Archive for August, 2012

DT Jay Woods (AJC)

Could UGA add another recruit today?

The Bulldogs are on a bit of a hot streak this week, adding a pair of safeties to the 2013 recruiting class which already has 26 commitments.

Will defensive tackle Jay Woods of Jackson High School be No. 27?

The 6-foot-3, 282-pounder will pick between UGA, Vanderbilt and Kentucky around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

He’s ranked as a 3-star by 247sports.

With Woods being from Georgia, there have been a lot of people around his hometown encouraging him to pick the Bulldogs.

“Yes sir, being from Georgia, and people seeing Georgia on my list, a lot of people around here want to see me go to Georgia,” Woods said. “I just tell them I’m talking it over with my family. I think I have a good feeling on where I want to go, but I’m not sure yet. I will let the world know on Thursday. I don’t feel pressure to go to Georgia. I feel like I will pick the school that is best for me … wherever I can say is another home for …

Continue reading Will UGA add commitment No. 27 today? »

Did the Florida Gators accept a commitment with the contingency that he work out for the team this summer? It's disputed by both sides (AP)

The University of Florida’s recruiting relationship with onetime commit Tre Bell – and the ending of it – has turned into a big PR mess for the Gators.

The cornerback from New Jersey had been committed to Florida since last April. According to ESPN’s Derek Tyson, Bell’s commitment to the Gators was accepted with the contingency of him working out at one of Florida’s summer camps so they could evaluate him because his high school did not have spring football practices.

This is where it gets confusing.

Bell showed up at Florida’s Friday Night Lights football camp a few weeks ago but did not participate because he said his high school coach did not allow camps after July 15. However, Bell competed the next day in a national 7-on-7 tournament, which apparently upset Florida coach Will Muschamp and started a chain of events to led …

Continue reading New details on Florida’s messy, messy situation with ex-football recruit »

UGA commit Tray Matthews will also visit Auburn, USC, Florida and Tennessee (AJC)

• RELATED: Alabama acknowledges 27 NCAA secondary violations (click here for more)

Tray Matthews, who has been committed to UGA for more than a year, had mixed emotions about the Bulldogs picking up two more recruits at safety over the last two days.

UGA now has 26 commitments for 2013, including four prospects at safety. Matthews, from Newnan High School, is the highest ranked of the four as a 4-star.

“It affected me a little bit, but the more I thought about it, it’s part of the game,” said Matthews, after learning JC safety Shaquille Fluker committed to UGA on Tuesday.

“I don’t know. I guess Georgia feel like I might switch, and they had to go pick up another safety. I don’t know what’s going on with that.”

Then after Matthews talked with his parents for a few minutes, he had a different perspective:

“My opinion is that Georgia saw a good safety and got him. We’re pretty …

Continue reading INSIDER: Longtime UGA football commit will take all five visits »

2013 North Cobb RB Quinten James (AJC)

Georgia Tech already has two running backs committed for 2013.

If they are looking for another one, Quinten James is interested.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder from North Cobb High School has around 20 offers, with Miami as his leader over Mississippi State.

But if Georgia Tech calls?

“I don’t know if they have any spots left but I’ve very interested in Georgia Tech because it’s a great school and not that far away. I already have a high school teammate playing there and I know a lot of the players. I haven’t heard much from them since they got [two commitments at running back], but I’d love to hear from them. I’m definitely interested.”

With his size and speed, James arguably has more upside potential than any other RB in Georgia. At the RisingSeniors.com all-star game last December, he impressed scouts in practices by beating 5-star linebacker Reuben Foster to the corner on several running plays.

Ironically, James may end up …

Continue reading RB Quinten James hoping to hear from Georgia Tech »

Alabama acknowledged 27 NCAA secondary rules violations by the school’s athletic department over the past year on Tuesday, according to the school’s website.

Nick Saban (AP)

Fourteen of the violations had to do with impermissible contact with recruits, either by text message or phone call.

The men’s basketball program was most frequent violator with six violations.

What about Nick Saban and the football program? It was reported with four violations, including: a coach sending an impermissible text message to a recruit’s father (penalty was 30 days of no contact), a coach sending a Facebook friend request to two prospective student-athletes before the permissible date (coach had to de-friend them on Facebook and not allowed any correspondence for 60 days), a coach provided a recruit an impermissible document, and a current student-athlete got a scholarship check before it was certified.

You can read more about it here

THIS JUST IN …

• “100-percent committed” to UGA but …

Continue reading Alabama acknowledges 27 NCAA secondary rules violations »

UGA has picked up commitment No. 26.

Shaquille Fluker, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound safety from East Mississippi junior college, pledged to UGA on Tuesday.

UGA has 26 commitments for 2013 … by August (AJC)

“I picked Georgia because when I was there, it was a nice facility to be around and nice people to meet — and me knowing that there have been a lot of people that came and played for Georgia have really been known, and gone to great places,” Fluker told the AJC.

“So with me wanting to be a part of that, and wanting to be known, I was thinking Georgia could help me with that, as being part of that tradition.”

Fluker is the second safety to commit to UGA in two days, following in the footsteps of Monday’s decision by Paris Bostick of Tampa, Fla.

Fluker picked UGA over football scholarship offers from Nebraska, Ole Miss and Arizona State. Out of Mississippi’s Meridian High School in 2011, Fluker only had offers from Arkansas State and South Alabama. He earned the attention of …

Continue reading Shaquille Fluker: UGA lands No. 26 with JC safety »

Will it be UGA or South Carolina for nation's No. 5-ranked DT? (AJC)

One of the nation’s top football college prospects has narrowed down to UGA and South Carolina.

Kelsey Griffin, a 6-foot-2, 290-pound defensive lineman from Mill Creek High School, has the two SEC East schools as his leaders. He is ranked as the nation’s No. 5 overall defensive tackle by 247sports.com.

“I’ve got it down to South Carolina and Georgia … and that’s as far as I’ve gotten,” Griffin told the AJC.

“I’m not sure yet if I’m going to announce before the start of my season. It’s a possibility but I can’t really guarantee anything.”

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What does Griffin like about South Carolina? “It’s just a homey place, it feels like home. I like the coaches, and have really enjoyed my visits down there.”

What about UGA? “It’s the same things as with South Carolina. It’s close to home. I like the …

Continue reading One of nation’s top defensive linemen narrows down to UGA and South Carolina »

The Plant-to-UGA pipeline? S Paris Bostick (247sports.com)

Tampa’s Plant High School has been very good to UGA, sending along players such as QB Aaron Murray and TE Orson Charles.

UGA added another one from the Florida powerhouse on Monday when safety Paris Bostick committed to UGA over Arkansas, according to multiple reports.

Bostick is the third safety of UGA’s 2013 ever-growing recruiting class, along with Newnan’s Tray Matthews and Kell’s Quincy Mauger –who committed at Dawg Night.

UGA now has 25 commitments for its 2013 football recruiting class, and could sign around 34 total.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pouned Bostick was one of the most outstanding performers at Dawg Night, according to 247sports National Recruiting Analyst Rusty Mansell:

“At Dawg Night, Paris was probably the most [electrifying] player there, other than Rico Johnson. He continued to make plays all night long. He’s bigger than you think. He has great size at safety, and was making plays – …

Continue reading UGA picks up commit No. 25 »

JaQuay Williams signed with Auburn after last-minute flirtations with UGA (AJC)

Georgia’s No. 1 college football prospect at wide receiver will likely report to Auburn “in the next week or so,” according to his high school coach.

JaQuay Williams signed with Auburn last February after last-minute flirtations with UGA.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder from Sandy Creek High School has been held up by the NCAA’s Clearinghouse from reporting to Auburn with the rest of the freshmen class.

“JaQuay is just working out at the school,” Sandy Creek coach Chip Walker told the AJC on Sunday. “We’re about to get him taken care of. He will hopefully be at Auburn in the next week or so.”

What’s the holdup? Williams is finishing up one online class of summer school.

Originally, Williams thought he would be approved to report to Auburn in June until the NCAA ruled that classes he took at Faith Academy last summer would not count toward admission.

“It’s rough on JaQuay not being …

Continue reading Georgia’s No. 1 WR signee waiting on NCAA approval to report to Auburn »

Reuben Foster, nation's No. 2 overall prospect who is committed to Auburn (AJC)

Reuben Foster, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 football recruit, has been cleared to play for Auburn High School this season and his transfer from Troup High in LaGrange was within the rules of the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), Auburn City Schools said in news release on Thursday.

“We are lovely, yes we are,” his mother, Anita Paige, told the AJC exclusively on Thursday. “I wasn’t worried about Reuben being able to play because I know we didn’t do anything wrong.”

Earlier in the week, there was confusion as to whether the 5-star linebacker and his mother were interviewing with officials from the AHSAA or NCAA. After the AJC received a tip from a source that requested anonymity on Monday morning, the AJC asked Paige specifically if she and her son were meeting with the NCAA later in the day Monday. She responded, “Yes, how did you know?”

Paige was also asked …

Continue reading Alabama high school officials clear Reuben Foster’s transfer (UPDATED) »