By Zac Ellis

Perhaps there’s more to blue-chip recruit Jabrill Peppers than meets the eye. A five-star prospect out of Paramus (N.J.) Catholic, Peppers recently dropped a video for his rap song “Don’t Take It Personal” on YouTube.

The track, credited to J. Reall (Peppers) featuring Knew Era X, begins with the line, “It ain’t no secret through the struggle only the strong survive.” Peppers is likely referring to his recruitment here, as he continues to fend off an endless sea of scholarship offers from major-conference programs. He’s reportedly narrowed his final list of schools down to LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Rutgers and Stanford. He’s slated to make his announcement on ESPNU on May 26.

Unlike previous recruits’ rap videos, this effort isn’t half bad. Peppers appears to have a bright future ahead of him on the gridiron — he rushed for 1,552 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior — but he may have a backup career path if the whole football thing goes south.

By Holly Anderson

Cal O-line coach Zach Yenser — you remember him — has taken to the life of a Bear with what can only be called ursine ferocity:

We get X amount of $ a day for meals while recruiting I just spent X amount of $ on sushi! I couldn't help it all the rolls looked so good!—
Zach Yenser (@CalCoachYenser) May 17, 2013

@RGBearTerritory I didn't go in hungry! We at least I didn't think I was! We got fed BBQ tonight after watching a practice! #igotproblems—
Zach Yenser (@CalCoachYenser) May 17, 2013

By Holly Anderson

The #Process begins at THE University of Alabama! #BuiltByBama #RollTide http://t.co/luQtxrlvAr—
Tyler Siskey (@tylersiskey) May 16, 2013

Nick Saban doesn’t have a widely accepted nickname. Does anyone else find this upsetting?

By Holly Anderson

All right, now we’re just free-associating anything having to do with the word “Joker.” This is no slight to his abilities as a head coach, but we like Joker Phillips better right now than we ever have. We are sure this brings him great comfort, and cannot wait to see the forthcoming mockup of all Florida’s offensive assistants dressed like characters from the Riverbottom Nightmare Band.

Come Join The Jokers. #comeplaywrforthejoker http://t.co/OcbyOhgdFn—
Joker Phillips (@jokerphillips) May 16, 2013

Sleeper hit of this image construction: The terrifying carnelian eyes of the gator lurking in the background. Nice layering, Joker(‘s graphics interns).

By Holly Anderson

NB: You probably do not want to play this video with the sound up at work, unless you work in a rap emporium.

Jay Harris, a Rivals.com three-star wide receiver committed to Michigan State, has made perhaps the offseason’s most unusual LOI-related announcement, declaring his intentions to give up football in favor of nurturing his rap career. Our pals at SB Nation are asking the important question; namely, which Big Ten coach do we want to see try the same thing? (The answer, naturally, is Kirk Ferentz, because how else are they going to get him out of there?)

[UPDATE: The above Inquirer story has now been altered to indicate Harris was stripped of his scholarship when school officials learned of the video, but goes on quote both Harris saying it was his decision and an MSU spokesman calling the move a mutual arrangement.]

Heavy lies the head that wears the FSU cap. (Steve Mitchell/USA Today Sports)

By Holly Anderson

So, about Matthew Thomas’ request for a release from his Florida State scholarship: It turns out that, as Thomas intimated last week, the ‘Noles are not super eager to let a five-star linebacker, the latest in a long line of Miami’s Booker T. Washington High football products, get out before he even gets there. From the Tallahassee Democrat: “During a break at the ACC spring meetings here Tuesday morning, FSU athletic director Randy Spetman told the Democrat that the school was surprised by Thomas’ request and has no intention of releasing him from his LOI.”

Thomas explained last week that he signed with FSU at the behest of his mother. Ranked as the nation’s second-best linebacker in the class of 2013 by Rivals.com, Thomas would prefer to attend Georgia or USC.

By Holly Anderson

Coach Mullen signing an ultrasound. That’s a new one. #RoadDawgs13 http://t.co/hvPnxhSljH—
Joe Galbraith (@joestate) May 07, 2013

Dan Mullen, ever on the bleeding edge of the recruiting game, takes the practice of autographing a pregnant woman’s belly to its furthest rational conclusion.

Touted linebacker Matthew Thomas has asked for a release from his FSU scholarship. (Steve Mitchell/USA Today Sports)

By Zac Ellis

One of Florida State’s most prized recruits in the class of 2013 might never set foot on campus. Five-star linebacker Matthew Thomas has asked Seminoles coaches for a release from his scholarship, the Miami Herald reports.

The nation’s No. 2 linebacker according to Rivals.com, Thomas told the Herald he informed Florida State coaches that he doesn’t plan to report to campus in the fall. Thomas said he wasn’t fully committed to signing with the Seminoles when originally announced his decision in February.

“I’ve told them it’s nothing personal. I just didn’t make the decision I really wanted to on Signing Day,” said Thomas, who picked the Seminoles over USC, Georgia and Miami.

“What happened was on Signing Day I wasn’t sure who I wanted to sign with. I had issues with different schools. But when I told my mom I didn’t want to sign with anybody and wait and give it a few days she said I couldn’t do that. She said, ‘FSU is a good school –- pick them. It’s close to home.’ I wasn’t agreeing with it. But I felt like I was being disrespectful to her if I didn’t sign. So I made her happy.”

Read More…

The NCAA has suspended the recruiting rule allowing for unlimited phone calls and texts to prospects. (AP)

By Zac Ellis

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors suspended the rule allowing unlimited phone calls and text messages to recruits, the organization announced on Thursday.

After receiving more than 75 requests to override the measure, the Board opted to reverse the rule, which was originally adopted in January. The Board instead supported a recommendation that “all the recruiting concepts under review be examined as a group to develop a model that considers how the changes would work together.”

“We are supportive of moving as aggressively as possible while still studying the issues with due diligence,” said Board of Directors chair Nathan Hatch, president at Wake Forest University. “It’s important to make sure all the pieces of the recruiting model work together to make the most effective change in the culture.”

MANDEL: Recruiting deregulation fiasco underscores deeper NCAA disconnect

By Holly Anderson

As has become our custom, we will now break down Florida’s latest social media recruiting imagery:

A new horse has been entered into the #derby #comeplaywrforthejoker http://t.co/IIL9WiHadI—
Joker Phillips (@jokerphillips) May 01, 2013

Assessments:

• How have we, as a nation, gotten this far into Twitter’s lifespan without seeing a horse with a hashtag for a name?

• When we get a Derby horse we’re naming it Retweets Do Not Equal Enhorsements

• If Jeff Driskel is so tall, why couldn’t he see where he was aiming in the Sugar Bowl?