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Recruiting News - 01/19/05

3yardsandacloud

Administrator Emeritus
<font color="#b90000">Wednesday, January 19, 2005</font> Recruiting News - 01/19/05


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Final Thoughts from the West Side - Scout

Final Thoughts from the West Side
By Chris Fetters Northwest Recruiting Analyst
Date: Jan 19, 2005

There were too many good things that came from the West team this past week in San Antonio that they had to be put to paper. Here's my final thoughts after the West showed the East how football is really played.

How far East is West?: First, how did three players EAST of the Mississippi make it on the West team? We don't know, but I'm sure West Head Coach John Barnes was thrilled to get Josh McNeil, Jerrell Powe and Derek Pegues on his side. As it turned out, all three of those players made huge contributions during the week and also during the game. Powe, despite some illness during the week, was a tour de force inside, and Pegues has the best closing speed of any corner I've seen this year - on film or in person.

Offensive MvP: Has to be Mark Sanchez. Sure, it's hard to argue against Ryan Perrilloux being the best athlete, or DeSean Jackson having the best performance, but Sanchez was the glue that held it all together. A close second? Josh McNeil. He was the unquestioned vocal leader of the West offensive line and brought his lunchpail to practice every day.

Defensive MVP: How about the whole DL? They played their butts off all week and I believe it was their effort that brought the West OL to the level they needed to be at in order to win the game. A close second - the West LB's. It's hard to argue with a lineup consisting of Rey Maualuga, Ryan Reynolds, Phillip Dillard and Travis Beckum.

Never Give Up: Roy Miller wasn't in with the first team on Monday, but with his consistent play, hard work and determination, Miller ended up showing the West why he should have been starting the whole time. Longhorn fans are going to love Roy.

Neve Give up, Part 2: Jesse White didn't play in the game, but that didn't mean he let his team down. The Colorado OL stayed in San Antonio despite tonsilitis, a torn knee and ankle problems to stick with his team. He gets big-time kudos from me for gutting things out despite not getting a chance to get on the field. His payoff came in the form of the final score.

Prime-time Player: Alabama-bound Jim Barnes frankly didn't show a ton during his week of practice, but it's not easy going side-by-side with Sanchez and Perrilloux. Come game time, he showed why he was picked to play in the game. Poise, strong arm, pocket presence - Barnes put together a stellar effort on Saturday.

Taking one for the Team: Ndamukong Suh came in as a heralded DT from Portland, Oregon, but injuries forced Barnes to move Suh - who played both ways for Grant High School - to offense. The next day, the left side of Reggie Youngblood and Suh looked like they had been playing together for years. He accepted his role, took it on and was a difference-maker for the West.

The Martellus Bennett Comedy Hour: For the writers in the Scout.com War Room, we always looked forward to Martellus gracing us with his presence at about 10PM each night, and he did not disappoint. Truly one of the funniest guys I have ever met. Roy Miller and Jamaal Charles also became fixtures late at night, getting on the internet and checking things out.

All in the Family: Craig Roark wasn't in San Antonio to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was also there to root on his younger brother - Chad - in the combine following the game. Craig was front and center Sunday, watching Chad go through the one-on-ones. He wanted to see Chad go up against all-everything OL Andre Smith, Jr. from Alabama, but that never happened. Baby steps, Chad...


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Worthington joins hit parade - Buffalo News

Worthington joins hit parade
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St. Francis end selected All-American
By KEITH McSHEA
News Sports Reporter
1/19/2005

Doug Worthington is Western New York's first Parade Magazine All-American in 12 years. And colleges all over America are still wooing him.

Worthington, a 6-foot-7, 256-pound senior defensive end at St. Francis, is one of 58 All-Americans on the magazine's 42nd annual team, which will be formally announced in Sunday's editions of newspapers across the country, including The Buffalo News.

"Being a Parade All-American is great. I feel blessed," said Worthington. "I give a lot of credit to my coaching staff and my hard work. I never thought in a million years I would get it (All-American). When I was a freshman, I just wanted to make All-Catholic."

Worthington verbally committed to Ohio State in September. Although he still says Ohio State is at the top of his list, he is considering other schools. The signing period for football begins Feb. 2.

"Feb. 2 is the day everybody will know, and that might be the morning I know, you know what I mean?" Worthington said. "I'm not really sure but I'm pretty much Ohio State right now."

Worthington visited the University of Florida last weekend and Alabama the previous weekend. He's already visited Ohio State and Wisconsin - the NCAA allows recruits five "official visits" - and this weekend he said he'll travel to either Notre Dame or Boston College. Representatives from those schools, as well as Penn State, have met with Worthington at St. Francis in the last two weeks.

"I just have a lot of great choices to look back on, and I'm doing it," said Worthington. "Wherever I go, I'm going to get good playing time and it's a good program. I'm blessed with my choices. If something happens, or if I get kind of scared, I will go to another school. But I don't think that's going to happen. It's just a little insurance."

His insurance policy was prompted by the recent bad news coming out of Ohio State. The university is under investigation by the NCAA largely due to accusations by former standout running back Maurice Clarett, who said coach Jim Tressel set him up with cars, boosters provided him with no-show jobs and Ohio State professors gave breaks to football players. In addition, quarterback Troy Smith was suspended for December's Alamo Bowl for accepting benefits from a booster.

"That gave me a lot of jitters and stuff," Worthington said. "But I talk to a couple of the recruits all the time. I don't think the NCAA would do something, but I'm just looking out for myself."

The last Parade All-American from Western New York was lineman Mark Nowicki, a 1994 Grand Island grad.

Past selections for the Parade All-American team have included Joe Montana, John Elway and Emmitt Smith. Adrian Peterson, who starred as a freshman at Oklahoma, was one of the running backs on last year's team.

Players from 26 states are represented. Worthington is one of just two from New York, along with Jason Gwaltney of Long Island power North Babylon.

Worthington is a two-time All-Western New York first-team selection and was a first-team all-state pick as a senior. Worthington transferred to St. Francis from Turner-Carroll when the school closed following his sophomore year. He was part of a Red Raiders team that finished atop The News large school poll the last two seasons. This season he had more tackles (81) than his junior year (63) even though teams tried to run away from him.

"(The All-American honor) is something that solidifies our entire program," said St. Francis coach Jerry Smith. "It's not only an award for him but for our whole team for what they've done to help him get that opportunity. He didn't let us down, and we didn't let him down.

"Doug was just a pleasure to watch. It's going to be fun watching him in the future. It really is."



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RECRUITING: Potential UF signess tour, meet staff (Doug Worthington) - College Sports

RECRUITING: Potential UF signess tour, meet staff

By Eric Esteban Independent Florida Alligator

Gainesville, FL (U-WIRE) -- On weekdays, Coach Urban Meyer and staff are on the road, attempting to make up for lost time. Weekends, however, have proved to be days in which Meyer can showcase Gainesville.

The Gators played host to recruits for the second straight weekend, but instead of seven high school seniors getting a taste of orange and blue, only three recruits made the trip to UF this time.

Offensive lineman Simon Codrington, ranked No. 48 in the nation by Scout.com, was one of the select few who put a positive spin on the small number.

"The fact that I was there with only two other guys was a major plus for me," Codrington said. "I went to Tallahassee last week and the large number of guys didn't give me that much access."

Codrington, a 6-foot-7, 255-pound tackle from South Miami Senior High School, was hosted by former teammate and current Gators linebacker Javier Estopinan.
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"It was a lot of fun getting a chance to talk to Javier about the school," Codrington said. "He showed me what it was like being a student there."

However, Codrington's most lasting impression came not from the city, but rather from the new head coach. Codrington got a chance to meet Meyer and new offensive line coach John Hevesy, and said he was blown away by the experience.

"There hasn't been one place I've been to in which I got to talk to the head coach so much," Codrington said. "I loved getting a chance to talk to him about everything."

From the Swamp to Lake Wauburg, recruits get shown almost every part of Gainesville that could convince them to sign that letter of intent.

In addition to UF, Codrington's choices include Florida State, North Carolina State and West Virginia, which he will visit this week.

Doug Worthington, an Ohio State oral commitment, also made the trip to Gainesville, but his heart remained in Buckeye country. Scout.com's No. 4 defensive end, Worthington was hosted by freshman linebacker Brandon Siler but came away still committed to Ohio State.

The third visitor, running back Mikell Simpson, said his visit to Gainesville was great. UF continues to pursue the talented back despite scholarship offers from Alabama, Nebraska, Virginia and Michigan State.

Oral commitments are non-binding until a national letter-of-intent is signed on National Signing Day on Feb. 2.


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All-State football (1/2 way down Doug Worthington) - Buffalo News

All-State football
Losing four out of five games to Rochester in the fall didn't prevent Western New York from landing a generous number of All-New York State football picks.

The selections are made annually by the New York State Sportswriters Association. Buffalo News Player of the Year and Connolly Cup winner Zak Kedron of St. Francis, along with Ohio State-bound teammate Doug Worthington, are among a class of 47 players, which includes 18 first-teamers.

Joining Kedron and Worthington on the first team: Class AA - Jason Weber (Orchard Park), James Starks (Niagara Falls); Class A - Steve Mamak (Iroquois), Ken Johnson (Sweet Home); Class B - Adam Rosner (Depew), Matt Langworthy (Southwestern), Matt Mazgaj (Southwestern); Class C - Brian Nitsche (Portville), Curt Jones (Falconer), Matt Miller (Portville), Justin Hager (Salamanca); Class D - Steve Coan (Frewsburg), Devin Raynor (Maple Grove), Brandon Newell (Maple Grove), Jake Clark (Ellicottville), Brian Kiendl (Maple Grove).



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'Sought after' an understatement for Wilson - ESPN (AP)

Wednesday, January 19, 2005
'Sought after' an understatement for Wilson
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Associated Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame wants to make sure that a high school defensive end from Ohio knows he's wanted in South Bend.

Seven coaches showed up at Lawrence Wilson's home in Akron, Ohio, on Sunday. That's the maximum number of coaches allowed on the road recruiting at one time.


The 6-6, 235-pound Wilson plays at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. He committed to play for Notre Dame, but decommitted when Tyrone Willingham was fired.

Ohio State, Florida and Michigan immediately began recruiting him.

Wilson's mother, Sarah Wilson, says the visit was overwhelming.

On Monday, four Ohio State coaches visited and later a Florida coach stopped.

Wilson is scheduled to visit Michigan later this week.



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SuperPrep's Elite 26-50 - Scout / Super Prep

SuperPrep's Elite 26-50
By Allen Wallace**National Recruiting Editor
Date: Jan 19, 2005

These are SuperPrep magazine picks 26-50. Prospects such as Demetrice Morley, Earl Heyman and Jason Gwaltney earned their way onto this team with outstanding impressions made during the U.S. Army All-America game and practices.

26. Kyle Moore, DT, 6-6, 245, 4.8, Warner Robins Houston County, Ga -- Miami, Oklahoma, USC, Louisville, Tennessee

27. Tray Blackmon, LB, 6-0, 192, 4.5, LaGrange, Ga -- Auburn commit

28. Jonathan Stewart, RB, 5-10, 218, 4.4, Lacey Timberline, Wa -- Washington State, Tennessee, Oregon

29. Curtis Lofton, LB, 6-0, 235, 4.6, Kingfisher, Ok -- Oklahoma commit

30. Reggie Smith, DB, 6-0, 187, 4.5, Edmond Santa Fe, Ok -- Oklahoma, Nebraska, USC

31. Luthur Brown, LB, 6-2, 227, 4.7, Lakewood, Ca -- USC, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma

32. Marques Slocum, OG/DT, 6-6, 330, 5.1, Philadelphia St. John Neuman, Pa -- Michigan commit

33. Cary Harris, CB/RB, 6-0, 180, 4.4, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Ca -- Oregon, USC, California

34. Rey Maualuga, LB, 6-2, 245, 4.55, Eureka, Ca -- USC commit

35. Reginald Youngblood, OT, 6-5, 285, 5.3, Houston Washington, Tx -- Miami commit

36. Martellus Bennett, TE, 6-6, 240, 4.75, Alief Taylor, Tx -- Oklahoma. A&M, Texas, USC

37. Dajleon Farr, TE, 6-5, 240, 4.6, Galena Park North Shore, Tx -- Miami commit

38. Lamarcus Coker, RB, 5-11, 195, 4.4, Antioch, Tn -- Tennessee commit

39. Spencer Adkins, LB, 6-0, 230, 4.6, Naples, Fl -- Miami commit

40. Avery Atkins, DB, 5-11, 185, 4.45, Daytona Beach Mainland, Fl -- Florida commit

41. Demetrice Morley, DB, 6-0, 175, 4.5, Miami Killian, Fl -- Tennessee commit

42. Earl Heyman, DE, 6-3, 260, 4.9, Louisville Ballard, Ky -- Louisville, Kentucky, Boston College, Clemson, Indiana

43. Ndamukong Suh, DL/OL, 6-5, 275, 4.9, Portland Grant, Or -- California, Miami, Nebraska, Mississippi State, Oregon

44. Eugene Hayes, LB, 6-1, 200, 4.5, Madison County, Fl -- Tennessee commit

45. Maurice Wells, RB, 5-10, 180, 4.4, Jacksonville Sandalwood, Fl -- Ohio State commit

46. Toney Baker, RB, 5-10, 218, 4.45, Jamestown Ragsdale, N.C. -- North Carolina State commit

47. Jonathan Crompton, QB, 6-3, 211, 4.8, Waynesville Tuscola, N.C. -- Tennessee commit

48. Dan Doering, OL, 6-6, 290, 4.9, Barrington, Il -- Iowa commit

49. Matt Reynolds, OL/DT, 6-5, 270, 4.9, Provo Timpview, Ut -- BYU, Arizona State, California, Utah

50. Jason Gwaltney, RB, 6-0, 234, 4.6, North Babylon, N.Y. -- West Virginia, USC, Ohio State, Michigan State, Boston College
 
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