Tucker Signing Day Stuff..

[Ben E Lou]

Using a new thread, because several pics forthcoming.

DIVISION ONE
ATH Asher Allen-->UGA (CB/ATH)
LB Donnie Hardy-->Miami (OH) (OLB/SS)
RT Cameron Reed-->Army (OT)
ATH Myke Compton-->Louisiana Tech (RB)
QB Dwayne Harris-->East Carolina (QB)

ECU and La. Tech are both getting steals with those signings, I think. Cameron's was very much 11th hour. Army called at 7pm yesterday!

LOWER-TIER
P Joe Rioux-->Ga. Military College (P)
K Steve McClure-->Mississippi College (K)
MG/LG Anthony Cloud-->Mississippi College (FB)
OLB/DE Randie Bourne-->Mississippi College (OLB)
LT/LDT Jotis Head-->Valdosta State (OL)

[JeeberD]

Looking forward to seeing Dwayne play in CUSA...

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Looking forward to seeing Dwayne play in CUSA...

They promised to let him play QB, which was, as I've mentioned elsewhere, HUUUUUGGGGEEE.

[Ben E Lou]

QB Dwayne Harris and family. His decision came down to signing day. ECU pursued him all the way, never backed off, and offered him as a pure QB, and that made a big difference.

[Ben E Lou]

Anthony Cloud dutifully played on the offensive and defensive lines for Tucker for the past three years, but he's always told anyone who would listen (including the coaches, from time to time ) that "I'm a FULLBACK!!!" Well, Mississippi College apparently listened, and the 5'5", 190 pounder is headed there to be, yes, a fullback.

[scooper]

Sending a kid to Miami OH? That's great to hear. They have a nice program up there and have started to send a guy or two to the league.

It's a typical red brick and ivy campus in the middle of nowhere right out of the movies. It's really a beautiful campus.

Oh, and it's easily the best collection of female talent in the midwest. It's the only midwestern school I'd put up against the southern schools in that regard. No idea why, it just is.

In other related news, I found out this morning that one of ND's commits is Asher Allen's cousin-Morrice Richardson.

[Ben E Lou]

Not a great pic, but I included it because I love seeing Chad Sims crack up laughing.

[Ben E Lou]

Donnie Hardy will play OLB or SS for Miami of Ohio.

[Ben E Lou]

Little Valdosta State gets two-star offensive lineman Jotis Head. He's a Dist* guy, I reckon.

[Ben E Lou]

Former QB Joe Rioux shatters his elbow as a Freshman, goes through several aggressive surgeries, and comes back to the team as a Senior, re-inventing himself as a punter, and signs to punt for Georgia Military College, where I assume he'll also play baseball.

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

Using a new thread, because several pics forthcoming.

DIVISION ONE
QB Dwayne Harris-->East Carolina (QB)

Is he projected to start or have any decent playing time next year? Reason I ask is because the Pie-rats are scheduled to play State at the end of next year. Wouldn't want to see him get too roughed up on account of him being your boy and all...

[scooper]

FYI, Miami tends to favor speed over size and they use a lot of large SS types at linebacker, so if he's a "tweener" I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up there. They are always small but very quick in the front seven.

[Ben E Lou]

In the best moment of the last 24 hours, Cameron got the dream phone call last night, informing him of his acceptance to play football for Army! CONGRATS, Cam! Cam won the Venable lineman award this year. Coach V would be very, very proud!!!

[Ben E Lou]

Steve "Opie" McClure started off as a QB, but a couple of kids named McDowell and Harris kept getting in his way, and he re-invented himself as a kicker, and Mississippi College liked what they saw enough to offer a scholly. With two of his former teammates heading down there with him, the "Opie" nickname is sure to follow.

[Ben E Lou]

Randie Bourne was too slow. He wasn't big enough. He wasn't strong enough. It seemed like no one but Coach Agee (in the pic with Randie and his mom) believed that Randie was a Tucker-quality football player for a while there. Now, they believe down at Mississippi College.

[Ben E Lou]

10 signees were there. The 11th, UGA signee Asher Allen, finished his graduation requirements in December, and enrolled in UGA this semester.

[Ben E Lou]

Some of the coaches with the signees...

[Ben E Lou]

The D-1 signees (minus Asher.) From Left to Right: Donnie Hardy, Dwayne Harris, Myke Compton, Cameron Reed.

[Ben E Lou]

The signees involved with YL, along with their, uh, fearless leader.

[Ben E Lou]

Go Miami!

[Ben E Lou]

Rumor has it that Dwayne told the cameras that "the media don't understand the kinds of problems and pressures makin' a last-minute decision COME WIT'!"

[Ben E Lou]

Myke's father passed away last week. Good to see him having a good day today.

[Ben E Lou]

Awwwwwww! Ain't that sweet!

[Coder]

Hardy doesn't look at all happy in any of the pictures I see here.. is he always that angry-looking?

[Ben E Lou]

Several of the signees are in the Teacher Cadet corps. I wouldn't be shocked to see one or two of 'em back in Tucker teaching and coaching come 2012 or so.

[Ben E Lou]

This could have been a great picture, but I picked the wrong person to take it for me.

[Ben E Lou]

The Tiger with the biggest heart around, good ol' Anthony "I'm A FULLBACK!" Cloud.

[Ben E Lou]

OK. That's all the pics. Now to respond to the comments...

[Poli]

That's a lot of coaches. I think my school has...three.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by scooper

Sending a kid to Miami OH? That's great to hear. They have a nice program up there and have started to send a guy or two to the league.
It's a typical red brick and ivy campus in the middle of nowhere right out of the movies. It's really a beautiful campus.

YL happened to be meeting at Donnie's house the Monday after his official up there. He went on and on about how he loved the campus.

In other related news, I found out this morning that one of ND's commits is Asher Allen's cousin-Morrice Richardson.

Yes, he is, and he and Asher are quite close and really had hoped to sign at the same place. UGA never offered Morrice, though.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Is he projected to start or have any decent playing time next year? Reason I ask is because the Pie-rats are scheduled to play State at the end of next year. Wouldn't want to see him get too roughed up on account of him being your boy and all...

I'm not sure about next year. I haven't checked ECU's depth charts yet. Dwayne's recruitment was so topsy-turvy that it became obvious that he was getting tired of getting asked the same questions by nearly everyone who knows him, so I told him several weeks ago that I was praying for his decision, was there if he ever wanted someone to talk with besides the coaches, but I wouldn't ask him about any of it unless he brought it up. He was really appreciative of that. He didn't decide until this morning. He seemed very, very relieved that it is all past him now.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by scooper

FYI, Miami tends to favor speed over size and they use a lot of large SS types at linebacker, so if he's a "tweener" I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up there. They are always small but very quick in the front seven.

Well, Donnie would fit in then. He's probably around 205-210 right now, and very fast (ran on Tucker's Region Champion 4x100 team as a Junior). He's one of the captains of the track team this year

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Coder

Hardy doesn't look at all happy in any of the pictures I see here.. is he always that angry-looking?

Donnie's not mean or angry really. I would, however, characterize him as a very "serious" kid. I definitely see him coaching one day. He seems like a born leader. He won the Kelly Cofer award at the football banquet--the most prestigious award given, for the kid with the combination of academic achievement, athletic achievement, and being an all-around model kid.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by ardent enthusiast

That's a lot of coaches. I think my school has...three.

We have, I think, sixteen or seventeen. I see six off the top of my head who weren't there, and I think I'm leaving someone out.

[Buzzbee]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

Go Miami!

Ok. I can see why Miami girl is pulling her shirt back...so you can read Miami. However, pink shirt girl sure looks like she is just showing off her breasts to ol' SkyDog.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

YL happened to be meeting at Donnie's house the Monday after his official up there. He went on and on about how he loved the campus.

Yes, he is, and he and Asher are quite close and really had hoped to sign at the same place. UGA never offered Morrice, though.

Isn't it saying something when ND is the second choice when UGA doesn't offer?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Buzzbee

Ok. I can see why Miami girl is pulling her shirt back...so you can read Miami. However, pink shirt girl sure looks like she is just showing off her breasts to ol' SkyDog.

After I posted that pic, I was wondering the same thing. It does look pretty funny. My best guess is that she glanced over and saw Angie doing it, and just did the same thing without thinking how it looked.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Isn't it saying something when ND is the second choice when UGA doesn't offer?

[Wolfpack]

After I posted that pic, I was wondering the same thing. It does look pretty funny. My best guess is that she glanced over and saw Angie doing it, and just did the same thing without thinking how it looked.

Getting ready for Mardi Gras, I think....

[Poli]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

We have, I think, sixteen or seventeen. I see six off the top of my head who weren't there, and I think I'm leaving someone out.

That's insane. My junior year I had 21 players on the team. Our third coach acted as the scout QB. During scout defense we'd go without a linebacker or safety, depending on if we were practicing run or pass plays.

[Chas in Cinti]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

YL happened to be meeting at Donnie's house the Monday after his official up there. He went on and on about how he loved the campus.

It is a beautiful campus...

-Chas

[Chas in Cinti]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

After I posted that pic, I was wondering the same thing. It does look pretty funny. My best guess is that she glanced over and saw Angie doing it, and just did the same thing without thinking how it looked.

Dola... It's a beautiful pink shirt...

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by ardent enthusiast

That's insane. My junior year I had 21 players on the team. Our third coach acted as the scout QB. During scout defense we'd go without a linebacker or safety, depending on if we were practicing run or pass plays.

Yeah, we had 160+ in the 9-12 program this year, so the coach-to-player ratios are pretty similar, actually.

[Chas in Cinti]

Dola one more time...

Where was the pic of Brandon Lampkin you mentioned you'd try to get?



-Chas

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Chas in Cinti

Dola one more time...

Where was the pic of Brandon Lampkin you mentioned you'd try to get?



-Chas

I thought about it, but for some reason he wasn't there. He was either sick today, or perhaps he had a test. They let all of the football players come to signing day cermonies unless they have a test.

[Poli]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

Yeah, we had 160+ in the 9-12 program this year, so the coach-to-player ratios are pretty similar, actually.

Mercy. Our guys that year was 10-12. Freshman were included in our junior high program.

The next year I moved to Missouri where we had over 45 on the team, which only included about 5 sophs.

Even then, we had just four coaches, and one split time as the line coach and as the freshman team coach.

[scooper]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Isn't it saying something when ND is the second choice when UGA doesn't offer?

Well, if he contributes as much as Darius Walker, we'll gladly take him.

In all seriousness, Richardson will get a shot at some good early playing time at WLB, or maybe as a pass rushing end. Both spots need an infusion of athleticism.

Actually, I suspect our gem out of Georgia this year will be MLB Toryan Smith.

[scooper]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

Well, Donnie would fit in then. He's probably around 205-210 right now, and very fast (ran on Tucker's Region Champion 4x100 team as a Junior). He's one of the captains of the track team this year

At 210, that right there is a Redhawk LB. I'm not an MU grad or fan, but I catch a game or two in Oxford each year and I have a couple friends with season tickets. I'll be sure to relay any first hand accounts of his progress up here.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by scooper

Well, if he contributes as much as Darius Walker, we'll gladly take him.

In all seriousness, Richardson will get a shot at some good early playing time at WLB, or maybe as a pass rushing end. Both spots need an infusion of athleticism.

Actually, I suspect our gem out of Georgia this year will be MLB Toryan Smith.

The UGA staff felt that Morrice was a tweener--that his hips aren't good enough to play OLB in the SEC, but that they don't see him getting big enough to play DE. Now, he was at Tucker's spring game in a tank top. He LOOKS like an absolute beast that can play anywhere he wants to play, thank you very much, MISTER Richardson.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by ardent enthusiast

Mercy. Our guys that year was 10-12. Freshman were included in our junior high program.

The next year I moved to Missouri where we had over 45 on the team, which only included about 5 sophs.

Even then, we had just four coaches, and one split time as the line coach and as the freshman team coach.

Yeah, ours are broken down by position a little more than that--to the point that we have separate position coaches for CB's and safeties, rather than a general DB coach.