Archive for November, 2010

THE TEN AT 10:

1. DeMarco Robinson may eventually sign with the Georgia, but don’t expect M.L. King’s record-breaking wide receiver to wait around on the Bulldogs. As of right now Kentucky, which recently offered this 5-foot-10, 170-pound speedster, leads for his services. He also has offers from Louisville, Minnesota and Marshall, with more letters and phone calls coming every day.

All the interest is understandable. Robinson recently established a new DeKalb County receiving record with 1,408 yards so far this season. He plans to add to that this weekend as the Lions (8-3) play host to Colquitt County (6-5) in a Class AAAAA second-round playoff game.

2. That said, Robinson still likes the Bulldogs a lot. The problem is he doesn’t actually have a scholarship offer from him. Robinson told the AJC last week that he did. However,  he had misinterpreted some information relayed to him by his coach.

“Rodney Garner and Bryan McClendon came down for the Stephenson game,” M.L. King …

Continue reading Ten@10: Sans UGA offer, Kentucky leads for MLK WR DeMarco Robinson »

Valdosta tight end Jay Rome, here posing for his AJC Super 11 portrait, plans to visit Georgia for the Georgia Tech game on Nov. 27. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)

Too bad Georgia is not playing Georgia Tech this Saturday. Might save Jay Rome some travel hassles.

The big five-star tight end from Valdosta will be in Powder Springs on Friday night along with the No. 5-ranked Wildcats (10-1) as they take on McEachern (10-1) in the second round of the Class AAAAA state playoffs. A week later, Rome plans on being in Athens for Georgia’s final regular-season game against Georgia Tech.

“Yeah, I’m going to try to come,” the 6-foot-6, 240-pound athlete said Tuesday evening. “That’s the plan.”

That would be a significant development for the Bulldogs, who are focused on Rome as their one-and-only tight end target in the class of 2011 at this point. They have offered other prospects, such as five-star recruit Nick O’Leary of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. But as the recruiting process has developed, …

Continue reading Valdosta 5-star TE Jay Rome visits ATL this week, UGA next »

THE TEN AT 10:

1. Carver-Columbus coach Dell McGee said his five-star running back Isaiah Crowell “definitely” plans on visiting Georgia for the Georgia Tech game on Nov. 27. Crowell, an AJC Super 11 selection and the top running back prospect in the state, visited Auburn with teammates Gabe Wright and Deoin Bonner this past weekend and “really enjoyed it”. It was thought to be a two-team battle between Alabama and Georgia for Crowell but now he’s also looking hard at the Tigers.

Meanwhile, Carver-Columbus fans are hoping to see more of Crowell on the football field this Friday. Crowell has missed most of the last four games with leg injuries. He managed to get into a game for the first time in a month this past week, finishing with two carries for 12 yards in a 35-0 playoff win over Pepperell. But he’ll play more this Friday as Class AA No. 1-ranked Tigers (11-0) take on Greater Atlanta Christian in the second round of the state playoffs.

“He’s still day-to-day,” McGee said …

Continue reading Ten@10: 5-star RB Isaiah Crowell plans to visit UGA for Tech game »

Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said Saturday he expects Mark Richt to be the Bulldogs’ head football coach next season.

“Sure I do,” he told the AJC’s Tim Tucker. “Absolutely.”

Some of UGA’s commitments needed to hear that.

“That was encouraging for sure,” said Stacy LeMay, the father of quarterback commitment Christian LeMay. “He’s a great coach and a better man. I look forward to my son playing for him.”

Dalton’s Watts Dantzler, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound offensive tackle, who has been committed to Georgia since June, had not heard McGarity’s comments. But he said he didn’t need to.

Dantzler was at the Auburn game this past Saturday as a Tigers’ visitor. But he says he wasn’t overly concerned about the Bulldogs’ 5-6 season has gone.

“When we were 1-4 or whatever it was, I think a lot of us were a little worried and kind of looking around,” said Dantzler, who is now playing basketball. “But they’ve gotten it turned around since then and it would take something completely …

Continue reading Mark Richt’s future not a major concern for Georgia commitments »

CHANNEL 2 SPORTS ZONE GAME OF THE WEEK: ALPHARETTA AT BROOKWOOD

Brookwood WR/CB Andre Sims, a Michigan State commitment, actually caught this pass last year against McEachern. (AJC photo)

The Georgia high school football state playoffs begin tonight and that means some of the finest football talent in the state will be put to the test against each other.

I’m heading over to Snellville tonight to cover the Class AAAAA opener between Alpharetta and Brookwood in the “Channel 2 Sports Zone Friday Game of the Week” (7:30 p.m., Charter 126/Comcast 248; 1 a.m. WSB-2). That game is a perfect example of elite talent being pitted against each other early in the playoffs.

The No. 1-seeded Broncos (9-1) feature a couple of the best players in Gwinnett County. They are led by spectacular two-way star Andre Sims, a longtime Michigan State commitment. Sims starts at both split end and cornerback. And while his offensive numbers are down from last season when he led the county with 921 yards …

Continue reading Alpharetta a ’scary bunch’ for Brookwood in playoff opener »

Lee County's Justin Walker has thrown for more than 3,100 yards — including a single-game record 591 against Warner Robins last Friday — but does not have a scholarship offer. (Photo provided by Earl Walker)

Justin Walker has been in the news a lot this week. The Lee County quarterback has been the subject of more than a few stories since he broke the state single-game passing record last week.

Walker (6-3, 180) completed 42-of-70 passes for 591 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-35 loss to Warner Robins. The passing yardage broke the single-game record set just last year by Lassiter quarterback Hutson Mason, who’s now a freshman at Georgia.

What we hadn’t heard about Walker is how his college recruitment is going. And there’s a good reason for that.

There’s nothing happening.

Despite being a 6-foot-3 quarterback with more than 3,100 yards passing and 39 touchdowns on a 7-3 playoff team, Walker does not have a single scholarship offer.

“I mean, I’ve had a few letters,” said …

Continue reading Justin Walker hopes recruiting goes up as records come down »

THE TEN AT 10:

1. Any doubts about the genesis of all the Cameron Newton accusations were erased Wednesday when Mississippi State issued a statement confirming that it brought the situation to the attention of SEC officials in January. It also explained the timeline by noting that it was unable to provide some information requested until July.

The most important information contained in the Mississippi State release, however, is that NCAA enforcement staff has been and still is involved in the situation.

“Due to MSU dealing with ongoing and time-consuming eligibility issues involving non-football matters in the winter and spring of 2010, the specific SEC request went unfulfilled. Some additional information was provided to the SEC during July of 2010. Once the NCAA enforcement staff became involved, Mississippi State University cooperated fully with its investigation. MSU is confident the SEC office has managed this process consistent with its established procedures and the …

Continue reading Ten@10: Mississippi State statement confirms it as source of Cam Newton accusations »

One of the best defensive backs in Atlanta is off the market.

Kadetrix “J.J.” Marcus committed to South Carolina on Sunday. The 6-foot-1, 187-pound athlete plays safety for Stephenson High.

“It’s great. It feels good,” Marcus told me on Monday. “It’s something I don’t have to worry about any more.”

Recruiting had gotten to be a fairly big ordeal for Marcus. Although he never landed an offer from in-state schools Georgia and Georgia Tech, he ended up with more than a dozen from ACC, SEC, Big East and Big Ten teams. He said he ended up choosing the Gamecocks over Tennessee and South Florida.

South Carolina were among Marcus’ top choices from the beginning.

“They were the first school that offered me,” said Marcus, who went to Gamecocks’ junior day last spring. “They kept pushing toward me and they never swayed away. That was the main reason I went with them. They stuck with me.”

Marcus is just one of a contingent of players heading east to South Carolina. He is commitment number …

Continue reading Kadetrix Marcus joins parade of Georgians to S. Carolina »

MONDAY MORNING REWIND

Talk about a great weekend. After receiving a scholarship offer from the University of Georgia, M.L. King wide receiver DeMarco Robinson went out Friday night and scored two touchdowns to help his team clinch the Region 2-AAAAA championship in a stunning 26-24 upset of rival Stephenson.

“Yeah, it was pretty good day,” Robinson said with a laugh.

Eventually, Robinson plans on putting all his focus on helping his team in the state playoffs. But landing an offer from state university is pretty hard to ignore.

“It’s a real big deal to me,” said Robinson, who is 5-foot-10, 170 pounds. “For the most part they’ve always been my favorite team. But as far as recruiting, it all depends on what they want me to play.”

There appears to be some confusion on that point. Despite the fact that Robinson now has a DeKalb record with 21 touchdown and plays only a limited role on defense, Georgia’s offer may be as a defensive back. Robinson, who has yet to hear directly from …

Continue reading Rewind: Offer from UGA tops off great weekend for MLK’s DeMarco Robinson »

. . . Vanderbilt.

The name Dai-Jon means “Gift of Hope.” And as a four-star basketball prospect, Dai-Jon Parker certainly represented that to finalists Georgia, Oklahoma State, Oregon State and Rhode Island.

But in the end, Milton High School’s star shooting guard went with what he believed was the best school. He made the announcement before a packed out Milton gymnasium gathered for the Eagles’ Midnight Madness practice.

“I said from the beginning that education comes first and that’s why I chose Vanderbilt,” Parker said via webcast on CourtCred.com.

It’s the second time Georgia was left at the altar by a Milton player. The Bulldogs also finished second for Milton power forward Julian Royal, who chose Georgia Tech. The Eagles, who feature six college prospects, are defending Class AAAAA state champions.

Continue reading And the winner of the Dai-Jon Parker sweepstakes is . . . »