• Derrick Green unofficially visits Auburn
• Chris Hardeman (LSU Commit) rated a 3* prospect by 247Sports
• Jalan McClendon (QB Target, no offer) rated a 3* prospect by 247Sports

Scout $ - Top Ohio Lineman Favors Three '14 OH OL Jimmy Byrne

• By The Bank....Favors Ohio State, Michigan & Notre Dame. Admits he's not focused on recruiting right now.

Life is good for Dameon Willis Jr. (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) right now. The 6-foot, 208-pound safety is back after leading the Wildcats to a Division I state title.

He’s got schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame looking at him, and the junior is hoping to add more.

“I’m definitely ready, more so for the season,” Willis said. “I’m ready to go onto the field with my teammates and get it done. It’s a very important year, academically and football-wise. You have to give it your all out here.”

cont....

Attention West Virginia fans: It might be time to make a push for Xzavier McAllister (Canton, Ohio/McKinley).

The senior offensive tackle has offers from Pittsburgh, Akron and Western Michigan right now and the interest of Ohio State, Cincinnati, Louisville, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

But right now, he’s singing the praises of the Mountaineers.

cont....

Even Eric Glover (Canton, Ohio/McKinley) is flabbergasted by the attention he’s getting.

A 5-foot-10, 155-pound sophomore, the dual-threat quarterback for the Bulldogs already has the interest of Alabama, Auburn, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Syracuse and UCLA.

That’s enough to please any recruit, but for one that moved behind center from his running back position this year, it’s even more astounding.

"I'm kind of surprised," Glover said. "I've been going hard, just trying to do my job and get things done. I'm still young. I'm still trying to build on what I have and go up from there. I've got speed. '?m pretty quick and shifty. I've got good vision."

cont....

Da'Shawn Hand stays humble (insidenova)

Woodbridge High School lineman Da'Shawn Hand at practice in Woodbridge, Va. on Tuesday, October 18, 2011.

Da’Shawn Hand beamed with pride. Four sacks, double-digit tackles. Not a bad performance, the Woodbridge High School standout defensive end thought to himself, following the 7-0 loss to eventual Cardinal District champion Hylton.

And yet, when he arrived home later that Friday night to tell his dad about his success, Sharif Hand had only thing to say to his son: “Hey four-sack man, go sack that kitchen.”

Talk about the game? Maybe later. Discuss ways to improve his game? Perhaps at some point.

But right then, Hand was not the star-studded lineman with a horde of Division I schools in hot pursuit of his services. He was just another teenager with chores to do. And this night it was cleaning up the dishes.

Hand wanted to still exalt in the afterglow of his stats from that game, but his father was having none of it. There was a time and place for everything and right now, it was time to fulfill domestic responsibilities.

Hand was not thrilled about doing the dishes or doing any type of chore for that matter. But he never questioned it. He understood the purpose of his father’s request.

“That’s what keeps me grounded,” Hand said.

For all of Hand’s accomplishments, perhaps nothing speaks more to who he is than his character.

There’s no question that his size, speed and strength are making him one of the most sought after recruits in the nation.

He’s so polished already as a player that Mike Farrell, the national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, projects Hand will be the top recruit for the class of 2014 when national rankings are released after the season.

“I don’t see anyone rarer at his position. He’s got great size. He doesn’t look big, but he’s long and lean,” said Farrell, who has been ranking players for 12 years. “He’s very, very quick and explosive off the ball. His balance is amazing.”

Just have Hand shake your hand and you will realize how strong he is. It’s a firm shake, but Hand doesn’t just grip your hand. He consumes it to the point that it feels like your flesh is being crushed into a ball.

If he does that in just a simple gesture, imagine what he’s doing to opponents trying to block him down after down. It’s a challenge to say the least to keep the junior locked up.

But work ethic, attitude and behavior play a big role in Hand’s appeal as well.

“That’s another important thing,” Farrell said. “We’ve had some No. 1 recruits who were not the best character kids in years past. He’s a kid, barring anything happening, you aren’t going to have issues with. He’s a yes-sir, no-sir kid who you will never see in the newspaper for the wrong reasons.”

Much of Hand’s approach stems from his family and in particular his father.

Sharif Hand is the opposite of the typical stage parent, who is involved in too many aspects of their child’s life, leaving one to wonder who is actually making the decisions.

Instead, Sharif Hand lays low in the background by keeping priorities in check. He wants to help his son without orchestrating the process.

“My father he just kind of sits back. He doesn’t want to talk to any college coaches at this moment until my senior year,” Hand said. “I’m totally fine because it’s not my dad’s decision. My dad told me this, he was like ‘it’s not his decision.’ He’s not going to play anywhere. All he has to do is drive to the game and that’s just a couple of dollars. But hey, that’s better than spending $50,000 on an education that I’m getting for free.”

Unwilling to take his athletic gifts for granted, Hand works tirelessly at improving his game.

It’s something Farrell witnessed himself, starting with seeing Hand at the U.S. Army National Combine Jan. 5-7 in San Antonio.

At a Nike combine in Baltimore in the spring, Hand was doing some one on one drills, a couple of which he got beaten on. When Farrell saw Hand at the Five-Star Challenge in Atlanta June 22-24, he saw a different player.

“His work ethic is ridiculous,” Farrell said. “When I saw him in Atlanta, he already had a new move.”

After Atlanta, Hand attended The Opening in Beaverton, Ore. It was an invite-only event that brought together 152 of the nation’s top high school prospects, including Hand, who was one of three juniors there. Slowed by an ankle injury, Hand didn’t participate the last day. But it was clear even then, he had made significant strides in his game.

“He learned a lot going up against older kids,” Farrell said.

Hand is honored that he’s being considered as the No. 1 recruit for the class of 2014, but he doesn’t dwell on it. All the articles and recruiting mail he receives goes straight to his grandmother, who puts everything away in a scrapbook.

“It’s good to know all your hard work is paying off. But at the same time, it makes you a target so it gives me the drive to work even harder and do things the next guy wouldn’t do,” Hand said.

Hand is in no rush to make a decision. He said he would like to narrow his college choices down to 10 after his junior season. The key thing for him is controlling the process rather than letting it control him.

“Coaches can’t force you to talk to them,” Hand said. “They want you. You don’t want them. They need you. You do not need them. If you have multiple scholarships, then you go someplace else.”

If there’s anything Hand would prefer not doing beyond chores, it’s playing on the offensive line. In his football career, Hand has only played defense.

But with his size plus Woodbridge’s need for offensive linemen, the move was inevitable.

When asked about playing offensive tackle, Hand burst out laughing and shook his head.

“If it was my choice, I would not be playing offensive line,” Hand said. “I wish high schools could recruit. I would go out there and find somebody else to play offensive tackle.”

BOZICH: James Quick's List Starts With Another Trinity Victory (wdrb)

The University of Louisville continues to lead the list of schools Trinity receiver James Quick is considering.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – With James Quick, every interview always makes its way to The List.

Doesn't matter how many passes he catches for Trinity High School. It was eight for 116 yards Friday night. Doesn't matter how many touchdowns he scores – one in the season opener.

Doesn't matter how easily Trinity wins. Friday, it was only semi-easily because the Rocks stretched a 24-23 halftime lead into a 52-23 victory over Brentwood Academy of suburban Nashville.

Details. Merely details.

What moves the needle with Quick is The List of college football programs that he is still considering. One of his teammates, defensive end, Jason Hatcher, has already committed to USC. Had a fancy press conference in a downtown hotel. Another, Ryan White, has pledged his allegiance to Vanderbilt after initially saying that Louisville was the place for him.

With those two guys committed, it is Quick and his friend, halfback Dalyn Dawkins, who are surrounded by questions about their futures.

"Louisville, Ohio State, Oregon, Kentucky and Cincinnati," Quick said.

That is The List.

You have the all-clear to rank the teams in that order. Quick said so. He also said he did not expect to consider any other schools. The List is The List.

What he did not say is when he will deliver a decision. Hatcher and White wanted the recruiting mania over before they began the quest for another state championship during their senior seasons. Quick said he isn't certain when he will make his official visits.

He did confirm that he's been getting calls and texts from Patrick Towles, the University of Kentucky freshman quarterback. Towles is trying to convince him that UK is the best place for him to play. "He's a comedian," Quick said. "A good guy to be around."

Don't fret Louisville fans. Quick said that he also hears from Teddy Bridgewater, the Cardinals' starting quarterback.  And from the coaching staff, too. "Charlie Strong is a good guy," Quick said. "He tells you like it is. And it's home. Being home is great."

Urban Meyer, the guy who won two national championships at Florida, is the point man for Ohio State's recruiting push. Chip Kelly, the guy who has turned Oregon into a trendy destination for speedballs like Quick, is matching Meyer text for text. Quick said he plans to visit Oregon and expects to attend a game at Ohio State. He still remembers the amazing site of watching the Buckeyes' spring football game with 105,000 fans.

I didn't ask who is directing the recruiting for Cincinnati because it's nearly impossible to imagine the Bearcats wiggling ahead of two home-state schools as well as two programs that aspire to win a national championship. Some will tell you Cincinnati gets a courtesy mention because the Bearcats have already offered a scholarship to Dawkins, who is close to Quick.
Quick didn't play his greatest game against Brentwood. Even he acknowledged that. Trinity used him primarily as a decoy on the first half.

"About average," Quick said. "It wasn't the best game I could have played."

He was surrounded by four tacklers on the first pass he caught. Two guys stood him up. The other two worked at stripping the football. They succeeded. Quick fumbled. Brentwood recovered. Remember, this game was tight for a half. In fact, Brentwood led, 23-17.

Hatcher had already barreled over two Brentwood players to block a punt that he recovered at the 6-yard line and then carried into the end zone for Trinity's second touchdown. White made several tackles and looked dangerous on a punt return. Quick's first half was not extraordinary.

Trinity coach Bob Beatty said that he sensed at halftime that Quick was punishing himself for making the turnover. Beatty told him to stop it.

"He can be really hard on himself and I could see the expression on his face," Beatty said. "I told him to stop it because we don't have time for that."

That was the last correction Beatty made. In the second half, Quick looked like the guy who has become texting pals with Charlie Strong, Urban Meyer, Chip Kelly, Patrick Towles and others.

On the fifth play of Trinity's third second-half drive, Quick flashed through the Brentwood secondary, grabbed a pass from quarterback Travis Wright and raced 45 yards for a touchdown. Now it was Trinity 38, Brentwood 23. Now the rout was coming.

"Every time I touch the ball, I look toward the end zone," Quick said. That's my goal, every time I touch the ball to make something happen."

James Quick made something happen. He always does.

Super 11 surprise: Tennessee native makes the team (AJC)

Super 11 player Vonn Bell is the consensus No. 4 recruit in Georgia.

The past year has been full of thrills and surprises for Vonn Bell, and being selected to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s annual Super 11 team is one of the biggest.

That’s because Bell, rated as the No. 3 safety prospect in the nation by one recruiting site, doesn’t live in Georgia.

In fact, he is the first Super 11 selection from Tennessee … or any state other than Georgia. He plays at Ridgeland High in the hills of Walker County, about a 40-minute commute from his family’s home in Ooltewah, Tenn., a little town outside of Chattanooga.

“I feel like a Georgia boy somewhat after going to battle with my Georgia team every Friday night,’’ Bell said. “It feels like home. My coaches welcomed me with open arms.’’

Living outside school-district lines is common for Georgia athletes. Living in another state is not.

Bell’s mother, Vanessa, has worked as a special education inclusion instructor at Ridgeland for four years. Like many school systems, Walker County allows the children of faculty to enroll in its schools regardless of address. The Georgia High School Association normally requires for transfer students to move into the school district to be eligible for sports, but it makes exceptions if the legal guardian is a teacher, coach or counselor at the school.

The move was Vanessa Bell’s idea. She was concerned that Vonn’s former school, Chattanooga Central, was changing head coaches for the third time in three seasons. And she also thought Georgia football was stronger.

After playing in Georgia for a season, the son agreed.

“We play against a good D-I prospect every Friday, and you get to see what you can do against them,’’ Bell said. “Coaches look for how players respond to competitors like that.’’

Bell joins a Super 11 group that includes the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Grayson defensive end Robert Nkemdiche, who has committed to Clemson. The Super 11 list also includes players who have committed to Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt and UCLA. Bell is one of only two who has not made his college choice. Dooly County’s Montravius Adams, the No. 1-rated defensive tackle in the country, is the other.

Ridgeland was 7-5 last season. The Panthers were eliminated from the playoffs by Peach County, which featured 2012 Super 11 receiver Demarcus Robinson.

Bell was credited with 180 tackles in 2011. He had five interceptions and five fumble recoveries, three returned for touchdowns. He had more than 1,000 all-purpose yards.

“Please help me pass his name to people who need to know,’’ Ridgeland coach Mark Mariakis wrote in a December e-mail that nominated Bell for all-state. “Transferred to us from Tennessee school, so his name in Georgia is not out there yet. Will be major D-I player.’’

Mariakis was right, although Bell had no scholarship offers at the time. Mariakis sent out highlight tapes. Bell’s older brother, former college basketball player Volonte Bell, made one of his own and posted it on YouTube.

Georgia’s Mark Richt was the first high-profile head coach to respond. He offered Bell a scholarship based on the tapes alone.

“I’ll never forget the day, Jan. 7,’’ Bell said. “Coach Richt called my coach. That’s when he offered me a scholarship. It took off from there. Once an SEC school offers, they’re all going to offer.’’

Vanessa Bell has a scrapbook that keeps the business cards from college coaches she has met since Jan. 7. She has 29 of them. Bell is now a five-star recruit, according to Scout.com.

Vanessa says living in the Chattanooga area and working at Ridgeland doesn’t seem unnatural, that a friend teases that she has lived as a nomad all her life. She was born in Kansas, reared in Kentucky. Her husband, Vencent, grew up in Mississippi and played football at Murray State, where the couple met. They’ve lived in Texas and Alabama … and now 10 years in Tennessee.

Vonn has narrowed his college choices to Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Texas and Clemson.

“I wasn’t expecting this, but I always dreamed of it,’’ Bell said. “Now, I’m living it, and I’m very thankful.’’

Former NCT, Florida Gators WR Ja'Juan Story headed to TCU Horned Frogs (Tampa Bay)

Tamani Carter Leaves Program (Mgoblog)

NEWS ITEM: Brady Hoke announced at Media Day that redshirt freshman Tamani Carter has left the program. Carter had obviously not seen the field. He was the first guy to ever commit to Brady Hoke, signing up as part of Michigan's late "oh crap we have a month before Signing Day and need ten guys" blitz. Michigan actually snatched him from Minnesota a mere eleven days after he'd committed to the Gophers. He also claimed Iowa and Stanford offers, though it seemed like they went off the board midway through his senior season.

No idea why the guy left yet but if I had to guess it's that he saw the writing on the wall about playing time. He was a non-entity in the spring when Allen Gant and Josh Furman weren't around and may have slipped further down the depth chart after their arrival/reinstatement.

Carter's departure takes Michigan down to 76 scholarship players this year and takes the open spots for the class of 2013 up to 22 plus any fifth years who don't return, though there are a couple of walk-ons (Burzynski and Brink) who might make a case for themselves as scholarship guys a la Kovacs. Sam Webb has been saying that Michigan is planning a class of 25 on WTKA; by my figuring Michigan is still two players over once fifth year decisions are factored in. That's not much of a concern six months from Signing Day, since things like injuries and depth charts and allegations happen to football players.

OTHER NEWS ITEMS: Clark and Toussaint will return to practice on Monday; no decision has yet been made about suspensions. Roy Roundtree had his knee scoped and will be out two weeks.