Topic: H-D: Chuck Landon: A big recruiting day

[biggreenarms]

It was a big recruiting day for Marshall.

First, the Herd’s football program got a highly regarded transfer from UCF.

Then, Marshall’s new head basketball coach, Danny D’Antoni, signed his first two recruits.

Well, sort of.

James Kelly, 6-foot-7, 246-pound power forward, visited Marshall this week and, then, announced on his Twitter account he had signed with the Herd on Friday.

Kelly spent last season with the Miami Hurricanes’ basketball program, averaging 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds while starting 11 games. But after being suspended for a violation of team rules, Kelly appeared to grow disenchanted.

So, he contacted Marshall.

Why MU?

Because there’s a connection.

Kelly played with Marshall guard Justin Edmonds at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio, for two seasons, 2011-12 and 2012-13.

They were the stars of the team and Marshall offered both scholarships. Edmonds, who had torn an ACL, accepted, but Kelly picked Miami over offers from Clemson, Louisiana Tech, St. Bonaventure and Marshall.

Kelly, who averaged 18.3 points and 10.1 rebounds at Owens in 2012-13, is considered a big-time talent who possesses the skills to post up or play facing the basket.

The native of Ann Arbor, Mich., should be a perfect fit for D’Antoni’s pick-and-roll offense.

There is a catch, however.

Kelly will have only one year of eligibility (2015-16) and will have to sit out next season as a transfer.

So, is he worth taking?

Absolutely.

Kelly will get to wear a Marshall uniform for only one season, but that year has the potential to be outstanding. With his size, body and skill set, Kelly could be a first-team All-Conference USA caliber player.

He’s that talented.

Then, there’s the second recruit.

Meet C.J. Burks, 6-3 combo guard from Hedgesville (W.Va.) High School in the Eastern Panhandle, who was a 2014 first-team Class AAA all-state selection.

Burks averaged 20 points and led Hedgesville to the 2014 state high school basketball tournament. The Eagles lost to Hurricane, 69-66, in triple overtime in the semifinals.

Hedgesville is gaining a reputation for producing hard-nosed, athletic guards and Burks is the most recent in that line. He might also be the best.

But he, too, has a catch. Burks has committed to Marshall, according to sources, but is expected to sit out next year as an academic non-qualifier.

Despite not being eligible for the 2014-15 season, both Kelly and Burks are potentially outstanding additions to Marshall’s basketball program.

The intriguing part is another transfer from a Florida-based school also presents that sort of upside for Marshall’s football program.

He is 6-1, 223-pound defensive end Blake Keller, who also announced via Twitter that he had “Just committed to transfer to Marshall.”

Keller, who is expected to arrive in Huntington in early June, is a native of Bradenton, Fla., who was a 7A all-state selection for Manatee High School. According to Rivals.com, Keller had scholarship offers from Iowa State, Pitt, South Florida, WVU and Western Kentucky.

But Keller chose UCF and actually had moved into the starting lineup as a true freshman when he decided to quit only five games into the 2013 season. He also was leading the team in sacks with three.

Apparently, UCF just wasn’t a fit for the honor student.

But Marshall is.

That goes for all three new members of the Herd.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x359114530/Chuck-Landon-A-big-recruiting-day