FIU Panthers Prowl

Coley Honorable Mention All-America; 11 men's soccer players on conference honor roll

Sophomore guard Jerica Coley, the Sun Belt Player of the Year and FIU leader in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocks, received Honorable Mention notice on the Associated Press' Division I women's basketball All-America team.

Previous FIU players given an All-America shout out by the AP are Dalma Ivanyi, 1998 Honorable Mention, 1999 Third Team; point guard Andrea Nagy and forward Albena Branzova, 1995 Third Team and Honorable Mention, respectively.

Coley moved to point guard this season, which is where she played in high school. Next year could see her scoring numbers dip but her overall effect on the game increase as she learns how to distribute better. As FIU coach Cindy Russo, the nation's leading Coleyphile, said, she just needs to learn how to play triple-covered.

MEN'S SOCCER
These players made the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll by attaining a 3.0 GPA for this academic year.

Andri Alexandersson, Sergio Alvarez, Esteban Castro, Nicholas Chase, Joseph Dawkins, Lucas DiCroce, Edgar Escobar, Sebastian Frings, Chris Garces, Rodney Greiling, Anthony Hobbs, Arnthor Kristinsson, Leonardo Martinez.

FOOTBALL RECRUITING
FIU's Junior Day is coming up April 7. Potetial attendees include Orlando Freedom wide receiver Jeff Badet; DeLand wide receiver Dantwaun O'Neal and running back JoJo Kemp. Tampa Bay Tech defensive end Antonio Guerad; Carrollwood Day running back Robert Davis; Hernando's running back Tyrail Hawkins; Pasco defensive lineman Joey Ivie.

FIU baseball beats FSU; Gustafsdottir, Beaupre win (again); softball...oh, well; Wasshington visit

If last weekend's sweep by highly-ranked Rice cast a Sasquatch-sized shadow of a doubt on FIU's status, Friday's 8-5 Panthers win in the first of three games at Florida State shrunk that shadow. FSU came into the weekend ranked No. 8 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and No. 18 by Baseball America.

FIU's last win in Tallahassee was Feb. 21, 1990, when people were doing the Roger Rabbit to this....

 

R.J. Fondon (1-1) got the win and lefty junior Michael Gomez, out of Braddock High and Miami-Dade College, got the save. Pablo Bermudez went three for six, junior Adam Kirsch went three for five and senior Mike Martinez went two for four with a stolen base.

AQUAWOMEN

Freshman Johanna Gustafsdottir, upset winner of the 200 Individual Medley Thursday at the Sun Belt Swimming & Diving Championships, took her second individual championship Friday. Gustafsdottir's 1:48.09 200 freestyle brought her home .36 of a second ahead of North Texas' Catia Weickgenant, the fastest in Friday morning's preliminaries by .11 of a second ahead of Gustafsdottir. FIU's Kayla Derr finished fifth in 1:49.82.

As she did in the 3-meter competition Wednesday, sophomore Sabrina Beupre routed her diving pseudo-competition in the 1-meter Friday. This time, Beaupre did a Riva Ridge instead of a Secretariat -- her 307.70 points were only (heh) 14.65 percent better than second place Catherine Johnson of North Texas, yet still a Sun Belt Conference record.

Sophomore Sonia Perez Arau took a second in the 400 IM Friday, her 4:13.99 just 1.55 seconds behind FAU's Eszter Bucz. Something about the AU and the Eszter on a Friday night makes me think of...

 

Freshman Klara Andersson's 1:04.06 was good enough for a fifth in the 100 breaststroke. Andersson, Derr, Perez Arau and Kelly Grace comprised FIU's fifth-place 200 free relay team Thursday night.

SOFTBALL

Ashley McClain led off the game with a solo home run, the 27th homer and 132nd RBI of her college career. Unfortunately for FIU, that sums up the scoring offense in their two Friday games at the FAU Invitational, losses of 4-1 to Tulsa and 3-0 to Loyola Marymount.

FOOTBALL

Before the equipment dried from the 2011 season, FIU became the first of many to offer Orlando Jones defensive end Devin Washington, class of 2013. Washington's taking a swing through town this weekend, visiting FIU (definitely) and UM (probably).

 

Here's FIU's best football recruiting class ever (maybe)

If you're looking for in-depth analysis on this recruiting class, I'll tell you what others say. I haven't seen any of these players play. Some of these services have or talk to loads of scouts who have.

But the recruiting services and the scouts share my darkness when it comes to certainty about details: the fast guys might not like contact or have manos de piedra (and not like Roberto Duran); the big guys might not be that mobile; what's their work ethic, how coachable are they, weill theywell they'll adjust to being away from home, having a college girlfriend, etc.

Check it out: Scout.com ranks Texas as the No. 1 recruiting class. Naw! Really? If the recruiting rankings were archer accurate, Texas wouldn't have gone 36 years and a massive social change -- last national champion without a black player to winning the next one with a superstar black quarterback -- between national championships. Every year, a recruit gets bumped another star or two because a Texas or a Notre Dame or an Alabama's looking at him. Then, they sign him and the rating their pursuit brought is used to laud the signing.

Not saying they're never accurate. Just take it all with a grain of salt.

But, here's what the recruiting services say.

Both Rivals and Scout rank FIU's class second in the Sun Belt behind Arkansas State. Well, take that back -- Rivals says FIU's third behind Western Kentucky despite having 19 three-star recruits to Western's seven and having a higher average stars-per-recruit. To quote Buffy Summers, "Your logic does not resemble our Earth logic." Perhaps some circuits got blown in their Signing Day-gasm.

Scout has FIU No. 82 overall in the country with four three-star recruits, led by 6-3, 300-pound defensive tackle Darrian Dyson, one of two defensive linemen FIU got from New Orleans Edna Karr High. ESPN says FIU has eight three-star signees, topped by Fort Meade linebacker Jamie Willis, who ESPN ranks a whiff short of four-star status. Rivals.com agrees with Scout, that Dyson is FIU's highest rated recruit. All the services seem to like speedy Miami Jackson wide receiver DeAndre Jasper.

FIU signed Krop defensive back/wide receiver Johnnie Durante, who they'll try first on offense and Southridge defensive back Jeremiah McKinnon. With E.J. Hilliard, Northwestern quarterback, already enrolled, that's three First-Team 8A-6A All-Dade players. Again, don't know how they'll be in college, but there's a long list of automatic qualifier BCS conference schools who would love to have three First Team All-County players from Dade, Broward or Palm Beach.

Here's FIU's 2012 football recruiting class so far:
Bryan Attaway, TE/DE, Kingsland (Ga.) Camden County High
Chris Ayres, P, Hollywood South Broward
Fadol Brown, DE, Charlotte North Carolina Tech
 
Lamarq Caldwell, RB, Tampa Bay Tech
Marques Cheeks, DE, New Orleans Walker
 
Davison Colimon, DB, Riviera Beach Suncoast. He won the Class 2A state title in the 110-meter high hurdles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR6eOwAciKE
Denzel Conyers, DB, Gulfport Boca Ciega.
Jordan Davis, S, Tampa Alonso
 
Johnnie Durante, WR/DB, Krop
 
Darrian Dyson, DT, New Orleans Edna Karr
Nick England, WR, Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill High
Josh Glanton, LB, Haines City
E.J. Hilliard, QB, Northwestern
Raymond Jackson, WR, New Orleans Walker
De'Andre Jasper, WR, Jackson
 
Patrick Jean, LB, Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast
 
Adrian Jenkins, WR, Tampa Jefferson

Dieugot Joseph, DE, Orlango Freedom.

Jeremiah McKinnon, CB, Southridge

Leroy Owens, LB, Palatka High
Trenton Saunders, OT, North Palm Beach Benjamin
Edens Sineace, OT, Wellington Palm Beach Central
Jeremy Smith, WR, Pembroke Pines Flanagan
Delmar Taylor, OL, Navarro JC
Favian Upshaw, QB, Titusville Astronaut
Michael Wakefield, DE, Valdosta (Ga.) High
Leonard Washington, DE, New Orleans Edna Karr
Jamie Willis, LB, Haines City High
 
Deonte Wilson, CB, Daytona Beach Mainland

WOMEN'S SOCCER
Jazmin Jones from Gig Harbor (Washington) High has signed with FIU.

Source: Cristobal's staying

A source close to Mario Cristobal texted me about 10 minutes ago to say Cristobal is staying at FIU.

Smart move to make the choice and get it out today before recruits started to answer those phone calls and texts that come in every time a head coach gets linked to another school. This is the second time in two months Cristobal's chosen FIU and his hometown over what would've been a signifcant raise and a job with a higher profile program in a higher profile conference. And make no mistake Rutgers had chosen Cristobal as their No. 1 choice.

Silence Speaking Volumes

Since Friday, FIU athletic director Pete Garcia and FIU football coach Mario Cristobal have observed a sort of media silence on the reports that Rutgers was interested in Cristobal. This comes with Cristobal, who just last week hired a new offensive coordinator at FIU, trying to corral a potentially strong recruiting class with some precarious elements.

So, there's no surprise that there's a Newark Star-Ledger report out today saying an announcement of Cristobal as Rutgers head coach is imminent. Silence speaks volumes. Especially in some parts of New Jersey.

Cristobal denied the Star-Ledger report this afternoon.

Oh, and Blacsheep, I delete all your comments because I got tired of the racism in some. So, I decided to delete all of them in a de facto banning from comments.

Silence isn't golden

Before Greg Schiano hung up the phone from letting Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti know he'd need a new head football caoch, the rumor mill had FIU coach Mario Cristobal as one of the favorites for the job.

This would be a bombshell any time. Having it happen days before National Signing Day could be an ICBM into what's shaping up as a fine recruiting class.

That's when somebody should've said something.

This seems like the time for an "I will not be the Alabama head coach" even if talks are occurring (a source close to Cristobal says they aren't, although the Newark Star-Ledger reports differently). FIU needed to squash these rumors as their reaction is being watched by several kids with other coaches in their ears and on their phoes: "Yeah, you liked him, but, next year, some Rutgers kid will like him., too"

Sources close to Cristobal said he hasn't been contacted by Rutgers. A Newark Star-Ledger Sunday evening article said the opposite. Whatever, it's late in the recruiting day for this to be or remain an issue.

DIRTY DANCING

FIU had the Mini Dazzlers at each of their last two home basketball doubleheaders. I'm an old school father who's pretty liberal in teaching my daughter on matters of reproduction and not being ashamed of your body. Still, tarting up a bunch of little girls tarted up with too much makeup and too little attire, then letting them do a routine that includes pop-that-stuff hip thrusts is flat out creepy. It was creepy when the Heat had their kiddie version of the Heat dancers. It's really creepy at FIU.

 

Camp Mitch sources say: Tim Cramsey new football OC; Copeland update

Sources out at the Mitch Madique Campus say Tim Cramsey will be FIU football's new offensive coordinator.

Cramsey, a former University of New Hampshire quarterback, just spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater. The last two seasons, he was the offensive coordinator.

Expect FIU to accelerate to an up-tempo style of offense in the Oregon mode, cranking off lots of plays, trying to get some cheap scores and big plays out of defensive fatique or disorganization in the face of speed.

RECRUITING

Speaking of speed, Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast quarterback-to-be-wide receiver Travares Copeland posted on Facebook,

"Daammmmmnnn I'm glad I'm not going2 RUTGERS.......head coach going2 NFL smh well ((fiu)) or ((west virginia)) Morgan town or Miami??????"

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano is taking the head coaching job with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nice timing, doing that a week before National Signing Day. You'd think Rutgers commits' cell phones were made of plastique, the way they'll be blowing up the next few days asking, "You still sure?" 

And, before you ask, yes, you can expect them to come after Mario Cristobal, who did some time as a Rutgers assistant. You can bet that'll be used by other schools in the final days as FIU fights for what looks like a good recruiting class together. I don't see Cristobal making that move, however.

Travares Copeland speaks; commit list omission

http://www.espn760.com/common/more.php?m=49&post_id=2649

Yesterday, there was a photo of FIU on the Travares Copeland hunt from the Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast High quarterback's Facebook page. Today, we have the above video link sent by ESPN 760AM's Ken LaVicka, whom you might've seen me making faces at during halftime of Saturday's FIU-FAU men's hoop game as he did play-by-play for FAU.

While grabbing Colombian cafe from Europa this morning, I got notified that I left a name off the verbal commit list that's in today's paper and online: Gastonia Forestview offensive lineman Jamie Collmar.

 

 

New offensive coordinator soon; recruiting tidbits, Feb. 1 event; new baseball schedule

Expect a new offensive coordinator for the football team to be hired by the end of the week. A new OC won't mean a new offense, however. FIU will stay with the spread option attack, but develop it more and diversify. Yes, they'll even have the quarterback line up under center for some packages. That makes sense, especially in super short yardage situations, when you've got a big quarterback like Jake Medlock, or long ones like freshmen E.J. Hilliard (6-3) or Favian Upshaw (6-2).

RECRUITING

Though Krop High's Johnnie Durante made First-Team All-Dade as a defensive back -- seven interceptions, four returned for touchdowns -- he'll initianlly be tried on offense at FIU. And Upshaw will get his shot at quarterback.

There are no FIU fans at Syracuse among the linebacker coaches. Palatka High linebacker Leroy Owens switched his commitment to FIU from Syracuse and, as noted on last night's post, Haines City linebacker Josh Glanton, an FIU commit, is feeling the weight of deciding between FIU and Syracuse. Also feeling the weight of the wait: FIU and Syracuse coaches.

FIU's going after Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast quarterback Travares Copeland hard as they're in competition with West Virginia and Rutgers. How hard? Copeland put this photo on his Facebook Wall from Wednesday afternoon.

Even if he's not deployed at quarterback, Copeland's got wide receiver speed and athleticism. If the scouting report I got on his personality (posted yesterday) is accurate, team leaders will have to make him realize that FIU spreads the ball around like orange marmalade on toast.

FIU pulled Port Charlotte defensive end commit Marcus Gilchrist's scholarship offer several days ago.  

For next Wednesday's National Signing Day, FIU's throwing a soiree at the FIU Stadium's Stadium Club with free food and beverages at which they'll announce the 2012 recruiting class. Starts at 6 p.m.

BASEBALL

FIU's not in Baseball America's Top 25 to start the season, but that can change while they're still shoveling snow in Chicago according to the full baseball schedule, released Wednesday afternoon.

FIU opens Feb. 17 with a three-game set at Rice, BA's No. 6-ranked team, and a Feb. 24 three-game set at No. 20 Florida State. FIU's home opener is March 2 against Brown (heigh-ho).

Other scheudle highlights: their two three-game series against FAU will be March 16-18 (here) and May 17-19 (up there). Their exhibition against the split squad Marlins at Huh, We Thought Those Retail Spots Would Sell Faster Stadium: March 7. The Sun Belt Conference Tournament is May 23-27 at Western Kentucky. 

JANUARY NIGHT MUSIC...

Play it, Stevie...

Download 05 Higher Ground

 

 

 

 

 

Some football recruiting stuff; Diamond Dinner

For Haines City outside linebacker Josh Glanton, the choice between FIU, where he verbally committed during the fall, and Syracuse is hard enough that he's starting to stress over it. FIU defensive line coach Cedric Calhoun was scheduled to swing by for a visit Tuesday afternoon.

One recruiting service reports speedy Jackson High wide receiver DeAndre Jasper has committed to FIU, but would like to wind up at Marshall, which had a 11 players from Dade and Broward on their roster for the Beef O' Brady's Bowl. A source says Jasper definitely will choose FIU on Signing Day.

 

FIU's still in the hunt for Travares Copeland, who played quarterback at Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast this year after transferring from Fort Pierce Westwood, but might be used at any of the skill positions. He just entertained West Virginia on a home visit. Scouting report I got from up there: great athlete, tremendous arm ("50 or 60 yards off the back foot"), but too Me Centric, will need some grounding from the coaching staff and team leaders.

 

DIAMOND DINNER

 FIU baseball coach Turtle Thomas is hoping for a sellout of all 500 seats to this year's Diamond Dinner, a fundraising event and season first pitch event for the baseball and softball programs. Last year, 435 attended the event at the Graham Center Ballroom.

The human draw for this year's event is special guest speaker Lou Piniella, former Yankee, Kansas City Royal and, at the start of his career, Clevelnad Indian player and manager of the Cubs, Reds, Devil Rays, Mariners and Yankees (during the years when the Yankees changed managers like Starbucks changes baristas). Thomas said the timing worked for getting the recently-retired Piniella and they're working on getting former Cardinals, A's and White Sox manager Tony LaRussa for next year's event.

Along with dinner, alcohol and stories from Piniella (in "The Umpire Strikes Back," the late former umpire Ron Luciano's first book with David Fisher, Luciano recalled the night Piniella ran for the cycle -- got thrown out at every base), there are 21 live auction items and 200 silent auction items. The items range from trips to the Indianapolis 500, U.S. Open, the Ryder Cup (flights, hotels, tickets) to a trio of basketballs each signed by either Larry Bird, Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan.

For ticket information, call 305-348-1919. 

OUR CLOSING ACT

10 - It Keeps You Runnin' [Single Version]

 

Perspective on last call at Club FIU-FAU; Palm Beach OL verbally commits

Something I saw Sunday morning reminded me of this, a commercial selected for the book The 100 Best TV Commercials...and Why They Worked:

 

See, from the video I shot of the final seconds of FIU's 66-64 loss to FAU, it doesn't look like FIU's DeJuan Wright did anything to warrant being called for a foul as FAU's Greg Gantt launched an off-balance three-pointer.

 

But check out this video from FAU Owl Access: http://fauowlaccess.com/articles/121/fau-defeats-fiu-66-64.aspx. The slow motion at the 58-second mark seems to show Wright getting Gantt on the wrist as he goes up. That would be a foul. Not terribly flagrant, literally a slap on the wrist, but it would be a foul on a shooter.

Maybe there's a third angle showing Wright missed his wrist and Gantt went down from a poisoned dart from the man on the grassy knoll behind Beehive Woman. How ever the final call went, FIU lost by two after blowing out to a 14-4 lead, then throwing away several possessions with basketball obtuse plays. They also got outrebounded badly, which often goes to hustle and positioning (see: "FIU women lose 50-49 to FAU."). You lose 16-2 on second chance points, get only four offensive rebounds, there's only so much you can gripe about officiating (which wasn't great either way) before you need to hit the mute and go forward.

FOOTBALL

North Palm Beach Benjamin offensive guard Trenton Saunders, 6-4, 280, has verbally committed to FIU, according to a South Florida source.

With 6-5, 334-pound Edens Sineace, who announced his commitment a couple of weeks ago, that's a lot of buffet damage coming into the program on the offensive front from Palm Beach County. Josh Hess, a big offensive lineman from Virginia who committed last summer, no longer has a scholarship offer on the table from FIU.

 

 

Coming to the West Dade stage; FIU poolwomen sweep weekly Sun Belt awards

From Lagos, Nigeria by way of the University of Wyoming and Quality Education Academy in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, comes transfer Lekan Ajayi, a 6-10, 245-pound forward. Ajayi, rated by ESPN as the No. 24 center in this year's recruiting class, will be available as a sophomore when the 2013 spring semester begins.

So FIU will have Ajayi, 6-10 Joey De La Rosa, 6-10 Brandon Moore and 7-0 Gilles Dierickx on the roster next season, academics permitting. That's not just a lot of size, that's a lot of fouls to give in physical games.

FOOTBALL RECRUITING

Here's why the last few weekends before National The Fax Is Working, Right? Day have college coaches across the land chasing Tylenol with shots.

FIU verbal commit Josh Glanton, a linebacker out of Haines City High, posts that with signing day nigh, it's "decision time" between FIU and Syracuse. Glanton's visiting this weekend, along with a momvan full of other recruits. Another load of recruits will be in the weekend after next. Better hope The Rusty Pelican brings its best stuff.

SWIMMING AND DIVING

Sophomore diver Sabrina Beaupre was named Sun Belt Diver of the Week Tuesday. And the sky is still blue, grass is still green, 836 still more clogged than that Stanford kicker's chitlins. Beaupre's received this honor five times this season already. She swept the diving events at Saturday's FIU Invite with scores of 311.10 (1-meter) and 312.08 (3-meter).

Ah, but something new has been added with senior Kariann Stevens winning the Sun Belt's Swimmer of the Week award. Saturday, she won the 200-yard freestyle (2:00.29), 100-yard breaststroke (1:12.52), 100 free (55.33) and 100 Individual Medley (1:02.40) and was part of the victorious 200 free relay.

Coley gets second Sun Belt Player of the Week; recruiting note

Sophomore guard Jerica Coley threw in 28 points against Morgan State last week, which is in the pedestrian range (for her). Saturday's 36 points, however, including 23 in the second half against Louisiana-Monroe, were a career high and boosted her to another Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week Award.

Or maybe it was the career-high 16 rebounds and eight assists (tying a career high) against Morgan State. Among the many things to like about Coley: she hits free throws. She was 90.0 from the line last week. So many players these days don't understand how devastating that simple skill can make them late in the game, particularly if they handle the ball often.

Saturday's game jacked her scoring average up to 24.9 points per game, second in the nation.

FOOTBALL RECRUITING

For National Signing Day, the most overrated day in college-affiliated football as far as what we really know come sundown, I'll be in Indianapolis slogging through Super Bowl Week.

As FIU pursues North Palm Beach Benjamin offensive guard Trenton Saunders, 6-4, 280, they'll get help from Riviera Beach Suncoast defensive back Davison Colimon. Colimon Tweeted he'll try to get Saunders to come with him to FIU.

A look in the pool preceded by ball(s) recruiting

Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson junior Andre Horne, a 6-8, 230-pound forward, has made a verbal commitment to FIU for the 2013-14 school year. Horne averages 9.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game.

FOOTBALL RECRUITING

Head coach Mario Cristobal was marching through Georgia Thursday on a recruiting sweep.

One interesting transfer into the program is senior cornerback AJ Annelus. Interesting because of his rather serpentine path into South Florida. Annelus graduated Grandview (Mo.) Senior High in 2008, making him likely 22 when He redshirted for a year at Santa Monica Junior College before playing two seasons, then transferring to the University of Idaho. He spent the 2011 season there, getting into two games. Now, he's at Florida State College in Jacksonville, preparing to transfer to FIU.

 

SWIMMING

FIU won six of the 12 events at Thursday's FIU Relays, giving them a 12-point win over second place Eastern Michigan.

The six winning teams were in the 300 backstroke (Jenny Lee, Elly James, Danielle Meara); 800 freestyle (Vicnan Torres, Sonia Perez Arau, Nadia Farrugia, Colleen Quinn); 500 free (Kariann Stevens, Torres, Farrugia, Quinn); 200 free (Kelly Quinn, Stevens, Torres, Farrugia); the 400 medley (Klara Andersson, Stevens, Perez Arau and Meara); and the 400 free (Farrugia, Torres, Quinn, Grace).

The swim team will be back in action Saturday in the FIU Invite.

 

 

 

OC Satterfield Out; Willis In; some others enrolled early

Some football updates while exiled in Dolphinland on coaching search watch:

FIU will be looking for a new offensive coordinator now that Scott Satterfield is heading back to Appalacian State as offensive coordinator. What's your feeling on this move? Good? Bad?

I thought while FIU's offense's scheme played to its strengths, the Panthers did tend to get repetitive and into a pattern (not always the same thing) on play calls. They didn't use their tight ends enough, either, in the red zone and, yes, that did gnaw at me the whole season, especially when you see the matchup problems Jonathan Faucher and Colt Anderson could cause. FIU's offense was both explosive and inconsistent.

THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT...WILLIS

Source at Camp Mitch confirmed a verbal commitment by Fort Meade High outside linebacker Jamie Willis. Here's some highlights.

 

HEAD START (IN THE) PROGRAM

On the recruit front, the word out of Camp Mitch is offensive lineman Delmar Taylor, defensive lineman Fadol Brown and running back Lemarq Caldwell will begin classes Monday. Miami Northwestern quarterback E.J. Hilliard told other Herald reporters months ago he wants to enroll after graduating high school early.

So, that takes a little of the angst from the coaches' coffees about National Signing Day.

ANOTHER SIGN T.Y. HAS GONE GOODBYE

Hilton signed with agent Drew Rosenhaus.

(A little more on...) Cristobal and Pitt

A couple of reports out of Pittsburgh have Cristobal interviewing for the job today. I have no confirmation of that and one source says flatly, "There was no interview with Pitt."

FIU practiced today. There's an official visit from junior college offensive lineman Delmar Taylor, a Miami Beach High graduate and FIU verbal commit, and home visits with recruits later. The FIU football party heads over to St. Petersburg Saturday at noon.

But surely Pitt will do some background checking on Cristobal. In the last year, Pitt saw one head coach leave for Arizona State after a season and his immediate predecessor, Mike Haywood, last only 16 days before Pitt responded to Haywood's arrest on a domestic violence charge by firing him in January.

Cristobal should come back clean on that check. Also, it helps that FIU's players don't wind up in the miscreant section of the police report. 

FROM EARLIER...

A source close to Cristobal said Friday morning any statement that there had been contact betwen Cristobal's agent and the University of Pittsburgh about the Pitt head coaching job was "all speculation."

For his part, Cristobal insisted that with the plethora of coaching rumors, he'd never comment on any job openings aside from FIU and his focus remained on FIU and Tuesday's bowl game.

As mentioned in my last post, compared to what Pitt was paying Todd Graham, now departed for Arizona State, Cristobal's out clause payment is just north of chump change.

Here's the funny part: Pitt would be perceived as a step up for Cristobal. It's a soon-to-be ACC program with a history of national championships, legendary players in a city that's truly drenched in football (go Christmas shopping during a Steelers' game. You'll have the store to yourself, but good luck getting someone to ring you up, even during radio commercials).

But, right now, if FIU was bowl gaming against Pitt (as nearly happened), while Pitt would be favored, I'm not sure I wouldn't take FIU. And if you told me they would be playing early next season, I might pick FIU there, too.

Then again, that's exactly why Cristobal's name comes up with every job opening east of the Mississippi.

RECRUITING

Defensive back Davison Colimon tweeted that he remained strong in his FIU committment despite hot pursuit by Middle Tennessee State.

New sport in 2013: women's sand volleyball; told ya' so on Godfrey

Women's Sand Volleyball becomes FIU's 18th interscholastic sport in the 2013 spring with Rita Buck-Crockett as the head coach. FIU will field five doubles teams.

NCAA Division I sand volleyball began in August. According to the American Volleyball Coaches Association, in addition to FIU, adding the sport will be FAU; FSU; Florida Gulf Coast; North Florida; Jacksonville; Stetson; Mercer; CSU Long Beach; Pepperdine (possibly the most beautiful campus in America); USC; Hawaii; College of Charleston; UAB; Tulane; and Georgia State.

Buck-Crockett was the head coach of volleyball programs at FSU (2004-06) and Iowa (1998-2004) as well as the Swiss National Team (1995). As a player, she was on the U.S.'s 1984 silver medalist team and was a world beach champion parntered with Jackie Silva in 1989.

FOOTBALL

Central Florida quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey will be transferring from UCF, his father confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel. The elder Godfrey said a new school hasn't been decided upon yet. According to the story, the sophomore from Miami Central High is prevented from transferring to a Big East or Conference USA school, covering UCF's new and old conference. Godfrey will have to sit out a season, then have two years of eligibility left.

FIU's in the Sun Belt (for now). FIU also has redshirt freshman Jake Medlock, who started two games this season, and two recruits from the high school class of 2012. So, maybe there's no need. But you can bet there's interest.

An interesting thought...

The Eastwood, Van Cleef and Wallach of FIU sports weekend

Been gone for a few days covering other stuff. Short post now, more in a couple of hours.

FIU Stadium looks less like The Cage than The Birds today. Turkey vultures stalk about the empty lot east of the field when they aren't hovering around the stadium edges. Menacing-looking birds tweet under the bleachers. I'm not opening any closed doors around here today...

 

About the Byron Leftwich doll: it was hanging around The Herald newsroom before I approrpriated it to sit on a South Beach bookshelf several years ago, west of the Hot Wheels and Johnny Lightning Indy 500 winners and pace cars, east of the action figures (including Superwoman and Power Ring from Earth 3).

Anyway, here we go...

RECRUITING

On his visit, Orlando Freedom High defensive end Dieugot Joseph visited Ocean Drive and eat at The Rusty Pelican. Joseph already was singing FIU praises before the visit and did just what he said he'd do -- verbally commit to FIU during the visit.

Haines City linebacker Josh Glanton reaffirmed his committment to FIU on Twitter after being romanced otherwise.

Port Charlotte defensive end Marcus Gilchrist, 6-4, 240 pounds, also, reportedly, verbally committed to FIU.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Lose at home to Alabama State last Saturday, lose to Texas Wesleyan this Saturday...but beat George Mason that's now 7-3, beat a hot Coastal Carolina team that's now 8-1, beat Stephen F. Austin, which hadn't lost in its ETech Lumberjack Classic, 58-56 Sunday. Oooookay. Bet that got Maryland's attention for Wednesday's game up in College Park.

DeJuan Wright got the Tournament MVP nod after an 18-point night in which he was five of six from the floor. As a team, FIU shot 63.2 percent in the first half and 58.3 percent for the game including 57.1 percent from three-point range. Sophomore Dominique Ferguson threw in a season high 13 points and pulled down five rebounds. Sophomore Phil Taylor dished out five assists.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Sophomore guard Jerica Coley  poured in 32 points Sunday against Western Kentucky. The rest of the team had 16. She was 10 of 27 from the field. That's a Maravich-ian number of shots...until you consider the rest of the team was five of 30.

That FIU lost 65-48 doesn't change that Coley's averaging 24.7 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, 5.5 assists per game and 1.33 steals per game. She averages 1.79 assists to each turnover. She's an 88.7 percent free throw shooter, meaning the only point to fouling her are the two points after she hits the free throws. 

Anything in the previous two paragraphs to call into question head coach Cindy Russo's assessment that Coley's the best player she's ever coached? 

A sampler of football stuff...and a big-headed Byron Leftwich

A few things while listening to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack and watching the wife make turkey marsala...

VEGAS SAYS...

The opening line of FIU by 5 has held only at the Wynn. The rest of the Vegas books and offshore sites have dropped it to 4.5 or 4. Means little other than Marshall was a little better against the spread than FIU was. The over/under across the board is 49.

FUTURES

Riviera Beach Suncoast defensive back Davison Colimon, a verbal commit in November, apparently had a good in-home visit Wednesday night. He's a hurdles champion, speaking to his speed and athleticism, but he also has the size FIU could stand to add on the back end.

Prattville (Ala.) High's quarterback/wide receiver/athlete Jalen Whitlow says FIU, Minnesota, Arkansas State, FSU and Auburn are recruiting him, but only FIU, Arkansas State, South Alabama, Minnesota and Samford have offered him so far.

ALL ABOUT THE HYPE

Both FIU and Marshall did some preseason Heisman campaigning to get exposure for their stars and, by extension, their program and school. FIU used Facebook and Twitter for its Hilton4Heisman push. Back in 2002, Marshall went a different, slightly goofier (creepier?) route...

 

Coley, Beapre win Sun Belt Player of the Week awards; swimming rules in Little Rock

Back in the non-bowl part of the FIU sports world last week, two sophomore women threw it down well enough to win Sun Belt Player of the Week Awards. And the swim team overcame a slow start to dominate the University of Arkansas-Little Rock Christmas Invitational.

On the court, sophomore guard Jerica Coley won the women's award mainly on the strength of a career-high 33 points and 14 rebounds against Central Florida. In the first half, Coley outscored UCF 22-21. That's right -- she had 22, the entire UCF team had 21. The Knights eventually outscored Coley, 46-33, but officials also counted Coley's teammates for a 61-46 win. In FIU's 68-30 defeat of Lynn University, Coley tied career highs with eight assists and three blocks to go with her 14 points and seven rebounds. She's seven into the nation in scoring, 10th in blocks per game and 16th in assists per game.

Sabrina Beaupre's going to retire the Sun Belt Diver of the Week award. Her fourth win of the season rewarded the complete shattering to smithereens of her own FIU and Sun Belt records in the 1-meter and 3-meter dives at the UALR meet. Her 1-meter record used to be 295.72. It's now 323.85. The 3-meter went from 306.75 to 356.0.

Sophomore Sonia Perez Alau rolled up three firsts and a second and set FIU records in the 200-meter backstroke (2:02.53) and the 400 Individual Medley (4:25.97). Her 2:05.29 in the 200 IM was a pool record.

Freshman Jean Madison won the 200 breaststroke (2:26.14) and sophomore Melissa Moreno won the 200 butterfly (2:10.15).

FOOTBALL RECRUITING

Riviera Beach Suncoast defensive back Davison Colimon, a verbal commitment to FIU who has Tweeted he doesn't want to leave Florida but playing in the cold might make him a better NFL draft prospect, Tweeted he's having an in-home visit from FIU tonight.

Orlando Freedom High defensive end Dieugot Joseph will have his official visit to FIU Friday and probably will make his verbal commitment. 

 Oh, by the way, some of you got a little too nasty and/or racist in your comments on previous posts. I had to Sarah Connor them.