If there was one position UVa missed out on in the 2005 recruiting class, it was inside linebacker. Well, a little over two months after signing day, the Cavs may be close to adding a recruit just for that position. Mission Bay High School (San Diego, CA) prospect Darren Childs is expected to become the 23rd member of the 2005 class.
“I think everything’s just got to be cleared by the Admissions office,” Mission Bay Head Coach Dennis Pugh said. “I guess once that happens, he’s in.”
Mission Bay assistant coach Rolando Garcia, who runs a scouting service in the San Diego area and “has contacts throughout the country” according to Pugh, made the initial contact with the University of Virginia. Garcia helps to match prospects with schools that may be in need of their talents.
“Rolando’s the one who actually did all the work here,” Pugh said. “We have a really good network. We thought Darren was going to go to Utah. And he waited ‘til the last minute. Then they changed coaches and he got caught up in the bunch. He said he wasn’t going to those other schools like Montana, Idaho State and San Jose State. He didn’t want to go to any of those schools. He wanted to wait. We’ve had a pretty good history of doing this in the past, where a kid waited until April or May and we were able to place him at a better college. So he decided to wait and then the Virginia thing came up.”
Childs visited UVa last weekend and the visit appears to have been what solidified the Cavaliers’ interest. Then, the UVa staff had a chance to see whether or not he had the size and build they were looking for in a linebacker recruit.
“Well, first of all they wanted to eyeball him because there had been some things out saying he’s only 6-0, 200,” Pugh said. “That was one reason why we wanted to take a trip out there real quick. Once they got to eyeball him, things got really rolling then. They wanted to make sure of what they had. Basically, I think he’s about 6-2, 220, and he’s a strong, well-built kid. He’ll probably play at about 240.”
Childs had a productive senior season and was voted the team MVP. And Coach Pugh believes he will carry the production onto the next level as an inside linebacker in UVa’s 3-4 defense.
“He’s a tough kid, a strong kid and a good hitter,” Pugh said. “He averaged 10 to 12 tackles per game last year and we tried to funnel everything towards him. He’ll get a lot bigger. He’s been a basketball player here, too. In our history of kids who have played basketball and football here, they’ve been able to add 20 or 30 pounds once they get to college because they don’t run up and down the court anymore.
“He’s an inside linebacker type. He’ll be an inside linebacker in the 3-4. And that may turn out to be even better for him.”
Playing for a top Division 1-A program is important to Childs, who is very excited about his newfound opportunity.
“That’s the school that wanted him and he wanted to go to a good Division 1 school,” Pugh said. “He wanted to go to the Pac 10 or a good Division 1 school. Obviously when they came to see him he jumped all over it right away.”
While California is obviously very far from Virginia, Pugh feels distance will not be an issue for Childs.
“I think he’ll be ok because he’s an inner-city kid and a lot of our kids just want to get out of here,” Pugh said. “It’s not a great part of town their living in. So this is kind of a good thing for him. He’s looking forward to a different part of the country and seeing what it’s like. When I was a kid I lived back in Norfolk, Virginia, and I liked it. I think he’ll enjoy it. We took a visit last weekend, so he’s already been out there. It’s a whole different lifestyle and I think he’ll enjoy it.”
Academically, Pugh feels Childs will fit right in at UVa.
“He’s above average academically,” Pugh said. “He does a good job. He has a 3.0-plus GPA and I think he scored over 900 on the SAT. That was another good factor for him I think.”
Childs should be a solid addition to the 2005 class, particularly after UVa could not sign Lamont Robinson or Darryl Gresham – two top inside linebacker prospects who originally committed to UVa before signing elsewhere.
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NEW UPDATE
Darren found out today that he has been cleared by Admissions. Darren said that Coach Danny Rocco is faxing out his scholarship papers tonight and he will sign a letter of intent with UVa.
