Instant help for the have-nots?

By Darrell Laurant  |   Friday, February 16, 2007  |  Comments( 0 )

College Football
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OK, we all know that college football's rich get richer on national signing day. But how about the poor?

With the reduction in scholarships mandated a couple of years ago, is there a trickle down of prospects to the Mississippi States and Connecticuts of the world?

Well, maybe. Of the Top 100 prep players as selected by Rivals.com, only five went to schools that have not been to a bowl in the last two years. North Carolina snagged three of them -- DT Marvin Austin of Washington, D.C. (No. 7), WR Dwight Jones, No. 22, of Burlington, N.C., and QB Mike Paulus of Syracuse (82). Illinois got a commitment from Chicago DE Martez Wilson (26), and Ole Miss signed DE Chris Strong (53) of Batesville, Miss.

Sometimes, the have-nots get lucky. Maybe a kid is from a nearby town and doesn't want to leave home. Or maybe he grew up cheering for good ol' Mediocre U and now wants to help turn the program around. Maybe he just likes the school colors.

At any rate, with "bowlessness" in 2005 and 2006 as a criteria, we came up with an all-star team of 2007 recruits for the have-nots.

FIRST TEAM:

QB: Mike Paulus, 6-5, 220, Syracuse, N.Y. (North Carolina).
RB: Frank Summers. 5-11, 245, Oakland, Calif. (UNLV).
RB: Joseph Reese. 6-2, 190, Pflugerville, Texas. (Arizona).
TE: Rob Gronkowski, 6-6, 232, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Arizona).
WR: Dwight Jones. 6-5, 210, Burlington, N.C. (North Carolina).
WR: Arrelious Benn. 6-1, 210, Washington, D.C. (Illinois).
OL: Mike Jackson. 6-6, 312, Cincinnati, Ohio. (Illinois).
OL: Derrick Sherrod, 6-6, 298, Columbus, Miss. (Mississippi State).
OL: Juan Bolanos. 6-7, 310, Spring Valley, Calif. (San Diego State).
OL: Emeka Iweka. 6-5, 290, Seattle, Wash. (Washington).

DE: Chris Strong. 6-3, 251, Batesville, Miss. (Ole Miss).
DE: Martez Wilson. 6-4, 230, Chicago, Ill. (Illinois).
DT: Marvin Austin. 6-3, 291, Washington, D.C. (North Carolina).
DT: Kaniela Tuipoloto. 6-1, 280, Kaphuha, Hawaii. (Arizona).
LB: Jonathan Frist. 6-1, 214, Oxford, Miss. (Stanford).
LB: Apoita Tuihalamaka. 6-3, 205, Torrance, Calif. (Arizona).
LB: Jermaine Pierce, 6-3, 230, New Berlin, N.Y. (Syracuse).
DB: Terry Mixon. 6-1, 200, El Cajon, Calif. (Washington State).
DB: DeAndre West. 6-1, 195, Oakland, Calif. (San Diego State).
DB: Nehemiah Mundy. 6-1, 180, Culver City, Calif. (UNLV).
DB: Marquis Hundley. 6-0, 185, Santa Rose, Calif. (Arizona).
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