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Area's football stars under watchful eyes
By
Lindsay Jones
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 18, 2006
BELLE GLADE — Several Glades Central football players were taking a quick break from spring practice last week for a drink of water when one swatted the other on the shoulder.
"Hey man, that's Larry Coker," the player said, his eyes growing wide when he realized the University of Miami coach was just several feet away, pacing the sideline of the Glades Central practice field.
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Coker, wearing black slacks, a white Miami polo and Hurricanes ballcap, could hardly hide as he spied on a seven-on-seven drill.
<!--begintext--> Coker couldn't talk to any of the players who surrounded him, but he — along with two assistants who stood nearby — carefully studied the field full of potential college recruits.
"I just like to see the kids play," Coker said. "And for the head coaches, it's just important that the kids see that you're there. When I go to a practice, they're going to know I'm there."
Coker was just one of a handful of high-profile Division I college coaches to pass through Palm Beach County, and specifically Glades Central, during the past two weeks of spring practice — an increasingly important time for college coaches to recruit their next batch of players.
Florida's Urban Meyer and Rutgers' Greg Schiano — a former Hurricanes assistant — watched a full two-hour practice Wednesday, while Notre Dame's Charlie Weis met with coaches on campus Monday.
Spring represents one of the only chances for head coaches to see players in action. They've seen film and can watch recruits at senior day camps in April, but because of NCAA rules and their own demanding fall schedules, head coaches rarely get to see players in person until after their senior year is over.
"Spring is very, very critical," Boca Raton coach Rick Swain said. "After that, it's all video."
At spring practices, conversations with players are prohibited, but in-depth talk with coaches and school staff is not. The coaches are allowed one phone call in May, along with unlimited text messaging, e-mailing and instant messaging.
Meyer, who had two assistants in tow Wednesday, said the spring recruiting period is an invaluable time to learn things about a player that he can't see just from watching video tape. Meyer, who also has visited high schools throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and the Northeast this spring, said he likes to meet not only with coaches but also principals and teachers to get full reports on the players he hopes to entice to Gainesville.
Meyer said he knows that although his assistants do much of the recruiting in-season, the class the Gators end up with on national signing day in February ultimately is a reflection on him, and that's why he must start recruiting early.
"There are people who say they want to get the head coaches out of it, but I'm opposed to that," Meyer said. "I know we better win or it's my butt on the line."
Glades Central has emerged as the county's hot recruiting spot this spring thanks to a star-studded incoming senior class led by wide receiver Deonte Thompson, who is rated as one of the top receivers in the nation.
Thompson, who has scholarship offers from at least 20 schools — including Florida, Miami, Southern California and Notre Dame — said he wants to wait to commit to a school so scouts will continue to visit and hopefully offer scholarships to his teammates.
Glades Central players have had plenty of chances to show off this spring. Wednesday alone, nine coaches from five colleges milled around the field. Assistants from at least 50 colleges have visited Belle Glade this month, as well as visiting other schools in coastal Palm Beach County.
Glades Central defensive back Damien Berry, who transferred from Suncoast last fall, said seeing the crowd of coaches has energized the Raiders this spring. Berry, who is looking at Miami, Florida and Florida State among others, is hoping he has made a special impression that will lead to more scholarship offers.
"I want them to see my leadership," Berry said. "So I've got to be in the front of the line, leading every drill, keeping the energy from dropping.
"It's an honor to know people are looking at you from all over the country."
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<small id="column-title">High schools</small>
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<big id="columnist-name">Shandel Richardson</big>
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</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- End rail --> Talented Raiders to make debut in spring game
Thompson leads group full of standouts.
Published May 16, 2006
One of the most anticipated seasons in Glades Central football history begins this week. The Raiders will play at Daytona Beach Mainland in their spring game. It will serve as the debut for what some are calling the most talented team in Belle Glade in recent years. The Raiders are loaded with talent and will likely receive a national ranking when the regular season begins.
Glades Central features one of the nation's top receivers in senior Deonte Thompson, who has received scholarship offers from nearly every major university. The 6-foot, 185-pound Thompson has only improved after a junior season that earned him All-County honors from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He is flanked by senior Tarus McKinley, who is also receiving lots of interest. McKinley, the younger brother of former Glades Central standout Randy Phillips (now playing cornerback at Miami), is the perfect complement, and quarterback Bryan Mann should have several options.
Mann was also a first-team performer last year and is drawing interest from a few Southeastern Conference schools.
Then there's junior Deandre Holley, who could be the team's top athlete. Holley can play running back, wide receiver or quarterback.
The Raiders also received a big lift on offensive and defensive when Damien Berry transferred from Suncoast. Berry was injured most of last season, but will be one of the area's most heavily recruited players. As a sophomore, he earned All-County honors and has the ability to score on either side of the ball.
Other spring games include American Heritage-Delray against Palm Beach Central, which features Tyler McDermott, who is one of the county's top linemen. Pahokee will face Immokalee in a game that should feature lots of talent. Another interesting game is Class 1B Jupiter Christian playing King's Academy of Class 2B. The game will give Jupiter Christian running back Cedrick Epps a chance to play up a level after dominating 1B. He has rushed for more than 2,000 yards and led the state in scoring.
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