Recruit Watch (by position)

[Bullpride08]

Bien...Do you think we have any chance of landing Ricky Jean-Francois? I was surprised to see that he had added USF to his list on Insiders.

Maybe, some of the guys in the Califorida game are starting to take a new look at USF, now that they realize a lot of the kids there had USF on their lists.

I was disappointed that the TV game commentators only mentioned UF, FSU and Miami when talking about where the Florida kids were going. After all we did have 5 kids (if you include Muy) play in last year's game, so that was quite a hall.

Who knows.  I am actually as confused as others.  The fact is Miami has no room for him, FSU is probably not his option.  Francois isn't going to UGA, so he either leaves the state, or goes UF or USF.  DeArmas looked great in the game and was a big advocate.

It stands to reason when you have Francois, Perrilloux, Stewart, Gordon, Hall, Hill, Randy Phillips, Trump, Murdock, Chancellor, Holton, Holston, McFadden, McClellan and others touring through that we will land maybe 2 or 3.   I've heard that we may still get a visit from Vogt, and Stamper.

In that group, if I could pick four (I'll leave Perrilloux because he's a pipe dream) then give me Stewart, Gordon, McFadden, and McClellan.  That addresses about every need imaginable.

[E.T.]

Great Job Velcro !

Things are really heating up.

Go BULLS !!!

[sdgukhsdgl]

ive seen Murdock play in person one time and he wasnt anything too exciting as others have mentioned, he only has such high rankings because of his track speed.  Track stars do not translate well to the football field many times.  He has great straghtaway speed, but nothing special as far as agility and quickness

from my limited knowledge of hester, i would take him over OJ

***Why is Gordon not listed on TE, i thought i saw him on there before?  He would def. be in the best case column.  And Michael Hall is listed as a 3 star TE vs. Tommie as a 2 star, FWIW....***

[Velcro]

I was told by someone, bien i believe, that although Gordon is listed as a tight end on rivals, that is not where he would be played.

[Papa_Bull]

I was told by someone, bien i believe, that although Gordon is listed as a tight end on rivals, that is not where he would be played.

Gordon has said he prefers playing DEFENSE. I think he'd rather hit then get hit. At least I know I would.  ;D

Here is what Gordon recently had to say about USF and the Big East:

Gordon said he's not ready to name a favorite yet but South Florida is creeping up his list.

"I went there this past weekend," he said. "I like them a lot.Courtney Denson is there now. Jackie and all those guys from Edison are there and they like it. Their best players are young and they're trying to get a bunch of Norland guys this year. Me, Gary (Watts), Garrett (White), and Dwight (Flukerberry) are all going up there together. They have a 10 million dollar weightroom too. They're moving to the Big East so they have a chance at a BCS every year too. But I aint gonna know for sure till after all my visits."

[Bullpride08]

That's where USF is recruiting him at.  As far as OJ's concerned I agree 100% with 83.  He reminds me of the Pasco Flash that committed to every school, including USF, during a one month span before deciding on UF.  John Capel. The track star that ran in the Olympics.  He was ultra fast like Murdock but that was it.  OJ's the same way, and I've said before that I saw more upside to Conshario Johnson.

This sounds odd, but for USF's sake, it would almost be worth it to sign OJ, if for no other reason then it would send a tremendous recruiting message to other players, and next year's class.

[Papa_Bull]

10 of the 40 Florida players who played in the Florida/California All-Star Game are still considering USF (if you count Trump who's going to still visit):

FLORIDA Roster

OFFENSE

WR: Cedric McGee - Plantation

WR: O.J. Murdock - Tampa Middleton

TE: Richard Gordon - Miami Norland

OL: Chris DeArmas - Miami Southwest (USF)

OL: Eddie Tabasky - Daytona Beach Mainland

OL: A.J. Trump - Clearwater Central Catholic (Miami)

DEFENSE

DE: Ricky Jean-Francois - Carol City

DT: Kendrick Stewart - Lakeland

LB: Laphonso Ruffin - Miami Booker T. Washington

CB: Tyler Roberts - Edgewater

I hope we do at least as well with landing them as last year.

[Papa_Bull]

Velcro...I'm not sure of his first name spelling as I've now seen it both ways. Senior linebacker LaFonzo Ruffin (6-1, 230)

The Tornadoes pulled off the upset of the season knocking off third-ranked Edison 14-7 in front of 1,500 at Traz Powell Stadium giving them a ton of momentum heading into the playoffs. The win ended Edison’s 8-game winning streak.  

With the score knotted at seven with just over five minutes to play, Booker T. linebacker LaFonzo Ruffin blindsided Edison quarterback Tino Edgecombe with a devastating hit that forced a fumble.  

Joseph Jackson recovered the fumble at the Edison 37-yard line and returned it for a touchdown untouched to give take the wind out of the Edison sails.

“We felt that if we stopped the inside run that we would be able to mix it up defensively and hit them with some blitzes. We were looking for the outside blitz from Ruffin,†Booker T. coach Tim Harris said.

http://www.inthezonemag.com/sports/football/BookerTEdison.shtml

PS He's evidently much taller that the 5'10" listed by some sites early in the year.

Bien...Do you think Ruffin should be added to the "LB best additions" list? Or, would you prefer someone else?

He was defensive Captain at Booker this year. I know we like those Captains:

''We've got the best coaching staff in the state,'' said senior linebacker and defensive captain Lafonzo Ruffin. ``We're a winning team now. Guys are coming here because they want to be Tornadoes for life.

``It's a good feeling.''

I hope he wants to be a BULL for life!

[Papa_Bull]

Help:

There is a recent article mentioning Ruffin in the Miami Herald, but I'm not a subscriber. Perhaps, someone who is registered can copy and paste it here:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/10326655.htm

[Papa_Bull]

With the talk about Julius Mclellan (Coahoma CC) and Eldra Buckley (NW CC), I thought this article where they played against each other this year was interesting. Maybe, they'll be playing together this coming year:

Northwest Rangers vs. Coahoma Tigers

October 14, 2004

Clarksdale, Mississippi

By Brett Brown

Some things in life are certain, including death and taxes.

One more item can be added to that short list. A Northwest Mississippi Community College football victory against the Coahoma Tigers.

Northwest flexed its offensive muscle and played its best defensive game of the season en route to punishing Coahoma 49-13 Oct. 14 at Clarksdale. It marked the Rangers' 30th consecutive win against the Tigers since the series began in 1975.

Northwest, which has won 19 of its last 20 regular season contests, ran its north division win streak to 13 games.

Northwest, ranked No. 3 in the country by the NJCAA, improved to 7-0 overall and tightened its grip on the MACJC north division lead with a 4-0 mark. Coahoma fell to 1-6 and 1-3.

The Rangers racked up 483 yards of total offense, including 324 yards rushing, despite muddy field conditions due to recent rains in the state.

Northwest's defense was downright stingy by limiting the Tigers to just 118 yards. The Rangers held Coahoma to 17 yards rushing and only six first downs, while forcing two turnovers and registering five quarterback sacks.

"I was worried about how our kids would play tonight because of the field conditions," said Northwest Head Coach Bobby Franklin. "Sometimes things like that can bother you, but I thought we did a great job of running our game plan. We stuck with what has carried us so far this season and it worked."

What has carried the Rangers has been the play of sophomores Eldra Buckley of Charleston and quarterback Lewis Kuffuor of Atlanta.

Buckley, the nation's leading rusher averaging 157 yards per game, had eight attempts for 114 yards and two touchdowns despite being pulled midway through the second quarter.

Kuffuor, who ranks third in the country in total offense, ran for 103 yards and threw for 129 and two touchdowns before being taken out of the game at halftime.

Northwest led 35-7 at intermission behind scoring runs of eight and 55 yards by Buckley who leads the team with 12 touchdowns.

The Rangers also rallied in the first half behind Kuffuor's two touchdown passes, including a four-yarder to receiver Derrick Hassell of Southaven and a three-yarder to receiver Kendrick Mays of Independence.

Northwest tailback Greg Horton of Vardaman, who finished with 86 rushing yards, scored his fourth touchdown of the season on a four-yard run in the first period.

Both of Coahoma's touchdowns were the result of long pass plays. Quarterback John Carter hooked up receiver Harry Brown on a 51-yarder in the first quarter, then threw a 33-yard scoring pass to Julius McClellan in the third period to cut the Ranger lead to 35-13.

The Tigers had a chance to trim their deficit even more, but Northwest free safety Timothy Jones of Horn Lake intercepted his third pass of the season and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown.

The Rangers scored their final touchdown with 30 seconds left in the contest when backup quarterback Will Sneed of Starkville hooked up with receiver Robert Moore of Charleston on a 20-yard pass play.

MACJC scores from week 7

Northwest 49 Coahoma 13