Archive for the ‘Kentucky’ Category

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The Atlanta running back who was told by Nick Saban a couple of weeks ago that he couldn’t sign with Alabama after being committed to the Crimson Tide for nearly a year has three options for Wednesday.

North Atlanta High School’s Justin Taylor will either remain committed to Alabama but have to wait to sign until next year, or sign with SEC rivals Ole Miss  or Kentucky at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Mays High School.

“He’s going to sleep on it, and see how he feels about everything in the morning,” said North Atlanta coach Stanley Pritchett, who is also Taylor’s legal guardian.

The 5-foot-10, 208-pound Taylor made both an unofficial visit to Ole Miss and unofficial visit to Kentucky within the last week. He has been given letters-of-intent by both schools to sign on Wednesday and enroll next summer.

Nick Saban (AP photo)

A few weeks ago, Taylor was stunned to …

Continue reading Justin Taylor: Will sign with SEC rivals or remain Alabama 2013 commit »

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Georgia Tech made a big impression on one of the state’s top running backs.

Shadrach Thornton of Liberty County High School committed early to Kentucky but decided to finish out his official visits. He traveled to Vanderbilt and N.C. State, while saving his last recruiting trip for Georgia Tech this past weekend.

“Right now, my top two are Vandy and Georgia Tech,” Thornton told the AJC. “They stuck out to me the most when I took my visits there. That’s why they are my top two.”

What about his commitment to Kentucky? Thornton already admitted weeks ago that perhaps he rushed his decision and that it was a “soft” commitment. Is he still committed in some form or fashion to Kentucky? “I have to get in touch with them and let them how I am feeling,” Thornton said. “I don’t believe in stringing anybody along. I have to talk to them before I say anything.”

Liberty …

Continue reading Georgia Tech makes big impression on RB committed to Kentucky »

Paul Johnson scored points with recruits with Georgia Tech's upset over Clemson on Saturday (AJC)

Georgia Tech had its biggest and best recruiting turnout of the year for Saturday’s upset over Clemson.

More than two dozen of the state’s top college prospects turned out for the game, including Allatoona High School running back Miles Jones.

“It was a pretty lively atmosphere for college football,” Jones told the AJC. “Everybody was pretty excited. There were a lot of people there. The place was packed, and it was loud. I liked it a lot. It made you want to go out on the field and play yourself.”

Around 10 Georgia Tech commitments for 2012 showed up on Saturday, including Central Gwinnett defensive end Francis Kallon, Sandy Creek offensive lineman Will Adams, and running back Marcus Allen of Hilliard, Fla.

Sandy Creek cornerback Shaquille Wiggins and Tri-Cities offensive lineman Shamire Devine were among a select group of the state’s top juniors who attended the …

Continue reading Will Georgia Tech offer Allatoona RB Miles Jones? »

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Shadrach  Thornton, who is a candidate to be Georgia’s No. 1 prospect at running back, will make an official visit to Georgia Tech this weekend.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder from Liberty County High School is a “soft verbal commitment” to Kentucky, picking the Wildcats while visiting there last month. “Even when I made that commitment to Kentucky, I felt like I made a haste decision,” Thornton told the AJC. He vowed to finish out his recruiting trips, visiting N.C. State and Vanderbilt after Kentucky. Georgia Tech will be his fourth and final official visit.

“Georgia Tech gave me a scholarship offer this past summer,” Thornton said. “They had been looking at me for two years and when I went to camp last summer, that was the first time that coach [Paul Johnson] got to see me in person. I went to camp to have fun, and they really liked what I did up there …

Continue reading RB Shadrach Thornton will make official visit to Georgia Tech this weekend »

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Will Johnson, a speedy cornerback from Chattahoochee High School, is one of the state’s hottest senior prospects.

College scouts are still learning about Johnson, who is a former basketball point guard playing only his second year of football. He first caught the attention of recruiters after being clocked at 4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash at Vanderbilt camp this summer, and has followed it up with a breakout senior season as the most dominating player for Chattahoochee, the defending Class AAAA state champions.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Johnson will be one of the featured prospects when Chattahoochee plays at South Forsyth at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The game will be broadcast live on WSB-TV’s digital channel 2.2 and on www.wsbtv.com.

“I’ve been fortunate over the years at Chattahoochee and as an assistant at Tucker, Camden County and Burke County to have I think …

Continue reading Speedy Chattahoochee DB catches attention of Georgia Tech and UGA after breakout senior year »

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Georgia Tech took its best shot at landing one of the state’s “Big Three” basketball prospects over the weekend.

Robert Carter, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound power forward from Shiloh High School, made an official visit to Georgia Tech over the weekend after taking a recruiting trip to UGA last week. Carter is one member of the “Big Three” — three Atlanta area seniors ranked among the nation’s top 25 overall prospects, a special group which also includes Southwest DeKalb’s Shaq Goodwin and Miller Grove’s Tony Parker.

When asked to rate his Georgia Tech trip on a scale of 1-10, Carter said, “I had a good time at Georgia Tech. I enjoyed spending time with the coaches and players, and I like the direction that coach [Brian Gregory] is taking the program. I don’t know if I could really rate it, though.” After pausing for a few seconds, Carter said, …

Continue reading Robert Carter talks about official visit to Georgia Tech; next trips are Florida, FSU »

Justin King will play linebacker at Tennessee and was supposed to play the position this year at Dunwoody High School.

However, the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder was shifted to quarterback after his team’s 0-2 start and King accepted the call, leading Dunwoody to three straight wins.

Dunwoody plays Southwest DeKalb at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (televised live on WSB-TV’s digital channel 2.2 and at wsbtv.com).

The future Tennessee defender is fine with playing quarterback because “the team is winning ballgames” and said his college coaches approve of it. “They like that I’m athletic enough to play different positions, especially QB. Tennessee’s coaches don’t have any problems with it. They want the best for my team, and right now that’s me playing quarterback.”

Tennessee LB commit Justin King of Dunwoody HS (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

The original plan was for King to play linebacker and running back. “Having Justin at quarterback gives us a big-time weapon at the …

Continue reading Justin King, Tennessee LB recruit, switches to QB »

Football prospects with an NBA bloodline: Daron (left) and Zack Blaylock of Walton HS (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

The twin sons of former Atlanta Hawks point guard Mookie Blaylock will both be playing at the University of Kentucky – but not for basketball.

Daron and Zack Blaylock have accepted football scholarship offers to Kentucky. The twins are senior standouts at Walton High School.

Neither played basketball after middle school.

“Some people told me that I could’ve been a Division I point guard if I would’ve stuck with it, but I never had the passion for basketball like I do for football,” Daron said.

“I never was any good at basketball,” Zack said with a laugh.

Zack, a 6-foot-1 and 190-pound free safety, is awful good in football. His coach compares him to one of the best safeties to ever come out of the state of Georgia.

Zack Blaylock (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

“He’s one of the most physical players I’ve seen at defensive back in my 15 years of …

Continue reading Twin sons of ex-Atlanta Hawk Mookie Blaylock headed to Kentucky — for football »

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Georgia Tech still has a chance for one of the state’s top running backs who committed to Kentucky on Sunday.

Shadrach Thornton of Liberty High School said he will go ahead and take his official visit to Georgia Tech next month despite his pledge to Kentucky. He will also visit N.C. State.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder said he talked with Georgia Tech assistant Lamar Owens.

“I called to let him know that I did commit but that I still wanted to take my official visit there to make sure Kentucky is where I want to go,” Thornton told the AJC. “Coach Owens totally understood. Kentucky was my first official visit, and I’ve got to factor in the distance from home, and what are the pros and cons of each school.

“I’m going to take my official visits to Georgia Tech and N.C. State. If I feel the same way about Kentucky after all of that, then I will pick those …

Continue reading RB Shadrach Thornton commits to Kentucky but will still visit Georgia Tech »

M.L. King WR Blake Tibbs (left) committed to UGA and hopes his high school teammate, DE Kenderius Whitehead, will follow him to the Bulldogs (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

Saturday was a good day at the office for UGA.

The Bulldogs beat Ole Miss on the road in the afternoon, and picked up a commitment from one of the state’s top wide receivers later that night:

Blake Tibbs of M.L. King High School picked UGA over North Carolina, Southern Miss and Kentucky.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Tibbs is commit No. 15 for UGA’s 2012 college football recruiting class.

“I watched college football all day on Saturday, started thinking about recruiting, and UGA kept popping up in my head,” Tibbs told the AJC. “I was thinking about all the boys in my area [Atlanta area] that Georgia is recruiting … and that if we all go down to Georgia together, we can make an impact there.”

Tibbs called UGA’s Mark Richt to inform him of his decision on Saturday evening and got his voicemail. Then Tibbs …

Continue reading WR Blake Tibbs is commitment No. 15 for UGA »