The Rest of College Football

[Regelbuck]

Texas A&M’s 2012 class leads the nation with 14 recruits; Texas nabs five more
PUBLISHED Sunday, Feb 27, 2011 at 1:20 pm EST
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Texas has owned February recruiting for several years, but now the Longhorns and Texas A&M are knocking each other around like they do on Saturday afternoons in the fall. It’s not surprising, considering the Aggies are coming off a 9-4 season and a win over their rivals—who finished 5-7 and didn’t go to a bowl.


The Aggies, who are not traditionally the hot starters in recruiting that their rivals are, already have a national-best 14 commitments. With the past three recruiting classes, they’ve only averaged two commitments before March 1, but they’re well on their way to a stellar class. In that same span, Texas has averaged 15 commitments by March 1—while averaging 22 signings overall.

“Happy couldn’t describe how I feel,” said Michael Richardson, a Scout.com three-star LB recruit out of DeSoto (Texas) who picked the Aggies on Feb. 18. “I know the coaches have picked the best talent, guys that are willing to work. It’s going to be fun.”

While Texas A&M holds the national lead, Texas is a close second with 12 commitments. The Longhorns landed five more 2012 football commitments over the weekend, following their second and final junior day. They landed West Brook (Beaumont, Texas) DE Caleb Bluiett, Humble (Texas) DT Paul Boyette, Harker Heights (Texas) OL Camrhon Hughes, Skyline (Dallas) LB Peter Jinkens and DeSoto (Texas) DB Bryson Echols.

“I’m real excited and I’m just glad it’s over now, because I can just focus on getting better,” Jinkens told Sporting News on Sunday after committing. “I didn’t go there knowing that (an offer was on the table). I got to personally talk to (Texas head coach) Mack Brown and he offered me. It was a great honor.”

So far, QB Connor Brewer of Scottsdale (Ariz.) and WR Thomas Johnson of Dallas are considered Texas’ top pickups, while WR Jaevon Richardson of Baytown (Texas) is arguably the Aggies’ top recruit.

The Aggies’ most recent pickup was a nice one. Late last week they landed Mike Matthews (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) out of Elkins (Fort Bend, Texas)—the third Matthews brother in a long line of standout offensive linemen who have picked the Aggies. Kevin Matthews played center for Texas A&M before going to the NFL, while 2010 Sporting News Top 100 member Jake Matthews started as a true freshman last fall for the Aggies at right tackle. They are the sons of former NFL player and current Tennessee Titans assistant coach Bruce Matthews.

RB excited about future with Tide
Remember having to wait for Christmas presents as a kid? Well just imagine being a high school football player who will have to endure one full season and 18 months before he gets to join his future teammates in college.

It’s excruciating—especially when that team you’re going to play for is being mentioned as a possible national title contender this fall, and you can’t play there yet because you’re still a junior in high school.

Welcome to the life of Kenyan Drake, a running back out of Powder Springs (Ga.) who committed to Alabama this month. For the record, he’s pulling his hair out in anticipation of starting his college career in September 2012.

“I think they will once again be pushing for a spot in the national championship,” Drake told Sporting News. “They lost some great players but they aren’t shy when it comes to getting everybody on the field so the others behind the starters are just as prepared to play in the SEC. … It really is tough to wait, but it also helps to know that I have a big prize I’m going after at the moment and that’s winning a state championship.”

He can’t wait to play for Nick Saban.

“He’s a great, respectable guy and he might seem intimidating in a sense but really I feel very comfortable when I speak with him,” Drake said. “That was a main reason why I chose Alabama.”

Quick hit
Texas and Texas A&M aren’t the only two programs that have been busy lately. Tennessee landed a nice running back over the weekend, thanks to its own version of junior day. Coach Derek Dooley landed his first 2012 commitment when Imani Cross, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound power back out of Gainesville (Ga.) picked the Volunteers, according to Rivals.com.

Most commitments
(BCS schools)

14: Texas A&M

12: Texas

9: Alabama

7: Miami

6: Florida State

5: Florida, LSU and Ohio State

4: BYU, USC


Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2011-02-27/texas-ams-2012-class-leads-the-nation-with-14-recruits-texas-nabs-five-more#ixzz1FLvivQJS

[SeattleLionsFan]

I can think of alot of words to describe Saban but I dint think respectable would be among them.

[entropy]

it is funny that a few weeks ago, there was an article about Texas' recruiting and how they need to better and that has been the problem lately. Maybe it just shows that locking in guys in February isn't the best approach... and maybe, just maybe, those rankings are very subjective. I mean, it's not like Universities are offering big money to these guys to do it for them...

[WM Wolverine]

Info coming out on Oregon's situation, a couple huge recruits (5 stars) at the center of the investigation; Lache Seastruck RB & DeAnthony Thomas WR. Both kids that could've went anywhere they wanted and ended up at Oregon of all places...

Dior Mathis CB played for one of the 7-on-7 teams that is run by a guy (Baron Flenory) who received close to 30k from Oregon...

Not a good time to be a Duck. This along with USC's situation is going to hurt the Pac 12 come time they negotiate their TV deal (expires after '11 I think)...

re: USC - Them taking 30+ recruits this year is really going to hurt them in the long run. This HUGE class is going to be followed by a couple of REALLY small (10 - 13 recruits) classes. When those really small classes ('12 & '13) are upperclassman ('15, '16) is when USC is really going to suffer the affects on the field. Lane Kiffin will be long gone by then.

[entropy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6179423

[entropy]

Wonder who turned them in..

[*JD*]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6179423

Funny that the ESPN commercial featuring their mascot was run before the video of the story on the Ducks.

[lineygoblue]

I have no sympathy for programs that walk a tightrope with NCAA rules. One gust of wind, and down they go. As my cartoon hero "Super Chicken" used to say, "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it" ...

[SeattleLionsFan]

After the Auburn fiasco, why would any team not pay player's handlers? They are obviously not going to get in trouble. (at least if they are in teh SEC I guess)

[entropy]

not CF.. but BYU..

BYU hoops star suspended for sex acts

By Valerie Richardson
The Washington Times

8:42 p.m., Thursday, March 3, 2011

The same behavior that cost Brandon Davies the rest of his basketball season at Brigham Young University might have earned him an "A" at Northwestern.

BYU stunned the college hoops world Wednesday by suspending the 19-year-old sophomore for violating the school's honor code by having premarital sex with his girlfriend. The same week, Northwestern University drew headlines after a psychology class featured a live sex act.

While both episodes come as a shock, there's no question which report generated the most heat. The Davies suspension spilled Thursday from the sports section to the front page as commentators debate whether BYU was too tough on the teen for engaging in what would be regarded anywhere else as a youthful indiscretion at worst.

The loss of Mr. Davies comes as an enormous blow to the third-ranked Cougars' chances for a national championship. The 6-foot-9 forward was regarded as the second-best player on the team, behind only player of the year candidate Jimmer Fredette, in a season that was shaping up as the best in the school's history.

Even so, BYU boosters and students are for the most part standing behind the school's decision. An online poll taken by the Deseret (Utah) News found 81 percent of those responding in agreement with the university, with just 9 percent finding the punishment overly harsh.

David Livingston, a BYU freshman and basketball fan, said most students were crestfallen upon hearing the news, concluding that the school's chances of success had vanished, but that since then the campus has rallied.

"Within a day, students started theorizing about our options on the court. Many people commented on how they missed Davies and still loved him," Mr. Livingston said in an e-mail. "As of now the status on campus is an understanding and forgiving but slightly disappointed one."

At the same time, he said, he thought the suspension was fair.

"Everybody at BYU knows the rules and the suspension further reminds everybody on campus that nobody, even a staple of our extremely successful basketball team, is exempt from the rules," said Mr. Livingston.

The BYU Honor Code requires students to live "a chaste and virtuous life," but the punishment for transgressions is left up to the Honor Code Office. There's no double-standard for star athletes: Last year, football player Harvey Unga, the school's all-time leading rusher, withdrew from BYU after violating the honor code.

Others said the punishment was too severe. An online survey run by the New York Daily News on the Davies punishment found 59 percent of respondents said the issue was "too personal an issue to suspend him from the season," while 37 percent felt the suspension was appropriate.

ESPN basketball analyst Chris Broussard said he thought BYU's handling of the situation was "refreshing," given that most college basketball teams are out to win at any cost.

"They're saying, 'There are certain things more important than winning a game. We're trying to teach you how to be a man,' " Mr. Broussard said. "You know coming in these are the rules."

Cougars basketball coach Dave Rose said the main issue wasn't the behavior itself but the violation of the honor code.

"I think a lot of people try to judge this, whether this is right or this is wrong. That's not the issue," said Mr. Rose in a postgame statement in the Salt Lake Tribune. "It is a commitment that you make. And everybody makes the commitment."

The conduct code is apparently more lax at Northwestern University, where President Morton Schapiro called for an investigation Thursday after a psychology professor allowed a couple to engage in a sex act in front of more than 100 students.

"I feel it represented very poor judgment on the part of our faculty member," Mr. Schapiro said. "I simply do not believe this was appropriate, necessary or in keeping with Northwestern University's academic mission."

A guest lecturer performed a live sex act using a motorized device on his fiancee immediately following professor J. Michael Bailey's human sexuality class after saying the video depicting the act was not sufficiently realistic, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The lecturer, Jim Marcus, appeared before the class as part of a discussion on kink and fetishes. The performance took place after class, attendance was optional and the students repeatedly were warned about the explicit nature of what they were about to see.

Even so, Mr. Schapiro said he was "troubled and disappointed by what occurred."

Mr. Bailey released a statement Wednesday defending the demonstration, saying that, "the students find the events to be quite valuable, typically, because engaging real people in conversation provides useful examples and extensions of concepts students learn about in traditional ways."

Mr. Schapiro's statement reversed a university statement released Wednesday that defended Mr. Bailey's methods.

"The university supports the efforts of its faculty to further the advancement of knowledge," the earlier statement said.

• This story is based in part on wire service reports.

? Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC.

[entropy]

double post

[entropy]

The NCAA enforcement leads me to believe it is better to cheat than be clean. As long as you don't get too brash about it.. as long as you don't improve too quickly.. you'll be fine.

Hate to say it but until it's members demand more or are willing to walk away, it will only get worse.

[entropy]

Did you guys see that UConn lost 1.8M going to the fiesta bowl? Most of that had to do with only selling something like 2-3K worth of tickets.

I know there were more Uconn fans present. Saw them on TV. But when tickets are more expensive going through the school than online or from the bowl, it is a problem. Schools probably need to address that with the bowls.

[entropy]

SEC coaches defend oversigning..

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704444604576172954187357370.html

[amaizenblue]

Info coming out on Oregon's situation, a couple huge recruits (5 stars) at the center of the investigation; Lache Seastruck RB & DeAnthony Thomas WR. Both kids that could've went anywhere they wanted and ended up at Oregon of all places...

Yeah...it's not like Oregon played for a national championship recently, or anything. Or have one of the most exciting offenses in the nation...oh wait...they did, and do...nevermind. :-D

That said, I don't think much is going to come of that investigation, from what I've read. I mean, it was actually on their payroll. If there was really something shady, I'd think they would have tried to hide it a bit better.