3yardsandacloud
Administrator Emeritus
<font color="#b90000">Monday, January 17, 2005</font> Recruiting News - 01/17/05
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Gwaltney To Decide Between USC and OSU Very Soon - Scout
Gwaltney To Decide Between USC and OSU Very Soon
By Gary Housteau
Date: Jan 17, 2005
Jason Gwaltney didn't want to unveil his final selection of which school he will attend for college before, during or after the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game but he didn't have trouble flexing his muscles during the game and then again after the game when he posed for a few fun and exclusive photographs. Gwaltney did however say that he will announce his official commitment to ESPN on Wednesday. It's likely both schools in the running still believe they are getting him.
At one point during the recruiting process, it looked as if Jason Gwaltney from North Babylon High School in North Babylon, NY was all but signed and sealed to the 2005 recruiting class of Southern California. And he may still be. But Gwaltney, arguably one of the top two running backs to perform in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game, is keeping his ultimate destination from the public until Wednesday, when he said he would announce his decision on ESPN.
And after having a solid all-around performance in the All-American Bowl, the speculation and anticipation are as great as ever regarding which school it will be when Gwaltney makes known that final decision.
“I think an all-star game is really more of an individual thing for fans to watch certain players and see what they can do, and I felt that I proved to myself and others in the nation that if you give me the ball 35 times (a game) then I’m going to do something with it,” Gwaltney said. “I felt that I showed that I can pass block, I showed that I can catch and I showed that I can run and get them nice yards and finish plays. And that’s what I came here to do and that’s the type of back that I am. I played with the nation’s best players today and I showed everyone, and I represented from New York, Babylon, Long Island.”
The entire week in San Antonio was a great experience for Gwaltney.
“Without a doubt,” he said. “I had fun and I got to meet kids and I got to help recruit kids to the college I’m going to. And we got treated like kings. I want to thank the U.S. Army, Reebok and everybody here. They did a great job with the game and I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
So why didn’t Gwaltney announce his commitment during the all-star game like many of the other players from both sides did?
“I’m making that announcement on Wednesday,” said Gwaltney after the game on Saturday. “There was no reason that I didn’t, I know where I’m going to school.”
Until just recently, his decision was to be made from three schools who he has said were all equally in the running for obtaining his services, but he seems to have already eliminated West Virginia and now only two remain in the contest.
“Well, now it’s Ohio State and USC, they’re both even,” he said while repeating his usual public stance on the issue whether three schools are involved or just two. “I’ve made my decision and it’s going to be on ESPN. I’m going to be doing it at the ESPN zone.”
Even more elusive than ever with his delivery, Gwaltney gave no hints on which way he’s leaning, one way or the other, but he did have a comment that was directed toward Ohio State fans.
“I go on Bucknuts.com and I see the fans posting their little messages, so I hope that today I proved some of the fans wrong on what they said about me,” Gwaltney said. “But I still don’t have a bad vibe with Ohio State and I really like Ohio State a lot, and I want to do big things wherever I go.”
Gwaltney specifically stated that distance did not factor into making his final decision and he made his decision final before he arrived in San Antonio.
“I decided Saturday when I took my visit to West Virginia and now I just know,” he said. “I’m just going with my heart and I hope I made the right decision.”
So was Gwaltney successful in his efforts to try and help recruit other players to the school that he will attend?
"Yeah, I got a couple of kids to go to the school that I want to (go to),” he said. “So I hope that don’t give nothing away.”
Actually it didn’t because now everyone is just as confused about Gwaltney’s intentions as they’ve been all along.
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Manningham Puts Speculation To Rest - Scout
Manningham Puts Speculation To Rest
By Bill Greene Ohio High Scout/Contributor
Date: Jan 17, 2005
In recent weeks, whispers of wide receiver Mario Manningham of Warren (Oh.) Harding possibly reconsidering his commitment have surfaced. Manningham made it clear this weekend though that he is not interested in signing anywhere other than Michigan.
I caught up with Warren Harding star athlete Mario Manningham at the Maytag Basketball Classic in North Canton.
Manningham, ranked as one of the top senior football players in the state by Ohio High magazine, led the Raiders to an exciting win over Lakewood St. Edward. Mario was quite candid in discussing his commitment to Michigan and recruiting in general.
When asked if he was still totally committed to Michigan, Manningham said, "I'm 100% committed to the Wolverines. No, make that 150%. I have no idea where the rumors started that I'm not sure about my decision."
Michigan assistant coach Scott Loeffler was at the game to watch Mario and the two of them talked at length after his game.
"Coach Loeffler is a great guy. We hit it off right away. We called Lloyd Carr at home tonight to talk. Coach Carr is under the weather with the flu, so we didn't talk too long," said Manningham.
When asked why he selected Michigan over Ohio State, Manningham replied, " I really didn't pick Michigan over Ohio State. I guess Florida was my second choice, but really it was Michigan all the way. I never felt comfortable with the Ohio State staff like I did with the Michigan people. Also Prescott Burgess is playing there, and he's like a big brother to me. Ohio State was having off the field troubles at the time I was being recruited, and it seems it's still going on. Michigan was the right place for me."
When asked if Michigan promised him he could wear No. 1 on his jersey, Mario replied, " No, they didn't promise me that. At Michigan you have to earn that jersey. I want to earn it."
"I plan moving to Ann Arbor within a week after graduation," said Manningham. "I'll be living with Jason Avant. The coaches want me there as soon as possible to start working out. They told me I'll be returning punts right off the bat, and there's a chance for me to get some playing at wide receiver. There's no chance of me redshirting next year. I want to play right away, and the opportunity is there for me to do that."
Recruiting fans can stop wondering about the rumors that Manningham is wavering in his decision. After talking with Mario, there's no doubt where he'll be playing college football. He's looking forward to furthering his career wearing the maize and blue of Michigan.
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Sledge Verbals To South Carolina - Scout PREMIUM
Sledge Verbals To South Carolina
By Dave Biddle
Date: Jan 17, 2005
Florida wide receiver Eric Sledge gave a verbal commitment to South Carolina over the weekend. He is scheduled to visit Ohio State this weekend, but might cancel. Sledge gave us the latest on his situation.
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Did seven ND coaches change Wilson's thinking? - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Did seven ND coaches change Wilson's thinking?
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Bill Kurelic
BuckeyeSports.com Recruiting Analyst *
Almost the entire Notre Dame coaching staff visited the home of Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary defensive end Lawrence Wilson on Sunday. Did that change Wilson's thinking? Does he still have Ohio State and Florida at the top of his list? And would Wilson's mother like to see her son stay close to home?
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Did huge ND group sway Wilson? - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Did huge ND group sway Wilson?
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Bill Kurelic
Rivals100.com *
Almost the entire Notre Dame coaching staff visited the home of Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary defensive end Lawrence Wilson on Sunday. Did that change Wilson's thinking? Does he still have Ohio State and Florida at the top of his list? And would Wilson's mother like to see her son stay close to home?
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Irish land in Akron - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Irish land in Akron
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Steve Hare
BlueandGold.com *
If the new Notre Dame coaching staff approaches each football game as they did their in-home visit with Lawrence Wilson, the Fighting Irish have a bright future. Seven Irish assistant coaches traveled to Akron, Ohio on Sunday to visit with Wilson, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound defensive end that withdrew his verbal commitment to Notre Dame after the firing of Tyrone Willingham.
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Ashley decision to come Feb. 2 - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Ashley decision to come Feb. 2
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BWI staff
BlueWhiteIllustrated.com *
After his visit this past weekend with Penn State, Walker Ashley will wait until Feb.2 to make his decision. He is rated as the 12th best defensive tackle in the country by Rivals. Ashley has named his top three choices at this point. Click here to find out who they are and how his visit to Penn State went this past weekend.
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Ashley Still Mulling Offers - Scout PREMIUM
Ashley Still Mulling Offers
By Dave Biddle
Date: Jan 17, 2005
Minnesota defensive lineman Walker Ashley visited Penn State over the weekend. He will decide between USC, Ohio State and Penn State on signing day. We caught up with Ashley for the latest.
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Chris Wells Video Now Available - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Chris Wells Video Now Available
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BuckeyeSports.com Staff Reports
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Akron (Ohio) Garfield tailback Chris Wells will be one of the top running back prospects in the country when major college programs begin to turn their attention to the 2005-06 recruiting season. Nicknamed "Beanie" and measuring 6-1 and 217 pounds, Wells is a blend of power and speed as he has piled up the yardage for the Golden Rams the past two years. In 2004, he was one of only four juniors in Ohio to rush for 1,700 yards or more. Check out his video right here.
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Gwaltney Talks Recruiting - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Gwaltney Talks Recruiting
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Andrew Worob
WVSports.com *
New York running back Jason Gwaltney has decided not to make any decisions this week, and will instead announce his college choice on February 1st on ESPN.
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Iowa, Tennessee shoot up Rivals.com rankings - Rivals 100
January 17, 2005
Iowa, Tennessee shoot up Rivals.com rankings
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Jeremy Crabtree
Rivals100.com Editor *
Last week belonged to the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Tennessee Volunteers. Both teams scored big at the all-star game in San Antonio, but it's Tennessee that is up to No. 2 in the Rivals.com team rankings after landing Eugene Hayes. Oklahoma also moved up to the No. 1 spot after it landed a commitment from five-star linebacker Ryan Reynolds. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Jeremy Crabtree breaks down the entire updated Rivals.com top 25 team rankings.
School Total Commits Stock Last Week Points Breakdown
1 Oklahoma 21 2 2,137 After landing Ryan Reynolds this past weekend the Sooners moved to No. 1 on the list. It's going to be tough to stay up at the top spot, but this is one of Bob Stoops' best classes yet.
2 Tennessee 20 10 2,090 What a weekend for the Vols? First they score big time at the all-star game and then they come up and land a commitment from Eugene Hayes on Sunday.
3 Nebraska 26 1 1,875 The Huskers were well represented at the all-star game, and many of their commits looked good. Ndamukong Suh could be next for the Huskers.
4 Texas A&M 24 3 1,690 This is a very good class for the Aggies. With so few numbers left, things might be a little slow for A&M the next few weeks, but still this is a great in-state class.
5 Iowa 21
22 1,688 Can Iowa stick as the top team in the Big 10? The answer is yes if they close with a few more big time prospects. Have to love how they did at the all-star game.
6 Michigan 19 4 1,597 Marques Slocum could be the next commitment for the Wolverines, improving on what already is a very solid recruiting class.
7 Ohio State 15 6 1,564 Ohio State has done a masterful job, despite all the off-the-field problems that have been talked about there in Columbus.
8 Georgia 16 7 1,423 Georgia is still waiting on some big-time players to make up their minds. They only have 16 commits at this point. Watch for them to move up even more and challenge UT for the top class in the SEC.
9 Arizona 22 8 1,380 Jermichael Finley could make things interesting over the next week or so after he visited Arizona, despite being committed to Texas.
10 Virginia 22 5 1,377 The long-time No. 1 team has slipped down the rankings as other teams have caught up to them and passed them with bigger commitments.
11 Virginia Tech 18 9 1,376 With a strong close is there a chance that Tech could have the top class in the ACC? Don't ever rule out the Hokies in anything.
12 Texas 14 15 1,332 Roy Miller couldn't be blocked the entire week at the all-star game. What happens with Finley is also on the mind of Longhorn fans.
13 Miami-FL 12 14 1,276 Just wait... Miami will leap up the rankings after they start to reel in some of their typical South Florida talent.
14 Alabama 26 16 1,262 Bama quarterback commitment Jimmy Barnes was very impressive at the all-star game last week.
15 Clemson 23 17 1,256 James Davis might just be the best running back in the Southeast. The four-star running back was a huge get for the Tigers.
16 Auburn 15 11 1,235 Jerrell Powe's decision is still baffling. All signs, and we mean all signs, pointed toward Auburn, including the bright orange shirt that was seen wearing all week long at the all-star game.
17 Southern Cal 11 19 1,219 Just wait... USC will be near the top once it's all over. The Trojans have too many big-timers left on the board for them not to finish with at least a top 10 class.
18 Maryland 19 18 1,198 Maryland has a very solid class in place, but the Terps would like to find an impact quarterback somewhere.
19 California 17 12 1,188 Anthony Felder was a huge pick up for the Bears. He has a shot at being really, really special there in the Pac 10.
20 Florida State 12 NR 1,103 We all knew it was coming, but it was good to see it happen. Florida State is moving up the charts and moving up quick.
21 LSU 10 20 1,086 The verdict is still in on what's going to happen with this year's LSU class. The core is still very solid, but adding Ryan Perrilloux would be Les Miles' first major recruiting victory.
22 UCLA 19 13 1,050 With a huge January on tap, the Bruins could have a great shot at a top 10 class.
23 Florida 11 NR 956 The Gators won't be toward the bottom of the top 25 for long. Urban Meyer has already made several recruiting waves there in Gainesville.
24 South Carolina 21 NR 949 This weekend was a good one for the Cocks. We finally started to see Steve Spurrier rack up some solid commitments, including four-star WR Carlos Thomas.
25 Purdue 18 21 904 People still don't realize how good Selwyn Lymon is going to be for the Boilers.
Down but not out for long:
Notre Dame: The Irish landed their first major commitment for the new staff with the addition of D.J. Hord, the top player in the state of Missouri. It's likely the first of many big commits for the new coaches.
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Three new commitments for Vanderbilt football - Scout
Three new commitments for Vanderbilt football
By VandyMania Staff
Date: Jan 17, 2005
A busy weekend of official visits resulted in three new commitments to the Vanderbilt football program.
A busy weekend of official visits resulted in three new commitments to the Vanderbilt football program:
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Ryan Custer, an offensive lineman from Troy, Ohio, became the Commodores' fifth offensive lineman commitment. Custer, one of the stars at last summer's MSL Combine in Cincinnati, was a teammate of four-star Ohio State commitment Todd Denlinger and was named second-team All-Area in Division II.
Custer played both offensive line and defensive tackle for Troy, a team that finished 7-4 in 2004.
For a complete scouting report on Ryan Custer, click here. To see more photos of Custer from last summer's Cincinnati MSL combine, click here.
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Duran Coger, a running back / cornerback prospect from North Tuscumbia, Ala. Deshler High School, became the Commodores' second running back commitment.
Coger, a 5-11, 180-pounder, has helped lead Deshler to the playoffs for the last two seasons. He demontsrated his versatility in this year's championship game by rushing for 125 yards on 16 carries, and bringing in two passes for 43 more yards.
For a more thorough, previously published scouting report on Duran Coger, click here.
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Chris Johnson, a 6-2, 215-pound linebacker / running back prospect from Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, became the Commodores' third linebacker commitment, and (along with Coger) its fifth overall commitment from the state of Alabama.
Johnson, the recipient of a number of Scholar-Athlete awards, holds a 4.0 grade point average.
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Verbal commitments are not binding. Signing day is Feb. 2.
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U.S. Army All-American Bowl observations - Fox Sports
U.S. Army All-American Bowl observations
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Eric Moneypenny / FOXSports.com
Posted: 11 hours ago
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Just some observations from watching Saturday's high school U.S. Army All-American Bowl from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. ...
* I won't be quick to write off West receiver DeSean Jackson (6-0, 170; Long Beach (Calif.) Poly) as a selfish showboat after trying that ridiculous half-flip/half-cartwheel in which he fumbled at the one-yard line. I also wouldn't write him off after hearing the announcers talk about a confrontation that he had with the West coaches during practice last week (seriously, who fights with their coaches at an All-Star game practice?). I didn't even write him off after he muffed a punt trying to steal the catch from a fellow West returner in the second quarter. And I'm glad I didn't. Why? Because Jackson was by far the dominant player in the game (winning the MVP) after catching 7 passes for 141 yards and throwing a touchdown bomb on a trick play. ...
In fact, I watched Jackson take over the U.S. Army All-American game in much of the same manner as past stars such as current Texas QB Vince Young, Oregon DT Haloti Ngata, and Florida QB Chris Leak. That's good company, and very hard to do from the wide receiver position. Jackson will apparently be going to either USC or Cal.
* Speaking of USC or Cal, if anyone thinks that the Trojans won't be a force for the next two to ten years, just consider that USC is returning Matt Leinart ...who will be replaced by John David Booty, a former consensus No. 1 prep quarterback in the nation ...who will be replaced by Mark Sanchez (West team from Mission Viejo, Calif.), this year's No. 1 prep quarterback. ...
* At the beginning of the game, they described West running back Jonathan Stewart, Jr., the nation's top prep back, as a combination of Herschel Walker and Walter Payton. Poor kid. ...
* West DL Roy Miller will be a beast in college, mark it down. Almost blocked a punt (at 290-plus pounds), and wreaked havoc. Congrats, Longhorns. ...
* East receiver Fred Rouse (Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln H.S.), is from the same high school as Cincinnati Bengals/Florida State star Peter Warrick, but looked downright Randy Moss/Roy Williams-y for short periods during the game. Rouse will probably be deciding between Texas, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), and Alabama. ...
* I think that East quarterback Greg Paulus (Duke basketball commitment) should play football in college. Everybody and their brother knows that The Greg Paulus Dream is to be the starting point guard for Duke, to which he has a full b-ball scholly on tap with Coach K. That's nice, but the kid has fantastic potential on the football field. The guy's getting Joe Montana comparisons from the NBC announcing team, and looked to me like a souped-up, more athletic Aaron Rodgers. That was obvious even after he played on the struggling East offense.
Hey Greg, everyone knows that you wanna be Bobby Hurley ... but it'd be pretty swell if you wouldn't mind being Sonny Jurgenson, Ben Bennett, Anthony Dilweg, Billy Ray, or Dave Brown for a bit in college. By the way everyone, those are Duke quarterbacks. I'm sorry for those references. I'm from North Carolina. Remember Greg, supposedly, Joe Montana almost committed to play basketball for NC State.
Either way, whether Paulus ever puts on the white helmet as a Blue Devil or not, two of the nation's top 40 QB prospects (Gene Delle Donne and Zack Asack) are coming to Durham next season. ...
* Speaking of the struggling East offense, why did their head coach install a no-huddle shotgun attack? At one point in the 2nd quarter, the East quarterbacks were seemingly around 4 for 15 passing, and they had run the ball maybe three times. And they were losing hard, 21-3 at the break. ...
* At the beginning of the game, the announcers said that East running back Toney Baker (Ragsdale (N.C.) H.S.) would be one of the many all-stars declaring his college commitment during the game. However, I was totally surprised when they were showing video of Baker running for a 90-plus yard touchdown on my old high school field against my younger brother's team from a playoff game this season.
Baker, Scout.com's No. 5 running back in the nation, verbally committed to NC State during the fourth quarter. He rushed for more than 3,000 yards in each of the past two seasons in high-level North Carolina high school football, and started the game at tailback for the East, but only carried the ball once or twice in that ridiculous East offense. Since Baker got dissed so bad by the East coaches so bad during the game, I'll try and mention him a few more times in the article. ...
* I love inflated stories about the prowess of high school athletes. Tom Lemming said that he saw West quarterback Ryan Perrilloux throw a football 65 yards from one knee last summer. Lemming also said that Perrrilloux can throw it well over 90 yards. Hey Tom, was Bill Brasky there that day too? If so, how many times did Brasky rep 225 on the bench? I've seen video of Perrilloux, and saw the game, so, were they using heavier balls in those games or something? It didn't look like Ryan could throw those balls over 90 yards downfield. ...
* Oh yeah, well, I once heard that East running back Toney Baker, who started the game and barely carried the ball had a 420-plus bench press and ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. Just saying.
And I'm not picking on Perrilloux, who does have an absolute cannon for an arm and looked great. I'm not even picking on Lemming, who, unlike me, is probably not a moron. I only say this keeping in mind that Brett Favre, who has one of the strongest arms ever could maybe throw it 80 yards in his athletic prime. I know this from watching the NFL QB Challenges when I was younger. But don't get me wrong, it's obvious that Perrilloux will be a standout at Texas (where he committed), or LSU, Florida State, or any of the other schools that he's visiting in the coming weeks. ...
* Alabama head coach Mike Shula should hire U.S. Army All-American Bowl West head coach John Barnes, the legendary prep coach at Los Alamitos (Calif.) High as his offensive coordinator next season. Why? Because Barnes's son, West quarterback Jimmy Barnes is headed for Tuscaloosa next season, and looked fairly dominant running his father's offense in Saturday's game, arguably more so than Mark Sanchez (USC commit, nation's top quarterback), and Perrilloux, who both did well. ...
* East player Melvin Alaeze, a 6-3, 275 DE who committed to Maryland during the game, had a ridiculously spectacular stick on the quarterback during the game. However, he was so intent on celebrating that he didn't realize the QB had fumbled, much like the DeSean Jackson near-touchdown incident. Ah, to put 17- and 18-year-old kids on national television. I'm thinking the NBA could learn something from this game. ...
* Baylor is getting a heck of a wideout in David Gettis, a 6-3 sprinter out of Dorsey High in Los Angeles, who caught a 39-yard rocket shot from West quarterback Mark Sanchez (USC commitment). Ah, the pros of a school having a great track program. Let's hope that unlike former star prep running back turned-Olympian Michael Johnson, Gettis will get off the track long enough to see substantial time in a Baylor football uniform.
* The Iowa Hawkeyes had a ridiculous day in San Antonio, securing a boatload of announced commitments during the game, moving from outside the Scout.com Top 10 to having the current No. 4 recruiting class in the country. Coach Kirk Ferentz now has three of the top 11 offensive line prospects in the country coming to Iowa City next season. And DE/DT prospect Ryan Bain (6-2, 268), who also committed to Iowa during the game, looked very strong blitzing and stunting for the East team.
Eric Moneypenny is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com, and not a high school recruiting expert. You can absolutely not e-mail him at [email protected]. Also, he would like to mention, once more, East running back Toney Baker ...
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Snow vs Distance - Scout
Snow vs Distance
By Allen Wallace**National Recruiting Editor
Date: Jan 17, 2005
"My trip to Penn State this past weekend went good," said defensive lineman Walker Ashley. "I had a great time with the players and the coaches. They're my number two school right now and I'd say there's a 25% chance I'll go there..."
Minnesota defensive end/defensive tackle Walker Ashley (6-5, 285, 4.85, Scout.com's #18 DT) now says USC (10/23 official trip) leads Penn State (1/14), Ohio State (12/3), Minnesota (12/10, mom's pref) and Oklahoma.
"USC leads over the other schools in my top five right now," says Ashley, from Eden Prarie. "I'd say there is a 50% chance I'll go there. Even though it's far away, location is not a problem. I come from a small town, but there's a lot to do in California.
"Their tight end, Dominique Bryd, is the cousin of my best friend, Noah Sims. Dominique says that if I went there I would be homesick for awhile but that the coaches were good at helping players with that.
"And they just won the national championship. I had some second thoughts on them earlier, but seeing them on national television brought them back for me. Right now though, I'm not committed and I haven't been committed. I have told their coaches that if Signing Day were today, that I would sign with them. I see a great opportunity there. They are losing two great defensive linemen.
"They told me that their defensive line coach (Ed Orgeron) would probably take an offer to coach Mississippi if he was offered. At first, I was kind of upset about it when he left. But I don't feel that way now. They told me they know who the want to be their defensive line coach. He's from the NFL.
"My trip to Penn State this past weekend went good. I had a great time with the players and the coaches. They're my number two school right now and I'd say there's a 25% chance I'll go there.
"My host was Tamba Hali (defensive tackle). He took me around the campus and introduced me to some people, and we went to some parties. I enjoyed it.
"The highlight of the trip was being at the basketball game and having everyone there chanting my name. A negative to walk away from this experience was that it was snowing. I mean I expected to get away from it, but there was snow there.
"I like Penn State's program also because my dad went there and he played middle linebacker. That's where my dad would like me to go. That will be a medium factor for me. But he knows the decision is mine to make.
"It's a school that has some great history and tradition. They've also got a great recruiting class this year and I'd like to be a part of that. I just really like it. My visit there went great and made me think.
"I'm still thinking about taking a trip to Oklahoma. They want me to let them know by Wednesday if I'm going so I only have a couple of days. I just don't know if I'm going to. I'm feeling kind of worn out by recruiting right now.
"I won't announce where I'm going until Sig
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Gwaltney To Decide Between USC and OSU Very Soon - Scout
Gwaltney To Decide Between USC and OSU Very Soon
By Gary Housteau
Date: Jan 17, 2005
Jason Gwaltney didn't want to unveil his final selection of which school he will attend for college before, during or after the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game but he didn't have trouble flexing his muscles during the game and then again after the game when he posed for a few fun and exclusive photographs. Gwaltney did however say that he will announce his official commitment to ESPN on Wednesday. It's likely both schools in the running still believe they are getting him.
At one point during the recruiting process, it looked as if Jason Gwaltney from North Babylon High School in North Babylon, NY was all but signed and sealed to the 2005 recruiting class of Southern California. And he may still be. But Gwaltney, arguably one of the top two running backs to perform in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game, is keeping his ultimate destination from the public until Wednesday, when he said he would announce his decision on ESPN.
And after having a solid all-around performance in the All-American Bowl, the speculation and anticipation are as great as ever regarding which school it will be when Gwaltney makes known that final decision.
“I think an all-star game is really more of an individual thing for fans to watch certain players and see what they can do, and I felt that I proved to myself and others in the nation that if you give me the ball 35 times (a game) then I’m going to do something with it,” Gwaltney said. “I felt that I showed that I can pass block, I showed that I can catch and I showed that I can run and get them nice yards and finish plays. And that’s what I came here to do and that’s the type of back that I am. I played with the nation’s best players today and I showed everyone, and I represented from New York, Babylon, Long Island.”
The entire week in San Antonio was a great experience for Gwaltney.
“Without a doubt,” he said. “I had fun and I got to meet kids and I got to help recruit kids to the college I’m going to. And we got treated like kings. I want to thank the U.S. Army, Reebok and everybody here. They did a great job with the game and I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
So why didn’t Gwaltney announce his commitment during the all-star game like many of the other players from both sides did?
“I’m making that announcement on Wednesday,” said Gwaltney after the game on Saturday. “There was no reason that I didn’t, I know where I’m going to school.”
Until just recently, his decision was to be made from three schools who he has said were all equally in the running for obtaining his services, but he seems to have already eliminated West Virginia and now only two remain in the contest.
“Well, now it’s Ohio State and USC, they’re both even,” he said while repeating his usual public stance on the issue whether three schools are involved or just two. “I’ve made my decision and it’s going to be on ESPN. I’m going to be doing it at the ESPN zone.”
Even more elusive than ever with his delivery, Gwaltney gave no hints on which way he’s leaning, one way or the other, but he did have a comment that was directed toward Ohio State fans.
“I go on Bucknuts.com and I see the fans posting their little messages, so I hope that today I proved some of the fans wrong on what they said about me,” Gwaltney said. “But I still don’t have a bad vibe with Ohio State and I really like Ohio State a lot, and I want to do big things wherever I go.”
Gwaltney specifically stated that distance did not factor into making his final decision and he made his decision final before he arrived in San Antonio.
“I decided Saturday when I took my visit to West Virginia and now I just know,” he said. “I’m just going with my heart and I hope I made the right decision.”
So was Gwaltney successful in his efforts to try and help recruit other players to the school that he will attend?
"Yeah, I got a couple of kids to go to the school that I want to (go to),” he said. “So I hope that don’t give nothing away.”
Actually it didn’t because now everyone is just as confused about Gwaltney’s intentions as they’ve been all along.
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Manningham Puts Speculation To Rest - Scout
Manningham Puts Speculation To Rest
By Bill Greene Ohio High Scout/Contributor
Date: Jan 17, 2005
In recent weeks, whispers of wide receiver Mario Manningham of Warren (Oh.) Harding possibly reconsidering his commitment have surfaced. Manningham made it clear this weekend though that he is not interested in signing anywhere other than Michigan.
I caught up with Warren Harding star athlete Mario Manningham at the Maytag Basketball Classic in North Canton.
Manningham, ranked as one of the top senior football players in the state by Ohio High magazine, led the Raiders to an exciting win over Lakewood St. Edward. Mario was quite candid in discussing his commitment to Michigan and recruiting in general.
When asked if he was still totally committed to Michigan, Manningham said, "I'm 100% committed to the Wolverines. No, make that 150%. I have no idea where the rumors started that I'm not sure about my decision."
Michigan assistant coach Scott Loeffler was at the game to watch Mario and the two of them talked at length after his game.
"Coach Loeffler is a great guy. We hit it off right away. We called Lloyd Carr at home tonight to talk. Coach Carr is under the weather with the flu, so we didn't talk too long," said Manningham.
When asked why he selected Michigan over Ohio State, Manningham replied, " I really didn't pick Michigan over Ohio State. I guess Florida was my second choice, but really it was Michigan all the way. I never felt comfortable with the Ohio State staff like I did with the Michigan people. Also Prescott Burgess is playing there, and he's like a big brother to me. Ohio State was having off the field troubles at the time I was being recruited, and it seems it's still going on. Michigan was the right place for me."
When asked if Michigan promised him he could wear No. 1 on his jersey, Mario replied, " No, they didn't promise me that. At Michigan you have to earn that jersey. I want to earn it."
"I plan moving to Ann Arbor within a week after graduation," said Manningham. "I'll be living with Jason Avant. The coaches want me there as soon as possible to start working out. They told me I'll be returning punts right off the bat, and there's a chance for me to get some playing at wide receiver. There's no chance of me redshirting next year. I want to play right away, and the opportunity is there for me to do that."
Recruiting fans can stop wondering about the rumors that Manningham is wavering in his decision. After talking with Mario, there's no doubt where he'll be playing college football. He's looking forward to furthering his career wearing the maize and blue of Michigan.
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Sledge Verbals To South Carolina - Scout PREMIUM
Sledge Verbals To South Carolina
By Dave Biddle
Date: Jan 17, 2005
Florida wide receiver Eric Sledge gave a verbal commitment to South Carolina over the weekend. He is scheduled to visit Ohio State this weekend, but might cancel. Sledge gave us the latest on his situation.
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Did seven ND coaches change Wilson's thinking? - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Did seven ND coaches change Wilson's thinking?
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Bill Kurelic
BuckeyeSports.com Recruiting Analyst *
Almost the entire Notre Dame coaching staff visited the home of Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary defensive end Lawrence Wilson on Sunday. Did that change Wilson's thinking? Does he still have Ohio State and Florida at the top of his list? And would Wilson's mother like to see her son stay close to home?
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Did huge ND group sway Wilson? - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Did huge ND group sway Wilson?
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Bill Kurelic
Rivals100.com *
Almost the entire Notre Dame coaching staff visited the home of Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary defensive end Lawrence Wilson on Sunday. Did that change Wilson's thinking? Does he still have Ohio State and Florida at the top of his list? And would Wilson's mother like to see her son stay close to home?
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Irish land in Akron - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Irish land in Akron
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Steve Hare
BlueandGold.com *
If the new Notre Dame coaching staff approaches each football game as they did their in-home visit with Lawrence Wilson, the Fighting Irish have a bright future. Seven Irish assistant coaches traveled to Akron, Ohio on Sunday to visit with Wilson, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound defensive end that withdrew his verbal commitment to Notre Dame after the firing of Tyrone Willingham.
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Ashley decision to come Feb. 2 - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Ashley decision to come Feb. 2
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BWI staff
BlueWhiteIllustrated.com *
After his visit this past weekend with Penn State, Walker Ashley will wait until Feb.2 to make his decision. He is rated as the 12th best defensive tackle in the country by Rivals. Ashley has named his top three choices at this point. Click here to find out who they are and how his visit to Penn State went this past weekend.
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Ashley Still Mulling Offers - Scout PREMIUM
Ashley Still Mulling Offers
By Dave Biddle
Date: Jan 17, 2005
Minnesota defensive lineman Walker Ashley visited Penn State over the weekend. He will decide between USC, Ohio State and Penn State on signing day. We caught up with Ashley for the latest.
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Chris Wells Video Now Available - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Chris Wells Video Now Available
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BuckeyeSports.com Staff Reports
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Akron (Ohio) Garfield tailback Chris Wells will be one of the top running back prospects in the country when major college programs begin to turn their attention to the 2005-06 recruiting season. Nicknamed "Beanie" and measuring 6-1 and 217 pounds, Wells is a blend of power and speed as he has piled up the yardage for the Golden Rams the past two years. In 2004, he was one of only four juniors in Ohio to rush for 1,700 yards or more. Check out his video right here.
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Gwaltney Talks Recruiting - Rivals PREMIUM
January 17, 2005
Gwaltney Talks Recruiting
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Andrew Worob
WVSports.com *
New York running back Jason Gwaltney has decided not to make any decisions this week, and will instead announce his college choice on February 1st on ESPN.
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Iowa, Tennessee shoot up Rivals.com rankings - Rivals 100
January 17, 2005
Iowa, Tennessee shoot up Rivals.com rankings
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Jeremy Crabtree
Rivals100.com Editor *
Last week belonged to the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Tennessee Volunteers. Both teams scored big at the all-star game in San Antonio, but it's Tennessee that is up to No. 2 in the Rivals.com team rankings after landing Eugene Hayes. Oklahoma also moved up to the No. 1 spot after it landed a commitment from five-star linebacker Ryan Reynolds. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Jeremy Crabtree breaks down the entire updated Rivals.com top 25 team rankings.
School Total Commits Stock Last Week Points Breakdown
1 Oklahoma 21 2 2,137 After landing Ryan Reynolds this past weekend the Sooners moved to No. 1 on the list. It's going to be tough to stay up at the top spot, but this is one of Bob Stoops' best classes yet.
2 Tennessee 20 10 2,090 What a weekend for the Vols? First they score big time at the all-star game and then they come up and land a commitment from Eugene Hayes on Sunday.
3 Nebraska 26 1 1,875 The Huskers were well represented at the all-star game, and many of their commits looked good. Ndamukong Suh could be next for the Huskers.
4 Texas A&M 24 3 1,690 This is a very good class for the Aggies. With so few numbers left, things might be a little slow for A&M the next few weeks, but still this is a great in-state class.
5 Iowa 21
22 1,688 Can Iowa stick as the top team in the Big 10? The answer is yes if they close with a few more big time prospects. Have to love how they did at the all-star game.
6 Michigan 19 4 1,597 Marques Slocum could be the next commitment for the Wolverines, improving on what already is a very solid recruiting class.
7 Ohio State 15 6 1,564 Ohio State has done a masterful job, despite all the off-the-field problems that have been talked about there in Columbus.
8 Georgia 16 7 1,423 Georgia is still waiting on some big-time players to make up their minds. They only have 16 commits at this point. Watch for them to move up even more and challenge UT for the top class in the SEC.
9 Arizona 22 8 1,380 Jermichael Finley could make things interesting over the next week or so after he visited Arizona, despite being committed to Texas.
10 Virginia 22 5 1,377 The long-time No. 1 team has slipped down the rankings as other teams have caught up to them and passed them with bigger commitments.
11 Virginia Tech 18 9 1,376 With a strong close is there a chance that Tech could have the top class in the ACC? Don't ever rule out the Hokies in anything.
12 Texas 14 15 1,332 Roy Miller couldn't be blocked the entire week at the all-star game. What happens with Finley is also on the mind of Longhorn fans.
13 Miami-FL 12 14 1,276 Just wait... Miami will leap up the rankings after they start to reel in some of their typical South Florida talent.
14 Alabama 26 16 1,262 Bama quarterback commitment Jimmy Barnes was very impressive at the all-star game last week.
15 Clemson 23 17 1,256 James Davis might just be the best running back in the Southeast. The four-star running back was a huge get for the Tigers.
16 Auburn 15 11 1,235 Jerrell Powe's decision is still baffling. All signs, and we mean all signs, pointed toward Auburn, including the bright orange shirt that was seen wearing all week long at the all-star game.
17 Southern Cal 11 19 1,219 Just wait... USC will be near the top once it's all over. The Trojans have too many big-timers left on the board for them not to finish with at least a top 10 class.
18 Maryland 19 18 1,198 Maryland has a very solid class in place, but the Terps would like to find an impact quarterback somewhere.
19 California 17 12 1,188 Anthony Felder was a huge pick up for the Bears. He has a shot at being really, really special there in the Pac 10.
20 Florida State 12 NR 1,103 We all knew it was coming, but it was good to see it happen. Florida State is moving up the charts and moving up quick.
21 LSU 10 20 1,086 The verdict is still in on what's going to happen with this year's LSU class. The core is still very solid, but adding Ryan Perrilloux would be Les Miles' first major recruiting victory.
22 UCLA 19 13 1,050 With a huge January on tap, the Bruins could have a great shot at a top 10 class.
23 Florida 11 NR 956 The Gators won't be toward the bottom of the top 25 for long. Urban Meyer has already made several recruiting waves there in Gainesville.
24 South Carolina 21 NR 949 This weekend was a good one for the Cocks. We finally started to see Steve Spurrier rack up some solid commitments, including four-star WR Carlos Thomas.
25 Purdue 18 21 904 People still don't realize how good Selwyn Lymon is going to be for the Boilers.
Down but not out for long:
Notre Dame: The Irish landed their first major commitment for the new staff with the addition of D.J. Hord, the top player in the state of Missouri. It's likely the first of many big commits for the new coaches.
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Three new commitments for Vanderbilt football - Scout
Three new commitments for Vanderbilt football
By VandyMania Staff
Date: Jan 17, 2005
A busy weekend of official visits resulted in three new commitments to the Vanderbilt football program.
A busy weekend of official visits resulted in three new commitments to the Vanderbilt football program:
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Ryan Custer, an offensive lineman from Troy, Ohio, became the Commodores' fifth offensive lineman commitment. Custer, one of the stars at last summer's MSL Combine in Cincinnati, was a teammate of four-star Ohio State commitment Todd Denlinger and was named second-team All-Area in Division II.
Custer played both offensive line and defensive tackle for Troy, a team that finished 7-4 in 2004.
For a complete scouting report on Ryan Custer, click here. To see more photos of Custer from last summer's Cincinnati MSL combine, click here.
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Duran Coger, a running back / cornerback prospect from North Tuscumbia, Ala. Deshler High School, became the Commodores' second running back commitment.
Coger, a 5-11, 180-pounder, has helped lead Deshler to the playoffs for the last two seasons. He demontsrated his versatility in this year's championship game by rushing for 125 yards on 16 carries, and bringing in two passes for 43 more yards.
For a more thorough, previously published scouting report on Duran Coger, click here.
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Chris Johnson, a 6-2, 215-pound linebacker / running back prospect from Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, became the Commodores' third linebacker commitment, and (along with Coger) its fifth overall commitment from the state of Alabama.
Johnson, the recipient of a number of Scholar-Athlete awards, holds a 4.0 grade point average.
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Verbal commitments are not binding. Signing day is Feb. 2.
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U.S. Army All-American Bowl observations - Fox Sports
U.S. Army All-American Bowl observations
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Eric Moneypenny / FOXSports.com
Posted: 11 hours ago
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Just some observations from watching Saturday's high school U.S. Army All-American Bowl from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. ...
* I won't be quick to write off West receiver DeSean Jackson (6-0, 170; Long Beach (Calif.) Poly) as a selfish showboat after trying that ridiculous half-flip/half-cartwheel in which he fumbled at the one-yard line. I also wouldn't write him off after hearing the announcers talk about a confrontation that he had with the West coaches during practice last week (seriously, who fights with their coaches at an All-Star game practice?). I didn't even write him off after he muffed a punt trying to steal the catch from a fellow West returner in the second quarter. And I'm glad I didn't. Why? Because Jackson was by far the dominant player in the game (winning the MVP) after catching 7 passes for 141 yards and throwing a touchdown bomb on a trick play. ...
In fact, I watched Jackson take over the U.S. Army All-American game in much of the same manner as past stars such as current Texas QB Vince Young, Oregon DT Haloti Ngata, and Florida QB Chris Leak. That's good company, and very hard to do from the wide receiver position. Jackson will apparently be going to either USC or Cal.
* Speaking of USC or Cal, if anyone thinks that the Trojans won't be a force for the next two to ten years, just consider that USC is returning Matt Leinart ...who will be replaced by John David Booty, a former consensus No. 1 prep quarterback in the nation ...who will be replaced by Mark Sanchez (West team from Mission Viejo, Calif.), this year's No. 1 prep quarterback. ...
* At the beginning of the game, they described West running back Jonathan Stewart, Jr., the nation's top prep back, as a combination of Herschel Walker and Walter Payton. Poor kid. ...
* West DL Roy Miller will be a beast in college, mark it down. Almost blocked a punt (at 290-plus pounds), and wreaked havoc. Congrats, Longhorns. ...
* East receiver Fred Rouse (Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln H.S.), is from the same high school as Cincinnati Bengals/Florida State star Peter Warrick, but looked downright Randy Moss/Roy Williams-y for short periods during the game. Rouse will probably be deciding between Texas, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), and Alabama. ...
* I think that East quarterback Greg Paulus (Duke basketball commitment) should play football in college. Everybody and their brother knows that The Greg Paulus Dream is to be the starting point guard for Duke, to which he has a full b-ball scholly on tap with Coach K. That's nice, but the kid has fantastic potential on the football field. The guy's getting Joe Montana comparisons from the NBC announcing team, and looked to me like a souped-up, more athletic Aaron Rodgers. That was obvious even after he played on the struggling East offense.
Hey Greg, everyone knows that you wanna be Bobby Hurley ... but it'd be pretty swell if you wouldn't mind being Sonny Jurgenson, Ben Bennett, Anthony Dilweg, Billy Ray, or Dave Brown for a bit in college. By the way everyone, those are Duke quarterbacks. I'm sorry for those references. I'm from North Carolina. Remember Greg, supposedly, Joe Montana almost committed to play basketball for NC State.
Either way, whether Paulus ever puts on the white helmet as a Blue Devil or not, two of the nation's top 40 QB prospects (Gene Delle Donne and Zack Asack) are coming to Durham next season. ...
* Speaking of the struggling East offense, why did their head coach install a no-huddle shotgun attack? At one point in the 2nd quarter, the East quarterbacks were seemingly around 4 for 15 passing, and they had run the ball maybe three times. And they were losing hard, 21-3 at the break. ...
* At the beginning of the game, the announcers said that East running back Toney Baker (Ragsdale (N.C.) H.S.) would be one of the many all-stars declaring his college commitment during the game. However, I was totally surprised when they were showing video of Baker running for a 90-plus yard touchdown on my old high school field against my younger brother's team from a playoff game this season.
Baker, Scout.com's No. 5 running back in the nation, verbally committed to NC State during the fourth quarter. He rushed for more than 3,000 yards in each of the past two seasons in high-level North Carolina high school football, and started the game at tailback for the East, but only carried the ball once or twice in that ridiculous East offense. Since Baker got dissed so bad by the East coaches so bad during the game, I'll try and mention him a few more times in the article. ...
* I love inflated stories about the prowess of high school athletes. Tom Lemming said that he saw West quarterback Ryan Perrilloux throw a football 65 yards from one knee last summer. Lemming also said that Perrrilloux can throw it well over 90 yards. Hey Tom, was Bill Brasky there that day too? If so, how many times did Brasky rep 225 on the bench? I've seen video of Perrilloux, and saw the game, so, were they using heavier balls in those games or something? It didn't look like Ryan could throw those balls over 90 yards downfield. ...
* Oh yeah, well, I once heard that East running back Toney Baker, who started the game and barely carried the ball had a 420-plus bench press and ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. Just saying.
And I'm not picking on Perrilloux, who does have an absolute cannon for an arm and looked great. I'm not even picking on Lemming, who, unlike me, is probably not a moron. I only say this keeping in mind that Brett Favre, who has one of the strongest arms ever could maybe throw it 80 yards in his athletic prime. I know this from watching the NFL QB Challenges when I was younger. But don't get me wrong, it's obvious that Perrilloux will be a standout at Texas (where he committed), or LSU, Florida State, or any of the other schools that he's visiting in the coming weeks. ...
* Alabama head coach Mike Shula should hire U.S. Army All-American Bowl West head coach John Barnes, the legendary prep coach at Los Alamitos (Calif.) High as his offensive coordinator next season. Why? Because Barnes's son, West quarterback Jimmy Barnes is headed for Tuscaloosa next season, and looked fairly dominant running his father's offense in Saturday's game, arguably more so than Mark Sanchez (USC commit, nation's top quarterback), and Perrilloux, who both did well. ...
* East player Melvin Alaeze, a 6-3, 275 DE who committed to Maryland during the game, had a ridiculously spectacular stick on the quarterback during the game. However, he was so intent on celebrating that he didn't realize the QB had fumbled, much like the DeSean Jackson near-touchdown incident. Ah, to put 17- and 18-year-old kids on national television. I'm thinking the NBA could learn something from this game. ...
* Baylor is getting a heck of a wideout in David Gettis, a 6-3 sprinter out of Dorsey High in Los Angeles, who caught a 39-yard rocket shot from West quarterback Mark Sanchez (USC commitment). Ah, the pros of a school having a great track program. Let's hope that unlike former star prep running back turned-Olympian Michael Johnson, Gettis will get off the track long enough to see substantial time in a Baylor football uniform.
* The Iowa Hawkeyes had a ridiculous day in San Antonio, securing a boatload of announced commitments during the game, moving from outside the Scout.com Top 10 to having the current No. 4 recruiting class in the country. Coach Kirk Ferentz now has three of the top 11 offensive line prospects in the country coming to Iowa City next season. And DE/DT prospect Ryan Bain (6-2, 268), who also committed to Iowa during the game, looked very strong blitzing and stunting for the East team.
Eric Moneypenny is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com, and not a high school recruiting expert. You can absolutely not e-mail him at [email protected]. Also, he would like to mention, once more, East running back Toney Baker ...
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Snow vs Distance - Scout
Snow vs Distance
By Allen Wallace**National Recruiting Editor
Date: Jan 17, 2005
"My trip to Penn State this past weekend went good," said defensive lineman Walker Ashley. "I had a great time with the players and the coaches. They're my number two school right now and I'd say there's a 25% chance I'll go there..."
Minnesota defensive end/defensive tackle Walker Ashley (6-5, 285, 4.85, Scout.com's #18 DT) now says USC (10/23 official trip) leads Penn State (1/14), Ohio State (12/3), Minnesota (12/10, mom's pref) and Oklahoma.
"USC leads over the other schools in my top five right now," says Ashley, from Eden Prarie. "I'd say there is a 50% chance I'll go there. Even though it's far away, location is not a problem. I come from a small town, but there's a lot to do in California.
"Their tight end, Dominique Bryd, is the cousin of my best friend, Noah Sims. Dominique says that if I went there I would be homesick for awhile but that the coaches were good at helping players with that.
"And they just won the national championship. I had some second thoughts on them earlier, but seeing them on national television brought them back for me. Right now though, I'm not committed and I haven't been committed. I have told their coaches that if Signing Day were today, that I would sign with them. I see a great opportunity there. They are losing two great defensive linemen.
"They told me that their defensive line coach (Ed Orgeron) would probably take an offer to coach Mississippi if he was offered. At first, I was kind of upset about it when he left. But I don't feel that way now. They told me they know who the want to be their defensive line coach. He's from the NFL.
"My trip to Penn State this past weekend went good. I had a great time with the players and the coaches. They're my number two school right now and I'd say there's a 25% chance I'll go there.
"My host was Tamba Hali (defensive tackle). He took me around the campus and introduced me to some people, and we went to some parties. I enjoyed it.
"The highlight of the trip was being at the basketball game and having everyone there chanting my name. A negative to walk away from this experience was that it was snowing. I mean I expected to get away from it, but there was snow there.
"I like Penn State's program also because my dad went there and he played middle linebacker. That's where my dad would like me to go. That will be a medium factor for me. But he knows the decision is mine to make.
"It's a school that has some great history and tradition. They've also got a great recruiting class this year and I'd like to be a part of that. I just really like it. My visit there went great and made me think.
"I'm still thinking about taking a trip to Oklahoma. They want me to let them know by Wednesday if I'm going so I only have a couple of days. I just don't know if I'm going to. I'm feeling kind of worn out by recruiting right now.
"I won't announce where I'm going until Sig
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