Six months ago, most colleges didn’t know Thomas Holley’s name. Now the 6’4” 290 lb. defensive end from Brooklyn has 23 offers to show off. Holley has received letters from schools like Notre Dame, Alabama, USC and Florida.
The Brooklyn native talked with The Fizz about his continuous wild ride through the recruiting process. For someone who didn’t even take up the game of football until his junior year at Lincoln High School, he never expected this much attention.
“I didn’t. Last year when I started playing football it was new to me. Some things came natural, but there were some things I still had to learn and there are things I still have to learn. Once I got out on the field I just did what I had to do, and I had a pretty good season. A lot of people told me I had a great season, and I figured [I’d get] a couple offers here and there, but I didn’t think I’d be hearing from the schools I’ve heard from. That just exceeded my expectations. ”
Syracuse was one of the first schools to come to the table and offer the New York native. But since then, Holley has amassed nearly two dozen offers. Can the Orange still play with the big dogs? Right now, the lineman is planning on taking things slow. Holley has a busy summer ahead of him.
‚ÄúIt‚Äôs been fun. I‚Äôm learning a lot about the different schools and just taking everything in one step at a time. I‚Äôm just enjoying myself right now”
His junior year is starting to come to a close, but spring practices are in full gear. Holley tells The Fizz he plans to work on his technique and conditioning as he prepares for a highly scrutinized senior campaign at Lincoln. The last time Syracuse went after a five-star recruit from Lincoln HS, it didn’t end well. Ishaq Williams ended up at Notre Dame and Doug Marrone lost out on another prized jewel from NYC.
Holley could be a different story. He tells The Fizz defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough was at Lincoln HS two weeks ago to watch his practice, and he also had a great chat with Scott Shafer just a few weeks ago. Shafer’s biggest sell is going to have to be that defensive passion.
This summer Holley will be competing at a two national camps: The Opening, (6/30-7/3)¬†at the Nike headquarters in Oregon, and The Rivals Top 100 Five Star Challenge (6/22-6/24)¬†in Atlanta. Holley will also be planning some unofficial visits. He doesn’t know yet when he will making a visit up to the Hill. His main focus over the next few months is to simply improve.
“I just want to go out there and compete and enjoy the different competition. That’s my biggest thing, I just want to learn from [different players]. My main goal is to get 100 times better than I am now, so by the time the season rolls around, I’ll be as dominant as can be. I just want to go to Yankee Stadium and reclaim that [PSAL] title.”
With Holley smashing through offensive lines in 2013, that’s certainly a viable possibility.
Posted: Kevin Fitzgerald
93 responses to “SU Battles Big Boys for NYC’s Holley, Who Wants to Become “Dominant””
No visit planned… not good
@Kevin Fitzgerald;
I just read an article the other day saying that Holley and Samuels have lost interest in Syracuse. Your article seems to be saying something different.
Sometimes it gets down right confusing.So who do we believe?
Ron,forget about Holley…not happening tho I hope soon it will,5* guys are rarer than most posters think….maybe 25/30 a year of true 5s?Everything I see and hear dont look good but really even Alabama and NDs cant get too many 5 star guys and you’d be surprised how many turn into busts!For now we just have to get mostly 3* s and 1/2 four star types and get on the front pages nationally again!! We’ll get there!!
Ron,we might be able to grab KJ Wms because of his cousin AJ Long and work from there for now…..that would be quite a coup!!FOR NOW!!
Wheres my Bigdipper?Oh well I guess where we all learn as kids….in the MilkyWay LOL!…he hits the site like a ninja…then shoots away like a burning star!My mysterious neff!
@Russell MacEachern;
Russell,I’ve noticed that Shafer and crew has gone into NJ for some recruits. We were after recievers from down state,went after a DE and LB that playes on that Don Bosco Team and few others from around the state.
Have you heard anything about any of them yet? Just wondering!!!!
With all of the offers going out daily to these recruits,I believe that Syracuse will land a decent group of players that will rock the ACC.
NOthing is certain until LOI dayAnd even then you must hold your breath until the fax is done printing. Making sure there is a fresh ink cartridge is the responsibility of the guy who wants to keep his job. I think SS will bring in a 5star kid at some point but probably not this year. Everything depends on how this season finishes up. After we end our first ACC seson and either brag or cry at the results SSwill need to do what is accordingly necessary.
Samuels is not coming to SU. Per Scout, he has no interest in Syracuse. Also, Holley was not talking much about Syracuse. I think the bright lights at the big schools will blind his recognition of the best school for him, SU! Noticed, in Scout’s prospect lists that a lot of baller’s with SU offers are starting to commit elsewhere or have no interest in Syracuse. That’s why many more offers are going out!
Coach said it the other day. We aren’t going to ever compete well with big time schools for the top “rated” players, the 5 stars. Maybe occasionally we will pick one up b/c he wants to attend a specific academic program and those types are rare.
But that being said, there are plenty of fish in the sea who aren’t heavily recruited who can be made to compete with the best. Syracuse has proven it. If we can keep the attitude, the physicality of the past couple years we’re going to be fine.
Syracuse is a quality education and a first rate place for “most of” the recruits. Once we have new facilities we’ll get a boost too.
Ron,I don’t think were gonna get any of the “highest-rated” Bosco or Bergen Catholic guys this year but we might be able to snatch a couple 3* types like TE Ryan Izzo from Pope John in Sparta,NJ who were going after but I think BC and maybe RU is too but I think hes giving us heavy consideration!We have to chip away and break into NJ/LI and make SU fashionable again then it’ll break like a dam and those Jersey type guys will flock here again! Just 1 or 2 more winning/Bowl seasons and I think were back to top 30 type teams preseason!!
Top 30 type relevant team….boy it looks good rereading that post!! Thats all most of us fans are looking for 4now after this long drought of Post-Pasqualoni,Grob yrs..Dougie made us watchable but now its time to pass PSU,RU,Pitt and BC as the Eastern power we were in the 90s! Hey Ron…does that thought make ya want to “Dougie” HaHa!!
want to “Dougie”?HaHa bgogo hates calling DM dougie and thought it sounded corny…it was a little old fashioned but I found it humorous!!
@Russell MacEachern;
It’s about time you returned to the way you used to be. The one liners that made everyone laugh,and NO I DON’T want to DOUGIE.
I respected the man while he was here,but I have to admit,it’s time to move on. I now support Scott Shafer in all of his endeavors. He’s the man Russell,HE’S THE MAN.
@Russell MacEachern;
I was referring to that very same thing when I asked Terry if we don’t get any of those top recruits from the city,should we be wasting our time there? If Mr. Williams is talking to these kids,we don’t have a chance of landing any of them. I would think after graduating from the college you attended you would help them whenever you could. Must be both of them had a bad experience while going to school at Syracuse.
Let’s go into LI and the State of NJ to kids like,CB Juwann Winfree,S Jalen Williams,WR Noah Brown,and DE Kurt Holuba.
Ron/Russ-Talent is 1st and coaching is 2ND is the only way SU will get into the great winning mold of college FB. I’m sincere in thinking that “not” getting the top NYS talents shows something to other out of state HS players!!! Is SU a dysfunctional program that can’t get its own to sign at SU???? Other H-coaches have to pitch that towards possible SU recruits!! GROB/dougie didn’t help that along either. Recruiting sites have it alot better than the average Joe fan out there. That fan doesn’t believe in these sites because they just don’t want to hear good talent is not convinced in SU. Well I’ll take these sites every day. Yes a 4/5 star might bomb, but I’ve seen more NR/2/3 stars bomb out at SU too. I’ll take a 4/5 star end up a 2/3 star as a senior than a NR/2 star play bench hockey!! Talent and proper coaching will get SU off the mat and into a national interest again. HCSS and Coach McD. have their headaches coming because of the GROB/dougie messes before them. But its what SU has now and they seem more motivated than any coaching system the SU has had in the last 10 yrs. Go get’em coaches!!!
Look there’s an article about Wiggins going Kansas way. SOOOOOOO!! Why not a real interest article on why NYC/LI/UPSTATE NY talent is not interested in SU. Come on media send us some real interesting stuff. Afraid to offend???
Terry,I’ll give you this…u and I seem to no the trick is making the kids WANT to come to rep the NYS major college team private or not!!I wonder if we were named New York U. would it make a difference?u come from a different viewpoint than most of the “homers” but stick by ur guns and Ron and I respect that!!Keep it up!@RON,of that group of recruiting targets u mentioned Noah Brown is a man!!RU really wants him!And so do WE!
Ron,the Holuba family are RU and PSU legacy people so Im not confident in him….maybe we snatch a killer DB/WR speedy kid like Winfree? Fast and hardhitting!!
@Terry;
I don’t think Syracuse is a dysfunctional program like your asking. I think one of the many problems that we have is that the players recruited here are only looking out for themselves and not talking to any of their friends about the possibilities of joining them to come here to play.
Another reason for not gertting the top recruits is that we don’t have the deep pocketed alumni like the southern schools have that are willing to give these kids huge sums of money to come play for them.
Latest article that I’ve read about players recieving money was Chris Webber and the Fab 5 while playing for Michigan recieved over $600,000.00. Doesn’t that want to make you ask “if the fix was in” on the National Championship Game when Webber called a time out that they didn’t have that cost Michigan the National Championship? What about Cam Newton at Auburn University or Reggie Bush at USC?
Think about the talent coming out of NYC. Do you think those families down there are loaded with money? Don’t you think that a talented kid will jump at the opportunity to grab some money if offered for their services?
My only problem with the kids that I’ve mentioned going to the major schools that break the rules every single day of the week is that the damn NCAA turns theie cheeks and looks the other way and doesn’t penalize those who are doing the damage.
2013/14 college football will start a playoff system to crown a Nation Champion. That game alone is expected to generate over $550 million dollars and that’s not including the games that decide the teams playing for the champioship. Where is all of that money going? I know the universities are not getting it. So where is it all going?
All of the above only brings up another point that needs to be discussed at a later time and that is,I BELIEVE THAT IT’S TIME TO START PAYING THESE PLAYERS TO PLAY. The universities and the NCAA are making billions of dollars off of these kids. Start giving them some of the booty and penalize the programs that break the rules.
I apologize to all for getting a little carried away here,But Terry when you make a statement that you feel that Syracuse is dysfunctional. Statements like that just tend to get my blood boiling.
@Russell MacEachern;
Russ,I only mentions four of the recruits that Shafer is after from the great state of NJ. But there’s more and I’m hoping that we get a few of them.
@Carlton;
I know that you’ve responded to my post saying that all was well within the FSU Program.
The following was taken from an article posted on syr.com web site written by AA who works for ESPN.
“The Seminoles are among the favorites to win the ACC this year, but that doesn’t mean everything is perfect in Tallahassee.
The school’s athletic director on Tuesday told Tallahassee.com it will not release incoming blue-chip linebacker recruit Matthew Thomas from his letter of intent”.
Like I said before,articles have indicated to me that people are leaving the program for one reason or the other.
Are the articles true or are they all BS written by some BS reporter wishing harm to come FSU’s way this year?
@Terry;
I know in the past that we’ve discussed the subject about Marrone shutting out the media during spring practices.
I can’t remember if the Fizz Family ever discussed freezing out past players and not letting them help with the team teaching them what needed to be done and how to do it.` Troy Nunes website has a great article on it’s website on who was responsible if you or anyone else are interested in reading it.
Ron,a couple of years ago a kid from Union City NJ of Cuban descent was deluged w/a sh*tload of offers.He was a 4* roadgrading OT who could have gone wherever he wanted but they were very poor and his dad was desperate but his son Josue broke his leg early in his sr year and RU called and told him his scholly stood when others balked!A week b4 signing day him and his family went to Piscataway with a reporter to record the sweet story and he verbaled to RU for allaying his fears and so his folks could also watch him on gamedays!!A day later a sweettalker from FSU shows at his apartment with a large paper bag and he decommits from the “family’ that stood by him…..why?Not intended to impugn u Carlton I no you live and work in Tally just passing on a puzzling tale of the dirty side of sports!
Ron,the story w/o the ending was printed in the Newark,Star ledger the week b4 signing day two or three years ago!He ended up starting for FSU at OT as a true Frosh!!RU hoped he was the next Anthony Davis and I think Flood was his recruiter from Ru!
@Russell MacEachern;
Russell that’s an amazing true story that connects to what I was trying to tell Terry in my previous post. Thanks for the information.
Different Subect; last fall,when everyone was all up in arms and discussing the fact that Syracuse couldn’t get their arms around some of those 4-5* athletes to come here to play and I asked the question. On how many of those 4-5* athletes made it to the NFL?
Well I looked at the top 4 picks in this years draft and the results kind of shot the star system out of the window.
#1 pick Eric Fisher–out of the Mid-American Conf. Central Michigan rated a N/R player
#2 pick Luke Jockel–out of the SEC Conf. Texas A&M rated a 4* athlete
#3 Dion Jordon—-out of the Pac 12 Conf. Oregon rated a N/R player
#4 pick Lane Johnson—out of the Big 12 Conf. Oklahoma rated a N/R player.
With this information I came to the conclusion that only 25% of these hotshot players ever reach their goal of playing in the NFL. I think if recruited they would concentrate on academics while in school. Don’t you?
I’ve always said,give me a player that playes the game with heart and you have a guy that will run through walls of bricks for you and win.
I’m sorry guys for my ranting. I’m through now.
Since 2006 Syracuse has landed (4) 4* athletes,with one of them being an ESPN 150 player. I know that it’s not a lot of them,but let’s all give Shafer and crew some time and I have no doubt that Syracuse will land their fare share of the 4* athletes that are out there.
Ah so good to talk SUFB!!! Ron I meant that by NY/LI/UPSTATE kids not coming to SU might give SU a family dysfunctional feel to other kids around this country. Many major Uni’s/Colleges programs have plenty of local kids on their teams. But at SU the movement and justly so might have to go out of state for talent. Since SU gets a miniority few from NYS!! I just feel that not getting local talent to stay home shows something is not right in OZ or SU. Other coaches have to see that and sell that against SU!! What else would it be!!
But on the Troy Nunes site they wrote that maybe dougie pushed away SUFB alums. Not counting the big name guys. I believe it because you only saw the big ones around certain times. But with this change and HCSS welcoming SUFB alums back can help aot I hope. dougie strikes again!!
@terry;
Point counter point!!! I didn’t take it the way it sounded,I thought you were stating a reason as to why the state talent was leaving us,not that the football program was a disfunctional unit.
I’m just starting to understand your complaints(over the last 4 years) about Doug Marrone. I didn’t realize that he was shutting the past players out from meeting with the current players that wanted show/tell them what it took to get them to play better and harder.
Look at what was accomplished here when parts of the Fizz Family debated different points of ones opinion.
Something got resolved here using common sense and civility. For me it’s priceless.
@Terry;
The only schools that have a ton of in state talent are the states where football is a religion. Like Texas,Florida,California,etc,etc,etc.
We’ll get there,it’s going to take time,but we’ll get there.
Ron Also PA,OHIO,MICH,NJ,SC and Georgia!! Minor-Ala,Miss, OK and Louisiana!! Lately all of these mentioned Uni’s/College’s have a decent FB team in their state!! And I bet a decent amount of kids from those home states are signed every year, to play in their state. SU is not even close to that!! That does not show well at all!!
Terry,yes I agree with those states. I think that all of the programs go through their up and down periods. Take Penn State for example,they’re fighting like hell to right the ship. Attendance in Beaver Stadium is down and they’re asking almost begging for the fans to fill the seats again. Auburn and Arkansas are going through some down times now. Auburn isn’t getting their fare share of good players anymore. The days of Bo Jackson running for daylight are gone,not forgotten,but gone for now. Arkansas looks like a lot of the players are transfering and are not as strong as they once where,hell we took their OC away from them.
With Shafer leading the way out of this mess,I believe Syracuse is only going to get better.
Terry,u forgot Va,MD and La.!!
Maryland has been good under Fridgeon and of course LSU,LLM and Va has VT but for some reason UVa has been down!
Right on Rus!!
Winfree, and Samuel from what I’m hearing are RU lean because RU is telling him he can play WR and everybody else wants him to play CB. The thing about this NJ talent is Urban Meyer and Brady Hoke are going hard in here. So we are battling ND, PSU, OSU, and Mich for recruits, Samuel is going to be a great get for us when he decides to pull the trigger.
Last week on SUfandotcom I read Pete Mokwouh the RU verbal was visited and offered by Alabama’s HC personally and Fla,Aub,Mich and Pitt but the kid wasnt overwhelmed and said he was solid!Now Id like to believe we can find more of these type of kids to come here if true…I guarantee you that kid jumps from a high 2 to a high 3 or 4* very shortly!!The kid is incredibly big,fast and agile….he just didnt go to any camps sponsered by the “big dogs” therefore RU was ahead of the curve along with Pasqualooney on him!! Talking about Uconn’s HCPP hasnt gotten one verbal yet for next year and theres absolutely NO BUZZ on their board the “Boneyard”….its really sad in a way to see them so humbled by events and I for 1 think they deserve better but some of their fans thought they were entitled and maybe needed a lesson in humility!..I think in the end tho either us “ACC” or the Big12 maybe will give them a liferaft and wont regret it!!PP as a head coach hire and Calhouns retiring did’nt help them in realignment either!!Sorry guys I guess i was on a bit of a rant!!
Guys,I don’t remember where I read it but for some reason ratiowise La puts more HS kids in D1 Colleges than any other state…Im not shocked due to their location next to Texas but was a bit surprised!!
Keep it coming on SUFB. Best of the land!! ACC here comes the CUSE!!
We gonna bring da PAIN thi year Terry!!btw guys I gotta go to Drs so I’ll be online tonight so I’ll respond later..
Ron usually gets in his mancave around now for his morning cup of Fizz lol..
Well yes that kid wants out but really doesn’t really matter just sign someone else to take his place. Kids change their minds all the time. I think the other thing you might been wondering about is about Trickett? He wasn’t going to start so he transferred. Nothing to be upset about FSU has a duel threat QB coming in thats going to light things up by the name of Winston. He already the best player on the baseball team. He is a great athlete athlete should have a good season.
Carlton,what is RU getting in that woman Julia Herman as AD from being an associate to Jurich?Is she all shes cracked up to be?I thought the guy from Wisconsin would have made a better hire!!
@Russell MacEachern;
I had to go prepare the garden for planting this morning Russell and didn’t get done until just now. I’ve already put in 40 rows of corn 285 feet long. Hope to have it ready by July 16th for selling on my road side stand. I hope to put in the second planting this weekend.
I agree with you telling Terry that we’re going to bring the pain. the ACC really need to make themselves aware of Syracuse. They’re not going to be the push over that everyone thinks their going to be.
@Carlton;
If you were responding to my post by telling me that nothing is wrong within the confines of the FSU Football program. I believe you guy,really I do.
I blame all of the negativity on the sports writers. There is none of them that knows what the hell their doing anymore while writing a story. I personally think they’re all freaking idiots.
Anyways thanks for the information,enjoy your run to the ACC Championship Game.
Ron,
Saw today that we might not let him out. So not sure whats going to happen nut kids change their minds all the time. Trickett is good enough to start at some schools Winston just put on a show during the spring game and the writeing was on the wall.
Russ,
Don’t know to much about her but Jurich and Louisville have the best Athletic department in the NCAA for my money so she probably learned alot.
@Carlton;
It’s in the papers up here that the school isn’t going to release him.
All of these young studs(recruits)should take a real hard look at what can get accomplished if they were to come here to play. it doesn’t matter if your a N/R,2* or 3* recruit. If you do what your told to do and work hard,your dream of playing in the NFL has a good chance of coming true.
Safety Sharmako Thomas came here as a 2-3* athlete,worked his butt off and just signed a 4 year contract to play safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Congratulations Sharmako Thomas, I hope that you can make your millions. Good luck.
Ron,wow thats a lot of corn the early freeze must have had u on ur toes this week!Do you live in a rural area near your wifes familys old farm?I think agriculture is a soothing and worthy lifestyle that too few people are involved in!!I was never so relaxed and content in the city as compared to helping my late uncle Darby on his PEI,Canada farm!!Indeed,very rewarding and relaxing!!Thanks,nice personal insight Ron!!
@Russell MacEachern;
I moved onto the old homesite(1978)of the dairy farm that my in-laws have run since my farther-in-law came home from WWII. I grow and started to sell vegatables 6 years ago Russell. I’ve met a lot of intereasting people along the way and really enjoy doing it.
My garden is behind the old dairy barn and is a little over 2 acres in size. I enjoy every minute that I spend in it.
Terry here Russell and I go again babbling to one another.
Ron,forget Curtis Samuels…I just went through a couple NYC newspapers and he’s narrowed his list down to 5 schools..Ala,ND,Rutty,UMia and Ohio St!RU and OSU want him for O and the others as a DB!!I know from aquaintences he brought his family down to RU recently and he said he’d make up his mind by
Oct 1st!!he plans on visiting all 5 schools at least once and I know hes visited RU at least 3 times in the last couple weeks!I didnt want to mention it on the board until it was public cause I no a lot of our fans disdain for Rutty!
Ron,dont worry…someday hopefully soon maybe you can show it to me!!If I can get going again!lol