Florida/California Rosters & More

[Papa_Bull]

USF Verbal Chris DeArmas will be playing along with some other recruits who are interested in USF (Bold):

Florida/California Rosters & More

By Larry Blusetin  FloridaKids.us

Date: Dec 30, 2004

For the first time in seven years the Florida/California All-Star Game will be played in the Sunshine State. The game is Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Here are the rosters and some news and notes from yesterday.

MIAMI - Three days removed from temperatures that dipped into the 40s, South Florida returned to its warmer weather mixed with scattered showers on the first day of practice for the annual Florida-California game.

After six years on the west coast, the game moves to the fabled Orange Bowl this year as Team Florida, under the direction of Tallahassee Lincoln head coach David Wilson, dodged afternoon rain to get in two full practices on Wednesday as the team prepares for Sunday’s showdown with a talented California squad.

While most members of the Florida team have been out of action for well over a month, impact perfomers like running back Antone Smith (Pahokee), fullback Kalvin Bailey (Seffner Armwood), cornerback Demetrice Morley (Miami Killian) and defensive tackle Kendrick Stewart (Lakeland) were in rare form on day one.

The California/Florida game, which has annually produced some of that nation’s elite players, will be not exception this year. The Florida squad is loaded with athletes who have been coveted by colleges throughout the nation.

First day stars included linebacker Gerald Williams (Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson), defensive lineman Jeffrey Owens (Plantation) and a defensive secondary led by Morley, but also includes Randy Phillips (Glades Central), Guesly Dervil (Jacksonville Ed White), Clarence Ward (Pensacola), Avery Atkins (Daytona Beach Mainland) and Bruce Johnson (Live Oak Suwannee).

“This is a very impressive group of defensive backs,†said Pensacola head coach Mike Bennett, who will have the pleasure of handing out playing assignments for this talented group on Sunday. “You hear all year about some of these young men, but never really see what they can do until you have them on the field.â€Â

Bennett was also bowled over by Smith, who many believe is one of the top running backs in the nation. Sought after by over 50 colleges, Smith’s speed and running instincts have made him a prize recruit all season. In the 2B state title game against Pensacola Catholic, he put on a show by going over 300 yards.

“Antone Smith is less than three years away from the NFL,†Bennett laughed. “This kid is some kind of special.â€Â

Bennett and Wilson were also impressed by Morley, who covered the likes of Fred Rouse (Tallahassee Lincoln) during the first day of workouts. Rouse, considered by many as the top player in the nation, found out what major college life will be like when he went up against the talented defensive secondary on Wednesday.

Here are the expected rosters for the game:

FLORIDA OFFENSIVE ROSTER

QB: Harrison Beck - Clearwater Countryside (Nebraska)

QB: Jonathan Garner - Daytona Beach Mainland

FB: Kalvin Bailey - Armwood (Iowa)

RB: Antone Smith - Pahokee

RB: Conredge Collins - Miami Pace

WR: Cedric McGee - Plantation

WR: Mike Moore - North Broward Prep (Georgia)

WR: O.J. Murdock - Tampa Middleton

WR: Fred Rouse - Tallahassee Lincoln

WR: T.J. Williams - Tallahassee Leon (Clemson)

TE: Richard Gordon - Miami Norland

OL: Christopher Barney - Miami Northwestern

OL: Quinton Brown - Orlando Edgewater

OL: Chris DeArmas - Miami Southwest (USF)

OL: Cole Harvey - Tallahassee Lincoln (Alabama)

OL: Michael Johnson - Pensacola Pine Forest (Alabama)

OL: Gordon Steele - Tallahassee North Florida Christian

OL: Eddie Tabasky - Daytona Beach Mainland

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

DEFENSE

DE: Kerry Bonds - Tallahassee Lincoln

DE: Ricky Jean-Francois - Carol City

DE: Neefy Moffett - Palm Bay

DE: Vladimir Richard - Sunrise Piper (Florida)

DT: Letroy Guinn - Starke Bradford

DT: Jeff Owens - Plantation

DT: Kendrick Stewart - Lakeland

LB: Eugene Hayes - Madison County

LB: Elijah Hodge - Ft. Lauderdale Dillard (Wisconsin)

LB: Eric Houston - Coral Reef (Miami)

LB: Laphonso Ruffin - Miami Booker T. Washington

LB: Gerald Williams - Boyd Anderson (Florida)

CB: Avery Atkins - Daytona Beach Mainland

CB: Guesly Dervil - Edward White

CB: Bruce Johnson - Suwannee (Miami)

CB: Tyler Roberts - Edgewater

S: Demetrice Morley - Miami Killian (Tennessee)

S: Dorian Munroe - Coral Reef (FSU)

S: Randy Phillips - Glades Central (Miami)

S: Clarence Ward - Pensacola (Alabama)

K/P: Graham Gano - Tate (FSU)

CALIFORNIA OFFENSIVE ROSTER

QB: Mark Sanchez - Mission Viejo (USC)

QB: Derek Shaw - Oceanside (Miami)

FB: Jim Miller - Venice (Mississippi State)

RB: Jeremiah Johnson - Dorsey

RB: Chris Richards - Monroe (Michigan)

RB: Lydell Sargeant - Cabrillo (Penn State)

WR: Jeremy Childs - Los Alamitos (UCLA)

WR: Desean Jackson - Long Beach Poly

WR: Gavin Ketchum - Oak Park (UCLA)

WR: Austin Usher - Jefferson

TE: Erik Lorig - Peninsula

TE: Ryan Moya - Oak Ridge (UCLA)

OL: Thomas Altieri - Vista

OL: Kevin Bemoll - Mission Viejo (Ohio State)

OL: Eben Britton - John Burrough's (Arizona)

OL: Devin Head - Centennial (Colorado)

OL: Nick Howell - Bullard (USC)

OL: Aleksey Lanis - Crenshaw (UCLA)

OL: Rodney Picou - Canyon Springs (Nebraska)

OL: Tevita Stevens - Hemet

DEFENSE

DE: Matt Kopa - Elk Grove (Stanford)

DE: Michael Shelton - Dominguez (Arizona)

DE: Averell Spicer - Rancho Cucamonga (USC)

DT: Fevaea'i AhMu - Serra (Washington State)

DT: Russell Tialavea - Oceanside (BYU)

LB: Luther Brown - Lakewood

LB: Kevin Ellison - Redondo Union (USC)

LB: Zack Follett - Clovis (CAL)

LB: Prince Hall - Moreno Valley (Alabama)

LB: Rey Maualuga - Eureka

LB: Adrian McCovey - Lakewood

CB: Syd'Quan Thompson - Grant (CAL)

CB: Robert Peele - Edison, Fresno

CB: Gardner McKay - Crenshaw

CB: Aaron Ware - Oaks Christian (UCLA)

S: Will Harris - Charter Oak (USC)

S: Shawn Oatis - Chino (UCLA)

ATH: Brandis Dew - Hemet (UTEP)

ATH: Bret Lockett - Diamond Bar

K/P: Troy Van Blarcom - Orange Lutheran (USC)

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=140&p=2&c=336116

[Papa_Bull]

I saw two different TV Times given for the game today, and I'm not sure which is correct:

CALIFLORIDA BOWL

Sunday on TV: 1 p.m. at Miami's Orange Bowl, Fox Sports Net Florida (available on satellite).

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/sports/10546354.htm

January 2 at 8 p.m. in the Orange Bowl in a game Fox Sports Net will televise.

http://hsflorida.scout.com/2/336425.html

Maybe, someone can confirm which time is correct.

[Cubanbull]

Is Jan 2 at 8 PM

The Miami Herald has also listed

LB Laphonso Ruffin and CB Tyler Roberts as USF interest

[Papa_Bull]

Is Jan 2 at 8 PM

The Miami Herald has also listed

LB Laphonso Ruffin and CB Tyler Roberts as USF interest

Thanks for the time confirmation and the additional players interested in USF.

Maybe Velcro can add Ruffin and Roberts to the recruiting board based on that.

[Velcro]

no problem... but roberts is already on the list... ruffin wasn't.

[Papa_Bull]

Flashback to last year:

For the second year in a row, Pasco County has a first-team all-state wide receiver to brag about.

Pasco senior Johnny Peyton was one of three receivers named to the Class 3A all-state team, earning the same honor Land O'Lakes star Logan Payne received last year.

Peyton (6 feet, 5 inches and 191 pounds) led Pasco County with 1,002 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, helping the Pirates to their second straight playoff berth.

"I was really hoping I could get this," said Peyton, an honorable mention for all-state honors as a junior who was in California last weekend as part of Florida's team in the CaliFlorida Bowl V, a prestigious all-star game.

Wesley Chapel center Seth Fabin, a 6-foot-3, 286-pound senior who helped the Wildcats to an undefeated regular season and conference championship, was named to the second team, and Gulf punter Steve Purviance, a senior who averaged 37 yards an attempt, was honored on the third team. The selections are based on recommendations from state sportswriters.

Peyton can smile about his all-state honor this weekend when he makes an official visit to the University of South Florida, which is trying to pry him from a tenuous oral commitment to Pittsburgh.

After the Panthers' offensive coordinator left last month to accept the coaching job at Akron, Peyton has been reconsidering his college future. USF has been the most persistent of the state's football programs, regularly attending Pasco games and offering Peyton a scholarship when other schools kept a lukewarm interest.

"It's just another option, something to think about if anything goes wrong with something else," Peyton said.

USF already has a Pasco receiver on its roster in Joe Bain, whose Pirates career briefly overlapped with Peyton's.

And as many as 20 members from the Florida team that Peyton met last weekend are expected to make campus visits, helping the Bulls' chances of landing the talented receiver.

[Papa_Bull]

Another Flashback:

Pasco duo aids in win by Florida

Drew Weatherford (Land O'Lakes) and Johnny Peyton (Pasco) hit on a late pass play to help beat California in the CaliFlorida Bowl.

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer

Published January 6, 2004

[Last modified January 6, 2004, 01:33:37]

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It has been a popular what-if, pondered on sidelines and in the minds of football fans across Pasco County: What would happen if Land O'Lakes quarterback Drew Weatherford and Pasco receiver Johnny Peyton, perhaps the county's two biggest football stars of 2003, were to play on the same team?

The answer came Saturday, when the two combined to help Florida to a 24-22 win against host California in CaliFlorida Bowl V, a collection of both states' most talented seniors.

Weatherford, who started at quarterback for Florida, converted a fourth-down play late by hitting Peyton for a 33-yard gain, allowing Florida to run out the clock and preserve the win.

The game, held at Moorpark College in Moorpark, about one hour northwest of Los Angeles, pitted 35 of Florida's top seniors against a group of nearly 70 California standouts.

Rain led to sloppy play and Weatherford went 2-for-5 for 16 yards with two lost fumbles in the first half, splitting time with two other quarterbacks as California built a 16-3 halftime lead. His second-half numbers were better and he finished 6-of-11 for 71 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

Peyton, one of five receivers on the Florida roster, had one dropped pass in the first half and made his only reception in the final minute.

Weatherford, the Class 4A Player of the Year and Times All-Suncoast Player of the Year, has a firm commitment to Florida State and used this weekend as an opportunity to help the Seminoles recruit other talented seniors.

He was interviewed for a feature called "The Drew Diaries" at warchant.com, a Seminoles recruiting and fan site, and talked about how people are asking about his college choice.

"Pretty much I've talked to everybody about where they are going, and the schools they are looking at," he told the site. "A lot of people just come up to me and ask me why I made my decision to go to Florida State because they are interested and I just let them know what I like about Florida State."

Weatherford went to California last summer for the EA Sports Elite 11 Quarterback Camp and this trip solidified his status as one of the state's most well-known recruits. Tallahassee Lincoln coach David Wilson, who coached the Florida team, singled out Weatherford in a story last week.

"Weatherford throws well on the run, has great, great leadership qualities, and always has a big ol' smile on his face,' Wilson told the Tallahassee Democrat. "If he didn't play football, he could certainly be a Hollywood actor."

Peyton's college future will be decided in the next month, as he has backed off an early commitment to Pittsburgh after the Panthers assistant who recruited him left to become head coach at Akron. Peyton has said he would like to join Weatherford in Tallahassee, but Pasco coach Dale Caparaso said another in-state program has shown more recent interest.  ;D

Florida coaches visited Peyton at Pasco before the holidays and said they would like him to make an official visit this month.

[Papa_Bull]

Aside from Peyton I know that Danny Muy also played in the CaliFlorida game last year.

Some of our other recruits also played, but I don't remember who right now. Anybody know?

I remember posting the Roster last year, but I don't think it exists any longer in the archives.

[Papa_Bull]

I looked at the USF Media Guide and it made reference to some other recruits who played in the CaliFlorida game last year:

Richard Clebert

Mark Dile

Brouce Mompremier

[Papa_Bull]

Florida won 24-22. A few of our recruits had some big plays. CB Tyler Roberts had a nice interception. We coud use a good CB