'08 NJ ATH Brandon Smith (Michigan Signee)

[Bernini]

Rivals - 07/31/07

An article on several East Coast prospects.... According to Mike Farrell, Michigan is the team to beat for Smith, with Wisconsin being the dark horse candidate.

[wadc45]

Rivals $

8/7

By Farrell...still wide open to all schools. South Carolina has offered and Michigan (9/21 official) and Wisconsin stand out.

[wadc45]

Scout $

8/27

From the South Carolina site...had a top 5 of Michigan, Wisconsin, Louisville, North Carolina State and Rutgers but say the South Carolina offer changes things and is now wide open again.

[wadc45]

Rivals $

8/29

From TheWovlerine...talks about his upcoming 9/21 official visit to UM with J.B. Fitzgerald. Plans to commit on 2/6/08.

[TheFresher]

I just re-read a Rivals article on Brandon setting his first official visits.. and he says that Michigan and Wisconsin are basically his top 2 (if that changed, it doesn't really effect my point..).. but anyway, he goes on to say that he likes Michigan because he grew up watching them and that he thinks Lloyd Carr will be there for the next few years.. now that there's all this buzz going on around the college football nation that Lloyd Carr should be fired.. this can really help our chances of landing Brandon Smith

I say if i was Smith, i wouldn't commit to Michigan knowing that Lloyd Carr's job security is shaky.. and who knows, Carr might be fired by the time Smith's commitment time comes around

just a little speculating..

[wadc45]

Rivals $

9/5

By Farrell...talks about his unofficial to Rutgers last weekend. Making an official to Michigan on 9/21.

[GoRU]

Smith still has questions to answer | Home News Tribune Online

Tremendous interview with a local paper.

Brandon Smith of New Brunswick High School is one of the most heavily recruited players in the nation.

Rated among the top 100 players in the nation by several scouting services, Web sites and magazines, Smith's mailbox contains another scholarship offer almost on a daily basis. According to Smith, the tally is up to 32, with the most recent being South Carolina.

Smith, a quarterback/defensive back, said South Carolina caught his attention because they want him for offense, defense or both. In fact, Smith is the Home News Tribune's reigning Defensive Player of the Year who will start the season out as the Offensive Player of the Year. South Carolina has the right idea.

But where does Brandon Smith want to go?

That's the first question the HNT asked Smith in a recent question-and-answer session with Brandon and his mother, Cheryl, who is very influential in the recruiting process.
Q: Where are you going to college?

A: I don't know. Whenever I start to narrow it down, I get another offer, like South Carolina. If I had to give you a top five, it would be Michigan, Rutgers, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Ohio State.

Q: What are the pro's about going to Rutgers?

A: It's right here, 10 minutes from my house. All my family and friends can see me play (we could take a shuttle bus, interjected Cheryl). Plus, it's a program on the rise, which excites me.

Q: What are the cons?

A: It's too close to home. That's the only con.

Q: Do any players at Rutgers or players who have committed try to convince you to go there?

A: All the time. Art (Art Forst from Manasquan), Rashad White (Teaneck) and Eric LeGrand (Colonia) call me all the time trying to convince me. And A.D. (Piscataway's Anthony Davis) too. That's my boy.

Q for Cheryl: Where would you like to see your son go?

A: My heart says Rutgers, but then I think sometimes it may be good for him to get away. From a recruiting standpoint, I love Rutgers, coach (Greg) Schiano and coach (Joe) Susan, the recruiting coordinator. I've been the most impressed with them.
Back to Brandon.

Q: What schools do you plan to visit?

A: The only official visit I have set up is Michigan on Sept. 21. I don't know after that. One thing about Michigan, I love the cold weather. I think it gives me an advantage because I'll go 100 percent in the cold.

Q: When did your recruiting process begin and how crazy does it get?

A: When I was a sophomore, I got my first letter from Rutgers, then my first offer from Syracuse, then Colorado and on and on. And every day it seems to get kicked up a notch. Before they outlawed text messaging, I was getting 50 or more a day. Now I get 50 e-mails or more a day. On Sept 1, when the coaches can talk to us again, it's going to get more crazy. Every day, I'm doing interviews with magazines, websites, scouting services and newspapers. It's non-stop, but I like the attention.

Q: What do you see in your future?

A: First thing, I want another high school championship ring. Then I'll think about college and getting my degree. My ultimate goal is to play in the NFL. Making it to the pros is the dream of every kid growing up, but I know it's a legitimate goal for me because we've had five or six guys from New Brunswick make it to the pros. We've had Dwayne Jarrett in football, Eric Young in baseball, Gary Brokaw in basketball and there's been others way back. So I know it's there. But I can't dwell on it. I'll work my tail off and take full advantage of any opportunity, but I also know I'm a torn ACL or a broken ankle away from not playing.

Q: Have you sought out advice about your decision from others, besides your mother?

A: Yes. Aside from my uncle (Ray Smith) and my brother (Seab) and of course my coaches, I've talked to former teammates who are in college. Jonahan Casillas is one of the best players at Wisconsin, a real big school. I've talked to Kareem Byrom, who is at Buffalo, a small school and I've talked to Marvin Taylor, who was at UConn, but who made some mistakes. He told me about those mistakes and not to make the same ones. So I've sought advice from all angles. I've talked to Dwayne a few times when he was in New Brunswick, but we're not that close.

Q: You and your mom are very close. How influential will she be in your decision?

A: My mom plays a big part in it. I'm going to make the choice myself, it will be my decision, but she will help me narrow things down and I will listen to what she has to say.

Q: You seem to be level-headed about the whole recruiting process. How do you handle it so well?

A: My family, my coaches have made me stay humble since I was small. When I was playing Pop Warner, I scored my first touchdown. Deion Sanders was famous for his end zone dances at that time, so when I scored, I did a Deion dance. My Uncle Ray, who was my Pop Warner coach, took me to the side and he shook me up, physically and mentally. We talk about that all the time. You may see me dancing on the sideline, but never on the field.

Q: When will you make your decision?

A: I've been nominated to play in the U.S. Army All-Star game in Texas, which is on national TV in January. If I'm chosen, I would like to do it there, like A.D. did. If not, I'll announce it on Feb. 6, which is the official commitment day.

Q: Was there one moment in time when you realized you could play this game and be at this point in your football career?

A: When I was a freshman. In our third or fourth game against Spotswood, I would rotate in on defense every third play. I made a hit on a runner and I broke his arm. We were winning by a lot and the coaches decided to take me out. After that game, Jonathan Casillas and Al-Teric Balaam (Akron) came up to me and told me I could be a special player. I looked up to those guys, so that gave me the confidence I needed. I knew then I wanted to play college ball.

Q: Are you a good student?

A: Yes. And I owe so much to Ms. Lazovich, who is our "Play it Smart' coach. If she sees me goofing around, it's right into her office. She keeps me in line and I owe so much to her.

Q: You're known for talking on the football field and on the basketball court. How do your coaches let you get away with it?

A: They know it makes me better when I'm talking. I can talk and still have a good game. And, I can talk another player out of his game. I think I'm the No. 1 trash-talker in the country. I like to please a crowd.

[TheFresher]

The more Michigan plays like this, the better i feel about landing Brandon Smith

[Bernini]

It's one thing when you lose what seems like an aberration game. It's another when you follow that so called fluke by getting obliterated at home. Carr should lose his job and as a result Michigan should lose prospective recruits with their future coach an unknown. Brandon Smith, Keanon Cooper, and Tarik Rollins should all take note.

Michigan State might benefit the most though with in state players as they had momentum even before this debacle, and some of Michigan's commits might change their mind.

[Bernini]

Zebras Take the Battle of State's Better Teams

He is the Home News Tribune's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who was also chosen as the 2007 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.


New Brunswick High School senior Brandon Smith validated those selections as his dominating performance led the Zebras football team to a 21-6 victory over Teaneck on Saturday night......In the opening half of the Zebras' season opener, Smith, the quarterback, rushed six times for 102 yards and a touchdown, while completing 4 of 4 passes for 51 yards....Smith, the safety, prevented a Teaneck comeback by intercepting three passes....
"I just do whatever the coach wants me to," Smith said. "I'll play center if that's what he wants."

[wadc45]

Rivals $

9/18

From TheWolverine...talks about how UM's start doesn't affect him but Coach Carr's job security is an issue. Says he will be in AA this weekend, as is J.B. Fitzgerald.

[osugrad21]

Rivals $

Brandon will visit Michigan this weekend and also speaks highly of Rutgers, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.