Monthly Archives: March 2011

Duke Football

California LB Deion Williams will visit Duke this weekend

Lutheran (CA) LB Deion Williams will visit for Duke's spring game

In 2010, Duke coaches and fans were impressed by the play of freshman linebacker Kelby Brown. On the recruiting trail, the Duke coaching staff is searching for more hard-hitting linebackers to join Brown on the Blue Devil defense. Deion Williams is a 6’0” 215 pound linebacker prospect from Orange, California. The Blue Devils have had recent recruiting success on the west coast, bringing QB Brandon Connette, TE Cooper Helfet and WR Blair Holliday to Durham in recent classes. They hope that trend continues with Williams, who has already received a verbal scholarship offer from Duke. As a junior, Williams was named 2nd Team All-Trinity League, and plans to make the trip across the country to attend Duke’s spring game this weekend.

 

BDN: Can you start out by describing your strengths as a player?

Well, my strengths really, they come from just playing together and the chemistry of the team.  Without them I wouldn’t be able to do anything.

BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this offseason?

Just getting my feet work together, quicker feet, and my speed.

BDN: What are your goals for yourself and for your team in your senior year?

For my senior year, I really just want to come together with my teammates and just become more of a family.  Winning is obviously great, but it’s not what football’s all about to me.

BDN: What are the most important factors you’re looking for in a college?

Just the things that I can get out of it, as I go on to pursue my goals in life.

BDN: What are some of those goals?

I just recently sparked an interest in genetics, and looking at humans, how they’re made – what their makeup is, and what they look – how they look.

BDN: What schools have you heard the most from so far? Who were the first schools to contact you?

Duke was actually one of the very first schools that showed, sparked an interest in me, and aside from that I got some things from Cal and San Jose State, schools like that.

BDN: Which schools have you had a chance to visit so far?

None yet.  I’m actually coming out to North Carolina at the end of this month for the spring game on the 26th at Duke.

BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?

I just want to play it by ear for now, but I’m really – I have a big interest in Duke, so they will be one of my top choices.

BDN: Do you have plans to visit any other schools this spring or summer?

I plan to visit Stanford pretty soon, I’m hoping that they will get back to me, and then other than that just some other schools around, in the area.

BDN: Is there anything else that you think is important for college football fans to know about you?

Just that I play the game for the Lord, I play for God, and when it comes down to it that’s really all I’m about.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Deion, and best of luck to you.

Thank you, and I thank you for the opportunity.

 

Duke Football

ACC schools competing for Greensboro lineman D.J. Reader

D.J. Reader has visited Duke, UNC, NC State, and Clemson

While Duke is working hard to improve their defense on the field this spring, the coaching staff is also working hard to upgrade the defense with a talented group of prospects in the class of 2012. Several defensive line prospects have received verbal scholarship offers from the Blue Devils, including a few local prospects who are attracting interest from national powerhouse programs. One of the first linemen targeted by the Duke staff is D.J. Reader, a 6’4” 315 pound prospect from Greensboro, NC. As a junior at Grimsley, D.J. played along both the offensive and defensive line, earning him offers from several top ACC programs. He’s also a standout pitcher for the baseball team. His highlights from the gridiron can be viewed here.

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

I guess my strengths would be I’m a good drop blocker, good at using, working with my hands, and a good pass blocker most times.  So, I mean, yeah, that’s about it.

BDN: You’ve played well on both sides of the ball in high school; do you have a preference for where you would like to play in college?

Yes, sir.  I don’t know, but my whole thing, I really like to play both sides, because I like being able to know what you’ve gotta do as an offensive lineman, what you’ve got to do as a defensive lineman, so I know how they work against each other on the field.  But I guess when I get to college, they’ll decide where they want to put me.

BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this offseason?

This offseason, just, I’m playing baseball right now, so in the offseason, I just work on getting stronger and faster.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

My goals for my senior season are just to help my team win, and hopefully we get to the playoffs.

BDN: As you look at your college decision, what are the most important factors you are looking for in a school?

One of the most important things, I don’t know, I have a couple teammates that are division I guys, so I mean I might try to base my decision off of them, and just where I feel comfortable.

BDN: Which schools have you been in contact with the longest, or have been hearing the most from?

Schools that have been recruiting me the longest are NC State, [North] Carolina, Clemson, and Duke.  And Maryland.

BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools so far?

Duke, [North] Carolina, NC State, and Clemson.

BDN: Do you have any other visits planned for this spring or summer?

I’ll probably go down to Maryland this summer, a couple more schools this summer.  Not in stone right now, but I’ll figure it out.

BDN: Are there any schools that you feel like you’ve developed a good relationship with at this point in the process?

Not right now.

BDN: Thanks a lot, D.J., and best of luck to you.

Okay, you too.

 

 

Duke Football

Duke battling Big 10 powers for Michigan DL Matt Godin

Catholic Central's Matt Godin can play either DT or DE

While Duke is working hard to improve their defense on the field this spring, the coaching staff is also working hard to upgrade the defense with a talented group of prospects in the class of 2012. Several defensive line prospects have received verbal scholarship offers from the Blue Devils, including one of the top prospects in the country, who took a visit to Duke this spring. Matt Godin is a 6’6” 260 pound defensive lineman from Novi, Michigan. As a junior, Matt helped Catholic Central to a 9-3 record, totaling over 50 tackles. The versatile and athletic lineman is the type of prospect that Duke is targeting in the class of 2012, but the Blue Devils will face competition from Big 10 powers such as Michigan, Michigan State, and Wisconsin, all of which have also offered. Highlights of Matt’s junior year can be viewed here.

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

My strengths, definitely my quickness off the ball, and then my swing move.

BDN: You’ve played well both inside and outside in high school; do you have a preference for where you would like to play in college?

It doesn’t really matter.  I’ll play both.

BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this offseason?

Just overall getting stronger and just keeping my quickness up too, so doing speed training and stuff.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

State championship.

BDN: As you look at your college decision, what are the most important factors you are looking for in a school?

Education, and like the overall feel I get from the people around me when I go there, and just like the tradition.  I mean, there’s got to be a solid foundation at the school.

BDN: Since you mentioned education being an important factor, is there a particular field you are interested in studying in college?

Probably business.

BDN: Which schools have you been in contact with the longest, or have been hearing the most from?

DL Matt Godin plans to visit Duke again this summer

 

 

Actually right before you just called, I got off the phone with Coach Cut[cliffe] over at Duke, and then – mostly just the schools that offered me, I’ve been talking to the most.  Cincinnati, Syracuse, Michigan State, Duke, and Buffalo, and then schools that haven’t offered me I’ve mostly been talking to Wisconsin, Oregon, Northwestern and Illinois.

BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools so far?

Michigan State, Duke, what else?  I went to Michigan a few times, I went to Iowa last year.  That’s about it.  Oh, I went to Northwestern.

BDN: Do you have any other visits planned for this spring or summer?

I’m gonna be going to Duke again, probably the summer, and then I’m going to Michigan State soon, and then I’m visiting Wisconsin next weekend.  Not this weekend, but next weekend, and then I’ll probably make it down to Illinois too.

BDN: Are there any schools that you feel like you’ve developed a good relationship with at this point in the process?

I was impressed with Northwestern, Michigan State, and Duke.  All of those 3.

BDN: Was there anything specific that stood out to you about those programs?

I mean, I’m not – not anything specific.  Obviously the facilities for all of them were nice, and I like the coaches from all those 3 schools.  Probably Duke and Michigan State though, the coaches and just the feel I got from them, kind of stood out the most.

BDN: Do you have an idea for when you would like to make your college decision?

Probably right after the season, or maybe – it’s either gonna be right after the season or right before the season.

BDN: Is there anything else that you think is important for college football fans to know about you?

Distance from where the school is doesn’t matter to me.  If I like the school, I’m gonna go.  And I have no favorite.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Matt, and best of luck to you.

Okay, thank you.