RJF to LSU

[Ricky the Bull]

Oh, well...  great class, anyway.  

Go Bulls!

USF Prospect Chooses LSU Over Bulls

By BRETT McMURPHY bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: Feb 10, 2005

 

TAMPA - Coveted defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois, of Miami Carol City, signed with LSU Thursday afternoon, ending a week-long struggle between the Tigers and South Florida, The Tampa Tribune has learned.

Jean-Francois and his parents signed Jean Francois' letter-of-intent and faxed it to LSU about 3 p.m. Thursday.

Since skipping his school's National Signing Day ceremony Feb. 2, Jean-Francois and his family have been torn between LSU and USF.

In a Feb. 2 interview with the Tribune, Celhomme Jean- Francois, Ricky's father, said: ``Me and his mom don't want him to go to LSU. Ricky was happy with South Florida. Those people [at LSU] washed his brain. That's not going to work. They make a mistake.

``We want him to go to South Florida. We want him to stay home in Florida. We want him to go where he's safe. South Florida has nothing to worry about.''

Jean-Francois was rated Florida's sixth-best high school player and the nation's No. 3 defensive end by Rivals.com.

Jean-Francois has not met college entrance requirements.

LSU officials would not confirm they had received Jean- Francois' fax.

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGB7QOQE15E.html

[Markeymark]

Like the article says (and has been speculated on already) he has not qualified. It sounds like he'll likely go JUCO and then be free to sign again in a couple years.

[bullman3]

Sounds like another big mistake.  How many players are going to make the same mistake, year after year.  

[Zonald]

Sounds like another big mistake.  How many players are going to make the same mistake, year after year.  

Until we start playing at that level.  

[Jewbull]

Maybe someone will give him Ingram and Schafers Phone # so they can all talk while thier teams are on the field and they are on the bench

[bullwark]

Good Luck Kid, enjoy the splinters.

[NAM37]

A kid chooses LSU and we give him hell.....

.... nice.  ???

NAM37

[Cubanbull]

Good luck to him. As much as i would have liked for him to come here,the final decision is his. He never thrashed USF he decided LSU was better for him.

[smazza]

kids will keep making these mistakes

[Papa_Bull]

Posted on Fri, Feb. 11, 2005

NOTEBOOK

Carol City's DE Jean-Francois chooses LSU -- finally

By MANNY NAVARRO

mnavarro@herald.com

Eight days after he decided he wasn't ready to make a decision on national signing day, Carol City defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois ended his heartache and deliberation when he faxed his signed letter of intent to LSU on Thursday.

''I was just waiting to make sure it was the right decision,'' said Jean-Francois, a two-time All-State selection and the final blue-chip recruit in the country to sign this recruiting season.

``When I woke up [last Wednesday], I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. One minute I was going one way, the next I wanted to go the other. My parents really wanted me to stay close to home, but once I convinced them, they were comfortable with the decision.''

Jean-Francois, who was The Herald's 2003-2004 Male Athlete of the Year in Miami-Dade, said his parents wanted him to go to South Florida, a school located in nearby Tampa and his other finalist.

Last August, before the start of the season Jean-Francois said he wanted to stay as close to home as possible to be near his older brother Junior, who suffered from meningitis as an infant and is now deaf.

''My number one choice was always UM,'' said Jean-Francois, who was rated the country's No. 59 recruit regardless of position by Rivals.com.

``But after a certain point, I saw they just weren't interested, and I was wasting my time waiting for a phone call. I never really found out why they didn't want me. But I'm happy now. LSU is definitely the place for me.''

He said what led him to pick the Tigers was the school's business program and the fact South Florida has never been a national title contender.

''Once I told my parents how great the business program really was and how that was the reason I wanted to go there, they started to agree with me,'' he said.

Jean-Francois, who said he had academic issues in the past, said Thursday he scored a 16 on his last ACT exam and made the honor roll with a 3.4 GPA this semester. He said his GPA is now up to a 2.5.

''I'm not even thinking about JUCO,'' Jean-Francois said. ``When I get to LSU, I'm going to show everyone who passed on me that they made a big, big mistake.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/10872094.htm