Signing Day has come and gone: Biggest Surprise has to be Darrell Scott

National Signing Day has come and gone, and although there weren’t that many surprises, the biggest had to be Darrell Scott’s choice to sign with Colorado.

If you get a chance, take a look at Thayer Evans’ fascinating piece in today’s New York Times about Scott’s decision. For weeks, experts had speculated that Colorado was only in the running because Scott’s uncle, Josh Smith, was already in Boulder. But, according to the Evans piece, the biggest factor in Scott’s choice was Texas’ decision to change running back coaches. The decision to move Ken Rucker into a more administrative position and make former Alabama offensive coordinator Major Applewhite in charge of the backfield may have cost the Longhorns the nation’s top running back.

“I was just thinking about other things,” Scott told the Times on Wednesday. “But the more time I thought about it, the more it scared me.”

This is, without question, a major get for Colorado and coach Dan Hawkins, and it just goes to show how important assistant coaches are to the recruiting process.

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: Jerrell Harris picks Alabama

Takkle.com 59th ranked player - Jerrell Harris picks Alabama

The Birmingham News

At a news conference in Gadsden, the four-star linebacker and No. 3 player on the Birmingham News' Super Senior list, stood at the podium. He looked down at the table containing five baseball caps representing his final five choices: Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Southern Cal, and Clemson.

He was talking into a microphone and thanking everyone and all that... then he looked down and shook his head:

"I like all these schools," Harris said, "but I don't think I'll wear any of these."

With that, Harris put his hand into a shelf in the podium and did it Andre Smith style. He tugged on that Houndstooth hat a la Bear Bryant, squeezed it on over his braids and looked out at the crowd:

"I'm going to the University of Alabama," he said.

For University of Alabama coach Nick Saban, not a bad way to end National Signing Day... Now we have 1 hour, 38 minutes until he talks about it.

Video Posted from Jerrell's Gallery on Takkle.com

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: Florida Gators - T.J. Lawrence

Good News For The Gators

Florida finally got some good news. Receiver T.J. Lawrence from Lakeland, Fla., picked the Gators over Michigan, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Florida State. Besides, no one at Florida should get too upset about today's events. The Gators still have safeties Will Hill and Dee Finley coming in, and they've already got offensive lineman Matt Patchan and receiver Carl Moore on campus.

Plus, the NCAA cleared Florida coach Urban Meyer on Tuesday of any wrongdoing for those telephone chats he had last year with Moore's girlfriend, who now attends Florida on a gymnastics scholarship. - si.com

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: USC, T.J. Bryant and Nick Perry

USC signed two top undecided prospects today in defensive end Nick Perry (Detroit/Mackenzie)and No. 2 ranked corner T.J. Bryant (Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln) definitely softens the blow.

On what could be a day and night of intrigue, drama and suspense, high school senior football players began to finalize their college choices Wednesday by signing letters of intent, and USC picked up a big one when Detroit defensive end Nick Perry, pictured, chose the Trojans. -Los Angeles Times

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: T.J. Bryant

Ranked 36th on Takkle.com - Cornerback T.J. Bryant, a USA Today first-team All-American, has signed with USC, according to the Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat.

B.J. Daniels, the Tallahassee Democrat’s Offensive Player of the Year, signed with South Florida. He says he plans to play both football and basketball for the Bulls.

Video Posted from T.J.'s Gallery on Takkle.com

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: Julio Jones

#1 Takkle ranked prospect Julio Jones announced that he'll stay in-state to sign with Alabama.

The Parade All-American announced his decision in a news conference televised by ESPNU from his high school. Jones chose the Crimson Tide over Oklahoma and a host of other schools. -AP

Video Posted from Julio's Gallery on Takkle.com

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: Darrel Scott

Takkle.com #2 ranked Darrell Scott - running back - signs with Colorado over Texas.

Video Posted from Darrell's Gallery on Takkle.com

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: DeAngelo Tyson

DeAngelo Tyson, Statesboro High School's all-everything defensive tackle, Heralded Statesboro High defensive lineman will make his verbal commitment to Georgia official today.

- Savannah Morning News

By the numbers:
They don't agree often on specific numbers, but various recruiting Web sites rank Statesboro High School senior defensive tackle DeAngelo Tyson among the nation's elite football players.

Takkle.com (presented by Sports Illustrated): 9th overall.

Video Posted from DeAngelo's Gallery on Takkle.com

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: Pryor 100% Sure

“I’m 100 percent sure I’m not signing.” ...Terrelle Pryor to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Via Salt Lake Tribune:
Pryor said he almost had his mind made up last night, but that Penn State and Oregon have made late pushes. Most analysts believed he was going to sign with Ohio State.

Via ESPN
12:06 p.m.: Terrelle Pryor on ESPNU, "I will not make my commitment... I haven't that much time to concentrate on the recruiting process and need more time."

Pryor also said Oregon is back in the mix; he is choosing between Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Oregon.

12:04 p.m.: Clemson just keeps on rolling. Undecided offensive tackle Antoine McClain (Anniston, Ala.) picked the Tigers. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound monster carries his weight well and has the ability to play early.

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: E.J. Manuel and Jermie Calhoun

Via ESPN:

10:36 a.m.:
ESPN 150 QB E.J. Manuel (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside) is officially a Seminole. This dual-threat quarterback dropped in the rankings a little because he still needs some polish on his mechanics and decision making. Still, with his size and arm strength, he draws comparisons to Oakland Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell.

10:42 a.m.:
No. 1 running back Jermie Calhoun (Van, Texas) just faxed in hisletter of intent to Oklahoma. He's got a good blend of size and speed with asurprising second gear, a strong runner with great vision.

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: Ramon Buchanan, Ricky Barnum, Julio Jones, Tyler Love, Will Hill and Dee Finley

Via ESPN:

10:25 a.m.: Florida has received 17 letters of intent. As reported earlier,not among them is Ramon Buchanan, who will sign with Miami, and Ricky Barnum(Lakeland, Fla./Lake Gibson), who will sign with Michigan. The country's toptwo safeties, Will Hill (West Orange, N.J./St. Peter's) and Dee Finley(Auburn, Ala.), are on board.

Via Rivals:

Five-star Love makes it official:
Alabama fans still have to wait a couple more hours to find out if the Tidewill land five-star WR Julio Jones, but the wait is over for Tyler Love.A five-star offensive tackle, Love had been committed to Alabama since Julyand the signing was basically a formality.

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Signing Day - Takkle updates: Ryan Williams

Via ESPN Blog
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=3232735

Virginia Tech reporting 26 signatures so far, with six athletes among them.That should bolster its usual strong special teams. No. 4 RB Ryan Williams(Manassas, Va./Jackson-Manassas) is in a good situation to learn behindrising senior Brandon Ore.

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Signing Day: Takkle updates throughout the day

Via ESPN BLOG: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=3232735

Boomer Sooner with some important signatures landing in Norman. Widereceiver Josh Jarboe (Decatur, Ga./Cedar Grove) is on board* Sooners had the No. 6 class heading into signing day. It has a goodoffensive nucleus slated to sign with ESPN 150 Landry Jones (Artesia, N.M.),Jarboe, ESPN 150 RB Jermie Calhoun (Van, Texas).

Sixteen signees in for the Georgia Bulldogs. No. 5 overall prospect A.J.Green (Ridgeville, S.C./Summerville) has yet to fax, but DT DeAngelo Tyson(Statesboro, Ga.) and RB Richard Samuel (Cartersville, Ga./Cass) are in.

Some of Clemson's early impact guys like No. 1 overall prospect DaQuanBowers and QB Kyle Parker are already enrolled and now officially signed.Bowers destroyed the competition at the Under Armour All-America Game androse to No. 1 with his performance. Despite Parker's height (listed at aquestionable 6-foot-1), he showed the intangibles to succeed in Orlando.

The latest news breaking late last night is Terrelle Pryor is "100 percentsure" he's not signing today, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Hewas scheduled to kick off ESPNU's Recruiting Insider special just after 12p.m. ET today and still may appear. According to the paper, Oregon is nolonger an option.

Via Rivals WIRE: http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/wire.asp
Southern Miss got the signatures of two of its biggest recruits.Five-star wide receiver Deandre BrownBuchanan pulls double switch

Four-star safety Ramon Buchanan originally committed to Miami before a lateswitch to Florida.
He has made a second switch on National Signing Day with a last minutecommitment back to Miami. The Melbourne (Fla.) Palm Bay standout gives Miami16 commitments rated four stars or higher.

Georgia native Brice Butler, a wide receiver, is the first recruit tofax in his Letter of Intent (LOI) to Rose Bowl champion Southern California. Butler is the No. 79-ranked player in the country by Rivals.com, and theson of former Atlanta Falcon Bobby Butler. USC is expected to ink 17 playersto LOIs today.

DeSean Hales is the first recruit to sign with the Texas Longhornsthis morning. The No. 53-ranked player in the country according toRivals.com is one of 20 pledges to the Longhorns. Nine other recruits inthis recruiting class are actually already on campus.

The Longhorns now await word from Darrell Scott, the nation¹s No. 1 rankedrunning back who is said to be deciding between Texas and Colorado.Colorado, however, appears to be Scott¹s likely destination.

Penn State made a late push for Christchurch (Va.) Christchurch SchoolWR Deion Walker, but the Rivals250 prospect has decided to stick with hisoriginal commitment and sign with Notre Dame this morning Mike Farrellreports.

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A Dash of Perpective: Terrelle Pryor

We’ll get back to basketball in the coming days, but the world of high school sports is focused on National Signing Day, and more specifically, Jeannette High School quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Tomorrow at high noon, Pryor, the most hyped high school football player in the country, will make known his decision on where he will attend college.

Reporters from throughout the country and television crews from ESPN and CSTV will descend upon the small town of Jeannette, where Pryor will read a prepared statement in which, if history is any guide, he will thank his coaches, family, and teammates and then announce his school of choice – which is looking more and more by the day to be Ohio State, although Michigan and, to a lesser extent, Penn State are still under consideration. (Oregon is out as Pryor’s basketball schedule precluded him from making an official visit to Eugene).

But then what? National Signing Day is a lot like Selection Sunday in NCAA Basketball. It is a highly anticipated day in the world of sports where nothing actually happens. Pryor will make his decision known on Wednesday, and on Thursday he will go to class. The journalists will listen to his speech, ask questions for about ten minutes, and then they will leave Jeannette, most likely never to return. TV pundits will talk about how landing Pryor might just give the Buckeyes or Wolverines or Nittany Lions a top-rated recruiting class, but most of the players those schools have signed, including Pryor, will likely not see the field for at least a year.

Top prospects Julio Jones and Darrell Scott, along with Pryor, will also most likely announce their decisions tomorrow, and there is no doubt that this is a huge day for them and their families. They should celebrate. But let’s keep things in perspective. Ronald Curry, Dan Kendra, and Chris Leak were also can’t miss prospects. And although all three became valuable members of their college programs, none became the transcendent player they were projected to be when they came out of high school.

Video Posted from Terrelle's Gallery on Takkle.com

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Coaches are Faces in the Crowd - for Pryor's (basketball) Game

Tonight, the Villanova Pavilion will host a high school doubleheader featuring some of the best players in the nation, in both football and basketball.

Chester (Pa.) High, who behind Nasir Robinson played its most complete game of the season when the Clippers topped Harrisburg High in Pittsburgh, will take on Jeannette High, and top-rated football prospect Terrelle Pryor. Pryor is a terrific basketball player as well, but has said that he will give up the sport in college to concentrate on football.

"I want to be the best college quarterback in the game, so I know that playing basketball isn't in my future," Pryor told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette yesterday. "I know I have to get stronger, study more films and improve my football techniques if I want to achieve that goal."

Basketball used to be a sanctuary away from football for Pryor, but the Post-Gazette story says that might be changing. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez and several assistants are expected to attend Pryor’s basketball game on Saturday against East Allegheny High. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel will also be in attendance, and Jeannette basketball coach Jim Nesser indicated to the Post-Gazette that the Buckeyes may be in the driver’s seat in the Pryor sweepstakes.

"I think Terrelle likes and trusts (Ohio State coach Jim) Tressel, but that's my opinion," Nesser said. "He'll do well wherever he chooses."Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether Pryor will sign on Wednesday.

- Also at the Villanova Pavilion, American Christian Academy and top-ranked guard Tyreke Evans will challenge Samardo Samuels and St. Benedict’s High in the event’s feature game. Tonight’s games are all fall under the PrimeTime Shootout banner. But the main event is still next weekend in Trenton. Stay tuned for coverage next week.

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