According to Phil Kornblut's weekly Recruitng Notebook (The State.com), many players from the South have an eye on Big East programs. Here are the Big East mentions from his Monday recruiting notebook:
- Beaufort (SC) linebacker Justin Parker (6-2, 225) made an unofficial visit to Clemson over the weekend, his first visit to the school. The Tigers and South Carolina are in a battle for Parker and are currently at the top of his list. Parker also has offers from Maryland, Mississippi State, Wake Forest, Central Florida, N.C. State, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Colorado and South Florida.
- Wide receiver Kadron Boone (6-1, 185) of Ocala, Fla., has his list down to South Carolina, Clemson, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, Cincinnati, Miami and Notre Dame.
- South Carolina is showing some interest in wide receiver Dominique Roberts (6-0, 203) of Daytona Beach, Fla. He has been offered by Connecticut, Florida International, Western Kentucky, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman.
- Athlete Sherard Cadogan (6-3, 230) of Cherry Hill, N.J., has South Carolina in his top five along with Michigan State, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh and Penn State. He plans to make an official visit to USC. They Gamecocks are looking at him for defense.
- Defensive back Devont’a Davis (6-2, 175) of Gainesville, Fla., is strong on South Carolina and plans to take an official visit. He also likes Miami, North Carolina, Louisville and Arkansas.
- Offensive lineman Danny Foose (6-6, 310) of Paramus, N.J., is getting a strong push from South Carolina and wants to take an official visit with the Gamecocks this fall. He has offers from USC, Stanford, Minnesota, Illinois, Rutgers, Boston College, South Florida, Louisville and Akron.
- Linebacker Antoine Pozniak (6-3, 220) of Hamberg, N.J., attended USC’s Showcase Camp, and the Gamecocks plan to watch him this season. Penn State and Syracuse also are interested along with Buffalo, LSU and Southeast Missouri State.
- Clemson and USC remain in touch with running back Jawan Jamison (5-8, 195) of Jacksonville, Fla. He cites offers from Clemson, Wake Forest, Rutgers and Northern Illinois with no favorite.
- Running back Cassius McDowell (5-9, 166) of Deerfield Beach, Fla., says he has offers from USC, West Virginia, Michigan, Wake Forest, Mississippi, Connecticut, Central Florida and Florida International.
- Running back Corey Brown (6-1, 184) of Springfield, Pa., has Clemson in his final group even though he’s not heard from the Tigers in some time. He also is looking at Florida, Florida State, Miami, Rutgers, West Virginia, Penn State, Alabama, and Ohio State.
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According to InsideNoVa.com, Osbourn Park High School junior Dominique Terrell received word last week that the University of Tennessee plans on extending him an official written offer when Division I and FCS schools can do so for juniors, starting Sept. 1.
Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Liberty and Richmond are the others.
Rated the No. 1 junior in the state by VirginiaPreps.com, Terrell threw for 696 yards and ran for 920 more last season. He also returned three kicks for touchdowns.
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More throughout the week, so check back often!
Read more!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
2009 BIG EAST PREVIEW: PANTHERS GET MEDIA POLL NOD
By Raphielle Johnson
As you all know by now, the Big East Media Days took place on Monday and Tuesday, and it was an interesting meeting to say the least. The conference, going into its first year under the direction of new commissioner John Marinatto, has some serious questions to answer in the near future. Bowl lineup, possible expansion and the possibility of playing a bowl game in the new Yankee Stadium have all been topics of discussion, with the first being the most important matter. While media days didn’t give any definitive answers on those subjects it did provide insight into what the media was thinking would happen in 2009.
The keyword for the Big East in 2009 is “parity” with six of the eight teams considered to have a realistic shot at grabbing the conference’s BCS berth. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder; those who view the league from a distance rush to declare the Big East as “mediocre”, while those with a more intimate view look at the possible wild race as a positive rather than a negative. Pittsburgh was the media choice to win the league, but in a telling result the top five teams were separated by only thirty-five points in the poll.
Each team has a significant hole to fill; a blemish that if neglected can be all the difference between a BCS berth and playing in a bowl game further down in the conference pecking order. Four teams received first-place votes, with the Panthers and defending champ Cincinnati each garnering eight. But the Bearcats were beaten out for second by West Virginia, a fact that goes to show just how even the top of the Big East is expected to be. So, what does issue does each team need to resolve in order to win the conference? Here’s the full preseason poll, with a significant question/possible answer for each team.
1) Pittsburgh (161 total points, Eight first-place votes)
2008 Record: 9-4 (lost Brut Sun Bowl to Oregon State)
Returning starters: 14
Question: How will the Panthers account for the loss of running back LeSean McCoy?
Answer: Pitt will have to handle this by committee. In replacing McCoy new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. will need to account for nearly 1,800 yards of offense and 126 points (35.8% of the Panthers’ point total). Freshman Dion Lewis, who was the best back in spring drills, enters fall camp as the starter but by no means is Lewis “the man”. Freshmen Ray Graham and Chris Burns (redshirt), along with sophomore Shariff Harris, will also have ample opportunities in fall camp to earn carries, if not the starting role.
Luckily for Pittsburgh they’ve got established threats at wide receiver (Jonathan Baldwin, Oderick Turner and Cedric McGee) and tight end (senior Nate Byham), and an offensive line that returns four starters has been through the battles and could be the best unit in the conference. Early on the Panthers will need more production from QB Bill Stull, but the stable of running backs has enough talent to make a big splash this season.
2) West Virginia (151 total points, Five first-place votes)
2008 Record: 9-4 (beat North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl)
Returning starters: 15
Question: How will the Mountaineers account for the lack of experience on the offensive line?
Answer: Selvish Capers and Eric Jobe have the most experience up front; Capers will be starting for the third straight season and Jobe started the last five games of 2008 at center. But with a unit that was considered to be the Big East’s best going into last season the West Virginia offensive line had its fair share of struggles. Don Barclay, likely the starter at left tackle, broke his foot in the spring game and it remains to be seen how well he has healed in the offseason. Look for Barclay’s health to be a major talking point through the first week of fall camp.
Josh Jenkins has game experience as well but saw his 2008 ended by a knee injury. If Jenkins is able to contribute early the Mountaineer line will be that much better. Matt Timmerman is expected to be the man at right guard. What this all comes down to is chemistry; despite their experience a season ago the West Virginia line didn’t always look to be on the same page (see: loss at East Carolina for one example). If offensive line coach David Johnson can get this unit to mesh don’t look for West Virginia to suffer much of a decline.
3) Cincinnati (144 total points, Eight first-place votes)
2008 Record: 11-3 (lost to Virginia Tech in the FedEx Orange Bowl)
Returning starters: 9
Question: How will Cincinnati account for the loss of ten defensive starters?
Answer: Last season was the perfect storm for the Bearcats, who had the pleasure of combining a very good offense with experienced (and talented) defensive and special teams units. One trip to the Orange Bowl later and Cincinnati now gets to address the significant losses on defense. Free safety Aaron Webster (60 tackles, one interception) is the lone returning starter, and it’s a good thing that Webster plays a position of leadership as this unit will need his experience. The good news for Cincinnati is that a number of players moving into starting roles saw extensive playing time in 2008.
Linebackers Andre Revels and J.K. Schaffer were both a part of the rotation last season, as were linemen Curtis Young, Ricardo Mathews and John Hughes. Marcus Barnett will move into one of the cornerback slots, seeing time on both sides of the football (wide receiver). Barnett received second team All-Big East honors in 2007, so the fact that he’ll see extensive time on defense speaks to both the depth at wide receiver and the lack of experience at corner. And the clock is on for the Bearcats to gets things right on defense; they open at Rutgers on Labor Day.
4) South Florida (130 total points, Three first-place votes)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat Memphis in the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl)
Returning starters: 11
Question: Will the offensive line be strong enough to keep Matt Grothe from running for his life?
Answer: Throughout his career the book on Grothe has been a rather simple one: he can kill you in a variety of ways but if you can make him feel as if the game is entirely on his shoulders you can create some turnovers. With four starters needing to be replaced up front that’s an area that head coach Jim Leavitt and offensive line coach Larry Scott would like to have some answers to by the end of fall camp. Zach Hermann has the most experience among the linemen, starting sixteen straight games before going down with a foot injury.
He and Jake Sims look to be near locks to start this season, as is left tackle Jatavious Jackson. Center and right tackle still have some issues to resolve, and the Bulls hope to have definitive answers heading into the season opener against Wofford. USF has a forgiving early schedule to say the least, with Wofford, Western Kentucky (road) and Charleston Southern being the first three games. That should give the line ample time to develop chemistry heading into their trip to Tallahassee on September 26th.
5) Rutgers (126 total points)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat NC State in the PapaJohns.com Bowl)
Returning starters: 16
Question: How will Rutgers make up for significant losses in the passing game?
Answer: To be honest Coach Schiano may not have solid answers right now. Domenic Natale and Jabu Lovelace go into fall camp competing for the starting job; neither did enough in the spring to claim the starting role as their own. Mike Teel may have been maligned but he had a solid career at Rutgers; once the Scarlet Knights reached the heights of a Top 10 ranking and New York City attention in 2006 the spotlights became all the more intense and being solid wasn’t good enough for some. Luckily for Natale and Lovelace in front of them will be what many believe to be the best offensive line in the Big East.
As for wide receiver the loss of Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood, two of the most productive receivers in school history, leaves a gaping hole in the passing game. Tim Brown is the most experienced returnee, a player who’s more of a vertical threat for the Scarlet Knights. Other options include Mason Robinson (saw time at running back in 2008), Andrew DePaola and Julian Hayes. Rutgers has a manageable schedule…but that’s after a conference opener with defending champ Cincinnati on Labor Day. Some publications had Rutgers pegged as preseason favorite, but they got no first-place votes in Newport. Which set of predictions rings true will depend on the development of the wide receivers.
6) Connecticut (74 total points)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat Buffalo in the International Bowl)
Returning starters: 14
Question: Can the quarterback position raise it level of production?
Answer: The Huskies had better have a good answer because there’s no Donald Brown to bail them out. Husky quarterbacks combined for five touchdown passes and seventeen interceptions in 2008, a stat that makes Brown eclipsing 2,000 yards rushing all the more impressive (and yet he wasn’t a finalist for the Doak Walker Award). Zach Frazer, who started a few games for the injured Tyler Lorenzen in 2008, is the starter heading into fall camp but expect Cody Endres to also play a part in the competition if Frazer struggles early.
Connecticut doesn’t take any breaks in the non-conference schedule with a season-opening trip to Ohio preceding games with North Carolina and Baylor, so whether or not the passing game improved will be quite evident by the end of September. Wide receiver was also a sore spot with the lack of a playmaker outside of Darius Butler, who buttered his bread as a cornerback. Butler’s in the NFL, so returnees such as Marcus Easley and Brad Kanuch need to improve. Youngsters Dwayne Difton, Gerrard Sheppard and Kashif Moore will also play a role in the improvement of the passing game. Increased production in this area could help the Huskies finish above their sixth-place projection.
7) Louisville (51 total points)
2008 Record: 5-7
Returning starters: 15
Question: Can the Cardinals improve their defensive production?
Answer: Given the instability at quarterback Coach Kragthorpe and company surely hopes that this is the case. For all the talk of the impact that Ron English would have for a unit that struggled mightily in 2007, Louisville still ranked seventh in the conference in total defense and dead last against the pass. Compared to 2007 (6th against the pass, 7th total) Louisville actually got worse. Coach English has moved on to take the head coaching job at Eastern Michigan, so the onus falls upon the shoulders of Brent Guy (former Utah State head coach) to improve the unit.
Linebacker will be a position of strength with all three starters back on campus, led by second team All-Big East selection Jon Dempsey (team-high 80 tackles). The secondary will be led by Richard Reglin, but the key will be how much a young front four progresses. Greg Scruggs and Rodney Gnat have the most experience but they’re both ends, so some tackles will need to step up as well. If Louisville can get something from this group look for Victor Anderson to lead the way on offense, and possibly get the Cardinals back into a bowl game.
8: Syracuse (27 total points)
2008 Record: 3-9
Returning starters: 14
Question: Is Ryan Nassib the answer when it comes to solving the Orange’s passing game issues?
Answer: New head coach Doug Marrone didn’t need much time to make his decision, giving the redshirt sophomore the nod early in spring practice. But Syracuse’s issues on offense were due in large part to their ineptitude in the passing game, something that fans were promised a solution for when Greg Robinson was hired four years ago. But with Marrone in charge, he who was offensive coordinator last season for a New Orleans Saints team that led the NFL in total offense, expect bigger things from the Orange.
What also helps Syracuse is the return of wide receiver Mike Williams. Williams, who sat out last season due to academic issues, had over 800 receiving yards and ten touchdowns in 2007. He’ll be a more than welcome addition to a unit that has lacked playmakers on the outside for a few years. His return will take some pressure off of Donte Davis and Da’Mon Merkerson, and tight end Mike Owen was the second-leading receiver for the Orange in 2008. What’s all the more telling is that Davis led the team with just 312 receiving yards a season ago.
Improvement may not be measured in wins and losses this season (Syracuse opens with three Big Ten opponents), but Coach Marrone will get things headed in the right direction.
Read more!
As you all know by now, the Big East Media Days took place on Monday and Tuesday, and it was an interesting meeting to say the least. The conference, going into its first year under the direction of new commissioner John Marinatto, has some serious questions to answer in the near future. Bowl lineup, possible expansion and the possibility of playing a bowl game in the new Yankee Stadium have all been topics of discussion, with the first being the most important matter. While media days didn’t give any definitive answers on those subjects it did provide insight into what the media was thinking would happen in 2009.
The keyword for the Big East in 2009 is “parity” with six of the eight teams considered to have a realistic shot at grabbing the conference’s BCS berth. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder; those who view the league from a distance rush to declare the Big East as “mediocre”, while those with a more intimate view look at the possible wild race as a positive rather than a negative. Pittsburgh was the media choice to win the league, but in a telling result the top five teams were separated by only thirty-five points in the poll.
Each team has a significant hole to fill; a blemish that if neglected can be all the difference between a BCS berth and playing in a bowl game further down in the conference pecking order. Four teams received first-place votes, with the Panthers and defending champ Cincinnati each garnering eight. But the Bearcats were beaten out for second by West Virginia, a fact that goes to show just how even the top of the Big East is expected to be. So, what does issue does each team need to resolve in order to win the conference? Here’s the full preseason poll, with a significant question/possible answer for each team.
1) Pittsburgh (161 total points, Eight first-place votes)
2008 Record: 9-4 (lost Brut Sun Bowl to Oregon State)
Returning starters: 14
Question: How will the Panthers account for the loss of running back LeSean McCoy?
Answer: Pitt will have to handle this by committee. In replacing McCoy new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. will need to account for nearly 1,800 yards of offense and 126 points (35.8% of the Panthers’ point total). Freshman Dion Lewis, who was the best back in spring drills, enters fall camp as the starter but by no means is Lewis “the man”. Freshmen Ray Graham and Chris Burns (redshirt), along with sophomore Shariff Harris, will also have ample opportunities in fall camp to earn carries, if not the starting role.
Luckily for Pittsburgh they’ve got established threats at wide receiver (Jonathan Baldwin, Oderick Turner and Cedric McGee) and tight end (senior Nate Byham), and an offensive line that returns four starters has been through the battles and could be the best unit in the conference. Early on the Panthers will need more production from QB Bill Stull, but the stable of running backs has enough talent to make a big splash this season.
2) West Virginia (151 total points, Five first-place votes)
2008 Record: 9-4 (beat North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl)
Returning starters: 15
Question: How will the Mountaineers account for the lack of experience on the offensive line?
Answer: Selvish Capers and Eric Jobe have the most experience up front; Capers will be starting for the third straight season and Jobe started the last five games of 2008 at center. But with a unit that was considered to be the Big East’s best going into last season the West Virginia offensive line had its fair share of struggles. Don Barclay, likely the starter at left tackle, broke his foot in the spring game and it remains to be seen how well he has healed in the offseason. Look for Barclay’s health to be a major talking point through the first week of fall camp.
Josh Jenkins has game experience as well but saw his 2008 ended by a knee injury. If Jenkins is able to contribute early the Mountaineer line will be that much better. Matt Timmerman is expected to be the man at right guard. What this all comes down to is chemistry; despite their experience a season ago the West Virginia line didn’t always look to be on the same page (see: loss at East Carolina for one example). If offensive line coach David Johnson can get this unit to mesh don’t look for West Virginia to suffer much of a decline.
3) Cincinnati (144 total points, Eight first-place votes)
2008 Record: 11-3 (lost to Virginia Tech in the FedEx Orange Bowl)
Returning starters: 9
Question: How will Cincinnati account for the loss of ten defensive starters?
Answer: Last season was the perfect storm for the Bearcats, who had the pleasure of combining a very good offense with experienced (and talented) defensive and special teams units. One trip to the Orange Bowl later and Cincinnati now gets to address the significant losses on defense. Free safety Aaron Webster (60 tackles, one interception) is the lone returning starter, and it’s a good thing that Webster plays a position of leadership as this unit will need his experience. The good news for Cincinnati is that a number of players moving into starting roles saw extensive playing time in 2008.
Linebackers Andre Revels and J.K. Schaffer were both a part of the rotation last season, as were linemen Curtis Young, Ricardo Mathews and John Hughes. Marcus Barnett will move into one of the cornerback slots, seeing time on both sides of the football (wide receiver). Barnett received second team All-Big East honors in 2007, so the fact that he’ll see extensive time on defense speaks to both the depth at wide receiver and the lack of experience at corner. And the clock is on for the Bearcats to gets things right on defense; they open at Rutgers on Labor Day.
4) South Florida (130 total points, Three first-place votes)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat Memphis in the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl)
Returning starters: 11
Question: Will the offensive line be strong enough to keep Matt Grothe from running for his life?
Answer: Throughout his career the book on Grothe has been a rather simple one: he can kill you in a variety of ways but if you can make him feel as if the game is entirely on his shoulders you can create some turnovers. With four starters needing to be replaced up front that’s an area that head coach Jim Leavitt and offensive line coach Larry Scott would like to have some answers to by the end of fall camp. Zach Hermann has the most experience among the linemen, starting sixteen straight games before going down with a foot injury.
He and Jake Sims look to be near locks to start this season, as is left tackle Jatavious Jackson. Center and right tackle still have some issues to resolve, and the Bulls hope to have definitive answers heading into the season opener against Wofford. USF has a forgiving early schedule to say the least, with Wofford, Western Kentucky (road) and Charleston Southern being the first three games. That should give the line ample time to develop chemistry heading into their trip to Tallahassee on September 26th.
5) Rutgers (126 total points)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat NC State in the PapaJohns.com Bowl)
Returning starters: 16
Question: How will Rutgers make up for significant losses in the passing game?
Answer: To be honest Coach Schiano may not have solid answers right now. Domenic Natale and Jabu Lovelace go into fall camp competing for the starting job; neither did enough in the spring to claim the starting role as their own. Mike Teel may have been maligned but he had a solid career at Rutgers; once the Scarlet Knights reached the heights of a Top 10 ranking and New York City attention in 2006 the spotlights became all the more intense and being solid wasn’t good enough for some. Luckily for Natale and Lovelace in front of them will be what many believe to be the best offensive line in the Big East.
As for wide receiver the loss of Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood, two of the most productive receivers in school history, leaves a gaping hole in the passing game. Tim Brown is the most experienced returnee, a player who’s more of a vertical threat for the Scarlet Knights. Other options include Mason Robinson (saw time at running back in 2008), Andrew DePaola and Julian Hayes. Rutgers has a manageable schedule…but that’s after a conference opener with defending champ Cincinnati on Labor Day. Some publications had Rutgers pegged as preseason favorite, but they got no first-place votes in Newport. Which set of predictions rings true will depend on the development of the wide receivers.
6) Connecticut (74 total points)
2008 Record: 8-5 (beat Buffalo in the International Bowl)
Returning starters: 14
Question: Can the quarterback position raise it level of production?
Answer: The Huskies had better have a good answer because there’s no Donald Brown to bail them out. Husky quarterbacks combined for five touchdown passes and seventeen interceptions in 2008, a stat that makes Brown eclipsing 2,000 yards rushing all the more impressive (and yet he wasn’t a finalist for the Doak Walker Award). Zach Frazer, who started a few games for the injured Tyler Lorenzen in 2008, is the starter heading into fall camp but expect Cody Endres to also play a part in the competition if Frazer struggles early.
Connecticut doesn’t take any breaks in the non-conference schedule with a season-opening trip to Ohio preceding games with North Carolina and Baylor, so whether or not the passing game improved will be quite evident by the end of September. Wide receiver was also a sore spot with the lack of a playmaker outside of Darius Butler, who buttered his bread as a cornerback. Butler’s in the NFL, so returnees such as Marcus Easley and Brad Kanuch need to improve. Youngsters Dwayne Difton, Gerrard Sheppard and Kashif Moore will also play a role in the improvement of the passing game. Increased production in this area could help the Huskies finish above their sixth-place projection.
7) Louisville (51 total points)
2008 Record: 5-7
Returning starters: 15
Question: Can the Cardinals improve their defensive production?
Answer: Given the instability at quarterback Coach Kragthorpe and company surely hopes that this is the case. For all the talk of the impact that Ron English would have for a unit that struggled mightily in 2007, Louisville still ranked seventh in the conference in total defense and dead last against the pass. Compared to 2007 (6th against the pass, 7th total) Louisville actually got worse. Coach English has moved on to take the head coaching job at Eastern Michigan, so the onus falls upon the shoulders of Brent Guy (former Utah State head coach) to improve the unit.
Linebacker will be a position of strength with all three starters back on campus, led by second team All-Big East selection Jon Dempsey (team-high 80 tackles). The secondary will be led by Richard Reglin, but the key will be how much a young front four progresses. Greg Scruggs and Rodney Gnat have the most experience but they’re both ends, so some tackles will need to step up as well. If Louisville can get something from this group look for Victor Anderson to lead the way on offense, and possibly get the Cardinals back into a bowl game.
8: Syracuse (27 total points)
2008 Record: 3-9
Returning starters: 14
Question: Is Ryan Nassib the answer when it comes to solving the Orange’s passing game issues?
Answer: New head coach Doug Marrone didn’t need much time to make his decision, giving the redshirt sophomore the nod early in spring practice. But Syracuse’s issues on offense were due in large part to their ineptitude in the passing game, something that fans were promised a solution for when Greg Robinson was hired four years ago. But with Marrone in charge, he who was offensive coordinator last season for a New Orleans Saints team that led the NFL in total offense, expect bigger things from the Orange.
What also helps Syracuse is the return of wide receiver Mike Williams. Williams, who sat out last season due to academic issues, had over 800 receiving yards and ten touchdowns in 2007. He’ll be a more than welcome addition to a unit that has lacked playmakers on the outside for a few years. His return will take some pressure off of Donte Davis and Da’Mon Merkerson, and tight end Mike Owen was the second-leading receiver for the Orange in 2008. What’s all the more telling is that Davis led the team with just 312 receiving yards a season ago.
Improvement may not be measured in wins and losses this season (Syracuse opens with three Big Ten opponents), but Coach Marrone will get things headed in the right direction.
Read more!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
BIG EAST FOOTBALL RECRUITING NOTES (8/6/2009)
Here is a round-up of BiG East football recruiting notes found on the web the past few days...
According to Phil Kornblut, in a special for the Post & Courier in South Carolina, here are the Big East mentions from his Monday recruiting notebook:
- Ego Ferguson Jr. (6-3, 260) of Hargrave Prep, Va. Clemson was one of the seven schools he cut. Also making the list were Miami, Oklahoma, LSU, Notre Dame, North Carolina, UCLA, California, Vanderbilt, Florida State, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee and Maryland. Notre Dame, Oklahoma and LSU will get three of his official visits. Ferguson plans to get his list to 10 before leaving for schools Aug. 17.
- Darrell Givens (6-1, 172) of Indian Head, Md., is a DB that signed with Penn State last February, but last week was denied admission by the university despite being NCAA qualified.
Givens' transcripts are to be reviewed by South Carolina's admissions committee. If accepted, sources indicate there's a good chance he will join the Gamecocks this week. Givens and his coach were in regular contact with members of South Carolina's staff last week. North Carolina and Rutgers are the two other schools Givens is considering.
- WR Ace Sanders (5-9, 165) of Bradenton, Fla., ha South Carolina along with Purdue and West Virginia as his favorites. He plans to set two of his official visits with the Gamecocks and Mountaineers. He has offers from South Florida, Purdue, Indiana, Syracuse and Iowa. He's hoping for one from Florida.
- DL Sharrif Floyd (6-3, 311) of Philadelphia was back at South Carolina early last week after attending the Gamecocks' camp the previous Saturday. South Carolina is hoping to get one of Floyd's official visits this fall. Some of his other offers are North Carolina, Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State, Boston College, UCLA, Stanford and Maryland.
- Beaufort LB Justin Parker (6-2, 225) plans to visit Clemson this weekend. South Carolina and Clemson are even for Parker, who also has offers from Mississippi State, South Florida, Colorado, Vanderbilt, Syracuse, N.C. State, Central Florida, Wake Forest and Maryland.
- DB Rijo Walker (5-9, 173) of Hampton, Va., attended South Carolina's camp late last month and likes South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia the most right now. He's a cornerback, who had 15 interceptions over the past two seasons.
- Irmo RB Mustafa Green (6-1, 200) wants to visit Florida, Alabama and Rutgers during the season. He'll also take in South Carolina and Clemson games. In fact, he plans to be at South Carolina's home opener next month. Green did not attend any prospect camps this summer and does not have a favorite.
- Dillon WR Antuawn Blue (6-1, 185) likes Clemson the most, but has not been offered. He visited South Carolina and N.C. State over the summer and is hearing from Louisville, Coastal Carolina, The Citadel and Buffalo. He has no offers
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Jawaun Wynn woke up on Wednesday and decided Rutgers was the place for him, according to Zagsblog.com. The 6-foot-3, 187-pound rising senior wide receiver from Piscataway (NJ) High School decided to stay home to play college football locally over UConn, Temple and Boston College.
Wynn joins fellow Piscataway grads Marvin Booker (LB) and Anthony Davis (OL) at Rutgers.
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In an effort to bolster their recruiting efforts, Pittsburgh hosted a recrutiing gathering this past weekend the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Kevin Gorman notes that the Pitt BBQ was Well Done.
The benefits were reaped almost immediately as Dan Schneider, an Ohio Tight End, Commits to Panthers while in town for the BBQ. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Avon Lake (Ohio) tight end made a verbal commitment to Pitt, picking the Panthers over 20 other offers, including from Cincinnati, Florida State and West Virginia.
Other top Pitt targets at the event included defensive end Sherard Cadogan (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) of Cherry Hill (N.J.) Camden Catholic; receiver Shakim Phillips (6-2, 191) of Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic; defensive back Brendon Felder (5-10, 163) of Gateway; and offensive guard Shane Johnson (6-5, 300) of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic, all with scholarship offers and Gateway cornerback Dayonne Nunley and St. Ignatius quarterback Mark Myers also were among the attendees.
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Read more!
According to Phil Kornblut, in a special for the Post & Courier in South Carolina, here are the Big East mentions from his Monday recruiting notebook:
- Ego Ferguson Jr. (6-3, 260) of Hargrave Prep, Va. Clemson was one of the seven schools he cut. Also making the list were Miami, Oklahoma, LSU, Notre Dame, North Carolina, UCLA, California, Vanderbilt, Florida State, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee and Maryland. Notre Dame, Oklahoma and LSU will get three of his official visits. Ferguson plans to get his list to 10 before leaving for schools Aug. 17.
- Darrell Givens (6-1, 172) of Indian Head, Md., is a DB that signed with Penn State last February, but last week was denied admission by the university despite being NCAA qualified.
Givens' transcripts are to be reviewed by South Carolina's admissions committee. If accepted, sources indicate there's a good chance he will join the Gamecocks this week. Givens and his coach were in regular contact with members of South Carolina's staff last week. North Carolina and Rutgers are the two other schools Givens is considering.
- WR Ace Sanders (5-9, 165) of Bradenton, Fla., ha South Carolina along with Purdue and West Virginia as his favorites. He plans to set two of his official visits with the Gamecocks and Mountaineers. He has offers from South Florida, Purdue, Indiana, Syracuse and Iowa. He's hoping for one from Florida.
- DL Sharrif Floyd (6-3, 311) of Philadelphia was back at South Carolina early last week after attending the Gamecocks' camp the previous Saturday. South Carolina is hoping to get one of Floyd's official visits this fall. Some of his other offers are North Carolina, Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State, Boston College, UCLA, Stanford and Maryland.
- Beaufort LB Justin Parker (6-2, 225) plans to visit Clemson this weekend. South Carolina and Clemson are even for Parker, who also has offers from Mississippi State, South Florida, Colorado, Vanderbilt, Syracuse, N.C. State, Central Florida, Wake Forest and Maryland.
- DB Rijo Walker (5-9, 173) of Hampton, Va., attended South Carolina's camp late last month and likes South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia the most right now. He's a cornerback, who had 15 interceptions over the past two seasons.
- Irmo RB Mustafa Green (6-1, 200) wants to visit Florida, Alabama and Rutgers during the season. He'll also take in South Carolina and Clemson games. In fact, he plans to be at South Carolina's home opener next month. Green did not attend any prospect camps this summer and does not have a favorite.
- Dillon WR Antuawn Blue (6-1, 185) likes Clemson the most, but has not been offered. He visited South Carolina and N.C. State over the summer and is hearing from Louisville, Coastal Carolina, The Citadel and Buffalo. He has no offers
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Jawaun Wynn woke up on Wednesday and decided Rutgers was the place for him, according to Zagsblog.com. The 6-foot-3, 187-pound rising senior wide receiver from Piscataway (NJ) High School decided to stay home to play college football locally over UConn, Temple and Boston College.
Wynn joins fellow Piscataway grads Marvin Booker (LB) and Anthony Davis (OL) at Rutgers.
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In an effort to bolster their recruiting efforts, Pittsburgh hosted a recrutiing gathering this past weekend the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Kevin Gorman notes that the Pitt BBQ was Well Done.
The benefits were reaped almost immediately as Dan Schneider, an Ohio Tight End, Commits to Panthers while in town for the BBQ. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Avon Lake (Ohio) tight end made a verbal commitment to Pitt, picking the Panthers over 20 other offers, including from Cincinnati, Florida State and West Virginia.
Other top Pitt targets at the event included defensive end Sherard Cadogan (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) of Cherry Hill (N.J.) Camden Catholic; receiver Shakim Phillips (6-2, 191) of Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic; defensive back Brendon Felder (5-10, 163) of Gateway; and offensive guard Shane Johnson (6-5, 300) of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic, all with scholarship offers and Gateway cornerback Dayonne Nunley and St. Ignatius quarterback Mark Myers also were among the attendees.
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BIG EAST PRE-SEASON MEDIA POLL RESULTS
During the Big East conference's annual media day, Pittsburgh was selected by the media members as the conference favorite for the 2009 season. Here are the poll results, with 1st place votes in parenthesis:
Rank...Team................Points
...1...Pittsburgh (8).........161
...2...West Virginia (5)......151
...3...Cincinnati (8).........144
...4...South Florida (3)......130
...5...Rutgers................126
...6...Connecticut.............74
...7...Louisville..............51
...8...Syracuse................27
The NBE Football Report will cover Big East football and recruiting similar to our very popular NBE Basketball Report. Look for our additional season preview articles in the coming weeks as we introduce our writing team for the football side.
Look for more great NBE Sports Network affiliate sites in the near future!
Read more!
Rank...Team................Points
...1...Pittsburgh (8).........161
...2...West Virginia (5)......151
...3...Cincinnati (8).........144
...4...South Florida (3)......130
...5...Rutgers................126
...6...Connecticut.............74
...7...Louisville..............51
...8...Syracuse................27
The NBE Football Report will cover Big East football and recruiting similar to our very popular NBE Basketball Report. Look for our additional season preview articles in the coming weeks as we introduce our writing team for the football side.
Look for more great NBE Sports Network affiliate sites in the near future!
Read more!
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