Over the next two months, recruits will take their final official visits and coaches will spend countless hours on the road sitting in these kids' living rooms trying to convince them to “come to Penn State,” as Joe Pa so eloquently put it on one Big Ten Network commercial.
As the dominoes continue to fall into February, the recruiting fan has plenty to look forward to over the next eight weeks. The All-Star game has become a staple of the college recruiting calendar. 2009 will see more of these elite competitions take place than ever before. So here is a quick primer course on what, where, when and who to watch over the next two months:
What: Hawaii Prep Football Classic
When: Friday, December 12th — 8 p.m.
Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii (FOX West)
Who: The top senior football players from Hawaii, America Samoa and the Continental United States will compete in a double-header featuring more than 100 athletes. The inaugural event consists of the 18th Annual Hawaii Goodwill Senior Bowl, followed directly by the brand new Hawaii/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl. With the exception of the U.S. Army and Under Armour games, this Classic may have the most talent of any all-star game. As the games are played in Hawaii, it is no surprise that it has attracted the best. There are nine AC100 members attending but also names like Xavier Su’a Filo, Zach Mettenberger and Jerod Askew — whom all fall just outside of the top 100.
AC100 recruits competing:
#2 Manti Te’o – Honolulu, Hawaii (undecided)
#8 Dorian Bell – Monroeville, Pa. (Ohio State)
#20 Randall Carroll – Los Angeles, Calif. (USC)
#22 Shaquelle Evans – Inglewood, Calif. (ND)
#33 Morgan Moses – Richmond, Va (undecided)
#39 John Martinez – Salt Lake City, Utah (undecided)
#54 Michael Ford – Leesville, La. (LSU)
#55 Alex Okafor – Pflugerville, Texas (Texas)
#97 Corey Brown – Monroeville, Pa. (Ohio State)
Hawaii Prep Football Classic Rosters
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What: Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic
When: Saturday, December 13th — 1 p.m.
Where: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala. (Local)
Who: The 22nd Annual meeting features the best players from Alabama and Mississippi. Each are among of the most talent producing states per capita of any in the nation. Last year’s 26-7 Magnolia State victory featured the likes of Julio Jones and DeAndre Brown.
AC100 recruits competing:
#11 Dre Kirkpatrick – Gadsden, Ala. (undecided)
#27 D.J. Fluker – Foley, Ala. (Alabama)
#53 Tana Patrick – North Jackson, Ala. (undecided)
#65 Kendall Kelly – Gadsden, Ala. (undecided)
#76 A.J. McCarron – Mobile, Ala. (Alabama)
#93 Patrick Paterson – Macon, Miss. (undecided)
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What: The Maryland Crab Bowl
When: Saturday, December 20th — 1 p.m.
Where: Johnny Unitas Stadium, Towson, Md.
Who: Maryland’s only statewide high school all-star game consists of 90 players from public and private institutions separated into two regions: Baltimore and D.C. Although not as prestigious as the other all-star events, the Crab will feature plenty of talent as nearly every conference in the country recruits the Baltimore/DC area. This will be the first Maryland all-star game since 2004.
AC100 recruits competing:
#18 Jelani Jenkins – Wheaton, Md. (undecided)
DC roster / Baltimore roster
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What: Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas
When: Saturday, December 20th — 1 p.m.
Where: Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, S.C.
Who: The 72nd edition of the North Carolina vs. South Carolina bowl features the top players from both states matching up in a head-to-head competition that benefits the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Last season, South Carolina triumphed in a 31-24 match that featured names like A.J. Green and DaQuan Bowers.
AC100 recruits competing:
#17 Xavier Nixon – Fayetteville, N.C. (undecided)
#35 Sam Montgomery – Greenwood, S.C. (undecided)
#38 Donte Moss – Jacksonville, N.C. (North Carolina)
#41 Jheranie Boyd – Gastonia, N.C. (North Carolina)
#86 Malliciah Goodman – Florence, S.C. (Clemson)
South Carolina roster / North Carolina roster
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What: U.S. Army All-American Bowl
When: Saturday, January 3rd — 1 p.m
Where: Alamo Dome, San Antonio, Texas (NBC)
Who: The game considered the pinnacle of high school football all-star games continues to highlight the best and brightest high school seniors in the nation. The West roster includes 28 AC100 members and the East claims 26. There will be 54 AC100 recruits on display in San Antonio the weekend before the National Championship. The Army-sponsored event has been taking place since 2001 and is generally the most talented all-star game of the year. The Under Armour game will have something to say about that this season, however.
US Army AA rosters
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What: Under Armour High School All-American Game
When: Sunday, January 4th — 8 p.m.
Where: Orlando, Fla. (ESPN)
Who: Like anything the four-letter network touches, it has turned to gold. In only its second year of existence, the UA game should compete with the previously unparalleled U.S. Army game. The level of talent is about the same and some could argue that there will be more talent in Orlando than in Texas. The Black team will feature 14 AC100 players including LSU’s Russell Shepard. The White roster claims 16 AC100 members including the nation’s top prospect Matt Barkley.
Stay tuned to Athlon Sports all the way until Signing Day 2009 as player profiles, podcasts, team rankings and national updates prepare fans for the first Wednesday in February.

- CFB: Spring Watch: Big East
- MLB: March 16 A.L. Spring Training Update
- NBA Power Rankings
- NFL: Free Agent Tracker





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