Scott Kennedy is the Director of Scouting for Scout.com.
Kennedy began his career with Scout.com as the Southeastern Regional Manager for College Football Recruiting in 2002. He was a regular guest on FoxSport’s Countdown to Signing Day, and he compiles the Atlanta Journal and Constitution Super Southern 100. Scott also created and runs the Scout.com Combine series. Scott oversees the Experts of Scout.com including College Basketball and Football as well as NFL.
You can find his work at http://recruiting.scout.com/
In the past few days, Maryland has seen their Offensive Coordinator and lead Recruiter James Franklin leave the program to become the Head Coach at Vanderbilt. With Franklin’s departure, news came that the Athletic Director Kevin Anderson was no longer guaranteeing the return of Head Coach Ralph Friedgen. Further reports illustrated that Friedgen would not be allowed to return for next year. There are some reports that Maryland may have already begun negotiations with former Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach to take over the program. (Leach has denied he has been contacted by Maryland.)
With a change in the leadership at the top, one of the immediate questions is what happens with the players in Maryland’s 2011 recruiting class?
Baltimore Sports and Life appreciates Mr. Kennedy for giving some insight to the class, and what can Terrapin fans can expect to happen next.
Baltimore Sports and Life: “As of today Maryland is showing 22 or 23 commitments (depending on the site) for the 2011 recruiting class. Scout.com has the class ranked 47th. Your competitor Rivals.com has Maryland’s class ranked 36th . As is, what do you like about the class, and what are they missing?”
Scott Kennedy: “I don’t think you can ever have enough talented lineman on the team, and while the skill guys get all the ink, I like the number of big men that Maryland is bringing in with at-least 6 offensive lineman on the commitment list.”
Baltimore Sports and Life: “It is great to hear this class well help address the trenches, since in recent years Maryland has greatly improved their athleticism and speed as the skill positions, but has had limitations (at-least lack of depth) on the lines.”
Scott Kennedy: “It helps depth, but I would expect the line help to come in the future. True Freshman, while capable of playing, aren’t the backbone of an elite team when it comes to the line of scrimmage. Skill players are born, lineman are built, and a 22 year old man is going to take an 18 year old boy to task in the trenches.”
Baltimore Sports and Life: “With the departure of Coach Franklin, and with the seemingly impending departure of Coach Friedgen; is it accurate to to believe other universities will immediately be contacting the commits and trying to get another look?”
Scott Kennedy: “We’ve seen it happen already with a player like Jermiah Hendy. The most talented players will get the most calls, and the players farthest away from the campus are typically the most vulnerable to making a change.”
Baltimore Sports and Life: “To help avoid that poaching, Maryland will have to have their new leadership in place quickly. ESPN’s Joe Schad named former Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach as one of the potential lead candidates. Leach has been a popular name for some-time on all Maryland message boards due to his known relationship with Kevin Plank. Plank of course is the CEO of Under Armour, a former Terp himself, and a significant booster. Leach or otherwise, how important is it for the new coach to speak to these commits and their families as soon as possible?”
Scott Kennedy: “For this year’s recruiting class, it’s important. For the long term success of the Maryland team, it’s not nearly as important. One class can be sacrificed to get the right guy in place. The right Coach in place is so much more important than the quick hire. If Maryland can get the right guy quickly, then all the better, but rushing the decision just leads to making another decision in another 4 or 5 years.”
Baltimore Sports and Life: “In addition to Leach, there are reports that Mike Locksley, the current Head Coach of New Mexico could join the staff as Offensive Coordinator. Locksley was previously the recruiting coordinator at Maryland, and continued to recruit the area in similar positions with Florida, and Illinois. If Leach rejoins Maryland in this capacity, he essentially replaces James Franklin. Would that be a net loss, neutral move, or improvement for the Terps?”
Scott Kennedy: “I can’t think of many men in the country that I wouldn’t consider Mike Locksley an improvement over when it comes to recruiting. He’s one of the best in the business.”
Baltimore Sports and Life: “Leach’s 2008 Texas Tech team went 11-2 overall, and 7-1 in the Big 12. Rivals.com ranked their 2005 class 37th, the 2006 class 25th, the 2007 class did not crack their Top 50, and the 2008 class was ranked 45th. Did Scout have those classes ranked similarly? What stands out to you about how Leach went about building the Red Raiders program?”
Scott Kennedy: “36th in ’05, 17th in ’06. So I think if you were trying to look back and see who was closer, Scout was. Leach surrounded a bunch of good players who knew their roles with a couple of elite players, and rankings be danged, put a guy like Michael Crabtree on the field, and you’re whole team improves greater in reality than it does on a paper recruiting report.”
Baltimore Sports and Life: “We discussed the possibilities of Maryland losing some of their committed players. What about the reverse? Would a move to Leach give the Terps a better chance of closing on some of the top uncommitted talent? Any chance with players like Cyrus Kouandjio, Curtis Grant, Travis Hughes, Bishop Sankey, Dexter Staley, Darius Jennings, Kris Frost etc. etc?”
Scott Kennedy: “Maryland may expect to grab a guy or two that they wouldn’t have gotten otherwise, but typically 99% of the players already know where they’re going, and even the best of coaches doesn’t come in and beat a two year relationship of a rival recruiter in 5 weeks.”
Baltimore Sports and Life: “When you look at the Terps compared to the ACC Atlantic, as well as other regional teams such as Penn State, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers; what do you think this Maryland program is capable of achieving over the next 3-5 years?”
Scott Kennedy: “I don’t see any reason why the Terps couldn’t be a perennial Top 25 team. They have a good recruiting base in DC/Maryland/Virginia/Jersey, they have a good media market, and let’s face it being the flagship school of Under Armour has to pay off eventually, right Oregon?”
EDIT: Yahoo Sports and CSN Baltimore is reporting that Maryland will name Leach as the next Head Coach.
Owner
Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.