Archive: January 2008
Tate Says Maryland Felt Like "The Place For Me"
After narrowing his college choices to Maryland and Illinois, DeMatha two-time All-Met wide receiver Kenny Tate said there was not much difference between the two teams and what they offered. "It was just all the same," DeMatha's two-time All-Met wide receiver said. "It was which one I felt was the...
By Josh Barr | January 31, 2008; 5:59 PM ET | Comments (15)
Frederick-Area End Heading to ACC
Lost in the Kenny Tate hubbub, I missed posting about Thomas Johnson standout Steven Chase committing to play for Wake Forest. He plans to enroll in January 2009....
By Josh Barr | January 31, 2008; 2:11 PM ET | Comments (0)
Local Lineman Makes Pick
Got a call last night from former Friendly offensive coordinator Marcus Berry, who reports that terrific lineman Terrell Hawkins has committed to play for Howard. When the start of the signing period rolls around, the Patriots expect to have at least 10 players signing letters-of-intent.h...
By Josh Barr | January 31, 2008; 11:01 AM ET | Comments (0)
Tate to Pick Terps This Afternoon?
That's what my sources are saying. I'll have plenty more on this later today, of course. But if everything goes as expected, what a week for the Terps. Many Prince George's public school coaches believe that Friendly linebacker Eteyen Edet has the potential to be a college standout. A poll...
By Josh Barr | January 31, 2008; 12:57 AM ET | Comments (0)
Kerr Pledges For Maryland; Big Week for Terps?
Big week for Maryland. First, All-Met linebacker Eteyen Edet. Now, All-Met lineman Zach Kerr of Quince Orchard has pledged to be a Terrapin. And all indications point in the direction of two-time All-Met wide receiver Kenny Tate announcing for Maryland tomorrow. The news of the day is Kerr, highly-touted as...
By Josh Barr | January 30, 2008; 3:23 PM ET | Comments (0)
Pryor Bound to Be a Buckeye?
It's Rich Rodriguez's introduction to facing off against Ohio State, as Michigan and its archrival battle to secure a commitment from top-rated quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Both Rodriguez and Buckeyes Coach Jim Tressel are expected to be in attendance Saturday night to watch Pryor play basketball. But it might not matter,...
By Josh Barr | January 30, 2008; 2:30 PM ET | Comments (0)
Last Push For Tate
While DeMatha two-time All-Met wide receiver Kenny Tate had football coach Bill McGregor tell recruiters that Tate did not want to talk to them anymore, that didn't stop the college coaches from coming to watch Tate play basketball last night. Maryland coordinators James Franklin and Chris Cosh and Illinois offensive...
By Josh Barr | January 30, 2008; 1:53 PM ET | Comments (0)
Tate Decision Coming Thursday
DeMatha two-time All-Met wide receiver Kenny Tate will announce his college decision Thursday afternon on Washington Post Live. He's down to Maryland and Illinois. While it was intimated that Tate had eliminated Penn State from consideration earlier this month, Stags Coach Bill McGregor last night said that earlier in the...
By Josh Barr | January 29, 2008; 6:51 AM ET | Comments (0)
DeMatha Player Gets New Offer
Meant to post this one on Friday. DeMatha fullback Ryan Clarke (6-0, 235) picked up a scholarship offer from West Virginia last week, Stags Coach Bill McGregor said. There is a good chance that's where Clarke will end up....
By Josh Barr | January 28, 2008; 2:24 PM ET | Comments (0)
Bad Week for Former All-Mets
Not a good week for a few former All-Met football players. This is a bizarre story about Robinson alum Lucas Caparelli leaving Wake Forest after a Facebook rant. Suitland graduate Navorro Bowman was one of three Penn State players kicked off the team pending the resolution of the legal problems....
By Josh Barr | January 28, 2008; 10:06 AM ET | Comments (8)
Quite a Pickup for the Terps
Got a call earlier tonight from former Friendly offensive coordinator Marcus Berry, who reported that All-Met linebacker Eteyen Edet today committed to play for Maryland. Edet was on an official visit to Maryland this weekend. He went without a scholarship offer. That came this morning. It didn't take long for...
By Josh Barr | January 27, 2008; 10:26 PM ET | Comments (1)
Another Local Player Chooses Illinois
No, not DeMatha wide receiver Kenny Tate. Not yet, at least. Though the Illini and Maryland remain in the picture for the two-time All-Met. Expect a decision from him next week. Buried in an email from Dunbar Coach Craig Jefferies describing his seniors getting ready to sign letters-of-intent comes this...
By Josh Barr | January 25, 2008; 10:57 AM ET | Comments (3)
Meyer Not in the Clear Just Yet
While Florida Coach Urban Meyer thinks he's out of the woods, there are reports that things might not be so rosy in Gainesville regarding the recruitment of juco WR Carl Moore. A Sacromento Bee story last month noted that Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow spoke to Moore immediately after winning...
By Josh Barr | January 24, 2008; 3:00 PM ET | Comments (3)
Bozeman Gets Another Local
Morgan State basketball coach Todd Bozeman continues to work local recruiting circles, this time landing a verbal commitment from La Plata forward Anthony Anderson, colleague Alan Goldenbach reports....
By Josh Barr | January 24, 2008; 1:41 PM ET | Comments (0)
Richmond QB Picks Hokies
The Richmond Times-Dispatch player of the year, quarterback Ju-Ju Clayton committed to play for Virginia Tech. Clayton only had scholarship offers from Army, Norfolk State, Youngstown State and William &Mary until November, when the Hokies made their pitch....
By Josh Barr | January 24, 2008; 12:44 PM ET | Comments (0)
"Up and Coming" Dukes Land Recruit
Courtland defensive end Aaron Harper picked James Madison over scholarship offers from Liberty and William & Mary. "I like their program because everything they're doing looks new and up-and-coming," Harper said. Hmmm... Guess winning the I-AA national championship in 2004 wasn't enough to establish the Dukes as a top team...
By Josh Barr | January 23, 2008; 6:20 PM ET | Comments (0)
Local DB Makes MAC Pick
Potomac (Va.) defensive back Abdul Kanneh has accepted a scholarship to play for Kent State. He visited the school this past weekend and then made up his mind....
By Josh Barr | January 23, 2008; 4:51 PM ET | Comments (0)
Amaker Watches Recruits
Spent part of halftime at last night's Gonzaga-O'Connell game talking to Harvard Coach Tommy Amaker. He was watching from behind the O'Connell bench, having brought his mom to the game. The Crimson had two recruits playing: Gonzaga forward Max Kenyi and O'Connell center Frank Ben-Eze. Kenyi was terrific, scoring 22...
By Josh Barr | January 23, 2008; 12:04 PM ET | Comments (0)
Local Player Switches from Terps to UNC
Scroll down for this one. One-time Wilde Lake running back Zach Brown, who spent this past year at Hargrave Military Academy, has changed his commitment from Maryland to North Carolina. I'll try to check with Wilde Lake Coach Doug DuVall and Hargrave Coach Robert Prunty to see what they think...
By Josh Barr | January 22, 2008; 3:29 PM ET | Comments (0)
Pryor Trips to Ann Arbor, No Decision Yet
What's next for Terrelle Pryor? The superstar quarterback enjoyed his visit to Michigan this past weekend but did not commit to the Wolverines. There could be official visits to LSU and/or Oregon. Penn State, Ohio State and Florida also are in the mix. The guess here is that Pryor does...
By Josh Barr | January 22, 2008; 10:14 AM ET | Comments (0)
Florida's Meyer Turned Flips for Recruit
Coaches take often unusual steps to land players. In order to get juco wide receiver Carl Moore, Florida Coach Urban Meyer also had to recruit Moore's girlfriend, a one-time college gymnast. The problem? According to this report, by acting as an intermediary for the girlfriend to get a scholarship, Meyer...
By Josh Barr | January 22, 2008; 9:20 AM ET | Comments (0)
Local Receiver Picks Penn State
Colleague B.J. Koubaroulis passes along this report: South Lakes senior wide receiver A.J. Price accepted a full scholarship to play football at Penn State on Sunday. During an official visit this weekend, the 6-foot-4, 175-pound second team All-Met chose the Nittany Lions over offers from Virginia and Michigan. The decision...
By Josh Barr | January 21, 2008; 10:52 AM ET | Comments (0)
Cavs Hit Bumps in the Road
Rough stretch for the Virginia football team. Top recruiter Mike London appears bound to Richmond. Meantime, starting quarterback Jameel Sewell is not enrolled in spring semester classes, making him unlikely to be on the team and playing in the fall....
By Josh Barr | January 18, 2008; 10:25 AM ET | Comments (1)
Top Point Guard Transfer to Riverdale Baptist
Got an email last night from Riverdale Baptist Coach Lou Wilson, saying that junior point guard Javorn Farrell has enrolled at the school. Farrell began the season at Bishop Ireton. The two teams play each other Saturday, though Farrell is not expected to play....
By Josh Barr | January 18, 2008; 10:09 AM ET | Comments (0)
Report Questions Rodriguez's Calls to Recruits
Oh boy, it's getting interesting now. Not only are West Virginia officials accusing Rich Rodriguez of shredding more than defenses, now comes this report that Rodriguez might have been contacting recruits during a dead period. (Edit: My quick interpretation is that no NCAA rules were broken.) And used his WVU-issued...
By Josh Barr | January 17, 2008; 11:44 AM ET | Comments (2)
Petrino On the Recruiting Trail?
ESPN Gene Wojciechowski, who knows the college landscape as well as anyone, has a terrific column on new Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino and how fun it would be to see him on the recruiting trail now. Consider this passage, of a conversation between Petrino and a father during an imaginary...
By Josh Barr | January 17, 2008; 11:08 AM ET | Comments (0)
Two Linemen Make Choices
Osbourn Coach Steve Schultze reports that lineman Blake Matthews has committed to play for Norfolk State. Matthews visited the school this past weekend and made his decision. Also, Westlake lineman A.J. Wills has committed to play for Old Dominion, choosing the new program after considering Ohio and Buffalo of the...
By Josh Barr | January 17, 2008; 10:16 AM ET | Comments (0)
Pryor to Michigan This Weekend
So Terrelle Pryor moved up his scheduled visit to Michigan and will be in Ann Arbor this weekend. This weekend's planned trip to Penn State is off? He might go somewhere else next weekend, perhaps Florida, LSU or Oregon. LSU is new the mix, as Pryor said, "I wouldn't say...
By Josh Barr | January 16, 2008; 1:12 PM ET | Comments (0)
Maryland Offers Local Defensive End
With most BCS schools having completed much of their senior recruiting, it's onto the juniors. Forestville Coach Charles Harley reports that junior defensive end DeOnte Arnett picked up his first scholarship offer yesterday, from Maryland. Arnett had 63 tackles and 15 sacks this past season. Harley expects that Arnett will...
By Josh Barr | January 16, 2008; 12:46 PM ET | Comments (1)
The Way to a Recruit's Heart?
Anyone else think this story missed the point? Seems that three Tennessee freshmen football players were chaperoning a recruit on his official visit this past weekend when their car was stopped after police noticed a burned-out light over the license plate. When officers approached the car, there was smoke coming...
By Josh Barr | January 15, 2008; 1:15 PM ET | Comments (6)
No. 1 QB More Likely to Fizzle Than Sizzle
With Terrelle Pryor seemingly headed to Michigan, the Detroit Free-Press looks at the top-rated quarterbacks the past five seasons and comes to the conclusion that recruiting rankings are for the birds. Of the group, only Georgia's Matthew Stafford has made an impact. The others: Rhett Bomar (paid $7,000 extra at...
By Josh Barr | January 15, 2008; 11:39 AM ET | Comments (1)
Mallett to Arkansas? Must First Learn Team's Call
While Ryan Mallett's father is denying his son has enrolled at Arkansas, it sure seems that the once-prized high school quarterback is going to be a Razorback. This report says that Mallett, who is leaving Michigan because he doesn't think he'll fit into Rich Rodriguez's spread offense, has already checked...
By Josh Barr | January 15, 2008; 10:44 AM ET | Comments (0)
U-Va. to Allow Midyear Enrollment
Here's an interesting story from Man About Charlottesville Jeff White, who has the story that Virginia will alter its admissions policy and start allowing midyear enrollment in certain situations. This should be a boost for the Cavaliers' football team, which has had to tell the growing number of recruits hoping...
By Josh Barr | January 15, 2008; 10:01 AM ET | Comments (0)
South Lakes WR Considering Michigan, Virginia, Penn State
Colleague B.J. Koubaroulis talked to South Lakes WR A.J. Price about playing basketball while trying to choose between college football scholarship offers. Michigan, Penn State and Virginia are his top three choices. You can watch Price's highlight tape here....
By Josh Barr | January 14, 2008; 3:04 PM ET | Comments (0)
NCAA Maintains Ban on Texting
I was a little surprised by the NCAA's decision this past weekend to retain the ban on text messaging in recruiting. Not by the decision itself, as texting had gotten way out of hand. But by the whooping 240 to 65 margin that schools voted to maintain the ban at...
By Josh Barr | January 14, 2008; 10:07 AM ET | Comments (0)
A Few Football Commitments
Although most of the division I-A programs have completed nearly all of their senior recruiting, it's a busy time at the I-AA level. Making commitments this weekend: Urbana All-Met lineman Erik Saylor visited Old Dominion and committed to play for the Monarchs. Urbana defensive end Imani Chapman committed to play...
By Josh Barr | January 14, 2008; 9:39 AM ET | Comments (0)
Richmond Coach Heads to Tennessee
Here's a coaching change sure to be of interest to many high school football players in the Washington area. Richmond Coach Dave Clawson is off to Tennessee to become the Vols' offensive coordinator. The Spiders have several Washington-area players on their roster and it's the prime time of the recruiting...
By Josh Barr | January 11, 2008; 1:13 PM ET | Comments (0)
Pryor Taking Pro QB on Recruiting Trips
Terrelle Pryor mania continues. Buy his game-worn wristband on ebay! Now, the sought-after quarterback has has started writing a diary for a Pittsburgh newspaper. Today's installment reveals that Pryor plans to take Steelers QB Charlie Batch with him on recruiting visits. He'll just help me because he's been through this...
By Josh Barr | January 11, 2008; 12:27 PM ET | Comments (0)
How Monroe Landed at Georgetown
Here's a piece on Georgetown recruit Greg Monroe and what the recruiting process was like for him. Monroe says he picked the Hoyas because of Coach John Thompson III and his demeanor. I thought the most interesting part of the story came when Monroe talked about the different styles of...
By Josh Barr | January 10, 2008; 11:15 AM ET | Comments (0)
The End Is Officially Here
Gotta love this item, which I found courtesy of The Wizard of Odds. High school quarterback Terrelle Pryor's game-worn wristband -- dated and signed! -- can be yours for $349 on ebay, plus $10 shipping. Anyone else got this thing bookmarked?...
By Josh Barr | January 10, 2008; 10:04 AM ET | Comments (2)
Michigan QB Transfers; Door Open for Pryor?
The dominos are starting to fall in Ann Arbor, where highly-touted freshman quarterback Ryan Mallett is transferring. Much was made of new coach Rich Rodriguez and whether Mallett would be a good fit. Rodriguez sounded downright uncomfortable when talking about Mallett during the broadcast of the Wolverines' bowl victory over...
By Josh Barr | January 9, 2008; 2:41 PM ET | Comments (2)
Tate Back on the Court, Decision Looming
It's easy to see why college football teams are courting DeMatha WR Kenny Tate. Aside from the obvious things (size, speed, ability), Tate just plays hard and unselfishly, whatever the sport. He returned to the starting lineup for the Stags' basketball team last night and made his presence known from...
By Josh Barr | January 9, 2008; 1:59 PM ET | Comments (0)
Local Team Bests Top Recruits
They played an interesting game this past Sunday over at Friendship Collegiate, not that many people saw it. With one day's notice, Friendship hosted and defeated Pendleton School, 62-58. Pendleton School is the branch of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where Mike Beasley spent his freshman year and this...
By Josh Barr | January 8, 2008; 2:18 PM ET | Comments (0)
Talented Stag Makes Commitment
No, not WR Kenny Tate. I think he's a few weeks off from reaching a decision. RB Ashby Christian, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards each of the past two seasons, has committed to play for Navy. It ought to be an interesting transition, going from DeMatha's I-formation to...
By Josh Barr | January 7, 2008; 2:25 PM ET | Comments (2)
All-Star Football Scorecard
The Army declared victory, but this time it has nothing to do with Iraq. With overnight television ratings in, organizers of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl claimed victory over ESPN's UnderArmour High School All-America Game. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor dominated the Army game. He earned game MVP honors and won a...
By Josh Barr | January 7, 2008; 10:53 AM ET | Comments (1)
Harvey Turns Pro...
Former All-Met defensive end Derrick Harvey yesterday declared for the NFL draft, opting to skip his senior year at Florida. It's a pretty amazing story looking back. Consider that Coach Rick Houchens convinved Jared Gaither and Harvey to come out for football from the school's basketball team and now both...
By Josh Barr | January 4, 2008; 2:59 PM ET | Comments (0)
On Defense...
Continuing with the uncommitted first-team All-Mets... LB Eteyen Edet, Friendly: Has an official visit set up this weekend to Ohio, next weekend to North Carolina and then Louisville and Pittsburgh in successive weekends and is trying to find a time to visit Michigan State. While there was some thought Maryland...
By Josh Barr | January 4, 2008; 12:23 PM ET | Comments (0)
Uncommitted All-Mets
Here's the list of first-team All-Met football players who have yet to accept college scholarships, along with some thoughts on each: RB Evan Zedler, Damascus: Rushed for 2,243 yards and 29 touchdowns, but questions about his size (5-10, 185) and speed have limited interest from college recruiters. OL Joey Christine,...
By Josh Barr | January 4, 2008; 8:07 AM ET | Comments (0)
Dueling All-Star Games Hit the Airwaves
So it's Saturday afternoon and you've got nothing better to do. Nothing at all. Or maybe you need something to fill the time leading up to the Redskins-Seahawks. Nothing better than some all-star high school football, right? Mixed in with the obligatory hat game as a few players announce their...
By Josh Barr | January 3, 2008; 3:22 PM ET | Comments (0)
