WRAL.com: Recruiter John Blake Plays Critical Role for UNC

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John Blake UNC

One of Butch Davis’ former biology students is a major force behind North Carolina’s stellar recruiting class and the primary reason why the nation’s No. 1 defensive recruit committed to UNC.

John Blake, UNC’s recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach, has known Davis for years. Blake played running back and fullback at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs, Okla., where Davis was both his position coach and his biology teacher.

Davis went on to become a household name, and Blake became a behind-the-scenes secret to success. The last time the pair coached together – on Jimmy Johnson’s staff – the Dallas Cowboys won a Super Bowl.

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25 Responses to WRAL.com: Recruiter John Blake Plays Critical Role for UNC

  1. StateFans 09/20/2007 at 7:56 PM #

    How did that crazy image show up!!!!111!!!

  2. Primewolf 09/20/2007 at 8:03 PM #

    Is there any data that he was involved in some unscrupulous activities in the past???

  3. StateFans 09/20/2007 at 9:09 PM #

    ^Talk to any college football coach with an ounce of integrity and you will get your data.

  4. john of sparta 09/20/2007 at 9:39 PM #

    John Blake….sounds like a Hollywood name for a CIA op.
    this one’s tailor-made for the blogisphere.
    “first to know, and the last to go.”

  5. redfred2 09/20/2007 at 9:55 PM #

    Whoever this Blake guy is, or whatever he may have done in the past, he’s at Carolina now, and the reflector shields are fully functioning and on maximum power.

    Wait, that is IF they start winning quickly. If not, later on it’ll be a HUGE surprise to everyone over there on the hill, and great excuse to boot him out on his ear.

  6. McPete 09/20/2007 at 10:33 PM #

    Does this guy have anything to do with UNC still being in the running for Arthur Brown, one of the best defensive prospects in the ’08 class? maybe he’ll pull a Doc Holliday and get out and go to a traditional power (although i understand he left Nebraska to join B Davis)

  7. noah 09/20/2007 at 11:03 PM #

    Yes, as long as Blake is at UNC, UNC will be pulling in extremely good recruits.

    He’s considered the #1 recruiter (by far) in the nation.

    Whether he’s dirty or not, I have no idea.

  8. bTHEredterror 09/20/2007 at 11:54 PM #

    As a recruiter Blake is for real, the OU Nat’l championship team in 2000 was his players when he was the head coach there. The good news is despite the fact he gets a lot of solid players, he has rarely been involved with a winner. He gets a lot of credit for coaching the Cowboys Dline back when they were in the midst of their Super Bowl run, Haley and Maryland had a lot to do with it.

    With that similar talent that Stoopes won with, albeit earlier in their career, Blake registered the worst three year stretch in OU history (12-22). Miss State, got nothing from the guys he recruited in ’03, no surprise there of course, and he left as soon as he could. If he does provide UNC with some success, he will be plucked by a larger power quite fast. On that note……

    The Tide certainly helped pack one of Nutt’s suitcases the other night, maybe Butch will get that call after the season, Noah.

  9. blpack 09/21/2007 at 12:32 AM #

    UM and Tenn may be looking for coaches too. You never know.
    Did someone remind any football recruits that this awesome football machine in CH didn’t have a working clock at times during the game last week?

  10. ChuckAllYall 09/21/2007 at 9:50 AM #

    Yeah, it will be fun when some high profile jobs begin to open and Butch is thrust in the middle of rumors and speculation. Nothing pisses my Carolina friends off more than when I remind them to enjoy the Butch Davis era while it lasts. He strikes me as a stereotypical coaching mercenary.

    If you want to build a program, you hire a man like TOB, who has publicly stated NC State is the end of his coaching journey.

    If you want to gain instant (short-term) credibility and create a media buzz, you hire Butch Davis. But when he leaves I am guessing they won’t have a whole lot to show for his time there, and that kind of transistion could easily kill any “program building” momentum initiated under his watch (see Mack Brown). Short term fix for a long term problem.

  11. RedTerror29 09/21/2007 at 11:15 AM #

    Davis lured Blake away from Nebraska, which is pretty impressive. The guy can’t coach his way out of a paper bag though, belongs as a recruiter. Ron Zook is the exact same type.

    Sidney Lowe is our key to curbing UNC football. He wins .500 against Roy and beats him out for an ACC title or two in the next few years and they might not notice when Davis leaves.

  12. noah 09/21/2007 at 11:59 AM #

    They aren’t going to notice anyway. No one cares about football in Chapel Hill. Ultimately, that’s what will drive Davis away.

    Michigan is going to hire Les Miles. Jimbo Fisher will probably be candidate #1 to take Miles’ spot at LSU. I can’t see Davis leaving for Tennessee….but I still think he’ll be the next coach at Arkansas.

  13. PAPacker 09/21/2007 at 12:27 PM #

    What is the point of the Benjamins? If he’s dirty, let’s hear it. If not, change the graphic.

  14. pakfanistan 09/21/2007 at 1:11 PM #

    Why do you assume the money is meant to imply that he’s dirty? Maybe it just means he makes the big bucks for pulling in top ranked recreuits….

  15. packgrad93 09/21/2007 at 1:12 PM #

    unc is a stepping stone job/program. NCSU is a destination job.

  16. pakfanistan 09/21/2007 at 1:15 PM #

    Like my grandma used to say, if you throw a stone in a bush, it’s the hit dog that hollers.

    I’m typing like redfred today 🙁

  17. PAPacker 09/21/2007 at 1:40 PM #

    pakfanistan, I think most people would assume that a picture of $$ with a post on recruiting would be alluding not to someone making a large salary (why is that newsworthy?) but is an allusion to money changing hands in some illicit way. SFN, are you saying that Blake gets paid a nice salary?

  18. CarnifeX 09/21/2007 at 2:19 PM #

    NCSU as a destination job may be a little extreme. We’re not there yet. YET. When TOB leaves, hopefully.

  19. duckmanjw 09/21/2007 at 2:48 PM #

    PAPacker Says: What is the point of the Benjamins? If he’s dirty, let’s hear it. If not, change the graphic.

    _____________________________________________________________

    I have no proof that there is money involved in his recruiting tactics, but in certain circles he’s referred to as Black Santa.

  20. nycfan 09/21/2007 at 4:03 PM #

    IF by destination job, you mean graveyard of head coaching careers, you’ve got it right. ;>)

  21. PAPacker 09/21/2007 at 4:28 PM #

    thanks duckman

  22. john of sparta 09/21/2007 at 7:14 PM #

    yes.
    you are right.
    UNC fans care about Basketball and Baseball and Women’s soccer.
    in other words……..winners.
    State fans care about which winners?

  23. noah 09/21/2007 at 7:51 PM #

    In other words, they’re fan base is just hopping along the bandwagon until the next big thing comes along.

    “Oh, I’ve been a Cowboys fan FOREVER.”

    Really? Did you like Danny White? Or were you more of a Staubach guy?

    “Who??”

    “Oh, I’ve ALWAYS been a Yankees fan.”

    Really? Ever been to a game? What borough is Yankee Stadium in?

    “Uhh…”

    “I’m a HUGE Carolina fan! I just love my heels!”

    Really? What do you think of their football team?

    “Oh, I don’t like them in football. I pull for Florida in football.”

    Yeah, don’t talk me anymore.

  24. Keystone 09/21/2007 at 11:55 PM #

    Anyone happen to see Bunting’s interview with David Glenn on wral.com? He calls NC State coaches out on watching some replays during half time in a game against Clemson. It’s ridiculous that he’s still slinging crap at NC State even after he’s been kicked out of UNX.

  25. gumbydammit 09/25/2007 at 1:51 AM #

    I read the Bunting comments from Glenn’s blog on wral.com. What a piece of work. Citing an alleged event that occured to which he clearly was not a witness, making it (by definition) “hearsay”, and then using it to describe an “issue of character”. Well, I’ll readily admit my lack of character in that I am hereby failing to take the high road, instead calling out John Bunting for the fat sack of shit that he is.

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