Gridironstuds.com Blog

It’s that time of year as the track seasons start to wind down to take a look at the football players (particularly the Gridironstuds.com members) that are getting it done on the track.  These athletes have traded in their helmets for the tank top and track spikes and have shown their versatility by heating up the synthetic rubber.

You have to start with the fastest man in the country and that’s Ryan Lankford of Paxon Advanced Studies School in Jacksonville.  Lankford has committed to Illinois to play football this Fall and will take his 10.41 speed to Champagne to try and help the Fighting Illini climb back up the Big Ten standings.  Lankford’s 10.41 time is tops in the nation.

2010 Miami Hurricanes signee Latwan Anderson (pictured right) from Glenville H.S. in Ohio  has heated up the track in a big way.  Anderson has moved from a very successful season on the football field to an equally as impressive season on the track.  Anderson currently holds the fastest time in the country in the 200 with a 20.92 clocking last Saturday at the Maralyn H. West Invitational.  However,  that’s not all,  Anderson also holds the fourth fastest time in the country in the 400 meters with a time of 48.42 also run last week at the Maralyn West Invitational.   The football standout signed a track scholarship with the Hurricanes in March,  one month after the February 4th National Letter of Intent Signing Date.  It was a move met with some skepticism but Anderson is proving that move to be fruitful signing for both the track and football teams at the University of Miami.

Yet another top performer from the Gridironstuds.com members is St. Thomas Aquinas’ Cody Riggs.  The 2010 Florida signee and defending Florida state champ in the 300 meter hurdles currently holds the top time in the event this year with a time of 36.51.  He also ranks 2nd in the 110 meter hurdles nationwide with a time of 14.03 and he ranks 6th in the long jump with a mark of 23′-2.5″.

Other Gridironstuds.com football players turned track athletes performing well in the sprints are:   Shane Wynn,  Anderson’s teammate at Glenville.  Wynn has posted a 10.60 in the 1o0 meters making him tied for 14th overall in the country.  Wynn also has a 21.45 in the 200 meters under his belt this season.  Crenshaw (California) High School’s De’Anthony Thomas laid down a 10.67 in the 100 meters and a 21.48 in the 200 meters.    Miami Northwestern’s Corvin Lamb who will play for Louisville in 2010  has a 2010 best of 10.78 in the 100 meters.

Class of 2011 wide receiver Phillip Dorsett of St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) has bests of 10.79 in the 100 meters, 21.97 in the 200 meters, 15.05 in the 110 meter hurdles, 39.14 in the 300 meter hurdles and has a nationally ranked mark of 47′ 9.50 in the Triple Jump.  Oh and by the way,  Dorsett is also a member of Aquinas’ 400 meter and 1600 meter relay teams.  He is the most versatile track athlete in this report.    Douglas High School (Florida)  junior Orville Reynolds has a 10.80 clocking in the 100 meters to his credit this 2010 outdoor season.  2010 Florida St. signee Lamarcus Joyner of St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) has a 100 meter best of 10.83.   8th Grade sensation Sony Michel from American Heritage Plantation (Florida) clocked a 10.82 yesterday in his district meet.   Yes,  I did say 8th grade.

LSU 2010 signee Kadron Boone,  wide receiver from Trinity Catholic in Florida has a 100 meter best of 10.87.   2010 Ohio St. signee Corey Brown from Cardinal O’Hara (Pennsylvania) is ranked 28th in the country in the 200 with a time of 21.80.   Louisville 2010 signee Michaelee Harris from Miami Northwestern is 9th in the country in the 400 with a time of 48.65.

High School Football cody riggs, corvin lamb, de'anthony thomas, kadron boone, lamarcus joyner, latwan anderson, Michaelee Harris, orville reynolds, phillip dorsett, ryan lankford, shane wynn

January 2nd

UNDER ARMOUR GAME COMMITMENTS ….

-John Fulton CB Manning H.S. (South Carolina) chooses Alabama over LSU, Florida and Georgia. -Domique Easley (NY) chooses Florida over Miami
- Kenny Shaw WR Dr. Phillips H.S. (Fla) chooses Florida St. over Michigan, Florida and Tennessee
- Chris Dunkley WR Pahokee H.S. (Florida) chooses Florida over Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia
- Tony Hurd Jr. CB – Marshall H.S (Texas) chooses Texas A&M over Auburn, California, Oregon
- Darius White – WR – Dunbar H.S. (Texas) chooses  Texas over Oklahoma, Florida and LSU

December 30th

Miami Northwestern wide receiver and Gridironstuds.com member Michaelee Harris has committed to Louisville. Harris will join teammate Corvin Lamb as a member of the Cardinals.

Cardinal Gibbons High School (Florida) wide receiver Shawn Corker, a Texas Tech commit, is unfazed by the situation with coach Mike Leach. Corker says he’s going to bleed Red and Black.

December 29th

Florida 6-A Champs Miramar High School quarterback Ryan Williams has committed to Eastern Michigan.

It was previously reported that Glenville H.S. (Ohio) quarterback Cardale Jones had an offer from Ohio St. but that turned out to be incorrect. Jones currently holds offers from Iowa, Bowling Green and West Virginia.

December 28th

Bill Cowher back in coaching and specifically Tampa could spell bad news for the Miami Hurricanes. Cowher is on record as saying that one of his first hires when he gets back into coaching is Mark Whipple. Cowher back in the NFL could mean the same for Whipple who has turned around the Hurricanes offense in just one year on the job.

There are rumors out there that Miami, Fla will hire Florida High School 6A champs Miramar H.S. head coach Damon Cogdell for a position in the football program. Such a move could mean that Ivan McCartney to Miami is a certainty. However, McCartney reportedly has some grade issues to work out before he can become a Hurricane.

Rumors and Wires cardale jones, damon cogdell, Ivan McCartney, mark whipple, Michaelee Harris, ryan williams, shawn corker

November 20th

Central (Miami, Fla.) quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey has passed for a Dade County career-record 6,543 yards. The previous record was 6,365 by Miami Northwestern star Jacory Harris.

Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer and defensive coordinator Charlie Strong were in attendance to see Jeff Luc play for Treasure Coast vs. Seminole Ridge in a playoff game last night. USC was also in attendance. Luc is reluctant to name a leader but I will proclaim the Gators to be the current leader for Luc’s services.

November 18th

University School (Davie, FL) Dwellie Striggles became the third player from the school to commit to a Division I program when he chose Turner Gil and Buffalo. Striggles was also being recruited by Colorado St. and Rutgers. View his highlight video – click here.

Palmdale H.S. (California) defensive back and Gridironstuds.com member Joshua Shaw has committed to Florida. Shaw is also being recruited by LSU, Miami, USC, Ohio St. and Notre Dame.

Elder H.S. (Ohio) Tight End Alex Smith has rescinded his commitment to Cincinnati. Smith is still being recruited by Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

November 17th

Tennessee has dismissed two of the three players involved in the armed robbery attempt at a convenience store last week. Head coach Lane Kiffin issued walking papers to Nu’keese Richardson from Pahokee H.S. in Florida and Mike Edwards of Glenville H.S. in Cleveland, Ohio.

- On a side note, one of the attempted robbery victims says the players should be allowed to play. Hilarious must read, click here. Things are rough out in Knoxville, son. LOL!

Woodberry Forest linebacker Aramide Olaniyan has committed to UCLA. Olaniyan first committed to Duke but backed off that commitment and reopened the recruiting process. After his recent visit to Westwood, Olaniyan felt like UCLA was the place and committed.

Recent quote from Northwestern High School (Miami, Fla) top rated wide receiver recruit Michaelee Harris “I really like all the playmakers that Miami has,” said Michaelee Harris about the Canes. “They have a good offense and they always produce good athletes. I think they’ll be getting back on top soon.” Harris says he grew up following the Hurricanes. “I like coach Randy Shannon and (wide receivers) coach Aubrey Hill. We talk a lot and have a real good relationship off the field.”

Recent quote from Miami Northwestern High School (Florida) highly recruited running back Corvin Lamb: “I was supposed to visit North Carolina this week,” Corvin Lamb said. “But I don’t think it’ll happen. I’ll probably take it after the season. UNC and Mississippi State stay in touch the most. They show a lot of interest in me. They both said that I could play receiver and running back and that they’d use me on special teams too.”

Kaiser H.S. (California) outside linebacker Josh Shirley enjoyed his second visit to Arizona recently. His first visit was to Washington back in September. Shirley has a lot of schools on his list but I am guessing he lands in Westwood playing for the Bruins.

November 16th

Culver City H.S. (California) linebacker and Gridironstuds.com member Victor Burnett has committed to Washington. Burnett is also being recruited by Arizona, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon St. and West Virginia.

Rumor has it that St. Thomas Aquinas H.S. (Florida) Offensive lineman Brandon Linder will commit to the Hurricanes today (Monday).

Pahokee H.S. (Florida) wide receiver Chris Dunkley was injured in his squad’s big “Muck Bowl” contest this past Saturday.

Rumors and Wires alex smith, Aramide Olaniyan, brandon linder, chris dunkley, corvin lamb, jeff luc, jeffrey godfrey, josh shirley, joshua shaw, Michaelee Harris, top 2010 recruits, victor burnett

Bridgewater, Dunkley, Johnson lead the Charge

Last week’s Nike 7 on 7 tournament in Beaverton, Oregon hosted some of the best high school football talent in the country and the players did not disappoint.

In the legion of stars on the fields, none shined brighter than Miami Northwestern quarterback and Gridironstuds.com member Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater led his team Miami Vapor Trail to the overall championship with precision passing and great athleticism. Through five games, Bridgewater was 150-103 for 68% completion rate. He totaled 1,739 yards passing and threw 19 TD’s against only one interception. With that kind of performance there’s little wonder why Vapor Trail took home the trophy.

Other Gridironstuds.com members putting up strong performances were Jesse Scroggins QB Lakewood H.S. (California), fellow Lakewood standout DB Dion Bailey. Pahokee High School’s Chris Dunkley and DeJoshua Johnson. Bridgewater’s Miami Northwestern teammates Michaelee Harris and Khambrel McGee. DeSoto H.S. (Texas) cornerback Adrian White.

There really were some outstanding individual performances, plays and displays of athleticism in the tournament. You have to be amazed at the level of speed, strength and power of the high school football players today.

Check out some of the top plays from two days of the tournament:

High School Football Adrian White, chris dunkley, dejoshua johnson, Dion Bailey, Jesse Scroggins, Michaelee Harris, Nike 7 on 7 tournament, Teddy Bridgewater, top 2010 defensive backs, top 2010 recruits, top 2010 wide receivers