Signee Engram headed to Pearl River

USF's freshman class of football players is due to report to campus Wednesday, but the class won't be arriving in its entirety. Tarpon Springs defensive end Donnell Engram, who signed with the Bulls in February, reported Tuesday for classes at Pearl River Community College in Mississippi, where USF has placed several non-qualifying recruits in recent years.

"We put him in every situation we could to be successful," said Tarpon Springs coach George Kotis, who said Engram was unable to raise his core grade point average or improve test scores enough to meet the NCAA's standards for initial eligibility. "It's more a maturity process than anything else, but some kids just think it's going to work out by itself."

Kotis said Engram heads to Pearl River with full intentions of returning to USF in two years -- "he's not going anywhere else but USF." Kotis said Engram intends to play this fall at defensive end, but could also get a look at tight end, where his hands and size make him an intriguing option on offense.

The Bulls haven't had much success with the Pearl River pipeline for various reasons, but hope to get help this fall from three former Pearl River players, linebacker Kion Wilson, defensive back Theo Wilson and defensive end Craig Marshall.

Stay tuned for more news on the incoming class, including a possible grayshirt (deferred enrollment) or two and possible late additions as well. Three walk-ons who were on USF's football roster last fall -- defensive back Micah Morgan, defensive end Matt Aycox and receiver David Cozzo -- are no longer in USF's program. Of the three, only Morgan saw regular playing time last season, working on special teams.

Comments

[Sanjay]

Welcome back from vacation Greg. Given the 6 commits from this year's USF camp, you should plan a different week for next year's vacation.

[RR]

Another one floats off into the abyss of Pearl River.

For all of you homers who assured all of us Mr. Leslie Stirrups would be with the program after two years at PRCC...how's that going?

[cg]

Can't tell you how that's going. Guess we should ask Selvie how that position turned out.

[G.A.]

Selvie's an end, Stirrups a tackle. For what it's worth, Stirrups believes he'll be at USF in 2009 with two years of eligibility.

[cg]

Touché. I think I confused him with that Jean-Francois kid who went to LSU. Different year, different positions... just remember the four star d-linemen who didn't make it in the class.

[Dave W]

Orient Road isn't quite USF, Leslie. I liked the tape I saw of Engram- he looked like a classic USF sleeper. Before we take him back, we should see how Craig Marshall works out. Very similar situations.

The PRCC pipeline hasn't worked out because the guys we've placed there are either incorrigible (Carlton Hill) or just not as good as we thought (Spires). I'm optimistic that Marshall will be a valuable backup this year for both end spots and for Aaron Harris. I was expecting a McKenzie-like impact from Kion this spring. I still think he'll be a major upgrade over Spires. As for Theo Wilson, I just don't think he was worth a scholarship when we already have so many upper-classmen at safety (but with Nate possibly leaving at the end of the year, it could be a solid move for 2009).

Oh, and welcome back GA!

[usfmike]

theo's coming in at corner not safety and maybe some slot. hopefully he can also help in the return game. spires was actually pretty good despite getting here late in the summer he was already neck and neck with brouce for the weakside spot and even filled in for him during the season. him leaving was more out of a lack of desire than ability.

Just wanted to point out that Wade Phillips had some nice things to say about Mike Jenkins in his interview, after the Cowboys concluded OTAs. It's about half way through the video and I've heard Jenkins is doing so well that Adam Jones isn't even practicing on the left side (Newman's and Jenkins' side)--even though Newman moves into the slot during nickel situations...However, they have been moving Anthony Henry in at Free Safety from time to time--though that's the position he played at (mostly) for USF.

There's a little bit of video of Mike practicing as well. He doesn't look too bad out there, though they're not in pads yet. He makes a nice play on a jump ball. As a side note, somebody tell Tank Johnson not to hit those practice dummies so hard...

[chux2]

Greg,
I have asked several times, do you know what happened to Roger Frazier? He and Matt hooked up many times at Lake Gibson. He was at several JC programs. But, I had hoped he would finally get his grades up and come to USF.

[G.A.]

Chux2, Frazier hasn't been able to stay at a junior college long enough to get the AA he'd need to make it to USF. His talent is unquestioned, but I don't know if he'll ever have the focus to get himself to a major college program.