Archive: February 2008
U-Va. Headed For Another Small Class?
That's what Man About Roanoke Doug Doughty writes in this good read on Virginia's football recruiting as he notes that the 85-scholarship limit means the Cavaliers likely will have another small recruiting class in 2009. What makes this even more noteworthy is this week's verbal commitments from running backs Dominique...
By Josh Barr | February 29, 2008; 12:15 PM ET | Email a Comment
Kenyi and Clark Are WCAC Co-Players of the Year
O'Connell All-Met Jason Clark (Georgetown) and Gonzaga forward Max Kenyi (Harvard) each received five of 10 votes in balloting by the league's coaches and shared the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Other members of the all-league first-team: Carroll forward Rodney McGruder (Kansas State), Gonzaga center Ian Hummer,...
By Josh Barr | February 28, 2008; 4:22 PM ET | Comments (1)
Scholarship Offer Revoked, Player Sues College
Here's a new twist to a new coach yanking a prospect's scholarship offer. A Boise, Idaho, high school senior is suing the University of Hawaii and one of its former assistant football coaches after his offer was pulled. The player, Daniel Smith, alleges that the assistant coach told him not...
By Josh Barr | February 28, 2008; 12:48 PM ET | Comments (2)
Bozeman, Nickelberry Among Those at P.G. Title Game
Plenty of college coaches at last night's Prince George's County championship game to see fourth-ranked Laurel beat fifth-ranked Gwynn Park, 57-50. And plenty of players for them to see. Laurel center Will Alston had 18 points and six rebounds. Gwynn Park guard Harold Washington had 23 points and backcourt mate...
By Josh Barr | February 28, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (1)
Recruiting Spotlight: Pete White, St. John's (D.C.)
Hey recruiting fans -- today we debut a new weekly video feature, the Recruiting Spotlight. Each week, reporter B.J. Koubaroulis will sit down with a top prospect about whom you'll likely be hearing more and more as recruiting in his sport heats up. We start with Pete White, a junior...
By Jon DeNunzio | February 28, 2008; 9:20 AM ET | Email a Comment
U-Va. Gets Two Local Backs
Virginia got a commitment earlier this week from Chancellor running back Dominique Wallace and now there is word the Cavaliers have also have gotten a commitment from Good Counsel speedster Caleb Porzel. Wallace was the Virginia AA Battlefield District offensive player of the year this past season. He committed after...
By Josh Barr | February 27, 2008; 3:29 PM ET | Comments (4)
Recruiters Take Notice of Kenyi
Max Kenyi's terrific season did mote than just help top-ranked Gonzaga win the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title. It also has gotten Coach Steve Turner's phone ringing again as college recruiters re-inquire about Kenyi. Kenyi committed to Harvard before the season, but since the Ivy League does not participate in...
By Josh Barr | February 27, 2008; 1:09 PM ET | Comments (5)
All-Met Back Picks Up ACC Offer
River Hill junior Michael Campanaro, who helped his team to the Maryland 2A title this past season, recently received a scholarship offer from Wake Forest, according to his father, Til Campanaro, who said North Carolina also has said it will offer the defensive back-running back. Campanaro already has offers from...
By Josh Barr | February 27, 2008; 9:55 AM ET | Email a Comment
Sutton Picks Up Another Offer
Apparently Maurice Sutton's quick exit from last week's loss to Gwynn Park didn't hurt his future. Largo Coach Lewis Howard reports that Boston College offered Sutton a scholarship and that Seton Hall Coach Bobby Gonzalez was impressed by what he saw from the 6-foot-11 senior. Sutton is working toward meeting...
By Josh Barr | February 25, 2008; 9:50 AM ET | Email a Comment
Fredericksburg Players Getting ACC Offers
Chancellor running back Dominique Wallace says Virginia is his favorite, even after picking up scholarship offers from Maryland, Penn State and North Carolina last week. Now, his teammate is getting some attention too. Defensive lineman Clinton Simpkins recently was offered by North Carolina State....
By Josh Barr | February 20, 2008; 12:07 PM ET | Email a Comment
Good Thing Sutton Got Off to Good Start
Plenty of college coaches in attendance last night at Largo. Seton Hall Coach Bobby Gonzalez and assistants, Loyola Coach Jimmy Patsos, Maryland assistant Keith Booth and some folks from Boston College. But it was a quick night for the main attraction as Largo 6-11 center Maurice Sutton was ejected in...
By Josh Barr | February 20, 2008; 9:28 AM ET | Comments (2)
Fredericksburg Sophomore Quite Impressive
The trip to Spotsylvania County took nearly three hours on a Friday afternoon. But it was quickly easy to see why many college recruiters are making the same trek. Courtland sophomore Josh Hairston, a 6-8 forward, has quite a game. Comfortable shooting on the inside. Willing to attack around the...
By Josh Barr | February 19, 2008; 9:04 AM ET | Comments (1)
Good Time For a Roadtrip
So, two big games a few miles apart tonight in Prince George's: Gonzaga at DeMatha and Laurel at Eleanor Roosevelt. DeMatha is the only team to beat the top-ranked Eagles, while Roosevelt should/could threaten second-ranked Laurel's undefeated run through the Prince George's 4A. I, of course, am getting ready to...
By Josh Barr | February 15, 2008; 1:57 PM ET | Email a Comment
It Gets Weirder Yet In Nevada
So Kevin Hart isn't going to Cal. If he's lucky, maybe Jerry Glanville and Portland State will take him. Now comes this story: Fernley High football coach Mark Hodges has sued the Lyon County School District for $20,000 for defamation in the wake of the most bizarre recruiting story I...
By Josh Barr | February 14, 2008; 8:49 PM ET | Comments (1)
Will Those Extra Calls Can Sampson?
So Kelvin Sampson got a few boos and a few cheers and Indiana lost on bank-shot three-pointer. What happens next to the serial caller? Pat Forde says Indiana has four options, none of which seem too appealing. The Indinanapolis Star wonders what's ahead and lists the players Sampson called improperly:...
By Josh Barr | February 14, 2008; 9:47 AM ET | Comments (2)
New Suitor For Local Center
Just got off the phone with Largo Coach Lewis Howard. He reports that 6-11 center Maurice Sutton still has scholarship offers on the table from South Florida, Seton Hall and Marquette, with Boston College, Clemson, Kentucky and North Carolina State still showing interest. South Florida Coach Stan Heath came to...
By Josh Barr | February 13, 2008; 3:35 PM ET | Email a Comment
Bombshell: Indiana Coach Alleged Lied About Recruiting Violations
Here's today's bombshell: The NCAA considers previously disclosed recruiting violations by Indiana Coach Kelvin Sampson and two assistants to be major violations, meaning they could bring severe penalties. The NCAA alleges that Sampson provided "false or misleading information" to investigators and Indiana Athletic Director Rick Greenspan said the university views...
By Josh Barr | February 13, 2008; 12:32 PM ET | Comments (18)
Recruiting Way Out of Whack
Somehow, this columnist succeeds in connecting Terrelle Pryor and Kevin Hart into an argument that the importance of recruiting is way out of whack. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem likely that we can turn back the clock and put recruiting back into perspective....
By Josh Barr | February 12, 2008; 10:36 AM ET | Comments (1)
Taylor In Trouble at Penn State Too?
Remember how Penn State got the best of Maryland three years ago when it seemed all the top local prospects headed to State College? And remember that it says here way too much is made of recruiting and that it takes three to four years before a recruiting class can...
By Josh Barr | February 11, 2008; 12:25 PM ET | Email a Comment
Hotshot Running Back Under Microscope
The recruitment of hotshot running back Darrell Scott took one final twist last week when he signed with Colorado. Then one of his assistant coaches said Scott picked the Buffaloes because they made an offer that could not be refused, prompting Colorado assistant Darian Hagan to strongly deny any wrongdoing....
By Josh Barr | February 11, 2008; 12:15 PM ET | Email a Comment
Nevada Hoaxster Finds a Taker?
Kevin Hart won't be playing at Cal, but it is possible he could find a taker further up the Pacific Coast. I'd chalk this one up to Jerry Glanville pulling a publicity stunt - no way, you - but who knows how far he would go. After all, this definitely...
By Josh Barr | February 11, 2008; 9:52 AM ET | Email a Comment
Nearly 100 Local Players Going On I-A or I-AA Rides
Nearly 100 local players signed or committed to Division I colleges, including Friendly All-Met linebacker Eteyen Edet, who has transformed himself into a top recruit for Maryland. A few players were left off our list yesterday, including Robinson RB Peter Ferrara (Lafayette), Flint Hill WR-DB Shane Savage (Cornell) and Coolidge...
By Josh Barr | February 7, 2008; 10:06 AM ET | Email a Comment
The College Wrapup
Here's a wrapup from the college perspective: Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Navy. Virginia Coach Al Groh talked about why the Cavaliers didn't have more in-state recruits. Virginia Tech's heavy in-state class included a last-minute addition from Delaware. Maryland also did well locally and had six players enroll midyear. This is...
By Josh Barr | February 7, 2008; 10:05 AM ET | Email a Comment
Nevada Player Made It All Up
Lots of stuff to get to today. Let's start with the obvious. The Nevada high schooler who claimed he had been duped by a middleman acting as a recruiter? Made the whole thing. Just wanted to play D-1 ball, he said. Wow. You've got to wonder what comes next. My...
By Josh Barr | February 7, 2008; 9:23 AM ET | Email a Comment
Another Perfect 10 (Plus) for DeMatha
Nobody puts players in college like DeMatha, which this year has 11 players already signed or committed to Division I schools. (The Ivy League and service academies don't participate in the letter-of-intent program.) From 1990 to 2005, the Stags had double-digit Division I recruits every year, but fell off with...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 3:18 PM ET | Email a Comment
Morgan State Triples Up
Colleague Alan Goldenbach passes along this note from Friendship Collegiate Coach Aazaar Rahim, who writes that WR Winfred Diggs, QB Delonte Williams and LB Chris Lloyd all signed letters-of-intent to attend Morgan State University...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 2:54 PM ET | Comments (1)
Locksley Talks D.C.
Here's an excerpt from a chat done earlier today by Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, who was asked about his connections to the Washington area. I didn't play at Dunbar, John, but I whooped them up pretty good three times while I was at Ballou. My relationship with Coach Jefferies...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 2:01 PM ET | Email a Comment
Two Things About Terrelle Pryor
Two items caught my attention in this USA Today story about Terrelle Pryor. First, recruiting analyst Tom Lemming has an excellent point about the hype surrounding Pryor, saying that "ven though he's a unique player, in everybody's mind he becomes even better because people are giving him publicity." Second, comes...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 1:14 PM ET | Comments (1)
Checking Out the Colleges
Here are the link to the region's top college programs and their newest recruits, with with links to video highlights for most players: Virginia Tech Virginia Maryland...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 12:35 PM ET | Email a Comment
U-Md., U-Va, Va. Tech Recruiting Stories
Maryland thinks it has its best recruiting class in Ralph Friedgen's tenure. Virginia Tech once again got most of its state's top players. Here's a good read about Stonewall Jackson RB Ryan Williams and how a trip from Blacksburg to Manassas by Frank Beamer and three assistants helped the Hokies...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 12:12 PM ET | Email a Comment
Nation's No. 1 Prospect Says He Will...
How crazy has recruiting gotten? Well, the nation's top ranked recruit will have a news conference shortly to say that there is no news! Yep, that's right, Jeannette (Pa.) quarterback Terrelle Pryor will go ahead with the news conference because "my principal still wants me to do it because everyone...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 11:46 AM ET | Email a Comment
Most Bizarre Story of the Recruiting Season
In case folks haven't seen, I've got a story today about a recruit who accepted a scholarship offer that doesn't exist. Certainly one of the most bizarre recruiting stories ever. The short version: offensive lineman Kevin Hart, from a small Nevada town, at a school-wide assembly announced he was going...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 11:39 AM ET | Comments (1)
Football Signing Underway!
Busy day today. Just got back in front of the computer after traveling to Friendly High, where eight players signed their letters-of-intent this morning: WR Lamaar Thomas - Ohio State LB Eteyen Edet - Maryland DB Devin Wallace - Virginia OL Quinton Sales - Massachusetts WR Carlos Davis - Old...
By Josh Barr | February 6, 2008; 11:25 AM ET | Comments (1)
Looking Back One Year at Top Juniors
With the signing period for football starting tomorrow (I hate the term National Signing Day), here's a look at how I did last spring when projecting the area's top 20 recruits. Obviously, some folks were left off this list. But from 1 to 14, I did pretty well. From 15...
By Josh Barr | February 5, 2008; 10:46 AM ET | Email a Comment
Cavs, Hokies Add Recruits
Virginia added two more recruits over the weekend. Virginia Tech added another wide receiver, giving the Hokies 20 of their 27 commitments from in-state players. Here's more on the latest additions....
By Josh Barr | February 4, 2008; 2:13 PM ET | Email a Comment
Some Local Commitments
Jae Jackson, who guided the Bowie football team back to success in recent seasons, emails to report that defensive backs De'von Richardson and Rod Hill are bound for Navy and Marist, respectively. Also, Big Boss Man Dan Uthman has the report that Old Dominion got a verbal commitment from its...
By Josh Barr | February 4, 2008; 12:13 PM ET | Comments (1)
Good Reads Leading Up to Signing Period
Colleague Matt Stanmyre has a good read on HBCUs recruiting white players. According to some coaches, it's a growing trend. The Chicago Tribune looks at the "bump rule", which stipulates that college coaches are supposed to avoid contact with recruits during certain times and are only allowed to greet them...
By Josh Barr | February 4, 2008; 12:07 PM ET | Email a Comment
Expert Calls Recruiting Rankings "Fool's Gold"
Here's one more story calling phooey on recruiting rankings. What makes this one interesting, I think, is that some of the recruiting gurus are basically admitting the rankings don't matter. Says longtime expert Allen Wallace, the rankings are "fool's gold." "You come to understand that you just can't really tell...
By Josh Barr | February 4, 2008; 11:30 AM ET | Email a Comment
On-Field General Chooses Army
Bishop Ireton tight end-linebacker Andrew Rodriguez, the son of one of the army's leaders in Afghanistan, has chosen to play at West Point, Ireton Coach Tony Verducci writes in an email. Rodriguez was a second-team All-Met last season....
By Josh Barr | February 4, 2008; 10:12 AM ET | Email a Comment
DeMatha Running Back Headed to Big East
Got the heads up this afternoon from DeMatha do-it-all extraordinaire Tom Ponton that Stags fullback Ryan Clarke has committed to play for West Virginia. At 6-1 and 235 pounds, Clarke has the size, the issue in recruiting for him was finding the right fit, DeMatha Coach Bill McGregor said last...
By Josh Barr | February 3, 2008; 8:15 PM ET | Email a Comment
Here's the Video of Kenny Tate
Just in case anyone missed it and wants to see for themselves, here's the video of Kenny Tate announcing his decision to go to Maryland....
By Josh Barr | February 1, 2008; 2:37 PM ET | Comments (1)
Terps' Local Run Hits a Tree
While it certainly has been a good week for Maryland's football recruiting, the Terps missed out on a prospect today. Gonzaga Coach Joe Reyda reports that defensive back Johnson Bademosi has chosen Stanford over Maryland. Bademosi, a second-team All-Met, had narrowed his choices to those two schools but had to...
By Josh Barr | February 1, 2008; 1:27 PM ET | Email a Comment
Want to Hear the Coach Talk Recruiting? Get Out Your Wallet
So you're a big Maryland football fan and you want to hear Ralph Friedgen talk about Kenny Tate, Eteyen Edet, Zach Kerr and rest of the Terps' recruiting class when the beginning of the signing period starts on Wednesday. Well, unless you're a member of the football booster club, it's...
By Josh Barr | February 1, 2008; 11:03 AM ET | Comments (1)
