Slim Lineman Nets ISU Offer

(This article originally appeared on iowastate.rivals.com.)

Iowa State is in the running to obtain the commitment of a self-proclaimed "big finisher" from a traditional hotbed of football talent - Garland, Tex. But he's got visits to take and weight to gain and a senior season to play. Still, Jimmy Chase is pumped to have an offer from ISU.

Chase is a 6-foot-3, 235-pound offensive line prospect who currently holds offers from Iowa State and UL-Monroe. And several other BCS conference programs are showing him solid interest including Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa and Louisville.

Coach Scott Fountain is the point person on Chase's recruitment for the Iowa State staff, and according to Chase, Fountain has made a good impression.

"He's a cool person," said Chase. "I talked to him a couple times, and I just kept thinking that he seemed like a real cool person."

The offer from Ames was the first Chase received from a major D-I school and it came in a very now way - via text message.

"Coach Fountain texted me one day and just said 'We're ready to offer you, we're going to play ball'," said Chase. "I was pretty excited because that was my first big school."

Chase currently lists Arkansas as his favorite school, due both to the Razorbacks' recent emergence on the national scene, and their proximity to his Texas home. According to Chase, he will likely visit there, Kansas, Iowa and Iowa State come fall.

Wherever Chase ends up, his top priority once he hits college will be putting on pounds to his strong, but lean frame. He thinks his ideal playing weight is somewhere around 290, leaving him about 55 pounds to gain by the peak of his career.

ISU Goes Hollywood to Offer Linebacker

(This article originally appeared at iowastate.rivals.com.)

Iowa State is running third behind Central Michigan and Arizona State in the quest to obtain the commitment of a standout Hollywood (Fla.) outside linebacker.

Alex Pattee, a versatile, 6-foot-1, 209-pound OLB from Hollywood Hills High School, lists Ames as one of three places on which he'll definitely spend an official visit. While Pattee says ISU is just outside his top two at the moment, he likes what he sees from the Cyclone coaching staff.

"Coach (Tony) Petersen has been telling me all along that I'm going to be a good fit for their system," Pattee said Thursday. "Last week he texted me with an offer and said they were ready to play ball."

One draw Ames may present for Pattee is the level of Big 12 competition.

"I just love competing against the best."

However, don't expect any offer to sweep Pattee off his feet any time soon.

"I'm going to take my time and really feel this out," said the flexible Pattee, who has played stand-up defensive end in high school and will be used more as a linebacker this coming fall. "I'm going to get all my visits under my belt and really take my time."

According to Pattee, offers from Wisconsin, Wake Forest and West Virginia could be close at hand. He previously claimed offers from Colorado and Air Force along with I-AA programs Eastern Kentucky and Florida A&M.

Pattee recorded over 60 tackles last fall and also rang up eight quarterback sacks.

ISU Offers Smith Chance at RB

(This article originally appeared at iowastate.rivals.com.)

When Iowa State's coaching staff says it's recruiting Erik Smith as a running back, it's what he wants to hear from every school that is seeking his services in the Class of '08.

Smith, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound prep star from Bolingbrook (Ill.), says the Cyclones are one of the few schools making no bones about their desire to have him play running back, and only running back.

"Some schools say they're going to try me at cornerback, which is fine," said Smith. "But my heart is really at running back, and I really like that Iowa State is telling me that's where they want me."

According to Smith, it isn't what the Cyclone coaching staff says but how the recruiting team, led by Tony Petersen, says it.

"They just all seem real genuine. Everyone there, Coach Petersen, everyone, they just really seem like genuine people. They send me text messages every day, they ask me all the time how I'm doing. Not everybody does that."

Smith, who boasts offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Akron, along with a recently added one from Northern Illinois, admits that a decision is probably a long way off. Smith claims he will likely wait until signing day, but don't expect him to spend the next eight months idly waiting for offers.

"I already went to the Cincinnati camp," Smith said Friday. "I've got to get to Wisconsin before the end of the month, and Iowa State before the coaches go on vacation in July. I've also got to get to Boston to see Boston College. Yeah, I'm going to visit as many schools as possible."

ISU Goes Back to Garland for CB

(This article originally appeared at iowastate.rivals.com.)

A coveted Garland (Tex.) cornerback is hearing the praises of Iowa State on a regular basis as sung by a member of the extended Cyclone family.

Jarrett Ben, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound corner, shares a barbershop with the father of fellow Garland products DeAndre Jackson (played at ISU, 2003-06) and Devin McDowell (redshirt freshman at ISU) and says he likes what he's heard about Ames.

"Yeah, I go to a barbershop with their daddy," Ben said. "He tells me how nice Iowa State is up there, and how good the Big 12 is."

Ben currently lists Iowa State in his top five schools, along with Kansas State, Rice, Iowa and TCU. Ben says TCU is running slightly ahead of the pack, but insists "there's still a long way to go." Doggedly pursuing the Horned Frogs is Iowa State with assistant coach Scott Fountain on the point.

"Coach Fountain up at Iowa State, I like that guy," said Ben. "He really tries to keep in touch every day, and I like that."

For the time being, Ben and Fountain may have to communicate from afar. In the midst of a busy summer track schedule that includes trips to the west coast, Ben says he'll be hard-pressed to visit many schools before his senior year. Therefore, a decision on his commitment likely won't be forthcoming until close to signing day. But that's just fine with Ben.

"I really want to take my time and evaluate everyone and everything," said Ben, a 4x100 specialist for the Garland track squad. "But I'm getting offers from Duke and Rice, so I know my academics are in order. Its just wait and see."

Ben also holds an offer from North Texas.

Biere Hopes to Move Ahead with ISU

(This article originally appeared at iowastate.rivals.com.)

Iowa State may be about to officially enter the race for a nearby tight end whose recruiting stock is on the rise.

Tim Biere, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound TE from Omaha (Neb.) Westside visited Ames in March, and Cyclone coach Wayne Bolt's demeanor left an impression on the senior-to-be.

"He's a great guy," Biere said. "He's really funny and laid back, and he likes to talk a lot."

According to Biere, Bolt said that the Cyclones have a real need for tight end in the 2008 class and the Westside product's skills would be exactly what the team is looking for.

While the Cyclones have yet to offer, all indications point to an impending scholarship tender, which could extend the Cyclones long history of success recruiting the Omaha area.

If Iowa State is going to land Biere's services, they may need to move quickly. Biere has already received offers from Kansas, Kansas State, Colorado State and Ohio, and hopes to make a final decision before the first game of his senior year.

Additionally, the Cyclones aren't the only major conference program seemingly on the cusp of extending an official offer. Iowa, Northwestern and nearby Nebraska have all made steady contact with Biere, and he has visited campus in both Iowa City and Evanston.

Biere, who carries a 3.66 cumulative GPA, will attend the upcoming Iowa State camp in his second unofficial visit to Ames.

Iowa St. a Favorite for Receiver Finney

(This article originally appeared at iowastate.rivals.com.)

Gene Chizik has Iowa State a nose ahead of the pack in the derby to earn the services of an Illinois wide receiver. Kevin Finney from Lake Forest (Ill.) is drawing interest from a host of upper midwest schools, including Iowa State, Indiana, Miami Univ., Purdue, Illinois and Michigan State. According to Finney, Iowa State is a co-leader along with Miami but the race is far from over.

"They've got all new coaches, and they're going to come out and compete in the Big 12, and that's real enticing to me," Finney said. "The level of the schools they play, and the tradition of both them and their opponents is a big turn on."

The Chicagoland prospect visited Iowa State over VEISHA weekend, and was impressed, not just by Chizik's Cyclones, but with the town of Ames.

"It was a good weekend, there was a big parade that thousands of people were at," said Finney. "The town really supports the team. Coach Chizik rode down the street in the parade, and it was just awesome."

"I've always seen myself kind of wanting a smaller, quieter town, and the whole place seemed really homey. I like that."

One decision that could impact Finney's recruitment is exactly how the Cyclones plan to use his talents. The 6-foot-7, 200 pound WR thinks his greatest potential for growth may be at TE. Miami is the only school to explicitly tell Finney that he may see time at that position, although the fact that his point of contact on the ISU coaching staff has been TE Coach Scott Fountain may indicate the Cyclones have a similar desire.

Another factor that may enter the equation is Finney's lifelong allegiance to Michigan State. While he says he "doesn't so much bleed green and white anymore", both parents are MSU alums and a sister currently attends school in East Lansing. He will visit sometime later this summer.

Finney says he'll attend several camps this summer, including those at Michigan, Miami, Ball State, Illinois and Purdue.

MAC Recruiting Analysis

(This article originally appeared on www.macreportonline.com.) Composite MAC Recruiting Rankings (Composite Ranking) Team MAC Report Online Rivals Scout 1. Miami 1 3 2 2. Akron 3 2 3 3. Toledo 4 1 4 4. Ball State 2 4 6 5. Western Michigan 7 5 9 6. Eastern Michigan 10 6 8 7. Ohio 9 7 11 8. Central Michigan 11 8 12 9. Temple 6 9 1 10. Kent State 5 10 5 11. Bowling Green 8 11 7 12. Buffalo 13 12 12 13. Northern Illinois 12 13 10 Signees By Position Team QB RB WR /TE OL DL LB DB K/P ATH TOTAL Temple 1 5 3 3 6 4 7 0 0 29 Eastern Michigan 2 4 6 4 4 1 5 0 0 26 Ball State 0 1 4 3 6 5 3 1 1 25 Kent State 1 2 5 4 5 4 2 0 2 25 Akron 1 0 3 5 5 5 4 0 1 24 Miami 1 1 5 4 3 4 5 0 0 23 Ohio 2 3 2 5 4 3 2 0 1 22 Western Michigan 0 0 5 4 4 2 5 1 0 21 Bowling Green 1 3 2 1 5 4 2 2 0 20 Buffalo 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 0 2 20 Toledo 2 5 4 4 2 1 0 1 1 20 Northern Illinois 3 1 3 3 2 4 2 0 1 19 Central Michigan 0 1 6 2 2 2 2 0 1 16

2007 All-MAC Signee Team Offense QB Travaris Cadet Toledo RB Morgan Williams Toledo RB Mark Woolridge Bowling Green OL Paul Simkovich Akron OL Brandon Brooks Miami OL Darrell Davis-Budanauro Eastern Michigan OL Anthony Parker Western Michigan OL Mike Fay Kent State TE Chris Starkey Central Michigan WR Schneider Julien Western Michigan WR Landon Cox Northern Illinois Defense DT Renee Perry Ball State DT Josh Allison Central Michigan DT DJ Pirkle Northern Illinois LB Zac Clark Ohio LB Tommie Witherspoon Temple LB Paul Stefanik Kent State CB Da'Von Moore Akron CB Daryl Robinson Temple S Michael Baker Miami S Bryan Williams Akron ATH Simeon Kelly Ball State

Brian Golden's Team Breakdown & Rankings:

1. Miami
Like Akron, the Red Hawks got a big add to their class when a powerful BCS squad didn't pay a kid the kind of attention he wanted. Brandon Brooks, an athletic OT from Milwaukee, is the keystone of Miami's 2007 class, and a former commit to Wisconsin. It's not every day a struggling MAC school is going to steal an OL/DL prospect from the defending Capital One Bowl champs, and Brooks could definitely make an impact on either side of the ball. The 'Hawks went in to St. Louis and, with Illinois making big national strides, found it a bit easier to recruit the Gateway City, coming up with three of their best 2007 prospects. Michael Baker is a big, strong safety from Cardinal Ritter HS that picked Miami over offers from Houston and Wake Forest. RB Thomas Merriweather just looks like a high-quality RB. Alex Kaufman is an Ohio LB that, like so many other top MAC signees, stayed close to home when BCS schools underwent coaching changes. Offers from Minnesota and NC State were pushed aside, and Kaufman makes a very nice defensive addition to the group.

Best Player: Brandon Brooks, OL
Could be Underrated: Michael Baker, S
Didn't Get Enough: No position other than K/P went completely unsigned, and the across the board balance makes this the best class in the conference. If I were running a program, I'd try to sign two RBs every single year, but the one Miami got is pretty good.
Grade: A-

2. Ball State
The Cardinals don't have as many splashy signees as some of the other schools, but the overall balance makes this a very good class for a program that has, quietly, improved a lot the last couple seasons. Indiana just doesn't have the horses Illinois, Ohio and Michigan do, so Ball State is consistently a couple steps behind the rest of the conference as far as having a natural base of interested athletes. Renee Perry is a wide DT from Lake City, FL that saw early interest from Louisville, and Frank Edmonds is a fascinating RB prospect from Ohio. If signing day were a year earlier, Ball State wouldn't have had a chance at nabbing Edmonds, but some Big 10 schools backed off with increased concerns about his size (5-foot-6), and the Cardinals ended up getting the ink, and the endorsement of one of the best players from one of Ohio's best teams. To inspire Edmonds to pass up in-state schools with more recent success has to be considered a nice coup, and if the 5-6, 180 lb. bowling ball continues to work on his vision and flexibility, he's the kind of player that could cull a lot of national exposure if things break right. The Cardinals also scored commits from three OL, none of which have done much yet, but all three are at least 6'2 and 270, and at least one of the class will probably emerge as a solid MAC player.

Best Player: Renee Perry, DT
Could be Underrated: Frank Edmonds, RB
Didn't Get Enough: Starting to sound like a broken record here, but zero QBs and one RB, who's barely tall enough to ride the Tilt-a-Whirl. Edmonds has talent but is a gamble, no doubt. I respect the effort to seriously attack weaknesses in the trenches and on defense, but you've got to bolster the offensive backfield every year.
Grade: B+

3. Akron
The Zips raided Pennsylvania, tapping the Keystone State for 9 signees altogether. Top top pluck from the Pennsylvania haul is WR Bryan Williams, who was dissed by Pitt on a late January visit, and promptly committed his services to Akron. Williams is a JUCO, and will be an impact player the second he sets foot on campus. Paul Simkovich, a big OG from from Latrobe, had previously committed to Michigan State before John L. Smith was run out of town. In both cases, JD Brookhart swooped in when a bigger program dropped the ball, and deserves credit for his patience and persistence in maintaining strong pursuit. Miguel Graham, from Coffeyville JC (KS) is pretty small to play major college corner, but is an absolute burner, and if the Zips can find the right way to use his speed, he could be an exciting player. Almondo Sewell, from Hargrave Military (VA), could be a major player on defense. The Zips went in to Virginia and supplied a safety net for the 6-foot-2, 235 lb. ILB as he struggled with his test scores. If he ultimately can pass the academic checkpoints, he could apply his ACC size and strength in the MAC East, and the results could excite Zip fans.

Best Player: Bryan Williams, QB
Could be Underrated: Marquinn Davis, DE
Didn't Get Enough: Akron is the anti-Toledo. 15 of the 24 signees are on defense, and of the 9 offensive players, 5 are on the line. Akron made a nice haul on the line, with a couple prospects that could be All-MAC players sooner rather than later. But how do you sign 24 players, and not a single RB and only one QB, who was just barely considered a top 40 player in Pennsylvania? You've got to load the offensive backfield every year.
Grade: B

4. Toledo
Travaris Cadet made one of the biggest splashes in MAC recruiting this year, spurning offers from Tennessee, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Minnesota and South Florida and ending up in Toledo...how exactly? Did one of those schools pull an offer late? That seems unlikely, since Cadet's commitment to the Gophers came only last week. Regardless, Cadet is a big-time get for the Rockets, and is easily one of the biggest snags for MAC teams this year. WR Kuanda Hancock doesn't have great speed or great size, but did get some additional notice due to offers from a couple Big Ten schools, so his development will be interesting to watch. The Rockets also got two-time Ohio D-I player of the year Morgan Williams, who logged over 5,000 rushing yards in high school. Mike VanDerMeulen was a major under-the-radar OL from Marshall (Mich.), who told me a couple weeks ago that he was making a late decision between Toledo and CMU. At 6-foot-7, 290 lbs., the Michigan prep has the potential to have great size, especially for a MAC OL. Does he have the nastiness to get ugly in the trenches at the college level? Time will tell, and time will be taken - VanDerMeulen is likely to grayshirt in the 2007 season.

Best Player: Travaris Cadet, QB
Could be Underrated: Mike Vandermeuelen, OL
Didn't Get Enough: Defense. Where is the defense? 15 offensive signings make this easily the best offensive class in the league. But 2 DL, 1 LB and not a single D-back as of last notice? It doesn't matter how confident you are in your current talent, three defensive players is not enough.
Grade: B-

5. Kent State
The Golden Flashes held off early interest from Michigan, a late push from Notre Dame, and offers from Akron, Temple, Buffalo and Marshall to obtain the commitment of Paul Stefanik, a fast ILB who, with a few more pounds, will be one of the best MAC players in 2010. Stefanik told Rivals.com reporter Matt Dorsey that he should grow in to a 240 pounder, and if he does, he could be an absolute animal in the middle. High school stats can't always be trusted, but 15 sacks from an ILB spot show an ability to get after QBs, and the speed to chase them down. If Darrius Carter is the DE that Kent coaches hope he can be, there will be plenty of QBs facing heat when they visit the Flashes. OL Mike Fay will have to block the two pass rushers in practice, and the Pennsylvania product seems like a workhorse that could play a nice role in Kent's OL future. As I said above, high school stats aren't extremely trustworthy, but Andre Flowers put up 3200 yards and 42 high school TDs with 4.5 speed and a strong frame.

Best Player: Paul Stefanik, LB
Could be Underrated: Mike Fay, OL
What They Didn't Get: The Flashes didn't do much at QB, getting only Giorgio Morgan, who only had offers from I-AA schools. That being said, this is a great class for a team with Kent's recent results. There's balance, there are one or two marquee players, and this has to be the most underrated class in the MAC.
Grade: B-

6. Temple
Daryl Robinson is an oddity. 95% of the dual-position athletes I talk to on recruiting calls begrudgingly mumble that it doesn't matter where they play, but that they'd rather see action on offense. Robinson actually turned down an offer from West Virginia because they wanted him at RB, and he saw himself as a college corner. Whether or not he has college corner size remains to be seen, but Robinson's play-making high school career and commitment to playing the position has to put him in the conversation for most compelling MAC signee of the year. Robinson might make the biggest impact at KR, with his elusive moves and top level speed (he ran a hand-held 4.38 at one combine). If California JC ILB Tommie Weatherspoon is sound academically, he will make a lot of tackles in Philadelphia. The 6-foot-2, 245 lb. man-child caught pursuit from half the Big 12 before a nearly unanimous back-off in November. I honestly don't know what the story is here; grades, re-evaluation, or nothing. Regardless, the Midwest's loss will be Temple's gain, assuming the academics are in order.

Best Player: Daryl Robinson, CB/KR
Could be Underrated: Michael Campbell, WR
Didn't Get Enough: When you've been as bad as Temple has lately, there's not a lot of room to complain about a recruiting class like this, which features 29 players total, and 17 on defense. A team that has made a habit of giving up points by the truckload is right to focus on stopping teams before loading up their offensive apparatus. With 29 signees, I think the Owls could have landed another OL or two, because the young skill players will develop much more quickly if they have protection and blocking.
Grade: C+

7. Western Michigan
The Broncos' snag of JC WR Schneider Julien from the likes of Kansas State, Colorado, Minnesota and Oregon State was borderline eye-popping. It isn't clear if Julien, a transfer from Los Altos CC (CA) who frequently told reporters he "wasn't thinking about recruiting" and cancelled a couple visits elsewhere, really loved Kalamazoo or just didn't find another place that sounded better. Of course, for Bronco fans, it doesn't matter one bit - Julien will easily be in the mix for a top 3 WR spot this season. Like Ball State, the Broncos recruited some very nice size on the OL, and the best prospect is probably Anthony Parker, a 6-foot-5, 280 lb. OT from North Miami Beach (FL) WMU held off late interest from Florida Atlantic and an early offer from Baylor to secure the services of one of Dade County's best linemen. WMU managed to beat Brian Kelly twice in the same recruiting season for S Keith Dixson of Harmony Prep (MI). Dixon committed to Kelly at CMU, recommitted at Cincinnati, then eventually opted out of that agreement, and signed on to head to Kalamazoo.

Best Player: Schneider Julien, WR
Could be Underrated: Anthony Middleton, TE
Didn't Get Enough: Just a matter of opinion here, obviously, but 1 player a class from the state of Michigan isn't a good pattern to establish for the Broncos. Yeah, there's intense competition in the state for a limited number of prospects. But this is a case, unlike Ball State, where I think WMU has to establish solid footing on familiar turf, and force EMU and CMU to look elsewhere. In a year where Michigan State and CMU both underwent coaching changes, there should have been more than one body for the taking, especially when that one was a Cincinnati decommit.
Grade: C+

8. Bowling Green
BG obviously placed a priority on injecting some home-run capability in to the program, and they landed two sub-4.5 RB prospects, Mark Woolridge and Eric Ransom. Woolridge looks to have a slight edge, having landed several other offers, and being a bit stronger at this early juncture. QB Nate Brown might be one of the most underrated prospects in the class. Brown flirted with an offer from UCONN, and got one from Temple. Great thing about Brown is that he doesn't have to do much to radically transform his body - he's already 6'3, 224 pounds and runs a very solid 40, at 4.59. Can he throw? If he can, in time, he could make an impact sooner than people think. Sinisa Vrvilo, of Trinity Village (TX) isn't really built like a K, but at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, he's a K that won't look stupid trying to tackle a KR on a breakaway. He might hurt somebody. Coffeyville JC (KS) product Jerrson Davis could start at LB very soon if he makes it to school.

Best Player: Mark Woolridge, RB
Could be Underrated: Nate Brown, QB
What They Didn't Get: One offensive lineman? Are you kidding me? One offensive lineman? I want to rank this class higher, because of the exciting RB signings, and Nate Brown, but there is just one offensive lieman. I don't care how, or why that happens, but getting one OL in a class when you've been struggling in the trenches is a disaster.
Grade: C

9. Ohio
While EMU's Budanauro is the heaviest MAC signee, Ohio boasts the lightest, in 5-foot-8, 148 lb. CB Kenny Jackson. On the whole, the class is faster and smaller than most of the other MAC classes, and includes 6-foot-1, 166 lb. WR Riley Dunlop and 5-foot-10, 172 lb. WR Lavon Brazill. With high school kids like Dunlop, it is almost impossible to know before you shake the kid's hand if he is going to be skinny for life, or truly has the potential to add 20-25 pounds to his frame. Dunlop can scoot, but just has to add weight. A schollie offer from the Air Force Academy is a nice endorsement, so I'll give Dunlop the benefit of the doubt, for now. LB Zac Clark is almost prototype size right now, and with 4.8 speed, should have every chance to make some tackles in the middle of the field. Clark had an early offer from Minnesota. Last year's MAC title game is going to be a constant recruiting turf war now that Brian Kelly is at Cincinnati, but Frank Solich got a nice pull in OL Joe Flading, getting him from right under the nose of Kelly and the rest of the MAC East.

Best Player: Zac Clark, LB
Could be Underrated: Riley Dunlop, WR
Didn't Get Enough: Every position group is important, obviously, but signing only one quality DB in a class has to be considered a let down. Each position is very unique, and you need options in the defensive backfield. In Solich I trust, but the lack of pass defenders is surprising.
Grade: C

10. Eastern Michigan
The Eagles whipped the Broncos in Michigan, snagging 13 commits from in-state. Whether that was by design or concession remains to be seen. Darrell Davis-Budanauro was one of the many ex-Michigan State commits looking elsewhere, and his 370 lb. frame made him hard to miss. If Shawn Knight can pack on a few pounds to go with his speed, the Trotwood (OH) native could make a quality FS in a few years. S Marcus English and RB Aeric Clay were high school teammates of Knight's, and each of the trio has the pedigree to be good MAC performers. EMU landed a host of players with very few other offers, and that usually isn't a very good sign. Dan Youssif has the build to be the best of that bunch, at 6-foot-3, 240 lb., the Birmingham (Mi.) native has 4.79 speed, and seems like the type of prospect that could be moved around to OT or DE until he finds the right spot. Assuming the athleticism is as good in the flesh as it is on paper, he'll get a chance to play.

Best Player: Shawn Knight, FS
Could be Underrated: Dan Youssif, TE
What they Didn't Get: This is a pretty vanilla class. It doesn't seem too depressing, but there aren't a whole lot of reasons to be thrilled. Both Rivals.com and Scout.com consider this a class that is better than the Eagles have been on the field the last couple years, so that is a good sign. Budanauro could turn in to a beastly pro-prospect, but at nearly 4 bills, health and fitness are major questions. There's only 1 LB in the group, which is at least a couple too few.
Grade: C

11. Central Michigan
The Chips caught the least amount of ink on signing day amongst the MAC schools, but the fault doesn't lay at the feet of the new coaching staff. Brian Kelly was mentally out of town even before accepting the Bearcat job. Linking his name with several other coaching offers, and jumping, no leaping at the chance to leave Mt. Pleasant, has to at least raise suspicions that recruiting for next year wasn't his top priority in his final months. Josh Allison is a Minnesota leftover that might end up at DT or DE. The 6-foot-2, 246 lb. frame could go either way, but the 4.86 speed is exciting. Rocky Weaver and Chris Starkey present a formidable pair of TE, both boast appropriate frame and hands, and one of the two, if not both, will be a major contributor in CMU's future fortunes. While he may not look like an athlete, ATH Nick Bellore was one of Kelly's first commits of this campaign, and can play a number of positions.

Best Player: Josh Allison, DT
Could be Underrated: Chris Starkey, TE
Didn't Get Enough; Bodies. Warm bodies. More bodies, even if they aren't top players, means more teaching moments, more tackling dummies, more competition. In the MAC the margins between each team, save Buffalo, might be tighter than anywhere else in the nation. Inking a class that has 7-8 less members than the rest of the league will catch up with the Chips down the line.
Grade: C-

12. Northern Illinois
Every kid I talked to this season that mentioned Joe Novak commented on how nice a guy he is. Maybe Novak is getting too nice, because this Huskie program doesn't have the teeth it did a few years ago. Garrett Wolfe, though talented, turned out to be wearing sheep's clothing as far as being a top-level national back, and it almost seems like that blow to NIU confidence permeated to recruiting this year. There really aren't any splashy signings to report from this year's class. The Huskies took QB Chandler Harnish out of Indiana, as well as speedy WR Nathan Palmer. NIU beat out three other MAC schools for Chicago DB Patrick George, but then, they should be winning the Chicago recruiting wars. WR Landon Cox might have the best upside of the group, with very nice size and the skills to draw early interest from Illinois and Purdue.

Best Player: Landon Cox, WR
Might be Underrated: D.J. Pirkle, DT
They Didn't Get Enough: The quantity is low, and so is the quality, across the board. The most glaring shortage is at DT, where NIU only got two prospects, and one of them is 218 pounds. You don't see many 218 pound kids wreaking havoc on the D-line, so this group has to be looked at as a big disappointment. The Huskies need to reclaim their attitude as giant-killers, and that starts up in the ugly trenches.
Grade: D+

13. Buffalo
One of the worst teams in college football, the Bulls have been bad early and often, and they should get a bit of help everywhere with this class. Derrick Brown had some other offers at OT, coming from the same part of Harrisburg (PA) as Bowling Green QB Nate Brown. Matt Ostrowski, at 6-foot-6, 299 lbs., gets an A+ for size, but that 5.6 40 doesn't make him sound fearsome coming off the ball. If he can improve his footspeed, he could be a sleeper in this class. Another prospect from this group I kind of like is Aaron Connacher, a fast TE from upstate New York. Buffalo has miles to go in the recruiting derbies just establishing their relevance, but planting roots in upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania is a must. With Syracuse positively brutal, and Pitt floundering, this is an important time for Buffalo football to pick off a couple more solid recruits than they typically might. It will be decades before they can hope to be on even-footing with those BCS programs, but establishing themselves as a credible option for an athletic high school player just has to happen. Signings like Connacher can't hurt.

Best Player: Derrick Brown, OL
Could be Underrated: Matt Ostrowski, OL
What They Didn't Get: I'm not going to pile on here. The Bulls got some of everything, and got D-I players at every position. Loading up on defense or offense would be stupid, and I like the strategy of trying to get quality in every position.
Grade: C-

Canadian Club

(This article appeared on www.cougzone.com.)

When he told the other schools offering him scholarships that he was headed to Pullman, new Cougar Tyson Pencer says he meant it. But some of them, apparently, wouldn't take the hint.

"I got the same letters over and over again from Boise State, Colorado, Oregon, and UCLA," Pencer said Saturday. "Oregon didn't start sending me stuff until after I committed. I guess they were hoping I'd change my mind."

Pencer committed to Bill Doba's Cougars way back in the fall, and said that since then, he's never wavered in his decision to play for Washington State. So after nary a second thought since October, was signing day a bit anticlimactic?


"I've been just waiting the last couple months for that day to finally come, and you finally realize, 'I'm signed with them, I'm ready to go,'" Pencer said. "I just gotta finish my grade 12 year, and now I'm breathing a big sigh of relief.

Pencer, a 6-foot-6, 227 lb. DE/TE from Delta Sands Secondary School just 20 miles across the Canadian border in British Columbia, hasn't been told yet where Doba's staff sees him fitting in to the Cougars' future.

"On defense, I love getting to hit people, and getting after the QB, chasing him down, and stuff like that," said Pencer. "But on offense, I like getting to make the big catches, and the big plays. I played RB for 10 years, so I'm used to getting the ball."

Indeed, Pencer was a RB/FB for the first ten years of his football career. When his high school coach realized that his future was at TE, he made the switch, and hasn't looked back.

"I wasn't the one scoring the TD or getting all the yards, but I was still getting the ball."

Pencer, currently at about 235-240 lbs., said that he hopes to arrive in Pullman for camp in the area of 260-265, which would give him the requisite size to compete at DE. He thinks that if he can gain the weight, and maintain his foot speed (4.62 40-yard dash), he can be a force on either side of the ball.

"I feel a little bit of pressure to get down there and represent Canada and people from my area, you know?" Pencer said.

According to Pencer, very few players from his area of Canada have made the transition to American D-I football for as long as he can remember.

Wednesday's Almost Here

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

Qunicy (Ill.) Notre Dame offensive tackle Jack Cornell verbally committed to Ron Zook's Fighting Illini program in December. The 6-foot-7 two-time all-stater had previously committed to Michigan State before that staff was fired at the end of the 2006. Cornell talks about signing with Illinois in this ready to sign update.

"I can't wait for Wednesday. We will have something at my school for everyone when I sign."

"The whole recruiting process, it was stressful at times but really I enjoyed it most of the time. After the staff at Michigan State was let go, it got more stressful but I narrowed things down to three schools real quick so I didn't have to deal with a bunch of other schools coming in and asking for visits and my time to talk about their school. But I met a lot of great coaches and great guys at each school I visited, overall, I enjoyed the whole process."

And after John L. Smith was let go, why Illinois? "Really, Coach Zook, Coach Sims, Coach Warinner all were coaches that stood out for me. I had gotten to know them, trusted them and they were behind me. I really trusted all of them and they were honest, no gray areas and I appreciated that. My family especially appreciated that. No big promises, it was the 'we are building this program back up and we want guys from the state of Illinois to be that foundation' and that sounded good to me."

Fellow Illini commitment Mike Garrity and Cornell became friends on their official visit to Champaign in December. "Yeah, Mike is a great guy. It's going to be sweet playing on the line with him for four or five years. I made a couple of good friends when I camped at Michigan State but when those guys were fired, we wanted to play together but once that happened, I decided I had to do what was best for me and move. But meeting Garrity on my visit, we were friends pretty quickly, got along great. I also talk to Arrelious Benn a lot, I am looking forward to blocking for him at Illinois."

Any specific position at Illinois the coaches have talked about Cornell playing on the line? "They say that my athleticism means I can play anywhere on the line. I want to come in to camp and compete to see where I am at. If they want me to play, fine, if they want me to redshirt, fine. I just want to come in and work my ass off and improve, win some games at Illinois."

Thoughts on the Illini football recruiting class of 2007? "I think it's special to be a part of this class that so many are rating highly. But my goal is to compete in the top twenty nationally on the field not just on the Rivals rankings or whoever is ranking that stuff. I want to go out and help prove that ranking on the field. Coach Zook talks about all of us being the best we can be and going out on the field and winning games, that's the bottom line."

First Commit of 2006

(This article originally appeared on www.orangeandbluenews.com.)

6-foot-5, 275-pound Batavia (Ill.) lineman Mike Garrity was the first 2007 prospect to verbally commit to Ron Zook's program last summer. He than went out and had an all-state fall and lead his high school team to the Class 6A title game in Champaign. Get the latest in Garrity in this report from the Orange&Blue News.

Garrity's thoughts on the recruiting process? "It was a little bit of both fun and stressful, fun going through it, meeting everyone and seeing colleges. I loved doing that but had all these coaches asking me what I was going to do? It got kind fo stressful there so I am happy I made my decision for Illinois early. I don't know that I could have gone through all that during the fall, I was glad I was able to concentrate on my senior season."

Why the early commitment to Illinois? "It started getting crazy when I was going to summer camp. I went to Illinois, Michigan and was going to go to Iowa, Purdue, maybe Wisconsin. I was getting more attention, everybody saw what was going on, really when I started to go visit different places was when I got more attention but like I said, it was a little too crazy for me and Illinois was the place I felt the best about so I committed last summer."

"Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Georgia Tech, Purdue, mostly Big Ten schools were showing me the most interest. Illinois of course."

And why Illinois? "Well, I grew up watching Big Ten football and if I got the chance, I wanted to play at that level. At Illinois, it felt like home, every visit I went down there, I could see myself there, around the coaches, the players, get out on the field at camp, it was just like home."

What role did Ron Zook play in the decision? "I went down for lineman camp last summer. Coach Zook told me to make the most of my chance to impress him and Coach Warinner. Coach Disch was my recruiting coach and he was telling me to go out there and show everyone what I could do because I think Coach Disch had been talking me up to Coach Zook and Coach Warinner (laughing) He might have been more nervous than me. I gave him a hard time about that."

"Anyway, I did pretty good I guess at the camp and Coach Zook said they would be in-touch as soon as they could be. A couple days letter I got an official offer from Illinois. Coach (Zook) is a great guy. I am glad I will be able to play for him, help him and the rest of the team rebuild Illinois football."

And the rest of the Illini coaching staff also played a big part in the commitment, "Definitely, the Illinois coaches are real personal, even talking to them on the phone, they have better qualities than some other coaches I spoke with. The way they talk, they talk to you like they've known you forever, like a best friend from high school, not like a first time conversation, they acted like they knew me and my family, like they lived in the neighborhood and we were just talking about things."

And the Illini staff used Garrity as an example of the type of talent they are bringing in when other recruits came to town, "I was the first person to commit, every time I am down in Champaign, they wanted me to talk to the other recruits to let them know how excited I was about Illinois."

"When I was on my official, I was pretty much a full time recruiter just like I wanted to be. That was pretty cool. Most of the guys that were there on my official visit (December 8) committed eventually, Jack Cornell, Mark Jackson, Martez Wilson. I was real happy that most of the guys the coaches really wanted that weekend committed."

"All the guys that were there were high quality people, not just great athletic ability, they were great guys, the coaches at Illinois did the job of finding good guys to bring in. Jack (Cornell) and I have become pretty good friends. We are going to be roommates next fall at school."

And signing day finally being here on Wednesday? "I am really happy for it to get here. We will have a ceremony at the school for me to sign and send the fax to Coach Disch and Coach Zook. It's seems like a long time ago when I committed, a lot has happened but I am real happy next Wednesday will get here and I can make it official." Garrity will first be tried at offensive tackle at Illinois.

Garrity scouting report from Rivals.com: Garrity is a versatile prospect and could project to several spots at the college level. He is a big defensive end at the high school level and could develop as a defensive tackle in college. His athleticism and explosiveness may be better suited for the offensive side of the ball in college though. He could be a blocking tight end and may be worth the time to develop as a tackle. He has a good frame and should be able to bulk to up. He displays a good physical nature and should be able to get push in the run game. He does a solid job of using his hands and getting placement. He moves well enough to be able to shadow a pass rusher. He displays the strength to be able to anchor and hold his ground. Where Garrity fits best depends on where he goes to school and that teams needs. His versatility is his strong point. He will need some time to develop and adjust once he lands at a position.