Archive: July 2008
Spotlight on Tennessee Recruit Damien Thigpen
This week's Recruiting Spotlight features Stonewall Jackson's Damien Thigpen -- a 5-foot-9, 170-pound running back and cornerback who has orally committed to Tennessee. Thigpen comes from a football family; his father Doug played at Southern Miss and his uncle Gene Lang played at LSU before a seven-year career in the...
By Josh Barr | July 31, 2008; 10:22 AM ET | Comments (2)
Lineman Could Choose Soon, Possibly Between U-Md. and Penn State
Gwynn Park lineman Raynard Randolph is strongly considering Penn State and Maryland so that he can stay close to home, according to Yellow Jackets Coach Danny Hayes, adding "he'll probably [choose] before the season." Hayes said that defensive back Nygee Carmichael has offers from Army and Towson, while defensive back...
By Josh Barr | July 31, 2008; 9:20 AM ET | Comments (15)
Georgia Tech Nets Local Center
Riverdale Baptist Coach Louis Wilson always thought highly of Bassirou Dieng and now many others are going to have a chance to see Dieng on a larger stage. After one season at Norfolk State and two at St. Francis (Pa.), the 6-9 center has transferred to Georgia Tech. As a...
By Josh Barr | July 30, 2008; 2:29 PM ET | Comments (1)
Maryland About to Land Former Penn State Tackle?
Former Gwynn Park All-Met lineman Phil Taylor was kicked off the team at Penn State for unspecified reasons. He had been suspended from summer school for his role in an altercation and received one year probation. Taylor, who has two years of eligibility and a redshirt season remaining, could find...
By Josh Barr | July 30, 2008; 12:13 PM ET | Comments (23)
Spurrier Lashes Out at Websites
There has always been a certain amount of skepticism by some involved with college sports, wondering about the role of unofficial mouthpieces several websites have taken for their schools they cover. Do they get special access? Are they given insider info to pass along to the fan base? When they...
By Josh Barr | July 30, 2008; 10:26 AM ET | Comments (0)
Montrose Adds Talented Forward
Caught up with Montrose Christian Coach Stu Vetter yesterday and he said that 6-5 forward Dadrian Collins has transferred from Woodside High in Virginia Beach. Here's some highlights on the Division I prospect:...
By Josh Barr | July 29, 2008; 2:34 PM ET | Comments (3)
Penn State or State Penn? Rivals Set to Use Report?
I held off on posting this for a day, but after talking to some local high school coaches there seems to be little question that rival coaches will use Penn State's off-field struggles when recruiting against the Nittany Lions. ESPN reported that 46 players have been charged with nearly 200...
By Josh Barr | July 29, 2008; 11:37 AM ET | Comments (4)
Episcopal's Kalipinde Chooses Loyola Marymount
Big Boss Man Dan Uthman, fresh off his month-long sojourn (ok, maybe it only felt that long) to Hawaii, has this contribution: Given Kalipinde, a rising senior guard at Episcopal in Alexandria, has committed to play men's basketball at Loyola Marymount. Kalipinde, whose mother and five siblings live in his...
By Jon DeNunzio | July 28, 2008; 3:34 PM ET | Comments (1)
Early Commitments Don't Mean Much
Here's a good read on how those early verbal commitments don't mean too much. "If you went back over the last five to 10 years, of the freshmen and sophomores who committed, over half of them haven't held up," said Clark Francis, editor and publisher of hoopscooponline.com....
By Josh Barr | July 28, 2008; 1:04 PM ET | Comments (0)
Should College Athletes Be Paid?
Should the NCAA do away with the pretense that college athletes are amateurs? That's the topic in a series down by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It's like a job. We get up early, work out, meetings, class and practice," Brace said. "We're giving up a big chunk of our life. I...
By Josh Barr | July 28, 2008; 11:52 AM ET | Comments (0)
More Behind the Scenes with Beasley
Have to say, I've found ESPN's video series on one-time All-Met Mike Beasley extremely entertaining. It's an up-close and inside look at the star player. This week's installment takes you backstage as Beasley gets ready to go to the ESPYs, including a visit from his personal jeweler and Beasley's imitation...
By Josh Barr | July 25, 2008; 12:39 PM ET | Comments (0)
Vegas Links, Day 3
Shawn Kemp Jr. might have the most recognizable name of any player in the Las Vegas summer tournaments, but he doesn't try to meet any expectations folks have for him. He said he has scholarship offers from Auburn and Alabama. Some high scool standouts become role players on their AAU...
By Josh Barr | July 25, 2008; 11:54 AM ET | Comments (0)
Coaches Don't Much Care for NABC Request
I've been meaning to post about this one for a while. All manner of college coaches seemed to agree it was the right thing to do when the National Association of Basketball Coaches suggested it was time to curtail recruiting middle schoolers. The NABC asked - it lacks any power...
By Josh Barr | July 24, 2008; 2:58 PM ET | Comments (0)
Vegas, Day Two
The nation's top prospect in the class of 2009 likes USC, UCLA, Kansas and North Carolina. Here's a great read on a team from Quebec that paid its own way to Vegas. More interesting, AAU one coach blames the tightening economy on shoe companies pulling back their sponsorships, resulting in...
By Josh Barr | July 24, 2008; 11:22 AM ET | Comments (0)
G'town Recruit Gets Glowing Review; Braswell Update
Just got off the phone with D.C. Triple Threat guru Keith Stevens, who was rolling out of his hotel bed at 8 a.m. Vegas time but denied staying out too late last night. Triple Threat won its opening game in the Reebok Summer Championships, 85-77 in overtime over Belmore Shore,...
By Josh Barr | July 23, 2008; 11:38 AM ET | Comments (1)
More Vegas Links
Here's a writeup on how four stars did on the first day of action. While being on the road for the summer recruiting period is a grind for many coaches (and players), it's a brief respite for UNLV's staff, which gets the benefit of having top prospects in their city....
By Josh Barr | July 23, 2008; 11:18 AM ET | Comments (0)
Vegas Report, Day 1
Trolling the Internet for stories from the desert... Remember that line yesterday about GPS is a must-have for coaches in Las Vegas this week? Well, some rental car agencies ran out. Also of note from the first day of competition was a head-to-head matchup of two top players (scroll down)...
By Josh Barr | July 23, 2008; 10:34 AM ET | Comments (0)
Time to Hit the Road
Yep, it's that time of the year. Vegas, baby, as the summer basketball circuit converges on Sin City. With the tournament spread all across the desert, one coach makes this astute observation: "If you don't have GPS, you're in trouble," USC assistant Bob Cantu said....
By Josh Barr | July 22, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Comments (0)
Terps Land Another Running Back
Scroll down a bit and you can read about Maryland's latest commitment, running back D.J. Adams of Georgia. His commitment, along with that of Good Counsel speedster Caleb Porzel, has many folks wondering if there is the Terps have room for Dunbar-Baltimore standout Tavon Austin....
By Josh Barr | July 22, 2008; 10:06 AM ET | Comments (6)
BCS School Yet to Land Any '09 Recruits
This isn't big news locally, but with the start of preseason practice just weeks away, this BCS school doesn't have any verbal commitments from recruits. Says SuperPrep recruiting guru Allen Wallace: That is "pretty shocking in today's day and age, no question about it."...
By Josh Barr | July 21, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (2)
St. John's Grad Booted By Marshall
St. John's alum J.J. Johnson, with 23 career starts at cornerback, was kicked off Marshall's team over the weekend, after being arrested for driving while under the influence....
By Josh Barr | July 21, 2008; 10:03 AM ET | Comments (1)
Spotlight on Randolph, a Future Terp?
This week's Recruiting Spotlight features Gwynn Park's Raynard Randolph -- a 6-foot-3, 295-pound lineman with offers from Rutgers, Tennessee, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, West Virginia, Michigan State, Illinois and Maryland. A 17-year-old with a passion for pass-blocking, Randolph has been a team captain at Gwynn Park since his sophomore season and...
By Josh Barr | July 17, 2008; 9:24 AM ET | Comments (2)
Terps QB Recruit Bolts for Memphis?
Meant to post this one yesterday. While the Terps picked up Caleb Porzel for 2009, they lost a 2008 recruit. Quarterback Tyler Bass, who signed a letter-of-intent in February, instead will enroll at Memphis after Maryland planned to enroll him in January as a grayshirt. It's an unusual situation; usually...
By Josh Barr | July 16, 2008; 1:19 PM ET | Comments (7)
Braswell Looking Around; Hoyas Still in the Picture
So Chris Braswell is headed back to Hargrave Military Academy for another year of prep school in the fall and now he's taking another look at his college choices. The former Suitland and DeMatha player had committed to play for Georgetown but now is examining all his options. I guess...
By Josh Barr | July 16, 2008; 12:12 PM ET | Comments (0)
Basketball Standout Has Two Football Offers
When talking about Caleb Porzel, Good Counsel Coach Bob Milloy noted that rising junior cornerback Louis Young holds offers from Maryland and Virginia Tech. "He started for varsity as a ninth-grader on basketball and he started for me as a 10th-grader on the football team," Milloy said when I asked...
By Josh Barr | July 15, 2008; 3:11 PM ET | Comments (0)
Pittsburgh Gets Huge Commitment
Big one here. National Christian forward Dante Taylor, a second-team All-Met has committed to play for Pittsburgh. "They recruited him for over a year now," National Christian Coach Trevor Brown said. "He likes their style of play. They get a lot of New York kids. The academic support they get...
By Josh Barr | July 15, 2008; 11:38 AM ET | Comments (0)
Porzel Chooses Terps
Just caught up with Good Counsel speedster Caleb Porzel, who yesterday committed to play for Maryland. Porzel originally committed to play for Virginia, before later changing his mind amid some perceived offseason turmoil in Charlottesville. "It's home," Porzel said. "I just loved the environment there. It's very active. The coaches...
By Josh Barr | July 15, 2008; 10:31 AM ET | Comments (0)
Proposed Early Signing Period Won't Solve Problems
So the American Football Coaches Association favors creating an early-signing period for football. Ok, that's good. The problem? They favor creating such period in mid-December. Forgive me, but what's the point? Of the kids who switch commitments and other bumps in the road, I'd guess most happen well before this...
By Josh Barr | July 14, 2008; 12:19 PM ET | Comments (0)
Illini Get Another Local Pledge
Illinois cornerback Joelil Thrash earlier this week committed to play for Illinois. I hope to have more on this later today....
By Josh Barr | July 11, 2008; 11:49 AM ET | Comments (2)
A Day in the Life of a College Assistant
Ever wonder about the life of an assistant coach on the road? Colleague Zach Berman spent a day earlier this week up I-95 with George Mason assistant Chris Caputo. Among the players Mason is hot after is Bishop McNamara rising senior Rashad Whack....
By Josh Barr | July 11, 2008; 10:42 AM ET | Comments (0)
Brooke Point Defensive End Considering U-Va, VT
Brooke Point defensive end Lanford Collins has narrowed his choices to Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Penn State but is in "no rush to make a decision," according to the Free-Lance Star. Teammate Chase Barnett, a running back, holds an offer from Liberty, as does Riverbend defensive back D.J....
By Josh Barr | July 10, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
Roosevelt's Ross Brings Unique Set of Skills
This week's Recruiting Spotlight features Eleanor Roosevelt's Isaiah Ross, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker and defensive lineman. Ross's 111 tackles, 13 sacks, eight forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns helped the Raiders to a 5-5 finish and earned him offers from Maryland, Illinois and Buffalo. Named the team MVP in 2007,...
By Josh Barr | July 10, 2008; 9:25 AM ET | Comments (1)
Recruit Skipping College to Play in Europe
Arizona recruit Brandon Jennings is skipping college to turn pro in Europe and folks are wondering if this could be the start of a trend. I'd also kick into the discussion this thought: Will it put pressure on the NBA to relax its age restriction?...
By Josh Barr | July 9, 2008; 9:54 AM ET | Comments (3)
Vaughn Eligible to Play This Season
Georgetown put out a release (text below) that transfer Julian Vaughn will not have to sit out a season after transferring from Florida State. No reason is listed for the exception, saying that Vaughn wanted to keep things "private." Not sure how everyone feels about this, but not providing a...
By Josh Barr | July 8, 2008; 12:07 PM ET | Comments (0)
Terps Get Good News on Mosley
So Maryland recruit Sean Mosley reportedly will meet the NCAA's minimum academic eligibility standards and can then apply for admission to the university. That's great news for the Terrapins, who have had a rough offseason. A word of caution, though: Top-tier recruits like Mosley tend to be more scrutinized than...
By Josh Barr | July 7, 2008; 12:14 PM ET | Comments (0)
Should Recuits Get Second Chances?
This was a hot topic locally last year and is making its annual appearance in the news. A Nebraska recruit who reached a plea agreement and received probation after allegedly robbing a man of $900 plans to enroll in summer school next week and be ready for the start of...
By Josh Barr | July 7, 2008; 11:04 AM ET | Comments (0)
Terps Land A Rising Star
Just got off the phone with Forestville Coach Charles Harley, who reports that linebacker DeOnte Arnett has committed to play for Maryland. Arnett had called coaches from Tennessee, Georgia and Cincinnati in recent days to let them know he had reached a decision then phoned Ohio State today to let...
By Josh Barr | July 3, 2008; 3:33 PM ET | Comments (1)
Spotlight on Forestville's Arnett
This week's Recruiting Spotlight features Forestville's DeOnte Arnett -- a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end who has narrowed his list from 18 official offers to five -- Ohio State, Georgia, Maryland, Tennessee and Cincinnati. According to Coach Charles Harley, Arnett -- who recorded 72 tackles and 15 sacks last fall --...
By Josh Barr | July 3, 2008; 11:02 AM ET | Comments (0)
Another DeMatha Player Commits; Top 100 Sophs
Headed for vacation, but here are a few items of note: DeMatha linebacker Raheem Cardwell has committed to play for Syracuse. MaxPreps is out with its list of the nation's top 100 rising sophomore football players. Damascus safety-wide receiver Brandon Phelps - who started both ways last season - cracks...
By Josh Barr | July 2, 2008; 4:02 PM ET | Comments (2)
DeMatha QB Makes Pick
DeMatha quarterback Tom Chroniger has committed to play for Eastern Michigan. Chroniger enjoyed a solid first season as a starter last year and is poised to lead the Stags this season....
By Josh Barr | July 2, 2008; 9:06 AM ET | Comments (0)
Montrose's Armwood Chooses Villanova
From Josh Barr: Montrose Christian forward Isaiah Armwood, a 6-foot-8 rising senior, yesterday made an oral commitment to play for Villanova, Mustangs Coach Stu Vetter said. Last week, Vetter said that Armwood had narrowed his choices to Villanova, Texas and Syracuse. He had been invited to this week's USA Basketball...
By Jon DeNunzio | July 1, 2008; 5:55 PM ET | Comments (0)
Vinson Opts Out of National Team Trials for Camps
This one stunned me a bit. Montrose Christian All-Met guard Terrell Vinson pulled out of the USA Basketball under-18 team trials so that he can attend a pair of Reebok-sponsored camps, colleague Stephen Ball reports, passing along this report: Vinson has confirmed that he opted out of this week's USA...
By Josh Barr | July 1, 2008; 3:33 PM ET | Comments (2)
Maryland Set to Add a Big Man
Well, Gary Williams pledged that Maryland wasn't done recruiting for next season and it appears the Terps have landed a center in 6-9, 260-pound Steve Goins from Chicago. His other scholarship offers were from South Florida and Illinois-Chicago, but his high school coach thinks Goins will only get better as...
By Josh Barr | July 1, 2008; 7:39 AM ET | Comments (3)
