National Signing Day for college football has come and past now and we hope you enjoyed all of the excitement of it as much as we did. While this day may only be for college football, we feel that National Signing Day is relevant to all college-bound student athletes. This day marks a time when kids are living out their dreams and aspirations of playing at the college level. So whether you have committed to a school by now or not, the significance of this day has inspired us to give you a few helpful tips as you start reaching the end of the recruiting process.

If you have signed:

Congrats! After all the time you have spent enduring the recruiting process, you have finally found the right fit for you! You deserve time to celebrate with family and friends and take it easy, but don’t get off track too much.

Just because you have finished the recruiting process does not mean that you can just sit around and take it easy until the day you leave for college. You need to keep working on those skills, improve your game and keep trying to better yourself. Exercise regularly and play your given sports recreationally to keep you skills at tip-top level.

Also, don’t slack off on academics now just because you are committed to a school. Just because you have signed a letter of intent or are committed to a school does not mean they cannot revoke your scholarships. If you become ineligible to play, whether academically or for another reason, they can and will take away your right to play in college. So make sure to keep up with your school work and make time to study.

If you have not signed yet:

No worries yet; choosing a college that is the right fit for you in both athletics and other realms is a long process. You should never commit to a school until you know for sure that it is the one for you.

At this time, you should definitely have a good grasp on which schools you are seriously considering though. You also should have visited these top schools by now and should be working on a pros-cons list for each one. This will help put into perspective which schools have the essentials that you are looking for. If a school does not have one of your most important aspects you are looking for, you should not settle with that one.

Also, like the advice we just gave to your peers that have already signed, you need to stay on top of your game both athletically and academically. While the recruiting process is long and strenuous, you need to make time for the aspects that let you join this process in the first place. If you don’t keep up both athletically and academically, schools may pull their offers and you could be left with nothing.

Most importantly, for both those who have signed or have not yet, you should take time to enjoy this momentous period of your life. This whole recruiting process is a time you will never experience again. Take the time to reflect on this and make the most out of it.

Content courtesy of our friends at 619Sports.net

The only thing constant in life is change. Or maybe just the fact that things may never change for the San Diego State football team.

Stop if you’ve heard this one before: the Aztecs play their hearts out in a game in which they have a chance to make a huge leap forward in their program’s history. They run up and down the field, make magical, highlight-reel plays, set records, scare the daylights out of a top team, and…well, you’ve heard this one before.

So you know how it ends. They lose.

On a rainy Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium, SDSU (once again) did everything but beat the Utah Utes, a team that just a couple of weeks ago was the undefeated fifth-ranked team in the country.

A win, and the Aztecs themselves may have been ranked come Monday morning for the first time in 15 years. Instead they fell, 38-34, the result leaving the Red and Black faithful wondering what they usually are forced to wonder after games like these…What if? How come? When are we ever? Why us?

So SDSU is 7-4 with one regular season game remaining in a season in which so may strides have been made, but also a season that — put simply — could have been so much more astonishingly remarkable and amazing.

They lost to Utah despite sweeping down the field on their opening possession of the game and scoring for a 7-0 lead just 1:59 into the contest. They lost despite scoring on three more possessions in the first half, breezing downfield with ease on drives that covered 98, 79 and 84 yards. They led, 20-3, and then again by 17 points, 27-10.

They lost despite quarterback Ryan Lindley passing for a career-high 528 yards, the fourth-most ever in Aztec history. Their two spectacular wide receivers, Vincent Brown and DeMarco Sampson, combined for 20 catches, 338 yards and three touchdowns, yet it wasn’t enough.

Brown’s third TD of the game was one of the best plays you’d ever see a receiver make. Lindley, scrambling out of the pocket at his own 10-yard-line, threw the ball up for grabs towards Brown at the SDSU 40. Two Utah defenders were there to intercept, but Brown leaped above both of them, tipped the ball over their heads to himself and raced toward the end zone, out-running three pursuers to the goal line to complete a 90-yard touchdown that gave the Aztecs a 34-24 lead in the third quarter.

Yet, they still lost.

“In the end, we didn’t do enough for the full 60 minutes,” said Coach Brady Hoke, who has done so much to awaken this previously moribund football program yet is still searching for a way to get his team over the hump.

They won’t get there until a whole bunch of the following stuff stops happening. Utah scored on a 57-yard TD pass, beating a broken coverage, and it scored on a hail-mary 47-yard TD pass on the final play of the first half when five Aztec defenders couldn’t keep the ball from finding its way into the hands of Utes tight end Kendrick Moeai.

DeMarco Sampson reaches out to try and reel in a one-handed catch (619 Sports photo/Danny Heilprin)

In the fourth quarter, SDSU punter Brian Stahovich dropped a perfectly good snap from center, picked it up and then had his kick blocked, with Utah recovering at the 3-yard-line. Four plays later, running back Eddie Wide swept into the end zone to give the Utes their first lead of the game, 38-34, with 10:25 remaining.

Winging downfield twice on Lindley’s arm, the Aztecs still had chances to win, but both drives ended in Utah interceptions. The three SDSU turnovers in the game — plus the blocked punt — were ultimately the difference. As well as the Aztecs played, they still made key mistakes. Utah, which improved to 9-2 with the win, did not turnover the ball once.

One tough loss like this would be hard enough. But all of the Aztecs’ losses this season have been like this. They lost, 27-24, at Missouri when they allowed a 68-yard, game-winning TD pass in the final minute — the play only occurring because officials missed a blatant block-in-the-back that wiped out two Aztec defenders and cleared the way for the Tigers’ T.J. Moe to race down the sidelines.

They lost, 24-21, at BYU in part because a clear Cougars’ fumble was not called on the field nor overturned by a replay-booth full of BYU officials (supporters). They lost, 40-35, at third-ranked TCU despite jumping to a 14-0 lead and then, later, rallying for three late TD’s in the fourth-quarter.

Now this one. Four losses this season by a total of 15 points. And, just for good measure, there was a bit of controversy to deal with here as well. On the final, fateful Lindley interception — with Brown open in the end zone to perhaps win it, Utah’s Derrick Shelby delivered a forearm shiv to the face of Lindley as he let the pass go.

The illegal blow, called in football games every Saturday and Sunday of every season, sent Lindley’s throw wobbling off target, allowing Utah’s Brian Blecken to pick if off. Of course, no call was made.

For SDSU, considering where it has been, there is nothing wrong with 7-4, and perhaps an 8-4 finish if the Aztecs can beat UNLV — which they should — next weekend. One more chance for glory would await after that, in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23 against Navy.

Frustratingly, though, this season could have been so much more. But, at least for now, they’re still the Aztecs.

–Courtesy of our friends at 619Sports.net

One of the biggest issues in college football that is not receiving enough attention is the over-signing of players. Every college football prospect should be concerned with over-signing because there is a chance it can happen to any player once they reach the college level. For this reason, I have listed below important information about over-signing and what you should know.

What is Over-Signing?

All NCAA college football programs are limited to having 85 scholarship players on their team per year. These 85 players include both returning players and new recruits. When a program signs more players than the allotted 85, this is over-signing.

In order to get back down to the 85 players they are allowed to give scholarships to, college football programs go about it a few ways. First, they usually wait to see which players, if any, become ineligible to play. Student-athletes can become ineligible by not making grades, getting in trouble with the law, etc. Then, programs will usually ask players to ‘gray shirt’ for a year. ‘Gray shirting’ is when you give up your scholarship benefits for a season so a peer can use them. Lastly, programs just start making cuts to reach the 85, which is obviously devastating to those student-athletes.

How to Overcome Over-Signing

While there are many college football programs in the nation that do contribute to the problem of over-signing, there are just as many who try at all costs to avoid this issue. These programs would rather sign a few less players than the allotted 85 so they do not have to make those upsetting cuts later on. This then gives the program freedom to sign a few walk-on players later on.

As a college football recruit, it may be in your best interest to research which programs do and do not over-sign when considering your options. By considering football programs that have a reputation of not over-signing, you may ultimately be saving yourself from heartbreak and hassle later on.

To find out more information about over-signing in college football, visit oversigning.com

This post is courtesy MVPToday.com

The NFL Draft takes place from April 22-24 in its first year of the new three-day format. There aren’t many NFL Draft prospects with roots to the Valley, but what the group lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. MVP Magazine provides a look at the NFL Draft prospects who played high school football in Arizona.

Danny Batten, DE/LB, South Dakota State, Mesa (Mesquite H.S.)
Ten teams visited Batten’s Pro Day. An accomplished, versatile player but at Division I-AA. Projected 7th round.

Kyle Calloway, OL, Iowa, Vail, AZ
Huge at 6-7, 323 pounds. A steady, versatile offensive linemen who should have a solid NFL career. Projected 6th round.

Everson Griffen, DE, USC, Avondale (Agua Fria)
First-round talent, but inconsistency and question about work ethic may cause him to drop. Could be a star NFL pass rusher. Projected 1st round.

Max Hall, QB, BYU, Mesa (Mountain View)
NFL teams rarely draft a QB that is only six-feet tall with questionable arm strength. Hall hopes Drew Brees’ success will reflect on his potential. Projection 4th round.

Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State, Fountain Hills (St. Mary’s)
A smart, active player but lack of ideal size and strength will hurt draft value. Projected 7th round.

Shelley Smith, OL, Colorado State, Phoenix (Westview)
Good strength and footwork with the ability to be a pulling guard. Some scouts questions his physical play at the point of attack. Projected 6th round.

Ekom Udofia, DL, Stanford, Scottsdale (Chaparral)
A strong, passionate player with good natural instincts who can take up multiple blockers. Better than his numbers indicate. Projected 6th round.

Arizona State University Prospects

ASU has produced its share of stud NFL Draft prospects but this year isn’t one of them. No ASU player figures to be drafted before the fifth round although there are a few players who could go on to have solid NFL careers. Only time will tell if any of them becomes a standout like former Sun Devils Terrell Suggs, Zack Miller or Jake Plummer.

Player POS Projection Comment
Thomas Altieri C Undrafted Knee injuries plagued this talented center.
Dexter Davis OLB Rd. 6 3.5 sacks as a senior will hurt draft value.
Shaun DeWitty RB Undrafted Fast but not an NFL back.
Travis Goethel ILB Rd. 7 An underrated player whose stock is rising.
Shawn Lauvao OG Rd. 4 An anchor on a poor offensive line.
Ryan McFoy SS Undrafted Solid ASU career, but won’t be drafted
Chris McGaha WR Rd. 6 Sure hands, athleticism too good to ignore.
Dimitri Nance RB Undrafted Solid career but never met expectations.
Mike Nixon OLB Undrafted Age works against a talented overachiever.
Danny Sullivan QB Undrafted Never got on track in his one year as starter.
Jovon Williams FB Undrafted Versatile but not an impact player.
Kyle Williams WR Rd. 7 Speed and athleticism may get him drafted.
Jarrell Woods RB Undrafted Only had 18 carries in three years at ASU.

Dillon Baxter has already begun to make himself a stand out at USC Spring Training. Dillon showed what made him the US Army Player of the Year at the first USC scrimmage of training. Baxter had a 50 yard touchdown in the game that earned him praise with headlines like “Dillon Baxter embarrasses defenders” and had Lane Kiffin comparing him to Reggie Bush already. Part of what makes Baxter so impressive is that he is a true freshman and is still a senior at Mission Bay High School in San Diego. Check out video below of his impressive touch down run courtesy USC Athletics.

You can also visit Dillon’s SportsForce profile for all his stats and highlights of him in his final football season HERE

Historically San Diego County has developed some the best running backs to ever play the game of football, with a list that includes Heisman Trophy winners: Marcus Allen, Rashaan Salaam, Ricky Williams and Reggie Bush. NFL great, Terrell Davis, one of five 2,000 yard rushers at the professional level, could also trace his roots back to the area. Even with the area’s rich history at the position, San Diego’s running back class of 2010 is arguably the most talented group ever to be coming out of any single location, let alone San Diego County.

Currently on Rivals, Dillon Baxter (6’0 205lbs), is ranked as the top overall all-purpose back in the nation and the only one with a five star rating at his respective position. As a Mission Bay Bucaneer, he led his team to a perfect season by playing both running back and quarterback. On the season, Dillon rushed for nearly 3,000 yards, scored 50 TDs rushing, 25 TDs through the air and had an impressive average of 11.4 YPC. He went over 300 yards in three different occasions and his lowest rushing mark of the year was 100 yards. As expected, Dillon was recently announced as the National Player of the Year. Dillon will be playing close to home with a commitment to USC.

Close on Dillion’s heels on the Rivals all-purpose back rankings is Brennan Clay (6’0 200lbs), who is currently holding the number two spot. During his junior year at Scripps Ranch, Brennan was a dual threat running back, surpassing 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving. He is a home run threat every time he touches the ball and is an explosive return man. Brennan recently signed with the University of Oklahoma.

Now look at Ricky Seale (5’10 190lbs), a big play back coming out of Escondido High School whose production over the last few years surely speaks for itself. His breakaway speed paired with superior vision has enabled him to amass 2,400 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns in each of the past two season. Towards the end of his senior year he became the leading rusher in CIF-San Diego Section history and first ever in the section to go over 6,000 total rushing yards. He was highly recruited within the PAC-10, and ultimately signed with Stanford.

Then, there is Damien Williams (6’0 200lbs), a newcomer to the list of star running backs leaving San Diego County this year. Everyone always knew that he had talent, but grades and changing schools prevented him from demonstrating his talent early on. During his senior year at Mira Mesa he established himself as a top-tier back by rushing for nearly 2,300 yards, 24 TDs, 9.9 YPC and closing out the season strong with a string of eight consecutive 200 yard performances. Damien is now signed with the Arizona State Sundevils.

Don’t forget about Tony Jefferson (6’1 205lbs), from Eastlake High School, he has rushed for 5 yards shy of 2,000 with a 8.95 YPC and 25 TDs on the season. The scary thing is Tony was being recruited as a Safety and not a running back, so that speaks volumes about his potential to play on both sides of the ball. After being recruited and showing high interest in playing for Michigan, Oklahoma or USC, Tony decided on Oklahoma.

These young players have history on their side; San Diego County has produced more Heisman winners than any other place in the country. Is there something in the water? Maybe it’s a little too early to be speaking about the Heisman, but each one of these players has a chance to be something special, so make sure you keep an eye out for them in the next few seasons.

Maybe someday Brady Hoke will throw that proverbial “fence around the county” and get the top prospects in San Diego County to come to SDSU. Before he builds that fence, though, Hoke will need to first interrupt the pipeline.

You know, the one Bob Stoops has built between San Diego and Norman, Oklahoma.

Stoops, looking to restore Oklahoma to national title contention in 2010, will do so with the help of a trio of San Diego talents. All-time San Diego section receiving leader Kenny Stills and hard-hitting Eastlake star

Tony Jefferson both announced on Friday night that they will attend the University of Oklahoma next year, joining Scripps Ranch star Brennan Clay. The threesome made their announcements at the KUSI Prep Pigskin Gala at the Hall of Champions.

Clay, who had committed months before to the Sooners, was thrilled to have his two talented Silver Pigskin finalists (Mission Bay’s Dillon Baxter won the trophy) join him in Norman:

Hear from all three of the newest Sooners after the jump:

Brennan Clay(full SportsForce profile here) was the first to commit to Oklahoma. He joined 619 Sports immediately after the announcement of the Silver Pigskin award to talk about the honor of the evening and the process of luring Jefferson and Stills to join him in Norman:

Kenny Stills (full SportsForce profile here) had been heavily recruited by USC but wound up narrowing his choices to Florida, Michigan and Oklahoma. In the end, Stills told 619 Sports the chance to team up with Jefferson and Clay, and to participate in the Sooners’ vaunted passing attack, was too much to pass up:

Tony Jefferson angered the Arroyo Seco when he first committed to UCLA, only to show up at the UCLA-USC game wearing Trojans garb. After hearing the barbs from the Bruins, Jefferson withdrew his commitment to the Bruins and took a campus trip to Norman. The rest was history, as he told 619 Sports:

With Jefferson in the secondary and Clay and Stills in the OU backfield, Boomer Sooner is picking up speed heading into 2010.

–Courtesy 619Sports.net

SportsForce at the San Diego All-CIF Awards

SportsForce started the week at the San Diego All-CIF awards at the San Diego Hall of Champions, which honored top Spring athletes including some SportsForce alumni. The awards ceremony honored a series of SportsForce profiled athletes. Profiled SportsForce athletes who were honored included the following baseball players, Noah Murray an infielder from Steele Canyon, Alex Murren of Romona, a standout outfielder and Dillion Haupt of MiraMesa who was named to the second All-CIF team for his performance as catcher this season.

Dillon Haupt – Baseball Recruiting Video from Sports Force on Vimeo.

Softball standouts Alex Miller of West Hills and Alysha Isaacson were named to first and second All-CIF teams respectively. Miller is an outfielder and Isaacson a left-handed pitcher. Catcher Bri Austin also of West Hills and outfielders Kaitlin McGinley, Valhalla Jr. and Katie Schumacher, Scripps Ranch Jr. were named to the All-CIF second team for softball as well. Girls Lacrosse stars and SportsForce alums Alanna Parker of Monte Vista Sr, who signed a scholarship to Davidson in the fall and Sammy Slattery Carlsbad Sr. were named to the first All-CIF team.

Kaitlin McGinley – OF – Softball Skills Video – 2010 – San Diego Renegades from Sports Force on Vimeo.

Earlier this season SportsForce had the pleasure of filming the following CIF Players of the Year: Myles Muagututia, of Francis Park for Boys Volleyball, Zach Leslie, Point Loma for Boys Tennis, Bobby Braun of Coronado for Boys Lacrosse and Jackie Candelaria of the CIF Champion La Costa Canyon for Girls Lacrosse team.

Football Skills Camp in Orange County Features Top NFL players

Aside from catching up with our San Diego area athletes, SportsForce was in Orange County for the Sage Hill Football Skills Camp on Saturday. SportsForce was able to get some great footage on some talented high school football players as well as conduct in depth on field interviews with some NFL players. In attendance were Kirk Morrison – Oakland Raiders – LB, Kevin O’Connell – NE Patriots – QB, Freddie Kieaho – Ind. Colts – LB, Robert Ortiz – NE Patriots – WR to name a few. We asked them about their transition from high school to college football, what the college recruiting process was like for them, what advice they have for high school athletes and more. Keep posted for a video interview to follow.

Boys Lax Players Head East for Nike Blue Chip Camp

SportsForce also finished working with some of the top Lacrosse Players in San Diego who are on their way to the east coast for the Nike Blue Chip Lacrosse Camp.

Coming up this week SportsForce will be at the Baseball College Coaches Camp, and holding down the fort in the office testing out our soon to be launched site as well.

Stay Posted!

While most of us will be spending the next few months traveling, surfing, relaxing, and pretending to work out, there is a small, hard working group of teenagers all over the country who will be doing exactly the opposite: high school football players. Regardless of the level, football players around the country are spending their summers getting up unnecessarily early, practicing, lifting, memorizing their playbooks, training, and drinking protein shakes in preparation for their fall seasons. While spring ball is when these athletes spend time in the weight room bulking up, summer ball is when they take the time to hone their skills and build team chemistry. This is the time for coaches to teach their players the ins and outs of their playbooks, and then see who emerges on top with the right to start in the fall.

SDSU Passing League 06_19_09 from Sports Force on Vimeo.

In order for coaches to test their kids in game situations and in order for the players to gain valuable playing experience at their respective positions, passing league tournaments are run all over the country to satisfy that competitive need. Throughout the “off-season,” football players are put through rigorous training sessions with the expectation that by the time summer rolls around, they will be in top physical shape. Finally, come late May, they have the opportunity to show off their hard work on the field at a passing league tournament. A passing league game features all offensive and defensive players, with the exception of lineman, squaring off without pads or helmets. In this two-hand-touch, 40-minute game, crisp passes, precise route running, and lock down man defense are the keys to victory.

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