we don't talk enough about the local angle here: EMU historically is awful at recruiting south eastern michigan. getting ANY players on the roster from this area is a win - even if it isnt a big one.

(01-03-2020 11:47 AM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(01-02-2020 03:03 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  CC recruited Douglas out of highschool so he is probably dissimilar to Samuelson. Plus this kid is young and still has time to develop. Since he's young, he will push the rest of the OL for starting positions. Our OL is big and many in number but can we get them to synchronize next season is a big question. Our running game was marginal at best.
I put my trust in CC.

While they were being watched/recruited, Alex attended several camps with Dimitri, including a few at MSU. As a senior in high school, Dimitri wasn't as big weight-wise as some of the other o-line prospects and wasn't quite as strong, but he was a great athlete with better than average quickness for a lineman. In the MSU recruiting process, it came down to one open line spot left that Alex and Dimitri were each vying for.

Dimitri got the offer on a Saturday after MSU hosted a big-man camp during the previous week. Saline was out of school that week, so Dimitri was able to attend the camp. Salem High had finals that week, so Alex couldn't attend the camp. That Saturday, both Alex and Dimitri were at an invite-only camp at MSU. While the O-line coach seemed to be leaning toward Alex, Dantonio seemed to be upset that Alex wasn't at the camp the prior week. When the O-line coach called Dantonio over to watch Alex drill against a d-lineman, Dantonio walked over, shook his head, and blew his whistle to end the drills.

We left the stadium, and while the O-line coach was talking to Alex, Dantonio called Dimitri into his office and offered him the last open slot. The O-line coach (at the time Mark Staten) kept in touch with Alex and kept telling him to be patient, that he was working Dantonio to get one more spot to bring Alex on. But it never came to be. Alex took his official visits at Washington State, Air Force, and EMU. And never looked back at MSU. The rest, as they say, is history.

So this could create some interesting dynamics as Dimitri enters the picture at EMU. But that he is coming on as a walk-on and not with a scholarship offer means he'll be pushing hard to prove his stuff, while the others (like Alex) hoping to see substantial playtime next year will need to up their games. I think in the long run, this could help further strengthen the O-line as a group as they all push for playtime.

Wow. Just a crazy story that reinforces how cut-throat and heartbreaking recruiting can be.

All I say is, I'm happy that Alex ended up here.

(01-03-2020 11:47 AM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(01-02-2020 03:03 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  CC recruited Douglas out of highschool so he is probably dissimilar to Samuelson. Plus this kid is young and still has time to develop. Since he's young, he will push the rest of the OL for starting positions. Our OL is big and many in number but can we get them to synchronize next season is a big question. Our running game was marginal at best.
I put my trust in CC.

While they were being watched/recruited, Alex attended several camps with Dimitri, including a few at MSU. As a senior in high school, Dimitri wasn't as big weight-wise as some of the other o-line prospects and wasn't quite as strong, but he was a great athlete with better than average quickness for a lineman. In the MSU recruiting process, it came down to one open line spot left that Alex and Dimitri were each vying for.

Dimitri got the offer on a Saturday after MSU hosted a big-man camp during the previous week. Saline was out of school that week, so Dimitri was able to attend the camp. Salem High had finals that week, so Alex couldn't attend the camp. That Saturday, both Alex and Dimitri were at an invite-only camp at MSU. While the O-line coach seemed to be leaning toward Alex, Dantonio seemed to be upset that Alex wasn't at the camp the prior week. When the O-line coach called Dantonio over to watch Alex drill against a d-lineman, Dantonio walked over, shook his head, and blew his whistle to end the drills.

We left the stadium, and while the O-line coach was talking to Alex, Dantonio called Dimitri into his office and offered him the last open slot. The O-line coach (at the time Mark Staten) kept in touch with Alex and kept telling him to be patient, that he was working Dantonio to get one more spot to bring Alex on. But it never came to be. Alex took his official visits at Washington State, Air Force, and EMU. And never looked back at MSU. The rest, as they say, is history.

So this could create some interesting dynamics as Dimitri enters the picture at EMU. But that he is coming on as a walk-on and not with a scholarship offer means he'll be pushing hard to prove his stuff, while the others (like Alex) hoping to see substantial playtime next year will need to up their games. I think in the long run, this could help further strengthen the O-line as a group as they all push for playtime.

Thanks for that insight into the sometimes nasty world of recruiting.

Is Douglas a tackle or guard? What was he playing at MSU?

(01-03-2020 02:53 PM)JonesGoddard Wrote:  

(01-03-2020 11:47 AM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(01-02-2020 03:03 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  CC recruited Douglas out of highschool so he is probably dissimilar to Samuelson. Plus this kid is young and still has time to develop. Since he's young, he will push the rest of the OL for starting positions. Our OL is big and many in number but can we get them to synchronize next season is a big question. Our running game was marginal at best.
I put my trust in CC.

While they were being watched/recruited, Alex attended several camps with Dimitri, including a few at MSU. As a senior in high school, Dimitri wasn't as big weight-wise as some of the other o-line prospects and wasn't quite as strong, but he was a great athlete with better than average quickness for a lineman. In the MSU recruiting process, it came down to one open line spot left that Alex and Dimitri were each vying for.

Dimitri got the offer on a Saturday after MSU hosted a big-man camp during the previous week. Saline was out of school that week, so Dimitri was able to attend the camp. Salem High had finals that week, so Alex couldn't attend the camp. That Saturday, both Alex and Dimitri were at an invite-only camp at MSU. While the O-line coach seemed to be leaning toward Alex, Dantonio seemed to be upset that Alex wasn't at the camp the prior week. When the O-line coach called Dantonio over to watch Alex drill against a d-lineman, Dantonio walked over, shook his head, and blew his whistle to end the drills.

We left the stadium, and while the O-line coach was talking to Alex, Dantonio called Dimitri into his office and offered him the last open slot. The O-line coach (at the time Mark Staten) kept in touch with Alex and kept telling him to be patient, that he was working Dantonio to get one more spot to bring Alex on. But it never came to be. Alex took his official visits at Washington State, Air Force, and EMU. And never looked back at MSU. The rest, as they say, is history.

So this could create some interesting dynamics as Dimitri enters the picture at EMU. But that he is coming on as a walk-on and not with a scholarship offer means he'll be pushing hard to prove his stuff, while the others (like Alex) hoping to see substantial playtime next year will need to up their games. I think in the long run, this could help further strengthen the O-line as a group as they all push for playtime.

Wow. Just a crazy story that reinforces how cut-throat and heartbreaking recruiting can be.

All I say is, I'm happy that Alex ended up here.

Agreed, very interesting story and neat to hear the recruiting dynamics most don't get to see. I'm also thrilled that Alex is at EMU and I'm hoping he is liking it as well. The thought of Alex and Dmitri together on the Oline is VERY promising. Is Dmitri eligible to play in games for the upcoming season? The Oline with the returners, McAdams, Howie, Alex should vbe REALLY good and offer protextion for whoever (Preston of Helbig) to sling it.

(01-05-2020 01:54 PM)steve4840 Wrote:  

(01-03-2020 02:53 PM)JonesGoddard Wrote:  

(01-03-2020 11:47 AM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(01-02-2020 03:03 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  CC recruited Douglas out of highschool so he is probably dissimilar to Samuelson. Plus this kid is young and still has time to develop. Since he's young, he will push the rest of the OL for starting positions. Our OL is big and many in number but can we get them to synchronize next season is a big question. Our running game was marginal at best.
I put my trust in CC.

While they were being watched/recruited, Alex attended several camps with Dimitri, including a few at MSU. As a senior in high school, Dimitri wasn't as big weight-wise as some of the other o-line prospects and wasn't quite as strong, but he was a great athlete with better than average quickness for a lineman. In the MSU recruiting process, it came down to one open line spot left that Alex and Dimitri were each vying for.

Dimitri got the offer on a Saturday after MSU hosted a big-man camp during the previous week. Saline was out of school that week, so Dimitri was able to attend the camp. Salem High had finals that week, so Alex couldn't attend the camp. That Saturday, both Alex and Dimitri were at an invite-only camp at MSU. While the O-line coach seemed to be leaning toward Alex, Dantonio seemed to be upset that Alex wasn't at the camp the prior week. When the O-line coach called Dantonio over to watch Alex drill against a d-lineman, Dantonio walked over, shook his head, and blew his whistle to end the drills.

We left the stadium, and while the O-line coach was talking to Alex, Dantonio called Dimitri into his office and offered him the last open slot. The O-line coach (at the time Mark Staten) kept in touch with Alex and kept telling him to be patient, that he was working Dantonio to get one more spot to bring Alex on. But it never came to be. Alex took his official visits at Washington State, Air Force, and EMU. And never looked back at MSU. The rest, as they say, is history.

So this could create some interesting dynamics as Dimitri enters the picture at EMU. But that he is coming on as a walk-on and not with a scholarship offer means he'll be pushing hard to prove his stuff, while the others (like Alex) hoping to see substantial playtime next year will need to up their games. I think in the long run, this could help further strengthen the O-line as a group as they all push for playtime.

Wow. Just a crazy story that reinforces how cut-throat and heartbreaking recruiting can be.

All I say is, I'm happy that Alex ended up here.

Agreed, very interesting story and neat to hear the recruiting dynamics most don't get to see. I'm also thrilled that Alex is at EMU and I'm hoping he is liking it as well. The thought of Alex and Dmitri together on the Oline is VERY promising. Is Dmitri eligible to play in games for the upcoming season? The Oline with the returners, McAdams, Howie, Alex should vbe REALLY good and offer protextion for whoever (Preston of Helbig) to sling it.

I think you are on to something here RE: OL.

I've gone back over the current OL and the recruiting the last couple years and think we might have as good a nucleus of OL as we've had in a very, very long time.

I think we are recruiting really, really well along the OL. We sometimes look at ratings, rankings, etc. and say we aren't doing too much better than say 5 or 10 year ago, but I would disagree.

With 247sports being such a great database of recruiting info, it is possible to look back at our recent recruits and more accurately evaluate them.

We are seeing more and more teams like Syracuse trying to recruit the recruits we had committed which says a lot. They might be 'B' recruits for a P5 school, but "A" recruits in the MAC.

https://ypsilantieleven.substack.com/p/w...g-and-whos

I don't think we fully appreciate how deep we are across the OL.

We had about 15 returnees and add 4 quality recruits.

Very deep for a MAC team.

BTW, it has been mentioned before, but almost all true frosh have been redshirted. If C.C. needs immediate help at a particular position he goes JUCO or even the grad transfer route.

(01-15-2020 04:44 AM)emu steve Wrote:  https://ypsilantieleven.substack.com/p/w...g-and-whos

I don't think we fully appreciate how deep we are across the OL.

We had about 15 returnees and add 4 quality recruits.

Very deep for a MAC team.

BTW, it has been mentioned before, but almost all true frosh have been redshirted. If C.C. needs immediate help at a particular position he goes JUCO or even the grad transfer route.

1000000% agree. The OLine and also the RB position will have crazy competition. I've been shouting for a while that we return a good group of starters (lose Nielsen) but also will be able to see Merritt, Howie, McAdams and others who I think will have their chance to challenge for reps. Very good job recruiting CC!