By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
The Topper
>Baylor is not welcoming any official visitors this coming weekend. The dead period just concluded on Thursday. Coaches are back out on the road. There could be a visitor or two next weekend.
>Rivals final rankings for the 2019 class will be unveiled next week. There could be some slight changes to individual ratings. It could also impact Baylor’s overall ranking. Currently, Baylor is No. 33.
>The rest of Baylor’s mid-semester arrivals - QB Jacob Zeno, DB Hakeem Vance, OL Davis DiVall, DE Logan Compton, DE T.J. Franklin, QB/Ath Peyton Powell, Ath Solomon Turner, JUCO DE Niadre Zouzoua – are arriving Friday and Saturday. JUCO OL Blake Bedier arrived Wednesday. The first team meeting is Sunday.
Asante surveys Baylor
Centerville (VA) linebacker Eugene Asante is now up to 22 offers. Baylor joined the parade after Christmas when it extended its offer.
“I know a little about them,’’ Asante said. “I’ve had some good contacts with [assistant defensive backs coach] Evan Cooper. It looks like a pretty good place.’’
Given his size, Asante said the Baylor coaches haven’t been too specific on where he could fit if he wound up choosing the Bears. There’s more to do there as far as the coaching staff’s side of it. However, one position that was suggested was outside linebacker/nickel. That’s a position similar to the one Blake Lynch currently holds.
Asante said he plans to be in touch with the staff next week. If so, then a potential official visit would follow.
Back at it
Beaumont United 2019 safety Tyrone Brown’s senior season was nearly a complete loss after breaking his right foot in September.
Following surgery and physical therapy Brown said he is back to 100 percent.
“I’ve been working out on it and it feels good,’’ he said. “It’s good to be healthy again.’’
Brown’s history, of course, with Baylor was choppy back in the spring. He committed to the Bears in March, then de-committed a month later before re-committing on June 18, 2018. He signed his letter of intent on Dec. 19.
Running with cement blocks
Hattiesburg (MS) athlete Hakeem Vance is over his groin injury that kept him out of most of the 2018 season. He was able to play in the last three games. He also played in two postseason All-Star games including the Mississippi/Alabama game.
“There was some good competition out there for the Mississippi/Alabama game,’’ Vance said. “I picked up on a couple of coaching techniques that should help me down the line.’’
But once he signed with Baylor in December, he received a strength and conditioning plan from the Baylor coaches that challenged him. Vance said he focused on speed work.
Some of the exercises suggested he knew because his father Kareem is a certified trainer. However, the challenge of executing was another thing.
“I did some running with a parachute and a sled,’’ Vance said. “The sled was challenging because I had the cord strapped around my hips and then I had to explode as fast as I could for about 35-40 yards.
“The sled weighed about 20 pounds. Then I added two 45-pound plates on it. So I was running with about 115 pounds. Well, really dragging it.’’
Vance arrives Saturday. He had been committed to Baylor since this past Feb. 12. Baylor is still looking at him as a safety.
“Just the way the coaches are and the hospitality and the family feel was why I committed,’’ he said. “It’s eight hours away from home but I do feel like I’m home. I’ve heard in the spring there’s going to be a lot of running. When I get there, I think the older players are going to help us find our classes.’’
There were some anxious moments for Vance and the rest of the class this week when head coach Matt Rhule had nearly come to an agreement with the New York Jets. But when that collapsed on Wednesday, there was the expected relief.
“It was kind of a waiting game,’’ Vance said. “Of course, I felt at home with coach Rhule. But if there was a chance that he could have bettered himself and his family [with the Jets], I would have been supportive of that. I’m happy he stayed.
“My expectations when I get to Baylor are to be a better player but also a better person.’’
Late bloomer to P5
Davis DiVall knows all about traveling long distances. He played high school football in Arizona. He then took advantage of an opportunity to create some visibility at Bridgton Academy in Maine. This past summer, DiVall then committed to Temple. In December, he signed his letter of intent with Baylor.
On Thursday, he and his father John got on I-10 and started the two-day road trip to get to Waco. Because he was at an academy, he doesn’t lose any eligibility. He will have five years to play four. He also will have hours that should transfer into Baylor.
The coaching staff likes him at guard.
“In my senior year, I found out that I was a pretty good player,’’ DiVall said. “My high school coaches said where did this come from. But it happened too late and I didn’t have any college offers. My high school offensive line coach was at a camp an met the coach at Bridgton Academy [in Maine]. I went for a visit and really liked it. I visited another place in New Jersey. But Bridgton was better.’’
That proved to be a pivotal decision. DiVall’s future college career found traction when he attended a Temple camp in the summer and eventually committed to that program. However, Villanova coaches were at that camp as well.
Word got back to the Baylor staff about DiVall and his progress throughout the fall was monitored. Once Baylor liked what it saw, it moved fast with an offer in December. Then everything accelerated when Temple coach Geoff Collins took the Georgia Tech job.
“What was cool was that the Baylor coaches were looking at coming up to see me and I heard they were checking to see which coach was closest Maine,’’ DiVall said. “They found out [linebackers coach] Mike Siravo was in Boston. So he drove up eight hours to see me. It really showed me how interested they were.’’
On his official visit, he saw the Bears go through bowl practice.
“They really like the repetitions,’’ he said. “They have three coaches watching you on every rep. They’re always watching. There’s no slacking around. They mean business. That definitely made me feel good. I had a good start with [offensive line coach Shawn Bell]. The bowl practices were very intense.
“The coaches coach the players hard but still have a fun time. They find a balance. That’s what impressed me. I can’t wait to start the journey.’’
Emptying the Notebook
>Baylor has some interest in Tyler Junior College tackle and May graduate Jimmy Price. The Houston Stratford product has seen Baylor assistant Joey McGuire a couple of times. There's a chance McGuire returns to see him next week. Price does hold 12 offers. They are mostly from G5 and FCS schools with the exception of P5 Washington State.
Publisher
The Topper
>Baylor is not welcoming any official visitors this coming weekend. The dead period just concluded on Thursday. Coaches are back out on the road. There could be a visitor or two next weekend.
>Rivals final rankings for the 2019 class will be unveiled next week. There could be some slight changes to individual ratings. It could also impact Baylor’s overall ranking. Currently, Baylor is No. 33.
>The rest of Baylor’s mid-semester arrivals - QB Jacob Zeno, DB Hakeem Vance, OL Davis DiVall, DE Logan Compton, DE T.J. Franklin, QB/Ath Peyton Powell, Ath Solomon Turner, JUCO DE Niadre Zouzoua – are arriving Friday and Saturday. JUCO OL Blake Bedier arrived Wednesday. The first team meeting is Sunday.
Asante surveys Baylor
Centerville (VA) linebacker Eugene Asante is now up to 22 offers. Baylor joined the parade after Christmas when it extended its offer.
“I know a little about them,’’ Asante said. “I’ve had some good contacts with [assistant defensive backs coach] Evan Cooper. It looks like a pretty good place.’’
Given his size, Asante said the Baylor coaches haven’t been too specific on where he could fit if he wound up choosing the Bears. There’s more to do there as far as the coaching staff’s side of it. However, one position that was suggested was outside linebacker/nickel. That’s a position similar to the one Blake Lynch currently holds.
Asante said he plans to be in touch with the staff next week. If so, then a potential official visit would follow.
Back at it
Beaumont United 2019 safety Tyrone Brown’s senior season was nearly a complete loss after breaking his right foot in September.
Following surgery and physical therapy Brown said he is back to 100 percent.
“I’ve been working out on it and it feels good,’’ he said. “It’s good to be healthy again.’’
Brown’s history, of course, with Baylor was choppy back in the spring. He committed to the Bears in March, then de-committed a month later before re-committing on June 18, 2018. He signed his letter of intent on Dec. 19.
Running with cement blocks
Hattiesburg (MS) athlete Hakeem Vance is over his groin injury that kept him out of most of the 2018 season. He was able to play in the last three games. He also played in two postseason All-Star games including the Mississippi/Alabama game.
“There was some good competition out there for the Mississippi/Alabama game,’’ Vance said. “I picked up on a couple of coaching techniques that should help me down the line.’’
But once he signed with Baylor in December, he received a strength and conditioning plan from the Baylor coaches that challenged him. Vance said he focused on speed work.
Some of the exercises suggested he knew because his father Kareem is a certified trainer. However, the challenge of executing was another thing.
“I did some running with a parachute and a sled,’’ Vance said. “The sled was challenging because I had the cord strapped around my hips and then I had to explode as fast as I could for about 35-40 yards.
“The sled weighed about 20 pounds. Then I added two 45-pound plates on it. So I was running with about 115 pounds. Well, really dragging it.’’
Vance arrives Saturday. He had been committed to Baylor since this past Feb. 12. Baylor is still looking at him as a safety.
“Just the way the coaches are and the hospitality and the family feel was why I committed,’’ he said. “It’s eight hours away from home but I do feel like I’m home. I’ve heard in the spring there’s going to be a lot of running. When I get there, I think the older players are going to help us find our classes.’’
There were some anxious moments for Vance and the rest of the class this week when head coach Matt Rhule had nearly come to an agreement with the New York Jets. But when that collapsed on Wednesday, there was the expected relief.
“It was kind of a waiting game,’’ Vance said. “Of course, I felt at home with coach Rhule. But if there was a chance that he could have bettered himself and his family [with the Jets], I would have been supportive of that. I’m happy he stayed.
“My expectations when I get to Baylor are to be a better player but also a better person.’’
Late bloomer to P5
Davis DiVall knows all about traveling long distances. He played high school football in Arizona. He then took advantage of an opportunity to create some visibility at Bridgton Academy in Maine. This past summer, DiVall then committed to Temple. In December, he signed his letter of intent with Baylor.
On Thursday, he and his father John got on I-10 and started the two-day road trip to get to Waco. Because he was at an academy, he doesn’t lose any eligibility. He will have five years to play four. He also will have hours that should transfer into Baylor.
The coaching staff likes him at guard.
“In my senior year, I found out that I was a pretty good player,’’ DiVall said. “My high school coaches said where did this come from. But it happened too late and I didn’t have any college offers. My high school offensive line coach was at a camp an met the coach at Bridgton Academy [in Maine]. I went for a visit and really liked it. I visited another place in New Jersey. But Bridgton was better.’’
That proved to be a pivotal decision. DiVall’s future college career found traction when he attended a Temple camp in the summer and eventually committed to that program. However, Villanova coaches were at that camp as well.
Word got back to the Baylor staff about DiVall and his progress throughout the fall was monitored. Once Baylor liked what it saw, it moved fast with an offer in December. Then everything accelerated when Temple coach Geoff Collins took the Georgia Tech job.
“What was cool was that the Baylor coaches were looking at coming up to see me and I heard they were checking to see which coach was closest Maine,’’ DiVall said. “They found out [linebackers coach] Mike Siravo was in Boston. So he drove up eight hours to see me. It really showed me how interested they were.’’
On his official visit, he saw the Bears go through bowl practice.
“They really like the repetitions,’’ he said. “They have three coaches watching you on every rep. They’re always watching. There’s no slacking around. They mean business. That definitely made me feel good. I had a good start with [offensive line coach Shawn Bell]. The bowl practices were very intense.
“The coaches coach the players hard but still have a fun time. They find a balance. That’s what impressed me. I can’t wait to start the journey.’’
Emptying the Notebook
>Baylor has some interest in Tyler Junior College tackle and May graduate Jimmy Price. The Houston Stratford product has seen Baylor assistant Joey McGuire a couple of times. There's a chance McGuire returns to see him next week. Price does hold 12 offers. They are mostly from G5 and FCS schools with the exception of P5 Washington State.
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