WholeHogSports
THE RECRUITING GUY : Ex-Wolverine finds it hard to beat Pelphrey’s rap
Posted on Friday, June 6, 2008
URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/227866/
Give rapper Snoop Dogg an assist for helping Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey make an impression on former Michigan center Ekpe Udoh.
Apparently, Pelphrey’s musical taste impressed Udoh as they rode in Pelphrey’s car during Udoh’s official visit to Arkansas.
“Coach Pelphrey is a good guy,” said Udoh, whose visit started Sunday night and lasted through Tuesday afternoon. “He did some things that I wouldn’t think a coach would do, listening to certain types of music, bobbing his head to everything like Chris Brown, Snoop Dogg — it was amazing — Lil Wayne.
“ I was kind of fascinated. He said his wife did all of his music for him. He was a really great guy.”
Pelphrey and his staff are hoping to add Udoh to what will be a talented but young basketball team over the next two years.
Udoh, 6-10, 240 pounds, signed with the Wolverines out of Edmond (Okla. ) Sante Fe but requested a release after playing two years in Ann Arbor. He also plans to visit Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor.
Udoh wants to make his decision by June 15. He will have to sit out a year and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Udoh said he was caught off guard with the rabid fan support Arkansas enjoys.
“It went real well,” said Udoh, who was named to the Big Ten’s all-defensive team this past season. “The support and fanfare is unbelievable. I wouldn’t think much of Arkansas, but when I got here, my eyes were opened. I can understand the love for it.”
Udoh averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds a game while blocking 67 shots in 35 games his freshman year. He started 24 of 32 games last season and averaged 6 points, 5 rebounds and a league-leading 2. 9 blocked shots. His 159 blocked shots in two seasons put him fifth on the school’s career list.
Three corporate giants in Northwest Arkansas — Wal-Mart, J. B. Hunt and Tyson — also caught the attention of Udoh, who said he understood the opportunities that could be available to Razorbacks players after their playing careers are completed.
Udoh said he liked how he would be involved in Arkansas’ offense and believes sitting out a year will help his game.
“The big man always gets some touches,” he said. “By bringing in what I can do on defense, I’ll be able to step it up another notch. Then I would have a year off to develop my body and my offensive capabilities, and that will play into how good I can be and how good Arkansas or the school I pick can be.”
LINEMEN GET CHANCE Arkansas’ football camps kick off Sunday, with close to 400 athletes expected to attend. Included among that group will be least three offensive linemen from Arkansas who hope to impress the coaches enough to earn a scholarship offer.
Corning’s Jake McDonald 6-3, 285, 5. 1-second speed in the 40-yard dash, i s receiving attention from Arkansas, Arkansas State, Memphis and Central Arkansas.
McDonald said recruiting coordinator Tim Horton has been talking favorably about him.
“He’s saying he really likes how I play,” said McDonald, who bench presses 410 pounds and squats more than 500. “He just has to get the rest of [the coaches ] to like me. He’s acting like it’s good, like there’s a chance I can get a scholarship.”
Corning Coach Mark Smith said he believes McDonald has what it takes to play major college football.
“He has real quick feet, he’s real agile,” Smith said. “He’s extremely aggressive. He can play on either side of the ball.”
Smith said McDonald has a frame that could carry another 20 to 30 pounds in college without losing any speed or quickness.
A scholarship offer by the Razorbacks would probably get a quick response from McDonald.
“More than likely, I’ll commit right there on the spot,” he said.
DeWitt’s Justin Carney, 6-5, 270, 5. 17, has been training at a Little Rock sports-specific training facility to get ready for the camp.
“I working on my strength and trying to get faster and more agile,” Carney said.
Carney said he bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times recently and has squatted 500 pounds.
Arkansas, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Army showed up at school during the spring evaluation period to check on Carney.
“Vanderbilt has shown me the most interest,” said Carney, who has run a 4. 7 pro-shuttle time. “The coach called me and told me I could expect an offer in a couple of weeks.”
Tyler Stauch, 6-4, 260, 5. 0, has offers from Troy and Central Arkansas but will attend the camp in hopes of receiving an offer from the Hogs.
Others showing interest include Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Stauch said Mississippi State told him a slight improvement on his ACT score would earn him an offer from the Bulldogs. Stauch said Horton told him more in-state offers could be handed out. “He said they were looking to give more offers to the in-state kids,” Stauch said. “I’m hoping that will be me.” Stauch has recorded some impressive workout numbers with a 30. 5-inch vertical jump, a 4. 6 pro shuttle, a 340-pound bench press and a 475 squat.
CHANGING SCHOOLS Tight end Chris Scott is moving from Pine Bluff to Little Rock and will play at Central High next season.
Scott, 6-4, 225, 4. 6, plans to attend camp at Mississippi State this weekend and make it to Arkansas’ seniors camp July 19.
Scott, who has a 4. 55 pro shuttle time, is receiving interest from Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, LSU and Arkansas State. He said he is favoring the Bulldogs. E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenpor t@arkansasonline. com