CarolinaTiger 0 Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Link to AJC Article SEC recruit losses outstrip ACC'sAcademic casualties rife in '05 By JEFF D'ALESSIO, CARTER STRICKLAND The Atlanta Journal-Constitution aThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 08/28/05 SEC football teams earned higher grades from the recruiting gurus on national signing day, but ACC programs lost far fewer signees because of their grades in the classroom. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis of recruiting classes for both conferences revealed that 41 players signed to letters of intent by SEC schools in February didn't make it to campus, mostly for academic reasons. That compares to 21 in the ACC. (ENLARGE) Mike Slive, commissioner of the SEC, says coaches take chances on borderline players they believe in. MOST POPULAR STORIES * A Whitney comeback? - You make the call | You make the call * The Brothers Grimm - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution movie review * The Cave - Associated Press movie review * NASCAR Laps Leave Tarantino Speechless * Search Movies By Theater email THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR 2005 College Football Preview Alabama signed eight players who aren't in Tuscaloosa for football drills; five are absent because of academic shortcomings. Mississippi and Kentucky lost six signees apiece. Five Georgia recruits didn't make the grade. "I think it's sad, but I'm not surprised," said Vanderbilt vice chancellor David Williams, who reviews prospective recruits' transcripts at this time each year, then gives the thumbs up or thumbs down on which ones Commodores football coaches can pursue the following season. Vanderbilt went 24-for-24 this recruiting season, all of its signees eligible and on campus. But it was alone in the SEC in that department. The ACC had four schools whose entire recruiting classes are on campus and practicing  Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia and Wake Forest. The conference's traditional powerhouses had mixed results  Miami had just one recruit not make it; Florida State had four, with a fifth's status still to be determined less than two weeks before kickoff. "The ACC's number [21 signees who didn't make it to campus] is about what would normally be expected," said Scott Kennedy, a recruiting analyst for Scout.com. "Two players per team for big-time Division I football is about right. Four per team is way too many." "I agree: That is a number that's too high," Florida President Bernard Machen said. "The institutions need to be more careful in determining who the coaches can recruit." Florida, which lost one of 18 signees for academic reasons, puts transcripts through a prediction index before coaches "heavily recruit an athlete," Machen said. "It is not 100 percent, but it does help determine who can be successful as a student at the institution." The Gators were among the SEC teams whose signing classes were rated among the nation's elite. Kennedy's service also ranked two of the Gators' chief rivals among the nation's top four  No. 1 Tennessee and No. 4 Georgia. But that was before Georgia officials red-flagged the SAT score of linebacker recruit Jamar Chaney, who later was denied admission. Before local products Corey Moon and Brandon Sesay fell short academically. Before wide receiver Jamar Bryant asked out of his letter of intent and Super 11 linebacker Darius Dewberry was forced to go to prep school. To stay competitive in the rugged SEC, Georgia coach Mark Richt says, coaches need to take calculated risks in recruiting. That includes signing players who may be a few points away on the SAT. Some make it between February's signing day and the end of the semester. Others don't. "Coaches develop relationships with these students, and if they come to believe in them as people, not just athletes, they want to give them the benefit of the doubt if they can," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said. "Not all of them make it. We know that. But we have given them the opportunity." The NCAA uses a "sliding scale" to determine freshman eligibility. A student-athlete with a 2.0 grade point average, for instance, needs to score higher on the SAT or ACT (1010 or 86) than one with a 3.0 GPA (620 or 52). Athletes also are required to graduate from high school and complete a minimum of 14 core courses. "If you believe he is a great player and very good person and a hard worker and he is only 20 points away [on the SAT] and not a qualifier on signing day ... if you don't sign him, you probably will have someone else who will," Richt said. "And he'll play against you." Dewberry, who starred at Peach County High in Fort Valley, has enrolled at Virginia's Hargrave Military Academy, which may have been the biggest winner of them all this past recruiting season. Its 2005 roster features 14 players who signed with SEC and ACC schools in February, including five members of The Journal-Constitution's Super Southern 100. Players can spend a semester at Hargrave, get their academics in order, then sign again in February. They're open to be re-recruited by any college in between, but many prep school players stick with the program they picked the first time. Take Georgia, which has used Hargrave as a sort of farm team. Among the recruits who re-signed with the Bulldogs after meeting academic requirements at the Virginia prep school: Terrence Edwards, Reggie Brown, Randy McMichael, Leonard Pope, Charles Grant and Danny Ware. "If you don't sign those guys on signing day and another team does, they will have a much better chance of having them in one semester from now," Richt said. "It's not a binding situation. It's a relationship thing." Hargrave awards athletics scholarships for postgraduate students ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, said Frank Martin, the school's director of admissions. Players are put through a regimented schedule, from the 6 a.m. bugle call to "Taps" at 10 p.m.  and the three 1-hour, 25-minute classes they take in between. "It gets your mind right," said Ware, now a sophomore tailback for the Bulldogs. "It keeps you about what is going, teaches you things, puts your mind in a peaceful place and a happy place. Work hard and you know that it will be over in a little while, so you can give it all you got." College coaches who've had recruits go the prep school route say they often come out more ready to tackle academic life in college. "Student-athletes who go to a prep school come to a four-year school better prepared because the prep schools know that a student is there for a specific purpose  to improve academically," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said.  Staff writer Tony Barnhart contributed to this article. SIGNED, SEALED . . . NOT DELIVERED Duke, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Wake Forest have their entire football recruiting classes on campus. Other SEC and ACC schools weren't so fortunate. A school-by-school look at the number of recruits who didn't make it to campus, according to each university: EIGHT • Alabama: Five signees failed to meet academic requirements  DL Antonio Forbes, TB Mike Ford, WR Desmond Jennings (taken in 18th round of baseball draft), WR Nick Kyles and DB Michael Ricks. Three others  DB Sam Burnthall, OL Cole Harvey and WR/DB Travis Sikes  aren't on the Tide's 105-man roster but plan to enroll in the spring. SIX • Mississippi: All-America DL Jerrell Powe and OL John Jerry will spend the season at Virginia's Hargrave Military Academy after falling short academically. LB Wallace Bates and DB Jabarre Mitchell were dismissed for rules violations. College Park DL Jada Brown left the team three days into practice, and Lance Lee transferred to Northwest CC. Also, RB Marshay Green's eligibility has not been certified, leaving him out of camp. • Kentucky: The Wildcats signed 31 prospects, six more than the NCAA allows schools to give scholarships to in a given class, knowing that some wouldn't make it to campus. Six didn't  WR E.J. Adams, OL Kalavi Blanchard, DL Mike Cross, RB Corey Goodson (enrolled at Hargrave), LB Jamaal Jackson and LB Sam Maxwell. FIVE • Georgia: WR Jamar Bryant was released from his letter of intent and enrolled at East Carolina. LB Jamar Chaney was denied admission and enrolled at Mississippi State. Others who'll try to improve their academics before going to Georgia: LB Darius Dewberry, DE Corey Moon and DL Brandon Sesay. • Virginia Tech: LB Deveon Simmons enrolled in junior college. DE Steven Friday, S Stephen Virgil and OL Brandon Holland all qualified academically but will wait until January to enroll. WR Todd Nolen will go the prep school route. FOUR • Florida State: Three top recruits  DT Callahan Bright, OL Matt Hardrick and DE Justin Mincey  will suit up for Hargrave. LB Dan Foster also didn't enroll. FSU's number could grow to five; LB Matt Dunham's status is yet to be determined, a school spokesman said. • Mississippi State: Two of Sylvester Croom's three most highly rated recruits  CB Anthony Johnson (Hargrave) and DT Louis Ellis  didn't make it. Nor did DE Tim Holloway and LB Archie Sims. THREE • Arkansas: RB Brandon Barnett and LB Kevin Hubbard have enrolled at junior colleges. LB Michael Bibbs hasn't been OK'd by the NCAA Clearinghouse. • Maryland: DE Melvin Alaeze, the Terps' highest-profile signee, didn't qualify and enrolled at Hargrave with RB Morgan Green, a fellow Maryland recruit. LB Chris Clinton also didn't make it. • N.C. State: OL Brandon Jeffries, a one-time Tennessee Vol who signed with the Wolfpack after a junior college stint, was a no-show at practice. Others who didn't make it to campus: DE Chad Green and OL Doug Palmer. • Tennessee: WR Ulysses Alexander was released from his letter of intent and signed with Auburn. Other losses: LB Todd Cox (junior college) and OL Darrius Myers (Hargrave). TWO • Auburn: The Tigers lost LB Rex Sharpe to Butler County CC and OL Michael Harness to Hargrave. • Clemson: WR T.J. Williams did not qualify academically and will enroll at Fork Union Military Academy. Terrell Smith, rated among the nation's top 20 safety prospects, also didn't make it. • North Carolina: Two Tar Heels recruits are prep school-bound: S Dwight Fluker-Berry (Fork Union) and DE Darius Massenburg (Hargrave). • South Carolina: OL Jarriel King didn't qualify academically. QB Mychal Belcher chose to sit out the fall and enroll in the spring. ONE • Boston College: CB Andre Jones will spend a year in prep school before joining BC. • Florida: TE Brian Ellis didn't meet university academic requirements. • LSU: RB Trindon Holliday will enroll in January. • Miami: DE Richard Gordon will attend New Jersey's The Hun School and plans to enroll at Miami in January.  Jeff D'Alessio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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