re: Class of 2019 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: That's a Wrap Edition

"The U" has weakened to a category 7-5 semi-tropical depression. I hope 7-5 Wiscy also beats them mañana in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

On the 247-Vols board, a poster said Andrew Bone was who reported he had heard from "a source" that Henry To'oto'o will announce at the Jan 19th Poly Bowl.

But a Dec 18th article by 247 West Region mod Brandon Huffman stated that he plans to OV Tenn and Bama in Jan and announce on NSD.

247-Vols mod Ryan Callahan posted that he double checked with Huffman who said he still plans to announce on NSD and that Poly Bowl officials haven't listed him announcing there.

De La Salle star is Bay Area News Group player of the year (Mercury News | Dec 24)

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CONCORD — All you really need to know about Henry To’oto’o is that he played the state championship game (Dec 8) on a broken foot, a gutsy performance that showed affection for teammates and passion for De La Salle.

“These are my brothers for life,” To’oto’o said. “I love everybody on this team way too much to let them down like that.”

Of course, To’oto’o was much more than an inspirational force. The four-star prospect with offers from heavyweights like Alabama and Washington was a destructive one, too, charging sideline to sideline from his inside linebacker spot to chase down ballcarriers and grinding out tough yards as a running back.

He helped lead De La Salle to an undefeated regular season that included a 14-0 win over Folsom — which averaged 58 points per game in the 13 contests that followed — and a revenge victory over Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas. The Spartans then won the North Coast Section Open Division title with a 42-7 rout of previously unbeaten Liberty.

There were great football players across the Bay Area this season, but To’oto’o was at the top of the class. The senior was a unanimous choice for Bay Area News Group player of the year by the news organization’s high school staff.

It was a perfect season for To’oto’o and his teammates — that is, until the day before the Open Division state championship game against Mater Dei-Santa Ana (on Dec 8).

In a walk-through practice at St. John Bosco-Bellflower, To’oto’o made what he called a bad cut, and his left foot — which he said had bothered him for a few weeks — popped.

To’oto’o returned to the hotel with the team, had dinner and then went to urgent care with a trainer. “I got the X-rays and they saw that it was fractured,” he said. “I was kind of bummed.” But To’oto’o was determined to play.

“In my head, I knew I was going to hurt,” he said a few days after the game. “But I was dedicated to play. Like I said after the game, I wasn’t going to let my brothers down. We’ve been through too much as a team. One last effort for them wouldn’t hurt me.”

To’oto’o did not play on offense and was limited on defense, finishing with six tackles. De La Salle rallied in the second half but fell short, losing 35-21.

“Sad for him to not be able to play at full strength,” DLS coach Justin Alumbaugh said in a text the day after the game. “Amazed he played at all. We couldn’t convince him otherwise. Love that kid. To be a superstar or whatever they call it and act like he does is what helps me coach.”

To’oto’o, naturally, couldn’t help but think what might have been.

“I thought about it the whole night,” he said. “I thought about all the plays I missed, all the tackles I missed, all the blocks I could have got off. But at the same time, I don’t question, ‘Why did this happen to me?’ Everything happens for a reason. It’s all in God’s plan. I am just thankful I had the opportunity to play.”

To’oto’o, who needed surgery to repair the foot, took a recent a recruiting trip to Utah and plans to visit Alabama, Tennessee and Oregon before the February signing period. He visited Washington this fall. By February, he expects to be well on his way to recovery.

“In six weeks, I’ll be able to take the boot off, start moving around,” To’oto’o said a few days after the Mater Dei game, remembering that former DLS teammate Kairee Robinson had the same injury last season. “He still played on it, too. He was kind of my role model. If Kairee can do it, I can do it.”

It wasn’t the ending To’oto’o planned, but it perfectly amplified the type of player he is.

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To'oto'o is on the Army All American Bowl roster so we should get some updates then unless he skips due to the foot injury.

Young called out a Tennessee fan on Twitter, and I love his response. I think he signs with Alabama.

Byron Young

Tide commits stacked on All-American Bowl, Under Armour rosters (BamaOnLine)

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The majority of Alabama’s 2019 recruiting class will be participating in the Under Armor All-America Game and the All American Bowl next week with both signees and commits spread across the respective rosters.

Here, BamaOnLine takes a look at the Crimson Tide pledges in each game:

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All-American Bowl (formerly Army Bowl)

Players arrive on Monday:

Trey Sanders, 5-star RB, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
Antonio Alfano, 5-star SDE, Colonia (N.J.)
Byron Young, 4-star SDE, Laurel (Miss.) West Jones
Taulia Tagovailoa, 4-star QB, Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson
Christian Harris, 4-star ILB, Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab

Stay tuned to BamaOnLine in the coming days for previews for each game.

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Top Targets:

Henry To'oto'o, 4-star OLB, Concord (CA) De La Salle
Khris Bogle, 4-star WDE, Fort Lauderdale (FL) Cardinal Gibbons
Noa Pola-Gates, 4-star S, Gilbert (AZ) Williams Field
Marcus Banks, 4-star CB, Houston (TX) Dekaney

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TidalSurge, is Shane Lee not playing in the Under Armour Game?

It is kind of crazy. We have 18 commits/signees in the old Army or UA all star games, Billingsley and Hellams going to Poly Bowl, 4 enrolled players with the team already and the 2 left; Ingraham and Bowles are both 4 star blue chippers.

If Rivals wasn't hating and doing poor evaluations of Bowles and DJ Dale and Keilan getting a 3 on 247, I believe everyone would be a unanimous 4 star or better across all services outside of Reichard, the number 1 kicker. Incredible.

ETA: I did miss Hellams going to the Poly Bowl on the first pass.

I was listening to a recruiting broadcast on u-tube and they mention that one of our DB commits was recruited as an athlete.
That Tunage will get a shot on both sides of the ball.Ive been saying for a while that between last year and this years crop.
That some of our DB recruits looked very good playing wr in high school.
Amour Davis(last year), and Hellams film at WR was impressive.
Now I am not saying move any of them right now. But I do see the ability.
They also were saying that hill was concern about the number of safeties and that what Mich was still pushing.
But Bama was saying that only Hellams and later battle were pure safeties.I really think Hellams is DB all the way
Also I was watching some pre orange bowl recent practices and Eddie Smith has filled out very nicely.
We are gonna have some serious talent in the secondary along with Patrick down the line.

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Amour Davis(last year)

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This was a big loss for us. I'm pretty sure he was going to get a lot of playing time this season.