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Post by windigo on Feb 5, 2010 15:29:28 GMT -6
This does set a really bad precedent as we all know there is no protection for any offer put on the table. A coach can pull an offer at any time. The protection is us. We high school coaches protect out players from that crap. If a college coach pulls that crap they have burned themselves at our school and to some extent our conference as well. But if they are allowed to get players to commit in junior high that protection is gone. They can just give offers to lots of kids and 4 years latter pull the offers of the players who didn't pan out.
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Post by dubber on Feb 5, 2010 15:41:39 GMT -6
How coachable will this kid be?
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Post by wingtol on Feb 5, 2010 16:17:10 GMT -6
Just the fact Clarkson calls himself the "Dreammaker". Really? Really? I know I have been laughing about that all day. You gotta be pretty full of yourself to gloss yourself as the "Dream Maker".
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Post by thakatalyst on Feb 5, 2010 16:40:10 GMT -6
This is really embarrassing. As a USC fan, I am ashamed, yet not shocked. I guess it is the "University of Spoiled Children," so this isn't exactly unprecedented...and of course, it is Lane Kiffin.
You know what would have been great? If the dad had acted mature, took the offer, wiped his ass with it, burned it, then told Lane Kiffin: "if you're at USC in 5 years give us a call. Until then, let my kid enjoy his youth."
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Post by coachguy83 on Feb 5, 2010 16:52:40 GMT -6
I really feel sorry for this kid. What 13 year old isn't going to jump at the chance to play at his favorite school. He's on top of the world right now and I can't help but think he is in a position to have one hell of a fall. He has five years of football ahead of him and a lot can and will go wrong for him I'm afraid. He is going to get banged up, hopefully nothing serious, and he might just find someone better than him along the way. I just pray that he stays humble and puts himself to live his dream when 2015 rolls around.
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ozcoach
Sophomore Member
Posts: 132
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Post by ozcoach on Feb 5, 2010 17:05:50 GMT -6
The commitments and offers don't stand up when they are seniors in high school. This is just discussion board fodder and, apart from the already mentioned tough situation this kid is now in, isn't worth much deeper analysis probably.
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Post by piratefootball on Feb 5, 2010 19:33:18 GMT -6
I watched the hi-lite and .... I know is that he could QB for my school corporation's 8th grade team but I would have no idea of what level of college he could play at based on that and if that is the hilite Kiffin saw, I have no clue what characteristics make that kid a major D1 recruit. I'm not saying he isn't, I just obviously have no idea what to look for. Guess my wife doesn't have to worry about me moving to the college game because I would be a miserable judge of talent when looking at film.
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Post by touchdowng on Feb 5, 2010 20:44:44 GMT -6
Who says Lane Kiffin will be at USC in 2015? LK might be BACK at USC for his 3rd stint with stops at . . . . . ;D
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Post by mariner42 on Feb 5, 2010 23:18:55 GMT -6
I know I have been laughing about that all day. You gotta be pretty full of yourself to gloss yourself as the "Dream Maker". That's actually how I introduce myself to the ladies...
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Post by coachinghopeful on Feb 6, 2010 0:09:28 GMT -6
I know I have been laughing about that all day. You gotta be pretty full of yourself to gloss yourself as the "Dream Maker". That's actually how I introduce myself to the ladies... LOL Well played Mariner. Do any HS coaches on here have any firsthand experience working with Steve Clarkson or his clients? He claims to have been the guy responsible for the careers of almost every major college and NFL QB of the last 15 years, which sets off my BS alarm. I guess if he met Peyton Manning in an elevator at one point he'd claim to have made him the QB that he is, too. The self promotion from Clarkson reminds me a lot of Bryce Brown's former "handler" Brian Butler. The stuff Butler was telling the kids he was working with would make any HS coach sick to his stomach.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2010 9:02:52 GMT -6
Dumbest thing I've ever heard...here goes all the J/O dad's with their kids highlight videos...
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Post by wingtol on Feb 6, 2010 9:09:19 GMT -6
That's actually how I introduce myself to the ladies... LOL Well played Mariner. Do any HS coaches on here have any firsthand experience working with Steve Clarkson or his clients? He claims to have been the guy responsible for the careers of almost every major college and NFL QB of the last 15 years, which sets off my BS alarm. I guess if he met Peyton Manning in an elevator at one point he'd claim to have made him the QB that he is, too. The self promotion from Clarkson reminds me a lot of Bryce Brown's former "handler" Brian Butler. The stuff Butler was telling the kids he was working with would make any HS coach sick to his stomach. If this guy is such a guru I would think he should be coaching major D-1 or in the NFL.
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Post by coachd5085 on Feb 6, 2010 9:27:33 GMT -6
If this guy is such a guru I would think he should be coaching major D-1 or in the NFL. Why? He is undefeated and can't be proven wrong. Although, in all seriousness, i can understand someone not wanting to coach a football team, but still coach aspects of football. Not wanting to recruit, break down opposition film, deal with player personnel issues, work 18 hour days and move every 2 years makes sense. That said, I still think this is such a bad bad thing for the youngster and the sport. Once again why The first Wednesday in February is MY LEAST FAVORITE SPORTING DAY OF THE YEAR. Bob Knight talks about how he regretted the Handling of Damon Bailey. Bailey had a phenomenal career, is 6th all time scorer at IU, was an All-Big ten selection, 3rd team All American selection, was a part of a Final Four team....and many consider him unsuccessful because he didn't live up to the media hype started when Knight saw him play as an 8th grader. In our 24 hour news cycle, this will blow over quickly for most of the nation. But the problem is that this will stick with the kid and the family forever, and it will be nearly impossible to live up to those expectations. This was just so poorly handled. The parents come off looking like complete imbeciles, the dreammaker comes off looking like Huggy Bear the pimp and Kiffin...well, as someone else mentioned, I think Lane is starting to tarnish his Father's name now as well.
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Post by coachinghopeful on Feb 6, 2010 15:16:28 GMT -6
Lane has been tarnishing his father's rep ever since his little fiasco in Knoxville last month. Now people collectively refer to "The Kiffins" as a bunch of classless con men. Monte has been right there with Lane through all the embarrassing things his son has done over the last 14 months. Guilt by association, I guess.
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Post by coachinghopeful on Feb 6, 2010 15:18:22 GMT -6
I wonder if Clarkson has the pull and "connections" he brags about. Terrell Pryor said the worked with Clarkson because "Coach Tressell said I should." The guy certainly likes people thinking that he's a gatekeeper to a big time scholarship and that the major programs all love him.
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Post by bobgoodman on Feb 6, 2010 21:04:38 GMT -6
Oh, that USC. I was wondering how nasty a 13 YO had to be to commit to unsportsmanlike conduct.
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Post by hustleandheart on Feb 7, 2010 9:58:10 GMT -6
I have some sperm that have given verbals to USC. Funniest thing I've read in a while.
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Post by mariner42 on Feb 7, 2010 11:10:31 GMT -6
I'm not gonna lie, Bob's comment got a good laugh outta me. I like the idea of committing to unsportsmanlike conduct as a lifestyle, sounds like a fun disaster to watch.
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Post by phantom on Feb 7, 2010 12:30:15 GMT -6
I'm not gonna lie, Bob's comment got a good laugh outta me. I like the idea of committing to unsportsmanlike conduct as a lifestyle, sounds like a fun disaster to watch. Bob obviously watched the Raiders play during the '60s and '70s.
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Post by phantom on Feb 7, 2010 12:36:38 GMT -6
In all of this we hear almost nothing from Kiffin. He can't say anything publicly, of course, about a "recruit" but everything I've seen about the "offer" comes from the personal QB trainer. I'm not a Kiffin fan but I wonder how seriously this "offer" was, keeping in mind that a formal, written offer can't be made until after a prospect's sophomore year.
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Post by coachinghopeful on Feb 7, 2010 14:42:31 GMT -6
In all of this we hear almost nothing from Kiffin. He can't say anything publicly, of course, about a "recruit" but everything I've seen about the "offer" comes from the personal QB trainer. I'm not a Kiffin fan but I wonder how seriously this "offer" was, keeping in mind that a formal, written offer can't be made until after a prospect's sophomore year. This article on the recruitment of 14 year old Evan Berry, especially with Kiffin's own references to offering Matt Barkley a scholarship as a freshman, make me think that Kiffin IS serious. Until the kid doesn't pan out as a HS player or until USC finds better QBs for the class of 2015, that is... NOTE: When reposting this article I deleted some superfluous references to the children of celebrities. Yes, some of the things the author says may leave you dumber. You have been warned... sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/06/30/tennessee-berry/index.htmlAndy Staples INSIDE RECRUITING Offering scholarship to 13-year-old Berry smart gamble for Kiffin, Vols Wed. July 1st, 2009 Everyone seems so surprised that Evan Berry, the 13-year-old brother of star Tennessee safety Eric Berry, has committed to play for the Volunteers as the first member of the class of 2013. Offering a scholarship to a random 13-year-old probably isn't the most prudent recruiting gamble, but in this case, Vols coach Lane Kiffin is doubling down on 11. Berry's father, James, was a star running back at Tennessee. Eric might be the nation's best collegiate safety. Evan has a twin brother, Elliot, who also could eventually climb on board. "Yes, I committed to Tennessee," Evan told Jamie Newberg of Rivals.com. "It's the only college I know right now and it seems the best for me. My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I know I don't know them too well but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them. I want to play in the secondary, and I want to play for coach [Monte] Kiffin." Of course, there's no guarantee Evan Berry will ever run through the T. In 1998, Wake Forest offered a scholarship to eighth-grader Chris Leak. The Demon Deacons looked to be in pretty good shape. They had just signed Leak's older brother, C.J., but after C.J. injured his knee, he transferred to Tennessee. Chris, a frequent visitor to Knoxville after his brother's transfer, dropped the Vols because of a perceived slight against C.J. and wound up signing with Florida. Who was the crazy Wake Forest coach who offered young Chris Leak that scholarship? Only Jim Caldwell, the current head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. As for Evan Berry, his genes make him a safe bet for the Vols. But even if he hadn't been a known commodity, Kiffin's only previous foray into tween recruiting seems fairly prescient. Last month, Kiffin said he had offered a scholarship to only one player younger than 10th grade. "Matt Barkley," Kiffin said. "That year I had Orange County, and Barkley was a freshman." In 2005, Kiffin was USC's offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. He visited Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif. -- Matt Leinart's alma mater -- and saw Barkley throwing. Kiffin's instincts were dead on. Barkley wound up being the top-rated quarterback prospect in the 2009 class, and as a true freshman this season still may push Aaron Corp for the Trojans' starting job. Expect Kiffin and his coaches to pay attention to players as young as Evan Berry even more in the future. "When you really have a recruiting machine going," Kiffin said last month, "you're in on the ninth and 10th graders because you know your areas so well." Just don't expect a flood of offers from the Vols. Kiffin said those are reserved for special cases such as Barkley, a player the Trojans staff had seen in camp for years. "It's not like basketball where guys are playing. ... We don't get to see them very often," Kiffin said. "And the growth is so much different. A ninth-grader in football grows so much and adds so much weight that it's pretty hard to project."Projecting gets easier, though, when dad was a star, big brother is a star and dad says the younger brother is further along in his development than the older brother at the same age. That's the case with the Berrys. Father James told Rivals.com Evan and Elliot are currently ahead of Eric's pace. Even so, Kiffin understands the risk he's taking. Evan, now 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds, may never experience the growth spurt that gives him the size and strength to be an All-America safety. But his genes suggest strongly he will. Kiffin probably worries more about two other unknowns. First, in an age where the hire-and-fire cycle now gives coaches two-and-a-half seasons to turn around a program, he may not be at Tennessee when Evan signs with a school in February 2013. Second, the Vols already have competition. Remember, Evan is a twin, and Elliot isn't sold on Tennessee. "Right now Elliot favors LSU," Evan told Rivals.com. "He really likes their track program."
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Post by coachinghopeful on Feb 7, 2010 15:46:43 GMT -6
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Post by phantom on Feb 7, 2010 15:51:47 GMT -6
In all of this we hear almost nothing from Kiffin. He can't say anything publicly, of course, about a "recruit" but everything I've seen about the "offer" comes from the personal QB trainer. I'm not a Kiffin fan but I wonder how seriously this "offer" was, keeping in mind that a formal, written offer can't be made until after a prospect's sophomore year. This article on the recruitment of 14 year old Evan Berry, especially with Kiffin's own references to offering Matt Barkley a scholarship as a freshman, make me think that Kiffin IS serious. Until the kid doesn't pan out as a HS player or until USC finds better QBs for the class of 2015, that is... NOTE: When reposting this article I deleted some superfluous references to the children of celebrities. Yes, some of the things the author says may leave you dumber. You have been warned... sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/06/30/tennessee-berry/index.htmlAndy Staples INSIDE RECRUITING Offering scholarship to 13-year-old Berry smart gamble for Kiffin, Vols Wed. July 1st, 2009 Everyone seems so surprised that Evan Berry, the 13-year-old brother of star Tennessee safety Eric Berry, has committed to play for the Volunteers as the first member of the class of 2013. Offering a scholarship to a random 13-year-old probably isn't the most prudent recruiting gamble, but in this case, Vols coach Lane Kiffin is doubling down on 11. Berry's father, James, was a star running back at Tennessee. Eric might be the nation's best collegiate safety. Evan has a twin brother, Elliot, who also could eventually climb on board. "Yes, I committed to Tennessee," Evan told Jamie Newberg of Rivals.com. "It's the only college I know right now and it seems the best for me. My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I know I don't know them too well but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them. I want to play in the secondary, and I want to play for coach [Monte] Kiffin." Of course, there's no guarantee Evan Berry will ever run through the T. In 1998, Wake Forest offered a scholarship to eighth-grader Chris Leak. The Demon Deacons looked to be in pretty good shape. They had just signed Leak's older brother, C.J., but after C.J. injured his knee, he transferred to Tennessee. Chris, a frequent visitor to Knoxville after his brother's transfer, dropped the Vols because of a perceived slight against C.J. and wound up signing with Florida. Who was the crazy Wake Forest coach who offered young Chris Leak that scholarship? Only Jim Caldwell, the current head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. As for Evan Berry, his genes make him a safe bet for the Vols. But even if he hadn't been a known commodity, Kiffin's only previous foray into tween recruiting seems fairly prescient. Last month, Kiffin said he had offered a scholarship to only one player younger than 10th grade. "Matt Barkley," Kiffin said. "That year I had Orange County, and Barkley was a freshman." In 2005, Kiffin was USC's offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. He visited Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif. -- Matt Leinart's alma mater -- and saw Barkley throwing. Kiffin's instincts were dead on. Barkley wound up being the top-rated quarterback prospect in the 2009 class, and as a true freshman this season still may push Aaron Corp for the Trojans' starting job. Expect Kiffin and his coaches to pay attention to players as young as Evan Berry even more in the future. "When you really have a recruiting machine going," Kiffin said last month, "you're in on the ninth and 10th graders because you know your areas so well." Just don't expect a flood of offers from the Vols. Kiffin said those are reserved for special cases such as Barkley, a player the Trojans staff had seen in camp for years. "It's not like basketball where guys are playing. ... We don't get to see them very often," Kiffin said. "And the growth is so much different. A ninth-grader in football grows so much and adds so much weight that it's pretty hard to project."Projecting gets easier, though, when dad was a star, big brother is a star and dad says the younger brother is further along in his development than the older brother at the same age. That's the case with the Berrys. Father James told Rivals.com Evan and Elliot are currently ahead of Eric's pace. Even so, Kiffin understands the risk he's taking. Evan, now 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds, may never experience the growth spurt that gives him the size and strength to be an All-America safety. But his genes suggest strongly he will. Kiffin probably worries more about two other unknowns. First, in an age where the hire-and-fire cycle now gives coaches two-and-a-half seasons to turn around a program, he may not be at Tennessee when Evan signs with a school in February 2013. Second, the Vols already have competition. Remember, Evan is a twin, and Elliot isn't sold on Tennessee. "Right now Elliot favors LSU," Evan told Rivals.com. "He really likes their track program." I'd forgotten about that,
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Post by illiniwek on Feb 11, 2010 22:54:13 GMT -6
Whether we are talking football or basketball, recruiting has gotten out of hand. Getting a verbal commitment from a 13 year old is ridiculous. Anyways, until they sign their letter of intent, opposing coaches continue to recruit these kids as if they haven't committed to anyone.
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Post by coachd5085 on Feb 12, 2010 6:18:21 GMT -6
Whether we are talking football or basketball, recruiting has gotten out of hand. Getting a verbal commitment from a 13 year old is ridiculous. Anyways, until they sign their letter of intent, opposing coaches continue to recruit these kids as if they haven't committed to anyone. Agreed. I think most here have looked at this example as to how STUPID the adults in the situation (Clarkson, Father Sims, and Kiffin) acted, and how none of them seemed to act in the best interest of the Child.
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Post by windigo on Feb 16, 2010 12:36:51 GMT -6
I really don’t know what USC is doing here. They are facing real NCAA sanctions and they go out and hire Kiffin who has a reputation for being morally dubious and his first act is to offer a scholarship to a 13 year old. USC is basically doing everything it can to get smacked big time by the NCAA.
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Post by khalfie on Feb 16, 2010 22:19:19 GMT -6
If you really thought the 13 year old was the goods... would you generate all this national attention around the kid.
Delaware? Had to be the only guy that knew about this kid... now the whole world knows his name? Pretty sneaky sis!
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