Marcus Forston. Rivals.com called him “maybe the best nose tackle prospect in the past five years.” USA Today put him on their championship team. He has wide receiver talents as well as defensive tackle talents.

And then he picked University of Miami.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Miami-FL isn’t a bad school. The kid was heavily recruited at Notre Dame, USC, Tennessee, and Alabama, though. If you’re one of the best defensive prospects in the last five years…

I’m being unfair. You gotta go with the school you love, even if it isn’t the best team on your list.

So how’d he do at Miami?

Ok for a freshman. He had 3 sacks, which cost the other team 33 yards, and 18 tackles (13 of them solo). That’s pretty middle of the road, all things considered.

He got to play in 12 of their 13 games, so they definitely gave him some playing time, though, and I’m sure they’ll give him even more in the next two or three years. He’s someone to keep an eye on, even if he isn’t a total stand out just yet.

Picture via Newscom.

Post from: EveryJoe

#7 Marcus Forston One Year Later

The offer currently on the table expires at midnight, and one of the recruiters has one on record as saying that the offer probably won’t be renewed. Even though Brown has said that he’ll be going to Miami, he already visited five other schools and has a scheduled visit to LSU next week.

So why the hardball with a high school? One athletic department admin says that Randy Shannon, the head coach, is concerned that too much emphasis is being put on the player, rather than the team. I tend to agree. With a good team, a top recruit will just fall flat (need I say “Clausen”?), and it seems like every year, the top recruit is treated more and more like a celebrity.

From the Brown camp, reports are different – they say that they’ve talked to the coach and they haven’t heard anything about the offer being taken off the table.

I think it is poor form to say you’re going to one school, but then to visit other schools. Be honest – say you aren’t sure! It isn’t fair to Miami to say “I’m coming,” but then wait to sign a letter of intent so you can visit other schools. Furthermore, it isn’t fair to the other schools to take time out of their days when you’re “sure” that you’re not going their in the fall.

I put “sure” in quotes because obviously he isn’t sure, for whatever reason… and that’s fine, but dude, just be honest about it.

Picture via Newscom.

Post from: EveryJoe

Miami Plays Hardball with Top Recruit

Emerald Bowl Result:

California 24, Miami 17

Cal tailback Jahvid Best (4) breaks for a first quarter touchdown.

Champs Sports Bowl Summary: California started strong, but by the second quarter, Miami’s offense decided to play too. After halftime, it was 14 all (and then 17 all), and Cal quarterback Nate Longshore was making it clear why no one’s talking about him for the draft. Yes, he pulled things out in the end with a short pass to Anthony Miller with just a few minutes left in the game, but he didn’t have a very good final game. Of course, Jacory Harris (Miami’s freshman quarterback, pictured right) didn’t have the best game either…

So how did the Golden Bears win? First, they had the “home field” advantage – the stadium is just 12 miles from Cal’s campus. Second? Their defense, led by Zack Follett (pictured right), redeemed the team. Lastly, they had a dominant rushing game that Miami just couldn’t stop. Tailback Jahvid Best had a great game with 186 yards and two touchdowns.

Overall Records: California 9-4, Miami 7-6

Read more about the Emerald Bowl:

• Best leads Cal to Emerald Bowl win over Miami at College Football Impact
• Cal edges Miami for Emerald Bowl win at Pac-10 Rivalry
• Football: Emerald Bowl reflections at Bear Talk
• Cal Tops Miami in Emerald Bowl at Kreuzer’s Korner

Got a link or opinion of the game? Leave a comment below!

Pictures via Newscom.

Post from: EveryJoe

The 2008 Emerald Bowl

Buffalo 37, Miami-OH 17

• Early Scores Lift Buffalo Past Miami, 37-17 at Miami Ohio Football News
• Starks rushes for 177 yards as Buffalo Bulls blast Miami at Daily Sports News Online

#17 Ball State 45, Northern Illinois 14

• Ball State remains undefeated with 45-14 rout on Huskies at College Football Action
• Ball State handles Northern Illinois at The Anniston Star

Akron 27, Toledo 30

• Rockets Fall to Akron, 47-30 at Toledo Headline News

Western Michigan 23, Illinois 17

• Broncos Turn Back Illinois, 23-17 at MAC Report Online
• Western Michigan the ‘better team’ in frustrating Illini loss at The Daily Illini

Bowling Green 28, Ohio 3

• Bowling Green Bashes Bobcats at Buckeyenewshawk’s Blog
• Falcons dominate Ohio in 28-3 loss at The Post

Other conferences: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Conference USA, Independents, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-10, SEC, Sun Belt, WAC

(check back soon if the link isn’t live yet)

Post from: EveryJoe

2008 Week 11: Blogging about Mid-American

Miami-FL 24, Virginia 17

• Believe in the Canes at Will’s Sports Blog
• TIME FOR RANDY SHANNON TO MANAGE HIS TIME at Smitty’s Sightings
• Canes are Bowl Eligible! at Miami Sports – The City of Champions

Georgia Tech 31, #15 Florida State 28

• Reason to Celebrate at Taylor Stewart’s Blog
• Quick thoughts: Georgia Tech 31, Florida State 28 at Chopping Block

Clemson 27, Boston College 21

• Clemson stops its skid against Boston College at WSJ Sports College

Wake Forest 33, Duke 30 

• Early Voting at Zach Dotsey
• Duke drops an overtime decision to Wake Forest at Blue Devil Nation

Other conferences: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Conference USA, Independents, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-10, SEC, Sun Belt, WAC

(check back soon if the link isn’t live yet)

Post from: EveryJoe

2008 Week 10: Blogging about the ACC

North Carolina 45, Boston College 24

• Boosterism at Triangle Offense
• BC vs UNC: The Recap at The Fifth Corner

Miami-FL 16, Wake Forest 10

• FSU UPDATE: Miami 16, Wake Forest 10 at The Word
• Miami Hurricanes 16 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 10 at Miami Sports

Duke 10, Vanderbilt 7

• Big Day for Duke Sports at Zach Dotsey
• Tough defense drops Vanderbilt 10 – 7 at Blue Devil Nation
• LIVE! UPDATE: DUKE 10, VANDERBILT 7 at Moral Victory

Virginia 24, #18 Georgia Tech 17

• Survival! Terps Now 6-2! at Turtle Soup
• Virginia Georgia Tech at We Are SC

#25 Florida State 30, Virginia Tech 20

• Quick thoughts: Florida State 30, Virginia Tech 20 at Chopping Block
• Postgame React: Virginia Tech Hokies @ your Florida State Seminoles at Tomahawk Nation

Maryland 27, North Carolina State 24

• Benjamin 3; Maryland 27, NC State 24 at Shine Silently
• Keys the game revisited: NC State at Maryland at NC State Wolfpack

Other conferences: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Conference USA, Independents, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-10, SEC, Sun Belt, WAC

(check back soon if the link isn’t live yet)

Post from: EveryJoe

2008 Week 9: Blogging about the ACC

Florida State 26, North Carolina State 17

• FSU 26, NC State 17 at Section Six
• Postgame report card: Florida State 26, NC State 17 at Chopping Block – Seminoles Blog

Maryland 26, #21 Wake Forest 0

• Navarre breaks through vs. Wake Forest at Maryland Terrapins Football & Basketball
• Football: Maryland Terrapins vs Wake Forest at One Game at a Time

Georgia Tech 21, Clemson 17

• Georgia Tech Edges Clemson at Bored Sports
• Clemson Loses To Gerogia Tech 21-17. at faniq Blog

Virginia 16, #18 North Carolina 13

• Virginia Beats North Carolina at NCAA Football fanhouse

Miami-FL 49, Duke 31

• There are no moral victories: Miami 49, Duke 31 at Triangle Offense
• Miami rolls past Duke 49-31 at WSJ Sports
• Gameday blog: UM 49, Duke 31 (F) at Eye on the U

Boston College 28, #17 Virginia Tech 23

• Boston College getting it done, despite a turnover or five at ESPN’s ACC Blog

Other conferences: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Conference USA, Independents, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-10, SEC, Sun Belt, WAC 

(check back soon if the link isn’t live yet)

Post from: EveryJoe

2008 Week 8: Blogging about the ACC

Clemson against #21 Wake Forest

• WAKE FOREST 12, CLEMSON 7 at Today’s ACC Headlines
• Clemson’s disastrous season just got worse at ESPN

Georgia Tech against Gardner-Webb

• Georgia Tech nips Gardner-Webb 10-7 at WSJ Sports
• Is anyone watching Georgia Tech? at ESPN
• Yellow Jackets Best Bulldogs, 10-7 at Rambling Wreck

Miami-FL against UCF

• Knights Fall Short at Miami at UCF Athletics
• Gameday blog: UM 20, UCF 14 at Eye on the U

#22 North Carolina against Notre Dame

• Notre Dame vs UNC: The Recap at The Fifth Corner
• Ugh at Rambles of a Crazy Coffin
• Irish lose in strange finish at Classic Ground

Virginia against East Carolina

• Virginia Tops ECU 35-20 at ECU Pirates
• It’s Gotten Bad Real Fast for ECU at NCAA Football FanHouse

Not playing this week:

Other conferences: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Conference USA, Independents, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-10, SEC, Sun Belt, WAC (if the link you click isn’t working yet, stop back later)

Post from: EveryJoe

2008 Week 7: Blogging about the ACC

Football uniforms have always been a hot topic. It makes sense – if I’m going to shell out the cash for a fan jersey, I don’t want to look like a douche. There are quite a few teams getting new uniforms in 2008, so I thought I’d compile a list of links to show you. If your team is getting new uniforms and you don’t see them on this list, leave a comment to let me know!

Hawaii

Kentucky (rumored, but I couldn’t confirm)

Miami

Minnesota (not yet revealed at time of this post)

South Florida

Utah

Post from: EveryJoe

New NCAA Uniforms for 2008

• Randy Shannon, Miami
• Charlie Weis, Notre Dame
• Mark Richt, Georgia
• Tommy Tuberville, Auburn
• Jack Siedlecki, Yale

Let’s set any rivalries aside for a moment here. What the men and women in our armed forces are doing is nothing short of amazing. In the United States, we’re disconnected from the horror of war. It is almost like it is an inconvenience…but thousands upon thousands have died overseas, while serving our country. Every time these men and women step outside, someone may (and probably will) shoot at them with intentions to kill.

It might not seem like much for these coaches to tour some bases, but what they’re doing is a lot compared to what the average American is doing. I’m not trying to be too political, but this presidential election, think about your vote long and hard. Let’s bring these heroes home.

Post from: EveryJoe

Five NCAA Football Coaches Head to the Middle East