Archive for the ‘Auburn’ Category

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson (AJC)

How do you know which prospects are a top recruiting priority? By where a college head coach appears during his team’s off week.

Georgia Tech was off last weekend, and Paul Johnson spent a day at Central Gwinnett High School. He was there to see the No. 1 commitment of Georgia Tech’s 2012 recruiting class, defensive end Francis Kallon.

Johnson and recruiting coordinator Andy McCollum stopped by the high school early in the day to talk with Kallon’s coaches, then returned later in the evening to closely observe Kallon in Central Gwinnett’s loss to Grayson.

“Coach Johnson was really impressed with Francis, with how hard he has worked to learn football and get better,” Central Gwinnett coach Todd Wofford told the AJC. “He wanted to let Francis know that he was really proud of his season.”

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Kallon played only his senior season of high school football after moving to the Atlanta area from England. Last May, due to his …

Continue reading Paul Johnson spends a full day observing Georgia Tech’s No. 1 recruit »

AJC Super 11 pick Geno Smith of St. Pius (AJC)

Alabama DB commit Geno Smith is planning an unofficial visit to archrival Auburn but it’s not why you think.

Yes, Auburn was the runner-up to Alabama for the AJC Super 11 DB’s commitment but his trip to Auburn would be to go see Alabama play. This year’s Iron Bowl will be played at Auburn on Nov. 26.

“Other than the Iron Bowl, I don’t plan on visiting any other schools than Alabama,” said Smith, who still hears from Auburn, UGA, LSU, Arkansas and Florida State on a regular basis.

Smith has kept an extremely low profile since committing, focusing on his senior season at St. Pius, which is 7-0 and ranked No. 2 in Georgia’s Class AAA. Smith stars on both sides of the ball for St. Pius, also playing tailback.

Smith has flourished under the incredibly high expectations that were put on him for his senior season. “I know the expectations are high, but I don’t really think about it that much because I’m confident about what I can do. So …

Continue reading Geno Smith, Alabama DB commit, still hearing from UGA, LSU, FSU and Auburn »

Raphael Kirby won't be able to make an official visit to UGA but is still considering the Bulldogs (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Raphael Kirby, one of Georgia’s top linebackers, said it was between UGA and USC for his fifth and final visit.

He ended up picking neither. At least for now. It could change.

The top prospect from Stephenson High School told the AJC on Tuesday night that he will only take four recruiting trips – he has already been to Vanderbilt, with upcoming visits planned for Miami, Florida and South Carolina.

“Yes, more than likely it will be those four,” Kirby said. “I mean, I’m not … I don’t know, I don’t know. I will probably take four visits, but I’m not sure.”

The recruiting process has been grueling on Kirby, who pledged to Miami last spring and insists he’s still committed to the Hurricanes – but began looking at options after Miami was accused of massive NCAA violations in August. Kirby’s attention has been divided between playing for Stephenson’s …

Continue reading Recruiting Insider: Will LB Raphael Kirby take an official visit to UGA? »

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Georgia Tech’s No. 1 football recruit said he remains committed to the Yellow Jackets after visiting Auburn over the weekend.

“I enjoyed Auburn but my jacket stays yellow … I’m committed to Georgia Tech,” Francis Kallon told the AJC.

Kallon is a 6-foot-6, 250-pound defensive end from Central Gwinnett High School who is in his first year of playing organized football after moving from London, England. He committed to Georgia Tech last spring, and had only been to Tech games this fall before going to see Auburn this past weekend.

“It was a really, really good game at Auburn,” Kallon said. “Auburn was …

Continue reading What did Georgia Tech’s No. 1 football recruit think about his visit to Auburn? »

Auburn DB commit Josh Holsey, the AJC Super 11 DB from Creekside High School (AJC)

There’s something about former Creekside High School football stars attending games that brings out the best in Josh Holsey, the AJC Super 11 selection who may be the state’s No. 1 cornerback.

Eric Berry, the NFL defensive back for the Kansas City Chiefs, gave a rousing pep talk to Creekside before Saturday’s game and then sat in the stands to watch Holsey score thrice in a win over Riverdale, including an interception return and two touchdown catches.

Last week, with Florida State safety Terrance Parks watching on, Holsey scored five touchdowns in the 45-7 win over Forest Park. The TD breakdown: 2 catches, 2 runs out of the Wildcat formation and a kickoff return.

Parks was so blown away by Holsey’s dominating presence that he went back to FSU and raved to his coaches about Holsey, who committed to Auburn. Evidently, FSU’s coaches liked what they heard because they are in now hot pursuit of …

Continue reading Top Auburn recruit plans visits to FSU, LSU … and maybe UGA »

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Are you entertained when a top prospect sits around a table around February’s national signing day and picks up a baseball cap in a drama-filled moment to reveal his college decision to a crowd of spectators or TV audience? Do you enjoy that? A lot of people do.

Or do you prefer when a player does it the old-fashioned way? You know, such as telling a few people and letting the word spread?

Vadal Alexander was one of the nation’s most-heavily recruited prospects but did it the “old school” way. When the offensive lineman from Buford High School  decided he was going to commit to LSU over Auburn and Alabama this week, rather than to have a press conference or “commitment ceremony,” Alexander simply called a few reporters who had been covering his recruiting and let the word spread.

“I’m not the type of guy to be real …

Continue reading Poll: Do you like it when recruits pick from a table of baseball caps in front of TV cameras? Or not? »

Shaq Goodwin, the 6-8, 240-pound WR (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

• Two-sport star Shaq Goodwin of Southwest DeKalb is in the process of setting up official visits to UGA, Florida, UCLA, Memphis and Arizona. The 6-foot-8, 245-pounder is planning the recruiting trips around his busy schedule of both football and basketball. Goodwin is one of the nation’s top 15 overall basketball prospects at power forward, and also claims he will play football in college, too — at wide receiver or tight end. We’ll believe it when we see it, not because we doubt Shaq’s football ability, but because he’s that good in basketball. Within the last couple of weeks, Goodwin has entertained in-home visits with Florida coach Billy Donovan, UCLA coach Ben Howland and Memphis coach Josh Pastner. UCLA brought along top assistant Korey McCray, who coached Goodwin in AAU ball for the Atlanta Celtics. What about UGA? Goodwin made an unofficial visit with the Bulldogs a couple of weeks ago. Goodwin was …

Continue reading Inside Recruiting: Shaq Goodwin, UGA, Georgia Tech, and the Harvard way (UPDATED) »

Buford High School's Vadal Alexander (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

If you heard somebody screaming in the distance on Monday afternoon, it may have been LSU coach Les Miles.

Vadal Alexander, one of the Georgia’s most heavily-recruited college football prospects, committed to LSU over Auburn and Alabama. The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder from Buford High School was ranked by some as the state’s No. 1 OL prospect.

Alexander called all three of his finalists on Monday, and got an enthusiastic reaction from Miles.

“It was great,” Alexander told the AJC. “He was ecstatic. He was screaming and yelling, you know, only like Coach Miles can do. He is very outgoing. He was happy and he was definitely screaming.”

Miles had plenty to hoop and holler about. LSU rallied to edge Auburn for Alexander’s services.

“I had taken my official visits to Alabama and Auburn, and going into this past weekend’s trip to LSU, Auburn was leading,” Alexander said. “But I went to LSU and it just clicked for me. It …

Continue reading OT Vadal Alexander commits to LSU over Auburn and Alabama »

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It’s Homecoming Week for NFL rookie sensation Cam Newton.

The former 5-star quarterback from College Park’s Westlake High School will lead the Carolina Panthers against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

“It’s a homecoming celebration for people in College Park and around the city of Atlanta — the unfortunate thing is that he’s on the opposite team,” former Westlake offensive coordinator and QB coach Marquis Slaton told the AJC with a laugh.

Newton’s success over the last 14-15 months has been the stuff of legends. He led Auburn to the BCS championship, won the Heisman Trophy, and was selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.

Newton has single-handily revitalized hope and excitement in the Panthers franchise, putting the team in position to win in all five of his starts this season while breaking NFL rookie records …

Continue reading Flashback: UGA’s recruitment of NFL rookie sensation Cam Newton »

So much, so fast. After moving from England, Francis Kallon has learned the sport of football at a rapid pace. The 6-foot-6 DE is committed to Georgia Tech (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Auburn offered a football scholarship on Friday to Georgia Tech’s No. 1 recruit, who will visit the Tigers next week.

Francis Kallon is a 6-foot-6, 260-pound defensive end at Central Gwinnett High School who is playing football for the first time as a senior after moving from London, England. He committed to Georgia Tech last summer but other colleges haven’t given up on recruiting him.

Kallon was offered by Auburn on Friday, according to his coach, and will make an unofficial visit to Auburn next weekend. Kallon’s teammate at Central Gwinnett, junior linebacker Trey Johnson, has committed to Auburn

Kallon said earlier this week that he remains committed to Georgia Tech.

• Georgia Tech will entertain several of the state’s top college prospects for Saturday’s game against Maryland. Lassiter …

Continue reading Georgia Tech’s No. 1 recruit offered by Auburn and will visit next week »