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Ayanga Okpokowuruk
This is a football recruit considering GT - link here. Wow - what a name!!!
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
You think I-Perfection is a name?
Interesting Analysis of Recruiting Rankings
If you look at the guru recruiting rankings, they like to rate the top 100 or 150 players. Rivals for example ranks the top 150. They update their rankings after the summer camps, so there is a May ranking and an update in August. From a Marquette discussion board, check out this analysis of the changes in rankings for many recruits. Note that Lewis Clinch was not even ranked in the top 150 and moved to #36 - wow!! Well, let me tell you, Clinch for some reason didn't get invited to the shoe camps. He was a "sleeper" as they like to call them. Now he's on the radar and he's also committed to GT. Just goes to show that Coach Hewitt and staff are the REAL evaluators of talent.
Personally, here is how I would probably break it down for the GT program and the level of recruits we are in on - top 50, 50-100, 100-150.
Rivals 2005 Top 150 (mid May vs early August)
38 of the 150 (25.3%) who were on the list in May have been replaced by new guys (Jeremy Barr and Marcus Landry are two of these 38 no longer in the Top 150, Jerel McNeal is one of the 38 new players).
43 of the 150 (28.7%) who are on the list now had a change in ranking of between 40 to 135 places on the list (Harvey Hale (93), Travis Walton (at least 55), Ryan Wright (49), Terrance Williams (45) and Andre McGee (58) are five of the 43).
58 of the 150 (38.7%) who are on the list now had a change in ranking of 30 or more players (Jerel McNeal and Phillip Perry are two of these 58).
85 of the 150 (56.7%) who are on the list now had a change in ranking of 20 or more players (Chris Douglas-Roberts, Harvey Perry, Luke Zeller, Leo Criswell and Korey Spates are five of these 84).
57 of the 150 (38.0%) who are on the list now (besides 8 who weren't ranked, so it's unclear where they exactly fit) changed less than 20 players. Dominic James (10 spots), Wesley Matthews (14) are two of those.
What's it all mean? Take all of it for being worth what you paid for it.
Ranking Player Name, verbal, previous ranking
No Change (3 players)
=====================
6. Martell Webster, none
26. Calvin (CJ) Miles, none
149. Jeremy Pargo, none
Change 1-9 spots (32 players)
=============================
1. Gerald Green, Oklahoma State, was #9
2. Louis Williams, Georgia, was #3
7. Andray Blatche, none, was #12
8. Tyler Handbrough, none, was #5
9. Monta Ellis, Mississippi State, was #7
12. Mario Chalmers, Kansas, was #8
14. Micah Downs, Kansas, was #22
15. Jamont Gordon, none, was #18
16. Eric Devendorf, Syracuse, was #17
17. Joe Krabbenhoft, Wisconsin, was #15
19. Jovan Adams, none, was #14
21. Mike Mercer, Georgia, was #30
27. Fendi Onobun, Arizona, was #32
35. Kevin Rogers, none, was #36
39. Theo Davis, Texas, was #31
41. Marcus Ginyard, North Carolina, was #34
49. Austin Jackson, none, was #35
52. Marcus Johnson, none, was #57
60. Jerry-Davon Jefferson, none, was #65
72. Marcus Williams, none, was #67
73. Richard Delk, none, was #68 ***
106. Eric Whitehurst, none, was #112
125. Jay Brown, none, was #120
132. Jerret Smith, Michigan, was #138
136. Bryan Mullins, none, was #127
137. Keaton Grant, none, was #129
139. Rashad Chase, none, was #136
143. Brandon Smith, none, was not ranked
144. Alfred Aboya, none, was not ranked
146. Darren Collison, UCLA, was not ranked
147. Jaron Griffin, Rutgers, was not ranked
150. Yamene Coleman, none, was #145
Change 10-19 spots (30 players)
===============================
4. Brandon Rush, none, was #21
10. Julian Wright, none, was #23
11. Tasmin Mitchell, none, was #1
13. Keith Brumbaugh, none, was #2
22. Bobby Frasor, North Carolina, was #10
25. Greg Paulus, Duke, was #11
29. Brandon Costner, none, was #42
30. Courtney Fells, NC State, was #20
31. Jon Brockman, none, was #45
37. Bryan Harvey, none, was #47
40. Rashad Woods, none, was #25
56. Terrel Harris, Oklahoma State, was #43
58. Tiki Mayben, Syracuse, was #40
62. Casaan Breeden, none, was #49
65. Shane Clark, Villanova, was #53
77. Ryan Reid, none, was #94
78. Jamal Boykin, Duke, was #66
79. Ryan Ayers, Notre Dame, was #95
81. Reginald Delk, none, was #62 ***
82. Brian Asbury, Miami-FL, was #93
84. Dominic James, Marquette, was #74
86. Wes Matthews, Marquette, was #72
91. Ben McCauley, none, was #75
92. KC Rivers, Clemson, was #78
103. David Weaver, Wake Forest, was #117
105. Anthony Mason Jr., none, was #115
133. Ahmad Nivins, none, was not ranked
134. Taylor Griffin, none, was not ranked
138. Maurice Joseph, none, was not ranked
140. Jimmie Sutton, none, was not ranked
Change 20-29 spots (26 players)
===============================
3. Josh McRoberts, Duke, was #27
18. Amir Johnson, Louisville, was #39
20. Bryon Eaton, none, was #46
32. Magnum Rolle, none, was #58
33. Eric Boateng, none, was #13
45. Austin Johnson, none, was #73
51. Chris Douglas-Roberts, none, was #24
59. Harvey Perry, Washington, was #79
61. Luke Zeller, Notre Dame, was #33
67. Gary Flowers, none, was #38
68. Derwin Kitchen, Florida, was #89
69. Clarence Holloway, Louisville, was #92
71. Tyrell Biggs, none, was #48
76. Lawrence Hill, Stanford, was #98
83. Henry Dugat, none, was #61
90. Denis Clemente, none, was #70
101. Leo Criswell, none, was #77
117. Kashif Watson, none, was #143
122. John Garcia, none, was not ranked
123. Korey Spates, Purdue, was not ranked
124. Wilson Chandler, none, was not ranked
126. Kyle McAlarney, Notre Dame, was not ranked
127. Danny Williams, none, was not ranked
129. Quinton Thornton, none, was not ranked
131. Anthony Farmer, Rutgers, was not ranked
145. Justin Wilkerson, Texas Tech, was #118
Change 30-39 spots (15 players)
===============================
34. Korvotney Barber, none, was #71
50. Ricky Sanchez, none, was #16
53. Chad Millard, none, was #19
88. Dior Lowhorn, none, was #125
94. Curtis Jerrells, Baylor, was #60
102. Phillip Perry, Wisconsin, was #139
112. Joey Shaw, none, was #142
113. Rashaad Singleton, Georgia, was not ranked
114. Abdul Hererra, none, was #81
116. A.J. Abrams, Texas, was #148
118. Jabari Currie, none, was not ranked
119. Adrian Thomas, none, was not ranked
121. Jerel McNeal, Marquette, was not ranked
135. Alade Aminu, Georgia Tech, was #102
141. Lamar Falley, none, was #108
Change 40-59 spots (21 players)
===============================
23. JP Prince, none, was #69
24. Vernon Goodrich, none, was #150
54. Ryan Wright, none, was #103
55. Jessie Sapp, none, was #105
75. Kevin Swinton, Wake Forest, was #28
80. Jordan Wilkes none, was #37
87. Andre McGee, Louisville, was #29
89. Danny Green, none, was #132
93. Levance Fields, none, was not ranked
95. Derrick Brown, none, was not ranked
96. Travis Walton, Michigan State, was not ranked
97. Jeremy Mayfield, none, was not ranked
98. Cyrus McGowan, none, was not ranked
99. Terrence Williams, Louisville, was #54
100. Uche Echefu, none, was not ranked
107. Joey Cameron, Tennessee, was #63
108. Ricky Torres, none, was not ranked
109. Anthony Goods, Stanford, was #59
110. Kendric Price, none, was #64
128. Sean McCurdy, none, was #82
130. Josh Thornton, Georgetown, was #87
Change 60-99 spots (15 players)
===============================
42. Devan Downey, none, was #137
46. Artem Wallace, Washington, was #122
57. Nyan Boateng, none, was not ranked
63. Tyler Smith, none, was not ranked
64. Antonio Anderson, none, was not ranked
66. Kenneth Cooper, none, was not ranked
70. Justin Dentmon, none, was not ranked
74. Lawrence Kinnard, none, was not ranked
85. Gerald Inman, Rutgers, was #146
104. David Huertas, Florida, was #44
111. Michael Washington, none, was #51
115. Rousean Cromwell, none, was #52
120. Octavious Spann, none, was #50
142. C.J. Henry, none, was #80
148. Harvey Hale, none, was #55
Change 100 or more spots (7 players)
====================================
28. Lee Bynum, none, was not ranked
36. Lewis Clinch, none, was not ranked
38. Alonzo Gee, none, was #144
43. Terry Martin Jr., Texas Tech, was not ranked
44. Roderick Flemings, Oklahoma State, was not ranked
47. Jeff Adrien, none, was not ranked
48. Shawn Taggart, none, was not ranked
One of our own passes away
Not sports news, but I saw this obituary for Eldon Bracton "Jack" Thoma II and thought I would give some recognition to a former YellowJacket who served his country with honor. God rest his soul. Story here.
Where are they now - Tony Hollings
Looks like Hollings will be the #1 back-up for ROY Domanik Davis of the Houston Texans. He should see a good number of snaps, even though Davis is the clear #1 guy. Story here. I tell you, I see this quote and I just think to myself what could have been:
Hollings had just four starts as a tailback at Georgia Tech after beginning as a defensive back. In those starts, though, he was leading the nation in 2002 with 633 yards and 11 touchdowns before blowing out his knee.
GT / Samford
Story here........ This on GT not overlooking anyone - link here......... Did you know that GT has outscored Samford all time by a combined score of 170-0, even though the last game was in 1945......
Golf Team #2 in pre-season ranking
Alright - another sport at GT keeps moving up. Link here. Unfortunately our nemisis happens to be #1. Yes none-other than the buttsniffers. So yet another sport to fuel the rivalry.
Where are they now - George O'Leary
Here's a story on O'Leary and redemption - link here. A nice story if you ask me. Also here is what Barry Alvarez had to say about the resume issue:
“I really didn’t think it was very important to George or anybody else whether he played football and lettered someplace. It really didn’t have anything to do with who he was, what job he had, what new job he had accepted. I thought it was totally irrelevant. I mean, who even looks at those? So I thought it was an overreaction, personally, and really had nothing to do with him getting the job. So that’s just what I thought. It’s a shame. He’s very well thought of in our profession. He’s done a tremendous job every place he’s been. To get a dream job and to lose it the way he did and for the reason he did is a shame.”
TeamUSA Hoops and the Jr.Squad
This article tries to parallel the bronze in the Olympics with the bronze at the Global Games, where all 4 incoming GT recruits (Dickey, Fredrick, Morrow, Smith) were on the team.
What American basketball critics refuse to accept is that international play has improved by leaps and bounds as players receive more of a concentrated dose of instruction and training in basketball fundamentals starting at an early age.
This was clearly seen this past June when a U.S. junior national team which include prep all-stars like Calhoun County guard Zambolist "Buck" Fredrick and fellow Georgia Tech signee forward Ra'Sean Dickey competed in the fifth annual Coca-Cola Global Games in Dallas, Texas. After edging China (89-88) and routing China (121-91), the U.S. dropped two straight games to Croatia (96-91) and Lithuania (94-76). In both losses, the U.S. averaged 41.2 percent from the field, 27 percent from three-point range, 72.2 percent from the foul line and were outrebounded by a total of 101-85.
Like Team USA, the junior nationals earned a bronze after surviving a last-second three-point attempt by Puerto Rico to win in overtime 108-107. Nevertheless, what does this foretell about how future Team USA squads will fare against an ever-improving international field?
Bulletin Board Material for Jackets
We opened up 2003 with a loss to BYU. Check out this quote from BYU defensive end Brady Poppinga:
"I wanted that to change this year. This is a team, after all. That's the real nature of competition. Trying to improve your athletic performance and the performance of the people around you. Play as hard as you can. But I want the other guy to be good, too. [Against Georgia Tech], the opponent I was going against on some plays wasn't going hard. I said to him, 'Come on, let's go.' That's the way I want it. It's a positive thing for everybody...."
Holy crap. The kid is saying one of our O-lineman wasn't trying hard. NOTE TO ALL SENIORS: Make sure that EVERYONE understands the concept of playing hard EVERY snap. An opposing playing coaxing on a better performance from an opponent in the name of "betterment of all". Give me a break!!
COACHING PREVIEW AT DUKE
Looking at the Duke coaching staff, including Roof of course, as well as former Jacket coach Glenn Spencer:
Glenn Spencer was a fellow coach with Roof under George O’Leary at Georgia Tech. He comes with a reputation as good teacher and a great recruiter. Many Jacket fans speak highly of Spencer.
GT DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN ACC ALUMNI CHALLENGE
What a strange mention of GT. Story here. A contest to see how many young ACC alumni they can get to donate back to the ACC schools. GT was the only school that chose not to participate and had this to say:
While the ACC-challenge was originally open to all ACC schools, only 10 out of 11 have chosen to participate. Georgia Tech will not be “challenging” its young alumni. Nottingham said one reason for GT’s lack of enthusiasm about the challenge was they didn’t feel their alumni would be inspired by competition. On the other hand, many of the ACC schools are driven by rivalry.
Huhh. "not inspired by competition"????? Sounds fishy to me. There's obviously more to the GT story here than that.
MISC TEAM NOTES
Some random GT team notes from Michael Lough at the Macon Telegraph. Mention of Reggie Ball, Joe Hamilton and the the 2 suspensions for the Samford game.
PLAYERS WHO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL EARLY...
...and head to college early are on the rise. There were 35 players who did it this season, including GT's Taylor Bennett. This story highlights where each stand in their football quest.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW - RODNEY WILLIAMS
Williams was waived by the Chiefs. Quote:
P Rodney Williams (6-0, 178) played in 15 games for the N.Y. Giants in 2001, punting 91 times for 3,905 yards (42.9 gross, 35.4 net) with 25 inside the 20-yard line and eight touchbacks. Williams owns the longest punt in Giants history, hitting a 90-yard punt at Denver (9/10/01). He also gained experience with the Rhein Fire of the NFL Europe league in 2001-02. He originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round selection with St. Louis in ’99 before attending training camp with Washington in 2000. The Brooklyn, New York native joined the Giants in 2001 and was released after camp in 2002. He went to camp with Seattle in 2003, but was waived prior to the start of the season.
The Georgia Tech product ended his collegiate career with a school-record 41.4-yard average. Williams ranks fourth on the Yellow Jackets charts with 178 punts for 7,373 yards. He played punter, kicker, defensive back and wide receiver on the football team at Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, Georgia
Another Story on Lewis Clinch
From www.hoopmasters.com - link here. Nice quote here:
Hoopmasters.com's co-editor, Bob Gibbons, said "Lewis Clinch is, perhaps, the best shooting guard in the nation." Gibbons added, " Lewis was outstanding at the talent-filled 2004 NBPA Top 100 Camp in Richmond, VA, this past June." Clinch is rated No. 37 nationally by Hoopmasters.com.
Clinch is a hard worker in the classroom, achieving good grades, and is fully qualified academically.
In addition, note at the bottom about upcoming recruiting visits:
Georgia Tech has a campus visit scheduled for 6-5 1/2G Chris Douglas-Roberts, Detroit, MI, Northwestern HS, on September 25. Tech is also trying to get a visit set in early October with highly-rated 6-6 1/2G C.J. Miles, Dallas, TX, Skyline HS.
I will update the Recruiting Board to make the list is accurate. (link on the left).
Other players on the Georgia Tech recruiting list include:
6-2 PG Austin Jackson, Denton, TX, Ryan HS; 6-8 WF Casaan Breeden, Bennettsville, SC, Marlboro County HS; 6-8 PF Kevin Rogers, Dallas, TX, South Oak Cliff HS; 6-9 C Cyrus McGowan, Meridian, MS, High School; and 6-7 P/WF Adrian Thomas, Pembroke Pines, FL, Flanagan HS.
UNC fans kick it with Wu Tang Clan
Ok, I just found this thread slightly mind-boggling - link here. Evidently they are quite the Wu fans.
More on Lewis Clinch
A story from the Macon Telegraph on our latest hoops recruit - link here. Notice the recruiting strategy by the staff:
"(The Yellow Jackets) only sold their product. They didn't try to compare their product to anybody else. They sold it strong," said Clinch, who averaged 26 points per game last year.
In case you were wondering, we have a total of 6 scholarships available for this recruiting class. Aminu and Clinch form quite the starting duo. A nice start, to put it mildly...... here's the AJC version.
Monday, August 30, 2004
New feature to the Blog
We have added a nice new feature to the Blog. If you would like to email a link to one of these particular entries to a friend, we have made it easy. Notice the little letter icon at the bottom of each entry. Just click on it and off you go. Hope you like it.
Lewis Clinch Commits to Jackets !!!
Reports from Insiders (Jeff Goodman) that Clinch's high school coach is indicating that Clinch committed to the Jackets today (per RamblinRed at the Hive). Link here to story.
If that is true, this is an outstanding pickup, a SG who can "fill it up" as some have said. He lit up the summer circuit, scoring points in bunches. In high school he averaged 25 pts, 8 boards, 5 assists and 4 steals a game as a junior.
There are a few really good things that come out of this:
1. We get a guy who Paul Hewitt has invested a lot of time and energy for.
2. More importantly, we get a guy who really WANTS to be here. If you read any of the articles, he just had a great time during his visit. You'll have to join them to get more than that from me.
3. He is in our backyard. The state of GA is producing more and more national caliber talent. Just the past two seasons have been fairly prolific. Guys like Dwight Howard (#1 NBA Draft pick), Josh Smith, Randolph Morris, Louis Williams, Mike Mercer, Barber, Clinch, etc. I really could go on and on. So Clinch is considered probably one of the top 5 SG's in his class and the hometown school won. Hewitt and Felton are "closing the borders" fairly well. His story is similar to BJ Elder's, and in fact that's the guy he'll probably be replacing.
4. Chemistry. It appears that Clinch has really fit in with the current players and also with Alade Aminu. We all know how important chemistry can be - just think about C-Moore for a second and how "swapping" E.Nelson and C.Moore really changed the complexion of the team.
5. Duke didn't get him. Coach K tried to put on the full-court press at the last minute, but Clinch didn't bite and didn't get star-struck. It just makes the world right again.
I have updated the 2005 recruiting board - link here. Don't forget that there is a permanent link to the board in the list on the left (under "recruiting")
How will the rest of the class shape up? Here's the most likely scenario. Coach probably wants one more perimeter guy, and if you look at current 'ships offered, it could be Chris Douglas-Robers or Austin Jackson. You could throw Miles in that category although he could probably play anything from the 1-3 spot. Miles is a favorite to land at Kansas though, and Austin Jackon is a 2-sport star, which makes his future uncertain even at the school of his chosing. CD Roberts has GT in the slight lead.......... Next Coach Hewitt probably wants to add a small forward which would probably be either Casaan Breeden or Adrian Thomas (again, you could throw Miles into this category as well). These are the guys with the current offers and visits scheduled........... Lastly, along with Aminu, they probably want to add one more big guy, which is down to Kevin Rogers or Cyrus McGowan. Rogers is another strong lean to Kansas and McGowan will probably chose between Miss.St and GT. So it could come to to this:
Point Guard.......none
Scoring Guard.....Lewis Clinch(GT) and one of Roberts/Jackson/Miles
Small Foward......Thomas or Breeden
Power Forward/C...Aminu(GT) and one of McGowan/Rogers.
Those are all the guys with official visits setup. There are certainly others in consideration but these are the current options.
Then 2006 becomes the "hunt for the bigtime point guard".
Beesball and Scott Boros
Funny, this guy probably has the WORST reputation as an agent for these young baseball players. He continues to build on that rep with things like this - link here.
Also mentions Mark Teixeira:
What the Diamondbacks aren’t willing to do is give Drew a similar contract to Mark Teixeira. The Texas Rangers third baseman was the fifth-overall pick in the 2001 draft out of Georgia Tech. After struggling to get him signed, Texas agreed on a four-year major-league contract that was worth $9.5 million and included a $4.5 million dollar signing bonus the day before Teixeira was scheduled to report for classes at Georgia Tech.
By the way, guess who represented Micah Owings? You guessed it. Guess who dropped bigtime in the draft after scaring teams away "demanding" a $1,000,000 signing bonus. Guess who's going back to school - at Tulane??
Where are they now - Andy Hall
Story on Hall trying to make the cut in the NFL with the Eagles. Link here.
Football Recruiting
Mention of a few guys we are interested in - link here.
A battle between Clemson and Tennessee is brewing for Atlanta running back James Davis (6-1, 205). They are his favorites. He also has offers from USC, Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU and others. Davis added that Clemson is the school recruiting him the hardest. Davis opened his season by rushing for 227 yards and two touchdowns and returning a kickoff 85 yards for a score.
Actually, JC Neal has come out with a top 4 of the 3 ACC teams mentioned with GT as the 4th. So there's not doubt he wants to be in the ACC. I put it as a really outside shot that we land him. He is a multi-talented guy and probably projects as a WR or DB at the college level. Not clear where GT is recruiting him.
Lakewood’s J.C. Neal (6-1, 183) has a top three of Virginia Tech, N.C. State and Maryland. He is considering USC but expects to sign with an out-of-state program. He also has offers from USC, Clemson, Florida, Auburn, S.C. State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, Vanderbilt and Iowa State.
The Fridge
Mention of R.Friedgen and his GT success - link here.
Because of his success at Georgia Tech with players like George Godsey and Joe Hamilton, it was assumed that Friedgen's offensive success came through the air. What three years at Maryland has shown is that the key to the offense run by he and coordinator Charlie Taaffe is based on one premise -- balance.
Tusla as the "YellowJackets" ????
Check out this link about how Tulsa got their nickname - link here. Then read this part:
Curiously enough the team started working out in the fall of '22 with a new nickname, the "Yellow Jackets."
GT / Miami Sold Out
Well, I would hope so. I certainly plan on being there. Link here. Of course that all depends on when a certain little "bundle of joy" decides to arrive.
Football Fix
CALVIN JOHNSON LANDS STARTING JOB
Congrats to CJ on landing the starting job. It was expected and he has done everything necessary to make it happen. Also note that Pat Clark has some high visibility at the punt and kick-off returner and DE Daryl Richard will probably see big PT. No doubt the freshman will play a role in the 2-deep depth chart, particularly on the O-Line, and LB.
ERIC HENDERSON OUT WITH THUMB INJURY
Well, now it looks like both our starting DE's will be out - T.Parker suspended and E.Henderson has a thumb injury. Not good for sure - especially against a pass-happy Samford offense......... Here's another version from the Macon Telegraph.
TOE MEETS LEATHER
A brief look at Samford and broadcast details for Sat's game. Also a bunch of other team and game notes.
Recruiting - Hoops
I have updated the 2005 hoops recruiting board. Austin Jackson has setup a visit, Lewis Clinch and Alade Aminu evidently had a good visit to GT over the weekend. It is probably fair to say we are a leader for Clinch, although that is not directly from his mouth. It is also important to note that Duke has setup a campus visit for Clinch 9/25 (link here), after his in-home visit with Coach K 9/15.......... Also, CJ Miles evidently had a great visit to Kansas and they should be considered a leader for now. However, it does not appear that he committed, so that only can help our chances.
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Recruiting - Football
DB from Florida Ray Herring:
DB Ray Herring (5-11/190) of Melbourne Holy Trinity has five favorites, including childhood favorite Florida. The others: Tennessee, Maryland, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech, all of which have offered.
Samford wins their opener
Here's the recap. Link here. They do have a few players, but we'll be ready.
Gailey less tolerable of roller-coaster season
Sort of the same story we've already seen, but a slightly different spin - link here.
Around the ACC
2004 Football Outlook - link here............. College Football Preview....... Long blah blah story on Charlie Whitehurst......... ACC here to stay....... More on the ACC......
Where are they now - Joe Hamilton
"Playing for a Spot".
Hamilton Leads Scoring Drives Against Buffalo
INDIANAPOLIS – Reserve quarterback Joe Hamilton got just two opportunities during the Colts’ third preseason game.
Say this for Hamilton:
He certainly didn’t waste them.
Hamilton, a veteran quarterback who signed with the Colts this past off-season after a productive season in the Arena League last spring, played in two series during the Colts’ preseason victory over the Buffalo Bills. He led scoring drives on each series, extending the Colts’ lead from 20-10 to 30-10 early in the fourth quarter.
“I think I did well,” said Hamilton, who completed 1 of 2 passes for nine yards and rushed once for six yards before leaving the game with bruised ribs. “It was a short stay. I would have loved to have been in there for longer and been able to close it out.”
Hamilton, who led the Colts’ game-winning touchdown drive in the preseason opener, said he doesn’t know if he’s shown enough to make the Colts’ roster. He is currently listed as the team’s third quarterback behind Peyton Manning and Cory Sauter, but was the first quarterback off the bench behind Manning Saturday.
“For the most part, any time you can get up and get game action, it helps a lot,” Hamilton said. “I’m taking in as much as I can take in. You never know what will happen. Would I have liked to have played more? Yes. We have five quarterbacks here, and I’m not in a position to complain. With the reps I’ve been given, I’ve tried to make the best of them.
“For the most part, I let the chips fall where they may.”
Team Notes
Mentions starters for next week's game - only two positions are not determined - punter and starting cornerback. Link here.
Position Switching on the Rise
No doubt GT has seen its share of switching, but one thing's for sure - the GT coaches have shown a knack for helping guys blossom in their new positions. The latest experiment - D-Biblo. Of course these things go on everywhere. Story here.
2005 Football Recruiting Board
This is a list of committed recruits (verbals) for the 2005 class.
TIGHT END
5. Michael Johnson, 6'7", 215lb, 4.6-40, AL
Committed 8/9. Tall TE prospect out of Plantersville AL. Attended one of the GT camps and performed extremely well. Recruitied by P.Nix. He also happens to be a talented hoops player and is interest in walking on to the GT hoops team. He had football offers from Clemson and S.Miss and hoops offers from Troy St and Bowling Green. A smart kid too with good grades and interested in engineering.
QUARTERBACK
7. Todd Walker, 6'2", 185lb, 4.3-40, TX
Committed 8/22. Rivals #30 "athlete" in the nation. In the Texas top 50. Insiders has him as the #15 ranked recruit in Texas and the 10th best QB in the nation, as well as the #16 in the "Hot100 southwest". As a junior threw for 775 yards, 10 TD's, 6 int's. Also rushed for 842 yards and 7 TD's. And yes, that 40 time is right. This kid is one of the fastest in the nation - period. His video clips are eye-opening, as his speed and elusiveness are evident. As a running QB he is outstanding. I am not clear how solid his passing ability is, so I cannot comment. He clearly chose GT because he wants to develop as a QB, not play defense or WR. GT recruited him as a QB 100% and he was the only QB on the board. The selfish side of me wants to see him on the field using that speed sooner than waiting for his shot at QB, but that's what he wants and that's why he came here. Most other schools were recruiting him for the secondary. An outstanding pickup for the Jackets and we continue to show recruiting strength in Texas. His brother is a red-shirt frosh at Purdue and his dad player at Texas Tech. His finalists were GT, TT, Ark, K-St, Ok, Texas, Texas A&M. Oh yeah, he's got great grades too.
WIDE RECEIVER
9. Carlos Thomas, 5'11", 170lb, 4.4-40, GA
Well, another football commit from another stud wide receiver. Another battle won against UGAg. For the 2nd year in a row, GT gets the top wide receiver prospect in the state of Georgia (College Park). He is also probably the best cornerback prospect in the state also. This kid is currently listed by Rivals as the 8th best wide receiver in the nation, the #4 prospect overall in Georgia, the 75th best overall prospect in the nation. He is a 4-star prospect from insiders.com and they have him listed as the 10th best WR prospect in the nation. He also happens to be the younger brother of current starting GT WR Levon Thomas. So a nice family connection being created here.........His college choices really came down to GT and UGAg, but he also considered Clemson, Florida, LSU as well. Carlos is fast as he runs a legit 4.4-40, has a 32" vertical and is 5'11" 170lb. As a junior in high school he caught 20 passes for 411 yards and 5 TD's. In the Nike camp in ATL he had the 6th fastest 40-time at 4.41..........He also happens to be a standout on the baseball diamond, batting .627 as a sophomore and playing 2nd base / centerfield...... He and Calvin Johnson are from the same hometown.
DEFENSIVE LINE
3. Brad Sellers, 6'2", 255lb, 4.7-40, TX
Committed 7/13. Once again, Texas is in the house. He had interest in Miami, Nebraska, Ok.St, Toledo and Duke. Duke and Toledo were the other offers when he verballed. Recruited by Curtis Modkins. Had 40 tackles and 4 sacks as a junior. He would actually be interested in redshirting to develop if there is depth at the line.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
1. Tony Clark, 6'1", 180lb, 4.52-40, GA
Committed 5/24. Chose GT over Clemson, E.Carolina, M.Tenn.St. Also was interested in UGA and Auburn. Recruited by Giff Smith. Interested in engineering and likes ATL. Went to the same school as Leon Robinson. Also happens to be a track star, the region 3 champ in both the 100m and long jump. Oh yeah, he played hoops too. One of the "all around athletes". On his high school team, he played DB, WR, did kick returns, punt returns and special teams. Was quite the prolific kick returner.
2. Jahi'Word-Daniels, 5'11", 160lb, 4.5-40, AL
Committed 7/13. Jahi'Word-Daniels, from Hoover AL, who had offers from Duke, Louisville and Vandy, and was also being recruited by Alabama, Auburn, Clemson and Miss.St. Recruited by Joe D'Alessandris. Another smart young man with a 3.6GPA and no problem on test scores...... Had 25 tackles and 4 int's as a junior. Helped lead his team to a championship in AL's highest classification - 6A. By the way his teammates have nicknamed him "primetime", after Deion Sanders, who is his role-model at the corner position....
LINEBACKERS
8. Marvin Sapp, 6'1", 215lb, 4.5-40, FL
Committed 9/6. Chose GT over many schools including Clemson, Florida, Louisville, Maryland, UNC, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tulane, Memphis, NCST, Duke. Ole Miss. Was getting courted by FSU and Miami but no offer had been extended as of yet. Sapp is the cousin of NLF Star Warren Sapp and a close relative to NFL player Patrick Sapp. So the "blood" is good. Sapp has a great college frame and will probably contribute very early in his GT career. He has good physical tools and is a hard worker. He also happens to be an outstanding student, taking all AP courses, so the academic strength of GT played a role.
4. Antonio James, 6'2", 200lb, 4.59-40, TX
Committed 8/9. Choses GT over Baylor, Vandy and Tulsa, and was also interested in Iowa, SMU and TCU. In 12 games as a junior had 65 unassisted tackles, 40 assisted, 15 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, 3 INT's and 2 fumble returns. He was recruited by Curtis Modkins, who handles TX. Likes GT's academics even though he was interested in criminal justice. Again, speed seems to be the common thread with our recruits.
6. Taalib Tucker, 6'0", 233lb, 4.87-40, GA
Committed 8/22. Taalib Tucker is a strong kid who plays linebacker. He chose GT over Florida, Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma. He was also getting calls from LSU, Miss.St, Mich and FSU. As a junior he had 96 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 ints. You may think that sounds average, but consider that those stats were compiled in 6 games, as he missed the first half of the season with a knee injury. Rivals lists him as the 57th best player in the state of Georgia. He is also fast, running a 4.87 in the 40 at one camp, which is respectable. He has been clocked in the 4.5 range before. Another recruit interested in architecture, which fits well at GT. He also happens to dabble in track, throwing the shot-put and discuss. Good speed, good instincts. A member of the Super Metro 11. One of Taalib's cousins in Oklahoma football player Scoonie Penn. He also has a cousin who played hoops at Florida - Rasheed Al-Kaleem.
Recruiting - Hoops - CJ Miles
See video of him attending the Kansas scrimmage this weekend - link here.......... In other recruiting news, Derrick Caracter, 6'9" 300lb(from the class of 2006) lists GT in his top 5 along with KY, UConn, Stanford and S.Florida. By the way, Caracter happens to be listed as the #2 player in the nation by Insiders, behind Greg Oden, who is a sure draft pick. Here's an quote from him regarding his draft status:
Derrick Caracter, one of the top prospects in the 2006 class, lists UK as one of his five favorites, along with Stanford, Georgia Tech, Connecticut and South Florida.
The 6-9 300-pounder from Elizabeth, N.J., is considered likely to try the NBA draft after high school, but he told Rivals.com last week that nothing is certain.
"I need to be at least a top-three pick in the draft," he said. "Otherwise, more than likely I will go to college."
Caracter averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds last season and is ranked No.6 in the junior class by Rivals.
Owings to enroll at Tulane
Micah Owings has decided to attend Tulane, where the head coach happens to be Rick Jones, who was an assistant at GT from 1990-93. One of the assistants is none other than Matthew Boggs, a 4-year starter at GT. Story here.
Also note that his brother John-Mark, who was drafted by the Braves a couple of months ago, ruptured his spleen crashing into an outfield wall. Hope he's doing well.
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Calvin Johnson Fitting in Just Fine
Just more fuel fomr the CJ fire. Story here. The best part about this kid is that everything you read talks about how humble and respectful he is - but also confident. You have to love that.
Football Fix
The AJC comes out with their annual college football preview issue, this time with Eric Henderson on the cover. Here are some of the articles:
OPPORTUNITY FOR MCMANUS
Well, you may have heard good things about Nate from Coach Gailey. Looks like he could see big-time PT this season.
THE MORE THE MERRIER
The Jackets are ready and willing to play in this new ACC. We're ready to watch. And folks, if you don't think we can recruit with the best in the nation, look at this:
Darryl Richard's original list of college options included LSU and Notre Dame, but when Richard stepped to the signing table at Destrehan High School in Louisiana last Feb. 4, the two caps he chose from bore the logos of Miami and Georgia Tech.
There were a bunch of other top schools we beat out to get recruits including UGAg, FSU, LSU, Ohio St and I could go on.
Miami offered him the beach, the sunshine and the opportunity to join a team that has played in two of the past three Bowl Championship Series national championship games.
Georgia Tech offered him a top-flight education, a seven-season bowl streak and the opportunity to play against Miami.
Richard put on the Georgia Tech cap.
With that move — and his signature on Tech's national letter-of-intent form — Richard became one of the Yellow Jackets' first victories in the newly expanded ACC. There are sure to be a lot more.
EVERY WEEK I'M READY TO PLAY
Ok Reggie, time to prove it on the field.
OFFENSE, WHO'S THE BEST?
When 3 seniors and 2 juniors are asked who is the best overall athlete on the offense and 2 of them say Calvin Johnson, it is eye-opening. Nice to see Nate Curry get mention also. Makes me feel pretty good about the WR core.
GETTING TO KNOW THE JACKETS
Brief bio's on some players, like D-Williams likes cars, M.Rhodes sings, CJ sketches, etc.
YOUNG LINEMEN FORCED TO CONTRIBUTE FASTER
Q&A with Andy Tidwell-Neal. This is NOT a good thing to have young guys play big minutes. GT seems to find a way to build successful O-Lines every year and this year we will need it. But this comment was comforting:
"We've got a lot of talent. We've got a lot of experience. I think we had 70 starts across the line. That's pretty good. I don't know how many we've had in previous years. Leon [Robinson] has got 19, I've got 13, Brad [Honeycutt] has got 13, Kyle's got 25. Whoever plays the other position, it will take a new person, but that's the way it is in college football. I think we can be great."
THE BETTER THE FRONT, THE BETTER THE SECONDARY
Q&A with James Butler.
DEFENSE, WHO'S THE BEST?
Well they did the offense - now the D. Butler, Henderson, Houston and Reis all get love.
GETTING TO KNOW THE DEFENSE
Anoai comes from a wresting famile - WWF stuff, not Greco-Roman, Houston likes Poker, Butler plays piano, Reis fishes and I-Perfection.... well has a unique name. Here's the story of it:
He was recognized as the best in the nation by Sports Illustrated — the player with the best name, that is. As the story goes, a friend of Harris' father had a child named Perfection, who was killed in a car accident. In honor of him, Harris' father named his son after that child, and added the letter I to make it unique. A name like that would seem to bring added pressure. "I play every game the same as I would if my name were John or George," said Harris, called IP by his teammates. Harris has three siblings — a brother, Supreme, and sisters Earthly and Nattia.
Q&A WITH GERRIS WILKINSON
Gerris does his best to make us feel good about the LB core. I think we will be fine here myself.
ACC FORECAST: SCOUTING THE CONFERENCE
Even the AJC cannot bear to predict us better than 7th.
7. GEORGIA TECH
• Last season: 7-6, 4-4 ACC; beat Tulsa 52-10 in Humanitarian Bowl
• Starters returning: Offense 7, defense 7, kicker 1
• Coach: Chan Gailey, 38-23 overall, 14-12 in his third year at Georgia Tech
• First game: Sept. 4 vs. Samford
• AJC RATING: 76
• Running offense rating: 15 out of possible 20. P.J. Daniels became only the third Georgia Tech player to lead the ACC in rushing, averaging 111.3 yards per game last season. He gained 307 yards in the Humanitarian Bowl. But there is no question the Yellow Jackets will miss center Hugh Reilly and tackle Nat Dorsey, who paved the way for him. There is talent on the line, but a lot of guys will be playing a lot of different positions.
• Passing offense rating: 15. Reggie Ball had a very good season for a freshman quarterback, with 1,996 yards passing and 10 touchdowns. But Ball's production dropped off in the second half of the year as opponents learned more about him. Ball will miss two great targets in Jonathan Smith and tight end John Paul Foschi. But with Nate Curry (37 catches) returning and the potential of freshman Calvin Johnson, the passing game will be good again.
• Running defense rating: 15. The ends will be great with the return of Eric Henderson (11 sacks) and Travis Parker, who moves there after two years at tackle. Defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will find some tackles, but will he find some linebackers to replace Keyaron Fox and Darryl Smith? They combined last year for 284 tackles and five sacks. Sophomore Nick Moore (6-1, 225) looks like a future star.
• Passing defense rating: 17. This will be the strength of the defense if Tenuta can keep everybody healthy. James Butler should be an All-American at free safety after posting 119 tackles and five interceptions last season. Strong safety Dawan Landry (6-2, 215) also returns.
• Special teams rating: 14. There is work to be done here. The Yellow Jackets do not have a proven kicker, and no one claimed the job in spring practice. Incoming freshman Kyle Belcher could be the guy. The punting game was awful last season: the Yellow Jackets' net was only 32 yards per kick — No. 105 in the nation. Tech will miss the punt return skill of Darryl Smith, who averaged 12.7 yards. Kenny Scott averaged 22.3 yards per kickoff.
• Final analysis: Georgia Tech has been to seven consecutive bowl games, but some questions must be answered if the Yellow Jackets hope for an eighth. The offensive line must jell and Tech must find a consistent running game that doesn't rely so much on QB Reggie Ball. Some linebackers must be found. The schedule is tough early, but Tech doesn't play Florida State, and five of the last six games are at home.
KEY ACC GAMES........... A SEASON OF QUESTIONS FOR THE ACC............. What it takes to be a QB.......... Matt Leinart at QB.......... National storylines........ 10 Games that will determine the NC......... Scouting the conferences......... Scouting the top 25.......
Bilbo suspended for Samford game
Here's the story - link here. Here's Bilbo's quote:
"It's a long story," Bilbo said Friday. "I'd rather not talk about it. Something happened before the season [practice] started. It has nothing to do with this upcoming season."
The famous lightening game...
...gets mention here.
Remember the last time Tech was scheduled to play the BCA game? A nasty electrical storm blew through Blacksburg right at kickoff of the Hokies-Georgia Tech game in 2000, sending everyone for cover and cancelling the game.
A seeing-eye bolt of lightning fried ESPN analyst Lee Corso's rental car in the parking lot, raising questions about the Worldwide Leader in Sports' relationship with Mother Nature.
Props for Reggie Ball
This from ESPN - link here. Ball made their list of players ready to "emerge from the shadows". Said he is undersized and somewhat erratic and not what Gailey envisioned in his pro-style offense, HOWEVER that he is the best scrambling QB in the ACC, and one of the best athletes in the country at the QB position. Said if he continued to improve his accuracy and ability to read defenses he could become one of the nation's most dangerous dual-threat QB's in 2004.
Where are they now - Eric Patterson
It's sad that I have to move news of EP to the "Where are they now" segment. Story here.
A family affair
The Cubs have agreed to terms with Georgia Tech second baseman Eric Patterson, whom they selected in the eighth round of this year's draft.
The signing is notable primarily because Patterson is the younger brother of Cubs center fielder Corey Patterson.
Eric Patterson, who bats left-handed and throws right-handed, hit .326 with nine home runs, 49 RBI and 48 stolen bases last season in earning All-America honors for the second time at Georgia Tech.
He totaled 14 homers and 124 RBI in three seasons.
Eric Patterson, 21, also played for the U.S. national team in the summers of 2002 and 2003.
"It's nothing to do with him being Corey's brother, but obviously he came from a great family," Hendry said. "He has a chance to be a prototypical leadoff hitter. He runs very well."
In the 2004 season, Eric Patterson stole 48 bases for Georgia Tech and led the team with five triples. Is he faster than his brother?
"I can get him," Eric said. "Definitely, I could get him."
.....Here's another article.
Travis Bell wins kicking duties
Congrats to Travis Bell - he has officially won the FG and PAT duties - not a surprise. Link here....... The punting job is still in the air since nobody has stepped up......Kick-off duties are in the air also with Kyle Belcher having a slight lead.
Also note that frosh Pat Clark and Levon Thomas will be the deep men on kick-off returns. Looks like Reuben Houston and Clark will both return punts.
The Butler Did It
Nice story on Butler. Interesting that Butler is another "leader by example" but not a vocal leader. We heard last week that Andy Tidwell-Neal was the vocal leader of the team.
Friday, August 27, 2004
Recruiting - Hoops
Mention of Lewis Clinch from July - link here.
Kansas recently offered Lewis Clinch after seeing his performance at the Showcase in Orlando, FL, but it maybe too late for Bill Self.
6-2 Lewis Clinch, Cordele, GA
Senior Lewis Clinch, unknown stock for sometime is now getting exposure. Youth Prep Stars Recruiting Magazine knew it would be a matter of time for his exposure. This spring and summer, Mr. Clinch has let his presence known at the TOC, Hoopfest and Showtime. Clinch has been one of the top players. Initially, he only had a few schools recruiting him such as Furman, Mercer, Georgia and Auburn, but that has changed. Georgia Tech Paul Hewitt, Florida Billy Donovan, Arkansas Stan Health and many others have taken a front row seat when Clinch's team played at Showtime in Suwannee. Clinch stated that he has been playing a lot of ball for the last two years and is a little tired and sore; but he has to make a big statement. I have known Lewis Clinch since the age of twelve and he's a fine young man with great parents. He's a very humble young man and the sky is the limit for him. Lewis stated that his top teams are Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Florida, Arkansas, Georgia and NC State. Lewis is also considering Auburn. He stated that he wouldn't mind playing with Georgia native Toney Douglas at Auburn. He also stated that he has patterned his game like Toney Douglas's and the two of them would play well together; and Auburn could have the best back in the SEC, probably in America, stated Lewis. Douglas was a Parade All American and one of the Top Prep Players in the country last year. Lewis will visit Auburn in September and would like to sign early.
Bobby Bowden - a pretty funny guy
Have to admit - the guy is funny. Check out this story and this quote:
``I'm so glad we got those two schools in there and Boston College next year,'' FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. ``We've going to get great coverage up and down the East Coast. That's where everybody lives, you know. I don't care what the SEC says, there just aren't many people in Mississippi.''
Football: GT vs UConn...
...in NCAA 2005. Evidently UConn beats GT at home - link here.
Following another bye, UConn beat Georgia Tech on the road, but lost to Buffalo at home and Rutgers away.
One thing we cannot take for granted is that their QB is actually one of the best in the nation. Watch for him.
Where are they now - Matt Weibring
Another story on him - link here. At the Buick Invitational he is currently tied for 6th through 11 holes today (he was in 2nd after day 1). Leaderboard.
Beyond the White and Gold
Nice editorial from the Technique on the GT/UGAg rivalry - link here. Time to whip these mutts - I'm tired of losing to them also!
SI.com BCS Predictions
Interesting predictions over at SI.com - link here.
NCST a surprise team? Lorenzo Booker, RB, Florida State the next household name? Clemson the flop of the year? John Bunting the #1 coach on the hot seat? All that and more.
Eric Patterson Signs with the Cubs
Well, it's all settled - EP is gone. No ACC stolen base record, no GT team record. He signs with the Cubs - link here.
Go to the UGA website - NOW
Click here. Ok, it may be gone by now, but this really was on the official UGA front page. I thought I would preserve it in infamy. Thanks to the folks at the Hive for the tipoff.
Football Notes
ESPN HOT 100
Eric Henderson shows up - at #57 and PJ Daniels shows up at #62. Where is James Butler? As someone at the Hive said, what matters is where they are on this list at the END of the season.
On Eric Henderson: 57. Eric Henderson, Georgia Tech, DE: The star of what should be a very good D-line. Led the ACC with 11 sacks and was second with 24 tackles for loss, a Tech single-season record.
On PJ Daniels: 62. P.J. Daniels, Georgia Tech, RB: Has great balance and vision. The former walk-on battled his way to 1,447 rushing yards, including an NCAA bowl-game record 307 yards versus Tulsa in the Humanitarian Bowl.
Rating Chris Rix - link here.
More mention of the 1990 NC and the Colorado 5-down fiasco - link here.
The new formula is simpler for sure, and probably better. But that doesn’t mean the BCS will escape dissension.
To realize the kind of travesty that’s possible when giving more weight to the human factor, one need only be reminded of what happened in 1990. The AP crowned Colorado, despite an 11-1-1 record that included the infamous “fifth-down” victory over Missouri. Georgia Tech went 11-0-1 and had to share the title, after earning the top spot in the UPI poll.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW - KEN WHISENHUNT
Quote: 19.1 Yards per catch recorded by Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt during his senior season as a tight end at Georgia Tech in 1984.
Great PJ Daniels Interview
RAMBLIN WITH PJ DANIELS
The Technique
Our own school paper does a nice interview. However, I might have paraphrased this quote, when Daniels talked about playing the NCAA 2005 video game using the GT team:
Nique: What's it like being able to play yourself in video games?
I think you get the point..... Also interesting that he sees a special rivalry with Maryland, which is understandable with the Fridge and all...... Majors in Business with a minor in chemistry - interesting combo....... He lists Andy Tidwell-Neal as the vocal leader on the team.......Also mentioned that his best friend just died - we wish him the best there........
P.J.: It's like a dream come true. I purchased NCAA 2005 not too long ago, and I play with myself. I think that they robbed me a little bit on some of my attributes. I kind of enhance them a bit, but other than that I enjoy it. It's a dream come true. It's a blessing.
Probably the most telling quote of all was this:
Nique: What is your favorite football memory?
Are you kidding me - his favorite memory was when another guy caught a pass? Come on PJ - we know you're a good guy, we know you're ultra-humble. Isn't that taking it a little far? I'm kidding of course - it just shows the character he has. Just amazing in this day of "it's all about me".
P.J.: My favorite football memory was in the Auburn game, when Darius Williams caught the 20-something yard catch, because when I first came here, he and I, we had our struggles with the coaches. Both of our skills weren't good enough for our positions. When he caught the ball, I was so excited. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if I should hug him or hit him or do whatever. I wanted to tackle him, but I think that was my most inspiring moment in football. When he caught the ball against Auburn that was just touching.
Recruiting: Brilliant Marketing by Bill Self
Ok, no wonder Bill Self is attracting recruits. And guess what - he might snag CJ Miles by the end of the weekend. But check out this article. Basically Kansas is going hold an intra-squad scrimmage for fans - at no charge. CJ Miles will be there to watch.
Now here's the catch. No doubt this is a marketing tool to attract Miles and other possible recruits. But Allen Fieldhouse seats 16,300 fans. While they can attract a good crowd, they won't field up that place. Now how would that look to recruits, to have a scrimmage that is 1/3 full? You could argue that it would be an excellent turnout, but the place would still look empty.
So what does he do - he is going to hold the scrimmage at KU's volleyball arena / hoops practice gym, which only holds 1300.
Next you get the media involved - "come to our scrimmage, but you better come early, because the doors will only be open for about 30 minutes - it will fill up quick"..... Oh they put in plenty of excuses why - the humidity is too high at Allen's, blah blah.
Bottomline is Self is managing expectations and creating an image that he wants Miles to see. Smart and shrewd.
In other recruiting news, Ryan Wright has eliminated GT from consideration....... Kevin Rogers has named a top 3 of Kansas, AZ and GT (KU in the lead).......Octavious Spann has GT in his top 4 with Georgetown, UGA and Auburn.
Golf - Matt Weibring
Link here.
Weibring’s name should be familiar to Connecticut golf fans: D.A. Weibring won the 1996 GHO despite suffering from Bell’s palsy. His son Matt followed him for all 72 holes that week.
Now Matt, 24, a Georgia Tech graduate, plays on both the Nationwide and Canadian tours.
He has played the John Deere Classic twice before this week’s Buick, which he received a sponsor’s exemption for on Monday.
"I’ve been on the edge of shooting some really good, low scores, so it kind of happened at a good place," Weibring said.
Father and son should be pretty happy with Matt’s round Thursday. Weibring posted seven birdies (2, 3, 9, 11, 12, 13 and 15) along with two bogeys (4 and 10). On holes 11 through 13, all three birdie putts were from 2 feet or less.
But Weibring never looked at a leaderboard on the course, so he had no idea where he stood, even after he came into the interview room.
"I didn’t watch at all," Weibring said. "That’s one thing I learned last year on the Nationwide Tour. Those leaderboards do not help you play better golf. It puts things in your mind. ... Obviously, it must be all right if I’m in here (the interview room)."
Ranking the Nation's QB depth
Interesting look at ranking QB's, taking into consideration the starter and backup. Link here. This on GT:
38. Georgia Tech + Reggie Ball / Patrick Carter + Ball was OK as true freshman last season but must be better passer.
Here's how the other ACC teams stack up:
7....Clemson
14...FSU
18...North Carolina
26...Miami
31...VaTech
38...Georgia Tech
51...Wake Forest
55...Virginia
65...NC ST
74...Maryland
98...Duke
Bowl Predictions
So what would you think if we played Nebraska in the "Houston Bowl" on December 30, in Houston (dugh)? That's where SportsIllustrated has predicted GT to be. Link here.
Adam Oliver Hoping to Impact the D
With Travis Parker suspended for a game, Oliver may get his shot. Story here.
Also, the Jackets Are Abuzz over the new practice schemes in preparation for Samford....... Speaking of Samford, here's a short blurb on them.
Brezina transitioning to offensive guard
Nice story on a comeback and attempt to make it on the O-Line.
Where are they now - Chris Bosh
Nice mention of Bosh at CBSSportsline.com - link here.
Here are our top 12 players to watch this season:
Chris Bosh, F, Toronto: Bosh had a solid rookie season in Toronto, averaging 11.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 75 games. He was successful in the post despite his lean frame (6-foot-10, 210 lbs.), and will no doubt benefit from the experience of 63 pro starts. The former Georgia Tech star will be an even more prominent member of the frontcourt in his sophomore season, and has the skills to emerge as a productive No. 3 in most Fantasy leagues. Consider Bosh in the middle to late rounds.
Travis Parker Suspended
I feel dirty all-of-the-sudden. Things were buzzing along so well. Well, at least Coach Gailey sets expectations and enacts discipline. Travis Parker has been suspended for one game - against Samford for "an in-house thing". If I find out more that I can share I will. Story here.
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Around the ACC
BILBO PROFILED ON SOUTHERN SPORTS REPORT
Make sure to tune into the Southern Sports Report Monday Aug 30th, at 10:00pm on FSN. Link here.
MONDAY, 8/30 - Once the quarterback of the future at Georgia Tech, Damarius Bilbo is using summer practice to develop as the Yellow Jackets' "go-to" receiver; once a MLB Milwaukee Brewers draft pick, can Bilbo adapt to being on the other end of the Yellow Jackets' passing attack?
CLEMSON / GT GAME ALMOST SOLD OUT
Well, evidently Clemson has less than 1000 tickets remaining for the GT game on Sept 11. Link here. I saw a report on the Hive that the GT allotment of tickets has not sold out and we may have to return a certain number back to Clemson. Come on out and support the team. Clemson SC is a fun place to watch a game, the fans are spirited but good-natured. A short drive from ATL.
BRUNSWICK GA PROGNOSTICATORS
From this link - Georgia Tech opens its season in nine days and while the Yellow Jackets' home opener against Samford won't be much of a test, Tech's next two games will be a good barometer for the Jackets' hopes at extending their streak of bowl appearances to eight.
A trip to Clemson Sept. 11., followed by a visit to North Carolina Sept. 18, could have the Jackets sitting at either 1-2 or 3-0. I think Tech has a shot at a decent season, and 3-0 with a week off to prepare for Miami wouldn't be too bad a place for Chan Gailey and his troops to be.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW - DARYL SMITH
Well how about that - Daryl Smith will move into the starting lineup in the Jag's next pre-season game. WOW!!! Of course you have to take it with a grain of salt. Some of it is about #1, seeing how Smith fares against Green Bay's starters and #2, protecting the Jag's starters as well.
PLAY SPORTS GET COLLEGE CREDITS
Wow, it sounds like Jim Harrick has gotten an underground consulting job with FSU, K-State and even North Carolina. Story here. Look at this on FSU:
The physical education class descriptions are buried in course catalogs and bulletins, which are often hundreds of pages long and contain hundreds of course listings. Florida State's Department of Sports Management, Recreation Management and Physical Education offers PEL 1644, or "Varsity Football," during fall semester. The class description says students get "face-to-face classroom instruction" from Bobby Bowden, college football's winningest coach with 342 victories in 38 seasons.
I'm sorry, but you read that story and you realize the gigantic level of HYPROCRISY alive and well in college athletics. Don't hide behind declarations of purity of student-athletics. It's about the getting the talent, keeping the talent eligible and winning with the talent so the talent brings in big money for the school. It's about the money - surprise surprise.
Olympic Update
First, Chaunte Howard finishes tied for 28th in the women's high jump in Athens. She got as high as 1.85meters (6'0.75"). Congrats to her. Way to go! Link here.
In hoops, Stephon Marbury actually led TeamUSA in a victory over Spain which the pundits were saying was the first sign of life as a group of guys learning to play together as a team. Marbury scored 31 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, along with 6-9 from 3pt range. The 31 points is actually an US Olympic record and so are the 6 3pters. Marbury came to the gym and practiced on his day off, as he was evidently focused on making a difference. Spain had not lost to that point. Story here......... Sounds like there was quite a bit of tension as well between head coaches........
Where are they now - Matt Weibring
Well, how about this - Matt Weibring is in 2nd place at the Buick Invitational at 5 under. Ok, it's only the first round, but good for him. Leaderboard.
Coach Gailey Call-in show
Well, I missed the first 45 minutes of the show, so my update is woefully lacking. But I'll give you what I have. Here are some more re-caps from the boards
Stingtalk
The Hive
WES: Talk about your defensive coaches.
CG: (reviewed coaches then he said this) One thing though, in those defensive coaching meetings, they are mostly one-way conversations.
WES: (laughing), with Jon Tenuta you mean
CG: yes
QUESTION: Of the 4 offensive lineman you signed last season, who is stepping up in the group?
CG: The two guys who are standing out are Andrew Gardner and Nate McManus. Andrew is a tall guy, 6'7" but he's not that thick. When he came to GT he was around 243lb now he about 260lb. He is a very good athlete with a lot of potential. Nate is about 290lb, very thick, about 6'3". He is playing either center or guard for us and has picked up things very well. He has a little mean streak in him, which is good..... The other two guys, Kieran Delaney and Jacob Lonowski are doing well so far. They are not quite ready to play, but have big potential...... You know lot really depends on the quality of the high school programs they come from to determine how ready they are to play early. The two guys stepping up came from strong high school programs, Sandy Creek GA and Mountain Brook AL, respectively.
WES: You seem to be much more comfortable recruiting on a national stage.
CG: We are. I tell you, the success of the basketball program has helped. They really helped put the Georgia Tech name on the national radar for a lot of kids. They see the "GT" and know what it means. The new ACC and the TV contract have helped also. We are getting more attention and interest from more top athletes than ever before..... What we try to do is recruit strong in the big 3 - Georgia, Florida and Texas. Those are our big 3. Then we work the rest of the country depending on specific kids we find.
WES: You worked out in the Georgia Dome due to rain. That must have been nice
CG: We have been fortunate to be able to work that out when we needed to.
WES: When do you begin preparations for Samford?
CG: Today. We will begin to introduce them to their opponent. At this point, our players are just tired of hitting each other. They are ready to play. They are tired of the scrimmages, where the offense knows what the defense is going to do, and the defense knows what the offense it going to do..... I have just tried to stress that every play is important. We have to come to play every down.
WES: Last year at this time you had a pretty good feel for what you had going into the first game, considering all the troubles before last season. Do you have the same feel for what you have in this team this year?
CG: Well, we can't really get a handle on things because of injuries. But I do have a handle on the character of this team, and I like what I see.
KaMichael Hall picking up LB spot
Nice to see Hall picking up well for his new starting LB assignment. Link here. Interestingly, the story also mentions that 80-90% of the work this coming week would be focused on Samford. One of the discussion boards was debating the merits of possibly spending some time on Clemson as well. Personally I don't think that's a good idea - anyone remember Duke? To spend the first week of the season "looking ahead" doesn't sit well. Of course, 80-90% is a lot, and it didn't say what the other 10-20% would be spent doing.
Also note that freshman Nate McManus practiced with the 1st team - something new. I wish him the best, but I heard once an old adage about starting freshman in college football. For every one you start, add 1 loss to your total. Obviously he is not going to start unless their is a major injury problem, but you get my point. Depth is a real concern, probably the #1 issue on this team.
No Non-sense Defense
Nice article on Jon Tenuta and the defense. As usual he is a man of few words. In fact here is his only quote in the whole piece.
Tenuta, who also coaches the Tech secondary, downplays his part, saying "I'm a firm believer you win with people, players and the coaches working with you."
GT a "top athletic center"
Hey recruits, facilities matter. GT has great ones. Some schools even come to GT to figure out how to make theirs better - link here.
Associated Students of the University of Utah leaders have been traveling across the nation to explore some of the country's top athletic centers including Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Washington State and the University of Idaho at Moscow.
Heck, they're mainly focused on the regular student portion, which is only a fraction of what's there.
"All the Really Good Stuff Comes from the South"
Link here.
The very best athletes and sports teams come from the South. Why, right here in Georgia we enjoy both the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the University of Georgia Bulldogs, both nationally known and respected, with colorful and storied sports histories.
More Prognostications
Link here. On GT:
8. Georgia Tech: Quarterback Reggie Ball set the Yellow Jackets' freshman records for passing yards, pass completions and total offense, and running back P.J. Daniels led the league in rushing. Yet somehow Tech ranked next-to-last in scoring.
Al Ciraldo
A nice article on Al Ciraldo, that was written in 1979. Someone over at the Hive found the link. Story here.
Recruiting - Hoops
Mention of Andrew "Lee" Bynum - link here. Per RamblinRed, Duke is now out of the running with a commit from E.Boateng:
Andrew Bynum, a 6-10, 260 power forward from St. Joseph's in Metuchen, N.J., is scheduled to visit Saturday. St. Joe's produced Duke's Jason Williams.
Bynum impressed the UConn coaching staff at the Nike Camp in Indianapolis over the summer and has become a priority for the program.
North Carolina, Duke, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Georgia and Rutgers are in the mix for Bynum. While Duke has shown interest recently, the Huskies are believed to have the inside track.
Speaking of Boateng, here's an article on the Duke commit. GT did offer him....... Here's another article on Boateng........... And here's one more.
GT Hires a Marketing Firm
Did you know that out of 4.3 million people in metro ATL, only 34,670 are GT grads? UGA In fact there are only 43,065 alumni know to be living in the entire state. So how do you fill a 55,000 seat stadium? Obvioulsy, you try and build some more attraction to the other 4.3 million.
We can bitch and make excuses as to why GT doesn't attract larger crowds, but the facts are that UGA and the Falcons have sold out all available tickets with seating of 92,000 and 71,000 respectively. At GT there are tickets available for ALL home games, even Miami, and BDS holds 55,000.
Now, some of the ways they are looking to help the situation sound interesting
- creative a more festive game-day experience
- pre-game radio show from Bobby Dodd Way
- fan festival area "Wreckfest" on top of Peters Parking Deck
- interactive games, kids activities, concessions
- have GT famous sports figures to meet fans
- create a marketing campaign around the "hometown team" concept
- more visibility of coaches / players around the community
- increase radio coverage of night games (weak signal now)
Sounds like a good start to me. Story here on increasing attendance.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
The "Herbie Awards"
Kirk Herbstreet has recognized James Butler and Jon Tenuta in his 4th annual "Herbie Awards" - link here. (thanks Tom for the link)..... Tenuta gets the nod as the 9th best defensive mastermind in the nation...... Butler gets the nod as the 3rd best "centerfielder" (free safety) in the game.
Football: Dixon an unsung contributor
Nice story on FB Jimmy Dixon. No doubt that he was a big reason why PJ Daniels had such a great season last year, leading the way with his blocking........Mike Knober over at AJC picked up the same story - link here.... How about this - we follow all these recruiting gurus. Max Emfinger ranked him the #2 tailback in the nation out of high school. Wow!!
On the recruiting front, here is a brif mention of Marcus Ball - yes, Reggie's younger brother. He is a stud LB - I mean a real stud, and certainly GT is in the mix to land him. Of course he is class of 2006, so it's a bit early.
Stephenson's Marcus Ball, younger brother of Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball, had 15 tackles in the 14-13 overtime loss to McEachern. . . .
Here's another mention of recent commit Taalib Tucker, another stud LB, but in the class of 2005. Link here.
Westlake linebacker Taalib Tucker became the first area player to commit to a Division I-A school this school year.
The 6-foot-1, 245-pound linebacker said he will sign with Georgia Tech on National Signing Day in February. Tucker chose the Yellow Jackets over Florida, Oklahoma and Ohio State.
He was a member of the South Metro Super 11 team coming into the season after registering 96 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown despite missing several games with a knee injury.
"I feel that I can get some early playing time at Tech," Tucker said Monday. "I think I have a chance to play, if not start, my first year. Besides, it is one of the best academic schools in the country."
Tucker said with the decision behind him, he can fully concentrate on his final season for the Lions. "Now I don't have to worry if there is a scholarship for me," he said. "I can just go out and play."
The Tag-Board is Back
Well, we had some problems a few months ago, and I have decided to give the Tag Board another try. The spyware issue should be all worked out. It is possible that a few popup ads are pushed you way as a result, but it's the tagboard service, not my site. Hopefully you have a pop-up blocker which everyone should have any how.
So start the lively conversations again.
Predicting the ACC
Man do these guys get it all wrong:
9) Georgia Tech: Hard times hit Atlanta last November when the Yellow Jackets when 1-3 in the month, including losses to Duke, Virginia and Georgia.
Seven starters return on offense, including sophomore QB Reggie Ball. Coach Chan Gailey's ball-control offense will have to execute to protect his slumping defense, which gets back DE Eric Henderson and six fellow returning starters.
On another note, looks like "lists" are really back in style. The 10 best this, and the 20 best that. Looks like they will be naming the 10 Greatest College Football Coaches of all-time - link here. The writer mentions Bobby Dodd, although it is not clear that the 200-name list he was supposed to vote for had Dodd on it:
S'cuse me, Gen. Bob Neyland (Tennessee), Fielding Yost (Michigan), Joe Paterno (whose career goes on) and Bobby Dodd (Georgia Tech).
This article from the Washington Post is a good one about the expansion in the ACC. This quote from Ralph Friedgen:
"You see all this media here?" Friedgen said. "We're going to be the most powerful media league in the country. Boston, you're probably going to end up pulling part of New York and Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami. That's pretty powerful.
"And we're truly an Atlantic Coast Conference now. You go from Miami to Boston. You want exposure? As time goes on, I think TV contracts are going to get better. I think the bowl games are going to get better. The media coverage is going to get better. Eventually every kid this side of the Mississippi is going to want to play in the ACC."
Updated 2005 Recruiting Board
I have updated the recruiting board. It is still a work-in-progress with a lot of guys missing. I have added Ryan Wright, Austin Jackson and others, updated a number of guys, added a list of known official visits, and taken Eric Boateng off the board, as he has now committed to Duke. I have also started to add some of the guys to the "off the board" section so you get an idea of who we were after and didn't get.
Link to the 2005 Recruiting Board.
Remember that the permanent link to the board can be found under "recruiting" on the link list.
Where are they now - Matt Weibring
Nice blurb on Matt:
Father Knows Best
Matt Weibring knows what it takes to win at the TPC at River Highlands. He watched his father do it eight years ago.
In 1996, D.A. Weibring was struggling with Bell's palsy. Matt, then 16, spent the week in Cromwell watching his father's GHO victory.
"The only time I've ever been here was for my dad's win," said Matt Weibring, who has a sponsor's exemption for the Buick Championship - his first PGA Tour event this year. "It was pretty cool. He was just happy to be out there playing and maybe make a cut. But all of the sudden he played great and won."
Matt talked his father through that final round, and D.A. gave his son credit for his victory.
"When I do motivational speaking engagements, I talk about that GHO week and role reversals, how your son or daughter can help a parent, just like a parent can help their children," D.A. Weibring told The Courant three years ago. "It was an unbelievable experience."
After an All-American career at Georgia Tech, Matt played on the Nationwide Tour last year and received sponsors' exemptions to the 2002 and '03 John Deere Classic. That event is played at the TPC at Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., a course designed by his father.
Matt said he has received some tips from his father on the TPC at River Highlands.
"I have a lot of good memories of this course, so hopefully it will carry over to this week," he said. "Hopefully I'll have some good luck like Dad did."
Recruiting - Hoops
First, Lewis Clinch is visiting GT this weekend - let's hope it's a great visit and he'll end his recruiting. However, he does have visits schedule with WF and UGA. And now Duke is involved and the evil one has an in-home visit with him soon.
Adrian Thomas, who plays the 3/4-spot, seems to be favoring GT and will be visiting campus soon.
Here is an article on Russell Robinson, a NY guard who was recruited by GT and ended up in Kansas. Here's who he was rooting for in the Kansas/GT game in last year's tourney:
No doubt Self wishes he had the luxury of a stopper-type defender like Robinson last March in St. Louis when point guard Aaron Miles logged a lung-searing 43 minutes in the Jayhawks' 79-71 overtime loss to Georgia Tech in the NCAA Elite Eight.
Robinson, who had considered signing with Georgia Tech as well as Kentucky a few months earlier, watched that game on television at a friend's house back home.
"I was rooting for Kansas," Robinson recalled. "You always wish you could be out there playing, but my time will come."
Surely, if Self had been able to give Miles more bench time, Miles would have been more effective against Tech point guard Jarrett Jack, who led the Yellow Jackets in points (29), rebounds (9) and assists (6) in the game that prevented the Jayhawks from making a third straight Final Four appearance.
The 1990 Football Title Controversy Referenced
Our 1990 Football National Championship "split" with Colorado gets some play in the media this week due to the whole Paul Hamm Olympic deal. Check this out.
Besides, sports provide us so many great examples of nobility.
The Soviet Union gave its 1972 Olympic gold medals in men's basketball to the United States. The Kansas City Royals sent their 1985 World Series championship rings to St. Louis. The University of Colorado football team forfeited its fifth-down touchdown victory over Missouri and shipped an undisputed 1990 college championship trophy to Georgia Tech.
Wait. You say they didn't? Well, slap me with a silly stick. You mean we're supposed to accept human error? Display grace even in defeat? Get over the bad hands life sometimes deals us and move on? Even in sports? Even in the Olympics? Run ahead, you say? Mercy!
Even the Rudy movie gets a mention - link here
Screenwriters would hammer out rough drafts of Hamm's story before the plane returning him home was off the runway. (Hey, if a movie can be made of a Notre Dame walk-on football player who got onto the field for a few seconds against Georgia Tech, surely a movie could be made of the gymnast who went for the gold, and then gave it up.)
More On Owings Transferring
From his hometown paper, Micah isn't saying anything negative about GT or the staff - link here.
"This has been a great time in my life," Owings, a 19th round selection (576th pick) of the Chicago Cubs, said. "However, I feel that I need to make a change. Change is not something anyone loves, and especially me, for those who know me and the routines to which I am accustomed. I have fond memories that I will carry with me throughout my life of the times and experiences with the athletic department, faculty and staff, and, of course, my teammates."
"I appreciate the opportunities, in every respect, that I've had these two years at Tech," he said. "It's a terrific program. My family has been Tech fans all our lives and always will be. I never have or will have any negative comments to make about Georgia Tech."
This from AccessNorth.
More on Logan at QB
Story here........ Here are some team notes, including an O-Line that is STILL limited in action due to injuries. Also note the comments on one of our latest recruits, Todd Walker. Like I said, he wants to be a QB....period.
Here's a rundown of the new look ACC.........And of course it has had a positive impact on recruiting - link here.
Mercifully, a new poll is up
Ok, I got lazy on the poll. A new one is up. The results of the last one to the question:
How many more years will Paul Hewitt coach GT hoops?
34%.....7-12 years
23%.....3-6 years
21%.....13-20 years
14%.....21+ years
7%......1-2 years
Bottom-line - YOU DON'T KNOW. But I think you got the answer right. 7-12 years would get his oldest daughter off to college. He might start really thinking about the NBA lifestyle at that point. We'll see.
Pre-Season Sagarin Rankings
Well, the Sagarin rankings are out for the 2004 pre-season and GT comes in......drum roll....... #33. Of course anyone who follows these rankings closely knows they become more significant as the season progresses and more games are played. Just not much data to work with right now. Link here.
Here is how ACC / SEC teams stacked up:
1...Miami
3...FSU
5...UGAg
6...LSU
11..Florida
13..Tennessee
14..Maryland
16..Auburn
19..Virginia Tech
20..NC ST
21..Arkansas
23..Mississippi
26..Clemson
28..Alabama
31..Virginia
33..Georgia Tech
34..Boston College (to be)
47..South Carolina
54..Wake Forest
66..Kentucky
68..North Carolina
77..Miss St.
90..Vanderbilt
98..Duke
The ACC overall is ranked #1, with the SEC at #2. However, the conference rankings are very close, so it looks like we will have to play the games after-all.
Football Fix
LOGAN TO FOCUS AT QB
RamblinWreck.com
Well, isn't this interesting. I don't know if it says more about the strength of the WR core or the depth of the QB position. Looks like Taylor Bennett will redshirt for sure. Don't tell me some guys aren't team players. They're not all about the PT. Check out this quote from Mark Logan:
Now that is leadership. Heck hearing things like that just makes me root for the guy to get into the games.
"If Coach needs to me to go in at quarterback, I can be a quarterback," said the Greenwood, S.C. native. "If he needs me to go in at receiver, I can be a receiver. If he needs me on special teams . . . wherever he needs me, I can go in and do it.
"I just look at this as a chance to help the team."
LOGAN WORKING AT BACKUP QB
Mike Knobler - AJC
Well, here's the same story from AJC.
LANDRY GLAD TO BE BACK IN ACTION
Rana Cash - AJC
Glad to see Dawan Landry hungry to get back on the field. By the way, did you read what I said below in the Todd Walker post about the value of recruiting high school QB's? Check this quote out:
Just how much that helps him add to last season's production is unknown. Landry delivered bone-jarring hits and finished the season as Tech's fourth-leading tackler with 85, including six tackles for loss. He also contributed two interceptions, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. Against Florida State, Landry was a menace: He recovered a fumble, intercepted a pass and broke up a pass. To punctuate his performance, he caught a 12-yard pass for a first down on a fake punt.
That's the kind of play the former quarterback is capable of, but even he needs practice to avoid taking a step backward.
TERPS ANNOUNCE SELLOUTS
Well, the GT/MD game in College Park is sold out. No doubt they are going to want revenge.
ALL TEXAS SPORTS, 24 HOURS A DAY
Well, Texas has created a 24-hour network devoted to Texas sports. For $3.95/month you can subscribe. If GT offered the same would you pay? I would (if only to feed this monster). Notice this comment about content:
The university reached deep into its archive for some of the programming, Plonsky said. The channel will broadcast coaches' game films, some of it transferred from the old 8-mm film, to show classic UT contest dating back to the Longhorns' 14-7 win over Georgia Tech in the Cotton Bowl in 1943.
Just thank ESPN Classic for this.
TENNESSEE TO START FRESHMAN QB
Notice Stewart Mandel's reference to true freshman QB's, including Reggie Ball.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Olympic Update
Angelo Taylor falls short in his bid to repeat gold in the 400m hurdles. He didn't even make the finals, coming in 4th in a semi-final. I saw the race on NBC and I have to tell you, I wasn't impressed. Of course I know nothing about the sport, but when you see guys doing hurdles, you are used to a certain form with the front leg shooting out and the other tucked tightly under your body, just hugging the hurdle as you go over. I also am aware that in the 400m the form is not as clean. But man, see Taylor jump over those hurdles did not look graceful. He just looked like a big dude trying to jump and run fast, with not much form and a loping runner.
Again, I don't know squat, and he was a gold medalist, but I didn't get it.
Recruiting - Hoops
Brief mention on Austin Jackson, a two-sport star who has GT in his final 3 schools. He is a top 50 player in hoops and also likely to be a 1st-3rd round pick in next year's baseball draft. So personally, I'm not getting my hopes too high. He wants to play both sports in school, but if he is drafted high, will life in the minor leagues take him away? Good chance. Link here.
Denton (Texas) Ryan guard Austin Jackson will make an official visit to Illinois on the weekend of Sept. 10-12. Jackson, who could go in the top three rounds in the major league baseball amateur draft, is also considering Georgia Tech and Oklahoma in basketball. Rivals ranked the 6-1, 170-pounder at No. 49 nationally.
Another brief mention here:
Denton (Texas) Ryan High School guard Austin Jackson will make an official visit to Illinois on the weekend of Sept. 10-12. Jackson, who could go in the top three rounds in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, is also considering Georgia Tech and Oklahoma in basketball.
Rivals.com ranked the 6-1, 170-pounder at No. 49 nationally. The Illini have two open scholarships and likely will award one apiece to a guard and a forward-center. Illinois already has commitments from Peoria Richwoods guard Jamar Smith and forward David Palmer, a Tennessee native who is enrolled this year at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
Recruiting - Hoops
Brief mention on Austin Jackson, a two-sport star who has GT in his final 3 schools. He is a top 50 player in hoops and also likely to be a 1st-3rd round pick in next year's baseball draft. So personally, I'm not getting my hopes too high. He wants to play both sports in school, but if he is drafted high, will life in the minor leagues take him away? Good chance. Link here.
Denton (Texas) Ryan guard Austin Jackson will make an official visit to Illinois on the weekend of Sept. 10-12. Jackson, who could go in the top three rounds in the major league baseball amateur draft, is also considering Georgia Tech and Oklahoma in basketball. Rivals ranked the 6-1, 170-pounder at No. 49 nationally.
Another brief mention here:
Denton (Texas) Ryan High School guard Austin Jackson will make an official visit to Illinois on the weekend of Sept. 10-12. Jackson, who could go in the top three rounds in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, is also considering Georgia Tech and Oklahoma in basketball.
Rivals.com ranked the 6-1, 170-pounder at No. 49 nationally. The Illini have two open scholarships and likely will award one apiece to a guard and a forward-center. Illinois already has commitments from Peoria Richwoods guard Jamar Smith and forward David Palmer, a Tennessee native who is enrolled this year at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
Scoring in the Red-Zone
Hey, hey, we're talking football here - easy now. This article talks about Charlie Whitehurst and his improving ability to score inside the 20 yard line. This mentions GT:
Clemson got inside the red zone 47 times last year, and only scored 26 touchdowns, for a percentage of 55.3. Only three teams in the ACC, Florida State (53.8), Duke (48.8) and Georgia Tech (39.4), had a lower success rate of scoring touchdowns when inside the 20.
Ok, there are two reasons we should be improved in this area, and both are over 6'3" tall - Calvin Johnson and D-Bilbo. Now I know you cannot throw every ball up for grabs. But when one guy is 6'4" and has a 43" vertical, you can throw it up more often than not.
Bottom line is that to be successful this season we have to score more points.
Recruiting - Hoops
Mention of dual-sport star Austin Jackson, who has GT in his final 3. Link here.
Denton (Texas) Ryan guard Austin Jackson will make an official visit to Illinois on the weekend of Sept. 10-12. Jackson, who could go in the top three rounds in the major league baseball amateur draft, is also considering Georgia Tech and Oklahoma in basketball. Rivals ranked the 6-1, 170-pounder at No. 49 nationally.
I'm trying not to get too excited about this kid. He wants to play both sports in college, but if he is a 1-3 round pick, will he head to the minors? My guess is probably, but what do I know?
Here's another mention from an Illinois site - link here.
Denton (Texas) Ryan High School guard Austin Jackson will make an official visit to Illinois on the weekend of Sept. 10-12. Jackson, who could go in the top three rounds in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, is also considering Georgia Tech and Oklahoma in basketball.
Rivals.com ranked the 6-1, 170-pounder at No. 49 nationally. The Illini have two open scholarships and likely will award one apiece to a guard and a forward-center. Illinois already has commitments from Peoria Richwoods guard Jamar Smith and forward David Palmer, a Tennessee native who is enrolled this year at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
Princeton Review looks at study habits
Story from a UGA site about Princeton Reviews list of study habits. This on GT:
"The average GPA here is fairly high," said Kyle Sewell, a sophomore from Lawrenceville. "At Georgia Tech, (students) spend more time studying, but the GPA is lower."
Hoops Fix
Duke recruiting notes here.......Now, you know your program is on top of the world when you can attract all the top recruits and your head coach is talking about who he is going to redshirt and saying things like this:
“I don’t know who it will be, “ Self said, “but we have about eight perimeter players and we’ll probably only play five or six.”
Welcome to Kansas recruits!!!...... Here's more on recruiting, inlcuding blurbs on Kovotney Barber, who has an offer from GT (from the 2005 class). This one could come down to another battle with UK.
Kansas makes the news in suspensions also. First Jeff Hawkins is suspended indefinitely for unnamed issues. Story here. Also Keith Langford was publicly reprimanded for his comments about the refs after fouling out of the GT game in the tourney last season:
The NCAA gave Keith Langford a public reprimand Monday for making inappropriate comments about the officiating in Kansas' overtime loss to Georgia Tech in the Elite Eight last spring.
Here's more on that story.
Langford was upset when referee Jim Burr called him for his fifth foul with 3 minutes, 44 seconds remaining in overtime.
“I think it was a horrible call,” Langford said. “It's very unfortunate that the referee 80 feet from the play called the foul rather than the ref that was right there on top of things. Big games down the stretch … I always thought you let the players decide. If that referee is reffing one of our games again next year … I'll be sure to let him know how I feel.”
Langford has sent Burr a letter of apology.
On the recruiting front, notice that Kevin Rogers is no longer going to visit Kansas this weekend with CJ Miles. He will reschedule.
Beesball Fix
Ok, hard to "get a fix" when most of the stories are about one of your top guys leaving.
TECH LOSES OWINGS
Brian Murphy - Macon Telegraph
Owings has visited Texas, Tulane and Arizona State the last 3 days. He will not have to sit out a year.
GT BASEBALL STAR TO TRANSFER
Adam Van Brimmer - Savannah Morning News
OWINGS OPTS OUT OF JACKETS PROGRAM
Amber Roessner - Gainesville Times
From his hometown paper. A lot more information in this article, worth the read.
MICAH OWINGS TO TRANSFER FROM GT
Associated Press
Short and to the point. Nothing new in this one.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW - JASON PERRY
Doug Gorman - News Daily
Now for some good news. Perry continues his offensive on-slaught. Through last week he had 20 HRs, 70 RBIs and a .338 average.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW - MATT MURTON
Doug Gorman - Henry Herald
Murton hits his first HR since joining Cubs minor league system in the Nomar trade.
Football Fix
WILKINSON LEARNING THE ROPES
Mike Knobler - AJC
This certainly gives you some measure of confidence at the MLB spot. I am feeling ok about Reis as well. Funny, two major question marks were LB and WR. Seems that both are in decent shape. Not a lot of experience, but good talent there. So still at the #1 position of concern is the O-Line in my book.
INJURIES CONTINUE TO PLAGUE O-LINE
Adam Van Brimmer - Savannah Morning News
An imperfect way to lead into this story.
NEAR CAPACITY FOR PRACTICE
Mike Knobler - AJC
Every starter except Brad Honeycutt practiced Monday. What a change. Chris Woods sustained a shoulder injury - let's hope that is minor. Evidently he was injured when tackled by freshman Daryl Richard. Probably will only miss a few days.
LANDRY RETURNS AFTER 2-WEEK LAYOFF
Macon Telegraph
Well, if read this, there were about 3 guys who missed practice, not one like the AJC reported..... On another note, it gets my football juices flowing when I hear things like "unveiling a new scheme".... cool.
GAILEY COMMENTS ON RECRUITING CHANGESMichael Mueller
I think these quotes are old, but I'll put them here anyway.
Some coaches, however, such as Georgia Tech’s Chan Gailey, saw the reasoning behind a transportation restriction.
“If [a prospect] flies in on a private plane it’s going to be a lot different than if he makes that trip for four years back and forth,” Gailey said. “There’s some validity to the rule; it’s not like it’s totally asinine.”
Yet Gailey also suggested that there are better solutions to the recruiting problem than the new regulations.
“The NCAA wants you to be responsible for the kid 24/7, but they won’t let you be around him. They legislate how much time you can spend with a kid during the spring and the summer, and how much structure you can have,” Gailey said. “Let us have the time with them. Let us spend time with them in structure, in football, in what they like, so that we have a little bit of a holdover. But that won’t ever hold water. They’d never do that.”
WISCONSIN PREPARES FOR UCF
Wisc State Journal
Why is this story here. Well, Wisconsin is preparing for their match-up with UCF by watching old game film of Georgia Tech.
A bigger problem this time is that O'Leary's offenses tend to have a lot of different looks, which can be tough to prepare for, even with recent game tapes.
"The things they did at Georgia Tech, when George was there, present a lot of problems," Alvarez said. "They're multiple on offense, so there are a lot of adjustments that your defense has to make. We're probably going to have to squeeze things down.
"We'll review and prepare for so many things, the simpler the better. The important thing for me is we get our guys lined up and they understand responsibilities and they can play fast."
WHERE ARE THEY NOW - JEFF FORD
Story about Satellite High and the former athletes who graced their halls, incluing this on Jeff Ford:
3. Jeff Ford: The 12th-round draft choice of the New York Jets in 1972 was an All-American defensive back at Georgia Tech after a solid prep career, capped by the Scorpions' first district football title. In the NFL, he was not only a hard-hitting defensive back, but also a speedy punt returner.
Monday, August 23, 2004
How excited do we get??
Ok, it seems solid now that Todd Walker is 100% committed to the Jackets as a QB. See the post below for details, but here is a kid that would probably be considered the fastest guy on the GT team (or pretty darn close). He has been timed in the 4.3 range in the 40 at 3 different camps, so he has speed. His video clips show that he uses his speed well, he is elusive and hard to tackle. His passing seems good, but honestly I have no feel at all for his talent level throwing the ball. One of the reasons he chose GT is that we are recruiting him as only a QB and don't want to switch him to another position. That's where he wants to develop.
Now here is the reality. Look at our QB situation in the next few years:
RB=Reggie Ball
PC=Patrick Carter
TB=Taylor Bennett
KM=Kyle Manley
TW=Todd Walker
BB=Robby Brown
2004 - RB(so)/PC(rs-fr)/TB(fr)/KM(fr)/BB(rs-sr)
2005 - RB(jr)/PC(rs-so)/TB(rs-fr)/KM(rs-fr)/TW(fr)
2006 - RB(sr)/PC(rs-jr)/TB(rs-so)/KM(rs-so)/TW(rs-fr)
2007 - PC(rs-sr)/TB(rs-jr)/KM(rs-jr)/TW(rs-so)
2008 - TB(rs-sr)/KM(rs-sr)/TW(rs-jr)
2009 - TW(rs-sr)
Now, that's just looking year by year as they progress towards graduation. It's also assuming that Taylor Bennett, Kyle Manley and Todd Walker all red-shirt for one year. If the NCAA rules to allow a 5th year of eligibility the result will be the same in the analysis.
So here's the question. How excited can you get about a guy who might not see the field for years? Well, no doubt the answer is VERY EXCITED. Why?
1. PJ Daniels proved that a 7th string player can become the go-to guy. A critical injury and the picture changes dramatically.
2. Reggie Ball has not been given the keys to the car for the next 3 years. He has to earn it. If he plays this season the same as last season, I'm not sure how solid he will be heading into his junior season. He needs to show progress. Coach Gailey has proven that no job is 100% secure - you have to perform.
3. Reggie Ball is the only guy who has ever taken a snap at the collegiate level. All the back-ups are 100% inexperienced in game situations. So that means that Walker has every shot to outplay them for the the #2 spot or even higher depending on Reggie.
4. Attracting a top-flight guy like Walker can also lead to other recruits taking a 2nd look at GT. He comes from the Texas, arguably the most prolific high school talent pool in the nation. Our recruiting base in Texas is strengthening.
Here's the frustrating thing for me. Walker has the physical tools to play a lot of spots on the field. He could be really good early, particularly in other spots. But he wants to play QB. We have to respect that because he probably would not have come here if he was going to play another spot. That's the selfish side of me coming out though. You look at that speed and you say wow.
Having said that, I wonder if this opens up the possibility of Pat Carter playing another position. I know Coach Gailey has said he is also the type player that just benefits the team when you can get him on the field. He has been nagged by injuries at the worst time. Heck, if it weren't for a knee injurty, there's a remote possibility he could be our starting QB right now. Reggie stepped up in the situation as a frosh, but you never know.
So would Gailey move Carter? Right now, we NEED Carter at QB. He's been through the system for two pre-seasons now and went through a full season as a back-up, learning the system. Outside of Ball, he's clearly got the most experience.
Believe me, I don't know anything here - just pure speculation. Probably not a good idea, but I'll do it anyhow. It begs one more question - how many QB's do you want to have in the system? Well, conventional wisdom is that you can never have too many. Kids who play QB in high school have certain qualities that can be translated to the college level in many other positions. They tend to be leaders, they tend to be athletes, they tend to understand intricacies of systems. The problem is that you will never satisfy all those guys. Only 1 guy can be the #1 QB.
Anyway you look at it, one thing is clear. Coach Gailey has stepped up his recruiting. Each year has clearly been stronger than the previous and 2005 appears to have gotten off to the best start of all.
For a full list of commits, click here...... Also, here is what many of the "gurus" think of the most talented skill position players this recruiting season - link here. Notice there is an archive of previous questions for the same panel.
US News / World Reports College Rankings
Link here for the list. Here is how the ACC stacked up:
ACC Academic Rankings:
#5 Duke
#22 UVa
#27 Wake
#29 UNC
#37 BC
#41 GT
#56 MD
#58 MIAMI
#74 Clemson
#74 VT
#86 NCSt
#111 FSU
In case you are keeping score at home, here is how the brain trust at the SEC fared:
SEC Academic Rankings:
#18 Vandy
#50 UF
#58 UGA
#86 Bama
#90 Aub
#90 Tenn
#117 USC-east
#120 Ark
#120 KY
NR Miss
NR MSU
NR LSU
You know, for all our fussing and sniping over UGA academics, they are actually ruining the curve for most of the rest of the SEC. How about that.
Sarunas Jasikevicius - you pronounce it
Interesting story on this former Maryland hoops player, including this GT reference:
In `98 he averaged 12.8 points, hit three free throws with a second left to win at Georgia Tech and helped the Terps made the Final 16 of the NCAA tournament. They lost to Arizona, in Anaheim.
Athlon Hoops 2004/05 Issue out soon
In should be on newsstands September 1. Here is a picture of the GT cover - link here.
Recruiting - Hoops 2007
No, I'm not kidding. 2007. Insiders has a ranking of the top 15 in that class. Interestingly the #1 guy, OJ Mayo, has GT on his list.
In more recent recruiting news, Brandon Costner has narrowed his final list down to 4, and GT is not on it. His finalists are NCST, Seton Hall, Kansas (yes them again) and UCLA. It also seems (from RamblinRed and the recruiting sites) that Cyrus McGowan is down to Miss.St and GT..... and he had like 9 relatives go to Miss.St. That one should be interesting.
Now for something you DON'T want to hear. Evidently our top player on the board, Lewis Clinch, now has another team involved - Duke. Just what we need. And of course, we all know the Dukies don't "recruit", they "chose". We'll have to stay tuned to see how this impacts his recruiting, but anytime Duke decides to get involved - like it or not - they are a factor. Stay tuned.
Around the ACC, UNC received a commit from Tyler Hansbrough, who is considered by some to be the #1 player in the 2005 class. He's not one of the those super-athletic freaks, just a very hard worker who has a lot of all-around skills. Here's a nice story on him just prior to his announcement today for UNC - link here. No doubt Roy Williams is stepping up recruiting for UNC. But again, here's the rub. If the kid is assured to be a lottery pick in the 2005, be assured he is gone. He has said so. It will be interesting to watch. But the ACC snags another top recruit.
Where are they now - Kelly Campbell
Looks like Campbell has become quite the jokester on the Vikings. We heard a couple of weeks ago about his hazing of rookies. Now more of the same - link here. In case you're wondering, Brock Lesner is a former WWE wrestler turned rookie football player.
Even if he doesn't make the 53-man roster, pro wrestler-turned-defensive lineman Brock Lesnar has earned the respect of his Minnesota teammates. As part of rookie hazing to mark the end of training camp, Lesnar was piled on by six teammates, followed by 170-pound wide receiver Kelly Campbell scoring a mock pin on the former WWE and NCAA heavyweight champion. "I think they wanted to make sure Brock felt like one of the boys before we left here," Vikings coach Mike Tice said.
Here's more details on the incident - link here.
Pro wrestler Brock Lesnar, trying out for the Vikings, almost escaped traditional rookie hazing. He didn't get his hair shaved, but when veterans started gathering the day camp broke, Lesnar said, "I kind of caught onto it."
Lesnar took off running, displaying his unusual 4.7 speed for someone 6 feet 3 inches, 290 pounds, but was caught by running back Larry Ned. Of course, Ned needed help bringing him down.
"My argument," Ned said, "is by the time I get to him, what am I going to do with him?"
Half a dozen players converged on Lesnar and taped his ankles together. Moss dumped a cooler-sized container of water on his head. Then 170-pound receiver Kelly Campbell jumped on the pile and pretended to pin Lesnar. Campbell slammed the ground three times with his palm.
"I knew it was coming one of these days," Lesnar said.
Andy Katz talks hoops
A Q&A session, with this about the ACC:
Is there any conference stronger than the SEC this year? Besides Kentucky, who is loaded, Mississippi State, Alabama and LSU also have talent. I would like to see Oklahoma State try to handle Chuck Hayes or Lawrence Roberts.
Davis
Champaign, Ill.
Davis,
I have to differ. The ACC is the top conference in 2004-05. The league could put eight teams in the tournament and as many as three Final Four teams. Wake, UNC, Georgia Tech and Maryland are all legit Final Four contenders. Don't count out Duke making noise, either. N.C. State will be a factor in the race and Florida State and Virginia have the talent to make the NCAAs. At the very minimum, I'm looking at seven teams in the tournament.
Lunch Bunch Report - Wes Durham
Nice re-cap of a Wes Durham lunch bunch in ATL today - link here. Most interesting comment to me was this that Wes heard from Chan Gailey:
10) Chan Gailey "It is not my job to sacrifice the integrity of the institute for the betterment of the football team." Qoute Wes said has stuck with him.
Those who want a top 10 power year-in year-out for GT will not like that, but I do.
Also mentioned that with Wes's new job with the Falcons, he will not miss any football games, and as it stands only one hoops game - Gonzaga in Vegas. His order of priority is GT Football, Falcons football, GT Hoops.
Around the ACC
A look at FSU and other ACC teams. This on GT:
Georgia Tech - Want another chip in your argument that ACC football has improved dramatically? The last time Georgia Tech did not go to a bowl game was 1996.
Also interesting about ESPN and their show "The Season":
ESPN The Season To Follow the ACC This Year
ESPN has tailored its show The Season a number of different ways in the past. They've gone week to week with the Dallas Cowboys and Texas A&M football. They've done a post-season show after being with us for all of the 2001 season. For this year, ESPN will follow the entire Atlantic Coast Conference picking one home team each week to follow the whole week culminating in the game. ESPN's will follow Florida State as we prepare for Clemson. The FSU program will get even more exposure, however, as ESPN will follow the Hurricanes through their entire week of preparation for our game as well as NC State. Air dates and times have not been announced.
Interview with Stewart Cink
Nice interview. Here's what he had to say about GT:
Q. Talk about your time at Georgia Tech, and also I want to ask you, how were you able to handle being in college and having played golf and being a husband and father? That's got to be difficult.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but honest no doubt.
STEWART CINK: Well, I love being the husband and father. I hope I never have to go back to college (laughter). I don't want to do that again because that was difficult, and financially, I don't know how we made ends meet. In fact, I didn't. When I turned pro, we had negative $5. That's not a very good net worth. It was really tough, balancing the schedule, and my wife had to take a job. Georgia Tech really didn't help us out much, either. They never really gave her in state tuition. We lived in Georgia but she was from Alabama like I was, so we had to continue paying out of state for her, and it was a lot of difficulties. Overall when I look back on those days, it's what has gotten me to the point where I'm at now where I'm able to persevere through a lot of things.
Olympic Update
Angelo Taylor advances to the semi-finals of the men's 400m hurdles (link here). He won gold in Sydney and moves to the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Chaunte Howard compete's in the women's high jump on Thursday.
XM Radio Posts ACC Schedule
Well, for you XM Radio subscribers, they have released their ACC football schedule. Link here.
Saturday, August 28
Southern Cal @ Virginia Tech 7:45PM
Saturday, September 4
Wake Forest @ Clemson 3:30PM
Samford @ Georgia Tech 1PM
Northern Illinois @ Maryland 6PM
Wm.&Mary @ North Carolina 1:35PM
Richmond @ NC State 6PM
Monday, September 6
FSU @ Miami 8PM
Saturday, September 11
Georgia Tech @ Clemson 8PM
Temple @ Maryland 6PM
North Carolina @ Virginia 3:30PM
Western Michigan @ Virginia Tech 12Noon
Saturday, September 18
UAB @ Florida State 6:30PM
La. Tech @ Miami 1PM
Georgia Tech @ North Carolina 6:05PM
Ohio State @ NC State 3:30PM
Akron @ Virginia 3PM
Duke @ Virginia Tech 12Noon
NC A&T @ Wake Forest 6:30PM
Saturday, September 25
Maryland @ Duke TBD
Clemson @ Florida State TBD
Louisville @ North Carolina TBD
Syracuse @ Virginia TBD
NC State @ Virginia Tech TBD
Boston College @ Wake Forest TBD
Saturday, October 2
Citadel @ Duke TBD
North Carolina @ Florida State TBD
Miami @ Georga Tech TBD
Wake Forest @ NC State TBD
West Virginia @ Virginia Tech TBD
Thursday, October 7
Clemson @ Virginia 7:30PM
Saturday, October 9
Georgia Tech @ Maryland TBD
NC State @ North Carolina TBD
Virginia Tech @ Wake Forest TBD
Thursday, October 14
Louisville @ Miami 7:30PM
Saturday, October 16
Utah State @ Clemson 1PM
Virginia @ Florida State TBD
Duke @ Georgia Tech TBD
NC State @ Maryland TBD
Florida A&M @ Virginia Tech TBD
Saturday, October 23
Maryland @ Clemson TBD
Virginia @ Duke TBD
Miami @ NC State TBD
Florida State @ Wake Forest TBD
Thursday, October 28
Virginia Tech @ Georgia Tech 7:30PM
Saturday, October 30
NC State @ Clemson TBD
Florida State @ Maryland TBD
Miami @ North Carolina TBD
Duke @ Wake Forest TBD
Saturday, November 6
Duke @ Florida State TBD
Clemson @ Miami TBD
Virginia Tech @ North Carolina TBD
Georgia Tech @ NC State TBD
Maryland @ Virginia TBD
Thursday, November 11
NC State @ Florida State 7:30PM
Saturday, November 13
Clemson @ Duke TBD
Uconn @ Georgia Tech TBD
Miami @ Virginia TBD
North Carolina @ Wake Forest TBD
Thursday, November 18
Maryland @ Va Tech 7:30PM
Saturday, November 20
South Carolina @ Clemson TBD
North Carolina @ Duke TBD
Florida @ Florida State TBD
Virginia @ Georgia Tech TBD
Wake Forest @ Miami TBD
Saturday, November 27
Wake Forest @ Maryland TBD
Virginia @ Virginia Tech TBD
Saturday, December 4
Virginia Tech @ Miami 1PM
Beesball News - Slayden back, Owings not
Well, it's official - Micah Owings will transfer - link here. No doubt I am disappointed in this. It would be hard enough to see him go pro, but at least then you know the motivation. Transferring really puts into question what is going on in his head or the program itself. Rumors on the board said he was not pleased with his off-season progress at the plate after a solid freshman campaign and wanted better coaching help. He may also have been disappointed with his coaching on the mound. This is only speculation. Of course, our hitting coach left the team to take another job. Any way you cut it, this is a tough loss. One of our best pitchers and hitters will be playing for some other college - rumors are Texas.
The good news is that Jeremy Slayden WILL return after being drafted in the 18th round by the Oakland A's. No doubt Slayden can be an impact player for us next season, so I am glad to see him back. He will actually have 2 years of eligibility remaining since he took a medical redshirt after a season-ending shoulder surgery.
No news yet on Eric Patterson, but news will have to come soon. Classes are underway. He cannot miss much longer. Man, it would be great to have him at the top of the line-up this season. He is so close to setting GT and ACC stolen base records and he is just a competitive disruption for opposing teams.
Where are they now - Stewart Cink
Cink conquers his fear of losing - nice article. As a reminder, head to www.bugmenot.com to get an id and password for this site...... Here is another good article from the same paper on Cink's win.
Where are they now - George Godsey
Mention of the re-uniting of O'Leary and Godsey at UCF - link here.
O'Leary reunited with QB
Four years with Coach George O'Leary just wasn't enough time for George Godsey.
Godsey, who played quarterback under O'Leary at Georgia Tech from 1998-2001 and earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors in 2000, now serves as a UCF offensive graduate assistant.
Godsey played arena football after leaving Tech and won an ArenaBowl as a backup with the Tampa Bay Storm in 2003.
He was in Texas for another season of arena ball when he called his old coach for some advice.
"I called him up and wanted some advice on where I was at," Godsey said.
"Fortunately, there was a position open."
"I think it's the best thing for me and a good thing for him to get another guy that knows what he wants."
Godsey tutored quarterbacks during the summer and currently is helping the offensive line, but as a young assistant, he also has to do some grunt work.
"It's a lot of yard dog work to start off, but I'm with a great offensive staff that's going to help me learn the business," Godsey said.
O'Leary is very pleased with the attitude and contributions of his former quarterback.
"He does what few young coaches do -- he has something done before you ask for it to be done, which is a sign of a guy that's in tune with what's going on," O'Leary said.
Ohlahoma "masters" come under scrutiny
Interesting look at Ok.St and Ok and two key losses - one in football - the national championship game - and one in hoops, against GT. Both had key decisions that are being questioned now. Link here. For Sutton, it was the decision to keep in defensive liability John Lucas, who was ultimately burned by Will Bynum for that famous game-winning layup.
Recruiting - Football
Todd Walker may be our #1 and only QB recruit for the 2005 class, but here is a note on a guy in the 2006 class we are looking at - BJ Philips, who actually goes to the same high school - Spring Valley in Columbia SC - that I did for my senior year. Link here.
Spring Valley junior quarterback B.J. Phillips (6-6, 235) projects as a top prospect for next season and is already getting a strong interest from Clemson, according to his coach Jimmy Noonan. Phillips is drawing interest from USC, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Duke, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Ohio State.
Where are they now - Dorsey Levins
Looks like Levins has found a home with the Eagles - link here....... Here's another article on the same.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Three way battle for Tight End
Nice to have a 3-way battle where all guys are playing well. The TE spot should be interesting. Story here.
Q&A with Nomar
Interview Here:
Interesting, Nomar's superstitious color is red. He always has to be wearing something red, even when he was at GT. Here's what he had to say:
MLB.com: Did you wear the red one when you played at Georgia Tech?
Sorry, but that taints his image for me.
Garciaparra: I always had something red with me, even at Georgia Tech. I had to hide it because it was our rival's colors and my coach hated that color so I had to hide it, but it was on me somewhere.
Recruiting - more on new football recruits
These guys are real athetes. They are players and nice additions to our recruiting class for 2005. This class is shaping up quite nicely.
Well, here is what we know:
TODD WALKER
QB from Pflugerville Texas
6'1" 170lb
FAST - 4.36 in the 40.
Chose GT over Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Purdue and Texas A&M
Wants to be a QB. That was an important criteria for the schools that recruited him. He wants to play QB in college and develop in that position. For the Jackets, Walker was the only QB they were recruiting and had offered. He is a smart kid too, with close to a 4.0 GPA (weighted it is over 4.5). His junior year he threw for 832 yards, ran for 790 and had 17 TD's. His brother is a red-shirt frosh at Purdue and his father played TE at Texas Tech. He is ranked as the 97th best player in the nation by Rivals in their nationwide top 100. Ranked as the 30th best "athlete" (funny earlier in the year he was in the top 10). What's ironic is that he is in the nationwide top 100 but somehow he ends up #50 in the state of Texas. Shows you I have just spent too much time talking rankings. If you watched any of the video of Walker on the recruiting sites, what you saw was eye-opening. Fast and elusive and hard to tackle. It's going to be hard for Tech fans to watch him on the sidelines when you know he's the type player you just want to have on the field somewhere. But he is committing here because he wants to be a QB - period..... Here's mention of Walker from a TX site:
The top participant in the SQT at Round Rock will unquestionably be Pflugerville QB Todd Walker, who has blazing 4.35 speed and rushed for 1,567 yards and 22 TDs on just 176 carries last season. Through the air, Walker was 63-of-135 for 667 yards and 10 TDs, with 8 INTs.
Here's a review of his high school team....... Here, ESPN has him listed as the 8th best safety in the nation. Here's what his high school coach had to say about him:
"Todd's a top athlete, good work ethics, good in the classroom, a good kid period." - George Hermann, head football coach, Pflugerville.
TAALIB TUCKER
LB from East Point, GA
5'11.5", 233lb
Strong - 405lb bench press, 650lb squat
Taalib Tucker is a strong kid who plays linebacker. He chose GT over Florida, Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma. He was also getting calls from LSU, Miss.St, Mich and FSU. As a junior he had 96 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 ints. You may think that sounds average, but consider that those stats were compiled in 6 games, as he missed the first half of the season with a knee injury. Rivals lists him as the 57th best player in the state of Georgia. He is also fast, running a 4.87 in the 40 at one camp, which is respectable. He has been clocked in the 4.5 range before. Another recruit interested in architecture, which fits well at GT. He also happens to dabble in track, throwing the shot-put and discuss. This link shows he threw the discuss 105'2" to come in 3rd place at the meet....... This link shows he threw the shotput 42'11.5" - link here.
One of Taalib's cousins in Oklahoma football player Scoonie Penn. He also has a cousin who played hoops at Florida - Rasheed Al-Kaleem.
To see more about Taalib and some pictures - click here....... Here's a profile from the AJC...... Here's an insiders article.
On a side note, here is an interesting site showing the rank of various states and their production of Div I talent.
UGA / GT Classic Football on TV Now
Turn to Fox Sports South to see Eric Zeier / G.Hearst versus the Jackets. Cannot figure out which year it was yet. I think it it 1991.
Where are they now - Stewart Cink
The chips are falling his way these days. Looks like he will win the NEC Inv. with a solid lead going into today's final round - link here.
Football Fix
BILBO GROWING COMFORTABLE
Brian Murphy - Macon Telegraph
Boy, this is great to see, and it is a testament to D-Bo. He bucked up and is going to give WR his all. He has the tools to be a great one. I for one will be rooting for him...... Here's a team notebook.
HARGROVE GIVES FAMILY SAFE HARBOR
Florida Sun-Sentinal
Another story on Hargrove helping out his family after hurricane Charley.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW - NFL
The Hive
Nice update from buzzkd911 on former Jackets in the NFL. Saves me a lot of work..... Note in this article that George O'Leary's son, Marty is helping out at UCF and is also a GT grad........ Also, here' a story on Ted Roof and his assistant coaches...
Two More Football Verbals
According to the Macon Telegraph, the Jackets received two more verbals over the weekend, from Texas bigtime athlete QB Todd Walker and from Taalib Tucker, a 6'0" 230lb senior at Westlake High in the ATL area. Link here. Welcome to GT!!!!
Saturday, August 21, 2004
Daryl Richard - Getting Excited
Ok, there go those media folks again, trying to get me excited and pumped about GT football. Here is an example with a guy who looks to see major playing time as a freshman - Daryl Richard. Story here.
Talk all the negative you want about the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the new beat writers - Cash / Knobler - are doing a nice job with the Jackets. Definitely an improvement.
2005 Hoops Recruiting Board
First, this is a work-in-progress and is still being finished. I'm starting a recruiting board and will link the board permanently over in the link list on the left - under "Recruiting".
Here you will find the primary recruits on the GT hoops board for 2005, along with recruiting rankings, other interested schools, etc. You will also see at the bottom a ticker that just shows the recent changes I have made to the board.
---------------------------------------
Here is a chronilogical update of changes to the board
10/7 - Austin Jackson commits to GT, added K.Barber, updated D'Andre Bell bio.
9/30 - Cyrus McGowan commits to Ark - move off the board
9/29 - Updated Prepstars new fall 1-200 rankings; D'Andre Bell commits
9/28 - Bynum/Jackson visit, Miles/McGowan/Bell/Bynum/Jackson bio's
9/27 - updated visit schedule
9/24 - Spann commits, Bell/Rogers bio update, Rogers off board
9/22 - updated in-home visit A.Jackson, Costner commit, Rogers bio
9/21 - updated visits, bio's Miles, CDR, moved some off board, add L.Mbahamoute
9/16 - A.Thomas / A.Jackson / CDR bio, Miles visit, Breeden dropped
9/14 - bio change Austin Jackson
9/13 - Updated Adrian Thomas visit and bio. Miles visit / bio
9/10 - new visit date for CJ Miles, updated Miles bio,
9/09 - Updated visits for De'Andre Bell, Andrew Bynum, bio B.Eaton
9/08 - Updated visits for Miles, CDR, AJ. Update bio's as well.
9/03 - Updated PrepStars rankings (thanks RR)
9/03 - Updated the Hoopmasters.com top 100 rankings
9/02 - Updated KR,CM, AT bio, added Vernon Goodridge, updated visits
9/01 - Added YouthPrepStars Rankings, updated Miles,Rogers, Jackson bio.
8/31 - Updated Austin Jackson bio., visit changes for CDR/AJ, C.Jackson update.
8/30 - Lewis Clinch commits to the Jackets!!
8/30 - added A.Jackson visit, Miles KU comments, Clinch visit comment and Clinch Duke visits set.
8/29 - added Prepstar rankings
8/27 - K.Rogers down to 3, R.Wright eliminates GT, Spann has GT in final 4, and added AAU info for Spann. Also corrected bio info for Jackson
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CURRENT VERBALS
Austin Jackson, PG/SG, 6'1", 170lb, Texas, R49/I65/P162, offered
10/7 - COMMITTED TO GEORGIA TECH. Had a great visit and really clicked with Coach Hewitt. 9/28 - Visit rescheduled to 10/1. He will go to the GT/Miami football game. Should make a decision soon after. 9/14 - Has eliminated Oklahoma and is down to GT and Ill. Had a good visit to Illinois last weekend, playing in team scrimmages and visits GT 9/24; 9/8; will visit GT 9/24. Still wants to play both minor league baseball and college hoops. A dual-sport star, also excelling in baseball. GT is currently in his top 3 with Illinois and Ohlahoma. Will visit Ill 9/3, GT 9/10 and OK 9/17. Averaged 27 pts as a junior. There is a good chance that he gets drafted in the the 1st few rounds of the next MLB draft. If that happens he actually wants to play college hoops AND minor league baseball. Don't ask me how feasible that is - it has been done a few times in the past. Sounds tough though.
De'Andre Bell, 6'5", Cali, P99, offered
COMMITTED TO GT 9/28/2004; He is 6'5" 185lb (although I have seen his height listed anywhere from 6'4 - 6'6" and weight from 180-200lb). He is a left-handed wing forward from Palisades Charter High School in California. He is a physical specimen with a solid frame and very muscular. In fact, in some ways he might be compared to Isma'il Muhammad. He is very defensive minded and has good overall skills in all the important areas. He prides himself on shutting down opponents so comparisons to Muhammad are inevitable. He has a wide wingspan and will probably play the 2/3 spots. He has range out to the 3pt line and a good mid-range game........ Interesting, Bell is only ranked by one of the recruiting services that I can find - Prepstars at 99. However, my guess is that will probably change after this coming high school season. We will see. Bottom line is that he seems to have flown under the national recruiting radar, much like Jeremis Smith early in his recruiting process. He was named LA City Section All-City - link here.......... Bell was considering GT, Georgetown, Michigan State and UCLA. Growing up, UNC was actually a dream school for him. It was believed that Mich.St was the leader but they stopped recruiting him when they said they were not going to sign 3 guards. UCLA was a distant choice, but not a strong one. It really came down to GT and GTown. When Octavious Spann committed to Georgetown last week, it probably gave GT a strong edge. It probably didn't help GTown either that they run a Princeton offense, very half-court oriented........ Academically he had a 2.6 GPA and scored 1070 on his SAT.......... Now for some statistics. As a high school junior he averaged 24.3 pts, 11.6 boards (4.2 offensive), 2.24 blocks, 2.44 steals, 4.9 assists. He hit 1.8 3-pt shots/game and made about 4.3 free throws per game (don't know the percentages). His team finished 15-10. Overall he led his team in scoring, 3pt shots, blocks, boards, steals, 2nd in assists. I'll post more if I can find it................. 9/28 - Had a great visit to GT. Looks like he has an official offer now and GT probably leads. He may take a visit to UCLA this weekend before making a decision. 9/24 - With the commit of O.Spann to Georgetown, GT could be in the lead. Mich has been eliminated and it is basically between GT and GTown, although don't count out UCLA. GT in good position. 9/9 - Now has a visit setup with GT for 9/24. A combo 2/3 spot guy from California. Evidently wants to leave SoCal. UCLA, Mich.St, Georgetown have offered. Arizona and GT are involved but have not offered. Per RamblinRed, AZ is the favorite. Scheduling a visit to GT.
Lewis Clinch, 6'3", 180lb, Georgia, R36/I27/P50/H41/Y34, offered
9/3 - Hoopmasters ranked him #41 after not having him in the top 100 in their latest list. 8/30 - reported by insiders that he has committed to the Jackets (info from his high school coach). Fanstastic pickup for Paul Hewitt. Will be interesting to see if he follows through with his official visits. 8/28 - Reportedly had a great visit to ATL with Aminu at GT. GT considered the leader for now. This is probably target #1 on the Tech board right now (probably - how would I know). Bottom line is he is a scoring machine, handles the rock, can defend, has good grades and is an in-state talent to boot. A real talent and being recruited heavily by the staff. He had narrowed his list to GT, WF and UGAg. However, Duke got involved with him late and Coach K has an in-home visit scheduled for 9/15 and now a campus visit 9/25. I have to believe GT has an edge, although playing with Chris Paul is a real draw. Having said that, will Paul be around by the time Clinch goes to college? As far as Duke, I just hope that Clinch is not star-struck. Early comments seem to indicate he'll listen to what K has to say, but not enthusiastic about it.
Alade Aminu, 6'9", 215lb, Georgia, R135/I50/P64/Y96
8/28 - Has a great visit w/Lewis Clinch. Chose GT over Tenn, Miami (offers), but also was being recruited by UGAg, Texas, Illinois, St.Johns, Cincy, Clemson, Bama and others. This is a guy who was not on the national radar when he committed to GT. Wants to major in architecture so liked GT's combination of academics / athletics. He is on the same AAU squad as L.Williams and M.Mercer and B.Humphrey, so needless to say he doesn't get the ball or recognition that much. However, he did play strong over the summer and moved up strong on the insiders.com ranking board. He has only been playing organized ball for 2 years and is only 16 years old. At Stephenson High School (Reggie Ball's hs) he averaged 18 pts, 14 boards, 4 blocks and 4 steals as a junior. He is also a track star, excelling at the triple jump, so you know he has hops.
Michael Johnson, SF/PF, 6'7", 215lb, Alabama,
9/21 - visited Auburn the past weekend. Still a solid GT commit. Has accepted an offer to GT on a FOOTBALL free ride. He is a talented tight end. He chose GT over Clemson and others. He is actually interested in walking on to the GT hoops team. So stay tuned. His verbal is fairly solid, but he may take another visit before it's all over. Not currently ranked by any of the recruiting services in hoops.
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SCHEDULED VISITS
Official visits are very important to watch. Once a recruit gets one, it means there is serious mutual interest by both parties. A universtiy can only offer 12 official visits per school year. The list of visits gives you a good feel for most likely group of players who REALLY could end up at GT.
08/28.....Lewis Clinch (committed 8/30)
08/28.....Alade Aminu (committed)
09/04.....Kevin Rogers
09/04.....Cyrus McGowan
09/12.....CJ Miles (in-home) WAS CANCELLED
09/18.....CJ Miles (in-home)
09/14.....Kevin Rogers (in-home)
09/20.....Austin Jackson (in-home)
09/24.....De'Andre Bell (committed 9/28)
10/01.....Austin Jackson (official)(committed 10/7)
10/03.....Andrew Bynum (two day visit after weekend at UGA)
UPCOMING
10/09.....CJ Miles
10/09.....Lewis Clinch (unofficial???)
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POINT GUARDS
It looks like Coach Hewitt has decided to focus on Scoring Guard for the 2005 class and wait for some of the guys in the 2006 class. There are many possible reasons for this. One is that it is uncertain if J.Jack will be here 1 more year or 2. The other probably has to do with the guys on the board remaining. Also, Buck Fredrick is considered a guy who could handle the point if needed for a season. Bottom-line, none of these guys are likely to get an offer from here on out. Here are some who have been involved with GT.
Jermonte Bush, 6'0", 165lb, Florida, no offer
Recruitment still wide open. Considering schools like NCST, FSU, UNC, AZ, GT, Stanford, Cincy, etc. He is a talented player but a lot of schools will wait to offer him 'ships until the recruiting picture is clearer in the fall. Not currently ranked by any of the recruiting services.
Jeremey Goode, 5'10", 165lb, North Carolina, no offer
Not a highly ranked PG, but puts up strong AAU numbers - 20pts, 10 assists, 8 steals avg. He likes GT and Charlotte at the top of his list. Has offers from Charlotte and Appalation State. Another guy that we probably will wait on until the recruiting picture is clear and the staff can evaluate him further in the fall. Not currently ranked by any of the services.
Walter Hodge, 6'0", 170lb, Florida, no offer
Ranked by Rivals as the 29th best PG, he has offers from Hofstra, Ark, Florida and Georgetown. Also being recruited by Kansas and Indiana but doesn't have offers from them. Not currently ranked by any of the services.
Sean McCurdy, 6'1", 170lb, New Jersey, R128/P181, no offer
Offers from MD, Clemson, Indiana, St.Josephs. Considering many schools including Miami, Memphis, Illinois, Stanford. GT probably not going to get this young man.
SMALL FORWARDS:
CJ Miles, 6'5" 205lb, Texas, R26/I10/H11/P18/Y8, offered
9/28 - It appears we might be fading with Miles. Looks like we are currently 3rd behind KU and TX. 9/18 - Hewitt had an in-home visit finally, traveling to Dallas. Went well and it appears he will make good on visiting GT before committing. The key is to keep him holding out. 9/16 - Had his in-home visit with Bill Self. Seemed to go well, but no commit. Planning on visiting GT this weekend, but flight cancelled due to Hurr.Ivan. Still possible he might visit but looking slim. Events seem to be conspriring against us. 9/13 - Bad news. The in-home visit with Coach Hewitt was cancelled due to personal issues. If it's any consolation, Kansas's in-home visit was cancelled also. This may take longer than we thought. Also found out that Miles's high school frosh coach is a grad assistant at GT. 9/10 - visit changed to 9/17, which could be his last visit b4 deciding. Still favoring KU. However, with today's commit to KU by J.Wright, there is only one spot open at KU. Miles / Rogers will NOT be a package deal at KU. 9/8 - will visit GT 9/10 wknd. Will make a decision soon. Texas visit scheduled in Oct, but may not get that far. KU is the leader, but at least we will get him to campus. Lewis Clinch will make an unofficial visit this weekend to help sway Miles. 9/1 - eliminated AZ & UNC as a choice. Down to Kansas, GT and Texas, with KU a clear leader. He will reschedule his visit to GT and make a decision by the end of Sept. Likely to visit 9/10. 8/29 - official visit to Kansas went extremely well. They are heavy favorites to land him. A very talented kid who can do a lot of things well. Can pass, dribble, shot, etc. He has become fast buddies with Kevin Rogers and the two would like to go to the same college. Right now, his leaders are Kansas and Arizona, with GT seemingly a distant 3rd. He will be visiting Kansas with Rogers the weekend of Aug 28. He is supposed to visit GT 10/1, but he may have made his decision before he ever steps on campus.
Luc Mbahamoute, 6'7", FL prep, no offer
From Cameroon, a name low on the radar. He has visits scheduled to VaTech and UCLA and offers from all those schools along with Georgetown, UGA, S.Carolina, Old Dominion. Luc is a athletic player with a long body. Good on the defensive side of the ball. Can play a number of spots and is a good student. GT is the only school on his list that has not offered.
POWER FORWARDS:
Korvotney Barber, 6'6", 212lb, Georgia, R34, offered
Well, this guy was supposed to be off the GT recruiting board a long time ago. There was some early interest, but nothing materialized. Now it appears that a relationship has been rekindled with the Jackets, as Barber has added GT back to his list, which includes Kentucky, Auburn and UGAg. Barber says he has always wanted to play in the SEC, and Kentucky has come on late to become the odds on favorite to land this talent, but don't count out GT. Why? Well, Barber is AAU teammates with GT commit Lewis Clinch, as well as Charles Jackson, who really likes GT, but has no offer to join the team. So will Barber join Clinch in ATL? Odds are probably slim, but don't count out Coach Hewitt..... Barber is a talented inside player, very physical, and a finisher. As a junior, he averaged 16 points, 15 boards and 8 blocks. Yes - 8 blocker PER GAME!!! One game he sent back 18 shots!! He has been called a "dunk-machine". Rivals ranks him as the #10 PF in the nation and the 3rd best player in the state of GA, even though he had an injury that kept him below the radar for awhile.
Charles Jackson, 6'7", 265lb, Georgia, H100/P127, offered fb
9/28 - GT is still in play, even though he does not have an offer yet. It will all depend on what happens with McGowan / Bynum. Evidently the GT staff still contacts him weekly and he is being patient waiting out the process. 9/1 - If he decides to play football, UGA is a leader. If he decides to play hoops, GT is a leader (if they want HIM). He seems very interested in hoops, but GT has yet to offer and has a couple of other big guys they are recruiting ahead of Jackson. 8/31- looks like he is a GT lean for hoops and is now more interested in hoops, but waiting for a hoops offer from GT (he has a football offer). The night Lewis Clinch committed, he called Jackson to let him know and convince him to come to GT. Interesting story here. This is a guy who is actually one of the top football prospects in the nation, considered a top offensive tackle and TE. However, he also happens to play on the same AAU team as Lewis Clinch and Korvotney Barber (Smyrna Stars) - all 3 are good friends, Jackson and Clinch in particular. Barber is looking at AU and KY, among others. In high school Jackson averaged 18pts, 14 boards, 6 assists, 4 blocks. Probably raw as a hoops star. He has been offered a football 'ship to GT. It is not clear the situation in hoops if that's what he wants to play. Ultimately he has a decision to make.
CENTERS:
Not many true centers left on the board. Most guys are "tweeners" at the 4/5 spot.
Andrew "Lee" Bynum, 6'11", 270lb, New Jersey, R28/I14/P24/H17, offered
10/6 - Word is that his visit went well, but not enough to sway him to GT. Nothing official. 9/28 - Will make a two-day visit to GT 10/3-4. GT still trails in his recruitment and is not in his top 3, but getting him to campus is a good sign. 9/9 - Now has a visit with GT setup for 10/3. Not clear if it is inhome or a weekend trip to campus. But great news. Ranked the 2nd best center by Rivals and #1 by Insiders, this guy is a player. Teams involved include GT, UGAg, UConn, UNC, Duke and Rutgers. However, with the recent commit of Eric Boateng to Duke, he has eliminated them from his list. Just turned 17 years old, so he is young. Main weakness is free throws. Supposedly setting up a visit to GT.
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OFF THE BOARDS
Eric Boateng, 6'10", 220lb, Del, R33/I19/H36/P20/Y12, offered
COMMITTED TO DUKE 8/24. Probably a tweener between PF and Center. Has narrowed his list down to GT, Georgetown, BC, Villanova, UCLA, Duke. Says he will take an official visit to GT and he still might even with the commit. Good moves in the post, probably needs to add finishing strength, still fairly raw. Seems that Duke could lead for him. He is actually from England.
Jamal Boykin, SF/PF, 6'6", 210lb, Cali, R78/I78/H44/P29/Y17, offered
COMMITTED TO DUKE. Everything you hear about this kid is about leadship, hustle, hard work and humility. Not physically gifted in his ability to run or jump. Just hustles. So why the heck is he going to Duke? Well, he also seems to be a bandwagon fan for winners. He knew from the start that's where he wanted to go, and was only waiting for an offer. It seemed that GT and Louisville were the other serious contenders. Boykin is probably one of those 4 year guys in college that provides some stability in order to bring in other top recruits who may leave.
Casaan Breeden, 6'7", 185lb, SC, R62/I39/H62/P117, offered
9/16 - Looks like GT has dropped him from consideration. A very good all-around player. Can pass, shoot, dribble. I saw him play in person in probably his best game of the year, where he took it right at Dwight Howard and drew some charges. Having said that, he is very lightweight and needs to put on some muscle. He has been Ra'Sean Dickey's teammate for years and always in his shadow. GT is in his top 5 with Miami, St.John's, UGAg and NCST. My guess is that he definitely ends up in the ACC, but I think GT is a longshot. He would be an incredible addition to the team, but I'm afraid he might want a fresh start without Dickey. But what do I know.
Mario Chalmers, PG, 6'1", 175lb, Alaska, R12/I20/H15/P16/Y24, offered
COMMITTED TO KANSAS, probably the #1 PG on the board. His final choice came down to Kansas and Arizona. GT was in his final four.
Brandon Costner, PF, 6'9", 220lb, NJ, R29/I26/H19/P34/Y32, offered
COMMITTED TO NC ST; 9/21 - Looks like he is down to Kansas and NCST, with NCST the favorite. Has eliminated GT from consideration. Down to NCST, Kansas, Seton Hall, and UCLA. He might be competing with Kevin Rogers for a single 'ship at Kansas, so if he commits to Kansas it could help GT with Rogers. Stronger on the offensive side of the ball than defensive, but improving. As a junior averaged 17.8 pts, 7.5 boards, 4.2 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.5 steals.
Byron Eaton, PG, 5'11", 210lb, Texas.. R20/I25/H13/P21, offered
COMMITTED TO OKLAHOMA STATE; 9/9 - being reported that Eaton may be opening back up his recruitment in football. He had said he wanted to concentrate on hoops. 9/8 - It is looking more and more like GT passed on this guy and not the other way around. Could it be that the 2006 targets are the focus at PG?? 9/3 - Jumped from #53 to #13 in the hoopmasters rankings. Strong talented PG who is down to Oklahoma St and Cincinatti. GT is considered his 3rd choice but ultimately will NOTchose GT. He is also a talented football player, but is looking to play hoops full time.
Bobby Frasor, PG/SG, 6'3", 175lb, Illinois, R22/I35/H25/P19/Y19, offered
COMMITTED TO NORTH CAROLINA. A tough Chicago PG in the mold that Coach Hewitt likes. His final list came down to GT, UNC, Marquette, Stanford, Kansas, Wisc, Mich.St and NCST. So we finished in his final 8.
Vernon Goodridge, 6'9", 215lb, PA, R24/I21/P85/Y37, offered
9/28 - Down to Miss.St, Georgetown and Pitt. 9/2 - Rivals lists Goodridge as the #1 Power Forward in the nation. He had eliminated GT from consideration, but it seems that we have creeped back into his top 5, along with Miss.St, Pitt, and others.
Keaton Grant, 6'4", 190lb, Florida, R137/P92, no offer
Not currently being recruited by GT. We could get involved depending on the Clinch decision. Considering Clemson, Georgetown, Penn St, S.Fl, Tenn, VT.
Danny Green, 6'5", 180lb, NY, R89/I43/H35/P47, offered
COMMITTED TO NORTH CAROLINA; Had high interest in UNC, Uconn, Pitt, St.John's and some interest in GT, GTown. Averaged 18pts, 9 boards, 3.5 assists as a junior. Ranked the 26th best SG in the nation by Rivals, is a strong 3pt shooter, but not incredibly athletic. Smart player with a good skill set. Passes well and plays good D, and a good leader. Does everything well, but nothing great. So "potential" is a good word.
Harvey Hale, SG, 6'3", 180lb, NM, R148/H60/P123, offered
COMMITTED TO WAKE FOREST; Final four are Wake Forest, Ark, AZ St and DePaul. WF seems to lead. A strong finisher who can score off the dribble. Needs to get stronger. Averaged 19.8pts, 7 boards, 6 assists as a junior.
Billy Humphrey, 6'3", 175lb, Georgia, H87/P166, no offer
GT is not currently recruiting Humphrey. Rivals ranks him the 10th best guard in the state of Georgia. He really likes GT, is a hometown kid. His top 3 are GT, Tenn and Auburn. Problem is he doesn't have an offer yet and probably won't get one unless we strike out with the other guys. But it is early in the recruiting process so the offer could come later. Keep you eye out for his name. It is just not clear to us outsiders how the staff feels about him. Not highly regarded by the ranking services.
Marcus Johnson, SF, 6'6", 190lb, Cali, R52/I75/H27/P46/Y59, no offer
COMMITTED TO UCONN. Very strong hops - he can get up. Has eliminated GT from consideration and is down to UConn, Syracuse and Louisville. We were in his top 5 along with UNLV and Arizona as well.
Wes Matthews Jr, SG, 6'4", 200lb, Wisc, R86/I88/H32/P44/Y30, offered
COMMITTED TO MARQUETTE. We were in his final 3 with Mar, Wisc. Averaged 16pts, 8 boards, 4 assists as a junior. Strong-bodied guard with good potential. Both parents played at Wisc.
Cyrus McGowan, 6'9", 235lb, Miss, R98/I72/P88/D14/H92, offered
9/30 COMMITTED TO ARKANSAS; 9/28 - All his official visits are complete. No clear leaders at this time, but we may hear about a decision in the next 2 weeks. Vernon Goodridge has Miss.St in his final 3, so that could help us if VG choses Miss.St. 9/21 - Arkansas has suddenly come into the picture and could steal him away from both GT & Miss.St. 9/16 - looks like he is definitely down to GT and Miss.St. and has now visited both. 9/3 - made it into the Hoopmasters top 100. Another tweener at center who would probably play at the 4-spot also. Could be down to GT and Miss.St. Looks like he wants to play for Roy Williams and if they offer, he would accept. However, they don't have an offer for him yet. Obviously they are keeping him as a back-up plan. His other favorites includes GT, Miss.St and Miami. Wants to major in architecture and wants the school to have a strong engineering program - so GT is a great fit. Miss.St is a huge competitor because had at least 9 relatives attend that school.
Chris Douglas-Roberts, 6'5", 180lb, Mich, R51/I30/H45/P23/Y40, offered
COMMITTED TO MEMPHIS; 9/27 - Down to AZ, Miami, Memphis. He says in a Rivals article that Hewitt cancelled his in-home visit and that led him to eliminated GT. Probably not the whole truth. It appears academics played a major role. 9/24 - He is off the GT board as we have parted ways. It appears academics are the reason although nothing public. 9/21 - With AZ getting a recent commit, it could take AZ out of consideration, making GT a stronger case. Time will tell; A tall guard who can actually play the point. His final list includes GT, AZ, OK, Kansas, Miami, Memphis, Ohio ST. For the moment, GT is actually a slight leader. Will visit GT the weekend of Oct 2.
Kevin Rogers, 6'8", 220lb, Texas, R35/I44/P32/H100, offered
COMMITTED TO BAYLOR; 9/24 - Well, evidently GT has dropped out recruiting Rogers. No word why, but I am taking him off the board now. 9/24 - It appears he is down to GT and Baylor with GT a slight lead. Rogers really thinks he can be a one-and-done player (or two-and-done). Playing time could be a factor. 9/22 - AZ eliminated but SMU and Baylor are actually in the picture. Both are getting strong consideration. We will probably get an answer next week. 9/21 - Down to Arizona, GT and GT has a slight lead. 9/10 - With today's commit to KU by J.Wright, there is only one spot open at KU. Miles / Rogers will NOT be a package deal at KU. 9/3 - cracked the Hoopmasters top 100. 9/1 - Apparently AZ and TX have dropped out for Rogers, although he apparently did not drop them. Not clear the truth yet. Looks like Kansas is still the leader with GT in 2nd, now followed by SMU. 8/27-Has officially name top 3 of KU,AZ,GT - KU the leader. Talented post player. Has become buddies with CJ Miles and right now Kansas is his leader. Just like Miles, Arizona is close behind and GT is in the mix also. He will visit GT 9/4.
Octavious Spann, 6'7", 218lb, Georgia, R120/H100/P135, no offer
COMMITTED TO GEORGETOWN 9/24. This could help our chances with De'Andre Bell. RamblinRed reports his top 3 in order at Georgetown, GT and UGA. Auburn is also in the mix. GT is the only one not to offer yet. Has considered other schools including Louisville, Bama, Tenn, Indiana, Clemson. Was ranked by Rivals at #50 but dropped down to 120. Did play on the same AAU team as Aminu, L.Williams, M.Mercer, B.Humphrey (Georgia Stars) but switched to the World Wide Renegades.
Adrian Thomas, 6'6", 215lb, Florida, R119/H63/P62, offered
COMMITTED TO MIAMI. 9/15 - Thomas pulls a surprise and commits to Miami. Everyone thought GT was the place. Likes Coach Haith and said that he felt Miami "needed" him more than GT. Seems that GT backed off a little bit. Could it mean we are strong with another guy at his position? 9/13 - GT visit rescheduled for 9/24. Will have an inhome visit from Coach Hewitt 9/22. Still has Miami high on list also. Will have in-home visits from UCLA, Pitt, Cincy and Tenn-Chat. He really likes Coach Hewitt's ability to develop players. GT probably still favored. 9/2; GT visit cancelled due to the Hurricane. Trying to reschedule now, which could end up around 9/17. I have a feeling this guy is going to end up a YellowJacket. Stay tuned; Old - Will visit GT 9/22, and also UCLA and Pitt. Seems that GT is in the lead for landing him. Averaged 24 pts, 12 boards, 4 assists, 2 blocks as a hs junior. Agressive strong-body, and learning to play outside. I would peg this guy as the highest chance for becoming a Jacket.
Louis Williams, SG, 6'1", 175lb, Georgia, R2/I1/H3/Y2, offered
COMMITTED TO UGAg. A scoring machine. Clearly one of the top scoring guards in his class. There are two things right now making his commitment to UGAg less than 100%. First, the chance he gets drafted in the 1st round by the NBA is high. Second, with the recent probation penalties handed down to UGAg, there is a small chance he could actually sign a LOI with another college. GT is one school that recruited him.
Ryan Wright, 6'9", 225lb, Canada, R54/I53/P36, offered
8/27-Eliminated GT from consideration and has named a top 3 of UCLA, Mich.St, Stanford. Strong body, good touch, averaged 19 pts, 11 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks as a junior. His top 5 are GT, Mich.St, Stanford, UCLA and Wisconsin.
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Legend for recruiting rankings - next to each name is a series of rankings. For example R54/I53/H33
R....Rivals
I....Insiders (Dave Telep)
H....Hoopmasters
P....Prepstars
Y....Youth Prepstars
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Scrimmage Notes
Notes on today's scrimmage - link here. Looks like the LB group is coming along well, punter still in the air, O-Line still has questions.
GoldLine Report
Ok - want to get pumped about GT Football. Then click on this link and watch the video in the middle of the page. Exciting stuff.
Owings Leaving the Team???
Well, over at the Hive, the following RUMORS have surfaced:
1. Micah Owings is leaving GT and headed to U of Texas
2. He asked for a transfer to UGAg but Hall wouldn't grant it.
3. Hall would only allow him to go to a non-ACC school other than UGAg
4. Owings not happy about the coaching he received in hitting since he didn't progrees in his soph year.
Well, ain't that a shame IF it is true. Owings is a great player. But here's what I don't understand. He just got drafted as a draft-eligible soph. He wasn't happy with his draft position, but a lot could have been due to his agent and salary demands. He'll probably just play one more year. Why the heck not continue with the Jackets? If he's not happy with the hitting coach, that's in the past too. He left this off-season and we have a new hitting coach.
Meanwhile, we should be hearing something about E.Patterson pretty soon. Classes have started and if he's coming back, it better be soon. Here's a blurb from a Cubs site:
Classes have begun at Georgia Tech but the Cubs are still negotiating with Eric Patterson, Corey's brother, who was selected in the eighth round of the First-Year Player Draft in June. Patterson, who played shortstop at Georgia Tech, was named MVP of the NCAA Atlantic Regional.
LB Nick Moore Leaves the Team
I wonder what's up with Nick Moore. Surely it cannot be playing time, because he played in every game last year when we had Fox/Smith/Brown. This year he would see beacoup playing time. That just leaves a weak area even weaker. Story here........ To top it off, reserve LB David Sanborn suffered a potentially season-ending injury in Thursday's practice. Looks like freshman Travis Chambers and Gary Guyton are going to see PT after all. There was talk that Chambers would probably redshirt.
GAILEY RIPS THE O-LINE
Rana Cash - AJC
Well, everything was looking rosy based on media reports. With 2 weeks until the Samford game, looks like Gailey is turning up the heat - and he is not happy with the offense...... Here's another version of the same.
TECH TO SCRIMMAGE SATURDAY
Ramblinwreck.com
Well, let's hope it's a good scrimmage. Time is getting short.
HERE'S TO YOU, LEON ROBINSON
Adam Van Brimmer - Morris News Service
Man, we are gonig to need 'ol Leon to step up. He is lean and mean now, hopefully recovered from his writst injury. A great story on the life struggles of Mr.Robinson. From his teammate, on winning the starting job this fall:
"Everybody has been pulling for him," said Andy Tidwell-Neal, a fellow offensive linemen. "All these problems he's had, it's been tough to see a guy who's such a good quality person have such troubles with pretty much every aspect of his life. It restores a lot of faith to see him come back."
IVERY HONOR MARKS COMEBACK
Travis Haney - Augusta Chronicle
Just an outstanding article chronicling the ups and downs of Eddie Lee Ivery's life.
KELLY CAMBPELL WOWS THE HOMETOWN CROWD
Jason Williams - Pioneer Press
Back home in ATL, his Vikings played the Falcons, and Campbell caught passes for 100 yards, including an 83-yarder in front of friends and family.
O'LEARY HAS UCF THINKING BIG
Tony Barnhart - AJC
He always was a "big thinker"...... Here's more on 2nd chances.
Friday, August 20, 2004
Hurricane Warning
A look at Miami and the rest of the ACC. Story here. On GT, here is what they said:
GEORGIA TECH _ Could be a sleeper. But with so many young players on defense, more likely a year away. ... Confident and talented QB Reggie Ball returns. So do powerful RB P.J. Daniels (ACC-best 1,447 yards rushing in 2003) and speedy DE Eric Henderson (ACC-best 11 sacks. ... One of 11 teams to play in a bowl game each of the last seven years.
Q&A with TE Darius Williams
from RamblinWreck.com I'm telling you right now. If D.Williams opened up a restaurant, I would NOT go there. Why? Listen to what he would serve:
If you could open and run any kind of restaurant, what kind of food would you serve and where?
That's right - crap legs.
If I opened a restaurant it would basically be a buffet. Just keep it simple. I would try to have stuff you don't get at a regular buffet like Golden Coral like sweet potato pie, crap legs. I would mix it up and have catfish and shrimp fried rice. I would be like a Chinese/seafood type buffet. I would probably throw in a couple of fried bologna sandwiches in there.
They may fix that typo by the time you read the story, but that is price-less.
I love the question about cats (seeing as I am married to a cat woman and have two):
If you could communicate with any type of animal, which would you pick?
You have to admit, after story after story with football, practice, positions, etc, this was a nice change of pace. Seems like a funny guy.
I know most people say dogs, but if I could communicate with any type of animal I would say a cat to figure out why they are so stupid. Why they never learn their name. You can live with a cat for five years, and the cat will never learn its name and still run from you everyday you come home. You try to feed it and it will still run from you. So I want to ask them, "What's the problem?"
Recruiting Hoops
Insiders.com is out with their updated top 100 for the class of 2005. Link here. Here are recruits of interest to the Jackets:
#1....Louis Williams (verbal UGAg but not 100% solid)
#10...C.J. Miles (confirmed visit)
#14...Andrew Bynum
#19...Eric Boeteng
#21...Vernon Goodridge
#25...Byron Eaton
#26...Brandon Costner
#27...Lewis Clinch (confirmed visit)
#30...Chris Douglas-Roberts (confirmed visit)
#31...Korvotney Barber
#39...Casaan Breeden (confirmed visit)
#44...Kevin Rogers (confirmed visit)
#50...Alade Aminu (committed to GT)
#53...Ryan Wright
#64...Levance Fields
#65...Austin Jackson
#72...Cyrus McGowan
#75...Marcus Johnson
Nice to see Alade Aminu get some recognition. So we have a verbal from the insiders #50 guy in the country. Shows how wild these rankings are, as Rivals has him at 135. It usually boils down to who has seen the kid play who has influence in making the list.
I hope to have an updated "draft board" ready in the next week or so for your viewing pleasure.
Also of note is that we have made Ryan Wright's top 5 cut. Also Cyrus McGowan will be visiting the weekend of 9/4. Clinch and Aminu will be visiting campus together the same weekend of 8/28. A little bonding with a future recruit never hurt.
GT Football Preview...
... from a Winston-Salem paper. Actually, a decent job capturing the pros and cons of the team. Story here....... Here's talk about a few ACC QB's, including Reggie ball. Link here....... Here's a brief mention of Reggie Ball and his high school - Stephenson.
Hoops, Kansas and recruiting.
Discussion of Kansas hoops with this mention of GT:
As it was, Georgia Tech exploited the Jayhawks' weaknesses -- as every talented deeper team did -- and, in effect, Kansas went about as far as it could go with what it had.
Speaking of Kansas, it is looking more and more like CJ Miles and Kevin Rogers becoming Jayhawks. They have changed their schedule and will visit the KU campus together on Aug 28. Story here. What could throw a wrench in the mix is that KU has 2 'ships remaining. On Monday, Tyler Hansbrough makes his decision between KU, UK and UNC. While UNC is believed to be the favorite, if he choses KU, it could impact their ability to get both Miles and Rogers. Of course, Arizona seems to be their solid #2 choice, but GT is right in the mix. Stay tuned.
Where are they now - EJ Kuale
Man this guy has had more media stories on him since he joined LSU. In case you didn't know, he had to leave due to academic reasons from GT, then went to junior college. Story here.
Volleyball Player had to "settle" for GT
Interesting story. I don't know for sure, but I THINK it is K.Eveland they are talking about. This quote just makes you feel great about her wanting to be at GT:
This fiasco began when one girl from East Kentwood was not offered a volleyball scholarship to Michigan and had to settle for a scholarship to Georgia Tech.
That was it. Her parents decided that the only reason their daughter wasn't deemed good enough to play at U-M is that she was forced to play in the winter and miss 2 1/2 months of the club volleyball season.
Where are they now - George O'Leary
To be spotlighted on Sportscenter soon - link here.
Kirk Herbstreit visited football coaches Mike Price (Texas-El Paso), George O'Leary (Central Florida), Sylvester Croom (Mississippi State), Mike Stoops (University of Arizona) and Bill Callahan (Nebraska) for SportsCenter's five-part "Resurrection Week" series, which starts Monday.
Herbstreit's segment on O'Leary, who was forced to resign at Notre Dame because he falsified his resume, airs Tuesday.
"The administration is giving him the resources he needs to be competitive, and his goal is to be a top 25 team," Herbstreit said. "He's using the same principles he used to develop the Georgia Tech program: player work ethic and commitment."
5 Questions on GT Football
The Augusta Chronicle has posted 5 questions (link here) for the football team. The first question "Can Reggie Ball keep the momentum going?" is probably a kind way to put it. I know Reggie was a freshman, but didn't he have like 16 yards passing in the bowl game? I know PJ was running over anyone and everyone, but I would say the question is "Can Reggie Ball increase his momentum"? if Reggie does what he did last year, it will mean an up-and-down season, with some great moments, but also some head-scratchers.
Walk-on LB carries a heavy load
David Sanborn is one of those guys that will be successfull in life. To juggle the academics of GT AND play football on your own ticket cannot be easy. Heck, just surviving my freshman year WITHOUT a job, sport or any other time-drainer was tough enough for me. Nice story about GT and academics and focusing and surviving.
Gailey finds new "Gimmick"
Say the word gimmick about 10 times in a row and tell me if you think it sounds like a word any longer. Well, this really isn't a new story, but Gailey is using the hoops team as reverse motivation. In other words, the football cannot do what the hoops team did - finish 3rd in the ACC and play for the title. Every game is a playoff. Story here.
Center Tidwell-Neal injures knee
Hopefully it is not too serious. But it does highlight the delicate nature of our depth. Bottom line is that we cannot sustain too many injuries at key positions and hope to have a successful season. Coach Gailey has proven his ability to win through adversity but stepping it up to the next level is a challenge without full strength. Story here....... Here's the Macon Telegraph version that says it only looks to be minor and that "everything is in place" and nothing torn.
Interesting that O-Line coach Joe D'Alessandris makes all the O-Lineman wear bulky knee braces - sounds like Neal's mom credits that with saving his knee.
The injury bug also hit our linebacker core, with K.Hall and N.Moore both sustaining minor injuries. Also minor injuries to A.Oliver, O.Billy and B.Honeycutt.
Man, call the pre-season "death by a thousand paper cuts".
Golf: Thompson Falls in 3rd Round
Well, he defeated communism (a little Castro joke), but he couldn't defeat Jeff Overton. Story here.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Boston College off the hook..
... for the $5million the Big East was after them for. Looks like they are on track to join the ACC as planned, with minimal financial penalty. Link here.
Most Powerful Man in Youth League Baseball?
Interesting story, mentioning ties with former GT head coach Jim Morris - link here.
He has found a comfortable landing pad for his players at the University of Miami, where he and head coach Jim Morris have fostered a relationship that is beneficial to both parties. Cuseta gets to brag that his players are on scholarship at a head-turning school, and Morris and other college coaches get to ship their freshmen to the Yankees for some off-season seasoning.
Cuseta is known best for his ability to evaluate talent. As was the case with Corbin, Cuseta befriended Morris early on before he became Collegiate Baseball's coach of the year and took the Hurricanes to the World Series. Cuseta met Morris when he was making his name, building Georgia Tech into a respectable program beginning in the 1980s, a feat that would land him in the school's Hall of Fame in 1999.
Olympic Update
Onur Uras comes in 49th in 100m fly in swimming. He is an incoming freshman at GT. Link here.
PJ Daniels added to Walter Camp List
The Walter Camp Award Watch List, which has 40 players. It will be narrowed to 10 in early November. Link here. Congrats PJ.
Castro Falls...... No, not Fidel
Communism is still alive. Think I covered this already, but here is another story on Thompson and Castro facing off at the US Amateur in the 1st round - link here.
Where are they now - Nat Dorsey
Interview with Dorsey from the Gainesville Times. Link here. Ok I know rookie hazing is tradition, but this?:
A: Definitely. I've had to do everything people hear about. I've had to carry shoulder pads and helmets (for my teammates.) I've had to sing for my teammates. The worst thing I've had to do is they made me shave my eyebrows and half of my beard off.
Jacksonville to Host ACC Football Championship
Well, the folks at Jax won the dual over 6 other cities, with Charlotte a strong second. Link here........ Here's another story........ AJC Story.......RamblinWreck version......
Football Fix
BILBO MAKES THE TRANSITION
RamblinWreck.com
Coach Gailey has already proven his ability to recognize talent and put it in the best position to succeed. This transition could end up being a crowing acheivement for Bilbo and Gailey if it works. Of course, the mental side seemed like the biggest hurdle. Man if he can become a solid playmaker, that could surpass Daniels as a "feel good" story.
ANOAI ADDS QUICKNESS
Rana Cash - AJC
Another guy who could have a breakout season on the d-line..... Also note that PJ Daniels is practicing again. As excited as I am about the WR core, glad to see that our talented DB's seemed to have the upper hand on Wednesday.
OFFENSIVE LINE COMING TOGETHER
Adam Van Brimmer - Morris News Service
Well, you lose guys like Nat Dorsey and Hugh O'Reilly and there are holes to fill. There are still many questions to be answered, but at this point answers will only come after kick-off.
RECRUITING TRAIL
Michael Carvell - AJC
Mention of Tavares Kearney, a TE prospect.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW - BOBBY ROSS
Tom Pedulla - USAToday
My buddy "T" sent me this link. Nice article on Ross taking up the Army challenge. I for one hope that he is successfull. Of course it cannot get any worse than winless.
CAUTION TO ALL RECRUITS - BEWARE CLEMSON
Jon Solomon - the State
Ok the article is actually titled "Hamilton cites lack of support", but it does appear to be a cautionary tale. On the surface it looks like once Derrick Hamilton decided to go pro, T.Bowden was hands off. Who really knows the truth, but sure looks like Coach washed his hands of the guy. I sure hope this isn't something we would see from Coach Gailey. I was getting the feeling that there was some bad blood with Nat Dorsey, but that seems to have been worry about nothing. We know coach has been using his extensive contacts to help guys out - for example really promoting Tony Hollings. For Bowden, this is not the kind of rep that you want in order to attract talented recruits.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Need Help from ATL Jacket Nation
Ok fans, if you live in the ATL area and can record this show, figure out how to encode it as an MPEG downloadable file, Jacket nation would be forever grateful. Link here.
Golf: Thompson outlasts Castro
Too bad these guys had to square off in round 1 against one another - link here.
Great Expectations for Ball
Well, in my mind, no one player could have as big of an impact on our season as Reggie Ball. But let's be honest, that's usually the case with a QB. But with Ball it is particularly appropriate because the room for development he has. His upside is tremendous. We're not talking about a guy who has tapped out his ability and now we have to improve around him. Oh, we need that too, but he has big room for growth. His maturity and decision making this season could make the difference between 5 wins and 9. No doubt about it.
Here is a story on expectations for Ball and being realistic.
ACC hoops schedules released
The update GT Hoops roster can now be found here.
Here is the GT schedule. I will try to come out with a more detailed analysis of the winners and losers in terms of scheduling when I have time.
Here are highlights for GT's schedule:
Nov 30....Michigan (ACC/Big 10 challenge)
Dec 5.....UGAg
Dec 19....Gonzaga (in Las Vegas)
Jan 1.....at Kansas (GT bowl game AND this?)
Jan 6.....Miami (ACC slate begins)
Folks, once ACC play starts Jan 6, there are NO more out-of-conference games. All ACC from then on out.
18 out of 27 games are against teams that made either the NCAA or NIT tourney.
In terms of the round robin, here are the ACC teams we play twice, home-and-away:
Miami, Wake Forest, FSU, Duke, Clemson, NC ST.
Teams we only play once:
UVA, @UNC, VT, @MD
So we only play Maryland and UNC once, but both are road games.
No doubt this is a harder schedule than last season, and not just because the ACC is tougher. Not only do we play Mich, GZ, Kansas, but also Illinois-Chicago, Alabama St and Air Force, all who made the NCAA.
Other ACC Schedules:
FSU
NC ST
North Carolina
Virginia
Clemson
Duke
Maryland
Virginia Tech (not posted on their site)
Miami
Wake Forest
For a central ACC page with links to all these, click here.
For a composite schedule showing all ACC games in chronilogical order, click here.
Maryland / Kansas fans debate GT hoops
The question is - can GT become a perennial top 10 hoops team under Hewitt?
Link from Kansas board.
Link from Maryland board
My answer - are we - no, can we be - yes.
Dime Magazine's Top 25 Hoops
From the magazine:
1. Wake Forest - Chris Paul, Justin Gray, and Taron Downey are the best backcourt in America, hands down. Not only that, but every player from last year’s squad returns this season.
2. Georgia Tech - Other than Marvin Lewis, the Jackets return all of last year’s Final 4 team. The difference is this year people will be gunning for them.
3. Kansas - Led by Aaron Miles, the veteran Jayhawks are the most experienced team in the country.
4. Syracuse - Hakim Warrick returned to the Orange for his senior year, and with the help of Gerry McNamara, they could definitely win another title this year.
5. UNC - The Heels have been sitting on a ton of talent (Jawad Williams, Rashad McCants, Raymond Felton, Sean May) for two years now. Will Roy Williams finally help them put the pieces together?
6. Arizona - Zona’s also got too much talent not to go to the Sweet 16 this year. Channing Frye and Hassan Adams need to find the chemistry they lacked last season.
7. Illinois - If you watched ’em against Cincinnati in the tournament last year, you know Illini can light it up. Dee Brown is just money.
8. Duke - Coach K had some big losses in Luol Deng in Shaun Livingston, but the Devils always manage. J.J. Redick will be the leader this year.
9. UConn - The champs just got a lot younger, but that’s not a huge problem when you’ve got Charlie Villanueva and future lottery pick Rudy Gay.
10. Oklahoma State - The Cowboys lost Tony Allen to the Celtics, but John Lucas III and Joey Graham are both stellar players and great leaders.
11. Louisville - Francisco Garcia is a star, and Taquan Dean had some tremendous games last season. In just two seasons, Rick Pitino’s already turned Louisville into the class of Conference USA.
12. Mississippi State - Lawrence Roberts made a big fuss when he returned to school for another season instead of going to the NBA, and with good reason: the SEC Player of the Year is a double-double machine.
13. Kentucky - Center Randolph Morris might be the best high schooler not to enter the draft last season. Add to that recruits Rajon Rondo and Joe Crawford, and the young Cats will be fun to watch.
14. Michigan State - The Spartans failed to live up to expectations last year, but with Shannon Brown leading a returning core of MSU starters, you can’t count out Tom Izzo’s bunch.
15. Maryland - The Terps aren’t as strong as they’ve been in the past, but their two stars—John Gilchrist and Nik Caner-Medley—have enough talent to put their team at the top of the ACC.