Archive for the ‘ACC’ Category

You can say one sure thing about Perry offensive lineman Johnnie Farms: He keeps things interesting.

Because when it comes to recruiting with the AJC Super 11 selection, everything is unsure. Ol’ Johnnie is going to keep us guessing right up until Wednesday. I’m sure I’m forgetting or missing some things here, but to the best of my knowledge …

• Farms tried to commit to Alabama, then was told the Crimson Tide were full of scholarships at his position 
• Committed to South Carolina 
• Switched to North Carolina, saying it had “a little better education than [South Carolina] 
• Steve Spurrier drove to Perry, to defend South Carolina’s academics and convince Farms to still take an official visit with the Gamecocks. Farms eventually declined.
• Scheduled an official visit with Central Florida, and then canceled in part, because it was the same weekend as his grandfather’s birthday.
• Recruiting trip to Auburn this weekend
• Upon returning from Auburn, Farms said he is still committed to …

Continue reading Never a boring recruiting moment with Perry OL Johnnie Farms »

Do you think you know your recruiting? Do you have some inside information that no one else knows? Then let’s have some fun. 

Take your best guess on where five high-profile recruits will sign on Wednesday …

Greg Reid, DB, Lowndes. It’s Florida State, UGA, and Alabama. His Lowndes teammate and cousin, Gerald Demps, is headed to Florida State, and some family members would like him to play a little closer to home (Tallahassee is 85 miles away, while Athens is 240). Reid admits with Georgia being his final official visit, they are in great position to make the biggest influence before signing day. Will it be enough?

Carver-Columbus LB Jarvis Jones

Jarvis Jones, LB, Carver-Columbus. The poker-faced Jones lists Florida, Southern Cal, UGA, LSU and Texas. There’s an “80-percent chance” he’ll go out of state. Mark Richt spent six hours with Jones on Wednesday. Was that enough to make Jones think about staying around home to play?

Darren Myles, DB, Carver-Atlanta. He is taking an …

Continue reading Step right up and make your National Signing Day predictions »

If Derrick Favors had picked Georgia rather than Georgia Tech, then UGA would have not fired its basketball coach on Thursday.

I’m not saying that Favors would’ve “saved” Dennis Felton’s job in the long run. But he would’ve bought Felton at least one more year. College ADs don’t tend to pull the trigger on the “fire button” as quickly when you have the nation’s No. 1 recruit arriving the following season. There are countless examples of basketball coaches on the “hotseat” who were able to buy a little more time by landing a big-timer.

Anyways, this is a moot point because Favors picked Tech, not UGA. But it does remind you the high stakes of recruiting, and its rippling effects.

One last thing: South Atlanta coach Michael Reddick said on Thursday that Favors will sign with Georgia Tech on April 15, the first day of the “late” signing period. However, Favors hasn’t signed any paperwork yet, only given a verbal commitment. I expect him to sign with Georgia Tech. But what if UGA …

Continue reading Derrick Favors and the high stakes of recruiting »

Miller Grove WR Stephen Hill

We all know who won the football game. Someone posts “45-42″ at the bottom of nearly every recruiting article, even if it has nothing to do with Georgia Tech or Georgia.  

But who will win the head-to-head recruiting battle between the two archrivals? That has been really hard to say so far because Georgia Tech and Georgia haven’t really fought it out with recruits this year. Now both have offered the same player, i.e. Alabama lineman William Ming (committed to Alabama), Norcross defensive back Prince Kent (Miami), Buford lineman Dallas Lee (UGA), etc. But Georgia and Georgia Tech have yet to be the two finalists for any in-state prospect, which is bizarre when you look around and see classic recruiting wars between Auburn and Alabama, South Carolina and Clemson, and all the Florida schools. It’s like comparing apples to oranges.

However, we may finally have some “apples to apples” after Georgia offered Miller Grove wide receiver Stephen Hill …

Continue reading We have been waiting for Georgia Tech and UGA to slug it out over prospects »

If you’re a player headed to a prep school or junior college, you may want to study the situation of offensive tackle Bobby Massie, who is scheduled to make a recruiting trip to UGA on Jan. 30.

Massie is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 prospect out of prep schools, according to Rivals. He plays at Virginia’s Hargrave Military and is also considering Alabama, North Carolina, Ole Miss, and Miami.

Last year, he did something very interesting as a high school senior. He turned heads when he didn’t commit or pick a college by signing day. He had plenty of major-college offers, and had backed off a commitment to Virginia Tech only a month before signing day.

Why did Massie do it? He got some good advice from a family friend, Hargrave coach Robert Prunty. “If a player knows he is going to a prep school or junior college, and commits to a college as a [high school senior], then he is pretty much tied to that particular college,” Prunty said.

In other words, if you commit to a school as a …

Continue reading Recruiting 101: Bobby Massie got some good advice »

UGA fans get excited about the possibility of a defensive secondary featuring Branden Smith and Greg Reid.

Smith likes the idea, too.

“I don’t know Greg very well, but his performance (two interceptions) in the all-star game speaks for itself,” Smith said. “All he does is make plays.”

“I’d love for Greg to come to Georgia with me. It would great to have two Georgia boys back there locking down wide receivers and helping the Bulldogs win championships.”

Smith, from Atlanta’s Booker T. Washington High, is the state’s top prospect and has committed to Georgia.

Reid played at Lowndes and is arguably the state’s hottest prospect after winning MVP honors at the Under Armour All-America game. Reid backed off his longtime commitment to Florida and is now considering the Gators, Georgia, Florida State and Alabama.

Smith denied rumors that he would consider other schools if Reid, who plays the same position, committed to Georgia. “Not true, at all. When I picked Georgia, I picked …

Continue reading Imagine UGA defensive secondary with Branden Smith and Greg Reid »

Why does college football recruiting have such a fanatical following? Some have suggested because it is a “male soap opera.” Whatever the case, if you like drama, especially among the state’s top college prospects, there is plenty of it to unravel between now and national signing day on Feb. 4. Here are six recruiting soap operas to watch:

Greg Reid is considering the Gators, UGA, Florida State, Mississippi State, and Texas and probably six more colleges that called by the time you read this caption.

Greg Reid, Lowndes: He may be the nation’s hottest prospect after his MVP performance in the Under Armour All-America game, intercepting two passes and nearly picking off another. Only a few days earlier, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Reid made the surprising move to back off his longtime commitment to Florida, saying he rushed his initial decision. UGA has reminded Reid it still has a scholarship available for him. He will make recruiting trips to Florida on Jan. 16, Mississippi State …

Continue reading Six Soap Operas to Watch in the State »