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DEL.ICIO.USRecruiting 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.
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Permalink | Comments (38) | Post your comment | Categories: South Carolina
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By Bad job of recruiting
March 11, 2009 1:02 AM | Link to this
I guess Steve should have torn his shirt off and started screaming “USC Wild Boyz….USC Wild Boyz”.
By Tech man
March 11, 2009 2:00 AM | Link to this
SOS giving a lecture on academics is like Mark Richt giving a pep talk on playing with toughness. lololol. 45-42, 45-42, 45-42
By Kettle
March 11, 2009 3:10 AM | Link to this
A Tech fan giving his opinion on football is like a supermodel giving her opinion on nuclear physics.
By Dawg Strong
March 11, 2009 5:01 AM | Link to this
Who would want to sign with South Carolina when all they will end up doing is pumping gas?
By bryan
March 11, 2009 7:08 AM | Link to this
hey johnnie,
dont remember your reason for not going to UGA?.?.? No scholly!! Good luck in the “academically superior ACC” WITH fsu AND THE OTHER FINE INSTITUTIONS. Hope you qualify.
By Dave
March 11, 2009 7:51 AM | Link to this
I know after his commitment to NC he was still looking around at other teams and based on all his comments it just sounds like this kid has a hard time making decisions. He is constantly looking at other teams even after recruiting is now over with and he committed to NC he is now talking about OU and LSU..
By Bill
March 11, 2009 8:16 AM | Link to this
Bryan—The ACC isn’t academically superior to the SEC? You are an amusing man, but incorrect. From top to bottom the ACC has superior academics compared to the SEC. How many Rhodes Scholars have been selected from SEC schools in, let’s say, the past 5 years? Would you like to know how many have been selected from FSU alone? THREE! One was a starter on the football team and one was a track star. Your response will certainly be spurious and involve the recent FSU academic scandal, which is irrelevant in this discussion, but you probably went to an SEC school so you are forgiven. I am a graduate of two ACC schools. One of them was FSU, and it was a great school. Y’all better beware the athletics of ACC schools too. We have great football, baseball, basketball, and track (and many more). The SEC only competes at a high level in football.
By Bubba
March 11, 2009 8:28 AM | Link to this
Pumping gas is a graduate level course at South Carolina
By #1Dawg
March 11, 2009 8:55 AM | Link to this
A UGA fan giving his opinion on anything other than the KKK is amusing with their 3rd grade intelligence. (Note that differs from a UGA grad like me…but let’s be honest I have season tickets and nobody in my immediate area graduated from Georgia and I dare say for many that includes High School.
Seems like Tech fans at least went to the school even though they rarely show up when we play them in Atlanta. LOL
In response to…
A Tech fan giving his opinion on football is like a supermodel giving her opinion on nuclear physics.
By BillyBoy
March 11, 2009 9:33 AM | Link to this
Bill~
The University of Georgia had not one but two Rhodes Scholars last year! I also believe that an SEC team is #1 in two baseball polls at this moment! I know that an SEC team put out your Miami Hurricanes last year in the college world series! The best you have to offer in football is the 15th best team in the country as the best team in your conference! Please! Florida State was the last National Champion from the ACC in football in 1999, since that time the sec has had four! You dont have great football, your baseball is not great, and your basketball survives on two schools (Duke & North Carolina), I could give two $hit$ about track but I believe a young man from UGA just ran the fastest split in the 100 or 200??? ACC athletics are a joke!
Good Day Billy Boy
By uscnoklahoma
March 11, 2009 9:40 AM | Link to this
Bill…..
I find your post quite amusing. Do you really want to compare football, baseball, basketball, and track in the ACC to the SEC. Assuming you are a smart man (you all but bragged) then surely you would know Arkansas alone has 40 or so track and field championships……now maybe if we compared Lacrosse you might have an argument but the smart man that you are forgot to bring that up. You are the amusing one.
By Smyrna Man
March 11, 2009 10:12 AM | Link to this
Spurrier Lied… No Way
AJC Sheep go Bahh
By Clamor
March 11, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this
I seem to recall that two of the last three national men’s basketball championships were won by an SEC team. Pat Summit’s UT Lady Vols have won more national basketball championships than all the women’s teams in the ACC combined, if memory serves me correctly.
By The Big Bug
March 11, 2009 11:07 AM | Link to this
The fact is the SEC is inferior to the ACC in all respects: Academics,Football,baseball,basketball,you name it.Spurrier probably has a bridge he would like to sell.
By AA
March 11, 2009 11:30 AM | Link to this
Basketball?lol Academics?even funnier. Football you can have (duh), but baseball you only get a slight edge b/c of recent history.
This kid should fit in well at UNC though. Overrated player, can’t make up his mind, bought into the hype on the hill, and acting like he could have played for the best schools in the country. Right….
By GA Buckeye
March 11, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this
Shame on any of you that are picking on a 17 year-old kid for any reason. That just doesn’t seem right to me.
By Butchie Boy
March 11, 2009 11:46 AM | Link to this
UNC made 10 more offers and got 10 more commitments than they had scholarships to give. At least the kid can count which is more than the UNC coaches seem to be able to do.
By YellerSkeeters are PeterEaters!
March 11, 2009 1:38 PM | Link to this
Well, my penis is bigger than yours! And your Momma, sister, wife and daughter all know it, and love it (and your grandma too)!
By KingoftheRing
March 11, 2009 3:42 PM | Link to this
What a nutsack!! Self contradicting and confused. With a low i.q. like that and trying to be a smart a* shows me where the term dumb a* comes from. He wld be pumping gas right now if it werent for football! Are there any full service gas stations anymore anyways? I heard NOTHING positive come out of his mouth. As a South Carolina fan I’m glad this moron didnt end up on our campus.
By RAMBLE ON!!!
March 11, 2009 4:16 PM | Link to this
Well, I’m a super model and I know what 45-42 means.
By thekid
March 11, 2009 4:38 PM | Link to this
Just so all of you know, Johnnie is a straight A student and one of the nicest guys you could meet. Very humble with a good family. Keep an eye on him, you will see him on Sundays in 4 years after he graduates. Unlike many others.
By gamecockboy
March 11, 2009 6:13 PM | Link to this
FARMS IS STILL TALKING ABOUT OUR COACH AND SOUTH CAROLINA… I LOVE IT…SEE U NEXT YEAR FARMS WHEN U AND YOUR TARHOLES COMES TO COLUMBIA AND GET THAT BUTT SPPURED….GOOO COCKS!!!
By gamecockboy
March 11, 2009 6:15 PM | Link to this
ALSO REMEBER FARMS WHEN BASKETBALL SEASON STARTS UNC FANS WON’T REMEMBER U OR THE FOOTBALL TEAM…US GAMECOCKS SUPPORT OUR PLAYERS AND TEAM AND NEVER FORGET THAT…GOOD LUCK AND AFTER THIS I WILL BE LIKE FARMS WHO? U AREN’T MISSED AND LIKE SPURRIER HAS TOLD PAST RECRUITS WE CAN WIN WITH U OR WITHOUT U…
GOOO COCKS!!!
By Bubba
March 11, 2009 6:31 PM | Link to this
Gamecootboy, The Carolina fans might be basketball oriented and forget about the football team when round ball season starts, but the COOT fans cannot get the memories of their football team out of their minds as hard as they may try.
By OcillaGeneral
March 11, 2009 7:26 PM | Link to this
I really hate to interrupt an inconsequential internet peeing contest, but does anyone else find it funny that a guy who was so concerned about academics thinks that Norman, Oklahoma is the same distance from Perry, Georgia as Chapel Hill, North Carolina? That’s a sharp one you got there, Butch.
By USC_UNC
March 11, 2009 9:54 PM | Link to this
“Pumping gas is a graduate level course at South Carolina”
I understand that Kiffin made the ridiculous comment about USC, but I can’t help but feel you meant it as an insult.
I did my undergrad at USC and am doing my graduate work at UNC…either says a lot about the SEC or a little about the ACC I suppose.
I think the ACC is more reputable, academically- but to say the SEC doesn’t house great academic institutions is certainly a little off.
Good luck to Farms! Hated to lose him from USC!
GO COCKS! and GO HEELS!
By wildbird
March 11, 2009 10:17 PM | Link to this
Bill you have two degrees and you have nothing better to do than talk crap on line Geez man geta life
By Dave
March 11, 2009 11:03 PM | Link to this
Looks like SOS was willing to bet the “Farm” on this recruit (sorry about the horrible pun). Coaches do a lot worse that stretch the truth to get players (see: Lyin’ Lane). Don’t think Coach Spurrier has been the same since he left UF. Doesn’t have the same intense passion when every game seemed like life or death. But we still love you Steve and look forward to having you back in Gainesville when you finally hang ‘em up!
By heeldawg
March 12, 2009 12:40 AM | Link to this
Gamecockboy:
TAKE THE CAPLOCK OFF!!
North Carolina would beat the tar out of the Cocks in football, basketball and baseball. Wait until fall. Georgia will break Carolina’s heart once again, and then the Heels will squash that sucker flat, throwing Garcia into a drinking binge.
The most accurate Spurrier quote would be,” We’ll go 6-6 with you or without you.”
Finally, who in their right mind would choose South Carolina over UNC for anything? Academics? Nope. Chapel Hill vs Columbia? Gimme a break. Athletics? The Heels win that one, too. Women? Okay, that one’s close, but I’d give the edge to North Carolina. Coaching? I’d pick the rebuilding team in Chapel Hill over the one in the Palmetto State Coaching Graveyard ten times out of ten.
Spurrier’s an animated corpse. Give it up and get a real coach, Cocks.
By SOS
March 12, 2009 12:47 AM | Link to this
Speaking of UNC academics, an interesting article I read elsewhere:
UNC Grade Inflation??
By John Leach
March 12, 2009 2:24 AM | Link to this
If I’m not mistaken Gamecocks grades were in the top five in the country.Remember we are the #1 in the country in international studies.Also it takes a higher SAT to USC than clemsum.It certainly didn’t used to be that way.
By Dr. Cocktosten
March 12, 2009 4:30 AM | Link to this
The only success unCarolina can claim in athletics is in men’s basketball and women’s soccer. If Farms was planning a career playing football on Sundays, he made a poor decision. If all he wants out of college football is a free diploma, then he made a fine choice.
By Dip
March 12, 2009 10:22 AM | Link to this
John Leach,
USC incoming Freshmen SAT 1050-1250, Clemson incoming Freshmen SAT 1130 -1320 - per both schools web page.
By Dip
March 12, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this
John Leach,
USC incoming Freshmen SAT 1050-1250, Clemson incoming Freshmen SAT 1130 -1320 - per both schools web page.
By psycock
March 12, 2009 11:56 AM | Link to this
I`m sure most of the high school football players are probably not trying to become Rhodes scholars. If a recruit wants to play football for a wine and cheese fan base at a basketball school, where football is an afterthought. let him. If he would rather play in the ACC instead of in the best football conference in America, so be it.
By NOFATCHICKS
March 12, 2009 3:27 PM | Link to this
To thekid - Do you really think Farm’s earned any of those grades. I bet he was in all AP classes right? Gimme a break, you cannot be this stupid.
By Jerry
March 13, 2009 11:55 PM | Link to this
Bill from FSU, you sound like a typical delusionole. It is common knowledge in Florida that Half A$$ U is the fall back school for kids who can’t get into UF. One of the recruiting tools Bowden has had for him over the years is the easy academics at F$U. Three Rhodes Scholars is nice, but hardly indicitive overall of the general academic experience. I think the number you should be touting is SIXTY-ONE, the number of Non Rhodes Scholars who had to cheat on a gimme online music course just to stay eligible. 61 vs 3, the difference is overwhelming. The institutionalized cheating at Florida State is a disgrace and tarnishes the degree of EVERY Nole graduate.
By Business degree at S.C.
March 17, 2009 10:34 AM | Link to this
UGA has nothing on the Moore School of Business at South Carolina according to US News:
* South Carolina #2 in the country in International Business MBA*: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/mba/intl
South Carolina #1 Undergraduate program in the country in Intl Business: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/spec-international-business
Perhaps sourcing oil and selling it for $4 a gallon is a vocation for SC grads, but not pumping it!
And can anyone tell me why 40 of the UGA players majored in Housing last year? Surely that industry does not need anyone right now…