Cody Tuttle Nevada's 1st 2012 Commit

Its official, the suspense is over! Westlake HS Wide Out Cody Tuttle makes his plans for the next level of his career. Cody is a 6'3" 215 lbs. receiver that is making a lot of noise lately in the recruiting world! Some of you readers may have followed our tracking of his recruitment. Tuttle received offers from several D1 programs but finally got what he was ultimately looking for in Nevada. A couple of weeks ago he took an unofficial visit and was very excited about the University, Coaching Staff, and scenic beauty of Reno. Its been a very exciting time for Cody and his father Shane as they packed up and got on the road during the last two weeks visiting (unofficial) schools such as USC, UCLA, TCU, SMU, RENO, UTAH ST., and MONTANA. All of the schools had great things to offer academically and athletically, but RENO made an impression that was strong enough to get Cody to commit. He is the first commit to the Wolf Pack in the 2012 class and the first commit of the Westlake HS 2011 football team.

Cody has some of the best hands I have ever seen and a work ethic to match. His work ethic on and off the field has finally paid off. It takes a lot of on-field work to prepare for an offer, and GOD knows it takes twice as much in the class room. He has managed both very well and the rewards are starting to pay off.. It takes a collective effort from parents, coaches and athlete to be scholarship worthy. During the first week back from spring break Westlake HS Head Coach Benkert has been extremely busy with his program having visits from an assortment of big time programs like USC, UofA, etc. Benkert has developed a program with a winning spirit, and we all know winning programs develop top recruits. I know that Cody is mature beyond his years and can honestly say his parents have done an excellent job preparing him for what lies ahead in his future! Redzone Recruits takes great pleasure in having the opportunity to work with and know the Tuttle family and wish them the best. Go Wolf Pack!!!

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The Jordan 3 "True Blue" Set to hit Stores

2011 is a big year for the Jordan brand and they have lived up to their hype by retro’ing several of the most popularized Jordan shoes, including the newly released Air Jordan 7 Bordeaux.  Another popular shoe from the Jordan brand is the Air Jordan 3 “True Blue” that originally debuted in 1988. Being one of the most sought after sneakers of all time, True Blue’s re-release is set to hit shelves this June. 

True Blue has not been re-released very often and was the subject of much controversy when it was released exclusively overseas in 2009.  The shoes have now become what true sneaker fiends await, having seen previews of the non-OG Stealth style due this Fall, and the white and black varieties released earlier this year.  True Blue will come in a soft white leather upper with blue accents and elephant prints throughout so it’s no wonder this shoe is so highly anticipated. They hit stores on June 4^th and retail for $150. Check your local Nike retailer this summer if this shoe is for you. Redzone Recruits guess is they will sell like hotcakes on a cold day!.

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RB Nick Tomkins has the "GO Button"

 
Nick Tompkins RB/DB 2012
Brookwood HS, (GA)
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Get it now Get it! This kid has the "GO" button. I watched film on Nick Tompkins and was immediately impressed with his tangibles. All I can say is give him the rock and let him do his thang! He reminds me of OJ Simpson with his style of running. One of the things I like most is his movement of his shoulders while maintaining a steady north/south direction with the ball. He is definitely a burner as well, he clearly looks to be a track guy in the off season, with his goose neck motion once he heads up field. He squares up and and then turns on the juice! His ability to change direction and gears will get him longevity as a back. He doesnt seem afraid of contact but knows how to avoid the unnecessary big hit.
Brookwood High will give teams a problem with Tompkins in the back field this 2011 season. Last season he rushed for nearly 2 stacks and over 20 TD's to lead his team to state. Tompkins has that nose for the end zone as I like to call it!  He has gained quite a few offers in the past few months from D1 programs in the south, but I believe he would be better suited for the west because of his  5'10 175ish  frame. I'm not being biased, so please don't take offense down south followers; I just really feel he would get a chance to play right away out west. In the end the decision will rest with him and his family but hey just my thoughts. A back of his caliber and size has done well in the west and he could definitely fit nice in a few PAC12 offenses. Redzone Recruits wishes him the best success and positive energy in his future endeavors as an athlete and young man.

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Pac 12 Coaches On The Hot Seat 2011

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

 In Stoops' seven seasons with the Wildcats, Arizona has only once finished above fifth in the conference once.

But not all of the blame can be placed on him. The Wildcats have only once won a Pac-10 conference title and have never made it to a Rose Bowl.

Stoops has a 40-45 record at Arizona and a conference record of 27-34. Arizona has been on the cusp of winning the conference title each of the last three seasons, making the boosters impatient.

Number of needed wins: seven

Not making a bowl game would be the final nail in Stoops' coaching coffin.

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Talk about a guy who hasn’t proved anything as a head coach. How exactly is he making over $4 million a year?

As a head coach in college and the NFL, Kiffin has a record of 20-26. But somehow he has managed to get one of the premiere jobs in the country.

Number of needed wins: seven

USC will likely get way more than seven wins, but if they don’t become bowl eligible Kiffin will be gone with no hesitation.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

It’s really not fair that Tedford is on this list, but that’s the way college football works. The fans and alumni in Berkeley are tired of mediocrity.

Since taking over the reigns in 2002, Tedford has a record of 72-42 in nine seasons with the Golden Bears.

Cal’s fast starts and poor endings have fans restless, and it doesn’t help that rival Stanford has been doing so well the past few seasons.

Number of needed wins: eight

Tedford is a fantastic coach, and if he does get the boot he’ll have plenty of offers elsewhere.

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Nobody in their right mind had high expectations for the Washington State football program when Wulff took over in 2008.

But the Cougars have done even worse than expected. In three seasons at the helm, Wulff has a 5-32 record and a pitiful 2-25 record in conference play.

If Wulff wants to keep his job, he’ll need to show dramatic improvement.

Number of needed wins: six

The Cougars have a very easy non-conference schedule, and making it to a bowl game might save Wulff’s job.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Erickson has been a disappointment so far in his time in Tempe, AZ. He has been successful at every single one of his collegiate coaching stops, including a national championship with Miami, but his success has not carried over to Arizona State.

In his four seasons, Erickson has a 25-24 record and has only made it to one bowl game (2007). The Sun Devils are in perfect position to strike in 2011, and Erickson will need that to happen.

Number of needed wins: nine

With expectations so high, ASU should win the Pac-12 South and make it to the conference championship game.

Anything less than nine wins won’t go over well.

Joe Murphy/Getty Images

Another coach who has won a national championship. Neuheisel has had very good stops with Colorado and Washington, but returning to his alma mater has not gone as well as he anticipated.

Neuheisel has only guided UCLA to one bowl game in his three years with the Bruins, and has yet to come through with his solid recruiting classes.

Installing a new offensive system might rejuvenate an awful Bruin offense and help get UCLA back in bowl contention.

Number of needed wins: seven

It’s time for Neuheisel to use the blue-chip recruits. The alumni will only play nice for so long

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QB Colin Kaepernick Won't Attend Draft (Very Respectable Decline)

Nevada standout quarterback Colin Kaepernick has declined an invitation to attend the NFL draft in New York at Radio City Music Hall, according to his agent .Kaepernick also declined requests from ESPN and NFL Network to be with him at his home during the draft. He will spend the draft with his family in Turlock, Calif. "A year ago, Colin believed he would be in this position," Shawn Smith, X-A-M- Sports' public relations and marketing director, told National Football Post. "To actually now be in that position and have that invite to New York and have two of the top media outlets want to share that day with you and have all of that growing interest, it’s the pinnacle. He’s arrived, more or less. At the same time, there's a lot of flash and hustle and coolness, he really wants to be at home with his family. He doesn’t want to leave his family out of this."He’s not necessarily about the cameras. He’s about being with his family. It was as simple as that. It's as organic and simple and raw as that. That’s why he is who he is. He wants to be with his family. I think that speaks volumes. I don’t want that to come across that he’s not grateful. He knows coming to New York is full of opportunities and all of that. He is very grateful. He told Gill Brandt that and he told me that, but he really wants to be at home with his family.” Kaepernick visited the Oakland Raiders and the Tennessee Titans.

He has worked out for the Indianapolis Colts and the Titans. Among Kaepernick's other workouts: the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Although Kaepernick is graded as a second-round draft target by many draft analysts, it's not a stretch to think that one of those second-round teams in need of a quarterback could trade up into the bottom of the first round to acquire him. Kaepernick scored a 37 on the Wonderlic exam after scoring a 38 last year, one of the highest scores on the test at any position group this year. Kaepernick met with 14 teams at the NFL scouting combine, and he displayed the best velocity of any quarterback during testing that measures how many miles per hour the football travels. Kaepernick threw the football 59 miles per hour. Kaepernick is a former Chicago Cubs draft selection and an all-state baseball player who threw 94 miles per hour. That edged out Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett (58 miles per hour) and Auburn quarterback Cam Newton (56 miles per hour). Kaepernick is the lone quarterback in Division I history to pass for over 10,000 career yards and also rush for 4,000 yards. Directing a spread-option offense called the Pistol, Kaepernick is the only quarterback to pass for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season three times. "I had a chance to see him last summer at Peyton Manning's Passing Academy," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said during a conference call. "I spent three days watching the kid throw the ball with Peyton and Eli. He's got a huge arm. He's a great athlete, and he's got a big frame. The kind of guy you want to buy into. He's the kind of guy that's going to rise a little bit." Drawing comparisons to Texas Christian quarterback Andy Dalton, Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder and Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi, Mayock said Kaepernick has "probably got the most upside of any of them." As a senior last season, Kaepernick passed for 3,022 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 1,206 yards and 20 touchdowns. As a junior, the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder passed for 2,052 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 1,183 yards and 16 touchdowns. Kaepernick ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds. He also draws high marks off the field for his character and leadership. “I think that’s one thing that’s going to start to separate me from other quarterbacks," Kaepernick told National Football Post. "I feel like I’m a good person. I'm not going to put myself in a bad position or the team in a bad position with things I do off the field. That's what you look for when you're looking for a leader. Is this person responsible and mature enough to realize no matter what as a quarterback you are face of that franchise and you need to carry yourself a certain way? Certain things you can’t get away with." Kaepernick was born in Wisconsin to a single mother and was adopted by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick when he was five weeks old. He moved to Turlock, Calif., when he was four years old. His family spent the entire week in Mobile with him at the Senior Bowl, a ubiquitous presence as they were constantly decked out in their Nevada Wolfpack gear. "I just look at my parents as my family," he said. "People get confused when they see them because we don't look alike obviously. They're very great people. I've been very blessed. They're very proud of me and I want to continue to make them proud." I tweeted Kaep earlier today as he  proclaimed today National Shout Out Day, to let him know that he is a very respectful and humble human being. Redzone Recruits salutes his position and stance on this one. He is officially one of my guys now!

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