el mastiff
All-American
I know what you're saying (at least I think I do), but Nebraska is doing a good job of recruiting this year.MililaniBuckeye said:Gee, sure a lot of Nebraska commits on the team...wonder why.
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el mastiff said:
Nebraska may be "doing a good job", but they don't have the class that's clearly the best in the country, which is what you would infer by looking at his team...it's littered with Nebraska commits.
Here's the school-by-school breakdown of those who have commited (at least according to him):
Nebraska - 5
Iowa - 2
Oklahoma - 2
Texas A&M - 2
Texas - 2
Alabama - 1
Arizona - 1
Arkansas - 1
Duke - 1
Illinois - 1
Miami (Fl) - 1
Michigan - 1
Notre Dame - 1
Ohio State - 1
Penn State - 1
Tennessee - 1
Texas Tech - 1
Virginia Tech - 1
Virginia - 1
West Virginia - 1 (actually a decommited Gwaltney)
He also lists several players as non-committed although they are (e.g., Sanchez who is committed to USC).
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crazybuckfan40
Head Coach
Well he doesnt want to make his love for Notre Lame too obvious.osubuckeyes2731 said:
I believe that Nebraska has one player commited that should be in the game if you look at the rankings. That one player is Marlon Lucky who is a five star rb, but it is says he might not even qualify. Isn't that reason to not put him in the game.
It just takes everything away from this game. I mean they should take the top rated players. Nebraska doesn't have a single person rated above JamO yet he is not in the game and they have 5. No where, not even Lemming has Trey Stross or AMW ranked above JamO yet they are both in the game. How he selects this team just boggles my mind. This dude is a fraud and it is going to come out.
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JMetro24
Newbie
Having graduated from high school only a few years ago, I still am an avid fan and follower of high school sports. This being said, events such as the McDonald's All-American game and the U.S. Army All-American bowl particularly interest me, and I find it exciting to watch the future of collegiate sports in these games. I have been reading these boards for some time before now deciding to post, and like many other people here, I found it a travesty that players such as Jamario O'Neal, Kevin Grady, Freddie Lenix, Mario Manningham, etc., were not selected for the Army game. In my opinion, the problem stems from the selection process and Tom Lemming. The Army game is the premier game for high school football players and it compares itself to the McDonald's game. However, like many others have said, some of the top recruits in the country will not be participating in the Army game. In this way, the Army game cannot be compared to the McDonald's game. The McDonald's All-American game regularly features the top 24 players in the country, and boasts a selection committee of numerous coaches and scouts across the country. In comparison, the Army game's selection committee consists of one biased and mediocre talent evaluator, Lemming. In order for the Army game to reach the same prestige and status of the McDonald's game, a similar selection process should be put into place. Then players who are regularly rated as the top in the country are chosen to participate, and no arguments can be made. With all of this being said, I saw on a different website that someone had spoken to Jamario O'Neal just a few days ago, and Jamario was indeed preparing to travel to San Antonio to participate in the U.S. Army All-American bowl. Does anyone have any confirmation of this? This very well might be the case as players such as Callahan Bright, who was removed from the roster, and Victor Harris Jr., who suffered burns from an accident and sadly lost his mother a few days ago, may not play. A link to the website is provided below:
http://www.jjhuddle.com/discus/messages/191395/293981.php
http://www.jjhuddle.com/discus/messages/191395/293981.php
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JMetro24
Newbie
On the homepage of Buckeye Planet it is stated that Jamario will play in the U.S. Army All-American bowl. It was a shame that he was originally left off of the roster, along with Freddie Lenix who had a monster senior year and is a fantastic football player and athlete, but I am glad to see that Lemming was smart enough to include Jamario when one of the selected players chose not to participate. I still do not agree with the selection process for the game and Lemming's ability as a talent evaluator, but he made amends for his previous mistake by including Jamario in the game.
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
ARMY ALL AMERICAN = D DAY FOR OSU.....Army All-American game will showcase prep stars before Signing Day
Posted: Thursday January 6, 2005 11:11PM; Updated: Thursday January 6, 2005 11:11PM
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Jamie Newberg, Scout.com
The college football season is finished and now all eyes are focused on the all-important recruiting battles between now and National Signing Day, Feb. 2. Dozens of big name prospects are still undecided and on the big recruiting boards from coast to coast. The big visit weekends are upon us and the commitments will start flying after this weekend.
In addition to recruiting hitting high gear, the most prestigious all-star game in the country, the U.S. Army All-American Game, takes place in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 1 p.m. EST (televised on NBC). The game features the top 78 football prospects in the country. East versus West.
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"I like to call it the Super Bowl of high school football," said Garrett Shea, the director of U.S. Army All-American Game. "We celebrate everything within high school football, bands, cheerleaders, the underclassmen and of course, the top seniors."
The U.S. Army, the game's biggest sponsor, will also provide a week of leadership and teamwork training for the athletes before the big game. Afterward, the Army will conduct a two-day combine for 400 of the nation's top juniors, providing a sneak peek at some possible future U.S. Army All-Americans.
The 2005 version is the fifth U.S. Army All-American Game. In past games, such stars as running back Adrian Peterson, quarterback Chris Leak, <I>cornerback Teddy Ginn Jr.</I>, and defensive tackle Tommie Harris all shined. About 6,000 fans showed up for the first game; for this season's matchup in the Alamodome they are expecting 30,000. <I>They'll see as many as 20 of the 78 possible future stars announce their commitments during the game.</I>
The West has the nation's top two signal callers in the nation in Mark Sanchez (Mission Viejo, Calif. -- USC commitment) and Ryan Perrilloux (LaPlace, La. -- Texas commitment). The East has some good quarterbacks in its own right -- Greg Paulus (Syracuse, N.Y. -- Duke basketball commitment), Jake Christensen (Lockport, Ill. -- Iowa commitment) and Jonathan Crompton (Waynesville, N.C. -- Tennessee commitment).
You like the running game? Who could be the nation's next Adrian Peterson? It could very well come from the West squad and the nation's top back, Jonathan Stewart (Olympia, Wash.) or Marlon Lucky (North Hollywood, Calif.). The East is loaded as well with the powerful Toney Baker (Ragsdale, N.C.) and <I>Jason Gwaltney (North Babylon, N.Y.)</I> and the elusive Rashard Mendenhall (Skokie, Ill. -- Illinois commitment).
When the East goes to the air it will look for the nation's top prospect --Fred Rouse (Tallahassee, Fla.). Rouse will be flanked by some big name wideouts like Patrick Turner (Madison, Tenn.) and Eric Huggins (Conway, S.C. -- Oklahoma commitment) while the West has some stars as well like DeSean Jackson (Long Beach, Calif.) and D.J. Hord (Kansas City, Mo.).
The game also features the nation's top three tight ends -- DajLeon Farr (Galena Park, Texas), Martellus Bennett (Houston, Texas) and Anthony Moeaki (Wheaton, Ill.). Farr and Bennett are teammates on the West while Moeaki is on the East.
Up front, the East is loaded with some of the top offensive linemen in the country, such as Dace Richardson (Wheaton, Ill.), Dan Doering (Barrington, Ill.), Michael Oher (Memphis, Tenn.), Eugene Monroe (Plainfield, N.J. -- Virginia commitment), <I>Alex Boone (Lakewood, Ohio -- Ohio State commitment)</I>, and Chris Scott (Lovejoy, Ga.). All of these big uglies are rated among the top eight offensive line prospects in the nation according to Scout.com.
But the West is strong up front as well with Ndamukung Suh (Portland, Ore.), Reggie Youngblood (Houston, Texas -- Miami commitment), and Josh McNeil (Collins, Miss. -- Tennessee commitment).
The West defense is big up front with the nation's top-rated defensive tackle in Jerrell Powe (Waynesboro, Miss.). Powe, 6-3 and 322 pounds, is cat-quick and great against the run. Other standouts are defensive linemen Demarcus Granger (Dallas, Texas) and Raymond Henderson (Oak Creek, Ill.). The East defensive line is led by J.B Paxson (Greenwood, Ind. -- Purdue commitment), <I>James McKinney (Louisville, Ky.)</I> and <I>Melvin Alaeze (Randallstown, Md.)</I>
Both sides have some great linebackers who can both run and really hit. The West is led by Rey Maualuga (Eureka, Calif.), Ryan Reynolds (Las Vegas, Nev.), and Travis Beckum (Oak Creek, Wis. -- Wisconsin commitment) while the East has Brian Cushing (Oradell, N.J.), Jerome Hayes (Bayonne, N.J.), <I>Rico McCoy (Washington D.C.)</I> and Derek Nicholson (Winston-Salem, N.C.).
An area of strength for the East is in the secondary with Kenny Phillips (Miami, Fla.), Demetrice Morely (Miami, Fla. -- Tennessee commitment), Justin King (Monroeville, Pa. -- Penn State commitment) and Michael Ray Garvin (Ramsey, N.J. -- FSU commitment.). The West has some super athletes in the secondary, too, like Reggie Smith (Edmund, Ok.), Derek Pegues (Batesville, Miss.), and R.J. Jackson (Houston, Texas).
Who has the edge? Who will win? In an all-star game like this you just never now. But you can certainly expect to see a field loaded with the nation's top talent and they will put on a show for everyone. This is something for every recruitnik and the football fan.
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</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>East Notebook - Day One
By Jamie Newberg National Recruiting Analyst
Date: Jan 10, 2005
It was a pretty quiet day at the East practice session in San Antonio, Texas for the U.S. All-American Bowl. There was some news, mainly the injury of wide receiver Fred Rouse and the domination of the East secondary - Kenny Phillips, Justin King, Jamario O'Neal and Demetrice Morley.
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Today was the first practice session for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The East squad took the field for two sessions broken up by a lunch break.
The big news of the day for the East Squad was the injury to the nation’s top prospect, Fred Rouse from Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln High School. Rouse sustained a right foot injury when planting on the turf. He was helped off the field and will have x-rays taken later tonight. His status for Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl is unknown.
“I was trying to plant and cut in and I just lost it,” said Rouse. “My foot just gave. Right now I can’t put any pressure on it at all. It really hurts. I hope to play in the game but it’s ok because this is football and people get hurt.”
In other injury news running back Elan Lewis re-injured his left knee.
The East Squad is loaded at two positions – defensive back and offensive line. In today’s practice the secondary dominated the one on one drills with South Florida defensive backs Demetrice Morley (Tennessee commitment) and Kenny Phillips showing the way. They both consistently manhandled the wide receivers at the line of scrimmage throughout the entire practice, rarely losing the one on one battle. Cornerbacks Justin King (Penn State) and Jamario O’Neal (Ohio State) also impressed in coverage but the duo from Miami led the way.
“Guess where we are from,” said the confident Morely. “We are from South Florida and this is what we do. But I tell you what, that Patrick Turner is something else. He has great size and arms like a giraffe”
“I tell you what, No. 80 (Patrick Turner) is a player,” said Phillips. “So is Rouse. They both have great size and they are aggressive.”
There was some lively banter going on between the receivers and secondary players. In one exchange, Turner couldn’t get by Morley as the DB from Miami (Fla.) Killian won this battle. Morley then shouted, “you want none of me. I am from the 3-0-5. Miami.” Quarterback Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee commitment) than yelled out, “I am glad he is going to Tennessee.” Both Crompton and Morley have committed to the Volunteers.
“I had a lot of fun today,” said Turner, the most impressive receiver in the first day of practice for the East. “Those guys (Morley and Phillips) are very tough but that’s why I came here, for the challenge. (Justin) King and (Jamario) O’Neal were good as well.”
According to Michael Ray Garvin, Patrick Turner stole the show. “Rouse looked real good before he got hurt but I thought 80 was pretty darn good.”
Other wide receivers that stood out were Trey Stross (Iowa commitment) and Eric Huggins (Oklahoma commitment). In fact, Stross quietly had a very good practice, showing excellent separation, hands and athletic ability.
As far as the East quarterbacks, they all had their moments but they also showed a little rust from the lay off. Crompton is the biggest of the bunch and he can throw with touch or velocity. Greg Paulus (Duke basketball commitment) struggled early but got back as the day went on, especially late. Jake Christensen (Iowa commitment) showed a very strong and accurate arm.
“It felt good to get out there today,” said Christensen. “There are some truly great players here. I think Trey (Stross) and I are getting a head start.”
“Man it felt great today,” said Crompton. “This is the first time in a while really throwing. I tell you what Patrick (Turner) is a freak and Morley didn’t get beat all day long.”
Some Big Heads
The first thing that was notable at the East practice today was the fact that Dan Doering, Dace Richardson and Michael Oher weren’t wearing a helmet.
“They had to special order are helmets,” Boone said laughing. “We’re hoping to have them in tonight or in the morning.”
Staying on the topic of offensive lineman, Boone was the consensus top road grader for the East squad.
Boone is every bit of 6-foot-8 and 300-pounds. He had terrific knee bend for his size and he was surprisingly quick.
Boone started at left tackle for the East and during scrimmage he looked light on his feet as he attacked the linebackers.
Alex wasn’t always met with open arms when he made it out to the 2nd level. “Rico Suave baby,” Boone said, shaking his head.
“Rico McCoy is one bad dude. He was easily the best linebacker on our team. He’s so fast and physical. One time I went out to block him and he got me right under the chin. I was impressed.
The Scout.com recruiting experts covering the East squad were equally impressed with Dan Doering. The 6-foot-7, 290-pounder, from Barrington, Illinois looked like he was in mid-season form.
Doering was probably the most athletic lineman for the East. It’s just amazing that a young man the size of Doering can run and bend like he does.
“Everyone here has been impressive,” Doering said. “All of the offensive lineman and defensive lineman are the best of the best.”
Every offensive lineman looked impressive for the East but the guy who stood out to me was Michael Oher. The 6-foot-5, 340-pounder, from Memphis (TN) Briarcrest Christian Schools will play center in the U.S. Army All-American game but he’ll be a very good guard at the next level.
Oher was extremely nimble and strong. In my eyes, Oher is the total package. He has the strength, feet and quickness to make an immediate impact at the next level.
Pennsylvania’s Marques Slocum looked like he could play at the D-1 level tomorrow. The 6-foot-6, 335-pounder from Philadelphia (Pa.) West Philadelphia Catholic had a very good practice. Slocum can run for a big man and he uses his hands extremely well.
Impressive Running Backs
The running backs for the East team in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl are another impressive position. Each presents his own versatility to an already potent offense, which is destined to be a high-octane show. Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois commitment) has the best hands out of the backfield and possession the best potential of all the backs for the East squad. He and Jason Gwaltney are the top two members of the all-physique team, with Gwaltney impressing throughout Monday’s practice. Toney Baker could be the most college-ready of the backs, having a natural nose for the hole and running the best routes. Elan Lewis (Virginia Tech) showed that while he is the shortest running back, that lower center of gravity helps him tremendously in changing directions and finding his own holes. Maurice Wells is, hands down, the fastest running back and a great change of pace player. With the formations expected to be run by the East offense, he could fit best into that mold of offense.
Deep LB Corps
The class of 2006 is loaded at the linebacker position. The East squad at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl is represented by Rico McCoy, Brian Cushing, Derek Nicholson, and Jerome Hayes.
During the first practice session on Monday all four linebackers demonstrated skills that exemplify why they carry such lofty national rankings, and why they were selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American combine.
Jerome Hayes did not standout during the early session, during the second session he got progressively better. Derek Nicholson showed outstanding read-and-react skills. He filled the holes, and was constantly in position to make plays. Brian Cushing is lightning quick off the outside, he covers the flats as well as most defensive backs. Cushing is physical, and is equally adept at playing the run. The linebacker who stood out the most was Rico McCoy. McCoy covers passes like a safety and he is very quick at reacting to the play. McCoy is just as physical in person as he is on film. McCoy is very verbal, and has no problem taking a leadership role on the defense.
The defensive line play during Monday’s session was highlighted Earl Heyman. Heyman has an incredible motor and none stop all the time. Heyman is strong enough and physical enough to play inside, although he is slightly under-sized by some standards. Heyman is very quick off the edge; he presented problems for most of the offensive tackles on the East squad. Melvin Alaeze was outstanding as well and at times, he was frustrated, because three of the East linemen were playing without helmets. Extra helmets were being shipped in for the players who were too big for the helmets that were on hand. In other news, Victor Harris, Fred Rouse, Justin King and Demetrice Morley were returning kicks. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is played in San Antonio, Texas., at the Alamodome on Jan. 15, 2005, and broadcast nationally on NBC at 1 p.m. Eastern. Scout.com is a sponsor, the official selection partner and exclusive on-line partner of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, as well as the associated U.S. Army Combine for underclassmen. The game features the top 78 football prospects in the country. East versus West.
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</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>East Notebook - Day One
By Jamie Newberg National Recruiting Analyst
Date: Jan 10, 2005
It was a pretty quiet day at the East practice session in San Antonio, Texas for the U.S. All-American Bowl. There was some news, mainly the injury of wide receiver Fred Rouse and the domination of the East secondary - Kenny Phillips, Justin King, Jamario O'Neal and Demetrice Morley.
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Today was the first practice session for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The East squad took the field for two sessions broken up by a lunch break.
The big news of the day for the East Squad was the injury to the nation’s top prospect, Fred Rouse from Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln High School. Rouse sustained a right foot injury when planting on the turf. He was helped off the field and will have x-rays taken later tonight. His status for Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl is unknown.
“I was trying to plant and cut in and I just lost it,” said Rouse. “My foot just gave. Right now I can’t put any pressure on it at all. It really hurts. I hope to play in the game but it’s ok because this is football and people get hurt.”
In other injury news running back Elan Lewis re-injured his left knee.
The East Squad is loaded at two positions – defensive back and offensive line. In today’s practice the secondary dominated the one on one drills with South Florida defensive backs Demetrice Morley (Tennessee commitment) and Kenny Phillips showing the way. They both consistently manhandled the wide receivers at the line of scrimmage throughout the entire practice, rarely losing the one on one battle. Cornerbacks Justin King (Penn State) and Jamario O’Neal (Ohio State) also impressed in coverage but the duo from Miami led the way.
“Guess where we are from,” said the confident Morely. “We are from South Florida and this is what we do. But I tell you what, that Patrick Turner is something else. He has great size and arms like a giraffe”
“I tell you what, No. 80 (Patrick Turner) is a player,” said Phillips. “So is Rouse. They both have great size and they are aggressive.”
There was some lively banter going on between the receivers and secondary players. In one exchange, Turner couldn’t get by Morley as the DB from Miami (Fla.) Killian won this battle. Morley then shouted, “you want none of me. I am from the 3-0-5. Miami.” Quarterback Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee commitment) than yelled out, “I am glad he is going to Tennessee.” Both Crompton and Morley have committed to the Volunteers.
“I had a lot of fun today,” said Turner, the most impressive receiver in the first day of practice for the East. “Those guys (Morley and Phillips) are very tough but that’s why I came here, for the challenge. (Justin) King and (Jamario) O’Neal were good as well.”
According to Michael Ray Garvin, Patrick Turner stole the show. “Rouse looked real good before he got hurt but I thought 80 was pretty darn good.”
Other wide receivers that stood out were Trey Stross (Iowa commitment) and Eric Huggins (Oklahoma commitment). In fact, Stross quietly had a very good practice, showing excellent separation, hands and athletic ability.
As far as the East quarterbacks, they all had their moments but they also showed a little rust from the lay off. Crompton is the biggest of the bunch and he can throw with touch or velocity. Greg Paulus (Duke basketball commitment) struggled early but got back as the day went on, especially late. Jake Christensen (Iowa commitment) showed a very strong and accurate arm.
“It felt good to get out there today,” said Christensen. “There are some truly great players here. I think Trey (Stross) and I are getting a head start.”
“Man it felt great today,” said Crompton. “This is the first time in a while really throwing. I tell you what Patrick (Turner) is a freak and Morley didn’t get beat all day long.”
Some Big Heads
The first thing that was notable at the East practice today was the fact that Dan Doering, Dace Richardson and Michael Oher weren’t wearing a helmet.
“They had to special order are helmets,” Boone said laughing. “We’re hoping to have them in tonight or in the morning.”
Staying on the topic of offensive lineman, Boone was the consensus top road grader for the East squad.
Boone is every bit of 6-foot-8 and 300-pounds. He had terrific knee bend for his size and he was surprisingly quick.
Boone started at left tackle for the East and during scrimmage he looked light on his feet as he attacked the linebackers.
Alex wasn’t always met with open arms when he made it out to the 2nd level. “Rico Suave baby,” Boone said, shaking his head.
“Rico McCoy is one bad dude. He was easily the best linebacker on our team. He’s so fast and physical. One time I went out to block him and he got me right under the chin. I was impressed.
The Scout.com recruiting experts covering the East squad were equally impressed with Dan Doering. The 6-foot-7, 290-pounder, from Barrington, Illinois looked like he was in mid-season form.
Doering was probably the most athletic lineman for the East. It’s just amazing that a young man the size of Doering can run and bend like he does.
“Everyone here has been impressive,” Doering said. “All of the offensive lineman and defensive lineman are the best of the best.”
Every offensive lineman looked impressive for the East but the guy who stood out to me was Michael Oher. The 6-foot-5, 340-pounder, from Memphis (TN) Briarcrest Christian Schools will play center in the U.S. Army All-American game but he’ll be a very good guard at the next level.
Oher was extremely nimble and strong. In my eyes, Oher is the total package. He has the strength, feet and quickness to make an immediate impact at the next level.
Pennsylvania’s Marques Slocum looked like he could play at the D-1 level tomorrow. The 6-foot-6, 335-pounder from Philadelphia (Pa.) West Philadelphia Catholic had a very good practice. Slocum can run for a big man and he uses his hands extremely well.
Impressive Running Backs
The running backs for the East team in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl are another impressive position. Each presents his own versatility to an already potent offense, which is destined to be a high-octane show. Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois commitment) has the best hands out of the backfield and possession the best potential of all the backs for the East squad. He and Jason Gwaltney are the top two members of the all-physique team, with Gwaltney impressing throughout Monday’s practice. Toney Baker could be the most college-ready of the backs, having a natural nose for the hole and running the best routes. Elan Lewis (Virginia Tech) showed that while he is the shortest running back, that lower center of gravity helps him tremendously in changing directions and finding his own holes. Maurice Wells is, hands down, the fastest running back and a great change of pace player. With the formations expected to be run by the East offense, he could fit best into that mold of offense.
Deep LB Corps
The class of 2006 is loaded at the linebacker position. The East squad at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl is represented by Rico McCoy, Brian Cushing, Derek Nicholson, and Jerome Hayes.
During the first practice session on Monday all four linebackers demonstrated skills that exemplify why they carry such lofty national rankings, and why they were selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American combine.
Jerome Hayes did not standout during the early session, during the second session he got progressively better. Derek Nicholson showed outstanding read-and-react skills. He filled the holes, and was constantly in position to make plays. Brian Cushing is lightning quick off the outside, he covers the flats as well as most defensive backs. Cushing is physical, and is equally adept at playing the run. The linebacker who stood out the most was Rico McCoy. McCoy covers passes like a safety and he is very quick at reacting to the play. McCoy is just as physical in person as he is on film. McCoy is very verbal, and has no problem taking a leadership role on the defense.
The defensive line play during Monday’s session was highlighted Earl Heyman. Heyman has an incredible motor and none stop all the time. Heyman is strong enough and physical enough to play inside, although he is slightly under-sized by some standards. Heyman is very quick off the edge; he presented problems for most of the offensive tackles on the East squad. Melvin Alaeze was outstanding as well and at times, he was frustrated, because three of the East linemen were playing without helmets. Extra helmets were being shipped in for the players who were too big for the helmets that were on hand. In other news, Victor Harris, Fred Rouse, Justin King and Demetrice Morley were returning kicks. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is played in San Antonio, Texas., at the Alamodome on Jan. 15, 2005, and broadcast nationally on NBC at 1 p.m. Eastern. Scout.com is a sponsor, the official selection partner and exclusive on-line partner of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, as well as the associated U.S. Army Combine for underclassmen. The game features the top 78 football prospects in the country. East versus West.
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West Notebook: Day One
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Jerrell Powe (Glenn Nelson/Scout.com)
</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>West Notebook - Day One
By Staff Scout.com
Date: Jan 10, 2005
San Antonio - During spring football it is common to see the defense playing better than the offense early as the offense builds up their inventory of plays. During the 'spring ball' portion of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, the West defense took the adage of 'defense wins championships' to heart. They put in a spirited practice at Alamo Heights High School Monday that saw the offense and defense partake in some unexpected full-contact sessions.
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The best way to characterize the West's offensive line is 'thin'. With Ekom Udofia and Matt Reynolds out of the game and no replacements were added at the last minute, West Head Coach John Barnes will have to dig deep in his bag of tricks to keep his OL as cohesive and fresh as possible.
Right now, the West squad has only six healthy offensive linemen; Reginald Youngblood, Jesse White, Josh McNeil, Craig Roark, Daniel Borg and Rodney Picou. White, who is listed at 6-foot-3, looks to be a lot closer to 6-foot. Barnes said Monday that the C/OG from Denver (Colo.) Mullen has been dealing with a thumb injury all season and was actually going to the hospital that night to get his hand checked out. Either way, it sounds like White will be playing on Saturday, even if a cast is needed.
A few players did manage to shine despite the adversity. C/OG Josh McNeil out of Collins, Mississippi started off slow, but once the offense got a few snaps under their belts things started to iron themselves out. “Yeah, we started off slow, but you figure that’s going to happen,” Josh told Steve Ryan of Big Red Report, Scout.com's Nebraska site. “We got it going though and I know I had at least seven pancakes.” McNeil is committed to the university of Tennessee.
And the defensive linemen, especially the first-team front four; Marcus Shavers, DeMarcus Granger, Jerrell Powe and Raymond Henderson, were a terror in drills that were supposed to be at 'thud' tempo but turned into a tackling fest nonetheless. A highlight was Powe, all 6-foot-4 and 322-pounds of him crashing into West QB Ryan Perrilloux, even though Ryan was wearing red. Powe was
Yes, there is that little rule about not taking players down, but you tell someone to just stop a 340 pound lineman and we’ll see how that goes. “Hey, I’m a big man,” Jerrell said. “I can’t just stop like those little running backs.”
The two interior players - Powe and Granger, as well as Roy Miller - just wreaked havoc over a West offensive line that was outsized and outmatched. Shavers was the unquestioned vocal leader of the defense, while TE Martellus Bennett kept the offense nice and loose.
In fact, the defensive front was the most dominating factor all day. “We were on them the whole time,” Demarcus Granger said. “In a game like this, you have to come strong and we were bringing it from the second we touched the field.”
The offensive line was almost totally overmatched the entire practice as they were trying to learn and fend off 300-pounders at the same time, but future Nebraska players like Rodney Picou and Craig Roark still managed to have some success. After a rude-awakening after one of the first encounters with Henderson, Roark heated up his game and a couple of other linemen in the process, one being all-everything defensive linemen Miller.
It’s funny about these events, though, as players you only hear about and see on film or in pictures, you can finally see up close and personal and often, they aren’t quite what you expected.
Reginald Youngblood fit that to a tee, but only because as big and as imposing as you think he is, stand close to him. He’s more imposing than that. One of the best battles of the day was Youngblood versus Oak Creek High’s Raymond Henderson. Henderson’s success came from beating Youngblood off the snap, something the lightning-quick was capable of, but if Reginald got his hands on the Wisconsin All-American, that was all she wrote.
Because of the depth issues, Barnes will most likely use at least Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Lewis to help spell the six already on the o-line. The head coach, who coaches at Los Alamitos High School in California, is known for putting together imaginative gameplans, so he'll do what he can to get his main offensive weapons in space.
<HR>Skill Saw: When talking about those weapons, it's hard not to immediately jump to the 'twin towers' - the one-two double trouble brought by tight ends DajLeon Farr and Bennett. Farr, Scout.com's number-one tight end prospect at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, and Bennett at 6-foot-7 and 242-pounds is Scout.com's number-two TE, give Barnes a tremendous amount of flexibility when game-planning. Look for both players to be utilized in a number of different sets and positions as Barnes tries to create mismatches. It won't be hard to do, as both Farr and Bennett look the part of big-time college prospects.
Thunder and Lightning and then some: The West also has a couple of top-ranked running backs in Jonathan Stewart and Marlon Lucky. But also look out for Texas commit Jamaal Charles. Stewart, at 5-10 and 220-pounds, is Scout.com's number-one ranked running back, and with comparisons to the Baltimore Ravens' Jamal Lewis Stewart gives Barnes a back that can run with power on down-and-distance situations and can also bust one for the distance at any time. Lucky, from North Hollywood, California, is rated the seventh-best RB in the country. He is taller than Stewart, and runs with more of a slashing style. He can also take it to the house with legitimate 4.4 speed.
Roy Miller told Inside Texas' Clendon Ross that he felt Charles was the best back he had faced all day, based on his cutting ability and burst to clear himself from defenders. The Longhorns are loving the fact that Jamaal decided to stay close to home.
California receivers shine bright: DeSean Jackson and David Gettis did well in their first practice for the West. Jackson is a player that does not look overwhelming at first glance - he definitely appears to be shorter than the 6-feet listed in the official press guide - but he is a true burner that also brings a lot of technique and savvy to his game. With nearly all the throws sent his way, Jackson had clear separation from his corner every time. The taller Gettis made a very nice grab even while getting bit by the dreaded turf monster, and showed that he can get up and make catches in the deep third.
Perhaps the most impressive receiver Monday was in-state product David Nelson. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound Nelson, from Wichita Falls, showed a remarkable ability to adjust to the ball as it was being thrown to him, regardless of either type of route or how deep the ball was thrown. He also consistenly caught the ball at it's highest point, showing good fundamentals. He's not a thick kid, but he will go up and battle for jump balls with the best of them.
<HR>Tomorrow's notebook will include an analysis of the West's two-headed quarterback monster (Ryan Perrilloux and Mark Sanchez), as well as an in-depth look at the linebackers and secondary.
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is played in San Antonio, Texas., at the Alamodome on Jan. 15, 2005, and broadcast nationally on NBC at 1 p.m., Eastern. Scout.com is a sponsor, the official selection partner and exclusive on-line partner of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, as well as the associated U.S. Army Combine for underclassmen.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff>
Jerrell Powe (Glenn Nelson/Scout.com)
</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>West Notebook - Day One
By Staff Scout.com
Date: Jan 10, 2005
San Antonio - During spring football it is common to see the defense playing better than the offense early as the offense builds up their inventory of plays. During the 'spring ball' portion of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, the West defense took the adage of 'defense wins championships' to heart. They put in a spirited practice at Alamo Heights High School Monday that saw the offense and defense partake in some unexpected full-contact sessions.
</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3>
The best way to characterize the West's offensive line is 'thin'. With Ekom Udofia and Matt Reynolds out of the game and no replacements were added at the last minute, West Head Coach John Barnes will have to dig deep in his bag of tricks to keep his OL as cohesive and fresh as possible.
Right now, the West squad has only six healthy offensive linemen; Reginald Youngblood, Jesse White, Josh McNeil, Craig Roark, Daniel Borg and Rodney Picou. White, who is listed at 6-foot-3, looks to be a lot closer to 6-foot. Barnes said Monday that the C/OG from Denver (Colo.) Mullen has been dealing with a thumb injury all season and was actually going to the hospital that night to get his hand checked out. Either way, it sounds like White will be playing on Saturday, even if a cast is needed.
A few players did manage to shine despite the adversity. C/OG Josh McNeil out of Collins, Mississippi started off slow, but once the offense got a few snaps under their belts things started to iron themselves out. “Yeah, we started off slow, but you figure that’s going to happen,” Josh told Steve Ryan of Big Red Report, Scout.com's Nebraska site. “We got it going though and I know I had at least seven pancakes.” McNeil is committed to the university of Tennessee.
And the defensive linemen, especially the first-team front four; Marcus Shavers, DeMarcus Granger, Jerrell Powe and Raymond Henderson, were a terror in drills that were supposed to be at 'thud' tempo but turned into a tackling fest nonetheless. A highlight was Powe, all 6-foot-4 and 322-pounds of him crashing into West QB Ryan Perrilloux, even though Ryan was wearing red. Powe was
Yes, there is that little rule about not taking players down, but you tell someone to just stop a 340 pound lineman and we’ll see how that goes. “Hey, I’m a big man,” Jerrell said. “I can’t just stop like those little running backs.”
The two interior players - Powe and Granger, as well as Roy Miller - just wreaked havoc over a West offensive line that was outsized and outmatched. Shavers was the unquestioned vocal leader of the defense, while TE Martellus Bennett kept the offense nice and loose.
In fact, the defensive front was the most dominating factor all day. “We were on them the whole time,” Demarcus Granger said. “In a game like this, you have to come strong and we were bringing it from the second we touched the field.”
The offensive line was almost totally overmatched the entire practice as they were trying to learn and fend off 300-pounders at the same time, but future Nebraska players like Rodney Picou and Craig Roark still managed to have some success. After a rude-awakening after one of the first encounters with Henderson, Roark heated up his game and a couple of other linemen in the process, one being all-everything defensive linemen Miller.
It’s funny about these events, though, as players you only hear about and see on film or in pictures, you can finally see up close and personal and often, they aren’t quite what you expected.
Reginald Youngblood fit that to a tee, but only because as big and as imposing as you think he is, stand close to him. He’s more imposing than that. One of the best battles of the day was Youngblood versus Oak Creek High’s Raymond Henderson. Henderson’s success came from beating Youngblood off the snap, something the lightning-quick was capable of, but if Reginald got his hands on the Wisconsin All-American, that was all she wrote.
Because of the depth issues, Barnes will most likely use at least Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Lewis to help spell the six already on the o-line. The head coach, who coaches at Los Alamitos High School in California, is known for putting together imaginative gameplans, so he'll do what he can to get his main offensive weapons in space.
<HR>Skill Saw: When talking about those weapons, it's hard not to immediately jump to the 'twin towers' - the one-two double trouble brought by tight ends DajLeon Farr and Bennett. Farr, Scout.com's number-one tight end prospect at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, and Bennett at 6-foot-7 and 242-pounds is Scout.com's number-two TE, give Barnes a tremendous amount of flexibility when game-planning. Look for both players to be utilized in a number of different sets and positions as Barnes tries to create mismatches. It won't be hard to do, as both Farr and Bennett look the part of big-time college prospects.
Thunder and Lightning and then some: The West also has a couple of top-ranked running backs in Jonathan Stewart and Marlon Lucky. But also look out for Texas commit Jamaal Charles. Stewart, at 5-10 and 220-pounds, is Scout.com's number-one ranked running back, and with comparisons to the Baltimore Ravens' Jamal Lewis Stewart gives Barnes a back that can run with power on down-and-distance situations and can also bust one for the distance at any time. Lucky, from North Hollywood, California, is rated the seventh-best RB in the country. He is taller than Stewart, and runs with more of a slashing style. He can also take it to the house with legitimate 4.4 speed.
Roy Miller told Inside Texas' Clendon Ross that he felt Charles was the best back he had faced all day, based on his cutting ability and burst to clear himself from defenders. The Longhorns are loving the fact that Jamaal decided to stay close to home.
California receivers shine bright: DeSean Jackson and David Gettis did well in their first practice for the West. Jackson is a player that does not look overwhelming at first glance - he definitely appears to be shorter than the 6-feet listed in the official press guide - but he is a true burner that also brings a lot of technique and savvy to his game. With nearly all the throws sent his way, Jackson had clear separation from his corner every time. The taller Gettis made a very nice grab even while getting bit by the dreaded turf monster, and showed that he can get up and make catches in the deep third.
Perhaps the most impressive receiver Monday was in-state product David Nelson. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound Nelson, from Wichita Falls, showed a remarkable ability to adjust to the ball as it was being thrown to him, regardless of either type of route or how deep the ball was thrown. He also consistenly caught the ball at it's highest point, showing good fundamentals. He's not a thick kid, but he will go up and battle for jump balls with the best of them.
<HR>Tomorrow's notebook will include an analysis of the West's two-headed quarterback monster (Ryan Perrilloux and Mark Sanchez), as well as an in-depth look at the linebackers and secondary.
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is played in San Antonio, Texas., at the Alamodome on Jan. 15, 2005, and broadcast nationally on NBC at 1 p.m., Eastern. Scout.com is a sponsor, the official selection partner and exclusive on-line partner of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, as well as the associated U.S. Army Combine for underclassmen.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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jimotis4heisman
Banned
sounds like from these reports it should be strength on strength (east oline vs west d line)
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Agreed but you also would be shocked if you knew how hard it is to get the buckethead helmets...Brutus1 said:I may be a little slow (), but if i'm hosting the best and biggest high school players in the country, I'm pretty sure in addition to jersey and shoe size, I'm going to measure their heads.
There is also a size discrepancy between brands so that may have been a problem if the HS uses something different than the AA game.
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