3yardsandacloud
Administrator Emeritus
<font color="#b90000">Wednesday, January 26, 2005</font> Recruiting News - 01/26/05
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Looking around (Tim Tebow) - Tallahassee
Posted on Wed, Jan. 26, 2005
... Looking around
FSU won't sign a quarterback this year. However, that's OK since the current junior class is said to be loaded nationally with talented quarterbacks.
And one of the country's best is Tim Tebow of Ponte Vedra Beach. Tebow, a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, finished this past season with a state-record 5,576 yards of total offense and finished third in the state's Mr. Football voting behind Pahokee tailback Antone Smith and Lake Gibson quarterback Matt Grothe.
Tebow has already made unofficial visits to Ohio State, Georgia, FSU, Florida, Tennessee, Miami, Notre Dame and Michigan.
Tebow threw for a state-record 4,304 yards and 46 touchdowns to lead Nease to an 11-2 record and the Class 3A regional final, losing 35-28 to St. Augustine. Tebow, who also rushed for 1,272 yards was featured in a recent edition of Sports Illustrated in "Faces in the Crowd."
"I try hard and I think I bring a lot of toughness to the team. I try to be a leader," Tebow told Scout.com ...
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Weis' strength in numbers (Lawrence Wilson) - Chicago Tribune
Weis' strength in numbers
By Teddy Greenstein
Tribune college football reporter
January 26, 2005
When Charlie Weis offered to send seven assistant coaches to visit recruit David Nelson in Texas, it was not his first foray into that novel form of group therapy. Weis sent seven assistants to Akron on Jan. 16 to visit Lawrence Wilson, whom ESPN.com recruiting analyst Tom Lemming ranks 16th nationally among defensive ends.
Wilson, who pulled his commitment from Notre Dame after the Tyrone Willingham firing, was impressed with the two-hour visit from the Irish Seven—Rick Minter, Michael Haywood, Jappy Oliver, Rob Ianello, John Latina, Brian Polian and Bill Lewis.
"It did help," Wilson's mother, Sarah, told the South Bend Tribune. "He was very surprised."
But Wilson, who reportedly carries a 3.4 grade-point average at St. Vincent-St. Mary, the school that produced LeBron James, has not made a final decision. Ohio State, which sent four coaches to Wilson's home the day after the Notre Dame visit, is considered the slight favorite.
And don't look now, but Florida with coach Urban Meyer is also in the picture.
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Yellow Jackets gain some ground after woeful recruiting start (Tavares Kearney) - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Posted on Wed, Jan. 26, 2005
Yellow Jackets gain some ground after woeful recruiting start
JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
Associated Press
... GATHERING MORE TALENT: Linebacker Tavares Kearney and cornerback Bryan Evans committed to the Georgia Bulldogs over the weekend. Both players, who are rated as four-star prospects by Scouts.com, were impressed with the atmosphere of Georgia, from the coaches to the facilities.
Kearney of Tucker, Ga., who gave his decision on local radio station V103, said he's finished with visiting schools.
After playing in the U.S. Army All-American game last weekend, Evans visited Georgia and gave a verbal commitment to the Dawgs.
"I have family in Atlanta and Albany, Georgia, so it will be easy for them to come see me," Evans told Insiders.com ...
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Roy-Hart rally edges Medina (Doug Worthington) - Buffalo News
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Roy-Hart rally edges Medina
1/26/2005
.. Monsignor Martin Association: St. Joe's, the No. 4 large school, won its 12th straight by beating St. Francis, 63-51. Joe Davis led the Marauders with 16 points, including six in the fourth quarter. Doug Worthington of St. Francis made 10 of 13 from the line and topped all scorers with 22. . . . Cardinal O'Hara's Phil Brown scored 18 points and got 18 rebounds in a 70-52 win against Niagara Catholic. Shaun Satarian led the losing Patriots with 17 ...
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Carroll meets with Gwaltney - Rivals 100 PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Carroll meets with Gwaltney
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Mike Farrell
Rivals100.com Recruiting Analyst *
Long Island (N.Y.) North Babylon running back Jason Gwaltney met with USC head coach Pete Carroll on Tuesday. Did this visit put the Trojans on top?
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Ohio junior drawing Big Ten interest - Rivals 100 PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Ohio junior drawing Big Ten interest
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Bill Kurelic
Rivals100.com Recruiting Analyst *
Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville junior defensive end Robert Rose is already drawing interest from recruiters from a number of major college programs including several Big Ten schools.
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Experts to discuss college recruits - Canton Repository
Experts to discuss college recruits
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
CANTON — Ohio recruiting expert Duane Long and area recruiting analyst Bill Greene of Ohio Magazine will discuss their expertise Thursday night during the fourth annual high school recruiting show, to be aired on Fox Sports Radio 1350-AM.
The three-hour program will originate from Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Belden Village.
Northeastern Ohio coaches and players will be interviewed, and recruiting classes from area colleges will be discussed. The program is open to the public, and area fans are invited to attend.
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USC, Florida continue to climb - Rivals 100
January 26, 2005
USC, Florida continue to climb
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Jeremy Crabtree
Rivals100.com Editor *
It was said earlier this week that USC was starting to make a big run, and the Trojans continued their climb toward the No. 1 spot in the Rivals.com team rankings. Southern California has moved up to the No. 5 spot, but others like Florida, led by new coach Urban Meyer , starting to make a move. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Jeremy Crabtree breaks down the entire updated Rivals.com top 25 team rankings.
School Total Commits Stock On 1/24 Points Breakdown
1 Tennessee 20 1 2,134 It looks like Patrick Turner likely is going to get away, but still this class is the nation's best, for now.
2 Oklahoma 22 2 2,108 Will the Sooners be land DeMarcus Granger? OU fans will get to find out soon enough as he's set to announce on Sunday.
3 Nebraska 28 3 2,038 Frantz Hardy and Justin Tomerlin are two big dogs remaining on the Huskers big board. Decisions loom for both.
4 Michigan 20 4 1,878 People still don't realize how good running back Kevin Grady is.
5 Southern Cal 14
7 1,825 Top 50 players Jason Gwaltney, DeSean Jackson Luthur Brown and Kyle Moore are still on the board for the Trojans. If they can get just a few of them, look out, because they'll finish at No. 1.
6 Iowa 23 5 1,745 Illinois was owned by Iowa this year, and it's a good thing because it was one of the biggest and best years in the Land of Lincoln.
7t Georgia 18 8 1,684 Keeping Jeff Owens is probably the biggest question mark left on UGA's recruiting board.
7t Texas A&M 23 6 1,684 There is no question that Dennis Franchione went after speed and skill in this class, and it looks like he hit a home run for the Aggies.
9 Auburn 19 11 1,554 Alonzo Horton is back with the Tigers now after switching from Ole Miss, the school he committed to last week after being a long-time Auburn pledge.
10 Virginia Tech 20 15 1,528 Jonathan Hannah shows you that Frank Beamer and his staff can go about anywhere in the ACC Region and land blue-chip prospects.
11 Texas 15 12 1,481 The Horns won't land a huge recruiting class, but there is plenty of talent here, especially at the linebacker spot.
12 Ohio State 15 9 1,462 Alex Daniels is still getting courted by the Bucks, even though he's a Minnesota pledge.
13 Miami-FL 14 10 1,457 The Canes are going to make a run toward the top - count on it.
14 California 19 12 1,414 The Bears still are the No. 2 team in the Pac-10 behind USC, but that's not such a bad thing at all considering the talent that's out West.
15 Florida 17 17 1,396 WR David Nelson was a pleasant surprise for the Gators.
16 Arizona 22 16 1,354 This class is a great effort for Mike Stoops and his staff, considering the struggles on the field this year.
17 Alabama 29 14 1,314 It's a big couple of days for the Tide as they wait for the decisions of two impact running backs.
18 Maryland 22 18 1,301 Melvin Alaeze is the crown of this Terp class, which kind of makes missing out on Derrick Williams a little easier to swallow.
19 Virginia 21 19 1,296 The long-time No. 1 class has slid down the rankings as other teams have caught up with them.
20 Clemson 23 20 1,232 Many national analysts still don't know how good athlete Rendrick Taylor really is.
21 UCLA 21 21 1,107 UCLA has a great shot at closing strong and jumping up several spots in the rankings. Aleksey Lanis still ranks as one of the nation's best OL.
22 Florida State 12 23 1,101 Like Miami, Florida State is set to make a monster move up the rankings with a strong close. And you know Bobby Bowden will do just that.
23 Penn State 16 24 966 Derrick Williams still is huge from a national perception. But landing Lydell Sargeant might have been just as key for the Lions.
24 LSU 9 22 946 The big news could be if the Tigers can land Ryan Perrilloux.
25 South Carolina 24 26 943 Steve Spurrier and Co. didn't have a full year to go out and recruit and other teams, especially in-state Clemson, had a head start. Still they've made some good strides the past few weeks, including landing Rivals100 receiver Carlos Thomas.
Down but not out for long:
Arkansas: Houston Nutt does a great job down the stretch and the Hawgs usually end up with a few surprises. That could be the case this year if they land Roy Upchurch.
Oregon: People outside the Northwest don't understand how big of a recruiting victory landing Jonathan Stewart, the nation's No. 1 running back, was. Beating Wazzou, UDub and countless others for him sends a real statement as to who the power in the region for the future will be.
Michigan State: The Spartans are one of the more pleasant surprises in the Big 10. Defensive lineman Bobby Jones is a beast and should see the field quickly for MSU.
Arizona State: Quarterback Derek Shaw could be the next great quarterback for the Devils. Plus, you have to love the job ASU did in the state of Colorado.
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Is Biggers headed to the state of Michigan? - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Is Biggers headed to the state of Michigan?
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Bill Kurelic
Rivals100.com *
North Miami Beach, Fla., defensive back E.J. Biggers hasn't made a commitment yet, but he says he is getting close. Will Biggers be playing his college football in the state of Michigan?
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Meyer visiting McKinney, Florida in final three - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Meyer visiting McKinney, Florida in final three
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Mark Wheeler
GatorBait.net *
A great visit to Florida this past weekend has elevated the Gators into the final three for 6-foot-2, 277 pound Louisville (Ky.) Central defensive tackle James McKinney. Coach Meyer is visiting with him today in an attempt to firm up the Gators' standing.
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Gwaltney's Coach: 'It's Out Of Control' - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Gwaltney's Coach: 'It's Out Of Control'
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Chris Nida
BuckeyeSports.com Staff Writer *
As Ohio State's 2005 recruiting effort heads into its final days, most of the speculation is centered around Jason Gwaltney, the star running back out of Long Island (N.Y.) North Babylon. With attention pouring in from coaches, media members and fans nationwide, North Babylon head coach Terry Manning has been doing his best to deflect attention from his star, who will announce his decision either on Feb. 1 or 2.
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With offer in hand, Indiana star to visit OSU - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
With offer in hand, Indiana star to visit OSU
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Chris Nida
BuckeyeSports.com Staff Writer *
The string of late scholarship offers by the Ohio State football staff begun late last week with Brian Robiskie continued into this past weekend, as Indianapolis Franklin Central's Donald Washington also received a scholarship offer. He will now visit OSU along with Robiskie this weekend, and a verbal commitment just days before national signing day is certainly a possibility.
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Is Daniels still a Gopher? - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Is Daniels still a Gopher?
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Zach Johnson
GopherIllustrated.com *
Rumors are starting to surface that Columbus (Ohio) Brookhaven linebacker Alex Daniels is starting to waiver on his commitment to Minnesota and will stop by Ohio State today in order to discuss the Buckeye program. Daniels made his verbal commitment to Minnesota on January 5th during a meeting with Gopher assistant Mitch Browning. GopherIllustrated.com talked with Daniels last night to discuss his commitment to Minnesota.
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Alex Daniels to visit OSU today - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Alex Daniels to visit OSU today
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Bill Kurelic
BuckeyeSports.com Recruiting Analyst *
Despite his commitment to Minnesota, Columbus (Ohio) Brookhaven linebacker Alex Daniels says he will meet with Jim Tressel, Luke Fickell, and some OSU players today on the Ohio State campus.
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Robiskie gets offer from Buckeyes - Columbus Dispatch PREMIUM
Robiskie gets offer from Buckeyes
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
There are two ways of looking at Ohio State’s recruitment of receiver Brian Robiskie.
One, that with several other prospects going elsewhere, the Buckeyes had Robiskie on their B list before offering him a scholarship Friday.
Or in Robiskie’s words: "I just look at it as finally being my time," he said last night from his home in Chagrin Falls. "I just look at it as they are coming after me now."
The Buckeyes aren’t the only ones. With a week left before national letters of intent can be signed, Robiskie, the son of Cleveland Browns interim coach Terry Robiskie, is suddenly a hot property.
The University of Miami offered him a week ago. Big Ten schools Penn State, Illinois, Minnesota and Indiana also have made offers.
"I just think I am blessed, to be able to do what I do on the football field and be recognized for it," said the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Robiskie.
Ohio State will have the last chance to impress him. He will make his official visit to campus this weekend.
"I’ve been there a couple of other times, and I have seen the Horseshoe and the Woody Hayes Athletic Center," he said. "I want to see the other side of it, the non-football side, the academic side.
"And I really want to go down there and talk to some of the current players and get a chance to see what they think."
Those players and the coaches probably will make a gentle push. But they won’t have to apologize for the late scholarship offer.
"They have been honest with me all along, that they had a couple of receivers rated ahead of me and they wanted to wait to see what would happen with them," Robiskie said. "They have come back to me now, and I am very interested in what they have to say."
Brookhaven linebacker Alex Daniels plans to visit with OSU coaches today on campus, but he said no one should read into it that he is reconsidering his commitment to Minnesota.
"I didn’t want to burn any bridges with the Ohio State coaches because they are good guys," Daniels said, "but I am still going to Minnesota."
The Buckeyes, with 15 commitments, also are awaiting word from at least three other high-profile prospects. Defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary expects to make up his mind between OSU and Notre Dame by the weekend. Running back Jason Gwaltney of North Babylon, N.Y, will announce his choice of OSU or Southern California on Tuesday, and defensive lineman Walker Ashley of Eden Prairie, Minn., is expected to announce on signing day whether he’s headed for OSU, USC, Minnesota or Penn State.
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Looking around (Tim Tebow) - Tallahassee
Posted on Wed, Jan. 26, 2005
... Looking around
FSU won't sign a quarterback this year. However, that's OK since the current junior class is said to be loaded nationally with talented quarterbacks.
And one of the country's best is Tim Tebow of Ponte Vedra Beach. Tebow, a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, finished this past season with a state-record 5,576 yards of total offense and finished third in the state's Mr. Football voting behind Pahokee tailback Antone Smith and Lake Gibson quarterback Matt Grothe.
Tebow has already made unofficial visits to Ohio State, Georgia, FSU, Florida, Tennessee, Miami, Notre Dame and Michigan.
Tebow threw for a state-record 4,304 yards and 46 touchdowns to lead Nease to an 11-2 record and the Class 3A regional final, losing 35-28 to St. Augustine. Tebow, who also rushed for 1,272 yards was featured in a recent edition of Sports Illustrated in "Faces in the Crowd."
"I try hard and I think I bring a lot of toughness to the team. I try to be a leader," Tebow told Scout.com ...
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Weis' strength in numbers (Lawrence Wilson) - Chicago Tribune
Weis' strength in numbers
By Teddy Greenstein
Tribune college football reporter
January 26, 2005
When Charlie Weis offered to send seven assistant coaches to visit recruit David Nelson in Texas, it was not his first foray into that novel form of group therapy. Weis sent seven assistants to Akron on Jan. 16 to visit Lawrence Wilson, whom ESPN.com recruiting analyst Tom Lemming ranks 16th nationally among defensive ends.
Wilson, who pulled his commitment from Notre Dame after the Tyrone Willingham firing, was impressed with the two-hour visit from the Irish Seven—Rick Minter, Michael Haywood, Jappy Oliver, Rob Ianello, John Latina, Brian Polian and Bill Lewis.
"It did help," Wilson's mother, Sarah, told the South Bend Tribune. "He was very surprised."
But Wilson, who reportedly carries a 3.4 grade-point average at St. Vincent-St. Mary, the school that produced LeBron James, has not made a final decision. Ohio State, which sent four coaches to Wilson's home the day after the Notre Dame visit, is considered the slight favorite.
And don't look now, but Florida with coach Urban Meyer is also in the picture.
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Yellow Jackets gain some ground after woeful recruiting start (Tavares Kearney) - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Posted on Wed, Jan. 26, 2005
Yellow Jackets gain some ground after woeful recruiting start
JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
Associated Press
... GATHERING MORE TALENT: Linebacker Tavares Kearney and cornerback Bryan Evans committed to the Georgia Bulldogs over the weekend. Both players, who are rated as four-star prospects by Scouts.com, were impressed with the atmosphere of Georgia, from the coaches to the facilities.
Kearney of Tucker, Ga., who gave his decision on local radio station V103, said he's finished with visiting schools.
After playing in the U.S. Army All-American game last weekend, Evans visited Georgia and gave a verbal commitment to the Dawgs.
"I have family in Atlanta and Albany, Georgia, so it will be easy for them to come see me," Evans told Insiders.com ...
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Roy-Hart rally edges Medina (Doug Worthington) - Buffalo News
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Roy-Hart rally edges Medina
1/26/2005
.. Monsignor Martin Association: St. Joe's, the No. 4 large school, won its 12th straight by beating St. Francis, 63-51. Joe Davis led the Marauders with 16 points, including six in the fourth quarter. Doug Worthington of St. Francis made 10 of 13 from the line and topped all scorers with 22. . . . Cardinal O'Hara's Phil Brown scored 18 points and got 18 rebounds in a 70-52 win against Niagara Catholic. Shaun Satarian led the losing Patriots with 17 ...
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Carroll meets with Gwaltney - Rivals 100 PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Carroll meets with Gwaltney
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Mike Farrell
Rivals100.com Recruiting Analyst *
Long Island (N.Y.) North Babylon running back Jason Gwaltney met with USC head coach Pete Carroll on Tuesday. Did this visit put the Trojans on top?
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Ohio junior drawing Big Ten interest - Rivals 100 PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Ohio junior drawing Big Ten interest
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Bill Kurelic
Rivals100.com Recruiting Analyst *
Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville junior defensive end Robert Rose is already drawing interest from recruiters from a number of major college programs including several Big Ten schools.
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Experts to discuss college recruits - Canton Repository
Experts to discuss college recruits
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
CANTON — Ohio recruiting expert Duane Long and area recruiting analyst Bill Greene of Ohio Magazine will discuss their expertise Thursday night during the fourth annual high school recruiting show, to be aired on Fox Sports Radio 1350-AM.
The three-hour program will originate from Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Belden Village.
Northeastern Ohio coaches and players will be interviewed, and recruiting classes from area colleges will be discussed. The program is open to the public, and area fans are invited to attend.
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USC, Florida continue to climb - Rivals 100
January 26, 2005
USC, Florida continue to climb
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Jeremy Crabtree
Rivals100.com Editor *
It was said earlier this week that USC was starting to make a big run, and the Trojans continued their climb toward the No. 1 spot in the Rivals.com team rankings. Southern California has moved up to the No. 5 spot, but others like Florida, led by new coach Urban Meyer , starting to make a move. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Jeremy Crabtree breaks down the entire updated Rivals.com top 25 team rankings.
School Total Commits Stock On 1/24 Points Breakdown
1 Tennessee 20 1 2,134 It looks like Patrick Turner likely is going to get away, but still this class is the nation's best, for now.
2 Oklahoma 22 2 2,108 Will the Sooners be land DeMarcus Granger? OU fans will get to find out soon enough as he's set to announce on Sunday.
3 Nebraska 28 3 2,038 Frantz Hardy and Justin Tomerlin are two big dogs remaining on the Huskers big board. Decisions loom for both.
4 Michigan 20 4 1,878 People still don't realize how good running back Kevin Grady is.
5 Southern Cal 14
7 1,825 Top 50 players Jason Gwaltney, DeSean Jackson Luthur Brown and Kyle Moore are still on the board for the Trojans. If they can get just a few of them, look out, because they'll finish at No. 1.
6 Iowa 23 5 1,745 Illinois was owned by Iowa this year, and it's a good thing because it was one of the biggest and best years in the Land of Lincoln.
7t Georgia 18 8 1,684 Keeping Jeff Owens is probably the biggest question mark left on UGA's recruiting board.
7t Texas A&M 23 6 1,684 There is no question that Dennis Franchione went after speed and skill in this class, and it looks like he hit a home run for the Aggies.
9 Auburn 19 11 1,554 Alonzo Horton is back with the Tigers now after switching from Ole Miss, the school he committed to last week after being a long-time Auburn pledge.
10 Virginia Tech 20 15 1,528 Jonathan Hannah shows you that Frank Beamer and his staff can go about anywhere in the ACC Region and land blue-chip prospects.
11 Texas 15 12 1,481 The Horns won't land a huge recruiting class, but there is plenty of talent here, especially at the linebacker spot.
12 Ohio State 15 9 1,462 Alex Daniels is still getting courted by the Bucks, even though he's a Minnesota pledge.
13 Miami-FL 14 10 1,457 The Canes are going to make a run toward the top - count on it.
14 California 19 12 1,414 The Bears still are the No. 2 team in the Pac-10 behind USC, but that's not such a bad thing at all considering the talent that's out West.
15 Florida 17 17 1,396 WR David Nelson was a pleasant surprise for the Gators.
16 Arizona 22 16 1,354 This class is a great effort for Mike Stoops and his staff, considering the struggles on the field this year.
17 Alabama 29 14 1,314 It's a big couple of days for the Tide as they wait for the decisions of two impact running backs.
18 Maryland 22 18 1,301 Melvin Alaeze is the crown of this Terp class, which kind of makes missing out on Derrick Williams a little easier to swallow.
19 Virginia 21 19 1,296 The long-time No. 1 class has slid down the rankings as other teams have caught up with them.
20 Clemson 23 20 1,232 Many national analysts still don't know how good athlete Rendrick Taylor really is.
21 UCLA 21 21 1,107 UCLA has a great shot at closing strong and jumping up several spots in the rankings. Aleksey Lanis still ranks as one of the nation's best OL.
22 Florida State 12 23 1,101 Like Miami, Florida State is set to make a monster move up the rankings with a strong close. And you know Bobby Bowden will do just that.
23 Penn State 16 24 966 Derrick Williams still is huge from a national perception. But landing Lydell Sargeant might have been just as key for the Lions.
24 LSU 9 22 946 The big news could be if the Tigers can land Ryan Perrilloux.
25 South Carolina 24 26 943 Steve Spurrier and Co. didn't have a full year to go out and recruit and other teams, especially in-state Clemson, had a head start. Still they've made some good strides the past few weeks, including landing Rivals100 receiver Carlos Thomas.
Down but not out for long:
Arkansas: Houston Nutt does a great job down the stretch and the Hawgs usually end up with a few surprises. That could be the case this year if they land Roy Upchurch.
Oregon: People outside the Northwest don't understand how big of a recruiting victory landing Jonathan Stewart, the nation's No. 1 running back, was. Beating Wazzou, UDub and countless others for him sends a real statement as to who the power in the region for the future will be.
Michigan State: The Spartans are one of the more pleasant surprises in the Big 10. Defensive lineman Bobby Jones is a beast and should see the field quickly for MSU.
Arizona State: Quarterback Derek Shaw could be the next great quarterback for the Devils. Plus, you have to love the job ASU did in the state of Colorado.
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Is Biggers headed to the state of Michigan? - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Is Biggers headed to the state of Michigan?
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Bill Kurelic
Rivals100.com *
North Miami Beach, Fla., defensive back E.J. Biggers hasn't made a commitment yet, but he says he is getting close. Will Biggers be playing his college football in the state of Michigan?
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Meyer visiting McKinney, Florida in final three - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Meyer visiting McKinney, Florida in final three
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Mark Wheeler
GatorBait.net *
A great visit to Florida this past weekend has elevated the Gators into the final three for 6-foot-2, 277 pound Louisville (Ky.) Central defensive tackle James McKinney. Coach Meyer is visiting with him today in an attempt to firm up the Gators' standing.
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Gwaltney's Coach: 'It's Out Of Control' - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Gwaltney's Coach: 'It's Out Of Control'
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Chris Nida
BuckeyeSports.com Staff Writer *
As Ohio State's 2005 recruiting effort heads into its final days, most of the speculation is centered around Jason Gwaltney, the star running back out of Long Island (N.Y.) North Babylon. With attention pouring in from coaches, media members and fans nationwide, North Babylon head coach Terry Manning has been doing his best to deflect attention from his star, who will announce his decision either on Feb. 1 or 2.
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With offer in hand, Indiana star to visit OSU - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
With offer in hand, Indiana star to visit OSU
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Chris Nida
BuckeyeSports.com Staff Writer *
The string of late scholarship offers by the Ohio State football staff begun late last week with Brian Robiskie continued into this past weekend, as Indianapolis Franklin Central's Donald Washington also received a scholarship offer. He will now visit OSU along with Robiskie this weekend, and a verbal commitment just days before national signing day is certainly a possibility.
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Is Daniels still a Gopher? - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Is Daniels still a Gopher?
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Zach Johnson
GopherIllustrated.com *
Rumors are starting to surface that Columbus (Ohio) Brookhaven linebacker Alex Daniels is starting to waiver on his commitment to Minnesota and will stop by Ohio State today in order to discuss the Buckeye program. Daniels made his verbal commitment to Minnesota on January 5th during a meeting with Gopher assistant Mitch Browning. GopherIllustrated.com talked with Daniels last night to discuss his commitment to Minnesota.
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Alex Daniels to visit OSU today - Rivals PREMIUM
January 26, 2005
Alex Daniels to visit OSU today
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Bill Kurelic
BuckeyeSports.com Recruiting Analyst *
Despite his commitment to Minnesota, Columbus (Ohio) Brookhaven linebacker Alex Daniels says he will meet with Jim Tressel, Luke Fickell, and some OSU players today on the Ohio State campus.
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Robiskie gets offer from Buckeyes - Columbus Dispatch PREMIUM
Robiskie gets offer from Buckeyes
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
There are two ways of looking at Ohio State’s recruitment of receiver Brian Robiskie.
One, that with several other prospects going elsewhere, the Buckeyes had Robiskie on their B list before offering him a scholarship Friday.
Or in Robiskie’s words: "I just look at it as finally being my time," he said last night from his home in Chagrin Falls. "I just look at it as they are coming after me now."
The Buckeyes aren’t the only ones. With a week left before national letters of intent can be signed, Robiskie, the son of Cleveland Browns interim coach Terry Robiskie, is suddenly a hot property.
The University of Miami offered him a week ago. Big Ten schools Penn State, Illinois, Minnesota and Indiana also have made offers.
"I just think I am blessed, to be able to do what I do on the football field and be recognized for it," said the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Robiskie.
Ohio State will have the last chance to impress him. He will make his official visit to campus this weekend.
"I’ve been there a couple of other times, and I have seen the Horseshoe and the Woody Hayes Athletic Center," he said. "I want to see the other side of it, the non-football side, the academic side.
"And I really want to go down there and talk to some of the current players and get a chance to see what they think."
Those players and the coaches probably will make a gentle push. But they won’t have to apologize for the late scholarship offer.
"They have been honest with me all along, that they had a couple of receivers rated ahead of me and they wanted to wait to see what would happen with them," Robiskie said. "They have come back to me now, and I am very interested in what they have to say."
Brookhaven linebacker Alex Daniels plans to visit with OSU coaches today on campus, but he said no one should read into it that he is reconsidering his commitment to Minnesota.
"I didn’t want to burn any bridges with the Ohio State coaches because they are good guys," Daniels said, "but I am still going to Minnesota."
The Buckeyes, with 15 commitments, also are awaiting word from at least three other high-profile prospects. Defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary expects to make up his mind between OSU and Notre Dame by the weekend. Running back Jason Gwaltney of North Babylon, N.Y, will announce his choice of OSU or Southern California on Tuesday, and defensive lineman Walker Ashley of Eden Prairie, Minn., is expected to announce on signing day whether he’s headed for OSU, USC, Minnesota or Penn State.