NCAA Football

What is the point of a recruit committing to a program these days?

Ask yourself that question.

Get back to me when you have a reasonable answer.

College football's recruiting process has always been a madhouse, but it's gotten even worse lately. Top recruits commit, then decommit, then commit again, only to decommit again and sign with a different school on national signing day.

It causes all kinds of problems. Coaches get angry, fans get irate, recruits get confused, and everybody is stressed out.

All too often people tend to forget that these recruits are teenagers. Sure, some top recruits may play like men, but to expect them to know what they're doing at such a young age is not only naive, it's wrong.

It's funny how everyone jumps to the conclusion that a top recruit has "character concerns" if he commits then decommits. People don't say, "Well, good for him, he found the right fit." They say, "Who does he think he is?! He's just been playing us this whole time."

Is it possible, perhaps, that he never knew what he was doing in the first place? After all, it's hard enough for the modern-day teenage recruit to weigh his options without countless "mentors" and "friends" telling him what he should do. Recruits are pulled in so many different directions these days that it's a wonder that they aren't complete basketcases by signing day.

Of course, that's not to say some recruits don't play the "high and mighty" act. Some clearly like to build the anticipation, only to "shock the world" when they completely change courses when it matters. Some actually get a certain joy out of this. In other words, the egotistical become egomaniacs. 

But for those recruits not playing the fans and media, I've never understood why they commit to a program early in the first place. I've never understood the point of that. Why not wait until signing day to make your decision, when you've visited all the schools you've wanted to and you have a better picture of the pros and cons of each program?

And that's where I'm going with this. There is absolutely no reason there should be commits in the first place. It only causes chaos, confusion and ill will. Recruits these days are treated in the same manner as LeBron James was when he left Cleveland for the Miami Heat. "The Decision" indeed.

Recruits are being blasted for simply having a change of heart. For example, 5-star running back Derrick Henry was ripped by practically the entire state of Georgia when he decommitted from the Bulldogs and committed to Alabama.

Bobby Ramsay, Henry's coach at Yulee (Fla.) High School, may have said it best, via ESPN:

Really, at the end of the day, they're just making a decision about where they want to go to college. You have grown men getting online calling a kid a punk, but what were you doing when you were 17 years old? Did you ever change your mind? You've never made a decision and gone back and decided to do something instead?

Ramsay also noted that Henry was worried there would be backlash for his decision. Indeed, there was.

There should be a national signing day, and that's it. Once you ink your name on that dotted line, there is no turning back. It will make recruits think more about their decisions and it will give programs and fans alike a definite answer. Then everybody can move on with their lives without the insanity whirling above their heads.

The madness has to stop. 

 

Wanna talk sports?

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National signing day is less than a week away, and college football coaches across the country are hitting the recruiting trail hard with the finish line in plain sight.

Jim Mora and the rest of the UCLA coaches have been as active as any staff this cycle, making waves with big-time commitments from some of the nation's best players.

As it stands now, the Bruins' 2013 class is ranked in the top 10 nationally by Rivals and Scout, and No. 11 and No. 12 by 247Sports and ESPN, respectively.

But as great as rankings are, what really matters are results.

With the Feb. 6 deadline fast approaching, there are still a number of big fish left to be hooked, and a handful of Bruin commits waiting to be reeled in.

UCLA could find itself with a top-five class on Wednesday if Mora can land the likes of Eddie Vanderdoes, Kylie Fitts, Isaac Savaiinaea and Asiantii Woulard. But at the same time, the Bruins' ranking could plummet if a few key verbals decide to take their talents elsewhere.

And as we have learned so many times with prep athletes, it ain't over until every last Letter of Intent is signed, sealed and delivered.

Here's a look at five current commits that UCLA needs to focus on retaining, and what other programs could be in the mix to force them to flip.

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National signing day is less than a week away, and college football coaches across the country are hitting the recruiting trail hard with the finish line in plain sight...

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There are plenty of incoming freshman quarterbacks would can step right in to their new teams and start right away.

Johnny Manziel illustrated that inexperience doesn't mean that a player will struggle right out of the gate. He played in what is the toughest conference in the country, yet broke the SEC record for total yards in a season.

Being a freshman can sometimes be beneficial because opposing coaches don't have much game film  they can use to learn that player's weaknesses.

Until teams start spring practice, it's extremely hard to predict which freshman QBs will have the biggest impact.

With that said, here's three who just may do just that with their new teams.

 

Cody Thomas, Oklahoma

With Landry Jones graduating, there's going to be a big hole in the Oklahoma Sooners offense.

Cody Thomas is coming in as one of the more highly ranked quarterback recruits. There's a very good chance he'll be redshirted his freshman season. Until he fails to suit up at all in 2013, you can never fully know that it will happen.

If Thomas has a great spring, there's no reason that Stoops should put him on the bench for a season.

Thomas has a great combination of size, accuracy and arm strength. He also has the kind of athleticism that will allow him to elude pressure and open up more time to throw.

 

Jared Goff, Cal

Zach Maynard had a rather inauspicious ending to what had been a solid college career. 2012 as a whole was a year to forget for the Cal Golden Bears. They finished 3-9 and Jeff Tedford found himself out of a job as a result.

Luckily for the Golden Bears, they have a great quarterback recruit in Jared Goff who can help turn the program around.

Goff would have thrived with somebody like Tedford coaching him, but he'll be successful nonetheless. He has the prototypical size for a pocket passer, and his tools allow him to make an immediate impact.

 

Aaron Bailey, Illinois

Aaron Bailey is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He'll have Nathan Scheelhaase and Reilly O'Toole in front of him when he joins the Illinois Fighting Illini, but the two were far from great in 2012.

Bailey would be able to jump over them with a solid performance in the spring. He's a fantastic athlete who can break a big play anytime he has the ball in his hands.

He also has a very strong arm, with an ability to make the throws down the field. Like most dual-threat quarterbacks, Bailey's decision-making and accuracy need the most improvement.

Those kinds of things will come the longer he's at Illinois.

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Major Applewhite, the Texas Longhorns' co-offensive coordinator and former quarterback, admitted to a past inappropriate but consensual relationship with an adult student sometime during the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.  

Texas has called a special meeting of the board of regents for Sunday to discuss personnel matters, "discussion regarding legal issues concerning individual athletic personnel" and a "discussion regarding legal issues related to inappropriate relations between employees and students."

Applewhite released this statement Friday night:

"Several years ago, I made a regretful decision resulting in behavior that was totally inappropriate," the statement read. "It was a one-time occurrence and was a personal matter. Shortly after it occurred, I discussed the situation with [athletics director] DeLoss Dodds. I was up front and took full responsibility for my actions. This is and was resolved four years ago with the university."

Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds released a statement on Friday night in regards to the incident.

Here are the details of the statement, courtesy of Tom Fornelli of CBSSports.com:

“Major Applewhite engaged in inappropriate, consensual behavior with an adult student one time during the 2009 Fiesta Bowl activities," said Dodds in the statement. "After learning of his behavior later that month, I took immediate action to review the situation. We promptly initiated an inquiry with assistance from the university's Legal Affairs office and other units outside of Athletics. Major admitted his inappropriate conduct and he was disciplined. In determining appropriate discipline, we analyze the facts and circumstances surrounding the behavior and its relation to job responsibilities. Major fully accepted his discipline, including counseling. We have high standards for behavior and expect our staff and coaches to adhere to them in all aspects of their lives. I believe that the appropriate discipline was taken in this case.”

Applewhite is married, and the couple have a daughter who was born Jan. 2009, according to his Texas bio.

Aside from the counseling Applewhite was required to take part in, Carter Strickland of ESPN reports:

The university froze Appelwhite's salary from Feb. 5, 2009 -- almost immediately upon learning of the behavior and discussing it with Applewhite -- until Jan. 1, 2010.

This isn't the first instance of a Texas coach having an inappropriate relationship as former women's track coach Bev Kearney resigned in January as a result of a similar offense.

Kearney's 'intimate consensual relationship" with a University of Texas athlete in 2002, led to her resigning over eight years after the relationship ended.  Kearney led Texas to six national championships during her tenure.

In a statement provided to the Austin American-Statesman,  Derek A. Howard, Kearny's attorney said,

“We believe that Ms. Kearney has been subjected to a double standard and has received far harsher punishment than that being given to her male counter-parts who have engaged in similar conduct.”

Applewhite has been a part of head coach Mack Brown's staff since 2008, which was a year before this inappropriate relationship occurred, according to the statement.

Before his time at Texas as both the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Applewhite served as the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse in 2005 and as the co-offensive coordinator at Rice University in 2006, followed by a stint with the Alabama Crimson Tide under coach Nick Saban in 2007.

Longhorns fans best remember Applewhite for his time as the team's quarterback from 1998-2001, where he became well known for his late-game heroics and the numerous school records he broke.

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The second-leading running back in the NCAA, Nevada's Stefphon Jefferson, has elected to forgo his senior year and has declared himself eligible for the NFL draft.

Jefferson, a 5'11", 210-pound junior led the nation in rushing for most of the 2012 season. His production was just astonishing as he was mostly unstoppable. 

For the season, Jefferson had 375 carries for 1,883 yards and averaged 5.0 yards per carry. He scored 24 rushing TDs. His longest run was 63 yards. Jefferson averaged 144.8 yards per game. He also doubled as a receiver with 22 receptions for 170 yards and one TD.

For his career at Nevada, Jefferson had 448 carries for 2,338 yards and 30 TDs.

Despite these stats, Jefferson does not even appear on ESPN's draft page, while NFLDraftScout.com ranks him as only the sixth-best RB in the draft.

Most "experts" think he might be drafted in the later rounds or sign as a free agent.

The NFL draft experts are dead wrong, again. Jefferson is a superb RB who ran through some pretty decent defenses. Against Cal, Jefferson had 147 yards and three TDs. Against USF he ran for 135 yards. Against MWC champion San Diego State he ran for 108 yards and one TD. He torched Boise State for 139 yards and two TDs and had a huge day against Arizona rushing for 180 yards and two TDs.

Can someone explain to me how a guy who led the nation in rushing for most of the year and racked up 327 yards and five TDs against two Pac-12 teams isn't even on ESPN's draft board?

The last time the draft "experts" overlooked a Nevada player, it was a fellow by the name of Kaepernick. 

Just as the San Francisco 49ers benefited from the "experts" overlooking Kaepernick, someone in the NFL will pick up one heck of an overlooked running back in Stefphon Jefferson. He definitely belongs in the early rounds. He is not a late-round-caliber player. 

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End-of-season raises and contract extensions at WVU leave unanswered questions.

Head Coach Dana Holgorsen received the bonuses and raise built into his original contract., that was to be expected.

Holgorsen's total compensation for 2012 was $2.375 million plus $95,000 in performance bonuses totalling $2.47 million.

These bonuses were based on ticket sales, a bowl appearance and perhaps most importantly an NCAA academic progress rate score of at least 950.

Coach Holgorsen's contract calls for  $2.5 million for 2013, increasing to $2.65 million if he is still employed on Dec. 8, 2013 including retention bonus.

That is above average for all FBS coaches, but ranks only sixth in the Big 12. No surprise there. The questions arise from information contained in an article by Dave Hickman of the Charleston Gazette on Feb. 1, 2013.

The Gazette filed a Freedom of information act (FOIA) request regarding WVU football coaches' salaries and contracts. All figures cited here come from the article in the Gazette.

The three new coaches salaries were an increase from their predecessors. Lonnie Galloway will make $300,000 as the receivers coach, Tony Gibson $250,000 to coach safeties and Brian Mitchell $225,000 to coach cornerbacks.

Former coach Steve Dunlap had been making $250,000. Daron Roberts and Jake Spavital made $200,000 each. Existing coaches Shannon Dawson, Bill Bedenbaugh and Robert Gillespie were given new contracts for $300,000.

 

Dawson and Bedenbaugh's new contracts were originally for $250,000 but were bumped up to $300,000 about the time of the new hires.

Coaches Erik Slaughter and Keith Patterson received new contracts at their previous rate. Slaughter earns $200,000 and Patterson $350,000.

Patterson's job title was unchanged despite an increase in responsibility. He is still listed as Co-defensive Coordinator. The assistant salaries rank fourth in the Big 12.

This is where it gets interesting. There is no mention in the FOIA of coach Joe DeForest. There is no mention of his contract or his salary. 

DeForest is presumably still employed under the terms of his original offer sheet from Jan. 1 2012. That pays him $500,000 per year, which would make him the highest paid assistant.

DeForest was demoted from Co-defensive Coordinator during the 2012 season, but his offer sheet runs for two more years. Is there still a change in the works? Why wasn't DeForest listed in the FOIA?

I have suggested in a previous article that coaching changes are still coming. This only serves to validate my prediction.

That's my opinion and observation. As always I welcome comments and debate.

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Assistant coaches at major college football programs don’t receive nearly the same amount of publicity and fame as their head-coaching counterparts do. However, the job still has plenty of perks.

Most of the top coordinators in the country get paid a six-figure salary to live and breathe football all year long. Nonetheless, it’s no easy job. An assistant coach has to be able to recruit, game-plan, scout opponents and most importantly, he has to lead a unit that produces.

If he does all of that well, he’ll quickly become a coveted head-coaching candidate. If he doesn’t, he’ll quickly become unemployed.

We know who many of the top college coordinators were this past season, because many of them are now head coaches. But what about the top coordinators to watch for next season?

Here’s a look at college football’s top 20 assistant coaches for 2013.

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In the game of football, speed can be the great equalizer or it can be a tremendous advantage.

It's something that, for the most part, you can't teach, and it has the potential to completely change the feel of any given game.

Speed neutralizes strength and size, it creates big plays and it separates the good from the great.

Especially in college football today, where the spread offense and read-option is prevalent, having speed out on the field can oftentimes be the difference between winning and losing.

With all of that in mind, here are the 10 fastest recruits in the 2013 class.

 

Note: All 40 times via Rivals.com

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Grab your aspirin and handkerchiefs for National Signing Day on February 6—there are going to be a lot of unhappy people the way things are shaking out in the Big 12. 

That "soft verbal" commit is going to take you on a roller coaster ride and you know it. So get in, sit down, strap up and hang on as we peruse the Big 12 commits by school and highlight the ones who, you know, might make you cry on signing day. 

 

Texas

Defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson is a 5-star defensive tackle and a soft verbal to Texas. Robinson reportedly visited Alabama and therein lies the problem—who is a better closer on signing day, Mack Brown or Nick Saban?

Maybe neither—Robinson has been a USC fan since childhood.

 

Oklahoma 

I don't see any red flags in this class so far.

 

Oklahoma State

No red flags here either. 

 

Baylor

Robbie Rhodes is a 5-star receiver (ranked No. 2 by position) and has been solid with Baylor. But Texas lost No. 1 ranked receiver Ricky Seals-Jones to Texas A&M, who, according to this report, also gave no indication he wanted to decommit. If you can't keep the No. 1 receiver, why not chase down No. 2? 

Dionte Savage may also be a flip. According to Dallasnews.com, the Oklahoma Sooners made an offer to the 2-star JUCO offensive guard. Savage also took a trip to Texas Tech last week. Savage committed to Baylor less than two weeks ago, but he may be weighing his options since 4-star offensive guard Andrew Billings is also considering Baylor, according to this report.

 

Texas Tech

So far, this class lacks red flags. 

 

TCU

The Horned Frogs' class of 2013 improved greatly when Texas-commit Kyle Hicks flipped to TCU in early December. I doubt he wavers again, but you have to think Texas will be still be trying to reel him back in since their 2013 class lacks a running back. 

 

Kansas

JUCO safety Isaiah Johnson gave his verbal commitment to Kansas on December 11, but he has since picked up an offer from Texas Tech. Wisconsin may also be in the mix, according to this report. 

 

Kansas State

There a couple of red flags here. JUCO 3-star linebacker De'Vondre Campbell committed to Tennessee and then Texas before giving a soft verbal to Kansas State in mid-January. Campbell decommitted from Tennessee after Derek Dooley was dismissed as its head coach, which sounds logical. But another decommit from Texas and a soft verbal to Kansas State makes Campbell appear a tad emotional and unsure of his desire, in my opinion.

Melvinson Hartfield is also a soft verbal, and he is in Arkansas this weekend, according to this report. The 3-star cornerback's profile page also has Texas Tech labeled as "medium interest."

 

Iowa State

No real red flags here, but 4-star offensive tackle Jake Campos was a Missouri commit before flipping to Iowa State. Campos is from West Des Moines—maybe he wanted to stay close to home.

An SEC school losing a commit to Iowa State? Although I expect Mizzou to make a final pitch at the one-time, long-time commit (May 2012), it sounds like he's sold on the engineering academics at Iowa State.

 

West Virginia

No red flags for this class. 

So there you have it. May your team have a wonderful signing day with nothing but positive surprises. 

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Montravius Adams is one of the few remaining uncommitted top prospects in the 2013 recruiting class. 

He is the No. 3 defensive tackle in the country according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is down to four schools heading into signing day with Georgia, Florida, Auburn and Clemson all being considered for his signature. 

His final visit of the recruiting season will come February 1 to Auburn. 

Adams is being pursued by the best teams in the country for a reason. He is a stud and brings three dynamic skills to the field that separate him from the rest of the class at the position. He has the size and athleticism to play in the 4-3 or 3-4 scheme comfortably. 

Here is a look at the three keys to this top lineman’s game.

 

Space Filler

One of the big positives that Adams brings to the game is his ability to fill space on rushing downs. He can take on multiple blockers, and disrupts any offense's attempt to earn ground yards through the middle of the line. 

He is athletic enough to break free of blocks and also make the tackle in the middle. Adams is raw, but his size makes him field ready for any college program as a freshman. 

He would be able to come in and assist in run support next season. This is a player that understands his body and leverage, and uses that to his advantage in the trenches. 

 

Initial Burst

Checking in at 6’3”, 310, it is tough to miss Adams when he takes the field. What really catches your eye is when a guy his size moves as well as he does. 

Once the ball is snapped he has the initial burst to make it past opposing linemen before they have the chance to engage. If Adams reads pass, he has the speed to make it into the backfield and create a major breakdown on the quarterback from centerfield. 

His burst off the ball will remind SEC fans of Nick Fairley—a recent Auburn Tigers defensive lineman that blasted through the competition and won every major award for the position. 

Adams may not achieve that level of success in his career, but he has the talent to do it. 

 

Overall Strength 

When it comes down to winning battles in the trenches, strength is a major factor. Adams has a naturally large body, but he also works hard at expanding his body for a high school level athlete. 

He will enter college game ready, and will have enough strength to challenge even the most veteran offensive linemen. 

Watching Adams progress over the next four years will be a treat for those who love defensive dominance. He will be an elite defender from day one, and will finish as one of the best linemen in the game if he can continue to develop these three key skills in his game. 

 

Follow @ShugJordanPkwy

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Eddie Vanderdoes is one of the many top 2013 recruits that are still trying to decide where he will play his college ball. With teams such as Alabama, USC and Notre Dame still heavily in the mix, it will be a race toward the finish line that will take place on national signing day.

Until then, all we can do is wait and see what his final decision will be. So as we wait patiently to find out where Vanderdoes will actually end up, let's take a look at some of the things that has made him such an attractive prospect to begin with.

Guys with his size and athleticism aren't found growing on trees, and they only come around once in a blue moon. There are many things that you can point out when breaking down this 5-star recruit, but here are the three that stand out the most.

 

Country-Boy Strong

There are some defensive linemen that rely purely on speed and can't break free once an offensive lineman gets set and puts his hands on him. There are other guys who allow their overwhelming size to work in their favor and try to bully the lineman in front of them.

Then there are the players who are just from another planet, strength-wise, and can manhandle their way through the line.

Vanderdoes is that strong player on the line who shows on every play that he has spent many long nights lifting weights and drinking protein shakes.

You have to give some of the credit to good genes. However, the rest of his upper body he worked hard for, and it has paid off in a big way. Sometimes you wonder if he is actually going to pick the lineman up and kindly place him to the side so he can get to the quarterback.

This kid is a beast when it comes to strength, and he has abused many high school kids because of it. It will really be fascinating to see how he matches up with guys around his size and if this translates well at the college level.

 

Quickness off the Ball

One wouldn't think that a guy 6'2", 310 pounds isn't quick off the ball. Heck, as soon as you mention the words defensive tackle, you immediately picture a big guy in the middle of the line that is going to just be a run-stuffer on defense.

However, Vanderdoes isn't your ordinary defensive tackle prospect. After all, there is a reason he is a 5-star player. Despite his tremendous size, he gets off the snap extremely well and actually makes more plays in the backfield than you would expect to see. He uses his hands well, and while his main objective is to clog running lanes, he can become a force at rushing the passer and stopping running  behind the line of scrimmage.

It isn't too often when you see a kid as big as Vanderdoes that is able to move as well as he does. Whichever team picks him up will be getting a complete defensive tackle that is more than a big guy that is only used to take up space.

 

Different Combinations to Break Free

If a combination of size, strength and speed wasn't enough for you to like Vanderdoes as a prospect, he also has an arsenal of weapons to beat offensive linemen.

You can watch that video over and over again and be amazed at what you are seeing. Can anybody block this kid? Not hardly. His swim move is well-developed and shouldn't even be allowed from somebody who is as big as he is. His spin move seems to be his favorite, and it works to perfection. He also does a good job of splitting the double-team and flies into the backfield practically untouched.

So not only is he a gigantic defensive lineman who is strong and athletic, but he has more than one move he can show the guy trying to block him. This will always keep the opposing offensive lineman on his toes and make him an even better pass-rusher than most expect.

With this speed and polished moves he has added to his toolbox, Vanderdoes gives a team options to either leave him at defensive tackle or line him up at strong-side defensive end. You really can't go wrong with versatility.

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