Landrews is a sure tackling safety standing at 6-1 and 200 pounds. He’s one of three safeties in this recruiting cycle to commit to Mississippi State, but he’ll likely have the best shot to earn a spot on the two-deep rotation out of the three of them due to his experience.
Landrews picked Mississippi State over offers from Arkansas, Middle Tennessee, and Southern Miss. He was also being recruited by LSU, Minnesota, and Memphis.
The Bulldogs now have 21 commitments for the class of 2017, 7 of which are junior college players. The full list of commitments is below.
Arkansas now has two safeties committed for the class of 2017 after four-star Montaric Brown of Ashdown (Ark.) gave his pledge this afternoon.
Brown, according to Rivals, is the top-rated prospect in the state of Arkansas for next year. I’d like to think it’s a good thing Arkansas has been able to nab the top kid in the state of late.
The defensive back chose to remain in state over offers from top-tier programs like Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and several others. He’s rated the 198th overall player in the composite ratings, and 247Sports actually ranks him 109th overall in the nation. Brown’s commitment now sits the Razorbacks at 18 for the 2017 class, which is pretty dang good considering National Signing Day is still seven months out.
He is a 6-foot-2, 172-pounder, too, and will likely bulk up a bit more in his senior season at Ashdown as well as once Ben Herbert gets his hands on him.
The interesting part about Brown giving his verbal to Arkansas was that a number of players, including recent commit Connor Noland of Greenwood, sent out congratulatory tweets first. Brown finally sent his own just after 4 p.m. confirming the news.
He also “scheduled and re-scheduled” his commitment date a number of times this summer, HawgSports.com’s Danny West says, but he’s now on board. Welcome!
Following a lengthy closed doors session, the U of L Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of President James Ramsey Wednesday night, immediately putting an end to his 14-year tenure in charge of the school.
Ramsey will be paid $690,000 to resign immediately, a deal which comes with an agreement that he will bring no legal action against U of L. There was no word on whether or not Ramsey’s position as the president of the U of L Foundation will be altered in any way.
University Provost Neville Pinto, who is on vacation, will serve as the school’s temporary leader until a new president is selected, a process which has reportedly already begun.
“In the end, it was just the decision on both sides, what everyone thought was best,” board Chairman Pro Tem Junior Bridgeman said Wednesday night. “Dr. Ramsey is always going to be a gentleman. He’s always going to talk about what’s best for the university. And that was the discussion. It wasn’t any more than that.”
So that’s that, and now Louisville has a Petrino a Pitino and a Pinto in three of its most high-profile positions.
So I guess there’s only one thing left to do: Al Pacino for new university president. Or Earl Clark.
The championship trophy is ridiculous, President James Ramsey is finally out, Orlando Antigua may be as well, and more.
I’ve returned from my annual fishing vacation to Minnesota and I’m glad to be back with you all. One of the many perks of dropping off the grid in late July is the sports news world has slowed to a crawl. I haven’t missed too much, but there are some things that I want to go over.
Football Trophy Fiasco
The Kentucky football team unveiled a world-class training facility that is second to none. It has all of the bells and whistles that has been lacking for decades. It’s a jewel on campus and a testament to the renewed dedication that the athletic department has devoted to the football program.
Unfortunately, there is controversy surrounding the facility. There is a trophy in the building commemorating the 1951 football championship won by Bear Bryant and his best team at Kentucky. But virtually nobody recognizes Wildcats as the champion of that season. Oklahoma is the recognized champion. Now, there are arguments that Kentucky SHOULD have been the champions that season, but the fact is that the national title was awarded after the regular season and the bowl games did not factor into naming a champion.
Not surprisingly, this move to make a trophy and display it has brought about mockery and criticism of epic proportions. Honestly, I agree with the mockery and criticism It’s not like Kentucky football has had a great deal of success historically, but it makes it laughable to have to manufacture examples of success.
That team should be honored, it was arguably the best Wildcats football team in history, but making and displaying a trophy that wasn’t given is bogus. Many of us mocked Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals for giving championship rings to players for a season that was ultimately ended due to a self-imposed postseason ban.
Instead of trying to conjure up reasons to celebrate Kentucky Wildcats football, I would rather see Mark Stoops and company succeed with wins on the field and bowl games in real time. Nothing should be taken away from the 1951 team, but let’s not hand out honors that may or may not have been earned.
The new Board of Trustees accepted Ramsey’s resignation yesterday, but of course, the circus didn’t end there. Ramsey tried to cut a deal that would allow him be the interim president until the new president is named by the board. But the board was having none of it and what followed was hours of negotiating between the two parties.
It ended with a deal that Ramsey’s resignation would be effectively immediately, he would not serve in the interim, and he would receive a golden parachute in excess of $690,000. But here is the kicker: Ramsey will remain the president of the UofL Foundation which provides him with most of his salary and the same Foundation that is under FBI and auditor investigation.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Orlando Antigua on the Way out at South Florida
I was of the opinion that former UK assistant basketball coach Orlando Antigua would make a good head coach at some point in his career. He got that opportunity at South Florida, but after two short seasons as coach, Antigua’s run at USF is coming to an end due to a NCAA investigation into academic fraud.
Antigua’s brother, Oliver, has already resigned and the writing seems to be on the wall for coach O. This is a shame as Antigua was Calipari’s lead recruiter at Kentucky and was a player favorite.
Where he goes from here is uncertain. There isn’t room on Kentucky’s bench for him as of now and the assistants just received new raises. But John Calipari is a loyal man and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Orlando back on the staff in some capacity if he has trouble landing other jobs.
If Cal does welcome Antigua back into the fold, expect blowback stating that whatever happened to him at South Florida will follow him to Kentucky.
As Team USA rolls through teams during exhibition games, it is clear that our beloved Boogie is going to be a huge factor in Rio. He has been dominating in the paint during these games and there may not be another big man in the world that will be able to match his combination of tenacity, strength, and athleticism.
This is a great opportunity for him to remold his image on a world stage. I think he could easily become a fan favorite of the casual Olympic viewer. He is a fun personality that plays with a ferocity that Americans love to see, especially going up against the rest of the world.
I hope to see Demarcus linked arm-in-arm with his teammates with gold around his neck as the National Anthem blares over the arena.
Is it Football Season Yet?
With a little over a month before kickoff, we are on the verge of getting real action football news as the Wildcats hit the practice field next week. Fan Day is set for August 6th and the fans will be given an opportunity to see the new practice facility for the first time and will be able to watch the ‘Cats practice at 11 AM.
As always, follow all of your practice news and reports here at A Sea of Blue.
De’Aaron Fox is the Next Great Kentucky Point Guard
Coachcal.com has been releasing the 2016 player profiles and De’Aaron Fox is the latest. Calipari calls him The General due to his on-court tenacity and off-court leadership. Calipari had this to say about his newest point guard:
De’Aaron Fox has speed, he has scoring ability, he can really pass, and he can guard the ball. But those things that can be said about different players, The intangible that I really loved is that every player wants to play with him. This whole class wants him to be the guard on the team.
Fox will be teamed up with Malik Monk and Isaiah Briscoe to form the best backcourt in college basketball for a second season in a row. While Briscoe will be the emotional leader, Fox will be the undisputed leader on the court and he relishes the opportunity. Cal’s best point guards do not lack in confidence. John Wall, Brandon Knight and Tyler Ulis were the unquestioned leaders on the floor during their time at Kentucky. I think Fox will fit their mold as one of the best during Cal’s time at Kentucky.
Jim Harbaugh throws out the first pitch at the White Sox vs Cubs game
If you feel Jim Harbaugh is everywhere, you’d be wrong. But he’s NEARLY everywhere, fair enough. On Wednesday night Harbaugh took in the Crosstown Classic between the Cubs and White Sox at Wrigley Field. Harbaugh was there to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Before the game he was continuing the trend of surround himself with winners; speaking with two time World Series champion, current Cubs President Theo Epstein. Epstein won two championships with the Red Sox as their General Manager, breaking an 86 year drought. As this was going on, the organ player at the ballpark was playing a rendition of Michigan’s fight song.
When it came time for Harbaugh to throw out the first pitch, he was prepared, as he was warming up for ten minutes with Cubs outfielder Matt Sczur. As Harbaugh took to the mound, he received a huge ovation, and he tipped his cap. Then he went right into his wind up, and delivered. It should come as no surprise the result.. Harbaugh brought the heat!
Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson, Penn State, among others.
College Career
As a true freshman, the majority of Walton’s minutes were logged mostly on special teams while filling time at linebacker. Playing behind Skai Moore on the depth chart in his second season, Walton saw action in all thirteen games, earning a starting spot for the final six contests. He finished with the third-most tackles (61), including 38 in the final five games of the season. Awarded most-improved linebacker of the season, as well as most-improved defensive sophomore. Last season, he saw time in all twelve games, started in six, logging 42 tackles including 5 for loss. Also logged time at tailback starting with the Tennessee game, catching a ten-yard touchdown pass. Named Most Improved linebacker for the second straight season.
Jonathan Walton was the first player ever from his high school (Bayside Academy) in Alabama to sign a letter of intent to play football for a Division I NCAA program.
2006 national championship football team to be honored during homecoming: The 2006 Florida football team will be honored the weekend of this year’s homecoming game against Missouri on October 15th. (Chris Harry, Florida Gators)
Incoming Florida men’s basketball players adjust to summer program: Freshman Eric Hester, Dontay Bassett, and transfers Canyon Barry and Jalen Hudson have been participating in UF’s summer conditioning, about which Barry says “every Friday I wake up and think I’m going to die.” (Chris Harry, Florida Gators)
Q&A with Jordan Cronkrite, previewing Florida’s running backs: The sophomore advertising major used to be an artist. (Scott Carter, Florida Gators)
Tim Tebow potentially interested in coaching or politics: The former Gator has a new book coming out in about a month. He also says that while Urban Meyer is like a father figure to him, he is a Gator first and foremost and that Meyer might have to be “Gator bait” if Florida and Ohio State were to play. (Ralph Russo, Gainesville Sun)
The Huskies were in three one-possession games last season, and won precisely zero of them. A strong cast of returning special teams stars could change that in 2016.
Last season, three of Washington’s games — at Boise State, versus Cal and at Oregon — were decided by a single possession. Unsurprisingly for a team starting three true freshmen at key positions on the offense, the Huskies went 0-3 in those games. If the Huskies are to live up to their massively mounting preseason expectations, they will need to show marked improvement in their ability to pull out close wins. While Jake Browning, Budda Baker and the rest of Washington’s offensive and defensive players will of course be vital to that effort, close games are when special teams players get their opportunity to shine. Today, we examine who the Huskies have on their roster for the 2016 season in those key positions.
Chris Petersen’s primary task on special teams will be replacing two-year starting punter Korey Durkee, whose career average of 41.8 yards per punt ranks third all-time at UW. To that end, the coaches recruited Van Soderberg as a potential replacement to play as as true freshman, but the scuttlebutt out of spring practices is that Soderberg’s adjustment to the college game has been somewhat less than ideal. In particular, Dawgman.com’s Chris Fetters has reported that Soderberg is having trouble adjusting to a one-step delivery on his kicks. If he is not ready to go as the team’s starting punter by Sept. 3 when the Huskies take the field against Rutgers, expect to see him sit out 2016 and come back next season as a redshirt freshman. In that scenario, Tristan Vizcaino will likely become the team’s go-to punter, as he is the only specialist on the roster who has game experience at that position.
Speaking of Vizcaino, he will presumably continue to handle duties as the team’s first-string kickoff specialist after being responsible for 76 of Washington 79 kickoffs in 2015. Vizcaino averaged 61.8 yards per kickoff and recorded touchbacks on 35.5 percent of his kicks, en route to earning all-conference honorable mention recognition.
Regarding place kicking responsibilities, Cameron Van Winkle made 15 of his 19 field goal attempts in 2015, including a 49-yard boot against Utah. That being said, Van Winkle missed the one field goal attempt he made last year in a high-pressure situation when he pushed his 46-yard try that would have sent the Huskies into overtime against Boise State just a few feet to the right, and he’ll no doubt be hungry to avenge that miss. And scholarship long snapper A.J. Carty is the favorite to replace Ryan Masel, who graduated last year after handling virtually all of Washington’s long snapping duties since 2012.
In the return game, the Huskies will feature arguably the most dangerous kickoff returner in the Pac-12, and possibly the country, in John Ross III. Ross is the owner of two 100-yard scores (there exist only five in Washington’s entire history) on kick returns, and clocked a 4.25-second 40-yard-dash (hand-timed) at last spring’s Husky Combine event. When the Dawgs run two-returner sets, Ross will be joined by fellow speedy receiver Chico McClatcher, who scored four touchdowns last season on just 27 total touches as a true freshman. Finally, Dante Pettis will be the team’s primary punt returner for the third consecutive year; over the course of his first two seasons, he averaged 12.7 yards per return and has accounted for three touchdowns on punt returns.
In his first season as coach at Miami, Mike Rumph looks to lead a thin but talented group of Miami cornerbacks.
The secondary has been a strength of the Hurricanes over the past few seasons, boasting with talent, experience, and solid production despite playing in a soft scheme. With the graduation of Tracy Howard and Artie Burns being selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Canes were left pretty thin at corner for this upcoming season.
When defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio was fired, all defensive assistants were let go as well. Despite clearly having the most talented position group on the roster, former DB Coach Paul Williams did not produce the level of production we all knew were capable of the the defensive backs. Enter Mike Rumph.
Rumph was a former all-conference defensive back at Miami and started on the greatest college football team of all time: the 2001 National Champion Miami Hurricanes…@ me. He was also selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
After his brief NFL career, Rumph got into coaching and was the former defensive coordinator and head coach at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida. In his last three seasons as head coach, Rumph led the Patriots to three consecutive postseason appearances and compiled a 34-6 record, including two straight state championships. He’s coached players by the likes of Georgia’s Isaiah (Joystick) Mckenzie & Sony Michel and Urban Meyers school’s Torrance Gibson.
Rumph heading to the college ranks was inevitable due to his high school success, so it only made sense that CMR made the hire and bring in the former Canes great to join his staff in Coral Gables.
The hire makes perfect sense, as Rumph is used to coaching talent, is a hometown product and is a very distinguished alum within the community. One thing the former staff had trouble doing with relating and maintaining relationships with players, coaches and families in the South Florida community. No better way in doing that than bringing in a former player on the greatest team to ever bless the OB.
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Challenges Rumph will face initially is coaching up a rather young and inexperienced group of corners in his first season. The Canes will be led by senior corner Corn Elder, who will spend his last season in Coral Gables as the No. 1 corner on the roster. You know, this guy:
After Elder, the water gets a little bit more unclear, although it looks as if sophomore Sheldrick Redwine will secure the No. 2 spot opposite Elder. The Canes are still awaiting the transfer news of Alabama DB Maurice Smith, who would come to Miami and easily establish himself as a top corner.
Rumph and the Miami defensive staff will look to get production from DBs Michael Jackson, Terrance Henley and Texas transfer Adrian Colbert.
What will Miami get out of their cornerbacks, that is still unsure given the inexperience. But this hire in an upgrade, given the former position coach, as well as the vanilla defensive scheme. The Canes will be playing a much more aggressive defense, a defense that the players are accustom too and so is Rumph.
Josh Doctson may be gone, but the deepest system in TCU’s offensive arsenal could be even more exciting in 2016…
Let’s just get this out of the way: JOSH DOCTSON IS GONE AND HE’S NEVER COMING BACK. And guess what? That’s okay. It’s also a little exciting. With Doctson gone, the playbook is going to open up. While there’s probably no real guaranteed starter other than Turpin and maybe Slanina and Deante’ Gray, there’s going to be a lot of touches on the ball this year.
In the post-Doctson era, any of these receivers, unlike Lord Kerwin, who refused the call, can add something; and all of them working together, in a more diverse playbook, could mean something special.
Deep Ball Playmakers (X): Deante’ Gray, Isaiah Graham
KaVontae Turpin may have muscled Deante’ Gray out of his old position, but Gray missing the 2015 season may have been a blessing in disguise for him and Turpin alike.
Getting to emerge as one of the most elusive players in the Big 12, KaVontae Turpin had his coming out party against Texas, and after that, he never really looked back. Whereas the fifth-year senior, Gray–who was the first person to ever score in the renovated Amon G. Carter and the first Horned Frog to score in the Power 5 era–returns in Kolby Listenbee’s position and is primed for what could be his biggest season yet.
*Andre Petties-Wilson is just a suggestion. His frame and presumed speed–he returned punts and kickoffs in high school–should be a great third option in the split end.
Not a lot of size here, but there’s a helluva lot of shiftiness, and also…FUN.
Interesting enough, Desmon White seemed to have his games when TCU was on the road and struggling. You could say Iowa State wasn’t a sloppy game; and sure, while the Cyclones didn’t score after the first quarter, behind Mike Warren, the 21 points they did put up in that quarter, still forced TCU’s hand to dig themselves out of a hole. White helped get TCU out of that 1st quarter mess after catching a 40+-yard strike from Boykin that help set up an eventual Kyle Hicks touchdown that put TCU up 10.
Big strikes in big situations is where you’re likely going to find White in 2016.
KaVontae Turpin is probably the most hyped returning offensive player for TCU in 2016. Hell, you may even be the most hyped player and it’s easy to see why. Coming out of high school the 3-STAR recruit didn’t even have a picture on Rivals, that is until the Texas game. Now with a year under his belt, he’s mastered the return at a young age and has the ability to run a wheel route and shift dudes out of their trousers so bad (SEE BELOW) it transcends time from skinny jeans to parachute pants.
Turpin–like Baker Mayfield, Pat Mahomes, or Malik Jefferson–should be one of the most exciting players to watch in 2016, regardless of who you pull for.
The Y receivers mix size and strength together like an art. They’re not the fastest, their sizes aren’t as monstrous, but their diverse mix of the two makes them the most underrated unit of the team.
After suffering a broken collarbone in Lubbock, heavy fan favorite Ty Slanina will be the anchor in the position that also features LSU-transfer John Diarse and Jarrison Stewart. While Josh Doctson was certainly the MVP of the Texas Tech game, Stewart might’ve won TCU the game by filling in immediately and unexpectedly when Slanina went down.
Though John Diarse played the X role under Cam Cameron’s multiple-set offense while in Baton Rouge, he’ll mostly stick to Y in 2016. I say mostly because, at least in my opinion, a logical case can be made for Diarse to play on the outside in the red zone. While he’s not extremely tall for an outside receiver–just right at 6-feet–Diarse adds some strength, and thus can double-up with a similar match on the other, very deep, (Z) side consisting of Taj Williams, Jaelan Austin and Emmanuel Porter.
From a personal #FrogsOWarPodcast standpoint, Diarse is my, and my loyal cohost’s new Ja’Juan Story. Who’ll be the next recipient of the Ja’Jaun Story Award? Only time will tell considering the very specific nature of the award: SEC Wide Receiver Transfer.
Endzone Menaces To Society (Z): Jaelan Austin, Taj Williams, Emmanuel Porter
Yards/Receptions/Avg.
TDs
Jaelan Austin
137/10/13.7
2
Taj Williams*
949/77/12.3
11
Emmanuel Porter
213/14/15.2
3
*JUCO Stats
Filling in Josh Doctson’s shoes will be a quite the task, but on paper, this is the most exciting aspect of TCU’s receiving arsenal. What he may’ve lacked in designing plays and serving as an OC, Rusty Burns is a tremendous asset to this team. Now, perhaps, even more then when Doctson and Listenbee were on the field at the same time, Burns has more toys to play with. While this was a fairly exclusive position the past two years, something that tends to happen when there’s a first rounder on the field, this could be the most liberal position in terms of rotation.
Taj Williams, who was referred to by Jeremiah Glenn as a “faster, more athletic Josh Doctson“, has every TCU fan counting down the days until kick off. Williams, the Iowa Western (JUCO) transfer opted for the Frogs over his hometown Florida State Seminoles. To re-emphasize the point I made above above Kenny Hill’s arm leading to potentially wildfire-like consequences with Deante’ Gray on the outside, the same applies to Williams. He led all JUCO in receptions (77), and like most players in Meacham’s system, his average catch exceeds 11 yards (12.3). He may not bring the intangibles Doctson had–at least not right away–but his speed and athleticism, added with what should be a stronger arm for up-field plays, Williams could be a real superstar in the Big 12 sooner than later.
Emanuel Porter and Jaelan Austin also have the perfect skill set for a quarterback like Hill. Both had established their names in the Alamo Bowl, each coming up with big touchdowns–they were also the Frogs’ only receptions for scores in a 47-point game.
Is Emanuel Porter really a third stringer? No. But on any given Saturday, he could be the third guy in line; and another Saturday, he could be first in line. Still, it should rotate quite frequently and I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these guys got reps at the X as well.
Shaun Nixon got the ball more as a receiver than he did as a running back. Now, it looks like whatever Meacham and Cumbie were going to do with Nixon will have to wait until 2017 as it was announced that Nixon will sit out the 2016 season with injury.
It isn’t the end of the world, and even with Aaron Green‘s departure, the addition of former Michigan Wolverine, Derrick Green, now really comes in handy. Hard to say if Green can serve in that slotback position or if he’ll serve as a third down back alongside Trevorris Johnson, or just a first down back when Hicks needs a rest. Probably likely the latter as Green has about 40 pounds on Nixon.
We know that Nixon made for an exciting receiving threat. While a lot of his yards came as running back essentially playing the slotback position, his lone touchdown against Kansas came on a second down sneak route, playing more in the truer, book definition of the slotback position in an empty set.
So can anyone fill that position? It make things a lot more interesting, but it could change the course for someone like Desmon White or one of the younger players. Using a these shorter routes with potential big play capabilities with his skill set; routes like a crease/wheel or a shoot, under presumably Kenny Hill, could have big payoffs in the pseudo back position Meacham and Cumbie love to use.
In Closing:
What could end up making this such an exciting arsenal this year is that there isn’t one, particular standout. Turpin could be all Big 12 and beyond come next January. However, in addition to taking into consideration his kickoffs into his hype calculus, his frame simply won’t allow for a Doctson-number (7.2 receptions per game, 2nd for a P5 player) of catches. What Doctson was able to was incredible; that being literally everything. No matter how hard logic would want to set in, because of how off a certain throw could be, or how tightly he was being defended; Josh Doctson made things happen even when everyone knew who the ball was going to.
That’s a tough call to answer for one kid in 2016, and it likely won’t happen. The good news? Not only does that not really matter, but the more socialistic distribution of passes, could make TCU even harder to defend than it was in the Doctson era.
Mystery can be advantageous for TCU in 2016, but being mysterious doesn’t really matter until we know the biggest remaining mystery, which if you’re in my house, it’s known as the worse kept secret since than R+L=J; and that’s whether the guy throwing to this arsenal will be Kenny Hill or Foster Sawyer. Without an effective starter (cough, Hill), it’s just meaningless exposition. But knowing every part involved–The Meacham design, the Cumbie tutelage, the assumed quarterback, and the receivers themselves–it likely won’t be.
Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
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