Friday, June 30, 2023

Football adds WR Verbal


Well, it turns out there was one more commit hanging out there.  This is Austin Clay.  He is from Midpark HS in Berea, so he's in our home footprint.  He's listed as a WR. 

He had offers from Akron, Ball State, UMass, Navy and Penn. 

He was all-Southwestern Conference last year as well as second-team all-district.  He is a three-sport athlete, also playing basketball and running track.

Welcome to the Falcons, Austin.

Posted by Orange at 7:36 PM 0 comments

Football Lands Two Verbals

You can tell when a commit is coming because Sammy Lawanson does a BOOM tweet.  He can't mention the name but usually a name follows on Twitter a while later.  Using that foolproof method, there may still be a verbal hanging out there, but here is what we have seen.



The first is Winn Sharp.  He's a local, from Whitehouse and playing for Anthony Wayne, a consistently successful program.  BG has Bryce Boyer from that program as well.  He's a WR.  He had a PWO offer from UC, along with offers from Navy, Indiana State, Bucknell, Colgate, Valpo, SEMO.

He's 6'4" and played both ways for the Generals but projects to a WR at BG.  

Here is what Prep Redzone reported about Winn.

Sharp might be the best under the radar 2024 I saw this offseason seen this summer who’s still on the board. I had the opportunity to see Sharp perform at the University of Cincinnati football camp. His testing numbers were really, really good as he ran a 4.49 40, and broad jumped 10’6. The speed and explosiveness translated to his routes on and air and the 1v1’s. Reason being is he’s a smooth route runner who also knows how to use route running technique to set up his defenders to create plus separation. When the ball is in the air, Sharp has excellent hands and is a natural pass catcher. Winn’s strong offseason has resulted in an offer from Bowling Green and a PWO offer from Cincinnati. Today Winn committed to Bowling Green!

Sharp is also a strong track athlete and sprinter.



The other is Dkyah Banks from Georgia. He's 6'6" (according to him) or 6'4" (according to the school) and plays DB--I assume safety.  He is an OLB in HS. He made a couple of visits but I do not see where he had any other offers.  Beyond that, there is not a lot out there on him.

Welcome to the Falcons, Winn and Dkyah.

Posted by Orange at 10:25 AM 0 comments

Friday, June 23, 2023

MAC and Sun Belt Announce First Pairings

As the excitement starts to build for the Simon and Chmiel eras at the Stroh, the MAC announced the first pairings for the MAC-Sun Belt challenge.


This is a really good thing for our conference.  It provides each team with two quality opponents every year and one of them at home, BOTH of which are valued.

The second pairing will be done later in the year based on how the season is playing out, with the idea of improving an at-large resume.

The first matchup will be in the opening week of the season.  BG MBB will host Arkansas State.  The matchups were clearly done to match top teams with top teams...and, well, NOT top teams with NOT top teams, based on last year.  BG finished #286 in Kenpom and Arkansas State was #287.  They were 13-20, 11-20 in D1 games and 4-14 in conference.

The Red Wolves are coached by Bryan Hodgson, who is known to Falcon fans as an assistant on the great 2019 Buffalo Bull team that beat BG at the Rocket in the MAC Final. (He was the bearded one).  He went to Alabama with Oats and then to Arkansas State.  It is his first year.

They have a similar situation to BG, with six players in the portal and seven coming in, including former UB starter LaQuill Hardnett.

They have played in one D1 NCAA Tournament, in 1999, when they were known as the Indians.

Looking forward to it.  


Posted by Orange at 4:42 PM 0 comments

Thursday, June 22, 2023

Football Verbal From Cincy

 

The Falcons have a new verbal, and it's another Ohioan.  TJ Nelson is attending Anderon HS, though he has yet to play there.  Prior to that, he was at Walnut Hills, where he was the QB for the last two years.  Nelson has thrown for more than 2,500 yards and run for nearly 800 with 25 total touchdowns (15 passing, 10 rushing).

According to this, Nelson was surprised for BG to offer him right after he transferred to Anderson.  The plan was for him to play at WR, DB and returners for Anderson to prepare him for D1 play as an ATH.  And, BG has him projected at DB.

Perusing his Twitter feed, he had offers from UT, Kent and CMU.

Welcome to the Falcons, TJ

Posted by Orange at 5:26 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Football Gets Verbal From Massillon


BG has a verbal for the class of '24 from Massillon, OH, a veritable HS football mecca.  This has been a fruitful area for the Falcons.  That includes 2-time MAC Most Valuable Player Erik White (and BG HOFer) and the Studer brothers, including the late Steve Studer, who was an honorable mention All-American and his brother Joe.  There is a Joe Studer and a Dan Studer on the coaching staff there today. Also, Jon Mazur (a Rimington nominee) and Chip Robinson (both BG OL) are coaches as well. Finally, current Falcons Harold Fannin and Cynceir McNeil are Massillon Washington grads.

This young man is Dorian Pringle from Washington High School.  He's a 6'0" 215 lb LB/RB who projects to LB.  

Northeast Inland District Division II Co-Defensive Player of the Year and was first-team All-Ohio.

He's clearly a playmaker.  The Canton Repository says:

Pringle dominated the line of scrimmage simply by shooting gaps on blitzes last season. At 5-foot-11, 225 pounds, Pringle led the Tigers with 69.5 total tackles and 21.5 tackles for loss. He was second on the team with 5.5 sacks and added three forced fumbles and two pass breakups. Pringle played both ways and scored six rushing touchdowns as a power back, playing behind record-setting running back Willrell Hartson.

According to 247, he had offers from Duquesne, EMU, Montana State and Temple. The Canton Repository adds Kent and Fordham.  He visited Wisconsin.

Welcome to the Falcons, Dorian.

Posted by Orange at 3:19 PM 0 comments

Friday, June 16, 2023

BG Football Adds QB


So here's a QB transfer from Purdue....looking into it more deeply...Hayden Timosciek

He was a PWO at Purdue and did not play his one season there.

Originally, he is from the Chicago area. He's 6'7" and 235 pounds and says he is more of a pocket passer, which fits with what we seem to be looking for.

In the article linked above, he said he had FCS interest but only one FCS offer out of HS.  He led his team to the state title but recruiting was very slow.  He had even graduated early, but found no place to go.  He went to a JUCO but then went to a Purdue camp the next summer which led to the PWO offer.

As a senior, he had 2,098 passing yards and 23 touchdowns and only one interception, which is a pretty good ratio.

His brother also is a QB at Lockport.

Welcome to the Falcons, Hayden.

Posted by Orange at 10:02 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 15, 2023

BG Lands '24 Football Verbal

 

BG has another 24 commit.  This young man is Elijah Bernard-Blue.  He is a DB from Florida, getting ready to play for the "Flying L's" of Ft. Lauderdale HS.  Not a ton of information out there on him, but he had offers from FIU, Bethune Cookman, and Lenoir-Rhyne.  

Welcome to the Falcons, Elijah.

Posted by Orange at 7:53 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

BG Defense Adds Two Players

 BG has landed two additional players.

Steven Jenkins is an ATH from Woodland Hills, PA (Pittsburgh area) who apparently projects as a DB. He had offers from Maine and UNLV, visited Pitt, Akron, Temple  and Kent.

There's not a ton of info on him.  Of course, he is heading into his senior year.  I see where he had a couple picks.  

Rhys Patrykus of Falcon Media found this: Jenkins recorded three interceptions during his junior season to go along with 30 tackles and five PBUs, while only allowing four completions (!!) in coverage.

The other player is a transfer from Maryland.


This has the potential to be interesting as well.  He was highly recruited out of HS.  247 reports he had offers from Akron, Cal, Boise, CMU, UC, Iowa State, Kansas, UK, Louisville, Minnesota, OU, Pittsburgh, Purdue, UT and WMU.

Here are some numbers:

  • Cincinnati DII Defensive Player of the Year
  • 1st Team All-Ohio
  • 1st Team All-Southwest District
  • 1st Team All-Cincinnati
  • 1st Team All-ECC Conference
  • Helped Winston Woods High School go 40-8 during his four years with one state championship appearance and one semifinal appearance
  • Recorded 62 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, two fumbles recovered and two defensive touchdowns in high school
  • Is an Eagle Scout

Welcome to the Falcons, Bam

Posted by Orange at 6:56 PM 0 comments

BG MBB Gains New Verbal

So, BG has what I believe is their final addition to the roster, unless one of the previous guys was a PWO, which I doubt.

This young man is also very interesting.  His name is EJay Greer, and he's a 6'8" wing.  He comes from the Rocktop Academy, which is in Pennsylvania.  These post-grad prep schools are becoming more prevalent---you can get the idea here. It's worth a read.

The idea is that you are immersed in a basketball environment.  Any academics are done online. 

Todd Simon was head coach at one --Findlay Prep, which was one of the first in this category.  Not sure if he had contacts that made this happen, but it certainly seems to be possible.

Here's an email that Rocktop sent out to encourage schools to recruit Ejay.  According to this, he had offers from Manhattan, FIU, UAB and NJIT.

There are references to him being the top postgrad player in the country, but I couldn't find where that came from.

Look, he has put up bonker numbers.  He grew a lot during HS, which leads to bigger guys with guard skills. How that translates remains to be seen.  

For example, Bernie Blunt at Rocktop averaged 29 at Rocktop, went to Quinnipiac, played 11 games and then transferred to a JUCO.  AJ Burnett is playing NAIA. Torrin Andrews plays JUCO...along with others from this article.

These are not predictions, of course.  EJay has solid academics, D1 offers and his Dad was a hall of fame player at East Stroudsburg State.  I think an upbeat style at Rocktop is assumed, but that's what he will see here as well.  Coach Simon says he will be a tough matchup--and if his skills translate, he surely will be.

Welcome to the Falcons, EJay.

So.  14 players on the roster.  Don't forget about Jamai Felt.  Was injured last year but was making a real impression before that. Here is how it looks:

Wings:

  • Ejay Greer (FR, Rocktop Academy)
  • Da'Shawn Phillip (Sr, Maryland Eastern-Shore)
  • P.J. Edwards (So, UCF)

Guards:

  • DaJion Humphrey (Sr, JUCO)
  • Trey Thomas (Sr. Vanderbilt)
  • Marcus Hill (Jr., JUCO)
  • D.J. Smith (So, UALR)
  • Anthony McComb III (So, holdover)
  •  JZ Zaher, (So, EMU, walk-on) 

Forwards:

  • Rashaun Agee, (Sr. holdover) 
  • Jason Spurgin (Sr, Southern Utah)
  • Sam Towns (Sr. holdover)
  • Greg Spurgin (So)
  • Jamai Felt (R-FR, holdover)

Posted by Orange at 11:50 AM 3 comments

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Football Gets TE Commit for '24

So, the football team has its first commit for '24, so far as I know.  This is an interesting one.  

Jaylin Ballew is a TE from Brooklyn, NY, where he attends Erasmus Hall.  Currently, his 247 lists him as unrated, but also reports him as having offers from the Other Miami, Rutgers, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M.  People started offering him when he was a freshman. He had an offer from UConn and Bethune-Cookman recently. 

He scored a TD in their championship game in December. 

He was on Lemming's radar.

FWIW, Erasmus Hall was also the HS of Armon Bethea, an OL who transferred to BG from Arizona State and will be on the team this year.  There's another Bethea player there right now, as well.

He's 6'3" and 210.  

Welcome to the Falcons, Jaylin.

Posted by Orange at 6:02 PM 0 comments

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