Tag: North Carolina football

Watch: 5-star football recruit Kendre Harrison shatters the backboard in his high school game

Kendre Harrison destroyed a rim on Tuesday night.

While playing basketball on Tuesday night, Kendre Harrison brought the house down. He did so by first bringing the rim down.

Harrison, a five-star football recruit, ripped down the rim and shattered the backboard in a basketball game for Reidsville (Reidsville, North Carolina). For one of the nation’s top football recruits, it was certainly a surreal moment.

In the 247Sports Composite, Harrison is a five-star and is ranked as the seventh-best prospect in the nation. He is also the nation’s top-ranked athlete prospect.

On Tuesday night, Harrison drove to the rim with authority and using the full power of his 6-foot-7, 235-pound frame. There was nothing added or special about the dunk, no hanging on the rim. Just sheer power.

He had ripped down the rim before, but this time it was different. Everything came down with it.

“Kinda last year,” Harrison told USA TODAY High School Sports on Wednesday. “But this was my first time breaking the backboard with it.”

The game got called with Reidville up 63-43 over Morehead (Eden, North Carolina).

 

“Every time I dunk I’m trying to rip it down,” Harrison said before diving into his emotions after the dunk.

“Crazy, it was unbelievable after I did it. I got up and walked to the student section and we got lit.”

In terms of his football recruitment, Harrison said that North Carolina, Penn State, Florida State and Tennessee are showing him the most interest right now.

Every ACC Football Team’s 2024 Recruiting Class Ranking After National Signing Day

Here is a look at every ACC team’s final 2024 recruiting class ranking.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff showcased their recruiting prowess in the 2024 class, adding considerable talent to their roster. However, the burning question remains: how does Clemson’s recruiting effort compare to other ACC powerhouses following National Signing Day?

Today, we delve into the post-National Signing Day landscape, dissecting each ACC football team’s 2024 recruiting team ranking according to 247Sports. While Clemson remains a formidable force in ACC recruiting circles, they find themselves not at the summit for this particular recruiting cycle. Another program is poised for a significant resurgence, and the 2024 class appears to be the catalyst for their potential return to past glory.

From perennial ACC contenders to emerging teams within the conference, let’s examine the 2024 recruiting team ranking for each ACC program, shedding light on the evolving dynamics within the conference.

–Updated 2/13

4-star Alex Payne talks about his North Carolina football commitment

Alex Payne talks about his commitment to North Carolina.

Last week, four-star offensive lineman Alex Payne committed to North Carolina. He is now one of the foundational pieces for the Tar Heels and their 2025 recruiting class.

A 6-foot-5, 265-pound offensive tackle from Gainesville, Georgia, Payne is the No. 233 player in the nation in the ESPN 300. He had an offer list that included Baylor, Duke, Florida State, Kentucky and Virginia Tech among others.

Payne spoke with USA TODAY High School Sports about his commitment to North Carolina and what stood out to make the Tar Heels special in his recruitment. He said his recruitment is shut down with no other visits planned. He is fully committed to North Carolina and head coach Mack Brown.

“When we visited this last time I got to spend more time with the coaches and the new assistant offensive line coach (Kyle Fuller). Everything lined up for me and it just felt right being there,” Payne told USA TODAY High School Sports.

“I had no intention of feeling so strongly about it originally … it was planned to be just a ‘Junior Day’ visit and then I would go to the next few visits I had lined up already. But the feeling of North Carolina being my place was just really strong… it’s hard to put into words. After having a long talk with coach Brown and the other coaches everything just felt right.”

North Carolina did a good job of getting in on Payne from the get-go and making him a priority. This included his first visit to Chapel Hill, which was for a summer camp.

“From the very first visit, the staff was top-notch!” Payne said.

“They greeted me like we had known each other for years and they were my biggest fan. That stayed consistent with that every time I visited. That was a plus.”

Former Texas A&M senior CB Tony Grimes flips commitment from Michigan State to UNLV

Then on Sunday, he announced via X that he would be “coming to the West Coast soon,” and has committed to play at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

2020 5-star prospect Tony Grimes has flipped from his initial decision in the NCAA Transfer Portal.

The former Texas A&M senior cornerback entered the portal on New Year’s Day after spending a year in Bryan-College Station. Before choosing the Aggies in the portal, he spent three years in Chapel Hill, North Carolina playing for the Tarheels.

Grimes initially chose Michigan State as his next destination on Jan. 7. However, on Saturday he posted a video on X that alluded to his upcoming decision to flip from the Spartans.

Then on Sunday, he announced via X that he would be “coming to the West Coast soon,” and has committed to play at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Grimes played three seasons at the University of North Carolina from 2020 to 2022 before coming to College Station. While in Chapel Hill, he tallied 97 tackles, 20 pass breakups and an interception.

The senior defensive back dealt with injuries during his tenure with the Aggies, limiting his playing time at Kyle Field. After taking a redshirt season in 2023, Grimes transfers to the Rebels program with one year of collegiate eligibility remaining.

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Texas A&M senior cornerback Tony Grimes enters NCAA Transfer Portal for second time

Grimes played three seasons at North Carolina before coming to College Station and enters the portal with one year of eligibility remaining.

A former 5-star prospect has entered his name in the NCAA Transfer Portal for the second time in his career.

Texas A&M senior cornerback Tony Grimes announced his decision with a statement via X on Monday evening.

“First of all, I would like to thank God for giving me this opportunity to do the things I love,” Grimes stated on X. “Thank you to the university and coaches who supported me through my year and I appreciate the opportunities that were given to me. Thank you to the new coaching staff for supporting my decision. Sorry for not showing the Aggies what I can do on the field but very blessed by the love and support of the fans. I will be entering my name in the transfer portal. Thank you.

“Tony Grimes”

Grimes played three seasons at the University of North Carolina from 2020 to 2022 before coming to College Station. He dealt with injuries during his time with the Aggies, limiting his playing time at Kyle Field.

After taking a redshirt season in 2023, Grimes enters the portal with one year of collegiate eligibility remaining.

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ACC Football 2024 Team Recruiting Rankings After Early Signing Day

Here is a full look at how the ACC stands in team recruiting rankings after early signing day.

Early signing day was, as it should be for every college football program nationwide, a very busy day.

High school players across the country signed their national letters of intent and secured the next step in their football careers as they prepare to join their new teams. The ACC had some good success on early signing day, with multiple ACC programs landing in the top 25 of class team rankings following the day. 

So, how does the ACC stack up against each other? That’s what we’re going to take a look at today. Here is a look at every ACC team’s 2024 team recruiting ranking according to 247Sports following early signing day.

Updated 12/25

What does new Texas A&M DC Jay Bateman bring to the Aggies defense?

Texas A&M will hire former Florida ILB coach Jay Bateman as the program’s new defensive coordinator, bringing a unique scheme in 2024.

On Thursday, Dec. 21, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko took another critical step toward finishing his 2024 staff, hiring former Florida inside linebacker coach Jay Bateman as the program’s new defensive coordinator.

While the initial reactions to Bateman’s hiring have been varied, any negative feelings likely stem from a lack of understanding regarding the veteran assistant’s scheme, which, on its face, is very similar to what Mike Elko deployed as Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator from 2018-2021.

Spending just two seasons (2022-2023) under Florida head coach Billy Napier, it was Bateman’s successful four-year stint as Army’s defensive coordinator that led to an incredible turnaround, taking the Black Knights from 81st defensive ranking to 9th in the county during the 2018 season.

One of the highlights of Bateman’s time at West Point came against the then-quarterback Kyler Murray led Oklahoma Sooners, presenting one of the only challenges in limiting the prolific air raid offense to 355 total yards. Due to his efforts, Bateman was named as a finalist a finalist for the Broyles Award (top assistant coach in college football) in 2018.

On paper, Bateman’s 4-3 scheme focuses on producing negative plays (tackles for loss) and preventing explosive plays in the passing game while not sacrificing players in coverage, mainly rushing just four to five defenders. During the 2019 Angelo Football Clinic, Bateman, going into his first season as North Carolina’s DC (2019-2022), explained his philosophy, which he has implemented throughout his coaching career.

“It’s simple math – every time you add one more rusher, you take away from the coverage,” Bateman stated. “So if you’re rushing four and dropping seven, you can play all of the coverages known to man. If you rush five and drop six, well, now there’s starting to be holes in the coverage. And then if you rush six, now there’s major holes in the coverage …

“It’s my job to try to find a way to bring the least amount of players and have the most in coverage and create the most havoc.”

Knowing that Bateman will now possess the athletes to run this scheme properly, Mike Elko’s heavy influence, especially on third down, should make his job easier while calling defensive plays for the first time in three years.

Again, nothing is set in stone, but limiting big plays to make an opposing offense drive the field is much more sustainable than simply recording sacks at a sporadic rate, as A&M’s struggles in pass coverage were never truly covered up by the productive pass rush when it mattered during the 2023 season under then-defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin.

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Former Texas A&M TE Jake Johnson officially commits to North Carolina in transfer portal

This weekend it was reported that sophomore TE Jake Johnson was “expected” to commit to North Carolina and that became a reality on Monday.

This past weekend, it was reported that Texas A&M sophomore tight end Jake Johnson was “expected” to commit to North Carolina in the NCAA Transfer Portal.

That expectation became a reality on Monday morning as Johnson officially committed to the Tar Heels program.

“Excited to be a Tar Heel! Let’s Go!” Johnson emphasized via X in two separate posts.

Johnson now joins his older brother, Max, in North Carolina. Max is a graduate transfer quarterback who entered the portal for the second time in his career on Nov. 26. He quickly chose the Tar Heels as his next program, announcing the decision three days later.

Jake entered the portal for the first time on Dec. 6. He is 6-foot-6, 240 pounds and comes to Chapel Hill with two years of eligibility remaining. Jake was a 4-star recruit coming out of Oconee County High School in Athens, Ga.

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Report: Texas A&M TE Jake Johnson expected to join brother Max with transfer to North Carolina

According to a report from Matt Zenitz, the “expectation” is that Aggies sophomore TE Jake Johnson will be transferring to North Carolina.

On Dec. 17, 2021, LSU sophomore quarterback Max Johnson chose Texas A&M as his new home via the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Now exactly two years later, Max has already departed College Station and his younger brother Jake appears to be joining him at his next destination.

According to a report from 247Sports national college football reporter Matt Zenitz, the “expectation” per a source is that Texas A&M sophomore tight end Jake Johnson will be transferring to North Carolina in the portal.

Max entered the portal for the second time in his career on Nov. 26. He quickly chose the Tar Heels as his next program, announcing the decision three days later.

 

Jake entered the portal for the first time on Dec. 6 and has yet to officially reveal his choice. If the younger Johnson brother does ultimately decide to transfer to Chapel Hill, he would enter a competition with a North Carolina representative for the most popular Jake Johnson in the state.

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Former Texas A&M QB Max Johnson has transferred to North Carolina

After four seasons at LSU and Texas A&M, QB Max Johnson will take his talents to North Carolina in 2024.

After four productive seasons at LSU and Texas A&M, quarter Max Johnson will transfer to North Carolina, as Tar Heels star quarterback Drake Maye is likely to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

Plagued by several injuries during his short Aggie career, Johnson saw action in eight games this season, including five starts, before sustaining a season-ending rib injury in A&M’s 38-35 loss to Ole Miss on Nov. 4. During the season, Johnson threw for 1,452 yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions on the season.

Given Johnson’s large stature (6′ 5) and arm talent, it’s not surprising that the Tar Heels were the first program to offer the veteran signal-caller, as Johnson’s SEC experience and overall toughness makes him a perfect fit in head coach Mack Brown’s offense.

Looking ahead, A&M’s quarterback room looks to be in solid shape, as Jaylen Henderson’s late-season run makes him a favorite as next season’s No. 2 QB, joining starter Conner Weigman and Marcel Reed and 2024 four-star QBs AJ Maddox and Miles O’Neill, who will make their way to College Station next spring/summer.

In his career at both LSU and Texas A&M, Max Johnson has produced 5,853 passing yards, 47 touchdowns, and just 12 interceptions in four seasons.

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