[Champion]

I was just wondering...it seems like every year we lose alot of kids in the LCA program to other schools. As a matter of fact I can only think of one LCA player over the past 5 or 6 years who signed to play for Liberty. (Rashad Jennings and a couple of others went elsewhere and then found there way back to Liberty) LCA has won three of the past four VA private school state championships and has one of the best private school programs in the state of VA. They would give most of the state champion public schools a very competitive game. Also, another Rocco is the coach Danny has a brother named Frank who coaches there. Why aren't more kids from this program recruited to LU? At first glance it seems like a very natural "minor league" stream straight to LU. Of course I making this sound simplier than it really is. I know last year they produced some pretty talented linemen. (bobby massie, james wilson, colin powell, etc) Has anyone heard what kind of talent is at the academy this year?

[belcherboy]

(Forgive me because I know nothing about LCA, outside the fact they have a good program)

Where are these LCA guy's going to play after LCA? Are any going to a big programs, or bigger programs than LU? I wonder how many are actually offered scholarships from Liberty?

[RagingTireFire]

According to the roster page, there are 6 former LCA players on our roster right now.

[FlameNForest]

According to the roster page, there are 6 former LCA players on our roster right now.

But how many of them are on a football scholarship?

[RagingTireFire]

According to the roster page, there are 6 former LCA players on our roster right now.

But how many of them are on a football scholarship?

What difference does that make?

[Hold My Own]

Shouldnt NONE of them be on Football Scolly's if they went for 4 years?





I know there was one Soph transfer to LCA that should be pretty tough....it's in his bloodline

[The Dude]

According to the roster page, there are 6 former LCA players on our roster right now.

But how many of them are on a football scholarship?

What difference does that make?

From my understanding, the LCA scholarship isn't a full scholarship, it's only for tuition. Now, that is a big deal, but it's not a full ride - it doesn't cover room and board or books or fees, etc. All of that kind adds up and is covered by a full football scholarship.

In other words they can basically get kids from LCA as walk-ons. So I see what FNF is asking, it'd be interesting to see how many of these six former LCA players would actually be on the LU football team if the team had to offer them scholarships instead of just having them walk on with their LCA tuition deal.

[SuperJon]

If they were good enough for our team, don't you think we would recruit them? We can't land everyone that we want. I don't think there's been a Division I-caliber player from LCA that has went somewhere besides Liberty since Rocco got here.

[givemethemic]

I will dive into this more but have way to much packing to do at the moment... Off the top of my head Patrick Kelly has been offered and he will be a Senior this year... Bobbie Massie was offered but de-commited from VT and will be preping this year...Remember one thing too and this normally plays a big factor, not everybody is a D-1 qualifer and so they can't go to LU at first even if they wanted too..

[Eagle Ed]

I was thinking Bobby Massie too....

[SuperJon]

He's at prep school. Right now he hasn't signed with anyone.

[Champion]

OK...here are some additional thoughts:

Kevin Richard is probably the best LCA player on Liberty's roster...according to the media guide he is a three year starter (counting this year) and was just put on scholarship after last season for his senior campaign. Statrted two years without a scholorship. (an interesting side note: During the state championship game in his senior year Richard played opposite Chris Long. Richard had two sacs in that game...the only two that Long was beaten on all year. In the charlottesville paper Long called Richard the best lineman he had played against)

Chris Rocco is a promising DB and is the current pk holder. He was on a full ride from the begining. Listed as the 1st team FS this year.

Jay Coady is a very big non-scholarship walk-on. (Came in the same year as Richard) Has been plagued by injuries and surgeries. Currently listed as 2nd team on the depth chart.

Britt Campbell is a freshman WR. I don't know his scholarship status. I only saw two LCA games last year, but my take on him was great speed and averaage hands...very average hands. A lot of potential with good coaching.

Chris MacAllister is a freshman WR. I don't know his scholarship status. I only saw two LCA games last year, but my take on him was he had asolutely incredible hands and an uncanny ability to catch the ball; however he seemed to lack any real speed...but he could catch anything near him ... or not near him. A lot of upside to a kid with hands like that.

I think my concern is about the great ones who get away. I don't know where Bobby Massie ended up, but everybody wanted him. Another lineman, James Wilson absolutely wowed the LU coaches at their summer camp a year ago. (I think he won the MVP award at the camp) I don't know what happened to him either. They had a great running back (Pannel???) he had speed and power, but I think he actual got busted on drugs. (not trying to spread rumors here) Those are just a few from last year. Multiply that back a few years and I think you see what I'm talking about in terms of players who got away. Now, where did they go? Did any LCA players play anywhere else? Again, I have no idea, but it s a loaded program and maybe the best kept secret of football talent in the state. Since I live in Lynchburg I stopped by their practice field the other day for a few minutes...their line is huge! They have some guys who have to be 6'4" of 6'5" and 280 or so!

Patrick Kelly and Mike Rocco at LCA would be great signings ... if we can get them to stay at LU. These are just some random thoughts...maybe way off base, but just my take on it. I wonder if the lCA tuition scholarship somehow hurts their chances of getting athletic sholaships at LU since the coaches probably think they'll come there anyway.

[jcmanson]

I don't know what you're trying to imply. It's not like Rocco & co. aren't looking at the kids from LCA, clearly they are. You can't expect all of those kids to want to come to LU. I think anywhere from 5-10 on the roster at one time is about right considering there aren't going to be that many kids that are D1 level there and of those who are they aren't all going to go to LU.

[Sly Fox]

Oh we are well aware of these guys ...

Bobby Massie thread

James Wilson thread

Patrick Kelly thread

Mike Rocco thread

Since Coach Rocco took over, we have done a much better job of keeping local talent in town. I wouldn't rule out Bobby eventually winding up at LU. Mike will be a VERY interesting situation. If Penn State does offer, it will be tough to turn it down with his family ties there even with his Uncle Danny at LU.

[Champion]

JC I wasn't rying to imply that LU doesn't try to get LCA kids. I think the local recruiting has improved GREATLY under Rocco, BUT take a kid like Richard...a three year starter and he is just now getting a scholarship? There is something a little screwed up there. He apparently wanted to go to LU and used his tuition scholarship to do it. Nothing wrong there, but he should have been on scholarship from the get go .... I know that is pre-Rocco. I commend Rocco for rewarding Richard. It's about time. Now, with that being said ... I do think that LCA kids are somewhat overlooked because they do have the LCA tuition scholarship. Why waste a scholarship if you think the kid is going to come to LU anyway? (see Kevin Richard example above) Anytime you recruit a "bubble" player it is indeed a crapshoot. I realize that it must be tough to try and predict whether a kid will make it for your team or be a bust. right now there are scholarship kids who almost never see the field and never will. It's the nature of the beast. All I'm saying is that if you are going to take a chance on a player you might roll the dice with a talented kid from a football dynasty program (LCA) with a proven HS coach (Frank Rocco). I'll be the first to say that Skalaski, Sundheim, and company know a whole lot more than me about who to recruit, but from the local angle of LCA's success and realtionship to LU you would think more kids would filter into the LU program.

[The Rock]

Is anyone else nervous about Coach Frank leaving us when his son does. Similar to what his father did when going to Penn State?



I know I am

[thesportscritic]

Kevin Richard first year at LU was played under Ken Karcher

[Champion]

I think it's a real possibility. I know when Danny took over at LU the rumors were flying. Frank publicly stated at the time that he wanted to coach MIke through HS so he kind of left the door open on leavig when MIke does. It wouldn't suprise me at all, but it also wouldn't suprise me if he stayed. He's a coach ... an unpredictable one at that.

[Champion]

Thanks Critic, but I did mention that Richard was recruited "pre-Rocco". I didn't want to start another Karcher thread!

[thesportscritic]

Thanks Critic, but I did mention that Richard was recruited "pre-Rocco". I didn't want to start another Karcher thread!

i think you were editing your post at the same time i was posting about Kevin.

[Champion]

Yea, I have to constantly edit....my spelling is horrible! It must be the LU education. Being an athlete I took the required basketweaving course. I'm just kidding everybody!

[givemethemic]

Pannel is at juco college in Weed, CA... He was a heck of player to watch and if he gets his grades up he should be playing D1 soon... Same with Colin Powell he is getting his grades up this year and is trying to walk-on for next year... I haven't talked with Massie in months but like I said he is PG this fall.. I think Rocco loves it here from our many, many conversations but the whole reason he didn't get back into college was becuase of the time away from his family and wanting to watch his kids play in H.S... So it will be interesting to see what he does. They have another strong squad this year and I think they will put up another banner at the end of the year.

[Champion]

Hey "Mic" - you seem to be in the know about LCA. Who are the players to watch this year for them? Are the giants I saw lumbering around out there on the practice field any good?

[olldflame]

Kevin Richard is probably the best LCA player on Liberty's roster.

I don't know about that. There's this guy named Rasheed Jenkins or Rashad Jennings or something like that, and I hear he's pretty good too.

[givemethemic]

Hey "Mic" - you seem to be in the know about LCA. Who are the players to watch this year for them? Are the giants I saw lumbering around out there on the practice field any good?

I guess you could say I am in the know... I have done there radio for the last 5 years and went to school there... Had lunch with Rocco on Thursday right before I left.. practice has been going very good, they lost some key pieces from last year but this summer they had 88 guys come out for football and for the first time ever they actually had to make cuts.. Those giants you saw are the same guys from last year minus Massie... Ethan Hagner, Jeff Darvaile(sp?), and company are all back on the o-line... You guys have been wondering about Mike, he did go down to Georgia over the summer and he had a great camp at Wake Forest, this year will be huge for him.. He stands at 6-3 now and if he could grow another inch or two he will really have some serious offers on the table... Every coach likes him so far, but if he gets 6-5 the sky is the limit... Should be a very good team this year.... Yeah, I heard that name Rasheed before too... rumor has it that he is just average