Chan Gailey, like anyone who has coached college football, has many memories of the recruiting trail. Some gratifying. Some frustrating.
Some mouth-watering.
“I had a red velvet cake one night,” Gailey said. “Whew! It was just unbelievable.”
Gailey is no longer leading the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, fired after six seasons. Now that he’s off the trail, however, he has a better shot to be lighter on the scale.
“There’s some great eating out there, some mamas that can really cook,” said Gailey, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator. “We recruited a bunch of kids from Georgia two years ago, and the mamas tried to outdo each other. They’d say, ‘I heard you ate a lot at the last one, so we fixed a lot for you!’ Then you feel obligated. I gained 10 pounds.”
Current college coaches are hoping to gain something different on Wednesday, which is National Signing Day:
An edge.
They are hoping to secure players that help them tip the scales against rivals. They are worried that their bloated stomachs could be churning by day’s end.
For decades, recruiting has been a gut-busting and gut-wrenching experience, one that leaves coaches with plenty of tales to tell. Quite a few revolve around food. Rubin Carter, Florida A&M;’s former coach, will never forget the pigs’ feet: “You hate to turn it down, but you just take a few nibbles and say, ‘Hey, thank you very much,’ and get on with the recruiting. But yes, I ate a little.”
Other meals leave a more pleasant aftertaste, one that can last nearly a half-century.
“The one that tasted the best and was most satisfying was those chicken and dumplings,” FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger said.
That was the meal that Joe Namath’s mother prepared in 1961, on the night that he invited a young Alabama assistant into her Beaver Falls, Pa., home. That was the night when the high school quarterback announced that he would make an official visit to Tuscaloosa, Ala., where Schnellenberger worked under Bear Bryant.
Of course, Schnellenberger’s work didn’t end there. Short on cash, he wrote two bad checks to get an airline ticket and then a stopover hotel room for Namath. Then he had to hope, down to his last 50 cents, that Namath wouldn’t want breakfast.
“I bought him a cup of coffee,” Schnellenberger said.
The rest, as Schnellenberger says, “is history.”
Within days, Namath joined the Crimson Tide and later won a national championship (’64).
Schnellenberger’s history includes countless unforgettable recruiting experiences.
A few years before landing Namath, he was working for Bryant at Kentucky and recruiting a Louisville-area talent named Pete Dudgen. Dudgen gave a verbal commitment, but Schnellenberger knew that a local car dealer worked for Purdue and was skilled at stealing players.
Night after night, after staying as late as possible at the house, Schnellenberger parked his car around the corner, out of sight but with a view of the porch. Every morning, after waking up, he would clean up in a bus station bathroom, then return to take Dudgen to school.
Once Schnellenberger got Dudgen to Lexington, he assigned three responsible Kentucky players to monitor the recruit’s every move until he could officially join the team. One day, one watchdog was negligent. Dudgen disappeared. Schnellenberger called the state highway police. He alleged a kidnapping. He suggested it might have been by someone in a Cadillac with a particular license plate. The police set up a road block, to prevent passage to Indiana.
“I thought we still had a good chance to get him back,” Schnellenberger said. “But time passed, and he never broke into the dragnet. I read in the newspaper that he showed up on Purdue’s campus.”
These days, restrictive rules have changed recruiting. Schnellenberger laments those that have limited home visits, preventing coaches from getting to know players as well, through their family interaction. He maintains that some coaches are just offering scholarships based on ratings on Rivals.com, with less comprehension of an athlete’s character.
Maybe the trail isn’t quite as colorful. Still, it hasn’t become totally bland.
Former Florida International coach Don Strock learned to expect anything, especially after chatting with a wide receiver prospect’s mother in Palm Bay … when a state policeman walked in.
“Don’t worry, that’s my husband,” the woman said.
“All right,” Strock said. “I thought maybe I did something last night that I forgot about.”
Terry Bowden got to do something not every son does: compete with his father.
In 1993, he and his brother Tommy, who was working for him at Auburn, were working on a player named Louis Battles. So was Bobby Bowden, for Florida State.
“Me and Tommy talked about how old he was,” said Terry Bowden, who now writes for yahoo.com and co-hosts a radio show on Sirius. “We said ‘By the time you are a junior, my Dad will be 65. When you want a recommendation, you won’t know what golf course my Dad will be on.’ “
The next night, Bobby paid his official visit.
Battles’ high school coach told the FSU coach what the sons had said about his “imminent” retirement.
“Son, I promise you one thing,” Bobby told Battles. “I’ll be at Florida State longer than Terry will be at Auburn.”
By 10 years, and counting.
“He was very prophetic,” Terry said.
Terry didn’t get as many home-cooked meals as his father had in earlier, simpler years. He had a simpler desire.
“I used to consider a coup if I could get families to turn off the TV when I was talking to them,” Terry said. “I want to give a speech, and I don’t want to be giving it over Jeopardy.” Some speeches are forgettable. So are some names.
Terry recalled one visit to a linebacker’s home in the Louisiana bayou.
The turnip greens. The brown sugar. The ham bone …
“I may not know where that kid is today,” he said. “I don’t think he ever played a lick. But that was as good an eating as you could ever have in your life.”
INFORMATIONAL BOX:
Name High School Ht. Wt. Pos. College
Dominique Battle American Heritage-Delray 6-0 185 DB Cincinnati
Travis Benjamin Glades Central 5-10 160 WR Miami
Danous Estenor Palm Beach Central 6-4 300 OL South Florida
Antonio Fenelus Boca Raton 5-10 180 DB Wisconsin
Ernest Ferguson Royal Palm Beach 6-0 220 LB Iowa State
Justin Green Palm Beach Gardens 6-4 315 OL South Florida
Kevin Hamlin Dwyer 6-4 215 LB Iowa State
Karnell Hatcher Atlantic 6-2 190 DB LSU
Star Jackson Lake Worth 6-3 195 QB Alabama
Janoris Jenkins Pahokee 5-11 180 DB Florida
John Lejiste Atlantic 6-1 190 DB South Florida
Jeremy Lewis Palm Beach Lakes 6-4 285 DL Miami
Conner Kempe Benjamin 6-4 220 QB Dartmouth
Joe Looney Lake Worth 6-4 295 OL Wake Forest
Jarien Moreland Glades Central 6-3 295 OL Central Florida
Nate Nord West Boca 6-5 230 TE Louisville
Brad Pierre Lake Worth 6-2 195 WR Fordham
Micanor Regis Pahokee 6-4 300 DL Miami
Mike Ross West Boca 6-2 260 OL Army
Joe Trebitz West Boca 6-3 215 LB Pittsburgh
To report additional Palm Beach County commitments, contact Stacy Hicklin at .
HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITING
2008 COMMITMENTS
Miami
Player Ht./Wt. High School/Jr. College
WR Travis Benjamin 5-10/170 Glades Central
LB Arthur Brown 6-1/225 Wichita (Kan.) East
FB/LB John Calhoun 6-3/235 Sebastian River
WR Thearon Collier 5-9/165 Miami Booker T. Washington
QB Taylor Cook 6-7/210 Altair (Texas) Rice Consolidated
DL Marcus Forston 6-3/295 Miami Northwestern
LB Jordan Futch 6-3/205 Chaminade-Madonna
LB Antonio Harper 6-4/220 Memphis (Tenn.) Melrose
QB Jacory Harris 6-4/170 Miami Northwestern
FB Patrick Hill 6-0/235 Torrance (Cal.) El Camino CC
DB C.J. Holton 6-2/195 Crawfordville Wakulla Co.
WR Aldarius Johnson 6-3/195 Miami Northwestern
WR Davon Johnson 5-11/161 Miami Booker T. Washington
LB Zach Kane 6-3/212 Toms River (N.J.) North
DL Jeremy Lewis 6-3/280 Palm Beach Lakes
LB Brandon Marti 6-1/219 Gulliver Prep
DB C.J. Odom 6-0/198 Fort Myers
DL Micanor Regis 6-2/295 Pahokee
LB Marcus Robinson 6-2/210 Homestead
DE Andrew Smith 6-3/223 Coconut Creek
QB Cannon Smith 5-11/200 Hargrave Military Prep (Va.)
LB Sean Spence 6-1/195 Miami Northwestern
WR Kendall Thompkins 5-10/165 Miami Northwestern
OL Brandon Washington 6-4/305 Miami Northwestern
KS Jake Wieclaw 6-2/180 New Lenox (Ill.) Lincoln-Way
DB Joe Wylie 6-2/191 Boyd Anderson
Florida
Player Ht./Wt. High School/Jr. College
OL Ricky Barnum 6-3/255 Lakeland Lake Gibson
LB Brendan Beal 6-4/235 Bethlehem (Pa.) Liberty
DB Jeremy Brown 5-10/163 Orlando Boone
LB/S Ramon Buchanan 6-9/195 Melbourne Palm Bay
DB Adrian Bushell 5-11/180 DeSoto (Texas)
RB Jeff Demps 5-9/175 Groveland South Lake
DL Troy Epps 6-1/280 Coffeyville (Kan.) CC
DB Dee Finley 6-3/210 Auburn (Ala.)
WR Frankie Hammond 6-0/170 Hallandale
ATH Will Hill 6-3/103 Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter’s Prep
WR Omarius Hines 6-1/180 Corsicana (Texas)
DL Omar Hunter 6-2/290 Buford (Ga.)
DB Janoris Jenkins 5-10/167 Pahokee
OL Bryan Jones 6-3/310 Jacksonville Forrest
LB Lerentee McCray 6-2/200 Dunnellon
WR Carl Moore 6-4/220 Rosedale (Calif.) Sierra CC
DE Earl Okine 6-6/229 Gainesville
OL Matt Patchen 6-7/290 Seffner Armwood
LB T.J. Pridemore 6-1/228 Buford (Ga.)
OL Sam Robey 6-5/253 Louisville (Ky.) Trinity
KS Caleb Sturgis 5-11/175 St. Augustine
DE Chaz Sutton 6-4/230 Savannah (Ga.) Jenkins
Florida State
Player Ht./Wt. High School/Jr. College
DB Travis Arnold 5-10/175 Madison Co.
LB Nigel Bradham 6-2/230 Crawfordville Wakulla Co.
ATH A.J. Alexander 6-0
180 Altoona, Pa.
LB Nigel Carr 6-3/220 Jacksonville First Coast
WR Avis Commack 6-4/186 Jacksonville First Coast
OL Andrew Datko 6-4/285 St. Thomas Aquinas
DL Everett Dawkins 6-3/240 Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes
OL Garrett Faircloth 6-6/265 Jacksonville Bolles
WR Josh Gehres 6-3/190 Tallahassee Lincoln
DL Anthony Hills 6-4/285 Pensacola High
TE Ja’Baris Little 6-4/240 Tallahassee Lincoln
QB E.J. Manuel 6-4/201 Virginia Beach (Va.) Bayside
DL Moses McCray 6-2/270 Tampa Middleton
DB Nick Moody 6-2/210 Philadelphia (Pa.) Roman Catholic
DB Terrance Parks 6-1/200 Fairburn (Ga.) Creekside
RB Tavares Pressley 6-1/215 Torrance (Cal.) El Camino College OL Zebrie Sanders 6-5/273 Clayton (Ohio) Northmont
OL Rhonne Sanderson 6-4280 Tampa Plant
OL David Spurlock 6-4/280 Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Riverdale
DE Toshmon Stevens 6-6/210 Crescent City
WR Corry Surrency 6-5/210 Torrance (Calif.) El Camino College RB Jermaine Thomas 6-1/190 Jacksonville First Coast
DE Markus White 6-4245 Butler (Kan.) CC
LB Vincent Williams 6-0/225 Davenport Ridge Community
Florida Atlantic
Player Ht./Wt. High School/Jr. College
RB Michael Barasch 6-0/185 University School
WR Keon Broxton 6-2/170 Lakeland
DB Travis Cox 5-11/180 South Plantation
OL Joseph Dawson 6-5/320 Dean (Mass.) CC
WR Ladarius Green 6-5/215 Pensacola Washington
DL Jimmy Jean 6-2/285 Northeast
QB David Kooi 6-6/205 Pensacola Catholic
OL Troy Niblack 6-4/285 Orlando Edgewater
LB Alex Pattee 6-1/235 Hollywood Hills
TE Jarad Pizutti 6-3/22 Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley
OL Randy Richards 6-3/280 Royal Palm Beach
QB Graham Wilbert 6-4/214 Valencia (Cal.)
WR/DB Demetrius Williamson 6-1/181 Port Orange Spruce Creek
WR Amos Woods 6-0/170 Hollywood Hills
Florida International
Player Ht./Wt. High School/Jr. College
OL Stephen Bailey 6-6/260 American Heritage-Delray
DB Chris Charles 5-11/180 Coral Springs Charter
DB/WR Derrick Clark 6-3/185 Apopka
QB Troy Dannehower 6-1/220 Daytona Beach Seabreeze
LB/TE Aaron Davis 6-0/246 Bartow
LB Winston Fraser 6-0/210 Miami Booker T. Washington
LB A.J. Grant 6-1, 190 Jacksonville Sandalwood
DB Chuck Grace 5-10/175 Tampa Hillsborough
TE Joey Harris 6-4/235 Chiefland
DE Milhomme Jean-Charles 6-0/230 Palm Bay Bayside
DE James Jones 6-1/216 Lakeland Lake Gibson
LB Cory Lattimore 6-2/220 Torrance (Cal.) El Camino College
OL Cedric Mack 6-4/330 Torrance (Cal.) El Camino College
DB Marcelus Manear 6-1, 190 Milford Academy (N.Y.)
WR Junior Mertile 6-0/179 North Miami
RB Darriet Perry 5-9/187 Lowndes (Ga.)
DL Andre Pound 6-3/270 Sebastian River
FS/WR Jercorey Quarterman 6-3/205 Parkway Academy
DL Kasey Smith 6-3/245 Daytona Beach Seabreeze
DL Kenneth White 6-3/240 Miami Norland
LB Kambriel Willis 5-11/181 Miami Booker T. Washington
DL Donnell Wilson 6-1180 Naples Golden Gate
South Florida
Player Ht./Wt. High School/Jr. College
DE David Bedford 6-5/240 Independence (Kan.) CC
KS Maikon Bonani 6-0/165 Lake Wales
WR Daniel Bryant 6-2/185 Tallahassee Chiles
P Justin Brockhaus-Kann 6-2/250 Winter Springs
DL Donnel Engram 6-2/255 Tarpon Springs
OL Danous Estenor 6-3/305 Palm Beach Central
OL Josh Garvin 6-4/278 Lakeland Lake Gibson
OL Justin Green 6-4/320 Palm Beach Gardens
DL Corey Grissom 6-2/275 LaGrange (Ga.)
TE Jeff Hawkins 6-4/240 Ocala Forest
WR Anthony Jones 6-1/180 Booneville (Miss.) NE Mississippi CC LB Mike Lanaris 6-1/228 Lake Mary
QB/ATH Evan Landi 6-3/200 Coral Springs Charter
DB John Lejuste 6-0/176 Atlantic
DL Craig Marshall 6-5/255 Poplarville (Miss.) Pearl River CC RB Demetrius Murray 5-11/205 Buford (Ga.)
OL Mark Popek 6-7/310 Plant City
LB/QB Armando Sanchez 6-1/215 St. Petersburg Northeast
TE Andreas Shields 6-6/210 Tampa Wharton
LB Quavon Taylor 5-10/185 Miami Northwestern
LB Keon Wilson 6-1/225 Poplarville (Miss.) Pearl River CC
ATH Theo Wilson 5-10/190 Poplarville (Miss.) Pearl River CC
Central Florida
Player Ht./Wt. High School/Jr. College
QB Rob Calabrese 6-2/199 Islip Terrace (N.Y.) East Islip
RB Brandon Davis 5-8/184 Suwannee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge
DL Robert Geathers 6-2/225 Quincy (Cal.) Feather River CC
DL Theo Goins 6-4/280 Fort Bend (Texas) Hightower
OL Chad Hounshell 6-5/302 Mentor (Ohio) Lake Catholic
TE Brendan Kelly 6-3/228 Shoreham (N.Y.) Shoreham-Waring
ATH Vance King 6-0/183 Stockbridge (Ga.)
TE Kyle Madden 6-3/228 Kennesaw (Ga.) Harrison
DL Chris Martin 6-4/291 Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee
OL Jarien Moreland 6-4/310 Glades Central
LB Latavius Murray 6-3/215 Nedrow (N.Y.) Onondaiga Central
OL John Oliver 6-6/270 LaGrange (Ga.) Troup Co.
DE Jason Pierre-Paul 6-4/225 Deerfield Beach
DE Robert Pritchard 6-2/212 Suwannee (Ga.) North Gwinnett
LB Loren Robinson 6-3/190 Longwood Lyman
OL Steve Robinson 6-3/305 Tallahassee Lincoln
LB David Williams 6-2/195 Cardinal Gibbons
WR Marquee Williams 6-1/185 Ocala Vanguard
RB Chris Wilson 5-10/194 Sugar Land (Texas) Fort Bend Austin – Compiled by Bill Buchalter, Orlando Sentinel Ethan J. Skolnick can be reached at .
