FSU signee Hill says he'll join Bulls in '09

Anthony Hill, a 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive tackle from Pensacola who signed with FSU in February, said Tuesday he no longer intends to join the Seminoles as planned and will enroll at USF in January.

"It's pretty much official now," said Hill, whose enrollment was to be deferred until January by FSU as a "grayshirt." "My highest interest besides FSU was always South Florida."

Hill, rated as a three-star recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, said his best friend is USF sophomore Terrell McClain, who he lined up next to at Pensacola; McClain is now a starting defensive tackle for the Bulls. Hill said he told FSU coaches last week he wasn't coming anymore, unhappy with the lack of contact he's had with coaches this fall.

"It seemed like they didn't want me," said Hill, who was the first commitment in FSU's 2008 class in February 2007. "The thing that really turned me off was the way they handled things with me."

Mike Bennett, who coached Hill and McClain at Pensacola, said the two linemen pushed themselves in games, in practice and especially in the weight room.

"They were pretty awesome together," Bennett said. "Terrell would push him to be better, and it was ungodly how they worked out. (Hill)'s strength was his quickness -- he was just so doggone quick, with a great first step."

Rivals.com rated Hill as the No. 91 prospect at all positions in the state of Florida for last year's class; of USF's recruiting class, only quarterback B.J. Daniels (No. 44) and cornerback George Baker (No. 75) made the Rivals top 100 for the state. Scout.com rated him as the nation's No. 37 defensive tackle, ahead of USF signee Cory Grissom (No. 66), who is playing as a true freshman.

If Hill comes to USF, he'll be the second FSU signee to join the Bulls' defensive line; Jatavious Jackson, who signed with FSU in 2007 but didn't qualify, signed with the Bulls in February and is redshirting this season.

Comments

[Blake]

Sounds great! We can always use more D-linemen and the guy sounds like he has the capability to be a real difference maker.

[B^S]

Welcome to the Family Anthony!

[Windbane]

PHS represent! Awesome. We are getting a lot of guys from my hometown, and now best friends from my high school.

[Dave W]

6'4" 280 means he either will end up at the three technique (Where we have 260 pound guys sometimes), or it means he'll end up at OT (I'm assuming he played both sides in high school).

Anyways, he's a legit prospect, but will transfer rules apply? I'm assuming that he signed a LOI with FSU, but I don't really know how the whole thing would work in this situation.

[Mike Lakeland]

Welcome to the Bulls!

[G.A.]

He never enrolled at FSU, so there's no transfer rules in place. Like Cedric Hill or Jatavious Jackson, he can start in January with a normal five-year clock.

He said he's likely to be a three-technique tackle, though he could play nose as well.

[Dres]

GA but isnt signing a letter of intent just as much as a commitment as actually enrolling? can you clarify this for me (us).

[G.A.]

Signing a letter of intent is a binding commitment. There might be a delineation between not qualifying (letter is moot) and qualifying but deferring enrollment, then opting not to enroll. I'll check.

[Bull]

Sounds like a crybaby.

[Ryan]

Why is the SEC considered so great? Who have they beaten? They only play each other and rarely play games against big teams out of conference. I mean seriously why are they considered so good? give me an example of a big non-conference win this year? UF beat Miami, wow I'm real impressed. Georgia beat ASU, big deal. How can anyone consider AUburn good when they beat Mississippi State 3 to 2.

[G.A.]

You named a couple of them. Alabama dominated a Clemson team that was ranked No. 9, winning 34-10 on the road. Georgia beat a once-ranked Arizona State team 27-10 on the road. Florida beat Miami 26-3. Kentucky beat Louisville 27-2. South Carolina beat N.C. State 34-0, a larger margin than USF's win against the Wolfpack.

It's not anything overwhelming, but I don't know that any one league has been overwhelming in the first month of the season. I think the last two national championships have as much to do with the SEC adoration as anything.

[LOI]

FSU asked him to defer his enrollment a semester. LOI's expire after the fall semester. He can go to any school he wants and not have to sit out any time.

[Mike G]

Ryan, the SEC is overrated. however, they are still very very good. a close second to the Big 12 this year IMO

[Ryan]

G.A. Clemson has gone on to prove that they are not very good by losing to Maryland. I still think that conference gets too much praise for beating up on teams in their conference. Its hard to evaluate a conference like the SEC when the don't really play any big non-conference games. And beating up a underwhelming Ohio State team two years in a row in the national title game doesn't impress me. The Big Ten is much worse than the Big East or ACC. I'm pretty sure that me and ten of my friends could beat Mississippi State, which means we are on par with Auburn (The most overrated team in that conference).

[USF95]

I agree with Ryan. The SEC is good but is not as good as is advertised. The Big East was two plays from playing and probably winning the last two national titles instead of the SEC. If UL doesn't blow a big 2nd half lead at Rutgers then UL plays Ohio State for the national title and not UF. If WVU doesn't blow a game against Pitt they play Ohio State and not LSU. The way Ohio State looked in those games and the way WVU and UL played in their BCS games I would be 90% confident of two Big East national titles. The depth of the Big East in both those years cost the conference national titles. Alabama is great and is clearly the class of the SEC. They beat Georgia just as bad as Clemson at Georgia and Clemson lost to mediocre Maryland. ASU lost to UNLV who is absolutely awful.

[Chris]

Looks like after last night Hill should crawl back to FSU and beg for his free ride back!! lol

[Chris]

USF95...i agree totally... choking in big T.V. games does seem to becoming a pattern in the Big LEast doesn't it?? Add Pitt 26-21 to that list..:)