Recruiting Radar: Canes lead for several recruits, AND BANDY GOT OFFERED

A recruiting update with some mailbag questions, but really, THE BANDY GOT OFFERED CELEBRATION PIECE!!!

Hello, friends. It’s time for another Recruiting Radar!! Who’s excited? Stupid question, I know. EVERYBODY’S EXCITED!!!

Let’s go.

In this year and previous years, there have been certain players the fan base has wanted to see get a scholarship offer from Miami. In many of those cases, the offer either came too late in the process for Miami to be a real contender for that player (Skai Moore comes to mind), or it never came at all (Quincy Wilson, and others).

The latest player on this list is 4-star CB Trajan Bandy from Columbus HS (Miami, FL). For more than a year, fans have wanted Bandy to get a scholarship offer. But, there was one thing standing in the way:

Bandy is 5’8″. (He’s listed at 5’10” but that’s VERY generous)

It looked like Bandy, an Oklahoma commit at current, would be yet another talented South Florida player who Miami didn’t offer. Until Wednesday evening.

Bandy is a very talented player, who despite his stature has the ability to play at a P5 school. I wrote this about him after seeing him at the Miami Regional for Nike’s The Opening:

That was from March. So, we’re all on the same page: Bandy has the talent to play at Miami. And now, he has the scholarship offer to match.

Looking forward on his recruitment, Peter Ariz of CanesInSight.com wrote that the place Bandy always wanted to play his collegiate football was Miami. Oklahoma is the school to which Bandy is currently committed, but I foresee an intense recruiting battle upcoming. Miami is running behind right now, which is understandable since Bandy just got an offer 13 hours ago from the time I’m writing this. But, I expect the Canes to be a big factor for Bandy as things move forward.

Unfamiliar with Bandy’s game? There’s a lot to like. Take a peek at the HUDL highlights below:

A talented and highly coveted defender from local Carol City High School, 4-star LB De’Andre Wilder likes what he sees from Miami. So much so that Wilder recently told CaneSport.com that “Miami is my number 1 choice.”

With Miami trying to re-establish a dominant recruiting presence in South Florida, getting and keeping a player of Wilder’s caliber would be a great start. Coming off a junior season that saw him have 64 tackles, 14 sacks, and numerous other statistics, Wilder uses his 6’2″ 196lb frame very well. He has room to grow up to maybe 215lbs in college while still keeping his athleticism, which is the key.

Wilder is the top target for Miami at Linebacker. Miami is only looking to bring in 2 LBs in this class, and already have 3-star Waynmon Steed committed at the position. If Wilder were to commit, Miami would likely be done at LB in this class, and have their 2-man class have 2 of the top LBs in Dade County comprise that group. Yeah, that would be nice.

Wilder, who is already 19 years old, is slated to be an early enrollee in college. He’s being heavily pursued by Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and others. But, if things hold course, Wilder should be a Cane sooner rather than later.

One of the best players in his class, 2018 4-star RB Lorenzo Lingard recently told Scout.com that “Miami is the top choice” in his recruitment.

Now, I know that 2018 is the next recruiting cycle not the current one, but being at the top for Lingard is a great thing. He’s being recruited by a ton of ACC and SEC schools, so that shows Miami is in a good spot for now.

Lingard has visited campus multiple times, and was on hand for the 2016 Spring Game in Ft. Lauderdale. OC/RB coach Thomas Brown is working to build a relationship with Lingard, and that seems to be going well so far.

It’s a long way until National Signing Day 2018, but as things stand now, Miami is in a great place regarding this super talented playmaker. You can see the kind of player Lingard is in his HUDL highlights, which are below:

5-star RB drops Canes from his list

I’ll keep this short: 5-star RB D’Andre Swift (Philadelphia, PA) released a top 5 list yesterday. Miami, who had been on Swift’s top 10, did not make the cut.

While Swift would have been a great addition for Miami, the Canes are still recruiting other top end talents at RB. So, onward we go.

Mailbag

Let’s end with some of your recruiting questions

Very well could be. I’d guess either Wilder or 3-star S Derrick Smith or 3-star S Amari Carter as of today.

Yes, but he’s clearly 2nd behind Wilder right now.

As of now, the consensus is that Jeudy’s recruitment is a 2-team race: Alabama and Miami, with Alabama leading right now.

Don’t let that discourage you, tho. Miami has beaten Bama for several recruits recently (Cager, Richards, DeeJay Dallas) so that could happen again here. It’s also worth stating that Miami has lost to Bama for several recruits recently (who hasn’t?). But, Jeudy’s recruitment is ongoing and Miami is in the fight.

Good question. My gut feeling is Miami’s RB class will be something like:

  1. Robert Burns
  2. Darrian Felix or Stephen Carr or Anthony McFarland

For seemingly the 7th year in a row, Miami needs 2 RBs in this class. This is the year that I think that happens, and I think the pair of RBs who commit (and 2 of the 4 above listed players would be a GREAT CLASS at RB for Miami) will make Canes fans very happy.

Miami actually is in an okay spot recruiting DTs this cycle. Soon-to-be 4-star DT Jon Ford is already committed, and several others have been offered.

The top target right now is 3-star DT Kane Taylor from Clearwater, FL. He’s a player that the staff has visted multiple times through the spring and has good size at 6’4″ 270lbs. Taylor is a player that could end up being in this class for Miami.

As far as other targets, we’ll have to wait and see. Miami has offered several top national DTs, but I don’t foresee them coming here, at least not this cycle. A top DT might come down to Coral Gables next year, but I think it’s too soon to expect that in the 2017 class.

When more offers go out to other players at this position, we’ll have a better idea of the board for Defensive Tackle.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

That’s it for today, kids. Hop in the comments below and keep the conversation going.

Go Canes

Written on May 26, 2016 at 10:43 am


Michigan’s 2016 Defense Could Be One of College Football’s Best Ever

Michigan's 2016 Defense Could Be One of College Football's Best Ever

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking to reporters following one of the final practices of Michigan’s spring, Jourdan Lewis wasn’t shy about sharing the expectations he has for the Wolverines defense in 2016.

“Be the No. 1. The undisputed No. 1,” the All-American corner said. “Our secondary was the No. 1 secondary in the country [in 2015] and that’s what I’m looking for: Our unit being the best, winning some of those awards and getting a national championship. That’s where my mindset is and all of our mindset is.”

Why stop there?

Between its returning talent, an innovative defensive coordinator and a ready-to-play recruiting class, Lewis’ lofty goals for the Michigan defense certainly appear attainable. Last season, the Wolverines ranked fourth in the nation in total defense, sixth in scoring and, to Lewis’ point, third in defending the pass.

With the standard improvement one could expect from six returning starters, it would hardly come as a surprise if new defensive coordinator Don Brown once again directed the nation’s top-ranked defense, just as he did at Boston College a year ago.

But even that would undersell the talent that exists on this Michigan defense.

Better than Alabama, LSU, Clemson and Wisconsin? Perhaps. But even comparing this Wolverines defense to its contemporaries may not do it justice.

From a talent standpoint, this is a unit capable of competing with the likes of the Brian Bosworth-led Oklahoma Sooners, the 1992 Alabama Crimson Tide, Nebraska’s blackshirts of 1995, Miami’s All-Pro pipeline in the early-2000s and Nick Saban‘s recent NFL factory in Tuscaloosa for consideration of being one of the top defenses in college football history.

Don’t believe me? Just take a look at Michigan’s returning roster.

Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

As Lewis alluded to, it starts at the back end, with the Detroit native who could make a case for being college football’s top corner. In 2015, Lewis finished second in the Big Ten and third in the nation, with 22 passes broken up, before he passed on entering the NFL draft in order for one last go-round in Ann Arbor.

“If he had come out [in 2016] he’d have certainly been one of the top corners,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said of Lewis last month. “Next year’s draft, if you look at the top five right now and you look at a corner, you’d have to put him in there.”

Opposite Lewis, Jeremy Clark returns the most experience, but Channing Stribling appeared to pass the 6’4″, 210-pound senior on the Michigan depth chart in the spring. “He’s a starter,” Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh said of Stribling during an interview with The Michigan Insider at the end of the spring. “It’s in stone.”

Clark’s versatility—and size—may ultimately be better utilized at safety alongside experienced seniors Delano Hill and Dymonte Thomas, especially now that Jabrill Peppers finds himself featured in a more prominent role in Brown’s defensive scheme.

That’s right, after earning first-team All-Big Ten honors as a safety in his redshirt freshman season, Peppers is moving to outside linebacker, although he could still see snaps at safety depending on Michigan’s coverage. But as a linebacker, the former 5-star prospect will be able to make a greater impact while playing a position where Brown has developed pro prospects and stat-sheet stuffers in previous stops at Connecticut and Boston College.

“He’s playing at a high level there,” Brown said of Peppers at the end of spring practice. “The last three guys are in the NFL that I’ve coached that have played that position. You expect a lot at that spot, so we’re going to get what we expect.”

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

While Peppers’ new role will give him the freedom to play linebacker, safety and nickel corner—all from the same spot—the two more traditional linebackers on the Wolverines defense will account for most of the unit’s inexperience. But expected starters Ben Gedeon and Mike McCray were each 4-star prospects coming out of high school and both have received praise from Harbaugh throughout the preseason.

And should either Gedeon or McCray prove ineffective, Harbaugh could turn to his nationally fifth-ranked 2016 recruiting class, which included 4-star inside linebacker and early-enrollee Devin Bush Jr.

One Wolverines freshman who’s all but guaranteed to see the field this fall is the nation’s top overall prospect, Rashan Gary. The 5-star talent’s size, agility and overall natural ability should allow him to play anywhere on the Michigan defensive line that the Wolverines deem necessary as soon as he arrives on campus.

And while Gary will certainly be in Michigan’s rotation—if not the starting lineup—sooner rather than later, the Wolverines line already appeared to be a strength of the defense before his commitment this past February. With the returns of Taco Charlton (5.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss in 2015), Ryan Glasgow (20 career starts), former 4-star prospect Bryan Mone and NFL draft prospect Chris Wormley, Michigan’s front four should help open up lanes for Peppers and neutralize any possible deficiencies from the Wolverines’ two other linebacker spots.

“We were up there [in 2015],” Wormley told reporters of the U-M defensive line, per Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com. “Without question, we could be the best defensive line in the country.”

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Should the Wolverines’ highly touted secondary and defensive line live up to their self-imposed expectations, the potential is there for Brown to go back-to-back when it comes to possessing the nation’s top defense. Add in the upside of its linebacking corps and the unit’s overall talent—Gary and Peppers account for Michigan’s two highest-ranked recruits in the 247Sports era—and the already-high ceiling of the Michigan defense only rises.

Where it could wind up from a historical perspective is still yet to be determined, especially in a sport where opposing offenses have evolved at a rapid pace, making statistics much more difficult to compare. A national title would likely be necessary, as well as a season’s worth of dominating performances—something the Wolverines showed flashes of being capable of a year ago—in order for the U-M defense to maximize its potential.

But with nearly three months to go until the start of the season, the pieces already appear to be in place for the 2016 Wolverines defense to be one of college football’s all-time greats.

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report’s Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. Recruit rankings and info courtesy of 247Sports.

Written on May 26, 2016 at 8:56 am


Ole Miss recruiting: Rebels offer 4-star QB Jack Sears, land in Willie Gay’s top 5

The search for a 2017 quarterback continues; the best recruit in Starkville is still considering a move up north; a three-star defensive end has designs on a visit to Oxford.

One of these days, Hugh Freeze is gonna find himself a 2017 quarterback. He thought he had a lead in Connor Blumrick, but A&M swooped in last week to land the three-star Texas product’s commitment. Freeze immediately extended an offer to three-star Myles Brennan out of Bay St. Louis (ya know, the guy who’s high school coach threw a Twitter fit because Ole Miss wasn’t offering any of his players), but Brennan, at least for now, insists he’s sticking to his LSU commitment.

Which brings us to four-star Cali prospect Jack Sears, the latest quarterback to receive an Ole Miss offer, according to Rivals national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney.

The 6’3, 200-pound Elite 11 finalist certainly looks the part and so does his offer sheet. Sears has Duke, Tennessee, UCLA and Southern Cal high on his list. In his junior season, Sears threw for 2,697 yards, 37 touchdowns and only two interceptions while adding 862 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. It remains to be seen if the Rebs actually have a shot with him.

The tape:

3-star Starkville LB Willie Gay put the Rebs in his top five.

Hugh Freeze snagged the best player out of Starkville in 2016 and now he’s after the top prospect in 2017. Four months after four-star wideout A.J. Brown signed with Ole Miss, Gay included the Rebs in his recently-released top five.

Gay said not to long ago that Oxford feels like home, and it doesn’t hurt that his girlfriend is heading to Oxford next year.

Hauling him out of Starkville is still a bit of a long shot, but so was A.J. Brown. 

3-star DE Elijah Conliffe wants to visit Ole Miss.

Conliffe, the 17th-ranked strong-side defensive end in the 2017 class, recently told Scout’s Michael Clark that he’s “going to try to make it down [to Oxford] this summer.”

The 6’4, 284-pounder had a bunch of nice things to say about the Rebels during that interview:

What really grabs my attention about them is that they play in the SEC. They’ve also had a a lot of success lately and put some defensive lineman in the NFL. And they offer civil engineering.

I’ve been talking to (defensive line) coach (Chris) Kiffin and he’s really cool. He’s fun to talk to and he seems to be very interested in me.

The big man from Hampton, Va. said he hopes to whittle down his options to a top eight sometime soon and listed Ole Miss, USC, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Miami among the favorites to make the cut. Knoxville is the only SEC town he’s visited so far, though he plans on attending a camp in Tuscaloosa next month.

Here’s his tape:

4-star Malcolm Askew has Ole Miss in his top five.

The Rebs are hoping to continue stocking the receiver position and Askew, who also plays defensive back, might be the next four-star to join the ranks. He recently released a ranked top 10 that listed the Rebs No. 3 behind Auburn and Clemson.

The 5’11, 183-pound star from McAdory High School has the explosiveness to make him a Dexter McCluster-esque talent in the slot but he also possesses the defensive tools to contribute in a Mike Hilton-type role. The Rebs recruit in Alabama regularly but swiping Askew from Alabama or Auburn would be big-time.

Written on May 26, 2016 at 8:00 am


Only 100 Days Until Penn State Football

Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

In exactly 100 days, the 2016 Penn State football season will commence when the Nittany Lions take on the Kent State Golden Flashes.

We’ll get to see the advent of the Joe Moorhead offense, the Brent Pry defense (likely not so different from the Bob Shoop defense before it) and how James Franklin fares with two new coordinators, 75% of a new defensive line and a new quarterback under center.

Things to look forward to? The best secondary in Happy Valley in likely a decade, and the best running back in longer than that. While the first game of the season will likely not preview much of what the coaching staff, and the team, will show later on in the season (and even in week two in Pittsburgh), it will give the fans and pundits a taste of what is to come in 2016, and in coming years in the blue and white.

Let the countdown to 2016 Penn State football commence!

Written on May 26, 2016 at 6:09 am


Ohio State gets closer to landing five-star RB Cam Akers

Former Alabama commit Cam Akers cuts his list down to ten.

Akers trims list to 10

The big news on Wednesday came when big-time 2017 Ohio State target and former Alabama commitment Cam Akers released his Top 10 group via Twitter. Ohio State unsurprisingly made the list and now they have an idea of the competition they will have to battle with in order to land the 5 feet 11 inch, 212-pounder. Outside of the Buckeyes, Akers is currently also considering Alabama, Auburn, California, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.

Not only was the Top 10 of Akers great news for the Buckeyes, but another big development is that the Clinton, Miss. star will also be making a visit to Columbus to see Ohio State once again next month as he makes a summer visit tour to a handful of programs. We’ll see if the Bucks can impress the No. 2 ranked RB in the country and begin distancing themselves from other programs.

Bucks offer two for 2018

Ohio State sent out two new offers yesterday. One recipient of an offer from the Buckeyes was 2018 OT Colten Blanton. The 6 foot 5 inch, 271-pounder is currently graded as a four-star prospect by 247Sports and has earned some impressive offers for this stage of his recruitment. Ohio State joined Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and many more on the offer list of Blanton. It’ll be interesting to see if the Bucks can do enough to impress the Cypress Ranch, Texas standout lineman in hopes of pulling him out of the Lonestar state.

The other offer was sent out to 2018 DE Dorian Hardy of St. Joseph Regional, NJ. Much like the aforementioned Blanton, 247Sports currently has Hardy graded out as a four-star recruit and the sixth best weak-side defensive end in the entire class. The Garden State prospect has already secured 22 offers and according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball, it seems to be Nick Saban and Alabama who have the inside trek to land Hardy.

Coaches stop at Fairfield (OH)

According to Fairfield (OH) Head Coach Jason Krause, Ohio State was one of a few schools to stop by on Wednesday. Krause did not clarify which member(s) of the Buckeye coaching staff showed up but it’s a safe bet that it was Kerry Coombs, the Ohio State CB coach/Special Teams coordinator.

As for who they were visiting, the two prospects from the program that the Buckeyes have showed plenty of interest in to this point is 2018 OT Jackson Carman and 2018 LB Malik Vann. For now, Carman is the one that has landed an offer from the scarlet and gray and you could certainly consider them one of the teams in great position for his pledge. As for Vann, the Buckeyes haven’t offered to this point. However, I would say it will come eventually.

Written on May 26, 2016 at 5:30 am


Remembering the Legacy of USC Trojans legend Reggie Bush

Donald Miralle/Getty Images

The great impact of one of the most elusive and influential players in Trojan history

USC fans know there have been many elusive Trojans players over the years. From OJ Simpson, Mike Garrett, Keyshawn Johnson and all the other countless All-Americans who have sported that famous cardinal and gold uniform, there is no denying the elite talent. However, from 2003-2005 there was one player was the most elusive player in the nation. That man was Reggie Bush. Heisman trophy winner. National Champion. The definition of elusive.

Though his records and accomplishments have been vacated from the university due to the NCAA violations, there is no denying Bush’s talent. Every week Bush juked, spun, and embarrassed defenses in a Sportscenter top ten highlight. USC football was an elite program propelled to the top by the likes of Reggie Bush. The numbers speak for themselves: Over 6,000 all- purpose yards and 40 plus touchdowns. Sounds like a legend to me.

Bush was able to create a lifetime of memories from his infamous 2005 performance against Fresno State or the “Bush Push” on quarterback Matt Leinart to overcome Notre Dame that same year. He had a major impact since his freshman year as he set the school record for all-purpose yards which was only the beginning of an amazing career.

As Bush provided Trojan fans with some amazing moments during his three year tenure, the impact that he had off of the field was another factor that contributed to the game of football. Around that time I was in middle school so playing backyard football was a popular activity. I remember everyone trying to reverse the length of the field of kick returns or spinning past multiple defenders for a long touchdown. Many young players, like Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey, wanted to be like Reggie Bush. His game play was iconic which allowed skill players to show there complete athleticism.

As most of us know, Bush’s professional route was not as successful even though from time to time we would be see some highlight reel plays. It all feels so long ago that USC was the nation’s most dominant team in the mid-2000’s. With the unfortunate outcome that Bush went through after the NCAA violations, his legacy will still remain legendary. Even opponents and rivals had to respect his game. Who knows if we will ever see another Reggie Bush but one thing is certain the legacy of number 5 will always be remembered.

You can also follow us on social media:

Facebook: facebook.com/conquestchronicles/

twitter: twitter.com/CChroniclesSBN

Join the team!

Written on May 26, 2016 at 3:05 am


Man arrested for impersonating Tennessee DB on SnapChat

“I did not Snap you lady and I have no idea who you are and OH MY GOD PUT THAT AWAY!” – Andy Lyons/Getty Images

File this one under stories that I couldn’t make up even if I tried. Authorities announced today that a Sweetwater, Tennessee man has been arrested after he attempted to extort money from a woman using the social media service SnapChat. 22 year old Brandon Shanahan apparently contacted at least one woman using the handle “Camsutton2323”, and impersonated Tennessee cornerback Cam Sutton.

It’s unclear how Shanahan attempted to extort the woman while posing as the All-American defensive back from Jonesboro, Georgia. My suspicion is that whatever the plan was, it was probably half-formed and a little shoddy. People attempting to make a living by blackmailing others on SnapChat are unlikely to be criminal geniuses. But I think the best part has to be Shanahan’s mugshot. Here it is in an article on this story from the Tennessee 247Sports affiliate. Got it? Okay, now here’s a picture of Cam Sutton. Yeah, dead ringer.

Authorities are asking anyone who communicated with “Camsutton2323” to contact them. I would add that if you’ve been snapping with “Joey Freshwater” or “Tokyo Sexwale” you should contact the authorities as well, though for different reasons entirely.

Written on May 25, 2016 at 9:30 pm


Georgia Football has 30-1 Odds to Win the National Title

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Would you take the Georgia Bulldogs at 30-1 to go all the way?

If so, head over to Vegas, because that’s what a prominent sports book lists as the ‘Dawgs championship odds:

While most of you probably won’t actually place a bet (I think…), it’s interesting to see where the sports books set the numbers.

Alabama understandably has the best odds at 6-1, followed by a hyped-up Michigan team led by Jim Harbaugh. Baylor and Tennessee both sound extremely optimistic at 15-1, and Georgia is tied with Auburn, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Stanford and UCLA at 30-1.

Who’s your money on?

Written on May 25, 2016 at 8:42 pm


Maize N Brew Recruiting Podcast: Top Targets Leaning the Way of Michigan

Talking about some big time Michigan prospects and who we can expect to commit to Michigan next.

Listen to the first episode of the re-branded Maize N Brew Recruiting Podcast below!

Written on May 25, 2016 at 8:10 pm


PETA takes on LSU fans. I’ll take the Cajuns and the points

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The college sports world received some sad news Monday when it was announced that LSU mascot Mike the Tiger has been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor. Mike is slated to receive treatment for the condition not at LSU’s well-regarded veterinary school but instead at the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, a well-regarded cancer treatment facility in Baton Rouge whose patients are usually of the two legged variety.

Mike’s prognosis with the treatment isn’t great; he’s unlikely to survive more than a year or two. Without the treatment things would be decidedly more grim, likely a matter of a couple of months.

It might all seem like a lot  of effort to prolong the life of a tiger that may or may not be aware there’s anything wrong with him. But as all of us who have ever truly loved a pet can attest, you do what you can to extend their quality lives.  Do not tell this to the people from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who are once again using any story involving a live mascot to poo-poo the concept of live mascots.

It is rank opportunism, and it isn’t new. Believe me when I tell you that no one carbon copies a press release quite like PETA.  I can assure you that every newspaper in every parish in Louisiana got a copy of this little number.

Admittedly, I live a pretty anthropocentric lifestyle. I like to eat meat, preferably smoked over an open fire just like my six-hundred fiftieth great-grandfather did it. I’ve been known to hide in the woods and wait for innocent little deer to wander by so I could shoot them dead as a doornail. So admittedly I might not be the target audience here.

That being said, I’ve seen the national zoo-quality enclosure in which Mike the Tiger lives and seen the veterinary care the big fella gets, and I think PETA’s barking up the wrong tree here. If you’re going to take shameless advantage of a situation, at least make sure it’s one that proves your point. There are actual animals who are not receiving world-class medical care and who aren’t at the center of regional educational programs who could actually use some help. Dogs coming out of shabby puppy mills. Chickens exploited for cockfighting. PETA should probably concentrate on these real battles rather than attempting to shoehorn itself into the picture on this one. Until later . . .

Go ‘Dawgs!!!!

Written on May 25, 2016 at 8:09 pm


« Older Entries

Newer Entries »

MENU