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Ohio Football Recruiting

Topic: Overall impressions of the class?

Topic: Overall impressions of the class?

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L.C.
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Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/4/2013 7:48:37 PM

Overall I like most of the players recruited, and I think it will turn out to be an OK class, but unless we have surprises at QB and CB, both of which are priority need positions, in my opinion, the class can't really be considered "great". Five defensive tackles in one class seems a bit excessive to me, but I hope one or two of them turn out to be the dominant inside guy that Monroe has been looking for. The number of Tight ends in this class seems pretty high, too, as there are already a lot on the roster.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

colobobcat66
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/4/2013 8:11:33 PM

My impression is that in spite of most of the players getting more offers, the class does not have the home run look to me. It seems we are desperate at DT with all the under the radar guys we are getting verbals from. The loss of a 3 star QB hurt a lot. On the other hand, the RB's look better than we have had in any one year for a while. I think we need another LB or two as well as another 2 defensive backs. We seem to be getting some very good offensive lineman which should make that an area of continued strength. But it really is too early to tell what we have until after signing day and about 3 years of games!

Last Edited: 2/5/2013 7:38:21 AM by colobobcat66

ohio9704
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/4/2013 8:32:05 PM

Do you mean the class that signs or the one that actually shows up in the fall in Athens? Last year losing many of our top players that "signed" was a bit of a bummer.

Doc Bobcat
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/4/2013 9:21:29 PM

ohio9704 wrote:

Do you mean the class that signs or the one that actually shows up in the fall in Athens? Last year losing many of our top players that "signed" was a bit of a bummer.

It looks like the fact that they should show up makes this maybe a better class than last year.

I was bummed out as well and had those 3 in the top five of the class.

Paul Graham
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/4/2013 10:08:40 PM

Perhaps the staff decided not to take chances this year on potential qualifiers, unlike last year's mess. Thats why we aren't seeing any Trae Clark level recruits.

GoBigBlob
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 12:09:00 AM

L.C., I like this class. I am glad the coaches are not going after a QB they do not truly want. They can go big with one next year or take one and someone they can develop. I believe with the pipeline that Ohio has with IWCC they can pull a gem out of there hopefully as needed every year or two.

A lot of talent in Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska this class of 2014...I hope we get some of the good ones.

Blob

C Money
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 9:06:43 AM

Really like some of the weapons we're adding on offense (especially at RB), but I would like to see at least one more impact player on defense. I think we have some solid pieces there, but other than Sayles I don't know that I am really excited about anyone on that side of the ball. Fingers are crossed for a signing day surprise.

Doc Bobcat
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 10:09:23 AM

C Money wrote:

Really like some of the weapons we're adding on offense (especially at RB), but I would like to see at least one more impact player on defense. I think we have some solid pieces there, but other than Sayles I don't know that I am really excited about anyone on that side of the ball. Fingers are crossed for a signing day surprise.

Sayles look to be the key on D...but a few others might surprise. Porter at DT was looked at by some SEC teams. Smart at DE didn't play against top competition but he is a decent athlete. Quallen was a stud safety and may be the same at OLB and he did play in a tough league.

Keeping fingers and toes crossed as well.....not so much for the suprise signing as hope that the "soft" verbals don't bail.

The QB thing concerns me a little....but it looks like next years senior HS QB list will be decent and with TT leaving QB's will see a chance for PT sooner than later.

mf279801
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 11:27:02 AM

L.C. wrote:

I'm liking the TE's myself. Toward the end of last season we were either playing without backup scholarship TEs or were using walk-on TEs on some plays, IIRC. Considering all the trouble that we've had defending "big" receivers over the past couple of years, I like the idea of getting some bigger pass-catchers out there. All that being said, I don't know that the TEs expected to sign their LOIs tomorrow have good hands or not.

BuddyLee
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 12:55:58 PM

Let's be honest here folks, on paper it looks pretty bleak right now! We already lost our best offensive player Walsh in this class and we could end up losing Sayles who is our top defensive recruit. Just looking at ESPN and we have one freaking guy with any type of rating. ONE FREAKING GUY!!! The next lowest team is Buffalo and they have three. Everybody else in the conference has at least 4-11 guys with rankings. Give me all the garbage you want about how our coaches know about hidden talent and finding underrated guys who who will fit Frank's system, but I just don't buy it anymore. Our coaches should stop trying to outsmart the rest of the country and just get some gosh darn known talent in here with the SPEED and SIZE that will get us to the next level. You can combine all the scouting services and try to come up with some justification about how we have more guys ranked than years past, but compared to the rest of the conference WE ARE LAGGING BEHIND!!!! Why are we not building upon our recent success and getting top level talent in here? Is the new recruiting coordinator slacking? Are we in a budget crunch and trying to streamline our scouting to the state of Ohio, Georgia, and some Juco schools? Are we trying to play it safe and avoid late decommittments or non qualifiers like last year? If so then we are settling for mediocrity and not elevating our standards. When I see Miami, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, and even Umass kicking our butt there is a problem. Get ready to pull out your magic fairy dust and drink the kool aid tomorrow when the coaches will try to hype up every player and make them sound like they found the next Jerry Rice. But there is a serious problem with our level of recruiting and someone needs to hold these coaches accountable tomorrow and ask them the tough questions, because quite frankly I'M GETTING TIRED OF IT!!!!!!!

Last Edited: 2/5/2013 12:58:08 PM by BuddyLee

UpSan Bobcat
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 1:15:53 PM

Buddy, I think you're right in some ways. I honestly think this probably is one of Ohio's poorer classes of the last few years, but it's not as bad as you are making it out to be. ESPN is not the source to use. I haven't look at it in depth, but I know there is at least one player committed to Ohio that ESPN rates pretty highly but doesn't list as a committment yet. I think if you look at other recruiting services that aren't so far behind at rating and updating committments, you'd see Ohio probably ranks in the middle of the MAC, which I'll give you is disappointing for a team that has been at the top of the MAC for the last several years. But I do think Ohio's classes the last few years have been among the better ones in the leauge and in general the recruiting has been going in the right direction.

C Money
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 1:34:32 PM

ESPN doesn't care about any team outside of the AQ conferences and Notre Dame. Witness the elimination of the non-AQ blog on ESPN.com last season, which was about the only place you could regularly catch mention of any MAC team. Don't expect them to put much analysis into non-AQ commits.

Doc Bobcat
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 2:10:51 PM

It sounds like some of us forget the Knorr years. You couldn't even find out who the commits were until a few days before or the day of LOI signing and most of the time it was the LOI day where we got guys who had been passed over by other teams. Many of OUr players commit early now so they don't get a ton of offers.....but we still have guys in this class with BCS offers....not just MAC offers.

Is OUr class better than Toledo's this year? Probably not.

Can you show me 3 other MAC recruiting classes this year better than OUrs? Probably not.

This wailing and gnashing of teeth comes somewhat from 3 of last year's TOP guys being non-qualifiers. I didn't hear many if any complain about last year's class before we got that bad news..

We need to ask the resident guru L.C. if he's ready like some of you to march into the signing day reception at 6pm tomorrow and declare:

THIS CLASS SUCKS AND SO HAVE ALL THE OTHERS AND I'M TIRED OF IT.

Voice of Reason
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 2:32:53 PM

L.C. wrote:

I am curious as to QB and CB are priority need positions. Maybe the Coaching staff has full confidence in the fact that Vick is ready to take over after TT finishes and as a result were willing to take some chances trying to lock up a top QB recruit. Perhaps their view on it was let's try to make a splash this year and if we don't make a splash we can secure a similar level talent behind Vick next year. Saying QB is a priority need position without knowing what the staffs view on Vick is a big assumption. I love that they tried to go big here knowing they have TT for one more year and Vick, who showed very well in limited time, next year. They had the insurance policy that allowed them to take risk. If it had paid off, they are genius. The fact that it didn't work out does not take them from genius to idiots. They know what they are doing.

With regards to CB, I know we were exposed there this year, but I feel a big part of that was injuries and youth. I look at the roaster of what we have coming back and I am not as desperate as everyone else. Would I like some, absolutely. However, if we are debating between big impactful Dlineman and a CB that is ok. I want the big impactful Dlineman all day! Our CB's don't need to be as strong if we are giving the opposing Oline and QB fits.

I am also a big proponent at the MAC level of taking the best available talent/athlete regardless of position. If you have a chance to get a group of game changing Dlineman over status quo CB's, you take every damn lineman regardless of positional needs. Then you develop a scheme around the talent you have and the areas of the game where you can make the biggest impact. I think Coach Solich does that very well. I am really happy with the talent of this recruiting class and the potential versatility of some of the guys we are bringing in. I have full confidence that if the coaches felt they needed CB's they would have gone out and gotten them. Honestly, I think the bigger need is Dline though. We are losing Huynh, Carl Jones, Hastings and Scott. That is a lot to replace!

Doc Bobcat
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 3:23:41 PM

Voice of Reason wrote:

L.C. wrote:

This may be the reason that some hate this class. You've got 7 D-linemen which makes up the most recruits for any position. Sure you need QB's but you have a preferred walk-on from last year and the 2 primary back-ups to TT are decent. At CB Carrie returns and you add a preferred walk-on this year.

The argument is a lot like the NFL draft. Some draftniks like the BPA or best player available method. This means no matter what your needs are at a particular position you get the best player on the board. If we did that we would not have 7 D-linemen this year. We also would be hurting depth wise and maybe talent wise on the D-line. I think Frank does a good combination of needs and BPA. Sure you don't turn down a 3 or 4 star, but if you need D-linemen you go get em.

As far as which method is best that remains to be seen. Those that say the BPA works no matter what your needs could end up with a team with zero depth at positions. The Arizona Cards are perfect examples. For years they've gone BPA and have neglected the QB and O-line positions. Sure Patrick Peterson and Larry Fitzgerald are great but they suck with no QB and no O-line.

I'll have my green koolaid ready tomorrow. I'll be glued to the computer all day waiting for those LOI's and hoping to have a celebatory drink or 2 no matter if it's a surprise or that those soft verbals that get hard.

IN FRANK WE TRUST.

BuddyLee
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 3:31:52 PM

Big mistake if we're just trying to fill needs and passing over higher ranked guys at other positions. Especially when you let top level players escape just to fill in the numbers at a certain position like DL. We need to go after playmakers, not just warm bodies. I've seen it too many times before, just ask the Cleveland Browns what happens when you reach to fill needs instead of taking BPA like the Ravens do. This is a very short sighted strategy that I hope will not come back to bite us in a few years.

Last Edited: 2/5/2013 3:40:24 PM by BuddyLee

L.C.
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 3:34:40 PM

Doc Bobcat wrote:

...We need to ask the resident guru L.C. if he's ready like some of you to march into the signing day reception at 6pm tomorrow and declare:

THIS CLASS SUCKS AND SO HAVE ALL THE OTHERS AND I'M TIRED OF IT.

No, no. I'm going to march in and ask: "OK, Monroe, what have you done with Brian Haines?" Obviously Monroe has taken his place, and replaced all the recruits with Big Manz, specifically Tight Ends and disruptive Defensive Tackles.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

Doc Bobcat
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 3:40:02 PM

L.C. wrote:

Doc Bobcat wrote:

Hah.....just hand the sign to Buddy then.

BuddyLee
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 3:52:06 PM

I actually loved last years class before all of the defections. I just know that one bad recruiting class can set you back for years (see Brian Knorr days). I don't want to see that happen again.

And while I agree that big lineman are always important, I think the game has changed especially in our conference. We desperately need more team speed and I don't see it with this class. Hope that me and all of the scouting services are proven wrong.

L.C.
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 4:02:30 PM

Voice of Reason wrote:

I agree that the coaches have a lot more information about who is developing, and who isn't, and therefore they are in a better position to assess need than we are. I tend to just look at numbers, and what those numbers will look like 2 years out. Figuring some 2 TE sets, and some Nickle defense, I look at the number of scholarship players divided by the number of positions. After adding in the recruits for this year, you have:
4.0 - RB 4 for 1 position
4.0 - TE - 6 for 1.5 positions
4.0 - LB - 10 for 2.5 positions
3.5 - DL - 14 for 4 positions
3.2 - S - 8 for 2.5 positions
3.2 - WR - 8 for 2.5 positions
2.4 - OL - 12 for 5 positions
2.0 - QB 2 for 1 position
1.5 - CB- 3 for 2 positions

I like the RB recruits, and think it is good to be strong there. TE is a position where normally I figure a walkon will emerge, so I don't mind being a little thin there. LB - this was a good year to go light on those. S, WR, and OL all look fine.

I would have been very happy with this class with one less TE and one or two less defensive linement, and add in one-two CBs and a QB.

Last Edited: 2/5/2013 4:05:47 PM by L.C.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

The Optimist
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 4:03:40 PM

I am not overly concerned about QB. I have a lot of confidence that Derrius Vick is the true answer moving forward. At 1st glance I am not blown away with excitement, but thinking about Dorian Brown and Daz pairing up running gets me pumped up. And I completely missed the Carson commit til now... Wow.
We knew we needed help on the dline, and we went out and signed a couple guys. I hope Sayles isn't a last day Nebraska commit. That would be a big letdown.
Concerned about CB moving forward.

I am a very big believer in getting good OLineman in. Solich has done a good job at that. I do agree with BuddyLee on speed... I dream of a guy like Kent's Archer falling into our hands.

Last Edited: 2/5/2013 4:09:02 PM by The Optimist

I've seen crazier things happen.

L.C.
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 4:08:56 PM

At corner, obviously next year Ohio will be great there, but once Carrie and Shaw are gone, the only ones left will be Bass, Fisher, and Wells. All are good, but you don't have much rotation, even if none of them get hurt.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

L.C.
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 4:11:04 PM

BuddyLee wrote:

I actually loved last years class before all of the defections. ....

Another conclusion from the heavy emphasis at DT and TE is that they probably are not expecting Clark and Roberts to end up back at Ohio after Juco.

Last Edited: 2/5/2013 4:11:55 PM by L.C.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

BuddyLee
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 4:33:46 PM

QB - still feels very shaky to me. Vick or Windham have to be the real deal or else 2014 and 2015 are probably shot. I think the coaches put all of their eggs in the Walsh basket and got caught with egg on their face when he decommitted.
RB - I will give you that Daz and a combination of one of the new backs we got this year could be pretty nice.
WR - I question the speed thing here.
TE - looks set for the future after this years class
OL - I'm fine with our OL recruits the last few years
DE - the 2011 class better start to produce or we will be in trouble. If Sayles does go to Nebraska it's gonna hurt big time.
DT - We still only have one guy over 300 lbs. With small linebackers on the team that is going to be a concern unless some of these recruits can really beef up.
LB - tons of unproven players here. I need to see more.
CB - can't believe this position is not being addressed in recruiting especially after all of the injuries and how badly we were exposed last year.
S - kinda scary when Carpenter is your best player here. They better not move Quallen to linebacker.

mf279801
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RE: Overall impressions of the class?

Posted: 2/5/2013 4:50:28 PM

BuddyLee wrote:

DT - We still only have one guy over 300 lbs. With small linebackers on the team that is going to be a concern unless some of these recruits can really beef up.

yet your last post was

BuddyLee wrote:

And while I agree that big lineman are always important, I think the game has changed especially in our conference. We desperately need more team speed and I don't see it with this class. Hope that me and all of the scouting services are proven wrong.

So which is it? Do you team speed at the expense of DT size, or do you want to complain that only one guy is over 300 pounds?

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