Ronald Johnson...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (Searn) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:13:28 GMT

Marlon has now officially

Committed to UCLA
Decommitted from UCLA
Committed to Notre Dame
Decommitted from Notre Dame
Recommitted to UCLA

I hope he changes his mind again ... but I think he should be a very good player no matter what school he chooses in end.

But if I were the UCLA coach ... It would be hard to take his commitment seriously.

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (Searn) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:48:41 GMT

in the case of Pollard he officially 'opened his recruiting' after an early commitment to UCLA .... so would be fair game.

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (Searn) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:45:34 GMT

from what I have read on Weis' philosophy on committed recruits ....

I believe he usually won't initiate contact that is a solid verbal ... but will continue to recruit a player that initiates contact or keeps in contact with Notre Dame.

If the player is committed and breaks off contact ... he's left alone.

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (GHSfootball1990) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:57:20 GMT

EKDAD wrote:
Does anyone know if RoJo has declared a major? Has anyone heard that at least one other BigRed is headed to USC? TA does such a terrrific job with these kids. Muskegon is very fortunate to have him. His is truly a 365 job working with kids at all age groups, keeping them interested in academics as well as athletics. No wonder he got a little burned out last year.

GO EK!

Topic...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (prepseer) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:12:38 GMT

It will be interesting to see how Weiss handles the Pollard situation. It's exactly what you described earlier--i.e., commit to ND and start looking elsewhere and we also start looking.

There's an added twist to this one in that Pollard originally committed to UCLA, then changed his mind and committed to ND. I guess it doesn't work both ways for Weis. He takes a hard line on his commitments who look elsewhere, but he gladly accepts commitments from players who have...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (Searn) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:13:56 GMT

I don't know exactly how Weis is going to handle it ... but they have a situation right now with a kid who has commitment issues ...

An excellent CB named Marlon Pollard .....

Committed to UCLA as a junior
Decommitted
Committed to Notre Dame

NOW .... is taking a visit to UCLA this weekend and is considered "soft verbal" ..... to me you can't be partly committed, you either are committed or you are not.

So this kid has...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (EKDAD) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:13:23 GMT

Does anyone know if RoJo has declared a major? Has anyone heard that at least one other BigRed is headed to USC? TA does such a terrrific job with these kids. Muskegon is very fortunate to have him. His is truly a 365 job working with kids at all age groups, keeping them interested in academics as well as athletics. No wonder he got a little burned out last year.

GO EK!

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (WolverineKeith) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:18:29 GMT

prepseer wrote:
My suggestion to move up the signing period was more to replace verbal commits with actual signing than to make the signing period early. You could also accomplish that by just eliminating verbal commitments, but leaving the signing period the same. I agree that an open-ended signing period would be very interesting. That, comibined with the elimination of verbal commitments, would...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (WolverineKeith) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:12:58 GMT

Mr NCAA wrote:

If you don't want an early signing period for football, then do away with the early signing period for basketball. All I ask is to treat both sports the same. There are still top players in basketball in the top 100 that hasn't signed with a team yet. Having a top 5 list most of the time now is just a wish list so I don't see how that would help the situation.

If there is an open ended...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (Mr NCAA) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:05:53 GMT

If you don't want an early signing period for football, then do away with the early signing period for basketball. All I ask is to treat both sports the same. There are still top players in basketball in the top 100 that hasn't signed with a team yet. Having a top 5 list most of the time now is just a wish list so I don't see how that would help the situation.

If there is an open ended signing period, it will make the situation much worse for the players IMHO since...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (prepseer) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:47:43 GMT

My suggestion to move up the signing period was more to replace verbal commits with actual signing than to make the signing period early. You could also accomplish that by just eliminating verbal commitments, but leaving the signing period the same. I agree that an open-ended signing period would be very interesting. That, comibined with the elimination of verbal commitments, would potentially solve the problem of de-commits.

If you are going to accept a scholarship and commit...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (WolverineKeith) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:30:59 GMT

Mr NCAA wrote:
Basically I would like to see an early football signing period like the basketball teams have. The period should be something like July 24 - 31. This would allow the players to go to multiple NCAA football camps plus still concentrate during the beginning of the high school football season.

I really disagree with you on the early signing period.

The objective of the ESP for bball...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (Mr NCAA) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:27:49 GMT

For TommyZ, I think a lot of people get the resentment for today's players who announce that they are going to school X. Then, a few weeks or days later announce that they are going to school Y or opening up their choices again. With the advent of the internet people find out more information. Everyone knows that the player commits to a school, not the head coach or assistant coach that recruited you. So the players should make their decision more wisely. Or wait until the season is done...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (Searn) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:09:12 GMT

A player can just as easily "not make it" at Michigan, MSU or Ohio State ... as they can at USC, LSU or Alabama ... I give credit to the kids for making a tough choice.

Recruiting is a serious business ... and it's not pretty sometimes.

I just wish more kids would wait to commit if they have ANY doubt. Some of the late decommitments really screw over coaches and programs.

Imagine the pickle that Rich Rod would be in if suddenly on signing day Tate...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (TOMMYZ) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:38:17 GMT

I just want to say that I find it appalling that you (prep) would call a 17 year old kid who is making the toughest decision in his life a clown for making sure he was choosing the right school for him..

Also, saying "if he was as good as they say, why wasn't he able to help his Cass Tech team during last season," is flat out ignorant...I guess Jake Long was not as good either......

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (Mr NCAA) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:51:51 GMT

Basically I would like to see an early football signing period like the basketball teams have. The period should be something like July 24 - 31. This would allow the players to go to multiple NCAA football camps plus still concentrate during the beginning of the high school football season.

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (BIGREDS89) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:48:01 GMT

That could be. Early verbals have become an issue in the last few years, BUT what is the solution??? I used to think an early signing period BUT what if the kid signs and the coach gets fired or leaves for another job and now the kid is locked in. I know the kid is supposed to pick the SCHOOL and not the coach but we all know they pick the coach when it comes to football most of the time. What about NO verbals???? Just tell every kid to keep their mouth closed until the put it on paper??

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (prepseer) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 23:26:45 GMT

Big Reds 89,

I'll amend my comment on trips as follows: I have no problem with recruits taking the trips if they are truly undecided and need to visit a number of poten tial schools. The rules allow for the trips and I have no problem with them. I do draw the line on kids who have evaluated a number of schools, then make a verbal commitment, but conveniently rescind the commitment and open recruiting at schools located in nice travel destinations. After the trips, the...

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (BIGREDS89) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:06:03 GMT

Good post seer, I agree with all of it EXCEPT the part about kids taking trips. I think if they want to take the trips and the trips are offered under the current system for recruiting by all means let them take advantage of it all. Everything else in your post is spot on.

Re: Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (prepseer) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:25:30 GMT

For every one of these elite recruits who make it at a far-away elite program, there are ten who don't make it. I still believe these players are better off staying close to home. As for William Campbell, I believe his recruiting antics have tainted him for his UM days. There are other ways to get free trips during the winter to warm weather destinations. This clown was going to go to UM all along, but he played everyone for a fool and participated in the phony live declarations at the...

Ronald Johnson...

feeds@yuku.com (EKDAD) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:54:05 GMT

AKA RoJo, is had a great sophmore year at USC. He caught two TD's in the Rose Bowl, was on the cover of the USA today Sports sections, and is well on his way to being an elite fb player at the highest level of college football. We all know about the guys from the past from our fair state that have done well at the next level, but who are some guys college right now from your area that are excelling?

And once again, a big tip of my favorite old EK hat to Ronald Johnson of the Big...