Alan Jones
2008-01-28 20:27:51 UTC
WVU recruiting class has changed
Mike Casazza, Daily Mail
MORGANTOWN -- On the night of Dec. 15, West Virginia's football team
had 20 verbal commitments for 2008 and the recruiting class was
regarded among the top 25 in the country. A day later, Rich
Rodriguez, the man whose presence was responsible for attracting so
much of that talent, resigned as the Mountaineers coach.
More than a month later now, the class counts 16 verbal or signed
commitments and the ranking has slipped because eight players,
including and five key prospects, are no longer on board.
Receiver D. J. Woods committed to Cincinnati, linebacker Taylor Hill
committed to Michigan, running back Onterrio McCallebb committed to
Auburn and cornerback Blair Irvin committed to Kansas State.
Parkersburg all-state offensive lineman Josh Jenkins also backed
away from WVU, but is still considering the Mountaineers and made an
official visit Saturday at the men's basketball game against
Georgetown.
"Let's face it," said Jim Laise, senior writer of the Rivals.com
affiliate WVSports.com, "those were the top guys at those positions.
Generally speaking, Rich's leaving damaged West Virginia for
recruiting because they lost products, so to speak. I don't think
this class can be as strong with losing those four guys, but it can
get better. They can still find guys."
It's difficult this late in the process. National signing day is
Feb. 6.
"Most of the great players everywhere have already committed," Laise
said. "There are darn few guys left. A Terrelle Pryor and a Josh
Jenkins (who have not committed) are unique because they are highly
rated guys. Most everything is done, but that doesn't mean they
can't catch up a little in this recruiting class. They just have to
find guys."
Four players have joined the recruiting class since Bill Stewart was
named head coach Jan. 3. Cornerback Brantwon Browser (6-foot, 180
pounds) is a junior college transfer from Phoenix College who has
already signed his letter-of-intent. His addition helps offset the
loss of Irvin, who was also a junior college transfer.
Safety Courtney Stewart (6-3, 210), another Phoenix college
transfer, could fill in immediately in a defensive backfield that
lost starters Ryan Mundy and Eric Wicks.
Defensive linemen Corey Freeman (6-2, 215) and Bernard Smith (6-2,
205), who committed Sunday, are in-between players who could end up
either at defensive end or linebacker.
Perhaps the most significant additions have been made to the
coaching staff, though. Doc Holliday left the University of Florida
and is now WVU's fullbacks/tight ends coach and director of
recruiting and his familiarity of some fertile recruiting areas will
help. The Mountaineers had about a dozen prospects at Saturday's
basketball game and expect about the same number for official visits
this weekend.
"The addition of Doc Holliday as recruiting coordinator will allow
West Virginia to become involved with a higher level of recruit from
areas like the Carolinas and Florida," said Mike Farrell, national
recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. "Holliday is one of the best
recruiters in the country. "
Farrell said WVU can still close the recruiting season strong if it
can "keep the current class together and steal some guys away from
Florida that Doc has been working on."
While it will be a challenge, the staff would like a full class of
25, meaning the assistants are still working and will do so to the
very end. That means relying on areas and contacts they know well to
ensure they're not just signing kids for the sake of signing 25.
Running backs coach Chris Beatty helps WVU's presence in the
Tidewater region of Virginia, where Virginia Tech generally
dominates, and cornerbacks coach David Lockwood was recruiting
coordinator at Minnesota. Safeties coach Steve Dunlap knows Florida,
offensive line coach Dave Johnson knows Georgia. Quarterbacks coach
Jeff Mullen, whose hiring was announced Thursday, may have joined
late, but his knowledge will not be ignored.
"There are still players available, but you need to know where to
look and that's where some of these guys' knowledge comes in handy,"
Laise said. "There are so many players in Florida that you don't
necessarily have to get the four-star guys. There are defensive
linemen down there that recruiting services probably don't know
about that are really good football players. That's what you're
talking about, guys who have been hiding under the rock that you
need to find to round things out."
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/200801280098
DISCUSS THIS TOPIC AT...
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVU-Sports
Mike Casazza, Daily Mail
MORGANTOWN -- On the night of Dec. 15, West Virginia's football team
had 20 verbal commitments for 2008 and the recruiting class was
regarded among the top 25 in the country. A day later, Rich
Rodriguez, the man whose presence was responsible for attracting so
much of that talent, resigned as the Mountaineers coach.
More than a month later now, the class counts 16 verbal or signed
commitments and the ranking has slipped because eight players,
including and five key prospects, are no longer on board.
Receiver D. J. Woods committed to Cincinnati, linebacker Taylor Hill
committed to Michigan, running back Onterrio McCallebb committed to
Auburn and cornerback Blair Irvin committed to Kansas State.
Parkersburg all-state offensive lineman Josh Jenkins also backed
away from WVU, but is still considering the Mountaineers and made an
official visit Saturday at the men's basketball game against
Georgetown.
"Let's face it," said Jim Laise, senior writer of the Rivals.com
affiliate WVSports.com, "those were the top guys at those positions.
Generally speaking, Rich's leaving damaged West Virginia for
recruiting because they lost products, so to speak. I don't think
this class can be as strong with losing those four guys, but it can
get better. They can still find guys."
It's difficult this late in the process. National signing day is
Feb. 6.
"Most of the great players everywhere have already committed," Laise
said. "There are darn few guys left. A Terrelle Pryor and a Josh
Jenkins (who have not committed) are unique because they are highly
rated guys. Most everything is done, but that doesn't mean they
can't catch up a little in this recruiting class. They just have to
find guys."
Four players have joined the recruiting class since Bill Stewart was
named head coach Jan. 3. Cornerback Brantwon Browser (6-foot, 180
pounds) is a junior college transfer from Phoenix College who has
already signed his letter-of-intent. His addition helps offset the
loss of Irvin, who was also a junior college transfer.
Safety Courtney Stewart (6-3, 210), another Phoenix college
transfer, could fill in immediately in a defensive backfield that
lost starters Ryan Mundy and Eric Wicks.
Defensive linemen Corey Freeman (6-2, 215) and Bernard Smith (6-2,
205), who committed Sunday, are in-between players who could end up
either at defensive end or linebacker.
Perhaps the most significant additions have been made to the
coaching staff, though. Doc Holliday left the University of Florida
and is now WVU's fullbacks/tight ends coach and director of
recruiting and his familiarity of some fertile recruiting areas will
help. The Mountaineers had about a dozen prospects at Saturday's
basketball game and expect about the same number for official visits
this weekend.
"The addition of Doc Holliday as recruiting coordinator will allow
West Virginia to become involved with a higher level of recruit from
areas like the Carolinas and Florida," said Mike Farrell, national
recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. "Holliday is one of the best
recruiters in the country. "
Farrell said WVU can still close the recruiting season strong if it
can "keep the current class together and steal some guys away from
Florida that Doc has been working on."
While it will be a challenge, the staff would like a full class of
25, meaning the assistants are still working and will do so to the
very end. That means relying on areas and contacts they know well to
ensure they're not just signing kids for the sake of signing 25.
Running backs coach Chris Beatty helps WVU's presence in the
Tidewater region of Virginia, where Virginia Tech generally
dominates, and cornerbacks coach David Lockwood was recruiting
coordinator at Minnesota. Safeties coach Steve Dunlap knows Florida,
offensive line coach Dave Johnson knows Georgia. Quarterbacks coach
Jeff Mullen, whose hiring was announced Thursday, may have joined
late, but his knowledge will not be ignored.
"There are still players available, but you need to know where to
look and that's where some of these guys' knowledge comes in handy,"
Laise said. "There are so many players in Florida that you don't
necessarily have to get the four-star guys. There are defensive
linemen down there that recruiting services probably don't know
about that are really good football players. That's what you're
talking about, guys who have been hiding under the rock that you
need to find to round things out."
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/200801280098
DISCUSS THIS TOPIC AT...
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVU-Sports