Recruiting wars heating up for signing day

Posted 11:27AM on Friday 1st February 2002 ( 23 years ago )

ATLANTA - With national signing day set for Wednesday, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are running neck-and-neck with Tennessee for Cedar Grove lineman Marcus McNeil. The 6-foot-8, 315-pound McNeil, rated as nation's No. 12 prospect at his position by TheInsiders.com, had ruled out Tech but agreed to visit the campus last weekend. Bill O'Brien's decision Thursday to withdraw his name from consideration for an NFL job might be a saving grace for Georgia Tech. O'Brien, the Yellow Jackets' offensive coordinator, interviewed last week for the same position with the Minnesota Vikings. Though new Tech coach Chan Gailey hired Patrick Nix from Samford last week to serve as defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator, O'Brien's departure would have been a big blow to the Jackets' shot at signing a decent freshman class. Under former coach George O'Leary, O'Brien served as recruiting coordinator from 1999-2000. Equally important: O'Brien's ability to keep Tech's passing offense atop the Atlantic Coast Conference after Ralph Friedgen left in November 2000. ``I'm not going anywhere,'' O'Brien told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ``I'm happy to be at Georgia Tech.'' BACK-ALLEY TALK: O'Leary's departure continues to hurt recruiting. Only O'Brien and Glenn Spencer remain from last year's staff, and the fate of two new assistants lies in the hands of a Tech Athletic Association Board subcommittee that school president Wayne Clough appointed Wednesday. Defensive coordinator Rick Smith and receivers coach Tommie Robinson admitted their resumes contained false information. Smith's biography claimed he played on the football and baseball teams at Florida State, but he said Monday that was not true. After those discrepancies became known, sports information director Mike Stamus and his staff contacted each assistant to ensure there were no other mistakes. That's when Robinson pointed out that he didn't earn a masters degree in education from Troy State, as the Tech originally said in a Jan. 4 news release. The Jackets already were embarrassed in December by revelations O'Leary lied on his resume, costing him a new job at Notre Dame just five days after he left the Yellow Jackets. ONE RECEIVER BACKS OFF, ANOTHER DOESN'T: David Vickers, a top-rated receiver from Akron, Ohio, had been leaning toward verbally committing to sign with Tech, but he changed his mind after visiting Iowa last week. ``Iowa has an excellent academic reputation and the football program is on the rise,'' Vickers told TheInsiders.com. ``I felt like part of a family at Iowa. From the players and coaches to the students and administration, I just felt comfortable.'' Despite facing lots of double-coverage this year, Vickers still had 627 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. The Jackets got some good news, though, when receiver Lekeldrick Bridges of Dallas told NewbergRecruiting.com he will sign with Tech. GEORGIA ALL OVER THE MAP: How much of a guessing game is recruiting? Consider Georgia's class, which is ranked No. 6 nationally by Rivals.com but not even in ESPN.com's top 20. Tom Lemming of ESPN thinks the Bulldogs could jump up considerably with a commitment from running back Nick Turner of Atlanta's Washington High. ``Nick has yet to make a decision,'' Lemming said, ``but it's my belief that he'll wind up at Georgia.'' Turner, though, told Newberg on Monday that he's narrowed his choices down to Maryland and Mississippi State. Lemming was impressed when Sandy Creek defensive tackle Kedrick Golston committed to the Bulldogs earlier this week. ``Georgia has not landed as many blue-chippers as the schools ranked ahead of them,'' Lemming told ESPN. ``I'm a big fan of the Bulldogs. However, I always try to take politics out of my rankings. By this time next week, I expect Georgia to be close to the Top 10, but at this stage they're not there yet.'' Golston is a major prospect but may not be able to contribute in 2002. He suffered a broken femur in a car accident in October and is still rehabbing his leg. ``I was very serious about Tennessee and Auburn but I felt like Georgia needed defensive tackles,'' Golston told Newberg. ``I like the direction Mark Richt has the program headed. They are up and coming. Plus, I am a Georgia boy. The great players in this state need to go to Georgia, not leave and go to Tennessee, Florida, FSU and all those other schools. If the great players in this state go to Georgia, we can win championships.'' MORE DOG TALK: Derek Morris, the 6-foot-6, 340-pound offensive tackle from Huntersville, N.C., told Newberg he will wait until signing day to announce whether he will choose Georgia, Ohio State or North Carolina State. ... Newberg reported Wednesday that North Miami Beach offensive lineman Max Jean-Giles will choose between the Bulldogs and Miami, but the 6-4, 335-pounder will wait until Wednesday, too. ... Insiders.com rates Morris as the nation's fourth-best offensive line prospect and Jean-Giles No. 7. Georgia also has a legitimate shot at signing Shelby, N.C.'s Brandon Jefferies, the No. 2 prospect. ``Right now, I'm open between N.C. State, UNC, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina,'' Jefferies told Newberg. ... The Norcross-based Newberg also reported Monday that Charlotte's Mario Raley, considered the nation's 19th-best receiver, will sign with Georgia.

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