Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Two Down, Two Days To Go

Scratch a couple of intriguing candidates for the Dartmouth recruiting class. Heralded Texas running back Bo Snelson has made a verbal commitment to attend Navy while linebacker Brent Seals has chosen an opportunity to walk on at Stanford over the chance to play at Dartmouth ... or Harvard.

His local paper has a quick mention of Dartmouth-bound safety Cole Pembroke that includes this:
"Pembroke, who was second on the team with 53 tackles and also had two sacks, committed to Dartmouth, a Division I school in the Ivy League.

"He went on the trip and enjoyed it," said DV coach Dan Hinds. "He's going to be an Ivy Leaguer."
With newspapers gearing up for Wednesday's signing day festivities, names will continue popping up. The Palm Beach Post reports that, "... whiz kid De-Andres Jackson could end up in the Ivy League after he graduates Glades Day. Jackson, a wide receiver, has offers or interest from Brown, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Arkansas State and Air Force."

Former Cornell coach Jim Hofher has a new job as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Delaware according to a story on the News Journal website. Since posting a 45-35 record as head coach at Cornell from 1990-97, Hofher has been an assistant at North Carolina, Syracuse and Bowling Green, as well as head coach at Buffalo from 2001-05. He was 8-49 with Buffalo.

Several names familiar to Dartmouth football fans get a mention in today's Daily Dartmouth story about HealThySelf House, which the story says was, "founded to provide a safe space for high school and College students struggling with drugs, alcohol, eating disorders and other challenges." The story notes that former running back/receiver Steve Hunt '08 had been the student chair of the organization and it quotes current co-chair Tim McManus '11, the Big Green's receiver/quarterback. HealThySelf House was founded by former gridder Bill Sjogren ‘67.

Former Dartmouth quarterback Jay Fiedler's involvement with the East Kentucky Miners CBA basketball team is apparently coming to a rocky end. Out-takes from a web report:
The Continental Basketball Association will end its 2008-09 season six weeks ahead of schedule, the league announced Monday.

A source with the East Kentucky Miners who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that team owner Jay Fiedler had stopped funding the team in early January. He indicated that players and staff had not been paid for four weeks, but he expected Fiedler would make up for past-due amounts.

Fiedler became disillusioned with the CBA when it blocked his attempt to move the Miners to the Premier Basketball League, according to the source. His attempts to get the leagues to merge were also voted down by CBA owners.
(We went to Barre, Vt., Sunday to watch the Vermont Frost Heaves play in their inaugural season in the Premier Basketball League.)

For interesting insights into what a football talent scout looks for and sees, check out this story centered on Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel.

Speaking of scouts, colleges are increasingly using professional services to keep track of potential recruits. From a Charlotte Observer story:
In the Carolinas alone, the five public Football Bowl Subdivision schools – North Carolina, N.C. State, East Carolina, Clemson and South Carolina – spent more than $172,000 combined in 2007-08 on outside recruiting assistance.
Why would they spend the money? Consider this from the story:
“These people have unlimited access,” said N.C. State recruiting coordinator Jerry Petercuskie. “We have rules and regulations based on the NCAA of when we can go out physically It's easier for them because they have 24/7, 12 months a year that they have access to the players and coaches.”
And finally, I got a note yesterday reminding me that the next Wearers of the Green event will be in Boston this spring. As the Wearers website notes, more than 160 Dartmouth students, alumni and coaches as well as five honorary inductees will be honored.

One of the honorary co-chairs for the May 16 event at the Westin Copley Place hotel: David Shula '81. Football inductees will be:
Late sports information director Kathy Slattery Phillips is among the honorary inductees along with President Jim Wright, wife Susan Wright, John Engleman and Doug Floren.

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