Recruiting... Again...
by BetterasIgetolder on Jan 16, 2012 12:11 PM MST
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PrintRecruiting season is really heating up. Teams are on their last weekends of hosting recruits, and decisions are being made. It's been written that this past weekend was a huge weekend for Utah, if not the biggest ever. I'm excited to see how this class shapes up.
I like the focus on both lines, however, linebacker is a concern in my mind. It surprises me that Whit isn't bringing in the higher LB recruits. Jared Afalava would have been huge for us (damn you Nebraska). Anyway, I hope to see that as a focus in the future.
Another concern of us all is QB. It is my understanding that both Chase Hansen and Travis Wilson are planning on competing in the spring. It is also my understanding that in order to do so, they must be enrolled in school for spring semester. Is there any word on either of these two being enrolled in classes? This is my main question with regards to this post. Any info would be wonderful.
GO UTES!!!
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It was my understanding
That Wilson was enrolled for Spring classes… and I feel like I’ve heard Hansen is too.
As far as linebackers are concerned, I think they may tend to stay away from coming here because 1) we’ve got some bonkers talented underclassmen and 2) Whit loves to convert players to linebacker. If you want to start right away, Utah right now probably isn’t the place.
by Joseph Silverzweig on Jan 16, 2012 12:50 PM MST reply actions
I don't like the idea of Hansen coming early.
If he’s going on a mission, use all eligibility afterward. Otherwise you lose one now, then you’ll want to use the redshirt the year after the mission to get back in shape, it just throws things off.
Let Wilson handle QB this year, hit the mission, come back, use the redshirt year when Wilson is a junior/senior, and work from there. It works out better in the long run for both players.
If anyone found my snowboarding gloves after storming the field following the 2004 TDS game, I want them back!
I think Hansen
Is being encouraged to start so that he can’t be as easily re-recruited after his mission.
by Joseph Silverzweig on Jan 17, 2012 11:07 AM MST up reply actions
Fair point
If there’s a way to ensure his commitment and use all his years after the mission, I’d be all for it.
If anyone found my snowboarding gloves after storming the field following the 2004 TDS game, I want them back!
Or while he's on his mission
by a certain team down south
by WesTravelingEast on Jan 17, 2012 12:51 PM MST up reply actions
USC? ASU?
Surely you don’t mean Arizona?
If anyone found my snowboarding gloves after storming the field following the 2004 TDS game, I want them back!
by RedJaron on Jan 17, 2012 1:09 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Another humor casualty . . .
As tone and sarcasm cannot be attached to text.
If anyone found my snowboarding gloves after storming the field following the 2004 TDS game, I want them back!
According to some
Hansen is planning to enroll for second half of winter session.
Most likely he’ll redshirt this season, and go on his mission next year, come back as a redshirt freshman in 2015 and attempt to compete.
Which will be Either Hansen’s Junior (if he redshirts in 12) or Senior season. So Hansen will backup for 1, at worst two seasons. Come in and take over and keep the 2 time defending Rose Bowl champion machine rolling
We are not known as a linebacker school
Linemen, DBs, yes, not LBs.
"Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football."--John Heisman
"I'm not upset about the U allegations," tweeted Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez, who pitched at Miami. "I'm mad we didn't win anything while we were cheating."
I agree, but Joseph is right that Whitt converts players to LB.
Think of the list: Blechen (QB/Safety), Robles (QB), Walker (Safety), Gaison (Punter), Manis (QB), Bird (Safety), Brady (QB/Safety), Toone (RB/Safety), and there’s probably more I’m missing. So it’s not that we put LBs into the NFL like we do with DBs and DL and OL (only Sly from the past 5 years, unless I’m forgetting someone), but we sure have moved a lot of players to that position over the years (with great college success at least).
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Jan 20, 2012 11:21 AM MST up reply actions
well we may not put LBs in the NFL but....
as of now I can think of at least two DL that were turned into LBs when they hit the pros. Misi and Kruger
by khaostheory117 on Jan 20, 2012 1:50 PM MST up reply actions
Scout
has Greg Allen rated NR or < 2 stars. Headscratcher, obviously someone sees something in him. Love to land one or more of Beaver/Marsh/Ford. Any of these two along with Justin Thomas would give us quality depth at DB. Anyone seen where these guys are leaning after last weekend’s visit?
Don't like Scout all that much
Jake Heaps was a five star if I recall correctly…….yeah, they missed that one. Rivals.com is better in my opinion.
"Football isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport."
Vince Lombardi
by GambitUte on Jan 16, 2012 10:25 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
ding ding ding!
spot on!
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by BigBenSportsGuy on Jan 17, 2012 9:17 AM MST up reply actions
And he was for Utah!!!!
"Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football."--John Heisman
"I'm not upset about the U allegations," tweeted Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez, who pitched at Miami. "I'm mad we didn't win anything while we were cheating."
Rumor has it
That Marsh is a Silent, but solid Commit
Greg Allen
is unrated on both Scout and Rivals. They still need to review his tape and rate him. He was a hidden Texas gem that was just starting to get attention and apparently ran a 4.33 40 time, the fastest of any other Texas recruit taking the same electronic test. He’s solid, no head scratcher here.
Track star
Allen runs a 4.3 40 according to the article. We can definitely find a place for that type of speed!
by Carter Crosland on Jan 17, 2012 5:59 AM MST via Android app reply actions
For sure
I believe in Whit’s ability to turn athletes into football players.
by Joseph Silverzweig on Jan 17, 2012 11:08 AM MST up reply actions
Speed is something you make roster room for.
You can always find somewhere to put said speed, but you never turn down real fast speed.
Wilson Early enrollee
I think Wilson will be coming in early February after his winter semester and volleyball wrap up.
Read an article somewhere
That both Wilson and Hansen are playing Spring ball after enrolling in the 2nd half of Spring semester. They each wanted to stay in HS to finish their winter sports (basketball and volleyball).
Well...
If you look back, a lot of incredible football players on our 04 and 08 teams were unranked or three stars or less. Alex Smith, one of the greatest Utes ever, was not ranked coming out of high school. Stevenson Sylvester, Zane Taylor, Caleb Schlauderaff, Jereme Brooks, Brandon Burton, and several amazing athletes were in the same boat. In fact, if anything our best recruits coming out of high school have been the bigger busts. Griff Robles (no clue where he even is on the depth chart) Tyler Shreve, Corbin Louks (both transfers) and J Wynn (Verdicts out on him, but he certainly hasnt had as good of a career as hoped.) So the statement that Whitt has the ability to turn athletes into football players is a tad of a understatement. With increased talent and great player development, I am enthralled at the future of Utah athletics.
I live and die on Saturday's
Robles transferred to Dixie State
He had some plays at wildcat last year and contended for playing time in the spring. After spring ball he was moved to linebacker. He was moved back to the QB spot as backup after Wynn was injured. He actually left the program before the bowl game.
So yeah, he wasn’t lighting it up. He may actually start and have a decent career at Dixie State though.
Dolphins and sharks are natural enemies. Dolphins are like, "Quit eating us," and sharks are like, "Stop smiling all the time, you morons."
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Eric Weddle was a 2 star recruit who had two D-1 offers.
On the other hand, Jake Heaps was a 5 star recruit considered the best QB in the nation.
Stars next to names are great talking points, but in the end it all comes down to the same thing. Coaching and development.
by UnHoly Ram on Jan 18, 2012 8:22 AM MST up reply actions 3 recs
It's a testament to the quality coaching at Utah
Utah is rated the best football university in terms of NFL drafts / recruiting class ranking. First, the coaches recognize talent and work ethic others may miss. But even though they don’t get top recruits, they get more out of their recruits than most teams do.
As Kyle says, they find hard working athletes first and worry about where they play later.
If anyone found my snowboarding gloves after storming the field following the 2004 TDS game, I want them back!
I get it,
I too have always been amazed by what our coaching staff gets out of a kid. However, can’t deny that these talent assessments/ratings are generally an accurate indication of a kid’s talent and potential. I’d like to see what this coaching staff is able to get out of top shelf talent. We may be sending a fair amount of players to the NFL, but don’t send top prospects consistently into the early rounds. I realize this will go hand in hand with the progression of our program and for the time being we’re going to have to continue to identify and develop the diamonds in the rough. However, if the program continues to grow in prominence, do you see the need to pass on all of/some of these kids for a turnkey kid/surer thing?
to answer your question
no way in hell do you ever stop what has made you successful. no matter how much we rise in the standings of college football we should never turn our backs on the diamonds in the rough.
by khaostheory117 on Jan 19, 2012 3:15 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs
I agree
that you don’t stop. However, I expect we’ll rely less on this process as the program’s appeal grows. I think the need to scout and develop better than the competition came from being closed out on higher rated players who gravitated to the bigger programs. This niche enabled us to compete on the field with the big boys. As more of these players gravitate to us there will be less need for the projects. What’s more where playing on this level does not allow for many empty pipelines and rebuilding years, we’ll opt more and more for the turnkey kid and less development time.
I would say the 3 star diamond in the roughs are more important than the 4/5 stars
Utah is never going to be a program like USC where they end up with 4 players who aren’t 4 star or higher. In comparison, Utah right now has 4 kids who are 4 stars.
For Utah the diamonds in the rough are more important to their success now that they are in the Pac-12, than they were before.
To me, the stars only (or rather, mostly) mean potential in year 1
Four- and five-star kids are the ones who analysts think are most likely to come in as freshmen and compete at a high level. These are the guys who usually grew faster than their peers and have a relatively mature body at 18 so you can see what they’re going to be.
There’s nothing wrong with taking two- and three-star kids, but you have to be able to see what a kid may become.
I’m no athlete, but I wasn’t done growing at 18. I didn’t reach my full height until I was 20. I think that’s what we’re seeing with these lower star kids. The coaches just have to have an eye toward whether the kid will have something to offer by the time he’s an upper classman.
by fountainofute on Jan 19, 2012 10:24 AM MST up reply actions
The cynic in me says no
I’ve said it before ( and it’s a gross generalization, I admit, ) but there’s a certain amount of entitlement that goes along with high levels of natural athleticism. It’s like the hot girl who knows exactly how hot she is. She doesn’t lack attention so if one suitor isn’t exactly to her taste, doesn’t tell her exactly what she wants to hear or do everything she asks of them, then she’ll turn to another one.
I’ve seen far too many highly touted athletes in many different sports ( pro and amateur, ) that act as though the program they’re playing for should feel lucky to have them. And if the coach/staff or other teammates don’t all cater to the “star’s” needs, they either transfer or create drama.
Meanwhile, the people who know their weaknesses continually work to improve themselves. They know how far they still have to go and don’t expect any favors along the way.
If anyone found my snowboarding gloves after storming the field following the 2004 TDS game, I want them back!
Just got another 3 star
He’s listed as an Athlete, played safety in high school. 6-1 190, Reginald Porter. Feels like a LB/DE type of guy… looks like there’s a lot of room to add weight.
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=5390757
He’s from Louisiana… guess he didn’t want to stay close to home.
by Joseph Silverzweig on Jan 18, 2012 4:03 PM MST reply actions
LB/DE?
Special teamer… Safety… Reggie Dunn 2.0
I have a few buddies that know him well from Louisiana and this kid was a top tier QB in high school (granted it was class 3)
He will be a playmaker and I doubt he will ever weigh more than 205-210…. throwing LB DE out the window.
but kids like this are the type of players we need in the future to complete with the athletes of Cal, Washington, Oregon, Stanford ETC…
and the type of athletes that will continue to put us light years ahead of BYU
by BigBeast52Utes on Jan 19, 2012 4:00 PM MST up reply actions
I don't know about LB/DE. He looks like a safety to me. Maybe he can bulk up to play LB, we'll see.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Jan 20, 2012 11:23 AM MST up reply actions
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