tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141 2010-02-09T16:27:05Z Baltimoresun.com's Matt Bracken on University of Maryland, local and national recruiting news Movable Type 3.36 tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.231681 2010-02-09T15:59:05Z 2010-02-09T16:27:05Z

Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley has a little bit of everything in the Bears' 2010 recruiting class. The 23-man class includes one quarterback, one running back, one athlete, one safety, two defensive linemen, four wide receivers, five linebackers and eight...

Matt Bracken Donald Hill-Eley has a little bit of everything in the Bears' 2010 recruiting class. The 23-man class includes one quarterback, one running back, one athlete, one safety, two defensive linemen, four wide receivers, five linebackers and eight offensive linemen. There are five players from Maryland and seven players from Florida. It's a diverse mix of youth and experience that gives Hill-Eley great hope for the Bears' future. Overall, how well do you feel this class addresses your needs? Hill-Eley: “Well, our goal was going out in recruiting and wanting to get the team bigger. A lot of the conference really expanded and outsized us. We wanted to get bigger on the O-line and D-line. So it was just good to get some 6-3, 6-5, 6-6 players into the program. We also tried to make sure we kept up our speed ... and things of that nature. I think we pretty much answered those questions with our recruiting.”]]> How important was it for you to land a big class of offensive linemen and what are the highlights of the group? “I guess with having eight offensive lineman, it’s a group that can go either way. We recruited them mainly as O-linemen, but some could also help out on the D-line also. Being able to get a kid like [Memphis offensive tackle Robert] Hayes, whose great uncle played for Morgan back in the 20s with Charles Drew [was huge]. The other kid, [Eden Prairie, Minn., offensive tackle] Nicholas Harris, his dad played at Morgan back in the 70s. Being able to get kids with rich tradition in the program with Hayes and Nicholas Harris -- that’s a big plus. Jordan Brooks’ father played at Morgan. These are athletic guys you normally wouldn’t get at [the Football Championship Subdivision] level. All those kids had [Football Bowl Subdivision] offers. We felt real good about that.” Talk a little bit about how the family connection paid off with Hayes. “When Memphis and those guys came after him, Morgan was where he wanted to be. His mother talked about how her uncle took care of her, so that’s what it was. He took his mother in and raised her. When we started recruiting him, there was no question he was coming to Morgan State.” How did you land Jordan Brooks, the running back from Germantown, when he decided to transfer? “Jordan went to Rutgers and wanted to get more opportunities and get more reps. He called and once he got his release, he decided this is where he wanted to be. Getting a back of that caliber and putting him in the one-back offense that we have -- we’re definitely looking for some big things from him.” Will Brooks be counted on to contribute immediately? “Oh definitely. Having that one-time transfer rule, you can transfer down [a level] and play right away. That’s really going to help us after losing Devan James. Having a guy come right in and help us solidify that running game [is important]. Having one or two guys -- like an Allen Singletary -- come back and another guy that can come in and not miss a beat in the running game, that really helps us.” Do you see Suitland’s Devonte Lindsey factoring in to the quarterback battle to replace Carlton Jackson? “The thing about it is, we had two young men -- Donovan Dickerson and also we had Delonte Williams -- both guys who were in the program last year. We didn’t have a dire need to get a quarterback [in this class] like we were in the past. So to be able to get Lindsey, it gives us someone that will add depth that we need at the position, rather than rush him on the field or get a two-year guy from a junior college. We have guys who can stay at the position for three or four years. But you’re talking about a local kid, 6-4, 220 pounds, that has a lot of upside to him.” How did you feel you fared in-state for this class? “The thing about it with in-state is we would like to have seen more representation from in-state. But it’s the same reason why we’re getting guys from out of state. You sell the kid about playing in front of friends and family and having community support. The kids that we try to recruit that are Division I athletically and are qualified in the classroom, we found that the majority of those kids want to get away from home. We are able to get other kids to come here for the same reason -- they want to get away from their problems.” Are you happy with the in-state guys you did land? “Oh yeah. We’re definitely happy with those guys that take advantage of the opportunity to play right here and be able to come in and support their hometown team with their talents.” What are your thoughts on Jerel Coles, the wide receiver from Gwynn Park? “He’s another plus. Northeastern closed their program down. The program ended, so he was able to come and play right away as well. To get him back home to play was definitely a plus. He’s an athletic guy that can play ... receiver or running back or defensive back.” You’ve always done well in South Florida and this year was no different. What do you like most about the kids you recruited from there this year? “The group that we got out of South Florida is a combination of talented kids from the linebacker position as well as the secondary. So we were able, with the relationships that I have in South Florida, to get some of their better players to come here. Actually, we have so many different contacts there, that it’s always rewarding getting guys with speed and size and strength to come help us out. [Darren] Pinnock, the offensive lineman [is one to watch], and the linebackers that we were able to get give us much-needed depth and [help on] special teams. They seem to be a more mature group." Which guys do you see contributing right away? “Mainly Brooks, Coles and Mike Bogdanovich, a linebacker out of California. Those are guys that we’re looking at as far as coming in right away and helping us. A couple offensive linemen that we had transfer in, those guys are looking to play right away. We only have a couple of spots, and that’s a good thing. Taylor Pass, a kid we have from Georgia Military Academy ... might be able to come in and help us right away.” How much does it help with recruiting having Morgan alums like Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and Colts running back Chad Simpson playing such high-profile roles in the NFL? “When you have Shiancoe, who plays as well as he did this year, and then you have Chad Simpson, who played so well, every time that name gets mentioned, Morgan State gets called behind that and it’s unbelievable with the amount of exposure it gives your program. With those guys going all the way to their championship games and then [Simpson] on to the Super Bowl, you can tell the guys in South Florida that we have hometown guys who are playing in that game. That really helped seal a lot of those guys. [They think], ‘He was able to launch his NFL career coming from that program. Maybe I can do the same.’ Whenever we have a recruiting weekend, we would just watch the game. We’d take the [recruits] to ESPN Zone and just watch the game and watch our guys play on that stage. It’s a big selling point, getting them to see those guys play.” Baltimore Sun photo of Donald Hill-Eley by Algerina Perna / Aug. 9, 2009]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.231589 2010-02-08T21:14:06Z 2010-02-08T21:24:45Z

Disappointing news for local high school basketball fans today. Corrigan Sports Enterprises announced that the Charm City Challenge all-star event has been canceled. Lee Corrigan, President of CSE, said, “In this current economic climate it’s been difficult to find a...

Matt Bracken has been canceled. Lee Corrigan, President of CSE, said, “In this current economic climate it’s been difficult to find a sponsor who could step up to the line and fund the event this year. It’s sad because this game served as the biggest platform for Baltimore’s elite to showcase their talent against the top U.S. All-Stars. Ultimately the kids have lost the most from this situation.” The game, which has been held in late April at the Towson Center, pits a team of Baltimore all-stars against a U.S. squad. There was also a City vs. County game. “Hopefully we can resurrect this game a year from now. We’ll do everything we can to revive it because we feel the Charm City Challenge has become a part of the fabric of Baltimore basketball,” Corrigan concluded.]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.231455 2010-02-08T15:56:42Z 2010-02-08T15:58:43Z

The weekend blizzard prevented at least one Terps target from seeing Maryland's 92-71 win over North Carolina live at Comcast Center. Seton Hall Prep junior point guard Sterling Gibbs wasn’t able to trip to Maryland for Sunday’s North Carolina game...

Matt Bracken 92-71 win over North Carolina live at Comcast Center. Seton Hall Prep junior point guard Sterling Gibbs wasn’t able to trip to Maryland for Sunday’s North Carolina game because of the snowstorm. He also had a mandatory practice Sunday. • MaxPreps.com reports that five-star power forward C.J. Leslie might have a favorite. C.J. Leslie, also a 6-8 combo forward, scored 16 points in a 60-57 win for Word of God (Raleigh, N.C.) in its win over Ravenscroft. Leslie drew Kentucky head coach John Calipari and the Wildcats’ are believed to be the favorite to land him. Wildcat freshman phenom John Wall was Leslie’s teammate at Word of God last season.]]> Justin Coleman, a five-star prospect and former Maryland target, has committed to Louisville. “They showed me the most interest and have been recruiting me for a while,” Coleman told The Courier-Journal. “Coach (Rick) Pitino gets players to the league and they have some spots open at my position next year, so I can come in and play.” • Potential Terps center target Juvonte Reddic scored 14 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in Quality Education Academy's 86-59 win over Atlantic City (N.J.). • Terps women’s center recruit Alicia DeVaughn was dominant in Pompano Beach (Fla.) Ely’s 38-32 win over Nova in a district semifinal matchup. "We had to win this game," said Maryland signee Alicia DeVaughn, who had a game-high 20 points and 32 rebounds. "They beat us by 22. We had to play hard. I just had to stay focused and play through everything." ]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.231110 2010-02-05T17:21:05Z 2010-02-05T17:25:23Z

The chances of four-star shooting guard Terrence Ross ending up at Maryland likely moved from slim to none this week. The Washington Post's Steve Yanda reported Tuesday that the former Terps commitment had left Montrose Christian. "I’m not going to...

Matt Bracken Terrence Ross ending up at Maryland likely moved from slim to none this week. The Washington Post's Steve Yanda reported Tuesday that the former Terps commitment had left Montrose Christian. "I’m not going to talk about it other than to say that Terrence has withdrawn from Montrose," [Mustangs coach Stu] Vetter said. "It was a parental decision, and we wish him well." Now it appears that Ross, a Portland, Ore., native, is headed back west. Yanda reported Thursday that Ross' destination will likely be Westwind Academy in Phoenix. Assuming Ross does, in fact, end up at Westwind Academy, he will be coached by Gary Trousdale on a team that currently is 24-2. Among Trousdale's former coaching stops, he once was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Portland. A call to Trousdale's listed work number at Westwind Academy on Thursday was not immediately returned. Vetter told Recruiting Report in December that the Terps were "still very much in the picture" to land Ross. His transfer from Montrose Christian, however, has likely closed the door on that possibility.]]> Terrell Stoglin was unstoppable in Tucson (Ariz.) Santa Rita's 63-47 win over Sahuarita. And, as usual, star point guard Terrell Stoglin took care of lighting up the scoreboard, going off for 36 points - 15 on three-pointers and another 13 from the free- throw stripe - moving closer to second place on the state's all-time scoring list. • UM combo guard commitment Pe'Shon Howard led Oak Hill (Va.) to a 44-43 win over Mountain State Academy in the championship game of the Big Atlantic Classic in West Virginia. Maryland recruit Pe’Shon Howard paced Oak Hill Academy with 13 points. • Haukur Palsson, a senior forward from Iceland, helped Montverde Academy (Fla.) to a 54-51 win over Findlay Prep (Nev.). Jamail Jones was Montverde Academy's second-best scorer with nine points, followed by Clyburn with eight and Haukur Palsson with seven. • Stefan Nastic received some interest from Maryland, but the Serbian-born center committed to Stanford last weekend. Nastic, who attends Thornhill Secondary School in Ontario, was a member of the Serbian Under-16 squad two years ago and trained with the national Under-18 team over the summer. • Terps junior center target Desmond Hubert had a monster game for New Egypt (N.J.) on Thursday. Desmond Hubert's triple-double of 22 points, 22 rebounds and 10 blocked shots dominated New Egypt's 49-37 victory at Maple Shade. • Maryland women's combo guard recruit Natasha Cloud has taken on more of a scoring role this year for Cardinal O'Hara, according to this profile from the Philadelphia Daily News. Her newfound offense is a leading reason O'Hara, a young team battling both inexperience and injuries, is climbing back from an uncharacteristic slow start and becoming a dangerous team again. • Terps small forward signee Alyssa Thomas guided Central Dauphin (Pa.) to a 37-23 win over Chambersburg. Returning after a one-game absence (left knee contusion), the Rams’ Alyssa Thomas scored 10 of her 16 points in the second half. • UM center pledge Alicia DeVaughn was Broward (Fla.) County's third-leader scorer (19.4) and its No. 1 rebounder (18.1) this season. Football recruiting • ESPN.com's Heather Dinich caught up with Terps defensive coordinator Don Brown, who has high expectations for cornerback Mario Rowson. “He has tremendous length and he's a guy that can match up to big receivers,” Brown said. “He can play press. He can get his hands on them and cover two concepts, physical rerouting concepts, and he's a guy that can come back to the receivers. I'm challenging him to do that.” • The Scranton Times-Tribune was on hand for Terps offensive line recruit Sal Conaboy's Signing Day ceremony. "I’m so happy," said Conaboy, wearing his white, pin-striped Maryland cap. "If I was going tomorrow, I would leave in a heartbeat. I am going to miss high school, but over the next four years I am going to have the time of my life at Maryland." • The guys at Testudo Times did a Signing Day roundtable Wednesday. Check out their breakdown of Maryland's 2010 class here.]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230904 2010-02-04T13:00:44Z 2010-02-04T18:23:23Z

Check out a recap of Thursday's chat below. I talked Terps football recruiting, local high school commitments and more. Live chat with Matt Bracken -- Signing Day recap...

Matt Bracken Live chat with Matt Bracken -- Signing Day recap]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230964 2010-02-04T03:39:59Z 2010-02-04T04:30:02Z

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen was in good spirits Wednesday as he unveiled the Terps' 2010 recruiting class during a news conference at the Gossett Football Team House. Friedgen spoke at length about a class filled with "athleticism and character," and...

Matt Bracken Ralph Friedgen was in good spirits Wednesday as he unveiled the Terps' 2010 recruiting class during a news conference at the Gossett Football Team House. Friedgen spoke at length about a class filled with "athleticism and character," and a group rated 37th in the country by Rivals.com. Check out our staff story on Maryland's Signing Day event here. • Even though Maryland lost Chris Turner to graduation, the Terps could have their deepest group of quarterbacks in two decades. Tyler Smith and Devin Burns will be true freshmen, Danny O’Brien and C.J. Brown will be redshirt freshmen, and Jamarr Robinson and Miami (OH) transfer Clay Belton are both juniors. The Terps haven’t had such good depth at the position since the days of Boomer Esiason, Frank Reich, Stan Gelbaugh and Scott Zolak, Friedgen said. Robinson is the early frontrunner after some promising moments late last season. The opportunity for Robinson to play as a sophomore was “a blessing in disguise.” Belton, meanwhile, was Maryland’s offensive scout team player of the year. “I’ve been really pleased with Clay Belton,” Friedgen said. • In Friedgen’s opinion, the strongest part of Maryland’s team just got a little bit better. The Terps signed three highly touted linebackers — David Mackall, Lorne Goree, Javarie Johnson — that will join an already deep group that returns Alex Wujciak, Demetrius Hartsfield, Adrian Moten, Darin Drakeford and Avery Murray, among others. Thanks to post-grad seasons at Fork Union, Goree and Mackall are “more like sophomores coming in than true freshmen," Friedgen said. ]]> Don Brown. The former UMass head coach had strong relationships with high school coaches in the area dating back to his days with the Minutemen. Friedgen said it takes three to four years for college coaches to familiarize themselves with the local coaches and have a chance to “get on the real good kids.” • A drama-free Signing Day for Maryland did include one surprise. Will Yeatman, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound attackman for the Terps lacrosse team, will come out for football next fall. Yeatman was rated a three-star prospect and the No. 39 tight end nationally by Rivals.com in 2006. He signed with Notre Dame, redshirted his freshman year and caught eight passes for 43 yards over the next two seasons. Yeatman then transferred to Maryland and contributed 13 goals and 15 assists for UM’s 2009 lacrosse team. Brief comments from Friedgen on each of Maryland’s 21 recruits On Devin Burns — The Maryland staff was worried when the entire Georgia coaching staff paid Burns and his family an in-home visit late in the recruiting process. Needless to say, Burns’ refusal to back out of his commitment and switch to his hometown school has endeared him to Friedgen. An “athletic quarterback with a good arm,” Burns has already enrolled at Maryland. He comes from a military family and his father was recently stationed in Norfolk, Va., making family trips to College Park a little more manageable. On Lorne Goree — The C.H. Flowers grad, who has enrolled at UM, will play outside linebacker for the Terps. A post-grad season at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia “helped mature him as a person and player.” Friedgen said Goree shouldn’t have much trouble getting “a lot bigger and stronger” after some time in Maryland’s strength and conditioning program. On Javarie Johnson — “He’s a kid I fell in love with last year,” Friedgen said of the 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker. He was disappointed when Johnson committed to Miami and ecstatic when he decided to switch his commitment to Maryland last month. “He kind of lightens up the room” with his “wonderful personality,” Friedgen said. Another early enrollee, Johnson will likely make an immediate contribution. On David Mackall — The former Edmondson standout now checks in at 6-3, 256 pounds after a post-grad season at Fork Union. Friedgen called Mackall “a seasoned guy” and someone the Terps are “hoping can come in and help us next year.” On Tyrek Cheeseboro — Cheeseboro got good coaching at Milford Mill from Reggie White, who played for Friedgen on the San Diego Chargers. Friedgen noted that Cheeseboro had a very good junior year “when he had a guy who could throw to him.” His numbers were down a bit as a result of the change in quarterback, but Friedgen said he’s excited to put Cheeseboro’s speed to use. On Nate Clarke — A two-way starter for Archbishop Carroll (D.C.), Clarke will start his Terps career on the offensive line. “He’s a lean 280” and has only played three years of football, Friedgen said. Clarke wins the award for shortest distance from his home to the Maryland campus. “He could probably walk to campus,” Friedgen said of the College Park native. On Sal Conaboy — The 6-foot-5, 255-pounder was “one of the better offensive linemen in the state of Pennsylvania,” Friedgen said. “We’d love him to be a center.” Conaboy’s father, Conan, is a nurse and was helping people in Haiti when Friedgen came to his house for a visit. “It’s a very giving family.” On Ian Evans — Landing the 6-foot-2, 245-pound defensive end “was a very good get for us,” Friedgen said. When you find a prospect that can run, is a good student and can play defensive end, “it’s a no-brainer” to recruit him, Friedgen said. On Max Garcia — Friedgen cited Garcia as Maryland’s “toughest get” of the 2010 class. “Alabama was strong with him early,” but eventually it came down to Maryland and Clemson. One advantage for the Terps over the Tigers was a particular academic program. “He’s very passionate about being a journalist, and I still recruited him, if you can believe that,” Friedgen said with a laugh. On Jeremiah Johnson — The Maryland staff saw Johnson in a 7-on-7 event last spring and were “impressed with his coverage skills.” The 5-foot-11, 158-pound cornerback needs to get bigger and stronger. Friedgen said Johnson reminds him of former Terps standout and current Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth at this stage in his development. On Desmond Kearse — When Friedgen visited Kearse’s Fort Myers, Fla., home, Tennessee Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse was there to lend support to his younger cousin. For comparison’s sake, Friedgen noted that Jevon Kearse was 190 pounds as a high school senior and Desmond Kearse checks in at 180. “He’s not real big,” Friedgen said. “... but he’s extremely quick off the ball.” On Darius Kilgo — The father of Kilgo’s high school coach was on the Citadel staff with Terps defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo many years ago. The 6-foot-4, 285-pounder could play on either side of the ball, but Friedgen said Maryland will “start him out on defense and ... go from there.” On Andre Monroe — Friedgen raved about Monroe’s explosiveness and speed. The 6-foot, 280-pound defensive tackle “runs extremely well” for a kid his size. The St. John’s (D.C.) product lists Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney as his favorite NFL player, and Friedgen said “he can see why there would be an association there.” On Rahsaan Moore — The Terps started recruiting Moore late in the process, and initially had him pegged for defensive line. Then Friedgen saw the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder play fullback. Moore proved to be a “dominant blocker” who could catch the ball and had good athleticism. “He may grow into a defensive end,” Friedgen said, but Moore will begin his Terps career with the backs. On Clarence Murphy — The Hollywood Hills (Fla.) standout led his county in sacks as a senior. “We’re hoping he can be an edge rusher for us,” Friedgen said. On Matt Robinson — Robinson made plays at wide receiver and safety when Maryland saw the Atholton standout at a 7-on-7 event last summer. With “tremendous ball skills,” Robinson could eventually end up at H-back, but for now is slotted at safety. On Mario Rowson — “[Rowson is] exactly what I’ve been looking for in a defensive corner,” Friedgen said. The Norfolk, Va., native impressed the Terps’ staff at a one-day camp over the summer. Rowson is a guy Friedgen hopes “can get in the mix early next year.” On Tyler Smith — Smith is “a mobile quarterback with a very strong arm.” Serving as a team captain in the Team USA vs. The World game last weekend, Smith impressed Friedgen with his “poise, command and control of the offense.” On Titus Till — Friedgen was happy to land “an excellent tackler ... good cover guy and also a very good student” in Till. Several schools tried to recruit the 6-foot-2, 205-pound safety, but Till has been happily committed to the Terps for more than a year. On Jake Wheeler — A 6-foot-9, 250-pound left tackle, Wheeler is one of 10 children. Friedgen was worried when Wheeler’s official visit to College Park took place during the record-breaking snowstorm in December. The south Florida native and his parents weren’t phased by the blizzard — even though they were forced to rent a car and drive from BWI back to Miami after their flights were canceled. “We’re very fortunate to have their family as part of our family,” Friedgen said. On Jeremiah Wilson — Wilson was “one of the better running backs in the state of Virginia” but will play cornerback at Maryland, Friedgen said. The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder “runs very, very well.”]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230881 2010-02-03T18:38:21Z 2010-02-03T19:15:41Z

City wide receiver Adrian Coxson decided where he wanted to play college football about a week ago, but didn’t reveal his decision until Signing Day during a ceremony at his high school. “He wanted to surprise his mother,” said City...

Matt Bracken Adrian Coxson decided where he wanted to play college football about a week ago, but didn’t reveal his decision until Signing Day during a ceremony at his high school. “He wanted to surprise his mother,” said City coach George Petrides. “We had a sign [for the school] up and he turned it over. He didn’t want anyone to know until [it was official]. Then he pulled a Florida hat out of the bag and put it on. That’s the only hat he had.” Coxson selected the Gators over Georgia and Notre Dame, and successfully surprised his mother in the process. “She just smiled a lot, knowing her son is going to a good school and [having] the opportunity to do what I like to do best,” Coxson said.]]> Baltimore Sun photo of Adrian Coxson by Karl Merton Ferron / Sept. 2, 2009]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230857 2010-02-03T17:06:38Z 2010-02-03T17:44:07Z

Maryland's 21-man recruiting class is officially in the books. According to UMTerps.com's Signing Day Central, letters of intent have arrived at Maryland's football office for all 17 commitments. Four players -- Devin Burns, L.A. Goree, Javarie Johnson and David Mackall...

Matt Bracken 21-man recruiting class is officially in the books. According to UMTerps.com's Signing Day Central, letters of intent have arrived at Maryland's football office for all 17 commitments. Four players -- Devin Burns, L.A. Goree, Javarie Johnson and David Mackall -- have already enrolled in classes, giving Maryland a drama-free Signing Day. “I know there’s a couple big names that got away, but I think Maryland got some good football players and good students,” said Kyle Schmitt, Terps safety recruit Matt Robinson’s coach at Atholton. “I know the knock on them is missing big in-state guys, but I thought they did a nice job establishing themselves with pretty good football players after a tough season. For them to finish in the national rankings, it kind of shows the work they put in to find good football players.”]]> Schmitt, a former Maryland offensive lineman and graduate assistant, saw recruiting from another side this year in his first season as Atholton's coach. He said he was impressed with the UM staff's confidence in their evaluation of Robinson, who had no other Football Bowl Subdivision scholarships when Maryland offered last summer. “I thought Maryland went out on a limb on Matt,” Schmitt said. “They knew the type of person he was and the type of player he could be. I felt good about it because it shows they trust the high school coach. Obviously, I knew them and had a prior relationship with them, but that’s what you have to do -- have someone you trust, and trust your own evaluation. Nothing against the recruiting services, but they’re not on the practice fields every day and in the high schools day in and day out. For Maryland to trust their evaluation and for that to come true [with Robinson’s strong senior season], that’s a tribute to Maryland and Matt as well.” tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230816 2010-02-03T15:12:15Z 2010-02-03T15:46:24Z

Edmondson quarterback Jerry Lovelocke will play his college football in Texas. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior will sign with Prairie View A&M, Red Storm coach Dante Jones said today. “It was within the last couple days,” Jones said. “After he took...

Matt Bracken Jerry Lovelocke will play his college football in Texas. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior will sign with Prairie View A&M, Red Storm coach Dante Jones said today. “It was within the last couple days,” Jones said. “After he took the visit, Prairie View was the highest on his list. Jerry wanted to get away from home. He went on the visit and they play a good brand of football. They won the [Southwestern Athletic Conference] last year. So a lot of things weighed into his decision.”]]> Baltimore Sun photo of Jerry Lovelocke by Kenneth K. Lam / Sept. 5, 2009]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230796 2010-02-03T14:11:18Z 2010-02-03T14:37:36Z

I didn't get to use nearly enough quotes from Scout.com recruiting analyst Matt Alkire in Monday's story about Maryland's 2010 football class. Here's the rest of what Alkire had to say about the Terps. On whether this was a good...

Matt Bracken Monday's story about Maryland's 2010 football class. Here's the rest of what Alkire had to say about the Terps. On whether this was a good class considering Maryland’s 2009 season: “Oh, definitely. You go 2-10, you have to be a very strong program in terms of tradition to be a top pick in terms of recruiting. You really have to recruit the heck out of your state. Maryland is a solid state, but not a hotbed of talent. I guess the crazy thing to me is that the better players Maryland recruits actually weren’t from Maryland. I was surprised they had this good of a class. Their best players, sans a Javarie Johnson, obviously, are not from the Maryland-D.C. area. I think a lot of kids are drawn to Maryland just with it being a strong ACC program. Obviously, they’re typically not a 2-10 team. After a couple years of 2-10, that’s going to be a problem. So right now, I wasnt really surprised, but if that continues, I would be very surprised if they can keep that up.”]]> On recruits who could surprise people later in their careers: “I really like Sal Conaboy, the offensive lineman they got from Clarks Summit (Pa.) up at Abington Heights High School. He’s a little undersized, a 6-5, 255-pound guard. But he just has great feet. He pulls really well and does a great job of blocking in space. He has a bit of a nasty streak to him. He does all the little things you’d want someone to do. He’s very good in the running game. Obviously, Maryland likes to bring in offensive tackles that are in that 280-pound range that can run. They don’t want to bring in fat kids. They bring in guys they can sculpt. With Sal, they’re going to have to put some weight on him. He didn’t really have to do a whole lot of pass protecting up at his high school, so he’ll need to learn that. But from what I saw on film, this kid obviously had to be very well coached because he does too many things really well for a high school player. I think he could be a really good player down the road for Maryland. ... With Darius Kilgo, North Carolina continues to be a bigger and bigger recruiting state. He did not have a ton of offers on his rap sheet. But Tennessee had offered him and the Carolina schools came after him late but he had already committed to Maryland. And being able to scoop them up from different states and pick what they want is pretty big there.” On potential early contributors: “Javarie Johnson is obviously extremely talented. I don’t think there’s much time you need to spend on him. He’s just a tremendous player. Another kid that I was just a big fan of is Jeremiah Wilson from Handley (Va.) High School. He’s a three-star corner that played a lot of running back in high school. I don’t know that he’ll end up being a safety or a corner, but just watching him and watching his quickness out of breaks, you can see that translate to the defensive side of the ball. He can change direction really quick. He’s a fast player and has great burst to him. One of the rules in the SEC, which is the best conference in the country, is you take your best athletes and put them on defense. Wilson is a really good athlete. I like him a lot. Not a whole lot of people talk about him, frankly.” On Maryland’s offensive line commitments: “They’ve been addressing it [for the last couple classes, starting] with R.J. Dill up at Trinity in Pennsylvania. They’ve been putting emphasis on getting quality players that fit their system and getting a lot of depth there. Quarterback and offensive line has really been a struggle for them. Maryland always has great skill players and good players in the secondary. But you’ve gotta win the battle in the trenches. Without a strong offensive line, you can’t do that. This year they went down south and grabbed Max Garcia, a kid from Georgia. And Max was a kid with offers from Alabama, Clemson, North Carolina State. To be able to haul that kid, that’s a big pickup. I don’t care if he’s a three-star. It doesn’t matter. People need to overlook the stars and rankings with some of these kids."]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.229911 2010-02-03T13:50:14Z 2010-02-03T13:57:25Z

This is part of a series of 2010 Maryland football commitment Q&As leading up to Signing Day on Feb. 3. All answers are provided by the featured player. Name: Jeremiah Johnson Birthdate: Aug. 28, 1992 Birthplace: Washington D.C. Hometown: District...

Matt Bracken This is part of a series of 2010 Maryland football commitment Q&As leading up to Signing Day on Feb. 3. All answers are provided by the featured player. Name: Jeremiah Johnson Birthdate: Aug. 28, 1992 Birthplace: Washington D.C. Hometown: District Heights Nickname: JJ Height: 5'11 1/2 Weight: 157 Position: Cornerback]]> High School: Suitland Senior statistics: 99 tackles, four interceptions. 11 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Rankings: Rivals.com -- Three stars, No. 20 player in Maryland. Scout.com -- Two stars, No. 121 safety. ESPN.com Two stars, No. 78 cornerback, 74 rating. Bench max: 235 40-yard dash: 4.46 Other schools considered: "Maryand was actually the only school that offered me." Favorite NFL player: Darrelle Revis Favorite NFL team: Washington Redskins Favorite all-time Terp: E.J. Henderson Favorite music: Kanye West, John Legend, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z Favorite book: "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe Favorite movie: "Good Burger" Favorite TV channel: ESPN Favorite food: Steak Favorite high school class: History Favorite thing about College Park: "The diversity." Other high school sports: Track, baseball Hobbies: "Besides working out, I guess hanging out with my girlfriend, going to the mall with some of my friends and going on the computer." Intended major: "Undecided but leaning toward criminal justice or sports management." Something that not many people know about you: "I still watch Saturday morning cartoons." Best football moment: "This year when we played Flowers High School and we went to overtime. Our quarterback threw a pass into the end zone in overtime and it got tipped by literally five defenders and then fell into the hands of our receiver." Role model: "I would probably have to say my parents because we've been through a lot as a family. Just seeing them still stick together through everything and always support one another and support me and my brother and my sister. I have to look up to that." Why Maryland? "Maryland is the best choice for me because I know the whole metropolitan area pretty well. I've been a diehard Terrapins fan since I was little. I've always followed the team and [am excited] to have the opportunity to make the team better. I might have more motivation because some people might not be as familiar with the tradition. So it's just the perfect spot for me."]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230745 2010-02-03T02:48:49Z 2010-02-03T03:03:07Z

The decision is in for Brandon Coleman The four-star wide receiver from Bishop McNamara committed to Rutgers on Tuesday. Coleman also held offers from Boston College, Maryland, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. Maryland was the runner-up school...

Matt Bracken Brandon Coleman The four-star wide receiver from Bishop McNamara committed to Rutgers on Tuesday. Coleman also held offers from Boston College, Maryland, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. Maryland was the runner-up school in Coleman’s recruitment. "I [decided] over the weekend and talked it over with my family the last couple days and i just knew Rutgers was the place," Coleman said. "I just went with my gut feeling. We did all the pros and cons and everything was pretty much even. I went where I felt more comfortable."]]> Arie Kouandjio committed to Alabama on Monday. Kouandjio selected Alabama over scholarship offers from Southern Cal, New Mexico, Maryland and Cal. He committed to Alabama Monday, but went public Tuesday night. • The Washington Post’s Josh Barr reports that Forestville wide receiver Antonio Belt -- a former Maryland target – will play his college football in Philadelphia. The 6-foot, 171-pound senior visited Temple this past weekend and Wednesday will sign a letter-of-intent to play for the Owls, Knights Coach Charles Harley said. • Christchurch (Va.) tight end Josh Lovell -- another former Terps target – is headed to Marshall. Lovell is from Gloucester. He's 6-foot-6 and weight 275 pounds. According to Homer, Lovell had offers from Maryland, East Carolina, West Virginia and South Carolina. • Hollywood Hills (Fla.) cornerback Tony Grimes made an oral commitment to Ole Miss over the weekend. Hollywood Hills coach Scott Barnwell said Grimes' final decision came down to Maryland and Ole Miss. He said the final decision was based on the depth chart being low at cornerback at Ole Miss.]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.229567 2010-02-02T18:15:26Z 2010-02-02T18:24:52Z

Matt Bracken Most wanted: Given to the most heavily recruited Maryland commitments. OFFENSE Max Garcia — Norcross (Ga.), offensive lineman One year after pulling Norcross (Ga.) running back D.J. Adams out of the south, the Terps struck gold again at the suburban Atlanta school by picking up a pledge from Garcia. Florida State, Michigan State, North Carolina State, South Carolina and Wake Forest all reportedly offered, but Maryland, Clemson and Vanderbilt eventually emerged as Garcia's final three. Tigers tight ends coach Danny Pearman, a former Maryland assistant, gave Garcia the hard sell, but the 6-foot-5, 280-pound offensive tackle couldn't pass up the opportunity to reunite with Adams and major in broadcast journalism at Maryland. DEFENSE Javarie Johnson — Dunbar (D.C.), linebacker It was always going to be a challenge for Maryland to land Johnson, Washington's top-ranked player according to Rivals.com. The Terps were seriously in the mix from the beginning, but Johnson also claimed offers from Florida, Illinois, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and West Virginia, among others. Johnson committed to the Hurricanes last summer, but pulled a stunner last month when he switched his commitment to Maryland and enrolled in classes. An early start for Johnson -- one of UM's top-ranked pledges -- will most likely lead to immediate playing time.]]> Most likely to contribute early: Given to the recruits most likely to see the field as true freshmen OFFENSE Rahsaan Moore — Wise, fullback Maryland's class is light on offense with just two quarterbacks, three offensive lineman, one wide receiver, and Moore, a fullback. The quarterbacks and linemen are obvious redshirt candidates, and the Terps return all of their top wide receivers. That leaves Moore, who will try to fill the void left by standout fullback Cory Jackson. A two-way starter for the Pumas, the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Moore is big enough to compete for playing time right away, and he possesses the mental makeup required of a fullback. "He’s a young man that will do everything you ask him to do," said Wise coach DaLawn Parrish. DEFENSE David Mackall — Fork Union (Va.), defensive end "I've never been around Shawne Merriman, but to us, he seems to be a Shawne Merriman type of player," Fork Union coach John Shuman said of Mackall, who graduated from Edmondson last spring and signed with Maryland one year ago. "He led our team in sacks and tackles for loss. ... He's big, fast, physical and just an intense guy. He played every snap and got all our guys ready to compete." Shuman said Michigan, Purdue and Rutgers "tried to jump in" and get Mackall to switch his commitment, but the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder has already enrolled in classes at College Park. Most likely to be a multi-year starter: Self-explanatory — these recruits have all-conference potential. OFFENSE Tyler Smith — Wilson Area (Pa.), quarterback A first-team all-state player as a senior, Smith spent three seasons rewriting Wilson's history books and earning his place as one of Pennsylvania's most effective quarterbacks of all time. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder earned a four-star ranking from Scout.com and ESPN.com. He has the size and arm strength of a prototypical dropback passer, but his 4.9 speed allows for a measure of escapeability. "He’s a leader, and the thing I think I like most about him is that most high school passers are dink and dunk," said Scout.com recruiting analyst Matt Alkire. "Tyler’s offense is really predicated on making the vertical pass, stretching the field, hitting the seam routes and deep outs, having him read a defense and look off the safety. Tyler, in games, has really performed that well." DEFENSE Titus Till — Wise, safety Till pledged to Maryland before Signing Day 2009, becoming the Terps' first commitment of the 2010 class. It didn't take long for the recruiting services to see what the Maryland staff liked about the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder. Rivals.com ranks him a four-star prospect, the No. 3 player in Maryland, the No. 11 safety nationally and the No. 158 player in the country. "Once he understands the speed of the game on that level -- and as all freshmen, gets comfortable -- he should be tremendous for the system that they run," Wise coach DaLawn Parrish. Most likely to overachieve: Given to the overlooked recruits that exceeded expectations during the high school season. OFFENSE Devin Burns — Carver (Ga.), quarterback Several recruiting services have Burns pegged for wide receiver or defensive back in college (including ESPN.com, which rates him the No. 69 athlete in the country). But as a senior, Burns did his best to prove his future is at quarterback, going 123-for-179 for 1,795 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, and rushing for 541 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 76 carries. It was a season good enough to make Georgia -- which pulled his scholarship offer shortly before he committed to Maryland -- extend an offer once again last fall. Burns will get a head start in College Park, having already enrolled in classes. Burns will get his shot at quarterback, and if that doesn't work out, the Terps will have a versatile, athletic leader at their disposal. DEFENSE Matt Robinson — Atholton, safety Maryland was Robinson's only FBS offer when he committed to the Terps last June. At the time, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound athlete had offers from Fordham, James Madison, Massachusetts, Old Dominion and Stony Brook. The early offer to Robinson raised eyebrows for some Maryland recruiting followers, but an All-Metro senior season for the Raiders removed any lingering concerns about his ability fans may have had. Robinson led Atholton to a 10-2 record, catching 39 passes for 792 yards and 10 touchdowns, and recording 75 tackles, four sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery for a touchdown and one blocked punt on special teams. Most underrated: Given to the recruits with the best chance at making their recruiting rankings look silly four years from now. OFFENSE Jake Wheeler — American Heritage (Fla.), offensive tackle Wheeler's late-December commitment to Maryland came before many of the national recruiting services even had a profile for the 6-foot-8, 250-pounder. The explanation for Wheeler's anonymity was simple -- he didn't participate in summer camps and combines. His off-the-radar status helps explain a two-star rating from Rivals.com. Scout.com and ESPN.com have yet to evaluate Wheeler, who also earned several Division I offers for basketball. While Wheeler will be a long-term project for the Terps, his size and athleticism make him one to watch on the offensive line a couple years from now. DEFENSE Andre Monroe — St. John's (D.C.), defensive tackle Monroe has the requisite girth (280) and strength (bench max of 365 pounds) of a BCS-level defensive tackle recruit. But his height (a shade under 6 feet) had some recruiting services -- most notably Rivals.com and its two-star rating -- questioning his potential. “If he had been a couple of inches taller, I’m sure he would’ve been a national recruit," St. John's coach Joe Patterson told Recruiting Report in July. Monroe did his best as a senior to show that prototypical size has nothing to do with production, earning Washington Post All-Met first team honors for his efforts. The rest of the class OFFENSE Tyrek Cheeseboro — Milford Mill, wide receiver Cheeseboro picked up scholarship offers from most of the ACC and Big East schools by the middle of last summer. Staying close to home and having a chance to play the Darrius Heyward-Bey role were two factors that worked in Maryland's favor. With his 4.3 speed, Cheeseboro could be one to watch in the Terps' kick-return game in a couple years. Sal Conaboy — Abington Heights (Pa.), offensive guard A former tight end, Conaboy spent his senior season earning just about every honor given to offensive linemen in Pennsylvania. "He might only be a three-star player, but I think a special player is Sal Conaboy, the offensive guard from Pennsylvania,” Scout.com recruiting analyst Bob Lichtenfels said. “I think he’s a very intriguing player. Maybe he won’t [make an impact] in the next one or two years, but over his career, I think people are going to be excited about him." DEFENSE Nate Clarke — Archbishop Carroll (D.C.), defensive tackle The biggest question for Clarke is whether he'll end up on Maryland's offensive or defensive line. The personal preference for Clarke, a four-star prospect according to Rivals.com, was defensive tackle. "I think the majority of people -- because he has such good feet and was mobile -- liked him more on the offensive side," said Archbishop Carroll coach Rick Houchens. "Maryland, North Carolina, Illinois, Kansas State and a bunch of other schools had more interest in him offensively vs. defensively. He likes playing defense. But he was very open-minded about it.” Ian Evans — Hammonton (N.J.), defensive end Evans closed out his high school career as a state champion, leading the Blue Devils to the South Jersey Group 3 title. For recording 52 tackles, 17 sacks, seven quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles, and serving as the linchpin of Hammonton's defense, the Philadelphia Inquirer named Evans its Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder picked Maryland over offers from Rutgers, Syracuse and Temple. L.A. Goree — Fork Union (Va.), linebacker "He's a sideline-to-sideline linebacker," said Shuman, the Fork Union coach. "He's a little bit smaller [than Mackall], but he's faster and smoother. He's not as physical, but he brought it. He's quiet off the field but pretty animated on the field. ... It's a good move for him to get there second semester just to fill him out more, upgrade his size and physicalness. Once they catch him up on his size, he's going to be a good player." Jeremiah Johnson — Suitland, cornerback A three-star prospect and the No. 20 player in Maryland according to Rivals.com, Johnson's first scholarship offer came from the Terps. "We sat down in the coach’s office and they explained to me that they were offering [a scholarship],” Johnson told Recruiting Report last July. “I guess about five minutes later, I accepted the offer." As a senior, Johnson recorded 99 tackles and four interceptions from the free safety spot. "He will come at you with everything he’s got," said Suitland coach Ed Shields. "He’s a cover corner who can hit." Desmond Kearse — Dunbar (Fla.), safety A cousin of Tennessee Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse, this future Terp was one of Maryland's most off-the-radar commitments. Kearse -- who recorded 46 sacks in his last two varsity seasons -- sported offers from Florida Atlantic, Middle Tennessee State and Western Kentucky. Once Maryland offered a scholarship last month, Kearse committed about "a nanosecond" later, according to Dunbar coach Phil Vogt. A couple years in Maryland's strength-and-conditioning program would serve the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Kearse well. Darius Kilgo — Weddington (N.C.), defensive tackle As a junior, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Kilgo showed enough potential to earn scholarship offers from Maryland, Tennessee, South Carolina, Michigan State and several others. After dropping 30 pounds before his senior year, Kilgo showed just how serious he was about realizing that potential. His intense offseason training program paid off, as the sleeker Kilgo recorded 67 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles as a senior. "He was voted one of our team captains before the summer started, because of how hard he worked in the weight room and as a leader," said Weddington coach Justin Hardin. Clarence Murphy — Hollywood Hills (Fla.), defensive end Another Don Brown recruit from Florida, Murphy earned his Terps offer last spring and committed last month. "He has a chance to put on 20-30 pounds and he could be really tough to deal with," said CBS College Sports Network analyst Tom Lemming. "He could be one of their difference-maker types. He needs to add more strength and weight." Murphy, a three-star prospect according to Rivals, Scout and ESPN, picked the Terps over Michigan. Mario Rowson — Lake Taylor (Va.), cornerback At 6-foot-3 1/2 and 190 pounds, Rowson possesses rare size and ideal speed (4.4 40) for a cornerback. A two-way starter for the Titans, Rowson earned all-region, all-district, all-Tidewater and second-team all-state honors. "He’s a three-star kid that’s tall and lanky and needs to fill out," said Rivals.com's Mike Farrell. "But he’s a really athletic kid." Maryland was the first school to offer Rowson a scholarship. Jeremiah Wilson — Handley (Va.), cornerback Wilson was born in Baltimore, spent the first eight years of his life in Woodlawn and became a lifelong fan of the Terps early in his childhood. Maryland offered the 5-foot-10, 185-pound cornerback a scholarship shortly after Signing Day 2009, and he accepted just two weeks later. "He’s a strong kid and a physical player," Handley coach Tony Rayburn said of Wilson, who was a four-year varsity player. "I don’t know what they have and those things, but I know he’s very capable of going in and helping out right away.”]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230615 2010-02-02T14:31:01Z 2010-02-02T14:41:34Z

Most of the quotes I got from Rivals.com recruiting analyst Mike Farrell were used in Monday's story on Maryland's 2010 football recruiting class. Here a couple more thoughts from Farrell....

Matt Bracken Monday's story on Maryland's 2010 football recruiting class. Here a couple more thoughts from Farrell.]]> On potential sleepers: “[I like] Mario Rowson from Virginia. He’s a three-star kid that’s tall and lanky and needs to fill out. But he’s a really athletic kid. ... I have to assume there’s going to be a surprise, maybe one of these athletes like Jeremiah Wilson, Matt Robinson or Devin Burns. It depends on what position they play. They might be able to step in early.” On the Terps’ local recruiting: “They’ve got good relationships in the area. They did pretty good in Maryland. Of their top guys, Javarie Johnson is a Maryland kid, Nate Clarke is a Maryland kid, David Mackall is a Maryland kid, Titus Till is a Maryland kid. Those four guys are rated four stars or more and they’re all Maryland kids. But they have some good relationships with coaches in Pennsylvania and they did a good job in Georgia this year. They went down to Florida and took a couple of those kids. They have to win more than two games to lock down the state, but even when they were winning, they still had trouble locking down the state. That’s the key to having a better class than this. But they do a good job in other states to make up for that.”]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2010:/sports/college/recruiting//141.230557 2010-02-01T22:30:25Z 2010-02-01T22:48:59Z

Here are some leftover quotes from CBS College Sports Network recruiting expert Tom Lemming, who spoke to Recruiting Report at length about Maryland's 2010 class. On his first impressions of Maryland’s 2010 class: “I think they have a pretty good...

Matt Bracken Maryland's 2010 class. On his first impressions of Maryland’s 2010 class: “I think they have a pretty good class they’re putting together with a lot of good athletes and a lot of good defensive players in the class. I think it's one of the better defensive classes in the ACC. If they can get a couple more guys, like [DeMatha offensive tackle] Arie Kouandjio and [Bishop McNamara wide receiver] Brandon Coleman, then it could improve the class even more.”]]> On how Maryland was able to do reasonably well in the area despite having a 2-10 season: “Maryland’s a good academic school. It’s in a good area, and I think kids weren’t deterred by a bad year on the field. One year isn’t going to hurt these guys. They have developed [good] relationships ... and that seems to be what happened.” On where Maryland’s class will rank nationally: “I would say they’ll fall somewhere between 35 and 45 nationally and somewhere in the middle of the ACC, which is really good, especially considering their season.” On landing Javarie Johnson: “It’s a great coup because he’s such an unbelievable athlete. He’s tall, rangy, can fly and run with the backs. He’s a big-time guy. He’s a great catch for them. He’s one of the two or three best players in D.C. ” On some of Maryland’s better defensive commitments: “The kid that I like, and I saw him last year, was Darius Kilgo from North Carolina. I thought he was one of the better defensive tackles in the country. I really liked him a lot. [I also like] David Mackall, the defensive end from Fork Union, the cornerback Jeremiah Wilson from Virginia, and Titus Till, one of the best safeties in the whole Atlantic Coast region. So that’s a lot of defensive guys. I think they helped themselves immensely.” On offensive standouts in the class: “I know they needed help along the offensive line and Nate Clarke, the kid from D.C., I think he could come in and help right away. He’s a big-time ballplayer they really like. Sal Conaboy from Pennsylvania is a good-sized guard. The quarterback, Tyler Smith, is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the country.”]]>