Golden Recruiting Wire: Viliami Moala, Shaq Thompson & James Sample speak out

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Recruits' Friday night performances will be published in a separate story starting this Friday.

September 22, 2010 | September 15, 2010 | September 9, 2010 | September 2, 2010

Interviews with Grant Recruits

• Viliami Moala, DT interviewed w/ Puka Lopa [1]. Lopa does not favor Oregon. Moala was impressed w/ Arizona State's setup and academics. Moala & Lopa want to stay together.
  
  

• Shaq Thompson, ATH {2012}, James Sample, S interviewed [2]. Thompson has Cal on top while Sample favors Washington.
  

Tedford & Company

• Jordan Morgan, S (Cal) and his recruiting saga continues [3][4][5].

  Just when it looked like the situation in the White Mountains involving Show Low High School’s allegations that Blue Ridge was recruiting last year’s 2A football Player of the Year Jordan Morgan couldn’t get any more bizarre, the gridiron state of affairs turned even more wacky.

  In mid-September, Show Low High School athletic director Nathan Richardson — the same school official who alerted the Arizona Interscholastic Association that a BRHS coach might have been recruiting Morgan — filed a report that Show Low was the school that violated the association’s recruiting rule.

  Making the admission even more madcap is that it came one day before the AIA held the hearing over Blue Ridge’s alleged recruiting of Morgan [6].

  Jordan appears solid though and is ready compete for another championship for Blue Ridge [7].

  From an early age, Jordan learned from his dad to be a well-rounded player, punting, kicking, passing and running. He posted the highest score in the nation at a punt, pass and kick competition when he was 13. Those skills served him well at Valley Christian where he was a dual threat at quarterback (1,240 passing yards, 22 touchdowns; 1,068 rushing yards, 18 touchdowns in 2009), a top-notch punter (42.6 yards per punt) and a Division I caliber defensive back (139 tackles, five interceptions).
  
  Morgan's schooling was also top-notch, and he earned offers from several Ivy League schools as well as the service academies. But one visit to Berkeley convinced Jordan, and Bill, that it was the place for him. Jordan hopes to become an optometrist when his playing days are over. Cal's optometry school is among the best in the nation – and conveniently located near the football facilities.
  
  He was also swayed by Cal defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, who served in the same capacity for the Arizona Cardinals from 2004-2008 and has always been known as an innovative defensive mind.
  
  But equally compelling for Morgan was Cal's setting. Anybody who’s ever been to a game at Strawberry Canyon knows the view doesn’t get more picturesque, with the San Francisco skyline and the hills behind Berkeley setting stark and beautiful contrasts [8].

• Todd Barr, DT Lakewood (Lakewood, CA) interviewed [9] and profiled [10]. He will be visiting Florida on Oct 9th [11] and Cal unofficially.
  
  

  "Todd isn't a rah-rah guy, he's more blue collar, yet he goes out there and dominates on a weekly basis, regardless of who is in his path," Lakewood coach Thadd MacNeal said. "He's a matchup nightmare, a problem no one likes to deal with. I wouldn't want to either. He's a factor on every play. What's not to like about that?

  "He's big, strong as can be, and athletic, fast as can be. At this level, he's tough, way too tough. Todd possesses all of the intangibles, that's what truly separates him from most of his peers. I talk to plenty of people about him, coaches from all over the country, and they think highly of him. He grades out well. Todd is a talented kid."

  ...

  A 3.75 grade point average in the classroom is an indication Barr believes it's equally important to takes care of business off the field, as well as on.

  "If you would've told me Todd was going to be one of the top defensive lineman in the country when he first arrived here on campus, I wouldn't have believed you," MacNeal said. "Give him credit though, he has worked extremely hard. He's done what he's had to in a very short period of time. It's been fun watching him develop."

  "He has this presence about him now. He demands attention. It doesn't matter where he is on the line of scrimmage, inside, outside, on the nose, he still causes havoc no matter how many guys are on him. Everyone gives him their best shot, it's something that comes with the territory. Bottom line: Todd knows how to handle things [12]."

• Colt Lyerla, ATH Hillsboro (Hillsboro, OR) is still being remembered for his "Miracle on Grant Street" TD catch against Glencoe [13].
  
  

• Avery Walls, S Eagles Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, GA) earns his US Army All-American Invite [14]. He plans to visit Berkeley next week for Cal-UCLA Homecoming.

• Jason Gibson, OLB Serra (Gardena, CA) also expected to be invited to the US Army All-American Bowl [15].
  

• Devon Blackmon, ATH Summit (Fontana, CA) sets up his first official visit to Oregon [16].

• Daniel Lasco, RB (Cal) sat out last Saturday night's game to make sure that he can play against rival Lufkin on October 8th [17].

• DeAnthony Arnett, WR Saginaw (Saginaw, MI) will be making a commitment decision before the end of the year [18]. He attended Michigan State's victory over Notre Dame [19].

• Aaron Green, RB James Madison (San Antonio, TX) continues to talk to Texas and Major Applewhite, the RB coach [20]. Green hopes to visit Austin in the near future [$21].

• Lavonte Barnett, DE Paraclete (Lancaster, CA) offered by Fresno State and plans to visit there [22].
  
  Highlights from first two games of Barnett's senior season -
  
  

• Ronnie Stanley, OL Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) {2012} 6-7/285lbs offered by USC [23]. Stanley also has offers from Cal, Nebraska, Arkansas, Arizona, Utah.

  At 6 feet 7 inches and 285 pounds, Stanley is no slouch athletically. He has been clocked in the 40-yard dash in the 4.8-second range.

  "I'm more of a quicker, faster type of tackle, but I can still run block," Stanley said. "My feet are quick from playing basketball, so my pass protection is pretty good, too."

  Stanley started at quick tackle, typically on the left side of the offensive line, last year on a team that went 15-0 and won the Class 4A state title. This season, he has anchored an offensive line that has helped Gorman to a 3-1 start [24].

• Zach Banner, OL Lakes (Lakewood, WA) {2012} 6-9/310lbs has been invited to the 2012 US Army All-American Bowl [25]. He already has 21 verbal offers outstanding including Cal.

• D.J. Humphries, OT Mallard Creek (Charlotte, NC) {2012} 6-5/265lbs profiled [26]. He spent the weekend at LSU.

  Palmieri [Mike, Mallard Creek Head Coach] said Humphries has not allowed a sack this season or last year, and that's something Mallard Creek quarterback Marquise Williams can appreciate.

  "DJ and the line give me time to throw and do what I've got to do, and I trust them," said Williams, a 6-4, 220-pound senior committed to North Carolina. "I feel very protected. And D.J.'s just a great kid. I ask him every Friday if he has my back. He always says, 'I promise you won't get touched.'

  "I haven't been touched really any this year. I don't want to brag on him, but he's athletic with big, great size. He's got great strength in his arms and nice footwork. I mean, he's just an incredible kid and I think he's going to be No.1 around here in his class when he's a senior."

• Tee Shepard, CB Central (Fresno, CA) {2012} called out by his Coach as the most talented defensive back he's ever coached [27].

• Shaq Thompson, ATH {2012} profiled [28].

  Thompson makes an impact at running back, wide receiver, and corner for Grant. Like most elite athletes, Thompson is blessed with superior balance. He has long, smooth strides and is nearly impossible to knock off of his feet with the ball in his hands. On defense, his size may relegate him to safety on the next level, but he has an easy hip turn and is comfortable at corner.
  
  Thompson is a good enough athlete to play any of those four positions on the college level, running back, receiver, safety, or corner. I think of him as a bigger version of Hines Ward who logged time at running back and quarterback at Georgia before starring at receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though, I think Thompson sticks to defense on the next level.

• Zach Kline, QB (Cal) interviewed after his win against Antioch [29].
  
  

Montgomery's Crew

• David Kravish, PF 6-9/200 Lee's Summit North (Lee's Summit, MO) had an excellent visit to Cal but could not reach a decision [30].

• Brandon Ashley, PF 6-8/225 Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, CA) {2012} Q&A [31].

  1. Brandon can you list the schools that came by to check you out in person within the last few weeks?

  North Carolina, UCLA, Utah, Washington, Cal, Arizona, Washington State, and some more.

  6. Who is your favorite player in the NBA and who do you take your game from?

  Favorite player is Kevin Durant and I take my game from Carmelo Anthony and him. along with Kevin Garnett.

• Jabari Brown, SG 6-3/205 Oakland (Oakland, CA) has Washington, UConn, Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Oregon in his top 5 [32][33]. Cal eliminated.

Previous Golden Recruiting Wires 

August 24, 2010 | August 19, 2010 | August 12, 2010 | August 5, 2010
July 28, 2010 | July 22, 2010 | July 15, 2010 | July 8, 2010