Weekly recruiting roundup
Playing in front of more than 4,500 fans and a national television audience, Terps running back commitment Caleb Porzel rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, leading Good Counsel to a 42-21 win over DeMatha last night.
Porzel has committed to play for Maryland, and Terrapins Coach Ralph Friedgen and most of his staff were in attendance last night to see their recruit sparkle. Although Porzel missed most of the past week of practice after spraining his left ankle on his first carry in last week's 42-0 victory over Paul VI Catholic, he said he never doubted his ability to play last night, even though he spent one day on crutches and two more days in a walking boot.
• The Washington Post profiled Good Counsel linebacker Jelani Jenkins on Thursday, going into detail how his mother, stepfather, brother and father have assisted in managing his recruitment.
And then there's Jelani's father, Maurice Jenkins, the finely dressed entrepreneur whose background as both an artist and architect best qualifies him to manage the whole process. He leaned against the fence surrounding Good Counsel's field 20 minutes before kickoff against Paul VI and watched his son run through pregame drills.
Minutes earlier, he had met with coaches from Notre Dame and Maryland who had come to watch Jelani. Hours earlier, he had spoken to UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel on the phone. Days earlier, he had chatted with a coach from Michigan, one of a handful of recruiters he said he's in touch with about once a week.
• Quince Orchard teammates and Maryland targets Travis Hawkins and Jason Ankrah spent last weekend at Penn State and will travel this weekend to Michigan. Ankrah, a defensive end, told Rivals.com that he was able to clear up some confusion with the PSU staff.
“At first I thought they were slow on recruiting me, now I know they were just making sure on my grades and make sure school is first before football. I’d say right now Penn State is back at the top. Maybe when I go somewhere else I’ll fit in. I feel comfortable at Penn State. The people there make you feel like it’s at home. I like the coaches, they are cool.”
Hawkins, a cornerback, told Rivals.com that the Nittany Lions are still very much in the running for his services.
“When it’s time for me to pick a school I’ll know that Penn State fits me very well. I haven’t put together a list of favorites or anything, but if I had a top three or something Penn State would be in that.”
Hawkins has an official visit scheduled to Michigan this coming weekend for the Wolverines’ game against Illinois. The following week he will take an official visit to Oregon.
• After taking an official visit to West Virginia last weekend, Chesapeake, Va., linebacker Jerod Askew spoke with Rivals.com‘s Mike Farrell and reiterated that Maryland is still in the running.
While Askew has no favorites he has basically narrowed his focus to West Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson and Maryland.
“Basically, I’d say West Virginia is one of the top schools. I’ve been there twice now but the other time I didn’t get to see all that I saw this time.
“This coming weekend I’m going on an official visit to Tennessee and on (October) 18, I’m going to Maryland. Before this I had just been to Maryland’s junior day.
Basketball recruiting
• St. Frances small forward Terrell Vinson, a 2009 prospect who recently transferred from Montrose Christian, has made his college choice. According to this premium article from Scout.com, Vinson committed to Loyola Marymount yesterday. He picked the West Coast Conference school over offers from Maryland, Georgetown and Villanova.
• Anthony Ibrahim, the adviser to Terps target and Patterson (N.C.) School forward Arsalan Kazemi, told Zags Blog that they’re in the process of scheduling a visit to Maryland.
Ibrahim said Seton Hall wanted Kazemi to visit Oct. 12, but now it may happen Oct. 25. Officials to Maryland and Rice are still pending.
“They’re looking at Oct. 25th (for Seton Hall),” Ibrahim said. “Maryland, we’re not sure. We’re trying to sort it out right now. It could be before, it could be after.”
Ibrahim said Kazemi hoped to decide by November but was open to options.
• According to Zags Blog, Torrington, Conn., power forward Jordan Williams, who visited Maryland last weekend, is making an official trip to St. John’s this weekend, while New York power forward Tobias Harris, a 2010 recruit, will be back in College Park later this month.
The 6-foot-8 junior combo forward from Long Island Lutheran will visit West Virginia this weekend. After that he goes to Maryland for Midnight Madness Oct. 17, Georgetown (Oct. 18), Marquette for Midnight Madness (Oct 24 & 25), Georgia Tech (Nov. 1) and Georgia (Nov. 2).
Harris is the No. 9 power forward in the Class of 2010 and has numerous scholarship offers. Rutgers has made him a prime target for the Class of 2010.
Comments
Hello Matt,
Very nice report. I was wondering what do you think the chances are Jordan Williams will commit to Maryland after his visit at St. John's? I heard he really enjoyed Maryland and would of committed if not for the scheduled visit there. Williams & Padgett would be a great '09 class and is the only reason there looking at a 3rd player in that class (Kazemi) incase they don't get Williams or cause they will have a 3rd scholarship to offer? Which I hope they don't because I want Greivis to stay. Thanks so much and keep up the good work!
Posted by: Kevin Litz | October 3, 2008 2:09 PM
Kevin -- I wouldn't be shocked to see Williams commit soon after his visit to St. John's, but I also wouldn't be surprised to see him wait a few weeks and possibly make other visits. Either way, the Terps are in good shape. I think UM will continue to look at '09 guys like Kazemi to cover their bases. You can never be sure how scholarship situations will shake out, as evidenced by last year. On paper they have 2 to give for '09, but I'm sure the staff will have a contingency plan in place should another scholarship open up.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | October 3, 2008 2:46 PM
Nice work on letting another highly rated Maryland recruit walk right out of the state, Gary. Please fire this guy. I think I could do a better job of recruiting my home state! It's the UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND!!! I can probably list about 10 top 150 guys from the state of Maryland from the 08' and 09' classes who are committed to out of state schools. It's a joke.
Posted by: Steve O | October 3, 2008 3:17 PM
If Jelani, Tavon Austin, Hawkins, and Ankrah go out of state, it'll just be another usual recruiting yr for Maryland.
And Gary, he should be noted for consistency. It took him a decade to gradually build a great program and then another decade to ruin it.
Posted by: Shawn | October 3, 2008 4:45 PM
Hi Matt, Maybe you could clear something up for me. I'm under the impression that with the addition of Goings, the Terps have all their scholarship spots filled. Dave Neal is the only senior next year, and his 'ship will be taken by Padgett. How do we have enough room to recruit Williams? Is this a sign that Vasquez may be going pro?
Posted by: Chris | October 3, 2008 4:46 PM
Chris -- Right now the Terps have 12 scholarship players. David Pearman was also awarded a scholarship, so they're at 13 for this season. Neal will graduate after this year, while Pearman will likely go back to being a walk-on, which gives UM two spots for the '09 class.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | October 3, 2008 5:42 PM
Matt,
If they have 13 scholarship players, where does Jin Soo Kim fit in? Is he still supposed to be a scholarship player for this year or will his eligibility begin next year?
-Jon
Posted by: Jon | October 3, 2008 6:23 PM
Jon -- Kim is definitely on scholarship this year. He just needs to get through the NCAA Clearinghouse, but he's a scholarship player. Here's the breakdown for this season:
1: Neal (SR)
2: Vasquez (JR)
3: Hayes (JR)
4: Milbourne (JR)
5: Burney (SO)
6: Bowie (SO)
7: Gregory (SO)
8: Dupree (SO)
9: Tucker (SO)
10: Pearman (SO)
11: Mosley (FR)
12: Goins (FR)
13: Kim (FR)
Posted by: Matt Bracken | October 3, 2008 6:37 PM
Very Smart Vinson. Hit the books. Cuz now your only payday lies in discovering the longer lasting lightbulb. Dumb-dumb.
Posted by: Ryan | October 4, 2008 10:38 AM
Gary should take away the scholarships from pearman, and gregory so we can have padgett, j williams, and Kazemi next year. Don't know how gregory got a scholarship to a D1 school
Posted by: Anonymous | October 4, 2008 11:10 AM
Enough!!!!! They want to get rid of Groh but he keeps out coaching our man Ralph. I can't watch the second half although I hope for a miracle. Big Man, you can't bring a team out any flatter than you did....why didn't you punt the first possession and let the defense produce.
Just the worst!
Posted by: Terp Mike | October 4, 2008 8:35 PM
I have a question:
Why is Maryland Terp football rarely on free tv if at all?
If it is supposed to be THE state school, it is inexcuseable that we cannnot see them every weekend. I think this is what contributes to the concept they are not truly big time with recruits.
When they can see Penn State play almost every weekend on ABC or any other channel and then you have to hope Raycom feels the Terps are worthy of air-time or they can find a spot on ESPNU or ESPN2, who would you consider the better school? I don't live in Pa, Va, NC, SC, or Florida....but I feel pretty confident in saying that in these states, their ACC schools games are seen by the locals weekly, not just when it fits a broadcasters whimsy.
If you expect to keep top-flight players home, you have to come across as the big-time school you are supposed to be and not second-tier. Until they do, they will continue to lose the best of the best players to the Penn State's of the world.
Posted by: Walter Hollman | October 10, 2008 6:01 AM