Archive for the ‘Virginia Tech’ Category

Stephenson High School's Class of 2012 is a candidate to lead the nation for the number of seniors that will sign major-college football scholarships (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Stephenson, the high school which may have had most talent-loaded roster the state of Georgia has ever seen, was eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs.

Stephenson, which has 11 seniors committed to D1 schools and could add several more before February’s signing day, lost to Lowdnes 7-0 in the Class AAAAA playoffs on Saturday.

It was a heartbreaking end for Stephenson (9-2), which got a bad draw in the first round after losing to ML King 50-49 last week when UGA-bound WR Blake Tibbs returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown with 16 seconds left in regulation. The loss knocked Stephenson down to a No. 2 playoff seed, where it had to face an underachieving but always dangerous Lowndes squad.

The state of Georgia may never see a star-studded roster like Stephenson, which was led by AJC …

Continue reading What will be legacy of Stephenson? Maybe best collection of D1 prospects that Georgia has ever seen »

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Several of Stephenson High School’s top football prospects make cameo appearances in a rap video hyping up Friday’s matchup against M.L. King.

The pair of 9-0 undefeated teams will square off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Hallford Stadium in a game which will also be broadcast live by CSS-TV Comcast Ch. 45.

Stephenson is a candidate to lead the nation this February with the number of seniors signing football scholarships with FBS schools with 11 currently, including AJC Super 11 defensive end Jarontay Jones (committed to Virginia Tech).

Back to the rap video: Linebacker Raphael Kirby steals the show with his swift dance moves. He committed to Miami last spring without ever visiting the ACC school but started looking at other schools at other schools after NCAA allegations swirled around the …

Continue reading Stephenson football prospects appear in rap video about Friday’s showdown with M.L. King »

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• Breaking news: Miller Grove’s Brandon Morris commits to UGA over Auburn and Arkansas (read here)

How does UGA’s 0-2 start affect football recruiting?

The Bulldogs have 14 players committed to sign football scholarships with the team in February, along with four high school juniors pledged the sign with UGA the following year.

Many of Georgia’s commitments made unofficial visits to Georgia for Saturday’s 45-42 loss to South Carolina, including 5-star offensive lineman John Theus of Jacksonville and Thomson High School defensive tackle John John Atkins (UGA’s most recent commit). As far as junior prospects, Camden County QB Brice Ramsey, Newnan safety Tray Matthews, and Goose Creek (S.C) wide receiver Tramal Terry – both early commitments to UGA — were among …

Continue reading How does UGA’s 0-2 start affect football recruiting? »

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UGA hasn’t given up with its recruiting of Josh Dawson, one of Georgia’s top college football prospects.

The 6-foot-4, 227-pound defensive end from Tucker High School made the surprising decision to commit early to Vanderbilt. In June, Dawson picked Vanderbilt over Georgia, Notre Dame and South Carolina, among his 23 early scholarship offers.

It hasn’t discouraged Georgia. Dawson said UGA mailed him a written scholarship offer earlier this month, and that he stays in touch with Bulldogs recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner on a regular basis.

“Right now, I’m committed to Vanderbilt, but I’m still taking offers and listening to what people have to say,” Dawson told the AJC. “I just know my final decision will be in February. That’s when everything matters.”

Dawson said he will likely take only two official visits – to Vanderbilt and UGA. …

Continue reading Josh Dawson: Committed to Vanderbilt but will visit UGA »

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Georgia’s top available college basketball prospect on the perimeter, Marcus Hunt, committed to Georgia Tech on Friday.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder from North Clayton High School picked Georgia Tech among his eight finalists of UGA, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, West Virginia, and Virginia Tech. Hunt will play both shooting guard and small forward in college.

“Georgia Tech, they got one of the top recruits in the state, as well as the country,” North Clayton basketball coach Martisse Troup told the AJC. “I feel like Marcus will do well at Georgia Tech. We have had a couple of football players from North Clayton go on to Georgia Tech. I think Marcus is going to do well at Georgia Tech.”

“Anything Georgia Tech asks Marcus to do, he will take care it. Any challenge you give him, he will do it. It’s unbelievable how …

Continue reading Basketball: Marcus Hunt picks Georgia Tech over UGA, Alabama, Florida, FSU, Louisville, others »

One of Georgia’s top football prospects at wide receiver will announce his college decision before Norcross High School’s season-opener against Dacula on Thursday.

Jason Croom will decide between Tennessee and Mississippi State among his 17 early scholarship offers around 3 p.m. on Thursday. Croom was a member of Norcross High’s state championship basketball team last season but will focus on football only in college.

“The colleges love his ability,” Norcross coach Keith Maloof said. “He’s big, he’s 200 pounds. He’s 6-foot-5 and he can run. He can get behind the secondary. He can run the possession routes. He can block outside on the corners. Just about everything he does is good.”

Norcross High School WR Jason Croom will decide between Tennessee and Mississippi State on Thursday (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Croom talked about his two finalists. “With Mississippi State, I like the coaches, the players and facilities. It’s like one big family. They are in a spread offense …

Continue reading Tennessee vs. Mississippi State for Norcross WR Jason Croom »

Stephenson High School's Class of 2012 is a candidate to lead the nation for the number of seniors that will sign major-college football scholarships (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

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Do you want to some of the state’s top college football prospects in one place?

At least a dozen will play on display at a high school scrimmage at 7 p.m. at DeKalb’s Hallford Stadium.

It’s a football scrimmage between Stephenson and Tucker.

Everybody knows about Stephenson. They’ve got enough talent to compete with a small college (they tried to scrimmage Valdosta State but GHSA wouldn’t allow it. Kidding) Stephenson has 11 seniors that have committed to D1 schools, including 7 to the SEC. The top Stephenson players to watch are DE Jarontay Jones (committed to Virginia Tech), LB Raphael Kirby (Miami), tailback Mike Davis (Florida) and defensive lineman Jafar Mann (Florida).

Then there is …

Continue reading D1 prospects on display! Stephenson vs. Tucker scrimmage »

WE’VE MOVED!!! Visit the AJC’s NEW Recruiting page by clicking here or going to ajc.com/sports/recruiting

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Chris Bolden was being recruited by Georgia Tech to play both the point guard and shooting guard positions. (AJC photo)

One of Georgia’s top college basketball prospects visited Georgia Tech on Saturday, was offered a scholarship by Yellow Jackets coach Brian Gregory and liked it so much that he committed by the end of the day to the ACC school.

It was quite a day for Chris Bolden, the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder who is being recruited by Tech as a “combo guard” — to play both point guard and shooting guard. Bolden originally committed to Miami last year before his junior season of high school, but re-opened his recruiting after coach Frank Haith left Miami for the Missouri job last April.

Bolden picked Georgia Tech over offers from South Carolina, Virginia Tech, USC, Boston College, Miami, Ole Miss, and Harvard, among 20 schools.

“It doesn’t get any better …

Continue reading Chris Bolden, star of state championship game, commits to Georgia Tech shortly after offer »

WE’VE MOVED!!! Visit the AJC’s NEW Recruiting page by clicking here or going to ajc.com/sports/recruiting

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UGA’s biggest overall priority for the remainder of this year’s football recruiting class is a few big men.

The Bulldogs picked up a desperately-needed commitment on the offensive line when Greg Pyke committed to the Bulldogs on Friday. The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder from Baltimore picked UGA over Virginia Tech, Penn State and Maryland.

Pyke and his parents made the 11-hour journey from Baltimore to Athens on Friday, and gave UGA coach Mark Richt the news before leaving campus.

“We were talking, and Coach Richt said, ‘So what are your options with other schools? And what do you think about Georgia?’” Pyke told the AJC. “I said, ‘I like Georgia a lot and I would like to come here.’ [Richt] said ‘So are you verbally committing?’ I said yes and he …

Continue reading Mark Richt hugs Maryland OL after he commits to UGA (UPDATED) »

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Mark Richt has seen a lot in his 10 seasons as UGA’s football coach.

He’s never had a recruiting moment like Friday night.

Four players committed at the same time at UGA’s “Dawg Night” prospect camp (This was a “package deal” unlike any other … four players from four different high schools, from three different states).

John Theus, a 5-star offensive lineman from Jacksonville, and a trio of 2013 recruits — Camden County QB Brice Ramsey, WR-DB Tramel Terry of Goose Creek, S.C., and RB Derrick Henry of Yulee, Fla. — all huddled around Richt and pledged at the same time (and a fifth one committed later in the night).

Four? Maybe four on the same day. Maybe. But four at the same time? What?

Ramsey explained how it went down:

He said Theus was one of the first people he saw after reporting to UGA on Friday. ”Theus talked …

Continue reading UGA’s Mark Richt gives ‘group hug’ after 4 commit together at Dawg Night (UPDATED) »