Archive for the ‘LSU’ Category

Walton RB Tyren Jones led the state's largest classification in rushing yardage (AJC photo by Michael Carvell)

The leading rusher in Georgia’s largest classification said he was offered a football scholarship by UGA on Tuesday.

Tyren Jones, a junior tailback at Walton High School, said he got the news when UGA running backs coach Bryan McClendon was at the school on Tuesday. Jones led Walton to an appearance in the Class AAAAA state championship, rushing for 2,375 yards and 38 touchdowns

“It feels good; it’s exciting,” Jones told the AJC. “I like the Bulldogs. They are close to home. I like Mark Richt. I’ve been to Georgia a couple of times. I’ve got some teams on my list, and Georgia is definitely on there.”

UGA has also offered another junior at Walton, offensive lineman Brandon Kublanow – who is leaning toward to the Bulldogs. Jones said he also has “verbal offers” from Vanderbilt and Duke, while adding Oklahoma State last week.

“Oklahoma State’s coach came up to me after …

Continue reading RB Tyren Jones offered by UGA »

Alabama-bound K Adam Griffith (Photo courtesy of 247sports.com)

Adam Griffith, the Calhoun High School kicker who is committed to Alabama, could probably help out the Crimson Tide this year.

Alabama suffered a 9-6 loss to LSU in the regular season after Cade Foster and Jeremy Shelley failed to score on four of six field-goal attempts.

Griffith, who kicked a field goal to win the Saturday’s Class AA state championship for Calhoun High School, admitted it was tough watching Alabama’s loss to LSU. He will sign with Alabama in February and be eligible to play next season.

“Of course, I wish I could’ve helped the team in that game,” Griffith said. “The kicker, Cade Foster, he had a bad night. But those are hard kicks to make, especially when it’s cold outside and they are long field goals. I was nervous watching him. I don’t know.”

Griffith has been a kicking machine at Calhoun. He booted around 65 of 80 kickoffs into the end zone this season. He has a career-long field goal of …

Continue reading Could Adam Griffith help Alabama with kicking this year? »

UGA has entered the sweepstakes and offered a late scholarship to the state's No. 1 WR prospect, Sandy Creek's Jaquay Williams. He committed to Auburn last summer (AJC)

Is Auburn in danger of losing the commitment of WR Jaquay Williams to UGA?

UGA is making a late charge for Williams, and offered a football scholarship last week to the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder from Sandy Creek High School. Williams is considered the state’s No. 1 prospect at wide receiver.

Williams, who committed to Auburn over Ohio State last summer, told the AJC he will make an unofficial visit to Georgia on Saturday – his first trip to Athens in two years. Part of the reason will be to hear out the sincerity of UGA’s interest, and the other part will be to watch Auburn play in person.

“I’m going to go up there, look around and check things out,” Williams told the AJC on Thursday night. “But I’m really locked in on Auburn right now. Something crazy, and I mean real crazy, would have to happen to get me off the …

Continue reading Is Auburn in danger of losing the commitment of WR Jaquay Williams to UGA? »

 Loading …

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 »

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 »

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 »

 Loading …

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? »

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 »

 Loading …

Kurt Freitag, one of the state’s top college football prospects at tight end, may be close to making his college decision.

The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder from Buford High School has made official visits to two of his three finalists, Alabama and Florida. He will decide later this week about scheduling a recruiting trip to Florida State.

Freitag took his official visit to Alabama for the Arkansas game. Freitag’s teammate at Buford, linebacker Dillon Lee, is committed to Alabama, while another – offensive lineman Vadal Alexander – has the Crimson Tide as a finalist, along with LSU and Auburn.

“Alabama made it perfectly clear how much they want and need Kurt to be part of the team and school; he left with a very good impression of fitting in,” his mother said.

Freitag saw Alabama play again last weekend during his official visit to Florida, which he also enjoyed.

Buford TE Kurt Freitag will …

Continue reading TE Kurt Freitag returns from official visits to Florida and Alabama … FSU next? »

AJC Super 11 member Josh Harvey-Clemons will visit UGA (AJC)

 Loading …

One of the top uncommitted seniors in the state is AJC Super 11 member Josh Harvey-Clemons of Lowndes High School.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder will take official visits to UGA, Florida, LSU and Louisville. JHC is projected to play safety in college, but is also getting looks at outside linebacker.

“The dude is a freak … he’s the best I’ve played against in the last three years,” said Trent Thompson, quarterback of No. 1-ranked McEachern High School.

“I think he will play safety in college, if they don’t put him somewhere on offense. I don’t think he’s thick enough to play linebacker. Wherever he goes, he’s going to be outstanding.

“I still can’t believe the interception he had against me. He jumped so high, and kept getting higher and higher, and came down with it. The dude is a freak.”

Here’s McEachern coach Kyle Hockman on JHC: …

Continue reading Josh Harvey-Clemons, AJC Super 11 selection, will visit UGA, Florida, LSU and Louisville »