Off-season news & notes ... July 1, 2002
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Arizona State
The Sun Devils received some bad news this past week as it learned that 2002 recruits Andre Bailey, Robert James, and De?Andre Johnson are academically ineligible for the upcoming season. Bailey and James are both safeties and figured to be immediate impact players, and Johnson, a linebacker, was also a highly touted and versatile recruit having played six positions his senior year, while earning first-team All-Arizona. ? The Sun Devils will also be without the services of senior safety Brandon Falkner, who was dismissed from the team for violating team rules.
California
In addition to Cal?s one-year bowl ban, the NCAA has placed the university on five years probation and took away nine scholarships over the next four years. These sanctions were due to Cal?s academic fraud, recruiting and eligibility violations and follow penalties issued by the Pac-10 conference which placed the university on one-year probation and forced them to forfeit a 1999 victory over Arizona State in which two ineligible players competed in the game. Cal received the five-year probation due to its repeat offender status. The university plans to appeal the NCAA ruling.
Clemson
Sophomore wide receiver Roscoe Crosby, who also plays baseball for the Kansas City Royals organization, had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and will miss the upcoming football season. Crosby has 27 grabs for 465 yards and four touchdowns in his freshman season for the Tigers. The recovery time for this type of surgery is usually around nine months, so Crosby will use 2002 as a medical redshirt season.
Colorado
Vance Joseph has been named defensive backs coach for the Buffaloes. Joseph, who played his college ball at CU in addition to being a graduate assistant for two years, comes by way of Wyoming where he was the secondary coach for just three months. Head coach Gary Barnett also appointed Vince Okruch to take over as defensive coordinator. Okruch was co-defensive coordinator last year along with Tom McMahon. McMahon, however, passed away last month following a two-year bout with cancer. ? The first four CU games will be nationally televised. The Aug. 31 opener against Colorado State (in Denver) will be shown on ESPN2 (11:00 a.m. mountain time). The Sept. 7 home opener against San Diego State will be carried by Fox Sports Net at 5:00 p.m. mountain time, and both the Sept. 14 home game versus Southern Cal and the Sept. 21 game at UCLA will be part of ABC?s regional package aired at 1:30 p.m. mountain time.
Kansas
Senior offensive lineman Kyle Grady has ended his football career due to ongoing knee injuries. Grady started 10 games last year at right guard and was expected to start this season. This leaves a hole on the offensive line, as senior tackle Justin Sands is now the only returning starter. Grady, who would like to pursue a coaching career, will join head coach Mark Mangino?s staff as a student assistant.
Louisiana-Monroe
The Indians added a new participant to the 2002 quarterback derby. Lumberton High (TX) quarterback Tony Eckert graduated from high school in May and was originally going to attend Tyler Junior College but he improved his SAT score enough to make him eligible for Division I-A football. Eckert, a 6?3?, 195-pounder, completed 203-of-373 passes for 3,023 yards and 21 touchdowns his senior season. Those numbers were good enough to earn him MVP of the all-district team and honorable mention on the Class 4A all-state team. Eckert will battle JUCO transfers Daniel DaPrato and Kjell Nesen as well as freshman Steven Jyles for the starting QB job.
Maryland
The Aug. 31 game against Notre Dame in Giants Stadium (80,242 capacity) has been announced as a sell-out. The Maryland athletic department also announced that 18,500 tickets were sold through its university ticket office. The game will be televised nationally at 8:00 p.m. (EDT) on ABC.
Miami
Class of 2002 recruit Nate Harris has been charged with armed robbery following his June 6 arrest where his friend pulled a gun on a man and stole his necklace, bracelet, and ring. Harris (6?2?, 210 lbs.) was projected as one of the top freshman in the Canes? 2002 recruiting class and was thought to be one of the top linebacker recruits in the state of Florida. The charge could cost Harris to lose his scholarship and sentence him to a possible prison sentence of 4 to 10 years.
Ohio State
Curt Lukens, a 6?2?, 202-pound linebacker prospect from North Canton Hoover (OH), was offered a scholarship from Buckeye head coach Jim Tressel at last week?s Ohio State seniors-only football camp. Luken, who is also considering going to Pittsburgh, has indicated that he was leaning towards becoming a Buckeye.
Pittsburgh
Chris Narsesian, a wide receiver from Lake Howell High School (Winter Park, FL), and Allan Richardson, a defensive back from Euclid High School (Cleveland, OH), Mike McGlynn, an offensive tackle from Austintown Finch High (Youngstown, OH), and Eric Thatcher, a safety from Moeller High School (Cincinnati, OH), have all given their verbal commitments for 2003 to Panther?s head coach Walt Harris. Narsesian (6?1?, 185 lbs) was a first-team All-Seminole County and second-team all-state last season while nabbing 31 receptions for 860 yards, the ninth highest total in all of Florida. Richardson (5?11?, 180 lbs.) is one of the top safety prospects in Ohio and recorded 45 tackles and two interceptions as a junior. McGlynn (6?5?, 310 lbs.) is considered to be one of the five best linemen in the state of Ohio and was being recruited by Ohio State, Maryland, West Virginia, Michigan State, and Syracuse. Thatcher also spurned the Buckeyes in favor of the Panthers and was being recruited by South Carolina, Tennessee, and Nebraska, as well. These four verbal commitments bring the Panthers total to nine for its 2003 class.
SMU
Junior quarterback Kelan Luker is on the verge of putting an end to his football career. Luker has not been participating in summer workouts as he is considering pursuing his musical interests. Luker is a bass player in a rock band, which he indicates is pursuing a record deal. If Luker, who started three games last season, decides not to return to the team it will leave the Mustangs with no collegiate experience at the QB position. Redshirt freshmen Tate Willis and Richard Bartel are the other SMU quarterbacks.
Tennessee
The State of Tennessee?s General Assembly has yet to pass a budget plan that would put the university at risk of shutting down for the second semester of summer school. This is significant to UT?s football program because several players need the extra semester to qualify for the upcoming season. Head coach Phillip Fulmer, however, is hopeful that the legislative body will approve the plan in time for the beginning of the second summer session.
Texas Tech
Jones SBC Stadium, home of the Red Raiders, is currently undergoing a reconstruction project that will renovate the press box, add a club-seat level, and add two suite levels. This is the second phase of the three-phase renovation project and will most likely not be completed until next spring. The third phase, projected to be finished before the start of the 2003 season, will include the building of a new football training facility, which will include a new weight room, meeting rooms, and the coaches? offices. ? Recruiting roadblocks have hit the Red Raider coaching staff as Texas Tech?s office of fiscal affairs has temporarily stopped outgoing mail for the football program. The reason behind the mail stoppage was because the football program was over its fiscal budget for 2002. Being that college coaches are not allowed to call recruits at this time of year, the lack of recruiting mailings will not do anything to help the efforts of Mike Leach and his staff.
Wyoming
Aaron Alford has been hired to coach the Cowboy defensive backs. Alford replaced Vance Joseph, who left to become the defensive back coach at Colorado. Alford comes to Wyoming by way of Western Illinois where he was the secondary coach last season. Prior to that, he spent the previous two seasons coaching Southern Utah University and was a graduate assistant at Kent State in 1998. Alford played his college ball at Colorado State.
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Arizona State
The Sun Devils received some bad news this past week as it learned that 2002 recruits Andre Bailey, Robert James, and De?Andre Johnson are academically ineligible for the upcoming season. Bailey and James are both safeties and figured to be immediate impact players, and Johnson, a linebacker, was also a highly touted and versatile recruit having played six positions his senior year, while earning first-team All-Arizona. ? The Sun Devils will also be without the services of senior safety Brandon Falkner, who was dismissed from the team for violating team rules.
California
In addition to Cal?s one-year bowl ban, the NCAA has placed the university on five years probation and took away nine scholarships over the next four years. These sanctions were due to Cal?s academic fraud, recruiting and eligibility violations and follow penalties issued by the Pac-10 conference which placed the university on one-year probation and forced them to forfeit a 1999 victory over Arizona State in which two ineligible players competed in the game. Cal received the five-year probation due to its repeat offender status. The university plans to appeal the NCAA ruling.
Clemson
Sophomore wide receiver Roscoe Crosby, who also plays baseball for the Kansas City Royals organization, had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and will miss the upcoming football season. Crosby has 27 grabs for 465 yards and four touchdowns in his freshman season for the Tigers. The recovery time for this type of surgery is usually around nine months, so Crosby will use 2002 as a medical redshirt season.
Colorado
Vance Joseph has been named defensive backs coach for the Buffaloes. Joseph, who played his college ball at CU in addition to being a graduate assistant for two years, comes by way of Wyoming where he was the secondary coach for just three months. Head coach Gary Barnett also appointed Vince Okruch to take over as defensive coordinator. Okruch was co-defensive coordinator last year along with Tom McMahon. McMahon, however, passed away last month following a two-year bout with cancer. ? The first four CU games will be nationally televised. The Aug. 31 opener against Colorado State (in Denver) will be shown on ESPN2 (11:00 a.m. mountain time). The Sept. 7 home opener against San Diego State will be carried by Fox Sports Net at 5:00 p.m. mountain time, and both the Sept. 14 home game versus Southern Cal and the Sept. 21 game at UCLA will be part of ABC?s regional package aired at 1:30 p.m. mountain time.
Kansas
Senior offensive lineman Kyle Grady has ended his football career due to ongoing knee injuries. Grady started 10 games last year at right guard and was expected to start this season. This leaves a hole on the offensive line, as senior tackle Justin Sands is now the only returning starter. Grady, who would like to pursue a coaching career, will join head coach Mark Mangino?s staff as a student assistant.
Louisiana-Monroe
The Indians added a new participant to the 2002 quarterback derby. Lumberton High (TX) quarterback Tony Eckert graduated from high school in May and was originally going to attend Tyler Junior College but he improved his SAT score enough to make him eligible for Division I-A football. Eckert, a 6?3?, 195-pounder, completed 203-of-373 passes for 3,023 yards and 21 touchdowns his senior season. Those numbers were good enough to earn him MVP of the all-district team and honorable mention on the Class 4A all-state team. Eckert will battle JUCO transfers Daniel DaPrato and Kjell Nesen as well as freshman Steven Jyles for the starting QB job.
Maryland
The Aug. 31 game against Notre Dame in Giants Stadium (80,242 capacity) has been announced as a sell-out. The Maryland athletic department also announced that 18,500 tickets were sold through its university ticket office. The game will be televised nationally at 8:00 p.m. (EDT) on ABC.
Miami
Class of 2002 recruit Nate Harris has been charged with armed robbery following his June 6 arrest where his friend pulled a gun on a man and stole his necklace, bracelet, and ring. Harris (6?2?, 210 lbs.) was projected as one of the top freshman in the Canes? 2002 recruiting class and was thought to be one of the top linebacker recruits in the state of Florida. The charge could cost Harris to lose his scholarship and sentence him to a possible prison sentence of 4 to 10 years.
Ohio State
Curt Lukens, a 6?2?, 202-pound linebacker prospect from North Canton Hoover (OH), was offered a scholarship from Buckeye head coach Jim Tressel at last week?s Ohio State seniors-only football camp. Luken, who is also considering going to Pittsburgh, has indicated that he was leaning towards becoming a Buckeye.
Pittsburgh
Chris Narsesian, a wide receiver from Lake Howell High School (Winter Park, FL), and Allan Richardson, a defensive back from Euclid High School (Cleveland, OH), Mike McGlynn, an offensive tackle from Austintown Finch High (Youngstown, OH), and Eric Thatcher, a safety from Moeller High School (Cincinnati, OH), have all given their verbal commitments for 2003 to Panther?s head coach Walt Harris. Narsesian (6?1?, 185 lbs) was a first-team All-Seminole County and second-team all-state last season while nabbing 31 receptions for 860 yards, the ninth highest total in all of Florida. Richardson (5?11?, 180 lbs.) is one of the top safety prospects in Ohio and recorded 45 tackles and two interceptions as a junior. McGlynn (6?5?, 310 lbs.) is considered to be one of the five best linemen in the state of Ohio and was being recruited by Ohio State, Maryland, West Virginia, Michigan State, and Syracuse. Thatcher also spurned the Buckeyes in favor of the Panthers and was being recruited by South Carolina, Tennessee, and Nebraska, as well. These four verbal commitments bring the Panthers total to nine for its 2003 class.
SMU
Junior quarterback Kelan Luker is on the verge of putting an end to his football career. Luker has not been participating in summer workouts as he is considering pursuing his musical interests. Luker is a bass player in a rock band, which he indicates is pursuing a record deal. If Luker, who started three games last season, decides not to return to the team it will leave the Mustangs with no collegiate experience at the QB position. Redshirt freshmen Tate Willis and Richard Bartel are the other SMU quarterbacks.
Tennessee
The State of Tennessee?s General Assembly has yet to pass a budget plan that would put the university at risk of shutting down for the second semester of summer school. This is significant to UT?s football program because several players need the extra semester to qualify for the upcoming season. Head coach Phillip Fulmer, however, is hopeful that the legislative body will approve the plan in time for the beginning of the second summer session.
Texas Tech
Jones SBC Stadium, home of the Red Raiders, is currently undergoing a reconstruction project that will renovate the press box, add a club-seat level, and add two suite levels. This is the second phase of the three-phase renovation project and will most likely not be completed until next spring. The third phase, projected to be finished before the start of the 2003 season, will include the building of a new football training facility, which will include a new weight room, meeting rooms, and the coaches? offices. ? Recruiting roadblocks have hit the Red Raider coaching staff as Texas Tech?s office of fiscal affairs has temporarily stopped outgoing mail for the football program. The reason behind the mail stoppage was because the football program was over its fiscal budget for 2002. Being that college coaches are not allowed to call recruits at this time of year, the lack of recruiting mailings will not do anything to help the efforts of Mike Leach and his staff.
Wyoming
Aaron Alford has been hired to coach the Cowboy defensive backs. Alford replaced Vance Joseph, who left to become the defensive back coach at Colorado. Alford comes to Wyoming by way of Western Illinois where he was the secondary coach last season. Prior to that, he spent the previous two seasons coaching Southern Utah University and was a graduate assistant at Kent State in 1998. Alford played his college ball at Colorado State.
