Link: Under Armour All-America Game (Jan. 4th)

[Crimson Surfer]

Team White Tops Team Black, 26-17

Team White defeated Team Black 27-16 on Sunday night in the Under Armour All-America Game. The game was a hard hitting, solid defensive ball game that featured some big plays by some the vaunted playmakers. Both teams had a solid week of practice and the players seemed to really enjoy everything about the week.

Greg Reid opened the game with a 37 yard kickoff return. The Black started Russell Shepard at quarterback and after a nine yard gain they were the recipient of a personal foul penalty for 15 yards setting them up in great field position. After a first down, Shepard was sacked and the White settled for a field goal attempt by Dustin Hopkins. It was blocked by Ronnel Lewis.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

UA Recap: Simmons' Stars

Stock Up this Week: Top Three

TEAM WHITE: Stephen Gilmore, Gary Brown, and Craig Roh. Gilmore lit it up all week and capped it off with a touchdown saving interception late in the game. Brown separated himself from much of the pack at defensive tackle this week and he made some plays Sunday. Roh is a guy that is hard to slow down when rushing the passer – he is light, but he plays hard, he is quick, and he plays with a lot of energy.

TEAM BLACK: Duron Carter, Greg Reid, and Josh Downs. Carter made one handed grabs, he adjusted to poorly thrown balls, and he consistently got open while in Orlando. He is one of the most polished receivers I have seen this year. Reid is just a playmaker. He is not strong in a lot of technique at corner, but he was coached up this week and he took what the coaches taught him and combined that with his amazing athleticism. Downs does not look like a high level recruit, but he is. He plays with great leverage, he is strong at the point of attack, and he is one to watch at LSU.

 

[BigEasyTider]

Scout.com dubs Trent Richardson as the most impressive back at the Under-Armour All-Star Game in Orlando:

Someone like Richardson, who makes a living going between the tackles and running downhill, is going to have a difficult time showcasing his skills because of how little the running backs are used during the game and how the practices were set up (lots of 7-on-7 and 1-on-1 stuff that put much more of an emphasis on the pass-catching skills of the backs). Still, Richardson was able to adjust and actually ended up having the best week of all the backs in terms of catching the ball out of the backfield. He was giving five-star LB Manti Te'o some trouble during the week when catching balls out of the backfield and while he didn't get many opportunities in the game itself, Richardson looked to have a tremendous blend of size and speed and while being considered the best inside runner of them all, he proved he was probably the best pass-catcher of them all as well.

I tell you, anyone who doesn't have this kid as the #1 tailback in the country probably hasn't been paying attention. Only Bryce Brown should arguably be ahead of him, and even that may be a bit unfounded.

 

[Airborne Tider]

I'll tell you one thing after seeing Trent at that game I can say that kid is built like a truck and is going to be fantastic at Bama.

 

[BEATtutorsee]

Richardson and Brown are hands down the best RBs in the country. I'd probably label them 1A and 1B. They're both extremely good.

 

[Bamaball2001]

I'll tell you one thing after seeing Trent at that game I can say that kid is built like a truck and is going to be fantastic at Bama.

I agree I had no idea he was built like that but when he was in there with the rest of those guys (none of whom were small) you could get a perspective on his size. Man he has a power back's physique, his legs looked like tree trunks and this is an 18 year old kid.

I think that RBs generate much of their speed and power with their first three steps and his first three were pure power. On his last carry (I think) he hit the Dback so hard I though he hurt him; glad he didn't but that play gained no yards and it still was pretty impressive.

:BigA: RTR!

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Under Armour All-American awards

Best vision: TRENT RICHARDSON
RB, 5-11/210, Pensacola (Fla.) Escambia
Though he had limited carries in the actual game, he showed excellent vision all week during practice. Playing behind somewhat of a patchwork line, the five-star back found holes that didn't seem to be there. For a player of his size, he also showed excellent lateral movement to be able to get into the small openings provided for him.
Honorable Mention: RB Jaamal Berry, 5-11/185, Miami Palmetto

 

[M2J]

Him and Ingram in the backfield just won't be fair, especially not behind the OL we're assembling.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Under Armor AA Top 10 Players: White Team

3) RB TRENT RICHARDSON
5-11/210, Pensacola (Fla.) Escambia
Though he only carried the ball five times in the actual game, Richardson impressed throughout the entire week of practice. He received close to 75 percent of the repetitions during the week and there was a reason for it. His size makes him a great runner between the tackles, but he also surprised observers somewhat by having very soft hands as a receiver out the backfield. The Alabama commit proved once again why he is rated as the No. 2 player at his position in the entire country.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Under Armor AA Top 10 Players: Black Team

Black Team Top 10
1) ATH GREG REID
5-9/175, Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes
The Georgia state Player of the Year as a senior, he made his name primarily as a running back. However, he proved that he belongs as a college cornerback. Every receiver on his team said that Reid was by far the toughest defender they faced all week. Despite giving up quite a bit in height to the bigger receivers, his natural instincts won out as he continually broke up passes or recorded interceptions. He earned the Defensive MVP for the game with two interceptions and came very close to a third.

10) LB PETEY SMITH
6-0/230, Sefner (Fla.) Armwood
Smith looks more the part of a fullback than an inside linebacker, but he proved his doubters wrong throughout the week. Pressed into getting almost every repetition during practice and the game due to the fact that he was the only inside linebacker on the Black team, he showed that he can fill the gap to stop the run as well as deliver punishing blows. He had several jarring hits in Sunday's game and showed a little bit more athleticism than many expected after seeing his frame. He was the team's leading tackler with nine, including two for losses, and also recorded a pass breakup in the game. He will have to work hard to keep his weight under control, but he proved he can play linebacker at the next level.