Football Recruiting - Southeast Region: Virginia Tech Hokies
Frank Beamer hopped in his car Sunday and drove. He was desperately looking for cellphone reception. A coach is never truly on vacation, and recruiting truly never stops. Beamer needed to receive a phone call from his future quarterback.
Andrew Ford (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) wanted to commit to Virginia Tech two weeks ago on a visit, but when he finally decided to make the call on Friday to pledge to the Hokies, he could not get a hold of Beamer. He finally got a hold of quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler and just in the nick of time. Loeffler was boarding a plane.
“I told him Friday night I was committed, and we talked again [Saturday]. He was freaking out trying to get a hold of Coach Beamer,” Ford said.
So Beamer got in his car Sunday and started driving until he picked up a signal on his cellphone. When he finally got one, his phone began ringing.
“He said I made his Father’s Day 100 times better,” Ford said. “I got a hold of him, and it was definitely worth the wait.”
The Hokies offered Ford two weeks ago when he visited Blacksburg for a camp. Ford, a 6-foot-2, 187-pound southpaw, did not participate at the camp, instead just working on a few things with the coaches. The coaches wanted him to get a feel for how they approach the position.
When Ford got in his car to leave, he knew he was going to be a Virginia Tech commitment.
“You can’t make a decision on temporary feelings, so if I still felt like that now then we’d make a decision,” Ford said. “One of those things people told me is you have that feeling and you know. I got in the car and knew it’s a place I wanted to be.”
An Elite 11 finalist, it took some time for Ford to get some momentum on the recruiting trail. Offers began coming in quickly during the evaluation period. The Hokies were in the school during the summer, and they knew what kind of quarterback Ford would be before ever watching him throw.
Ford’s high school coach, Jim Cantafio, sent Chad Henne to Michigan when Loeffler was in Ann Arbor. Ford trusts the type of coaching he will get from Loeffler and Beamer.
“When you say Frank Beamer, it speaks for itself in college football. Coach Loeffler, the list of quarterbacks he’s had is among the best,” Ford said. “With a chance to be able to participate in both of those legacies, it’s an honor.”
Ford is the 10th commitment of Virginia Tech’s 2014 class.
Andrew Ford (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) wanted to commit to Virginia Tech two weeks ago on a visit, but when he finally decided to make the call on Friday to pledge to the Hokies, he could not get a hold of Beamer. He finally got a hold of quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler and just in the nick of time. Loeffler was boarding a plane.
“I told him Friday night I was committed, and we talked again [Saturday]. He was freaking out trying to get a hold of Coach Beamer,” Ford said.
So Beamer got in his car Sunday and started driving until he picked up a signal on his cellphone. When he finally got one, his phone began ringing.
“He said I made his Father’s Day 100 times better,” Ford said. “I got a hold of him, and it was definitely worth the wait.”
The Hokies offered Ford two weeks ago when he visited Blacksburg for a camp. Ford, a 6-foot-2, 187-pound southpaw, did not participate at the camp, instead just working on a few things with the coaches. The coaches wanted him to get a feel for how they approach the position.
When Ford got in his car to leave, he knew he was going to be a Virginia Tech commitment.
“You can’t make a decision on temporary feelings, so if I still felt like that now then we’d make a decision,” Ford said. “One of those things people told me is you have that feeling and you know. I got in the car and knew it’s a place I wanted to be.”
An Elite 11 finalist, it took some time for Ford to get some momentum on the recruiting trail. Offers began coming in quickly during the evaluation period. The Hokies were in the school during the summer, and they knew what kind of quarterback Ford would be before ever watching him throw.
Ford’s high school coach, Jim Cantafio, sent Chad Henne to Michigan when Loeffler was in Ann Arbor. Ford trusts the type of coaching he will get from Loeffler and Beamer.
“When you say Frank Beamer, it speaks for itself in college football. Coach Loeffler, the list of quarterbacks he’s had is among the best,” Ford said. “With a chance to be able to participate in both of those legacies, it’s an honor.”
Ford is the 10th commitment of Virginia Tech’s 2014 class.
The quarterback dominoes continue to fall with Jacob Park's commitment to Georgia on Friday. His father, Adam Park, confirmed that the four-star signal caller from Goose Creek (S.C.) Stratford had chosen UGA over his other two finalists, Alabama and Virginia Tech.
The 6-foot-3, 197-pound Park also impressed the Alabama coaches with his performance at the Tide's camp last week, but the elder Park said Georgia offered the opportunity to be the only quarterback in the class, an opportunity too good to pass up.
The Bulldogs now have 10 commitments for 2014, including five in the last week.
Athletic OT Brosnan reeling in BCS offers 
June, 13, 2013
Jun 13
12:55
PM ET
By
Jared Shanker | ESPN.com
A look at the top 20 offensive tackles in the country shows not a single recruit among them that weighs in at less than 270 pounds.
Brendan Brosnan's name is not among those 20, but he has double-digit offers with several BCS programs among them. And Brosnan (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) played his junior season at 235.
Brendan Brosnan's name is not among those 20, but he has double-digit offers with several BCS programs among them. And Brosnan (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) played his junior season at 235.
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Recruiting is the lifeblood of every program in the country, and every conference has its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to landing top prospects. This week, we are examining the BCS conferences plus Notre Dame to find each one's strength, the biggest obstacle each faces and the overall view of the conference. The ACC is up today.
Biggest obstacle: Getting out from under the SEC's shadow. This conference shares the same player pool and it needs every matchup versus the SEC to count. Clemson beating LSU in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in 2012 was big, but over the course of the past few years Clemson, Virginia Tech and FSU haven't always fared as well, and South Carolina has been a thorn in the side of Clemson. This conference needs a resurgence from Miami and North Carolina as well as NC State. The middle- and bottom-tier teams in these two conferences are very comparable. The ACC needs its powers to consistently dominate on and off the field, and for recruiting classes from the likes of FSU, Clemson and Miami to produce double-digit wins.
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ATHENS, Ga. -- For months the Georgia coaching staff had only extended an offer to one quarterback for the Class of 2014 -- Clemson commit Deshaun Watson (Gainesville, Ga./Gainesville).
That changed on Saturday.
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Bama visit in the books, Cornwell not done
June, 5, 2013
Jun 5
10:00
AM ET
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
The high school eligibility of Norman (Okla.) North quarterback David Cornwell is still in limbo, but the recruiting process isn’t slowing down.
Cornwell was back in a familiar location last weekend, spending two days at Alabama. It was Cornwell’s fifth trip to Tuscaloosa in the last year.
Cornwell was back in a familiar location last weekend, spending two days at Alabama. It was Cornwell’s fifth trip to Tuscaloosa in the last year.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four-star receiver Dominique Booth (Indianapolis/Pike) was set to choose from his final four schools at the end of May. The second-ranked prospect in Indiana was heading south to Alabama, Florida State, Tennessee or Vanderbilt.
Booth postponed his decision, but that does not mean he is fully opening up his recruitment again.
Booth postponed his decision, but that does not mean he is fully opening up his recruitment again.
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FSU, USC offers shake up TE Izzo's plans
May, 29, 2013
May 29
9:15
PM ET
By
Jared Shanker | ESPN.com
Just as Ryan Izzo (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII) was ready to trim his list to just a handful of schools, his world was turned upside down Wednesday -- twice.
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NORMAN, Okla. -- Last year at this time nobody had heard of quarterback David Cornwell (Norman, Okla./North). He hadn’t started a varsity game. He certainly didn’t have any offers, and he wasn’t on anybody’s radar.
My how things change. Cornwell, who is 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, is now ranked No. 24 in the ESPN 150 and the No. 1 pocket passer. As for offers, yeah, he’s got some of those, too.
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Editor's note: Finding the Future is a RecruitingNation feature that will appear throughout camps and combine season, ranking prospects strictly on their on-field performance at the particular event. It does not reflect where each will land when the class is ranked by ESPN.
BUFORD, Ga. -- The NFTC was loaded with top upperclassmen prospects on Sunday, but a handful of 2015 prospects showed they could compete with some of the top older competition in the state.
1. 2016 CB Khalil Ladler
5-foot-11, 175 pounds
Stephenson (Ga.) H.S.
Considering: Has offers from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Charlotte, South Florida and Cincinnati
What we learned: Ladler could pass for a rising senior, which is why the offers are rolling in for the young freshman. His position coaches were stunned to find out that he was two years younger than most of the other defensive backs at the NFTC. Also, it is not just his size that commands attention. Ladler displayed refined techniques that prospects work for years to develop.
“Ladler is promising," ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert said. "Look at his frame: he is long and lengthy. He is very smooth. In a cornerback group that had some good 2014 guys, he was in that next level of guys jumping out. He has all of the natural tools, and with that type of size already, as well as being quick and smooth, he is certainly a guy to watch. From what I saw he was one of the better secondary players here.”
BUFORD, Ga. -- The NFTC was loaded with top upperclassmen prospects on Sunday, but a handful of 2015 prospects showed they could compete with some of the top older competition in the state.
1. 2016 CB Khalil Ladler
5-foot-11, 175 pounds
Stephenson (Ga.) H.S.
Considering: Has offers from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Charlotte, South Florida and Cincinnati
What we learned: Ladler could pass for a rising senior, which is why the offers are rolling in for the young freshman. His position coaches were stunned to find out that he was two years younger than most of the other defensive backs at the NFTC. Also, it is not just his size that commands attention. Ladler displayed refined techniques that prospects work for years to develop.
“Ladler is promising," ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert said. "Look at his frame: he is long and lengthy. He is very smooth. In a cornerback group that had some good 2014 guys, he was in that next level of guys jumping out. He has all of the natural tools, and with that type of size already, as well as being quick and smooth, he is certainly a guy to watch. From what I saw he was one of the better secondary players here.”
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WR Booth starts tour in SEC, adds offer
April, 5, 2013
Apr 5
1:45
PM ET
By
Greg Ostendorf | ESPN.com
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Instead of going to the beach for spring break, ESPN Watch List wide receiver Dominique Booth (Indianapolis/Pike) spent his break visiting interested colleges across the southeast and east coast. His first stop was to the University of Alabama.
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Five players making key visits this weekend:
QB Drew Barker, Tennessee (Hebron, Ky./Conner): The ESPN Watch List prospect is among a small group of prospects in Knoxville, Tenn. That will give Tennessee's coaches plenty of time to spend with the 6-foot-4, 205-pound pocket passer. While Barker has always expressed interest in the Volunteers, he could be affected by the fact that Tennessee signed two highly rated quarterbacks in the 2013 class. Barker has also shown interest in Louisville, Kentucky and Ohio State. Tennessee coaches have said they'd like to sign a quarterback in every class.
LB Dillon Bates, Alabama (Ponte Vedra, Fla./Ponte Vedra): One of the elite prospects in the country, Bates is scheduled to visit Alabama this weekend. Bates is taking his time in his recruitment and not offering any hints as to where he's heading -- other than one. Bates has shown strong interest in Tennessee, where his father, Bill Bates, was a standout defensive back. Still, Bama has plenty to offer the 6-foot-3, 213-pound prospect despite his legacy to the Volunteers. This is their chance to prove it.
QB Drew Barker, Tennessee (Hebron, Ky./Conner): The ESPN Watch List prospect is among a small group of prospects in Knoxville, Tenn. That will give Tennessee's coaches plenty of time to spend with the 6-foot-4, 205-pound pocket passer. While Barker has always expressed interest in the Volunteers, he could be affected by the fact that Tennessee signed two highly rated quarterbacks in the 2013 class. Barker has also shown interest in Louisville, Kentucky and Ohio State. Tennessee coaches have said they'd like to sign a quarterback in every class.
LB Dillon Bates, Alabama (Ponte Vedra, Fla./Ponte Vedra): One of the elite prospects in the country, Bates is scheduled to visit Alabama this weekend. Bates is taking his time in his recruitment and not offering any hints as to where he's heading -- other than one. Bates has shown strong interest in Tennessee, where his father, Bill Bates, was a standout defensive back. Still, Bama has plenty to offer the 6-foot-3, 213-pound prospect despite his legacy to the Volunteers. This is their chance to prove it.
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A lot of Class of 2014 prospects have been hitting the road in the last couple of months for junior days and spring practices. But quarterback Zack Darlington (Apopka, Fla./Apopka) has taken a different approach.
His plan is to sit back patiently, and attack more in the future. He’s in no rush. Darlington, who is 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, is the younger brother of Oklahoma sophomore center Ty Darlington.
It was always the dream for Ty to play for the Sooners. Zack doesn’t have that same dream and is keeping his options open. And he’s adding more options by the day with offers from Ole Miss, North Carolina State and Nebraska, among others.
SoonerNation: The offers are starting to roll in for you. What’s the latest in terms of visits and your recruitment?
His plan is to sit back patiently, and attack more in the future. He’s in no rush. Darlington, who is 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, is the younger brother of Oklahoma sophomore center Ty Darlington.
It was always the dream for Ty to play for the Sooners. Zack doesn’t have that same dream and is keeping his options open. And he’s adding more options by the day with offers from Ole Miss, North Carolina State and Nebraska, among others.
SoonerNation: The offers are starting to roll in for you. What’s the latest in terms of visits and your recruitment?
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Watch List DL Street to choose from two?
March, 28, 2013
Mar 28
10:39
PM ET
By
Kipp Adams | ESPN.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A month ago, ESPN Watch List prospect Kentavius Street (Greenville, N.C./Rose) had a shakeup in his leaderboard after a coaching change occurred at the program he favored at the time. Now it seems things are settling in at the top, although a few other schools are hoping to get the 6-foot-3, 262-pound defensive lineman on campus soon.
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Editor's note: Finding the Future is a RecruitingNation feature that will appear throughout camps and combine season, ranking prospects strictly on their on-field performance at the particular event. It does not reflect where each will land when the class is ranked by ESPN.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There might have been as many BCS conference-caliber recruits in the 2015 and 2016 classes present at the NFTC Sunday than there were in the 2014 class. It looks like the next couple of classes in the Carolinas will be stocked with top-tier talent, and a few of them stood out on Sunday in the rain.
1. 2015 DT Albert Huggins
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There might have been as many BCS conference-caliber recruits in the 2015 and 2016 classes present at the NFTC Sunday than there were in the 2014 class. It looks like the next couple of classes in the Carolinas will be stocked with top-tier talent, and a few of them stood out on Sunday in the rain.
1. 2015 DT Albert Huggins
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