn’t want to play in the ACC, but I ended up going to an ACC school. I don’t know why that is. I don’t know why I didn’t go to UGA. I can’t give you an answer. I just got off the phone with [UGA commit] Abry Jones and I couldn’t give him an answer either. Maybe I wanted to get out of state.
Q. Which head coach was the nicest? A. Urban Meyer. He is just a cool guy. We did a lot of talking.
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.
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
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
Permalink | Comments (38) | Post your comment | Categories: South Carolina
Recruiting Rewind: Izaan Cross admits Georgia Tech was once fourth on list
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Flowery Branch defensive end Izaan Cross, who signed with Georgia Tech last month, admits that he had “no faith” in the Jackets at one point during the recruiting process. Tech plunged to fourth on the list of schools he was considering.
But his official visit to Tech helped put the Jackets back on top. Cross plans to attend part of Tech’s upcoming spring practice and sit in on team meetings.
With signing day over, Farms shares the real story:
Q: With Jaybo Shaw and Daniel Drummond and the way they’re recruiting Connor Shaw, Flowery Branch seems to have a deep connection with Georgia Tech. Did that play into your decision to sign with Georgia Tech? A: “Not at all. I’m the type of person that wants the individual stuff. I didn’t like hearing the pipeline stuff. I want to the make the best decision for me.”
Q: Did you maintain any secrets while you were being recruited? A: “There was one time in my recruiting process when I absolutely had no faith in Georgia Tech. I had them fourth on my list. They were number one at first and I thought ‘how am I going to do there academically?’” At one point, they were totally out of the equation. But ultimately, they were the best fit when I started to evaluate. I talked to a bunch of the players when I went on my official and they said ‘you really get helped out [academically] when you are a football player. They try to help you out with every obstacle to get your grades right.’ And I kept thinking if I get a Georgia Tech degree, I’ll be pretty solid no matter if I play football or not after college.”
Q: There was a lot written about you and Clemson. Who actually finished second in the recruitment of Izaan Cross? A: “That’s tough. It might have been Central Florida. I don’t know if [Central Florida] could have done anything different. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about Central Florida. I just knew that Georgia Tech was the one.”
Q: What was your best overall recruiting experience? A: “When I went on my official visit to Georgia Tech. I’m glad my family went with me on that trip because we ate like kings. We ate at the Capital Grille and they fed us on campus in one of the suites above the stadium. I tell you, the meal in the suite might have given the Capital Grille a run for their money.”
Q: What else stood out about Tech? A: “Six coaches from Georgia Tech came to my house at the same time. I was like ‘whoa, they’re not playing games. They really want me at Georgia Tech.’”
Q: What are your thoughts on Tech defensive line coach Giff Smith? A: “My take on coach Smith is that he’s a real straight up guy. I like people telling me how they feel and what I need to work on. He’s a great guy to be around. With coach Smith, you can talk to him about anything.”
Q: Do you recall a funny moment while being recruited? A: “The best laugh I had was when I was talking to [Florida] coach [Urban] Meyer on the phone. My parents had wanted me to go to Mississippi State to see [former Bulldogs] coach [Sylvester] Croom instead of going to Florida’s Friday Night Lights. Coach Meyer told me ‘it’s not as good as Mississippi State or anything they’ve got going on over there. We only have about 85,000 fans or so [for games], but it’s nothing as good as they have at Mississippi State.’”
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you can offer juniors who are being recruited? A: “Don’t slack off in the classroom because that’s only going to make things harder in the long run. You get those first few [scholarship] offers and it makes it easy to lose focus on the academics.”
Q: Who was the best player you faced in high school on another team? A: It was the tight end from Ridgeland, [Michael Roberson]. He did a particularly good job blocking me when we played them in the state playoffs [last fall]. I wound up breaking two middle fingers in that game, so I don’t know if that was effecting me. It was cold, but I couldn’t shake him.”
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.
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
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
Permalink | Comments (31) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech
Lane Kiffin denies “pumping gas” accusation, says ESPN report
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin denied telling South Carolina recruit that he “would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life” on Tuesday, according to ESPN.
Alshon Jeffrey of St. Matthews, S.C., one of the nation’s top prospects at wide receiver, signed with South Carolina after an intense recruiting battle with Southern Cal and Tennessee.
On Tuesday, Kiffin told ESPN, “I never said that to Alshon, nor would I say anything like that… That’s just not something I would say.”
ESPN’s Chris Lowe had reported, “Kiffin told Jeffrey during the wee hours of the morning on national signing day that he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like all the other players in the state of South Carolina if he signed with the Gamecocks.”
Two weekends ago on Tennessee’s Junior Day, several assistants pulled a shirt-ripping stunt to get prospective recruits excited about Tennessee football.
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.
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
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
Permalink | Comments (76) | Post your comment | Categories: Tennessee, UGA
