Size would be my guess as well FWIW.I just ran across this artice from 8/22. You can see how much Winston is ready to vouch for him.
crossing my fingers.
This kid is still a total sleeper. Perhaps he's not gotten the size they want? I dunno.
Neal Burcham is a real sleeper - ESPN
Agreed.
Saban knew about Neal when Neal was in the ninth grade. Neal was getting Bama mail by the middle of his sophomore season. As a sophomore, Neal was named the Arkansas Democrat Gazette Super sophomore QB of the year. If you have good long range radar, like Saban, Neal was a sonic blip a year or two before that.
Fact is, Greenbrier has never been a football talent laden town. Not even close to being even that. The last time Greenbrier High School had even made the state playoffs was 12 years before Burcham arrived, and before that was 1986. In those days, so went the high school team, so pretty much the same went the peewee leagues. I read an erroneous report a couple of days ago that Neal didn't play football until the 9th grade. That is far from correct...
Neal started playing in peewee ball, and Greenbrier finally had a winning football team! The consensus of folks around here were instantly like, "Man, I ain't never seen a little kid throw a ball like that." He could zing it, accurately. He was tall and skinny, but he had long arms like a little Randy Jonhson. Still does.
By the 7th grade, Neal led a somewhat dismal the year before team to a perfect 7-0 record, pretty much scoring at will if the kids could hang on to the ball. The 8th grade was the same way. By the ninth grade, those sharper coaches with their radar fine tuned knew Neal was a potential gem. All you had to do is fine tune your radar to "teams that generally ain't no good, and suddenly they're really good and scoring lots of points so why is that happening" mode. Like Saban did.
The year before Neal was a sophomore in high school, the Burchamless Panthers went 1-9. The next year, in Neal's sophomore season of high school, the Panthers went 9-4, lasting until the semi-finals of the Class 5A state championships. In that post season run, Neal guided Greenbrier back from a 16 point deficit with only 6 minutes to go in the 4th quarter, to defeat Michael Dyer and his Little Rock Christian team by a score of 58-56. (If you notice by that score, if Greenbrier ever had a buck stops here defense, they'd probably never lose). Neal threw for 3600 yards in that award winning sophomore season, with not a receiver taller than 6' 0", and the Panthers offense averaged 41 points per game under hs guidance.
There is a bottom line on Neal. Keep gaining weight and muscle. He isn't gonna forget how to throw a football, so that's not a problem. Neal is one of those few talents that can transform an offense with his arm and escapability. He's done it from day 1.
Dr. SwineSmeller
Agreed.
Saban knew about Neal when Neal was in the ninth grade. Neal was getting Bama mail by the middle of his sophomore season. As a sophomore, Neal was named the Arkansas Democrat Gazette Super sophomore QB of the year. If you have good long range radar, like Saban, Neal was a sonic blip a year or two before that.
Fact is, Greenbrier has never been a football talent laden town. Not even close to being even that. The last time Greenbrier High School had even made the state playoffs was 12 years before Burcham arrived, and before that was 1986. In those days, so went the high school team, so pretty much the same went the peewee leagues. I read an erroneous report a couple of days ago that Neal didn't play football until the 9th grade. That is far from correct...
Neal started playing in peewee ball, and Greenbrier finally had a winning football team! The consensus of folks around here were instantly like, "Man, I ain't never seen a little kid throw a ball like that." He could zing it, accurately. He was tall and skinny, but he had long arms like a little Randy Jonhson. Still does.
By the 7th grade, Neal led a somewhat dismal the year before team to a perfect 7-0 record, pretty much scoring at will if the kids could hang on to the ball. The 8th grade was the same way. By the ninth grade, those sharper coaches with their radar fine tuned knew Neal was a potential gem. All you had to do is fine tune your radar to "teams that generally ain't no good, and suddenly they're really good and scoring lots of points so why is that happening" mode. Like Saban did.
The year before Neal was a sophomore in high school, the Burchamless Panthers went 1-9. The next year, in Neal's sophomore season of high school, the Panthers went 9-4, lasting until the semi-finals of the Class 5A state championships. In that post season run, Neal guided Greenbrier back from a 16 point deficit with only 6 minutes to go in the 4th quarter, to defeat Michael Dyer and his Little Rock Christian team by a score of 58-56. (If you notice by that score, if Greenbrier ever had a buck stops here defense, they'd probably never lose). Neal threw for 3600 yards in that award winning sophomore season, with not a receiver taller than 6' 0", and the Panthers offense averaged 41 points per game under hs guidance.
There is a bottom line on Neal. Keep gaining weight and muscle. He isn't gonna forget how to throw a football, so that's not a problem. Neal is one of those few talents that can transform an offense with his arm and escapability. He's done it from day 1.
Dr. SwineSmeller
Pinash! lol alabamafb definately has the most 'pinash' of any of Tide Fan's super posters.Ah Swine.. you are to Burcham what I am to Winston.. You know the story behind the story. I just never gave away all the scoop all at once because I knew if I did, I'd be made and I rather appreciate the annonimity.
I can appreciate your posts. I can imagine you may have felt quite heated and perhaps did not want Neal going somewhere the that the fans could not appreciate him. You have a bit more pinash than I do about things. Every recruit needs someone like you and I that have watched them grow up and just want to see all their dreams come through.
Pinash! lol alabamafb have the the most 'pinash' of any of Tide Fan's super posters.
We? You got a rat in your pocket?Burcham and Lambert sound solid enough for anyone now that we're melting down as a fanbase?
Not really a meltdown so far, so far anyway. I think most people saw the writing on the wall earlier this week.Burcham and Lambert sound solid enough for anyone now that we're melting down as a fanbase?
Haha, just pointing out that it's nice to be in the spot we're in as a program. It use to be that all our eggs would have to be in one basket to get a recruit of JW's caliber. It's nice to know we still have at least two VERY good QBs still on our radar.We? You got a rat in your pocket?![]()
Problem with sims and mccaron is the speculation, started by AJ btw, that the one who is not the starter may transfer in the future. likely after this season.And is either Gunner or Winston better than Sims? I don't believe so. Both of our present QBs have a few years to go on
their schollys. Not to mention Ely.
When that came out it only sounded like AJ was unhappy that another QB could actually challenge him. I could see AJ transferring if Sims became the starter but Sims will stick aorund no matter this season.Problem with sims and mccaron is the speculation, started by AJ btw, that the one who is not the starter may transfer in the future. likely after this season.
When that came out it only sounded like AJ was unhappy that another QB could actually challenge him. I could see AJ transferring if Sims became the starter but Sims will stick aorund no matter this season.
See Burcham make his spin move at :35 seconds and again at 1:30 seconds in this highlight video. As I had said, you will see closing pass rushers who were sure they had him, and then went right by grabbing air....often avoiding the rush with his tricky backdoor spin move, then most often finding a receiver while on the run...."
Dr. SwineSmeller
Greenbrier QB Neal Burcham
You'd make a good Bama fan. Come on over. :wink:See Burcham make his spin move at :35 seconds and again at 1:30 seconds in this highlight video. As I had said, you will see closing pass rushers who were sure they had him, and then went right by grabbing air.
Neal Burcham: Qb Class of 2012 - High School Sports | ReelPlaymakers - www.reelplaymakers.com