Cal Sports Recruiting Thread: January 2010
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 17, 2010 3:26 PM PST
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PrintSee earlier threads: December 2009, November 2009
Note: Will be working on a project that'll hopefully make it easier to track all the recruiting news on CGB. Stay tuned on this!
Prospects
Ego Ferguson, DE (Chatham, VA)
Defensive lineman Ego Ferguson Jr. of Hargrave (Va.) Prep may visit $C on Jan. 15, according to his father. Ego Ferguson Sr. has been in regular contact with Gamecock recruiter Jay Graham and said he and his son are planning to come in for the Gamecocks’ big recruiting weekend, either on an official or unofficial visit. Ferguson has taken official visits to LSU, Notre Dame and Cal. He will go to Oklahoma on Jan. 22, and his fifth official visit is going to be fUCLA unless he switches to $C. Ferguson has cut Maryland from his list, which includes North Carolina, Miami and Florida State.
Anthony Jefferson (HT chowder)
Oregon, Cal, and UCLA. Has yet to visit UCLA, and favours Oregon thusfar. Those facts lead me to believe he won’t be a bear.
"I’m going to UCLA [Jan. 15]," Jefferson said. "That will be my last visit and I should be ready to make my decision after that visit. Oregon and Cal were great trips and these are now the only three schools I’m looking at.
"Oregon and Cal have already come in for home visits and coach [Rick] Neuheisal and coach [Carnell] Lake will be coming over Tuesday night. Right now, I would say Oregon stands out most to me and I really like them a lot but I’m going in to this last visit open-minded and looking forward to making my decision at the end of the month."
Toney Hurd Jr (Texas A&M)
announced at the Under Armour game
Ricky Seale (solarise)
Four-star running back Ricky Seale has been taking his time deciding between ‘Furd and Cal. But a recent development has the Bears in the backseat, with an unlikely school emerging as a front-runner. Escondido’s Seale says he has moved SDSU ahead of Cal, and that he will pick between ’Furd and the Aztecs.
Trajuan Briggs might be the lone RB in the 2010.
Owa Odighizuwa, DE (Portland, OR) (solarise)
ESPN On the trail is showing that that Oregon, Oregon State, $C, and fUCLA are his top four choices.
MoragaBear from BearInsider reports that top 4 for Owa could change.
Davon Dunn, WR
Todd Kaufmann / Bleacherreport.com is reporting that Davon Dunn has verbally committed to Fresno State. No confirmation yet.
Ryan Murphy, ATH (Oakland, CA)
Murphy making name for himself
Athlete Ryan Murphy (Oakland, Calif./Oakland Tech) was a relative unknown prior to an explosive showing at the Nike combine in Oakland last May. Murphy clocked a 4.42 40 time, jumped 35 inches in the vertical and threw the power ball 38 feet.
His 113.04 SPARQ Rating was one of the best for any defensive back tested all spring and a big year on the field this past season has sent his recruitment flying through the roof.
"Things have been going great for me," Murphy said. "We had a good year winning our league and made it to the Silver Bowl, but lost in the finals there. I was named first team all-city at running back, but most schools are recruiting me for safety than running back, although some are saying athlete.
"I’ve already taken official visits to Arizona State and Washington State and was supposed to visit Oregon State last weekend but had to re-schedule it. All of those schools have offered along with Fresno State and I think fUCLA and Cal are pretty close too."
Murphy broke down his visits and talked about what trips he plans to take in January.
"ASU was the first weekend of December and I liked it a lot. The coaches showed me a lot of love and I was comfortable with the area and the campus. The next weekend I went to Washington State and that was my best visit so far.
"I was pretty overwhelmed by everything and loved the small college town feel there. Everyone I met was so down to earth and friendly and it just felt like a real family there. I’m going to Oregon State (Jan. 15) and I’m trying to choose between fUCLA and Fresno State for (Jan. 8).
"I like fUCLA a lot, but they haven’t offered yet. If they offered, I would probably visit there for sure, and I still might but I’m just trying to figure that out right now. I told the coaches I would let them know by (Thursday) what I’m doing so I have to figure it out pretty soon here."
De'Shawn Beck, ATH (Los Angeles, CA)
Big honor for Beck
This was a strong year for talent in the Los Angeles city section and Crenshaw (Los Angeles, Calif.) was easily the dominant program in the area. So it was a mild surprise when Jordan (Los Angeles, Calif.) athlete Deshawn Beck was named City Player of the Year.
Beck was a dual-threat quarterback and put up huge numbers this past season. He rushed for 2,031 yards and nine touchdowns, threw for 1,166 yards and six touchdowns and added 14 catches for 181 yards and two more scores at receiver.
"It was pretty much unanimous," Jordan coach Elijah Asante said. "Deshawn is just a phenomenal player and when you look at the numbers he has put over the last three years, it’s mind blowing. He was all-state the last two years and will likely be again this year and I can’t imagine the city producing too many three-time all-state selections."
With his production on the field and reputation as arguably the fastest player in the city, you would think schools would be beating down Beck’s door. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
"All the schools are waiting on his grades to pick up," Asante said. "Arizona and New Mexico State offered early and Washington, Cal and Idaho are all talking like they’ll offer as soon as his grades are in after this semester.
"He retook the SAT again as well and we’re waiting for those results. I really think he’ll make it. He’s working hard and is very focused. He’s in the same boat right now as James (Boyd) was last year and James was able to make it so I think Deshawn can make it as well."
Current recruits (HT solarise)
Josh Harper has been named Player of the Year by The Record (video).
Chris Martin & Ego Ferguson have been named to the US Army 2010 Player of the Year Award watch list. (NYC Hoops / Rivals)
Austin Hinder, QB (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Austin Hinder has been named a finalist for the Joe Montana High School QB of the Year Award.
Austin Hinder (Steamboat Springs High School – Steamboat Springs, CO)
The 6’5", 215 lbs QB finished the 2009 High School season with 2205 yards passing, and 25 TD’s (6 INT’s). He also rushed for an additional 700 yards and 15 rushing TD’s. He carries a 104 passer rating. A three year varsity starter, Hinder is rated the #5 QB by Scout.com, #5 QB by Max Preps, #7 QB by Rivals.com. At the 2008 Army National Combine, he was recognized as the top QB prospect in the country. He is the grandson of NFL Coaching legend Jim Hanifan. He will complete his high school career (13-1 as senior) by playing in the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, before starting his college football career at Cal.
The opinions expressed in a FanPost are, in every way, reflective of the opinions of every California Golden Blogs Marshawnthusiast. Moreover, they are reflective of every employee of SBNation, including Tyler "Blez" Bleszinski.
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Comments
As noted in today’s DBD, at DT we’ve got Kaufusi (So), Hill (Sr), Payne (So), and Tipoti (So), so there’s plenty of youth at that position. We could probably be okay without bringing someone in at that spot.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 6, 2010 11:41 AM PST up reply actions
What about Deandre Coleman? Is he going to be a DT or 3-4 DE (or possibly have the ability to play both at times)? Also thought Tipoti is a DE, not DT? And did Kaufusi not redshirt?
by Missing Barry on Jan 6, 2010 1:01 PM PST up reply actions
Deandre Coleman, by the CGB accounts in the DBD, is projected to be moved to DE. At 6’6, 309lbs, he’ll be one monster of a DE, probably bigger than most LT and definitely bigger than most LG. Right now at DE we have Guyton, Cameron Jordan, and Ernest Owusu, so its deep. But Guyton was used sparingly this year, and I would imagine Coleman pushing for some serious playing time.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
I think he is projected at strong side defensive end. Also, at the end of fall camp, I thought I heard was struggling with the speed of the college game.
Slow? I watched Boise's DL handle TCU OL
Seriously, they had a bunch of slow white dudes. How do they do it? They controlled the Ducks who rolled all over us? what gives?
Speed of the game could mean multiple things. It could mean he is in fact slow, or it could mean his reading a play and reaction to the play are slow, which would be likely considering he is a freshman.
You might be right, and it could be attitude too, judging from this Aug 2009 report:
http://california.scout.com/2/890798.html
When Coleman, who was at one time believed by many to be the premier defensive player on the West Coast, decommitted from Washington and committed to Cal, the Bears appeared to get a steal.
But so far, Coleman has been slow, literally, in his transition to the college game.
At 6-foot-4 and weighing in around 290 pounds, Coleman’s speed thus far has looked very suspect, as has his technique.
What is most startling about Coleman, however, is that he doesn’t seem to care.
Day in and day out, defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi is on the freshman, not because he can’t hold his own against the rest of the lot, but because he never seems to be paying attention.
Hopefully Coleman will take Cameron Jordan’s advice and pay attention to Tyson Alualu’s every move because, unlike Jordan whose talent can often cover up his questionable maturity issues (until late). Coleman doesn’t appear to have the inate ability of some of the other guys.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
Is there much of a difference between the strongside and weakside DE in a 3-4? I would think they’d be a lot more alike than the SS/WS DE in a 4-3…
by Missing Barry on Jan 6, 2010 4:57 PM PST up reply actions
Whichever one Alualu plays is more of a tackle/end hybrid, I think.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
I have announced that I’ve committed to Cal.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Your grades didn’t qualify, so you took a year @ Mt Diablo and headed to UC Davis over Northern Arizona and Portland State.
You didn’t pan out.
It's dat Woo Woooooo.
To be fair, he was a 1 star recruit coming out anyway.
President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
Imagine if they arrested Kevin Riley over it haha.
Sidney Crosby is my Cousin
by SeanCrosby87 on Jan 10, 2010 5:58 PM PST up reply actions
Do we have a limited number of scholarships to offer?
I know West Coast kids tend to commit later than the rest of the country, we usually sign smaller classes (less than 22) and we are on the board with a bunch of propsects, but we still only have 13 recruits. Are we limited for scholarships?
Just because we are in the final 3 -5 for Parker, Jefferson, Whitaker, Ferguson, Werner, Koundjio, King, Lee etc. doesn’t mean they are a lock, being in the final 3-5 means we have a 33% to 20% chance of getting them, bringing in a 1/3 of 9 recruits means we will have a class of 16. That is small, is there a reason?
Oh? Who are they?
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
Tyler York from Nevada:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UisvM_aZSBY
Lucas King S/LB from Berkeley High.
Yea Luke! Way to represent us Jackets.
Go Bears!
by RollOnYouBears667 on Jan 5, 2010 10:13 PM PST up reply actions
US Army All-American updates
Whiteside had a strong practice. ($)
Probably the best performer at linebacker this afternoon was Cecil Whiteside, the California commit, who was very strong in coverage, and even better…
All I can get before it’s gated.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
Owa describes why he eliminated Cal
USC, UCLA, Oregon, Oregon State and Nebraska are the final five for Odighizuwa, who said an in-home visit with the Ducks has been scheduled. He will also have an in-home with the Cornhuskers. Odighizuwa expects coach Bo Pelini to be there.
California had long been considered a favorite for Odighizuwa because of his relationship with defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi but he surprisingly eliminated the Bears recently.
“Just my comfort level with other schools compared to them,” Odighizuwa said. “I just felt like it was something I had to do. It wasn’t easy because I developed a really good relationship with Tosh, he’s a great coach, he’s a great guy. I just felt like I needed to go a different direction.”
Please go to Nebraska Owa. I can’t stand the thought of having you rushing our blind side the next few years.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
I’m obviously reading into it, but it sounds to me like it could potentially have been related to the on-field performances in the last two games.
by atomsareenough on Jan 5, 2010 5:08 PM PST up reply actions
I’m guessing it has more to do with being recruited as a LB than a DE.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 5, 2010 5:19 PM PST up reply actions
Is he good enough that we could set him up at DE if he prefers?
by atomsareenough on Jan 6, 2010 9:21 AM PST up reply actions
I think all other schools are projecting him as a speed rushing defensive end, he would have been our hybrid pass rushing LB/DE until Martin committed. Problem is, in a 3-4 our defensive ends also need to be able to occupy blockers, which being a speed rusher he might struggle at (but this is all speculation, and more knowledgeable people would probably disagree with me).
Nope. It may have had a little bit to do with Owa’s decision, but the biggest reason is the commitment of Chris Martin at the hybrid spot. We were recruiting Owa at that position the whole time but Martin fell into our hands late in the recruiting process. Look at when Owa dropped Cal. Soon after CM committed. I said in last month’s recruiting thread that we would have to sit tight on Owa and King. Anything can happen and nothing will be final until LOI day.
why's that?
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Martin best linebacker on East squad, Forbes third
Supposedly from Rivals main board (HT BI).
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
Sometime in the morning
and I’m think NBC
On the "Brian Sabean should be fired" bandwagon
I want winners...and Eric Berry
It's either noon or 1 PM EST
9 AM/10 AM PST
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 6, 2010 12:09 AM PST up reply actions
man if we could somehow land Seastrunk ( awesome name btw ) it
would certainly lessen the blow of loosing Jahvid Best
What did i tell you...didn't I say they would win? Yeah that's right I did didn't ? Wait.. what? They LOST?!?!?
With Gould, Vereen, DeBo, and Yarnway in the mix, I’m not too worried about RB. And even if Briggs is “just” a three-star, he was an SC commit, which tells me Pete Carroll probably thinks the dude can play some football. A top flight RB will probably be high on the agenda next season, but we can probably do without for a year barring injury (knock on wood).
Main thing I wonder with RB recruits at this point is how the hell we fell behind SD State for Seale. I don’t even covet him that much, it’s just… SD State?! Frankly, that’s a little insulting.
I think Briggs was injured most of his senior year, so he never really had a chance to earn a 4th star as well.
But like you said, the USC early offer says more than a star rating.
I will let it be known that I am not comfortable with the RB depth, and I’d prefer 2 RBs this class. But I think Briggs is a tad underrated and didn’t get to show off his stuff his senior year. 2011 looks to have some good RB targets as well
It's dat Woo Woooooo.
by Thoroughbred on Jan 6, 2010 11:52 AM PST up reply actions
Let’s not forget Sofele, either. He may not ever primarily be a RB, but he does add depth to that position. I’m not sure why you’re concerned about depth when we’ve got 3 good looking players, Sofele, probably a couple guys that could fill in as emergency backups, and Briggs as a recruit (I assume he’ll redshirt, but that still means he’s in the program and can have the redshirt taken off if injuries add up)….
by Missing Barry on Jan 6, 2010 12:57 PM PST up reply actions
We’ve only seen Vereen… Has anyone seen Yarnway run? DeBo has had his moments (with some good blocking on those plays). I’d rather have Sofele be a jack-of-all-trades, ST, slot guy.
I think the OL’s run-blocking is more important at this point, but I don’t know if anyone on this list is more than your regular Pac-10 RB (Vereen notwithstanding, as I think he’ll be a cut above next year with proper rest and platoon).
It's dat Woo Woooooo.
And that may be fair, it just seemed to me you were focused on quantity for depth reasons, and based on what you just said, it seems like the question you’re really concerned about is if we have the quality we’re used to (and the bar is set exceptionally high as of right now)….
So I’m not sure we should be looking at upping the number of RB’s we take as much as finding the next big time Cal RB….
by Missing Barry on Jan 6, 2010 5:00 PM PST up reply actions
We can always burn Briggs’ redshirt and put him in the rotation right away. But given his injury this year, I’m sure the coaches want to get him a lot of time with the scout team and that extra year of preparation…. if he needs it.. Same could almost be said for Yarnway, having missed a lot of the scout team reps this season because of his toe. Word is though that he was practicing hard by the end of the season so should be good to go.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
bigger fish to fry
I see the Vareen/Best situation very similarly to Lynch/Forsett. Vareen won’t have nearly as many 60+ runs or highlight reels, but will be very productive. He’s an excellent back but in the shadows of Best (like Forsett to Lynch). He (or having someone flashy behind him), however, is not the key to title. QB play, WR making catches, and OL play is what will get us there, and we’re not even talking about the defensive or special teams side! I’d trade Seastrunk for the next Alex Mack.
I read on BI that
Ferguson was ready to commit to Cal but is holding off temporarily. Hopefully this pans out.
So what can you say?
This would be a killer D class. Killer
It's dat Woo Woooooo.
by Thoroughbred on Jan 6, 2010 11:53 AM PST up reply actions
Yes! I would love to know if he has family members named Id and Super Ego.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Chris Martin and Ego Ferguson
If we land Ego, it will be a the best defensive front recruiting class ever, agreed?
Consider that we have big time 3 LBs and two DE studs. We need Ego, however. Btw, I predict that Martin does not blueshirt and is in the rotation (if not more).
Go Bears!
Run Down of Key Players involved with Pac-10 Players
The basics:
Ronald Powell to Florida, not USC
Demetrius Wright to USC, not Tennessee
Marquis Flowers is down to Arizona and USC
Gabe King to Oregon, not Cal or USC
Brandon Willis back to Tennessee, not UCLA or North Carolina
Gabe King to Oregon is official? Is this going to cause some kind of shitstorm?
by atomsareenough on Jan 6, 2010 2:21 PM PST up reply actions
Given that run down, we really need JR more than ever.
I really dont want a slew of one and two stars in final weeks in order to fill out our 7-8 open slots. Did Arod make any calls for Tedford last week? :)
It’s been floated about that we’ll only take18 in this class (not including the two grey-shirts)
It's dat Woo Woooooo.
There really aren’t that many slots left. Based on what I’ve read, Ferguson is our best bet remaining of the big-name recruits. Outside of him, I don’t see us getting any other 5/4 star guys.
Tedford does have a knack for pulling at least one rabbit out of his hat in the last month – but lately they have been JC guys that ultimately did not qualify (Markish Jones and Alex Cook).
GOLD OUT MOZAMBIQUE!
Adrian Lee, S (Dallas, TX)
Skyline (Dallas) defensive back Adrian Lee continues to see his stock rise after adding an offer from Notre Dame, ESPN’s Gerry Hamilton reports.
He has already made official visits to Cal and Minnesota. Dates with Utah and Wisconsin have also been set.
North Carolina, Iowa State, SMU and UTEP among others have also offered Lee.
Zach Swanson, TE (Katy, TX)
Zach Swanson, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound tight end from Katy, Texas, is no longer headed to the Cardinal.
He is now considering Class of 2010 offers from Air Force, Arkansas, Baylor, Cal, Miami-Florida, Oklahoma State and Rice, among others.
Swanson originally committed to the Cardinal March of his junior year.
Jeffrey Whitaker, DT (Warner Robins, GA)
AuburnUndercover.com / ESPN reports:
Whitaker, 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds from Warner Robins (Ga.), has Auburn, Georgia, North Carolina, Cal and Miami at the top of his list. Whitaker said he likes what he is hearing from the Auburn coaching staff.
Whitaker said he will not make a decision until Feb. 1, two days before signing day.
Whitaker said he has been “playing hard to get” recently, but he will be taking at least two official visits later this month.
He said he has not committed to a school because he wants to make sure he makes the right decision for him the first time.
“This is a lifetime decision, and I want to get it right,” Whitaker said. “I didn’t want to commit somewhere and then de-commit. That is just not me. When I say that is what I want to do, that is it.”
Whitaker said he has a few factors that will play into his decision.
“It will be about the people, the environment and just any gut feeling I get from that one place,” Whitaker said.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:
"I got it narrowed down to a legitimate three: Georgia, Auburn and Miami," Whitaker said. "So it’s not too bad. I’m still loving the recruiting and hanging with these U.S. Army All-Americans."
Gatorbait.net / Rivals reporting from the Army All-American Bowl:
Jeffrey Whitaker came here excited and happy about representing not only Warner Robins High School but the state of Georgia . Whitaker has given 110 percent and is a beast on the field but a happy, gentle giant off the field. He is probably the most humble and honest kid I have met this year. – BARRY EVERY
Chris Martin, DE (Aurora, CO)
Who has been the most fun player to be around? [At the Army All-American Bowl]
Chris Martin, I really haven’t had much of a chance to talk to him before this week. He’s an engaging guy. He’s mature. He seems like an adult. He’s always looking for a reason to laugh. He’s a good story teller as well. I think he’s been a lot of fun. – Greg Ladky
Ego Ferguson, DE (Chatham, VA)
Sharrif Floyd of course is probably in there, and J.R. Ferguson. Those two guys are so intense but at the same time can turn it off off the field and have some fun and joke around with you a little bit. Those are kind of the guys who stand out to me as the most fun. - Mike Farrell
That’s his nickname.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 6, 2010 11:25 PM PST up reply actions
Because when he sacks another team’s quarterback, the offense linemen cry out “leggo my ego!”
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 7, 2010 6:38 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Haha recd
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 7, 2010 1:26 PM PST up reply actions
Chris Martin is Titled Mr. Personality
Cal commit Chris Martin says he is not a class clown, but admits to being a “field clown”. The massive 6-foot-4, 240-pound outside linebacker has enjoyed joking around with his teammates this week.
Chris Martin has been the vocal leader on and off the field for the East.
“In the classroom or when it is time to handle business, I handle business,” Martin said. “But if there is just a little bit of space for me to get in a joke, you can count on me to bring it out. I’m not trying to put on a show or anything. I am just a vocal person, that’s how I am. Even as a little kid, I was a loud one.”
Martin has lived up to his five-star billing in the Alamo City this week. He has consistently stood out during the East’s practices.
“He keeps everybody loose but at the same time, he works. He is not just a talker,” Quarles said. “When the ball is snapped, he goes all out. I have been really impressed. For a big guy, he doesn’t look like he is going to be able to run with those little running backs but they don’t outrun him. And he brings a lot of force when he tackles them. Chris is a very impressive football player.”
Martin has started to develop a strong friendship with his roommate this week Keenan Allen. He has also enjoyed playing on the same defense as the Alabama-bound safety.
“Keenan is the best player out here. He has been off the chain,” Martin said. “I have never seen a guy like him. It looks like he is beat but he knows he is not beat and now I am never worried that he is beat. With him playing behind me, you feel like you can just play up and pressure a lot.”
http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1037181
Keenan will probably convince Chris to go to Alabama….
by Missing Barry on Jan 8, 2010 7:55 AM PST up reply actions
“Give me a Saturday night, my baby by my side, sweet home Alabama and a 6-pack of Lite. An old dirt road, and I’ll be just fine.”
That’d be enough to convince me…
by Missing Barry on Jan 8, 2010 10:37 AM PST up reply actions
Gabe King NOT announcing at the Army Bowl
Originally it was thought that Eugene (Ore.) South defensive end Gabe King was going to make his official announcement at Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio. That was the plan, but the plan has changed.
Seeing as he was an Oregon lean, this could only be goods news for the Bears. I still wouldn’t be too hopeful though.
Found by a BI poster, a behind the scenes vid from the Army AA game:
by turkey on Jan 8, 2010 10:59 AM PST reply actions 3 recs
VERY nice to see Nick Forbes palling around with 2 other Cal targets. :) What if they were all on the same team, indeed!
by atomsareenough on Jan 8, 2010 11:59 AM PST up reply actions
Nick Forbes
Here is another video where Nick Forbes is saying 1:03 “They got the right color but the wrong name. C A L …GO BEARS!!”…Good job Nick…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39kpZsG1hpY&NR=1
by CalBears123 on Jan 8, 2010 8:58 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
If all the commits stay through
Would this be the best class under Tedford since 2004? How about the best defensive class? Definitely the first “good” class since 2006
In other words, Go Bears!
PC to Seattle!!!
What does this do to U$C recruiting?
If it happens, I would be pinning my hopes more on the USC dynasty fading back to a normal program than on stealing recruits from them this year…
by Missing Barry on Jan 8, 2010 1:09 PM PST up reply actions
I don’t know who we’d be able to snag. We have no shot at the nationwide prospects like Prater. Generally, when a shake up like this happens, the players who decommit end up close to home (see Chris Martin and Toney Hurd). So many of USC’s commits did so early, therefore its tough know who their other favorites were. I know we made the final cut for Robert Woods, which would be an excellent grab if we could.
Upon doing a rivals search, we were also recruiting:
Xavier Grimble 4* TE from Las Vegas
DJ Morgan 4* RB from SoCal
Randall Telfer 4* TE from SoCal
George Uko 4* DE from SoCal (took visit to Cal)
Robert Woods 5* Athlete from SoCal
Also, some players considering USC that Cal is recruiting include:
Lache Seastrunk 5* RB from Texas (he was nearly set on USC)
Sean Parker 4* S from SoCal
I would think Uko and Woods would be the only plausible ones, and I wouldn’t bet on either of them…
by Missing Barry on Jan 8, 2010 4:43 PM PST up reply actions
with all respect, Mora's firing (after one year) says it all.
Mora was fired b/c PC came calling. it all fits.
Or because Mora had a terrible season, didn’t have much success with the Falcons, and the organization has finally decided to completely start from the ground up to rebuild, which in my opinion, is the correct thing for them to do. Just because one scenario is plausible and rumored doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed or even the driving force behind anything…
by Missing Barry on Jan 8, 2010 1:10 PM PST up reply actions
Seattle would not have fired Jim Mora after one year, unless they felt good about hiring someone else.
PC will trade for Leinert...
as he is the only one left who believes he is a NFL qb. :)
Barry...
Mort just reported that this is “almost a done deal.” I have aTV in my office— seen on NFL Live.
Davon Dunn explains his decision
Dunn took June unofficial visits to Fresno, Berkeley and Westwood with friend and fellow San Diego native Kenny Stills. Both came away from Cal impressed. The possibility of both verbally committing along with other San Diego native Ricky Seale was high considering Stills stated he wanted to play with his friends at the next level. Dunn, who verbally committed to Cal in August, says that wasn’t really a factor in his recruitment.
"I didn’t know what Ricky was going to do and I always knew Kenny wasn’t staying in California, he told me that from the beginning. But if he did stay, he would go to Cal," said Dunn. "But that didn’t play a huge part at all. We had a fun on our trip. I liked Fresno, and I liked Cal. fUCLA was okay too. But even when I went up there that time I was kind of wowed by Cal’s facilities, the area, the school and the richness. But I’m more comfortable at Fresno. It’s more of my environment where I can stay focused and do what I need to do."
"The coaches at Cal are good so are the players, but it was just the atmosphere. I wasn’t really feeling it. When I went up to Fresno, I felt more at home, in my comfort zone. As far as the coaches, I felt comfortable with Pat Hill and his philosophy. Also, Coach Keith [Williams], my wide receiver coach, because that’s who I’m going to be with the next four or five years. I felt really good about them."
Also, Coach Keith [Williams], my wide receiver coach, because that’s who I’m going to be with the next four or five years. I felt really good about them."
Comments like this make me wonder if Cal’s WR Coach (Daft), who has no WR experience whatsoever, had something to do with his decision…
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
I take the part about not really feeling the atmosphere to mean much more… He could’ve felt really good about Daft; he’s not excluding that.
The coaches at Cal are good so are the players, but it was just the atmosphere. I wasn’t really feeling it.
It's dat Woo Woooooo.
by Thoroughbred on Jan 12, 2010 12:23 PM PST up reply actions
Sean Parker, S (Harbor City, CA)
Parker will not be making a commitment until National Signing Day.
“I’m still balancing it out and checking each school out to see what each school has to offer,” Parker told Rivals.com’s John Talman on Sunday. “Michigan, it’s because of their academic success. When I took a trip out there, I really liked it. $C, they’ve always been a school with my interest. Cal, it’s also because of their academic success.”
Arie Kouandjio, OT (Hyattsville, MD)
Kouandjio will visit Alabama on Jan. 16 and Miami on Jan. 22. Tennessee will host the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder on Jan. 29, which will be his final official visit.
The Vols have put themselves in position to land Kouandjio.
"I like them a lot," he said. "They’ve been showing me a lot of attention ever since I met them. Even though that gets a little bit crazy sometimes with all of these colleges, it still shows that they really do want me. I really do like them for that."
Kouandjio seems sold on UT’s coaches. He’ll evaluate the players during his official visit.
"I like the coaches a lot," he said. "I just want to get down there and meet the players."
Kouandjio said he’s intrigued by UT’s vacancy on its offensive line.
"I think that’s a big deal for me because I want to play early wherever I go," he said.
has he visited Cal? Does Cal have any shot???
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
He was a part of the big recruiting weekend with Martin/Coley/Ferguson/everyone else under the face of the sun.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
Sean Parker, S (Harbor City, CA)
At the Army All-American Bowl practice:
Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne four-star safety Sean Parker had the hit of the day when he closed strong and lit up Malcolm Jones on a toss play to the right. It was a pop that got people in the stands and both the offensive and defensive players excited.
“Now that’s a hit,” one of the West coaches yelled.
Parker, who is down to Cal, Michigan and $C, also did well in the one-on-ones, landing himself a spot on the West Stars of the Day list.
Notre Dame Update
The Irish appear on the outs for Hyattsville, Md., offensive lineman Arie Kouandjio.
“I haven’t talked to them in a long time,” the 6-6, 314-pound Kouandjio said. “They’re starting to slip a little, just for the fact that they haven’t been contacting me.”
Kouandjio didn’t completely rule out the Irish, however.
“There’s definitely a chance,” he said. “There’s always a chance.”
One player the Irish still have a shot at is defensive end J.R. “Ego” Ferguson of Chatham, Va.
“Notre Dame is still in it for me,” the 6-3, 272-pound five-star defensive end said. "I just want to get to know coach Elston and coach Kelly a little more, meet them live, talk to them and see what they’re going to use me as and everything like that and see how I can help the program.
Ego Ferguson, DE (Chatham, VA)
Ferguson to visit Oklahoma, one more
Defensive end J.R. Ferguson (Frederick, Md.//Hargrave Military) may win the award for most miles traveled by a recruit in the 2010 class. The 6-3, 272-pound bull-rushing end has already tripped to out west to see Cal, north to Notre Dame and south to Baton Rouge to check out LSU.
Later this month, the No. 139 prospect in the ESPNU 150 will trek to Oklahoma, and quite possibly back to the West Coast.
“I have two visits left,” Ferguson said. “I have one visit set for Oklahoma on January 22 and then I’m considering Florida State, Miami, fUCLA and South Carolina for my final visit,”
The Bruins have gone from the outside looking in to having a legit shot at nailing down Ferguson’s fifth official visit after an impressive in-home visit by head coach Rick Neuheisel.
“It was good,” Ferguson said. “He was the first coach to come in and show me love and everything. That home visit is why they are still under consideration for an official visit.”
Having already taken official visits to LSU (October 30), Notre Dame (November 20) and Cal (December 11), plus a number of unofficial visits in the past, becoming enamored with a school can be easy. Ferguson is trying to avoid that and give everyone an equal chance.
“I’m kind of still open basically. I’m trying to take these last two visits before I really start narrowing things down,” he said. "Each of the visits I’ve taken has had a special meaning to me. Going to Notre Dame and seeing the academics was the best I’ve ever seen. Going to Cal and see how the players are treated was great. Then going to LSU and seeing how I got along with the players was great too.
“I want to pray on everything and make the decision that helps my family and helps me with early playing time.”
LSU is considered to be at or near the top of the list at the moment.
Fresh off my suspension from SBNation for committing throttle violations. Now I know how Gilbert Arenas will feel once he gets out of David Stern’s doghouse.
Explanation from SBNation:
if you post more than two posts in an hour, a throttle violation is issued. If you receive more than five throttle violations in a 24 hour period the system automatically bans your account.
I tried to post all the Army All-American Bowl pics below as Fanshots, hence the violation.
Ego Ferguson, DE (Chatham, VA)
Ego Ferguson (left), from Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. and Dominic Espinosa, from Cedar Park High School in Cedar Park, Texas, are introduced at the start of the 2010 U.S. Army All American Bowl Awards Dinner. The 10th Anniversary U.S. Army All American Bowl game is Saturday, Jan. 9 at 12 Noon CST.
Staff Sgt. Genevieve “Eve” Chase talks to Ego Ferguson of Hargrave Military Academy, Chatham, Va.
(via MyArmyReserve Flickr PhotoStream)
Staff Sargeant Eve Chase was assigned to host Ego during the Army All-American Bowl:
He’s comfortable with the camera and I have no doubt, he’s going to be awesome to hang with. Very much looking forward to watching this young man as he navigates college ball. I have a feeling I’m going to be watching a lot more college football games after this week!
$C recruiters Brad Lawing and Jay Graham flew to San Antonio on Saturday to meet with defensive lineman Ego Ferguson Jr. of Hargrave (Va.) Prep. It was the first chance for Lawing to meet with Ferguson since the summer.
“He went over how he sees him fitting into the program and his four-year plan for J.R.,” Ego Ferguson Sr. said. Ferguson Jr. has taken official visits to LSU, Notre Dame and Cal. He will visit Oklahoma on Jan. 22 and will decide this week on his final visit between $C, Florida State and Miami.
Sean Parker, S (Harbor City, CA)
(via Miller Safrit/Scout.com)
Safety Sean Parker also recently narrowed his list. The West team safety has Michigan, $C, and Cal as the schools still standing and he is not tipping his hand regarding any leanings.
“I’m planning everything out evenly and I’m checking out what the best fit for me is,” Parker said. “($C) is a powerhouse program. They’ve been at the top of the ring for a long time. Cal — they are an up-and-coming program. I see they are trying to get things going up there. Michigan — they are a program in the running right now that is trying to rise to the top also. They said I could come in and play right away. I’ve got to work for a spot. It won’t be given to me.”
Parker won’t divulge his decision until signing day. At the moment he is more focused on performing well in his final high school game Saturday. The big hit he laid on West running back Malcolm Jones during Wednesday’s intrasquad scrimmage was one of his many highlights that have drawn raves from pundits this week.
“The top safety in California, Parker is a big hitter who shines with the pads on,” said Scout.com West Regional Manage Brandon Huffman.
Geoffrey Gibson, OL (Las Vegas, NV)
Gibson has been chosen as part of Las Vegas Sun’s All Decade Team.
The 6-foot-4, 330-pound Gibson (2006 to ‘09) was a four-year starter at Gorman and part of two state championship teams. This year, the Gaels led the nation in scoring. Gibson is committed to Cal. "He was really the emotional leader of our team. You don’t find that often with linemen," Gorman coach Tony Sanchez said. “But when Gibby talked, the other kids listened. He was such a great teammate.”
Arie Kouandjio, OT (Hyattsville, MD)
Capt. James Proctor, an Army Reserve logistics officer with U.S. Army Joint Forces Command in Suffolk, Va., visits with Arie Kouandjio, a football player from DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md., during U.S. Army All-American Bowl events here Jan. 10. Proctor works as a U.S. Capitol Police special agent in Washington, D.C. in his civilian job.
Cecil Whiteside, LB (Newport Harbor, CA)
Whiteside said he’s excited to compete against a couple of future Golden Bear teammates in Nick Forbes and Chris Martin, who are from Frederick, Md., and Aurora, Colo., respectively.
"It’s going to be great," said Whiteside, who earned first-team All-Sunset League after leading the Sailors with 96 total tackles, five going for losses, and intercepting a pass. "It’s one last chance to represent Newport Harbor on the field."
Cal had four commits in the game, but the one who had the strongest outing was Cecil Whiteside (Newport Harbor, Calif./Newport Harbor), who finished with five tackles. Playing linebacker, the versatile Whiteside displayed good short-area quickness and did a good job of locating the ball and tackling. He landed a good stick in the fourth quarter which could be heard throughout the Alamodome.
Jeffrey Whitaker, DT (Warner Robins, GA)
In Whitaker’s own words:
I knew one guy out here: (Douglass defensive lineman) Garrison Smith. I ran across him at a camp probably two years ago, and we’ve stayed in touch. He’s my roommate. He’s recruiting me like crazy to get my to come to Georgia. Everybody out here is recruiting me. It’s crazy. The (people that run the game) told us that we could pick our school on television. There was no pressure either way. I’m not making a pick. I still have visits to make.
I’m really proud to be a U.S. Army All-American. I think it’s extra special knowing I live in a military community. I grew up in Macon, but I’ve really enjoyed being a part of this community. I see the value of the (soldiers), and they have all of my respect. I have major respect for everyone in the military, and I just want to represent for them.
Whitaker’s decision is going to feature a recruiting battle between two of the South’s oldest rivals — Auburn and Georgia. Consider the Tigers the favorites to land him at this point, but once the Bulldogs settle their defensive coaching staff, they can push right back because it’s an in-state prospect. He visits Auburn this coming weekend and Georgia the next.
The Army All-American Bowl Experience
“It was an honor to be selected to the game,” Forbes said. "The highlight for me was when a United States Army General led us in our pre-game pep talk and said, ‘Look down at your jersey, you are U.S. Army All Americans.’
“All of the pride set in and finally it hit me and I thought to myself, Wow I’m an All American.” - Nick Forbes
Ferguson (6-4, 275), a five-star recruit who originally played at St. John’s Catholic Prep in Frederick, didn’t terrorize the quarterback like in high school. But he played a significant number of snaps against the top-rated player in 2010, lineman Seantrel Henderson (6-8, 300).
“I think I did pretty well against him,” Ferguson said. “I had a great experience at the game and really enjoyed competing against the best.”
He has over 40 scholarship offers and it seems LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, fUCLA, Cal, and NC State are all in the running.
“Ferguson will hit the ground running at whichever school he chooses from his experience at the military academy,” Hargrave coach Robert Prunty said.
Last season, Kouandjio (6-6, 310), a four-star recruit, anchored DeMatha’s offensive line. He played a key role in paving the way for explosive Iowa-bound running back Marcus Coker and helping the offense gain over 5,000 yards of total offense.
His domination earned him an invitation to the Army All-American bowl.
“I had a great time competing against the nation’s best,” said Kouandjio. “I played all three offensive line positions this week.”
Like Ferguson, Kouandjio (6-6, 310) is still undecided on which college he will attend. He has no clear-cut favorite and doesn’t plan on making a decision until singing day.
LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, fUCLA, Cal, and NC State
There’s always an unexpected one in there…
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
Rivals guys have no clue where Ego wants to go. Watching the Youtube clips on behind the scenes at the Army All-American Bowl, I noticed that Ego & Nick Forbes are pretty tight. Their relationship can only help.
Of course, things might change if and when Ego does decide to visit fUCLA. What kinda black magic is Neuheisel selling down there?
Ryan Murphy, ATH (Oakland, CA)
“I think right now, Washington State and Oregon State are still my top two schools. I just felt more comfortable at Washington State with the small town college feel. The staff is great there and it felt like a family and I liked that a lot.
“I haven’t been to Oregon State yet, but they were my first offer and I love talking to the coaches on the phone. I’m so comfortable with those guys and I can’t wait to visit next week. fUCLA is still in it for sure but I just have a better feeling about these other two schools right now.”
If he likes Washington State’s small town feel, he’ll probably like Oregon State in Corvalis, pretty cool little town. Regardless, he wants out of the bay area.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 11, 2010 9:54 PM PST up reply actions
did Cal offer him? We need Marshawn’s help!!!
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
don’t know why he wouldn’t opt for a place like Boise St or Oregon St if he wants that small-ish hick town feel. Or anywhere in the Big12 except for Boulder and Austin. Basically…I’d love to hear why Wazzu would be one of the leaders and more successful hick town schools aren’t.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
because, for some reason beyond comprehension
some people actually like wsu.
Unbelievable, I know, but true.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
Pursuing USC's Dion Bailey
This doesn’t mean we will get him, it doesn’t even mean he has decommitted, it just means Cal is after him.
Bailey is one of the top safety prospects in the region and committed over offers from Notre Dame, Nebraska, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Cal and a host of others.
“Notre Dame, Cal, Washington and Tennessee have called about Dion,” MacNeal said. "At this point, it’s still really too early to tell what the boys will do. I just wish USC would be able to hurry up and name a new coach, so these guys can evaluate their choices but that’s not likely.
Cecil Whiteside, LB (Newport Beach, CA)
(via Daily Pilot)
Army All-American Bowl Awards by Rivals’ Barry Every:
BEST CLOSING SPEED: CECIL WHITESIDE
LB, 6-3/220, Newport Beach (Calif.) Newport Harbor
Usually this award goes to a defensive back, but Whiteside and C.J. Mosley – both linebackers – demonstrated they could cover any running back and some receivers one-on-one. Whiteside can run sideline to sideline and catch players from the back side.
Can someone explain to me in a couple of sentences how Cal’s managed to land 4 or possibly up to 7 (Ego, Parker, Bailey!!!) primo defensive players from all over the country? The sudden uptick really shocked the hell out of me considering a) Gregory’s defense seems uninspiring (definitely not ‘tenacious’) to the ignorant fan like me, b) Cal’s hardly been playing like our friends from the North and enemies from the South in the recent past, c) Cal’s facilities remain in progress, and d) Berkeley’s not sunny and filled to the brim with dumb ho bags.
If the number becomse closer to 7, then obviously we have to thank our lucky stars for the Weis firing and the Carroll departure.
On a somewhat related note, how come Cal can get gobs of elite 11 QB talent and quality RBs who wait a couple of years before playing but we can’t grab a stud OT (this year) or rush OLB (last year) when they could/could have started right away? As a former college baseball player, I can say that I was very thankful that I got to start as a freshman (about 60% of the time thanks to the position I played (catcher) and # of doubelheaders) and I could see that being a a huge perk for those who are looking for the right school. My sophomore year I didn’t start (usurped by a guy later drafted) and that lack of PT, combined with the number of hours spent meeting/training/practicing for intercollegiate athletics and a desire to do something great with my life, was the reason I hung ’em up prematurely and never looked back.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
My 2 cents...
On your first question, I would say that the combo of Tosh emerging as a star recruiter and getting past the Tree-shitter fiasco have been a boost to recruiting, particularly on D. We have been close on a couple of 5-star pass rushers and finally appear to have sealed the deal with Martin.
I think we get QBs because JT still has a good reputation as a developer and pretty much any QB who wants to play for a BCS team is going to have to compete with some other top recruits. At RB I think we have a great coach in Gould and a great track record of developing RBs. I think we have a decent chance at Kouandjio this year so we may get our OT after all.
GOLD OUT MOZAMBIQUE!
Dilfer giving props
ESPN promotes Trent Dilfer as one of the best football minds and anytime he’s asked about college football and QB training, he’s very quick to buoy up Tedford.
Well, Dilfer played under Tedford, if I’m not mistaken….
by Missing Barry on Jan 14, 2010 9:25 PM PST up reply actions
Because who knows what the fuck 17 year olds are thinking?
Quantity AND quantity!
by Spazzy Mcgee on Jan 12, 2010 1:43 PM PST up reply actions
this
haha
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
The coaches should use some recruiting money to buy some lamborghinis and porn, and just put them in a room with a mini In-n-Out franchise somewhere in the SAHPC. I swear that will bring in like 95% of high schoolers.
Quantity AND quantity!
by Spazzy Mcgee on Jan 12, 2010 2:10 PM PST up reply actions
IIRC, the study from USA Today last year showed that Cal spends very little $$$ as recruiting expenses compared to other Pac10 schools. I think it goes back to Tedford’s honesty & relationship-building as strategy to attract recruits.
(Random aside: other recruiters who come in way under budget include Nick Saban, who evidently is so good at milking the various talent hotbeds around Memphis, NOLA, etc. that Alabama spends the least or near the least on recruiting in the SEC. Tennessee spends the most, which isn’t really surprising at all.)
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
Tosh Lupoi knows!
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 12, 2010 1:44 PM PST up reply actions
Ask Carp’s wife.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 12, 2010 3:06 PM PST up reply actions
an F250
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
that’s the one with the big bed in the back?
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 13, 2010 9:34 AM PST up reply actions
and camper shell.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
I’m sure your wife appreciated the privacy.
by atomsareenough on Jan 14, 2010 9:08 AM PST up reply actions
Take a look at the Fanshot I posted from Rivals. IMO, recruiting boils down to playing time, relationship w/ the coaches, and academics. Tedford is known for his honesty and if he thinks u’ll play, u’ll play for sure.
[My Adam Carolla rambling: when Owa Odighizuwa said something like Oregon offers great academics compared to Cal I punched my desk so hard that there is still a bruise left on the knuckle attached to my pinkie. Really? Haas to UoO whatever? F!@#ing Phil Knight & Nike.]
As for OL/LBs, let’s be patient and see who develops next year. I am more concerned w/ the DBs next year w/ Syd/Brett Johnson/Ezeff all graduating.
Yeah, Oregon’s business program compared to Haas? Whatever. But then again, Tedford has admitted to having few relationships himself to Haas and its right across the freaking street from the stadium.
As for the DBs, we’ve got a ton of young kids….Marc Anthony, Steve Williams, DJ Campbell, Alex Logan….to go along with Chris Conte and Sean Cattouse. Not to mention Nnabuife, Hill, Hagan, Samuels, Moncrease….etc. That said, if we got like a 4 or 5 star DB recruit, they could get onto special teams if not get playing time as a DB probably right away.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 12, 2010 3:05 PM PST up reply actions
Haas
Correct me if I am wrong. You do have to reapply after your sophmore year to get into Haas program just like Computer Science program.
Tru when I was at Cal. Are you implying that Owa was perhaps intimidated by Haas’ high academic stds?
There’s some certainty though that if he maintains anywhere above a 2.5, and I’m sure Owa will because he’s pretty smart….he would get into Haas on the merits of his athletics.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 13, 2010 9:35 AM PST up reply actions
Clarification: maintain a 2.5 or above during his freshman and sophomore year, then apply to Haas.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 13, 2010 9:36 AM PST up reply actions
It’s always funny to me how people treat these kids as some sort of commodity in the recruiting process. “Oh, we just have to do x and y to land him”….like it’s not some 17-18 year old kid trying to figure out what he’s gonna do in life, trying to figure out what aspects of college interests him….and completely ignoring what these kids might want out of their experience, instead focusing on what we want them to be for our football team….
Just an observation that kinda makes me laugh, kinda makes me sad….
by Missing Barry on Jan 12, 2010 5:43 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Zach Swanson, TE (Katy, TX)
Three-star tight end Zach Swanson (Katy, Texas) has Miami on top of his list following an unofficial visit to campus, ESPN affiliate Web site InsideTheU.com reports.
“I really, really like Miami,” Swanson said. “The tour really got me. I didn’t know it is such a small school. You hear about their success of the football program and you think it is a big school, but its not. The campus is really beautiful and the palm trees are nice. You don’t see that stuff in Texas at all.”
He added, “They have a tight end who is going to the Senior Bowl who was very impressive with the way he stepped in and played right away and produced. I like the way they used him. Miami has a great tradition at tight end with Kellen Winslow Jr. and Jeremy Shockey. I walked by their picture and I stared at it because it is my dream to be that good.”
The former Stanford verbal is also considering Baylor, Illinois, Colorado, Virginia and Rice. Cal, Arkansas and Oklahoma State have also offered.
The 6-foot-7, 220-pound senior earned honorable mention all-district recognition for his performance this fall.
[2011] Aaron Green, RB (San Antonio, TX)
Elite junior prospect Aaron Green (San Antonio, Texas/Madison) has Texas, $C and Nebraska, where his brother Andrew plays, as his early favorites, ESPN affiliate Web site InsideTexas.com reports.
“They’re real good,” Green said of Texas, who is expected to offer soon. “They have a good program, obviously, or they wouldn’t have been in the national championship game a couple of days ago. I’m going to try to go to their Junior Day in February.”
Several others are pursuing Green, who hopes to focus his search in the near future, “During the spring I’m going to try and narrow my list down to around eight schools.”
Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Baylor, Cal, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Texas A&M and Texas Tech among others have also offered.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder exploded onto the scene as a sophomore rushing for 2,024 yards and 27 touchdowns.
He dealt with minor ligament damage and bone bruises this fall. He finished the season with 1,133 yards and 14 total touchdowns.
Aftershocks rock Knoxville
Tennessee has already lost at least one prospect that was hours from attending his first class in Knoxville. Four-star DT Brandon Willis (Duncan, S.C./James F. Byrnes) and four-star DE Corey Miller (Duncan, S.C./James F. Byrnes) were both planning on enrolling early. But that’s all changed now.
Willis was getting ready to head to Knoxville to start classes when the news broke. He ruled out becoming a Vol and said that his options are open to out-of-state programs.
“I am not going to Tennessee, I am not going to South Carolina, I am not going to Clemson,” Willis said. “I am not sure what I am going to do now. I am going to sit down with my dad and talk about it.”
North Carolina, fUCLA or perhaps Auburn may end up with the nation’s No. 9 defensive tackle prospect. One place he won’t be going is $C, even though the outgoing Vols coaching staff tried to get him to follow them to Los Angeles.
“They had the nerve to call me and ask me to come to Southern Cal,” Willis said. “And coach Ed Orgeron (who will follow Kiffin back to Los Angeles) said that he was going to be my coach at Tennessee.”
Tosh – Call Pappa Willis! I hear you are awesome w/ da parents!
Tosh is DACOACHO … with principles!
Cooler than a Polar Bear's toenails.
by Thoroughbred on Jan 12, 2010 11:57 PM PST up reply actions
Austin Hinder, QB (Steamboat Springs, CO)
(W/ Coach Aaron Finch via Steamboat Today)
"It was learning an offense on the run," said Hinder, who finished the game [Army All-American Bowl] 1 for 1 for 20 yards, was sacked once and fumbled on an exchange from the center. "You have to adjust to it as fast as you can. You split time with other quarterbacks. So when you get those snaps, you have to make the most of them."
After graduation, Hinder said, he will travel to Cal to enroll in classes and start working with Bears head coach Jeff Tedford.
"I would like to say my goal is if I can go do something right away," Hinder said. "If I redshirt, I’ll get bigger and stronger. After that redshirt, though, it’s time to compete. … I’ll start one year, I promise."
Sean Parker, S (Harbor City, CA)
Sean Parker, Harbor City, CA (Rivals 4*, #21 safety): Michigan, once thought to be on the outside looking in with Parker, has come on strong in recent weeks, helped by the fact that $C — and Pete Carroll — were thought to be the Wolverines’ strongest competition for Parker’s services. The 5′11, 185 pound Parker is not the most striking physical presence, but the Army All-American possesses great ball skills and instincts and gets the most out of his physical abilities. He narrowed his list of schools down to Michigan, $C, and Cal at the end of December, and will announce his decision on signing day. With Carrolls departure, Michigan appears to have the inside track to land Parker, who has expressed an interest in leaving the state of California, but he has been relatively quiet of late. This is one player to keep an eye on as signing day approaches.
Brandon Willis Decommits from Tennessee and Commits to North Carolina
Willis has now chosen and dropped Tennessee twice. He recently decommitted from Tennessee and was considering both the Heels and UCLA. The prospect then recommitted to Tennessee during the third quarter of the Army All-American Game.
Brandon Willis, a defensive lineman from James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., was on his way Tuesday to enroll at Tennessee when he heard that Kiffin had been hired at $C, said his father, Gary Willis. He said Orgeron called him after Kiffin’s hiring was announced and said that $C was "a dream job" for him and the Kiffins. Willis said Orgeron told him that his son was being offered a scholarship to $C
"You can’t just follow guys like that," Gary Willis said in a telephone interview. "That’s not what I’m teaching my son."
"To sit down and tell people stuff and then turn around and do what you do, I don’t like the way it was done, but I can’t control it," Willis said.
“I knew we weren’t going to Tennessee, because (Kiffin) was the only reason we were going to Tennessee,” said Brandon’s father, Gary Willis. "They called and offered him a scholarship to Southern Cal and I told them, ‘If I can’t trust you at Tennessee, I can’t do Southern Cal, because if somebody offered you more money, you would get up and move again.’ "
Jeffrey Whitaker, DT (Warner Robins, GA)
Auburn is apparently in the lead over Georgia for defensive tackle Jeffrey Whitaker of Warner Robins, Ga., according to Rivals.com.The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder, who played for the East in Saturday’s game, is expected to visit Auburn on Jan. 15, with a trip to Athens scheduled for Jan. 22.
Hope no one gets too alarmed
But Josh Harper is now a soft verbal and has reopened his search. That leaves us with only Tevin Carter as a true WR commit.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 14, 2010 3:07 AM PST reply actions
Sofele was originally brought in as a WR and utility player, but he has been moved back over to the RB spot. Markish Jones was signed and didn’t make it academically, but he was a longshot from the beginning. Cal also brought in walk-on Spencer Hagan, a fine WR who I hope gets a hard look in the upcoming months.
Wonder if Dash Oliver would try out @ WR since we already have the speedy Sofele @ RB?
Castro Valley (Calif.) running back Dash Oliver, who was expected to be one of NorCal’s top running backs in 2008 before a knee injury sidelined him, will be heading to the Pac-10 after all.
“Dash committed to Cal for Track and Field (sprints and relays),” said his mother, Jennifer.
According to his mother, Oliver will have the opportunity to try out for Cal’s football program down the line.
“He is excited, and hopes to reach out and help other HAAL high school student-athletes move forward from high school to institutions of higher learning as he makes his way and learns and grows,” said Oliver.
Oliver won the Boys 100m finals (10.63) and prelims (10.74) at the Stanford Track Invitational held on March 28.
He can't
The rule is in place to prevent programs going over the limit in big revenue sports by using other sports’ scholarship allocations.
IT would suck to lose the Matrix. Didn’t a similar story pop up earlier about Tevin Carter looking around and visiting $C?
According to MoragaBear, Harper just decommited.
http://bearinsider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24953
Hopefully Tedford & Co. are able to bring someone else into the mix, either a high school kid or a juco guy. If not… well let’s hope Isi is still open to playing WR.
Fresno State is doing a hell of a job scooping up prospects from around CA. Isn’t this the third Cal prospect that they’ve taken (2 WRs and 1 RB)?
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 19, 2010 2:10 PM PST up reply actions
Bjoern Werner, DT (Salisbury, CT)
“Things have really picked up for Bjoern lately” explained Salisbury School coach Chris Adamson. “He actually has decided to visit Florida State this weekend with his teammate (tight end) Will Tye. He will then visit Miami the following weekend. Right now Oregon and Maryland seem to be slight favorites, but Miami and Florida State pretty much round out his top four.”
Man, Cal needs more players named Bjoern.
by atomsareenough on Jan 14, 2010 9:09 AM PST up reply actions
Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE (Portland, OR)
Owa placed Nebraska back in his top four after the Army All-American game, along with Oregon State, Cal, and Oregon.
In a recent interview with Omaha-based radio show Unsportsmanlike-Conduct , Rivals.com recruiting analyst Jeremy Crabtree reported that Owa likely has Nebraska in one of his top spots, and that he wouldn’t be surprised to see him commit to Nebraska on signing day.
No confirmation yet.
On the recruiting trail there has been some changes made regarding schools.
"I have eliminated $C," Odighizuwa said. "A new coach won’t change anything.
The schools in play are Oregon, Oregon State, fUCLA and Nebraska. At one time Nebraska was out of the loop and now they are right back in the hunt.
wait, they forgot Cal!!111
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Well, the first report had Oregon, OSU, Nebraska, and Cal, and the second had Oregon, OSU, Nebraska, and fUCLA. Did the Bruins make the cut or did we?
by atomsareenough on Jan 14, 2010 5:20 PM PST up reply actions
You say that with much certainty, as if you had spoken with him or something.
by atomsareenough on Jan 15, 2010 7:31 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah, I’ve seen several reports/quotes in the past few weeks that have us more or less out of the running, but hopefully someone at least has set him straight about the academics and business school that he is ostensibly interested in, and how Cal compares much more favorably to his other top considerations like Oregon and OSU. Maybe the coaches have been able to follow up and re-establish a relationship. I dunno, I’m just holding out hope.
by atomsareenough on Jan 15, 2010 11:11 AM PST up reply actions
Supposedly when Chris Martin committed, Owa was out as that was the position he was being recruited for. Owa dropped us right after Martin’s commitment.
Allegedly.
Goin' balls deep with Cal since 1972!
by Fire Starkey on Jan 15, 2010 11:14 AM PST up reply actions
There’s no other position he could play in our defensive scheme? I thought Martin is going to play as an OLB; Owa wouldn’t want to or be able to play, say, DE?
by atomsareenough on Jan 15, 2010 11:30 AM PST up reply actions
How much stock do you put in someone who claims that Nebraska is “reigning in” top recruits?
Perhaps Bo Pellini is making it reign?
uh…that’s the correct usage of the word “rain.”
You “reign in” recruits as you would “reign in” cows. You don’t “rain in” cows.
Quantity AND quantity!
by Spazzy Mcgee on Jan 14, 2010 1:32 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah never mind I’m a fucktard. It’s rein.
Nothing to see here folks, move along.
Quantity AND quantity!
by Spazzy Mcgee on Jan 14, 2010 1:34 PM PST up reply actions
Austin Hinder, QB (Steamboat Springs, CO)
For each new member of the Rivals250 one player has to fall out, and there were multiple players that took a tumble in the final ranking. The biggest drop belonged to Steamboat Springs, Colo., quarterback Austin Hinder. Hinder fell from No. 133 overall to outside of the 250. Hinder was markedly behind the other quarterbacks in San Antonio at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He also has a lot of physical maturing to do before he is ready for the college game.
Rivals.com national analyst Barry Every weighed in on Hinder’s fall.
“I have seen him over a two-year period and he just does not show the consistency as a thrower you want in a four-star,” Every said. “He just seems to overgrip his passes, which causes the ball to come out funny. I think he still has a chance to be a very good college quarterback, but gaining size and confidence in competitive situations is a must.”
Did you expect him to come out of high school fully formed?
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
Yes. Why is that so lofty of an expectation? Look around the Pac10….there are plenty of freshmen quarterbacks playing. Why can’t we expect to recruit someone with the maturity and capability comparable to what the other schools are getting? I’m not saying someone so great that he pushes Sweeney, Riley, Mansion, and Bridgeford out of the way, but at the very least someone capable of earning a #2 or #3 spot.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 15, 2010 9:43 AM PST up reply actions
Other than Barkley at USC, though, the common theme among those guys that came in and played early? Not playing for very talented teams with any real talent at the QB position….
by Missing Barry on Jan 15, 2010 11:36 AM PST up reply actions
Why can’t we expect to recruit someone with the maturity and capability comparable to what the other schools are getting?
Such as Barkley, who put up pedestrian numbers after being given the keys to an offensive juggernaut, and, uhhh… Jeff Tuel? Richard Brehaut couldn’t even beat Kevin Craft for the backup spot to Kevin Prince.
Jesus Christ they come to college to become better football players.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
You understand my point though, right? Its a given that they come to college to grow up personally and athletically. That said, take the examples you gave….Barkley as a sophomore will be much more prepared than, say, Sweeney as a sophomore or maybe even than Riley was as a junior.
There’s no substitute for in-game experience. Better to have a guy who is capable of driving the offense learning early than trying to learn as a junior or senior. Take Rodgers as an example….he played at a JC and got up to speed with in-game experience there rather than being a backup for several years had he gone the typical route.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 18, 2010 11:49 AM PST up reply actions
Well…he played at a JC for two years, so technically he had two years of in-game experience already. If he had been just a fresh junior going in who knows what would’ve happened.
Keep in mind Longshore didn’t have any real game experience in 2006…and was a really good quarterback for 3/4ths of the season.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 18, 2010 3:22 PM PST up reply actions
Lorenzo Waters, S (Hyattsville, MD)
Rutgers coach Greg Schiano received the 15th non-binding commitment for his 2010 recruiting class tonight, when Maryland safety Lorenzo Waters pledged his intentions to play for the Scarlet Knights, according to ScarletReport.com.
A senior at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md., Waters is rated a three-star prospect by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.
Rivals confirms. Waters was a teammate of Michael Coley & Arie Kouandjio at DeMatha. He visited Berkeley on the big recruiting weekend of 12/11/09.
Adrian Lee, S (Dallas, TX)
Safety Adrian Lee (Dallas/Skyline) committed to sign as part of Cal’s Class of 2010 Thursday night, ESPN’s Gerry Hamilton reports.
He selected the Bears over Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Utah.
Several other programs including Notre Dame, Kansas, Iowa State, SMU, UTEP, Louisiana Tech and Tulsa also offered.
woot!!!!!!!!
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Out of curiosity, what’s with the dissonance between Lee’s scouting grades and his offers list?
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
He was an RB until his senior year and only this past season did he play corner…thus, no tape on him for recruitniks to evaluate.
Is supposed to have great measureables.
Goin' balls deep with Cal since 1972!
by Fire Starkey on Jan 15, 2010 11:16 AM PST up reply actions
Is supposed to have great measureables.
Is he? 11.0 100 time isn’t all that impressive, is it? A guy like Best ran a 10.3, Vereen a 10.6, and I’d imagine most DB types that ran track (and were being recruited by a Cal quality football team) would be running 10.8 or better or so….but then again, I’m not all that knowledgeable about track times. Anyone care to disagree?
by Missing Barry on Jan 15, 2010 11:40 AM PST up reply actions
1) I’m more in agreement w/ Tedford that you want football players who want to run track than track stars who are football players.
2) Below is a list of 100m time of Cal 2010 offered recruits:
Ricky Seale – 11.19 (SDSU/’Furd)
Davon Dunn – 11.01 (Fresno State)
Kenny Stills – 10.90 (Oklahoma)
Tevin Carter – 10.56 (Cal)
The aforementioned Dash Oliver’s best time is 10.63. Therefore, I think Adrian Lee’s 11.01 stacks up quite well. In fact, his time might even improve in a college training program. Best & Vereen have spoiled us Cal fans :)
3) At 5’ 11"/6" 184lbs, Adrian Lee already seems more physical than his former Skyline teammate Steve Williams (5’ 10" 160lbs) when coming into Cal. Gerry Hamilton noted Lee’s “physicality” when scouting Skyline High. Also remember that Syd is 5’ 9" 191lbs, and he was was all-world for us. Lee’s physical attributes aren’t too far off when compared to Syd.
So if size & speed are not issues, you move into the techniques & mental part of being a college CB. We’ll have to wait & see how quickly Lee picks up his game after Coach Simmons.
Coach Simmon’s has a way with molding these kids. I hope nobody looks at the shuffling of DBs in 2009 to his discredit, because he’s a great coach who many defensive recruits point to as being one of their reasons for coming to Cal.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 18, 2010 11:24 AM PST up reply actions
one of the ways I like to evaluate recruits is to see who else has offered.
Applied to Lee, it’s kind of an odd selection of schools with moderately good programs (Wisky, ND, UNC, Utah, Kansas), “meh” programs like Iowa St, Tulsa, and Minny, and the “lolno” programs like SMU, UTEP, and LaTech. The big boys in the Big12S and the SEC obviously thought he wasn’t their guy.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Programs were prob scouting him for diff positions since Adrian Lee was RB/CB at Skyline, hence the eclectic mix of offers. His speed is gonna really help us at CB.
I believe skyline high in dallas is a football factory. Is he a RB, CB, or a S? 5’11" or 6’? Is the 4.4 40 legit (aka, does he run track)?
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Miami and Kentucky were interested., too…Cal likes ’em as a corner if this BI link is credible:
Lee is a versatile defensive back who is getting looks at both corner and safety. His recruitment has risen steadily over the season, and he’s now sitting on a handful of scholarship offers.
“I have offers from Cal, Kansas, Kentucky, Utah and a few others,” Lee said. "Miami and Minnesota are also talking to me and sound like they could offer. Right now, most schools like me as an athlete who can swing between corner and safety.
“I actually prefer corner because it’s what I’ve played my whole life but colleges like my size as well and think I’ll fit in well at either spot. Cal likes me for corner and that’s what I’m comfortable with.”
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Second corner commit from Skyline in two years if it goes through. Kenwick Thompson’s doing? (He’s our man for Texas right?)
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
Welcome aboard Adrian! You're a Golden Bear now, Go Bears!
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 15, 2010 9:45 AM PST up reply actions
Josh Harper, WR (Stockton, CA)
“I’m still committed but I just wanted to take some trips to some other schools to have something to compare Cal to,” Harper said. "Fresno State was a great visit and I really enjoyed it there. Coach (Pat) Hill is awesome and I fit in really well there with the other guys on the team.
He also plans to spend time with the Oregon State Beavers, “My quarterback from last year plays at Oregon State and they have a good program, so I wanted to check them out, too.”
Harper hopes to finalize his decision following the visit to Corvallis, Ore [this wkd 1/16/10].
Arie Kouandjio, OT (Hyattsville, MD)
"I think I may visit Miami the weekend after next (January 29th) instead of next weekend but I’m definitely going to get down there," Kouandjio said. "I was going to visit Tennessee on the last weekend. They’re not out of the picture but I’m not visiting there anymore. I think I might visit Maryland instead actually."
Cal is a school that Kouandjio really enjoyed on an official visit there and is a school he has long been interested in. He had the chance to spend a lot of time with a couple Golden Bear commits, Nick Forbes and Chris Martin, in San Antonio as they were his teammates on the East squad in the Army All-American Game.
"Those guys are some of my good friends, J.R. (Ferguson) too, but we didn’t talk too much about Cal," Kouandjio said. "I hadn’t seen them in awhile so it was good to catch up. I don’t like to talk about college to much anyway. It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just that they don’t have to live with my decision and I do. Them committing somewhere doesn’t have that much effect but it adds a little plus for me to the school they did pick."
i know its negative for cal, but i agree with him. he should go where he wants to, not where his friends are going.
Fingers crossed he picks Cal!
Nice pickup solarise.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
odd that he’s so interested in New Mexico. Of course, New Mexico is cleaner than the Old Mexico.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
New Mexico is coached by Mike Locksley, who has strong ties to the DC/Maryland region since he was Ron Zook’s offensive coordinator at Illinois.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
Nice bit of history/fact-finding.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 18, 2010 11:26 AM PST up reply actions
carp – think your pic is Cyrus Kouandjio, OT (6’ 7" 322). He’s Arie’ brother and a 2011 Golden Recruit. Cyrus has already been selected to the 2011 Army All-American Bowl.
This is Arie
(via media.scout.com)
Ego Ferguson, DE (Chatham, VA)
ESPNU 150 prospect J.R. Ferguson narrows the field to five
Four-star defensive tackle J.R. “Ego” Ferguson (Frederick, Md./Hargrave) has eliminated South Carolina and Oklahoma from consideration, ESPN affiliate Web site NoleInsider.com reports.
His father also informed NoleInsider.com that his son will make official visits to Florida State and Miami (Fla.) the next two weekends.
LSU, Cal and Notre Dame are the other three programs still in the mix. He has already officially visited each.
Gabe King, DE (Eugene, OR)
Gabe King has Oregon and Cal as his final schools it looks like. Cal offered first and has been after him longest. Oregon is now the hometown team and he’s been to seemingly every single Duck game this year, knows the program, the coaches and the school really well. And, two of his best friends are coming to Oregon are Chris McCain and James Scales.
this
Cooler than a Polar Bear's toenails.
by Thoroughbred on Jan 17, 2010 10:09 PM PST up reply actions
“So Gabe, what made you finally end up choosing Cal?”
“Eh, for the lols.”
Quantity AND quantity!
by Spazzy Mcgee on Jan 17, 2010 10:22 PM PST up reply actions
Gabe don't be stupid
go to Cal.
Best,
carp
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
You're not helping!
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 18, 2010 3:22 PM PST up reply actions
I dunno, has it ever been shown that being rude to recruits on a message board has made them not come to Cal? Maybe carp’s on to something.
Gabe: Oregon sucks balls, it rains all day, if you don’t make it to the NFL your UO degree will have you first second somewhere in line for that opening at Starbucks down the street, and Chip Kelly drinks Zima.
Don’t be retarded. Come to Cal.
Quantity AND quantity!
by Spazzy Mcgee on Jan 18, 2010 3:31 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Gabe should already know about the weather in Eugene. Hasn’t he been living there?
by atomsareenough on Jan 19, 2010 11:22 AM PST up reply actions
should we start a recruiting thread for the second half of January, as posts will likely increase as we inch towards signing day?
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
by carp on Jan 18, 2010 7:56 AM PST reply actions 2 recs
rec’d because I agree.
Although it would be awesome to just see this entire page balloon up during signing day.
What’s the advantage of starting a new thread, or the disadvantage of staying on this one? Load time?
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 18, 2010 11:28 AM PST up reply actions
yeah…my z key’s already broken.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
that’s because you still spend time in the DBD’s
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 19, 2010 2:11 PM PST up reply actions
Anthony Jefferson, ATH (Los Angeles, CA)
Jefferson is an elite player at both cornerback and receiver, but is being recruited by his two finalists as a cornerback. He took official visits to Cal, Oregon and fUCLA but is down to the Bruins and Ducks with his decision coming soon.
Boo but not unexpected (HT Avinash). Taking Jefferson off the Big Board.
That pic makes me glad that I’m bald.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 18, 2010 1:45 PM PST up reply actions
I was just perusing through the Rivals250 to see who is still considering us. I came across Dietrich Riley, 4 star safety from La Canada. It appears as if he is considering us, but he isn’t mentioned in this thread. Is this just a case of Rivals not updating their players?
All aboard the Jerome Randle Smart Car!
I think that is the case. Dietrich Riley has been a heavy $C lean. Not sure if Cal was ever in contention. W/ Kiffin onboard I suspect Riley will commit. That makes our approach to Dion Bailey worth watching (HT chowder).
Are there any other USC or Tennessee players we are recruiting for the cause? I heard rumors SC running backs Dillon Baxter and DJ Morgan might look around, but after that rumor I didn’t hear anything regarding specific schools or if they would decommit. I also heard a rumor Cal was pursuing current Tennessee commit, Markeith Ambles, but again, after the initial report did not hear anything further. I’m assuming they’re not real or viable targets for Cal, or…. they decided not to decommit.
Josh Harper, WR (Stockton, CA)
From MoragaBear – Harper has decommitted. Markeith Ambles is definitely a possibility.
So how realistic is our chance with Ambles? I’m not sure how serious his Cal interest was even before he chose Tenn.
Also, do we have much of a chance with Whitaker? Everything I have read has him as either Auburn or Georgia without a doubt. Maybe we will be able to pull him, but I don’t think so.
My feeling is that Ambles will prob follow Kiffin to $C. Happy to hear that Cal is in the hunt, but realistically, we need an insurance policy.
RE: Jeffrey Whitaker, the probability is slim at best. Sounds like his official visit to Auburn was everything he wanted – Scout.com called it a perfect 10.
Josh Harper, WR (Stockton, CA)
Three-star prospect Josh Harper (Stockton, Calif./St. Mary’s) has decommitted from Cal and is now set to play for Fresno State, ESPN’s Greg Biggins reports.
“Cal is a great school and I know I would have been happy there,” Harper said. “It was nothing against Cal, I just felt like Fresno State was a better fit and I felt like I would have a better opportunity to play right away there as well.”
He also seriously considered Oregon State. Arizona State, Oregon, fUCLA, Washington, Washington State, Stanford and UNLV were among his other offers.
Adrian Lee, S (Dallas, TX)
“The main thing I liked about Cal was how prestigious their academics are,” said Lee. "The other thing I liked a lot is that I have a former teammate (cornerback) Steve Williams there to help me make the transition. If I need any help with any thing, I can lean on him.’’
After playing running back as a junior, Lee made the switch to the defensive side of the ball, excelling at cornerback for the Raiders, compiling 21 passes defensed along with an interception and 39 tackles on the year.
According to defensive coach RJ Bond, Lee was not beaten for a touchdown all year on defense, so the transition to the other side of the ball went as smoothly as Lee could’ve hoped for in leading Skyline to 12-1 record and 3rd round of regional playoffs in his all-league campaign.
Markeith Ambles, WR
Four-star prospect Markeith Ambles of Henry County (McDonough, Ga.), who remains committed to Tennessee’s Class of 2010, is considering other programs following the coaching changes for the Vols.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Ambles is now also interested in Alabama, North Carolina, LSU and Southern California.
Alabama and LSU had home visits on Monday. The Vols and Heels will also visit this week. Ambles recently went to North Carolina on his first trip.
He has other offers from Cal, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, UCLA, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina and Tulsa.
As a senior, Ambles had 51 receptions for 798 yards and nine touchdowns.
Didn’t someone post above that he’s visiting Cal on the 29th? That would seem to me that he’s at least interested enough to mention along with Alabama, et al.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 19, 2010 2:17 PM PST up reply actions
Word through MoragaBear of BI from Ambles’ dad is that Markeith is looking to visiting 1/29. No confirmation yet.
that would be pretty close to signing day …which would be perfect for a Cal surge.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
need tour guides...
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Not sure what they’re selling, but dude looks like he’s buying. Unfortunately, have you seen the Cal coeds? An improvement over the last few years, but below market standard, fo shizzle.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 19, 2010 5:48 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Cal's 2010 FB class is #17 on MaxPreps
(via Aurora Sentinel)
17. Cal
Verbal commitments: 14
Biggest Grab: LB Chris Martin
Sleeper: OL Geoffrey Gibson
One that got away: DL Cassius Marsh
Early impact: LB Cecil Whiteside
Comment: Cal’s class is currently small, but there’s no dead weight. This group is strong at linebacker, even if Chris Martin ends up playing with his hand on the ground. However, with the departure of Marsh to LSU, Cal is void of a true interior lineman. Another defensive back would be nice for the Bears as well. QB Austin Hinder may be a high-ceiling, low-floor type player with the chance to lead the Bears’ offense down the road.
BusterSports' Predictions
(via media.scout.com)
[Arie] Kouandjio, a massive OT out of DeMatha, is taking his time with his recruitment. With recent trips to Cal, New Mexico and Alabama, he hopes to take two more prior to announcing on signing day. Tennessee, Maryland, Miami and Notre Dame are all fighting for one of his last two official visits.
Buster’s Bet: Alabama
(via media.scout.com)
Gabe King ended up at South Eugene due to troubles with his previous school in Greensboro, NC. After making the cross country switch, King, who was a top 50 overall type prospect, dropped to the very edge of the Scout300 … but has remained with it. An early lean to North Carolina due to proximity, it seems now that King is a true west coaster, as this one will most likely come down to Oregon and Cal. While the Golden Bears have made a push for King, the Ducks could be tough to overcome.
Buster’s Bet: Oregon
Markeith Ambles (McDonough, GA)
(via media.scout.com)
Markeith Ambles (6-2, 182), the seventh-rated receiver prospect in the country according to Rivals.com, visited North Carolina last weekend and met with coaches from two SEC schools on Monday — Alabama and LSU.
“It was a good visit,” Ambles told BamaOnLine. “They told me about the program and how they play the best they have no matter what year they are or how experienced they may be. I am pretty familiar with Alabama anyway, so it wasn’t anything real new, but I have always liked coach Saban. They are still in it.”
The receiver planned to meet with Tennessee’s new coaching staff this week. In addition to Tennessee, LSU, Alabama and North Carolina, $C is also in the mix for Ambles’ signature.
Rivals Reevalutation
Hinder lost a star, and a .2 on the Rivals Rating. He is now the No. 23 pro-style qb prospect, and behind the prospects commiting to Washington, Oregon, Oregon St, USC, and Stanford. I know he was always pegged a player in need of development, but that is still a pretty steep fall.
See Barry Every’s comment on Austin Hinder’s fall
I agree w/ Every that Austin Hinder did not have a good USAAB outing. He looked trepidacious and didn’t manage the game well. Keep in mind that Hinder went from competing against kids in 3A to against the best athletes in 5A-6A on national television. Not everyone is like Cole Marcoux. Hinder prob just needed more time to adapt & adjust.
RE: Hinder’s mechanics, I could only based on what I have seen and Austin looked terrific on the ESPN/Scouts combine workout vids. He has great agility to escape from pressure and throw w/ accuracy on the run (reminds me of a taller and thinner Romo). I’d be surprised if his passes don’t gain more speed in a college strength/weight conditioning program. From I’ve read about him, Hinder sounds like a fantastic kid who is coachable and wants to learn. Maybe I’m biased, but if Tedford can fix Kyle Boller into a 1st Round NFL draft pick, then Austin Hinder’s future at Cal should be something to look forward to. Aaron Rodgers was 3-stars on Rivals. So was Nick Foles.
Ambles
Does anyone know that he is actually visiting on 1/29? Or is it all speculation?
Kouandjio-Uh Oh
Scout is reporting that Arie is visiting U$C on the 29th. What?!?!? This is the first I have heard of this at all, but now I feel nervous. With the Condoms getting his last visit, I feel very nervous about our chances with him.
Please, Arie, change your mind. For the sake of us Cal fans.
I’m hopeful that Arie will be able to see through the BS facade of Kiffin.
by atomsareenough on Jan 21, 2010 7:05 AM PST up reply actions
Fine. We got some solid guys from $C. Tell me the last time we beat them again. As a Cal fan, I am just a little worried about the fact that $C is now recruiting on of our guys.
Don’t worry, we’ll beat them again soon. Kiffin is a nincompoop.
by atomsareenough on Jan 21, 2010 4:27 PM PST up reply actions
Yeahhhh, can we give them Calvin?
All aboard the Jerome Randle Smart Car!
by rollonubears on Jan 21, 2010 8:15 PM PST up reply actions
Reason why Arie Kouandjio is not visiting Miami-FL on 1/29:
“I don’t think I’m visiting Miami anymore so Miami won’t be where I end up,” Kouandjio said. “They just said that they had run out of spots so that is why I’m not visiting like I thought I would.”
He will officially visit Maryland on Jan. 22nd and now $C on Jan. 29th. Kouandjio has already made officials to New Mexico (Dec. 5th), Cal (Dec. 11th) and Alabama (Jan. 15th).
We’ll see how strong Arie’s relationship is w/ Kiffin+Orgeron.
From the Rivals Mailbag
Many teams are trying to take advantage of the recent coaching transition at Tennessee, and Auburn is one of those programs. It appears five-star wide receiver Markeith Ambles will visit the Tigers on the final visit weekend this month. If that does materialize and he visits the Tigers, can they pull him away from the Vols?
The last weekend of this month, was supposed to be when he visited Cal. Looks like we might be out of the picture.
http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1042235
Yeah, if he visits LSU the final weekend of January, then he’s not going to be visiting Cal on 1/29 like reported.
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
by dballisloose on Jan 21, 2010 10:03 AM PST up reply actions
Deshawn Beck update?
Any update on this guy? He’d potentially be another DB or RB recruit. Seems like he was trying to qualify academically, but he may not have done so since I haven’t heard anything more about him.
This was a strong year for talent in the Los Angeles city section and Crenshaw (Los Angeles, Calif.) was easily the dominant program in the area. So it was a mild surprise when Jordan (Los Angeles, Calif.) athlete Deshawn Beck was named City Player of the Year.
Beck was a dual-threat quarterback and put up huge numbers this past season. He rushed for 2,031 yards and nine touchdowns, threw for 1,166 yards and six touchdowns and added 14 catches for 181 yards and two more scores at receiver.
“It was pretty much unanimous,” Jordan coach Elijah Asante said. “Deshawn is just a phenomenal player and when you look at the numbers he has put over the last three years, it’s mind blowing. He was all-state the last two years and will likely be again this year and I can’t imagine the city producing too many three-time all-state selections.”
With his production on the field and reputation as arguably the fastest player in the city, you would think schools would be beating down Beck’s door. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
“All the schools are waiting on his grades to pick up,” Asante said. "Arizona and New Mexico State offered early and Washington, Cal and Idaho are all talking like they’ll offer as soon as his grades are in after this semester.
“He retook the SAT again as well and we’re waiting for those results. I really think he’ll make it. He’s working hard and is very focused. He’s in the same boat right now as James (Boyd) was last year and James was able to make it so I think Deshawn can make it as well.”
The compensation provided under [Jeff Tedford's] contract is funded exclusively from athletic department revenues and private fundraising and no State or general campus funds are used in this arrangement.
MoragaBear of BI expected 2 DBs from Cal’s scholarship offers to Coley, Waters, Lee, Parker, and Jefferson. Cal also feels as somewhat of an afterthought to Parker. Parker seemed to want to leave the state of CA, esp after his Mich visit. When Parker announced his finalist list, it was $C, Mich, and Notre Dame. After Weis was fired, Parker thru his coach changed his finalist list to $C, Mich, and Cal. I suspect our coaching staff wanna put out bigger fire drills than worry about Parker 2 wks before national signing day.
It seems unlikely that it’s a numbers game. We only have 13 at this point, including the two WRs that dropped out. If he’s as good as his billing, I’d think that we’d find room if he wanted to come.
You have forgotten about Lucas King and Tyler York being grayshirts from last year. That brings us to 15 if they are still coming. Room is tight this year in the class and I agree that if there’s a player high enough on the board the coaches want that they will make room for him, but from my understanding, it may be a bit difficult this year to find that extra schollie.
YOkanes is trying to get in the recruiting game…he called King’s HS coach who said it’s Cal, Oregon, and SC.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
MLB Baby carp has announced his committment to Cal’s 2020 class. He will not be taking other visits. Mrs. carp was impressed with lead recruiter Tosh Lupoi.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
I wasn’t sure if that was Middle LineBacker or My Little Boy :)
by atomsareenough on Jan 21, 2010 2:24 PM PST up reply actions
count fail
2030 class.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Remaining Uncommitted Board
So, by my count, the rest of the uncommited prospects big board looks like this:
DE/DT J.R. Ferguson: (I think we have at least a chance. Probably between Cal, LSU, and FSU)
OT Arie Kouandjio: (I think it will come down to Cal and Bama)
DE Gabe King: (UO leads, but I think if Tosh works his magic, Cal still has a chance)
S Sean Parker: (Probably little to no chance, especially if we stopped recruiting him)
WR Markeith Ambles: (Very small chance, if we can convince him to visit 1/29)
DT Jeff Whitaker: (Doubtful. Probably Auburn or Georgia)
RB Lache Seastrunk: (Probably going to be a Duck, but I think we still might have a small shot)
ATH De’Shawn Beck: (If he pulls his grades up, I think we have a really good shot)
TE Zach Swanson: (Haven’t heard anything since he decommitted from $tanturd. I really don’t know much else about him)
WR Kenbrell Thompkins: (JUCO WR who decommitted from Tennessee, I haven’t heard anything, but we have offerred and we might have a chance)
OLB Aaron Harris: (Haven’t heard a ton, but I think we might lead)
Sounds like we’re out of it for Owa, Anthony Jefferson, Ricky Seale, Bjoern Werner, Christian Thomas, and Josh Shirley. Unless there are guys I am forgetting (let me know if there are, looks pretty thin across the board. Let’s hope for the best.
Go Bears.
Sounds pretty similar to last year where we in the running for some of our top guys going into signing day but didn’t really pull any of them. Right now it doesn’t look like we’re the favorites for any of the top guys we’re recruiting left….
starting rumors
How about if I start a rumor that Cal is lingering in the background until Hairball takes the Raiders job? Then, we steal Carrington back.
LOI countdown thread up
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 21, 2010 3:04 PM PST reply actions
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Golden Bears Football Schedule
| Fresno St. | Sat 09/03 | W 36 - 21 |
@
Colorado
|
Sat 09/10 | W 36 - 33 |
| Presbyterian | Sat 09/17 | W 63 - 12 |
|
@
Washington
|
Sat 09/24 | L 23 - 31 |
|
@
Oregon
|
Thu 10/06 | L 15 - 43 |
|
USC
|
Thu 10/13 | L 9 - 30 |
|
Utah
|
Sat 10/22 | W 34 - 10 |
|
@
UCLA
|
Sat 10/29 | L 14 - 31 |
|
Washington St.
|
Sat 11/05 | W 30 - 7 |
|
Oregon St.
|
Sat 11/12 | W 23 - 6 |
|
@
Stanford
|
Sat 11/19 | L 28 - 31 |
|
@
Arizona St.
|
Fri 11/25 | W 47 - 38 |
|
@
Texas
|
Wed 12/28 | L 10 - 21 |
