With the new rankings being unveiled today, there has been a lot of talk (as usual) about Clemson commits & targets slipping in the rankings compared to some of the uncommitted prospects & prospects committed to/favoring SEC schools. I thought it would be interesting to look at how Clemson’s commits & targets compared to UGA’s.

Now, this comes with @Paul Strelow ’s standard disclaimers: Yes, there are prospects who surface on recruiting radars early, and start with an inflated ranking that eventually gets brought back down to a more appropriate spot. And yes, as new names surface & get exposure/rise in the rankings, it means that everybody else has to slide a bit. We know this and see it every cycle.

With that said, it’s pretty striking how many UGA targets & commits made huge jumps in the rankings. Clemson had one too - Wesco. Does that mean that UGA does a better job of finding/evaluating players before they “blow up?“ Are UGA commits subjected to some element of human bias within the network that we have seen before (the “Bama bump?”) Is UGA just chasing “better” players? Is it all coincidental? These are all rhetorical questions….but it’s still interesting to examine….

Clemson R250 Commits - Previous Ranking (March 2023) - New Ranking (June 2023) - Difference

Sammy Brown - 23 —> 28 (-5)
Bryant Wesco - 165 —> 29 (+136)
Christian Betancur - 105 —> 115 (-10)
Hevin Brown Shuler - 118 —> 125 (-7)
Noah Dixon - 121 —> 145 (-24)
Tavoy Feagin - 134 —> 161 (-27)
Ricardo Jones (TI Projection) - 137 —> 166 (-29)
David Eziomume - 175 —> 212 (-37)

UGA R250 commits -

Dylan Raiola - 1 —> 1 (0)
Peyton Woodyard - 9 —> 19 (-10)
Ellis Robinson - 29 —> 22 (+7)
Demarcus Riddick - 47 —> 30 (+17)
Ny Carr - 24 —> 32 (-8)
Chauncy Bowens - 218 —> 61 (+157)
Jaylen Hayward - 79 —> 90 (-11)
NiTareon Tuggle - NR —> 100 (+150*)
Jaden Riddell - 207 —> 111 (+96)
Justin Greene - 97 —> 116 (-19)
Dwight Phillips - 192 —> 200 (-8)
Demello Jones - 122 —> 133 (-11)

Mutual R250 Targets -

Mike Matthews - 7 —> 7 (0)
Eddrick Houston - 4 —> 15 (-11)
KJ Bolden - 15 —> 9 (+6)
William Satterwhite - 93 —> 112 (-19)
Casey Poe - 150 —> 143 (+7)

Clemson R250 Targets -

Corian Gipson - 88 —> 94 (-6)
Darien Mayo - 91 —> 105 (-14)
Michael Uini - NR —> 231 (+19*)

UGA R250 targets -

Williams Nwaneri - 20 —> 3 (+17)
Justin Scott - 8 —> 8 (0)
Justin Williams - 22 —> 12 (+10) (Was bumped to 22 from 133 the previous update, +111)
Ryan Wingo - 16 —> 18 (-2)
Brandon Baker - 89 —> 25 (+64)
Jordan Seaton - 19 —> 26 (-7)
Taylor Tatum - 62 —> 48 (+14)
Jerrick Gibson - 58 —> 60 (-2)
Jamonta Waller - 184 —> 66 (+118)
Nathaniel Frazier - 170 —> 71 (+99)
Daniel Calhoun - 48 —> 72 (-24)
Jos Jonah Ajonye- 221 —> 80 (+141)
Jordan Ross - 174 —> 89 (+85)
Aydin Breland - 99 —> 102 (-3)
Jonathan Daniels - 130 —> 136 (-6)
Kristopher Jones - 157 —> 138 (+19)
Chris Cole - NR —> 139 (+111*)
Carter Nelson - NR —> 159 (+91*)


Analysis:

- Clemson saw 7 out of 8 Rivals250 commits drop in rankings by an average of 19.9 spots
- Clemson’s lone riser - Wesco - rose 136 spots
- UGA saw 6 out of 12 Rivals250 commits drop in ranking by an average of 11.2 spots
- UGA saw 5 out of 12 Rivals250 commits rise an average of 85.4 spots

- Including mutuals, Clemson saw 4 out of 8 targets drop an avg of 12.5 spots
- Including mutuals, Clemson saw 3 of 8 targets rise an avg of 10.7 spots
- Including mutuals, UGA saw 8 out of 23 targets drop an avg of 9.3 spots
- Including mutuals, UGA saw 13 of 23 targets rise an avg of 60.2 spots

I found it interesting that certain targets that have been trending lately to UGA got large bumps, and that the “mutual targets” that seem to be trending away from UGA / towards Clemson took a dip, albeit slightly.

So what does it all mean? Interpret it however you like.….Im not necessarily saying there’s some big conspiracy to inflate / deflate certain teams‘ prospects……but very telling the way certain UGA recruits made monumental jumps up the rankings. Sure, Wesco did too, but what about Moore? Are the national guys more inclined to give more scrutiny / attention / bumps to certain programs?

Just food for thought…..

EDIT: I also just noticed that every single one of UGA’s 2025 commits got a sizable bump as well

Elyss Williams - 49 —> 24 (+25)
Micah Debose- 39 —> 26 (+13)
Justus Terry - 73 —> 49 (+24)
Jadon Perlotte - 46 —> 34 (+12)
Jabree Coleman - NR —> 73 (+177)

I've never done a Poll. Probably doing it wrong.

The thread about BBQ base sauces made me think of this irritant of mine.

Living in different parts of the country...........and coming from the Carolinas where BBQ is special...... it always irked me when people would say "We're gonna have a BBQ and do some burgers and hot dogs. ^%)#@(??? WHAT?

Memphis, Texas and similar...they know BBQ. They are not confused.

Most of America? You tell me.

Looks like he has a legit shot of getting drafted tmmrw. Number of mocks have him going late 2nd round. Does the 6 year drought end tommorrow?

Can’t be too bad for SOS…undercard for Bama/Purdue

Anyone have an idea how much AI is currently being used for play calling and/or game preparation?

I would think that by the latter half of the season there would be enough data to load into the model for tendencies and player ratings in order to come up with some predictive advantages.

Almost 4$/kwh and the power provider begging users to adjust power usage. In a conservative state like that who would have thought it could happen? I remember when California was a failed state because they had power outages. No outages in california in years. I wonder what that means about Texas?


Thank god it’s not climate change.

Anyone care to project 2 deep OL for ‘23?
Including class ?

This is probably more of a reflection of where you grew up.

I prefer vinegar, but like them all, except for Alabama white sauce.

Yeah Tim Scott a black man in America who is being told how black men supposed to think by a white woman and a seditious former President who undermined a legitimately elected President by treasonous acts of weaponizing the US agencies against Trump

I am praying this coming election does not suffer the interference and fraud placed upon this American process by the left liberals, Democrats , fear and hate mongering folks of the media

What is really sad is the DOJ and FBI are carrying the water for President wannabe Dictator Biden and the Chinese puppets

Joe Biden a Manchurian President licking the boot soles of the Chinese

All those who support the man learn to enjoy the Chinese Takeover WW3 is only a stones throw away

Hearing once the Russians are done the Ukrainians will fight the Chinese with Americans if needed

Thank Joe Biden for the mess

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From our South Carolina site at Rivals.com:

Haven't seen this posted yet but it looks like Dylan Raiola is transferring to Buford Highschool and will play with Houston and Bolden. Not sure how much this impacts Houston since Bolden was already a UGA lock .

On a week vacation in Rosemary Beach, any folks got any recommendations? Just curious if I’m missing some layer of entertainment outside of drinking on the beach all day.

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Is NFL gambling policy protecting integrity or perception?​

By: Jori Epstein - Yahoo! Sports

Given the stakes, the NFL is wise to have a policy on gambling.

Whether the NFL’s stated policy aligns with its stated goals, however, is up for debate.

Employees betting on the NFL, when league and team staffers could and often do have inside information, risk compromising the integrity of NFL games and bets placed.

The Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions players suspended for betting on the NFL, and the Indianapolis Colts player under investigation for it, are a conversation for another time.

But how about the NFL’s restrictions surrounding betting on other sports?

Lions receivers Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill are suspended for the first six games of the 2023 season for placing bets on non-NFL games from an NFL facility. Non-player employees of the league, meanwhile, are prohibited from betting on any sport at any time. Non-player personnel cannot gamble on Little League, the Kentucky Derby or even a March Madness bracket that requires money to enter or touts a prize of value for winning.

It’s a policy that goes beyond the scope of protecting league integrity — and even the NFL knows it.

NFL executives held a conference call Tuesday with reporters to detail how they’re educating players about league policies. NFL vice president and chief compliance officer Sabrina Perel oversees a group that has traveled to 14 teams this spring, with six more scheduled, to lend advice and answer questions on the league’s gambling policy.

The educational initiatives are worth noting. But so is the league’s inconsistent messaging.

‘Make sure that there’s no negative association’​

Perel and her staff spend roughly half an hour with teams on a visit, she said, as they distill the paragraph-laden gambling policy into six key rules.

• Don’t bet on the NFL
• Don’t gamble at your team facility, while traveling for a road game or staying at a team hotel
• Don’t have someone bet for you
• Don’t share team 'inside information'
• Don’t enter a sportsbook during the NFL playing season
• Don’t play daily fantasy football

Compliance officials explain those restrictions in more depth — No bets from the team parking lot! No bets on NFL events like NFL Honors! — and reiterate that coaches and team staff cannot bet on any sport at any time.

It’s on these points that the league’s argument begins to waver.

Yahoo Sports asked the league on Tuesday’s conference call: Does betting on other sports impact the integrity of the NFL, or more the perception of the integrity of the game?

“The perception of it,” Perel responded. “We're mindful of just gambling in general and the perception. Are we doing everything to make sure that there’s no negative association with those individuals both on the actual betting and the potential for the use of inside information?”

Basing legislation on association and perception — which is fickle among constituents, inconsistent depending on time period and wholly subjective — is risky. Sure, the NFL has the power to give rules to its employees. Guidelines for non-player personnel constitute “a decision we can make unilaterally,” NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy Jeff Miller said Tuesday. Policies for players, in contrast, are subject to backlash from the NFL Players Association.

While the union and league have not officially negotiated a gambling policy into the collective bargaining agreement, what the league calls “conversations” between the two parties have long given players leeway to bet outside the facility.

The league defends restrictions on players betting as akin to rules employees of other corporations would encounter.

“There are lots of rules governing the workplace,” Miller said. “Lots of things that you can’t do at work that you can do at home.”

Perel doubled down on that point.

“If integrity of the game is a No. 1 priority, why are we having any gambling on the premises at all?” she said. “If you’re going to do it, you can do that on your personal time.”

Unless, of course, you’re one of the roughly tens of thousands of NFL coaches, scouts, athletic trainers, marketing directors, sales staffers or other league and club employees for whom that is prohibited.

Why?

If NFL wants to guard perception, it’s entitled to — consequences and all​

The NFL is a private corporation. It can allow and restrict rules as it pleases, and it even has the freedom to legislate inconsistently if it desires. Demand for league jobs will likely always exceed the supply of them given the overwhelming popularity of the NFL in the United States.

But if the league is going to ban gambling because of perception — which Perel confirmed, and already seemed apparent — it’s fair also to consider the perceptions that NFL inconsistency creates.

If the league wants to install layers of barriers between league staff placing even non-football bets, why is the league hosting its next Super Bowl in the betting mecca of Las Vegas? Why has the NFL moved one of its precious 32 teams to Las Vegas? And why are franchises and the league itself now entering into partnership with sports betting entities — even as NFL personnel are prohibited from advertising with or marketing gambling entities?

Miller emphasized that league policy on gambling hasn’t changed much in recent years; it’s simply become more applicable as betting and especially legal betting have become ubiquitous.

“In an increasingly challenged environment,” Miller said, “the integrity of the game still has to be paramount and will always be that way.”

Integrity of the game, however, appears not to be paramount in the NFL’s execution of its policy. Public perception is.

By that benchmark, the league is playing a losing hand.

to Mississippi State. Looks like SC gonna hire Williams from Liberty. Some saying Kingston may be in play for Miami?

Big risk leaving for Mississippi State with Lemonis on the hot seat

Will the states banning the use of gas stoves and mandating the move to electric vehicles limit water usage too?

"Our study shows that among climate-related causes, the redistribution of groundwater [from pumping out groundwater for consumption] actually has the largest impact on the drift of the rotational pole.

Since the tilt of Earth's axis can have an effect on seasonal weather on the planet's surface, scientists now wonder whether the shifts of the rotational pole could contribute to climate change in the long-term."

460+ officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel/gear items ON SALE today at The Tiger Fan Shop (some 65% OFF) HERE!

He's a drunk for one. But he is also back in Abu Dhabi trying to get his time adjusted. And by that I mean he is drinking heavily so he can fall asleep at some point and get into a regular rhythm.

Had a blast back in the states and great to see the Lexington crew. Already planning a Christmas trip so hopefully it will be between our ACC championship and the playoffs.

Apologies to @Larry_Williams for stealing his Amick headline.

Had a group wanting to go out for dinner on a Thursday night and a friend called for reservations. He got an email back and forwarded to the group: "I was just informed that the Restaurant will add a 35% gratuity to each bill with a large group (over 6). I understand adding on a tip for larger groups but is 35% not over the top? Based on the feedback from the group that planned on attending it is. Mentioned it at work this morning and 2 other groups had experienced the same reply. One went and the other cancelled.

Restaurant being in Chappells between Clinton, Newberry, Greenwood (near the dam of Lake Greenwood) I do not understand this fee....after all it is good food (eaten there a couple of times) but certainly not fine dining.

How about Hunter Biden being recommended for no jail time for gun charges

Start out with Kodak Black there’s plenty of Black men serving years for same crime

Go ahead Democrat Power Brokers , Joe Biden , Merrick Garland and the honest justice system explain this to the 12 per cent of America who you crap on when it benefits Democrats and then panders and lies to get their votes every election cycle. Keep supporting the Democrats you Black folks and you will keeps getting the mouthful if crap from Biden and the Democraps

MONDAY BILLY AMICK UPDATE
By: Larry Williams

CLEMSON -- Billy Amick's decision to enter the transfer portal created a major sensation among Clemson folks.

Our reporting Friday afternoon generated a whopping 31,000+ views and 472 replies on The West Zone message board as of 11 this morning.

Yeah, in the age of the transfer portal and NIL it's going to cause a stir when an All-American baseball player decides to leave.

We've continued asking around about this, and here's what we are in position to share:

*** Everything is still status quo with Amick, according to a contact we communicated with this morning.


Clemson All-American and Batesburg native Billy Amick is still on the move as of Monday. (AP)

As in, apparently no apparent headway made by Erik Bakich as he tries to talk Amick into staying.

As we told you Friday, Bakich was in New England trying to get an audience with Amick and his father Lyndon. But as best as we can tell, the Amick camp hasn't been interested in talking.

*** The vibe coming out of Clemson last week was that surely a deal had to be in place for Amick elsewhere. But multiple contacts in Amick's camp pushed back on that notion.

We have received information that Amick has been in contact with South Carolina and Florida. John Whittle, a respected and plugged-in reporter in Columbia covering Gamecocks baseball, has reported that there's been contact between Amick and South Carolina's staff.

*** A connected contact who is not at Clemson and is not in the Amick camp told us that almost every SEC team has reached out to Amick, plus Florida State and North Carolina.

This contact told us Florida would make sense and was doubtful Amick would choose South Carolina because of his Clemson family, the rivalry and the drama that would come with him having to face the team he left.

"But," the source said, "I also didn't think he would leave Clemson."

*** We believe Amick's father Lyndon is a significant factor in his son's transfer. Clearly Lyndon and Billy didn't see eye to eye with Bakich on a number of topics including Billy's desire to play third base, and the decision to pull him during some situations in games including the NCAA Regional loss to Tennessee.

According to contacts in the Amick camp, Bakich had first base and designated hitter in mind for Billy next season and the rising sophomore wanted to play third to showcase his defensive abilities to MLB scouts.

Amick is currently playing third base for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod League.

On Friday evening, the same day news of his portal decision broke, Amick had two home runs in a game against the Bourne Braves.

*** Billy Amick called Bakich last Tuesday to inform him he was transferring from Clemson. Apparently this followed the 1-on-1 meeting between Amick and Bakich during which Bakich outlined his vision for Amick next season.

Amick was named first-team All-America by Collegiate Baseball, and entering the NCAA Regional he was hitting .418 with 12 homers, two triples, 17 doubles, 58 RBIs, a .778 slugging percentage in 43 games (39 starts). He was also named first-team All-ACC.

"You're just like, 'Whoa,'" Bakich said of Amick late in the season. "He's always been confident in his ability. He just needed consistent opportunities. Once he started getting them, he went from a guy we thought maybe he can provide us a little spark to there's no way we're writing a lineup without Billy Amick in it."

Bakich also said that at one point this season, after a sweep of Louisville, he turned to Amick and said: "You bleed orange if we cut you open, right?"

Bakich said the response was: "Oh yeah."

Billy's grandfather was Bill Amick, who spent three decades on Clemson's Board of Trustees. He died in 2013.

*** Last fall under Bakich, Billy Amick struggled to catch on. He hit just one home run and he was playing a position (catcher) he hadn't played in years.

His father told Jon Blau of The Post and Courier in May that entering the season he wasn't sure if his son was going to get a chance.

"A new coaching staff has to assess everything," Lyndon told Blau. "That's chaotic in itself. I understand from the coach's perspective, they have a hornet's nest they have to maintain. I'm looking at it solely as a dad.

"This is every parent's battle. You know their potential; is it being realized?"

Those words certainly take on new meaning with Lyndon's son now on the way out of Clemson.

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