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The Independent
07-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Southern hockey surge: NHL teams thrive in non-traditional markets, from Texas to Florida
Popeye Jones was an NBA rookie with the Mavericks the same season that Dallas debuted its new NHL team, and he decided to go to a Stars game after meeting future Hall of Fame player Mike Modano. 'I couldn't figure out hockey. They were jumping over and off the ice … I'm like, 'what's going on with this sport?'" Jones said. 'The puck flew up, I remember it hit somebody in the nose, blood was all over the ice and they kept playing.' Back during that 1993-94 season, before he became a hockey dad, the 6-foot-8 Tennessee native who had grown up playing basketball, football and baseball was like many people in the South: He knew nothing about hockey even as the NHL was making a push into non-traditional markets. Those days are long gone. NHL teams in the South are playing for and winning the Stanley Cup in packed arenas and there is steady growth when it comes to youth participation. Football may still be king in many Sun Belt locales, but hockey has been welcomed from Las Vegas to Texas to Nashville to North Carolina — and certainly in Florida. Jones has two sons who are now NHL players. Seth Jones, a defenseman for the Florida Panthers, is playing in the Stanley Cup Final after the 12-season veteran, the fourth overall pick by Nashville in the 2013 draft, was traded from Chicago to the defending champions in March. Caleb Jones played for the Los Angeles Kings, his fourth team the past seven years. The expansion Panthers came into the league with Anaheim in 1993-94, at the same time the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators were expansion teams the previous season, and the Hartford Whalers moved to Carolina and became the Hurricanes in 1997. Shane Willis remembers playing with the Hurricanes following the NHL's arrival in North Carolina — a process featuring a two-year transition to Greensboro before moving to Raleigh — and sometimes noticing a sparse home crowd during warmups. 'I'm like, 'Is anybody coming?'' said Willis, now Carolina's manager of youth and amateur hockey after five seasons as an NHL player. That isn't the case now, with Carolina having won a Stanley Cup in 2006 and currently on a seven-year run of winning at least one postseason series, including this year's run to the East final. Southern success This is the sixth season in a row a team from Florida has reached the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers are there for the third year in a row, this time in a rematch against Edmonton. Tampa Bay also made it to the final three straight seasons, winning the Cup the first two. The Lightning's run began by beating Dallas in 2020 in what is still the the 'southernmost' Stanley Cup Final — except that entire postseason was played in Canada after the regular season was shortened because of the pandemic. Dallas made its third West final in a row this year, coming up short of another Cup chance. But they were the first Sun Belt team to hoist the Stanley Cup in 1999, followed by Tampa Bay in 2004. Every game in the conference finals in 2023 was played in the Sun Belt, a first. The Panthers beat Carolina in the East like they did this year, and Dallas lost to Vegas in the West. Popeye, Mo and Sakic Popeye Jones met Modano after getting invited to do an appearance during a Dallas Cowboys game. 'Not being a hockey fan, I really didn't know who he was and he didn't who I was. But we just struck up a conversation and started talking,' Jones said. 'Just general talk about sports and whatever, and he was such a nice guy and I enjoyed sitting there and talking to him.' That helped Jones become a Stars fan. They both played home games at the since-demolished Reunion Arena before Jones was traded to Toronto and later Boston, homes of two of the NHL's Original Six teams. His only season playing in Denver was 1999-2000, when the Avalanche lost to the Stars in consecutive West finals before winning the Cup in 2001. It was there that he got to know Avs star Joe Sakic, another future Hall of Fame hockey player and now the team's president of hockey operations. Jones' oldest son, Justin, came home from school one day in the Denver area and said he wanted to play hockey, which had a significant influence on Seth, who was 5 or 6 at the time. With his sons interested in playing an unfamiliar sport , Jones sought advice from Sakic, who said the boys needed to take skating lessons. Seth Jones started playing hockey in Colorado, but was born in Texas and was on some Stars-affiliated youth teams after his dad later returned to the Mavericks. 'When I was there, you could see more and more kids starting to play in Texas,' the 30-year-old Panthers defenseman said. 'And then really the past eight to 10 years, you see kids actually moving from the northern cities down to Texas because the hockey has really grown. Where before, all the good kids out of the southern cities would move up north to Chicago and Michigan and New York and these places.' More and more players The number of players registered with USA Hockey has grown significantly in Southern states over the past 20 seasons. USA Hockey said 4,793 players registered in North Carolina for the 2005-06 season, with roughly 2,400 of those being 18 or younger. That overall number of players jumped 19.5% (to 5,728) for the season following their 2006 Cup run. By the 2024-25 season, the state had 8,698 players (up 81.5% from 2005-06) with 5,608 being 18 or younger (up 135.5%), though Willis noted the actual number is likely higher since not all players register with USA Hockey. The total number of registrations have increased even more in Florida and Texas over the past two decades. In Florida, the total number of players has gone from 9,363 in 2005-06 to 22,888 (a 144.5% increase), with the number in the 18 or younger age groups nearly doubling to 10,277. Texas went from 7,017 to 17,346 total registrations (147.2%) in that same span, with those 18 and under going from 5,457 to 7,199 (31.9%). Pete DeBoer, the Stars coach the past three seasons, had his first NHL head coaching job with Florida from 2008-11. He recalls the Lightning and Panthers then playing before sparse crowds with questions about whether those teams would even stay in those markets. 'To see where they're at now is really impressive,' DeBoer said before the team fired him this past week. 'Dallas for me is a perfect example of coming into a place and, you know, getting a foothold at the grassroots level, and that the amount of rinks, ice surfaces and facilities and kids playing minor hockey here in Dallas is way bigger than I ever anticipated.' Much of that came as a result of the 1999 Stanley Cup for the Stars. 'They won, they captured the city's attention and all this stuff got done. Rinks got built,' DeBoer said. 'I think Florida didn't get that done early, but is doing it now and they're going to reap the benefits of that. I think when you get a team that wins and it's in a non-traditional market, I think the benefits roll out for decades.' Introducing the game For the Hurricanes, early outreach included going to area schools and essentially running PE classes as an introduction to the sport. The team, aided by grant money from the NHL, has more recently purchased equipment such as balls, sticks and Hurricanes-logo apparel to donate to more than 100 schools. The team this year partnered with Raleigh suburb Apex to open two public street hockey rinks. Carolina, Dallas and Florida all have tie-ins to to the 'Learn to Play' umbrella program created by the NHL and NHL Players' Association to introduce boys and girls, and even adults, to the sport. Those programs include variations of providing hockey equipment and instruction, and on-ice workouts at multiple rinks in their areas. "What you have to do is not only introduce the game of hockey to people, you have to introduce your brand. You have to make both things very attractive to parents to want to get involved,' Willis said. 'I see so many parents now, they come to games and we talk about it: if you can create a hockey player, whether it's street hockey or ice hockey, you're creating three fans. Because that kid is going to come to a game with Dad, Dad and Mom, maybe a sibling. So then you're in the range of three to four fans you're creating.' Popeye Jones knows how that can go, recalling a time when Seth Jones was 11 or 12 and the family wanted him to find something else to do in the summertime. 'A kid called and said hey they had some ice, you want to come and, you know, play some pickup hockey. At first I didn't want him to, but I saw he was moping around the house,' the elder Jones said. 'I told him to get his stuff. I'll never forget it, he got this bag together so fast and got in that car and I was driving him to the rink and I looked at him and I saw this big grin and I said, 'Well, I guess I got a hockey player.'' ___ AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard, Pat Graham and Tim Reynolds contributed to this report. ___
Associated Press
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Southern hockey surge: NHL teams thrive in non-traditional markets, from Texas to Florida
Popeye Jones was an NBA rookie with the Mavericks the same season that Dallas debuted its new NHL team, and he decided to go to a Stars game after meeting future Hall of Fame player Mike Modano. 'I couldn't figure out hockey. They were jumping over and off the ice … I'm like, 'what's going on with this sport?'' Jones said. 'The puck flew up, I remember it hit somebody in the nose, blood was all over the ice and they kept playing.' Back during that 1993-94 season, before he became a hockey dad, the 6-foot-8 Tennessee native who had grown up playing basketball, football and baseball was like many people in the South: He knew nothing about hockey even as the NHL was making a push into non-traditional markets. Those days are long gone. NHL teams in the South are playing for and winning the Stanley Cup in packed arenas and there is steady growth when it comes to youth participation. Football may still be king in many Sun Belt locales, but hockey has been welcomed from Las Vegas to Texas to Nashville to North Carolina — and certainly in Florida. Jones has two sons who are now NHL players. Seth Jones, a defenseman for the Florida Panthers, is playing in the Stanley Cup Final after the 12-season veteran, the fourth overall pick by Nashville in the 2013 draft, was traded from Chicago to the defending champions in March. Caleb Jones played for the Los Angeles Kings, his fourth team the past seven years. The expansion Panthers came into the league with Anaheim in 1993-94, at the same time the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators were expansion teams the previous season, and the Hartford Whalers moved to Carolina and became the Hurricanes in 1997. Shane Willis remembers playing with the Hurricanes following the NHL's arrival in North Carolina — a process featuring a two-year transition to Greensboro before moving to Raleigh — and sometimes noticing a sparse home crowd during warmups. 'I'm like, 'Is anybody coming?'' said Willis, now Carolina's manager of youth and amateur hockey after five seasons as an NHL player. That isn't the case now, with Carolina having won a Stanley Cup in 2006 and currently on a seven-year run of winning at least one postseason series, including this year's run to the East final. Southern success This is the sixth season in a row a team from Florida has reached the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers are there for the third year in a row, this time in a rematch against Edmonton. Tampa Bay also made it to the final three straight seasons, winning the Cup the first two. The Lightning's run began by beating Dallas in 2020 in what is still the the 'southernmost' Stanley Cup Final — except that entire postseason was played in Canada after the regular season was shortened because of the pandemic. Dallas made its third West final in a row this year, coming up short of another Cup chance. But they were the first Sun Belt team to hoist the Stanley Cup in 1999, followed by Tampa Bay in 2004. Every game in the conference finals in 2023 was played in the Sun Belt, a first. The Panthers beat Carolina in the East like they did this year, and Dallas lost to Vegas in the West. Popeye, Mo and Sakic Popeye Jones met Modano after getting invited to do an appearance during a Dallas Cowboys game. 'Not being a hockey fan, I really didn't know who he was and he didn't who I was. But we just struck up a conversation and started talking,' Jones said. 'Just general talk about sports and whatever, and he was such a nice guy and I enjoyed sitting there and talking to him.' That helped Jones become a Stars fan. They both played home games at the since-demolished Reunion Arena before Jones was traded to Toronto and later Boston, homes of two of the NHL's Original Six teams. His only season playing in Denver was 1999-2000, when the Avalanche lost to the Stars in consecutive West finals before winning the Cup in 2001. It was there that he got to know Avs star Joe Sakic, another future Hall of Fame hockey player and now the team's president of hockey operations. Jones' oldest son, Justin, came home from school one day in the Denver area and said he wanted to play hockey, which had a significant influence on Seth, who was 5 or 6 at the time. With his sons interested in playing an unfamiliar sport , Jones sought advice from Sakic, who said the boys needed to take skating lessons. Seth Jones started playing hockey in Colorado, but was born in Texas and was on some Stars-affiliated youth teams after his dad later returned to the Mavericks. 'When I was there, you could see more and more kids starting to play in Texas,' the 30-year-old Panthers defenseman said. 'And then really the past eight to 10 years, you see kids actually moving from the northern cities down to Texas because the hockey has really grown. Where before, all the good kids out of the southern cities would move up north to Chicago and Michigan and New York and these places.' More and more players The number of players registered with USA Hockey has grown significantly in Southern states over the past 20 seasons. USA Hockey said 4,793 players registered in North Carolina for the 2005-06 season, with roughly 2,400 of those being 18 or younger. That overall number of players jumped 19.5% (to 5,728) for the season following their 2006 Cup run. By the 2024-25 season, the state had 8,698 players (up 81.5% from 2005-06) with 5,608 being 18 or younger (up 135.5%), though Willis noted the actual number is likely higher since not all players register with USA Hockey. The total number of registrations have increased even more in Florida and Texas over the past two decades. In Florida, the total number of players has gone from 9,363 in 2005-06 to 22,888 (a 144.5% increase), with the number in the 18 or younger age groups nearly doubling to 10,277. Texas went from 7,017 to 17,346 total registrations (147.2%) in that same span, with those 18 and under going from 5,457 to 7,199 (31.9%). Pete DeBoer, the Stars coach the past three seasons, had his first NHL head coaching job with Florida from 2008-11. He recalls the Lightning and Panthers then playing before sparse crowds with questions about whether those teams would even stay in those markets. 'To see where they're at now is really impressive,' DeBoer said before the team fired him this past week. 'Dallas for me is a perfect example of coming into a place and, you know, getting a foothold at the grassroots level, and that the amount of rinks, ice surfaces and facilities and kids playing minor hockey here in Dallas is way bigger than I ever anticipated.' Much of that came as a result of the 1999 Stanley Cup for the Stars. 'They won, they captured the city's attention and all this stuff got done. Rinks got built,' DeBoer said. 'I think Florida didn't get that done early, but is doing it now and they're going to reap the benefits of that. I think when you get a team that wins and it's in a non-traditional market, I think the benefits roll out for decades.' Introducing the game For the Hurricanes, early outreach included going to area schools and essentially running PE classes as an introduction to the sport. The team, aided by grant money from the NHL, has more recently purchased equipment such as balls, sticks and Hurricanes-logo apparel to donate to more than 100 schools. The team this year partnered with Raleigh suburb Apex to open two public street hockey rinks. Carolina, Dallas and Florida all have tie-ins to to the 'Learn to Play' umbrella program created by the NHL and NHL Players' Association to introduce boys and girls, and even adults, to the sport. Those programs include variations of providing hockey equipment and instruction, and on-ice workouts at multiple rinks in their areas. 'What you have to do is not only introduce the game of hockey to people, you have to introduce your brand. You have to make both things very attractive to parents to want to get involved,' Willis said. 'I see so many parents now, they come to games and we talk about it: if you can create a hockey player, whether it's street hockey or ice hockey, you're creating three fans. Because that kid is going to come to a game with Dad, Dad and Mom, maybe a sibling. So then you're in the range of three to four fans you're creating.' Popeye Jones knows how that can go, recalling a time when Seth Jones was 11 or 12 and the family wanted him to find something else to do in the summertime. 'A kid called and said hey they had some ice, you want to come and, you know, play some pickup hockey. At first I didn't want him to, but I saw he was moping around the house,' the elder Jones said. 'I told him to get his stuff. I'll never forget it, he got this bag together so fast and got in that car and I was driving him to the rink and I looked at him and I saw this big grin and I said, 'Well, I guess I got a hockey player.'' ___ AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard, Pat Graham and Tim Reynolds contributed to this report. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Japan Today
03-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Hawaii lawmakers raise state's hotel tax to help the islands cope with climate change
FILE - People swim in the lagoon in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort in Honolulu on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File) By AUDREY McAVOY Hawaii lawmakers have passed the first-of-its-kind legislation that will increase the state's lodging tax to raise money for environmental protection and strengthening defenses against climate change -fueled natural disasters. Gov. Josh Green supports the bill, indicating he will sign it. The bill adds a 0.75% levy to the state's existing tax on hotel rooms, timeshares, vacation rentals and other short-term accommodations. It also imposes a new 11% tax on cruise ship bills, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually. They say the money will be used for projects like replenishing sand on eroding Waikiki beaches, promoting the use of hurricane clips to secure roofs during powerful storms and clearing flammable invasive grasses like those that fed the deadly wildfire that destroyed downtown Lahaina in 2023. The House and Senate, both controlled by large majorities of Democrats, both passed the measure Friday. Experts say this is the nation's first state lodging tax that raises money for the environment and coping with climate change. Hawaii already levies a 10.25% tax on short-term rentals. As of Jan. 1, the tax will rise to 11%. Hawaii's counties separately charge a 3% lodging tax, and travelers also have to pay the 4.712% general excise tax that applies to all virtually all goods and services. The cumulative tax bill at checkout will climb to 18.712%, among the highest in the nation. Green said people have told him the increase is small enough people won't notice. He observed many people come to Hawaii to enjoy the environment and predicted they will welcome committing dollars to protect shorelines and communities. 'The more you cultivate good environmental policy, and the more you invest in perfecting our lived space, the more likely it is we're going to have actually lifelong, committed travelers to Hawaii,' he said in an interview. Only funds raised by the 0.75% addition and the new tax on cruise ship stays will go exclusively toward natural resources and climate change. Revenue from existing state lodging taxes would continue to flow into state's general fund and to help pay for the construction of Honolulu's rail line. John Pele, the executive director of the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, said there's broad agreement that the money raised will go to a good cause. But he wonders if Hawaii will become too expensive for visitors. 'Will we be taxing on tourists out of wanting to come here?' he said. 'That remains to be seen.' The first draft of the legislation called for a larger increase, but lawmakers pared it back. 'We heard the concerns about how do we make sure that we are able to sustain our industry as well as find new resources to address the needs for environmental sustainability,' said Democratic Rep. Linda Ichiyama, vice speaker of the House. 'So it was a balance.' Zane Edleman, a visitor from Chicago, said he could envision the extra cost prompting some travelers to head elsewhere else like Florida. But he said it would depend on how the state shares information about what it does with the money. 'If you really focus on the point —this is to save the climate and actually have proof that this is where the funds are going, and that there's an actual result that's happening from that, I think people could buy into it,' Edleman said. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Toronto Sun
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Hawaii lawmakers raise state's hotel tax to help islands cope with climate change
Published May 02, 2025 • 3 minute read People swim in the lagoon in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort in Honolulu on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021. Photo by Caleb Jones / AP HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers passed on Friday first-of-its-kind legislation that will increase the state's lodging tax to raise money for environmental protection and strengthening defenses against climate change-fueled natural disasters. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Gov. Josh Green supports the bill, indicating he will sign it. The bill adds a 0.75% levy to the state's existing tax on hotel rooms, timeshares, vacation rentals and other short-term accommodations. It also imposes a new 11% tax on cruise ship bills, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually. They say the money will be used for projects like replenishing sand on eroding Waikiki beaches, promoting the use of hurricane clips to secure roofs during powerful storms and clearing flammable invasive grasses like those that fed the deadly wildfire that destroyed downtown Lahaina in 2023. The House and Senate, both controlled by large majorities of Democrats, both passed the measure Friday. Experts say this is the nation's first state lodging tax that raises money for the environment and coping with climate change. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hawaii already levies a 10.25% tax on short-term rentals. As of Jan. 1, the tax will rise to 11%. Hawaii's counties separately charge a 3% lodging tax, and travellers also have to pay the 4.712% general excise tax that applies to all virtually all goods and services. The cumulative tax bill at checkout will climb to 18.712%, among the highest in the nation. Green said people have told him the increase is small enough people won't notice. He observed many people come to Hawaii to enjoy the environment and predicted they will welcome committing dollars to protect shorelines and communities. 'The more you cultivate good environmental policy, and the more you invest in perfecting our lived space, the more likely it is we're going to have actually lifelong, committed travellers to Hawaii,' he said in an interview. Only funds raised by the 0.75% addition and the new tax on cruise ship stays will go exclusively toward natural resources and climate change. Revenue from existing state lodging taxes would continue to flow into state's general fund and to help pay for the construction of Honolulu's rail line. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. John Pele, the executive director of the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, said there's broad agreement that the money raised will go to a good cause. But he wonders if Hawaii will become too expensive for visitors. 'Will we be taxing on tourists out of wanting to come here?' he said. 'That remains to be seen.' The first draft of the legislation called for a larger increase, but lawmakers pared it back. 'We heard the concerns about how do we make sure that we are able to sustain our industry as well as find new resources to address the needs for environmental sustainability,' said Democratic Rep. Linda Ichiyama, vice speaker of the House. 'So it was a balance.' Zane Edleman, a visitor from Chicago, said he could envision the extra cost prompting some travellers to head elsewhere else like Florida. But he said it would depend on how the state shares information about what it does with the money. 'If you really focus on the point _this is to save the climate and actually have proof that this is where the funds are going, and that there's an actual result that's happening from that, I think people could buy into it,' Edleman said.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Recruiting Rumor Mill: Big offers upending high-profile recruitments
Caleb Jones | So much is going on in the recruiting world that a second Recruiting Rumor Mill is needed this week. Here's the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney. Advertisement MORE RUMOR MILLS: Monday's national news | Intel from the Carolinas MORE: National champions make move for five-star DE Richard Wesley CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee and a whole host of other programs are going to be involved with Alston but a new offer from Ohio State could be a game-changer. The Buckeyes are 'definitely in the mix with the top schools' for the 2027 four-star defensive back from Cincinnati (Ohio) Anderson. If the momentum continues this way, Ohio State does look strong for the local recruit. The 2027 defensive back from Birmingham (Ala.) Oak Mountain has seen his recruitment take off recently which makes things even more fluid, but two programs are standing out most early on: USC and Georgia. Advertisement Aparicio-Bailey just got back from a great visit to USC where he has built a strong relationship with position coach Trovon Reed. He also has a fantastic bond with UGA position coach Donte Williams. Those two stand out now, but Vanderbilt and others should be watched as well. Texas A&M continues to be a major player in Arrington's recruitment but a source close to him disputes that the Aggies are the clear leader right now. The Spring Valley (Calif.) Mount Miguel five-star loved his weekend visit to College Station where he keeps building a strong relationship with coach Mike Elko and his position coach. Advertisement But USC could be surging as it's been his dream school and he's visiting Oregon in a couple weeks. Georgia might be impossible to beat but a host of SEC programs, Clemson and others are involved with the five-star linebacker. However, he's just returning from a great visit to USC as well. The NFL knowledge on the coaching staff and the opportunities in Los Angeles from an NIL perspective are considerable. The coaches feel the Loganville (Ga.) Grayson standout is a 'key piece' to the defense but can anyone beat the Bulldogs? A new offer from Michigan is huge in Bernhard's recruitment and he's going to learn more about that situation with the Wolverines in the coming days. But one other program is interesting as well. Advertisement Minutes after getting his Michigan offer, the three-star QB from Ashland, Ohio, was contacted by Ohio State. After Sunday's Elite 11 in Columbus, Bernhard should learn more about exactly where the Buckeyes stand with him. Oklahoma has been the front-runner for Branch and the Sooners continue to be right there but Penn State is surging in his recruitment, especially after visiting over the weekend and hitting it off with coach James Franklin and position coach Phil Trautwein. The Taylor (Pa.) Riverside offensive lineman feels like a 'top priority' by the Penn State coaches and now the Nittany Lions are 'very high' on his list. The four-star receiver from Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington doesn't talk much about his recruitment but the word is that Auburn and Florida are standing out most. The overwhelming feeling, though, is that the Tigers lead significantly here and his former teammate, Joe Phillips, is already on The Plains. A big step recently happened in Gaston's recruitment as his father had the opportunity to take time off work and visit Georgia with him since it's the leader in his recruitment. The four-star offensive tackle from North Augusta, S.C., and his dad hit it off again with position coach Stacy Searels who 'acts just like my dad' as the Dawgs continue to push very hard as the leader in his recruitment. Maybe Michigan with star quarterback Bryce Underwood there now will be too much to overcome but the 2027 four-star receiver had an awesome time at Oregon over the weekend and now the Ducks are near the top of his recruitment. Advertisement The coaching staff made it clear that Guerrant was No. 1 on the receiver board and new position coach Ross Douglas told Guerrant he's going to make Oregon 'WRU.' The Ducks definitely moved way up after this trip. South Carolina is going to battle until the end and his relationships in Columbia are fantastic but a recent visit to Ohio State made a massive impression on the high four-star offensive lineman from Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher's. Gray has known new position coach Tyler Bowen for years so that's going to help the Buckeyes immensely and the 'people in the building' really impressed him. Advertisement LSU and Tennessee are the others to watch in a top four right now. There has been a ton of talk around Alabama as the team to beat in Hall's recruitment and Florida State is right there as well. But a weekend trip to Florida went really well. He loved the interactions between the coaches and players, and really got a better understanding of how he'd be used by position coach Vinnie Sunseri. The Gators are 'definitely one of my teams in the final five' and will get an official visit. South Carolina and NC State are the two standouts right now for the high four-star defensive end who wants to play with his brother, Andrew, in college. Ohio State had been considered the clear front-runner but things with the Buckeyes have slowed. Advertisement The Gamecocks and Wolfpack look best for the Matthews (N.C.) Weddington standout but other visits should happen, too. Cal and others are going to make a major play for the Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne defensive lineman but Arizona is now the team to watch. Harris has totally hit it off with position coach Joe Salave'a and that could be the determining factor for the four-star defensive lineman when he's ready to make his commitment. Ohio State has not offered yet but if the Buckeyes do come through then they could be tough to beat for the 2027 safety from Cibolo (Texas) Steele. Oklahoma, TCU and others are already very involved but Johnson's visit to Columbus was great. He thought the tempo of practice was like watching the Buckeyes play in a game and he hit it off with position coach Matt Guerrieri. Oregon is the front-runner for the 2027 offensive lineman from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei who was excellent at the Rivals Camp Series event in Los Angeles. After visiting Eugene recently, Mailangi loved watching the practice most and saw how organized and intense everything was which was a major selling point for him. Advertisement Tennessee and Alabama are also sticking out early on but the Ducks are on top. Texas A&M is definitely a major standout for the four-star offensive tackle from Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point, especially after recently visiting College Station and seeing how technical position coach Adam Cushing is with his players. Morcho thinks Cushing is an 'amazing coach' and coach Mike Elko told the four-star to keep visiting as much as possible. SMU, Florida State, Alabama and TCU also stand out but Texas A&M is the one to watch. Tennessee is the clear front-runner for the 2027 running back from Montezuma (Ga.) Macon County, especially after his weekend visit to Knoxville. Parker loved how much excitement and energy he was shown during his visit and just sitting in the running back room was a huge deal to Parker, who has also liked Florida State and others in the past. After visiting North Carolina over the weekend, Seck believes the Tar Heels will be one of the best teams in the country in three or four years and that could be a major draw. Advertisement But right now, Auburn is the leader for the massive interior offensive lineman and then the Tigers are followed by Syracuse. Days after committing to UCF, the three-star receiver from Sarasota (Fla.) Booker landed an offer from Georgia and is now considering the Bulldogs. Wortham had a great first talk with position coach James Coley and he believes coach Kirby Smart is 'one of the best coaches to ever do it' so while Worth loves UCF and coach Scott Frost, if Georgia pushes this could be one to watch. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH UCF FANS AT
