Bulls still in play for top recruits

USF already has a recruiting class that ranks fifth in the Big East, but the next nine days are a huge opportunity for a class that could be ranked much higher.

How much is still in play for the Bulls? Consider that of USF's in-state commitments, only one -- Miami Northwestern linebacker/safety Quavon Taylor -- was ranked in the Orlando Sentinel's top 100 state prospects (he was No. 78). The Bulls, however, are among the final choices for six prospects ranked in the Sentinel's top 70.

Topping the potential Bulls at No. 17 is Hialeah defensive lineman Cory Liuget, who visited USF this weekend despite a commitment to Illinois; joining him this weekend is the No. 24 prospect, Miami Northwestern receiver Tommy Streeter, arguably the biggest talent you could call USF a favorite to get. B.J. Daniels, the quarterback from Tallahassee Lincoln who visited USF a week ago, is No. 29, Pahokee receiver Tay Odoms is No. 53, Largo cornerback Leonard Johnson is No. 54 and Plant receiver Derek Winter is No. 70. Again, I wouldn't rule USF out on any of those kids. USF will oversign, knowing some signees who fail to qualify will be placed at junior colleges, and others could be nudged into deferring enrollment until January, moving them to next year's class.

I can't remember a year in which USF was in the hunt for so many kids who say they're waiting until national signing day (Feb. 6) to announce their decision. That could make for a huge late windfall for the Bulls, or could leave them scrambling for backup choices at key positions. The visits are largely completed so much of the real work in recruiting these kids is now done. ...

-- Just in case you were doubting the leg of USF commitment Maikon Bonani from Lake Wales, here's a nugget from the Lakeland Ledger. During a soccer district tournament game last week, he sent an indirect kick 65 yards -- the story calls it "stunning," and the kick bounced over the goalie into the net. Only reason it wasn't a goal was that it wasn't touched by a player. To top that, a day later, Bonani went double duty in penalty kicks, nailing one for Lake Wales, then lining up in goal against Kathleen. Lake Wales opens the playoffs at home on Tuesday.

-- I don't know that running back was anything of a priority in USF's recruiting this season, with Georgia's Demetris Murray committed early and three of the top four backs being freshmen in 2007, but UCF picked up a nice commitment Sunday in Largo's Brynn Harvey, who rushed for a Pinellas County record 2,581 yards as a senior. USF has heavily recruited his teammate, cornerback Leonard Johnson, so the Bulls are well aware of Harvey's talents. With Kevin Smith leaving for the NFL Draft, UCF is an easy sell to talented running backs looking for playing time.

-- Remember, too, that three of USF's most highly touted recruits are junior college players who won't show up on best-of-Florida lists despite being from the state. Rivals.com's list of the top 100 junior college recruits includes three future Bulls: defensive end David Bedford ranks 10th, receiver Anthony Jones is 39th and linebacker Kion Wilson, already enrolled at USF this month, is 77th. It looks like USF did little to pursue former Middleton star O.J. Murdock (ranked 87th), who sought to transfer directly to the Bulls from South Carolina last summer and spent this fall at Pearl River in Mississippi. He's headed to Marshall.

Comments

[steve oneal]

Thanks for the update Greg. This answers my earlier question about signing day and I'm sure the bullsclub will sponsor some sort of signing day event at some local sports bar. They usually do. Good luck and GO BULLS!

[G.A.]

Got an e-mail asking about Greg Shaw, the offensive lineman from Miami Pace, who the Sentinel has ranked 39th. He did visit USF and has mentioned the Bulls as still being in consideration, but at this point, I think he's headed to LSU, or perhaps West Virginia. If he picks USF, you guys can come back to me on this, but I don't see it happening.

[Jim Johnson]

Steve,

The USF Alumni Association's Tampa Chapter and USF Bulls Club partner on the event every year.

For info on this year's event:

http://www.usfalumni.net/tampa

[KC]

Any updates on...
Jovantae Boyd DT
Orhian Johnson QB
Mar Odoms WR

I hope we don't miss out on Johnson. A great talent. Defensive Player of the year as a Soph and then solid QB after switching as a junior. Our kind of athelete.

[G.A.]

The Times' Bob Putnam reported Monday that USF is no longer in the picture for Boyd. Johnson and Odoms remain definite possibilities for USF -- Johnson would join a talented group of young corners, while Odoms has the kind of speed at receiver USF could really use to stretch defenses down the field.

[Brendan]

I've seen Brynn Harvey play in person and if he can do the things he's done at Largo at UCF, he will be trouble in a year or two.

[KC]

Thanks G.A.
Would be nice for the Bulls to finish strong.

Boyd could have helped put some size on the D line, which we need...

You should do a story on the strength coach at USF and their off season weight program and ther results.

[Dave W]

Odoms would solve our return problems (Marcus Edwards had way too many catching issues last season and Jerome Murphy will be a full-time CB, so he may be subject to overuse). Johnson doesn't solve the QB problem (only Daniels can do that), but he is a football player first and foremost, just like Nate Allen. He'll be good almost anywhere. Now that I think about it, could he be a good return man?

Harvey just isn't needed. With Murray coming in, I think that RB is the absolute last concern at this point. Leonard Johnson would be nice, though.

Boyd was important- I think that the size of the front 7 is going to be a problem next year, especially against Kansas and Pitt.

I think Bonani will make Ari happy. I like him at PK and Delbert at P next year. Brockhaus can redshirt and then put hopefully finally put the kicking game concerns to bed for a few years.

[Jim]

O.J Murdock is a problem, that is why USF ignored him.

[Eric]

People also have to realize that some of the guys that we go after have the talent to go to miami but there is a physical difference between them and the guy who is 20 lbs heavier. I think everyone is going to be very happy with our recruiting this year.

[KC]

Good point Eric...that is why a story on our strength and conditioning program would be cool...and an inside look at our training facilities and how they compare. How 'bout it G.A.?

Blogging is fun but how about a good in depth story now and then?

[G.A.]

K.C., you a subscriber? Lots of in-depth stories written all the time. ... what in particular do you want written about the strength and conditioning folks?

[Tom]

I'm surprised Harvey wasn't more highly recruited, he was good. Murray may be better but I haven't seen enough of both of them. Streeter is A. Jackson except a natural WR, hope we sign him. We need to get L. Johnson he's an athlete from the area.

[local]

I played against L. Johnson's dad in highschool. His dad wasn't physical or tough, ala patrick white and slayton, but he was a slippery, fast, athletic, guy that was hard to tackle. I hope his son is tougher and more physical if he signs with USF and plays DB.

[KC]

Yes I am a subscriber even though I live in Orlando..but the Sentinel is horrible and I need my USF coverage...it's tough living in UCF/Fantasy land. You guys do a great job so no dig intended. As far as the strength program...I think we have taken a lot of undersized kids and got them in shape to play big time college football which is a testament to their training and conditioning. I have heard so much about the new facility but nothing about how it compares to other Big East programs or even our in state peers. I may have to visit the facility if they will let a booster take a tour.

By the way what happened with the recruitment of Jamarcus Allen from Boone HS in Orlando? Is he an academic risk or got other issues?

Seems lots of Boone followers think he was mistreated.

Keep up the good work.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Greg just did an in depth story on USF football and its past recruiting success.

It talked about USF's ability to find players that fly under the radar and turn them into national and conference elites.

George Selvie.
Mike Jenkins
Ben Moffit
etc.

It was a good stoy too

[Smooth]

Jamarcus Allen tried to commit to USF but USF did not accept his commitment, they are not interested in him

[KC]

I read that one.
There are a lot of other stories like that.
Walter Walker converting from a defensive tackle to a OT. And Nick Copogna going from DE and TE to Center. He only weighed 230 lbs out of high school and put on 35 lbs to handle the war in the trenches...all good stories that the casual fan misses. The football junkies can't get enough of that stuff.

[G.A.]

KC, thanks. Pretty sure Walt Walker was an o-lineman when he got to USF -- I've never seen him on the other side of the ball. Capogna story? Here's a link:

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/07/17/Sports/See_food_diet_adds_bu.shtml

Definitely take the facility tour if you can. It's an impressive building. USF's been in there since I got on the beat in 2004, so I don't have a reference point when I get the stories about the bowels of the Sun Dome and abandoned trailers.

Smooth pretty much has the JaMarcus Allen deal figured out.

[JoeB]

Boyd sounds like another Claude Davis. I don't think he'd help the Bulls out in '08 with our depth issues on the DL.

[Dave W]

KC- how about Josh Julmiste's profile on Scout (Nike Combine)- 207#, 5.04 40...and a WR. When he was booted, he was over 250 and faster...at DE. Something doesn't add up.

Anyways, where we are now, we can't take fliers on really small linemen like Allen. We have 2 years left of Grothe, and 1 year left with T-Mac, Brouce, and probably Selvie. Ford is eligible to leave as well. Basically, we should be in a win now mode, looking for players who can help immediately instead of project players. That explains the focus on JUCO players (5 this year at key positions).

GA- here's a question for you and everyone else- what is the single strongest factor working against USF in recruiting? I think it's just a lack of tradition, and as we win more games, it explains why this is our best class yet. But are there other potentially other obstacles?

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Dave,
Have you been to a game in Gainesville?

Its electric. If I was a high school kid and I knew I could play for the gators in the swamp, it would be tough to turn down.

Have you seen the facilities in Tally?

They are the Taj Mahal of college athletics. They have mutiple national titles and stadium that seats 90K.

CJL does make a point. USF really hasn't had very many quality transfers from SEC schools.

Other then Kwaki Mitchell and Chad Barnhardt, most of them have been flops.

[Mike beau]

Greg,

you didn't have to see the trailers to know how bad facilities were. Go into some of the Sundome hallways and imagine football players trying to walk through there in full pads after practice.

I still remember standing in the hallway right before my high school graduation started and the football team walked by us after practice. Those hallways are like narrow caves to FB players in full pads. And I'd imagine 50+ trying to change in locker rooms designed for 12 basketball players is even worse.

Thinking back on my time at USF, and seeing Jim Leavitt walk from the dome to the trailers, we are extremely lucky he has stuck it out.

[E.T. Thomas]

Regarding flops from SEC school transfers ... Mitchell & Barnhardt were during our 1AA days. I think it shows how far we've gone when the other 2 UF transfers(that were backups there) did not break seriously into the 2 Deep and didn't even pan out.

USF recruiting has a long ways to go, but we already are getting athletes that will win us a Big East title. Our depth will only improve.

Go BULLS !!!

[Kevin]

Greg,

What is up with the Dining Hall that CJL wants? Why can't this get done?

[941]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[steve oneal]

Thanks for the link to the signing party at splitsville, Jim. See you there. GO BULLS!

[G.A.]

Kevin, the dining hall's going on the side of the Sun Dome, so it's getting rolled into the overall arena renovations, which are in the works.

[Hello]

Hey Ari, Mike Jenkins wasn't flying under anyone's radar coming out of HS. Maybe you were still to young to know, but he was hotly sought after and probably Leavitt's first major, major coup. Signed him away from Auburn and Nebraska.

His successes are not surprising, he was a track star, and big time player out of Sarasota.

[Hello]

Hey Ari, Mike Jenkins wasn't flying under anyone's radar coming out of HS. Maybe you were still to young to know, but he was hotly sought after and probably Leavitt's first major, major coup. Signed him away from Auburn and Nebraska.

His successes are not surprising, he was a track star, and big time player out of Sarasota.

[KC]

Looks like QB - B.J. Daniels has narrowed his list to 3...Memphis, Michigan, and USF.

Hopefully we are in the top 2.