Is there a good site I can go to to get Trojan recruiting info? What I'd really like is more detailed info on Trojan signees as well as who they're looking at currently, but have yet to sign.

ESPN never ranks Trojan recruits (always the default 40, which designates an unranked player) when the majority of the other Sun Belt schools get graded. Rivals.com and scout.com doesn't do much either.

Any suggestions? Heck even if you just know what's going on right now as far as Trojan recruiting is concerned I'd love to hear it.

(02-07-2009 12:52 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  Is there a good site I can go to to get Trojan recruiting info? What I'd really like is more detailed info on Trojan signees as well as who they're looking at currently, but have yet to sign.

ESPN never ranks Trojan recruits (always the default 40, which designates an unranked player) when the majority of the other Sun Belt schools get graded. Rivals.com and scout.com doesn't do much either.

Any suggestions? Heck even if you just know what's going on right now as far as Trojan recruiting is concerned I'd love to hear it.

It's usually very difficult to find much on our recruits. I used to get a recruiting publication, but UALR recruits were never mentioned so I finally cancelled by subscription. I believe our Juco signees were ranked on Rivals earlier this year, but I haven't been able to find those rankings again. Not sure what's happened to them. It seems like a player has to be recruited by one of the bigger schools to get some kind of ranking. Usually that's not the players we are in on. Maybe that will change one day.

(02-07-2009 01:52 AM)mjs Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 12:52 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  Is there a good site I can go to to get Trojan recruiting info? What I'd really like is more detailed info on Trojan signees as well as who they're looking at currently, but have yet to sign.

ESPN never ranks Trojan recruits (always the default 40, which designates an unranked player) when the majority of the other Sun Belt schools get graded. Rivals.com and scout.com doesn't do much either.

Any suggestions? Heck even if you just know what's going on right now as far as Trojan recruiting is concerned I'd love to hear it.

It's usually very difficult to find much on our recruits. I used to get a recruiting publication, but UALR recruits were never mentioned so I finally cancelled by subscription. I believe our Juco signees were ranked on Rivals earlier this year, but I haven't been able to find those rankings again. Not sure what's happened to them. It seems like a player has to be recruited by one of the bigger schools to get some kind of ranking. Usually that's not the players we are in on. Maybe that will change one day.

True, hopefully as recruiting seems to be getting more and more attention these days (especially for football) the attention will trickle down to the non-BCS schools. That said, after typing this message I did wander over to espn.com and Nikola Cicic was rated at an 84 (pretty darn solid) and had some great feedback:

Cicic, similar to many European players, has an offensive game heavily based in sound fundamentals. He shoots the ball very well and has almost unlimited range from the perimeter. Cicic has good size for the perimeter which allows him to see over smaller perimeter defenders for his lethal jumper. He also plays an unselfish brand of basketball, easily locating open teammates with his good vision and passing skills. He could also enhance his ball-handling skills. Cicic has a very high basketball I.Q., which should come as no surprise due to the fact that Cicic's father coaches basketball. Cicic has to increase this lateral quickness and athleticism for the next level. He also has to get a little tougher for the college game and react better to contact.

Pretty exciting stuff! Also, are we out of scholarships? I know we signed quite a few in the Fall...

We are WAY out of scholarships. Someone currently here or coming here is going to have to go or not come here.

(02-07-2009 09:37 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  We are WAY out of scholarships. Someone currently here or coming here is going to have to go or not come here.

Fortunately or unfortunately, that does seem to happen every year. I can definitely see Kelson Stewart or even Lamarvon Jackson headed out after this year.

13 scholarships, plus Matt, plus 5 signed, less 4 seniors = 15. Two over. Looks like Kelson's status is uncertain, but that still leaves one to be adjusted.

LaMarvon is a senior, BTW.

(02-07-2009 09:44 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  LaMarvon is a senior, BTW.

I just noticed that myself. My mistake. Perhaps Bails? We may lose a good one.

(02-07-2009 09:49 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 09:44 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  LaMarvon is a senior, BTW.

I just noticed that myself. My mistake. Perhaps Bails? We may lose a good one.

...which I would hate, by the way. There's something really endearing about that guy! The big, loveable, clumsy big guy. Kinda reminds me of Costa Malone or Rodriguez from the Platt/Wimp years!

The people who run the rivals and scout boards have there own agendas or affiliation. For instance, the Arkansas rivals web site is run by Otis Kirk. Kirk is a die-hard Razorbacks fan. He doesn't care about rating players or keeping up with players headed to a mid-major school. He certainly doesn't get out and see all these guys play. I have been told, but I have not seen this, sometimes a mid-major recruit might get a 2 star rating because he is being recruited by an Arkansas or another BCS school and perhaps the player got the rating just because of that. Seems it would look bad if a BCS school was recruiting a player that wasn't rated. So the guy gets a 2 star. Then the guys signs with a mid-major and suddenly you cannot find anything about him on the recruiting websites. Hmm.

Even Rivals is in the clutches of Fayetteville! Does it never end?

(02-07-2009 09:39 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 09:37 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  We are WAY out of scholarships. Someone currently here or coming here is going to have to go or not come here.

Fortunately or unfortunately, that does seem to happen every year. I can definitely see Kelson Stewart or even Lamarvon Jackson headed out after this year.

LaMarvon is one of our four graduating Seniors.

(02-07-2009 09:57 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  ...which I would hate, by the way. There's something really endearing about that guy! The big, loveable, clumsy big guy.

Big with a nice touch. I hope he stays around.

Yeah, I admit being quite wrong about LaMarvon. Shame on me...

I have contacted scout and rivals about taking over there pages for us in the past before we settled here. Both sites would help recruiting if done right but I no longer have the time and teh recruiting info would only be as good as what is passed to me. If I put that info on a public forum on the internet, that info would dry up.

(02-07-2009 11:05 AM)insideualr Wrote:  I have contacted scout and rivals about taking over there pages for us in the past before we settled here. Both sites would help recruiting if done right but I no longer have the time and teh recruiting info would only be as good as what is passed to me. If I put that info on a public forum on the internet, that info would dry up.

Very kind of you to offer. Obviously they declined? Hate to hear that. So I take it you have ties to recruiting info?

I believe most coaches over recruit. After all, the whole idea is to get better each year.
I heard Gino Torretta talking on the radio not long ago. He was the Heisman winning QB at Miami I am sure you all know this. He said Jimmy Johnson told him every year he was going to try and sign a better QB and the starting job at QB was always open. And I believe most coaches are honest with their players and if they sign a questionable player they are up front with them and tell them if they produce, they will stay, if not, they help them find another school.

(02-07-2009 09:39 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 09:37 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  We are WAY out of scholarships. Someone currently here or coming here is going to have to go or not come here.

Fortunately or unfortunately, that does seem to happen every year. I can definitely see Kelson Stewart or even Lamarvon Jackson headed out after this year.

Since you guys brought this up, Joe Kleine spoke to a group that I attended the other day, and he mentioned this situation. He said he realized one day. "Hey, we have 10 guys coming back, five new ones signed, that's fifteen, and we've only got 13 scholarships". He mentioned it to Steve, and was told not to worry, that these things always have a way of working out.

Joe said players leave in one of three ways. Academics, lack of playing time, or they're asked to leave. He said that's the one thing he doesn't like about coaching, but you have to do it, because if you don't, you won't have a job. I'm not divulging any secrets. This was said in an open forum. And "the truth shall set you free". He did say when asked (by yours truly) , although he isn't the one to make these decisions, that it was a pretty safe bet that III would be on scholarship next season.

(02-07-2009 11:16 AM)Dr. J. Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 09:39 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 09:37 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  We are WAY out of scholarships. Someone currently here or coming here is going to have to go or not come here.

Fortunately or unfortunately, that does seem to happen every year. I can definitely see Kelson Stewart or even Lamarvon Jackson headed out after this year.

Since you guys brought this up, Joe Kleine spoke to a group that I attended the other day, and he mentioned this situation. He said he realized one day. "Hey, we have 10 guys coming back, five new ones signed, that's fifteen, and we've only got 13 scholarships". He mentioned it to Steve, and was told not to worry, that these things always have a way of working out.

Joe said players leave in one of three ways. Academics, lack of playing time, or they're asked to leave. He said that's the one thing he doesn't like about coaching, but you have to do it, because if you don't, you won't have a job. I'm not divulging any secrets. This was said in an open forum. And "the truth shall set you free". He did say when asked (by yours truly) , although he isn't the one to make these decisions, that it was a pretty safe bet that III would be on scholarship next season.

On one hand I'm very glad Mouzy is getting a scholarship. He absolutely deserves it. On the other that makes another departure necessary. I'm starting to get nervous about who we're going to lose aside from graduation! Perhaps they'll release some of their signees?

(02-07-2009 11:19 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 11:16 AM)Dr. J. Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 09:39 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  

(02-07-2009 09:37 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  We are WAY out of scholarships. Someone currently here or coming here is going to have to go or not come here.

Fortunately or unfortunately, that does seem to happen every year. I can definitely see Kelson Stewart or even Lamarvon Jackson headed out after this year.

Since you guys brought this up, Joe Kleine spoke to a group that I attended the other day, and he mentioned this situation. He said he realized one day. "Hey, we have 10 guys coming back, five new ones signed, that's fifteen, and we've only got 13 scholarships". He mentioned it to Steve, and was told not to worry, that these things always have a way of working out.

Joe said players leave in one of three ways. Academics, lack of playing time, or they're asked to leave. He said that's the one thing he doesn't like about coaching, but you have to do it, because if you don't, you won't have a job. I'm not divulging any secrets. This was said in an open forum. And "the truth shall set you free". He did say when asked (by yours truly) , although he isn't the one to make these decisions, that it was a pretty safe bet that III would be on scholarship next season.

On one hand I'm very glad Mouzy is getting a scholarship. He absolutely deserves it. On the other that makes another departure necessary. I'm starting to get nervous about who we're going to lose aside from graduation! Perhaps they'll release some of their signees?

No way that's going to happen. The only way those signees are not going to be here is if they don't make their grades, or drop out of college for some reason. If all of them hit campus, the departures will come from our current roster, in one form or another. And maybe grades will take care of a couple of them, so nobody has to be asked to leave. Either way, it is sad, but life isn't always perfect, is it?