Ball, who was also sought by Middle Tennessee State, was one of the top performers at the Tuscaloosa Alabama Nike Camp in May. Though his size is a question mark, Ball makes up for that with quickness, physicality, and good presence on the field. Right now, Ball is an above average athlete that loves contact but will need to put on some muscle and weight.

Going into his senior year at Stephenson High School, Ball will be the veteran leader for one of the top defenses in the state of Georgia. This is a big pickup for the Tigers in a position of need.

Click here for highlights of Regis Ball.

2011  Player commits – 4 commits
NAME	GRADE	RANK	POS	HT	WT	SCHOOL	STATUS	NOTES
Artaves Gibson	78	RB #33	RB	6-1	215	Mitchell H.S. (TN)	Verbal
Stevie Douglas	77	QB #44	QB	6-4	196	Clinton H.S. (LA)	Verbal
Tyriq Patrick	70	WR #132	WR	6-3	178	Philadelphia H.S. (MS)	Verbal
Regis Ball	45		OLB	5-10	199	Stephenson H.S. (GA)	Verbal

Douglass is different from many other football recruits because he is home-schooled. Tim Tebow was also home-schooled but played football at a Florida High School. Douglass is the first quarterback that plays for a home-schooled team to receive this kind of attention. Douglass plays for the Christian Home Educators Fellowship Patriots. His father, Steve Douglass is the head coach of his team.

The video below was sent to us courtesy of BullDawgJunction,  the Mississippi State independent site:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Photo by On The Ball Magazine

Artaves Gibson, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound running back from Mitchell High School (Memphis, Tenn.), has committed to Memphis and head coach Larry Porter for the Class of 2011 over offers from LSU and Kentucky.



Mitchell High School Head Coach Nathan Cole said that it’s good to see one of his guys stay home.


“Artaves is now the second one of my guys to commit to Memphis,” explained Coach Cole. “It’s a good thing to see your guys stay home. You can go see them play. They are right there in your back yard.”


Gibson was also sought by Illinois and Middle Tennessee State. Gibson missed five games as a junior due to an MCL sprain. He played in five games and rushed for 570 yards and six touchdowns. As a sophomore, Gibson had 1759 yards rushing with 23 touchdowns.


“Like you said, he missed five games last year so we’re going to get him there,” added Coach Cole. “We’re working on getting him back in shape. We don’t want him to feel like he’s got to come back in and do everything right away.”


Despite having a disappointing junior campaign due to the injury, Gibson looks to rebound his senior season and is the kind of guy that makes his impact off of the field. Coach Cole described Gibson as a “leader who has a lot of character.” In the end, Coach Gibson said the difference was Larry Porter.


“I think it all came down to the relationship he has with Coach Porter. He recruited him at LSU and Porter recruited him here. You can tell a big difference with this new staff. They are out in the community, visiting the high schools, talking to the coaches. When Coach Porter came in, he said he wanted to keep the best athletes in the city and he’s trying his best to do that.”


SCOUTING GIBSON


Gibson is not the type of back that is going to run around you. He’s a between the tackles type of runner who gets better as games go on. You may hit him in the first or second quarter, but as the game advances into the second half, you’ll pay the price.

It was an invitation to a training session to see if Hornsey had the potential to be an American football punter. ProKick Australia Director Nathan Chapman, himself a converted Australian Rules footballer, must have seen something special.  Twelve months later, Hornsey was attracting attention from the University of Memphis, the University of Alabama, and Northern Illinois University based on YouTube videos of him booming 50+ yard punts with over 5 seconds hangtime. His first and only official visit was to the University of Memphis, where he committed to first year head coach Larry Porter.

“Memphis was the first college that got me on an official visit and I loved the place so it became an easy decision,” Hornsey said. “The college grounds, the lifestyle, the people and the outlook for the football program were really pleasing.”

Another interesting fact about Hornsey’s recruitment: He has never played a game of American football. Despite this, he was drawing interest from the likes of the defending NCAA National Champions. Even though his first taste of American football will not come until September fourth in a cowbell clanging Davis Wade Stadium, Hornsey is confident in his abilities and makes no effort to hide his ambitions as a punter.

“Ever since I joined ProKick I have had the intention to go to college, with the long term goal of playing in the NFL.”

Hornsey has a long way to go to acheive this goal, as would anyone so new to a sport.  Champman says Hornsey needs to learn “to kick within himself to produce the best result instead of his best punt ever” but also thinks he has the work ethic and character to do so.  “He trains whenever I ask him to and is always listening to instruction.  He works hard and does not want to finish unless he has gotten something out of his sessions.” 

If he succeeds in making it to the NFL, he will join what is becoming an increasingly large fraternity of converted Australian Rules footballers that now make their livings as punters.  Of the 32 NFL teams, there are six with converted Australian Rules footballers on the roster going into training camp: Ben Graham (Cardinals), Mat McBriar (Cowboys), Sav Rocca (Eagles), David King (Patriots), Jy Bond (Giants), and Chris Bryan (Packers). Bond and Bryan are both ProKick Australia alumni and Bryan actually trained with Hornsey under Coach Chapman, who himself signed a contract with the Packers in 2004.

“Chris is a person I can draw a lot of inspiration from in the fact that he had the confidence and belief in his ability to make it in professional football,” said Hornsey. “It has inspired me to train harder and make every opportunity count as he has.”

During the 1990s, converted Australian Rules footballer Darren Bennett set the standard for punters, Australian and American. He was named to the NFL All-Decade Team after playing 10 seasons for the Chargers and the Vikings. Bennett was also named to two Pro Bowls and two NFL All-Pro teams. The 2000s saw more success for the Aussies, when Mat McBriar was named to the 2005 Pro Bowl and Ben Graham became the first Australian to play in a Super Bowl in 2009.

With Australians having so much success in the NFL, it would seem logical that Division I schools would be lining up to look “Down Under” for their next punter. However, when the 2010-11 season begins there will be just a handful which includes Tom Hornsey (Memphis), Alex Dunnachie (Hawaii), and Peter Fardon (Buffalo). One obvious reason is kids in Australia grow up wanting to play Australian Rules football.  Most become aware that American football is an option when they are older and have already played professional Australian Rules football.

“We are trying to get them as young as possible, but we have younger kids still focused on playing pro football in Australia so it’s hard to get their attention sometimes,” Chapman said.

If Australians did grow up dreaming of playing American football, they would most likely not be dreaming of becoming a punter. Even in America, unless your last name was Colquitt you probably did not grow up wanting to be a punter. Australian Rules football is a fast paced, physical game where the players do not shy away from contact. Hornsey definitely did not seem concerned when asked if he was intimidated by the fact that the smallest players running to block his punts would likely be about the same size as the largest Australian Rules players.

“Not one little bit. In Australia we don’t wear pads so it’s not much of a concern to be tackled with so much protection. ‘Bring it on’ in other words,” he said.

While Australians may not grow up wanting to play American football, the lure of an NFL contract is more than enough to get their attention once they have exhausted their Australian Rules options. The poster boy for Australians wanting to be American punters is Mat McBriar. McBriar attended the University of Hawaii before signing a free agent contract with the Cowboys in 2004. In 2007, he signed a 5-year, $8.5 million contract that included a $2.5 million signing bonus.

Is Australia going to become a fertile recruiting ground for the next wave of elite Division I punters? It has worked in the NFL, and most things that work in the NFL find their way to the college game at some point. One thing is for sure, punting appears to be football’s forgotten position. They are generally the most inconspicuous player on the field, until they shank a kick to give the opposing team excellent field position.  Nathan Chapman thinks Australians make perfect sense to fill the demand for quality punters and hopes for continued success at getting players scholarships to Division I schools.

“We just really know how to kick a ball with power because we are brought up with it. Hopefully with our program and the success of Tom (Hornsey), more players will be interested in our program and want to get educated while playing football in the USA.”

Tiger fans will be hoping for plenty of success for Hornsey as well.  The 2010-11 football season is one of the most anticipated in recent history.  It marks a new beginning for a program coming off a 2-win 2009-10 campaign.  Coach Porter will coach his first game for his alma mater.  Speculation is rampant about conference realignment.  There are battles currently raging at every skill position.  In the middle of it all, the Tigers will unveil their 57th ranked recruiting class, including Tom Hornsey who will kick his first punt in an American football game in front of 55,000 people.

EXTRAS

Additional Quotes from Tom Hornsey
 

What does your family think about you coming to the US to play? Will they be able to come see you play?

“My family are so excited for the opportunity I have received In playing college football. I am really the first one in my immediate family to venture outside Australia so as you could imagine it is a hard thing for them to go through in saying goodbye. They are looking at coming for my first game so that should be a memorable moment.”

Australian Rules Football is a fast paced, constantly moving game. Does it now get boring focusing on just one thing like punting and really only being on the field just 3 or 4 times a game?

“Although the two football codes are very different it is still sport and I still want to win. I love the challenge of punting, the technical side and also the competitive side. At the end of the day I want to kick well and I want to make the oppositions day a nightmare, so I have enough things in front of me to keep entertained.”

What are your hobbies outside of football?

“Surfing is my favorite hobby outside football, where I live is right next to one of the best surf beaches in the world. Hanging out with mates (friends) and really just having fun.”

Favorite movies or tv shows?

“Movies: Kiss Of The Dragon, Romeo Must Die, Superbad, Old School, Taken and ShawShank Redemption. TV Shows: The Office (USA), House, Family Guy & Packed To The Rafters”

What is on your iPod or mp3 player?

“Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Pete Murray, Lil Wayne, Kanye West , Cold Chisel”

Favorite Foods?

“Spaghetti Bolognaise, Chili Con Carne, Roast Lamb & Vegetables most things healthy.”

Favorite sports outside of football?

“Tennis, Cricket, Basketball, Hockey”

Additional Quotes from Nathan Chapman

What is the toughest thing about switching to American football

“Not being as involved in the game with tackles and running and catching, also adjusting to the different shaped ball and finding the sweet spot consistently.”

How many punters are you currently working with at ProKick?

“We have about 7-8 guys ready for the 2011 season, as we also do a course for NFL aspirants. We are always looking for college eligible div1 players.”

How long do your punters generally stay in your program?

“We make sure they have at least 12 months with us and then hopefully we get to work with them via the internet while they are at college, as we can still analyze their footage and help them correct any issues.”

The good news about Ballentine’s commitment gets even better when you consider that he will graduate early. He has already signed a letter of intent with the Tigers and will be eligible for the 2010 season. Ballentine will be a valuable piece in Coach Porters’ effort to rebuild the football team.

National Recruiting Director/ESPN Analyst Scouts Inc.

With Larry Porter’s first recruiting class all but finished, Memphis Roar had a chance to catch up with Tom Luginbill, National Recruiting Director for ESPN Scouts Inc., to get his thoughts on the 2010 recruiting class for the Tigers.

“From a junior college standpoint we feel they hit the mark with two guys in particular Khiry battle and D’Angelo McCray. They also hit the post-grad level pretty hard with guys like Johnnie Farms, Jerrell Rhodes and Sean Farr to name a few. OLB Fred Harvey may lack ideal size, but he is a darn good football player and hitter that attacks upfield nicely.

WR Bakari Trotter has great size and physicality to create mismatches vs. smaller DB’s. He knows how to use his size well and has deceptive speed and quickness. QB Ryan Williams has terrific size and can make all the throws. He needs to polish up mechanically, but we love the fact that he has taken a lot of snaps from under center which is becoming more and more rare each year with QB’s coming out that always play out of the shotgun.”

A sleeper in the 2010 class, Louisiana native Taurean Nixon pledges to the Tigers.

With signing day only two weeks away, commitments are starting to come in rapidly for the Tigers. Due to his strong ties in Louisiana, it is no surprise that Larry Porter has tapped the state for some of the top remaining talent.

Memphis and new head coach Larry Porter have added Class of 2010 commitments from Taurean Nixon of Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) and Kevin Wright of Christian Life Academy (Baton Rouge, La.).

Nixon, rated by ESPN Scouts, Inc as a two-star prospect with a grade of 73, is a 5-foot-11, 180-pound cornerback/athlete. Nixon picked the Tigers over offers from TCU, Arkansas State, Houston, Louisiana-Lafayette and New Mexico. During his senior season at Southern Lab, Nixon earned all-state and All-Metro honors. The District 6-1A Defensive MVP also returned nine kickoffs and punts for touchdowns.

Southern Lab’s student body president, Nixon carries a 4.0 grade-point average. During his junior season, Nixon totalled 119 tackles and two interceptions while scoring three touchdowns.

Scouting Report on Nixon

Taurean Nixon 5-11 177 pounds, can flat out fly in open field. He ran a hand-timed 4.39 at LSU’s camp this past summer. He gets north and south in a hurry. He is very adept at reading the QB and is very effective at jumping in the WR routes. Nixon is a big-time sleeper in the 2010 class.

Kevin Wright

Kevin Wright of Christian Life Academy (Baton Rouge, La.) is a 6-2, 205-pound quarterback who projects as a college receiver. During his junior season, he threw for 315 yards and seven touchdowns. Wright also carried the ball 107 times for 768 yards, tallying 12 touchdowns.  He chose the Tigers over Utah.

As a sophomore, Wright earned the spot as the Crusaders top quarterback. As a junior, he helped lead his team to the Louisiana Superdome for the Class 1A state championship game. At that time, Wright was overshadowed by then senior running back, Shane Andrus, who rushed for over 1,820 yards in the regular season. Wright’s main duty was to hand the ball of to Andrus, though Wright was able to show his ability as a dual threat quarterback with some pass plays to Andrus and a few quarterback sweeps. Wright runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and is a guy who can hurt you in multiple ways.

Harvey, #44 for the Spartans, decommitted from Texas Tech and has decided to stay home to play at Memphis.

When Josh Pastner first took the job as the men’s basketball coach back in April, he made it known that he was going to build his foundation for recruiting in the city of Memphis. Larry Porter, without publicly stating that same mission, has sent notice to local Memphis prep football players that if you are good enough, Memphis is home. After picking up a commitment from East High School’s Brandon Ivory, Porter has nabbed his second big local commitment from the White Station Spartans.

As first reported yesterday by The Commercial Appeal, three-star outside linebacker Fred Harvey, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound prospect from White Station (Memphis, Tenn.), has pledged to the Tigers for the Class of 2010. Originally scheduled to visit Louisville this coming weekend, Harvey decided to go ahead and get the process over with.

Harvey committed to Texas Tech in September of 2009, but recently decommitted from Texas Tech due to the coaching changes. Other than Louisville, Harvey’s other offers were Stanford and Middle Tennessee State.

“You could just tell coach Porter is getting ready to turn that program around,” Harvey told The Commercial Appeal. “That’s something I want to be a part of. Every coach there had a winning mentality. They know what they’re doing. They’ve been somewhere. And they know how to teach. I want to learn. If I want to be the best at what I do, I’ve got to get somebody to teach me.”

An an outside linebacker, Harvey flashes very good quickness to the football and springs onto ball carriers with deceptive explosiveness. When watching him play, you can tell that he is definitely faster than his 40 time would indicate and has good backside chase speed. He has what some would call “football speed”. Harvey simply finds the football quickly and plays with a fast and physical style that makes him very disruptive, despite lacking ideal measurables. In his junior season alone, Harvey registered 78 tackles and 21 sacks.

ESPN Scouts, Inc, which rates Harvey with a grade of 77 at the #44 overall outside linebacker in the 2010 class, had this to say about the hard-hitting Spartan:

Harvey is an undersized, yet hard-hitting linebacker prospect with a lot production behind the line of scrimmage. A good upfield, vertical attacker. Lacks ideal height and bulk but has a longer, well-built frame that should continue to physically develop. Plays taller and covers more ground than his shorter measurables would suggest. Plays in a defense that allows him to attack of the edge and he excels in that role with his good first-step quickness and short-area burst to the football. This guy is a very active presence on the perimeter and creates a lot of havoc. Should be a stud on special teams coverage units.

“Yeah [I committed]. I started school on Thursday,” said Farms. “I love Memphis. It’s a great place.”

Given a rating of 78 by ESPN Scouts, Inc, Farms is a raw talent with brute strength. He’s stocky, but his lack of height probably limits him to the guard position. His upper-body power, especially through his hands and arms, is his greatest attribute. Has sledgehammer hands to deliver a crushing initial blow and he clamps like a vise. Farms chose Memphis over schools like Florida, South Carolina, and a few other SEC and ACC schools.

“Coach Porter, he’s a great coach and a good guy,” replied Farms when asked why he chose Memphis. ”He’s doing some good things and I wanted to be a part of what he is doing. Playing time and a new coaching style were the big things.”

Farms said that he was impressed by the new facility plans. He also said he felt an extra level of comfort since a few of his Hargrave Military Academy teammates would be joining him at Memphis. Farms expressed that he is ready to hit the ground running and is excited about the new direction of Tiger football.

“I think we are going to have an awesome season,” Farms said. ”Coach Porter is going to change things and things are going to be different with the football program.”

“Memphis is a good fit for me. The city has a lot of options to go do things,” Summerlin replied. ”Having said that, football is what it comes down to. Offensively, it’s a good fit and I have the opportunity to come in and play early.”

With that opportunity at hand, this spring’s quarterback competition just heated up immensely with Summerlin’s NFL frame and arm and ability to execute the spread offense. Summerlin broke a 31-year-old Coffeyville record for passes completed in a game (32) and yards passing in a season (2,032). The 6′5″ 230-pound record-setting quarterback, who is originally from Apoka, FL and is considering a future in coaching, was also considering Colorado State.

“I’m very thankful to have the opportunity and hopeful that I can take advantage of it ,” Summerlin said.

Summerlin has three years left to play. He was named first-team all-conference and team MVP while at Coffeyville C.C. with a final completion percentage in the low to mid 60’s.

Read this article about Summerlin coming out of high school.

Video of Summerlin