Archive: June 2007
More on Glennon/N.C. State
Westfield QB Mike Glennon said that one of the reasons he picked N.C. State, and not his brother's school, Virginia Tech, was to "get out of the shadow". Can't blame him. It's the same reasoning that leads many players to opt out of going to their local school and choose...
By Josh Barr | June 29, 2007; 7:31 AM ET | Email a Comment
Virginia QB Heading Out of State!
Not quite prime blogging hours unless you're doing the NBA draft, but colleague Preston Williams is reporting that Westfield standout Mike Glennon will head south to North Carolina State to play for the Wolfpack and new coach Tom O'Brien. More on this tomorrow morning.......
By Josh Barr | June 28, 2007; 7:23 PM ET | Email a Comment
Prospect Gets Timely Ride to Va. Tech
Virginia Tech added Oakton WR Ervin Garner after Osbourn Park LB Quillie Odom failed to qualify academically and instead will go to Hargrave Military Academy in the fall. Man About Roanoke Doug Doughty reports that Garner was bound for Towson until the Tigers got into a situation of having promised...
By Josh Barr | June 28, 2007; 12:01 PM ET | Comments (2)
QO's Kerr Is a Marked Man
Quince Orchard lineman Zach Kerr went to Maryland's one-day camp earlier this week and received a scholarship offer from the Terrapins, Cougars Coach Dave Mencarini reports. Kerr ran the 40-yard dash in 5.1 seconds and showed off an impressive 31-inch vertical leap. He already held offers from Virginia Tech, Penn...
By Josh Barr | June 28, 2007; 11:27 AM ET | Comments (4)
Text Message Ban Under Review
This just moved a bit ago. The NCAA will review its ban on text messaging. Turns out that the schools that wanted to regulate coaching texting recruits didn't want an outright ban, they just wanted to limit the amount of time wasted on this. I still think it's silly, that...
By Josh Barr | June 27, 2007; 5:20 PM ET | Comments (1)
Carroll Adding Top Transfers
One team making noise in local summer basketball leagues has been Carroll, which continues to add to its impressive list of foreign players. Rising senior Kris Joseph, a 6-5 forward from Quebec, joined the Lions last season and has already accepted a scholarship offer from Syracuse. Nigerians Emeka Okam and...
By Josh Barr | June 27, 2007; 12:13 PM ET | Comments (1)
Top Prospect Is Busy; Has Visited U-Conn.
One of the top players in Richmond is in the midst of a busy summer. The 6-9 power forward has taken an unofficial visit to Connecticut and expects to take other college trips this summer....
By Josh Barr | June 26, 2007; 11:00 AM ET | Email a Comment
ESPN Creates All-Star Football Game
Well, it appears ESPN is getting into the high school all-star game business, creating the ESPNU High School All-American Game on Jan. 5 in Orlando. The game will be broadcast on ABC and looks to compete against the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio and televised on NBC. Don't...
By Josh Barr | June 25, 2007; 2:39 PM ET | Comments (5)
Did Florida's Top Recruiter Slack Off On Haden?
Of course not. But after talking with Friendly RB Josh Haden about why he picked Boston College over Florida, I thought this was the most unusual tidbit: Haden's older brother, Joe, entering his freshman year at Florida, wasn't leaning on Josh to pick the Gators. "He just wanted me to...
By Josh Barr | June 25, 2007; 12:32 PM ET | Email a Comment
Munson to Leave Virginia Tech?
I wrote a bit about this a week ago, but here's more about the possibility of Nigel Munson transferring from Virginia Tech. Munson is likely to reach a decision this week, so I should have more on this soon....
By Josh Barr | June 25, 2007; 10:11 AM ET | Email a Comment
Eighth Grader Makes Commitment, Gets Later Bedtime?
Still waiting for the first sixth grader to commit. For the time being, I'll have to settle for this eighth grader, who has accepted a scholarship offer to play basketball for USC. Maybe I'm jaded, but don't you think that too much can change in four years that it isn't...
By Josh Barr | June 21, 2007; 5:24 PM ET | Comments (1)
Top RB Chooses BC; Another On the Way?
As I expected after talking to Friendly assistant coach Marcus Berry earlier this week, Patriots RB Josh Haden has committed to play for Boston College. Haden visited the Chestnut Hill campus last weekend and made up his mind on the ride back, his father, Joe, said. Haden also had been...
By Josh Barr | June 21, 2007; 2:11 PM ET | Comments (14)
Will Supreme Court Decision Make Local Impact?
Wonder if this one will have any ramifications locally. The Supreme Court today ruled that high school athletic associations can make rules regarding the recruiting of athletes by their schools. In Tennessee, a school with a top athletic program had sued the state athletic association (the school is a member...
By Josh Barr | June 21, 2007; 11:13 AM ET | Comments (1)
Hoyas' Latest Recruit Is Finally Done
I wasn't quite sure how to handle this one. For starters, I'd blogged back in March that this was a done deal, with St. John's (Md.) forward Nikita Mescheriakov bound for Georgetown. The only holdup was certifying that Mescheriakov's grades and test score would fly with the NCAA. Then nothing...
By Josh Barr | June 20, 2007; 4:52 PM ET | Email a Comment
Hogan Ready, Set, Hike
It looks like Osbourn All-Met quarterback Brandon Hogan will make the grade and be eligible to play in the fall at West Virginia. According to Hogan and Coach Steve Schultze, Hogan has meet the NCAA's standards and only needs to make it through the Clearinghouse, which oversees all initial eligibility....
By Josh Barr | June 20, 2007; 3:33 PM ET | Email a Comment
Columnist Thinks NCAA Move Is Off Base
This columnist doesn't like the NCAA's recent push to eliminate prep school diploma mills. It's a fine line, especially in Virginia, where prominent programs such as Oak Hill, Fork Union and Hargrave could be affected....
By Josh Barr | June 20, 2007; 2:48 PM ET | Email a Comment
Explosive Forward Bound for Juco
Forward Cliff Dixon, who played as a senior at Suitland High in 2005-06 and was on the prep team at Progressive Christian this past season, has signed a letter-of-intent to play for Motlow College, a two-year junior college in Lynchburg, Tenn. After playing in just three games because of academic...
By Josh Barr | June 19, 2007; 7:14 AM ET | Email a Comment
Top Forward Goes to U-Md.
Updated: Third-team All-Met Lynetta Kizer, a forward and rising senior at Potomac (Va.) High, spent some time in Colorado at the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival and today called Maryland Coach Brenda Frese to accept a scholarship offer to play for the Terrapins....
By Josh Barr | June 18, 2007; 6:11 PM ET | Email a Comment
Former All-Met Goes Rhody
Got an email asking about former All-Met LB Steve Weedon from Richard Montgomery. He signed with West Virginia, didn't qualify and spent last year at Valley Forge Military JC. Weedon is set to play this fall at Rhode Island....
By Josh Barr | June 18, 2007; 12:52 PM ET | Email a Comment
U-Va Nets Four; Busy Times at Friendly High
Virginia picked up four commitments this past Saturday, including two local players: DeMatha WR Rodney McLeod and Friendly S Devin Wallace. Wallace, who is 5-11 and 200 pounds, also had offers from Georgia, Virginia Tech and North Carolina. He was set to visit Maryland's one-day camp on Wednesday - where...
By Josh Barr | June 18, 2007; 11:38 AM ET | Comments (5)
River Hill's Campanaro Lighting It Up
River Hill RB Michael Campanaro, who promises to be one of the region's top juniors this fall, is in the midst of a whirlwind college tour. He was at Akron last Saturday and received a verbal scholarship offer, then went to Illinois on Monday and expects an offer from the...
By Josh Barr | June 14, 2007; 12:52 PM ET | Email a Comment
Tech Football Keeps Reeling Them In
Hylton tight end Eric Martin (scroll down for the item) is going to play for Virginia Tech, continuing the Hokies' recent recruiting run locally. In the past month, Tech also picked up commitments from Stone Bridge defensive back Jeron Gouveia and Stafford linebacker Jake Johnson. Update: Here's news about the...
By Josh Barr | June 14, 2007; 11:23 AM ET | Email a Comment
Should Coaches Take the Bird?
So after reading the piece in last week's Richmond Times-Dispatch, I was curious. Do college coaches regularly ride around in helicopters as they search for recruits? Is their time really that valuable? A spokesman for Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen said that it was unusual for Friedgen to take the...
By Josh Barr | June 13, 2007; 2:33 PM ET | Comments (2)
Mt. Vernon Guard Makes Commitment, Becomes a First
Mount Vernon point guard Marquel De Lancey, a rising senior, has committed to play at Old Dominion, which - according to the Virginian-Pilot - is the earliest a player has even committed to play for the Monarchs. He also had interest from VMI and New Hampshire. I know mid-majors typically...
By Josh Barr | June 13, 2007; 8:42 AM ET | Comments (1)
Munson Out At Tech?
It's a hot topic these days, whether former DeMatha All-Met point guard Nigel Munson will transfer from Virginia Tech, where he is slated to be the Hokies' starter this coming winter. Stags Coach Mike Jones said he's been inundated with calls seeking answers, but said he's not in a position...
By Josh Barr | June 12, 2007; 2:12 PM ET | Email a Comment
Brooke Point Lineman Gets Hokies' Offer
Looks like it's going to be a big year for football prospects in Stafford County. Brooke Point LB Donovan Miles has committed to West Virginia. Stafford LB Jake Johnson is bound for Virginia Tech. And at the bottom of this story, it's reporterd that Brooke Point OL-DL Isaiah Hamlette received...
By Josh Barr | June 12, 2007; 11:02 AM ET | Email a Comment
Braswell Done at DeMatha
Spoke to DeMatha hoops coach Mike Jones this afternoon (keeping up with today's DeMatha theme) and he said that standout forward Chris Braswell will not return to the Hyattsville school for his senior year. The talented 6-foot-9 forward committed to Georgetown before this past season but then played in only...
By Josh Barr | June 11, 2007; 3:59 PM ET | Comments (1)
Area's Top Prospect Close to a Decision?
Nope, not at all. Kenny Tate is the area's most sought-after recruit, but don't expect DeMatha's All-Met wide receiver to make a college choice anytime soon. Stags Coach Bill McGregor said he and his star player have yet to begin working up a list of prospective colleges. "He has basically...
By Josh Barr | June 11, 2007; 12:41 PM ET | Email a Comment
College Scholarships Can Cost Money
While it may seem like college scholarships are plentiful, not every scholarship is for full freight, leaving many athletes and their families to pick up the rest of the cost....
By Josh Barr | June 11, 2007; 12:20 PM ET | Email a Comment
Gilchrist's Next Stop to Be In Virginia?
Maybe, but not likely to be in Blacksburg or Charlottesville. Notre Dame Academy Coach Tim Fudd said he has been contacted by the personal trainer for Augustus Gilchrist about the possibility of Gilchrist enrolling at the Middleburg school that has pumped up its basketball program in recent years. However, Fudd...
By Josh Barr | June 8, 2007; 1:44 PM ET | Comments (1)
7-Footer Looking Elsewhere
A 7-foot rising senior from San Diego has backed off his commitment to Louisville. Jeff Withey last fall said he would play for Cards Coach Rick Pitino, but now his personal trainer - sound familiar? - says things are wide open....
By Josh Barr | June 8, 2007; 12:31 PM ET | Email a Comment
Friedgen Takes the Bird to See Recruit
I always enjoy reading about top players in out-of-the-way places, and this one is no different. Pete Carroll and Urban Meyer have been to the Chirstchurch School to see WR Deion Walker. So have Ralph Friedgen and Greg Schiano, whose time was so valuable that they flew to the school...
By Josh Barr | June 7, 2007; 11:35 AM ET | Email a Comment
WVU Gets Another Commitment
Brooke Point LB Donovan Miles held scholarship offers from Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech, but has verbally committed to play for West Virginia, according to WVSports.com. This comes on the heels of Handley's J.J. Dorsey committing to play for the Mountaineers....
By Josh Barr | June 6, 2007; 11:01 AM ET | Email a Comment
Glennon Gets Camp Invite
Westfield QB Mike Glennon has been selected by studentsports.com to participate in the Elite 11 Quarterback Campetition (no, that's not a typo) from July 23-26 in Southern California. Glennon holds offers from, among others, Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Others already chosen for the event are Dayne Crist of Sherman...
By Josh Barr | June 6, 2007; 10:40 AM ET | Email a Comment
Cautionary Tale for Baseball Players
It's that time of year when high school baseball playoffs are winding down, which means top pitchers get overworked. This is a cautionary tale for anyone - college and pro draft prospects included....
By Josh Barr | June 5, 2007; 2:42 PM ET | Email a Comment
Top Coaches Making Recruiting Detour
I don't usually blog much about the national recruiting scene, but here's a short story about one of the nation's top players, a linebacker from Wichita, Kan., who goes by the nickname Fireman and is drawing the attention of all of the top coaches....
By Josh Barr | June 4, 2007; 1:57 PM ET | Email a Comment
Hebron Out At U-Ga.
Former All-Met LB Akeem Hebron has been suspended for the fall semester at the University of Georgia and plans to enroll at Georgia Military College....
By Josh Barr | June 4, 2007; 12:32 PM ET | Email a Comment
Recruits Get a Ride From Donovan
While this columnist wondered what it's like to be a recruit when the coach bolts town, it appears that Florida Coach Billy Donovan is going back to Gainesville. Talk about a rollercoaster ride for those involved. When news broke last week about Donovan heading for the Magic, I made a...
By Josh Barr | June 4, 2007; 10:17 AM ET | Email a Comment
National Christian Lands Terps'/Hoyas' Target
A top prospect from North Carolina will transfer to National Christian for his senior season. Tyree Graham, a point guard who played at Hillside High in Durham, N.C., this past year, played for D.C. Assault in a recent tournament. He once committed to North Carolina State but now says he...
By Josh Barr | June 1, 2007; 2:25 PM ET | Email a Comment
More on Stafford LB Choosing Hokies
Here's more on Stafford LB Jake Johnson choosing Virginia Tech despite the recruiting pitch of former teammate Torrey Smith, who will be a freshman at Maryland in the fall. "He liked Maryland, but he just had that gut feeling about Virginia Tech," Smith said. "I was recruiting him, but I...
By Josh Barr | June 1, 2007; 12:46 PM ET | Email a Comment
Gator Recruits Say They'll Stick With U-F
With Billy Donovan bound for Orlando, Florida's recruits say they are sticking with the Gators. Though I do wonder how a guy like Jai Lucas feels after waiting so long to make a commitment, then seeing his coach leave....
By Josh Barr | June 1, 2007; 12:37 PM ET | Email a Comment
