Ohio prep CBs visiting Kansas, Bergland Hearing Friday

January 27th, 2012 Stephen Rhodes Posted in Kansas, Legal/Criminal Scrapes, Recruiting, Rumors

The final recruiting weekend for the Class of 2012 begins today, and Kansas University’s football program is scheduled to welcome a couple of potential impact players to town.

Cleveland (OH) cornerbacks V’Angelo Bentley and Sean Draper, both of Glenville Academic Campus, have decided to make their final visits to KU, thanks in large part to the efforts of KU quarterbacks coach Ron Powlus, who handles the Ohio area.

Draper is the 53rd-ranked cornerback in the nation according to Rivals.com, and Bentley is ranked 63rd. Both players carry three-star ratings and could significantly upgrade a fairly thin position for KU.

“These are quality players who have been looked at by a lot of BSC schools,” recruiting analyst Jon Kirby said. “And they have options. The fact that they’re coming to visit is a great sign that KU has done a great job getting on these types of players in such a short amount of time.”

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Yellow Jacket Recruit Scholarship In Jeopardy?

January 27th, 2012 Stephen Rhodes Posted in Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), Recruiting, Rumors

One of Georgia Tech’s top football commitments risks losing his scholarship offer if he takes a recruiting trip to Miami this weekend, according to Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Antonio Crawford, a defensive back from Tampa’s Plant High School, has been committed to Georgia Tech since last summer. However, things became complicated for Crawford when Miami coach Al Golden showed up at his school on Wednesday to both extend a scholarship offer and invitation to visit Miami this weekend.

The 5-foot-11, 184-pound Crawford has some tough decisions to make less than a week away from Wednesday’s signing day.

“Everything has happened so quickly, and I haven’t really had a chance to think about it a lot yet,” Crawford said on Thursday night. “I know I’m definitely considering the University of Miami. But, as of right now, I’m still committed to Georgia Tech.”

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson heard about Miami’s flirtations and had a 20-minute phone conversation with Crawford on Thursday. Crawford said his Georgia Tech scholarship will be jeopardized if he boards the plane to Miami on Friday.

“Coach Johnson basically said ‘If you’re looking around, then we’re looking around,’” Crawford said. “He said if I take my visit to Miami, they are bringing in a guy at Georgia Tech this weekend for a visit. If that guy commits, then he takes my spot.”

Is Crawford willing to take the risk? “I’m still visiting the University of Miami this weekend,” he said.

Crawford said other schools have made overtures that he ignored but that there’s something about Miami that is making him put so much at risk. “If you’re from Florida, everybody knows about the University of Miami. We grew up watching them win championships.”

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BYU To Play East Carolina In 2017, 1018

January 26th, 2012 Stephen Rhodes Posted in BYU, Conference USA, East Carolina, Independent

It appears that BYU’s path as a football independent will be dotted with teams from Conference USA well into the future, according to Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune.

BYU announced on Wednesday it has agreed to a home-and-home football series with East Carolina of Conference USA, with the first game to be played in 2017 at ECU’s Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, N.C., and the second game to be played in Provo in 2018.

The Cougars and Pirates have never met on the football field, and BYU’s football team has never played in the state of North Carolina.

“We are excited about this series with East Carolina,” said BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe. “It allows both schools to have a unique travel experience and play very good competition.”

East Carolina was once an independent in football, but joined C-USA in 1997. The Pirates went 5-7 this past season, after a 1-4 start, and did not go to a bowl game for the first time in six years.

“This series will provide first-class football and terrific sportsmanship for all Pirate and Cougar fans,” said ECU athletic director Terry Holland. “This is a relationship that we would like to continue in the future, possibly with competitions in other sports.”

The Cougars are scheduled to play C-USA’s Southern Miss in 2014 (Provo) and 2015 (Hattiesburg).

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Commodores National Signing Day event set for February 1

January 26th, 2012 Stephen Rhodes Posted in Campus Football Events, Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt football fans are invited to attend the second annual Commodore National Signing Day Celebration scheduled Wednesday, February 1 at the Student Life Center on campus.

Head Coach James Franklin will describe the newest Commodores in the 2012 signing class at the celebration, which is scheduled to start at 6:30 PM local time, in the main ballroom of the Student Life Center located directly across 25th Avenue South from Memorial Gym.

“I’m excited about National Signing Day and visiting with Commodore fans about our newest Vanderbilt student-athletes,” Franklin said. “Success on National Signing Day is imperative to our success on the football field and I anticipate plenty to celebrate on Feb. 1st.”

Admission is free to the celebration. Complimentary parking is available in the 25th Avenue Garage directly across from the tennis center and at surface lots near Hawkins Field and Vanderbilt Stadium.

The event will feature video highlights on each signee in the new class, which is expected to rival the best ever assembled on West End. A brochure with full signee bios will be distributed to fans.

The first 500 fans in attendance will receive the official “Signing Day” poster and an “Anchor Down” t-shirt. Those same fans will also get a chicken sandwich coupon from Chick-fil-A of Rivergate. Chips and queso will be provided by Moe’s Southwest Grille.

Coming on the heels of an AutoZone Liberty Bowl appearance and one of the program’s most exciting seasons, the event should attract an overflow crowd of Commodore faithful. Last year, a capacity crowd came out to hear Franklin praise his first Vanderbilt recruits. That 20-member class, signed after the coach was on campus for little more than a month, was considered Vanderbilt’s finest in more than a decade.

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Virginia To Hold Football Signing Day Celebration On February 1

January 26th, 2012 Stephen Rhodes Posted in Campus Football Events, Virginia

Virginia head football coach Mike London and his staff will announce the Cavaliers’ 2012 recruiting class at a National Signing Day celebration to be held at John Paul Jones Arena on Wednesday, February 1. The event is free of charge and open to the public and parking in the arena’s main lot (west lot) is also complimentary.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the one-hour event will begin at 6 p.m. London and his staff will provide commentary and recruiting insights about each of the Cavaliers’ prospects.

All fans attending the event will receive a voucher good for a hot dog, bag of chips and a Pepsi product courtesy of the Virginia athletics department. A number of current freshmen and sophomore members of the football team will be greeting fans as they enter the arena.

Fans in attendance will also receive raffle tickets and have the opportunity to win two tickets to each 2012 home game (seven total winners), a tailgate experience for the Richmond game, a signed Chick-fil-A Bowl game helmet and signed footballs. UVa students can win $300 gift certificates for books, the chance to be the Guest Coach for a game and a signed Chick-fil-A Bowl game helmet.

The Cavalier Team Shop will also be open and feature special sale merchandise during the evening.

“We are really looking forward to the opportunity to talk about the young men who will be the future of Virginia football and sharing this day with our fans,” London said. “I know our fans are interested in our recruiting efforts and we are very limited on what we can say until this day. There are some very fine young men who make up this class and there are some interesting stories about their recruitment. We are looking forward to sharing those experiences with our fans.”

Fans unable to attend the event will be able to watch the event live online at VirginiaSports.com. A link will be featured on the Signing Day Central web page that will be updated during the day as each student-athlete’s National Letter of Intent is received and certified by the athletics department’s compliance office.

Fans can also submit questions for London to address through the Signing Day Central page on VirginiaSports.com as well as the Virginia Cavaliers Facebook page.

Fans in attendance will also have the opportunity to mingle with the Cavalier coaching staff and several current junior and senior members of the UVa football team following the program.

WINA radio (1070 AM) will broadcast its popular “Best Seat in the House” show live from the event and the Charlottesville Newsplex stations will also provide coverage of the event.

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Wisconsin Grad Assistant Receives Promotion

January 26th, 2012 Stephen Rhodes Posted in Coaching Hires, Transactions, Wisconsin

After spending the past two seasons as a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin, Ben Strickland is getting a chance to coach full-time at his alma mater.

The former walk-on from Brookfield Central and team captain for the Badgers in 2007, Strickland will assist with the defensive secondary and be involved with special teams, head coach Bret Bielema announced Wednesday evening.

“Since I arrived in Madison I’ve been impressed with Ben, first as a player and team captain, then as a high school coach and for the last three years as a member of our staff,” Bielema said in a release. “I have watched him grow personally and professionally. He exhibits great leadership and is a tremendous teacher.

“Our kids really respond to him. I’m thrilled to be able to give Ben his first opportunity at a full-time job.”

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NFL Buccaneers Close To Hiring Rutgers Head Coach

January 26th, 2012 Stephen Rhodes Posted in Coaching Hires, NFL, Rumors, Rutgers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are near an agreement to hire Rutgers coach Greg Schiano as their new head coach, according to league sources.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the two sides are busy putting the finishing touches on an agreement that would give Tampa Bay a new direction and Schiano, 45, his first NFL head coaching job, according to sources.

The two sides met Wednesday for the second time and then spent some of the night into the morning trying to work out a contract that is expected to be finalized, according to a source.

Mike Sherman, the other candidate to get a second interview with the Bucs, is in Miami this morning visiting with the Dolphins about their offensive coordinator job, according to a source.

Schiano is an under-the-radar coach, but Tampa Bay has been eyeing him throughout this process. Buccaneers college scout Bill Rees made contact with Schiano at the outset of Tampa Bay’s coaching search, and the two men stayed in contact.

The Glazer family also conducted a massive amount of research, reaching out to various NFL people. One of the people they called was Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who spoke highly of Schiano.

Tampa did talk with Oregon head coach Chip Kelly before those talks collapsed early Monday.

This is not the first time Tampa Bay didn’t land its first choice. In 1996, after the Buccaneers fired Sam Wyche, they tried to hire Bill Parcells and Steve Spurrier before hiring Tony Dungy.

In 2002, after firing Dungy, they tried to hire Parcells and Steve Mariucci before trading for Jon Gruden.

Now, after talking with Kelly, they have honed in on Schiano, who has a 49-28 record at Rutgers since 2006. Schiano is said to have impressed the Bucs in the two interviews he had — one in Dallas a couple of weeks ago, another as recently as Wednesday morning.

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Fighting Illini to Host Football Signing Day Event

January 25th, 2012 Stephen Rhodes Posted in Campus Football Events, Illinois

Illinois football coach Tim Beckman and his staff will host an event open to the public to announce the 2012 Fighting Illini recruiting class at 4:30 PM CT on Wednesday, February 1, at Assembly Hall.

The Illinois coaching staff will greet fans as they enter Assembly Hall starting at 4:30, before introducing the entire recruiting class using the Assembly Hall video board at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Fans can enter Assembly Hall through the west main entrance and free parking will be available in the northwest and southwest Assembly Hall parking lots. The event should be completed around 6:15 pm.

 

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