Rising QB Bailey hits recruiters’ radar

• By WILLIAM WEATHERS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jul 29, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.
• Editor’s note: Third in a weekly recruiting series of the area’s top uncommitted college football prospects for the 2008 season. Today: University High’s Barrett Bailey.

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More than three months ago, Barrett Bailey hardly generated enough mention among college football coaches and fan-driven Web sites devoted to recruiting.

There were no doubts in the minds of some recruiters that Bailey passed the eye-ball test: standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 185 pounds. However, the University High School quarterback was coming off a nondescript junior season where he passed for less than 1,000 yards with more interceptions than touchdowns.

None of those numbers warranted inclusion on either the first or second All-District 8-2A team a year after earning second-team honors in 2006.

Hardly the kind of statistics that stand up and suggest Division I prospect.

But Bailey had come too far, put in too much work and time into his trade to turn away from realizing a dream of playing college quarterback.

That vision first came to light at the age 6, when Bailey accompanied his father to Tiger Stadium to watch LSU — a ritual for a family with season tickets since the 1950s.

“I’ve grown up going to LSU games,” Bailey said. “I’ve always wanted to try to come to LSU.”

Bailey wasn’t content to sit idly while other quarterbacks enhanced their reputations in the eyes of some scouts, therefore potentially shoving his name further down the list of recruiters.

Bailey decided in January, along with his father and University football coach Johnny Shoptaugh, to map out what amounted to an ambitious summer tour of camps and clinics that would not only hone his skills but also serve as the catalyst to jump-start his recruiting process.

It worked.

He now finds himself rated the nation’s No. 23 dual-threat (run-pass) quarterback according to Rivals.com, holding a handful of scholarship offers. He is scheduled to meet with LSU coach Les Miles this week to discuss a possible future with the Tigers.

“Some (recruiting) Web sites have said I’ve come out of nowhere,” Bailey said. “I guess by going to some of these camps it’s helped my exposure and made my stock go up. Now, going into this season I’m going to try and not think about it and the recruiting, try to relax and focus on having a successful season and let it all take care of itself.”

Shoptaugh, a former college offensive lineman at Louisiana Tech, said he’s noticed a difference in Bailey following his busy summer.