More On Ware; Tidbits

RECRUITING

I can't help but be extremely excited about LSU landing running back prospect Spencer Ware all the way from Ohio. After watching his film again (posted in yesterday's update), I really think LSU got a very good one! While looking at his highlights, I kept having to remind myself that he is 220 pounds. He makes sharp, decisive cuts and the only runner that he reminds me of is Keiland Williams. He is a bit shiftier than Williams but doesn't quite have his top end speed.

Matt Barker, who runs Buckeye Banter, was nice enough to give me some scoop on Ware since he is familiar with the area from covering the Buckeyes. With Ohio State already having a big time running back commitment in Roderick Smith, it wasn't clear where Spencer Ware would fit into their plans. Ware is looking to play both baseball and football in college, which had him looking at schools successful in both sports. He was also looking outside of the Big-10, which isn't terribly strong in baseball. That makes sense seeing as how Ware's final two schools were LSU and North Carolina.

Regarding Ware's ability as a legitimate baseball prospect at the college level, Matt informed me that Ware plays for a very highly regarded amateur baseball team in the Midland Redskins. That team has produced Barry Larkin, Ken Griffey Jr, Zack Greinke, and LSU's Ryan Theriot as well as over 40 other players who have played in the Major Leagues. Austin Wood, the closer for the Texas Longhorns who got lit up (twice) by LSU in the finals, is also a product of the Midland program.

So while Paul Maineri is getting quarterback commitment Zach Lee to help out on the diamond, it certainly appears that Ware can be a significant contributor in both sports as well. Ware plays in the outfield.

I really thank Matt for his insight and willingness to help Saturday Night Slant readers learn a bit more about our new player from Ohio.

FOOTBALL

The team reports for fall camp next week, and we'll soon be hearing tidbits on who is looking good at practice, how the freshmen are doing, etc. But I've been hearing a little bit already, mostly involving freshman running back Mike Ford (pictured). While there is no way to verify this stuff, reports of 600 pound squats, 400 pound bench presses, and 37 inch vertical jumps have been rampant. He's supposedly one of the most physically impressive freshmen to show up at LSU in a long time and many now speculate that Ford will be difficult to keep off the field this season.

Ohio RB Spencer Ware Commits To LSU

Ohio Running Back Spencer Ware committed to LSU on Wednesday, bringing LSU's number of commitments to a staggering 21. He is 5'11" 220 pounds and certainly qualifies as a "big back." Ware is highly thought of by both the recruiting services and college head coaches. Ware is rated four stars by Scout.com and is ranked the #11 running back in the nation. Rivals.com also rates Ware four stars and is ranked as the #12 "athlete" nationally. They also rate him as the #118 overall player in the nation. Ware chose LSU over offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue, North Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Michigan State.

Ware plays quarterback for his high school team, so it's tough to properly evaluate him as a running back. ESPN gives their evaluation here. Ware is also an outstanding baseball player and could very well play both sports for LSU.

A good video of Ware can be seen here.

Below is some more video of Ware. Keep in mind that Ware is playing QB in most of these highlights. You can see some clips of Ware running with the ball towards the end of the video:

So where does this leave LSU in their recruitment of running backs this season?

We all know that Lache Seastrunk is the #1 target, and he will have a spot reserved as long as he wants.

But the rest of LSU's recruitment of running backs has been puzzling. We first saw Georgia running back Storm Johnson receive an offer from LSU. After several visits to LSU, Storm visited LSU once more...seemingly for the purpose of committing to LSU. However, the commitment never took place and nobody knows exactly why. Johnson's father claims that Storm IS committed but was instructed to keep it quiet for now.

We then saw Hahnville running back Alfred Blue impress LSU's coaches at camp last week an earn an offer. Most then assumed that Blue may be taken instead of Johnson, but that was just speculation.

Then today, Spencer Ware commits to LSU. What does that mean for Blue? For Johnson? I really don't think anyone knows, but I can take a guess. I think LSU would ideally take Ware and Seastrunk and that's it, but they'll continue to recruit Johnson and Blue in case Seastrunk goes elsewhere.

Since I last updated the site, LSU also received Commitment #20, defensive lineman Dexter Blackmon of Selma, Alabama. Blackmon's commitment came from way out of left field, as he wasn't even on LSU's radar until he attended the camp last week. He apparently impressed the coaches a great deal at camp and earned an offer, which he accepted just a few days later.

Blackmon is 6'2" 265 pounds and can play either defensive end or defensive tackle, though he'll likely play tackle at LSU. His only offer other than LSU's is from Troy. He also attended camps at Alabama and Auburn and both schools decided to pass on offering Blackmon. Blackmon joins recent commitments and signees such as Sam Gibson, Cameron Fordham, and Josh Williford as guys that LSU offered based solely on their evaluations of them at camp. None of those players had any other major offers. Reaches? Or diamonds in the rough? Time will tell...

LSU Football Scheduling; Future Of Tulane Series

Everyone has their opinion as to what strategy LSU should take regarding scheduling non conference opponents for football. But I find that most people fall into one of two categories:

1) Don't Schedule Any Difficult Opponents - People who fall into this category think that the SEC is tough enough without having another potential loss on the schedule. Use the non-conference games as tune-ups and glorified scrimmages rather than get the team beat up in a difficult game.

2) Schedule Some Difficult Opponents - These fans claim that season tickets aren't cheap, and they'd rather not have 4 "scrimmages" every year on the home schedule. These game are over by halftime. Bring in some teams that are different, exciting, and challenging. Scheduling opponents from BCS conferences usually involves a home and home series, which provides a new venue for fans to visit as well. Even if LSU loses occasionally, it's worth it.

I personally fall right in between the two, but lean more towards being in that second group. My perfect schedule would involve 1 or 2 challenging opponents, preferably from a BCS conference, and then 2 or 3 "rent a wins."

As always, money is a big factor. Financially, it's necessary that LSU have at least 7 home games each year. They simply need the income from ticket sales and concessions to keep the athletic department in the black. Lately, LSU has been alternating 8 home games one year with 7 the next year. LSU had 8 home games in 2008 and 7 home games in 2007 due to a road game to Tulane.



How does the Tulane series affect LSU's efforts to schedule home and home series with other teams? 2006 was the first game in a 10-year home and home deal with Tulane where the two schools would alternate hosting. LSU gets a large chunk of the gate money in years when Tulane hosts, but it's still not enough to make up for not having a home game at Tiger Stadium. So if LSU is trying to schedule another quality opponent, the Tulane series proves to be a huge obstacle. It means that LSU can only schedule teams willing to travel on years that LSU is playing at Tulane. Consequently, it also means that LSU can only travel to other schools in years they are hosting Tulane. It essentially cuts your possibilities in half.

Though LSU hosted Tulane in 2008, they are hosting them again in 2009. The two schools agreed to switch the host site for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. This took place because LSU is traveling to Washington in 2009 and couldn't afford two non-conference away games. This would mean that LSU is set to play in the Superdome in both 2010 and 2011. But LSU is actively pursuing scheduling other big name opponents, and the writing is on the wall that the LSU / Tulane series is on life support. LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva recently hinted that LSU would likely ditch the series.

The LSU / Tulane rivalry is full of tradition, but the reality is that this series has been lopsided for quite some time. LSU last lost in 1982 and has won 16 in a row. In short, the two programs are simply on different levels and the game is no more intriguing than if LSU were playing Middle Tennessee State or The Citadel. For the time being, Tulane has been surpassed by Louisiana Tech as the state's second best program. I've got no problem with LSU playing Tulane in Tiger Stadium, but there's no reason for LSU to ever travel to New Orleans to play them. It doesn't make sense financially. It hinders LSU's efforts to schedule other competitive opponents. And it's not like LSU needs the exposure in the city of New Orleans. After all, they have played there 4 times this decade in BCS bowl games. It's a good thing for the city to fill up hotels, restaurants, and Bourbon Street for a weekend but LSU should feel no obligation to consider that when managing their athletic department.

Taking a look at the future schedules, we know that LSU is playing Washington in 2009 along with ULL, Tulane, and Louisiana Tech.

In 2010, LSU is scheduled to travel to Tulane while hosting West Virginia and Southern Mississippi. They are still searching for a 4th opponent, and the rumors are that LSU is looking for a BCS conference opponent to fill the void. The rumor that seems to have the most legs is that LSU will play North Carolina in Atlanta to open the season. If that happens, then expect the Tulane game to be moved to Baton Rouge or cancelled.

In 2011, LSU is scheduled to travel to West Virginia and Tulane while hosting Houston. They still have one spot left to fill.

For 2012, hosts North Texas, Washington, and Tulane with one spot left to fill.

Arizona State is scheduled to visit LSU in 2015 with LSU making the return trip to Tempe in 2016.

Tyrann Matthieu Makes LSU Commitment #19

St. Augustine High School cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (above, #13) impressed LSU's coaching staff at camp and earned an offer. He immediately accepted the offer and became LSU's 19th commitment of the 2010 class. Mathieu doesn't have ideal size at just 5'9" or 5'10", but he really stood out at Tennessee's camp last month and did so again this week. He reportedly has everything you need from a true cornerback. He has fluid hips and outstanding recovery speed. Judging by his film, he isn't afraid to lay a big hit either. I had Mathieu ranked #12 on my Louisiana rankings released last month.

Mathieu's commitment likely closes the door on Tony Hurd's chances of receiving an offer from LSU.

A couple of 2011 prospects from Redemptorist high school received good news this week. Running back Jeremy Hill and offensive tackle La'El Collins both received verbal offers from LSU. Both guys are very high on LSU and will likely be early commitments for next year's class. Don't be surprised to see them on LSU's commitment list next March.

North De Soto athlete Curtis Carter attended LSU's camp but left without a much desired offer. LSU will continue to recruit Carter, and he may still be a part of this class. With 19 commitments already, LSU can afford to be very picky down the stretch.

Hahnville running back Alfred Blue had more success than Carter. Blue was recently re-classified from the Class of 2011 to the Class of 2010 since he'll be graduating high school a year early. Considered a very good prospect, Blue wasn't thought to be too prevalent on LSU's radar. But while competing against bigger names such as Dontae Williams and Nick Parker, Blue earned an offer from LSU's staff. Blue's offer further confuses LSU's recruiting at the running back position for this class.

What isn't confusing is that Texas running back Lache Seastrunk is at the top of that list. Seastrunk stayed at LSU for six days, which speaks volumes as to his interest level in playing for LSU in 2010 and beyond.

It was confirmed that Florida linebacker Jeff Luc and defensive tackle Richard Ash were in attendance at camp.

With approximately six spots left to fill in this class, I see LSU taking the following positions:

RB
RB
WR
ATH (WR/CB)
TE
DT
LB

OK, that's seven spots but I believe the staff is still targeting a key player at each of those spots.

FOOTBALL

It was announced today that LSU's home games against USL and Vanderbilt will both kickoff at 6:00 PM Central and will be televised on ESPNU.

LSU Adds Commitments #17 & 18; Lamahieu Signs

RECRUITING

Shaw HS OL Elliott Porter committed to LSU over the weekend. Porter was recruited by most schools as a defensive tackle but will play offensive guard for LSU. Porter's commitment could very well mean that LSU is done on the offensive line for this recruiting class.

West Monroe defensive end Jordan Allen (pictured) also committed to LSU this weekend. Allen is very highly regarded. He also held offers from Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Auburn, and many others. Allen is 6'6" 250 pounds and very quick off the edge. With his height, some speculate that he may make a good offensive tackle. However, he perfectly fits the mold of a big defensive end that has been so successful at LSU. Marcus Spears, Marquise Hill, and Tyson Jackson are all similar players along with Mike Brockers who will be a freshman this fall.

It has also been confirmed by multiple sites that Texas running back Lache Seastrunk was on LSU's campus.

Several sites have also reported that Jarrett Fobbs is in town and really enjoying himself. Could that lead to Fobbs reconsidering his commitment to Texas A&M?

This puts LSU at 18 commitments for this class, and we may see more before this week is up.

BASEBALL

DJ Lamahieu signed a pro contract with the Chicago Cubs and won't be returning to LSU next year. Lamahieu was a second round pick, and most expected him to turn pro so this is no real surprise. Best of luck to DJ in the Cubs organization.

Huge Recruiting Week Ahead; LSU hosts 2nd Summer Camp

RECRUITING

LSU is set to host a large group of visitors this weekend and an even bigger group of prospects early next week for their second camp of the summer. While people pay the most attention to recruiting in December and January, it's the relationships that are built early in the process that ultimately determine who signs with LSU in February. This weekend and the following camp will play a huge role in influencing these relationships.

A lot of reports are floating around out there and some of them are conflicting. But I'll try to give a good summary of who is visiting and I'll give a quick blurb on each guy.

A number of LSU Commitments will be taking part in the weekend and week's festivities:

S/ATH Sam Gibson, OL Cameron Fordham, and DB Ronnie Vinson will be in attendance.

LB/DE Houston Bates, TE Nick Jacobs, and WR Justin Hunter may show their faces as well.

Most of the news coming out of this weekend will surround those who are not committed to LSU:

OL Elliott Porter Shaw HS - Porter has offers as a defensive tackle from schools such as Florida State, Mississippi State, and Nebraska; however, he seems to be on the verge to becoming an LSU Commitment as an offensive guard. Reading between the lines of many of his recent updates, I'd be surprised if Porter was not an LSU Commitment by this time next week.

ATH Curtis Carter North DeSoto HS - Carter may be the fastest prospect in the state of Louisiana this year. He has serious speed and reportedly recorded a laser timed 4.37 in the 40 recently. Carter is being recruited as a wide receiver, though he may eventually end up at defensive back one day. He has made it clear that he's coming to LSU's camp with the purpose of earning an offer, and the consensus seems to be that he'll get one. If/when LSU offers, I don't expect it to be too long until Carter is a commitment.

WR Trovon Reed Thibodaux HS - Reed is the source of many recruiting rumors, mostly due to his close friendship with Texas RB Lache Seastrunk, who has been favoring Auburn recently. But Reed will be in Baton Rouge this weekend, spending more time with LSU's coaches and building a comfort level. Reed has shown that he's going to look around, but I strongly feel he'll sign with LSU in the end. Looking at his actions, he visits LSU often and this visit will be no different as he's passing up a big event at Auburn to be in Baton Rouge once again.

RB Lache Seastrunk Temple, TX - Seastrunk has been singing the tune of Auburn over the last few months; however, he's not attending their big event this weekend. And as of now, he's scheduled to be at LSU with his good friend Trovon Reed. If he does indeed visit LSU (and not Auburn), then that would obviously be a great sign for the Tigers...those of the Bayou variety. Despite the drama and numerous rumors that surround Lache's recruitment each day, LSU is putting on the hard hat and just continuing to recruit him hard. His recruitment will almost certainly be filled with plenty of twists and turns before signing day.

Tony Hurd CB Missouri City, TX - Hurd has made no secret that an LSU offer is what he covets. He attended LSU's camp in June but aggravated an old injury. He left without an offer and with LSU's staff saying they wanted to evaluate him when he was 100%. So now Hurd returns in hopes of impressing the staff and earning that offer. Most seem to think, and I agree, that Hurd isn't at the top of LSU's list at the cornerback position and that he'll probably leave without an offer once again. If Hurd was 2 or 3 inches taller, he'd probably be considered an elite recruit, but most coaches don't swoon over 5'9" cornerbacks. The kid is a serious football player, but I'm not sure he's in the plans.

Shaun Lewis LB Missouri City, TX - Lewis may be the top linebacker remaining on LSU's board. However, his fate may be tied to that of his good friend, Tony Hurd. The two seem pretty intent on playing together in college. And while Lewis seems to favor LSU, his tune may change if Hurd doesn't receive an offer soon. Lewis also camped at LSU in June, and he already has an LSU offer.

Jordan Allen DE West Monroe HS - Allen is widely considered to be a strong LSU lean. In all likelihood, it's just a matter of time until Allen commits to LSU. Regardless, the blue-chipper will be in Baton Rouge this weekend for a visit, though he won't be working out at camp.

Dontae Williams RB Houston, TX - Williams is a very impressive back on film. He reminds me a LOT of Joseph Addai coming out of high school. He's very quick, runs hard, and catches the ball well out of the backfield. However, his offer list doesn't match my evaluation of him with his most impressive offers being Arkansas, Cal, and Purdue. Academics may be a reason why he's not getting more attention, but I don't know that. He recently impressed at a camp at USC, and he hopes to do so again in Baton Rouge and earn an offer. He has repeatedly said that LSU is one of his favorite schools.

Nick Parker RB Batesville MS - Parker is a big back who currently holds an LSU offer. He also has offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Tennessee. He is 6'2" 210 pounds and runs like a fullback/tailback hybrid. He's very tough. Parker states that LSU is his leader, and depending on whether LSU would accept it, he could be a commitment soon.

ATH Jarrett Fobbs Huntington Shreveport - There's a few conflicting reports, but Fobbs may be a visitor at LSU for camp. Readers of this blog know that I'm a big fan of Fobbs. He holds an LSU offer but to this point, that offer was a defensive back. Fobbs is adamant about playing offense in college and recently committed to Texas A&M. Will Fobbs be willing to consider defense? Will LSU consider him as a receiver? The fact that he may be visiting tells me that he's still interested in LSU and that leaves the door open a bit. We'll see what transpires.

DE Anthony Williams GA - Williams will be in attendance, and he holds offers from Auburn, Florida State, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, and others...including LSU. We haven't heard much regarding Williams but we'll see if anything happens at camp.

CB Tyrann Matthieu St Augustine HS - Matthieu hasn't received a ton of recruiting attention, but he impressed a lot of coaches and scouts at Tennessee's camp last month. However, that performance did not result in an offer from the Vols. He's hoping to impress again in Baton Rouge.

A trio of John Curtis high school prospects will be at camp, though all of them are on LSU's backburner. Offensive lineman Luke Charpentier, defensive lineman Walker Ashburn, and cornerback Jonathon McKnight will all work out.

A number of other prospects may be on hand, though the info isn't totally solid that they'll be in town. Memphis, TN linebacker Jonathon Brown, Junction City, AR defensive tackle Byran Jones, Hahnville high school running back Alfred Blue, Mississippi wide receiver Robert Johnson, and Lake Charles defensive tackle Rissean Broussard all fall into that category. Broussard is a Tennessee commitment right now.

One of the more interesting possibilities is that 5-star Florida linebacker Jeff Luc may be attending. LSU is recruiting Luc, along with every team in the nation, but the Tigers are not thought to be a serious contender for him. Perhaps a great visit and a tour of the facilities may give him something to think about regarding LSU. It's not likely, but it's worth noting when a prospect of Luc's caliber is on campus (possibly).

Later this week, Georgia linebacker Telvin Smith visited LSU, and now lists LSU as even with Georgia and Florida State. Smith has an LSU offer.

Looking way ahead to the Class of 2011, a lot of elite juniors to be will also be in attendance. The guys detailed in a recent posting will all be attending. In addition, these players are expected to be there:

Ryan Byrd S St Helena Central HS - Byrd looks like a guy that could be an SEC level recruit. I've seen some early film, and he's a playmaker. He's got good size at 6'2" and the frame to add good weight.


Cedric Reed DE Cleveland, TX - Reed projects to be a big-time prospect next year and possibly one of the best prospects in the state of Texas. He's currently 6'6" 235 pounds.

Sedrick Flowers OL Galena Park, TX - Flowers looks like the best offensive line prospect in Texas next year and one of the best in the nation.

By the time you read this, some of this news may have changed. I'll try to update this blog as news breaks. And for those signed up for the Twitter feature, I'll be able to update you as soon as I know.

OT Evan Washington Commits to LSU

RECRUITING

Texas offensive tackle prospect Evan Washington (pictured below)committed to LSU on Tuesday. This is very big news for LSU because Washington looked like LSU's best chance to sign an elite offensive tackle for this class. It was very important to get him. Washington is 6'5" 290 pounds and very athletic. He's only played football for one year, and he doubles as a forward for his high school's basketball team. Washington had over 20 offers from schools such as Oklahoma, Auburn, Miami, Alabama, Nebraska, and Oklahoma State.



Washington is rated 4-stars by Scout.com and Rivals.com. An ESPN evaluation of him, along with some video, can be found here.

In other news, Mississippi offensive tackle prospect Wes Rea committed to Mississippi State recently, but he did so as a baseball player. Baseball seems to be what Rea really wants to play and he's said that he only wants to play one sport in college. While it seemed like a strong possibility that Rea would be part of LSU's offensive line class, now he won't be part of anyone's.

LSU is also putting the heat on Shaw high school offensive lineman Elliott Porter. Porter is being recruited as a defensive tackle by most schools and has an offer from Florida State. If Porter is OK with playing on the offensive line, then it seems highly likely that he'll choose LSU. If LSU can land Porter, they may close the book on offensive linemen for this class unless a serious blue chipper wants to come aboard.

It's been a while since I've updated the big list, and I've made some changes as prospects have committed elsewhere and new names have popped up:

COMMITMENTS:
QB Zach Lee -- McKinney, TX (Dallas area)
FB Brandon Worle - LaGrange, GA
WR Mike Davis -- Dallas, TX
WR Justin Hunter -- Virginia Beach, VA
TE Nick Jacobs -- Many
TE/OL Cameron Fordham -- Duluth, GA
OL Evan Washington -- DeSoto, TX (Dallas area)
OL Jamarcus Hardrick (JUCO)
LB Justin Maclin -- Memphis, TN
LB DJ Welter -- Crowley Notre Dame
LB Luke Muncie -- Klein, TX
LB/DE Houston Bates -- St Pauls HS Covington, LA
S Eric Reid -- Dutchtown HS
ATH Ronnie Vinson (CB or S) -- Newman New Orleans
ATH Tharold Simon (WR or S) -- Eunice
ATH Sam Gibson -- Prattville, AL

PROSPECTS:
QB
Munchie Legaux -- Karr HS New Orleans
Terrance Broadway -- Capitol
Sam Carter -- Houston, TX

RB
Lache Seastrunk -- Temple, TX
Storm Johnson -- Loganville, GA (Atlanta area)
Dontae Williams -- Houston, TX
Michael Dyer -- Little Rock, AR

WR
Trovon Reed -- Thibodaux
James Wright -- Belle Chase
DeAndrew White -- Galena Park, TX (Houston area)
Demarco Cobbs -- Tulsa, OK
Glen Coleman -- West Jefferson
Armand Williams -- Slidell

TE
Travis Dickson -- Ocean Springs, MS


OL
OC Brown -- Memphis, TN
Elliott Porter -- Shaw HS New Orleans
Daryl Williams -- Corinth, TX
James Stone -- Nashville, TN
Damien Robinson -- Olive Branch, MS
TJ Leifheit -- Wilmington, NC
Luke Charpentier -- John Curtis
Alex Hill -- Slidell HS

DT
Rissean Broussard -- Washington Marion Lake Charles (Tennessee commitment)
Damien Jacobs -- Houma, LA
Harold Legania -- Karr HS New Orleans
Churphy Stewart -- Breaux Bridge
LaCraig Brown-- Monroe
Garrison Smith -- Atlanta, GA
Byran Jones -- Junction City, AR

DE
Jordan Allen -- West Monroe
Anthony Wilson -- Homewood, AL
Joseph Okafor -- Houston, TX
JR Ferguson -- MD
Benay Pryor -- MS JUCO
Walker Ashburn -- John Curtis
Brandon Willis -- Duncan, SC
Fre'Shad Hunter -- Cary, NC
Joel Bonomolo -- JUCO (formerly Rummel HS)

LB
Shaun Lewis -- Missouri City, TX (Houston area)
Michael Taylor -- Atlanta, GA
Telvin Smith -- Valdosta, GA
Pat Swilling Jr. -- Brother Martin New Orleans
Chase Williams -- Leesburg, VA

CB
Tony Hurd -- Missouri City, TX (Houston area)
Tyler Stephenson -- Lancaster, TX (Dallas area)
Jonathon McKnight -- John Curtis HS
Tyrann Mathieu -- St. Augustine HS

S
Tommie Saunders -- San Antonio, TX

ATH
Curtis Carter (WR or CB) -- North DeSoto
James Haynes (CB or WR) -- Orange, TX

Reminder About the Site; Quick Recruiting Update

I just wanted to remind everyone of all the features of the site:

Hit this link to see some other ways to keep up with Saturday Night Slant. I hope you all take advantage of some of these features.

RECRUITING

Thought Georgia running back Storm Johnson was expected to give his commitment to LSU this weekend, that didn't happen. Johnson was publicly quoted as saying he would commit this weekend and since it didn't happen, many of those who frequent the LSU message boards are ready to jump off a bridge.

With all of Johnson's comments leading up to this weekend, I think one of two things happened here:

1) Johnson told Les Miles that he was ready to be a Tiger and Miles was pleased to hear it. However, he asked Johnson not to go "public" with the commitment because LSU still wants to pursue other running backs, and having a big-time RB committed would make that more difficult.

2) Johnson told Les Miles that he was ready to be a Tiger and Miles was pleased to hear it. However, Miles told Johnson that if he was going to be committed to LSU, then he didn't want him taking any other visits to other schools. Johnson, though he wants to be a Tiger, would like to take advantage of some free visits to some other schools. So they mutually decided to wait before making the commitment official.

When it's all said done, I think Storm Johnson will a part of this signing class for LSU.

Blake Dean Returns, Ochinko Signs; Recruiting Update

BASEBALL

In big news for the 2010 LSU Baseball Team, senior to be Blake Dean has announced that he will return for his senior season. Dean has hit 37 home runs and knocked in 144 runs over the last two seasons, leading the team in RBIs each year. Needless to say, his return will greatly benefit next year's team. Dean will undoubtedly work hard to try and earn a position in the field next year. He has certainly proven himself as a big-time hitter at the college level, but by showing he can play some defense he'll likely increase his draft position next year. Expect Dean to get a look at outfield and first base.

2009 first baseman Sean Ochinko, drafted in the 11th round, signed a pro contract and will be off to minor league baseball. Ochinko's true position is as a catcher, and he wont' be able to play catcher at LSU next year with Micah Gibbs returning.

Though it's old news, I haven't mentioned mentioned here that outfield Jared Mitchell has signed a pro contract. Congrats to Jared who will receive a $1.2 million signing bonus.

No other LSU players or signees have signed contracts at this point.

FOOTBALL

All members of the 2009 signing class are qualified and on campus with the exception of linebacker Tahj Jones and safety Craig Loston. Apparently, the status of those two is still up in the air.

RECRUITING

As reported in the last update, Georgia running back Storm Johnson is planning on visiting LSU this weekend to officially commit to LSU. That is still the plan, though it apparently hasn't happened just yet.

Shreveport athlete Jarret Fobbs committed to Texas A&M this week. LSU offered Fobbs as a defensive back, but Fobbs was dead set on playing receiver in college, and A&M will give him the opportunity to do that. He was one of the top players on LSU's board as a cornerback. LSU simply has better receivers currently committed and on their board. But if LSU ultimately decides to offer Fobbs as a receiver, then Fobbs may reconsider.

New Orleans cornerback Urell Johnson committed to Southern Miss last week. Johnson was a guy that got a few looks from schools like LSU and Tennessee but didn't receive any official offers.

Next weekend, LSU hosts its second camp of the summer and many big-time prospects will be there. Included in the top prospects will be a number of the state's top prospects for the Class of 2011, which may be the most talent-laded class in the state since 2001 (Mike Clayton, Andrew Whitworth, Marquise Hill, Marcus Spears, etc). Here are some of the 2011 guys who are planning to attend:

OL La'El Collins Redemptorist HS Baton Rouge, LA-- Collins certainly looks to be the state's top OL and one of the nation's best. He will be a strong candidate to be ranked as a 5-star recruit by the recruiting services. Collins doesn't have an LSU offer yet, but he almost certainly will after the camp next week.

RB Jeremy Hill Redemptorist HS Baton Rouge, LA -- Like Collins, Hill does not yet have an LSU offer, but he's expected to pick one up at camp next week. Hill is one of two in-state running backs (Kenny Hilliard is the other) that could find their way onto national Top 100 lists next year.

WR/ATH Bradley Sylve South Plaquemine HS -- Sylve is a serious speedster who projects as a versatile wide receiver. With 45 receptions, over 1100 yards and 13 touchdowns, he has proven that he's more than just a track guy. LSU has already offered Sylve and he has claimed that LSU is his leader.

LB Beau Fitte South Plaquemine HS -- Fitte is a very athletic linebacker who looks like he could be highly recruited. He will be attending LSU's camp and he'll try to show the LSU staff what he can do.

Luther wide receiver Jarvis Landry attended LSU's camp in June and really impressed. I'm not sure if he'll be attending again in July. I hope to put out a list sometime late next week.

Tidbits

I apologize for not posting an update in a week or so but going out of town for work as well as moving (still not done) have slowed me down a bit. The good news is that you haven't missed a whole lot. But here are some general updates to pass along.

BASEBALL

LSU signee Chad Stang, who was drafted in the 8th round by the Brewers, signed a pro contract. So he'll be going to the minor leagues and won't be a part of the LSU program. None of the other LSU players or signees have signed yet. August 15th is the deadline and we'll continue to keep a close eye on everyone until then.

RECRUITING

It's not "official" but Georgia running back Storm Johnson will be an LSU Commitment soon. Several media outlets have quotes from Johnson saying that LSU is his choice. He is visiting LSU next week and will make it official on his visit. Johnson is a heck of a prospect. Rivals rates him as the nation's 14th running back, and they have him in their Top 250 players overall. Johnson is a "big back" at 6'1" 215 pounds, but he runs with good power and has a lot of "shake" to him for a bigger back. He may not be able to "shake" too many players at the college level, but he has more than enough power to get things done. He's very similar to Charles Scott or Lebrandon Toefield coming out of high school and even reminds me of 2009 signee Mike Ford. Though in-state schools Georgia and Georgia Tech declined to offer, Johnson does have offers from Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Florida, and Florida State. Here is some video of Storm:

Other than Storm's pending commitment, LSU is preparing for their 2nd camp of the summer and a lot of big names should be in attendance. One guy that may be in attendance is Louisiana athlete Curtis Carter. Carter's stock has been sky rocketing of late, and he recently impressed again at a camp in Texas. Carter has serious speed, great athleticism, and soft hands. He logged a 4.37 in the 40 and a 37-inch vertical jump. I recently tabbed Carter as one of the state's Top Ten players. I'm thinking Carter may earn an LSU offer if he indeed attends LSU's camp. Nebraska has done a great job recruiting Carter, and they currently lead for him. That may very well change if/when he receives an LSU offer. Alabama, TCU, and Missouri have also offered Carter. LSU may want Carter as a DB whereas Nebraska likes him on offense, and that may be a sticking point for him.

Cincinnati, Ohio athlete Spencer Ware continues to list LSU as one of his two favorites, along with North Carolina. Ware is a 5'11" 220 pound athlete that holds offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and West Virginia as well. He claims he'll visit LSU soon and then make a decision. However, it's tough to figure what position Ware projects at. Some think running back while others think linebacker or safety. Meanwhile, he plays QB for his high school team. I'm not sure what position LSU is recruiting him for. Ware is rated 4-stars by both Scout and Rivals. Here is some video of Ware, though the quality is not great:



Mississippi offensive lineman Wes Rea has been a lean to LSU for some time. However, Rea is also a very good baseball player and he recently received an offer from Mississippi State for baseball. It really seems like Rea would prefer to play baseball and that offer certainly made things interesting. He has stated that he does not want to play both sports in college. Rea is supposed to attend LSU's camp where he's expected to pick up an offer from Les Miles.

As the camp gets closer, I'll try and put together a good list of who is attending.

FOOTBALL

Lots of rumors are circulating that LSU is on the verge of agreeing to a game with a BCS conference team at a neutral site for the 2010 season. The biggest rumor is that LSU may play North Carolina in Atlanta to open the season. An SEC team and ACC team are meeting in Atlanta for a season kickoff game each year. Alabama met Clemson in 2008. Alabama returns in 2009 to play Virginia Tech. The 2011 game is already set between Tennessee and North Carolina State. I think this would be a great way for LSU to open up the 2010 season. LSU already has West Virginia on the home schedule for that season.