JMU Duke Dog
December 6th, 2005, 12:47 PM
Well at least JMU has more time to focus on recruiting now...
http://www.dnronline.com/sports_details.php?AID=1902&CHID=3
Big Lineman Opts For Dukes
Chatham standout Theo Sherman is attracting late interest from Maryland, but he says he’s sticking with JMU.
By Mike Barber
Mickey Matthews doesn’t have to fear the turtle.
Chatham High School offensive and defensive lineman Theo Sherman, who orally committed to play for Matthews and the James Madison football team last week, is standing by his choice despite late interest from Maryland.
"I’m going to stick with JMU," the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Sherman said Monday. "[Maryland] didn’t offer me yet. They’re talking about offering me sometime in January, but they didn’t say for sure."
NCAA regulations prohibit college coaches from publicly discussing recruits until the players submit national letters of intent. Signing day is Feb. 1.
Sherman’s high school coach, Matt Foutz, worked with JMU linebackers coach Kyle Gillenwater at Hargrave Military Academy. The two also went to college together at Bridgewater.
"I said, ‘Hey, I want you to take a look at this kid’ when he was a 10th-grader," Foutz said. "And he’s been keeping tabs on him ever since."
Gillenwater visited Sherman’s house last Tuesday, which is when Sherman said he committed for the Division I-AA Dukes.
The decision clearly pleased Foutz, who said he thinks Sherman is the Group A school’s first Division I football signee. He said he and Gillenwater think Sherman can excel in college.
"We both think he’s a Division I, I-A caliber player," said Foutz, in his eighth year at Chatham. "For whatever reason, that hasn’t worked out."
Foutz said most of the ACC schools had looked at Sherman, with the most interest coming from Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. But only I-AA schools offered scholarships, Foutz said.
Last week, Sherman explained why he picked JMU.
"I like everything about JMU," Sherman said. "I basically wanted to commit in the beginning of the season, but I wanted to wait a little longer to see if there were any D-I offers."
The 17-year-old Sherman said Gillenwater’s persistence is another reason he chose JMU.
"Coach Gillenwater came to see me," Sherman said. "And he’s seen me progress."
Sherman visited JMU the weekend of Nov. 19, when the Dukes ended their season with a 55-14 trouncing of Towson.
Madison, the 2004 I-AA national champion, finished 7-4 this year and didn’t receive an at-large bid to the playoffs.
Maryland finished 5-6 and isn’t going to a bowl game for the second straight season.
While Madison’s national title didn’t hurt its recruiting effort, Sherman said it wasn’t the main reason he plans to wear purple and gold.
"It looks like they can make you better," Sherman said, "get you stronger, bigger, faster. Also, family-wise, it’s a team."
Matthews said he has between 15 and 20 scholarships to offer and will focus on adding defensive backs and quarterbacks.
Two-year starting quarterback Justin Rascati will be a senior next season. His backup, Rodney Landers, will be a sophomore.
Last year, JMU signed 24 recruits -- 23 high school seniors and one junior-college transfer. With the Dukes thin after losing 22 seniors from their championship team, seven played as true freshmen – linebackers D.J. Brandon and Brad Davis, cornerbacks Evan McCollough and Derrius Ramsey, wide receivers Tommie Lawrence and Patrick Ward and long snapper Tim Ragle.
http://www.dnronline.com/sports_details.php?AID=1902&CHID=3
Big Lineman Opts For Dukes
Chatham standout Theo Sherman is attracting late interest from Maryland, but he says he’s sticking with JMU.
By Mike Barber
Mickey Matthews doesn’t have to fear the turtle.
Chatham High School offensive and defensive lineman Theo Sherman, who orally committed to play for Matthews and the James Madison football team last week, is standing by his choice despite late interest from Maryland.
"I’m going to stick with JMU," the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Sherman said Monday. "[Maryland] didn’t offer me yet. They’re talking about offering me sometime in January, but they didn’t say for sure."
NCAA regulations prohibit college coaches from publicly discussing recruits until the players submit national letters of intent. Signing day is Feb. 1.
Sherman’s high school coach, Matt Foutz, worked with JMU linebackers coach Kyle Gillenwater at Hargrave Military Academy. The two also went to college together at Bridgewater.
"I said, ‘Hey, I want you to take a look at this kid’ when he was a 10th-grader," Foutz said. "And he’s been keeping tabs on him ever since."
Gillenwater visited Sherman’s house last Tuesday, which is when Sherman said he committed for the Division I-AA Dukes.
The decision clearly pleased Foutz, who said he thinks Sherman is the Group A school’s first Division I football signee. He said he and Gillenwater think Sherman can excel in college.
"We both think he’s a Division I, I-A caliber player," said Foutz, in his eighth year at Chatham. "For whatever reason, that hasn’t worked out."
Foutz said most of the ACC schools had looked at Sherman, with the most interest coming from Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. But only I-AA schools offered scholarships, Foutz said.
Last week, Sherman explained why he picked JMU.
"I like everything about JMU," Sherman said. "I basically wanted to commit in the beginning of the season, but I wanted to wait a little longer to see if there were any D-I offers."
The 17-year-old Sherman said Gillenwater’s persistence is another reason he chose JMU.
"Coach Gillenwater came to see me," Sherman said. "And he’s seen me progress."
Sherman visited JMU the weekend of Nov. 19, when the Dukes ended their season with a 55-14 trouncing of Towson.
Madison, the 2004 I-AA national champion, finished 7-4 this year and didn’t receive an at-large bid to the playoffs.
Maryland finished 5-6 and isn’t going to a bowl game for the second straight season.
While Madison’s national title didn’t hurt its recruiting effort, Sherman said it wasn’t the main reason he plans to wear purple and gold.
"It looks like they can make you better," Sherman said, "get you stronger, bigger, faster. Also, family-wise, it’s a team."
Matthews said he has between 15 and 20 scholarships to offer and will focus on adding defensive backs and quarterbacks.
Two-year starting quarterback Justin Rascati will be a senior next season. His backup, Rodney Landers, will be a sophomore.
Last year, JMU signed 24 recruits -- 23 high school seniors and one junior-college transfer. With the Dukes thin after losing 22 seniors from their championship team, seven played as true freshmen – linebackers D.J. Brandon and Brad Davis, cornerbacks Evan McCollough and Derrius Ramsey, wide receivers Tommie Lawrence and Patrick Ward and long snapper Tim Ragle.