Crimson Tide signs 25 for 2013

AP

(Below is Alabama’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban announced that 18 student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play football with the Crimson Tide, joining seven players who enrolled at the Capstone in January and will compete in spring practice later this semester.

The 25 total players, including seven mid-year enrollees, come from 13 states – Alabama (7), Georgia (3), Florida (2), Louisiana (2), Tennessee (2), Texas (2), Arkansas (1), California (1), Maryland (1), Pennsylvania (1), New Jersey (1), Utah (1) and Virginia (1).

As of 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Alabama’s 2013 signing class ranked first nationally by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals.com and MaxPreps. The Crimson Tide is ranked fourth in the Scout.com team rankings.

As listed by position, the Crimson Tide add to their roster four running backs, three defensive linemen, three linebackers, three defensive backs, three offensive linemen, two quarterbacks, two wide receivers, two athletes, one tight end, one long snapper and one defensive lineman/linebacker.

Seven players – Cooper Bateman (QB), Leon Brown (OL), Raheem Falkins (WR), Derrick Henry (RB), Brandon Hill (OL), O.J. Howard (TE) and Parker McLeod (QB) – are already attending classes at the University. They all enrolled in January, began taking classes for the spring 2013 semester and will be able to participate in Alabama’s spring football practices. The other 18 players signed national letters of intent today. The Crimson Tide had eight players in enroll in the spring of 2012, nine in 2011, 11 in 2010 and four in 2009.

Among the 25 players are:

· Class Rankings as of 3:45 p.m.: No. 1 247Sports, No. 1 Rivals, No. 1 ESPN, No. 1 MaxPreps (CBSSports.com) and No. 4 Scout.com
· 6 Five-Star Prospects (247Sports, Rivals, ESPN & Scout): Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Robert Foster, Derrick Henry, O.J. Howard, A’Shawn Robinson)
· 14 Four-Star Prospects (247Sports, Rivals, ESPN & Scout): Anthony Averett, Cooper Bateman, Leon Brown, Jonathan Cook, Raheem Falkins, Grant Hill, Eddie Jackson, Tyren Jones, Dee Liner, Darius Paige, Maurice Smith, ArDarius Stewart, Altee Tenpenny, Tim Williams,
· 9 players participated in the Under Armour All-America Game – Cooper Bateman, O.J. Howard, Robert Foster, Reuben Foster, Grant Hill, Alvin Kamara, Dee Liner, Maurice Smith, Tim Williams
· 5 players participated in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl game – Jonathan Allen, Derrick Henry, Tyren Jones, A’Shawn Robinson, Altee Tenpenny,
· 3 members of the Parade Magazine prep All-America team – Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Derrick Henry
· 8 members of the USA Today’s 2011 All-USA High School Football Team – Jonathan Allen (2nd), Robert Foster (1st), Reuben Foster (1st), Derrick Henry (1st), Grant Hill (1st), Dee Liner (1st), A’Shawn Robinson (2nd), Tim Williams (2nd)
· 14 players in the ESPNU150 – Jonathan Allen, Cooper Bateman, Robert Foster, Reuben Foster, Derrick Henry, Grant Hill, O.J. Howard, Tyren Jones, Alvin Kamara, Dee Liner, A’Shawn Robinson, Maurice Smith, Altee Tenpenny, Tim Williams
· 13 players on the PrepStar 150 Dream Team – Jonathan Allen, Robert Foster, Reuben Foster, Derrick Henry, Grant Hill, O.J. Howard, Tyren Jones, Dee Liner, A’Shawn Robinson, Maurice Smith, ArDarius Stewart, Altee Tenpenny, Tim Williams
· 11 players named to the Rivals.com 100 – Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Derrick Henry, Grant Hill, O.J. Howard, Tyren Jones, Alvin Kamara, Dee Liner, Darius Paige, A’Shawn Robinson, ArDarius Stewart, Altee Tenpenny
· 16 players in the Rivals 250 – Jonathan Allen, Cooper Bateman, Reuben Foster, Robert Foster, Derrick Henry, Grant Hill, O.J. Howard, Tyren Jones, Alvin Kamara, Dee Liner, Darius Paige, A’Shawn Robinson, Maurice Smith, ArDarius Stewart, Altee Tenpenny, Tim Williams
· 18 players in the 247sports.com Top 247 – Jonathan Allen, Anthony Averett, Cooper Bateman, Jonathan Cook, Reuben Foster, Robert Foster, Derrick Henry, Grant Hill, O.J. Howard, Eddie Jackson, Tyren Jones, Alvin Kamara, Dee Liner, Darius Paige, A’Shawn Robinson, Maurice Smith, ArDarius Stewart, Tim Williams.

(Writer’s note: below the jump are the complete bios of all 25 members of Alabama’s 2013 recruiting class.)

Jonathan Allen
LB/DL, 6-3, 264, Leesburg, Va./Stone Bridge
Jonathan Allen is one of the premier defensive prospects in the 2013 signing class … a defensive end in high school that could also project at outside linebacker … a five-star player by 247Sports, Rivals.com and Scout.com … played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl … 2012 Gatorade Virginia Football Player of the Year … first-team Parade Magazine All-American … second-team USA Today All-American in 2012 … the No. 11 player in the Top247 and the No. 2 outside linebacker nationally by 247Sports while ranking second among player from Virginia … listed 17th in the 247Sports Composite listing and the No. 3 OLB …. also the No. 11 player nationally and the No. 2 weakside defensive end by Rivals.com, but ranks as the No. 1 player in Virginia … Scout.com ranks Allen as the No. 2 defensive end and 34th in the Scout300 … 28th in the ESPN150 and outlet’s No. 3 defensive end … ranked 36th in the Tom Lemming MaxPrep rankings and the outlet’s No. 4 defensive end nationally … first-team All-American as a defensive lineman by MaxPreps … a five-star defensive end by PrepStar that ranks third at his position and 18th nationally … member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team and a PrepStar All-American … posted 119 tackles with nine sacks, six fumble recoveries, eight pass breakups, six blocked kicks and had seven pass breakups as a senior in 2012 … totaled 102 stops with 15 sacks and seven blocked kicks as a junior … finished with 87 tackles, 20 sacks and eight forced fumbles as a sophomore in 2010 … two-time first-team All-State performer in Virginia and Washington Post All-Metro selection … coached by Mickey Thompson at Stone Bridge High School … chose Alabama over Florida, Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, Stanford, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech.

Anthony Averett
ATH, 6-0, 170, Woodbury, N.J./Woodbury
Anthony Averett joins the Crimson Tide out of Woodbury High School in New Jersey … a talented athlete, who also boasts a distinguished career in track and field … ranks 115th in the Top247 and is the site’s No.14 safety and No. 5 player in New Jersey … ranks 274 in the 247Composite … No. 22 athlete by ESPN and No. 211 in the ESPN300 … Scout.com ranks him as the No. 23 cornerback nationally while Rivals.com lists him as the No. 23 corner … a PrepStar All-East Region choice … ranked 193rd nationally by PrepStar … No. 10 athlete in Tom Lemming’s MaxPreps … second-team small school All-American as a defensive back by MaxPreps … played in the Semper Fidelis All-American Game … clocked at 10.6 in the 100-meters, 6.46 in the 55 meters and high jumped 6-feet, 4-inches … maybe the top prep long jumper in the nation with a jump of 25-feet, two-inches, which was the longest jump in the nation this year and the second longest in state history … finished second in the 2012 Penn Relays in the long jump … posted 106 tackles, 12 pass breakups and five interceptions as a senior in 2012, which earned him first-team All-State honors … had 52 stops and three picks as a junior in 2011 and 40 tackles and three interceptions in 2010 … also ran for 1,278 yards (15 touchdowns) and passed for 836 yards (14 scores) as a senior … coached by Zac Valentine … nephew of former Miami (Fla.) All-American and Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie … chose Alabama over Penn State, Iowa, South Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee.

Cooper Bateman
QB, 6-3, 215, Murray, Utah/Cottonwood
Cooper Bateman comes to the Capstone as one of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2013 … a consensus four-star prospect that is ranked as the No. 3 pocket passer by ESPN and the No. 5 pro-style quarterback by 247Sports and Scout.com … 44th in the ESPN150 … rated 87th in the Top247 and 79th in the 247Sports composite rankings … ESPN Elite 11 quarterback … No. 11 pro-style quarterback by Rivals.com and No. 189 in the Rivals250 … the consensus No. 1 player in the state of Utah … led the Black Team to a win in the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game … No. 4 pro-style quarterback by MaxPreps … ranked 59th overall nationally by PrepStar … Sporting News’ No. 14 quarterback nationally … arrived at Alabama as an early enrollee in January of 2013 … coached by Greg Croshaw at Cottonwood High School in 2012 … threw for 2,384 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior while running 82 times for 277 yards and 12 touchdowns … threw for 2,484 yards as a junior with 26 touchdowns … connected for 27 touchdowns and just five interceptions as a sophomore while connecting on 68 percent of his passes for 2,786 yards … in his final three seasons at Cottonwood, passed for 7,654 yards and 68 touchdowns … chose Alabama over LSU, Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn and Washington.

Leon Brown
OL, 6-6, 300, Riverdale, Md. (Parkdale/ASA College
Leon Brown arrives at Alabama from junior college looking to compete for one of the open positions along the Crimson Tide offensive line … enrolled at the Capstone in January of 2013 to get an early start in spring drills … out of ASA College in Brooklyn, N.Y., Brown was a second-team All-Northeast Football Conference selection at tackle in 2012 … a four-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports and Scout.com … Scout.com ranks Brown as the No. 2 offensive tackle and the No. 8 overall junior college prospect … No. 50 in the Rivals.com JUCO Top 50 … a PrepStar JUCO All-American … played at Parkdale High School where he was a first-team All-County selection in 2010 … chose Alabama over Oklahoma, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Jonathan Cook
DB, 6-0, 186, Daphne, Ala./Spanish Fort
Jonathan Cook is a fast-rising four-start prospect at cornerback according to 247Sports … the nation’s No. 13 cornerback according to 247Sports and ranked 145th in the Top247 … a PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … rated as the No. 33 cornerback nationally by Scout.com … ranked as the nation’s No. 37 cornerback by Rivals.com … No. 73 defensive back according to ESPN … made 81 tackles as a senior in 2012 with seven interceptions and 21 pass breakups … made 65 tackles with six interceptions as a junior … first-team 2012 All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association … also named to the 2012 ASWA Super 12 team and was selected as the 5A Back of the Year … played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … played for Mark Freeman at Spanish Fort High School … chose Alabama over Nebraska, Louisville, Mississippi State and Mississippi.

Raheem Falkins
WR, 6-4, 195, New Orleans, La. /G.W. Carver
Raheem Falkins is a four-star prospect that boasts outstanding measurables for the wide receiver position … arrived at Alabama as an early enrollee in January of 2013 … ranks as the No. 38 wide receiver nationally and the No. 13 player in Louisiana by Rivals.com … the No. 41 wide receiver by ESPN and 247Sports … is 268th nationally in the ESPN300 while ranking 12 in the state and 128th in the Southeast Region … 247Sports also has Falkins as the No. 50 wide out in its composite rankings … No. 67 wide receiver by Scout.com … caught 47 passes for 1,058 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior while averaging 22.5 yards per reception … earned first-team 2A All-State honors from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association in 2012 … as a junior hauled in 51 catches for 800 yards and 14 scores … No. 23 in the Times-Picayune’s Nifty 50 … coached by Bryon Addison at G.W. Caver High School … chose the Crimson Tide over LSU, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Southern California, Illinois and Mississippi.

Robert Foster
WR, 6-3, 187, Monaca, Pa./Central Valley
One of the top wide receiver prospects in the nation, Robert Foster will give the Crimson Tide an explosive passing-catching option … participated in the Under Armour All-America Game … a first-team USA Today All-American … a five-star prospect by 247Sports and Scout.com … the nation’s No. 1 wide receiver according to 247Sports … No. 18 in the Top247 and he No. 2 player in the state of Pennsylvania … ranked 23rd nationally in the 247Composite and the No. 2 wide out … Scout.com lists him as the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 23 in the Scout300 … ESPN ranks Foster as the No. 2 wide receiver nationally and No. 25 in the ESPN150 … ESPN also has him as the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania and the No. 25 player in the East Region … Rivals.com rates him as the No. 4 wide receiver and the No. 4 player in the state … No. 32 nationally according to Tom Lemming with MaxPreps and is the site’s No. 1 wingback … Sporting News’ No. 49 player in the nation … a member of the PrepStar Dream Team and the publication’s No. 10 receiver and No. 80 player nationally… caught 45 passes for 756 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior, while rushing for 549 yards and 12 scores in 2012 … earned Pennsylvania Sportswriters Class AAA All-State honors in 2012 and was a 2011 PSWA All-State selection as a specialist … also intercepted four passes on defense with 67 tackles and eight pass breakups in his senior year … hauled in 37 passes for 584 yards and five touchdowns as a junior while rushing for 419 yards and two touchdowns in 2011 … as a sophomore in 2010, caught 25 passes for 520 yards and seven scores while rushing for 406 yards and three TDs … coached by Mark Lyons at Central Valley High School … chose Alabama over Pittsburgh, Penn State, Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame.

Reuben Foster
LB, 6-1, 244, Auburn, Ala./Auburn
Reuben Foster comes to the Capstone as the nation’s consensus No. 1 inside linebacker … member of the 2012 first-team All-USA Football Team, chosen by USA Today … named the defensive MVP of the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game … a five-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals.com, Scout.com, MaxPreps and PrepStar … the nation’s No. 2 overall player according to Scout.com and PrepStar while ranking third nationally by MaxPreps … rated 13th nationally in the Rivals100 … No. 15 in the Top247 and No. 16 in the ESPN100 … the top-ranked player in the state of Alabama by all national services … ESPN also ranks him 11th in the Southeast Region … the 247Composite has Foster ranked seventh nationally, the No. 1 inside linebacker and the top player in the state … member of the PrepStar Dream Team … recorded 102 tackles with 22 tackles for loss and six sacks as a senior at Auburn in 2012 … earned first-team All-State honors from the Alabama Sports Writers Association and was named the 6A Lineman of the Year … … invited to “The Opening” in the summer of 2012 on the Nike campus in Oregon … played in the 2013 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic … was the Georgia AAA Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-State selection as a junior at Troup County High School in 2011 … made 185 tackles with 144 solo stops, 34 tackles for loss and 18 sacks … had 112 tackles as a sophomore in 2010 at Troup County … coached by Charles Flowers at Troup County in 2010 and 2011 … played for Auburn High School head coach time Carter in 2012 … chose the Crimson Tide over Auburn and Georgia.

Derrick Henry
RB, 6-3, 242, Yulee, Fla. /Yulee
Derrick Henry is a five-star prospect that is listed as the nation’s No. 1 athlete and No. 4 running back prospect … member of the 2012 All-USA Football Team, chosen by USA Today … 2012 Maxwell Football Club National High School Player of the Year … broke Ken Hall’s 51-year-old national high school rushing record with 12,124 yards after rushing for 4,261 yards as a senior in 2012 … Parade Magazine All-American and the publication’s National Player of the Year … played for the East squad in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, rushing for 53 yards with a touchdown and a two-point conversion … MaxPreps National Player of the Year and first-team All-American … finished his high school career with 153 rushing touchdowns, which ranks fifth all time, including 55 in 2012 … arrived at Alabama as an early enrollee in January of 2013 … five-star prospect by ESPN, 247sports and Scout.com … No. 9 in the ESPN150 and the outlets No. 1 athlete … ranks sixth by ESPN in Florida and eighth in the southeast region … the No. 3 player in Florida by 247Sports and the No. 1 athlete nationally while ranking 12th in its Top247 … the No. 4 athlete by Rivals.com and the No. 70 player in the Rivals100 … MaxPrep’s (Tom Lemming) No. 2 running back and No. 13 player nationally … Sporting News’ No. 2-ranked running back and No. 5 player overall … PrepStar All-American and member of the PrepStar Dream Team … set the Florida high school record with a 510-yard performance against Jacksonville Jackson and averaged 9.2 yards per carry and 327.8 yards per game as a senior … 2012 first-team All-State selection by the Associated Press and was the Player of the Year on the All-First Coast team … named the 2012 Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club National High School Player of the Year … rushed for 2,610 yards and 34 scores as a junior in 2011 to earn first-team All-Coast honors from the Florida Times-Union … also a first-team All-Coast running back in 2010 after rushing for 2,788 yards and 38 touchdowns while averaging 8.9 yards per attempt … went for 2,465 yards and 26 scores as a freshman in 2009 … coached by Bobby Ramsay at Yulee High School … chose the Crimson Tide over a myriad of schools, including Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame, Southern California and Florida State.

Brandon Hill
OL, 6-7, 390, Collierville, Tenn. (St. George’s/Hargrave Military Academy
Brandon Hill arrives at Alabama after a season at Hargrave Military Academy with a lot of potential along the offensive line … enrollee in January of 2013 … No. 13 in the Rivals.com 2013 Prep Top 50 … a massive prospect who has good athleticism and quickness for his size … MaxPrep 2011 U.S. Air Force Medium Schools All-American … Scout.com rates him as the nation’s No. 25 offensive guard prospect … the No. 9 player in Tennessee by 247sports.com and the site’s No. 46 offensive tackle prospect … SuperPrep ranks him 11th in the state of Tennessee … earned All-State honors in Tennessee at the Division 2A level … Rivals.com has Hill as the No. 57 offensive tackle and the No. 18 player in Tennessee … ESPNU lists him as the No. 77 tackle nationally and the No. 19 player in Tennessee … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … a three-star recruit … helped St. George capture the Class A Division II Tennessee State Championship … coached by Brent Hill … chose Alabama over Mississippi coming out of Hargrave Military Academy … also recruited by Georgia, Mississippi State and Kentucky coming out of high school.

Grant Hill
OL, 6-6, 301, Huntsville, Ala./Huntsville
Grant Hill arrives at the Capstone as one of the top offensive guard prospects in the nation … member of the 2012 All-USA Football Team, chosen by USA Today … a consensus four-star prospect that is rated as the nation’s No. 1 offensive guard by ESPN … 86th in the ESPN150 while being listed as the No. 5 player in the state of Alabama and the No. 47 player in the southeast region … participated in the 2013 Under Armour All-American Game … No. 2 guard in the nation according to 247Sports and the 247Composite while ranking third and fourth in the state respectively … ranked 54th nationally in the Top247 and 60th nationally in the 247Composite … Scout.com ranks Hill as the No. 3 offensive guard and 67th in its Scout300 … PrepStar lists Hill as the No. 1 guard nationally … a member of the PrepStar Dream Team as the No. 71 player in the country … second-team All-American as an offensive lineman by MaxPreps … Tom Lemming of MaxPreps ranked him 40th overall nationally and the No. 5 offensive tackle prospect … Rivals.com rates Hill as the No. 5 offensive guard nationally and the No. 77 player in the Rivals100 … first-team All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writer Association … finalist for the ASWA 6A Lineman of the Year … played for head coach Scott Sharp at Huntsville High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Clemson and Mississippi State.

O.J. Howard
TE, 6-6, 235, Prattville, Ala. (Autauga Academy
O.J. Howard comes to Alabama the top tight end prospect in the class of 2013 … participated in the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game … arrived at Alabama as an early enrollee in January of 2013 … a five-star prospect is the No. 7 prospect nationally in the Rivals100 … is the outlet’s top-ranked tight end and No. 2 player in Alabama … 247Sports ranks Howard 20th in its Top247 with five stars while listing him as the No. 1 tight in and the No. 2 player in the state … the 247Composite lists him 14th nationally … No. 14 in the Scout300 and Scout.com’s top-ranked tight end … is ranked 45th in the ESPN150, the No. 2 tight end and No. 24 in the southeast region by ESPN … Sporting News’ No. 32 player in the nation … rated eighth nationally by MaxPreps (Tom Lemming) and is the No. 1 tight end … is the No. 13 player nationally by PrepStar, the publication’s No. 1 tight end and a member of the PrepStar Dream Team… three-time was first-team AISA All-State selection … missed part of his senior year due to injury, but amassed 854 of total offense and 12 touchdowns … accounted for 57 tackles on the defensive side of the ball in 2012 … named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 12 team … AISA 2012 Lineman of the Year … as a junior in 2011 had 11 receiving touchdowns, eight rushing scores and also threw for three TDs … caught 41 passes for 926 yards while rushing for 487 yards … had 89 tackles with eight sacks and three forced fumbles on defense … as a sophomore in 2010, set the school record with 31 total touchdowns while also breaking the school’s receiving records … named the team’s defensive MVP after making 89 tackles with six interceptions and four sacks … coached by Chris Honeycutt at Autauga Academy … chose Alabama over Florida, USC and Auburn.

Eddie Jackson
DB, 6-0, 175, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla./Boyd Anderson
Eddie Jackson was key addition for the Crimson Tide in the secondary for the 2013 class … a four-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports … ranks 157th in the Top247 and is the outlet’s No. 5 athlete … ranked as the No. 14 athlete in the 247Composite … also ranked 21st in the state of Florida by 247Sports … ESPN lists him as No. 54 wide receiver … also rated as a wide out by Rivals.com where he was listed 48th … the No. 48 wide receiver by Scout.com … caught 37 passes for 792 yards and touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball as a senior in 2012 … also contributed five interceptions, 66 tackles and one forced fumble on defense … returned two interceptions for touchdowns … coached by Wayne Blair at Boyd Anderson High School … chose Alabama over LSU, Florida State, Arkansas and Tennessee.

Tyren Jones
RB, 5-9, 215, Marietta, Ga./Walton
Tyren Jones is one of the more productive running backs in the class of 2013 … participated in the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl … consensus four-star prospect … ranked 63rd in the ESPN150 and the network’s No. eight running back … rated as the No. 9 player in Georgia and the No. 34 player in the southeast by ESPN … 64th in the Top247 and the site’s No. 6 running back nationally … in the 247Composite ranks 66th nationally, eighth at running back and sixth in Georgia … Rivals.com rates Jones as the No. 11 running back and 79th in the Rivals 100 … Rivals.com also lists him as the No. 5 player in the state of Georgia … the No. 91 player nationally by Scout.com and the No. 15 running back … a member of the PrepStar Dream Team as the No. 62 player nationally and the No. 9 running back … Tom Lemming of MaxPreps ranks Jones as the No. 5 running back nationally and the No. 79 overall recruit … rushed for 1,845 yards (6.46 yards per carry) and 18 touchdowns as a senior in 2012 … was a second-team All-State selection in Class AAAAAA by the Georgia Sports Writers Association … earned first-team GSWA All-State honors and was named the AAAAA Offensive Player of the Year as a junior in 2011 … rushed for 2,375 yards and 33 touchdowns while catching 15 passes for 205 yards and two more scores … also scored twice on returns while totaling over 400-return yards … coached by Rocky Hildalgo at Walton High School … chose Alabama over Georgia, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Oklahoma State, Tennessee and North Carolina.

Walker Jones
LB, 6-2, 234, Germantown, Tenn./Evangelical Christian
Walker Jones continues a family tradition, inking his scholarship papers with the Crimson Tide, joining Barrett and Harrison as members of the Alabama football team … a middle linebacker and running back in high school that projects to the defensive side of the football at Alabama … ESPN rates him as the No. 26 inside linebacker nationally and No. 11 in the state of Tennessee … the No. 8 prospect in the state by CBSSports.com … Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 22 linebacker and 11th in Tennessee … ranked 40th at his position by Scout.com … Tom Lemming of MaxPreps rates him as the nation’s No. 25 inside linebacker … invited to play in both the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl and the Semper Fidelis All-American bowl (unable to play due to basketball) … earned All-State honors from both the Tennessee Sports Writers Association and TNVarsity.com in both 2011 and 2012 … PrepStart All-Southeast Region selection and the publication’s No. 18 outside linebacker … Memphis Commercial Appeal Best of Preps in 2010, 2011 and 2012 … a finalist for Tennessee Mr. Football in 2012 when he captained Evangelical Christian to a state runner-up finish … All-Region selection in his final three seasons and the Region Defensive MVP in 2011 … set the school record for most tackles in a season and most tackles in a career … led team in tackles as a sophomore, junior and senior … scored 15 rushing touchdowns in 2011 and 10 in 2012 … Southern Prep Stars top linebacker in 2012 … helped lead his team to the State Championship on the basketball court in 2010 … … father, Rex, played basketball for Alabama … will join brother, Harrison, at the Capstone … oldest brother, Barrett, started on three Crimson Tide National Championship teams (2009, 2011 and 2012) … coached by Geoff Walters at Evangelical Christian School … chose Alabama over Tennessee, Arkansas, Nebraska, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State.

Alvin Kamara
RB, 5-10, 195, Norcross, Ga./Norcross
Alvin Kamara represents one of the nation’s top running backs with excellent versatility … the nation’s No. 2 all-purpose by Rivals.com and the No. 45 player in the Rivals100 … also ranked as the No. 6 player in Georgia by Rivals … selected to participate in the 2013 Under Armour All-American Game … No. 32 in the ESPN150 and the No. 4 running back … ESPN ranks Kamara as the No. 4 player in Georgia and No. 17 in the Southeast Region … 247Sports lists him as the No. 3 all-purpose back and the No. 7 player in Georgia, while ranking him 66th in the Top247 … is the No. 1 all-purpose back in the 247Composite, the No. 5 player in Georgia and the No. 42 player nationally … invited to “The Opening” in the summer of 2012 on the Nike campus in Oregon … the No. 69 player in the Scout300 and Scout.com’s No. 12 running back prospect … No. Sporting News’ No. 47 player in the nation … rushed for 2,264 yards and 26 touchdowns while averaging 7.5 yards per carry as a senior in 2012 … added 22 receptions for 286 yards and five scores … … second-team All-American as a running back by MaxPreps … earned Georgia Mr. Football honors from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution … was the Class AAAAAA Player of the Year and garnered first-team All-State honors from the Georgia Sports Writers Association … added 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior in 2011 … played for head coach Keith Maloof at Norcross High School … chose the Crimson Tide over Georgia, but also considered Florida State, Georgia Tech, Florida, Southern California, Clemson and Tennessee.

Dee Liner
DL, 6-3, 281, Muscle Shoals, Ala./Muscle Shoals
Dee Liner is one of the elite defensive line prospects in the 2013 signing class … a member of the first-team 2012 All-USA Football Team, chosen by USA Today … participated in the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game … ESPN rates Liner as the No. 4 defensive tackle in the nation and ranks him 26th on in the ESPN150 … also second in the state by ESPN and 14th in the southeast region … Tom Lemming of MaxPreps lists Liner as the nation’s No. 21 overall player, a five-star prospect and the No. 3 defensive tackle … No. 7 strongside defensive end by Rivals.com and ranked 61st in the Rivals100 … the No. 3 player in the state of Alabama by Rivals … listed as the No. 8 defensive tackle by Scout.com and No. 48 in the Scout300 … Sporting News’ No. 55 player in the nation … ranked 112th in the Top247, the site’s No. 10 defensive tackle and No. 7 player in the state … No. 46 nationally and the No. 4 defensive tackle in the 247Composite … first-team medium school All-American as a defensive lineman by MaxPreps and a second-team selection on the overall All-American team … was a 5A All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writer Association … recorded 76 tackles with 18 tackles for loss as a senior at Muscle Shoals High School where he was coached by Scott Basden … made 83 tackles with 17 sacks as a junior in 2011 while also breaking up two passes, forcing five fumbles and recovering two fumbles – one for a touchdown … registered 81 stops with six sacks in 2010 … finished his high school career with over 200 tackles, 68 tackles for loss and 32 sacks … Alabama over Auburn, Georgia, Miami (Fla.), Southern California, Tennessee and Arkansas.

Cole Mazza
LS, 6-1, 246, Bakersfield, Calif./Liberty
Cole Mazza proved to be one of the best long snappers in the country and that was a priority for the Crimson Tide faced with the departure of three-year starter Carson Tinker … earned a five-star ranking as a sophomore in high school at the Rubio Long Snapping Camp … the nation’s No. 1 long snapper by 247Sports and the No. 1 long snapper nationally in the 247Composite … ESPN ranks Mazza as the No. 3 long snapper in the country … three-star prospect by Rivals.com and the No. 11 snapper … three-star prospect by PrepStar and the No. 8 long snapper nationally … also served as the starting center for head coach Tony Mills at Liberty High School in Bakersfield, Calif. … chose Alabama over UCLA, Washington State and Utah.

Parker McLeod
QB, 6-3, 190, Marietta, Ga. /Walton
Park McLeod comes to the Capstone as the nation’s No. 31 pocket passer according to ESPN … ranks 58th in Georgia by ESPN and 278th in the southeast region … arrived at Alabama as an early enrollee in January of 2013 … the No. 35 pro-style quarterback by Rivals.com … 247Sports lists McLeod as the No. 59 pro-style quarterback nationally in 2013 and No. 41 in its 247Composite rankings … Scout.com has him as the No. 63 QB nationally … as a senior in 2012 played in six games due to injury and threw for 541 yards with four touchdowns … threw for 1,619 yards as a junior in 2011, while completing 63.9 percent of his passes with 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions … earned All-League and All-Metro honors as a junior … coached by Rocky Hildalgo … chose Alabama over Oklahoma State, Louisville, Maryland and Boston College.

Darius Paige
DL, 6-4, 314, Foley, Ala./Foley
Darius Paige a consensus four-star defensive line prospect out of Foley High School … the fourth-ranked defensive tackle by 247Sports and No. 55 in the Top247 … rated the No. 4 player in Alabama by 247Sports … No. 14 tackle in the 247Composite and 175th nationally … Rivals.com rates him as the No. 15 defensive tackle, No. 240 in the Rivals250 and No. 10 in the state of Alabama … ESPN ranks him 21st among defensive tackles and No. 239 in the ESPN300 … 10th in the Alabama by ESPN and 115th in the southeast region … Scout.com lists him as the No. 23 tackle and No. 221 in the Scout300 … played in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl for the East squad … PrepStar ranks him as the No. 18 defensive tackle and No. 176 nationally … earned honorable mention 6A All-State honors from the Alabama Sports Writers Association in 2012 at Foley … made 97 tackles with 32 tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior at Washington High School in Pensacola, Fla. … played for Todd Watson at Foley High School … chose Alabama over Florida State, Tennessee, LSU, Tennessee, and Louisville.

A’Shawn Robinson
DL, 6-4, 320, Fort Worth, Texas/Arlington Heights
A’Shawn Robinson is one of the elite defensive linemen in the 2013 signing class … member of the second-team 2012 All-USA Football Team, chosen by USA Today … played for the West squad in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl … a five-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals.com and Scout.com … Scout.com ranks him as the nation’s No. 1 defensive tackle and the fifth-best player in the nation at any position … 247Sports lists Robinson as the country’s No. 3 offensive tackle, the 26th overall prospect in the Top247 and the No. 3 player in the state of Texas … the 247Composite has him as the No. 2 offensive tackle, the No. 33 overall player and the No. 4 athlete in Texas … Rivals.com ranked him as the No. 2 prospect in Texas, the No. 4 defensive tackle in the nation and was 33rd in the final Rivals100 … Sporting News’ No. 32 player in the nation … ranked 11th by ESPN at defensive tackle and 13th in the state of Texas … ESPN also listed him as the No. 13 player in the Midlands Region and 105th in the ESPN150 … rated 70th nationally by Tom Lemming at MaxPreps and the No. 4 defensive tackle … No. 30 on the 2013 PrepStar Dream Team … invited to the 2012 “The Opening” all-star event on the Nike campus in Oregon … recorded over 60 tackles with seven sacks and six forced fumbles as a junior in 2011 and graded out at over 85 percent on his blocking assignments at offensive tackle … coached by Todd Whitten at Arlington Heights High School … chose the Crimson Tide over Texas while also considering Southern California, LSU, Arkansas and Florida State.

Maurice Smith
DB, 6-0, 180, Sugar Land, Texas/Fort Bend Dulles
Maurice Smith is a consensus four-star cornerback … played in the Under Armour All-American Game … ranked as the No. 5 cornerback in the class of 2013 by Scout.com and listed 55th in the Scout300 … 247Sports ranks him as the No. 11 corner, rates him No. 121 in the Top247 and 14th in Texas while the 247Composite has him 84th nationally, the No. 9 cornerback and No. 111 in Texas … ranked 12th among corners by Rivals.com and 143 in the Rivals250 … ESPN has him as the No. 8 player in the state of Texas and No. 8 in the Midlands Region … No. 84 in the ESPN100 and the outlet’s No. 12 cornerback … PrepStar ranks him as the No. 7 corner and the nation’s No. 89 player … a member of the PrepStar Dream Team … the No. 15 cornerback by Tom Lemming of MaxPreps … recorded one interception as a senior in 2012 with 21 receptions for 389 yards and seven touchdowns … had 63 tackles and three interceptions as a junior in 2011 … played for head coach Jim Creech at Fort Bend Dulles High School … chose Alabama over Florida, Arkansas, Arizona State, Texas, LSU, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Michigan.

ArDarius Stewart
ATH, 6-0, 190, Fultondale, Ala./Fultondale
ArDarius Stewart was one of the top football players in the state of Alabama as a junior and senior … a consensus four-star athlete … ranked as the No. 3 athlete nationally by Rivals.com and No. 66 in the Rivals100 while being listed as the No. 4 player in Alabama … No. 67 in the Top247, the No. 3 athlete nationally and the No. 5 player in the state by 247Sports … No. 86 nationally in the 247Composite, No. 3 athlete and No. 5 in Alabama … ESPN rates him the No. 18 athlete and 181st in the ESPN300 … Scout.com lists him as the No. 10 wide receiver and 94th-best prospect in the nation … No. 59 in Tom Lemming’s MaxPreps Top 100 and the No. 1 athlete … a five-star prospect by PrepStar, which ranked Stewart as the No. 49 player in the nation and No. 3 athlete … first-team small school All-American as an all-purpose player by MaxPreps and a second-team selection on the overall All-American team at defensive back … The Birmingham News Player of the Year … a 2A All-State selection and Back of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association in 2012 after scoring 52 touchdowns on passes, runs and returns in 2012 … had 1,923 yards rushing in 2012 after totaling 2,188 on the ground in 2011 … had 55 tackles with two interceptions in 2012 … also earned 2011 ASWA first-team 2A All-State honors … finished his career at Fultondale High School with 138 total touchdowns … coached by Keith Register at Fultondale High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Clemson, Florida State and Utah.

Altee Tenpenny
RB, 6-0, 207, North Little Rock, Ark./North Little Rock
Altee Tenpenny comes to the Capstone as one of the best running backs in the nation and the consensus No. 1 player in the state of Arkansas … consensus four-star recruit … selected to play in the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl … 247Sports ranks him as the No. 5 running back in the nation and the top player in Arkansas … 51st in the Top247 … Rivals.com rates him as the No. eight running back and No. 53 in the Rivals100 as well as the No. 1 player in the state … Tom Lemming of MaxPreps No. 3 running back and No. 46 recruit nationally … Sporting News’ No. 47 player in the nation … Scout.com lists Tenpenny 84th in the Scout300 and as the nation’s No. 14 running back … a five-star player and member of the PrepStar Dream Team as the publication’s No. 33 player nationally and No. 7 running back … Sporting News’ No. 8 running back … first-team 7A All-State by the Arkansas High School Activities Association … rushed for 1,379 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior in 2012 with seven receptions for 135 yards and two more scores … missed the 2011 season with a broken ankle … averaged 7.63 yards per carry as a sophomore with 15 touchdowns and 1,121 rushing yards … invited to “The Opening” in the summer of 2012 at the Nike campus in Oregon … coached by Brad Bolding at North Little Rock High School … chose Alabama over the in-state Razorbacks as well as Auburn, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

Tim Williams
LB, 6-3, 235, Baton Rouge, La./University Lab
Tim Williams gives Alabama another top player out of the state of Louisiana … a consensus four-star prospect … selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game … 36th in the ESPN150 and the No. five defensive end in the nation by ESPN … also ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana and the No. 18 player in the Southeast Region by ESPN … Tom Lemming of MaxPreps rates Williams as the nation’s No. 35 player and the No. 4 outside linebacker … 247Sports lists him as the No. 2 weakside defensive end nationally, No. 73 in the Top247 and the No. 3 player in Louisiana … 82nd in the 247Composite … Scout.com has Williams as the nation’s No. 20 defensive end and No. 167 in the Scout300 … Sporting News’ No. 48 player in the nation … a member of the PrepStar Dream Team as the nation’s No. 85 prospect and the sixth-ranked defensive end … registered 115 tackles with 45 tackles for loss and 16 sacks as a junior in 2011 … a 2011 and 2012 first-team Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State selection … second-team small school All-American as a defensive lineman by MaxPreps … named to the Baton Rouge All-Area team and was a Louisiana 2A All-State selection … coached by Chad Mahaffey at University Lab High School … chose Alabama over Miami, LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Southern California and Texas A&M.

AP

It’s probably somewhere around here that we’ve officially hit the low point of the Johnny Manziel saga(ish).

As John posted over the weekend, Manziel sent out an early morning tweet on Sunday venting over some unknown point of frustration.

“Bull**** like tonight is a reason why I can’t wait to leave college station…whenever it may be,” Manziel wrote before removing the tweet. The Heisman Trophy winner later followed up with  “Don’t ever forget that I love A&M with all of my heart, but please please walk a day in my shoes.”

Turns out the source of Manziel’s angst was nothing more than a parking ticket. Reportedly. According to Brent Zwerneman of the San Antonio Express-News:

Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, had been fishing in Port Aransas on Saturday and was still on the coast when he talked over the phone to an officer, who wrote him a ticket for being parked the wrong way in front of his house and for his windows being tinted too dark (his vehicle was in College Station while he was with friends in Port Aransas), according to the insider. Manziel tweeted out his frustrations in dealing with the matter, quickly removed the post, followed with a tweet that he loved A&M but for people to please walk in a day in his shoes.

Speculation about the source of said “bullspit” was followed later Sunday evening by a report from the Dallas Morning News that Johnny Football almost never came to be as A&M initially suspended Manziel for the season following his offseason arrest in 2012. Manziel was reportedly considering a transfer when his appeal of the suspension was approved and the rest is, well, you know.

So now that that whole thing’s been cleared up, how ’bout we go back to Manziel going to basketball games and meeting Megan Fox.

AP

Meandering our way through the offseason, a single one-liner at a time…

– The loss of superstars leaves West Virginia’s 2013 offense in open-audition mode.

– The NCAA with a heart and (gasp!) common sense?  From the Tupelo Daily Journal: “Ole Miss was granted a release by the NCAA for quarterback Bo Wallace to pass in front of offensive coordinator and QB coach Dan Werner so a coach can monitor Wallace’s comeback from shoulder surgery.”

– PennLive.com: Penn State pass rusher Deion Barnes looms as Lions’ X-factor this year.

– Speaking of the NCAA, its embattled and beleaguered president, Mark Emmert, has embraced athletic directors as part of future directions and decisions regarding college athletics.

– Ahead of the dog days of summer, Indiana’s quarterback competition is a dead heat.

– Decatur Herald-Review: transfer Wes Lunt gives head coach Tim Beckman an early Illini win.

– Des Moines Register: New NCAA rule already has Iowa State’s Paul Rhoads pondering clock management.

– It’ll be an open competition to figure just who will rise up as Syracuse’s punt-return specialist.

– The breach-of-contract lawsuit filed against Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy has been rescheduled for late July, shortly before the start of summer camp.

– Night MACtion: five of Toledo’s six home games will be played under the lights this season.

– If a pair of high school players follow through on their verbal commitments, they would become just the second players ever from the states of Colorado and Minnesota to play for Alabama in that program’s storied history.

– After a “secret” visit to Auburn came to the public light, Clemson verbal quarterback commit DeShaun Watson assures the Tigers faithful there’s nothing to worry about.

Already knowing that three defensive secondary starters would need to be replaced, Wisconsin took a hit a week ago when reports surfaced that projected starter Reggie Mitchell would be leaving the Badgers, likely for Pittsburgh.

Now, that unit has apparently taken yet another hit.

According to a Fresno, Calif., television station, safety Donnell Vercher has been denied admission to UW and will not play for the Badgers this fall.  Instead, CBS 47 Sports reported, the defensive back will play for Fresno State in 2013.  A source told the station that grades are not an issue and Vercher will be eligible to play for the Bulldogs immediately.

No reason for Vercher being denied admission to UW was given.

Vercher had signed with the Badgers earlier this offseason after spending the 2012 season at a Fresno junior college.  Thanks in large part to the attrition in the secondary, Vercher was seen as a potential starter once summer camp opens in early August.

(Photo credit: Fresno City College)

(Tip O’ the Cap: ESPN.com’s Big Ten blog)

The Big Ten’s move to a nine-game conference schedule has officially claimed one of its first victims.

An Ohio State official confirmed Tuesday to the Columbus Dispatch that the school has canceled its scheduled 2016 game against Central Michigan.  A letter was sent by OSU to CMU recently to inform them that they were nixing the game scheduled for Sept. 24 at Ohio Stadium.

2016 will be the first year of the Big Ten’s nine-game schedule.

There’s no word yet on what type of financial assuagement the Chips will receive as a result of the cancellation.

The Buckeyes’ first two games of the 2016 season will remain home contests against Bowling Green (Sept. 3) and Tulsa (Sept. 10), followed by a road trip to Norman to take on Oklahoma Sept. 17.

The reason for keeping BGSU over fellow MAC member CMU, the Dispatch writes, is because the former is an in-state school as well as being the first stop in Urban Meyer‘s collegiate head-coaching career.

Oh, what the hell.  Let’s add another layer to the college football soap opera that is Johnny Manziel a few days after he tweeted “Bull**** like tonight is a reason why I can’t wait to leave college station.”

Most people know that, in his first season as a starter, the quarterback not only led Texas A&M to an unprecedented first season in the SEC, but also became the first freshman — redshirt or otherwise — to take home the storied Heisman Trophy.

What some people tend to forget is that, exiting spring practice last year, Jameill Showers was the favorite to win the Aggies starting job and, a couple of months later, Manziel was arrested and charged with a handful of misdemeanors related to an incident at a College Station drinking establishment.  It was at that point that the fortunes of Aggie football in general and Manziel specifically reportedly reached a crossroads that the public never knew about.

Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, Kate Hairopolous of the Dallas Morning News reports that, in the aftermath of his arrest and subsequent shirtless mugshot, Manziel was suspended for the 2012 season by A&M.  As a result, the source told Hairopolous, Manziel gave serious consideration to transferring from the Aggies pending an appeal.

The appeal was successful, obviously, and the rest is downright college football lore.

In Manziel’s first season as a starter… and in Kevin Sumlin‘s first season as the Aggies’ head coach… and in A&M’s first season in the best football conference in the country, well…

An 11-win season that was the Aggies’ most since 1998.  A 28-point Cotton Bowl beatdown of then-No. 11 Oklahoma.  And, the icing on the cake, handing Alabama its lone loss in a season that ended with the Tide’s second straight BCS title and third in four years.

It was, by all accounts and every tangible measurement, an unmitigated success, with nothing but on-field positives heading into arguably the most anticipated season in the program’s history.  That said…

It’s been widely speculated — and not exactly shot down by the player — that Manziel will bolt A&M following the 2013 season for the NFL as he would be three years removed from high school and thus eligible for the draft.  Based on the Tim Tebow-like crush of attention the I’ll-live-my-life-however-I-damn-well-please-so-FU Manziel receives, that’s quickly evolving into what’s likely the best course of action for all involved.

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Not only is Mark Stoops making eye-opening inroads on the recruiting trail at Kentucky — the Wildcats are No. 2 in Rivals.com‘s 2014 team rankings for football — but he and his staff are also viewed as viable transfer options for talented players at other schools as well.

Demitrious Davis confirmed to the Lexington Courier-Journal‘s Kyle Tucker that he and his twin brother, Chris Davis, have decided to continue their collegiate playing careers at Kentucky.  It was reported last month that both players would be leaving Pittsburgh.

The decision came after the brothers, Ohio natives, visited UK earlier Tuesday, and the connection to their home state appeared to play a role on some level in landing in Lexington.

“The coaching staff they’ve brought in is great,” Demitrious Davis said of Stoops, also an Ohio native, “and after the visit today, it just felt like home. It felt good to be there. We’ve seen all the other Ohio guys that will be there, and we know how good Ohio football is.”

Both of the Davis twins were three-star members of Pitt’s 2012 recruiting class, rated as the No. 32 (Demitrious, who will be a wide receiver/running back at UK) and No. 33 (Chris, cornerback) “athletes” in the nation by Rivals.com.  They were the No. 39 and No. 40 players, respectively, in the state of Ohio.

The brothers will be forced to sit out the 2013 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules.

AP

Earlier this month, Miami football player Dyron Dye filed an incident report with the Coral Gables police department in which it was alleged that an NCAA investigator had “coerced” Dye into making statements that benefited The Association’s case against the Hurricanes.

In the end, Dye’s attempt to hold the NCAA accountable for alleged shady investigative tactics fell short.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, no felony charges will be brought against former NCAA investigator Rich Johanningmeier.  The paper writes that “Coral Gables police referred the case to the Miami-Dade State Attorney office without attaching any felony charges.”

Dye could still pursue misdemeanor charges against Johanningmeier, with the player’s attorney, Darren Heitner, telling the Sun Sentinel that they “will discuss internally and make a calculated decision” on their next legal step.

In the original police report, Dye had alleged that he felt coerced by Johanningmeier “into providing favorable answers for his investigation” into the Nevin Shapiro allegations that landed UM in front of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions late last week.  A decision on any penalties on the football program in addition to the self-imposed two-year bowl ban is expected no later than eight weeks from last Friday.

Dye was suspended for the first  four games of the 2011 season in connection to his involvement in the Shapiro scandal.  It was shown by the NCAA in August of that year that Dye received from Shapiro and “UM athletics personnel” $738 in impermissible benefits during a recruitment that led to the player signing on as part of the Hurricanes’ 2009 recruiting class.  Those benefits included five nights of impermissible lodging from institutional staff during their unofficial visits — an allegation directly tied to former UM assistant Aubry Hill — transportation, multiple meals and entertainment at a gentleman’s club.

With the suspension served and monetary restitution made, Dye returned to play in six games in what was his redshirt sophomore season after making the switch from the defensive line to tight end.  He then played 12 games at that position in 2012.

Dye moved back to the line following the 2012 season.  He suffered an Achilles injury during the first scrimmage this past spring and is out indefinitely, leaving his status for the 2013 season up in the air even prior to his remaining eligibility allegedly being threatened by a then-member of the NCAA’s investigative arm.

Forget about venues or rotations or anything of that sort.

The single most important decision the new College Football Playoff officials will make is finalizing a selection committee, and how said committee will determine the four teams who will fill the four-team field for the new system that will be implemented following the 2014 regular season.  Unfortunately, a decision on that critically-important facet of the new system is still far off on the horizon.

Following yet another series of meetings, the College Football Playoff released a statement Tuesday evening that shed little new light, save for the revelation that college football fans are still likely “several months” away from learning the composition of the all-important selection committee.

Here’s the text of the release, in its entirety:

“The makeup and operation of the selection committee is one of the most important decisions we have to make,” executive director of the College Football Playoff, Bill Hancock, said. “Our first season is more than a year away so there is no rush to get this done, but we’re pleased with the progress we’re making.  We will continue to proceed in a deliberate, thoughtful, and thorough way.

“Nothing is final until everything is final and we anticipate additional work on this issue for the next several months.”

Hancock did note that more than 100 names were submitted for consideration for inclusion on the committee.  Ultimately, the committee is expected to consist of 12-18 individuals, and is expected to be composed of a mix of former administrators, coaches and, perhaps, media members.

Suffice to say, the names of those being considered have yet to be released.

Cowboys Stadium in Dallas will host the first College Football Playoff championship game, scheduled for Jan. 12, 2015.  The two semifinal games leading up to the championship will be played at the hosts sites of the Sugar and Rose bowls 11 days earlier on New Year’s Day.

AP

And there you have it.

Shortly after posting on Mike Gundy (eventually) lifting some of the transfer restrictions off Wes Lunt, Illinois announced what had previously been reported, that the quarterback has signed a tender of financial aid and will play football for the Illini.  Again, Lunt will have to sit out the 2013 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules and will have three years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2014.

“We’re thrilled that Wes has decided to come back home to the state of Illinois to play for the Fighting Illini,” head coach Tim Beckman said in a statement. “As he showed last season starting as a true-freshman for Oklahoma State, he’s an exceptional talent and an exceptional person. He’ll have a year to work with offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, our coaching staff and his teammates learning the offense before competing for the starting job in 2014.”

Lunt was named Oklahoma State’s starting quarterback after spring practice last year as an early enrollee true freshman and started the first three games of the season before being sidelined with an injury.  He came back to start two more games before another injury sidelined him again.

Following a spring practice this year when he had apparently slipped down the depth chart, Lunt decided to transfer from the Cowboys.

AP

Quite the public pot was stirred when, shortly after Wes Lunt announced he was transferring from Oklahoma State, word surfaced that head coach Mike Gundy had severe restrictions on where the quarterback could move.

In addition to the Big 12, Lunt was not permitted, without paying his own way the first year, to transfer to a Pac-12 or SEC school (possibility of meeting in a bowl game); Southern Miss (former OSU offensive coordinator Todd Monken is now the head coach there); and Central Michigan (a future opponent in 2015 and 2016).  As it turns out, though, Gundy had a change of heart, albeit a little too little, too late.

Lunt told Channel 1450 in Illinois Monday that Gundy had called his former high school coach to inform him that some of the restrictions — likely not the Big 12, however — had been lifted.  Originally embarking on the search for a new collegiate destination with a list of five preferred schools, Gundy’s restrictions prevented Lunt from pursuing Southern Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, ultimately settling for a final two of Illinois and Louisville.

According to Lunt, by the time Gundy lifted the restrictions “he’d already lost contact with coaches at other schools in his top five.”

Monday, it was reported that Lunt would be transferring to his home-state Illini.  That school has yet to officially announce the player being added to the program.

Despite ending up where he likely would’ve landed sans the restrictions, Lunt still — and justifiably — appears slightly upset over Gundy’s actions in the immediate aftermath of his departure.

“It was difficult. I didn’t understand the process, so when they were blocked, I knew I could appeal but it was going to take awhile,” Lunt said. “It was frustrating. I understand the Big 12 . That’s obvious. The others, it was a little frustrating, but that’s part of it and I understand it. It’s all good.”

After sitting out the 2013 season, Lunt will have three years of eligibility remaining.

(Tip O’ the Cap: ESPN.com’s Big 12 blog)

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Meandering our way through the offseason, a single one-liner at a time…

– A waterfall (not pictured) is coming to the football locker rooms of the Mal Moore Athletic Facility as part of a $9 million renovation.

– The Anderson Independent Mail writes that Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins is poised for a record-breaking season.

– The Daily Oklahoman takes a look at the players who have benefited from the graduation exception to the NCAA transfer rule.

– The Gainesville Sun lists the five freshman who could emerge for Florida in 2013.

– Rich Rodriguez and his Arizona coaching staff dressed up in Western gear?  Rich Rodriguez and his Arizona coaching staff dressed up in Western gear.

– As is the case with most major college football programs, vacations are over for Colorado State players.

– Michigan’s Allen Grant has been moved from defensive back to strongside linebacker.

– In coaching weight loss news, Texas head coach Mack Brown has lost 20 pounds this offseason.

– The Big Ten Network‘s Tom Dienhart has Ohio Stadium as the best football venue in the conference.

– The installation of a new playing surface at Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium has begun.

– Wisconsin sells out its allotment of student tickets for the 2013 season in less than two hours.

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With little hope of moving any further up the depth chart, an Oregon State quarterback has decided to ply his football wares at a lower level.

In a tweet posted to his Twitter account, Richie Harrington announced that he is leaving the Beavers football program.  Harrington will be transferring to Southern Utah, an FCS-level program.

As he’s transferring down a level, Harrington will be eligible to play in 2013 and will have three years of eligibility remaining.

“Ready for a new chapter,” the player wrote in the tweet.

Coming out of Oaks Christian (Calif.), the 6-1, 224-pound Harrington walked on to the Beavers in 2011 and appeared in three games in 2012.  He completed six-of-nine passes for 66 yards last season.

Following practice this spring, Harrington remained behind the well-seasoned Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz at the quarterback position.

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On the same day he “parted ways” with Missouri, it appears Torey Boozer already has another collegiate destination in mind.

First, the negative: according to Terez Paylor (no relation) of the Kansas City Star, the linebacker has been dismissed from the Tigers football program by head coach Gary Pinkel.  ”Undisclosed disciplinary reasons” was all that was said in regards to the dismissal.

Boozer subsequently tweeted that he will be moving on to SMU, although that school has yet to confirm the addition.

Boozer, who exited spring this year No. 3 on the depth chart, was arrested and charged in early October for marijuana possession.  Even as he took a redshirt for his true freshman season, Boozer was “suspended” for one game because of the off-field incident.

A three-star member of Mizzou’s 2012 recruiting class, Boozer was rated as the No. 46 safety in the country.

An alleged sexual assault last year will leave the playing careers — and freedom — of two Navy football players very much up in the air.

In a statement Monday afternoon, the U.S. Naval Academy announced that three unnamed Navy current and former football players will be charged with rape.  The military academy’s superintendent, Michael Miller, “has chosen to send the case to Article 32 proceedings” wrote Military.com.

An official charge sheet has yet to be completed, which is why the names of the three suspects have not been released.  Two of the suspects are current Navy football players, while the third was set to graduate in May but was denied the opportunity because of the criminal case.

All three players were permitted to play football for the Midshipmen as the investigation into the alleged rape continued.

From the website, here’s a description of the alleged attack:

The female midshipman who reported the sexual assault attended a party at an off-campus property known as the “football house” in Annapolis in April 2012, according to a statement from her lawyer, Susan Burke. …

The midshipman woke up at the football house the next morning “with little recall of what had occurred,” according to the statement. She later found out through friends and social media that three football players had “sexual intercourse with her while she was incapacitated,” according to the statement.

The female midshipman reported the incident to NCIS, saying she was intoxicated and didn’t remember much from the night. NCIS started an investigation in April 2012 that continued throughout the summer and into the fall.

The investigation was closed in November, but was reopened two months later after the alleged victim’s attorney spoke to NCIS.  In February, the investigation was reopened.

(Photo credit: MilitaryTimes.com)

AP

For the third time in less than three years, Chris Martin‘s time at an FBS football program has come to an early and abrupt end.

Kansas head coach Charlie Weis announced Monday that the defensive end has been dismissed from the Jayhawks.  The decision comes three weeks after Martin was one of three men arrested in connection to an armed robbery.  Martin and two former KU players were charged after allegedly robbing cash and marijuana from victims at gunpoint at a house on May 13.

Despite the serious nature of the charges, the door was still open for Martin’s return to the Jayhawks.  Weis, though, intimated in his statement on the dismissal that another misstep may have been involved.

“Due to recent incidents Chris Martin was involved with, he was given a list of stipulations he was required to meet for him to remain a member of the Kansas Football team,” Weis said in the release. “Because he did not follow some of those stipulations we have dismissed him from the team.”

Martin was a five-star member of Cal’s 2010′s recruiting class, but transferred to Florida five months later.  Less than a year later, he left Florida following an arrest for marijuana possession.

He spent 2011 and 2012 at the JUCO level before transferring to the Jayhawks and Weis, who Martin had committed to when he was the head coach at Notre Dame.