BAMA RECRUITING UPDATE // ALABAMA FEELS LIKE HOME TO ELITE O. T. // COACHES ARE A BIG FACTOR

BAMA RECRUITING UPDATE // ALABAMA FEELS LIKE HOME TO ELITE O. T. // COACHES ARE A BIG FACTOR

A top priority for the Crimson Tide staff is to add a couple of offensive tackles to the 2015 class. One of the prime targets is Isaiah Prince, a 6-7, 280-pounder from Eleanor Roosevelt HS in Greenbelt, MD. Prince, who has numerous offers, lists a top four of Alabama, Florida, Maryland and Ohio State.
Prince recently set an official visit to Alabama for January 16. He has not yet scheduled any other officials visits.
Some think the Tide might have the inside track for the big OT.
“I like the coaches and the players,” Prince says of Alabama. “It kind of reminds me of my school. It feels like home there. It’s not much different there than it is here in Maryland, so I feel comfortable down there. I feel like I could go down there and feel right at home. I went down there this summer, and I’m excited to go back on my official.”
Prince is being recruiting by UA assistant Lance Thompson. Recently, Thompson was in Greenbelt checking on Prince.
“Coach Thompson is a great coach,” Prince says. “He keeps it real. He doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear. He’s a great coach and a great person. He cares about the players on and off the field.
“I also communicate with Coach Cristobal, the o-line coach, regularly. We have a great relationship. I know that he’s a great coach and he’s a great person, too.”
Prince says his other finalists have also impressed him.
“Maryland is the hometown school. I know I could be comfortable there,” he says. “Florida is similar to Alabama —a great state, great university, great coaches, great players and a great system academically. I’d say the same for Ohio State.”
Regarding a leader, Prince says, “I think it’s even among the four schools right now. I’ll probably wait until near the end to make a decision.”
RONNIE HARRISON
Top safety remains solid to Bama
Ronnie Harrison has gotten his senior season off to a fast start. The Tide’s 6-2, 204-pound safety commit from University HS in Tallahassee, FL has helped his team to a 2-1 record by doing just about everything.
“I’m playing quarterback, safety, and returning punts and kickoffs,” Harrison says. “I’ve thrown for over 200 yards and rushed for over a hundred yards in every game. I think I’ve got five touchdowns passing and five rushing. On defense, they don’t really throw much in my direction, but I had a pick return for a touchdown that was called back, and I have about 15 tackles.”
Harrison, who flipped his commitment from North Carolina to Alabama back in July, plans to be in Tuscaloosa for the Texas A&M game on October 18.
“I’m excited to get back up there,” he says. “I’ve watched every game they’ve played so far on TV. We’re just now getting our quarterback situation settled. Last game against Florida, we came out shaky. We had to get settled down, but once we did in the second half, we pulled away from them.”
“I think the defense definitely looks like it’s getting better every game,” Harrison says. “The first game against West Virginia, we looked a little shaky at corner. We were getting eaten up at corner. But we started fixing it against Southern Miss. Against Florida, we looked pretty strong with Tony Brown at corner. We looked a lot better. Landon Collins at safety is a baller. Everybody knows that. He’s the leader of the defense and one of the leaders of the team.”
Some Tide fans have been concerned about Harrison’s taking visits to nearby FSU for games this season. But Harrison says there’s nothing to worry about.
“I talk with the Alabama coaching staff, Coach Thompson, every day,” he says. “We have a good relationship. My commitment is still strong.”

MONTRELL CUSTIS
The sky is the limit for Custis
Montrell Custis is one of the few Tide commits not to have made it to Tuscaloosa for a game this season. But that’s not because the 6-0, 180-pound cornerback from Lovejoy HS in Hampton, GA is having second thoughts about his decision.
“He’s still solid to Alabama. He hasn’t said anything otherwise,” says Lovejoy head coach Edgar Carson. “We’ve just been busy with our season and he hasn’t been able to make it over there. We have an open date on the weekend of October 17 (when Alabama hosts Texas A&M), and I’m sure he will make it over there that weekend.”
Lovejoy is 3-1 this season. Custis is a big reason for the fast start.
“Montrell is doing pretty good right now,” Carson says. “As a coach, you’re always pushing for a player to do a little bit more, but he’s doing a pretty good job right now. He’s one of the better athletes on our team.
“We’ve got a big game coming up this Saturday against Mays High School. He will be facing some pretty good competition. We’ve played him at safety and at corner this year. He’ll be at corner in this game coming up. He does a good job at corner getting a jam on his guy and he does a good job coming out of his breaks. He closes on the football real well.”
Carson expects Custis to play corner at Alabama.
“He has rare size and rare speed,” Carson says. “He can run. He’s physical. I think that adds up to playing corner on the next level. I think he’s got a lot of upside as a corner. The sky is the limit.”