Score lifts Riverview DE's stock
By KEITH NIEBUHR, Times Staff Writer
Published January 21, 2008
How much can a qualifying test score boost a recruit's stock?
Consider the case of Quincy Barr.
Earlier this month, the Riverview defensive end was getting minimal interest at best from major-college programs. But when word came two weeks ago that Barr, who is 6 feet 4, 225 pounds, scored well on his SAT, his coach's phone almost immediately began ringing off the hook.
"It's been crazy," Sharks coach Dan O'Regan said. "He's got quite a bit going on. He's going to have some nice choices."
Colorado State and Michigan State stopped by to see Barr last week. Boise State will drop by this week. Barr will visit Division I-AA Hofstra this weekend. And two other I-AA programs, powers Appalachian State and Youngstown State, also are involved.
Michigan State could be the program to watch.
The Spartans, who are recruiting a handful of area players, are expected to decide soon if they will bring Barr in for an official visit.
"They told me if they fly him up, they're going to offer," O'Regan said.
THE RUNNING WRECK: At Navy, coach Paul Johnson'steams regularly ranked among the country's best in rushing offense. Now, he's hoping to have similar success at Georgia Tech. That could bode well for Jesuit offensive tackle Phil Smith, a run blocker extraordinaire who committed to the Yellow Jackets on Sunday during his official visit.
"He is a devastating run blocker," Jesuit coach Joe Ross said. "He gets on someone and finishes the play. And he moves his feet well."
Smith (6-6, 280 pounds) also has scholarship offers from Penn State and Florida International. Michigan State, Florida State and USF have shown interest.
"He has the size, the work ethic and the desire to get better," Ross said.
EAGLES EYES FOR THOMAS: Hillsborough senior linebacker Marc Thomas will make it a family thing at Georgia Southern. Thomas, one of the state's top tacklers and an all-state pick, orally committed to the same school his brother, Ricky Ponton, enrolled in last week to resurrect his career. Thomas made his commitment during a campus visit over the weekend, Terriers coach Earl Garcia said.
"Marc is one of the best we've ever had. Period," Garcia said. "We'll miss him."
Thomas makes four Terriers committed; defensive end Moses McCray (Florida State), defensive back Andreas Ashwood (Toledo) and safety Chuck Grace (FIU) are the others.
ON FLORIDA'S RADAR: Two men walked into Wesley Chapel last week and announced themselves at the front desk. "Mr. (John) Castelamare," a woman's voice said on the other end of the phone. "A man named Urban Meyer is here to see you."
Apparently, nobody in the front office realized it was the Florida Gators coach and his assistant, Dan Mullen, who were in town as part of a bay area blitz to meet top recruits.
Meyer visited Wesley Chapel junior lineman Kamran Joyer, who recently was profiled by Flavarsity.com. The 6-foot-3, 320-pounder was invited to an exclusive junior weekend at UF.
Meyer shot a free throw in the gymnasium during a tour conducted by Castelamare, the Wildcats coach. Meyer and Mullen then went to Weightman Middle School to visit Joyer's mother, who works there.
"That just made her day," Castelamare said.
Times staff writers Joe Smith and Izzy Gould contributed to this report.