Dalton Santos.
ESPN has him as the #1 ILB, Scout has him as #4 and Rivals has him at #10. An elite stud at our biggest need position (with DL a close second).
http://insider.espn.go.com/college-football/recruiting/player?id=107639&_slug_=dalton-santos&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fcollege-football%2frecruiting%2fplayer%3fid%3d107639%26_slug_%3ddalton-santos
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Dalton-Santos-109994
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=5222489
Bring on Denzel Devall and we have studs across the board in this class at LB (thank you Von Miller): Richmond, Richardson, Santos, Devall and maybe Troy Green if he moves over from RB.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Next commit
Tons of smoke from many "insiders" that DT Tommie Mark out of Lufkin will be the next Texas A&M commit.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Yahoo/Rivals article
Rising Aggies embracing attention
By Jason King, Yahoo! Sports4 hours, 7 minutes ago
DALLAS – Texas A&M administrators have spent much of the past week expressing their displeasure over the new Longhorn Network, an ESPN-owned station devoted to 24-hour coverage of its biggest rival, the University of Texas.
The Aggies ’bowed up again Monday in Dallas, when A&M refused to allow coach Mike Sherman to conduct an interview with the network’s reporters, who were in town for Big 12 Media Days at the Westin Galleria.
“I’m not talking about it,” Sherman said when asked about the Longhorn Network earlier in the day. “I’m not talking about it. I have enough on my plate getting my team ready to play.”
Indeed, as much as they’ve clinched their fists and snarled at perceived bullies off the field, the Aggies are determined to play with that same kind of bravado on it, too. Texas A&M is picked to finish second in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma – its highest projection since 1999 – and almost certainly will be ranked in the top 10 when the two major preseason polls are released next month.
“It’s a great time to be on campus right now,” senior free safety Trent Hunter said. “I’ll be walking to class and someone will scream, ‘Hey, Trent! What’s up?’
“I’ll look at them like, ‘Man, I don’t even know you.’ ”
But Texas A&M fans definitely know Hunter and the Aggies, who are on the cusp of returning to glory following a tumultuous period that included four losing records in seven seasons, the latest of which was a 4-8 mark in 2008. Sherman’s squad will enter the 2011 campaign seeking a bowl victory for just the second time since 1995.
“I have a lot less headaches now than I had previously,” said Sherman, who is set to begin his fourth season. “Our kids are really buying into what we’re doing. Being able to win in the second half of the season last year really helped [validate us] and gave us the opportunity to say, ‘OK, I guess we know what we’re doing.’ ”
The Aggies closed the regular season with six consecutive wins following a 3-3 start. Included in that stretch were victories over Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas Tech and Texas. Frustrating as it was, a 41-24 loss to LSU in the Cotton Bowl did nothing to squelch the Aggies’ enthusiasm about the 2011 season.
“As big of a step as we took last year, I think we can take an even bigger one this time,” running back Cyrus Gray said. “How far we go is completely up to us.”
An offensive line specialist, Sherman’s initial focus when he took the job four years ago was to sign quality big guys to play in the trenches. This season, though, A&M’s trademark will be a high-scoring attack led by a group of flashy skill-position players including tailbacks Gray and Christine Michael, wide receiver Jeff Fuller and quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
“It’s the highest expectations that we’ve had in a long time from the outside world,” Fuller said. “It’s exciting. We’re embracing it. At the same time, you’ve got to stay grounded and be ready to go to work every day.”
A&M should have loads of confidence after averaging 31.7 points in its final seven games in 2010. Much of the success was because of Tannehill, who threw for 1,638 yards after taking over for Jerrod Johnson midway through the season.
“The one thing Ryan brings to the table is confidence,” Sherman said. “Even when Stephen McGee, who is playing with the Cowboys now, was starting, he said Ryan was the best one. He was our third quarterback at the time, but [McGee] thought he was our best one.”
Sherman was quick to point out that Tannehill has started just six games at quarterback.
“We’ve still got to work on his decision-making, make it precise,” Sherman said, “because turnovers are going to be what defines us, in a positive or negative way.”
The one concern – at least on paper – would seem to be a defense that lost standouts such as Michael Hodges, Lucas Patterson and Von Miller, the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. Sherman, though, surprised reporters Monday when he predicted his defense would be even better than the 2010 unit. Much of the reason is because the players will be in their second season under coordinator Tim DeRuyter.
“Coach DeRuyter is like a mad scientist when it comes to playmaking and schemes,” Hunter said. “We’re definitely going to be adding some new stuff.”
That’ll be good news in College Station, where Aggies athletics are making their mark in the Big 12. In the most recent academic year, A&M won nine conference championships – four more than Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas, all of which tied for second. The football team, though, hasn’t captured a league crown since 1998.
That goal – and plenty of others – certainly seems attainable in 2011.
“I actually wake up and want to go to class,” Hunter said. “When you’re 4-8, you don’t even want to walk across campus. I’d sit down in class and someone would say, “Hey man, what happened? Why’d y’all lose by 50 points?’ I wouldn’t even know what to say.
“Now everyone is excited again. It’s a good story.”
Just don’t expect to hear about on the Longhorn Network.
The Aggies ’bowed up again Monday in Dallas, when A&M refused to allow coach Mike Sherman to conduct an interview with the network’s reporters, who were in town for Big 12 Media Days at the Westin Galleria.
“I’m not talking about it,” Sherman said when asked about the Longhorn Network earlier in the day. “I’m not talking about it. I have enough on my plate getting my team ready to play.”
Texas A&M refused to allow coach Mike Sherman to conduct an interview with the new Longhorn Network.
(Kevin Jairaj/US Presswire)
(Kevin Jairaj/US Presswire)
“It’s a great time to be on campus right now,” senior free safety Trent Hunter said. “I’ll be walking to class and someone will scream, ‘Hey, Trent! What’s up?’
“I’ll look at them like, ‘Man, I don’t even know you.’ ”
But Texas A&M fans definitely know Hunter and the Aggies, who are on the cusp of returning to glory following a tumultuous period that included four losing records in seven seasons, the latest of which was a 4-8 mark in 2008. Sherman’s squad will enter the 2011 campaign seeking a bowl victory for just the second time since 1995.
“I have a lot less headaches now than I had previously,” said Sherman, who is set to begin his fourth season. “Our kids are really buying into what we’re doing. Being able to win in the second half of the season last year really helped [validate us] and gave us the opportunity to say, ‘OK, I guess we know what we’re doing.’ ”
The Aggies closed the regular season with six consecutive wins following a 3-3 start. Included in that stretch were victories over Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas Tech and Texas. Frustrating as it was, a 41-24 loss to LSU in the Cotton Bowl did nothing to squelch the Aggies’ enthusiasm about the 2011 season.
“As big of a step as we took last year, I think we can take an even bigger one this time,” running back Cyrus Gray said. “How far we go is completely up to us.”
An offensive line specialist, Sherman’s initial focus when he took the job four years ago was to sign quality big guys to play in the trenches. This season, though, A&M’s trademark will be a high-scoring attack led by a group of flashy skill-position players including tailbacks Gray and Christine Michael, wide receiver Jeff Fuller and quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
“It’s the highest expectations that we’ve had in a long time from the outside world,” Fuller said. “It’s exciting. We’re embracing it. At the same time, you’ve got to stay grounded and be ready to go to work every day.”
A&M should have loads of confidence after averaging 31.7 points in its final seven games in 2010. Much of the success was because of Tannehill, who threw for 1,638 yards after taking over for Jerrod Johnson midway through the season.
“The one thing Ryan brings to the table is confidence,” Sherman said. “Even when Stephen McGee, who is playing with the Cowboys now, was starting, he said Ryan was the best one. He was our third quarterback at the time, but [McGee] thought he was our best one.”
Sherman was quick to point out that Tannehill has started just six games at quarterback.
“We’ve still got to work on his decision-making, make it precise,” Sherman said, “because turnovers are going to be what defines us, in a positive or negative way.”
The one concern – at least on paper – would seem to be a defense that lost standouts such as Michael Hodges, Lucas Patterson and Von Miller, the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. Sherman, though, surprised reporters Monday when he predicted his defense would be even better than the 2010 unit. Much of the reason is because the players will be in their second season under coordinator Tim DeRuyter.
“Coach DeRuyter is like a mad scientist when it comes to playmaking and schemes,” Hunter said. “We’re definitely going to be adding some new stuff.”
That’ll be good news in College Station, where Aggies athletics are making their mark in the Big 12. In the most recent academic year, A&M won nine conference championships – four more than Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas, all of which tied for second. The football team, though, hasn’t captured a league crown since 1998.
That goal – and plenty of others – certainly seems attainable in 2011.
“I actually wake up and want to go to class,” Hunter said. “When you’re 4-8, you don’t even want to walk across campus. I’d sit down in class and someone would say, “Hey man, what happened? Why’d y’all lose by 50 points?’ I wouldn’t even know what to say.
“Now everyone is excited again. It’s a good story.”
Just don’t expect to hear about on the Longhorn Network.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Just offered a new PG out of Philly
Maurice Watson.
We are searching near and far for recruits. Its nice to see our coaching staff actually doing some work for a change (comparing to the old regime of course).
This per 5star basketball.
As best I can tell our coaches were watching Team Philly play Bishop Gorman, the home of one Shabazz Muhammad. Watson apparently was the best player in the game and the leading scorer. Kennedy and Cyp wasted no time offering Watson. Maurice doesn't exactly have the world's best offer list but don't expect that to last long.
We are searching near and far for recruits. Its nice to see our coaching staff actually doing some work for a change (comparing to the old regime of course).
This per 5star basketball.
As best I can tell our coaches were watching Team Philly play Bishop Gorman, the home of one Shabazz Muhammad. Watson apparently was the best player in the game and the leading scorer. Kennedy and Cyp wasted no time offering Watson. Maurice doesn't exactly have the world's best offer list but don't expect that to last long.
Corey Long of ESPN:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Matt Davis (Houston/Klein Forest) was upset with his ranking as a four-star athlete.
He wasn't upset with the four stars, but the label as an athlete.
"I really wanted to come out here and prove that I am a quarterback," Davis said. "I wanted to make the throws and lead the team down the field like a quarterback.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Texas A&M commit showed all the qualities any coach would want in a quarterback as Davis led the Southwest team to a 29-13 victory over the Midwest in the Gridiron Kings championship game Sunday.
Fourteen of the 16 members of the Southwest team are from Texas."We were definitely representing the state of Texas here because there's just nothing like Friday night high school football in Texas," Davis said. "It's a religion there."
Davis, who missed nearly all of his junior season with a torn ACL, put on an impressive passing display in the semifinals and finals connecting with receivers Thomas Johnson (Dallas/Skyline), Bralon Addison (Missouri City, Texas/Hightower), Griffin Gilbert (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis), Trey Williams (Houston/Dekaney) and Corey Coleman (Richardson, Texas/Pearce).
Even with ESPNU 150 talent Cayleb Jones (Austin, Texas/S.F. Austin) sidelined with a finger injury it was clear the offensive talent was too much for any opponent to handle.
"I think we had the best receivers in this tournament by far," Davis said. "There was someone open on every play and that made my job easy. The guys got open and they made the catches. This is a team MVP award really."
Cornerback Devante Harris (Mesquite, Texas/Horn) took home the defensive MVP award.
Corey Thompson (Missouri City, Texas/Elkins), another Southwest team cornerback who made plenty of plays, had plenty of positive things to say about his future teammate at Texas A&M.
"Matt is just a wonderful leader and he was keeping everyone focused in the huddle," Thompson said. "He's a great quarterback and he's going to be part of a great thing at Texas A&M."
Davis was sidelined for nearly six months with the injury but says he's at full health for his senior year and ready to show how much his time off helped his game.
"With the injury and the rehab it also gave me more time to focus on my arm and being a strong passer and a more accurate passer," Davis said. "I feel like my whole game has improved and working with Jeff Blake this weekend has brought me along even further. He showed me a lot of things that I'm going to be able to use this year."
Class of 2013 quarterback Ryan Ferguson (Matthews, N.C./Butler) threw three interceptions as the Midwest team won 18-14.
"We had a bad start with a couple of turnovers and there was a pick-six that really hurt us," wide receiver Nelson Agholor (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep) said. "We gave it everything we had but you have to credit them for playing a good game."
After Ferguson's final heave to LaTroy Pittman (Citra, Fla./North Marion) was broken up by Ronald Darby (Oxon Hill, Md./Potomac) the Midwest team rushed the field in celebration.
"We came into this game as a big underdog so we didn't have anything to lose," running back J.C. Coleman (Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Smith) said. "We just kept fighting and playing hard."
The Southeast team was disappointed with the results and the sudden end of a two-year run of dominance.
"We really didn't expect this, especially against a team that was winless in pool play," Pittman said. "It's frustrating because we are supposed to be the big dogs in this tournament."
Defensive back Terry Richardson (Detroit/Cass Tech) said the victory was proof that great players are everywhere.
"Let's be real, that's the Florida team and we wanted to beat the Florida team more than anything," Richardson said. "They have been walking over everyone at Gridiron Kings from the beginning and we did not want to be the next team."
Agholor, who left the event after Southeast's loss to play with his AAU basketball team, was bandaged above his eye while Darby had swelling in his leg and his hand.
"It was a bang bang play and you know I tried to come over the top to help Terry when he really had everything under control," Darby said. "We all went up at the same time and ran into each other. I'm in a little pain but it's nothing serious."
Agholor said football is always a contact sport.
"It's a physical game regardless of whether it's tackle or not," Agholor added. "So these plays can happen."
The 5-9, 155-pounder seemed to blow past everyone that covered him and almost made a game-changing play in the finals but a deep pass from quarterback Shane Morris (Warren, Mich./De La Salle) fell slightly out of his reach.
"That was probably on me because if it hits your fingers you have to catch it," Jones said. "But I was just playing my game and trying to get down the field as fast as possible. Shane could definitely get it there because he has a cannon."
Jones says Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Cincinnati are the programs that have shown him the most interest so far. Kansas, Kent State, Temple and Toledo also have offered.
Corey Long has been covering high school football and recruiting in the Sunshine State since 1995. He can be reached at coreyespn@gmail.com.
He wasn't upset with the four stars, but the label as an athlete.
"I really wanted to come out here and prove that I am a quarterback," Davis said. "I wanted to make the throws and lead the team down the field like a quarterback.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Texas A&M commit showed all the qualities any coach would want in a quarterback as Davis led the Southwest team to a 29-13 victory over the Midwest in the Gridiron Kings championship game Sunday.
[+] Enlarge
Steven Johnson of RISE Oklahoma commit Devante Harris (left) was the defensive MVP, and Texas A&M commit Matt Davis won offensive MVP honors at the Gridiron Kings.
Davis, who missed nearly all of his junior season with a torn ACL, put on an impressive passing display in the semifinals and finals connecting with receivers Thomas Johnson (Dallas/Skyline), Bralon Addison (Missouri City, Texas/Hightower), Griffin Gilbert (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis), Trey Williams (Houston/Dekaney) and Corey Coleman (Richardson, Texas/Pearce).
Even with ESPNU 150 talent Cayleb Jones (Austin, Texas/S.F. Austin) sidelined with a finger injury it was clear the offensive talent was too much for any opponent to handle.
"I think we had the best receivers in this tournament by far," Davis said. "There was someone open on every play and that made my job easy. The guys got open and they made the catches. This is a team MVP award really."
Cornerback Devante Harris (Mesquite, Texas/Horn) took home the defensive MVP award.
Corey Thompson (Missouri City, Texas/Elkins), another Southwest team cornerback who made plenty of plays, had plenty of positive things to say about his future teammate at Texas A&M.
"Matt is just a wonderful leader and he was keeping everyone focused in the huddle," Thompson said. "He's a great quarterback and he's going to be part of a great thing at Texas A&M."
Davis was sidelined for nearly six months with the injury but says he's at full health for his senior year and ready to show how much his time off helped his game.
"With the injury and the rehab it also gave me more time to focus on my arm and being a strong passer and a more accurate passer," Davis said. "I feel like my whole game has improved and working with Jeff Blake this weekend has brought me along even further. He showed me a lot of things that I'm going to be able to use this year."
Big upset
The most shocking events happened during the semifinals when the Midwest team, winless in pool play, knocked off the two-time defending champion Southeast team.Class of 2013 quarterback Ryan Ferguson (Matthews, N.C./Butler) threw three interceptions as the Midwest team won 18-14.
"We had a bad start with a couple of turnovers and there was a pick-six that really hurt us," wide receiver Nelson Agholor (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep) said. "We gave it everything we had but you have to credit them for playing a good game."
After Ferguson's final heave to LaTroy Pittman (Citra, Fla./North Marion) was broken up by Ronald Darby (Oxon Hill, Md./Potomac) the Midwest team rushed the field in celebration.
"We came into this game as a big underdog so we didn't have anything to lose," running back J.C. Coleman (Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Smith) said. "We just kept fighting and playing hard."
The Southeast team was disappointed with the results and the sudden end of a two-year run of dominance.
"We really didn't expect this, especially against a team that was winless in pool play," Pittman said. "It's frustrating because we are supposed to be the big dogs in this tournament."
Defensive back Terry Richardson (Detroit/Cass Tech) said the victory was proof that great players are everywhere.
"Let's be real, that's the Florida team and we wanted to beat the Florida team more than anything," Richardson said. "They have been walking over everyone at Gridiron Kings from the beginning and we did not want to be the next team."
Scary collision
Even in touch-rules football big collisions happen and the one involving Agholor, Darby and Richardson left all three players a little banged up.Agholor, who left the event after Southeast's loss to play with his AAU basketball team, was bandaged above his eye while Darby had swelling in his leg and his hand.
"It was a bang bang play and you know I tried to come over the top to help Terry when he really had everything under control," Darby said. "We all went up at the same time and ran into each other. I'm in a little pain but it's nothing serious."
Agholor said football is always a contact sport.
"It's a physical game regardless of whether it's tackle or not," Agholor added. "So these plays can happen."
Rising stock
Wide receiver Corey Jones (Pittsburgh/Penn Hills) did not come into the event with a lot of publicity but will leave Orlando as a name to remember.The 5-9, 155-pounder seemed to blow past everyone that covered him and almost made a game-changing play in the finals but a deep pass from quarterback Shane Morris (Warren, Mich./De La Salle) fell slightly out of his reach.
"That was probably on me because if it hits your fingers you have to catch it," Jones said. "But I was just playing my game and trying to get down the field as fast as possible. Shane could definitely get it there because he has a cannon."
Jones says Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Cincinnati are the programs that have shown him the most interest so far. Kansas, Kent State, Temple and Toledo also have offered.
Corey Long has been covering high school football and recruiting in the Sunshine State since 1995. He can be reached at coreyespn@gmail.com.
Good writeup by Gerry Hamilton
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.- The 2011 version of Gridiron Kings is in the books. Here’s a look at the best of the event, which featured many of the top skill position prospects from across the country.
While the Midwest didn’t win the championship and went 0-3 in pool play, we believe Morris, a Class of 2013 Michigan commit, was the top quarterback prospect at the event. He was penalized at times because his supporting cast was not quite as fast as some of the other teams, which featured a higher number of more gifted and explosive players. Over the course of two days, Morris fit the ball in tight, closing windows as good or better than any quarterback we’ve seen in this setting this spring or summer.
Matt Davis (Klein, Texas/Forest)
Davis, a Texas A&M commit, had a big day leading the Southwest squad to the championship of the event. He was much improved and appeared to be much more comfortable in Day 2, showing the ability to make all the throws necessary to be an excellent quarterback at the next level. Considering he’s a true dual-threat and rushed for more than 1,400 yards as a sophomore, his passing performance Sunday is even more impressive and raises his stock even higher.
The Miami (Fla.) commit is electric with the ball in his hands. He made plays not only in the passing game, but on simple draws (runs from scrimmage). There are very few backs that can make an impact in 7-on-7 doing that, but Johnson is one of them. He did not have as high of of a number of big plays Sunday compared to Saturday, but still was a handful for defenses to stop. He’s set up to have a big year in pads this season and could see his stock rise even higher.
Trey Williams (Spring, Texas/DeKaney)
There was little doubt that Williams was the quickest prospect in the 2012 class heading into the weekend and he did nothing to change that opinion during the course of two days. The Texas A&M commit was not only a big-time threat in the passing game, but like Johnson could take a simple handoff and make a big play. There were several instances where defenders were left grasping grass as Williams darted by.
Agholor was likely the top overall 2012 prospect at the event and he did not disappoint. He showed excellent explosiveness and speed, to go along with great size. In Sunday action, Agholor made a series of leaping receptions over the middle with his arms fully extended. On one particular play, he caught the ball while two defenders collided around him. Both defenders were down on the play. USC, Florida, Florida State, Texas and others are in the running for the nation’s highest-rated four-star prospect, who would be equally scary at safety at the next level.
Thomas Johnson (Dallas, Texas/Skyline)
Simply put, Johnson is electric. The Texas commit was seemingly open on every play because of his acceleration off the line of scrimmage and elite quickness in and out of breaks. We counted only one drop during the course of two days, which is saying something considering he caught 20-plus passes. Johnson made the short catches look routine and the over-the-middle catches in traffic look anything but difficult. While we feel that Johnson is best-suited for the slot at the next level, his ability to play on the outside impressed this weekend.
Bryce Treggs (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco)
Treggs, who is committed to Cal, continues to build on previous strong performances in this setting. There’s no doubt he’s an advanced route runner and he’s gained strength and confidence since the end of the 2010 season. Treggs is catching everything thrown at him right now and playing through contact like receivers that are bigger in stature. There is little doubt that he will make a jump in our next rankings update, which should come in August.
Thompson’s size, athleticism and ability to catch the ball stood out during the two-day event. While he’s not quick or explosive off the line of scrimmage, he did show the ability to get down the field into the intermediate passing game at time. If there was an award for best set of hands at the event, Thompson would be our pick. He caught laser after laser from Morris during the course of the two-day event.
Sean Price (Citra, Fla./North Marion)
While Price had more of an impact on Saturday, he still had some impressive moments Sunday and was one of the top performers at his position at the event. Price made tough catch after tough catch during the games and will be a walking mismatch at the next level when a linebacker or even some safeties attempt to cover. The South Florida commit will develop into a weapon in the coming years for the Bulls.
Taylor McNamara (San Diego, Calif./Westview)
McNamara was impressive after the catch in the open field considering his size. We felt like he was somewhat surprising in this department as we were not expecting the Arizona commit to be as advanced in the passing game and to show the body quickness and reaction to sudden movement against athletic defensive backs. We talked with former Colorado and Boise State head coach Dan Hawkins about McNamara and he is very high on his abilities.
The Virginia commit is a star. At first glance, he appears to have the best inside linebacker body in the 2012 class. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder is not just big, though. He showed uber-impressive speed after both of his Sunday interceptions, one of which went back 80 yards for a touchdown. Earlier this month at “The Opening”, he returned a pick 100 yards for a touchdown. It’s tough to evaluate linebackers in this setting, but when they make special plays athletically compared to their size like Moore did, it says something. He is another prospect that is likely to make a big jump when our next set of rankings are released.
Keith Brown (Miami, Fla./Norland)
Brown showed surprisingly quick hands and good instincts during both days of the event, particularly on Saturday. The Miami commit moves well laterally and did a nice job of dropping into coverage and stopping short passes. Again, it’s tough to evaluate linebackers in this setting, but Brown did some nice things that back up his four-star rating, which was primarily based on his performance in pads.
The Notre Dame commit had a much better day on Sunday than Saturday, but was solid to very good for most of the event. His pure speed showed up every time he was challenged over the top on Sunday. While there were quicker players at the event, there is no questioning Darby’s straight-line speed. He had a big pass break-up for the Midwest team during a win against the Southeast to get his team into the championship game.
Joshua Holsey (Fairburn, Ga./Creekside)
Holsey, an Auburn commit from the same high school that produced Eric Berry of the Kansas City Chiefs, battles every play, has a short memory (a must for a corner) and plays tougher the closer an opposing team gets to the end zone. We watched him break up three passes in a row when the opposing squad had the ball inside the 5-yard line. Good ball skills and hips and does enough to compensate for not being the tallest corner in the world (he’s not short, mind you, just not tall). He has a very big future.
We could have put Greenberry as one of the top performers at wide receiver for sure, but in this event, the Notre Dame commit was more rare making clutch interceptions on defense at safety. We think that Greenberry may even project a little higher at safety, though if he can match his showing out of pads this summer with a big year in pads, his stock will rise significantly.
DeVante Harris (Mesquite, Texas/Horn)
Harris, an Oklahoma commit, easily had the best day of any defensive back on Sunday. In a morning game, he had two interceptions and got his hands on two or three more passes during that particular game. In the semifinal and championship game, he made big plays as well- one big-time interception in the semifinals and multiple pass break-ups and in the finals- a trio of pass break-ups.
Neal may be the most versatile player at the event in that he made big plays both at receiver and cornerback on a consistent basis. As a corner, Neal has excellent hips and very good reaction when the ball is in the air. He had multiple pass break-ups, including one in particular near the end zone where his hand quickness and closing speed showed up. As a receiver, it’s all about his hands and speed and elusiveness after the catch. We’ve seen Neal a lot this summer and his stock is definitely on the rise. Whatever school lands him is getting a good one.
Cyrus Jones (Baltimore, Md./Gilman)
Jones is quick, quick, quick and fast, fast, fast. He’s versatile and can play both sides of the ball, but he shined the most on offense during this event, catching pass after pass and making big plays for a Midwest team that reached the finals. Jones isn’t the tallest player in the country, but that doesn’t matter. He backed up what we consider to be excellent film during this event and he will likely rise in our next rankings release. On the recruiting front- Alabama, Auburn, Maryland, Penn State, Virginia and others all are in the mix.
Corey Coleman (Richardson, Texas/Pearce)
Coleman backed up his studley showing at The Opening with another big showing. He got over the top on a number of occasions and scored a trio of long touchdowns on Sunday as his team captured the championship. He also took a few reps at nickel on Sunday and showed tremendous change-of-direction and closing speed. We feel like Coleman could be a cornerback or receiver on the next level with equal success. We also feel like he is another prospect in this class that will see his ranking shoot up in August. Coleman is currently committed to Baylor.
National Recruiting Analyst JC Shurburtt contributed to this report
Quarterback Matt Davis was named the MVP of the tournament by the event organizers, ESPNRise.
Quarterback
Shane Morris (Warren, Mich./De La Salle Collegiate)While the Midwest didn’t win the championship and went 0-3 in pool play, we believe Morris, a Class of 2013 Michigan commit, was the top quarterback prospect at the event. He was penalized at times because his supporting cast was not quite as fast as some of the other teams, which featured a higher number of more gifted and explosive players. Over the course of two days, Morris fit the ball in tight, closing windows as good or better than any quarterback we’ve seen in this setting this spring or summer.
Matt Davis (Klein, Texas/Forest)
Davis, a Texas A&M commit, had a big day leading the Southwest squad to the championship of the event. He was much improved and appeared to be much more comfortable in Day 2, showing the ability to make all the throws necessary to be an excellent quarterback at the next level. Considering he’s a true dual-threat and rushed for more than 1,400 yards as a sophomore, his passing performance Sunday is even more impressive and raises his stock even higher.
Running back
Duke Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland)The Miami (Fla.) commit is electric with the ball in his hands. He made plays not only in the passing game, but on simple draws (runs from scrimmage). There are very few backs that can make an impact in 7-on-7 doing that, but Johnson is one of them. He did not have as high of of a number of big plays Sunday compared to Saturday, but still was a handful for defenses to stop. He’s set up to have a big year in pads this season and could see his stock rise even higher.
Nelson Agholor was perhaps the top overall prospect at the event. He's the highest-rated four-star prospect in America by 247Sports.
There was little doubt that Williams was the quickest prospect in the 2012 class heading into the weekend and he did nothing to change that opinion during the course of two days. The Texas A&M commit was not only a big-time threat in the passing game, but like Johnson could take a simple handoff and make a big play. There were several instances where defenders were left grasping grass as Williams darted by.
Wide receiver
Nelson Agholor (Tampa, Fla./Berkely Prep)Agholor was likely the top overall 2012 prospect at the event and he did not disappoint. He showed excellent explosiveness and speed, to go along with great size. In Sunday action, Agholor made a series of leaping receptions over the middle with his arms fully extended. On one particular play, he caught the ball while two defenders collided around him. Both defenders were down on the play. USC, Florida, Florida State, Texas and others are in the running for the nation’s highest-rated four-star prospect, who would be equally scary at safety at the next level.
Thomas Johnson (Dallas, Texas/Skyline)
Simply put, Johnson is electric. The Texas commit was seemingly open on every play because of his acceleration off the line of scrimmage and elite quickness in and out of breaks. We counted only one drop during the course of two days, which is saying something considering he caught 20-plus passes. Johnson made the short catches look routine and the over-the-middle catches in traffic look anything but difficult. While we feel that Johnson is best-suited for the slot at the next level, his ability to play on the outside impressed this weekend.
Bryce Treggs (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco)
Virginia linebacker commit Kwontie Moore was impressive and has been all summer at events like Gridiron Kings.
Tight end
Ronald Thompson (Southfield, Mich.)Thompson’s size, athleticism and ability to catch the ball stood out during the two-day event. While he’s not quick or explosive off the line of scrimmage, he did show the ability to get down the field into the intermediate passing game at time. If there was an award for best set of hands at the event, Thompson would be our pick. He caught laser after laser from Morris during the course of the two-day event.
Sean Price (Citra, Fla./North Marion)
While Price had more of an impact on Saturday, he still had some impressive moments Sunday and was one of the top performers at his position at the event. Price made tough catch after tough catch during the games and will be a walking mismatch at the next level when a linebacker or even some safeties attempt to cover. The South Florida commit will develop into a weapon in the coming years for the Bulls.
Taylor McNamara (San Diego, Calif./Westview)
McNamara was impressive after the catch in the open field considering his size. We felt like he was somewhat surprising in this department as we were not expecting the Arizona commit to be as advanced in the passing game and to show the body quickness and reaction to sudden movement against athletic defensive backs. We talked with former Colorado and Boise State head coach Dan Hawkins about McNamara and he is very high on his abilities.
Notre Dame commit Deontay Greenberry continued to impress on both sides of the ball. We named him a top safety because his performance there was a bit more rare.
Linebacker
Kwontie Moore (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian)The Virginia commit is a star. At first glance, he appears to have the best inside linebacker body in the 2012 class. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder is not just big, though. He showed uber-impressive speed after both of his Sunday interceptions, one of which went back 80 yards for a touchdown. Earlier this month at “The Opening”, he returned a pick 100 yards for a touchdown. It’s tough to evaluate linebackers in this setting, but when they make special plays athletically compared to their size like Moore did, it says something. He is another prospect that is likely to make a big jump when our next set of rankings are released.
Keith Brown (Miami, Fla./Norland)
Brown showed surprisingly quick hands and good instincts during both days of the event, particularly on Saturday. The Miami commit moves well laterally and did a nice job of dropping into coverage and stopping short passes. Again, it’s tough to evaluate linebackers in this setting, but Brown did some nice things that back up his four-star rating, which was primarily based on his performance in pads.
Cornerback
Ronald Darby (Oxon Hill, Md./Potomac)The Notre Dame commit had a much better day on Sunday than Saturday, but was solid to very good for most of the event. His pure speed showed up every time he was challenged over the top on Sunday. While there were quicker players at the event, there is no questioning Darby’s straight-line speed. He had a big pass break-up for the Midwest team during a win against the Southeast to get his team into the championship game.
Oklahoma commit Devante Harris had multiple interceptions on Sunday and helped his Southwest team win the championship. It was the first time a non-Southeast team has won the Gridiron Kings title.
Holsey, an Auburn commit from the same high school that produced Eric Berry of the Kansas City Chiefs, battles every play, has a short memory (a must for a corner) and plays tougher the closer an opposing team gets to the end zone. We watched him break up three passes in a row when the opposing squad had the ball inside the 5-yard line. Good ball skills and hips and does enough to compensate for not being the tallest corner in the world (he’s not short, mind you, just not tall). He has a very big future.
Safety
Deontay Greenberry (Fresno, Calif./Washington Union)We could have put Greenberry as one of the top performers at wide receiver for sure, but in this event, the Notre Dame commit was more rare making clutch interceptions on defense at safety. We think that Greenberry may even project a little higher at safety, though if he can match his showing out of pads this summer with a big year in pads, his stock will rise significantly.
DeVante Harris (Mesquite, Texas/Horn)
Harris, an Oklahoma commit, easily had the best day of any defensive back on Sunday. In a morning game, he had two interceptions and got his hands on two or three more passes during that particular game. In the semifinal and championship game, he made big plays as well- one big-time interception in the semifinals and multiple pass break-ups and in the finals- a trio of pass break-ups.
Athlete
Devonta Neal (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral)Neal may be the most versatile player at the event in that he made big plays both at receiver and cornerback on a consistent basis. As a corner, Neal has excellent hips and very good reaction when the ball is in the air. He had multiple pass break-ups, including one in particular near the end zone where his hand quickness and closing speed showed up. As a receiver, it’s all about his hands and speed and elusiveness after the catch. We’ve seen Neal a lot this summer and his stock is definitely on the rise. Whatever school lands him is getting a good one.
Cyrus Jones (Baltimore, Md./Gilman)
Jones is quick, quick, quick and fast, fast, fast. He’s versatile and can play both sides of the ball, but he shined the most on offense during this event, catching pass after pass and making big plays for a Midwest team that reached the finals. Jones isn’t the tallest player in the country, but that doesn’t matter. He backed up what we consider to be excellent film during this event and he will likely rise in our next rankings release. On the recruiting front- Alabama, Auburn, Maryland, Penn State, Virginia and others all are in the mix.
Corey Coleman (Richardson, Texas/Pearce)
Coleman backed up his studley showing at The Opening with another big showing. He got over the top on a number of occasions and scored a trio of long touchdowns on Sunday as his team captured the championship. He also took a few reps at nickel on Sunday and showed tremendous change-of-direction and closing speed. We feel like Coleman could be a cornerback or receiver on the next level with equal success. We also feel like he is another prospect in this class that will see his ranking shoot up in August. Coleman is currently committed to Baylor.
National Recruiting Analyst JC Shurburtt contributed to this report
Aggies tearing it up in Florida at the Gridiron Kings
Updated: July 24, 2011, 12:43 AM ET
USF, Texas A&M commits jump out
CB Chris Bivins, TE Sean Price bullish on Gridiron Kings during pool play
Saturday, July 23, 2011
TMZ breaks down Cedric Benson's roommate beat down
NFL Star's Alleged Beating Victim -- BLOODY Photo
Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson allegedly beat his roommate's face to a bloody oozing pulp, putting the guy in the HOSPITAL -- and TMZ has obtained a photo of the facial destruction.
As we previously reported, Cedric and his now ex-roommate -- a guy named Clavens Charles -- got into an argument last weekend in Texas over their living arrangements, when all of the sudden Benson allegedly rocked Charles in the face.
According to the police report, Benson allegedly continued to strike Charles "with several more closed fists all over Clavens face resulting in severe injury to his face."
Cedric's attorney released a statement, claiming the NFL star was provoked in the attack -- and Charles was exploiting the incident as an opportunity to extort the running back.
Charles' attorney shot back with his own statement, calling the alleged attack "an unprovoked, violent assault" ... DENYING the extortion claims -- insisting Charles hasn't made a single request for money since the incident.
According to his attorney, Charles has already incurred THOUSANDS of dollars in medical bills ... and still has further medical procedures pending.
As we previously reported, Cedric and his now ex-roommate -- a guy named Clavens Charles -- got into an argument last weekend in Texas over their living arrangements, when all of the sudden Benson allegedly rocked Charles in the face.
According to the police report, Benson allegedly continued to strike Charles "with several more closed fists all over Clavens face resulting in severe injury to his face."
Cedric's attorney released a statement, claiming the NFL star was provoked in the attack -- and Charles was exploiting the incident as an opportunity to extort the running back.
Charles' attorney shot back with his own statement, calling the alleged attack "an unprovoked, violent assault" ... DENYING the extortion claims -- insisting Charles hasn't made a single request for money since the incident.
According to his attorney, Charles has already incurred THOUSANDS of dollars in medical bills ... and still has further medical procedures pending.
See also
Aziz Shittu
July 21, 2011
7 0 Email0
MORE: 
Shittu's Recruit of the Week video, July 14 Rivals.com national analyst Mike Farrell caught up with five-star defensive tackle Aziz Shittu, who was the Rivals.com Recruit of the Week on July 14, for 10 questions:  |  |
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| Aziz Shittu is competing in the Top Gun Camp this week. |
What do you think are the strengths of your game and what would you like to work on to get better? 
I believe some of my strengths are my ability to find the football, also my first step is pretty good along with my get-off, but most importantly is my will to not be beaten and to not give up. Overall, I want to get better at all aspects of my game because there is never a perfect football player. But if I had to point out a few I would always like to stay low of contact, keep my feet moving and always use my hands and technique. When did you start playing football? Who is the biggest influence on you when it comes to football and why? I started playing football my freshman year of high school and pretty much I've always wanted to play but I never could because of the weight limit in Pop Warner. The biggest influences to me in football are all the friends I made playing and not wanting to let them down. You committed early to Stanford but then changed your mind and opened things up. What happened there? I just wanted to go through the whole process. I want to leave no stone unturned. What schools are you most interested in now and why? I have a lot of schools I'm interested in but to name a few it would be Cal, Washington, Texas A&M, USC, Stanford, Michigan and UCLA. All have the same thing in common with the chance to make an early impact for the school, along with getting a great degree and graduating. Now that you are ranked as a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, how has that changed the attention you've received from schools, classmates and others? It has been really cool people seeing it and "Oh, he's five-star" but it has also come with a lot of pressure to perform well and live up to all the expectations. But overall it's a true blessing that I've been given just to be able to showcase my talents like this. How do you focus on nutrition as an athlete and what supplements or special diets do you use to give you an edge? Right now I'd describe my nutrition and all that as sub-par because I don't have a diet and I don't use supplements or anything. I just kind of live because knowing in college things are going to get a lot more strict on all those things. I just try to enjoy my pre-college life. Do you talk with anyone about nutrition or diet and things like that to stay in top shape? Not really, just work out to keep in shape and let the rest just fall in place. I don't have a personal trainer or dietician or anything like that, it's just me and my teammates working out together and trying to do the best thing for us. What does a typical off-season day look like for you as far as exercise, weights and football training? A typical offseason day for me would start at 6 a.m., where we go through dynamic workouts and partake in football position drills with my team and then get a lot of cardio conditioning in before we head to the weight room. In the weight room we work a bigger, faster, stronger program and then later on in the evening I'd go to the local gym to put in a little extra work. All of this is with my teammates and we push each other. What are your goals for your senior year in high school and for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January? One of my main goals for my senior year is to finish off high school with the highest academic honors I can achieve and for football I want to get my team to a state championship and win it all. For the Army Bowl I just want to go out there and have a lot of fun, take it all in and gauge my competition for the next level. It will help me to set the bar for where I want to be. What is the best part about the recruiting process and why? What is the worst part and why? The best part about the recruiting process I'd say is being able to meet all these new people and building relationships, and seeing kids that are going through the same things you are. It's really all a neat experience. To me there is no worst part about recruiting. It's all just a blessing that I'm taking all in. There are plenty of kids that would love to be in my position right now, but may not have the ability or just be able to have the same options, and that's why I'm just truly grateful for everything I've been given and just really cherishing it all. Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Another SEC article
In the 24 hour news world that we live in, complicated issues too often get boiled down to buzz words. The reason is simple, reporters don’t want to take the time to do the research, and viewers don’t want to have to watch for an hour to understand what’s going on.
However, some issues need to be complicated, and this is one of them. To understand the current situation Texas A&M finds themselves in is to understand not only Texas A&M, but the University of Texas, ESPN, and perhaps even college football itself. And to truly gauge the issues require not only taking a look at the A&M and Texas rivalry, but at the very future of the game.
That understanding is where this story starts.
“If you think about it, a separate school network does not work unless it's public television, and they need all kinds of institutional and federal government funding. Last time I checked, the college athletic departments are not eligible,” Byrne wote.
He also included a sentence that now seems laughable, saying “(Texas) could have had their own network for the last 14 years of the Big 12 and so could we or any member of the conference. Our friends have been bringing their Longhorn Sports Network television mic flags around for years. Their stand alone network has still not happened yet.”
And to top it off, a line that now seems like foreshadowing.
“Even ESPN does not have enough live programming to fill its' schedule each day,” Byrne wrote.
But a separate school network is exactly what they got, as ESPN and the University of Texas agreed to a 20-year, 300-million dollar deal with ESPN handling the operations and distribution of the network.
That last part is the key. An issue with the Longhorn Network isn’t an issue with just Texas, but with ESPN itself. And there are issues aplenty.
The A&M decision makers not only underestimated the value of the potential Longhorn Network, but even after the deal was announced they didn’t really understand its ramifications. ESPN was now committed, in a big way, to making sure that the Longhorn Network succeeded.
That realization finally came in recent weeks when ESPN announced they would be broadcasting a second Big 12 game on the Longhorn Network. In order to do this, they’re not only forgoing showing the Longhorns on their own family of networks, but also had to be granted a waiver by Fox Sports Net, the other second tier rights holder to the Big 12.
All of that means that a game that would previously have been broadcast by either ESPN or Fox will now be carried exclusively by the Longhorn Network. Aside from the indignation that their opponent will feel about having their game broadcast on the network, the bigger concern at A&M is the level of dedication that this shows in getting the Longhorn Network off the ground.
This is a perfect example of why this issue can’t be boiled down into 140 characters tweets of “surely that is against NCAA rules!” Because it isn’t.
Remember that ESPN, and not Texas, operates the Longhorn Network. And Texas Athletic Director Deloss Dodds has already gone on record saying that Texas will not be making any decisions regarding which high school games would potentially be aired.
By doing that, he clears Texas of violating the relevant NCAA bylaw 13.10.2 (line c) which says that a prospective student athlete may not appear in any form on “A program for which a member of the institution’s athletics staff has been instrumental in arranging for the appearance of the prospective student-athlete or coach or related program material.”
As long as ESPN makes the decisions, then there is no current NCAA rule against broadcasting high school games. And since ESPN also covers recruiting, they don’t need the Texas staff to tell them which games to broadcast. It makes perfect sense that the first school rumored to be in talks about broadcasting a game is Brenham, home of 2012 Texas commits Tim Cole and Malcom Brown.
The question is, can Aggies do anything about it?
Why should Texas back down from acting in their own best interest? If there’s no NCAA rules against broadcasting high school games, then they should do it. Games featuring future Longhorns and the Lone Star State’s elite players would likely earn big ratings on the new network.
If Fox is allowing it, then why wouldn’t ESPN show every game they can on the Longhorn Network also? Anything else wouldn’t make sense from a business perspective.
But for the same reasons that Aggies can’t be shocked that those things are happening, Longhorns can’t be surprised that the Aggies are resolved to do something about it.
That’s why this issue has arisen again. Not because Aggie fans are upset that this fall’s Brenham game might be on the Longhorn Network, but because of the down-the-road implications of ESPN backing Texas on such a grand scale.
Realignment decisions aren’t made based on short-term financial windfalls or emotional distress. They’re made for the future, and that’s what Texas A&M’s decision makers must consider.
The Big 12 conference is shrinking in the face of a time where expansion seems almost certain to be the future. As political pressure mounts every year for a college football playoff, super conferences feeding into that playoff seem almost guaranteed to be part of college football’s not-too-distant future.
The conference also expects members to see a boost in revenue despite losing one of its largest markets, Denver and one of its most marketable teams, Nebraska, a summer ago. And while the current members may see a short term revenue gain, the long term deals will likely pale in comparison to the new Pac 12 and Big 10, who are both adding championship games while the Big 12 is losing its own.
A&M is already at a sizable financial disadvantage to Texas, and that only figures to grow as ESPN dedicates itself to the Longhorn network and the Texas brand.
First, you have to understand the A&M mentality here. Playing second fiddle to Texas has been fine for practically 100 years of Texas A&M’s existence. But it was the schools themselves, with their decisions, their culture and their locations that caused it. Texas, for the vast majority of its athletic history, has just been better than Texas A&M.
Now, however, it’s possibly an unbalanced system that challenges to keep the Aggies there. ESPN has chosen to push the Longhorns to new financial heights, and that’s something the Aggies cannot compete with in the current set up.
If the Aggies are going to compete with Texas on a consistent, long term basis, A&M needs to drastically shift how things operate in the state of Texas. The SEC represents that possibility.
Let’s start with the question that most people want to know, why does the SEC want Texas A&M?
That one is easy to explain. ESPN, like every other type of media, makes their money not only off of subscribers, but off of advertising. And despite i's athletic prowess, the SEC doesn't have many large media markets.
Texas would not only be the biggest state in SEC territory, but Houston, San Antonio and Dallas all compare favorably with the SEC’s current largest market in Atlanta. Jacksonville is second in the SEC yet well behind Austin, Fort Worth and El Paso. Nashville is third in the SEC yet behind all of those Texas cities. In fact, fewer than ten cities in SEC states have populations that are greater than Texas A&M’s estimated 280,000 living former students alone.
SEC viewership in the Lone Star State would go up significantly if the meaning of an Arkansas and LSU game hit closer to home.
Now to the other side, why would the Aggies want the SEC? The path to championships on the gridiron is certainly easier in the Big 12. The Aggies have shown in recent years that they aren’t yet ready to compete with the SEC. Further, it’s been 16 years since the Aggie last defeated an SEC opponent.
That view has its merits, but it’s short sighted. The view from those inside A&M that want to go to the SEC is forward thinking. This isn’t the Aggies of the early 2000s trying to compete in the SEC. It would be the Aggies of the future, armed with top-notch facilities across the board and a fan base that would be eager to prove they belong in their new conference.
No, if the Aggies are to take that road, it will be much longer than that. But they must first decide if they want to go down that path.
There’s something to be said for the Aggies staying put. Playing second fiddle to Texas has its benefits. Texas can’t be good every year, and the Aggies have never been better positioned to take up the reigns in those off years.
The Big 12 is also safer. Kansas, Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas State and Missouri pose no real long term threats to the upper half of the conference. Texas A&M is also in a favorable situation financially in the coming years compared to Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
But there’s simply no way that A&M, or Oklahoma for that matter, can compete with Texas in the long term because of the inequity of the ESPN deal. To do that, Aggies are going to have to change the playing field.
Moving to the SEC would give the Aggie brand a new twist. SEC football isn’t only attractive to recruits, but to fans also. The Aggies would be the only school waving the flag of the Lone Star State in the nation’s premier conference. The effects of that move beyond just TV set numbers, but to ticket numbers and merchandising. If the Aggies want to truly compete on Texas’ financial level, that’s what they have to be thinking.
If the Aggies do decide to move, it will be controversial. The Longhorns will paint them as the bad guys that ripped apart some of the traditional rivalries in the state. And the move will not only be played out in the athletic realm, but will reach into the worlds of academics and politics as well. They have to decide that the move is worth the fallout.
That’s the quandary facing Aggie decision makers. It is not a simple move determined because of an emotional reaction to Brenham games being shown on Thusday night cable.
The Aggies can break away to the SEC and start trying to level the playing field with Texas, but the road would not be an easy one, and there’s no guarantee that the Aggies will succeed in their new conference.
But what if they do?
The Aggies were surprised by ESPN's investment in the Longhorn Network.
That understanding is where this story starts.
The Longhorn Network and the Big 12
Call it ignorance, or call it naiveté, but the decision makers at Texas A&M vastly underestimated the potential of a dedicated University of Texas channel a year ago. In fact, A&M Athletic Bill Byrne wrote about the potential of a Longhorn network last June in his “Wednesday Weekly,”“If you think about it, a separate school network does not work unless it's public television, and they need all kinds of institutional and federal government funding. Last time I checked, the college athletic departments are not eligible,” Byrne wote.
He also included a sentence that now seems laughable, saying “(Texas) could have had their own network for the last 14 years of the Big 12 and so could we or any member of the conference. Our friends have been bringing their Longhorn Sports Network television mic flags around for years. Their stand alone network has still not happened yet.”
And to top it off, a line that now seems like foreshadowing.
“Even ESPN does not have enough live programming to fill its' schedule each day,” Byrne wrote.
Texas AD Deloss Dodds has already been in talks about broadcasting high school games.
That last part is the key. An issue with the Longhorn Network isn’t an issue with just Texas, but with ESPN itself. And there are issues aplenty.
The A&M decision makers not only underestimated the value of the potential Longhorn Network, but even after the deal was announced they didn’t really understand its ramifications. ESPN was now committed, in a big way, to making sure that the Longhorn Network succeeded.
That realization finally came in recent weeks when ESPN announced they would be broadcasting a second Big 12 game on the Longhorn Network. In order to do this, they’re not only forgoing showing the Longhorns on their own family of networks, but also had to be granted a waiver by Fox Sports Net, the other second tier rights holder to the Big 12.
All of that means that a game that would previously have been broadcast by either ESPN or Fox will now be carried exclusively by the Longhorn Network. Aside from the indignation that their opponent will feel about having their game broadcast on the network, the bigger concern at A&M is the level of dedication that this shows in getting the Longhorn Network off the ground.
Live from your local high school...
If they weren’t looking to ruffle feathers, then this is the issue that they probably should have kept quiet for as long as possible. The Longhorn Network is already in discussions with the NCAA and the governing body of Texas high school athletics, the University Interscholastic League (which was founded by the University of Texas) to work out the possibility of televising Texas high school football games.This is a perfect example of why this issue can’t be boiled down into 140 characters tweets of “surely that is against NCAA rules!” Because it isn’t.
Brenham, home of Texas commit Malcom Brown is already being rumored to appear on the network.
By doing that, he clears Texas of violating the relevant NCAA bylaw 13.10.2 (line c) which says that a prospective student athlete may not appear in any form on “A program for which a member of the institution’s athletics staff has been instrumental in arranging for the appearance of the prospective student-athlete or coach or related program material.”
As long as ESPN makes the decisions, then there is no current NCAA rule against broadcasting high school games. And since ESPN also covers recruiting, they don’t need the Texas staff to tell them which games to broadcast. It makes perfect sense that the first school rumored to be in talks about broadcasting a game is Brenham, home of 2012 Texas commits Tim Cole and Malcom Brown.
Unrest in Aggieland
Texas fans will say that Aggies are jealous, and that’s exactly right. They’re jealous of the success that Texas has enjoyed over the last decade, and they’re jealous of the power that they’re now wielding with the backing of ESPN.The question is, can Aggies do anything about it?
Why should Texas back down from acting in their own best interest? If there’s no NCAA rules against broadcasting high school games, then they should do it. Games featuring future Longhorns and the Lone Star State’s elite players would likely earn big ratings on the new network.
If Fox is allowing it, then why wouldn’t ESPN show every game they can on the Longhorn Network also? Anything else wouldn’t make sense from a business perspective.
It's the future, not the present, that has Aggies worried about the Big 12.
That’s why this issue has arisen again. Not because Aggie fans are upset that this fall’s Brenham game might be on the Longhorn Network, but because of the down-the-road implications of ESPN backing Texas on such a grand scale.
Realignment decisions aren’t made based on short-term financial windfalls or emotional distress. They’re made for the future, and that’s what Texas A&M’s decision makers must consider.
The Big 12 conference is shrinking in the face of a time where expansion seems almost certain to be the future. As political pressure mounts every year for a college football playoff, super conferences feeding into that playoff seem almost guaranteed to be part of college football’s not-too-distant future.
The conference also expects members to see a boost in revenue despite losing one of its largest markets, Denver and one of its most marketable teams, Nebraska, a summer ago. And while the current members may see a short term revenue gain, the long term deals will likely pale in comparison to the new Pac 12 and Big 10, who are both adding championship games while the Big 12 is losing its own.
A&M is already at a sizable financial disadvantage to Texas, and that only figures to grow as ESPN dedicates itself to the Longhorn network and the Texas brand.
Why the SEC?
Now it’s time to discuss the rumors at hand, A&M’s flirtations with the Southeastern Conference. But again, this issue isn’t a simple one.Auburn, as well as the four previous BCS Champions have all come from the SEC.
Now, however, it’s possibly an unbalanced system that challenges to keep the Aggies there. ESPN has chosen to push the Longhorns to new financial heights, and that’s something the Aggies cannot compete with in the current set up.
If the Aggies are going to compete with Texas on a consistent, long term basis, A&M needs to drastically shift how things operate in the state of Texas. The SEC represents that possibility.
Let’s start with the question that most people want to know, why does the SEC want Texas A&M?
That one is easy to explain. ESPN, like every other type of media, makes their money not only off of subscribers, but off of advertising. And despite i's athletic prowess, the SEC doesn't have many large media markets.
Texas would not only be the biggest state in SEC territory, but Houston, San Antonio and Dallas all compare favorably with the SEC’s current largest market in Atlanta. Jacksonville is second in the SEC yet well behind Austin, Fort Worth and El Paso. Nashville is third in the SEC yet behind all of those Texas cities. In fact, fewer than ten cities in SEC states have populations that are greater than Texas A&M’s estimated 280,000 living former students alone.
SEC viewership in the Lone Star State would go up significantly if the meaning of an Arkansas and LSU game hit closer to home.
Now to the other side, why would the Aggies want the SEC? The path to championships on the gridiron is certainly easier in the Big 12. The Aggies have shown in recent years that they aren’t yet ready to compete with the SEC. Further, it’s been 16 years since the Aggie last defeated an SEC opponent.
The Choices
The internet was abuzz earlier this week as people read the Board of Regents would be having a section of their executive session to talk about the Big 12 Conference. However, further reading of the agenda shows that the meeting is about the legal issues of the conference, and not an SEC strategy session as many Aggies had hoped.No, if the Aggies are to take that road, it will be much longer than that. But they must first decide if they want to go down that path.
There’s something to be said for the Aggies staying put. Playing second fiddle to Texas has its benefits. Texas can’t be good every year, and the Aggies have never been better positioned to take up the reigns in those off years.
The Big 12 is also safer. Kansas, Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas State and Missouri pose no real long term threats to the upper half of the conference. Texas A&M is also in a favorable situation financially in the coming years compared to Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
But there’s simply no way that A&M, or Oklahoma for that matter, can compete with Texas in the long term because of the inequity of the ESPN deal. To do that, Aggies are going to have to change the playing field.
Moving to the SEC would give the Aggie brand a new twist. SEC football isn’t only attractive to recruits, but to fans also. The Aggies would be the only school waving the flag of the Lone Star State in the nation’s premier conference. The effects of that move beyond just TV set numbers, but to ticket numbers and merchandising. If the Aggies want to truly compete on Texas’ financial level, that’s what they have to be thinking.
If the Aggies do decide to move, it will be controversial. The Longhorns will paint them as the bad guys that ripped apart some of the traditional rivalries in the state. And the move will not only be played out in the athletic realm, but will reach into the worlds of academics and politics as well. They have to decide that the move is worth the fallout.
That’s the quandary facing Aggie decision makers. It is not a simple move determined because of an emotional reaction to Brenham games being shown on Thusday night cable.
The Aggies can break away to the SEC and start trying to level the playing field with Texas, but the road would not be an easy one, and there’s no guarantee that the Aggies will succeed in their new conference.
But what if they do?
National News
SEC commissioner Mike Slive made an offhand comment during SEC media days Wednesday when asked about building a superconference: "I could get to 16 (teams) in 15 minutes."
Apparently, that's not an exaggeration.
A few minutes after Slive's comment came across Twitter, Matt Hayes of the Sporting News reported that Texas A&M and Oklahoma are inquiring about making a move to the SEC.
A source told Sporting News Wednesday that both Texas A&M and Oklahoma are so concerned about rival Texas gaining a recruiting advantage with the newly-formed Longhorn Network, the two institutions could turn to the SEC if the problems can't be figured out. The core issue: The Longhorn Network will televise live high school football games in the state of Texas, an obvious recruiting advantage for Texas.
SEC commissioner Mike Slive said Wednesday that he will "continue to do what is in the best interest of the SEC."
"It is my job to make sure the SEC is the premiere league," Slive said. "For me to exclude any action that would preclude that from happening would be inappropriate."
The Longhorn Network took center stage this week as A&M questioned whether the network showing Texas high school games violates NCAA rules. According to Title 13, Section 10 of the NCAA rulebook, colleges are prohibited from arranging radio or TV appearances for prospective student-athletes and prohibits schools from allowing prospects on shows conducted by coaches or shows in which coaches are participating.
Even if the NCAA doesn't find any wrongdoing with the network, both A&M and OU aren't happy and fear that Texas' monopoly over the airwaves could ultimately become a monopoly over the conference and create an unfair advantage all around.
Back in January, Oklahoma kicked around the idea of starting its own network and is still in the process of finding a backer that is willing to give the same (or similar) 20-year, $300-million deal that ESPN gave Texas. That kind of safety net is the lynchpin in OU's model, but not many entities are willing to fork over the cash.
"We know that we'll have potentially a different model than the one that people keep hearing about in regards to the University of Texas," Castiglione told the Tulsa World. "We have to build one that's sustainable for the University of Oklahoma. This isn't like you can go out and just buy a network. This is a commodity. This is a very big undertaking ...
"And so we understand what we are trying to develop here. We've been looking at this for several years."
If A&M and Oklahoma join the SEC, the individual networks are probably off the table, but they'll be a part of a conference that has deals with CBS and ESPN already in place. Slive said there are clauses in both contracts that allow the SEC to renegotiate should membership change. The markets both Oklahoma and A&M bring would greatly add to the exposure of the conference and warrant a much bigger television deal. Moreover, with greater reach, the SEC could easily start thinking about its own network similar to the Big Ten and Pac-12.
BIg 12 poll
Big 12 Announces Media Preseason Football Poll
Release:07/20/2011
by Big12Sports.com
by Big12Sports.com
781820
Oklahoma was chosen to repeat as Big 12 champion in the 2011 Big 12 Football Preseason Poll, voted on by media representatives who cover the Conference.
The Sooners received 41 first-place votes and totaled 428 points. A narrow gap of two points separated the next two positions as Texas A&M finished in second with one first-place vote and 362 points. Oklahoma State was picked third, also garnering a first-place vote and registering 360 points.
OU, OSU and TAMU tied for the South division title in 2010 - the final season of division standings.
Missouri (281 points) and Texas (265 points) rounded out the top five of the preseason poll. The Tigers tied for the North division title last season.
Oklahoma leads the Big 12 with seven Conference championships (2000, '02, '04, '06, '07, '08 and '10). The Sooners were picked first in the South division nine times in previous media preseason polls and finished the season at the top in six of those years.
Head coaches and selected student-athletes will converge in Dallas from July 25-26 for the annual Big 12 Football Media Days. Live video coverage, including press conferences and one-on-one interviews with a variety of guests, will be featured both days on Big12Sports.com.Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll
| 1. | Oklahoma (41) | 428 |
| 2. | Texas A&M (1) | 362 |
| 3. | Oklahoma State (1) | 360 |
| 4. | Missouri | 281 |
| 5. | Texas | 265 |
| 6. | Baylor | 194 |
| 7. | Texas Tech | 191 |
| 8. | Kansas State | 140 |
| 9. | Iowa State | 93 |
| 10. | Kansas | 51 |
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