Gridironstuds.com Blog

Today’s video of the Day comes from the West Coast and Los Angeles, California. Inglewood High School Tight End Marcus Howard is a specimen. A 6’2″ 255 lb tight end that can move, has good hands and can find the end zone. Howard was one of several key parts to a great Ingelwood offense that also featured Shaquelle Evans (Notre Dame) and current QB Brandon Summers. Check out Howard’s big plays. Look at Marcus Howard’s highlight video.

Video of the Day 2010 tight ends, california high school football players, marcus howard, top 2010 recruit

The whirlwind surrounding Treasure Coast High School’s Jeff Luc continues now with a pair of offers from two more top BCS Division I schools.

Saturday saw offers come in from Ohio St. University and Georgia Tech University for Luc who now has about 20 offers from major Division I programs. Luc who rose to prominence when his video appeared on the Gridironstuds.com website was offered from USC and North Carolina close to two weeks ago making him a national recruit. Luc is expected to become a 5-star recruit by next week, a move that is long overdue.

Last week, Luc took an unofficial visit down to the University of Miami campus to check out spring practice for the Hurricanes. He had the opportunity to meet several of the Hurricane coaches along with new signees and current recruits for Miami. Luc was surprised by the down to Earth nature of Hurricane head coach Randy Shannon. Many feel Luc will stay in state to attend one of the three major schools, however, he and his family insist that he will look at the total picture before making a decision. Any speculation as to where he will go is just that, speculation.

Luc finished off his junior season with 125 tackles, 97 solo, 22 for a loss, one fumble recovery, one interception and countless hurt feelings. Luc’s video may be one of the best you’ve seen for a high school linebacker. If you have not had a chance to, check out the highlight video that got this all started for the head crusher from Treasure Coast. Jeff Luc’s highlight video.

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Today’s video of the day comes from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and St. Thomas High the #1 ranked football team in the country in 2008. Running back Beau Bucci was one of many talented players that made up the undefeated St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders State 5-A Championship team. Bucci used his great speed, quickness and vision to cut up defenses for 589 yards rushing,  8.7 yards per carry and six touchdowns. Bucci did so while sharing the load with three other backs. Bucci was second on the team in yards per carry average. Out of the backfield, Bucci caught eight passes for 101 yards and 3 touchdowns. Amazingly, Bucci, who is a class of 2009 prospect is still looking for a school. Sometimes, great players get lost on great teams and Bucci is a glaring example of that. If you are college coach with a remaining scholarship, Beau Bucci is a player that can round off your class and contribute to your success. Look at Beau Bucci’s 2008 highlight video.

Video of the Day 2009 recruit, 2009 running back, beau bucci

Today’s video of the day comes from Los Angeles California and Culver City High School. Edwin Tillman was a do everything for Culver City High School in 2008. Tillman has great speed, quickness and agility. The 5’9″ junior racked up over 700 yards receiving, 200 yards rushing, over 250 yards in returns and added three interceptions from his cornerback position. Watch Tillman make plays from all over the field. No doubt he is in position to have an All-Star senior season for Culver City High School. Watch Edwin Tillman’s highlight video.

Video of the Day 2010 wide receivers, edwin tillman, high school football highlight video, top 2010 defensive backs, top 2010 wide receivers

Today’s video of the day comes from an unusual spot and that’s Holladay Utah. Cornerback Kyle Aberton is a gritty hard nose cornerback that will come up and smack you or just flat out take the ball away. He’s a menace to the offence and a pain in the rear for wide receivers. Watch Kyle mix it up with the opposition and make plays all over the field for Cottonwood high school. Kyle Aberton’s highlight video.

Video of the Day kyle abberton, top 2010 defensive backs, top 2010 recruits

Recruiting Guru Pete Carroll

How big a deal is a college’s recruiting rank? We all follow it. We hang on every word and every move by potential high school recruits leading up to national signing day in February but how much does it really mean?

There are a host of factors that go into making a successful football team but most coaches will tell you that talent would be the most important factor. Talent can make a sub-par coach look great (ask Larry Coker) and lack of talent can make a damn good coach look like he needs to be filing for unemployment (ask anyone at Notre Dame prior to Charlie Weiss).

Gridironstuds.com researched the Rivals.com ranks of college football recruiting classes from 2002 to 2006 and matched them up with the performances of the teams four years out. So, I looked at the final AP polls from the years 2005-2008. Why did Gridironstuds.com choose four years? Gridironstuds.com chose four years because that would be the first year that anyone from the recruiting class could become a senior or redshirt junior. At that time, most players are playing and the school is likely getting the maximum benefit from the recruiting class in question.

Some interesting factors emerged from this research. First, in three of the four years researched, the national champion came from a team that finished in the top 3 in recruiting class rank by Rivals.com four years prior. Only in 2008, did the national champion come from a team that was not ranked in the top 3 in recruiting class four years earlier. 2008′s champ, the Florida Gators were ranked 15th in recruiting class in 2005.

Another interesting fact emerged from the research by Gridironstuds.com. Coaches who continuously received high rankings but did not end up in the Top 10 when that class matured, were shown the door. Miami, Fla ranked 5th, 4th and 7th in recruiting classes from 2003 to 2005 but failed to have a top 25 ranking in either 2006, 2007 or 2008. Their head coach Larry Coker was shown the door after the 2006 season. Current head coach Randy Shannon presided over the 2007 and 2008 teams and will be on the hot seat this season if the Hurricanes don’t appear in the Top 20 at season’s end. The 2003 Recruiting class had five teams that ranked in the Top 10 and failed to finish in the Top 25 four years later. Four of those five teams now have new head coaches. The 2004 recruiting class had two teams rank in the Top 10 but fail to finish in the Top 25 four years later. One of those two teams now has a new head coach. The 2005 recruiting class had an astonishing six teams in the Top 10 that failed to finish in the Top 25 four years later. Five of those six teams either fired their coach this past season or has a coach in place with less than 2 years coaching at the school. Morale of the story, if you are bringing in rich recruiting class and you are not in the Top 25 four years later, clean up your resume. Also, only legends really get to hang on to their jobs if their recruiting classes don’t evolve into high performers. Only Bobby Bowden, Steve Spurrier and Jeff Tedford have hung on to their jobs when their teams failed to make the Top 25 with a class that was ranked in the Top 10 four years before.

From the coaching their butt off category. Some teams performed really well without the benefit of highly ranked rivals.com classes four years before. In 2005, Penn St. finished 3rd in the final AP polls for 2005. Penn St.’s recruiting class in 2002 was ranked 21st by rivals. In 2006, Boise St. managed to finish 5th in the final AP poll with a 2003 recruiting class that ranked 101. Louisville finished 6th in the AP Poll that year with an ’03 class that ranked 35th. In 2004, Kansas finished ranked 7th in the final AP poll with a class ranked 51st while in 2008 TCU finished 7th with a 2005 class that ranked 54th.

Check out the tables below and draw your own conclusions on the importance of a recruiting class rank. If history is any indication, our 2009 champion will be either USC, Florida or Florida St. Those three teams finished 1, 2 and 3 in recruiting class rank for 2006.

Recruiting Class vs. AP Poll Performance

General ap poll, college football recruiting, high school football recruiting, recruiting class

Today’s video of the day comes from Inglewood, California and Inglewood High School. Quarterback Brandon Summers is starting to get attention. Someone had to throw all of those crisp passes to top rated 2009 wide out Shaquelle Evans and Brandon Summers was the guy. Quick feet and great pocket presence makes Summers a real find in the quarterback game. Check out his solid highlights on his video.

Video of the Day 2010 quarterbacks, brandon summers, inglewood high school, top 2010 recruits

Under Armour makes it’s tour around the country putting on combines and when they come to Florida the getting is always good. Leading the way in the all important 40 yard dash at the combine was Demar Dorsey who ran a blistering 4.25. Angelo Cabrera also impressed with a 4.30 forty yard dash to go with standout times in the shuttle and 3 cone drill. Also running incredible sub 4.4 forties were Nickell Robey, O.J. Ross, Shon Carson, Merrill Noel, Sheldon Robinson and Mack Brown.

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The videos are pouring in at Gridironstuds.com with prospects adding their videos daily. However, being the society that we are, people want to know who’s looked at the most. Here are the Top 10 most watched videos on Gridironstuds.com in February:

1. Jeff Luc – LB – Treasure Coast High School – Port St. Lucie, FL (no surprise there)
2. Lamarcus Joyner – DB – St. Thomas Aquinas H.S. – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
3. Latwan Anderson – DB – St. Edwards High School – Lakewood, Oh
4. Tavon Austin – RB – Dunbar H.S. – Baltimore, MD
5. Shaun Alexander – QB – Catherdral H.S. – Inglewood, CA
6. Lache Seastrunk – RB – Temple H.S. – Temple, Tx
7. Chris Dunkley – WR – Royal Palm Beach H.S. – Royal Palm Beach, FL
8. Jamal Berry – RB – Palmetto H.S. – Miami, FL
9. Lamar Miller – RB – Killian H.S. – Miami, FL
10. Vontaze Burfict – LB – Centennial H.S. – Corona, CA

High School Football chris dunkley, jamal berry, jeff luc, lache seastrunk, lamar miller, lamarcus joyner, latwan anderson, shaun alexander, tavon austin, vontaze burfict

Today’s video of the Day comes out of Detroit, Michigan and Southeastern High School.  Defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins terrorized offenses in 2008 with his power and uncanny quickness for a 300 pounder.  By the end of the season,  Hankins established himself as a force in the middle and teamed up with top flight recruit William Gholston to make moving the ball very difficult on Detroit Southeastern High School.  The big schools are going after this big time recruit.  Check out his video: Jonathan Hankins’ highlight video.

Video of the Day 2010 defensive linemen, jonathan hankins, top 2010 recruits