NCAA 2004 Dynasty: Georgia Tech (2004: Recruiting)

[Celeval]

This thread will hold the 2004 pre-season Recruiting of my Georgia Tech dynasty.

The first season is detailed here:
NCAA 2004 Dynasty: Georgia Tech (2003)

We finished 8-5, lost to WVU in our bowl, and lost in blowout fashion to the University of Georgia.

[Celeval]

Our final team stats from last season (strikeouts indicate graduating seniors):

Passing
QB Damarius Bilbo: 168-332, 2622 yards, 11 TD, 24 Int (113.4 Rating)
QB A.J. Suggs: 32-69, 574 yards, 5 TD, 2 Int (134.4 Rating)
QB Brian Camp: 5-8, 90 yards, 1 Int (132.0 Rating)
P Hal Higgins: 1-1, 21 yards (276.4 Rating)
HB Tony Hollings: 0-1, 0 yards (0.0 Rating)

Rushing
HB Tony Hollings: 287-1178 yards, 23 TD
FB Jonathan Jackson: 59-197 yards
HB P.J. Daniels: 38-145 yards, 1 TD
FB Jimmy Dixon: 3-7 yards
WR Levon Thomas: 1-1 yard
QB Brian Camp: 13-1 yard
WR George Cooper: 3-(-8) yards
QB A.J. Suggs: 14-(-48) yards
QB Damarius Bilbo: 94-(-62) yards

Receiving
WR Jonathan Smith: 75-1360 yards, 8 TD
WR Nate Curry: 51-989 yards, 6 TD
WR Levon Thomas: 27-433, 2 TD
TE John Paul Foschi: 18-174
HB Tony Hollings: 18-156
WR George Cooper: 8-105
TE Darius Williams: 6-67
HB P.J. Daniels: 2-12
FB Jonathan Jackson: 1-11

Blocking
T Nat Dorsey: 58 Pancakes/6 Sacks Allowed
T Kyle Wallace: 32/5
C Hugh Reilly: 17/3
G Leon Robinson: 17/2
G Brad Honeycutt: 13/3
C Clay Hartley: 4/0
TE John Paul Foschi: 2/5
WR Nate Curry: 1/0
HB Tony Hollings: 1/0
T Reggie Koon: 1/0

Tackles
MLB Daryl Smith: 70 Tackles/8 TFL
FS James Butler: 62/2
CB Reuben Houston: 49/2
OLB Keyaron Fox: 47/9
DE Greg Gathers: 44/15
CB Jonathan Cox: 44/1
SS Dawan Landry: 43/6
DE Eric Henderson: 43/19
OLB Kingi McNair: 39/11
CB I-Perfection Harris: 33/3
DT Alfred Malone: 29/12
DT Travis Parker: 25/9
FS Nathan Burton: 24/0
OLB Tabugbo Anyansi: 21/3
MLB Ather Brown: 21/1
CB Dennis Davis: 14/0
FB Johnathan Jackson: 11/0
[Lots with 10 or less]

Sacks
DE Eric Henderson: 13
DT Travis Parker: 7
DE Greg Gathers: 6
DT Alfred Malone: 5
OLB Kingi McNair: 5
OLB Keyaron Fox: 3
[Six with 2 or less]

Interceptions
CB Jonathan Cox: 5
SS Dawan Landry: 3
CB Reuben Houston: 3
CB I-Perfection Harris: 3
MLB Daryl Smith: 3
FS James Butler: 2
CB Dennis Davis: 1

Kicking
K David Jordan: 19/19 FG (Long: 46), 43/44 XP

Punting
Hal Higgins: 43-1789 (41.6 Avg)

Kick Returns
CB I-Perfection Harris: 34-747 (21.9 Avg), 96 Long, 1 TD
CB Jonathan Cox: 22-413 (18.7 Avg), 35 Long

Punt Returns
CB Jonathan Cox: 29-345 (11.8 Avg), 40 Long

[Celeval]

Underclassmen Possibly Declaring for Draft
QB David Greene, Georgia (Jr-RS)
QB Derek Anderson, Oregon State (Jr)
QB Chance Mock, Texas (Jr-RS)
QB Brock Berlin, Miami (Jr)

HB DonTrell Moore, New Mexico (So-RS)
HB Kejuan Jones, Oklahoma (So-RS)
HB Darren Sproles, Kansas State (Jr)
HB Cedric Benson, Texas (Jr)
HB Kay-Jay Harris, West Virginia (Jr)
HB Anthony Davis, Wisconsin (Jr-RS)
HB Carnell Williams, Auburn (Jr)
HB Cedric Houston, Tennessee (Jr)
HB Antonio Warren, Arkansas State (Jr)
HB Jermelle Lewis, Iowa (Jr-RS)
HB Kevin Jones, Virginia Tech (Jr)
HB Steven Jackson, Oregon State (Jr)

WR Reggie Williams, Washington (Jr)
WR Mark Clayton, Oklahoma (Jr-RS)
WR Tony Brown, Tennessee (Jr-RS)
WR Fred Gibson, Georgia (Jr)
WR Sterling Hicks, NC State (Jr)
WR Ray Ray Bivines, Mississippi State (Jr-RS)
WR Courtney Roby, Indiana (Jr)
WR Kanale George, Hawaii (Jr-RS)

T Richie Incognito, Nebraska (So-RS)
T Nat Dorsey, Georgia Tech (Jr)
T Scott Paffrath, Missouri (Jr-RS)
T Julius Gant, Middle Tennessee State (Jr-RS)
T Morgan Davis, Wisconsin (Jr-RS)
T Lou Lombardo, Maryland (Jr-RS)
T Jon Dunn, Virginia Tech (Jr-RS)

DE Kenechi Udeze, USC (Jr-RS)
DE Matt Roth, Iowa (Jr)
DE David Pollack, Georgia (Jr)
DE George Gause, South Carolina (Jr)
DE Manase Hopoi, Washington (Jr)

DT Lorenzo Alexander, Cal (Jr)
DT Mike Patterson, USC (Jr)

OLB Ken Bournes, Ole Miss (Jr-RS)
OLB David Adamoi, Fresno State (Jr-RS)
OLB Richard Glover, New Mexico State (Jr)

MLB Kirk Morrison, San Diego State (Jr-RS)
MLB Lionel Turner, LSU (Jr-RS)

CB Chris Gamble, Ohio State (Jr)

FS Mitch Meeuwsen, Oregon State (Jr-RS)
FS Eric Oliver, Ole Miss (Jr)

SS Andre Mattox, NC State (Jr)

[Celeval]

Any thoughts for recruitment strategy? I'll be letting this sit during the day tomorrow before getting into recruitment on Thursday night.

My plan at this point:

• Convince Nat Dorsey to stay
  
• Speed, Speed, more Speed on the defense
  
• Big guys up front
  

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Players Leaving

T Nat Dorsey (Jr)
Spent: 60 points
"I've got good news, Coach. I think I'm gonna hang around for a little while."

Step one out of the way. We move on next to Week One recruiting.

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Overview

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
8-5 (5-3)
Team Prestige: 4 *
This is steady from where we were at the start of last season.

Team Overview
Position: Ranking/Fr/So/Jr/Sr
QB: B/0/0/1/0 : Need 1
HB: C+/0/1/1/0: Need 1
FB: C-/0/0/0/2: Need 0 (Want 1)
WR: C/0/2/0/2: Need 0
TE: C-0/0/0/1: Need 1 (Want 2)
T: B/0/0/0/3: Need 0 (Want 2)
G: C+/0/0/2/1: Need 0 (Want 1)
C: -/0/0/0/0: Need 2
DE: C+/0/1/1/2: Need 0
DT: C/0/1/2/1: Need 0
OLB: C/0/1/1/1: Need 0
MLB: -/0/0/0/0: Need 3
CB: C/0/1/2/1: Need 0 (Want 1)
FS: C-/0/1/0/1: Need 0 (Want 1)
SS: D+/0/0/1/0: Need 1
K: C/0/1/0/0: Need 0
P: -/0/0/0/0: Need 1

Shopping List:
QB, HB, FB, 2 TE, 2 T, G, 2 C, 3 MLB, CB, FS, SS, P = 17 Recruits

That's going to be a tough order to fill.

[Buzzbee]

Celeval - Keep up the good work! I'll be following in extreme anticipation.


By the way, good job in keeping Nat.

Looks like the defense is *somewhat* set. Need to replenish the MLB spot, but other than that, seems to be filling in a few spots where you will be hit with graduation. So, I agree with the Big Guys Up Front on O approach.

In regard to the MLB, I'd see if I could find one impact MLB and recruit heavily. You KNOW at least one of your MLB's is going to see significant playing time, as a Freshman. Make him count, hope he doesn't get hurt, and hopefully after 4 years he'll be an all-american (if he stays around).

Just my thoughts.

[Celeval]

That's what I'm thinking as well. I can do some serious playing time pitching for the MLB recruits, and at the safety positions - we're low on talent there. The Defensive line is pretty solid.

[Buzzbee]

Also, if crunched, and if the OT class isn't that strong this year, you can consider only taking one OT this year and shooting for 2 next year. Could be a gamble if next year is worse than this year, or if you have other holes to fill. Same with TE.

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week One

The NCAA 2004 Recruiting system is points-based. There are four possible items to do in a particular week to a particular recruit - each cost a specific number of points based on location. You can do any or all for each recruit. The items are:

Visit - Head Coach (8, 16, 24, 32, 48 points)
Visit - Asst. Coach (4, 8, 12, 16, 24 points)
Call - Head Coach (2, 4, 6, 8, 12 points)
Call - Assistant Coach (1, 2, 3, 4, 6 points)

I'm making a logical distinction between offers and inquiries when discussing recruits - really, there is no difference, other than offers I'm typically going "all-out" on, while inquiries is an assistant coach calling in.

New Offers
QB M.J. Burnett: Iowa, Texas, GT - #1 QB (5*), Menasha, WI - Playing Time
QB Lashawn Haston: GT, Tennessee, Texas - #26 QB (3*), Reidsville, NC - Location

HB Mike Hanson: Miami, Auburn, GT - #72 HB (3*), Villa Rica, GA - Location

FB Darrin Scott: VT, Auburn, Bama - #13 FB (3*), Perry, GA - Location

WR Benjamin Holmes: Miami, UGA, GT - #30 WR (4*), Tillmans Corner, AL - Playing Time

TE Alex Bradford: UGA, Texas, Louisville - #6 TE (4*), Edgewood, KY - Playing Time
TE Elliot Hough: GT, UGA, Louisville - #9 TE (4*), Hazard, KY - Playing Time
TE Maurio Altman: Miami, Texas, UGA - #12 TE (4*), Columbus, GA - Playing Time

T Jerrell Craig: UGA, ECU, GT - #28 RT (3*), Duluth, GA - Location

G Luke Blackburn: KSU, Miami, Tenn - #4 RG (5*), Alpharetta, GA - Location

C Darrell Monroe: Ohio State, Iowa, Tennessee - #3 C (4*), Somerset, NJ - Playing Time
C Joseph Hayes: Ohio State, NCSU, GT - #23 C (3*), Thomasville, GA - Location

DE DeWayne Fields: Ohio State, ND, VT - #1 DE (5*), Wilmington Island, GA - Playing Time

MLB Ryan Brown: Miami, UGA, OU - #8 MLB (4*), Swainsboro, GA - Playing Time
MLB Darrell Schneider: Miami, OU, GT - #9 MLB (4*), Pinellas Park, FL - Playing Time
MLB Trent Ball: Miami, ND, UMD - #10 MLB (4*), Mount Olive, NC - Playing Time
MLB Troy Hennequet: ND, Miami, Memphis - #23 MLB (3*), Calhoun, GA - Playing Time
MLB Anthony Blanks: GT, Auburn, ND - #25 MLB (3*), Bainbridge, GA - Location

FS Jamar Simms: Miami, OU, Ohio State - #9 FS (4*), Lithia Springs, GA - Playing Time

SS Adam Grady: GT, Ohio State, UGA - #18 SS (3*), Fair Oaks, GA - Location

P Andrea Beasley: GT, UGA, LSU - #18 P (2*), Marietta, GA - Location

New Inquiries
WR DeWayne Tubbs: NCSU, GT, Auburn - #121 WR (2*), Candler-McAfee, GA - Location

T Davon Brown: UGA, GT, Tennessee - #136 LT (1*), Statesboro, GA - Location

G Merrill Ashley: Miami, Ohio State, NCSU - #74 RG (2*) , Belvedere Park, GA - Location

[Celeval]

There are a few guys on the contact list who I hadn't planned on recruiting - a WR, and a DE for instance; but both were players I couldn't pass up. You don't pass up the chance to recruit the #1 DE in the nation if he's in your home state, and the WR (Holmes) is listed as 6'2" with a 4.35 40, 43.7" vertical, and A+ hands - plus he's interested.

A note on the #1 QB - we have a ton of quarterbacks interested in us, at least three of the top 10 in the nation. I picked two players to go after - Burnett is the ideal, #1 in the country, with a 4.63 40-time, A+ arm strength, and A- Accuracy. Our 'fallback' is a proto-typical pocket passer - LaShaun Haston out of North Carolina, who can't run, but has a solid GPA (2.95), B arm strength, and B+ accuracy. Haston would probably serve as a backup behind Bilbo for a couple years, while Burnett (if we get him) could challenge right away.

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week One Signings

Commitments
WR Benjamin Holmes (****): 6'2", 188 from Tillmans Corner, AL
#30 WR
JUCO (So)
40 Time: 4.35
Bench Press: 195 Whoever recorded his bench numbers did a great job.
Squat: 305
Vertical: 43.7"
Hands: A+
GPA: 2.27
When it came down to it, he wanted to play for Georgia Tech.

TE Maurio Altman (****): 6'3", 255 from Columbus, GA
#12 TE
40 Time: 4.84
Bench Press: 375
Squat: 460
Vertical: 34.5"
Hands: A
GPA: 2.82
Playing Time wasn't really a big decision factor for Maurio.
Maurio has the ability to develop quickly if utilized properly.

MLB Trent Ball (****): 6'2", 231 from Mount Olive, NC
#10 MLB
40 Time: 4.90
Bench Press: 315
Squat: 670
Vertical: 33.6" 33.3" He could not jump as high as what our files show.
Hands: C-
GPA: 2.82
He announced his decision saying PT wasn't an issue.

P Andrea Beasley (**): 6'1", 180 from Marietta, GA
#18 P
40 Time: 5.50 He played at the same speed as his 40 time.
Kick Power: B+
Kick Accuracy: A-
Bench Press: 170
Squat: 265
GPA: 2.68
Our location was clearly a clinching factor for him.

Signed Elsewhere
TE Elliot Hough signed with Louisville.


A very good week for us. We pick up a nice-to-have at WR, fill two positions of need at TE and P, and get one piece of the puzzle at MLB. All that, and we only lose a TE who we don't need so much anymore.

[Anrhydeddu]

It still saddens me that this is a console game only. Question: Not having seen screenshots, it seems to be putting up tables of numbers (ala TCY). You are able to read all of them clearly on a TV set????

[Celeval]

QB M.J. Burnett: GT, Iowa, Texas
He doesn't care about having to compete for the QB job.
M.J.'s on-field awareness was less than we expected (2.68 GPA)

QB LaShaun Haston: GT, Wake Forest, Tennessee
Location is not a factor for LaShaun
Limited football experience means great potential

HB Mike Hanson: GT, Miami, Auburn
We are very fortunate as location is not his main concern.
He played at the same speed as his 40 time (4.63)

FB Darrin Scott: NCSU, UVA, Alabama
Location is not a factor for Darrin at all.
Darrin's leg strength was less than expected (555 510 Squat)

WR DeWayne Tubbs: GT, NCSU, Auburn
He doesn't care where he plays, so there goes that pitch.

TE Alex Bradford: Louisville, OU, Marshall
Playing early is not Alex's main priority.

T Jerrell Craig: GT, UGA, ECU
Atlanta is a big draw for Jerrell
This kid is stronger than his bench numbers show. (410 430)

T Davon Brown: GT, UGA, Tennessee
He doesn't care where he plays, so there goes that pitch.

G Luke Blackburn: Miami, Tennessee, KSU
Keep working the location angle, he's clearly interested.
His bench press numbers don't do him justice. (420 460)

G Merrill Ashley: Miami, Ohio State, Duke
Georgia Tech's location is not a big deal for this prospect.

C Darrell Monroe: Ohio State, Iowa, Tennessee
Darrell is definately very interested in starting next year.
He's ready to take his game to the next level.

C Joseph Hayes: GT, Ohio State, North Carolina State
Joseph doesn't seem to care where he plays his college ball.
He seems to grasp things quicker than we thought.

DE DeWayne Fields: Virginia Tech, Ohio State, North Carolina State
He shocked us by not responding to the chance to play early.
DeWayne ran faster than we had him timed at originally. (4.92 4.84)

MLB Darrell Schneider: UCF, Miami, GT
Immediate playing time is not important to him.
His understanding of the game is right where we expected it. (2.50 GPA)

MLB Ryan Brown: UCF, UGA, Louisville
He indicated he does not care about immediate playing time.
Ryan's vertical jump matched our report for him exactly. (29.7")

MLB Troy Hennequet: UGA, UF, GT
We cast the prestige hook (oops), but he didn't bite.
If coached correctly, Troy could improve tremendously

MLB Anthony Blanks: GT, Auburn, UGA
Atlanta is a big draw for Anthony.
His mental discipline left something to be desired.

FS Jamar Simms: Miami, Ohio State, OU
He shocked us by not responding to the chance to play early.
Still has a lot of room to grow and get better.

SS Adam Grady: GT, UGA, Ohio State
Georgia Tech's location is not a big deal for this prospect.
Grady's upper-body strength really didn't live up to his billing. (Bench: 330 310)

Edit: left out C Joseph Hayes

[Celeval]

Anrhydeddu -

(Yes, I had to copy and paste the name, didn't even try. :-D)

Not so much tables - the 40-time, etc, you can only get when looking at a particular prospect. I'll take some pics of my own when I get the digital camera from my fiancee early next week, but I'll see if I can find some screenshots online.

Basically, when looking at the prospect "list", you see:

[Top of screen]
M.J. Burnett
Menasha, WI
#1 QB
6'0" 211 Lbs
*****
() Targeted
() Blue Chip

[Bottom of screen]
Player Pos Caliber Top 3 Schools
M. Burnett QB ***** GT, IOWA, TEXAS
D. Fields DE ***** VT, BUCKS, NCSU
...

Then when looking at a particular player, the top screen repeats, and the bottom becomes:
QB-Scrambler (LH)
40 Time: 4.63
Arm Strength: A+
Pass Accuracy: A-
Bench Press: 245
Squat: 385
GPA: 2.82 (down arrow)
[Prospect Notes]
He doesn't care...
M.J.'s on the field...


Then you can navigate between players either from the view player screen, or up and down the table and select one off.

[Anrhydeddu]

I see. So it's not like you are looking at a spreadsheet of names and numbers. I didn't think that was even possible having something hooked up to an ultra-low res TV (as most have). This and the limited controls are the two reasons why I have never played a console game, which is too bad because this sounds like a great game (remembering how much I loved NCAA 99 on the PC).

[DataKing]

Good stuff Celeval. This is making me want to blitz through the first year of my Kansas dynasty, just to get to the recruiting phase.

It's also making me want to leave work early, go home, and turn on the PS2.

At any rate, very good stuff. Looking forward to reading more.

[Buzzbee]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
It still saddens me that this is a console game only.

Amen, brother!! I SOOOO wish this was available on PC. At some point I will probably break down and get a console. Just for this game.

[Buzzbee]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
....this sounds like a great game (remembering how much I loved NCAA 99 on the PC).

Amen, Brother!!

[Celeval]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
...how much I loved NCAA 99 on the PC.

The only problem I ever had with NCAA 99 was that I didn't like the recruiting. This fixes that problem.

Kevin

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week Two

Old Recruits - Recruitment Pitch
QB M.J. Burnett - Coaching Style
QB LaShawn Haston - Coaching Style

HB Mike Hanson - Location

FB Darrin Scott - Coaching Style
I'm disappointed with Scott - he's not looking like a good blocker, which is what we want, but there's barely any interest in Tech from the fullbacks out there.

WR DeWayne Tubbs - Program Prestige

TE Alex Bradford - Location

T Jerrell Craig - Location
T Davon Brown - Program Prestige

G Luke Blackburn - Location
G Merrill Ashley - Program Prestige

C Darrell Monroe - Playing Time
C Joseph Hayes - Playing Time

DE DeWayne Fields - Location

MLB Darrell Schneider - Location
MLB Ryan Brown - Location
MLB Troy Hennequet - Location
MLB Anthony Blanks - Location

FS Jamar Simms - Location

SS Adam Grady - Coaching Style

New Recruits
QB Herbert Rutherford: Texas, Texas Tech, Michigan - #3 QB, Sand Springs, OK - Location
OLB Markus Clayton: UMD, Ohio State, Miami - #3 ROLB, North Atlanta, GA - Location

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week Two Signings

Commitments
QB M.J. Burnett (*****): 6'0", 211 from Manasha, WI
#1 QB
40 Time: 4.63
Arm Strength: A+
Pass Accuracy: A-
Bench Press: 245
Squat: 385
GPA: 2.82 [down arrow]
He doesn't care about having to compete for the QB job.
He came here to play, not worry about play schemes.
M.J. has the ability to develop quickly if utilized properly.

QB LaShaun Haston (***): 6'1", 191 from Reidsville, NC
#26 QB
40 Time: 5.48
Arm Strength: B
Pass Accuracy: B+
Bench Press: 255
Squat: 280 290 LaShaun's squat numbers are actually better than we hoped.
GPA: 2.95
Location is not a factor for LaShaun at all.
He came here to play, not worry about play schemes.

Signed Elsewhere
QB Herbert Rutherford signed with Texas.
TE Alex Bradford signed with Oklahoma.
C Darrell Monroe signed with Ohio State.
MLB Darrell Schneider signed with Central Florida.
MLB Troy Hennequet signed with Georgia, the idiot.

Only two commitments this time, but the only recruit we lost that hurt was the center Darrell Monroe - who we weren't leading for anyhow. We do need to find a starting center badly, though.

[Celeval]

HB Mike Hanson: GT, Miami, Auburn
Mike's definately starting to see the appeal of playing for us.
We've definately got our location working in our favor.
His catching ability is better than most people expect. (C C+)

FB Darrin Scott: NCSU, UVA, Alabama
Location is not a factor for Darrin at all.
We talked about coaching style, but he was pretty indifferent.
He's ready to take his game to the next level.

WR DeWayne Tubbs: GT, NCSU, Auburn
We played the prestige card, but he wasn't interested.
He doesn't care where he plays, so there goes that pitch.
Our evaluation of his hands was too optomistic (B C+)

T Jerrell Craig: GT, ECU, UGA
Jerrell is slowly moving us up his list of top schools.
Jerrell's excited about playing football in Atlanta.
No bad habits means he's got great potential to grow.

T Davon Brown: GT, UGA, Tennessee
Our prestigious football program excites him.
He doesn't care where he plays, so there goes that pitch.
Davon's leg strength was less than reported (Squat: 460 445)

G Luke Blackburn: UGA, Tennessee, Miami
Georgia Tech is moving up on his list of schools.
We are very fortunate as location is his main concern.
He disappointed us by not jumping as high as we'd expected. (28.3" 27.4")

G Merrill Ashley: GT, Miami, Duke
Our prestigious football program excites him.
Georgia Tech's location is not a big deal for this prospect.
The scouts were right, his speed is right on target. (40 time: 5.39)

C Joseph Hayes: GT, UCF, WVU
Joseph doesn't seem to care where he plays his college ball.
Immediate playing time is not important to him.
Joseph's worked hard and has improved his upper-body strength. (370 375)

DE DeWayne Fields: VT, NCSU, Ohio State
He told us that he doesn't care where we are located.
He shocked us by not responding to the chance to play early.
Time in the gym has improved DeWayne's leg strength. (Squat: 470 500)

OLB Markus Clayton: Miami, UMD, Ohio State
He doesn't care where he plays, so there goes that pitch.
His hands should be rated higher than what we had listed. (C C+)

MLB Ryan Brown: UCF, UGA, Louisville
He certainly liked our pitch on the great location.
He indicated he does not care about immediate playing time.
We're happy to report his bench numbers have improved. (390 405)

MLB Anthony Blanks: GT, Auburn, ND
We can tell he's starting to warm to Georgia Tech.
Keep working the location angle, he's clearly interested.
Toss out the notes, he's increased his bench reps. (Bench: 310 325)

FS Jamar Simms: Miami, Oklahoma, Ohio State
We've definately got our location working in our favor.
He shocked us by not responding to the chance to play early.
Jamar's top speed is right where we expected it to be. (40 Time: 4.50)

SS Adam Grady: GT, UGA, Ohio State
Georgia Tech's location is not a big deal for this prospect.
He can see himself playing Georgia Tech style football.
There were no surprises with his catching ability. (D+)

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week Three

Old Recruits - Recruitment Pitch
HB Mike Hanson - Location

FB Darrin Scott - Program Prestige

WR DeWayne Tubbs - A WR with C+ hands is not what we're looking for. Sorry DeWayne.

T Jerrell Craig - Location
T Davon Brown - Program Prestige

G Luke Blackburn - Location
G Merrill Ashley - Program Prestige

C Joseph Hayes - Coaching Style

DE DeWayne Fields - Coaching Style

OLB Markus Clayton - Playing Time

MLB Ryan Brown - Location
MLB Anthony Blanks - Location

FS Jamar Simms - Location

SS Adam Grady - Coaching Style

New Recruits
TE Jax Allison: GT, UGA, UCF - #21 TE (3*), Milledgeville, GA - Location
C Jason McKenzie: Auburn, Louisville, Ohio State - #13 C (4*), Tarrant, AL - Playing Time
C Doug Brayton: Oregon, Ohio State, NCSU - #30 C (3*), Kapaa, HI - Playing Time
MLB Reggie Love: Miami, ND, Kansas State - #14 MLB (4*), Westlake, LA - Playing Time
SS Jerry Morant: Arkansas, Virginia Tech, Tennessee - #11 SS (3*), Huntingdon, TN - Location
CB Ryan Altman: ND, VT, Miami - #41 CB (4*), Augusta, GA - Location

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week Three Signings

Commitments
HB Mike Hanson (***): 5'10", 214 from Villa Rica, GA
#72 HB
40 Time: 4.63
Bench Press: 330 315
Squat: 435
Vertical: 32.7"
Hands: CC+
GPA: 2.23
Out location was probably the biggest draw for him.

MLB Anthony Blanks (***): 6'2", 222 from Bainbridge, GA
#25 MLB
40 Time: 4.48
Bench Press: 310 325
Squat: 665 630
Vertical: 30.9"
Hands: C+
GPA: 2.45 [down arrow]
Our location was clearly a clinching point for him.

Signed Elsewhere
G Luke Blackburn signed with Miami.
C Doug Brayton signed with Oregon.
DE DeWayne Fields signed with North Carolina State.
OLB Markus Clayton signed with Miami.
MLB Ronnie Love signed with Miami.

Eh... Blanks is the second of the three MLBs we needed to sign, and Hanson will help out with the depth at halfback. Three longshots sign elsewhere, although I'm not looking forward to having to play against DeWayne Fields for the next four years. We still need Centers, badly.

[Celeval]

FB Darrin Scott: NCSU, Alabama, VT
Darrin isn't particularly interested in Georgia Tech's prestige.
Location is not a factor for Darrin at all.
We talked about coaching style, but he was pretty indifferent.
The tapes don't really show how quick Scott is. (40-Time: 4.84 4.71)

TE Jax Allison: GT, UGA, UCF
We are very fortunate as location is his main concern.
Jax's leg strength was less than reported. (Squat: 555 525)

T Jerrell Craig: GT, ECU, Clemson
Jerrell is slowly moving us up his list of top schools.
Our location is playing a huge role in recruiting him.
We can tell he's starting to warm to Georgia Tech.
He isn't as sharp mentally as we thought he was.

T Davon Brown: GT, UGA, Tennessee
Lucky for us he wants to go to a prestigious program.
He doesn't care where he plays, so there goes that pitch.
Georgia Tech is moving up his list of schools.
His vertical numbers accurately reflect his jumping ability. (27.7")

G Merrill Ashley: GT, Duke, Miami
Merrill wants to be a part of our football tradition.
Georgia Tech's location is not a big deal for this prospect.
Georgia Tech is moving up on his list of schools.
His vertical numbers accurately reflect his jumping ability.

C Jason McKenzie: Auburn, Louisville, Iowa
Jason isn't very interested in playing right away.
Limited football experience means great potential.

C Joseph Hayes: GT, UCF, WVU
Joseph doesn't seem to care where he plays his college ball.
Immediate playing time is not important to him.
Play call styles were clearly not a big issue to Joseph.
Joseph's squat numbers are actually better than we hoped. (640 645)

MLB Ryan Brown: UCF, Louisville, UGA
We're definately moving to the top of his list of schools.
Ryan's excited about playing football in Atlanta.
He indicated he does not care about immediate playing time.
Ryan has the ability to develop quickly if utilized properly.

CB Ryan Altman: ND, VT, Miami
Near or far, he doesn't care about school location at all.
His lower body is not as strong as the squat numbers say. (340 325)

FS Jamar Simms: Ohio State, Miami, Oklahoma
We can tell he's starting to really get jazzed about playing for us.
We are very fortunate as location is his main concern.
He shocked us by not responding to the chance to play early.
Jamar's GPA has dropped since last semester

SS Jerry Morant: Arkansas, VT, Tennessee
In this case, playing in Atlanta may not matter.
The tapes don't really show how quick Morant is. (4.63 4.50)

SS Adam Grady: UGA, GT, Ohio State
We can tell he's starting to really get jazzed to play for us.
Georgia Tech's location is not a big deal for this prospect.
We pitched him our coaching style and he was very receptive.
Grady beat out his previous vertical jump number. (37.8" 39.8")

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week Four

Old Recruits - Recruitment Pitch
FB Darrin Scott - Playing Time

TE Jax Allison - Location

T Jerrell Craig - Location
T Devon Brown - Program Prestige

G Merrill Ashley - Program Prestige

C Jason McKenzie - Location
C Joseph Hayes - Program Prestige

MLB Ryan Brown - Location

CB Ryan Altman - Playing Time

FS Jamar Simms - Location

SS Jerry Morant - Playing Time
SS Adam Grady - Coaching Style

New Recruits
QB Randall Manley: IU, ND, GT - #21 QB (4*), Speedway, IN - Location
TE Max Vance: UGA, GT, UF - #32 TE (3*), Lawrenceville, GA - Location
C Vincent Larkin: FSU, Miami, GT - #58 C (2*), University West, FL - Location
CB Steve Atkins: Ohio State, Louisville, Tennessee - #34 CB (4*), Mableton, GA - Location
P Jermaine MacPherson: GT, WVU, NCSU - #9 P (3*), Sarasota, FL - Location

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week Four Signings

Commitments
C Joseph Hayes (***): 6'2", 278 from Thomasville, GA
#23 C
40 Time: 5.22
Squat: 640 645
Vertical: 27.7"
Bench Press: 370 375
GPA: 2.55 [up arrow]
The program's prestige was a major factor for Joseph.

P Jermaine MacPherson (***): 6'0", 194 from Sarasota, FL
#9 P
40 Time: 5.41
Kick Power: A-
Kick Accuracy: B
Bench Press: 170
Squat: 280
GPA: 2.91 [down arrow]
Location was not a deciding factor in Jermaine's signing.

TE Max Vance (***): 6'4", 235 from Lawrenceville, GA
#32 TE
40 Time: 4.80
Bench Press: 310
Squat: 400
Vertical: 33.0"
Hands: A-
GPA: 2.36
We knew our location was the right thing for Max.
He's ready to take his game to the next level.

G Merrill Ashley (**): 6'1", 279 from Belvedere Park, GA
#74 RG
40 Time: 5.39
Squat: 545
Vertical: 26.8"
Bench Press: 370
GPA: 2.36
Glad we played the prestige card, that made a difference

T Davon Brown (*): 6'3", 281 from Statesboro, GA
JUCO (Jr)
#136 LT
40 Time: 5.39
Squat: 460 445
Vertical: 27.7"
Bench Press: 360
GPA: 2.91
Davon definately bit on the prestige of playing for the Yellow Jackets.

Signing Elsewhere
FB Darrin Scott signed with Virginia.
C Jason MacKenzie signed with Auburn.
HE BACKED OUT ON HIS VERBAL TO US EARLIER IN THE WEEK. Bastard.
MLB Ryan Brown signed with UCF.
CB Steve Atkins signed with Tennessee.
CB Ryan Altman signed with Virginia Tech.
SS Jerry Morant signed with Tennessee.
SS Adam Grady signed with Georgia.

Need to try and find a C, MLB, and SS willing to sign with us, now. MacKenzie would have solved a lot of our problems had he signed.

[Celeval]

QB Randall Manley: IU, ND, GT
Near or far, he doesn't care about school location at all.
He can't throw the deep ball like we were hoping. (Arm Strength: A B+)

T Jerrell Craig: GT, ECU, Clemson
Jerrell is slowing moving us up his list of top schools.
Jerrell's excited about playing football in Atlanta.
We can tell he's starting to warm to Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech is moving up his list of schools.
Craig was able to duplicate his vertical numbers. (25.0")

C Vincent Larkin: FSU, GT, Mississippi State
In this case, playing in Atlanta may not matter.
Larkin is just as fast in person as on paper.

FS Jamar Simms: Ohio State, GT, Oklahoma
We can tell he's starting to really get jazzed to play for us.
Atlanta is a big draw for Jamar.
He shocked us by not responding to the chance to play early.
We're defeinately moving to the top of his list of schools.
Simm's lost some strength in his lower body. (Squat: 470 445)

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week Five

Old Recruits - Recruitment Pitch
QB Randall Manley - Playing Time
T Jerrell Craig - Location
C Vincent Larkin - Playing Time
FS Jamar Simms - Location

New Recruits
HB Drew Williams: Miami, Kansas State, Texas - #5 HB (5*), Tamarac, FL - Playing Time
C Ishmael Sherman: Iowa, Mizzou, Nebraska - #34 C (3*), East St. Louis, IL - Playing Time
MLB DeWayne Clement: Louisville, ND, Purdue - #32 MLB (3*), Pea Ridge, WV - Playing Time
SS Tracy Cage: USM, UNT, AF - #28 SS (2*), Hialeah, FL - Playing Time

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Week Five Signings

Commitments
FS Jamar Simms (****): 5'11", 202, Lithia Springs, GA
#9 FS
40 Time: 4.50
Bench Press: 250
Squat: 470 455
Vertical: 37.8" 39.8"
Hands: C+
GPA: 2.68 [down arrow]
I think playing in Atlanta was clearly a deciding factor for him.

T Jerrell Craig (***): 6'4", 283, Duluth, GA
#28 RT
40 Time: 5.31
Squat: 630
Vertical: 25.0"
Bench Press: 410 430
GPA: 2.91 [down arrow]
Emphasizing location was a good move with this guy.

SS Tracy Cage (**): 6'0", 182, Hialeah, FL
#28 SS
40 Time: 4.69
Bench Press: 225
Squat: 385
Vertical: 38.3"
Hands: B
GPA: 2.64
Tracy was happy to get the recruiting process over with.
Still has a lot of room to grow and get better.

[Celeval]

Recruiting: Wrapup

Top Classes
(School 5*/4*/3*/2*/1*: Total)
1. Texas 11/5/2/2/0: 20
2. Miami 8/6/0/1/0: 15
3. Virginia Tech 7/6/1/0/3: 17
4. Tennessee: 6/6/5/1/0: 18
5. Oregon State: 5/9/2/0/3: 19
6. Ohio State: 7/4/3/3/0: 17
7. Maryland: 5/8/1/3/0: 17
8. Kansas State: 5/7/1/1/0: 14
9. NC State: 3/9/3/2/1: 18
10. LSU: 3/6/8/2/2: 21
17. Georgia: 2/3/10/4/0: 19
27. Georgia Tech: 1/4/7/3/1: 16
35. Florida State: 0/1/14/5/0: 20
40. Virginia: 0/2/8/7/3: 20
73. Clemson: 0/1/3/6/3: 13
82. Duke: 0/1/2/4/6: 13
100. North Carolina: 0/0/2/4/6: 12
110. Wake Forest: 0/0/1/1/9: 11
117. Army: 0/0/0/1/5: 6

How long has it been since Florida State didn't sign a 5-star recruit?

[Radii]

is that 5 star QB a nice steal? I haven't hit a recruiting session in the one I just started yet, but he sounds solid minus the awareness... im' curious to see what his numbers will look like and if he'll get redshirted or if he's good enough to compete with bilbo.

[Celeval]

Training Results

(Player : Overall Rating : Improvement)
QB Damarius Bilbo (Jr-RS) : 88 : +7

HB Ajenavi Eziemefe (So-RS) : 81 : +3
HB P.J. Daniels (Jr-RS) : 77 : +5

FB Johnathan Jackson (Sr-RS) : 69 : +3
FB Jimmy Dixon (Sr-RS) : 61 : +5

WR Nate Curry (Sr-RS) : 77 : +6
WR Levon Thomas (Sr) : 72 : +5
WR Lekelderick Bridges (So-RS) : 67 : +3
WR George Cooper (So-RS) : 67 : +3

TE Darius Williams (Sr-RS) : 65 : +4

LT Nat Dorsey (Sr) : 99 : +3

LG Leon Robinson (Sr-RS) : 85 : +5
LG Andy Tidwell-Neal (Jr-RS) : 66 : +3

RG Brad Honeycutt (Jr-RS) : 74 : +4

RT Kyle Wallace (Sr) : 90 : +7
RT Jeremy Phillips (Sr-RS) : 75 : +4

LE Tony Hargrove (Sr) : 77 : +4
LE Terron Pullen (So-RS) : 77 : +5
LE Chirod Williams (Sr-RS) : 68 : +3

RE Eric Henderson (Jr-RS) : 89 : +7

DT Alfred Malone (Sr-RS) : 79 : +3
DT Travis Parker (Jr-RS) : 77 : +5
DT Omar Billy (Jr-RS) : 73 : +4
DT Brad Brezina (So-RS) : 69 : +5

LOLB Kingi McNair (So-RS) : 80 : +8
LOLB Tabugbo Anyansi (Sr) : 70 : +3

ROLB Gerris Wilkinson (Jr-RS) : 67 : +4

CB Reuben Houston (Jr-RS) : 79 : +4
CB I-Perfection Harris (So-RS) : 68 : +4
CB Dennis Davis (Sr) : 68 : +4
CB Venice Gilliam (Jr) : 68 : +4

FS James Butler (Sr) : 75 : +6
FS Nathan Burton (Sr-RS) : 62 : +4

SS Dawan Landry (Jr-RS) : 64 : +7

K David Jordan (So-RS) : 75 : +5

[Celeval]

I'll skip cuts, since with the recruits, I'm at 53 players - under the 55-player limit.

[Celeval]

Originally posted by Radii
is that 5 star QB a nice steal? I haven't hit a recruiting session in the one I just started yet, but he sounds solid minus the awareness... im' curious to see what his numbers will look like and if he'll get redshirted or if he's good enough to compete with bilbo.

He's pretty sweet... but I'll address that problem with the start of the next season, want to do a full position-by-position rundown.

Kevin

[DeToxRox]

Awesome dynasty, keep up the good work.