Five Star Follies: Part III

This is the third article in the on-going series of features evaluating the Rivals.com five-star recruits over the last five years...

The college football recruiting recruiting class of 2008 may go down as one of the best in recent time.

Unless of course you are a Miami Hurricanes fan.

Many of the National experts determined that in 2008 the University of Miami was to have landed the #1 recruiting class. But in the end it was simply not to be for various reasons and issues.

That was due to players like five-star DL Marcus Forston (seen above with OcalaCane and his wife) who's career was plagued by injury and five-star LB Aurthur Brown (seen below with Cat5 Cane) who could never break into the starting lineup and would later transfer to Kansas State.

What had looked so promising and good coming in to Coral Gables on National Signing Day in 2008 did not appear as successful or productive coming out on 2011. So goes the the game of love and war known as college football recruiting.

According to Rivals.com there were 30 five star players in the class of 2008. At least 10 of them would go on to be major impact players. Two of them were Hurricanes (DT Forston, LB Brown).

Yet both five star recruits for UM in 2008 were soon to be surpassed by another lesser-known and lower ranked player named Sean Spence (seen below with Aldarius Johnson, Brandon Harris and Blake Ayles).

Here are the 2008 five star impact players by rank, school and performance:

Rivals Class of 2008 Five Star Player Quick Facts:

• Total Players: 30
• Number of Impact players: 10
• Percentage of Impact Players: 30%
• Number of Players Who Transferred: 5
• Number of Injured Players: 5

The 10 impact players and their rankings from the 2008 class were:

• (1) QB; Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
• (2) DE DeQuan Bowers, Clemson
• (4) WR Julio Jones, Alabama
• (5) CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
• (9) WR A.J Green, Georgia
• (11) OL Matt Kalil, USC
• (14) QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
• (15) OL Tyron Smith, USC
• (26) WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pitt
• (27) WR Michael Floyd, ND

The 5 players who transferred from their original LOI to another school:

• (6) RB Darrell Scott (from Colorado to USF)
• (19) RB Jermie Calhoun (from Oklahoma to FCS school Angelo State)
• (23) LB Authur Brown (From Miami to Kansas State)
• (25) QB Dayne Christ (Notre Dame to Kansas)
• (28) ATH Burton Scott (Alabama to South Alabama)

The 5 players who were impacted by major injuries:

• DT Marcus Forston, Miami
• OL Matt Patchan, Florida
• WR Deandre Brown, Southern Miss
• ATH Richard Samuel, Georgia
• OL Tyler Love, Alabama

In summary the 2008 class was above average in terms of impact players (10). The class was also average in the number of transfers (5) and in players who were impacted by major injury (5).

Comments

[Six]

86 - use the bbq email for Fran

Hassan - Jacob Guy is walking on at UiF. I remember you saying something about a team like Western Michigan looking at him

Since 2007, Western Michigan has been Top 5 in the MAC in passing yards

'07 - 5th 3,211 23 TDs
'08 - 1st 3,614 37 TDs
'09 - 3rd 3,306 24 TDs
'10 - 1st 3,429 30 TDs
'11 - 1st 3,946 40 TDs

They like to toss the ball around the yard

[SOUP]

Six...roger that.

[UMike]

Of the 24 players committed to sign next Wednesday, two appear to be hedging -- Miramar receiver Malcolm Lewis, who will take a trip to UCLA this coming weekend according to his coach and Jacksonville First Coast linebacker Reggie Northrup, who took a trip to Florida State last week and will visit Ohio State this coming wekeend. Both are considered among UM's Top 10 overall recruits.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2012/01/canes-have-four-year-starter-in-all-american-linebacker-raphael-kirby-coach-says.html#storylink=cpy

Is Lewis really wavering? I doubt it

[CaneRock]

From the Sporting News:

23. Detroit Lions: Sean Spence, OLB, Miami.

Outside linebacker Justin Durant is a free agent this offseason, and the Lions are not going to pay him a lot of money. They grab Spence, who is the best linebacker to come out of Miami since Ray Lewis.

Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/feed/2011-10/nfl-mock-draft/story/nfl-mock-draft-andrew-luck-robert-griffin-iii-justin-blackmon-matt-kalil#ixzz1kQRRKXSz

[hassan]

Lewis is not wavering TOS said he is not taking anymore visits just today lol

[DrewZ2]

LB,

Think how long it's been since we had a great D-lineman (Wilfork) & LB (Vilma & Williams. It's been along time for a lot of things!

Posted by: herbieibis | January 24, 2012 at 04:59 PM

Granted Miami does have some pretty high standards for best at position. Vilma, Williams, Wilfork are pretty big shoes to fill for any college play at any school.

[DrewZ2]

Hearing Tracy Howard is 50/50. Not sure if he'll sign because he has said he wants out of SouthFla but Golden & co are definately making him rethink everything.

[SOUP]

Not sure if he'll sign because he has said he wants out of SouthFla but Golden & co are definately making him rethink everything.

Posted by: DrewZ2 | January 24, 2012 at 08:18 PM

REALLY? "HE" wants out of SoFL?

Is that what U heard? Who told U that?

[DrewZ2]

Read that somewhere that he was quoted earlier in the recruiting process that he wants out of SoFla. Thats why I think he is/was/rumored leaning towards UF

[UMike]

Coral Gables is a safer city than Gainesville..and Gainesville is not far enough to get away from "Miami" if that is what he really wanted. I think Golden and staff might just pull it off, especially with 2 Miramar teamtates at UM, him being close friends with Lewis and Duke and Bush being on campus for his visit to recruit

[Ohio_Cane]

Papa Cane says Malcolm Lewis is sold to UM. Regardless of upcoming visit

[Ohio_Cane]

Sold = SOLID. Lol that looks bad

[Ohio_Cane]

Like I've said previously, Howard to UM is a long shot, but it's def possible. This visit will make or break Canes

[UMike]

Ohio..be careful..people might be watching lol..I can see it now "NCAA investigating Miami after claims made on a Miami sports blog" lol

[Ohio_Cane]

Lol UMike. That's why I corrected it immediately

[3G Cane]

They grab Spence, who is the best linebacker to come out of Miami since Ray Lewis.
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Never heard of Russ Lande, but he just lost ALL credibility.

[3G Cane]

Like I've said previously, Howard to UM is a long shot, but it's def possible. This visit will make or break Canes

Posted by: Ohio_Cane
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I can't wait to be wrong about Howard not coming here...

[Ohio_Cane]

Southwest Florida Alumni Club of the University of Miami

Alumnus has 2 50-yard line tickets on the South side (shady) for the 2012 season, $500 donation per seat plus the cost of the season tickets. If interested, we'll connect you

Actually 6 tickets - 2 at row 30, 4 at row 18

[canesteeler]

Ohio, damn the alumnus is asking for a mortgage payment!

[3G Cane]

Lewis possibly nixing the ucla trip to come down on an unofficial #TracyHowardToTheU visit

[SOUP]

Thats why I think he is/was/rumored leaning towards UF

Posted by: DrewZ2 | January 24, 2012 at 08:30 PM

If by "HE" you mean "his mother" then U would be correct.

I'm jus sayin...

[3G Cane]

Soup- Thats exactly what I was thinking. Starting to believe she is the only one that wants him to go away from home.

[Ohio_Cane]

If by "HE" you mean "his mother" then U would be correct.

I'm jus sayin...

Posted by: SOUP | January 24, 2012 at 09:10 PM
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I was gonna say this, but I didn't know if I could say that much, so I erred on the side of caution. Lol

[hassan]

Six, Jacob Guy is not the worst, he can def play, He is not D2 but not Miami material IMO, Not a knock on him or your eval ability, who knows maybe Crow will improve a lot and be a factor one day.

[WindyCane-Forecast1]

For all of you "Stars don't matter" folks...here is an extremely in-depth article rating stars vs draft rank. In addition, it shows the development of talent by the schools...Miami, as we all have noted, is not very good at developing their talent...

http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2011/4/30/2143688/the-best-and-worst-college-programs-and-conferences-at-developing

Posted by: Texascane | January 24, 2012 at 10:58 AM

Miami not developing talent? Golden is starting to fix that.

[hassan]

PJ Williams decided his final decision to go to FSU

[Ohio_Cane]

PJ Williams decided his final decision to go to FSU

Posted by: hassan | January 24, 2012 at 09:52 PM
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Just read that. Kinda surprised. I heard he was gonna be a Cane

[hassan]

Yeah me too Ohio, plus as a young kid who soakes up the limelight why do that tonight, that kinda stuff kinda eludes to the FSU staff needing to shore up who is firm who is not, this time of year those SHIPS are in short supply and they need to know who is Onboard and who is not lol

Speaking of Onboard the Canes are in the same boat we have a couple oars left and need to know who will join the team and start pulling.

[UMike]

So if PJ is solid to FSU..does that mean we are down to 1 silent?

[SOUP]

I was gonna say this, but I didn't know if I could say that much, so I erred on the side of caution. Lol

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | January 24, 2012 at 09:15 PM

U did the right thing. U know what we know.

Sometimes the truth MUST be told.

[SOUP]

IF PJ goes to FSU then U know that...well U know what has happened without me saying it, right? I still think he comes to Miami.

[SOUP]

Hassan...there is something wrong with your device. It has been poisoned. Scrap it and get a new one.

[hassan]

LOL i tried from 3 different devices lol

[CGNC]

Ohio and Canesteeler - Pens win in a shootout - 7th in a row :-D

[Ohio_Cane]

Oh I watch every game. Great win vs a really good team!

[j.w.]

Congrats, CG! Are yhou able to ride these days? We got severasl inches of rain Fri-Mon, so I'm not too optimistic about tomorrow.

[Montreal-Cane]

One more reason for not wanting to be a Gator...9 players arrested in less than a year...

Florida DT Orr settles marijuana possession case

6 hours, 21 minutes ago

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP)—Florida defensive tackle Leon Orr has settled two misdemeanor drug charges.

Orr accepted a deferred prosecution deal. He must pay $50 in court costs and either an additional $150 fine or 12 1/2 hours of community service.

Orr was cited Jan. 10 after a University Police Department officer searched his dorm room and found marijuana, a marijuana pipe and rolling papers on his desk and bedside table, according to a police report. Orr admitted to owning the drug, pipe and papers. He was charged with possession of marijuana under 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors.

Orr’s arrest was the ninth involving a
--------------------------------------
Florida player since coach Will Muschamp
----------------------------------------
was hired a year ago...
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[The Dude]

Posted by: 3G Cane | January 24, 2012 at 08:46 PM

For sure. Must have never heard of All Americans like Dan Morgan, Jon Vilma, D.J. Williams or Jon Beason. I am so sick of the "this is the best kid ever talk."