Scout $ - McNeil trims list to five
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Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Florida & Miami. Visiting LSU with Lewis Neal on 6/23.
BN $ - Munger Gets OSU Full Court Press
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By BK...recently spoke to Coach Vrabel and Coach Meyer...thinking about camping at OSU.
Scout (Free) - Darius Latham is two sport star
Mike Bajakian watched all the quarterbacks on Cincinnati’s 2014 recruiting board throw during spring evaluations. None were better than Drew Barker (Hebron, Ky./Conner).
The Bearcats rewarded Barker on Wednesday with an offer after Barker spoke with coach Butch Jones and Bajakian, Cincinnati’s quarterbacks coach.
“[Bajakian] put Coach Butch Jones on the phone,” the Class of 2014 signal-caller said, “and he told me, like when I went on a visit, that he could tell I’m the perfect fit for the program socially and athletically and I could be the face of the program and Cincinnati is the only place I can be a hometown hero.”
May 31, 2012|By TYLER JAMES | South Bend Tribune
Corey Clement keeps his leg busy.
The rising senior ran for 2,510 yards and 36 touchdowns at running back last season for Glassboro (N.J.) High, but he did more than carry the offensive load.
Clement didn't have time to celebrate his touchdowns on the sidelines with his teammates. He also lined up as the kicker for extra points for the NJSIAA South Jersey Group I champions.
"I've always been able to kick all my life," Clement said.
A 55-yard field goal in practice as a sophomore stands as the longest boot Clement has made. Clement also played defensive end last season recording 72 tackles and six sacks.
His wide variety of skills has the 5-foot-11, 206-pound prospect getting serious interest from a number of BCS schools.
Back on May 9, Clement tweeted out a list of four schools (Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Pittsburgh) that were thought to be the top schools he was considering. But in a recent phone interview, Clement said he shouldn't have tweeted that out. He said he's still open to all schools at this point.
"I don't want to push anybody away," Clement said. "I have to make it up to a campus for myself to actually feel like this is home for me. I'm just going to play it by that."
Clement hopes to make a number of campus visits this fall, but hasn't set much in stone yet. He does have a visit to Pittsburgh lined up for June 16.
"I'm just finishing out the school year, and then once I get done I can actually narrow down my list," Clement said. "Then I can actually make it to my practice but still make it out to the colleges I want to see."
Notre Dame is on the list of schools he wants to visit, which includes West Virginia and Big Ten schools like Wisconsin, Ohio State and Nebraska.
"It would be a life-changing experience if I could say I graduated from the University of Notre Dame," Clement said. "That's just a big jump start in my career."
Clement said he talked with running backs coach Tony Alford on the phone last weekend and expected a Notre Dame coach to stop by his school on Thursday.
As a more traditional running back, Clement said he would prefer to play in a power-running scheme, but could fit in a spread offense as well.
"I would call myself a balanced guy because I've got the power, the speed, the agility, and everything falls into one," Clement said.
He compares himself to former Pittsburgh running back and Philadelphia Eagle LeSean McCoy. An idol of his growing up, McCoy is a big reason that Clement is so interested in Pittsburgh.
"I'm kind of shifty, just like him, and I can run somebody over when I feel like it," Clement said.
The Irish have yet to land a running back in the 2013 class, which could leave Clement in the running in Notre Dame's eyes, but won't be a decided factor for Clement.
"If they don't have a commit, I guess that leaves an opportunity for me, but that doesn't really matter," Clement said. "Whatever team I go to, there's still going to be competition within their depth chart. I'll still have to work my way to the No. 1 spot."
Clement is rated as a three-star running back by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com, with 247Sports ranking him as the No. 43 running back in the country.
Twitter chatter
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A pair of Notre Dame recruiting targets in the 2013 class reported visits from the Irish at their schools. Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell from Crete, Ill., tweeted that Notre Dame was at Crete-Monee High School on Wednesday. Wyomissing, Pa. linebacker Alex Anzalone tweeted on Tuesday night that Notre Dame would be at his spring football practice on Wednesday
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Notre Dame made the top lists of a pair of senior-to-be wide receivers from Florida on Tuesday. Tampa Jesuit's Travis Johnson (6-3, 231) tweeted out 15 schools that he's considering and Alvin Bailey (5-11, 170) from Armwood High in Seffner, Fla., listed 13 schools at the top of his list.
Commits on Rivals 250
Rivals.com updated their player rankings for the Class of 2013 by releasing their top 250 prospects in the country on Wednesday. Offensive lineman John Montelus received the highest ranking of any Notre Dame commit at No. 79. Offensive lineman Steve Elmer (107) and quarterback Malik Zaire (111) joined him on the list.
Ty Isaac has already accomplished quite a bit in his high school career.
The Joliet Catholic (Joliet, Ill.) junior running back is rated the nation's No. 68 recruit in the ESPN 150, is set to play in next year's Under Armour All-America Game and committed to USC on May 15. And this past fall, he was named an ESPNHS Underclass All-American after rushing for 2,629 yards and scoring 51 total touchdowns. Isaac ran for 515 rushing yards and six scores in a loss to Montini (Lombard, Ill.) in the Class 5A state final.
So what's his motivation heading into the Nike Football Training Camp in Champaign, Ill., on Sunday?
"I want to get The Opening invite, to be honest with you," said Isaac. "It looks like a really good time. It's the guys you're going to be competing against further down the line, so it would be a good opportunity."
Isaac will have plenty of competition in Champaign for an invite to The Opening, which will take place on July 5-8 in Beaverton, Ore.
Maine South (Park Ridge, Ill.) junior quarterback Matt Alviti is one of those players. Rated the nation's No. 113 recruit in the ESPN 150, the Northwestern commit threw 29 touchdowns this past season and added 12 scores on the ground. As a sophomore, he led Maine South to a state title. Alviti shined earlier this spring at the Elite 11 regional in Columbus, Ohio.
The wide receiver corps will feature one of the nation's best at the position in Laquon Treadwell of Crete-Monee (Crete, Ill.). Rated the nation's No. 5 wideout by ESPN and the No. 42 recruit in the ESPN 150, Treadwell caught 75 passes this past season for 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns. He has offers from top programs such as Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, Michigan State and Oklahoma.
Meanwhile, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.) standout James Onwualu shines at both running back and wide receiver for his high school squad. As a junior, the Notre Dame commit ran for 549 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 27 passes for 428 yards and five scores.
Cass Tech (Detroit) star Jourdan Lewis, a Michigan commit and the No. 107 recruit in the ESPN 150, will be one of the players tasked with covering the top wideouts. Lewis had eight picks this past fall while leading Cass Tech to a Division 1 state title.
"I'm trying to show I'm one of the best cover guys in the nation," said Lewis.
Another talented pass-catcher to watch is Pickerington North (Pickerington, Ohio) junior Jake Butt. The Michigan verbal had 27 receptions last year for 424 yards and seven touchdowns.
John Burroughs (St. Louis) junior running back Ezekiel Elliott should battle Isaac for top running back honors at the NFTC. The 6-foot, 200-pounder, who has committed to Ohio State, delivered a monster campaign in the fall, rushing for 1,802 yards and 34 touchdowns, catching six touchdowns passes and adding two touchdowns on returns.
"I want to show that I deserve to move up in the rankings and earn an invite to The Opening," said Elliott, rated the No. 22 running back by ESPN. "I've never been to any camps, so I'm just going to go out and prove what I can do."
Looking to limit the talented group of running backs will be Warren Central (Indianapolis) junior linebacker Tim Kimbrough. Rated the nation's No. 10 inside linebacker by ESPN, Kimbrough was an ESPNHS Underclass All-American selection after tallying 155 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
The one-on-one battles between the offensive and defensive linemen have been the highlight of this year's NFTC tour, and the Champaign field will feature several interesting matchups.
On the offensive side of the ball there's Midland (Mich.) junior Steve Elmer. Rated the nation's No. 22 offensive tackle by ESPN, the Notre Dame commit picked up ESPNHS Underclass All-American honors this past season.
He'll have to deal with junior defensive ends Elijah Daniel of Avon (Ind.) and Chikwe Obasih of Brookfield Central (Brookfield, Wis.). Daniel is rated the nation's No. 88 recruit in the ESPN 150, while Obasih, who has committed to Wisconsin, totaled 83 tackles this past fall.
With the 2013 recruiting class filling up quickly, especially on the defensive side on the ball, the staff has started to set their sights on elite 2014 defenders. One of these players is Paramus Catholic (NJ) defensive back Jabrill Peppers. Jabrill has already earned 5 star status on 247 Sports, and is ranked 3rd overall. Jabrill has an impressive offer sheet early on in the process, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Miami are just a few of the schools that have extended an early offer to the 2014 standout. Jabrill and I talked about his recruitment to this point, and we also touched on his interest in Ohio State. As always, I will be in touch with Jabrill throughout his recruitment. Make sure to check back for more updates on 2014 star in the making, Jabrill Peppers.
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Schools standing out: "Stanford, Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, USC, Notre Dame, and Miami are showing me the most love right now. My list has been changing like every week."
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How Ohio State offer went down: "I walked into my coaches' office, and he was one the phone. After waiting for a few minutes, he got off the phone, and told me about the offer."
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Reaction: "I was obviously very excited. Ohio State is one of the top schools right now, I really like what they're doing."
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Summer Visits: "I plan on taking a few visits this summer, but I'm not sure exactly were Ill be going and on what dates. Ill be getting to that soon."
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No camps
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Biggest factor: "Probably location. I like the south, California, and the Ohio-Michigan area."
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Timetable: "I'm going to let things play out. I may decide during, or a little after my senior season. You only get to go through this process one time."
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Hasn't had too much contact with coaches just yet.
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Strengths: "Probably my tackling ability, speed, press coverage, the way I play the ball, and the basics of the game."
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Improvements: "I would like to improve my technique and footwork the most"
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Also plays basketball, baseball, and runs track. Has state track meet coming up in about a week.
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Free time: "I like to hang out with friends, workout, chill, go shopping, just the basic things."
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Jabrill is involved in music (hip-hop) and even has a manager.
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Goals: "I know what it's like to win a state championship, so I would like to lead my new teammates to a state title, so they know what it feels like to win one."
GoBlueWolverine.com
Posted Jun 1, 2012
Reeling in two straight impressive offensive line classes in 2012 and 2013, the Michigan coaching staff continues to look to bolster the tackles unit in the class of 2014. One massive prospect that recently heard from the Wolverines is All Saints Episcopal High School offensive tackle, Demetrius Knox.
“I called Coach Funk and I talked to him a week or two ago for a while and he just told me that he loves my highlight tape, he loves the way I play and he thinks I could be a great asset to their team in two years,” Knox told GBW. “He wants me to stay in touch and he really wants me to come up to Michigan soon.”
After several conversations with the Wolverines, Knox was on the receiving end of a full ride scholarship to Michigan, a program very familiar to the Ohio native.
“Since I’m just a sophomore they really can’t talk to me so they told my head coach and he told me,” said Knox of learning about the scholarship offer. “That was crazy. I mean, because I’m from Ohio, I mean, I have a lot of respect for Michigan. I’m not the typical Ohio State fan that just hates Michigan, I actually really like them.”
Knox grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and his family moved to Texas when he was in the seventh grade. Although Knox wasn’t even a teenager at the time of the move, his boyhood affinity for the in-state Buckeyes went to Texas with him.
“Yeah you could say that,” said Knox of rooting for Ohio State as a child.
Despite following the Ohio State football program very closely growing up, Knox insists the fan inside doesn’t necessarily mean the Buckeyes have a huge advantage in the race for his services.
“I mean [OSU is] basically like every other program,” said Knox as to how he’ll treat Ohio State. “I mean, I’m trying to take out the fact that since I grew up a fan, I’m trying to put that, like whether that makes them ahead of the game—I’m trying to take that out of the situation and I’m just trying to treat everybody like any other college,” said Knox.
Setting up as possibly a classic Michigan/Ohio State off-season fist fight, the rivals will have the opportunity to impress and interact with Knox this summer, when both will play host to the road grading tackle.
“I’ll be coming up sometime in June probably,” said Knox. “I’ll be going to visit Ohio State and then I’ll be heading up to Michigan.”
With Michigan and Ohio State set to receive a visit from Knox, several other schools throughout the country will open up their doors hoping to jump to the forefront in this recruitment.
“I’ll be all over,” said Knox. “I’ll hit up Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, UCLA, Nebraska—everywhere.”
While most schools will have an itinerary in mind while Knox is on campus, Knox himself has a checklist ready to ensure he ultimately makes the right decision for the future.
“Two things I’m really interested in is: one—I have to feel like I can connect well with the coaching staff there and I really have to feel like the team is like, they’re ready to go out there and play, they’re ready to win, not playing around too much; and another thing— I have to ignore the football program at the same time because when I decide on which college I’m going to I want to pick a school, not just for the football program because head coaches up and leave almost everyday, so I want to pick a college where I love everything about it.”
Offers from Alabama, Nebraska, UCLA and Texas A&M, among others, are a major indication of Knox’s superior ability to knock people around in-between the hash marks. And that confidence that oozes out of the young man only enhances his game.
“Not to be cocky but I think I can do it all. But if I had to describe my game I would have to say I’m quick and I never let up,” said Knox in describing his game. “I’ll hit you until the whistle blows.”
*bump*
I go back and forth on Kimbrough. We'll see how he camps
I wouldn't be surprised if OSU finishes outside of the top 10 classes in recruiting.
I hope i eat my own words though.
Gene is anzalone stopping by after nd visit.. I thought I read where he was going to
Rumors that Jaylon Smith is announcing tomorrow.
http://247sports.com/Board/30/Jaylon-Smith-to-announce-tommorow--9905484...
OSU will definitely be in the top 10 recruiting. at this stage its not looking good but do u really think Urban Meyer plus Ohio State=Mediocre Recruiting Class? Especially when he hasnt even coached a game and their is still that mystique about the two pairing up? Im not good at Calculus or Arithmetic but Im good at basic Math and when you add that up it comes out to a 10 on a scale of 1-10... meaning we'll finish in the top 10. haha I BS'd my way thru that one:)
Not to be a d but Arithemetic is basic math
What's with those comments saying we pulled Jaylon Smith's scholarship offer?!
I wouldn't cheer for Michigan if they were playing the Taliban.
Smith has got to be going to ND, I see no way he's coming to C-Bus.
"Attack the Strong, Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead!"
-Former OSU S&C Coach Lichter
@Thebadowl
ermmmm.... it was sarcasm by the guy
Favorite Buckeye: Obviously BJ Mullens
If the annoucement is indeed happening, I would have to say Notre Dame on this one, I hope I'm wrong.
Well that's it for today, see ya guys in tomorrows edition
Ah, didn't scroll down. But yeah, gotta say ND or USC on this one.
I wouldn't cheer for Michigan if they were playing the Taliban.