FAMU: 9 Recruits, 5 Scholarships

[Aggie77]

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Article published Feb 5, 2009
Resources limited but FAMU makes do
Taylor 'satisfied' with '09 recruits
By St. Clair Murraine
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Considering the perplexity created by having just five scholarships to offer, FAMU football coach Joe Taylor rated his National Signing Day class of recruits as the best it could be.

The Rattlers signed just one area player, running back Corey Akins from Madison County High, Wednesday along with four transfers and two others who took grayshirts last season. In all, FAMU will have nine new faces and two hold-overs who weren't academically eligible last season.

"We're satisfied that we've met our needs with the transfers and there were some real talented high-schoolers," Taylor said during a mid-afternoon press conference. "I really feel it was an upgrade. It was a very successful recruiting effort."

In addition to the signees, FAMU also got a surprise in D'Vonte Graham. The Lincoln High School receiver walked away from a scholarship offer from North Carolina A&T, another MEAC school.

FAMU's pressing needs are on defense and the offensive line, two areas that Taylor will add key transfers. Marshall transfer Brandon Curry is expected to bring some depth to the right tackle spot, while Abraham Muhieze, who played last season at Grossmont Junior College, is a strong candidate to fill the opening at safety vacated by fifth-year senior Jason Beach.

The other transfers are Jay Culpepper, a former walk-on offensive lineman at FSU, who will play long-snapper; and former West Gadsden standout Chris Atkins (from East Carolina) and Jamil Paris (from Kentucky).

"We don't ever want to get carried away with the transfers but from time to time we might need an extra in an area that needs maturity," Taylor said. "To bring a guy in from East Carolina and Kentucky, we're saying that might be an upgrade to what we are doing but I don't want to over-emphasize this. We have to continue to recruit."

As the only area player who received a full scholarship, Akins has the kind of stats that could earn him playing time as a freshman. He was a first-team Class 2A all-state selection and a first-team member of the All-Big Bend team.

Akins rushed 95 times for 1,091 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was also an FACA All-District selection.

Akins brings depth to the backfield led by junior Philip Sylvester, Taylor said.

"Running backs — you may have 10 one day and two the next. It's a depth situation there," he said. "If he can come in and learn the system, that certainly adds depth to what we are trying to do with our running game."

While FAMU swayed Graham from N.C. A&T, the Aggies received the signature of Lincoln defensive end Tony Mashburn. He was one of a handful of local players that FAMU pursued.

Mashburn said he was sold on what the university offered him and the impression it made when he visited.

"We can't actually count anybody's pocket when it comes to the financial standpoint," said co-defensive coordinator Earl Holmes, who handled local recruiting. "Some guys feel like, 'Hey, I have to do what I need to do and get out of town.' It's part of the recruiting process."

While the day ended with some local players still undecided about their choices, recruiting coordinator Tim Edwards said FAMU isn't done trying to land a few more "preferred walk-ons."

"We reached out and we feel good that we have some relationships going with some of the schools," he said.

[Aggie One]

Wholesale transfers versus high school recruiting. A battle as old as the ages and it will continue on as the balance of power begins to shift this fall from the northern schools to the southern part of the MEAC.

[Aggie77]

The balance of power has shifted to the south. But one of two things is happening at FAMU 1.) they are standing pat and going with basically the same team as last year with a small amount of patch work, or 2) they couldn’t recruit a sole. After all how often do we have three recruits from FL and two are from Tallahassee? Though FAMU had a decent team last year, does anybody think this class will put them over the top?

Well, I’m thinking the MEAC better look out because FAMU must be loaded, because scholarships are renewable annually and FAMU could’ve found space if they needed space. And now they have nine or more guys battle over 5 rides.

[Aggie One]

I think its a combination of both with more emphasis on the latter because of the financial woes of having a $4.1 million hole in the FAMU athletic budget.

Do not be deceived by that "limited scholarship" dribble. Living off of transfers will only take you so far for so long and if you run into admission problems or a dry year then you can get yourself in big trouble in a real hurry.

If FAMU was in better shape financially, believe me that Hayes and Taylor would have found some way to have signed all four of those hometown products now bound for A&T.

These kids can all flat play.