Troy brings in a strong class in 2013

Troy is looking to improve their offensive and defensive line and they found some recruits that would help them get to where they are trying to get to in the upcoming 2013-2014 season and beyond. They have brought in some good talent. Let us take a look at the talent the Trojans have brought in.

Troy 2013 recruiting class is lead by recruit Sam Lebbi of Dematha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland; he is rated as the # 6 6’1 235lbs middle linebacker in the country by one scouting service, which also puts him at a four-star recruit with one recruiting service.  

The Trojans have also brought in CB Cardell Lue 6’0 185lbs of Hebron High School in Carrollton, TX , RB Tim Longmire 5’11 194lbs of Godby High School in Tallahassee, FL, OL David Gross, 6’5 270lbs from Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, Alabama and Jordan Chunn a 6’0 205lbs running back from Madison County High School in Gurley, Alabama. These players where highly recruited and should receive immediate playing time with the Troy Trojans.

Also signed with the Trojans on yesterday are the following recruits.

Joshua Anderson, RB

South Paulding H.S., Douglasville, Ga.

5-11, 230

3-Start Recruit

Arie Anderson, DT

Stanhope Elmore H.S., Millbrook, Ala.

6-3, 285

Jaylen Daniels, DE

Dooley Co., H.S., Vienna, Ga.

6-3, 205

Taylor Driggers, DT

Brantley, Ala., H.S.

6-2, 250

Taylor Edwards, OL

Water valley, Miss., H.S.

6-4, 290

Highly recruited by several schools

Xavier Fields, OL

Stanhope Elmore, H.S., Millbrook, Ala.

6-4, 345

Dondrell Harris, DB

Rutherford H.S., Panama City, Fla.

5-11, 180

Jalen Harris, WR

Northview, H.S., Dothan, Ala.

6-1, 185

Julius McCall, DB

Chelsea, Ala., H.S.

5-10, 170

Brett Medforth, OL

Sylacauga, Ala., H.S.

6-3, 245

Zach Moore, LB

Coffee County, H.S., Douglas, Ga.

6-1, 200

Clark Quisenberry, WR

Enterprise, Ala.

6-3, 205

Seth Roberts, DT

Ariton, Ala., H.S.

6-4, 250

Bryan Slater, DL

St. Paul's Episcopal School, Mobile, Ala.

6-2, 268

Montavious Smoke, DB

Stanhope Elmore H.S., Millbrook, Ala.

6-1, 182

Jevius Terry, DB

Eagles Landing Christian Academy, McDonough, Ga.

5-9, 160

We can also look for Josh Anderson of Douglasville, GA to make a strong impact for the Trojans along with Taylor Edwards of Water Valley, Mississippi.

GO TROJANS! 

South Alabama 2013 recruiting class brings size and talent

South Alabama has closed its 2013 signing class on a good note. And this class of 2013 I call a strong one for the South Alabama Jaguars. There were many needs on this squad, and Joey Jones and his staff have found those answers.  Kaleb Blanchard leads the 2013 class as the Jaguars top recruit.

I am proud to say that this is the best class of signee's since the new football program has signed. Coach Joey Jones has worked hard to bring in talented JUCO’s and High School players this year, which should be ready to start this fall after they prove themselves capable and ready.  South Alabama is bringing in a class that will be able to play hard, and help the Jaguars win their first conference title and even make a post season bowl game for the first time in the program history.

Let’s take a look at what South Alabama has brought on board to the Jaguars squad in 2013.

Dejon Funderburk
Pensacola, Florida

6’0  180lbs

3-Star Recruit

Kaleb Blanchard

Denham Springs, LA

RB

6’0  195lbs

3-Star Recruit and rated a 4-Star by some recruiting services

Shaverez Smith

McDonough, GA

JUCO – Dean College

WR

6’1 200lbs

3-Star Recruit

Jerome McClain

Pensacola, FL

(JUCO) Defensive Tackle

6’2 290lbs

3-Star Recruit

Caleb Haymen

Gainesvile, GA

6’2  197lbs

Brandon McKee
Cumming, GA
6’2  180lbs

P/K

Among the 2013 signing class is Noah Armstrong, Tevaris McCormick, Caleb Alves who also highlights the2013 signing class on offense. The Jaguars also signed Xavier Johnson and Brett Sheehan a quarterback.  South Alabama got two JUCO running backs transfers in Jay Jones and Cristobal Dinham.  

Roman Buchanan,  Devonta Staples, and Jalen Wells also joins the class of 2013 recruits. Many of these recruits will get plenty of reps in the upcoming spring and fall practices. I am really proud of this signing class.

2013 National Signing Is A Couple of Days Away

The 2013 National Signing Day for college football is a couple days away, stay with the Insider for updates on your favorite recruits in the Sun Belt Conference.

South Alabama campus editor tries to slam the Insider

I am writing this post just because I want to inform you my faithful followers about what is happening with your Insider. I do believe that I should keep you all informed.

During this off season I haven’t posted much, because I also write on politics and operate a Satellite radio network. However I am devoted to bringing you informed information always.

Recently, about a week about I posted here on the Insider about South Alabama football coach hiring two new assistants, which you will find below. I want to inform you on what’s happening. When I post here on my blog I also share what I post in other groups on other sites such as face book and twitter.

I recently posted my blog post in a South Alabama Jaguars group page on Face Book as I always did. When I share the post, I once again received questioning from a South Alabama on campus newspaper editor. That’s right once again, because it’s not the first time he has questioned me, and I will not call names, because that’s not of my character.

But I want to make sure am I right or wrong, and I would like to get some feed back from you my followers and visitors on this matter.  The last time I checked, I am a blogger and not a press service. I also thought I have a right to free speech as well and a right to my own opinion.

The young man questioned me and asks me why do I re-quote what al.com says in my posts on my blog, well maybe because al.com gets most of their info from South Alabama website as I do, but not all the time. Not only that he stated that the Athletics Department at South Alabama was very and highly upset with me, because I post about their program on my blog.

Let me clear up something here, I post on anything that is made public by the university itself. When South Alabama issue a news release or media release it becomes public and also if it’s posted on its website its public.

I also believe that I can re-quote a local newspaper if I mention them in my posts.

I also asked this young, why can’t South Alabama Athletics Department contact me and inform me that they are very upset with me and have a concern with me? He couldn’t and would not answer.

Once again it’s the hatred that comes from this campus and those that have a little authority and want South Alabama world to be centered around them only. For some time many fans of South Alabama have been in disagreement on how the Athletics Department is ran out there at South Alabama. And you see that constantly by all of the games that they hold on campus, when fans don’t even come out to support any of the teams.  The Mitchell Center is half empty at basketball games, and now they have football and the attendance there has drop heavily since the program started a few years ago.

Here at the Insider I created this blog to help bring more positive and informed news on what’s happening around the Sun Belt Conference. I am a supporter and fan of South Alabama sports. I live here in Mobile and always wanted South Alabama to have a football program in the FBS and glad that it has come to pass. But I see there are haters out there that don’t want to see you do well, and don’t want any attention taken away from them.

However I am glad that I am not that type of person and I will never be. I will continue to write here on my blog on whatever I feel I should write on with my opinions.

So the floor is now open, and you can share your thoughts!

Roach, Pearson headed to South Alabama to fill coaching vacancies

Coach Travis Pearson

South Alabama Jaguars head coach Joey Jones has completed the hiring of two more coached to fill the vacancies left open by former coaches that took coaching jobs elsewhere.

Joey Jones has hired Freddie Roach and Travis Pearson to the coaching staff. Roach a former Alabama standout who was recently a defensive line coach at Murray State, and Pearson, most recently the defensive coordinator at Colquitt County, Ga., High School. 

"I'm very happy to have the two additions to our staff that we have in Freddie Roach and Travis Pearson,'' Jones said Friday. "

"But also, they are great football coaches. They really understand football and they bring the factor that -- the thing I noticed in both of them in the interview process -- is they have a look in their eyes that they will translate to our players. They'll get them to play extremely hard on the field because they have a lot of passion for what they're doing and they are going to bring that to the field.

Coach Freddie Roach

"They aren't going to settle for anything less than that, and like I said, they are unbelievable ball coaches. They understand Xs and Os and they are going to teach all those things to our young players.''

Both new coaches are in town this weekend to be a part of South Alabama recruiting weekend. This recruiting season will be very special and important for South Alabama as they moved into the Sun Belt Conference as full members and be able to compete for the conference championship and a post season bowl game.

Roach will join Brian Turner in coaching defensive linemen for the Jags, with Pearson set to coach linebackers. Sherrer will coach the Jags' secondary as well as handle defensive coordinator duties.

So goes the Sun Belt Conference

College football realignment is real and it can have a big impact on college football conferences. In this ever changing business of college football, nothing seems to be so sure and steady. However it is guaranteed to be about the dollars and cents.

I have been covering and following the most recent realignment in college football, and I have watched C-USA peck the hell out of the WAC and the Sun Belt Conference. I have watch the Big East nearly dissolve and lose all of it Catholic 7 basketball teams, and Boise and San Diego State return to the Mountain West after committing to the Big East. Don't forget Big Ten added two programs in Rutgers and Maryland, and the ACC added Louisville from the Big East. The SEC took from the Big 12 and the Big 12 took in as well.

In all of this conference shuffling, the Big East and Sun Belt Conference remains in it all. The Big East is grabbing C-USA teams and the C-USA is grabbing Sun Belt teams. We all know that the Big East wants to remain at the top of the group of five and we also know that Conference USA wants to be a mega conference of 14-16 teams. The Big East also wants to remain alive, as well as the Sun Belt.

There is a big change that is about to take place soon and if it does, I don't see the to much of a brighter future for the Sun Belt Conference, if they continue not to be proactive.

There are serious reports out there that the Big East is targeting Tulsa and Southern Miss to be apart of their conference, which many are calling the new C-USA. Tulsa and Southern Miss have both hinted that they are ready to leave C-USA, which they are calling the new Sun Belt Conference. Tulsa don't want to be with those SBC teams that’s now in C-USA.

The Mountain West still has it's eyes open along with the Big East, and if both or either decides to grab a couple from C-USA, then C-USA will nearly kill the Sun Belt Conference. Rice and Texas-El Paso have been targets for the Mountain West while New Mexico State and three Sun Belt schools in Western Kentucky, Arkansas State and Georgia State all have been mentioned as potential C-USA expansion candidates.

The Sun Belt Conference could possibly be left with five FBS schools and be looking to add more FCS programs to continue to a FBS conference and a competitive conference. Or C-USA could just kill the Sun Belt Conference all together and leave them scrambling just like the WAC.

What disappoints me in all this conference realignment is that I see many of the other conference on the forefront of this matter and being very proactive. Over in the Sun Belt Conference all I see is quite leaders that is still searching for a solution. My question is why is Commissioner Karl Benson and those eight AD's that are left not being proactive as the other conference, instead of letting other conferences continue to recruit schools from the Sun Belt Conference. Do they have any intentions on saving the Sun Belt Conference and do they really care. If they do, when?

Don't forget that Commissioner Karl Benson is on his third commissioner job in college football, and all I can say is look at what's happening to the Sun Belt Conference, just as what happened in the WAC. Commissioner Benson knew what was about to take place in the WAC so he got out of there quick, so it would not seem as if it was his fault or leadership. But less than a year in the Sun Belt that has already followed Commissioner Benson to the Sun Belt Conference.

Every news report that comes about the Sun Belt Conference and it's expansion plans, all you continue to hear is we are exploring our options and nothing will be done before 2014. Well if I was an AD or college president, I wouldn't wait either on a conference that is not proactive to save a dying conference or have a solution.

Many reports and rumors are out there that Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, Liberty, Lamar, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State, UT-Chattanooga and Sam Houston State are all on the Sun Belt Conference radar. There is no doubt that these schools could be competitive in the Sun Belt immediately. So why not add them now? Oh I forgot, it's all about the markets and dollars.

The Sun Belt Conference had one option already open and should have been put on the table and agenda in adding already an FBS member New Mexico State to get back to nine members in 2013-2014 season, to keep the eight SBC members from having to scramble for a additional non-conference game. The SBC conference could have either added Appalachian State or Georgia Southern now, so they could declare their independence status with the FCS and become a member of the SBC in 2014 as a transitional member.

Why is all of this overlooked? Some believe that the SBC is waiting until all the dominoes fall, and then begin the work of adding programs. Well I don't think many of the remaining AD's and Presidents are happy with the situation and not knowing the future of the conference they are in. What if Georgia Southern and other FCS programs get invited to other conferences or back out of becoming an FBS program.

The answer to all of that is, if the MTW Conference expands to 14 and the Big East grabs Tulsa and Southern Miss, the Sun Belt Conference maybe dead just like the WAC.

Don't get me wrong I love the Sun Belt Conference and hate to see so many programs leave the conference, and I hate to see our leadership sit still and not be proactive just as the other conferences are being proactive.

South Alabama gets verbal commitment from three star Terrence Upshaw

RB Terrence Upshaw

A three star 5'10 190lb running back name Terrence Upshaw of Duluth, Ga. has committed to South Alabama Jaguars to play college football. Upshaw is planning to sign with South Alabama on national signing day Feb. 6th.

Upshaw made an official visit to the Jaguars campus over the weekend, and last year Upshaw has put up some number in his senior year in high school. He has a total of 1,200 yards in total offense, rushing and receiving. This year he had 1,600 yards total offense and 27 rushing touchdowns.

Upshaw's high school coach, Chad Davenport, said he had an offer from Vanderbilt really early and he decided to wait it out and see what else is out there.

Georgia State adds four for spring semester

Georgia State is on a roll in bringing in new players to their football program. 

The Georgia State Panthers welcome a pair of mid-year junior college signees in quarterback Clay Chastain, a 6-4, 211-pound sophomore from Georgia Military College and Powder Springs, Ga. (Harrison High School), and defensive lineman George Rogers, a 6-2, 296-pound junior from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Stillwater, Okla. (Stillwater High School).

Georgia State also added Tarris Batiste, a transfer from Indiana State. The 6-1, 205-pound defensive back played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2012 and collected 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, one pass breakup and one forced fumble. He hails from Irvine, Calif., but moved to Cartersville, Ga., where he attended Cass High School. Batiste will sit out the 2013 season and then have two years of eligibility beginning in 2014.

Also enrolling at Georgia State is freshman running back Jonathan Jean-Bart of McDonough, Ga., who graduated from Henry County High in 2012 but sat out the fall after sustaining a knee injury during his senior season. He rushed for 536 yards in the first five games of 2011.

Georgia State is building a great so far.

Seven games for the Sun Belt Conference eight

With the many changes surrounding smaller college football conferences, the Sun Belt Conference learned on Tuesday that all eight teams will need to add another non-conference game to their schedules. Middle Tennessee and FAU is now out and headed to the C-USA on July 1, 2013, leaving eight teams in the Sun Belt and all eight will only play seven conference games.

Middle Tennessee and Florida Atlantic will not be leaving without paying a fee to the Sun Belt Conference, each team must pay as agreed $700,000 to exit early and be apart of C-USA, according to the commissioner Karl Benson.

“Our desire to aid our athletic directors in finalizing the 2013 football schedule was the reason for allowing a reduced exit fee,” Benson said in a statement released by the conference. “While the seven-game conference schedule is not perfect, the understanding is that this would only be for one season.”

One season says Benson, so this is a early indication by Benson that the Sun Belt will expand in the near future, just not for the 2013 season.

Well good bye Middle Tennessee and FAU, hope the grass is greener on the other side as promised; to make you jump ship so quickly. Tulsa made it known that they are ready to exit C-USA for either the MTW or Big East, whomever invites them first. Tulsa AD also made it known that two many Sun Belt teams are coming into C-USA, so is Middle Tennessee, FAU, FIU and North Texas really welcomed into C-USA...lol. Tulsa don't want to be associated with them.

Maybe soon we will see how all this works out. Georgia Southern AD said he already has drafted an acceptance letter if an invite from the Sun Belt comes, wow! I really wish the Sun Belt Conference will go ahead and do what's right and act and get our conference stable and on a more progressive platform. By adding four more teams would really help this conference and our chances in the new NCAA playoff system come 2014.

Sun Belt Conference should not continue to let C-USA continue to peck our members as they did the WAC. If the AD's and the Commissioner is really serious about saving the Sun Belt, then they would reach out and add members that are dedicated and add them sooner. If not more members are going to look for new homes and if they are called they will answer.

Last but not least, the Sun Belt Conference needs to re-negotiate their TV contracts for a better payout to their members, and secure additional bowl tie ins. Why not reach out and get those bowl tie in the WAC had Commissioner Benson?

Time is running out, and sitting back waiting and watching the dominoes fall and not be progressive will result in no conference or left overs.

Teams that would really help the Sun Belt Conference and create an huge impact in college football is the following; Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, Lamar, New Mexico State, UT-Chattanooga and I will not count out Idaho with their new head coach and staff. So what are you going to do Sun Belt and Commissioner Karl Benson, we are all waiting.

Troy adds nine mid-year signees

On Thursday Troy head football coach Larry Blakeney announced the additions of nine mid-year enrollees to their football program for the spring semester of 2013. Looking at each of the individuals that were announced, look like Blakeney and his staff have added some great talent.

The following enrollees to Troy all signed in February of 2012 and took a grayshirt year in the fall and each of the enrollees did not use a year of eligibility.

Defensive back Rishad Goode (Madison, Ala.-Bob Jones HS), 6’0, 190lbs
Linebacker Terris Lewis (Linden, Ala.-Linden HS), 6’3, 195lbs
Linebacker Mitchell Roland (Auburn, Ala.-Auburn HS), 6’1, 230lbs
Quarterback Brandon Silvers (Gulf Shores, Ala.-Gulf Shores HS) 6’3, 200lbs
Defensive end Jamal Stadom (Melbourne, Fla.-Melbourne HS) 6’2, 226lbs

Wide receiver Antonio Johnson of Oklahoma City, OK and cornerback Keion Payne of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. joins Troy football team after spending the 2012 season at Hutchinson Community College. Payne, who was a four-star prospect out of high school, played at Miami for two seasons before transferring to Hutchinson to continue his college career. It is unknown at this time how much of eligibility Payne has left.

Freshmen OL Aaron Herring of Alachua, Fla.-Sante Fe HS, and Jonathan Boring of Lexington, S.C.-Lexington HS also enrolled as mid-year enrollees.

Each of these players seems to be a great fit for the Trojans football program, they all should bring dept and great talent to Troy.