Today is national signing day

[X-Era]

ESPN's Top 150:

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/espnu150?&season=2010

Scouts Inc. take:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/notebook?page=notebook/signingdaypreview2010

[tampabay25690]

I will be watching at 10 am.
ESPN is down in Tampa at a few high schools.

FL should come in as the best signing class in 2010, and possibly the best ever class to ever be signed for Florida.

I guess the whole Urban Meyer thing didnt scare that many kids....
We will see.

[DraftBoy]

I will be watching at 10 am.
ESPN is down in Tampa at a few high schools.

FL should come in as the best signing class in 2010, and possibly the best ever class to ever be signed for Florida.

I guess the whole Urban Meyer thing didnt scare that many kids....
We will see.

That's because he never took a leave of absence, he was gone for all of 36 hours...

[DraftBoy]

As for Notre Dame's class we stole QB Luke Massa from Cincy last weekend which gives us two four star QB's and one three star.

And we are perdicted to land Matt James (Luke Massa's teammate) after he decommited from Florida.

My hope for our class hinges on DT JR Ferguson, OT Seatrel Henderson, OLB Christian Jones, and S Dietrich Riley. If we can land two of those four guys this will be a very good class for us, along with the rest of our haul.

[tampabay25690]

That's because he never took a leave of absence, he was gone for all of 36 hours...

Agreed..
Looks like You, X Era, and myself will probably be watching today at 10 am or are you working..

[BlackMetalNinja]

I have to go cover the photography at one of the local high schools for the website I sometimes do work for. Nobody major at that school though, the biggest program involved is Air Force.

There's another kid that goes to Southeast Raleigh that is signing with Notre Dame officially today, though he gave his verbal quite awhile ago.

[DraftBoy]

Agreed..
Looks like You, X Era, and myself will probably be watching today at 10 am or are you working..
Nope I gotta work, though sadly I considered taking today off. Ill be listening on the radio and praying Kelly works some magic.

[DraftBoy]

There's another kid that goes to Southeast Raleigh that is signing with Notre Dame officially today, though he gave his verbal quite awhile ago.

ILB Kendall Moore 6'2, 234lbs, 3 star LB. Love this pickup as he can fly to the ball.


We grabbed another NC kid in DE Prince Shembo, 6'2, 223, 3 star DE.

[BlackMetalNinja]

ILB Kendall Moore 6'2, 234lbs, 3 star LB. Love this pickup as he can fly to the ball.


We grabbed another NC kid in DE Prince Shembo, 6'2, 223, 3 star DE.Yup, I saw him in the first game of the year when he played here against Holly Springs, though I didn't know who he was at the time. A few weeks later is when I started doing photography for www.highschoolot.com and the only game I would have had him in was in the State Semifinal, and it's the one week I had to miss because I had class all day.

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/college_football/video/6950928/

[psubills62]

Shouldn't be any drama for PSU today.

Supposedly we're a suddenly new player for Keenan Allen (decommit from Alabama), but everything points to him going to Cal. So I'm not too worried. The problem with Allen is that he's trying to be a "package deal" with his (half-brother?) Zach Maynard, from UB. PSU just doesn't have the room or a good opportunity for a QB transfer at this point.

Florida should have an amazing recruiting class.

[BlackMetalNinja]

I was just looking through the ESPN 150 stuff for NC players, and the amount of misinformation is surprising... I see wrong high schools listed for players, wrong NAMES! Weird stuff.

[SABURZFAN]

GO UNLV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DraftBoy]

As for Notre Dame's class we stole QB Luke Massa from Cincy last weekend which gives us two four star QB's and one three star.

And we are perdicted to land Matt James (Luke Massa's teammate) after he decommited from Florida.

My hope for our class hinges on DT JR Ferguson, OT Seatrel Henderson, OLB Christian Jones, and S Dietrich Riley. If we can land two of those four guys this will be a very good class for us, along with the rest of our haul.

We did officially land James and he is signed which is nice.

Ferguson and Henderson are supposed to announce any moment now and Jones signed with FSU.

[BlackMetalNinja]

:( Just got an email saying that the signings I was covering got bumped to tomorrow since school is closed for the 3rd straight day here due to "snow".

[DraftBoy]

That sucks, sorry to hear that man.

[BlackMetalNinja]

That sucks, sorry to hear that man.On the bright side, I was also told that they are working on a budget to include photographers, so actually getting paid would be pretty sweet. Especially since I was pretty content with just getting a media pass and getting field access. Sometimes I wear my State Championship Media Badge around just to make myself feel more important.

[tampabay25690]

Shouldn't be any drama for PSU today.

Supposedly we're a suddenly new player for Keenan Allen (decommit from Alabama), but everything points to him going to Cal. So I'm not too worried. The problem with Allen is that he's trying to be a "package deal" with his (half-brother?) Zach Maynard, from UB. PSU just doesn't have the room or a good opportunity for a QB transfer at this point.

Florida should have an amazing recruiting class.

Penn State had a great signing day...
FSU also

My SLumps of recruiting this year were .....

MIAMI-----Will not be a force until Randy Shannon is finally fired....
Ohio St

[NOT THE DUDE...]

alabama is just ridiculous... they are becoming a powerhouse....

[NOT THE DUDE...]

2007 #10
2008 #1
2009 #1
2010 #3

[NOT THE DUDE...]

alabama will win the national championship again. i have no doubt!

[psubills62]

Penn State had a great signing day...
FSU also

My SLumps of recruiting this year were .....

MIAMI-----Will not be a force until Randy Shannon is finally fired....
Ohio St

Georgia had some disappointments too, I heard. Couple of big decommits, two going to TN and one to Auburn? They did get Mike Thornton, DT, which was expected at this point.

Little disappointed PSU whiffed on a lot of big-time prospects towards the end (Easley, Lattimore, Thornton, Allen), but if you look at the guys that have been committed for months, it's still a good class. I think I'd rather have a 3 or 4 star guy who is passionate about Penn State than a 5-star guy who still isn't sure if it's the right place for him.

[LtFinFan66]

5-star guys don't always pan out either....and lower star guys become great. AJ Hawk was like a 2 or 3 star guy coming out of high school

[psubills62]

5-star guys don't always pan out either....and lower star guys become great. AJ Hawk was like a 2 or 3 star guy coming out of high school
Agreed. I saw an ESPN "recap" of the 2006 ESPNU 150. I'm going to have to try and find that link again, because I thought it was very intriguing and didn't manage to get through it at the time.

EDIT:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=4860278

[psubills62]

Agreed. I saw an ESPN "recap" of the 2006 ESPNU 150. I'm going to have to try and find that link again, because I thought it was very intriguing and didn't manage to get through it at the time.

EDIT:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=4860278

Wow I just went through that article in search of PSU players. It amazed me how many of those guys either transferred or left early. Only 1 is still at PSU (Gbadyu), and only 1 more, AJ Wallace, (out of about 6 total) is leaving after this season.

[BlackMetalNinja]

5-star guys don't always pan out either....and lower star guys become great. AJ Hawk was like a 2 or 3 star guy coming out of high schoolYup, ask Notre Dame how well those top recruiting classes work out sometimes...

[BlackMetalNinja]

Penn State had a great signing day...
FSU also

My SLumps of recruiting this year were .....

MIAMI-----Will not be a force until Randy Shannon is finally fired....
Ohio StI find it interesting how Florida and Florida St. fans seem to think Shannon is horrible, yet most Miami fans are pretty pleased with what he's done so far.

[LtFinFan66]

Wow I just went through that article in search of PSU players. It amazed me how many of those guys either transferred or left early. Only 1 is still at PSU (Gbadyu), and only 1 more, AJ Wallace, (out of about 6 total) is leaving after this season.
Ohio State:

Chris Wells, RB: Well we know he did ok

Robert Rose, DE: Decent player

Conner Smith, OL: Still in Columbus

Aram Olson, FB: Doesn't appear to still be a Buckeye

Kurt Coleman, CB: Quality starter

Thaddeus Gibson, OLB/DE: Quality starter

Mark Johnson, ILB: Left the team in 2008

[psubills62]

Ohio State:

Chris Wells, RB: Well we know he did ok

Robert Rose, DE: Decent player

Conner Smith, OL: Still in Columbus

Aram Olson, FB: Doesn't appear to still be a Buckeye

Kurt Coleman, CB: Quality starter
Thaddeus Gibson, OLB/DE: Quality starter

Mark Johnson, ILB: Left the team in 2008

Not a bad haul.

[tampabay25690]

alabama will win the national championship again. i have no doubt!

That is so hard for a college team to have the pressure after winning the National Championship.

They may win it, They are as SOLID of a team I have seen in a while....
You never know in the SEC everyday......

[tampabay25690]

I find it interesting how Florida and Florida St. fans seem to think Shannon is horrible, yet most Miami fans are pretty pleased with what he's done so far.

Actually why DONT you ask Miami alumni that played there or Miami fans, they can't stand SHANNON. FLORIDA and FSU could never pull that many recruits out of Broward County and now urban can pull them all day with Randy Shannon at the helm in Miami...

[tampabay25690]

I find it interesting how Florida and Florida St. fans seem to think Shannon is horrible, yet most Miami fans are pretty pleased with what he's done so far.

By the way what has he done???Miami was a powerhouse and now there a middle of the pack team in the ACC. Thats not good middle of the ACC......

[BlackMetalNinja]

I blame Coker for most of the downfall... he adopted a great team and won a National Championship and the program than steadily went to hell the rest of his time there.

Shannon has slowly improved the team, and more importantly, cleaned up the program from it's "Thug U" reputation. I like that he makes players take responsibility for their actions on and off the field.

I agree that recruiting has been a weak spot, but I think Florida's success couple with those down years under Coker are the reason Mayer can come in and get all those recruits at this point. I don't pin that on Shannon though.

He may not be the long term answer as a coach there, but I think he's done more good than harm and at least has got the program headed back in the right direction.

[tampabay25690]

I blame Coker for most of the downfall... he adopted a great team and won a National Championship and the program than steadily went to hell the rest of his time there.

Shannon has slowly improved the team, and more importantly, cleaned up the program from it's "Thug U" reputation. I like that he makes players take responsibility for their actions on and off the field.

I agree that recruiting has been a weak spot, but I think Florida's success couple with those down years under Coker are the reason Mayer can come in and get all those recruits at this point. I don't pin that on Shannon though.

He may not be the long term answer as a coach there, but I think he's done more good than harm and at least has got the program headed back in the right direction.

Ok much better.
Coker was the problem but Shannon will be lucky to there 1-2 years.
Former players want him out bad..

[BlackMetalNinja]

Ok much better.
Coker was the problem but Shannon will be lucky to there 1-2 years.
Former players want him out bad..Much better than what??? My original statement was that I find it interesting that Florida and FSU fans seem to think Shannon is horrible, but in my experience Miami fans are ok with him.

There is nothing wrong with that statement, that's my experience. I don't know any Miami alumns nor do I have any method of contact to former players... but the Miami fans I do speak to are pretty much agreed that Shannon has helped out the program far more than he's hurt it.

[DraftBoy]

I agree with BMN and my opinion comes from a completely outside view. I like Randy Shannon and I think he's gone a ton of great work for the U. This recruiting class however is one that is going to piss people off as Miami fans. Let me explain;

You had 28 kids from the State of Florida who were ranked as ESPN150 prospects, Miami grabbed only two of those instate kids. Where as Florida got 9, FSU got 6, South Florida grabbed 2, and FIU got 1 as well. That leaves 10 in state kids that got away at the very least. Of those 28 kids 6 were from Broward County, Miami only got one of them which was from St. Thomas Aquinas HS where three other ESPN150 kids went elsewhere.

For a program that built itself on landing in state kids, specifically kids from local counties like Broward this is a big issue if they are suddenly going to start letting these kids leave.

[BlackMetalNinja]

I agree with BMN and my opinion comes from a completely outside view. I like Randy Shannon and I think he's gone a ton of great work for the U. This recruiting class however is one that is going to piss people off as Miami fans. Let me explain;

You had 28 kids from the State of Florida who were ranked as ESPN150 prospects, Miami grabbed only two of those instate kids. Where as Florida got 9, FSU got 6, South Florida grabbed 2, and FIU got 1 as well. That leaves 10 in state kids that got away at the very least. Of those 28 kids 6 were from Broward County, Miami only got one of them which was from St. Thomas Aquinas HS where three other ESPN150 kids went elsewhere.

For a program that built itself on landing in state kids, specifically kids from local counties like Broward this is a big issue if they are suddenly going to start letting these kids leave.Sadly, I think this is a double edged sword type of issue... I think part of the reason those kids aren't choosing Miami is because Shannon is known as a disciplinarian and they'd have to toe the line. In the past, Miami could get those kids because they were an NFL factory and that's all that mattered at 18 years old, but that's no longer the case.

I just don't think he can have both at this point, he's either going to clean up the program or he's going to get top recruiting classes, to do both would be difficult until the program is re-established amongst the elite.

[DraftBoy]

Sadly, I think this is a double edged sword type of issue... I think part of the reason those kids aren't choosing Miami is because Shannon is known as a disciplinarian and they'd have to toe the line. In the past, Miami could get those kids because they were an NFL factory and that's all that mattered at 18 years old, but that's no longer the case.

I just don't think he can have both at this point, he's either going to clean up the program or he's going to get top recruiting classes, to do both would be difficult until the program is re-established amongst the elite.

Agreed but I can't completely buy that of 28 kids, only 2 were good enough, clean enough, and wanted to play for Miami?

These kids grow up in that area idolizing the U, and I dont think that only one in 14 of them is of good character. Maybe Im wrong though.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Just got back a little while ago from yesterday's postponed signing ceremony... It's pretty awesome to see parents, coaches, and especially the student athletes themselves so proud of their accomplishments! Several of them thanked me for coming out to take their photos and sharing their recognition... it was very nice!