Furman Paladins Sign 11 Players

[PaladinNation]

Small class for the Dins, but that's what happens when you have 17 starters returning.

Video link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g__Wz5GBOvk

Charlie Anderson, OL, 6-1, 250, Fr., Montgomery, Ala. (Montgomery Academy)
Rodney Anderson, DB, 5-10, 180, Fr., Nashville, Tenn. (Ensworth H.S.)
Travis Eman, QB, 6-1, 215, Fr., Brampton, Ontario (Canisius, N.Y., H.S.)
Justin Floyd, OL, 6-4, 280, Fr., Cartersville, Ga. (Cartersville H.S.)
John Mackey, DL, 6-1, 240, Fr., Chattanooga, Tenn. (Baylor H.S.)
Ira McCune, DL, 6-3, 250, Fr., Marietta, Ga. (Hillgrove H.S.)
Joey Negley, TE, 6-3, 230, Fr., Cumming, Ga. (Forsyth Central H.S.)
Andrew Parker, QB, 6-4, 185, Fr., Brentwood, Tenn. (Ensworth H.S.)
Tanner Skogen, RB, 5-11, 190, Fr., Woodstock, Ga. (Woodstock H.S.)
Jordan Snellings, WR, 6-1, 180, Fr., Atlanta, Ga. (Marist H.S.)
Joe Turner, OL, 6-3, 260, Fr., Roswell, Ga. (Roswell, H.S.)

Some highlights:
Travis Eman highest rated QB by Scout to sign with FCS team 3 star #76. Chose FU over UNH, Buffalo, Boston College, TCU, Syracuse, late offers from GaSo and Villanova.
Justin Floyd, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) first team all-state selection and Rivals three star.
Joe Turner, Turner collected two all-state citations, earning AJC first team and Associated Press (AP) second team (check this guy out on video)
Ira McCune, an AP second team all-state choice, McCune racked up 9.5 sacks for a 5A Hillgrove
John Mackey, totaled 120 tackles and a team leading 12 sacks for Division II-A Baylor, which went 10-2 and recorded a state runner-up finish. A 2010 Tennessee Sportswriters Association first team all-state choice, he won a state wrestling championship at 285 pounds his junior year.

Sleeper: Rodney Anderson, injured for 2010 senior season. My guess is he would have gone to an SEC school if not injured(UK or Vandy).

[PaladinFan]

Size of the class doesn't bother me. You graduate 10 seniors you don't need a large class.

The Eman kid will be an interesting project. Everything I read seems to suggest he's a raw, but incredible athlete.

[elcid83]

It's difficult to believe that FU could not find one kid from the state of SC worthy of a football scholarship.

[Mattymc727]

Im so mad you guys signed Eman. He reportedly like UNH but somehow ended up at Furman, not sure what happened. I think he will be a great qb. Check out his highlights on youtube.

[GaSouthern]

Im so mad you guys signed Eman. He reportedly like UNH but somehow ended up at Furman, not sure what happened. I think he will be a great qb. Check out his highlights on youtube.

Honestly, if my kid had a scholarship to UNH or Furman the choice would be easy (outside of football)

[PaladinFan]

Honestly, if my kid had a scholarship to UNH or Furman the choice would be easy (outside of football)

Even if you are from Canada and played your high school ball in Buffalo?

Who knows the reason. Perhaps heading to the sunny south appeals to a kid from the north country. I'm not sure what UNH has at QB, but Furman is heavy on older quarterbacks right now with Forcier as a rising senior and Derrick as a rising junior. Eman would have the opportunity to play and start much earlier, perhaps.

I'm always cautious, though. Furman has signed several 3 star QBs recently (Sorrells and Hollingsworth) and neither really lived up to billing. I'm just taking a "wait and see" approach.

[PaladinFan]

It's difficult to believe that FU could not find one kid from the state of SC worthy of a football scholarship.

Most of Furman's team is from Georgia, many of the coaches are from Georgia, most of their ties are to Georgia even though the school is in South Carolina.

[Mattymc727]

Honestly, if my kid had a scholarship to UNH or Furman the choice would be easy (outside of football)

Thats your opinion. But UNH is a very good school academically also. Plus UNH is closer to home for him, and also has two upperclassmen at QB and 1 true freshman. He would have had an opportunity to play right away after he redshirted.

[gsu6trophies]

Not putting down Furman, but how did you steal this qb from BC and other 1A schools? Was he offered a db position there, but wanted to play qb?

[PaladinNation]

Not putting down Furman, but how did you steal this qb from BC and other 1A schools? Was he offered a db position there, but wanted to play qb?

BC, TCU, Syracuse, Cincy, Buffalo wanted him to play Safety. Plus I think Washington came calling late too.

UNH, FU, GSU, Nova… wanted him at QB.

I have much respect for UNH… and consider Eman a steal for Furman. Furman does have a former teamate of Eman on the roster. Plus Brian Bratton is playing in Canada and I think his team has won two Grey Cups.

[gsugt1]

GSU wanted him at QB.

.

I am not sure about that .. haven't found any info to confirm.

http://recruiting.scout.com/2/1042970.html

[Baldy]

BC, TCU, Syracuse, Cincy, Buffalo wanted him to play Safety. Plus I think Washington came calling late too.

UNH, FU, GSU, Nova… wanted him at QB.

I have much respect for UNH… and consider Eman a steal for Furman. Furman does have a former teamate of Eman on the roster. Plus Brian Bratton is playing in Canada and I think his team has won two Grey Cups.
GSU didn't offer Eman.

[PaladinNation]

GSU didn't offer Eman.

I heard (from a trusted source) GSU made a major push for Eman yesterday morning.
I could care less, it doesn't make him a better recruit. I'm just stating what I was told.

[Baldy]

I heard (from a trusted source) GSU made a major push for Eman yesterday morning.
I could care less, it doesn't make him a better recruit. I'm just stating what I was told.
I understand. Monken stated in his press conference yesterday that we offered scholarships to 10 QB's, 9 signed with FBS programs (8 to play other positions, 1 to play QB), and 1 (Prince McJunkins) signed with us.

[PaladinFan]

No coach is going to say "yep, we lost a QB to our rival." Additionally, half of what you hear during recruiting is complete speculation and guessing anyway. Long run it doesn't matter. Half the time kids push the truth a bit on whose recruiting them to make them appear better than they are.

In the long run, Furman beats out some pretty well respected FCS and FBS schools to land this guy. He has a chance to be a three or four year starter for the Paladins.

[nick9c]

Eman was offered by both Villanova and Georgia Southern on signing day - this also from a trusted source within the FU program. Also, he was offered a scholly late by Minnesota.

[Baldy]

No coach is going to say "yep, we lost a QB to our rival." Additionally, half of what you hear during recruiting is complete speculation and guessing anyway. Long run it doesn't matter. Half the time kids push the truth a bit on whose recruiting them to make them appear better than they are.

In the long run, Furman beats out some pretty well respected FCS and FBS schools to land this guy. He has a chance to be a three or four year starter for the Paladins.
Since we usually sign multiple QB's every year, Monken was asked why we only signed one. Believe it or not that was his explanation. Since the recruiting process was over and there was a room full of press in the room, I doubt he would have any incentive to lie.

You are right, in the long run it doesn't matter and it sounds like Furman got a great QB in the deal.

[OL FU]

And the decision between GSU and Furman would probably have a lot to do with a QB wanted to play the TO or play, whatever we are going to playxeyebrowx:D

[Baldy]

Eman was offered by both Villanova and Georgia Southern on signing day - this also from a trusted source within the FU program. Also, he was offered a scholly late by Minnesota.

If anything, he was offered as a preferred walk-on at GSU, otherwise, he wasn't offered a scholarship.

[cmaxwellgsu]

Most of Furman's team is from Georgia, many of the coaches are from Georgia, most of their ties are to Georgia even though the school is in South Carolina.

To add to this, all of those kids will be less than three hours from home at Furman. So there's no surpise to see lots of GA kids there.

[PaladinFan]

To add to this, all of those kids will be less than three hours from home at Furman. So there's no surpise to see lots of GA kids there.

The South Carolina folk are a bit annoyed, but it makes perfect sense to me. Neither Furman nor Wofford took a single player from the Palmetto State. Of course, this doesn't factor the "almost" players who might have been offered and decided to go elsewhere.

Is it suprising neither team took one player? Yes. Is it suprising that the vast majority of the class is from out of state? Not even kinda.

[Baldy]

The South Carolina folk are a bit annoyed, but it makes perfect sense to me. Neither Furman nor Wofford took a single player from the Palmetto State. Of course, this doesn't factor the "almost" players who might have been offered and decided to go elsewhere.

Is it suprising neither team took one player? Yes. Is it suprising that the vast majority of the class is from out of state? Not even kinda.
Wow.
It's unimaginable that GSU took more South Carolina players than Furman and Wofford combined. xeyebrowx

On the flip side, the 2011 class is probably the first in our history where we only signed 1 player from Florida.

[PaladinFan]

Wow.
It's unimaginable that GSU took more South Carolina players than Furman and Wofford combined. xeyebrowx

On the flip side, the 2011 class is probably the first in our history where we only signed 1 player from Florida.

That is pretty bizzare.

I don't read too much into on Furman's end because they were required to take a small class given they graduated only a small handful of players. Wofford took nearly twice as many, so I'm a bit suprised they didn't bring on a single Palmetto stater.