re: 2013 Alabama Football Recruiting Thread - DH Decommited from UGA

quote:

---

When the University of Alabama hired Doug Nussmeier as offensive coordinator in January, it hired a young, up-and-coming coach with a good offensive mind who Crimson Tide head Nick Saban felt could lead the offense.

As an added bonus, it also hired a coach who has a very strong relationship with the nation’s No. 1 quarterback, Max Browne.

Browne, a native of Sammamish, Wash., knew Nussmeier from his days as offensive coordinator at the University of Washington, and the two have remained close since Nussmeier’s move to Tuscaloosa.

“Alabama probably wouldn’t be on the map without Coach Nuss just because that’s a big connection there, but even without him, it’s a great school, obviously, national champions. It doesn’t get better than that,” Browne said.

“One thing Alabama is always going to have over other schools, they’re going to have talent year in and year out. They’re going to have depth and talent at all positions. It’s a big-time program, and they play in the best league in the country.”

Browne, an ESPNU 150 Watch List star who will likely be a five-star when the rankings come out, has numerous offers but says Oklahoma, USC and Washington are the three schools recruiting him the hardest right now. He visited Norman, Ok., earlier this month.

Alabama’s not on that list of schools, but it’s not because the Tide staff is not recruiting the top signal caller.

“Alabama’s still recruiting me,” Browne said. “They just do it differently because I’ve known Coach Nussmeier for so long. It’s not necessarily a matter of recruiting me hard. He’s just a normal guy around me.”

In fact, Browne is scheduled to make the long trip to Tuscaloosa the first week of April, sometime during his spring break. The dates are not set in stone yet, but he expects to spend at least a couple of days on campus.

“I’m excited to see another school,” Browne said. “I’ve never seen an SEC school. Obviously, it’s big-time football. Everyone I’ve talked to said their facilities are top-notch, best in the country. It will be an exciting trip to get know what Alabama is all about. I’m looking forward to it.”

The visit to Alabama could go a long way in helping the Tide secure a commitment from Browne. The main factors he’s looking for when choosing a school include his relationship with the coaching staff and the players, and if he feels comfortable there.

“Are the players who I could see myself being friends with and do I have a good relationship with the coaches? You’ve got to be around both groups of people a lot,” Browne said.

“Also, does it feel right? Recruits say that, and it’s tough to explain, but when you’re there, can you envision yourself wearing that uniform and playing for that coach? It has to feel right.”

Browne doesn’t have any leaders at this point, but the 6-foot-5, 205-pound quarterback hopes to trim his list down soon. He would like to make a decision by the summer, so he can get the recruiting process behind him and focus on his senior year.

---

quote:

---

Tampa cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III already had more than 30 offers, but he finally received one from the University of Alabama last Friday, and it was an offer he had been hoping to get.

“Who doesn’t want an offer from Alabama?” Hargreaves said. “Last year, they were the best school in the country.”

UA head coach Nick Saban was the one who talked to Hargreaves and offered the scholarship. For most recruits, that would be a big deal, but for Hargreaves, whose dad coaches at South Florida, it was just another coach who called.

“It was a good experience,” Hargreaves said. “I’ve been around football my whole life. I’ve talked to a lot of big-name people, so for me, it wasn’t that big of a deal. It was a good talk. He was telling me a little about the program, who they had leaving and who he’s recruited.”

Still, the 5-foot-11, 181-pound cornerback is excited about the possibility of playing for Saban, who is considered one of the best in the game at coaching defensive backs. The Crimson Tide expect to have at least three secondary players taken next month in the NFL draft.

“He’s coached in the NFL,” Hargreaves said. “He’s won multiple national championships. He has good experience. He obviously knows what he’s doing because he’s put guys in the NFL.”

At this point, Hargreaves doesn’t have any favorites but says he’s hearing the most from in-state schools Florida and USF. However, the recent Alabama offer makes the Tide a factor in his recruitment.

“It puts a little spin on things,” he said.

Hargreaves plans to take his official visits in the fall before making a decision. The only official he knows he wants to take right now is to USC, but he’s looking to make a trip to Tuscaloosa over the summer for an unofficial visit.

The ESPNU 150 Watch List star has already accepted an invitation to play in the Under Armour All-America Game.

---

quote:

---

Spoke to a source this morning very close to this

"Alabama has really turned the heat up on him recently"

Alabama is on UGA QB Commit Brice Ramsey hard right now. He has been committed since last July but Alabama has not given up. It may not be getting a ton of pub in the press, but Alabama has the full court press on right now.

Ramsey has got a rocket arm and at 6-foot-3, I expect him to be at least 6-foot-4 in college. Wears a 16 shoe right now.

---

quote:

---

Not only does he have an avatar of LC, but he's still bitching about it in this thread. Good lord dude get over it, you look like some nutty ex girlfriend. At minimum douchey, borderline sad.

---

quote:

---

"I always respect that they (Alabama) are winners," Zaire said. "I think I'm at a position where I can say I'm a winner. At the same time, I like to compete and play at a high level, so I like the competitive side of Alabama."

"We have a run-based offense, the same as Alabama," Zaire said. "We are a running-team first, and we do a lot of the play action stuff also. That offense definitely appeals to me a lot, because it develops you for the next level. That is something you want to put yourself in, because you want to succeed in the next level after college."

"He said I fit in really good with the system," Zaire said. "He said I have shown I have a good arm, but I also have the athletic ability to do some of the things they want me to do. He said I would fit in well with the offense because I have the ability to throw, run and I'm good in the play-action game."

"Location is not a factor to me," Zaire said. "It really doesn't matter at all. I could play all the way in California if that's where my best opportunity was."

"I definitely want to be able to recruit people that I work well with," Zaire said. "I go to these camps and I develop a relationship with some of these guys, and we hit it off at camp. When I commit, I definitely want to recruit other players to come to the same school I am so we already have the chemistry."

"It's really depends on when I get all my visits in," Zaire said. "I'm trying to get all my visits in by the end of April. I also want to get some time to get to spring games and check out a bunch of schools. I hope that's soon."

---