Transfer Rumors, Tweets, Etc

[Shockley3333]

Nick Internicola

 

Joey Knight â€@TBTimes_Bulls 4m

DE from Florida. USF-bound, perhaps? RT @Internicocacola I will no longer be attending Rutgers anymore, best of luck to them in the future.

Idk about this kid... According to ESPN and 247, he runs a 5.15 40. Do we really want another Mike Lanaris??

[JupiterBull]

Yikes...maybe a temp drop, but ESPN shows Lville dropping 13 spots, to #36. Not sure if hiring Petrino helps, but we'll see. Certainly a lot of recruits leaving. With Teddy B leaving, too, could be a rough start in the ACC for The Ville.

http://insider.espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/classrankings/_/class/2014/date/20140108

[KevinUSF00]

Interesting Mike Blakely article in the Bradenton Herald today.

http://www.bradenton.com/2014/01/15/4936675/commentary-former-manatee-football.html

 

 

Alan Dell - Bradenton Herald

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014

 

For Mike Blakely, running between the tackles has been a lot easier than navigating through the NCAA's web of rules. But there is one benefit. Blakely has been forced to slow down.

The standout running back couldn't wait to get his college career going. He left Manatee High early so he could be ready for spring practice at the University of Florida in 2011.
 

Unfortunately, he found the road to his dreams filled with obstacles.

With two years of eligibility remaining beginning next season, Blakely is planning on attending a fourth school.

He hopes this will be his last. Sink or swim, it looks that way.

His first choice is the University of South Florida, where Willie Taggart has reopened the school for second chances he used to run at Western Kentucky.

If that doesn't work out, South Alabama would be Blakely's next choice, and then there are others who covet his services.

Blakely has talent and is due for some good fortune.

He was rated the sixth-best running back in the nation and a five-star prospect at Manatee and could've written his ticket to nearly any school in the country.

Things started to go wrong almost immediately at Florida, through no fault of his own. Urban Meyer, who recruited Blakely, left. Then Blakely injured his shoulder.

It was a washout, but Auburn came calling, and Blakely got a second chance at the big time.

He played with the Tigers in 2012 and things just didn't work out with the Tigers' stable of running backs looking like Grand Central Station at rush hour.

The 5-foot-9. 205-pounder left Auburn after the 2012 season and thought he was headed for USF.

He was banking on the NCAA granting him a hardship waiver because he was coming home to take care of his 1-year-old son Mike III.

Like most college athletes, Blakely was naïve to believe in the NCAA.

College football's ruling body said he could not play for a third Division I school until he secured an associate's degree.

Blakely played for Hutchinson Community College in Kansas last season. If he gets his degree this spring, Blakely says he will be eligible to play at a Division I school.

"I left Auburn (after the 2012 season) because I wanted to come home and take care of my son.

I thought was going to get a waiver," Blakely said. "I felt it was the right thing to do. I left Auburn on good terms and was happy to see them do well and go to the BCS title game."

Blakely might have been part of that title run. He and Onterio McCalebb were battling Auburn's leading rusher, Tre Mason, for starting time in 2012.

Mason, who rushed for 1,835 yards and 23 touchdowns this past season, won that job with 1,038 yards in '12. Blakely finished third with 158 yards on 33 carries. He led the Tigers in rushing against Mississippi State and Arkansas and his potential was evident, but it's a numbers game with a lot of programs.

"I learned college football is a business, but it was fun at Auburn. I talked to Tre the other day, and we still keep in touch," Blakely said.

After a tough season last year under first-year head coach Taggart, USF is looking for a running back to help ignite an offense that is based on a strong ground game.

"I think I could do well there, and I talked to assistant coach (Ray) Woodie. They haven't promised me anything," Blakely said. "I talked to the coaches at South Alabama more than anywhere, and that is a possibility. There are other schools interested in me."

Alan Dell, Herald sports writer, can be reached at 941-745-7056.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2014/01/15/4936675/commentary-former-manatee-football.html#storylink=cpy

[Reliable Source]

Great article. Did'nt know we were that hot on him.Jim Dandy to the rescue.......

Edited January 16, 2014 by Bullwinkle

[Hem]

Oh man I really hope we snag Blakely, that would be huge for us. Thanks for the info Kevin. Looks like we are going from thin at the RB position, to packed house.

 

Just in case people forgot who he is:

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Mike-Blakely-98997

Edited January 16, 2014 by Hem

[JupiterBull]

I've learned to guard my optimism after Aycock washed out.  Ford & Scott were 5 stars who didn't blow up...but they got plenty of starts & TDs, so we WERE better off with them.

 

I loved watching Blakely in HS, and I can see how he got pushed back at Auburn.  But it he can play at that level, he'd be a HUGE add to our program (man, we coulda used him last season!).  Hope this unfolds, and we get some competition at RB (and have a stud #1, and a developing 2 to give him a break, and change of pace).

 

Some key pieces are starting to line up.  Now, we just need some OL to give the RBs and QBs a fighting chance.

[TallyBull]

Seems like there's some hesitation on USF's part.  Maybe he's not the player he once was?  Not sure why you wouldn't just say "yes" given he's from CWT's school, our need for a break-out RB, and his having two years of eligibility.  Why wouldn't he at least be worth the gamble?  

[SANJAY]

May not be worth an immediate scholarship offer given all the other needs we have and his only having 2 years left. Staff probably waiting to see how this class ends and what they look like for scholarships. If they still have an extra one on signing day they probably throw it his way.

[ForestBull]

http://www.bradenton.com/2013/12/05/4870092/campus-connection-mike-blakely.html

Another good read

[SJT]

Good article on Carnes as well....what a waste of talent when he could have started here and instead committed to huskers. I never understood why especially the top qbs commit to the same schools when they know that they have to compete with another qb for the one starting position. I remember in one year when Tennessee got two 5 star qbs in the same class and later one of them ended up transferring after two years. Why don't these guys consider going to the lower level schools?