It's official: 6-foot-11 Akol joins Bulls' class

Teeng Akol is in.

The 6-foot-11, 225-pound power forward from Sudan, who committed to USF last month, has earned the necessary test scores to officially sign with the Bulls and will start summer classes Monday. It's a big boost to a recruiting class now seven players deep, and Stan Heath said it's a significant step for Akol, months before he ever plays a college game.

"His background is incredible. He's had a unique path to get to this point," Heath said. "He's a Sudanese refugee, but he's persevered. To be in college, it's a dream of his."

Akol continues a major revamping of the power forward position, along with fellow freshman Eladio Espinosa and Maryland transfer Gus Gilchrist, who will join his new teammates Saturday. Heath said upgrading that position was a priority in USF's recruiting efforts.

"That was an area where I felt we were a little overwhelmed in a lot of games last year, especially in the Big East," he said. "It definitely was a focus to plug that hole, and I feel like we've addressed that very well."

Heath said Akol's strength will be his versatility, with range to step out and hit a 3-pointer, but size and physical presence to block shots inside. With all seven newcomers enrolled for summer classes, the new Bulls have an extra month to learn each other and forge chemistry in informal open-gym workouts.

"Teeng has a lot of upside," Heath said. "He has a toughness, an intensity about him, and I think he's going to challenge guys on the court right away. The summer is a major benefit, and it's made a world of difference for us as coaches, having the players coming in in the summer."

Akol joins a group that includes Espinosa, guard Gaby Belardo and centers Gene Teague and Alex Rivas Sanchez. Guard Mike Mercer transferred from Georgia at midseason last year and will be eligible in mid-December, and the Bulls are in the process of submitting a hardship waiver that would potentially allow Gilchrist to play this season without sitting out a year after transferring from Maryland. Walk-on Mitch Emory from Cocoa Beach is also starting summer classes next week as well.

(Yes, we originally said 6-10, 215, because that's what Heath said his height and weight were ... then an hour later, USF's official release says 6-11, 225 ... we'll update next time we get a new set of numbers ... )

Comments

[NickLurby]

Great news. We'll know for sure by this December but it looks like Stan is making major progress.
Within two years, USF will be a top three Big East Team and in the NCAAs.

[Miles Lamoureux]

Nick,

While I love your extreme optimism, you do realize it takes time for a team to gel together and learn each other's playing styles. I would love nothing more than for USF to be top 3 in BE, but seriously c'mon.

[G.A.]

Spelling Public Service Announcement: The verb is "jell" ... gel is for shaving, or brushing teeth, etc. ... Not to worry. You see it wrong in places far more formal than a blog comment ...

[Windbane]

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen jell spelled correctly. It's like Jelly...I get it...out of college and still learning English!

[Ken]

So, any early predictions on our record--out of conference and in BE?

[Al]

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen jell spelled correctly. It's like Jelly...I get it...out of college and still learning English!" Windbane

It could be worse, you could have graduated from UCiF and still learning to say "Do you want fries with your Big Mac".

[Dave W]

Ken, I'll get back to you once we learn about Gilchrist. Obviously, he is a huge "x" factor. Plus, the Big East schedule could make a huge difference. Rutgers had a great recruiting class, meaning that we won't have a guaranteed win at home. I don't think Seton Hall or St. John's really did that much to improve this offseason, so without Gilchrist, I think we can certainly take them. DePaul grabbed Faber to play with Koshwal, so they're gonna be tough. Cincy will continue to improve. So basically, without Gilchrist, I can't see many sure things for us next year. Even with him, the conference is so absurdly tough that I don't really know how many sure things we have (plus I've been shell-shocked by the last three years of amazing competition).

On the out-of-conference slate, I think we've got it rough, too, but that's a positive for the conference season. I think we'll beat either UVA or Vandy (hopefully both). We should take UCF. UAB could be tough on the road. I think we'll do well in Puerto Rico, and we better sweep the lesser-conference opponents.

[Josh]

Speaking of Al's comments, I know a student who goes to UCF currently and is working at Mcdonalds. I swear on my life it is true. Of course it's just a summer job but I rip him about it all the time. I mean come on, Mcdonalds...way to easy. Oh yeah, and great news about Akol.

[Sanjay]

Nothing wrong with being gainfully employed.

[steve oneal]

With the econonmy the way it is I wouldn't be making fun of ANY job. Why rip anyone who is working and going to school. I'm sure doing both is not "way TOO easy".

[T. Bever]

Time to jell isn't enough for top-3 in Big East. Consider this Nick: according to Rivals, Georgetown signed 4 of the top-150 prospects in the country for the 2008 class. Connecticut, West Virginia and Louisville each signed three. Syracuse and Cincy two each. DePaul, Rutgers, Pittsburgh and Seton Hall each had one.

I think this class probably compares to the one with Rerun, Asbury, Smith, etal, more than the one with BB and Tron - and that was only CUSA. I'm glad to see a full roster as much as size and talent.

A great three year goal for Heath right now would be closing in on .500 basketball in the league.

[Gary Coleman]

6-11?

What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?