Penn State Rules

BigEd76 · January 13, 2006, 10:10:06 AM

Sam Young cancelled a visit to PSU and is 99% headed to ND. Ah well...I don't think PSU was ever a favorite anyway...

ice grillin you · January 13, 2006, 10:41:35 AM

change in plans for jb....

More Recruits Announcing Plans on Television

By Josh Barr
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 13, 2006

With McDonough All-Met defensive back A.J. Wallace announcing for Penn State last weekend and Robinson All-Met running back Lucas Caparelli this week choosing Wake Forest, the next big local football commitment will come Tuesday, when Lackey All-Met offensive lineman J.B. Walton is scheduled to make his choice publicly known.

Walton, expected by many to join Wallace and others at Penn State, is scheduled to appear on ESPNU -- no, that's not a typo -- between that network's college basketball games on Tuesday night, Lackey Coach Scott Chadwick said.

Chadwick said that Walton also is considering Florida State and West Virginia.

Not to take anything away from Walton, but perhaps this is an indication that televised recruiting announcements are going a bit overboard. ESPNU is not carried on most local cable systems and is far from the mainstream. But Walton, Chadwick and others will head downtown to the ESPN Zone for dinner on Tuesday, then Walton will appear on air.

Wallace and others went out of their way to make their commitments known during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game broadcast on NBC this past weekend, continuing a trend of players wanting to get on television to make their college choices known.

Forestville All-Met offensive lineman Antonio Logan-El is scheduled to make his announcement Jan. 24 on ESPNews, Knights Coach Charles Harley said. Logan-El is thought to be deciding between Maryland and Penn State, but could also end up at Florida or Tennessee, Harley said. Logan-El is scheduled to visit Florida next weekend.

When will it stop? Who knows? With the increasing number of cable channels, there is plenty of airtime and the kids and coaches are willing participants.

Benn Is a Wanted Man

The nametag was clearly printed for Dunbar Coach Craig Jefferies as he attended an awards luncheon during the American Football Coaches Association's annual convention in Dallas earlier this month.

At the next table was Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis, who soon spotted Jefferies and had to say hello.

"He saw my nametag and knew who I was," Jefferies said with a laugh, recounting the event. "I'm Arrelious Benn's coach."

Benn, an All-Met wide receiver as a junior this past season, could be the Washington area's top recruit next season. He has more than 20 scholarship offers already, not counting those schools with no chance who they say there is an offer if Benn wants it.

"Miami is the only school that hasn't offered him on this side" of the country, Jefferies said.

Benn is set to take an unofficial visit to Notre Dame this weekend to take in a basketball game and Jefferies hopes Benn will narrow his choices to 10 or fewer shortly.

"The only ones that raised his fancy so far are Notre Dame and Florida State," Jefferies said. "I think they're at the top of the list right now."

Jefferies said that All-Met defensive back Vontae Davis, a senior, has yet to make a decision. Davis, the younger brother of Maryland standout Vernon Davis, is choosing between Illinois, Michigan State, Virginia and Maryland.

Jefferies said not to count out Kansas State for Davis. Former Virginia assistant Ron Prince was recently hired as the Wildcats' new coach and his offensive coordinator is James Franklin, the former Maryland recruiting coordinator who this past season was an assistant for the Green Bay Packers.

Given the ties of both coaches to the Washington area and Franklin's popularity with high school coaches, it is easy to see Kansas State become a player in local recruiting, much as Illinois -- led by another former Maryland recruiting coordinator turned offensive coordinator, Mike Locksley -- has become.

ice grillin you · January 13, 2006, 10:47:00 AM

btw arrelious benn apart from having possibly the coolest name ever is also an unreal receiver...i seen him play a couple times this year and he is the truth

PoopyfaceMcGee · January 13, 2006, 11:22:09 AM

If Quarless goes with PSU, I'm 1 away from clinching victory.

BigEd76 · January 13, 2006, 12:26:10 PM

From what I've read, Quarless to PSU is pretty much a guarantee...

ice grillin you · January 13, 2006, 12:32:13 PM

moreso than walton you think?

PoopyfaceMcGee · January 13, 2006, 12:54:02 PM

Quarless & Walton = win for FF and loss for IGY

BigEd76 · January 13, 2006, 12:55:58 PM

yes to the last two posts

ice grillin you · January 13, 2006, 12:56:08 PM

and a win for penn st

altho as i said from the get...ale is the key to the class...and by far the hardest to predict of them all

PoopyfaceMcGee · January 13, 2006, 01:13:00 PM

True blue-chippers like Logan-El have too many top schools going after them to know for sure before they choose.

BigEd76 · January 13, 2006, 03:09:39 PM

burp

PoopyfaceMcGee · January 13, 2006, 03:39:04 PM

I'm 4/4 out of my 7 guys. One more and I get my set of steak knives from IGY.

PhillyPhreak54 · January 14, 2006, 10:38:33 AM

Levi Brown announced that he's staying. Obviously it is due to the amount of top OT prospects in this draft.

rjs246 · January 14, 2006, 11:10:57 AM

Another bit of hope for less of a dropoff next year.

PoopyfaceMcGee · January 15, 2006, 09:29:31 AM

Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on January 14, 2006, 10:38:33 AM
Levi Brown announced that he's staying. Obviously it is due to the amount of top OT prospects in this draft.

If he continues to progress, he could be a top-10 pick next year. He was the top recruit for PSU out of high school, and his consistency has steadily improved through college. The kid has a ton of talent.