Another OL commitment/signee

December 17, 2008

Drew Champlin

This one I can tell you about because his letter came in this morning to Troy coaches on the first day of the JUCO midyear signing period.

James Brown, an offensive tackle from SW Mississippi CC, came through the cracks and could end up a big get for the Trojans. He’s an offensive tackle, about 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, and best of all, he’s got four years to play three. He’ll come in the spring and be a sophomore.

He’s definitely challenging for a spot on the line. He went to JUCO because he was a late qualifier and all scholarships were filled up by then. Not sure if he’ll be found on databases.

I’ll find out other signees later. I took some video, so I’m going to try to upload that.

Here in New Orleans, and a recruiting note

Drew Champlin

Saw several players already at the hotel with their camcorders. I think they were given to them by the University, which is legal. I’m about to get started with some work and to find out on the JUCO signings.

But, a big pick-up in Demond Dennis, a running back from Atlanta, committing to Troy.

I heard about this last week and tried to get him on the phone, but the number I got was wrong. With a kid this highly regarded, I didn’t want to tell you of his commitment without solid proof, but there it is. I called a number I found on him, but what sounded like an 18-year-old kid said I had the wrong number.

Demond Dennis, RB, Atlanta, Ga.
Jason Bruce, WR, Copiah-Lincoln, Miss., CC
Jay Stansberry, OT, Bremen, Ga.
Cody Jenkins, OT, Beauregard, Ala.
Nate Newland, OT, Hutchinson, Kan. CC
Ray Carter, OT, Garden City CC
Jimbo Arnold, OG, Belle Glade, Fla. (2008 GRAYSHIRT)
Felton Payton, WR, Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (2008 GRAYSHIRT)
Gavin Ellis, WR/TE, Cullman, Ala. (2008 GRAYSHIRT)
Corey Robinson, QB, Lone Oak, Ky., (2008 GRAYSHIRT)

Eugene Kinlaw, DT, Hutchinson, Kan. CC
Immanuel Dudley, DT, Northeast Miss., CC
Montavious Williams, DT, Cairo, Ga.
Jonathan Massaquoi, DE, Butler County CC
Riley Flowers, DT, Jones County Miss. CC
Shermane Teart, DE, Orlando, Fla.
Demarcus Robertson, CB, Garden City, CC (2008 RESIGN)
Michael Ricks, DB, NE Mississippi (2008 RESIGN)
Johnny Thompson, LB, Valley, Ala. (2008 GRAYSHIRT)

**Bear in mind that these commitments are verbal and are non-binding until National Signing Day, the first Wednesday in February.

Wednesday links

Drew Champlin

DOTHAN EAGLE: Troy’s Bear Woods gets strength from faith, long hair - the aforementioned feature on Bear Woods

Some have asked me about ticket sales. The simple answer: I don’t know. No one at Troy will tell me because they don’t have a count yet. Maybe that’s not a good thing. Southern Miss sold their allotment and got more to sell.

HATTIESBURG AMERICAN: All bowl games can be fun

HATTIESBURG AMERICAN: USM defense change for the better

NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE: Troy, USM have similar traits

Off to New Orleans. Will check in later.

A note on Bear Woods

December 16, 2008

Drew Champlin

Guys, I’ve got a long feature on linebacker Bear Woods coming up tomorrow as a lead-in to New Orleans Bowl coverage

An eligibility snafu came up with him late in the year. Apparently, when the list of seniors came out, Woods was on it. You see, he played a few plays in 2006 against Alabama State, but didn’t play any more the rest of the year. The plan was to redshirt him that year, but he was put in the game by error, head coach Larry Blakeney said.

Well, he didn’t play any more. He did get dinged up, something minor like a sprained ankle that can get you a medical redshirt. Problem is, Troy coaches didn’t have any medical documentation of this. No one applied for a redshirt at the time and no one really thought about it until it came up right before the UL-Lafayette game.

Woods refused to participate in Senior Day festivities, but it wasn’t until after the game that he was given his year back.

The only caveat: He’s got to miss the first two games of the 2009 season. Right now, that’s Bowling Green and Florida. He’ll hate missing the Florida game especially because he is from nearby MacClenny. The NCAA basically ruled in the favor of Woods because the coaches messed it up for him, but he has to miss two games. If Troy makes a bowl, he’ll still get to play in 11.

I talked to Bear, his father Mark, who is a preacher at a nondenominational church, and head coach Larry Blakeney, and some teammates. A lot of the story focuses on his hair, which I’ve told you about at length over the past couple of years, and his faith - he’s never had a sip of alcohol in his life and he doesn’t plan to.

But his hair is a much bigger deal because Woods has turned into such a great player for the Trojans. He’s a good face for the program.

I’ll link the story when it gets posted online.

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Headed to New Orleans fairly early, staying at the New Orleans Marriott on 555 Canal Street. If you’re a loyal blog reader, please say hello. I look like the face in that picture, though that picture is nearly four years old now.

Spoke to Southern Miss OL Micah Brown on the phone. He’s from Troy and starts at left guard for Southern Miss. He was offered a scholarship by Troy, but chose USM instead. Most of his family went to Troy and he had good things to say about Troy defensive ends coach Randy Butler, a longtime USM assistant who recruited Brown.

That stuff will come later in the week.

Some more recruiting notes

Drew Champlin

Just a reminder that the first day that mid-year JUCOs can sign is tomorrow. Troy should have a few of them send in letters.

Cornerback Demarcus Robertson signed with Troy last year, but didn’t graduate from JUCO. He went back to Garden City CC in Kansas and should be good to go this spring.

Defensive tackles Riley Flowers and Emmanuel Dudley are JUCOs that will sign and are supposed to be there in the spring. DT Eugene Kinlaw will sign, but he’s not expected to be in Troy until the fall.

Some good news regarding defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi. He’ll sign in February, and now he should be in Troy in the fall of 2009. He’s been in JUCO for two semesters and should graduate in three (finishing up in May or in the summer). If he makes it in the fall, to my knowledge he’ll have four years to play three, so he’d enter as a sophomore. I think that’s right.

On offense, WR Jason Bruce from Copiah-Lincoln is expected to sign and be there for the spring.

Oops, forgot to add that OT Ray Carter is supposed to sign, too and should be there in the spring.

There could be another signee or two, but that’s all I know of for right now.

All of Troy’s other commitments are still in line with Troy. Defensive back Maurice Langston did commit to Mississippi State, though, so he’s off the board.