VCU notes: Smart lands highly rated forward from N.C.

Highly rated forward makes VCU choice

The list of schools recruiting Reco McCarter suggests new Virginia Commonwealth basketball coach Shaka Smart has landed quite a player.

McCarter, a 6-7, 185-pound forward out of Wayne Country Day School in Goldsboro, N.C., committed to the Rams this week. His coach, Terry Jones, said Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Georgia, Auburn, George Washington and some other ACC schools were "sitting on the fence" waiting to see if McCarter would qualify academically.

Jones said he is "90-95 percent sure" McCarter will qualify.

"He's turned things around," said Jones, who noted McCarter came to him "in a hole" academically two years ago. "He's headed in the right direction. He's a success story."

Several recruiting services rate McCarter as a high-major talent. Jones said that for much of McCarter's recruitment, a high-major program was his first choice.

"He realized a smaller [mid-major] situation would be better for him, moreso academically," Jones said. "Athletically, it would take care of itself no matter where he went."

McCarter averaged about 18 points and 7 rebounds last year.

"Reco is a guy who continues to improve," said Dave Telep, Scout.com's national basketball recruiting director. "Athletically, he's a good board man, and the Rams will put his live body to use. As his jumper improves, he'll be able to step back and make shots. Fits their 'havoc' style perfectly. He was built to run, defend and use his athleticism."

Jones said McCarter is versatile enough to play small forward and point guard.

"The coaches liked him because of his defensive ability," Jones said. "They were salivating at the opportunity to put him at the top of a zone press.

"He can do a number of things offensively. He's explosive. He can change the course of a game quickly with some of the things he can do."

Jones is Smart's second recruit for 2010. He also has a commitment from Rob Brandenberg, a 6-2 guard from outside of Columbus, Ohio.

"Coach Smart and his staff are working off a short list of talented prospects," Telep said. "They've done an outstanding job of not only identifying prospects, but gathering intelligence, and now they are in a position to come away with a big-time recruiting class."

Secules resigns from athletic department

Scott Secules has resigned from his position as VCU's senior associate athletic director for external affairs. The former University of Virginia and NFL quarterback (Dallas, Miami, New England) had overseen the athletic department's development, marketing and public relations since 2006.

Secules said he recently sat down with VCU Athletics Director Norwood Teague and mutually decided it was time to look elsewhere and "pursue other things" for him and his family.

Secules recently interviewed for the athletics director's job at UNC Greensboro, but it went to another candidate.

"I'm proud of what we accomplished and appreciative of the opportunity Norwood gave us to come here," Secules said. "It's not easy to leave. It's a neat place to work, and we experienced a lot of success.

"I know there are good things in store for the Secules family, and I look forward to finding them."

Teague said he would wait until the first of the year to fill the position. -- Tim Pearrell