03-04-2008, 07:32 AM
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Sr. Moderator
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Team: Rutgers
Posts: 14,472
vCash: 461
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The News Star - www.thenewsstar.com - Monroe, LA
Quote:
LSU coach Les Miles took a giant step toward his quest to follow a national championship on the field with one in the recruiting rankings Monday night as the No. 4 prospect in the country committed to the Tigers.
He is Russell Shepard of Cypress Ridge High in Houston. Rivals.com lists him as an athlete, but Shepard (6-1, 183) mainly plays quarterback. He is the No. 1 athlete listed and would be the No. 2 quarterback if that was his designation. Shepard, who is listed as the No. 4 overall prospect, rushed for 1,525 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while passing for 794 yards and eight touchdowns for Cypress Ridge.
“This is huge,” Michael Scarborough of Rivals.com said after posting the story. Scout.com also reported the commitment.
“Usually a kid rated this high does not commit this early,” Scarborough said. “They wait and see how things shake out and take their visits.”
Shepard told Scarborough that Miles was surprised by his early decision. Miles reaction to Shepard’s commitment over the phone Monday was, “What did you say?”
Shepard told Rivals.com that he loves “the school to the max.”
LSU running backs coach Larry Porter has been recruiting Shepard. It was Porter who recruited quarterback Jarrett Lee out of Brenham High in Brenham, Texas, near Houston in 2006 and signed him in 2007. Lee could end up being LSU’s starter this season unless Ryan Perrilloux returns from an indefinite suspension. At the moment, Lee is the only LSU quarterback who arrived on campus with a scholarship.
Shepard is the second LSU commitment from Houston in this young recruiting season ranked in the Rivals.com top 100. Defensive end Mike Brockers, who committed just over a week ago, is listed as the No. 91 overall prospect and the No. 7 defensive end. Brockers goes to Chavez High in Houston.
LSU also has a commitment from running back Michael Ford of Leesville. Ford is expected to end up being a highly ranked back. The Tigers have seven commitments so far toward the class of 2009.
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