Back on the trail

photo courtesy of scout.com

It has certainly been awhile. I can explain, I've been hitting the ground running with getting caught up with the basketball scene as well as monitor what goes on in the wrestling mat.

In the end, though, football is like my wife. I can never leave her!

That being said, there's been some recruiting news going on. Let's see what's out there:

Over at Fresno City, two physical bruisers are moving on to the next level. Beginning with Kyle Staples (Bullard-Fresno), the 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker is as physical as they come. He may not wow too many people athletically, but he's got a nose for the football and his aggressive nature helped set the tone for an always physical Ram defense. Staples will now suit up for Football Championship Subdivision school South Dakota.

The other Ram just may become a possible steal for Fresno State and the Mountain West, defensive tackle Ioane Sagapolu. If anyone saw a Fresno City game this season on defense, you probably saw big No. 99 eating up space and making a mockery out of offensive lines. His size (6-foot-1, 290-pounds) may make him imposing, but his explosion off the line, his power, his motor and finally, his hand technique is what makes him intimidating. He was clearly the Rams' most complete defensive lineman. Sagapolu and fellow Fresno State commit Ryan Steele (Kingsburg) could become a nasty 1-2 combo for Fresno State's 3-4 look. Both bring much needed size to the three man scheme, but both also bring a motor that can make Bulldog fans watch the front line more closely.

Gerard Wicks of Long Beach Poly landed a recent Fresno State offer. He's still committed to Washington State, but I feel Wicks is deserving of more offers. He's a typical Long Beach Poly guy who brings versatility and lots of speed to the table. Wicks only has four offers and helped get the Jackrabbits to play for a state championship after a dreadful 1-3 start.

Down in Hemet, a guy I've done lots of ink on, Lorenzo Terry of West Valley, is sounding like he's College of the Sequoias bound in Visalia. If Terry does become a Giant, he could blow people away with his speed, elusiveness and versatility. He was a threat to score anytime he touched the football regardless if it was on offense, defense or returns. If he moves over to defensive back, he'll go to a unit that's sent players to the SEC, Big XII and have gotten interest from the PAC-12 and BYU. He'll need added muscle but he's got the potential to grow on the field.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens to Clovis North's Christian Rossi. The quarterback owns two Central Section Championships under former NFL player and Clovis North Head Coach Cory Hall. However, Rossi endured a knee injury in the state playoff game last Friday versus Long Beach Poly, but reports have stated there was no ligament damage. Rossi showed a stunning mobility to his game during his senior year, since he was more of a pocket guy last season. He'll fit more in a pro style attack with his play action ability, but he's also a baseball star at Clovis North and has generated plenty of interest there.

Finally, the anticipation seems to be mounting among scouts and college programs who want to know where Central-Fresno's L.J. Moore (photo) will end up. The talented defensive back had home visits with Oregon State and has picked up interest from Oklahoma, where fellow teammate Hatari Byrd is going. Maybe, Moore makes his decision before Christmas.