Answer to your ?s; Also, is Golson a viable prospect?

I have received a litany of questions regarding a statement in my recruiting notebook last week that stated Myrtle Beach quarterback Everett Golson, a sophomore, had been invited by Ohio State to attend the school's season finale against Michigan in Columbus. Many of you have questioned the legality of this move. Having gone through the recruiting process myself, I'm here to assure you that Ohio State has broken no rules. You don't have to take my word for it, though, because I dug up the proof in the NCAA rule book. Also, I have to say that any questions of Golson's viability as a major-college prospect are absurd.

The rules that define the explanation that I'm about to give can be found at the end of this post. They were copied directly from the NCAA rule book.

College coaches are not permitted to speak with potential recruits in an off-campus setting before the July after the recruit's junior year. However, college coaches can speak to recruits of any age if those recruits pay for a visit to the college's campus.

The issue in the Golson situation involves a potential visit to OSU. A recruit can visit a campus as many times as he wants (no matter his age) as long as he pays for the visit himself. These are defined as unofficial visits. On official visits - recruits are limited to five of those and cannot take these until their senior year - the colleges pay for all expenses. Golson would have to pay for transportation and housing on a potential visit to OSU, although the school is allowed to give him three tickets to the game. He must even pay for a meal before the game. This is often called a gameday visit.

When I was going through the recruiting process, I put myself on the gameday list at numerous colleges. It gives you an opportunity to hear the head coaches at certain institutions speak and also allows you the chance to determine whether you are interested in that school without using an official visit. I visited Wake Forest, N.C. State, North Carolina and others on many weekends from my sophomore to senior years. I'm guilty of even putting myself on those lists and attending games at schools that I wasn't considering just for the sake of seeing a good football game for free. Although I can't find the legislation anywhere, I don't think a college can deny any recruit - no matter if they are a prep star or prep bench warmer - from attending a game day and receiving three free tickets. I would suggest any potential recruit take as many of these visits as you can, because it's a good chance to introduce yourself to colleges and learn what you can about those institutions. So, there is nothing wrong with Ohio State's decision to invite him up for the Michigan game as long as the school doesn't pay for anything or give him anymore than three free tickets.

There have also been numerous comments on my blog questioning Golson's viability as a recruit. First, I'll say this: Golson is the most talented prep quarterback I've ever seen. As a recruiting junkie, I've seen some pretty good ones in person and many others on film. I saw Independence's (N.C.) Chris Leak, who set nearly every national passing record, several times in high school and he doesn't even compare to the raw talent of Golson. Leak was more polished but had a much lower ceiling than Golson.

Golson is small at 6-foot (yes, he has grown to a legit 6-foot), 170 pounds, but he's only 15. Leak was thicker, but was still slightly shorter than 6-feet. Golson still has some growing to do, although doctors have said they don't expect him to be much bigger than 6-2. You can play quarterback in major-college football at 6-foot, but he needs to gain weight to sustain the beating he would take by 270-pound defensive ends. His frame isn't built to hold much weight, and he'll probably never carry much weight below his waist. He should fill out above the waist, however, so I could see him being a 6-2, 190-pound college quarterback. If he continues to grow and shows he has the potential to be that size, there is no question he'll be one of the top-rated quarterbacks in the country. He'll probably even receive that kind of rating even if he doesn't get any bigger at all.

He has all the tools. A strong, accurate arm. An over-the-top, not sidearmed release. Big enough hands. Great quickness. Straight-line speed. A calm demeanor. Great intelligence. Great character. But his biggest asset is probably his awareness. He shares the same instincts as other great quarterbacks. His ability to feel pressure and move around in the pocket, while still keeping his eyes downfield, is what is most impressive to me. He's an athletic, pro-style passer, who wants to make plays in the passing game. You don't see many of those. He can run, but he's not a dual-threat quarterback. In the age of spread offenses, the team's most athletic player is usually put at quarterback and told to run at the slightest hint of pressure. That's the reason that many spread quarterbacks often struggle when running an offense that requires multiple reads - i.e. Vince Young, Michael Vick. Young struggles in the NFL, because he's incapable of sitting in the pocket and making multiple reads. That's not really his fault, because in high school and college he was always told to take off if his first and certainly if his second receiver wasn't open. Golson runs mostly to set up the pass, although he has been more willing to scramble for gains this year. In most cases, you must run the ball to win consistently in college and pro football, but you won't win many games without a passing attack. Golson gives you the best of both worlds: a quarterback that can run but would prefer to pass.

Golson's upside is incredible. Horry County may never again see a kid with this kind of potential, so you better enjoy him while he's here. The only major question mark is his size and his basketball career. The instincts he shows on the basketball court are just as impressive as those on the football field. He began to look like a major basketball prospect at point guard at the end of the 2007-08 season, and he's already been identified as one of the nation's top-150 freshman and sophomore players. He enjoys football, but he loves basketball. So, he might not even play football in college. Or he might do both. Either way, his potential is scary.

Rules reference:

13.02.3 Contact.
A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's parents, relatives or legal guardians and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged (e.g., staff member positions himself or herself in a location where contact is possible) or that takes place on the grounds of the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of whether any conversation occurs.  However, an institutional staff member or athletics representative who is approached by a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's parents, relatives or legal guardians at any location shall not use a contact, provided the encounter was not prearranged and the staff member or athletics representative does not engage in any dialogue in excess of a greeting and takes appropriate steps to immediately terminate the encounter.

13.1.1.1 Time Period for Off-Campus Contacts -- General Rule.
Off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with an individual or his or her relatives or legal guardians before July 1 following his or her completion of the junior year of high school (July 15 after the junior year high school in women's gymnastics). U.S. service academy exceptions to this provision are set forth in Bylaw 13.16.1.

13.1.3.1.1 Exception -- Football.  FBS/FCS
In football, one telephone call to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) may be made from April 15 through May 31 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school.  Additional telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians) may not be made before September 1 of the beginning of the prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school; thereafter, such telephone contact is limited to once per week outside of a contact period.  During a contact period, such telephone contact may be made at the institution's discretion.

13.1.3.2.2 Telephone Calls Initiated by Prospective Student-Athlete at His or Her Expense.
Institutional coaching staff members (see Bylaw 13.1.3.4.1) may receive telephone calls placed by a prospective student-athlete at the prospective student-athlete's own expense at any time, including before July 1 following the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school.

13.7.1 Number Permitted.
A prospective student-athlete may visit a member institution's campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times. A prospective student-athlete may make unofficial visits before his or her senior year in high school.

13.7.2.1 General Restrictions.
During an unofficial visit, the institution may not pay any expenses or provide any entertainment except a maximum of three complimentary admissions (issued only through a pass list) to a home athletics event at any facility within a 30-mile radius of a member institution's main campus in which the institution's intercollegiate team practices or competes.  Such complimentary admissions are for the exclusive use of the prospective student-athlete and those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete on the visit and must be issued on an individual-game basis.  Such admissions may provide seating only in the general seating area of the facility used for conducting the event.  Providing seating during the conduct of the event (including intermission) for the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's parents [or legal guardian(s)] or spouse in the facility's press box, special seating box(es) or bench area is specifically prohibited.

Comments

[truth squad]

josh thank you for you research in regards to the issue of official and unofficial visits for a recruit...i would also assume the coaching staff nor boosters at mb would be able to pay these expenses...as far as golsons viability as a major-college qb i dont know anyone that would question that he can be projected as a major-college qb...DIVISION 1!...the question is whether it will be at an ohio state or an ohio university...both major-colleges...arm,intelligence,demeanor,character...he is not fast or quick for his size...awareness?he has all day to throw the ball against teams in this weak region...anybody they have played that put any pressure on him he throws interceptions...and he is playing on a team that has the most talented athletes at skill positions in class 3a,on both sides of the ball...the comparison to leak? he played against much better competition than golson has...better athletes...and he struggled at florida,losing his job as a senior...6'0 and 170,he is the best prep qb you have ever seen and he may play both major-college football and basketball? you are drinking the EARLEY kool-aid...i do appreciate your work but i am dissapointed that you will not comment on the lack of character this coach has shown since you have been in the area and how over-hyped the program and this team is...they should have four losses this season...did coach bennett teach you to accept the kind of sportsmanship in your role as a writer...as a former player and coach myself,you know that most of the time when teams are equally matched the game will come down to the intangibles,turnovers AND CHARACTER...this is why in my opinion,despite the best prep qb you have ever seen and some of the best athletes in the state,they will not win anything that matters...and this is the best earley will ever have...CHARACTER DOES MATTER JOSH and you are pumping this ego-maniac up...80 points against crestwood?NO...MAYBE 12 LIKE THEY SCORED AGAINST THE MOST ATHLETIC TEAM THEY PLAYED,LAKE CITY...STAY OFF THE KOOL-AID JOSH

[Josh Hoke]

I don't understand why you are bringing Scott Earley into this discussion. You guys asked about Golson and I answered that question. I'm not drinking Kool-Aid. In fact, I don't even like Kool-Aid. Diet Coke is my drink of choice. My job isn't to analyze coaches. I'll pick games and give my analysis on certain situations, but it's not my job to analyze what coaches do or don't do.

I will agree that Chris Leak, playing in a Class 4-A league in Charlotte, played against much better competition than Golson. But I'm not talking about production. I'm talking about talent. Golson, in my opinion, has more raw ability. And certainly Golson has plenty of weapons, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better receiving core than what Leak was throwing to in high school. Leak threw to Mohamed Massaquoi (current starter at Georgia), Mario Raley (former player at Georgia) and Brad Hinton (current player at N.C. A&T). Even Hakeem Nicks, who this year become the all-time leading receiver in North Carolina history, was a freshman in Leak's senior year.

As for Myrtle Beach's talent level ... Yes, they have some serious weapons, but there are much more talented teams in Class AAA. Golson, Jamere Valentine, Demazio Skelton and Matt Smith are some of the top players in the state at their positions, but this team doesn't have the talent in the trenches - ultimately, linemen, not flashy playmakers on the perimeter win games - that teams like Crestwood and Marlboro County have.

[jacob]

josh,scott earley has to be part of the discussion...he is the one that runs it up against nmb scoring 73 points...he is the one that says friday night that he could have scored 80...you say they have the best prep qb you have ever seen...much more talented teams in class 3a? sounds like you and earley are playing good cop-bad cop in the media...earley thinks he can beat byrnes and you think crestwood and marlboro county are more athletic and the teams to beat...give your analysis on certain situations...talk about sportsmanship and character...i am sure there are many coaches,teams and athletes in the area that can be given some recognition...sure they may not be the best qb you have ever seen in prep sports history but they deserve mention...and if you upset earley so be it...what is he going to do put maxi-pads or tampons all over your yard when he gets upset?

[Football Fan]

Josh, I agree that Golson is the hottest prospect at QB. But just out of curiousity who do you consider the other top prospects at quarterback for say... The lower state. Whats your top 10? And what is your top ten lower state runningbacks and Wide Recievers? Thanks!

[aljfkbho o8]

My friend Josh...you must have worked for the Obama campaign...the explanation of and the posting of the NCAA rules and the defense of Golson as the best qb in prep history was sweet and right out of the playbook...but would you not admitt that it is a little to late for you and Earley to try and play underdog in the state play-offs? he tried to score 100 against nmb,throwing 11 times in the 4th quarter in a 73-3 game and told Lakewood they would have scored 80 against them if some people were not crying...they got to be heavy favorites against Marlboro and /or Crestwood...

[real]

Might as well drop it, Josh. These people will argue until the cows come home. It's not worth the effort.

[flashycg]

First off, you guys are a bunch of jealous wanna-be's...you must be NMB fans the way you keep bringing up the 73-3 score. And since you're so freaking smart...did you realize that the last 4 TD's in that NMB game were with MB's JV QB in the game, the last 3 of those TD's being to other JV players?! So drop it...no one was trying to run the score up...everyone played in that game...it's sports...which evidently only Josh knows something about!!! Grow up...stop dreaming...your glory days are over...stop picking on the MB players...this is high school, not college and they don't deserve the criticism you losers are posting on here. This is a good group of kids...and you fools need to get a life!!!

[aljfkbho o8]

all this people that post this hateful stuff must have played for earley or coach with him...same kind of character

[steel43]

It's rediculous to see grown people take out their animosity towards coach earley on a sportswriter or anyone else that you think that suscribes to or agree w/coach earley's coaching.He may be outspoken on his coaching philosophies according to the ones that don't understand him ,or is he too blunt and straight to the point for those of you that dont want to understand him?I believe that no matter how he coaches there will always be whiners and cry-baby's and the doubters who will call into question his character because he wins football games.Is that not what a coach is paid to do along w/teach discipline, build character,emphasize teamwork to the kids he coaches?I think what it comes down to is an old saing ,jealousy breed's contempt.Or could it be you as parents fall miserably short of raising your kid's properly?Like coach earley or hate him all he does is win football games and the way I see it hes doing his job and doing it very well.

[Seahawkforever]

Well said steel43 and flashycg. The fact is none of these peeps with their negative stuff on Earley could have ever played for him (he would intimidate them and drive them and their girly man butts into the ground till they quit the team). Its all about turning teenage boys into young men and forming a team out of them, period. THATS WHY ALL YOU SEE IS NMB AND ST MARY FANS DOING THIS WHINING BECAUSE THEY DONT GET IT!
Hard work beats talent when talent wont work hard.
And when talent works hard, you get 73-3.

aljfkbhobiteme 08. I'm sorry life didnt work out like you wanted it. Loser.

[yossemitte sam]

it is so great to see the character of what sounds like many of coach earleys players,former players and maybe coaches here...whinners,cry-babys,peeps,failed parents because someone disagrees with him,jealous wanna-bees,fools,...that is just a fraction of what has been posted on different on-line sites via the sun news...guess we no longer need to post anything on here...plain to see what coach earley is teaching these kids and i would assume it filters thru the whole system...we reap what we sow and steel 43 i do agree with you on one thing...although earley has never one anything that that matters while playing in as you mb players and coaches say in a region that "stinks" and with coaches that cant coach and the best prep qb in the history of the usa,all he does is win a few football games...it is obvious by the way he handles himself and the postings here that he has failed in instilling character and dicipline within his program...i have no connection to nmb but i will bet you this...just like last year when his team was not prepared to play and he roamed the sidelines like a maniac while getting outcoached,he wont drop 80 on crestwood...any predictions earley?

[cway09]

josh, the golson kid is a fantastic talent, his stats are padded, however. i mean no disrespect to the kid, but when a coach is passing at all in the 2nd half of a game like the one against nmb, it shows me that stats do matter more than p.t.
i'm not saying he is not a great quarterback, but what would ryne hardwick's numbers look like if he had been in all 4 quarters against wando, south flo, nmb, and cf?
by the way, would you mind doing a comparison of hardwick and golson? i know they are in two totally different offenses, but it would be interesting to see.

[MBkid]

Guys, Everett is easily the best qb in the state. i played with him for 3 years in rec b-ball and he has instincts that are unheard of. he does the same thing on the football field cuz he always knows where the open receiver is. Also, why does everyone bring up the whole maxi pad thing with Earley, that shouldn't even have left the locker room. im sure that other great coaches around the country do the same thing but no one hears about it.

Just live with it, MB beat all of yall and yall are just jealous

[MBkid]

Guys, Everett is easily the best qb in the state. i played with him for 3 years in rec b-ball and he has instincts that are unheard of. he does the same thing on the football field cuz he always knows where the open receiver is. Also, why does everyone bring up the whole maxi pad thing with Earley, that shouldn't even have left the locker room. im sure that other great coaches around the country do the same thing but no one hears about it.

Just live with it, MB beat all of yall and yall are just jealous

[yossemitte sam]

yea 3 years in rec ball with golson just confirms he is the best qb in the state MBkid...guy named josh hoke runs this blog...he says he is the best qb in prep history...get with the program....we have history in the making here...how can anyone stop this offense? as far as maxi-pads,guess the administration,coaches and community are proud of this...it is a badge of honor...teach em to be men...build character by putting a feminine product in their face...what a man...what a program...love the scoreboard

[steel43]

There is more discipline on the myrtle beach team than any team I have seen anywhere around here.I can guarantee you one thing that no one will ever see is any player that plays for myrtle beach come off the field and even attempt to get in a coach's face unlike some other teams that play in this region.As for character there are several former players playing at and going to highly respected institutions that do not admit any students or players with any questionable character issues so you need to get your facts straight before you keep sticking your foot in your mouth.

[mayberry r.f.d.]

nobody is picking on these kids and i am sure you have had some great kids come thru that program...it has been said here that mb is very talented and should win the state 3a with lake city out...this is just high school as flashycg said earlier...to bad coach earley and his staff does not understand that...what happened to sportsmanship at mb?the same week earley showed little concern for a fellow teacher and coach whom he knew job was on the line and the coaching staffs as welland buries em 73-3...i got no ties to nmb but this why not a coach in this lower state wants mb to win anything...and if you think about it they never have under earley...coach earley maybe someday your job will be on the line...maybe yyou wont have as josh hoke says the best prep qb he has ever seen or you wont hav esome of the best athletes in the state handed to you...maybe you will try and build another program...if you dont win as they want or you have another incident like you did at mb,will they stand by like mb did? try and respect other programs,coaches and players...that is all anybody is asking...

[steel43]

.i got no ties to nmb but this why not a coach in this lower state wants mb to win anything...and if you think about it they never have under earley Posted by: mayberry r.f.d.How about you get the names of these so-called coaches that doesnt want mb to win anything and post them in here.Oh and there is a post on here questioning players character and discipline you need to go back and read again.Why can't ya'll accept that there was no intention of mb running up the score against nmb,mb had the oppurtunity to put some of the younger kids in the game in the second half and all nmb did was turn the ball over so that is mb's fault?LOL,give credit where credit is due it takes alot of other team players and coaches from the rec leagues through the middle school and all the way up the line to strive and make the football program at mb better for years to come.There are alot of successful school's like byrnes that start at the rec league and get the kids running the same offenses and defenses that the high school teams run ,it's called building a winning program ,now I don't know how the other school's in this area run their programs but don't put down the school's that are doing these things and instilling in these kids didcipline,teamwork,building character on an everyday basis .Take time out and go watch the practices of these teams ,talk to school officials and you will get alot better idea and possibly form a more positive opinion of how hard these kids and coaches work.

[Smith]

Josh Hoke- "I dont even like Kool-Aid. Diet Coke is my drink of choice." priceless lol
I played against Golsen this year, there is no doubt he has a cannon for an arm and is good. but against us when pressure was put on him he would try to force things. he wont do that as he gets older im sure though.

[Bro]

Some of these comments are ridiculous. Hardwick couldn't hold Golson's jock, and YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME. That is all.

[bubba]

i bet hardwick takes conway deeper in the playoffs than golson does mb....when you are still passing late in the 4th quarter it is running up the score.and as far as early wanting some of brynes,brynes will hang 50 on mb before the play their jv....

[bubba]

i also guess early teaches taunting and pumping your chest while standing over another player.you make a play and go back to the huddle..maybe early needs a maxipad on him after mb gets beat until next year to remind him of things...once golson is gone it will go back to 6-5 or maybe 7-4 and early will be gone and hopefully take his big mouth with him...

[bubba]

i bet steel43 totes early's jock to and from practice.go back to scvarsity steel43 so people can laugh at you even more.wait you might be away at wwe wrestling camp or something...what a joke you and early are

[woody hayes]

lets cut to the chase...no one here questions the talent and God-given abilities of golson...hoke may think he is the greatest prep qb ever but it is to early to tell how he will project out at the major college level...he will play somewhere we know that...we are sure he is a good kid and you tell us he gets his grades...great!we also agree that mb has some of the best athletes in the state at the skill positions...they should win the state in 3a...valentine will be gone next year so this is their one chance...oh and hoke you say 4.5 40...the combine posts read 4.7 in the 40 you recruiting guru you...all we read from mb coaches,players and fans is that the other teams stink in the region,other coaches are terrible and the comment about the hardwick kid was awful...and you know before that nmb game their qb was essentially tied with golson in tds and yards after losing the leadind reciever in the state and against the same competition...you know i am beginning to think earleys goal in that nmb game was to beat down and humiliate the qb at nmb becaause of the stats and to prove a point...and what is sad no one thinks the hardwick kid or smith kid at nmb will ever play at the same level as golson or has the same athletic talent...those two kids are from good families,solid citizens and good students that have worked hard for the chance to play at a smaller school...but that is earleys style...us vs.them...seek and destroy...he has humiliated his own players before...put sometthing in their mind that will stay forever...he is just smarter now...he does it to kids and teams on the other side of the field...

[cway09]

great post woody hayes
as for bro,
hardwick couldnt hold golsons jock huh?
clearly you are mistaken. hardwick is the most efficient passer in the area, bar none. he makes far less mistakes than golson with less talent around him. oh yea, he is a hell of a baseball player.