BDT-Richlands' Josh Hess commits to FIU

[trublue 939]

By BRIAN WOODSON

The Bluefield Daily Telegraph

August 14, 2011

 

for rest of article: http://bdtonline.com/localsports/x1555806376/Hess-commits-to-Florida-International

 

excerpt:

 

Hess is, no doubt, excited about his future. Florida International is a young program started in 2002 that moved to Division I and the Sun Belt Conference three years later. The Golden Panthers are led by Mario Cristobal, one of the rising stars in the coaching ranks.

 

Mance said that Florida International — which finished 7-6 last season, defeating Toledo in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl — will be using Hess at guard, and they offered him a scholarship simply from seeing him on film.

 

“They offered him basically on the tapes that we sent to them,†Mance said. “The coaches really liked him, his ability and his height, and how he moved.

 

“It is a great for our program and great for him. He is one of those kids who has lived in the weight room since his eighth grade year...To watch him to grow and develop and mature in our program, he is going to have a special season, he is 10 times better than he was last year.â€

 

In addition to the weight room, Hess has stayed busy attending camps all over the place, including the National Armour Underclassman Combine in New Jersey last summer, just one of at least 30 camps that Mance says he has attended in his time at Richlands.

[Ditto 10]

Grats to Hess, Heard this as a rumor several days ago it's nice to see it in writing, I'm sure he will do well there.

[Bigrhsfan 884]

Congrats to Josh !! So glad to see him move on to a higher education and football !!

[Irishman 30]

Congratulations Josh. We wish you the best .

[Bulldogs52 484]

Congrats to you! But what happened to these big schools that were after him?

[Guest lookoutmountain]

Hess is a brillant kid both on the field and off the field. His academics are solid. He's going from Richlands, VA, down to Miami where that lifestyle will get old quick as he is far, far, away from home surrounded by miserable people that is infested with crazy amounts of crime. I think Old Dominion or Marshall were better choices. Hess will go onto graduate school and not a better dig than getting a grad school like UVA or William and Mary with in state tuition if he stayed in Virginia. Marshall isn't far from home either and the Thundering Herd will see more national TV action over the next 4 years in Hess's playing career than will FIU. I wish Josh all the best and hope he does well and even maybe play at the next level with some development, but I just see FIU as a choice less attractive than Marshall. Remember, Miami just got in big trouble this week and will be on probation for a long time after the mess settles. Look for some of the local South Florida kids that would have went to Miami to stay at home in Miami and go to FIU. This will offer much more competition and competiveness on the line play which will not help Hess's chances to start, or at least to start as early as he would have liked.

[Lance 228]

he has a long way to go, if he has a good year and stays healthy he can always change his mind if he gets a bigger offer...he made a verbal commit to FIU...thats all...he said he just wants to put the recruiting behind him for now and concentrate on the season...so, good move i think.

 

This kid is smart...he is not a meat head...he's been all over, seen a bunch of schools in person...I have no reason to think he would make a bad choice...if he likes that area and that school, no reason why he shouldn't take a free ride there and get his education.