After UM jumped out early with a lot of early commits, here is the take on it by the CL (which mirrored or was mimmicked by posters on this board and others throughout the SEC):
April 23, 2006
1st grade could be gold mine for talent
By Rick Cleveland
rcleveland@clarionledger.com
NEWS FLASH: Thomas Joseph (T.J.) Johnson, a 6-year-old first-grader at Jackson Academy, has committed to Ole Miss and is expected to enroll in the fall of 2020.
"My favorite colors are red and blue," Johnson told The Clarion-Ledger. "I just decided: Why wait? Daddy was getting tired of all the phone calls. Mommy wanted me to concentrate on school: you know, learning to read and write and color."
A commitment is a non-binding oral agreement, but T.J. insists that he knows what he wants and intends to carry through on his pledge.
"It came down to Ole Miss or Mississippi State, and, Mister, I just don't like maroon," Johnson said.
REALLY BIG HITTER
To date, young Johnson has played only T-ball in organized sports but led his league with 35 home runs in 36 at-bats.
"T.J.'s just so much bigger and stronger than the rest of the kids," his coach, John Chance, said. "Most times, he crosses home plate before the other team even picks up the ball."
One factor in Johnson's pledge to Ole Miss might be that Mike Bianco has agreed to let him try to play two sports.
Young Johnson will begin YMCA flag football play next fall and projects as a quarterback or safety. Or defensive tackle or tight end. Or offensive tackle or middle linebacker.
NCAA guidelines prohibit Ole Miss coaches from commenting on an unsigned, prospective student-athlete, but insiders say Ed Orgeron considers Johnson's commitment a huge recruiting coup. He believes Johnson's upside is tremendous because of the size of his feet and hands.
Sources close to the Ole Miss program say that the Rebels are joining a growing trend of universities around the nation that are trying to stay ahead of the recruiting curve by projecting a youngster's growth potential and by looking at family history.
IT'S ALL IN GENES
"T.J.'s daddy was an All-State tackle before he tore up his knee. His mama played basketball and ran track," the source told this newspaper. "We believe it's in his blood. We don't think this acorn fell far from the tree."
Mary Johnson, T.J.'s mother, told The Clarion-Ledger that she just wants what's best for her son.
"You know, I guess I always knew T.J. was going to be a football player," Mary Johnson said. "It's been six and a half years now and my stomach is still sore from all that kicking.
"T.J.'s always been active," she continued. "He was crawling at three months, walking at nine months. When he was just a toddler, he wanted to play with the big boys. At first, I was scared he would get hurt. Now, I'm scared he's going to hurt some other mother's son. But the thing about T.J. is that he's such a sweet-natured kid. He wouldn't hurt a fly."
Ole Miss coaches are said to be confident they can change that part of Johnson's makeup should he develop into a linebacker.
"You can teach a kid to hit, but you can't teach him to be 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds," one Ole Miss assistant said. "Man, did you see the hands on that kid?"
Johnson is Ole Miss's ninth commitment for the recruiting class of 2020. The Rebels would like to convince at least five or six more 6-year-olds this spring.
"We've got more openings than usual because we lost a couple of commitments for 2019," one assistant coach said.
"One kid decided he liked soccer best," the coach added. "The other changed his favorite color to maroon."
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E-mail Columnist Rick Cleveland at
rcleveland@clarionledger.com. Read his blog at
http://www.clarionledger.com/misc/blogs ... dblog.html
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BUT, when MSU later has an SEC leading number of early commits, here is the CL take (which will likely mirror or be mimicked by the sheep as well):
June 25, 2006
ADVERTISEMENT
Adding to the List
By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com
File Photo/The Associated Press
Sylvester Croom has changed the culture of recruiting at Mississippi State.
GETTING TRENDY
The Bulldogs have picked up on the nationwide trend of recruiting earlier and earlier. Here is a look at how the 2007 commitment list stacks up to those on June 25 in previous years:
2007: 17
2006: 5
2005: 2
2004: 1
2003: 0
Source: Scout.com
STARKVILLE — This time, there is no need for a map. When Mississippi State assistant coaches search for prospects inside their areas, they won't need to ask for directions, either.
Most members of coach Sylvester Croom's staff are recruiting their part of the state for the fourth year. There is a comfort level they say they've reached, a knowledge saturation point.
Without having to feel their way around, the coaches have evaluated earlier, targeted prospects earlier, and recently, gained commitments earlier.
Lots of them.
The Bulldogs boast 17 non-binding oral commitments for the 2007 recruiting class, second-most in the country behind national champion Texas' 22. At this time last year, State had five.
"A lot of building relationships in recruiting takes time," Croom said. "People get tired of hearing that, but it does. When you come in, you need a map to go everywhere. Now, our guys know our areas, we've seen the film and know who'll fit our schemes. It didn't happen overnight, but our recruiting is ahead of schedule."
It's impossible to know how it will translate to success for a program looking for its first winning season since 2000. Prospects can always change their minds.
But in an atmosphere moving coaches and recruits toward early action, MSU is apparently at the forefront. After facing recruiting questions last year, while Ole Miss reeled in a Top 20 class, the outlook has changed.
Croom said his principles are solid and is adamant that no one is cheating. So why?
Coaches, prospects and analysts point to scores of reasons: faster evaluations, improved facilities, a larger in-state pool, and momentum gained from a season-ending win over the Rebels.
Of the 17 commits, 12 are from Mississippi. Four are junior college players, led by receiver Co-Eric Riley, a former C-L Dandy Dozen considered the best in the state at his position. Of the high schoolers, Jazzmen Guy, the Hazlehurst defensive end, and Lee Chambers, the Coffeeville running back, are the most coveted.
Recruits have noticed.
"I'm on the Internet every day, checking everything out after another one commits," said Jamariey Atterberry, a receiver from Kosciusko who committed on May 8. "I always look at the highlight videos to see what they're all about. I've seen some pretty good ones. It makes me excited to know I'll be playing with so many great players."
Said MSU commitment Ethan Stockett, a fullback from Arkansas: "It's like Mississippi State has twice as much as anyone else."
Scott Kennedy, Scout.com's director of programming, said MSU's evaluation process was ahead of his, so it's difficult to gauge what it means.
He cautioned that State may struggle to hold onto out-of-state prospects if big-name schools come calling, offering last year's example when Southern Cal swiped former MSU commit Kenny Ashley on signing day.
"If an in-state school, a traditional power comes in," Kennedy said, "nine times out of 10, you're going to lose the kid."
Kennedy points to the nationwide trend of early commitments, but that doesn't explain why State's list is longer than that of any other SEC school.
Croom, a third-year coach in his fourth year recruiting, thought back to his first year, when neither he, nor his staff, knew any of the in-state programs. Now, there is a sense of familiarity.
If Mississippi State was recruiting at a high school since Croom was hired, a senior has seen them for three years.
"The kids know us, and a lot of them have been calling us," Croom said. "We establish relationships that way."
At Hazlehurst, MSU coaches dropped in on the school, even though it had no big-time prospects in the last few years. It has at least two now, and Guy and cornerback Damein Anderson say they're headed to State.
"In the past, we didn't have any SEC players," Hazlehurst coach Willie Brown said. "But they came around anyway."
It goes further, because it helps for the players to know a school is interested, even if the coach can't call them.
"If a prospect is a senior, I've watched him for at least two years," recruiting coordinator coach Shane Beamer said. "I've been able to get him up for camps or junior days. The more opportunities a player gets to come on campus, the better chance you have of getting him."
For example, D.J. Looney, a center from Oak Mountain (Ala.) who committed Monday, said he's been following MSU since it began recruiting his friend, signee Mark Melichar. Atterberry began coming to State games with his uncle as a kid.
Coaches and analysts say the talent in Mississippi has improved, and that the Dogs are taking advantage of that.
"I don't doubt schools when they recruit their own states," Kennedy said.
Beamer estimated that for the 2005 class, his staff offered 13 in-state high school players. Ten signed, five qualified academically. This year, the number of in-state prospects exceeds 30, he said.
As for why those players have committed, answers abound.
Stockett said he was impressed that MSU offered him first, and the same with linebacker Maurice Crutison of Port Gibson. More important for Crutison was that he's coming off major knee surgery, and Croom said his offer stood anyway.
That's the way State plucked touted 2006 signee Chasman Davis, who'll sit out the season after undergoing major knee surgery.
"I didn't think anybody was going to offer me because of my knee," Crutison said. "Then Mississippi State still wanted me."
Everyone has a story.
Several prospects credited the facilities as a reason. That includes the Palmeiro Center, a $3.8 million indoor practice facility, and the Holliman Center, a $7.8 million structure with a new locker room and weight room.
Coaches said that drew the team even with their SEC brethren. That's why a campaign to improve the practice fields and coaches' offices is in the works.
"We're going to be proactive with facilities," said defensive backs coach Melvin Smith, who brought his recruiting prowess to MSU in February. "We're constantly looking to improve. The kids notice."
Some think there is momentum in recruiting. Players interviewed said the growing list of commits was not a factor. Yet, as Beamer said, "They know a school can only sign so many."
Others guess that MSU is building on the enthusiasm created with its win over Ole Miss. The Dogs have had five straight losing seasons, but prospects say they believe the victory shows an impending turnaround.
"Beating our rival like that," Beamer said, "that showed the players we're close."
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This double standard is almost UMBELIEVABLE and laughable.
