Last season City College running back Stephen Johnson burst onto the local football scene, rushing for 1,376 yards and nine touchdowns on 134 carries in his first season as a starter.

Morgan State, Bowie State and a host of out-of-area schools have expressed interest in the 5-foot-7, 175-pounder.

Johnson spoke with Recruiting Report recently about his senior expectations, battling back from an injury and his recruitment.

You were injured last year, but played through it. Talk about getting hurt and how you’ve responded.

I did have surgery on my right shoulder. Actually I hurt it during the season -- six games into the season -- and I continued playing through my season. After our last playoff game, against Edmondson, I went to the doctor. The doctor said I had a torn labrum and they were surprised I was able to play through it. They said it would take about 6-8 months [to recover], but it took me four.

Are you healthy now?

I’m 100 percent. Definitely.

What else have you been up to this summer?

This summer I’ve been working very hard. If I’m not in the gym, I’m at home doing pushups, staying active. I’ve been running the track a lot, running hills, working with my personal trainer. He works me out in the gym at school. I’m trying to work on increasing my bench. I wake up at nine o’clock in the morning and go somewhere to stay in shape.

What schools have shown the most interest in you?

Northern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Old Dominion, Towson, Bowling Green, Ohio University.

Do you have any favorites?

I really like Old Dominion and Northern Michigan -- they’re my top right now. I like Old Dominion because they’re not far from home and I like Northern Michigan because of the school and they have a lot to offer me.

What do college coaches want to see from you this season?

It’s basically the same thing. They like the highlight tape, but want to see me this season. ... They like my speed. Every college I send it to, they say my speed makes up for my size. They say I run as if I’m a bigger back. ... They want to see me be consistent. They want to see how I do next year because [some running backs will] just be good for one year and then next year they won’t be as good. So I hope to show them that [I‘m a consistent player].

Do you feel like you’ll have to prove yourself to recruiters as a senior in order to get offers?

I never felt like I’ve proved myself enough. I like going over the edge and proving people wrong. This year I’m going to be better. Last year I had almost 1,400 yards. This year I want to go over 2,000.

Click here for Johnson's junior highlights.

Sun photo of Stephen Johnson by Jerry Jackson / Nov. 10, 2007

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Summer's always the busiest time for basketball recruiting analysts, but Evan Daniels was able to take a break from the action and answer 'Five questions' about Maryland basketball recruiting.

Daniels, a national basketball recruiting analyst for Scout.com, responded to questions (via e-mail) about the Terps' presence at last week's Las Vegas AAU tournaments.

1.) The Maryland staff has had a rough year on the recruiting trail, but they were reportedly very active in Las Vegas. What did you see out of the staff? Who were they watching?

With so many tournaments in Las Vegas, it's hard to track every staff and see who they are spending time on. I did, however, see Gary Williams checking out Thomas Robinson on the second day of the event. Robinson was particularly impressive in that contest. I also received word that they were trailing Jordan Williams, a big man out of Torrington (Conn.) High.

2.) What did you see out of Jordan Williams? Does Maryland have a good shot?

Williams is a guy that has really raised his stock over the course of the month of July. Williams has great size at 6-9, moves well and has nice touch around the basket. He's developed some moves on the block and he seems more skilled every time out. Maryland has offered Williams, as has Xavier, St. John's, Rhode Island, Providence, Notre Dame and UMass.

3.) Did anyone help their stock more than Brewster (N.H.) Academy power forward Thomas Robinson? What kind of player is he? Who is Maryland competing with for Robinson?

There have been a number of hot names in July, but Robinson is a guy that nearly every college coach in the country is inquiring about. In Las Vegas, he had nearly a dozen head coaches at a majority of his games. Robinson has developed into a high-major big man because of his athleticism, and ability to score in the paint. He's got a strong frame that will add weight and is a guy that is really emerging as one of the better power forwards in the 2009 class.

As far as Robinson's recruitment goes, it appears to be wide open right now. At the Nike Main Event in Las Vegas, he rattled off a list of Kansas, Duke, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Virginia, South Florida, Providence, Maryland, Louisville, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, George Mason, Georgetown, George Washington and Georgia. Word on the street is that Kansas, Texas and Memphis are the early leaders.

4.) One report from Las Vegas suggested that Glendale, Ariz., forward Colin Borchert was close to committing to Maryland. Scout.com later debunked that, saying the recruitment was in its 'infancy.' How interested are the Terps, and what type of player is Borchert? Who's after him?

From what I understand Maryland's staff has done some initial work with Borchert and are still in the evaluation stage. They have not offered him a scholarship and are still scouting him and a number of other guys at that position. Borchert has had a wide array of interest. To go with Maryland, schools like California, USC, Oklahoma State, Nebraska and UNLV have all spent some time recruiting him.

5.) Maryland reportedly has offers out to Williams, Robinson, Montrose Christian forward and Baltimore native Terrell Vinson and Findlay (Nev.) Prep forward Clarence Trent. How are the Terps' chances with each recruit?

Maryland is certainly in the mix with Williams and Vinson. They've spent some time with those two and I know they recently offered Williams, who is really starting to blow up on a national level. Vinson recently indicated to me that he would like to take a trip to Maryland in the near future.

He's also looking at Georgetown, Villanova and Loyola Marymount. He's set to visit LMU this coming weekend. Maryland is certainly recruiting Robinson too, and have made some headway, but I think Kansas, Texas and Memphis seem to be the schools to beat for him at this point. Trent's recruitment has been wide open and honestly tough to get a good feel for. A lot of people think Arkansas is ultimately the school out in front, but Trent never will name favorites and seems to be just taking everything in.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)
                    

The defensive line at Fork Union Military Academy will have serious Maryland representation this season.

Quince Orchard defensive tackle Zach Kerr will join Wilde Lake defensive end and fellow Terps signee Cody Blue at FUMA for the upcoming season, QO head coach Dave Mencarini said yesterday.

Mencarini said Kerr, his family and the Maryland coaching staff agreed that a semester at the Virginia prep school would be good for his development.

“Physically, he looks like he can handle [college football], but most 18-year-olds can’t,” Mencarini said. “... He just needs [prep school] to get him ready. The discipline and structured environment [will be good for him].”

Kerr will enroll at College Park during the winter semester, joining the Terps in time for spring practice. He could have some company in Quince Orchard cornerback Travis Hawkins, a rising senior.

“Well Maryland’s his top school. There’s no doubt about that,” Mencarini said. “... It’s no secret how [the Maryland coaching staff feels] about him and how he feels about them. He’s very tight with [Good Counsel running back and Terps commitment] Caleb Porzel. They’ve been friends since they were little kids. Personally, I’d like him to get it done before the season. He’s going to graduate early and be a mid-year guy. He’s in summer school right now and he’s doing really well.”

Mencarini said Hawkins is also considering offers from West Virginia, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Tennessee and Oregon.

The Terps have also offered QO defensive end Jason Ankrah. Mencarini thinks it’ll be awhile before he reaches a decision.

“Jason’s all over the place,” Mencarini said. “He might make a decision later on in the year because I think he wants to take some more visits. Maryland’s definitely in his top seven [along with] Penn State, West Virginia, Tennessee, NC State, Michigan and Virginia Tech.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
                    

Loyola safety Terence Garvin is headed to West Virginia.

Garvin committed to the Mountaineers last week, picking W.Va. over an offer from Maryland. He also had interest from Boston College, Connecticut, North Carolina State, Syracuse and Virginia.

Garvin and his parents visited the West Virginia campus last month. A brief detour helped the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder get acquainted with the small-town, neighborly feel of Morgantown, W.Va.

“I guess we turned down the wrong street,” Garvin said. “We asked this guy how to get [to campus]. He went out of his way and we followed him for probably like 5-10 minutes. He went out of his way and drove us down there ... It seems like the school, all the people -- everywhere we went there was this West Virginia pride. They don’t have a pro team there, so everything is the school. That’s what they love down there. They’re deep into their program. But it’s real nice down there.”

Once the family finally arrived on campus, Garvin was impressed with what he saw.

“When I went down there, I really liked all the coaches,” Garvin said. “I really liked [defensive coordinator Jeff] Casteel. He seems really intense and that’s a good thing to have. I really like the campus and how it’s all set up. All the people are really supportive of the football team and that’s what I was looking for. The academics are real good, too. They have a plan where you can get your masters in five years. Everything seemed right with West Virginia.”

Casteel has Garvin -- who is considering a major in sports management -- slated for the rover position in his 3-3-5 defense. Garvin described rover as “a safety that blitzes.”

When Garvin suits up for the Mountaineers, he’ll get the chance to square off against a familiar face once a year. Loyola quarterback Leon Kinnard committed to Connecticut in March. With Garvin in Morgantown, W.Va., and Kinnard in Storrs, Conn., the longtime friends will go from Dons teammates to Big East rivals.

“We already talked about that a lot,” Garvin said. “He was excited. He said they were going to beat us. ... I was telling him I’m going to try to sack him a couple times or pick him off. But it won’t be too strange. It’ll be something new for both of us -- going against each other for the first time.

“It’s real cool [that we’ll play against each other]. A lot of people know us around here and now they know we’re going to Big East schools, so hopefully people watch. But from the jump, our goal was to go to big Division I schools. That was our goal from freshman year, and I guess we accomplished it right now. But now we’re trying to play at those schools, so we’ve been working hard in the weight room.”

Garvin said it’s finally setting in that he’s committed to program that has finished in the top 10 the past three seasons, going 33-5 with two BCS bowl wins. He said he’s excited to be a part of that success.

“Yeah that kind of hit me the other day,” Garvin said. “There was this show [on ESPN], College Football Live, [that was talking about West Virginia]. And I was like, ‘I’m actually going there.’ It kind of hit me like that. I’ve never really been on a losing team before, so hopefully I’ll still be on a winning team. It should make college even more fun."

Sun photo of Terence Garvin by Lloyd Fox

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

It’s been a busy week in Las Vegas for Gary Williams and the rest of the Maryland staff.

At the Reebok Summer Championships AAU tournament, the Terps have been hitting the 2009 class hard. Two prospects, in particular, that appear to have piqued UM’s interest are former Riverdale Baptist and current Brewster (N.H.) Academy power forward Thomas Robinson, and Torrington, Conn., power forward Jordan Williams.

Robinson, 6 feet 8, had a standout performance on the second day of the tournament, according to Rivals.com.

A high energy player with a load of athleticism, Robinson racked up a solid double/double of 22 points and 12 rebounds. He pursued balls outside of his area and left little doubt who would come down with the ball when he got his hands on it. Offensively, Robinson wasn't utilized a great deal more than as a rebounder, but he did finish with authority and scored on some powerful drives to the basket.

Head coaches from West Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, Virginia, South Florida, Miami, Boston College, Xavier, Pittsburgh and Kansas along with assistants from Texas, Oklahoma and Duke were all in the gym.

Scout.com -- via Zags Blog -- had similarly high praise for Robinson’s play.

“He challenges shots, looks to score in the paint and knows how to use his athleticism,” Scout.com analyst Evan Daniels wrote. “His performance against Illinois Magic had to have made a good impression on the eight head coaches in the building to see him.”

He told Scout he’s considering Kansas, Duke, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Virginia, South Florida, Providence, Seton Hall, Maryland, Louisville, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, George Mason, George Washington, Georgetown, Georgia. Duke has not yet offered.

Williams, 6 feet 8, was off-the-radar of many major colleges before Vegas. That’s no longer the case, Williams told Rivals.com.

"I was terrible in the spring. Just terrible," Williams said. "But when I started getting used to the competition and the type of players that you play at this level, I started playing better. I adjusted to it and things have been going pretty good."

Oh yes they have. Williams has been one of the hottest players this month for coaches. He said Georgetown, Maryland, Xavier, Providence, Rhode Island and UMass have offered. John Thompson III, Gary Williams, Sean Miller and Keno Davis were all on hand to see the young 17-year-old score 14 points (12 in the second half).

According to The Republican-American of Waterbury, Conn., the Terps offered Williams before his big week in Vegas.

Playing this summer for ex-Boston Celtics coach John Carroll and the New England Playaz 17-under AAU team, Williams’ game, including a double-digit average in scoring, has caught the eyes of some high-profile college coaches.

Among them is the University of Maryland’s Gary Williams, who offered Jordan a scholarship earlier this week during a tournament stop in South Carolina.

• Maryland women’s basketball recruit Lynetta Kizer has turned in two impressive performances in a pair of wins for the USA Women's U18 National Team in Buenos Aires, Argentina this week. Against Canada, Kizer scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds in just 12 minutes of play. In the opening round against Venezuela, Kizer paced the team with 13 points.

"We can feed off this win, but we have to remember that there are much tougher teams out there," said Kizer. "It feels good to win big, but we have to keep working if we want to win the gold medal. We worked really hard to get here, and we can't afford to lose focus.

Football recruiting

• DigitalSports.com’s Lem Satterfield checked in with Edmondson defensive end and Maryland commitment David Mackall for a story and video this week. Mackall discussed the many reasons behind his commitment to UM.

"I had my mind set on Maryland since I was a little boy. As a young man, I used to watch Maryland play all of the time," said Mackall, who was also influenced by Terps' assistant coach Jemal Griffin.

"Coach Griffin, he's a coach up there [at Maryland], and he was my coach at Woodlawn when I was younger. So there's a lot of personal trust going on. I feel really comfortable with this decision," Mackall said.

• The Gazette took a look at Maryland’s Montgomery County commitments this week. The paper asked Good Counsel head coach Bob Milloy how running back Caleb Porzel’s commitment to Maryland might affect linebacker Jelani Jenkins’ decision.

He also may not be the last drop in the pipeline. Maryland has made official offers to rising junior cornerback Louis Young and rising senior linebacker Jelani Jenkins, a consensus top-10 national recruit. Jenkins and Porzel are close friends.

‘‘It’s not like they’re definitely going together, but the fact that Caleb’s going to Maryland, that’s going to help Maryland [recruit Jenkins],” Milloy said.

• The Post & Courier of Charleston, S.C., has its weekly football recruiting update, and per usual, several players with UM interest are mentioned, including offensive lineman Denzelle Good.

Gaffney OL Denzelle Good (6-5, 315) has offers from Maryland and S.C. State and is drawing some interest from USC, Clemson, N.C. State and North Carolina.

• Former Randallstown standout and one-time Maryland recruit Melvin Alaeze -- who is currently serving an eight-year prison stint on a first-degree assault charge -- is one of several five-star players from the class of 2005 that didn‘t pan out. Mike Huguenin of Rivals.com took a look at those ‘05 recruits that ran into trouble off the field and those who have yet to make an impact on it. Just another reminder to take recruiting rankings with a grain of salt.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
                    

By now, Maryland running back commitment D.J. Adams is a seasoned pro at dealing with the media.

With more than 30 scholarship offers, Adams regularly granted interviews to team sites from the two major recruiting services. He also did the occasional check-in with local media.

While the Norcross, Ga., running back always had an interest in journalism, the recruiting process helped Adams decide on the field as a potential career path -- something that helped Maryland land the three-star prospect.

“[Journalism is] just what always stood out to me, especially with the recruiting process and doing interviews,” Adams said. “[Maryland’s journalism and communications program] was another thing that helped determine my decision. I want to be in journalism or a communication type of major, and to be in the ... Baltimore-D.C. area, that is a great opportunity. That's what I want to do.”

Adams got another first-hand look at his potential future profession at a news conference Monday at Norcross High School. The 5-foot-10, 215-pounder pulled on a Maryland hat to announce his decision, leaving hats from Clemson, LSU and Notre Dame on the table. After his choice was made, Adams granted several interviews. Later that day, one news outlet dubbed him a ‘soft commitment,’ meaning he would take official visits to other schools. Adams said that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“It's not at all a soft commit,” Adams said. “It’s a solid verbal. I'm done with the recruiting process. Maryland is it. [There will be] no other visits. The University of Maryland -- it’s official. That's it. It's a solid verbal. I held a press conference. That's it. There’s no soft verbal.”

Beyond UM’s academic offerings, Adams said he picked the Terps for his relationship with the coaching staff, particularly offensive line coach Tom Brattan.

“Coach Brattan is the best recruiting coach I talked to during the whole process,” Adams said. “Me and him developed a real good relationship. He’s just a great guy as well as coach [John] Donovan, the running backs coach. I got a chance to get acquainted with those guys and call them frequently. The coaching staff, everybody was great. And it's not like they're going to work every morning. It's more like a brotherhood, and that's what I was looking for. That's definitely a plus.”

Another plus in Adams’ opinion was the opportunity for early playing time. Adams stressed that no promises were made. But the coaches did implore him to stay prepared and be ready to make an early contribution.

“They expect me to come and be ready to play,” Adams said. “They expect me to be ready. Early playing time has been discussed. That we've talked about, but they’re just ready for me to get my senior year taken care of and be ready to play.”

Adams admitted that, days after making his announcement, there’s still excitement in the air. While many high school football followers in the Atlanta area were initially surprised at his choice, the community has started to come around.

“The area's still buzzing,” Adams said. “People weren’t expecting Maryland, with an LSU and Clemson and Notre Dame on the table. They weren’t expecting Maryland, but now they're coming up to me and saying, ‘Maryland did OK last year, they’re expected to do well this year.’ Everybody’s starting to understand, and I'm starting to explain why I picked Maryland. Hopefully two years from now they’ll see why I picked Maryland, for the academic and athletic opportunities.”

Click here for Norcross head coach Keith Maloof’s take on Adams’ commitment.

Click here for more on Maryland’s 2009 recruiting class.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
                    

On Monday afternoon, D.J. Adams sat in front of family, friends and media at Norcross (Ga.) High School with four hats -- Notre Dame, Maryland, LSU and Clemson -- laid out on the table in front of him.

Adams, a 5-foot-10, 215-pound running back, claimed more than 30 scholarship offers. But Norcross head coach Keith Maloof wasn’t surprised when Adams pulled on the Terps hat at Monday‘s news conference, becoming Maryland’s 17th verbal commitment for the 2009 class.

“Oh yeah, I knew [he liked Maryland],” Maloof said. “They did a great job recruiting him. He felt at home. [UM offensive line coach Tom] Brattan did a great job with him -- recruited him really good and stayed on top of him. He just did a really good job.”

During his junior season at Norcross, Adams shared the spotlight with seniors Devonta Bolton and Brice Butler. Bolton, a four-star receiver/linebacker, and Butler, a four-star wide receiver, signed with Alabama and Southern Cal, respectively. But according to Maloof, Adams more than held his own in the offense.

“He’s the kind of kid who rushed for 1,500 yards [and 11 touchdowns] last year, but in an offense that had Brice Butler and Devonta Bolton in it also,” Maloof said. “He had his carries, but you had to get the ball to all those guys also. So he wasn’t the primary person on offense, but he still got the numbers he got.”

ESPN.com's Billy Tucker had high praise for Adams after the announcement was made.

“Potentially a top-20 back upon the release of our ESPN 150, we feel the Terps may have showed the power-back the most attention and presumably sold him on the idea of being a featured runner early in his career in College Park."

"There is no doubt in our eyes Adams can carry the load in the ACC. He is an explosive, thickly-built runner with great initial burst and in-line power. Ideal body-structure and running style to develop into a high-carry, durable workhorse at the next level and wear down a defense by the 4th quarter.”

Maloof concurred with Tucker’s assessment, calling Adams a power back with 4.5 speed.

“He can get the hard yardage, he has great open-field speed and a little open-field wiggle, which are the three things you need in Division I football, especially in the ACC. ... They’re getting a great kid.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
                    

Division I college football coaches haven’t made a habit of recruiting West Florence High School in South Carolina.

“It’s traditionally not a type of school that’s put a lot of kids in major colleges,” West Florence head coach Trey Woodberry said.

According to Woodberry, West Florence’s off-the-radar status as a DI prospect-producing program helps explain the case of linebacker Avery Murray, who committed to Maryland last week.

Murray picked the Terps over offers from Buffalo and Middle Tennessee State. But it’s unlikely the UM staff would’ve found the 6-foot, 219-pounder had it not been for a highly-touted teammate.

“We’ve got a defensive end, Malliciah Goodman,” Woodberry said. “He’s committed to Clemson. I think Rivals has him at like 35 [in the country]. He’s the top-ranked kid in South Carolina. [Maryland] came to recruit him during the spring.

“[The UM staff was] just looking at other kids that we had and saw some tape on [Murray]. ... [He went to College Park for a visit and] they offered him pretty soon after that.”

Murray said he was initially a little wary of leaving the south for college. But his relationship with his recruiter and future position coach Al Seamonson alleviated many of those concerns regarding distance.

“He’s a real cool guy,” Murray said. “... He made me feel comfortable. He never put pressure on me to commit and just let me take my time. That’s what made the recruiting process a lot easier.”

Murray, who recorded 98 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions as a junior, is tentatively slated for SAM linebacker, but Woodberry thinks he’s versatile enough to play more than one spot.

“He’s big enough to play inside but he’s fast enough to play outside,” Woodberry said. “He’s very physical, very athletic and he’s also a very smart kid as well. He fits their system very well and fits the typical Maryland linebacker they’ve had the past few years.”

The only question for Murray is when he’ll enroll at College Park. Murray has more than enough credits to graduate early, and the Terps coaches have mentioned the possibility of enrolling in January so he can be with the team for spring practice.

“I’ve thought about it a lot,” Murray said. “Senior year, you only go through it once. But it all depends. If [the Maryland coaches] need me, I can do it. If not, I’ll stay here a little bit longer.”

Murray, who intends to study physical therapy at UM, said whether he enrolls early or waits until next fall doesn’t really matter. He’s just excited to have found a home.

“It feels real good,” Murray said. “There’s no stress whatsoever. I know where I’m going and I don’t have to worry about any other school.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

The Navy men’s basketball team will look a little different this season.

Patriot League Player of the Year Greg Sprink has graduated, but coach Billy Lange is excited to see how his 2008 recruiting class attempts to fill that void.

Johnnie Corrigan, a 6-foot-6 guard from Harrisburg, Pa., Nate Kasper, a 6-foot-8 forward from Wheeler, Ind., and Jordan Sugars, a 6-foot-3 guard from Millbrook, Va., make up Navy’s 2008 class.

The Mids also add point guard O.J. Avworo to their roster. Avworo, a sophomore, sat out last season after transferring from Idaho.

Lange spoke with Recruiting Report recently about Navy’s 2008 basketball recruiting class.

Give us a quick overview of what this class will bring to Navy.

I’m excited about the overall skill level of this class. It was a priority for us last summer to go out and sign up some guys who could bring a good level of passing and shooting. We knew we were going to add three or four guys to help us become one of the better shooting teams in our conference and the country. We feel like we added three guys that make shots.

Kasper was the fifth-leading scorer in the state of Indiana as a senior. Did he have a lot of recruiting interest?

Not from a Division I level. He really did not. He played with a very good AAU team that was kind of under-the-radar. You think about Indiana high school basketball and there’s a ton of great players there. But this AAU team wasn’t thought of as one of the elite teams in the state. We saw him at a side auxiliary gym in Las Vegas and he just caught my eye with his ability and his skill level inside and out. He looked like a kid who loved to play. He has a very big frame at 6’8, but he’s mobile. He can put the ball in the basket. He’s able to score in a variety of ways.

Who was the main competition for Kasper?

Honest to God, I don’t even remember. It wasn’t anything that was crazy. Some Division II and NAIA schools [offered him]. Some Ohio Valley schools, some MAC schools came around.

How did he fare at prep school last year?

He went to Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. He did well -- averaged like 16 points a game and seven rebounds. He played well -- really changed his body and got strong. His body kind of went through a metamorphosis.

Will his prep school experience help ease his transition to the Division I level?

I’ve seen it go both ways. I think it should be a positive if the guy has gained some experience. From high school to prep school, the competition gets better every level you move up. But you still have to make an adjustment from moving up -- the adjustment from playing against guys a little bigger and more experienced. But Nate’s experienced. He has a lot of experience. He was also a volleyball player in high school, so he’s not freakishly athletic, but he’s a good athlete.

What kind of player is Sugars?

He’s kind of like a do-it-all guy. He’s very aggressive, he’s got a great body and he’s athletic. He has a good understanding of the game and he’s a phenomenal leader and teammate. He’s got a combination of all the things we look for. He can drive the ball, put it on the floor and one of the best things he does is shooting from the outside. He’s got a lot of intangibles. He’s always in the right place at the right time. He does a great job defensively, really goes after rebounds from the guard positions. He’s been well-coached.

Do you expect him to contribute immediately?

I think so. Obviously, we lose Greg Sprink, but we have a lot of guards returning so there’s a lot of competition. But I think Jordan as a freshman is ready to play at that spot. We do have some older, more experienced guys at the spot. The great thing about Jordan is his ability to adapt to his role because he’s such an unselfish basketball player.

Is Sugars sort of a combo guard? What type of role will he fill?

We play three guards at a time or four guards at a time. He can be our fourth guard out there because he competes, he’s athletic and he can handle the ball. He’s more of a wing than anything else, but he also has that ability to handle the ball. When you say combo, I think of a guy who could play the point. He might be able to do that, but I haven’t seen that out of him yet. But he can dribble. It’s just, can he handle the pressure against the college level? I don’t know that yet.

What do you expect from Corrigan?

We’ve recruited some very good shooters here and he ranks among the best in terms of shooting the basketball. He takes the shots he can make and makes the shots that he takes. He’s very aware -- he doesn’t force bad shots. He’s a very smart, cerebral basketball player. He can shoot off the dribble, and catch-and-shoot. He can really shoot the basketball.

Who was the main competition for Sugars and Corrigan?

Jordan came down to The Citadel, High Point, Navy and some Ivy League schools at the time. John, it’s funny. We got a call on John, saw him work out April of his junior year. We offered to take him and he committed late May or early June, so nobody really got the chance to recruit him. He’d have had 10,12 offers [had he not committed so early]. There’s not a doubt in my mind. He had a team camp at [the Eastern Invitational in Trenton, N.J.] and he was one of the leading scorers in the camp. So he can score, he’s a great rebounder and he very rarely makes mistakes.

How were you able to land Corrigan so early in the recruiting process?

We struck it on our first conversation and had a good relationship, John and I. He had great respect for the tradition and our institution. He comes from a great family. They’re amazing people -- he’s very family-oriented. Then he got the same family feeling on campus and it just struck. We’re very fortunate. He’s a heck of a player.

Talk about Avworo and how he came to Annapolis from Idaho.

We recruited him out of high school. He went to Alief Elsik High School in Houston, Texas. He had scholarship offers from Idaho and Wichita State. ... He was looking to transfer from Idaho and just wanted a different institution for himself. This is the first place he called and we got him up for a visit. He’s all about leadership and challenging himself. Sometimes you’ve got to go away to come back and that’s what he did and we’re happy to have him.

What did you see out of Avworo in practice last year?

He’s probably the first pure point guard that we’ve had here. ... There aren’t many [true point guards today] in terms of what the position is all about -- creating shots for your team and spearheading the defense. He’s kind of a throwback to that position. He’s going to bring us a speed and passing and creating element that we haven’t had. Overall, he’s going to bring a winning attitude and toughness. He’s a very tough kid who’s committed in the classroom and on the basketball court.

Will this recruiting class, collectively, be able to help replace Sprink’s production?

Here’s what I would say. Our program has evolved a lot in four years. I’m going to play the best players. If those freshmen are among those guys, I’m going to play them. To count on that right away, collectively as freshman, I think would be leading those guys down the wrong path. But they can contribute to the team. They’re going to make us a better shooting team, a smarter team, a little bit more versatile. That can help make up for him. Replacing a guy like Greg Sprink is more of a team attitude than an individual or small-group attitude. I think that all three of them are capable of pushing for minutes as freshmen. We’ve basically started some freshmen every year since I’ve been here. Is it going to continue? I don’t know right now.

Has Navy’s recent success made recruiting any easier?

Does it get easier? I don’t know if it gets easier. I think we’ve gotten a little smarter [in recruiting], but these guys are as good as any class we’ve brought in, from a versatility standpoint, intelligence in the game and team toughness. It’s a great rebounding class. There are a lot of things these guys have brought. Our program is further along, so it helps. We’ve got more guys who can lead. Now we’ve got [veteran] guys who’ve played here ... that can bring these [freshmen] along at a more rapid pace. Whether they’re major contributors is yet to be determined, but as far their careers here, I feel very good about them.

Photo of Billy Lange by George Bridges / KRT (Dec. 5, 2005).

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Maryland can cross Petersburg, Va., power forward Cadarian Raines off the 2009 wish list. On Friday, Raines committed to Virginia Tech over offers from the Terps, George Mason, James Madison, Virginia Commonwealth and several others.

Earlier in the day, Tech had gotten an oral commitment from Cadarian Raines, a 6-8, 233-pound post player who averaged 14.2 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks for Petersburg High School this past season.

• The Diamondback’s Aaron Kraut sat down with UM head coach Gary Williams recently to discuss Maryland’s tumultuous offseason. The topic of one-time commitment Tyree Evans was one of many issues discussed in this wide-ranging interview.

Evans, a junior-college transfer and shooting guard from Richmond, Va., with a history of legal troubles, was expected to contribute immediately this season after averaging 21.2 points per game at Motlow State Community College in Tennessee last year. He signed a letter of intent with the Terps in April, but after media outlets, including The (Baltimore) Sun and SI.com, published stories detailing Evans' criminal record, Evans eventually asked out of his commitment.

"You could see it coming in the distance," Williams said. "There's no way he could have been a normal student on this campus. It wouldn't be right to him. If he got a parking ticket, he would have been in trouble."

• The stock of 2010 Terps target Roscoe Smith continues to rise. Cincinnati.com checked in with the Walbrook standout last week, who said he’s listening to all suitors.

"I am very wide open right now," Smith said last week at the LeBron James Skills Academy. "I don't really have a top-20 or a top-15 or a top-five. I just want to look all around and see what is the best fit for me. I want to see how many come after me."

Smith reeled off a list that included IU, UK and U of L plus North Carolina, Duke, Maryland, Texas, Temple, Xavier, Kansas, Memphis, Florida, Florida State, Connecticut, USC, Georgetown and Texas A&M.

Football recruiting

• Maryland’s 2009 recruiting class now contains five linebackers. West Florence, S.C., prospect Avery Murray committed to UM over an offer from Buffalo, according to Rivals.com. Murray’s commitment actually took place last week, according to WPDE.com.

Also on Tuesday, West Florence LB Avery Murray gave his verbal commitment to play for Ralph Friedgen and the Maryland Terrapins. Murray was the Knights leading tackler in 2007 and had two defensive touchdowns.

• Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith linebacker Jerod Askew is one of many uncommitted Virginia prospects with a Maryland offer. Askew checks in at No. 3 on The Roanoke Times' list of the best remaining recruits in the Old Dominion State.

There hasn’t been a big buzz about Askew in these parts, but, in addition to Virginia Tech, he reportedly has offers from Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, Clemson, Maryland and N.C. State. I’ve seen stats that show Askew and teammate Perry Jones, a UVa commit, with 24 tackles for loss apiece. And, Askew had 14 sacks and Jones had 13. Did anybody else make a stop?

• Ka’Lial Glaud, an athlete recruit from New Jersey, told Yahoo! Sports this week that Maryland and West Virginia are recruiting him the hardest. The Terps and Mountaineers are both among Glaud’s favorites.

“I would probably say they would be West Virginia, Maryland, Boston College, North Carolina, Tennessee, Rutgers and Iowa,” he said.

• Maryland reportedly offered Fayetteville, N.C., prospect Everett Proctor as an athlete recruit. Earlier this week, Proctor decided instead to take N.C. State’s offer to play quarterback .

Proctor chose N.C. State over scholarship offers from East Carolina, Illinois, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and runner-up Georgia Tech. Both the Wolfpack and Yellow Jackets wanted the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder as a quarterback. But Georgia Tech is expected to run an option-based offense under new head coach Paul Johnson this fall, while N.C. State runs a more traditional pro attack.

• WashingtonPost.com’s latest Recruiting Spotlight video looks at Gwynn Park lineman Raynard Randolph, who sports offers from Maryland, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee and West Virginia. Click here to watch the video.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (19)
                    

Edmondson defensive end David Mackall has a theory about Maryland’s recruiting class.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder believes the more in-state recruits Maryland lands, the better off the program will be in the long run.

“It’s a big thing because for one, when I used to go up to Maryland for the games, the home crowd was into it,” Mackall said. “And I feel like if more players come from the same place, it’s going to be a better [atmosphere] than if players come from [other areas]. But we’re [all coming from the same place, which helps] because I feel you all have to have that friendship and trust.”

Earlier this week, Mackall became the ninth Maryland resident to commit to the Terps. Mackall picked UM over offers from East Carolina and Eastern Michigan. Georgia, Penn State and Syracuse, among others, recently expressed interest in Mackall.

Mackall, who began his high school career at Woodlawn before joining the Red Storm last season, is already friends with one UM commitment and one prominent target.

“They have a lot of players that I’ve played with that have committed,” Mackall said. “[Archbishop Curley safety] Eric Franklin [and I] played rec football at Hamilton. I think they’re recruiting a lot of good players -- a lot of players that I can’t wait to go up against. ...

“[Dunbar running back] Tavon Austin, me and him went to middle school together [at Lemmel]. ... I talked to him a couple days ago about how he felt about committing to Maryland. I don’t really think [he’s ready to make a decision]. I guess he just wants to wait it out.”

Edmondson head coach Dante Jones said Mackall, who recorded 147 tackles and 13 sacks as a junior, is a “quality kid” who will bring toughness to Maryland’s defense.

“He’s a big, strong, tough kid that’s very physical, very aggressive ... and [he plays with great] passion. He makes plays,” Jones said. “Maryland expects him to play a defensive end/outside linebacker position called LEO.”

Mackall said playing that position was a major factor in his decision.

“I really didn’t know what I wanted to play, linebacker or defensive end, because I love both positions," Mackall said. "Maryland’s system is the only system that had a defensive position like that. ... That’s what I like doing -- rushing the quarterback, sticking running backs, dropping into coverage. And I like to hit.”

Training, working at a clothing store and dealing with recruiting has kept Mackall plenty busy this summer. He said he’s happy to drop the latter activity from his summer routine.

“I’m really excited,” Mackall said. “I’m happy to get this process over with and I just can’t wait to get up there. It’s been really exciting.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

Caleb Porzel wanted to be more deliberate the second time around.

The Good Counsel running back verbally committed to Virginia on a visit to Charlottesville in March, but reopened his recruitment soon after. Porzel, who was looking primarily at Maryland, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Illinois and Oregon, made sure he was certain College Park was the best fit for him before committing to the Terps earlier this week.

“Well I wanted to take everything slowly instead of rushing into it like with Virginia, and actually take time to visit the schools and actually take a tour of the schools and feel comfortable with it,” Porzel said. “I didn't really take the time to get to know everything about the school like I did with Maryland.”

Porzel called Terps offensive coordinator James Franklin on Monday morning to commit. Franklin asked the 5-foot-8, 180-pounder to inform UM head coach Ralph Friedgen of his decision to make things official. Reaching Friedgen proved a little more difficult than anticipated.

“I tried him a few times and left a message, but I couldn’t really seem to get him,” Porzel said. “But I got Mrs. Friedgen’s number and she said he was out fishing [while on vacation in South Carolina]. She just said to call around five [on Tuesday] and he was waiting for my call. But yeah, I was kind of wondering if he'd get my call, but it's all good.”

Porzel, who rushed for 976 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior, said he expects to redshirt his first year and compete for playing time the following season. Porzel said he feels good about Maryland’s depth chart and the fact that he’s the first running back commitment to the Terps for the class of 2009.

“I saw that other running backs were committing and I was looking into West Virginia a lot, and they have two running backs to the class of 2009 committed already,” Porzel said. “I didn't want to be the third guy to commit there. I was just looking at my other options, which were all good options, and I just wanted to be the first guy to commit as a running back to a school. Maryland's home and I like Maryland. I just felt really good about it and the people there. And I have a good chance of playing early.”

Porzel will join a Maryland team that has three Good Counsel graduates on scholarship (Deege Galt, Tommy Galt, Drew Gloster). Porzel said that familiarity made his commitment to Maryland an easy choice.

“That was definitely a factor because I would already know people there, instead of starting off brand new in a new place,” Porzel said. “I'm comfortable knowing where everything is, having former teammates that are going to be my teammates there. They'll help me get acclimated there. So it's a good situation for me.”

Click here for Good Counsel head coach Bob Milloy’s take on Porzel’s commitment.

Click on the YouTube player for Porzel’s junior-season highlights.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
                    

Eteyen Edet has found a home for the next several months.

The Maryland linebacker signee will spend the fall semester at Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y. Edet, who played his senior season at Friendly High School in Fort Washington, will report to Milford next month.

A pair of Friendly assistant coaches, Marcus Berry and Ray Thorpe, guided Edet through the process of choosing a prep school.

“[Attending Milford for prep school is] going to give him the best situation because he’s not that far away [from qualifying] at all,” Berry said. “He really worked his ass off and got close. ... He’s going to get it.”

Edet and his coaches were, at one point, leaning toward a school in North Carolina. Ultimately Edet felt Milford would be better for his concentration.

“The [prep school] in North Carolina, I know a lot of people down there and I just want to stay focused and be where I don’t know anybody so I can stay focused,” Edet said. “I’m not there to meet people and have friends. I’m there to get a job done.”

Edet grew up in Staten Island, N.Y., but spent his junior year of high school at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia. Due to financial constraints, Edet left FUMA and moved in with his aunt in Fort Washington to attend Friendly as a senior. When looking for a prep school, Edet and his coaches had to find an affordable program.

“Finances were the deal,” Berry said. “If Milford hadn’t come with a great package, then he wouldn’t have been able to do it. But they came with a really good package and a really good dea