Grambling Picks Up Three UVA Transfers

[TexasTerror]

I've heard great things about the Grambling secondary (thanks to Nick D's blog). A UVA player, that probably has some definate skills, with three years of college eligibility left can bolster that even more. Nothing wrong with getting a few big men on the D-Line. Never can have enough in the trenches...

CHARLOTTESVILLE--Former University of Virginia football players Philip Brown, Chris Johnson and Vince Redd are expected to transfer to Division I-AA Grambling in Louisiana, Brown confirmed today.

Brown, who started three games at cornerback for the Cavaliers as a true freshman in 2004, has three seasons of college eligibility left. Johnson and Redd are defensive linemen with two seasons remaining apiece. All would be eligible this season at Grambling.

Johnson, who started four games as a redshirt freshman in 2004, was suspended from U.Va. for academic reasons during the 2005-06 school year, as was Brown. Both attended Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, with the goal of returning to U.Va. in 2006-07, but neither was re-admitted.

"I was looking forward to coming back," Brown told The Times-Dispatch. "I had my heart set on it, but I believe everything happens for a reason. When this door closed at Virginia, the door at Grambling swung open."

Redd, a reserve defensive end in 2005, was dismissed from the team before spring practice for unspecified violations of team policy.

-- Jeff White, Richmond Times-Dispatch


http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP%2FMGArticle%2FCDP_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188476046&path=!sports

[GaSouthern]

not a good thing IMO...

"Johnson, who started four games as a redshirt freshman in 2004, was suspended from U.Va. for academic reasons during the 2005-06 school year, as was Brown. Both attended Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, with the goal of returning to U.Va. in 2006-07, but neither was re-admitted."

[Sly Fox]

There was talk these guys were considering Liberty. That led to some often heated discussion about whether this would be a good idea for us froma PR standpoint in light of Redd's issues. Hopefully it works out for these guys down at Icon.

[IaaScribe]

Vince Redd will immediately begin looking for a new marijuana dealer in Louisiana.

[BigDukeDawg]

as will Phillip Brown who is a complete POS

[MACHIAVELLI]

“I have learned through the UVa situation not to lean on anybody,” said Brown, who started working out on his own weeks ago and is down to 202 pounds. “I am leaning on myself. It will be good to have C.J. and Vince down there, to talk to and having guys that I identify with, but at the same time I am going to basically depend on myself. I learned my lesson.”

Brown knows relocating to Louisiana as a student-athlete will keep him from his young son, but it was “just something I have to do,” he said.

“Whether I stay down there two or three years, in the long run I will have a degree and I will have a good network of alumni, true alumni, who want everybody to succeed,” Brown said. “I know that I will at least have a place that I can call home. It’s going to be hard not having my son around, but I just know that it’s something that I have to do and he will thank me once he is old enough to understand.”

http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP%2FMGArticle%2FCDP_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188497677&path=!sports

[Tribe4SF]

Hopefully the support network at Grambling will get these guys on track. With Grambling's history of bringing in large numbers of guys to see if they can make it, you wonder how much support they will get, and whether they'll be jettisoned if they struggle. The academic environment should be more manageable, but there's a weak history among this crew. Brown sounds like he blames others for his own failings.

[Catmendue2]

Grambling has taken many of these kids in the past and most have graduated and played out their eligibility without further problems.:hurray:



Wait until you see L. Bridges(GaTech transfer) that will be pushing H. Tolbert for the Payton Award.

[89Hen]

I hope these kids do well and take advantage of their second chance, but IMO none of them will be difference makers on the field.

[BigDukeDawg]

Brown is definately a playmaker, but he definately was a POS, hope Grambling can get em in the right direction

[Catmendue2]

I hope these kids do well and take advantage of their second chance, but IMO none of them will be difference makers on the field.



Besides what's printed here what make you think so. It's apparent they all were talented when they left highschool and they won't be handed anything at Grambling for just showing up there.

[89Hen]

Besides what's printed here what make you think so. It's apparent they all were talented when they left highschool and they won't be handed anything at Grambling for just showing up there.
I'm a UVA season ticket holder and follow the team (not as closely as UD though). I don't expect them to be handed anything at Grambling and they will be solid players, but I don't think any of them are difference makers. Nothing more to read into that.

[golionsgo]

I'm a UVA season ticket holder and follow the team (not as closely as UD though). I don't expect them to be handed anything at Grambling and they will be solid players, but I don't think any of them are difference makers. Nothing more to read into that.


Depends on what you mean by difference maker. They may not be dominant players who take over games by themselves but if they fill in a missing piece of the overall puzzle and are upgrades over what they currently have, they'll likely make a difference.

[MACHIAVELLI]

I am sure we can find a place for a 6'7/290/DE, 6'7/290/DT and a 6'0/205/DB that runs a 4.4 40.

[Catmendue2]

Depends on what you mean by difference maker. They may not be dominant players who take over games by themselves but if they fill in a missing piece of the overall puzzle and are upgrades over what they currently have, they'll likely make a difference.



Plus, if Grambling finds a way to use them at this level, its gained enuff.

[MACHIAVELLI]

Ex-Cav Brown transfers
Three former Virginia players, including Hampton native Philip Brown, will transfer to Grambling State.

Brown was rated as one of the nation's best cornerbacks coming out of Phoebus. But he never graduated from Phoebus and finished his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham. He started three games as a true freshman at U.Va. in 2004. Brown said his grades sagged that year in part because his grandfather, cousin and four friends died in summer 2004.

"When Philip left Phoebus, we told him we were in it with him for the long haul," Groh said. "We've worked together over a number of issues during that time."

At Groh's request, Brown stayed in Charlottesville last fall. He got a part-time job and kept in touch with London, who coached last fall with the NFL's Houston Texans.

"I'm a stand-up guy, and I take full responsibility for everything," Brown said. "But at the same time, I still need some type of support, and I wasn't getting it from nobody but Coach London."

Johnson said he passed six credits at Piedmont, but Groh wanted him to wait until after summer school and training camp before possibly regaining his scholarship. "I can't sit here and ask my father to front my bills for school," Johnson said.
http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-51248sy0jun16,0,307798.story?coll=dp-sports-local

[Tribe4SF]

Ex-Cav Brown transfers
Three former Virginia players, including Hampton native Philip Brown, will transfer to Grambling State.

Brown was rated as one of the nation's best cornerbacks coming out of Phoebus. But he never graduated from Phoebus and finished his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham. He started three games as a true freshman at U.Va. in 2004. Brown said his grades sagged that year in part because his grandfather, cousin and four friends died in summer 2004.

"When Philip left Phoebus, we told him we were in it with him for the long haul," Groh said. "We've worked together over a number of issues during that time."

At Groh's request, Brown stayed in Charlottesville last fall. He got a part-time job and kept in touch with London, who coached last fall with the NFL's Houston Texans.

"I'm a stand-up guy, and I take full responsibility for everything," Brown said. "But at the same time, I still need some type of support, and I wasn't getting it from nobody but Coach London."
Johnson said he passed six credits at Piedmont, but Groh wanted him to wait until after summer school and training camp before possibly regaining his scholarship. "I can't sit here and ask my father to front my bills for school," Johnson said.
http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-51248sy0jun16,0,307798.story?coll=dp-sports-local

As Principal Ed Rooney said in Ferris Buehler's Day Off ..."Dead Grandmother, huh? Well just wheel her ole bones on down here, and we'll let your daughter go."

Taking full responsibility is not supposed to be followed by the word "but". Flunking out of school is a nice way to honor your grandfather.:rolleyes:

[Catmendue2]

As Principal Ed Rooney said in Ferris Buehler's Day Off ..."Dead Grandmother, huh? Well just wheel her ole bones on down here, and we'll let your daughter go."

Taking full responsibility is not supposed to be followed by the word "but". Flunking out of school is a nice way to honor your grandfather.:rolleyes:


I think you are being insensitive. He was obviously having problems most of his Highschool career academically, and Va. knew he needed help and should have provided it for him. This kid will never be a Rhodes scholar and niether will most of us but he is good football player and he deserves to play where he is wanted and needed.

He's done everything he has been ask to do, even qualifying to play immediately, it just happens that he will be playing for the ICON.:nod: :smiley_wi

[MACHIAVELLI]

Following the regular season, Johnson said he met with Groh in January with his father Eric Johnson, a principal at Walton Middle School in Charlottesville, to discuss Johnson’s options for the 2006 football season. Groh does not deny this meeting took place.

However, what was up for debate is what exactly was said in the meeting in which only the three men were present.

Johnson said, and his father confirmed, that Groh promised him a scholarship would be waiting after he got his academics in order. Groh, however, has denied this claim.

“[Groh] said, ‘Get your academics straight and come back to me,’” explained Johnson, who also wanted to let it be known that he has never been arrested or failed a drug test of any kind in his life.

http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP%2FMGArticle%2FCDP_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188578770&path=!sports

[jmuroller]

I can add this..

Al Groh doesn't have the best reputation around here. He is slowly alienating the state of VA in his constant signing of northern kids(specifically NJ area) and instances like this. This isn't the first time a player has left UVA and talked about the staff in a negative way. It's one thing when a kid leaves because of playing time, but another when one leaves and talks about broken promises, unfair treatment, etc.

[IaaScribe]

Honest question here: What's the origin of the whole ICON nickname? I had never heard Grambling referred to in that way until reading this board.

[McNeese75]

Honest question here: What's the origin of the whole ICON nickname? I had never heard Grambling referred to in that way until reading this board.

:rolleyes: Here we go again ;)

[blur2005]

The worst of the three, Vince Redd, could be the biggest difference maker if he gets his act together. My bets are that Brown and Johnson manage to hold it together, but I'm thinking Redd will continue his downward spiral.

On the comments about Al Groh, even as a UVA student and lifelong UVA fan, I am dismayed with Groh's performances as a coach. I love his recruiting (though I'll agree his ignoring Virginia's excellent homegrown recruits is baffling) but then the recruits don't produce as a team, and hat has to do with coaching. There are lots of UVA players in the NFL, as the school has done well with creating good players individually yet UVA can never seem to get over the hump as a team. My main complaint is that Groh was given a contract extension that made him one of the top-5 highest paid coaches in the nation, which is absolutely ridiculous.

[MACHIAVELLI]

I have a feeling UVa will have something to say.

[MACHIAVELLI]

The worst of the three, Vince Redd, could be the biggest difference maker if he gets his act together. My bets are that Brown and Johnson manage to hold it together, but I'm thinking Redd will continue his downward spiral.

What do you think will happen with Bryan Lescanec?

[MACHIAVELLI]

http://www.gramblingstateuniversity.com/espnmag.jpg

[blur2005]

http://www.gramblingstateuniversity.com/espnmag.jpg
Yeah, I saw that in the magazine. It didn't really tell us anything new.