CSNbbs

This is an exciting recruiting class, and maybe a surprise or two will join it before all is said and done. Great job by all the coaches.

(12-20-2017 12:41 PM)NIU1981 Wrote: [ -> ]This is an exciting recruiting class, and maybe a surprise or two will join it before all is said and done. Great job by all the coaches.

+1000%

(12-20-2017 01:55 PM)NIU05 Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-20-2017 12:41 PM)NIU1981 Wrote: [ -> ]This is an exciting recruiting class, and maybe a surprise or two will join it before all is said and done. Great job by all the coaches.

+1000%

Ditto

Excellent job!

Good Work Coaches.

Totally agree!

Very nice work.

There was a huge push for local players which is good to see. I wonder if that is also a result of budget shortfalls that restrict travel. Less flights to Florida etc and more trips to places that are driving distance. Just wondering and not criticizing. I am happy with the class thus far and hope they develop at the next level.

Good job by the coaches and anyone else involved in the process.

Nice to read positive comments re: coaches.

While I fully understand that successful recruiting is the lifeblood of a program I avoid getting too ampt up regarding any class. So much ahead before being able to determine how much each recruit and the class contributes in the years ahead. Such factors as grades, eligibility, homesickness , deportment etc plus typical distractions among frosh in general affect the productivity of a recruit and class.

Just consider what often happens at next level following NFL drafts which has extensive resources and measuring sticks to evaluate talent and they can still get it wrong.

I remember Novak once commenting after signing day --- of course coaches, ADs and fans say the right things. These are "their guys" that the coaches sought and signed. It usually takes a few seasons to learn what you have and don't have in order to develop a team and any positional needs which often occur. Santa's departure being one such unseen gap at QB.

I wish all the recruits much success and satisfaction playing for NIU.

(12-21-2017 02:03 AM)Dtownboys Wrote: [ -> ]There was a huge push for local players which is good to see. I wonder if that is also a result of budget shortfalls that restrict travel. Less flights to Florida etc and more trips to places that are driving distance. Just wondering and not criticizing. I am happy with the class thus far and hope they develop at the next level.

Good job by the coaches and anyone else involved in the process.

I'd be shocked if that didn't play at least some role in it. I'm sure there have been numerous department wide discussions about cutting back on expenses over the past 2-3 years.

My comments below not intended as criticism but simply two of my questions after watching video of Carey and bowl starters are these:

So many fans focus on skilled /speed recruits found in Florida than found in other recruiting hotbeds. So who among our recruits best/most likely meets our need for speed ?

Of the 24 signed and one remaining out there, how many are recruited and expected to compete for and play QB ?

(12-21-2017 09:53 AM)nucyberdawg Wrote: [ -> ]My comments below not intended as criticism but simply two of my questions after watching video of Carey and bowl starters are these:

So many fans focus on skilled /speed recruits found in Florida than found in other recruiting hotbeds. So who among our recruits best/most likely meets our need for speed ?

Of the 24 signed and one remaining out there, how many are recruited and expected to compete for and play QB ?

Take a look at Justin Hall’s senior tape on hudl. The kid had wheels and Carey said himself that he will be in the mix to play right away along with a few others

Thought I would post a note here for you all. My kids are in the Homestead High marching band (state champs by the way) and have seen a lot of Jiya Wright play. He can really chuck the ball around and can make plays with his feet. Used to work with his mom and his uncle and he is a really good kid. Hope he does well for you in all your games but against Toledo.

Go Rockets

(12-21-2017 09:53 AM)nucyberdawg Wrote: [ -> ]My comments below not intended as criticism but simply two of my questions after watching video of Carey and bowl starters are these:

So many fans focus on skilled /speed recruits found in Florida than found in other recruiting hotbeds. So who among our recruits best/most likely meets our need for speed ?

Of the 24 signed and one remaining out there, how many are recruited and expected to compete for and play QB ?

There is no real speed in this class. There's some good speed. But most of your true difference makers as far as speed goes will have run track. Da'ron Brown did. TLL did. So did Juan Wesley. They were all around 11.0 sec 100 meter guys. Wesley was 10.8.The few guys we have who ran track, Justin Hall, Haney, Brummett, even Rodney Hall from last year, don't have fast enough times to call them burners. All over 11.6 seconds. The only guy from this or last years class with proven track speed is Rowell, 11.05. That doesn't eliminate someone who could be super fast and didn't run track in HS, but I doubt it. That's like a kid who's 6'10" in HS and doesn't play basket ball. Fortunately, neither WMU or Toledo landed a burner this year. Though last year WMU got a kid who ran 10.6 which is just stupid fast for HS.

As far as the QB quantity, only Toledo and Kent landed 2 qbs. Every other Mac school landed 1 or none. They're just hard to come by. Far less athletes to choose from.

Disagree as to speed. We have speed in this class. The kid from HF and Wr from Siemeon can move I like the athletic ability across the Dline. The Dt from HF can move for a big man, a DE who probably will bulk to a Dt can move. The 307 lb from Chicago will be a force in the middle ,, but he's not fast.

(12-21-2017 10:41 AM)indianasniff Wrote: [ -> ]Thought I would post a note here for you all. My kids are in the Homestead High marching band (state champs by the way) and have seen a lot of Jiya Wright play. He can really chuck the ball around and can make plays with his feet. Used to work with his mom and his uncle and he is a really good kid. Hope he does well for you in all your games but against Toledo.

Go Rockets

Thanks for the info, we definitely have to find somebody that's a real dual threat, haven't had that since Lynch graduated, though Hare and Santacaterina both had flashes and we even won a few games when Graham first played.

Go Huskies

(12-21-2017 11:29 AM)NIU05 Wrote: [ -> ]Disagree as to speed. We have speed in this class. The kid from HF and Wr from Siemeon can move I like the athletic ability across the Dline. The Dt from HF can move for a big man, a DE who probably will bulk to a Dt can move. The 307 lb from Chicago will be a force in the middle ,, but he's not fast.

I did say there is good speed. Just not difference making speed. Hall from HF ran track. His pr is 11.63. That's good speed. But .63 in track is a lot. He'd be 20 feet behind Rowell in the 100m. The Simeon kid only ran the 800...which means he's more of a glider than burner. Some kids do run better than others with the pads on and football speed and track speed aren't identical, but it's a good measure. The original post was about skill players and Florida speed. Florida is known for exceptional speed. Not good speed.

We don't have any real speed this year. Blake and tears have good speed, but not great. Wesley has that great speed as we saw in Santas last pass, but for whatever we didn't play him much.

I can't prove someone isn't fast. I can only refer to the kids who are proven fast. Someone may get faster as they mature and improve through workouts,nutrition and training, but that's just a wish and a hope. I'd prefer to have a kid I know has great speed before he gets here. But those kids are hard to get.

My favorite play in football is the 50 meter hurdles.

(12-21-2017 09:53 AM)nucyberdawg Wrote: [ -> ]My comments below not intended as criticism but simply two of my questions after watching video of Carey and bowl starters are these:

So many fans focus on skilled /speed recruits found in Florida than found in other recruiting hotbeds. So who among our recruits best/most likely meets our need for speed ?

Of the 24 signed and one remaining out there, how many are recruited and expected to compete for and play QB ?

No sure if he is the fastest kid in the group. But his speed is up there. According to Nike combine: Koko got 13th fastest time in Nation...

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf..._high.html

Antwain Walker has been clocked at 4.4 in a 40 yard dash. I think that’s fast.....

(12-21-2017 01:31 PM)BDB5yp Wrote: [ -> ]Antwain Walker has been clocked at 4.4 in a 40 yard dash. I think that’s fast.....

If it's a legit, laser timed 40... that's impressive. If it's his HS coach's hand timed 40, I'd hold off on it.