Who is visiting the campus this weekend?

[USFreak]

This was the blurb the other day:

Mike Ford- Because of academics, several colleges stayed away from this standout running back from Sarasota. Ford, 6-2, 205, worked hard in the classroom and is expected to fully qualify. Ford was named Mr. Football in Class 5A. Ford lists Alabama, Auburn, and South Carolina as his favorites and will take visits to all three schools. It's not likely, but Alabama could land three running backs from the state of Florida.

http://alabama.scout.com/2/338958.html

Here is Mike Ford's profile listing his three official visits. USF is not shown among his favorites.

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=14&p=8&c=1&nid=1311472

Ford told me straight out he had no interest in Bulls.  Then again, so did Jake Griffin last year.

[Papa_Bull]

Ford told me straight out he had no interest in Bulls.  Then again, so did Jake Griffin last year.

Kids CHANGE their minds every other day. They are very impressionable.

One funny one, I remember was George Kearsey. Last year someone did an article about how the Big East was going to effect USF recruiting, and the writer interviewed a number of them to get their thoughts. The last guy interviewed was George Kearsey and he said it wouln't have any impact on him. Then as an after thought he added, "Well, Maybe just a little." Of course, he ended up signing with USF although he failed to qualify. He hopes to return to USF after completing up as a JUCO where he redshirted this year.

As for the other little comment about RIVALS not knowing everything, that was just a tease. Ya gotta admit the reaction from the Gator site to him leaving them in the lurch to visit USF was a knee slapper.  

[Papa_Bull]

USFreak...Since you have been personally involved with the recruits, I'm surprised you haven't given your thoughts on where you think we'll end up on the Rivals team rankings this year:

http://www.thebullspen.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Prospects;action=display;num=1105111034

Unless, of course, you are afraid of jinxing us.  

[Papa_Bull]

USFreak...I hear what you are saying but, there IS is a BULLS section in the Tampa Tribune, and it covers the gamut of sports at USF. Football is the big sport and we are headed into a major conference and this recruiting class is critical. The Trib DOES do quite a bit on College Football recruiting AFTER someone visits and verbals and compiles various TOP recruiting lists of their own. It would seem to me only NATURAL that they would let their readers know who is visiting before the fact if they have that information, to wet their appetite for the stories which will follow. I understand that they might not do as thorough a job as the State, for example, but they should at least do that much.  

[Papa_Bull]

Bien...I'm surprised we didn't take Small because he could have enrolled NOW and been here for spring practice. After all, we did lose both T Jones and A Copeland who were expected to be here.

YOU saw his amazing speed from the combine results and he has been very productive at Hargrave. Plus, he REALLY wanted to come to USF. I think we made a mistake passing on him.

Herd gets leadership in recruit

By ANTHONY HANSHEW - The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- Marshall has recruited both character and ability with its latest commitment.

Chubb Small, a 5-foot-9, 200-pound running back from Hargrave Military Academy, committed to the Thundering Herd on Monday and will begin classes on Thursday. Small blends sprinter’s speed and power between the tackles; more importantly he could potentially help fill a leadership void.

"He’s an excellent football player, but he’s a better person," said Bob Williams, who coached Small at Auburndale High School (Fla.). "He’s top notch all around."

Williams is not alone in that assessment. The Auburndale community unofficially sponsored their native son, raising a significant amount of the $23,300 tuition for Small’s one year at Hargrave.

"When you say Auburndale, Chubb Small is in the same breath," Williams said.

As for football, Small appears a promising prospect.

He rushed for more than 1,600 yards and 22 touchdowns during his senior season at Auburndale. Small clocked a 4.32 second 40-yard dash time at Hargrave’s combine workout and bench presses 360 pounds. He’s also been timed at 10.6 seconds in the 100.

"He can obviously run wide, but he’s strong and durable enough that he can run between the tackles," Williams said. "And he’s got great hands out of the backfield."

Cincinnati, Kansas and South Florida offered Small scholarships from high school.

Small will participate in spring practice and join a talented young backfield that includes Ahmad Bradshaw and Gerwin Williams. Small is accustomed to quality competition for playing time, having shared Hargrave’s backfield with two Division I-A recruits.

"He really liked the coaching staff (Thundering Herd assistant Jimmy Collins recruited Small) and the slogan, ‘We play for championships’ really appealed to him," coach Williams said. "Chubb is really excited to have the chance to compete and play."

Collins and Marshall have not exhausted their Auburndale efforts. Williams said the Herd also is interested in Bloodhounds quarterback/running back/safety Dedrick Davis.

Davis, described as a "tremendous player" by Williams, will visit Marshall on Jan. 27.

"If Marshall gets those two they’re going to win some ballgames," said Williams, who paused and then added, "well, they’ll win some more ballgames."

Marshall now has eight commitments in this year’s prospective recruiting class. Joining Small are offensive linemen Chris Barnes (Riverside College, Calif.), Wesley Jones (Hinds College, Miss.) and Zane Bruhin (Powell H.S., Tenn.), wide receiver William Lewis (Scott County H.S., Ky.), linebacker John Jacobs (Broadway H.S., Va.) and quarterbacks Zach Barnard (Owensboro Catholic H.S., Ky.) and Derek Devine (Mt. San Antonio College, Calif.).

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/2005/January/12/MUtop2.htm

[Bullpride08]

USFreak...I hear what you are saying but, there IS is a BULLS section in the Tampa Tribune, and it covers the gamut of sports at USF. Football is the big sport and we are headed into a major conference and this recruiting class is critical. The Trib DOES do quite a bit on College Football recruiting AFTER someone visits and verbals and compiles various TOP recruiting lists of their own. It would seem to me only NATURAL that they would let their readers know who is visiting before the fact if they have that information, to wet their appetite for the stories which will follow. I understand that they might not do as thorough a job as the State, for example, but they should at least do that much.  

Howie,

You are more right than wrong.  These guys must be coming up with sources.  Why our papers don't list who's visiting could have something to do with wishes from the coaching staff.  Also, with smaller school's it's harder to know who's visiting.  Clemson, and USC have very large, and demanding followings.  The rivals websites, and newspapers can spend the time and money to devote people to this endeavor, because frankly, if they didn't those loyal followers would crucify the papers.  USF isn't there, yet maybe, but Auman, and Brett do a good job of fishing out information, and determining who visited, and what happened.

[USFreak]

USFreak...I hear what you are saying but, there IS is a BULLS section in the Tampa Tribune, and it covers the gamut of sports at USF. Football is the big sport and we are headed into a major conference and this recruiting class is critical. The Trib DOES do quite a bit on College Football recruiting AFTER someone visits and verbals and compiles various TOP recruiting lists of their own. It would seem to me only NATURAL that they would let their readers know who is visiting before the fact if they have that information, to wet their appetite for the stories which will follow. I understand that they might not do as thorough a job as the State, for example, but they should at least do that much.  

Shoot man, I don't know what to tell you.  It is just my opinion. I have nothing to back it up.

I'd imagine they'd dedicate most of the room to FSU, UF and Miami first, though.  Those guys got about 50 times the following USF does.  Tampa paper or not those guys are the power brokers.

[Papa_Bull]

Sometimes they do give out info, and nobody notices:

RECRUITING UPDATE: Carlton Hill, the Monticello quarterback who committed to USF in August, then backed off in November and was strongly considering Miami, now looks to be close to committing to the Bulls again. "He's definitely leaning toward South Florida," Jefferson County coach Jeff Schaum said Tuesday. "He's heard a lot of things from a lot of schools, but USF has been steady in telling him the same things."

Hill will make an official visit to USF on Jan. 21 with his mother, then likely choose between the Bulls and Hurricanes. Both have made scholarship offers.

LOCALS: USF is one of three schools still in contention for Armwood running back Demetrius McCray, who will be part of a key recruiting weekend this weekend. McCray is slated to visit New Mexico on Jan. 21 and Indiana on Jan. 28.

Armwood defensive back R.J. Anderson, who committed to USF last summer, is a coveted baseball prospect, tabbed by Baseball America as the No. 86 high school prospect in the country his senior season. Armwood coach Sean Callahan said Anderson is considering playing pro baseball if he's drafted in the top three rounds, but coach Jim Leavitt's experience as a two-sport star (he was the 1976 Big 8 batting champion at Missouri) could help him choose the Bulls.

SPECIAL AGENT: Former USF offensive linemen Alex Herron, Derrick Sarosi and Levi Newton, who combined for 119 starts with the Bulls, have all signed with agent Mark Lepselter of New Jersey-based MJ Sports Management.

Times staff writer Greg Auman covers USF athletics. Reach him at 813 226-3346 or auman@sptimes.com

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/12/Sports/Frosh_playing_big_rol.shtml

[CoralSpringsBull]

1.Steve Mazza-My friend and co-manager of the Basketbulls in the mid-1970's.

2. Steve Stanford-A backup center in the mid-1970's. He claimed he was seven feet tall. He was a 6'11' klutz but a nice guy. I'm sure you remember him, SMazza.

3.Rob Frohman-A backup forward on the first varsity basketbull team in 1971-72.

4.Tommy Davis-One of our starting guards on the first varsity basketbull team. He shot his free throws with a jump shot

5.Bill Lear-He was the very first basketbull recruit we signed back in 1971.

[Papa_Bull]

1.Steve Mazza-My friend and co-manager of the Basketbulls in the mid-1970's.

2. Steve Stanford-A backup center in the mid-1970's. He claimed he was seven feet tall. He was a 6'11' klutz but a nice guy. I'm sure you remember him, SMazza.

3.Rob Frohman-A backup forward on the first varsity basketbull team in 1971-72.

4.Tommy Davis-One of our starting guards on the first varsity basketbull team. He shot his free throws with a jump shot

5.Bill Lear-He was the very first basketbull recruit we signed back in 1971.

CoralSpringsBull...Nice post, but did you mean to place it in another thread? If so, you can copy it, then hit "Remove" button to delete it here, and then paste it where you wanted it to go in the first place.

I assume this it the thread you meant:

http://www.thebullspen.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=news;action=display;num=1105378304

Click on that link and paste it there.