ASU's Burfict cleared to play

[sundevilscott]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/2009/09/04/20090904spt-burfictcleared.html



Arizona State prize recruit Vontaze Burfict received clearance from the NCAA Eligibility Center on Friday and will play in the season opener against Idaho State on Saturday.

Burfict, a 6-foot-3 linebacker from Corona (Calif.) Centennial High School, is the highest rated recruit ever to sign with ASU. He was the No. 9 overall player nationally among preps who signed in February according to Rivals.com.

Burfict will start out as the backup to senior Gerald Munns at middle linebacker. He has been impressive during fall camp but did not practice this week until a final decision was received on his NCAA eligibility.


At least 11 players are expected to make their ASU debut including true freshmen Burfict, defensive tackles William Sutton and Corey Adams, quarterback Brock Osweiler and tailback Cameron Marshall.

ASU still is awaiting eligibility clearance on defensive end Greg Smith, who is expected to redshirt.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Congrats, he's going to be a stud for three years at ASU and for whoever drafts him in the first round in the 2012 NFL Draft. A very rare player.

 

[Gaddabout]

I've watched him in practice. He could start in the NFL today, at least by physical standards. He runs, he hits, and he's just a monster. I'm not even sure he needs to put it all together between the ears to be an All-American ... he has incredible instincts, too.

He'll blow a coverage and come back and make two amazing plays and you forget about the screw up.

 

[PoolBoy]

great news!

 

[HooverDam]

Very excited to see this kid play on Saturday, it should be a lot of fun watching him against a school like ISU.

 

[overseascardfan]

Had great game with the rest of the LBing corp. Delivered a monster hit on the ISU QB before the half. He is the real deal.

 

[Gaddabout]

 

[lauraw]

Burfict looked good for having had such a stressful last 2 weeks; according to all accounts he should be the type of kid that saves the best, most intense play for the biggest games..I expect him to wreak havoc withe uofa forthe next 3 years..

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Congrats, he's going to be a stud for three years at ASU and for whoever drafts him in the first round in the 2012 NFL Draft. A very rare player.

Mao, can you explain his situation briefly for me? How can someone's eligibility not be determined until days before the season opener? This just seems bizarre.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

No better game to start your ASU highlight reel collection than your first one. What a play.

 

[Mathew81]

Mao, can you explain his situation briefly for me? How can someone's eligibility not be determined until days before the season opener? This just seems bizarre.

The NCCA takes awhile sometimes, especially with players who had to take summer classes. There was a USC player last year (don't remember his name) who wasn't cleared until a few weeks into the season.

 

[overseascardfan]

The NCCA takes awhile sometimes, especially with players who had to take summer classes. There was a USC player last year (don't remember his name) who wasn't cleared until a few weeks into the season.

Juan Roque commented on this, said that NCAA needs to fix the system. He said he had to go through the same situation as a player and that Burflict shouldn't have had to wait 2 weeks to find out he was eligible. Yes the system sucks but doing well in high school helps to avoid the problem, I'm sure Vontaze learned that lesson.

 

[Tyler]

I just want to bump this thread due to the fact that Burfict making it through the clearing house was, if I dare say, a defining moment in DE's career at ASU. Granted we need to wait until say week 5 to see how good he really is I kid I kid, watch out OSU........

 

[HooverDam]

Burfict is crazy good. Ive never seen a college freshman with the timing he has, he seems to get the snap count right every time and blows through the line. Every time he's on the field at the end of the play he's either made the tackle or is right there, he's all over the field.

 

[Tyler]

I didnt want to start a new thread, but this is from an Oregon paper regarding this week and #7.

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/sports/20895556-41/story.csp

 

[Gaddabout]

The legend builds. You can't just run away from him because he's Derrick Thomas-like on backside pursuit. I haven't seen a college linebacker so good at sideline-to-sideline pursuit since Thomas -- and Burfict is bigger.

I think Oregon State may try to take advantage of his aggressiveness and throw screens to Rogers on his side.

 

[Tyler]

In the past Oregon would always use the screen to exploit us, so it wouldnt surprise me to see OSU do it as well. In the past we didnt have anywhere near the team speed we have now. If the Devils O comes alive I see a somewhat lopsided loss, if they cant move the ball I see another close game.