Anyone see USF commits. They are at 28 commits. Only 16 signed. So either 12 have some issue with clearinghouse or they are looking to see if they get bigger offers.
Plus SMU only signed 7 of their 20 commits. That could be more the coaching change.
(12-21-2017 08:58 AM)Nobones Wrote: [ -> ]Anyone see USF commits. They are at 28 commits. Only 16 signed. So either 12 have some issue with clearinghouse or they are looking to see if they get bigger offers.
Given how their other classes of the past have panned out, I would guess it's door number one there.
(12-21-2017 09:13 AM)BearcatMan Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 08:58 AM)Nobones Wrote: [ -> ]Anyone see USF commits. They are at 28 commits. Only 16 signed. So either 12 have some issue with clearinghouse or they are looking to see if they get bigger offers.
Given how their other classes of the past have panned out, I would guess it's door number one there.
Was my first thought too.
I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
(12-21-2017 09:54 AM)djtothemoney Wrote: [ -> ]I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
Jakari Robinson has something to say about that. With that being said, we need all the help we can get on the interior, so I'm thinking there will be a lot of pieces moving around on the line this off-season.
(12-21-2017 09:54 AM)djtothemoney Wrote: [ -> ]I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
It will be interesting. We have Jakari Robinson in the fold who took a redshirt this year. Reports where that he was the heir apparent and was expected to be a 4 year starter. Of course, if this kid is better I don't fault the staff for continuing to upgrade the position/add depth.
(12-21-2017 09:54 AM)djtothemoney Wrote: [ -> ]I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
I hope you're right but I feel it's impossible to predict on such limited information. the lure of the B10 is always intoxicating to high school seniors, even though Indiana has mostly been a perennial bottom feeder.
My initial thought with him being from the Detroit metro was that he might be more comfortable in a larger city than a university town. But who really knows? Maybe his cousin or his best friend play for IU and he wants to be there.
One thing we've learned again this recruiting cycle is that Fickell is really good at closing the deal on some excellent talent. I like our chances.
(12-21-2017 10:07 AM)OKIcat Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 09:54 AM)djtothemoney Wrote: [ -> ]I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
I hope you're right but I feel it's impossible to predict on such limited information. the lure of the B10 is always intoxicating to high school seniors, even though Indiana has mostly been a perennial bottom feeder.
My initial thought with him being from the Detroit metro was that he might be more comfortable in a larger city than a university town. But who really knows? Maybe his cousin or his best friend play for IU and he wants to be there.
One thing we've learned again this recruiting cycle is that Fickell is really good at closing the deal on some excellent talent. I like our chances.
Syracuse's OC got the Kent State HC job last week. Odds are he will take another offensive coach or two with him. This could be a factor that impacted his decision making.
(12-21-2017 10:06 AM)CliftonAve Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 09:54 AM)djtothemoney Wrote: [ -> ]I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
It will be interesting. We have Jakari Robinson in the fold who took a redshirt this year. Reports where that he was the heir apparent and was expected to be a 4 year starter. Of course, if this kid is better I don't fault the staff for continuing to upgrade the position/add depth.
Heard reports that he was not only a beast in the weight room but "The Beast."
(12-21-2017 10:07 AM)OKIcat Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 09:54 AM)djtothemoney Wrote: [ -> ]I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
I hope you're right but I feel it's impossible to predict on such limited information. the lure of the B10 is always intoxicating to high school seniors, even though Indiana has mostly been a perennial bottom feeder.
My initial thought with him being from the Detroit metro was that he might be more comfortable in a larger city than a university town. But who really knows? Maybe his cousin or his best friend play for IU and he wants to be there.
One thing we've learned again this recruiting cycle is that Fickell is really good at closing the deal on some excellent talent. I like our chances.
It is very early, I am sure that other programs may arise. In his tweet, he commented that he is listening to all programs.
Quote:Cincinnati Signs A Monster Class In Fickell's Second Year
Luke Fickell's recruiting prowess has Cincinnati as the top dog in the AAC, and in the Top-50 nationally.
Coming from Ohio State and the recruiting success he had there, much was expected from Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell in the area of adding talent to the Bearcat roster, and he has exceeded expectations.
While Fickell's first class was ranked at No. 63, a respectable figure considering he only had a little over a month to hire a staff and recruit his class, the 2018 group is headed to legendary status.
Cincinnati is currently listed as the No. 47 ranked team in the most recent 247Sports Composite team rankings, ahead of such programs as Virginia, Arizona and Pittsburgh. And it can still go higher.
What I love most in this class would be the landing of both Josh Whyle and Malik Vann, considering those are two nationally recruited players. To me, Whyle could be ranked even higher than the No. 18 tight end in America because he could play for anyone. There has been disagreement on Vann as a player by recruiting experts, but his production is not debatable.
But the real significance of signing Whyle and Vann is that it shows the younger players in the Cincinnati-Dayton area that Fickell and the Bearcats are a legitimate option for top-end recruits and all their dreams can come true at UC.
You need a quarterback playing at a high level to compete, whether you're the Patriots, Buckeyes or Bearcats, and I think Fickell landed a winner in Ben Bryant. He has good size and can deliver an accurate, catchable ball, and he just might be able to contribute next season if needed.
Another example of the Fickell way is the signing of several players from some of the top programs in Ohio, schools that win and expect to win on a yearly basis. Bringing in Daeshon Martin, Blake Bacevich, Darnell Shields, Ty Van Fossen and Ja'von Hicks only aids what Fickell is trying to do by bringing a winning culture to Cincinnati. These guys, along with Vann and Whyle, will be the leaders in the classroom, in the weight room and on the football field.
My sleeper of the class would be Arquon Bush, and this is a prospect that could be on the field next year for Fickell's defense. Bush has elite cover skills, and is one of the more under-recruited players in the Midwest. I'm shocked he was not offered by the upper tier Big Ten schools, and this could be looked at as one Fickell flat out stole in a couple of years. Bush has NFL talent.
https://247sports.com/Article/Cincinnati...-112498472
More good press...specifically the bolded.
Hell, I said last year with guys like Taylor (SVSM), White (LaSalle), Bryant (Glenville), Cloud (Bedford), and Warren (Toledo Central) that the staff was going after guys with winning mentalities from programs who prove they can compete...that's very similar to what Dantonio did with the guys who ended up running the show on defense for us in the late 00's.
Nakamura was a St. Eds kid
Mike Mickens played for Huber Heights Wayne
Byrd and Revels were Colerain guys
DeLo was an Independence kid, a school that ran central Ohio in the late 90's and early 00's
Angelo Craig was at Glenville with all the heavy hitters (Doss, Ginn, etc.)
Rob Trigg came from Dayton CJ
Ryan Manalac came from Pick Central
Every one of those kids were winners...and we're going back to that kind of mentality. If they're athletic and they are winners, they will want to work and want to be coached to win more. No more kids from Danville, VA or 5-5 teams from farm country.
As for Bush...Marcus and I have been pretty damn high on him since he committed, and if anyone wants to see what our starting field corner looks like next year, check his tape. The kid is borderline elite, and that's not being hyperbolic...he'll immediately be the fastest kid on our defense and his route mirroring is absolutely stellar. Not to mention he was also an all-league WR, so he knows how to locate and attack a ball in the air. He legitimately reminds me a ton of DeLo...and man have we needed a playmaker like him for awhile.
Bush, Vann, Meechi, and possibly Whyle depending on his initial role are all guys who will come in and take reps as an upgrade over what we had in the rotations last year. My dark horse for early contributions is McClelland.
I love the idea of getting guys who have been taught well and who have been taught to win. Its amazing to me how often we took guys from programs that were perpetually bad or from the smallest school divisions.
As far as guys who red shirted last year, look for Jabari Taylor and Jakari Robinson to make a big splash. Coaches are really high on what they have seen from both.
(12-21-2017 11:04 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote: [ -> ]Bush, Vann, Meechi, and possibly Whyle depending on his initial role are all guys who will come in and take reps as an upgrade over what we had in the rotations last year. My dark horse for early contributions is McClelland.
I love the idea of getting guys who have been taught well and who have been taught to win. Its amazing to me how often we took guys from programs that were perpetually bad or from the smallest school divisions.
As far as guys who red shirted last year, look for Jabari Taylor and Jakari Robinson to make a big splash. Coaches are really high on what they have seen from both.
These guys are also guys who started out in youth programs; not former hockey players, track athletes, basketball players, etc. who didn't start playing football until their Jr/Sr year of high school. It's one thing to bring in 1-2 guys like this in a class, but when your entire is made up of these kind of guys it is problematic.
Regardless of how "athletic" those later guys are, they just don't have the football instincts, "IQ", or what have you that someone who has several years of playing under their belt.
Absolutely. Great point.
Those SOYFA "Little Card" grads were taught to step on opponents' necks by about the 4th grade.
(12-21-2017 11:15 AM)CliftonAve Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 11:04 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote: [ -> ]Bush, Vann, Meechi, and possibly Whyle depending on his initial role are all guys who will come in and take reps as an upgrade over what we had in the rotations last year. My dark horse for early contributions is McClelland.
I love the idea of getting guys who have been taught well and who have been taught to win. Its amazing to me how often we took guys from programs that were perpetually bad or from the smallest school divisions.
As far as guys who red shirted last year, look for Jabari Taylor and Jakari Robinson to make a big splash. Coaches are really high on what they have seen from both.
These guys are also guys who started out in youth programs; not former hockey players, track athletes, basketball players, etc. who didn't start playing football until their Jr/Sr year of high school. It's one thing to bring in 1-2 guys like this in a class, but when your entire is made up of these kind of guys it is problematic.
Regardless of how "athletic" those later guys are, they just don't have the football instincts, "IQ", or what have you that someone who has several years of playing under their belt.
I agree. We had one raw athlete in Lorenz Metz this class, but I'm very excited about him. The German Giant will be one of the tallest players in college football... only 4 current NFL players have reached his height of 6'9", and none are listed above that.
At his height though, he would probably need to put on at least 30 pounds to be NFL-sized. Interestingly enough, all 4 NFL players listed at 6'9" are OTs. Maybe we plan to use him in that role... lawd knows we desperately need it.
(12-21-2017 10:17 AM)rosewater Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 10:06 AM)CliftonAve Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 09:54 AM)djtothemoney Wrote: [ -> ]I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
It will be interesting. We have Jakari Robinson in the fold who took a redshirt this year. Reports where that he was the heir apparent and was expected to be a 4 year starter. Of course, if this kid is better I don't fault the staff for continuing to upgrade the position/add depth.
Heard reports that he was not only a beast in the weight room but "The Beast."
Its possible that Robinson, or the Syracuse decommit could play elsewhere on the line. If we land the decommit from Cuse, and Jakari lives up to the hype surrounding him, our line could be in decent shape sooner rather than later.
(12-21-2017 10:18 AM)rosewater Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 10:07 AM)OKIcat Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2017 09:54 AM)djtothemoney Wrote: [ -> ]I'm thinking we are in on T the center. I mean if it's between us and Indiana? Plus he's got a real shot at early playing time. Don't forget Bond was a 4 year starter at center.
I hope you're right but I feel it's impossible to predict on such limited information. the lure of the B10 is always intoxicating to high school seniors, even though Indiana has mostly been a perennial bottom feeder.
My initial thought with him being from the Detroit metro was that he might be more comfortable in a larger city than a university town. But who really knows? Maybe his cousin or his best friend play for IU and he wants to be there.
One thing we've learned again this recruiting cycle is that Fickell is really good at closing the deal on some excellent talent. I like our chances.
It is very early, I am sure that other programs may arise. In his tweet, he commented that he is listening to all programs.
I guess we will see. Hopefully he qualifies. I was reading Syracuse fans reaction to this on Reddit and a lot of them were saying he's got grade issues. Could just be butt hurt fans though.