Recruiting Report

Steve Goins and the weekly roundup

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:45:21 -0500

The big story of the past week comes from TurtleSportsReport.com, which broke the news of Chicago center Steve Goins‘ “semi-official” commitment to Maryland. From TSR’s article: “They’ve been consistent [in their attention]. They’ve been calling a lot. I talked to coach Williams a bunch of times. They’ve been helping me get qualified. I’ll qualify next week and then it will be official and I’ll be all set,” Goins said. “I always hear about Maryland and they’re in a great conference. I visited last month and saw they also offer a lot in terms of academics and their art program, which is what I want to major in. I e-mailed Roy and Harv Schmidt, the editors and publishers of Illinois Prep Bulls-eye, for their take on Goins’ situation. The Schmidts, who also blog about Illinois high school basketball for the Chicago Sun-Times, said an academic hurdle must be jumped before the commitment becomes official. Our understanding is that while Goins would very much like to attend Maryland, the commitment is not etched in stone as of yet. Apparently the problem seems to be with awaiting for the results of his grades from the summer school classes that he recently finished taking. These will be essential with respect to him being able to meet the minimum g.p.a. that will be needed in order for the commitment to go through. Provided he gets the necessary grades, then we expect everything to hold up. • The other major piece of news in Terps basketball recruiting this week comes from The Sun‘s Don Markus. Markus spoke with Kathleen Worthington, Maryland's senior associate athletic director, about the academic status of St. Frances shooting guard Sean Mosley. Worthington told Markus that Maryland is “confident that [Mosley] is going to qualify.” There was some doubt this spring whether Mosley would qualify, but according to Worthington, he raised his test scores enough and is waiting for his transcript to be sent to the NCAA Clearinghouse after retaking a high school English class this summer. If he is approved by the NCAA, Mosley would have his scores and transcript reviewed by the university's admissions office. If Mosley and Goins both qualify, and Jin Soo Kim reclassifies from 2009 to 2008, Maryland will have 12 scholarship players on its roster for the 2008-09 season. Football recruiting • The Terps landed one four-star defensive lineman yesterday when Forestville’s DeOnte Arnett committed. Now it appears they’re in good shape with another -- Hoboken, N.J., defensive tackle Isaac Holmes, who told Yahoo! Sports that Maryland and Rutgers are “neck and neck.” “I went to Maryland last Monday and I’m heading back there with my team on Thursday,” he stated. “Actually, I love it at Maryland. They have been recruiting me since my freshman year in high school. I love it there, my cousin plays there and the coaching staff shows me a lot of love. Maryland is a big school in the race. “Plus, I’m looking at criminal justice and they are right next to Washington D.C. That’s the main place for all that stuff. I also believe I have a real good chance of playing early as a true freshman.” • Maryland was a finalist for Pennsburg, Pa., cornerback Abdul Smith, but earlier this week he committed to Rutgers. The 6-0, 182-pound Smith chose Rutgers over 22 other schools. He said the finalists were Maryland, Pittsburgh and the Scarlet Knights. "They laid out everything, how things would be for me and the rest of the team," Smith said. "I also liked that my position coach (Chris Hewitt) would be a guy who played in the NFL. That was a big thing for me." • Jefferson Hills, Pa., offensive lineman Pat Eger pledged to West Virginia one week ago. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound senior picked the Mountaineers over Buffalo, Marshall, Maryland and Miami (Ohio). "They're a top-10 school every year," Eger said of West Virginia. "The coaches, players, the school, the facilities, I just fell in love with everything about it." • Dartmouth, Mass., tight end Arthur Fontaine is no longer a Boston College commitment, but he’s still considering the Eagles, and several other schools. Even though Fontaine de-committed to Boston College, there is a good chance he still could end up there because of its closeness to his home. In addition to Florida, Fontaine also checked out Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia and Maryland. Boston College, Georgia and North Carolina appear to be his top three choices. • Maryland linebacker commitment Bradley Johnson was profiled in The [Petersburg, Va.] Progress-Index this week. He told the local paper that his relationship with Terps head coach Ralph Friedgen was a deciding factor. “I liked the campus and facilities and the area around Maryland,” he explained. “The main reason for me was when I talked to Coach Friedgen. I sat down with him both times and he talked about my future and after I finish college. He talked about my career goals and how he can help me in that process. He went into detail about all the ways he can help me.”

Forestville's Arnett on his commitment to Maryland

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:04:31 -0500

Earlier this week, Forestville defensive end DeOnte Arnett ran into a couple of old friends in College Park. Arnett was visiting Maryland’s campus when he happened upon Terps freshmen tight end Devonte Campbell and wide receiver Kevin Dorsey. The trio starred on Forestville’s 2005 team, when Campbell was a senior, Dorsey a junior and Arnett a sophomore. “I hope you commit. When you going to commit? When you going to commit?” Arnett recalled Campbell and Dorsey asking at the time. Arnett answered those queries “two or three days ago” by verbally committing to Maryland, picking the Terps over offers from Cincinnati, Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder made his commitment public yesterday. “It feels very good,” Arnett said. “[It] feels like there’s a lot of pressure lifted off my shoulders as far as a lot of expectations from a lot of coaches. Now I can just focus on where I want to be.” Arnett, a four-star player and the No. 11 strongside defensive end in the country according to Rivals.com, didn’t always imagine College Park as the place he wanted to be. In fact, he initially considered leaving the state for college. “Actually I didn’t want to stay close to home surprisingly,” Arnett said. “At the beginning I didn’t want to really be near home. But when I just looked at everything, Maryland just ended up being the place for me.” Over time, Maryland’s positives began adding up in Arnett’s mind. He wanted to study either engineering or architecture, and Maryland had strong programs in both. Arnett felt increasingly comfortable at UM with each visit. And it didn’t hurt having Campbell and Dorsey already on campus, plus two younger siblings that wanted to see their older brother play. Plus, Maryland was in the picture from the very beginning. “They offered me January 15, 2008,” Arnett said. “That was my first offer, that’s why I remember the day. I was just happy because then I knew for sure that I wouldn’t have to pay for college at all and [I’d get to] play football, which a lot of people dream of but they don’t get that chance too often.” Forestville head coach Charles Harley said Arnett, who recorded 72 tackles and 15 sacks as a junior, has talent worthy of the hype. “His upside is huge right now,” Harley said. “He’s 6’4, 250 – he could be an interior player or a rush defensive end. ... At [the high school] level he’s relentless -- a motor that don’t stop. He’s got those long arms and a wingspan of someone 7 feet tall. He can keep people off his body, bat down passes and deflect passes, too.” Arnett said he enjoyed recruiting initially, but tired of the process over time. He’s now taking summer classes, working out and readying for his senior year with the knowledge that he’s headed to the best place for him. “I just ended up falling in love with Maryland.” • Click here for The Washington Post’s Recruiting Spotlight video feature on Arnett.

Armwood discusses commitment to Villanova

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:14:50 -0500

At Isaiah Armwood’s lowest basketball-playing moment, the Villanova coaching staff was there for him. In a January matchup between Armwood’s Montrose Christian squad and Jericho Christian, Armwood elevated to the hoop but was undercut on the way down. He landed awkwardly and could barely walk. The 6-foot-9, 195-pounder and Woodlawn native was rushed to the hospital where he received his diagnosis -- a sprained MCL. “I was in the hospital just waiting for my results and [the Villanova coaches] actually called my phone and asked if I was OK,” Armwood said. “It was my first serious injury and I really didn’t know what to do. ... They just let me know they were there for me. [They said], ‘Keep your head up and everything. We’re here for you if you need it.’” Armwood admitted the Wildcats were “the leaders from day one,” but the Villanova staff’s support during that difficult time stood out. He rewarded Villanova head coach Jay Wright with a verbal commitment Tuesday, picking the Wildcats over Syracuse and Texas. “I got to know [the coaches] really well,” Armwood said. “When I was injured, they were really concerned, and I knew I could really depend on them if anything went wrong. I knew I could turn to them.” Armwood, a four-star player and the No. 43 prospect in the class of 2009 according to Rivals.com, said he appreciated the honesty of Wright throughout his recruitment. “He’s a good guy, a cool dude,” Armwood said. “I can relate to him on a lot of levels. If you ask him something, you might not like it, but he’s going to tell you. He’s not going to feed you a bunch of crap.” Another attraction for Armwood was the style of play at Villanova and in the Big East, a conference he’s grown up favoring. “I’ve always liked the Big East because they’re tough and get after it,” Armwood said. “And at Villanova they really get after it. ... They have a lot of guys leaving at the forward and guard positions. They’re going to have me everywhere on the court, the way they run their offense. I’ll be doing a little bit of everything.” Armwood’s not playing much AAU ball this summer. He opted out of USA Basketball’s U-18 trials to focus on summer school. But he says he’s healed from his injury and ready to come back strong for Montrose Christian come fall. “[Recruiting] was just overwhelming because I never expected my basketball would take me this far ...” Armwood said. “[Committing to Villanova means] it’s just one less thing I’ve got to worry about going into my senior year.”

Whitfield talks Terps commitment

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:32:36 -0500

Plenty of programs were convinced Marcus Whitfield would make a good tight end in college. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder had a solid junior season at tight end for Northwest High School in Germantown, reeling in approximately 20 passes for 500 yards, according to TerrapinTimes.com. His production, potential, size and speed (4.53 40) convinced West Virginia, Akron, Army, Buffalo, East Carolina, Temple, James Madison and Richmond to offer scholarships. But Maryland, which landed a commitment from Whitfield last weekend, projected him at outside linebacker -- a position he didn’t play at all as a junior. According to Whitfield, the Northwest coaching staff didn’t want their players going both ways. Still, Maryland saw potential in Whitfield on defense. “[Maryland defensive line coach Dave] Sollazzo would come up to the school a few times and I talked to him on the phone a few times,” Whitfield said. “He wanted me to come up to the camp and get a better evaluation of me. [He said], ‘we’ll evaluate you individually going through one-on-ones and through drills.’” Two weekends ago, Whitfield and his parents made the 45-minute drive from his Montgomery County home to College Park for Maryland’s camp. At camp, Whitfield was charged with convincing the Terps’ staff that he could play outside linebacker at the next level. Whitfield went about his business as a regular camper for most of the day, save for a half hour when he had the undivided attention of a group of Maryland coaches. “They ran me through individual drills by myself, which showed my hips and my athleticism,” Whitfield said. “[I worked out for them for] 30 minutes while other people were doing drills around us. ... [They tested my] lateral movements and backpedaling, different hip movements and change of directions.” After the camp, Sollazzo hinted at an offer. Sure enough, Whitfield received a call from the Terps the following morning, offering a scholarship. The offer, Whitfield said, immediately shot Maryland up his list. But he was still mulling a visit to West Virginia. Whitfield wrestled with his decision throughout the week, but decided to cancel his trip to Morgantown, W.Va., and commit to Maryland last weekend. “When it really cleared up was probably Friday,” Whitfield said. “I saw ... the advantages Maryland had in being between two major cities, Baltimore and D.C. -- basically the life after football and how I want my life to be. [Going to Maryland would] put [me] in the best position to be successful. The academics and ... internship opportunities [at Maryland were important]. It’s big for the academics.” For his senior year, Whitfield will play tight end again, but he’ll also contribute at outside linebacker. He’s excited to prove himself at the position he’ll play in college. “[I was] surprised when [Maryland] said I’d be a better outside linebacker,” Whitfield said. “But I just went with the flow because all I want to do is go to college and play football. It doesn’t matter what side it is. ... I’m excited to go and play the defensive side of the ball. I’m looking forward to playing both sides of the ball this upcoming season, but mostly defense now.”

Ferrara discusses commitment to Maryland

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:17:22 -0500

The Maryland coaches took it easy on Nick Ferrara at the beginning. First Ferrara, a placekicker from St. Anthony’s High School in Melville, N.Y., started off with three extra points -- one from the left hash, one from the right and one in the middle. Ferrara was the only kicker at camp that day, but the full attention from Maryland’s coaches didn’t faze the 6-foot-1, 202-pounder. Ferrara steadily worked his way farther away from the goal posts, converting one kick after another. By the time he reached 55 yards, Ferrara was 17-for-18. The Terps coaches gave him two bonus kicks. He promptly nailed the first, a 50-yarder, but then came up “just short” on a 58-yard attempt. “I was kind of hyped up on adrenaline,” Ferrara said. “They were very pleased with my performance. When I missed they didn’t turn away, they patted me on the back and said, ‘Nick, it’s alright.’ That gave me motivation and showed they supported me when I was there.” Maryland’s coaches worked out another group of kickers the following day, but were pleased enough with Ferrara’s performance last week to offer him a scholarship. He accepted the same day. Ferrara, who has made three visits to College Park, spent much of his most recent trip to campus with the player he’ll likely succeed at UM -- senior Obi Egekeze. “[Egekeze] told me that it’s a great place to be,” Ferrara said. “During game days there’s nothing like it. It doesn’t hold as many fans as some stadiums, like Michigan or Penn State, but it gets louder in there. I saw how many fans came out for the spring game and saw how many fans support Maryland. It was amazing. And he told me about the business department and academics. He told me it was amazing.” As a junior at St. Anthony’s, Ferrara was 3-for-3 on field goals with a long of 43 yards. He was perfect on extra points, sent 95 percent of his kickoffs for touchbacks and had a punting average of 45 yards. Ferrara’s predecessor at St. Anthony’s was former Terps walk-on Mike Barbour. Part of Ferrara’s kicking regiment includes training with former Rutgers kicker Lee McDonald, a DeMatha grad who owns and operates Special Teams Solutions, a training service for kickers, punters and long snappers. In his six years on the job, McDonald has sent kickers he’s worked with to schools such as Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia Tech. But Ferrara, McDonald said, is “really the best kid” he’s trained. “Well, first of all, he’s gifted,” McDonald said. “He’s got a great leg, great size, everything you look for physically in a kicker. Hands down, he’s one of the top ten kids in the country, period. But at the same time, he’s worked very hard. He trains year round. Whatever sort of outing he has, a camp or combine, anything else in a game, it’s never quite good enough. So he’s a perfectionist. This commitment to Maryland is something that, A, he deserves and B, is a huge commitment for [Maryland] because they’re not going to find a kid better than him coming out of high school.” McDonald said he thinks Ferrara will be ready to contribute for Maryland immediately. “Nick really has it all,” McDonald said. “There are no flaws as to where he’s at right now. And he can do all three (placekicking, kickoffs and punting) very well. I think the Maryland guys are really looking at him to come in right away and do kickoffs and placekicking. The punter will be a junior. He’ll not have the pressure of doing all three, but Nick can do it certainly. ... The Terps are really making the right move offering a kid this early. He’ll be able to step in for Obi. They’re getting a heck of a kicker and punter. Maryland fans should be pretty excited.” With a limited amount of Division I scholarships going to kickers each year, Ferrara said he’s incredibly thankful for the opportunity. And he’s excited the opportunity comes from a school that already makes him “feel at home.” “It was just a great emotional experience,” Ferrara said of earning the scholarship and committing. “It’s every kid’s dream to get a scholarship to a DI school and I finally completed that. Now I can hopefully perform well in my senior season and then go onto Maryland and perform well there.”

N.J. LB Donohue discusses Terps commitment

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:53:11 -0500

Mark Leoni was beginning to get anxious. His son, St. Joseph (N.J.) High School linebacker Ryan Donohue, was offered a scholarship by Rutgers in September, but remained uncommitted heading into the summer. “He was getting nervous because everyone was starting to fill up,” Donohue said. “[He’d say], ‘If they run out of spots, what’s the offer good for?’ But I just had the feeling that [Rutgers wasn’t the right fit for me] ... there was something missing.” With that in mind, Donohue and his father loaded up the family car and made the drive from New Jersey down to College Park, in hopes of finding that indescribable quality Donohue sought in a program. At Maryland last week, he found what was missing and committed to the Terps. Donohue, 6 feet 2, 220 pounds, said he was immediately blown away by Maryland’s campus. “[I was impressed with] just how beautiful everything was, driving around and looking at the campus,” Donohue said. “It's what a college is supposed to look like to me. ... [My father] just looked at me one time and was like, ‘You're going to commit, aren’t you?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, probably.’” So before Donohue returned to New Jersey, he and his father had a sit-down with Ralph Friedgen to inform Maryland’s coach of his intention to accept UM’s offer. “I went to shake [Friedgen’s] hand, and he was like, ‘Is that right?’ And he was like, ‘I hug all my commitments.’ And he hugged my dad too, and that's the stuff that makes you feel welcome,” Donohue said. Donohue said he expected an enjoyable visit going in based on conversations with St. Joseph's head coach Tony Karcich, who has known Friedgen for almost 25 years. “Well we go way back to when he was an assistant coach at Maryland,” Karcich said. “I was the head coach at Bergen (N.J.) Catholic. He recruited one of my guys (offensive lineman Bill Hughes) who ended up being a captain in the [mid-1980s] at Maryland. It was a great job of recruiting on Ralph’s part. They projected him, redshirted him, and he became at least a two- or three-year starter. I’ve known Ralph ever since then. He’s an upfront guy, so I feel very comfortable sending any of my kids to Ralph.” Karcich said Donohue, who contributed 116 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions for St. Joseph's as a junior, should fit in well at Maryland. “They recruited him as an inside linebacker. He’s got good instincts as an inside linebacker, a good nose for the ball, and he’s a physical kid,” Karcich said. “He’ll hopefully put on a little more size. He’s probably about 220. I’m sure they’d like him to be a little bigger. But he runs real well and doesn’t have many weaknesses. He takes on blockers, is a great hitter, very physical and also does a good job on pass coverage, so he’s a complete package.” Donohue, who’s leaning toward studying kinesiology at Maryland, said he -- and his father -- are relieved that his decision is made and he can now concentrate entirely on his senior season. Beyond that, Donohue said he’s excited to join a team that already feels like family. “It was just awesome [at Maryland] -- totally different from all the other colleges I visited," Donohue said. "Just the closeness, I felt like almost family down there. When I went to talk to all the kids and coaches, they welcomed me. All the other schools kind of took [recruiting] like a business. [Maryland] didn't take it like that and that's what I wanted.”

River Hill's Redd discusses his commitment to Central Michigan

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:56:49 -0500

Never has YouTube played a more prominent role in an athlete’s recruitment than in the case of River Hill running back Malek Redd. Redd, who committed to Central Michigan on Wednesday, rushed for 1,300 yards and 20 touchdowns during his junior season. He followed his season up with a string of impressive combine performances. But it wasn’t until the Chippewas coaching staff took a look at Redd’s readily-available highlight reel that the 5-foot-6, 171-pounder received his first scholarship offer. Central Michigan’s courtship of Redd began last week at Michigan’s football camp. “When I first got to Michigan, it was a one-day camp, so we just went through stretching, working on speed, form running and circuits,” Redd said. “After that we ran 40s and my first 40 I ran a 4.27. All the coaches heard about it and they all came over to watch my second one, and I ran the same exact time. “[After the camp the Central Michigan coaches] were talking to my stepdad, asking what my e-mail was so they could keep in contact with me,” Redd said. “[CMU head coach Butch] Jones said he was going to e-mail me the next day. As I was about to leave, he told me to check my e-mail whenever I got the chance. He hadn’t seen my highlight film yet, so I told him to go on YouTube and check out my highlight film.” Jones exited the building, presumably to find the nearest computer with internet access. Meanwhile, Redd and his stepfather continued talking to Michigan’s recruiting coordinator. The Wolverines staff invited Redd to stay for the next day at camp, which he accepted. Then came good news from the Chippewas. “We were still in the building and I was talking to the recruiting coach from Michigan,” Redd said. “When I was about to leave [Jones] sent his offensive coordinator down [to offer a scholarship] because he saw my highlight film [on YouTube] and he loved it.” Redd didn’t commit immediately. He left Ann Arbor, Mich., the following day, but Central’s offer stood out in his mind. The recruitment took off from there, leading up his unofficial visit to CMU, located in Mount Pleasant, Mich., on Wednesday. “It was a one-day trip,” Redd said. “I wanted to go visit the school. I was e-mailing the coaches back and forth. We just talked about me playing and being successful in life. He wanted me to come up and [I went there with River Hill safety] Leron Eaddy. Leron got an offer from there [Wednesday], too. We sat down in the office and were about to leave. [Jones] asked if we had any questions, and I was like, ‘I just want to accept your offer and commit to Central Michigan.’” Redd said he was sold on Central Michigan’s recent success -- the Chippewas have won back-to-back MAC championships -- and the opportunity to contribute immediately. Redd thought Michigan might offer a scholarship soon, but he didn’t want to wait to find out. “I like Michigan, it’s a big-name school and all that, but they have four running backs this year and they’re about my size and [have] similar [styles],” Redd said. “So I didn’t see myself getting playing time freshman year, and I want to play my freshman year. “Coach Jones was saying I could come in and [play] right away. He was saying I could be a star player up there.” Redd also looks forward to playing one season with Central’s star quarterback Dan LeFevour, the reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Year. LeFevour threw for more than 3,000 yards and rushed for more than 1,000 as a sophomore, becoming just the second player in Bowl Subdivision history to accomplish that feat. “When I went up there for my visit, I met with all the coaches, talked to a few of them, and talked to the quarterback, Dan LeFevour,” Redd said. “He’s going to be up for the Heisman. Me and him talked for awhile. He was telling me how the coach really loved me and he thought I could help the program. I’ll be up there for his senior year, and we can make something happen that year before he leaves.” For now Redd, who intends to major in sports management at CMU, can focus the rest of his summer on getting ready for his senior season. He said it’s a great relief to have found a home for the next four years. “It feels really good,” Redd said. “You don’t have that stress. ... Last year coaches would come to the game, but it would be stressful because I didn’t want to mess up. I’m committed now, so I’m good. I can just have fun during my senior year.” Click on the YouTube player for Redd's junior season highlights.

A few links

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:14:59 -0500

I've been ridiculously busy catching up with Maryland’s flurry of football commitments this week, so there won’t be a traditional ‘Weekly recruiting roundup’ today. (Check out this page to keep track of the Terps’ 2009 class. It has bio pictures -- courtesy of Rivals.com -- and a commitment story for each recruit.) In the next few days, I’ll have features on River Hill running back/slot receiver Malek Redd, who committed to Central Michigan this week, and New Jersey linebacker Ryan Donohue, who committed to Maryland on Tuesday. TerrapinTimes.com reports that Long Island kicker Nick Ferrara committed to UM yesterday, so I’ll try and catch up with him, too. For now, here are a few of the more newsworthy links from the past week. • The Washington Post‘s Josh Barr reports that Forestville defensive end DeOnte Arnett will end his recruitment Wednesday, choosing between Cincinnati, Georgia, Maryland, Ohio State and Tennessee. Barr likes Maryland’s chances. The guess here is that Arnett gives the local team quite a boost and pledges for the Terps. • Plainfield, N.J., point guard Isaiah Epps had an eventful week. The 2010 prospect visited Maryland unofficially Tuesday and also learned his high school head coach, Pete Vasil, would not return to Plainfield next season. ZagsBlog explains the situation here and gets an interesting quote from Vasil regarding Epps’ recruitment. “He had a great time,” Vasil said of Epps’ visit [to Maryland]. “Now he’s got to do the right thing and make the right decision.” Epps will be 18 in August and only has one year of high school eligibility remaining before potentially going prep. • Virginia Beach shooting guard Andre Dawkins, a 2010 prospect, committed to Duke last night over offers from Maryland, Clemson, Virginia Tech and several others.

Johnson discusses UM commitment

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:55:17 -0500

Bradley Johnson strode into the Dinwiddie (Va.) High School weight room Wednesday morning, fresh off his visit to College Park for Maryland’s summer football camp. A newly-purchased black Under Armour shirt fit snugly on Johnson’s 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame. Emblazoned across his chest in red was the word “Maryland,” with “Terps” underneath. “I guess some of [my teammates] might have had a feeling [I committed to Maryland],” Johnson said. “Then they [saw the shirt and] realized that’s probably where I’d be playing. So they were excited for me.” Johnson committed to Maryland on Tuesday, picking the Terps over offers from Virginia Tech, West Virginia, East Carolina, Duke and Richmond. The outside linebacker prospect said his conversation with Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen about everything but football helped seal the deal. “I talked to the head coach and all we really talked about was my future during college and after,” Johnson said. “That’s basically what pushed Maryland on top.” Johnson said his discussions with Friedgen dealt mostly with academics and internship opportunities. “He encourages his players to find ... their niche, and that’s really what stood out,” Johnson said. “I can get internships during the summer, good job opportunities. ... They’re in like the fourth largest media market [in the country]. Where they’re located, I can basically [have the opportunity to get] any job. There are a lot of opportunities around the area to help me find out what I want to do.” There was, however, some talk of football throughout Johnson’s recruitment. According to Johnson, who will play SAM linebacker in college, he has a shot at earning early playing time. “They’re graduating around five linebackers this year, so playing time for me should be early,” Johnson said. “It could be a possibility that I might be redshirted, but it also depends on how I do in camp.” Johnson was offered by Maryland in April during a Junior Day visit to the campus. His second visit was earlier this week for camp. Johnson said he didn’t know ahead of time that he’d commit, but the overall experience convinced him to end his recruitment. “The campus was beautiful,” Johnson said. “I loved the campus and I liked the coaches, too. ... I didn’t really have an idea [that I‘d commit], but when I went up there the second time, I knew this was where I wanted to play.” Click here for Dinwiddie coach Billy Mills’ take on Johnson’s commitment.

Virginia linebacker commits to Maryland

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:34:13 -0500

Dinwiddie (Va.) High School head football coach Billy Mills expected his star linebacker, Bradley Johnson, to return home from Maryland’s camp this week with a decision on where he’d play college football. Johnson, who sported offers from Maryland, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, East Carolina, Duke and Richmond, had essentially narrowed his list to the Terps and Hokies. “I walked into the weight room yesterday morning and he had a Maryland shirt on, so that pretty much told me what his decision was,” Mills said. “Bradley’s a very intelligent young man, real mature for his age. He thinks ahead. He didn’t take his decision lightly, so he’s excited about what lies ahead the next four years.” Mills actually thought Johnson, 6 feet 2, 215 pounds, was leaning toward Virginia Tech. “It came as a little bit of a surprise,” Mills said. “But Bradley, he felt real good about the place and had a good visit with coach [Ralph] Friedgen. I was a little bit surprised. I thought he’d go up there, come back and commit to [Virginia] Tech, but I don’t push my kids one way or another, so it was his choice and they got a good one in Bradley. He’ll do well. … “There’s some things with academics down the road with the internship program that he was really excited about. He’s the type of kid that looks beyond football. He’s special in that way. So I think the decision came down to that and they did a real good job recruiting him.” Johnson, who contributed 113 tackles and two interceptions as a junior, is slated to play the SAM linebacker for the Terps. Mills isn’t sure if the Terps will redshirt Johnson, but from a physical standpoint, he’ll be ready to contribute. “He’s not the kid that needs a year to get the physical part,” Mills said. “He’s a strong kid. He power-cleans over 325, benches 340. He’s a strong kid and can run well, too. He’s a tireless worker. He’ll be ready physically. It’s just a matter of how he picks up the playbook and who’s ahead of him. “He’s versatile. He plays basically the strong safety for us. So he can play outside in a 4-4 [defense]. He can play one of the safeties. He’s a great cover guy and a big-time hitter. He’s got the size that he can go inside and play. There’s a lot that he can do. We can use him in a lot of situations.”

deSouza discusses UM commitment

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:38:38 -0500

DeMatha offensive tackle Pete deSouza thought there was a good chance he’d commit to Maryland eventually. But the 6-foot-7, 315-pounder decided to speed up the process last week during his time at a Catholic Heart Workcamp service trip to Virginia Beach. deSouza, who committed to the Terps on Friday over offers from Akron, Delaware, Rutgers and Syracuse, said his week-long spiritual enhancement in Virginia Beach convinced him that College Park was the right place for him. “I was there in Virginia Beach, helping out people, and also getting the Catholic faith, the spiritual aspect, and that’s what’s good about coach [Ralph] Friedgen,” deSouza said. “He’s Catholic as well, he’s very religious and I really like that. And that really brought me closer to committing to Maryland, because of what coach Friedgen believes in.” In Virginia Beach, deSouza would wake up at around 6 a.m., grab some breakfast, pile in a car and drive to a site. On site, the groups painted the inside and outside of rundown houses, do yard work and any other maintenance jobs around the house. Other groups would spend time with the disabled and elderly, deSouza said. deSouza said he was already leaning toward Maryland before his week of service. He liked the academic opportunities and felt comfortable with the team after making several unofficial visits. But while immersed in his community service, deSouza couldn’t help but think of his conversations about his faith with Friedgen. “When I met [Friedgen] the first day I went there, it was probably February or March, and that’s the question I asked -- ‘What does religion mean around there and how do you take it?’ I just asked him, how do you balance [football and your faith]? “He said, ‘yes, [faith is important at Maryland].’ He told me he was Catholic, went to St. Mark’s church, which is right near the University of Maryland, and he has a devotion. He has a priest that comes in and says some things, and I really liked that about Maryland. [Friedgen] thought religion was a big thing, and I think it is for me.” According to DeMatha head coach Bill McGregor, deSouza’s a great person off the field, and a promising prospect on it. “Well I just think he’s improved each year,” McGregor said. “He’s worked hard and developed. I thought he had a real good junior year for us at left tackle. He’s working hard in the weight room. Pete is very goal-oriented. He wants to be successful and will do everything possible to make that happen for himself.” McGregor thinks that while deSouza’s a good prospect now, he has all the potential in the world going forward. “I just think his future’s in front of him,” McGregor said. “He has great feet, very good athleticism. Now what he really needs is lineman’s strength and I think that will come just by being with the program. Maryland has a tremendous weight room program and I think he’s going to be bigger and stronger as time goes on .” deSouza, who’s interested in studying either psychology or communications, said he’s more confident now than ever that Maryland is the best fit for him. “[Maryland] was the right choice,” deSouza said. “They were there in the beginning. I hung out there a lot and kind of got used to being there. ... Now I can just worry about my season for senior year and school, so I don’t have to worry about the pressure of choosing the school.”

B. Maze, Be Amazed

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:25:28 -0500

Former Terps point guard commitment Bobby Maze has made quite an impression on Tennessee fans. The Suitland native and Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College transfer has staked his claim on the Vols’ starting point guard job (see below), and recently offered his freestyle take on UT’s squad for the upcoming season on You Tube. In the video, he also makes quick mention of his all-too-brief stint as a Maryland commitment. B. Maze Be amazed This thing is not a game Who am I to blame Maryland never change Credit to The Big Lead, via Loser With Socks, for the link. On the court, Maze has impressed the local media in Tennessee with his performances in the Rocky Top League. After watching Maze at a summer league game last week, The Mountain Press’ Jason Davis said he was ready to ‘pencil him in to this fall's starting lineup.’ Although he only scored 14 points, Maze delivered nine assists and showed a great ability to penetrate the lane and find the open man. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Maze was, in warm-ups he was taking mid-range jumpers and nailing them. Far too many modern players neglect the mid-range game in favor of jacking up ill-advised threes. Maze looked content to shoot the 15-footer, and he looked proficient at doing it. That's something UT needs. Click on the YouTube player for highlights of Maze in the Rocky Top League.

Goree discusses UM commitment

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:56:41 -0500

Some people told L.A. Goree to take his time with recruiting and make several visits before reaching a decision. Others wanted him to end the process early by staying close to home and playing for Maryland. Goree carefully considered both options, but chose the latter scenario Friday, committing to the Terps over offers from Illinois, West Virginia, Michigan State, Syracuse and several others. “I had known I already wanted to come to Maryland,” Goree said. “Other colleges like West Virginia and Illinois were two great schools, but I love Maryland and that’s where I wanted to go. I took a visit up there and it’s just getting better and better. Local guys keep coming to the team and we want to win a national championship.” Goree, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound outside linebacker from C.H. Flowers High School in Prince George's County, grew up a Terps fan, hoping for a scholarship offer ever since he realized he could play Division I football earlier in his high school career. “Everybody kept saying ‘you shouldn’t count on Maryland giving you an offer, because they only take the best’” Goree said. “But I knew I had a good chance because I had a pretty good junior season.” According to The Gazette, Goree recorded “157 tackles (103 solo), nine sacks, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception” during his junior season. Syracuse and Illinois were the first schools to offer Goree, while Maryland followed suit in early May. West Virginia came through with an offer earlier this month, and Goree even took a visit to Morgantown, W.Va. He considered taking a trip to Champaign, Ill., as well, but was already sold on playing for the school located just 15 minutes away from his home. “[You] can win in front of your friends and family and have a good time doing it,” Goree said. “It means a lot to be the hometown guy playing there. When you play for Maryland you get to represent your city and state.” Goree, who’s slated to play the strongside outside linebacker position for the Terps, hopes to contribute on special teams as a freshman. Goree said it’s a relief to be done with recruiting, and he can’t wait to suit up for UM. “It’s like a relief off your shoulders ... because you know where you’re going -- you don’t have to worry about all that,” Goree said. “As a Maryland Terrapin, [it’s difficult] to think of myself as a high school senior. I’m going to think of myself as a Maryland Terrapin now.” Click on the YouTube player for Goree’s highlight reel.

Late last week ...

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:37:15 -0500

... Maryland picked up two more verbal commitments for its 2009 football recruiting class. The class now has eight members. DeMatha offensive tackle Pete deSouza and C.H. Flowers linebacker L.A. Goree both committed on Friday. Click here for more info on both commitments, courtesy of The Washington Post's Josh Barr. I’ll have a story on Goree shortly, and hopefully something on deSouza later this week.

Weekly recruiting roundup

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:23:52 -0500

Maryland’s summer football camp was in full swing this week, while the second session is set to kick off Monday. Yahoo! Sports caught up with three prospects that mentioned the possibility of camping in College Park: No. 1: Christian Kuntz, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound wide receiver from Camp Hill (Pa.) Trinity. “My dad went to college and played at Maryland,” he said. “I’ve always had a thing for Maryland and grew up watching Notre Dame a lot too. Right now out of all the schools recruiting me though, UConn is on top. “I am hearing from them, Notre Dame and Maryland. I’m looking at heading to a few more camps, Penn State Tuesday, Maryland Thursday, Virginia next Monday and Notre Dame at the end of June. They are all recruiting me heavily.” No. 2: Brian Leffler, a 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker from The Hun School in Princeton, N.J. “I have offers from Temple, Tulane and West Virginia,” he said. “Miami (Ohio), Army, William & Mary and Yale have offered. Yale offered me a spot on the team. “Temple was fun, it was good to be on campus,” he said. “I’m going to take a visit to West Virginia sometime this month or in July. I’m going to camp at Northwestern and I might camp at Maryland and Rutgers too. No. 3: Byron Parker, a 5-foot-11, 173-pound athlete recruit from Virginia Beach (Va.) Tallwood. “I got my second offer last week from Temple on Tuesday,” he said. “I’m planning to go up there for camp this weekend and then to Maryland on Monday. I don’t know where I’m going after that.” • The Gazette took a look at Montgomery County’s numerous DI football prospects, including Maryland targets Jason Ankrah, a defensive end from Quince Orchard, Travis Hawkins, a cornerback from Quince Orchard, Jelani Jenkins, a linebacker from Good Counsel and Caleb Porzel, a running back from Good Counsel. The story also mentions Terps safety commitment Avery Graham, who is completely sold on UM. Clarksburg coach Larry Hurd on Graham: ‘‘Everybody has said they’d offer him. You name it, they’ve wanted to see him. I mean, look at him. ... Avery has been clear with everyone: He’s a Terp, and he’s going to be a Terp.” • GoGamecocks.com offers its weekly look at South Carolina football targets. Per usual, several prospects with varying degrees of interest from Maryland are mentioned, including Blythewood, S.C., defensive end Justin Anderson, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., linebacker Matt Coffee and Roswell, Ga., defensive end Euclid Cummings. Anderson planned on coming to College Park for camp. Blythewood coach Geremy Saitz said Anderson has offers from Georgia Southern, Newberry and Presbyterian, and verbal offers from Maryland and Georgia Tech. Anderson visited Georgia Tech about a month ago and plans to camp at Maryland and Virginia Tech. • Terps offensive tackle signee R.J. Dill held his own in last weekend’s Pennsylvania-Ohio Big 33 game, according to The [Cumberland County, Pa.] Sentinel. “(Those early points) were a big difference,” said Trinity offensive lineman R.J. Dill, who stifled an Ohio pass rush on the strong side, giving Sunseri enough time to find Aliquippa wideout Jonathan Baldwin for a 37-yard pass on Pennsylvania’s first offensive play of the game. “Guys like (Baldwin) made big plays for us, that helps.” • Ending with one non-recruiting related link, Rivals.com college football writer Tom Dienhart identified five new offensive coordinators that enter pressure-filled situations this fall. New Terps offensive coordinator James Franklin was one of the five. Maryland ranked 93rd in total offense in 2007, the season Franklin’s K-State offense became the first in school history to boast a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,500-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher. Franklin, 36, faces the pressure of trying to sort out a muddled quarterback picture plus deal with the loss of two good running backs in Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball.