JMU gets Philly area commit

[BDKJMU]

Interesting. This kid is ranked by the Inquirer as the #2 offensive lineman in southeast PA (thats probably over 100 high schools) from Cardinal O'Hara HS.
I live about 5 miles from Cardinal O'Hara. They are a powerhouse Philly area Catholic league program in Springfield, PA. Kevin Jones (1st round draft pick Tailback from VT) went there.

Interesting thing is O'Hara is Catholic and about 7 miles from Nova's campus. Wonder how JMU got the kid? Must be some type of connection there. Looks like an excellent pick up for JMU.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/high_school/20091029_Rick_O_Brien__Top_high_school_offensive_l inemen_in_Southeast_Pa_.html
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=3793455

Only player from the Philly area currently on JMU's roster, leading receiver, senior Rockheed McCarter, #8, who played as a true freshman. He went to Roman Catholic, also in the Philly area Catholic league, but that was because his older brother Rodney had played on the 04' NC team, graduated in 05' and was (and still is) a JMU campus cop in 06' when Rockheed signed with JMU in 06'. From what I heard Rockheed wanted to be with his older brother in Harrisonburg. Otherwise Rockheed would have taken one of the several BCS offers he had.

Although JMU has 3 Jersey kids on the roster, there are no other players on the JMU roster from the Philly area (Colin Fitz- Maurice, a 2 deep deep rFr LB last season from Council Rock HS in Bucks County north of Philly, is no longer with the team due to a career ending neck injury).

[Tribe4SF]

JMU also has Earl Watford from Simon Gratz in Philly.

[BDKJMU]

JMU also has Earl Watford from Simon Gratz in Philly.

My bad. When skimming the roster, missed him. He's a rFr OG. Started the Hofstra game at OG, and next year should be one of the 2 new starting OL. So Rockheed will graduate and JMU will get this O'Hara kid. That will still leave 2 Philly area kids on the roster (unless JMU gets another freshman from the Philly area. JMU doesn't get many Philly area kids, but the ones they do seem to turn out pretty good.

[Pard94]

Interesting. This kid is ranked by the Inquirer as the #2 offensive lineman in southeast PA (thats probably over 100 high schools) from Cardinal O'Hara HS.
I live about 5 miles from Cardinal O'Hara. They are a powerhouse Philly area Catholic league program in Springfield, PA. Kevin Jones (1st round draft pick Tailback from VT) went there.

Interesting thing is O'Hara is Catholic and about 7 miles from Nova's campus. Wonder how JMU got the kid? Must be some type of connection there. Looks like an excellent pick up for JMU.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/high_school/20091029_Rick_O_Brien__Top_high_school_offensive_l inemen_in_Southeast_Pa_.html
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=3793455

Only player from the Philly area currently on JMU's roster, leading receiver, senior Rockheed McCarter, #8, who played as a true freshman. He went to Roman Catholic, also in the Philly area Catholic league, but that was because his older brother Rodney had played on the 04' NC team, graduated in 05' and was (and still is) a JMU campus cop in 06' when Rockheed signed with JMU in 06'. From what I heard Rockheed wanted to be with his older brother in Harrisonburg. Otherwise Rockheed would have taken one of the several BCS offers he had.

Although JMU has 3 Jersey kids on the roster, there are no other players on the JMU roster from the Philly area (Colin Fitz- Maurice, a 2 deep deep rFr LB last season from Council Rock HS in Bucks County north of Philly, is no longer with the team due to a career ending neck injury).

No that it means a thing but I think you are mistaking Cardinal O'Hara with Archbsihop Carroll (my alma mater). Carroll is about 7 miles from Nova. Springfield would be about a 40 minute trip down the Blue Route. O'Hara and Carroll were fierce rivals back in the early 90's when I attended. Incidentally I played in the shadow of Nova and was recruited by them. I attended Nova's football camp every summer. Ultimately I didn't give them much consideration for a variety of reasons. I would say proximity to the campus, while a factor, isn't a critical factor in making final decisions.

[GannonFan]

O'Hara's a nice school and all, but I don't think anyone would classify them as a "powerhouse". The only school in the Philly Catholic League that would come anywhere close to that kinda of moniker would be St. Joe's Prep, but even then, the Catholic League and the Philly public schools aren't as successfull football-wise as their suburban neighbors. Come playoff time, you never see a District 12 team make much noise after they play outside their district. Philly's not really known for it's ability to produce high school football players.

With that said, I've always been a big fan of recruiting the player, not the school. There are plenty of great football players who happen to play on bad teams and plenty of overrated players who are overrated just because they happen to play on great teams. Take McCarter for instance - you would never recruit anyone just on the fact they went to Gratz - Gratz is hardly a quality football program.

[GannonFan]

No that it means a thing but I think you are mistaking Cardinal O'Hara with Archbsihop Carroll (my alma mater). Carroll is about 7 miles from Nova. Springfield would be about a 40 minute trip down the Blue Route. O'Hara and Carroll were fierce rivals back in the early 90's when I attended. Incidentally I played in the shadow of Nova and was recruited by them. I attended Nova's football camp every summer. Ultimately I didn't give them much consideration for a variety of reasons. I would say proximity to the campus, while a factor, isn't a critical factor in making final decisions.

O'Hara's not that far down the Blue Route - O'Hara's right off the Springfield exit - you're talking a 10 minute drive from there to the Rt 30 exit where nova is. But yes, Carroll is certainly much closer.

[GoneTribal]

I used to play golf at Springfield CC all the time. Played golf at DCCC for a couple of years. I remember it being fairly close to Nova as well.

[Pard94]

O'Hara's not that far down the Blue Route - O'Hara's right off the Springfield exit - you're talking a 10 minute drive from there to the Rt 30 exit where nova is. But yes, Carroll is certainly much closer.

Imagine that...a guy's whose name is GannonFan throwing in props for St. Joe's Prepxsmiley_wix. Honestly I have no idea how the Philly Catholic League stacks up these days. The league used to be a powerhouse league. I know Carroll has put a few in the pros (Maurice Stovall, Burt Grossman, Gerard Phelan) to name a few. Obvioulsy the league has put even more. Hell I played against Frank Whycheck and Marvin Harrison during my tenure. I know much has changed though...the league went through some major restructuring about a decade ago.

[GannonFan]

Imagine that...a guy's whose name is GannonFan throwing in props for St. Joe's Prepxsmiley_wix. Honestly I have no idea how the Philly Catholic League stacks up these days. The league used to be a powerhouse league. I know Carroll has put a few in the pros (Maurice Stovall, Burt Grossman, Gerard Phelan) to name a few. Obvioulsy the league has put even more. Hell I played against Frank Whycheck and Marvin Harrison during my tenure. I know much has changed though...the league went through some major restructuring about a decade ago.


And the funny thing is I have no connection to the Prep at all, other than rooting for their alum once he got to Delaware! Heck, I'm a Penncrest alum and they've never been a football power.

The Public League has been playing in the state playoffs for a few years now, and the Catholic League just started joining the state playoffs last year (both make up the new District 12). Neither has made any noise against the better District's in the state, District 1 (Delco, Chester County, Montco, and Bucks) nor the Lehigh Valley one (District 11?).

[Hoyadestroya85]

O'Hara's a nice school and all, but I don't think anyone would classify them as a "powerhouse". The only school in the Philly Catholic League that would come anywhere close to that kinda of moniker would be St. Joe's Prep, but even then, the Catholic League and the Philly public schools aren't as successfull football-wise as their suburban neighbors. Come playoff time, you never see a District 12 team make much noise after they play outside their district. Philly's not really known for it's ability to produce high school football players.

Steve Slaton, Marvin Harrison, Rich Gannon, Victor Hobson, Eddie George, Frank Wycheck, Rod Coleman, Blair Thomas, Erik Williams, Matt Ryan, Kevin Jones. I wouldn't say that list is too terrible.. and there are more that i chose to omit.

[GannonFan]

Steve Slaton, Marvin Harrison, Rich Gannon, Victor Hobson, Eddie George, Frank Wycheck, Rod Coleman, Blair Thomas, Erik Williams, Matt Ryan, Kevin Jones. I wouldn't say that list is too terrible.. and there are more that i chose to omit.


Well, you covered something like 2-3 decades with that list - I would hope that a city with a population of 2 million at the height of that time to just under 1.5M now could generate a list of a handful of names. Of course, percentage wise compared to other, smaller population areas around Philly, that is where you see the issue with Philly not really being a hotbed of high school football talent.

[Hoyadestroya85]

I mean, aside from Houston, Dallas and Miami.. What other big cities are there with good football?

[GannonFan]

I mean, aside from Houston, Dallas and Miami.. What other big cities are there with good football?

Hence my point. xthumbsupx

[mcveyrl]

Between Scrapple and this thread, you UD fans are a real buzzkill, you know that...

:D

[GannonFan]

Between Scrapple and this thread, you UD fans are a real buzzkill, you know that...

:D


Come on, man, Scrapple saved that other thread and you know it!!! xlolxxlolxxlolx

[mcveyrl]

Come on, man, Scrapple saved that other thread and you know it!!! xlolxxlolxxlolx

True. Without scrapple, they probably close it for inactivity!

[lionsrking2]

I mean, aside from Houston, Dallas and Miami.. What other big cities are there with good football?

Well, the New Orleans area ain't too shabby and it's less than a quarter of the size of the others...here are just a few:

Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Kordell Stewart, Marshall Faulk, Reggie Wayne, Alan Faneca, Neil Smith, Aneas Williams, Ed Reed, Mike Scifres, Ryan Clark, Chris Henry, Ike Taylor, Matt Forte, Laron Landry, Dawon Landry, Tyson Jackson, Buster Davis, Quinn Johnson, Mike Wallace, Keenan Lewis, A.J. Duhe, Louis Lipps, Ashley Ambrose, Benjarvus Green-Ellis, Derrick Rogers, James Hall, Maurice Hurst, Jackie Wallace, Alfred Jenkins, Jacoby Jones...

There's a bunch more but I can't think of them all...per capita, it's up there as the most productive metro area in the country for producing NFL players.

[LacesOut]

I mean, aside from Houston, Dallas and Miami.. What other big cities are there with good football?

Los Angeles maybe?

[BDKJMU]

No that it means a thing but I think you are mistaking Cardinal O'Hara with Archbsihop Carroll (my alma mater). Carroll is about 7 miles from Nova. Springfield would be about a 40 minute trip down the Blue Route.

Nope. O'Hara is 7 miles by mapquest from Villanova, PA. I'm not confusing them with Carroll, which I am well aware is even closer.

[BDKJMU]

O'Hara's a nice school and all, but I don't think anyone would classify them as a "powerhouse". The only school in the Philly Catholic League that would come anywhere close to that kinda of moniker would be St. Joe's Prep, but even then, the Catholic League and the Philly public schools aren't as successfull football-wise as their suburban neighbors. Come playoff time, you never see a District 12 team make much noise after they play outside their district. Philly's not really known for it's ability to produce high school football players.

With that said, I've always been a big fan of recruiting the player, not the school. There are plenty of great football players who happen to play on bad teams and plenty of overrated players who are overrated just because they happen to play on great teams. Take McCarter for instance - you would never recruit anyone just on the fact they went to Gratz - Gratz is hardly a quality football program.

Actually McCarter went to Roman Catholic, and JMU 2 deep rFr OG Earl Watford went to Gratz, but yeah, you can have guys that end up being great college players from crappy HS programs, and hyped guys from great HS programs that never pan out in college.

[BDKJMU]

Imagine that...a guy's whose name is GannonFan throwing in props for St. Joe's Prepxsmiley_wix. Honestly I have no idea how the Philly Catholic League stacks up these days. The league used to be a powerhouse league. I know Carroll has put a few in the pros (Maurice Stovall, Burt Grossman, Gerard Phelan) to name a few. Obvioulsy the league has put even more. Hell I played against Frank Whycheck and Marvin Harrison during my tenure. I know much has changed though...the league went through some major restructuring about a decade ago.

I'm friends with a former Carroll strength coach who was there when Stovall played. Have heard him tell a few stories about that guy.

[BDKJMU]

Steve Slaton, Marvin Harrison, Rich Gannon, Victor Hobson, Eddie George, Frank Wycheck, Rod Coleman, Blair Thomas, Erik Williams, Matt Ryan, Kevin Jones. I wouldn't say that list is too terrible.. and there are more that i chose to omit.

Played against George in HS when he was at FUMA (Fork Union Military Academy) in VA in the 90' and 91' seasons. He was a beast his senior season- a man among boys.

[Head Cat]

I mean, aside from Houston, Dallas and Miami.. What other big cities are there with good football?

Los Angeles and the burbs aren't half bad. Just ask Pete Carroll. San Diego is also a good recruiting hot bed. And Atlanta and Charlotte are two more I'd throw into the mix.

[Head Cat]

I wonder if this kid made his commitment BEFORE Villanova's shutout win down in Harrisonburg a couple of weeks ago? :D:D:D

[19Duke97]

Played against George in HS when he was at FUMA (Fork Union Military Academy) in VA in the 90' and 91' seasons. He was a beast his senior season- a man among boys.

I played against FUMA as well - EG was crazy good, and he ran all over us. I think we lost 35-7 or so. But, you want to talk about an area that turns out pros, look at FUMA between 90-95, something like 16 NFL players over those teams, unreal how good they were back then. Anyway, back on topic, I'd like to see us continue to recruit in the Philly area, I think there is some good talent to tap into there. Seems like a nice pickup, and always good to reload the O line every year. IMO - it's the hardest position on the field to play.

[Head Cat]

You get great exposure in the Philly area with a lot of TV games and you do play in Philly every other year.

[BDKJMU]

I played against FUMA as well - EG was crazy good, and he ran all over us. I think we lost 35-7 or so. But, you want to talk about an area that turns out pros, look at FUMA between 90-95, something like 16 NFL players over those teams, unreal how good they were back then. Anyway, back on topic, I'd like to see us continue to recruit in the Philly area, I think there is some good talent to tap into there. Seems like a nice pickup, and always good to reload the O line every year. IMO - it's the hardest position on the field to play.

You're confusing FUMA's HS team with their post grad team. George was on their HS team.

[JMU2004]

You're confusing FUMA's HS team with their post grad team. George was on their HS team.

Check their 1999 team. Chris Perry behind an OLine thats was bigger than the average NFL line. And a QB and WR that started in the SEC.


Yea, FUMA HS team pumps out talent too........

[Jaxhen]

Jacksonville produces pretty decent talent, but not as much as Miami.

Here's the list of the nine NFL players who list Jacksonville as their hometown: Brian Dawkins (Broncos, Raines High), Jabar Gaffney (Broncos, Raines), Rashean Mathis (Jaguars, Englewood), Stephen Nicholas (Falcons, Robert E. Lee High), Lito Sheppard (Jets, Raines High), Jason Spitz (Packers, Bolles), Marcus Thomas (Broncos, Mandarin High), Laveranues Coles (Bengals, Ribault) and Leon Washington (Jets, Andrew Jackson High).