Wednesday: Signing day nuts and bolts; early Heisman odds
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME YESTERDAY TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL SIGNING DAY (the discussion’s here if you missed it), so we’ll just hit the key points today:
-Andy has a story previewing Virginia Tech’s expected class, which should be one of the most highly ranked in the program’s history. “I think that overall, considering it was the worst Virginia Tech team recordwise in 20 years, they’re going to get probably the best-ranked recruiting class they’ve gotten in some time,” 247Sports national recruiting analyst J.C. Shurburtt said. “So that’s one of those positive things that the Hokies fans can look forward to is the influx of talent.”
-The webcast on Hokiesports.com starts at 11 a.m. Holland Fisher’s LOI arrived at 7:45 a.m. Updated letters received are here.
-Chris Carlson checks in with UVa quarterback recruit Corwin Cutler, who is determined to come back strong from a devastating knee injury.
-Virginia is updating its signees here. The Cavs also will have a signing day celebration at 6 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena. It’s open to the public.
-Signing day coverage is going on all day on ESPNU. At 3:30 p.m., regular ol’ ESPN will have a half-hour special on all the happenings.
-The nation’s top-rated recruit, Robert Nkemdiche, announced this morning that he’s going to Ole Miss.
COMPLETE THIS SENTENCE: Tech’s/UVa’s signing day will be a success if…
HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS
-The VHSL upholds the two William Fleming forfeitures. That means Fleming and George Washington will play a one-game playoff for the Western Valley District title at 7 p.m. Thursday at Franklin County. Robert has the details here.
-Chris Moody does an excellent job describing the frantic final second of last night’s Northside-Lord Botetourt game, which saw the Vikings go the length of the court and score for a one-point victory.
HEISMAN ODDS:
Just for kicks, here are the odds to win the Heisman next year, courtesy of Bovada.lv (and Nappy):
Johnny Manziel (QB Texas A&M) 4/1
Braxton Miller (QB Ohio State) 7/1
Marquis Lee (WR USC) 9/1
Aaron Murray (QB Georgia) 10/1
De’Anthony Thomas (RB Oregon) 10/1
A.J. McCarron (QB Alabama) 12/1
Duke Johnson (RB Miami) 12/1
Jadeveon Clowney (DE South Carolina) 12/1
Tajh Boyd (QB Clemson) 15/1
Taylor Martinez (QB Nebraska) 15/1
Ameer Abdullah (RB Nebraska) 18/1
Marcus Mariota (QB Oregon) 18/1
T.J. Yeldon (RB Alabama) 18/1
Brett Hundley (QB UCLA) 20/1
Lache Seastrunk (RB Baylor) 20/1
Everett Golson (QB Notre Dame) 22/1
Stephen Morris (QB Miami) 25/1
Blake Bell (QB Oklahoma) 30/1
Jeff Driskel (QB Florida) 30/1
Ka’Deem Carey (RB Arizona) 33/1
Devin Gardner (QB Michigan) 40/1
Stefon Diggs (WR Maryland) 40/1
-If Tajh Boyd could replicate his stats from last year — a tall order, for sure — he’d be an awesome choice at 15-to-1.
YIKES: Skiiing star and Zman favorite Lindsey Vonn will have surgery after a scary crash on the slopes.
MORE SMOKE? Yahoo! reports that Ryan Braun’s name is listed in records of the Miami-area clinic alleged to have distributed performance-enhancing drugs to a rash of baseball players. Braun’s name was not linked to any specific PEDs, and Braun says he simply consulted the clinic during his appeal of a positive test following the 2011 season. “I have nothing to hide,” he says.
TOUGH BLOW: Chris Carpenter is unlikely to pitch for the Cardinals this season, and his career might be over because of a nerve issue.
NAME THAT TUNE
To the lights and towns below
Faster than the speed of sound
Faster than we thought we’d go, beneath the sound of hope
Justine never knew the rules,
Hung down with the freaks and the ghouls
No apologies ever need be made, I know you better than you fake it
To see
That we don’t even care
To shake these zipper blues
And we don’t know just where our bones will rest
To dust I guess
Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below
The street heats the urgency of now
As you see there’s no one around
February 6, 2013 - 8:42 AM
Tech’s signing day will be a success if the new coaches are allowed to coach the players under their influence, and not be shackled with the old time ‘Hokie family’ mantra. The best infusion of new talent for Hokie football in 2013 will be the new coaches.
McCarron, Boyd, Yeldon are ones I’d take. Good value, especially for the Alabama guys. Easy schedule, save for the rematch against Texas A&M second week of the season. REAL good chance to run the table. If they do, someone from that team will win the Heisman.
That said, I’ll throw down on Clowney, too, just in case.
Too bad about Lindsey Vonn who could go down as the greatest American skier ever.
Heismann Trophy already? Really? It’s already one of the most over hyped awards in all of sports and we have to hear about it 10 months before it is awarded? Talk about further trivializing the already trivial…
I have no clue what Crooked is talking about…again.
Song: Smashing Pumpkins-”1979″
Tech’s signing day will be a sucess if 50% of the recruits live up to the hype. Given Andy’s analysis of the 2008 recruiting class, it seems that 40% is the mark. It would be interesteing to see how other teams with highly rated recruiting classes fare.
Pitchers and cathcers report next week! Can’t wait!
“Cathcers?” Obviouslt I meant “catchers.” I either need to learrn how to type or proof read.
This is like Christmas morning. This is the best class we have ever had and will show an impact on the field this year. Fuller will be the next NFL talent and will show it day one. Thomas will strive in the read option offense and wins will come in 10s again. This program can overcome a hiccup of last year and make us the National power we deserve to be.
Nice reset on the Heisman picture, AMac. I’d take that trophy any day of the week. The statue, who cares, if I get the trophy?!?
Crooked; Better hope her last name ain’t Beamer! LMAO.
Odds on Brent hitting on the Heisman girl? 2/1. This just in-Tiger rushes to Lindsay`s bed-ah bedside-with knee surgery info. Anybody see the end of the Ohio St. Michigan game last night? Sure looked like the second end of the game non call this week to me. The Ohio St. guard got hit on both arms as the game ended-whistless. Of course, on the play before the same guard got by with a flagrant 1 foul that wasn`t called after a five minute deliberation.Tech`s signing day will be a success if we win the Orange Bowl 2 or 3 years down the road.
I am proud of Frank Beamer for the changes he has made in the coaching staff. I know this is a difficult job when you have bonded with coaches for 20+ years. He did it in a gentlemanly way. If all goes well, I think we will be back as a national power within the next few years. Good Luck Hokies!
UVA’s signing day will be a sucess if Mike London still has his job in two years.
VT’s signing day will be a success if it is half as good as Ole Miss’s signing day….welcome to the National Stage, Rebels.
1979 Smashing Pumpkins
Beamer Best All Time appears to usually be the first one to drink the VT Kool Aid. Best class you have ever had…..earth to BBAT!!! Coale’s class was the best ever. Y’all need to figure out how to beat Clemson, that would be my first order of business.
HokieAl, shhhh, please don’t put the idea in anyone’s head. It took them nine years to can Groh, what’s the hurry?
Give me Braxton Miller at 7:1.
Manziel won’t get 2. It just won’t happen. The west coasters are simply at a disadvantage, every year. Too many games played that nobody sees, unless word gets out they had a stinker of a game – then voters know.
If I am taking a double digit longshot, I’d go with Tajh Boyd. He does play in the ACC, but then again, he plays in the ACC, so that can help him, or hurt him.
Tough news about Chris Carpenter. He seems like a good guy, particularly compared to a lot of what populates the MLB the last few years.
Tech’s signing day will be a success if they don’t lose Drew Harris.
Next year is far more critical. The Commonwealth is loaded, very, very top heavy. Tech has to bring those in, or at least 2 of 3, 1 of them is a real longshot. It isn’t often when you have 3 of the top 10 or 15 in the country in your backyard.
VT signing day will be a success if we hold 100% of the verbal commits.
VT signing day will be a success if CR stops bitching (thats all it is CR – zero intellegent contribution – just rabbit holes)
I have no idea who Ryan Braun is and I don’t care.
I am more interested in the link betwee steroids and acute paranoia as exhibited by A-Rod
UVA signing day will be a success if they go 2-10
How in the world did Ole’ Miss get the #1 kid? I recall Paterno asked that when we got Kevin Jones (who was #1 that year)
Legs Lindsay goes over 100 mph on two pieces of skinny metal. Crashes are bound to be scary. I don’t think there is any other kind of crash in winter sports. I mean luge, bobsled, snowboards, skiis. Have you seen anything other than a scary crash?
Here are your top 5 for 2003.
Texas A&M
Stanford
Alabama
Ohio State
Oregon
VT losses appear to be (barring injury or arrests):
Alabama
UNC
Miami
GT
So 7-5 gets you a pretty good bowl game.
Save this info and check back with me at the end of the season to see how I did.
#12 Z, why bring water when you could at least add tabasco? Your weak sauce is getting to be laughable. When you decide to actually discuss topics instead of weeping incessantly, come see me.
I have been hearing for years that UVA has kicked VT’s tail again in recruiting. I have practically looked forward to it each February.
Next Tuesday (I think, it could be Wednesday) marks the 3,000th day of Virginia Tech’s continuous possession of the commonwealth cup.
Seems like that ought to be worth a mention in the RT.
Wait . . . . I need to amend my sentence finish thingy.
Tech’s signing day will be a success if Loeffler, Grimes and Moorehead are as good as people want to make them out to be. They are the key signees.
Keeping Drew Harris is key, but it doesn’t look good. Doesn’t look like he may play anywhere. When you have “multiple” NCAA clearinghouse issues, and have prepped, it sounds like some community college or junior college in Kansas or Texas is in your future.
Hey Aaron, in the local sports scene did you hear that Dan Hodges passed away yesterday. A lot of folks in Franklin County probably know him. He was an All-American out of Ferrum back when it was a junior college and played for Bowden at WVU where he was a team captain. He went on to coach at Bassett (wrestling, football, track) and Franklin County
(baseball and football). His Franklin County baseball team was state runner up 1977 and he was named Coach of the Year by the Roanoke Times. He’s in the Ferrum Hall of Fame. A good man who did a lot for sports around Franklin County. He will be missed.
#15: I am also leery of Harris eligibility. I don’t know if he is “key” but he is a 4 star recruit.
I think we have backs. I think we need an intact OL that can block downhill.
I am rooting foe the new coaches to have great results but do wonder how much immediate impact they will have. We also need to see our Defense recover from a sub-par year and there is never much mention of that here.
The signing day was successful. Period. With the exception of Drew, every verbal commit actually committed. New coaches with real experience that claim to be dedicated to toughness are also part of this signing class. Hope springs eternal. Great signing class!
Last year Manziel caught a lot of teams by surprise. Next year, he’s a marked man. He is going to be hit a lot more. It will be tough for him to duplicate the past season. I can see him limping around by game three. Someone else for Heisman.
Rick,
There is always Marshall. Even Randy Moss qualified there.
AMac, what’s the status of Dorrian Finney Smith, is he red shirting or moved on since Fla had more recruits than spots this year. He’s not on the roster. thanks. I felt he was always over rated.
Bob, this kid is having NCAA clearinghouse issues, not necessarily Tech issues. If he doesn’t make it to Tech, he likely won’t make it anywhere, other than a JUCO or 2 yr CC that plays football, and if that is the case, he’ll never see the field in Blacksburg. Some other RB will have come along by then.
Good old Randy even got in academically at ND and FSU, he just had other issues that got him to Marshall. If my memory is correct, his desire to be Rocky Balboa (for fighting) got him denied from ND, and his love for Mary Jane got him out at FSU.
Tom, some schools just don’t list players that are in the redshirt/transfer year, and some do. On ESPN.com, the roster only shows 12 players, DFS is not on there, but if you search his name, a stat page for ESPN comes up and shows him playing at UF, but in a ‘not accumulating stats’ year.
For some reason, Tech does list Adam Smith this year, but there is no point. He can’t play, so why show him on the roster?
And, I agree – overrated, but we shall see what Billy Donovan can do with him.
VT’s recruiting class will be a success if Beamer quits coaching like it’s 1979 !!!
CR, the only things I find laughable on this blog are submitted by you and Barrie. That’s my fact for the day. Over and out.
540, ouch, grouping Crooked with Mary, I mean Barry. That hurts…
Rick,
ok, try Ahmad Bradshaw then. Point is, Marshall takes alot of people that can’t make it in other schools.
Barry – GT beating VT, not happening. As bad as we were last year, we still beat you. Come back when you have something smart to say. I guess you should just stay away because we all know that won’t happen.
Bob, I get your point, but Bradshaw was just like Moss – he got into UVA, was there, got in trouble, booted and then went to Marshall.
Yes, the Herd will take a chance on guys, but academically, if you can’t qualify by the minimum NCAA standards at UVA, VT, or any school, you don’t qualify there, either.
The irony of this one is he just got released by the New York football Giants. That kind of surprised me. Does that bode well for David Wilson, perhaps?
I wisht i cud doo aristhmatic…12 game season, i sez 4 losses, I get 7-5…but kin sumbuddy check dat…?
Hey #35. Loss to Alabama + 4 losses in ACC, that = 5 losses. You must have gone to VT.
Alabama earns No. 1 recruiting class.
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/8923558/alabama-crimson-tide-nick-saban-thrilled-another-top-recruiting-class
Roll Tide!
butt my list say:
“VT losses appear to be (barring injury or arrests):
Alabama
UNC
Miami
GT”
that’s 4, duh