An Interview With Tony Grimes
FL CB Tony Grimes and his teammate, FL DE Clarence Murphy, were amongst ten official visitors for the Ohio State game. Tom VanHaaren caught up with Grimes after he got back home and caught him for a brief, encouraging interview.
TOM: How was the trip, was it everything you expected?
TONY: It was my second trip up there, and I already knew I liked Michigan, so it met my expectations. It was pretty cool.
TOM: What was the best part about the game?
TONY: The atmosphere was crazy. Walking out of that tunnel and seeing the fans was pretty cool. None of the other games I've been to have compared to this.
TOM: So this sounds like a really good visit, what made the trip for you? What was so good about it?
TONY: It just felt like home. It really felt like home for me and Clarence. Clarence feels the same way I do about everything. The interaction with the coaches and players was great. There's a couple guys from Florida, so they knew what we were about, and what we were thinking.
TOM: What about seeing the defense in person. Did that give you a good look at how you'd be used?
TONY: Yeah, coach Gibson drew up some plays and schemes for me and Clarence, so we got a real good look at how they would use us.
TOM: Are you still going to be a package deal, and when will you announce your decision?
TONY: We're still a package deal, yes. We're probably going to take a couple more visits, not sure where yet. We're both going to announce on signing day, though.
TOM: One out of ten, how was this trip?
TONY: It was an eleven.
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Grimes is a four-star to Scout (#10 CB) and ESPN(#16) and a three-star to Rivals(#36). Murphy is a three star all around.
I don't know how he is only a three star on rivals, he seems much better than that. Hopefully he and Murphy end up with us.
Kevin Grady 5*
Mike Hart 3*
Brandon Minor 3-4*
Sometimes they're right on (Henne, Lamar Woodley 5*) and sometimes they're way off. There are dozens of 4* guys over the past 4-5 years that never even smelled the field unless they got knocked down running out of the tunnel. Obviously we need both depth and starters. It also seems that there are more guys every year changing commitments on or near signing day and I wonder if all these recruiting sites demanding top 5 lists, where-ya-leaning soft commitments, etc is too much for these kids to handle. All that means is we should probably have more than 25 on hand, although I don't want to Saban a bunch of kids either.
Both are at positions of needs, I'll take them. Murphy's offer list isn't as impressive as Grimes, but it's still decent.
Change the channel!
It ain't easy being cheesy
It would appear that Grimes and his fair orange-ish hair is prepared to commit.
Twitter/
Scout lists Murphy's 40 time as 5.13 seconds. That can't be right.
"I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they choose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas."
- Jack Handey
It's gotta be FAKE.
I'm calling myself out ahead of time. But I think the already strong negative recruiting against us (e.g. " why would you go to a program that has possible NCAA sanctions coming, coach under fire, and doesn't seem to be making progress--two years in a row no bowls, blah blah blah") will only intensify now, regardless of merit. I'm really concerned some of these strong leans may end up going elsewhere.
Self proclaimed MGoBlog "quiz-bowl stud"
At first, when he said it was "pretty cool," I was a little concerned. But it sounds like we made a good impression.
And he piled upon the whale's white hump, the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his heart upon it.
Yeah these package deals just make me cringe sometimes, b/c it's *always* a highly rated guy and a lower rated guy who probably wouldn't get offered on his own merit, as a standalone recruit.
Murphy is 3*, and yeah, that's good not awful. It's a good rating and he's probably a good player. But, given our dwindling number of available schollies to hand out, *AND*, that we already have like, what, 3 DEs in this class(?), I question this.
I dunno, I guess beggars can't be choosers... At this point our secondary is what it is and by all accounts Grimes is a guy you do what it takes to get, but, man, it just seems like we're only offering Murphy so we can get Grimes, which seems less than ideal.
Of course it's always a highly rated guy and a lower rated guy. That's the whole point of a package deal; if they were both highly rated, they could both get in without being a package, and if they were both lower rated no one would care.
Well, if part (a lot) of the current situation is lack of depth, the depth has to come from somewhere, and I don't think we're at the point where the depth will be 4* and 5* guys.
If the 4* guy likes it here and commits with his buddy, and then stays here and helps to keep his 3* buddy focused, and they both grow, maybe that will contribute to enough depth to be rolling out waves of Big Ten-caliber players rather than whatever it is now, which feels more like ohmygodpleasedon'tgethurt.
Waiting until signing day is the only thing that's somewhat disconcerting. Is it possible there won't be positions open by then?
If we dont have any ships by then I think thats a good thing.
linger longer
That's what I was thinking. I think it is highly unlikely we have two open scholarships on signing day. Christian and Furman decide soon and Sam Webb has a strong gut feeling on both. That would leave three spots if they are both blue. Beachum and Vinopal could be soon after that. We may have one open spot in a matter of weeks.
In such a cynical, sarcastic society, oftentimes looking for the negative on anybody or anything, if you're fortunate enough to spend five minutes or 20 minutes around Tim Tebow, your life is better for it.
-Thom Brennaman
Vee-no-paul?
Vin-opel?
iTunes pays Mike Barwis 99 cents every time he downloads a song.
He's your Spanish friend with whom you like to drink wine.
I'm pronouncing it in my head as I read as
- short i
- long o
- not pronouncing the a
- stress on the second syllable
So something like: vinOpl if that makes sense.
I could be way wrong but that's how I've approached it.
Good work Tom. A great interview and it seems they had a very positive experience. Looks like a strong chance they'll be blue in the end.
Do we have the schollies open for that? I thought we were starting to run really low?
We're pretty low on scholarships, but they both play positions of need.
www.touchthebanner.blogspot.com
It's better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
Me thinks there might be some attrition that will open up a few more scholis.
Attrition or not, we are still capped at 25 scholarships for the class.
I lost the bet. Something (Adrian) witty will end up here as soon as I think of it.
Not really true.. It's a soft cap
we'll probably sign around 27 people.. Book it
Well, early enrollees can be counted against last year's class. Dunno if we have any planning on it this year, but there's usually a few.
Are we looking at Murphy? Or is it more to get Grimes in? Cuz I wouldnt mind a DE.
Murphy has an offer and seems about as likely to commit as Grimes does, which is obviously pretty likely. He's a really light guy, though, at 6'2" 217, so he may actually be more of a linebacker.
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This is really what I was hoping to hear.
I lost the bet. Something (Adrian) witty will end up here as soon as I think of it.
That's good news...Not too sure about the package deal thing. I mean, what if the other guy isn't all in?
Then he wouldn't come.
wolverineliberationarmy.com/blog
Coming is a lot easier when you're all in.
Flush twice - it's a long way to Columbus.
In my experience, ah, who am I kidding. I have no experience.
Have you guys been pos-banging yourselves all day?
No way man, the pos-banging is so much better if you save it.
+1 for honesty.
I compulsively downvote Brian Cook.
Sounds great, once him and Cullen are in the fold we'll be looking mighty fine at CB in a few years.
I compulsively downvote Brian Cook.
Need. DBs. Badly. Glad the defense played really well on Saturday; hopefully was a very strong selling point for all the defensive recruits. Come on down, Mr. Grimes.
You think it's a coincidence that message was directed to a DB?