Football recruiting is front and center so Pete will start there and I’ll come back with some hoops news and bowl speculation.
Pete Scantlebury on Football Recruiting
It's the most wonderful time of the year... Yes, Christmas is approaching, but Missouri's recruiting process starts to become the gift that keeps on giving (at least for me). I'm not talking about big-time commitments; my affinity for these early December weeks is because of the iron-clad gate in Missouri's recruiting opens up a bit. Coaches hit the road, and our eyes and ears at these different high schools make it a TON easier to see who Missouri is after. At the same time, recruits start scheduling official visits to Missouri, and information is just plain easier to come by.
For that reason, there's a quicker turnaround in time from when information reaches me to when it hits the board. During the season, we'll try to save the juiciest nuggets for the Chamber; during early December, we try to get everything out on the board as soon as we verify the information. It's definitely a fun time for me.
This week's Chamber will be a lot of re-hashing everything we've gathered and posted during the week, but there will be a few more tidbits strewn throughout.
I'll start with a little bit of information about the nation's top recruit, Dorial Green-Beckhamhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Dorial-Green-Beckham-98834. As I said on the board on Thursday, Green-Beckham is not going to visit Arkansas this weekend. There was discussions within the family about going to Fayetteville this weekend, but Green-Beckham was sick for most of this week, so any and all visits were postponed.
I talked with John Beckham on Thursday, and the main message I got is that everything is fluid in regards to these upcoming official visits. With basketball season picking up, it's going to be tough to schedule visits for weekends; that's why we'll probably see visits occuring on Sundays-Mondays or other non-traditional times.
It appears his next official visit will be to Norman to visit the Sooners sometime over the weekend of Dec. 16-18. Hillcrest has a basketball game that Saturday, so it may be one of those Sunday-Monday trips. However, even that visit is not set in stone, as John Beckham said the family is trying to balance a lot of varying factors in getting their son on these trips.
The next opportunity for Green-Beckham to take official visits would be toward the end of the first week in January. That weekend (Jan.6-8) sets up a string of four weekends remaining before Signing Day. We've heard (not from John Beckham) that Missouri is trying to get him to visit that final weekend in January (Jan. 27-29). From there, Signing Day is three days away, and it appears the Tigers want to make the last impression on Green-Beckham.
Once again, I fully expect this to come down to that final week in January, and it may even be a Signing Day scenario. I was told directly that a decision will not come at the Army All-American game.
-- Time for a little re-hashing. We have the list of confirmed visitors for the big Dec. 9-11 weekend pinned to the top of the message board. So far, we have 14 recruits confirmed, but I've heard there could be as many as 25 (or perhaps more). Here's the list so far, with some tidbits about the ones that warrant it:
SOLID VERBAL
Everman (TX) LB Torey Boozer
Cleburne (TX) DB Chaston Cuffee
St. Louis (MO) LB Michael Scherer
St. Louis (MO) DT Edmund Ray
St. Louis (MO) LB Donavin Newsom
SOFT VERBAL
Keller (TX) OT Simon Goineshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Simon-Goines-119143: A good visit could go a long way in getting Goines to forego other visits. He has no other visits scheduled at this point. He said his in-home visit with Missouri coaches went well this week.
Waco (TX) CB Will Hineshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Will-Hines-122202: Like Goines, this could be a big weekend for Hines. On Twitter, Hines seems to be a big Missouri supporter still, and his visits this week went very well.
Lago Vista (TX) DT Donald Hopkinshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Donald-Hopkins-120669: Hopkins doesn't have any other visits scheduled, but said he will take others regardless of his trip to Missouri. Still, Missouri is considered the leader.
UNCOMMITTED
Lee's Summit West (MO) OG Evan Boehmhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Evan-Boehm-108982: Boehm is visiting Kansas State this weekend. It might help that he'll have taken two other officials before his trip to Missouri. Missouri still has a good chance, but we'll see if he schedules any more officials following his trip to columbia.
Keller (TX) DT Aaron Curryhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Aaron-Curry-121936: Curry is thought to be choosing between Iowa and Missouri. Missouri appears to be his final visit, so that could bode well for the Tigers.
St. Louis (MO) WR Brandon Sheperdhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Brandon-Sheperd-120437: Sheperd is supposed to be at the Bedlam Game this week, which will most likely be an official visit. It may be hard for Missouri to beat that atmosphere that will be in Stillwater this weekend, but having Newsom on the visit could help. If he comes back from Stillwater uncommitted, Missouri may be the favorite.
San Antonio (TX) OL/DL Ralphael Green[/URL]: Green says he has an offer, but it may not be "official" yet. Should it become official on the visit, it's a good bet that Green would pull the trigger immediately.
Largo (FL) TE Sean Culkinhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Ralphael-Green-111247: Like Green, an offer appears to have been extended, but it won't become official until Pinkel talks with him next weekend. Culkin is so new on Missouri's board, it may be difficult to pull a commitment out of a visit. Culkin's recruitment seems to be picking up, as well. With him, it's too soon to tell either way.
San Antonio (TX) DE Javonte Mageehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Javonte-Magee-104642: This may be the most intriguing visitor of them all, not because he'll be in Columbia but because of what he'll be missing. Texas' big visit weekend is also next weekend, and Magee is scheduled to be in Columbia. Magee has offers from both schools (among dozens of others). We confirmed his visit first through Green, his teammate and friend, and also through another source. It appears set that Magee will be in Columbia.
Now, I really don't have much more to add about Magee. Fact is, the kid rarely does interviews. This came out of nowhere for me, so it'll be interesting to see what comes out of the weekend. I did hear from one non-Missouri source that Magee's interest in the Tigers has been a recent development. Just speculation here, but perhaps the SEC move helped in his eyes.
As of now, we know those 14 players will be in Columbia, but like I said, there could be around 25 or more recruits in attendance. There are also a few players that have confirmed visits, but we don't know the dates yet:
Angleton (TX) ATH Ryan Jacksonhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Ryan-Jackson-110757: A Houston commit.
Edwardsville (IL) DT Vincent Valentinehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Vincent-Valentine-115377
Whiteland (IN) OT Jake Meadorhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Jake-Meador-118383
South Bend (IN) ATH David Perkinshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-David-Perkins-116914
Another player to watch for during the Dec. 9 weekend is O'Fallon (IL) athlete Ka'Ra Stewarthttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Ka'Ra-Stewart-132659. Stewart is supposed to visit Iowa that weekend, but it may be switched for a trip to Missouri instead. Cornell Ford and David Yost met with Stewart on Thursday night, but Stewart has his phone turned off to prevent a deluge of calls. I'm hoping to speak with him on Friday during the day, and as soon as I do, I'll post a story.
That's all I have for now. I'll have another pre-visit primer up for next week's Chamber, and hopefully by then we'll have over ten more visitors confirmed and information on guys like Sheperd, Boehm and Magee.
Stay tuned. It's going to get fun.
Gabe DeArmond on Basketball Recruiting and Bowls
To continue on the football front, let me throw out the bowl stuff. This should be a review for most of you. There is a small chance the Big 12 gets two BCS teams (for that to happen, OU has to win this weekend and Michigan has to somehow stay out of the top 14 in the BCS). Like I said, small chance, but if that happens, here are the bowls:
BCS: OU/OSU
Cotton: KSU
Alamo: Baylor/UT winner
Insight: Baylor/UT loser
Holiday: Mizzou
Texas: A&M
Pinstripe: Iowa State
Now, if the league gets only one in the BCS, that pushes everyone down a spot, meaning the leftover of UT and Baylor will go to the Holiday (both will go ahead of Mizzou in the bowl process regardless of what happens tomorrow). The Texas Bowl is going to take A&M almost certainly. That would leave the Pinstripe choosing between Mizzou and ISU. There are arguments for both. For those who will be mad the Big 12 is screwing Missouri, why wouldn’t it? Just last year, the league screwed Nebraska and Mizzou was the beneficiary.
If they fall past the Pinstripe, the Armed Forces Bowl, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, Compass Bowl and Hawaii Bowl are all possibilities. We’ll know on Sunday night.
Also on Sunday night, following the bowl announcement, a few of us will have the opportunity to sit down with Gary Pinkel to discuss the SEC move, so I’ll have that posted on Monday.
Elsewhere in football, still believe the SEC schedule I posted earlier this week is accurate as of now. Tennessee, S. Carolina, Florida and Ole Miss on the road with Kentucky, Vandy, Georgia and A&M coming to Columbia. A&M will be the cross-division rival to start. That does not mean it will stay that way permanently.
****On now to basketball. Everyone has seen that Andrew Jones joined the hoops team. I’m told it’s on a trial basis. The coaches want to work him out, see if he can help. He will still practice with the football team and play in the bowl game.
The interesting thing is that Jones could actually have a year and a half to play. Obviously, he plays second semester this year. But he didn’t redshirt and his athletic clock is only on year four. He’s got another year of college athletic eligibility and, I believe, could play hoops next year.
****Now, another hoops note. I’ll admit to holding out on you guys and burying the lede here. I received an email this morning from a fellow publisher in the Rivals.com network.
“2011 five-star guard Jabari Brownhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/basketball/recruiting/player-Jabari-Brown-94769 just bailed on Oregon last week and was going to come to San Diego State, but the head coach decided against it.
Now I have a really good source telling me he's really trying to get to Missouri.”
As of right now, that is the extent of the information I have. Brown was a five-star player ranked in the nation’s top 20 in the Class of 2011. He chose Oregon over more than ten other offers. His other finalists were Arizona State and Connecticut. He was rated in the nation’s top five incoming shooters and scorers by Rivals.com.
He started Oregon’s first two games, averaging six points, shooting just 27% and turning it over 11 times, but every assessment I can find thinks the kid has a chance to be an absolute star.
I have NO idea what it is he likes about Missouri or why he’s targeted them. At this point, I don’t even know if the interest is mutual. Obviously, it raises some questions when a kid that talented spurns some national powers from Oregon and then San Diego State declines when he leaves Eugene two games in. I don’t know his story or situation, but the kid’s got a world of talent.
"He's a good young man who hasn't gotten off to the start he wanted, (but) I think it’s a little too early to not try it out a little bit more." ... "He's a talented young man. … I enjoyed working with him,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said in the Eugene Register Guard. "He's got a long ways to go as a player, but he is going to be a good player and I’d like him to do it here."
I’ll do my best to track down some information on this. So far as I can see, there has never even been a quote from the kid on the Rivals network. I’m not sure how to get a hold of him or when or if I’ll be able to. I also don’t know, if he did choose Missouri, when he’d be able to play. I would guess he has to sit out a full year and would be eligible second semester next season if he was enrolled by January.
I know it’s a very open-ended story with little concrete information. But I thought it was worthwhile enough to pass it along to you guys, even at this very early stage.
Pete Scantlebury on Football Recruiting
It's the most wonderful time of the year... Yes, Christmas is approaching, but Missouri's recruiting process starts to become the gift that keeps on giving (at least for me). I'm not talking about big-time commitments; my affinity for these early December weeks is because of the iron-clad gate in Missouri's recruiting opens up a bit. Coaches hit the road, and our eyes and ears at these different high schools make it a TON easier to see who Missouri is after. At the same time, recruits start scheduling official visits to Missouri, and information is just plain easier to come by.
For that reason, there's a quicker turnaround in time from when information reaches me to when it hits the board. During the season, we'll try to save the juiciest nuggets for the Chamber; during early December, we try to get everything out on the board as soon as we verify the information. It's definitely a fun time for me.
This week's Chamber will be a lot of re-hashing everything we've gathered and posted during the week, but there will be a few more tidbits strewn throughout.
I'll start with a little bit of information about the nation's top recruit, Dorial Green-Beckhamhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Dorial-Green-Beckham-98834. As I said on the board on Thursday, Green-Beckham is not going to visit Arkansas this weekend. There was discussions within the family about going to Fayetteville this weekend, but Green-Beckham was sick for most of this week, so any and all visits were postponed.
I talked with John Beckham on Thursday, and the main message I got is that everything is fluid in regards to these upcoming official visits. With basketball season picking up, it's going to be tough to schedule visits for weekends; that's why we'll probably see visits occuring on Sundays-Mondays or other non-traditional times.
It appears his next official visit will be to Norman to visit the Sooners sometime over the weekend of Dec. 16-18. Hillcrest has a basketball game that Saturday, so it may be one of those Sunday-Monday trips. However, even that visit is not set in stone, as John Beckham said the family is trying to balance a lot of varying factors in getting their son on these trips.
The next opportunity for Green-Beckham to take official visits would be toward the end of the first week in January. That weekend (Jan.6-8) sets up a string of four weekends remaining before Signing Day. We've heard (not from John Beckham) that Missouri is trying to get him to visit that final weekend in January (Jan. 27-29). From there, Signing Day is three days away, and it appears the Tigers want to make the last impression on Green-Beckham.
Once again, I fully expect this to come down to that final week in January, and it may even be a Signing Day scenario. I was told directly that a decision will not come at the Army All-American game.
-- Time for a little re-hashing. We have the list of confirmed visitors for the big Dec. 9-11 weekend pinned to the top of the message board. So far, we have 14 recruits confirmed, but I've heard there could be as many as 25 (or perhaps more). Here's the list so far, with some tidbits about the ones that warrant it:
SOLID VERBAL
Everman (TX) LB Torey Boozer
Cleburne (TX) DB Chaston Cuffee
St. Louis (MO) LB Michael Scherer
St. Louis (MO) DT Edmund Ray
St. Louis (MO) LB Donavin Newsom
SOFT VERBAL
Keller (TX) OT Simon Goineshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Simon-Goines-119143: A good visit could go a long way in getting Goines to forego other visits. He has no other visits scheduled at this point. He said his in-home visit with Missouri coaches went well this week.
Waco (TX) CB Will Hineshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Will-Hines-122202: Like Goines, this could be a big weekend for Hines. On Twitter, Hines seems to be a big Missouri supporter still, and his visits this week went very well.
Lago Vista (TX) DT Donald Hopkinshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Donald-Hopkins-120669: Hopkins doesn't have any other visits scheduled, but said he will take others regardless of his trip to Missouri. Still, Missouri is considered the leader.
UNCOMMITTED
Lee's Summit West (MO) OG Evan Boehmhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Evan-Boehm-108982: Boehm is visiting Kansas State this weekend. It might help that he'll have taken two other officials before his trip to Missouri. Missouri still has a good chance, but we'll see if he schedules any more officials following his trip to columbia.
Keller (TX) DT Aaron Curryhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Aaron-Curry-121936: Curry is thought to be choosing between Iowa and Missouri. Missouri appears to be his final visit, so that could bode well for the Tigers.
St. Louis (MO) WR Brandon Sheperdhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Brandon-Sheperd-120437: Sheperd is supposed to be at the Bedlam Game this week, which will most likely be an official visit. It may be hard for Missouri to beat that atmosphere that will be in Stillwater this weekend, but having Newsom on the visit could help. If he comes back from Stillwater uncommitted, Missouri may be the favorite.
San Antonio (TX) OL/DL Ralphael Green[/URL]: Green says he has an offer, but it may not be "official" yet. Should it become official on the visit, it's a good bet that Green would pull the trigger immediately.
Largo (FL) TE Sean Culkinhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Ralphael-Green-111247: Like Green, an offer appears to have been extended, but it won't become official until Pinkel talks with him next weekend. Culkin is so new on Missouri's board, it may be difficult to pull a commitment out of a visit. Culkin's recruitment seems to be picking up, as well. With him, it's too soon to tell either way.
San Antonio (TX) DE Javonte Mageehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Javonte-Magee-104642: This may be the most intriguing visitor of them all, not because he'll be in Columbia but because of what he'll be missing. Texas' big visit weekend is also next weekend, and Magee is scheduled to be in Columbia. Magee has offers from both schools (among dozens of others). We confirmed his visit first through Green, his teammate and friend, and also through another source. It appears set that Magee will be in Columbia.
Now, I really don't have much more to add about Magee. Fact is, the kid rarely does interviews. This came out of nowhere for me, so it'll be interesting to see what comes out of the weekend. I did hear from one non-Missouri source that Magee's interest in the Tigers has been a recent development. Just speculation here, but perhaps the SEC move helped in his eyes.
As of now, we know those 14 players will be in Columbia, but like I said, there could be around 25 or more recruits in attendance. There are also a few players that have confirmed visits, but we don't know the dates yet:
Angleton (TX) ATH Ryan Jacksonhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Ryan-Jackson-110757: A Houston commit.
Edwardsville (IL) DT Vincent Valentinehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Vincent-Valentine-115377
Whiteland (IN) OT Jake Meadorhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Jake-Meador-118383
South Bend (IN) ATH David Perkinshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-David-Perkins-116914
Another player to watch for during the Dec. 9 weekend is O'Fallon (IL) athlete Ka'Ra Stewarthttp://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Ka'Ra-Stewart-132659. Stewart is supposed to visit Iowa that weekend, but it may be switched for a trip to Missouri instead. Cornell Ford and David Yost met with Stewart on Thursday night, but Stewart has his phone turned off to prevent a deluge of calls. I'm hoping to speak with him on Friday during the day, and as soon as I do, I'll post a story.
That's all I have for now. I'll have another pre-visit primer up for next week's Chamber, and hopefully by then we'll have over ten more visitors confirmed and information on guys like Sheperd, Boehm and Magee.
Stay tuned. It's going to get fun.
Gabe DeArmond on Basketball Recruiting and Bowls
To continue on the football front, let me throw out the bowl stuff. This should be a review for most of you. There is a small chance the Big 12 gets two BCS teams (for that to happen, OU has to win this weekend and Michigan has to somehow stay out of the top 14 in the BCS). Like I said, small chance, but if that happens, here are the bowls:
BCS: OU/OSU
Cotton: KSU
Alamo: Baylor/UT winner
Insight: Baylor/UT loser
Holiday: Mizzou
Texas: A&M
Pinstripe: Iowa State
Now, if the league gets only one in the BCS, that pushes everyone down a spot, meaning the leftover of UT and Baylor will go to the Holiday (both will go ahead of Mizzou in the bowl process regardless of what happens tomorrow). The Texas Bowl is going to take A&M almost certainly. That would leave the Pinstripe choosing between Mizzou and ISU. There are arguments for both. For those who will be mad the Big 12 is screwing Missouri, why wouldn’t it? Just last year, the league screwed Nebraska and Mizzou was the beneficiary.
If they fall past the Pinstripe, the Armed Forces Bowl, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, Compass Bowl and Hawaii Bowl are all possibilities. We’ll know on Sunday night.
Also on Sunday night, following the bowl announcement, a few of us will have the opportunity to sit down with Gary Pinkel to discuss the SEC move, so I’ll have that posted on Monday.
Elsewhere in football, still believe the SEC schedule I posted earlier this week is accurate as of now. Tennessee, S. Carolina, Florida and Ole Miss on the road with Kentucky, Vandy, Georgia and A&M coming to Columbia. A&M will be the cross-division rival to start. That does not mean it will stay that way permanently.
****On now to basketball. Everyone has seen that Andrew Jones joined the hoops team. I’m told it’s on a trial basis. The coaches want to work him out, see if he can help. He will still practice with the football team and play in the bowl game.
The interesting thing is that Jones could actually have a year and a half to play. Obviously, he plays second semester this year. But he didn’t redshirt and his athletic clock is only on year four. He’s got another year of college athletic eligibility and, I believe, could play hoops next year.
****Now, another hoops note. I’ll admit to holding out on you guys and burying the lede here. I received an email this morning from a fellow publisher in the Rivals.com network.
“2011 five-star guard Jabari Brownhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/basketball/recruiting/player-Jabari-Brown-94769 just bailed on Oregon last week and was going to come to San Diego State, but the head coach decided against it.
Now I have a really good source telling me he's really trying to get to Missouri.”
As of right now, that is the extent of the information I have. Brown was a five-star player ranked in the nation’s top 20 in the Class of 2011. He chose Oregon over more than ten other offers. His other finalists were Arizona State and Connecticut. He was rated in the nation’s top five incoming shooters and scorers by Rivals.com.
He started Oregon’s first two games, averaging six points, shooting just 27% and turning it over 11 times, but every assessment I can find thinks the kid has a chance to be an absolute star.
I have NO idea what it is he likes about Missouri or why he’s targeted them. At this point, I don’t even know if the interest is mutual. Obviously, it raises some questions when a kid that talented spurns some national powers from Oregon and then San Diego State declines when he leaves Eugene two games in. I don’t know his story or situation, but the kid’s got a world of talent.
"He's a good young man who hasn't gotten off to the start he wanted, (but) I think it’s a little too early to not try it out a little bit more." ... "He's a talented young man. … I enjoyed working with him,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said in the Eugene Register Guard. "He's got a long ways to go as a player, but he is going to be a good player and I’d like him to do it here."
I’ll do my best to track down some information on this. So far as I can see, there has never even been a quote from the kid on the Rivals network. I’m not sure how to get a hold of him or when or if I’ll be able to. I also don’t know, if he did choose Missouri, when he’d be able to play. I would guess he has to sit out a full year and would be eligible second semester next season if he was enrolled by January.
I know it’s a very open-ended story with little concrete information. But I thought it was worthwhile enough to pass it along to you guys, even at this very early stage.
