All's mostly quiet on the Orson Charles front

The recruitment of Plant tight end/receiver Orson Charles has slowed down a bit. And that's by design. "During the season, we really don't allow our kids to do too much with colleges," Panthers coach Robert Weiner said.

Charles (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) did, however, take an unofficial visit to Miami last week for the UM-Florida State game. And two weekends ago, he went with teammate Aaron Murray to Georgia.

Charles, whom Rivals.com rates as the nation's No. 2 tight end, has scholarship offers from dozens of major programs, notably Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan and USF. No new offers have come in recently, but Weiner thinks that might change very soon.

During Plant's recent off week, Weiner put together an updated highlight film of Charles in action. The senior currently has 18 catches for 394 yards and six touchdowns, so one would think his play might get the attention of the few big-time programs that have yet to offer.

"His (film) is very impressive," Weiner said.

Ohio State and Southern California are among the programs that will be getting that film.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Comments

[Panther Fan]

Orson Charles Rocks!

Orson is at the top of every D1 school's list. He's a great talent and he's a great person. He's going to have an incredible future wherever he goes.

GO ORSON! GO PANTHERS!

[John]

An article about no activity...that's newsworthy. Out of all the possible prospects in Hills that are getting activity...you write an article about no activity. You already wrote an article saying he was waiting for Miami to offer, then reported they did offer, and now he is still sending out film after dozens more offers so what school is he waiting on? That would be a story not "all's quiet." If your school of choice offers and you choose to not commit, you are being misled by your coach for the benefit of continuing to bring attention to his program with the "suspense" of your choice while you risk an injury that could risk your scholarship opportunities.

[Keith Niebuhr]

Relax ... we hadn't done an update on Charles in weeks. People have asked me what the deal was, so I put in a call. I'm pretty sure we've given ink to just about every big recruit in the area this fall. And my question is this: If it's not newsworthy, why spend so much time commenting?

[lol]

Ooo.. John.. just walk away. You been told.

Word was some schools are actually backing away, not sure where he would play.

[ORSON CHARLES IS A GOD]

The REAL word is that the D1 schools just keep knocking on his door. At his last game FSU's TE coach personal came down and stood on the Plant sidelines just to watch him dominate Riverview.

Of course Orson only played the first half since all of the starters were pulled after the 1st half. They don't want to get people upset by "running up the score".

The "people" that have been asking Keith what the deal is, are probably Plant people.

[PLANT! PLANT! PLANT!]

The whining little Plant hater still doesn't have a life. You're always the first one with a negative post.

Why aren't you using any of your usual pen names sweety? How many scholoarship offers did you get? Oh that's right the "doctors" don't let you out of the house.

Yes - John's right. What's so important about getting AS MANY AS POSSIBLE offers. Only one offer from the school you want to go to is the important one. Anything else has got to be an ego trip.

Orson,

You are the man. So glad that you got away from that dismal offense at Riverview. I know that you are having fun now. Thanks for coming to the South side.

[Panther Fan]

"5:38" and "John" must both be right because we all know that the less offers a player gets the more likely he is to get the top offers...

You Plant-haters are pathetic! You just can't stand the fact that a talented kid has the world by the b@!!z. EVERY SINGLE MAJOR D1 school in the country wants him to play on their program.

Orson deserves the attention and we are all very happy for him just like we are for every kid that gets an opportunity to continue to excel at the next level athletically or academically.

[John]

Let me be clear to all the Plant-a-maniacs that appraently can't read. I said nothing negative about Charles, he is a great player that deserves a major D-1 opportunity. Every team wishes they had a receiver like him. My point was 2 fold- one, that "no activity" is not a story. #2- If you know where you want to go and are offered from that school, not committing and securing your future is risking your whole future to a possible injury during the senoir season. If a coach is not recommending his player to commit to the school he wants to go and has been offered from then maybe the coach is more interested in using the kid to highlight his program instead of putting the best interests of the kid first. The paper repoted Charles wanted Miami, then reported Miami offered...the story should not be no activity but rather "why not accept Miami's offer?"

[JOHNNY BOY]

John shut the ^*%$ up please. You know nothing about what is going on with Orson Charles or what is going on behind the scenes.

[Panther Fan]

John said, "maybe the coach is more interested in using the kid to highlight his program instead of putting the best interests of the kid first."

John,
you have no idea what you are talking about.

1) Orson made it clear that before his family moved into Plant’s no one was interested in him to play in college. Orson said, "People really didn't know who I was before," Charles said. "I had wanted to go to Plant since my rising junior year, but my coach (at Riverview) made a promise to me and I made a promise to him, but he broke it."

2) Since the new coaching staff came in a few years ago, Plant has more kids playing football in college than any other program in the area except possibly Armwood. The coaches at Plant spend unbelievable amounts of their own time ALL YEAR LONG reaching out to the coaches at all levels, all over the country to promote these kids.

By the way, they also recommend kids from other area programs as well. I can tell you with firsthand knowledge that a lot of kids are playing football in college in D1 and D2 and even in community colleges that never would have had a chance in any other program.

Unless you have the facts you should shut your pie-hole.

His family moved? Then why does his sister still go to Riverview?

[Recruiting Watch]

Typical Plant recruiting result. His little sister goes to Riverview while he plays at Plant?? What is this, another "hardship case" like Dungy? Inquiring minds want to know.

[John]

Hey Johnny Boy, since apparently you know what is "going on behind the scenes" then let's hear it, otherwise maybe you should also zip it. I am stating a position of recommending that if an athlete has an offer from the school he wants to go to, forget the fanfare and secure your future instead of risking a freak injury that could end a chance at a free college education. If a coach is not recommending that same advice, I'd like to hear why. This would be a great article about recruting and how different coaches around our county feel towards verbal commits. It is my understanding if an athlete is offered, verbal commits, does not take any other visits, then even if injured during the senior year the scholarship is honored by that school. Someone offered by their dream school to gamble $100K in 5 years of college tuition for 5 minutes of blog fame headlines is ignorant. If Charles is seeking to go to USC or Ohio State and has not been offered yet, then great- I hope and believe he deserves to play at either. What is so secretive or "behind the scenes" about that? But if a kid has his dream offer and is advised by his coach not to take it so he can continue to build suspense and get articles written regarding his recruiting then that coach is not advising in the athlete's best interests; whether that is happening at Plant I don't know...maybe you know since you're "behind the scenes." Someone please do an article of the local county coaches postions on verbal commits and possibly some college recruiters opinions on verbal commits so it is clear where coaches and schools stand. That would be a good article.

[Little Do you Know!?]

Orson Charles does not have a little sister. He has cousins, but no little sister!!!!