(Update: Since we've posted this, we've learned enough that we're not going to count Josh Price as a USF commitment yet. Price wants to be at USF, and USF is very interested in Price, but our understanding is that he needs to make more progress academically, both with entrance-exam scores and grade-point average, before he should be counted as a USF commitment. So for now, we're not counting him toward USF's commitment count, though it's clear he wants to be a Bull.)
USF's success on the football field continues to have immediate results in recruiting, as the Bulls got a commitment from Jacksonville defensive back Josh Price, the third three-star recruit to commit in the last two weeks.
Price, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound recruit from Jacksonville's Parker High, called his pledge a "soft" one, but only because he told safeties coach Troy Douglas, also from Jacksonvile, and hasn't yet told USF coach Jim Leavitt.
"You can put it down as a verbal," he said Thursday. "The program is up and coming, close to home and I really like the coaches. Their starting corners are both seniors, so I'll have a chance to compete right away."
Price has played corner and safety for Parker, and said his other top choices were Clemson, Central Florida and Kentucky. He drew interest from West Virginia and Louisville, but said they were too far away from him to consider seriously. He said he needs to improve his entrance exam scores in order to meet the NCAA's minimum requirements for initial eligibility.
Price knows a few other young Bulls defensive backs from Jacksonville, such as current redshirt freshman Dylan Douglas, as well as Mandarin grad Charlton Sinclair, who signed with the Bulls last year but wasn't cleared by the NCAA. Sinclair, by the way, said this week he's already improved his test scores enough that he can enroll in January, though the Bulls have room to add one more midyear addition and have it rolled back to count toward the 2007 class.
Price gets three stars from Scout.com and two from Rivals.com -- we know how those things can get tweaked -- and is the third three-star to commit since USF's win against West Virginia, joining junior college receiver Anthony Jones and defensive end Anthony Mains. Price had initially planned to attend Saturday's UCF game but said he didn't call for tickets in time and is likely going to wait until the Cincinnati game on Nov. 3.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
Greg I think you should count him as a verbal commit. Whether he ultimately makes it or not is too early to know. I assume that we don't know if the other 12 verbals will qualify or not, so why single out one kid who has a scholarship offer and has verbaled?
Posted by: Sanjay | October 12, 2007 at 07:48 AM
I wanna see us getting some of the blue chip guys and compete with all the other teams recruiting in florida.
Posted by: Kyle | October 12, 2007 at 02:01 AM
Tom, I think you got me. The score is tied. Keep posting. I'll be watching.
Posted by: G.A. | October 11, 2007 at 09:51 PM
Hey greg,
"He drew interest from West Virginia and Louisville, but said they were too far away from him to consider seriously." Did you mean to put "for" instead of "from?" Sorry but I had to get you back for that "compisition" thing you commented about me. You are the best at covering USF sports though. Go Bulls!
Posted by: Tom | October 11, 2007 at 09:15 PM
Why is everyone saying IF he makes it in?????He can be a Dec. Grad.
Posted by: Tampaboi | October 11, 2007 at 07:46 PM
Only 3 stars? And he can't read? Leavitt found a good one here, he he. Until Leavitt starts recruiting 5 star Rhodes scholars, the school will just be for thugs and FSHS rejects.
Ok, I can only play cee for so long. Why doesn't everyone else come with a cee impersonation, since he hasn't shown his hide in such a long time. Maybe Steve can come up with a good haiku.
My take on the recruit is that if he can get in, we may have found a good one. But look at his picture on Scout- he's Troy Polamalu's illegitimate step-son. The hair means he'll be good.
Posted by: Dave- posing as cee | October 11, 2007 at 06:23 PM
Greg,
In case you didn't see it or someone didn't pick up on it.
ESPN's first take -- the morning show hosted by Jay Crawford...
They had a round panel discussion this morning and said that they believe the National title game will be LSU v South Florida.
It was a bit shocking.
Posted by: Ari | October 11, 2007 at 05:37 PM
He picked USF because it was the only school he could get into academically.
He really wanted to go to Alabama or Florida State
Posted by: Ari | October 11, 2007 at 04:50 PM
He supposedly has 4.4 speed too. Hopefully he can get in.
Posted by: Sanjay | October 11, 2007 at 04:34 PM