The class is average at best. They didn’t really out recruit anyone and with the coaching change at WMU i really thought we would have went after their IL recruits/commits hard. There has to be a few spots left that they are waiting on for transfers
(12-21-2022 12:03 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote: It's crazy that these OL kids are coming into college at 300lbs already. Ham is setting his RBs up for success with the last 2 OL classes. Just need some WRs to get the defenses out of the box, Rudolph and Kasper are a great start.
I was thinking the same thing. These O-linemen are coming in beefy. Love to see it. What is it about these Wisconsin and Midwest boys. You will never run out of o-linemen up north.
- New 2023 walk-ons can't be announced until Feb.
- 8 existing walk-on players will go on scholarship in January
- 4 of the new players will arrive in the program in January and six transfers to be announced later next year
- QB Mason Kidd helped make us aware that his teammate Santana was worth recruiting. Both players will be arriving in January
(12-21-2022 11:44 AM)epasnoopy Wrote: Is this it? No new announcements for over an hr.
We didn't hit the transfer portal hard enough. We needed experienced WRs, DBs, and DEs. We also needed speed, which this team is severely lacking.
Except for the RBs, which will play because five players at that position transferred out, can anyone else have the impact we need?
Also, why so few Illinois players? I'm seeing far more Georgia players than our home state. Two MAC schools took top 35 players out of Illinois. We got none.
Its an early signing period...Runs through the 23rd. Then there's the signing period in February. A National Letter of Intent are for HS & JUCO athletes receiving a scholarship. Nothing to do with transfers, who have to now submit their names to the portal within certain dates, but the actual transfer can take place at any time. NLI's also are not typically done by PWO's.
So, no, this by no means is saying that these kids are all of the additions, either known or unknown, at this point.
Somewhere in all that I expect (hope?) to see some staff changes. Several threads have gone over this multiple times. We'll see. Going into fourth year (excluding 2020/Covid) Hammorkc should know his staff.
(This post was last modified: 12-21-2022 01:13 PM by pvk75.)
(12-21-2022 11:44 AM)epasnoopy Wrote: Is this it? No new announcements for over an hr.
We didn't hit the transfer portal hard enough. We needed experienced WRs, DBs, and DEs. We also needed speed, which this team is severely lacking.
Except for the RBs, which will play because five players at that position transferred out, can anyone else have the impact we need?
Also, why so few Illinois players? I'm seeing far more Georgia players than our home state. Two MAC schools took top 35 players out of Illinois. We got none.
Its an early signing period...Runs through the 23rd. Then there's the signing period in February. A National Letter of Intent are for HS & JUCO athletes receiving a scholarship. Nothing to do with transfers, who have to now submit their names to the portal within certain dates, but the actual transfer can take place at any time. NLI's also are not typically done by PWO's.
So, no, this by no means is saying that these kids are all of the additions, either known or unknown, at this point.
Thanks, for clarification. Hammock indicidated he can't announce the walk-ons until Feb.
I'm beginning to think that Hammock knew for quite some time that Fletcher was going to transfer. They must have had some sort of agreement that Hammock wouldn't play him so he could retain 3 years of eligibility.
Seems too coincidental that he didn't play over a true freshman walk-on and that we only brought in one scholarship QB (Mason Kidd).
(12-21-2022 01:18 PM)epasnoopy Wrote: I'm beginning to think that Hammock knew for quite some time that Fletcher was going to transfer. They must have had some sort of agreement that Hammock wouldn't play him so he could retain 3 years of eligibility.
Seems too coincidental that he didn't play over a true freshman walk-on and that we only brought in one scholarship QB (Mason Kidd).
How would this have affect his eligibility? He already took his redshirt year in 2021.
(12-21-2022 01:18 PM)epasnoopy Wrote: I'm beginning to think that Hammock knew for quite some time that Fletcher was going to transfer. They must have had some sort of agreement that Hammock wouldn't play him so he could retain 3 years of eligibility.
Seems too coincidental that he didn't play over a true freshman walk-on and that we only brought in one scholarship QB (Mason Kidd).
How would this have affect his eligibility? He already took his redshirt year in 2021.
Gotcha.
Still, Hammock must have known for quite some time. I doubt a true freshman walk-on plays over a guy in his 3rd year in the program otherwise. They must have decided it would be better for the program if Nevan got those reps rather than a player who was going to transfer.
(12-21-2022 02:10 PM)7 Wrote: Probably because transfers don’t sign NLI’s, so until the officially enrolled there’s nothing binding them to the school.
Correct. Once they are enrolled, Hammock/NIU will announce them.
(12-21-2022 02:10 PM)7 Wrote: Probably because transfers don’t sign NLI’s, so until the officially enrolled there’s nothing binding them to the school.
Correct. Once they are enrolled, Hammock/NIU will announce them.
Yeah, I don’t think it’s a “they can’t announce” as much as they’re choosing not to until they’re enrolled.
Some thoughts on signing day... 1) They are not pleased with the current TE group. Hams mentioned in presser how important the TE position is in our offense and he has said that before. The JC recruit has good hands, moves well but is not built to get in the trenches and block. The 2 Fr are built well, are athletic and need the weight room to get bigger and stronger. Plenty of potential to work with on these two. 2) The Rbs,,,, the Juco is a thoroughbred big and fast, The FR is STRONG, but not fast. Reminds me of Meco Brown ( blast from the past) . Smart football player and will give it his all. Strong kid. 3) I like the Oline recruits disappointed we lost the kid from MN, have to downgrade the group based on thatr loss. I like Jimmer a lot and the kid from IN looks good. The other 2,3 are our typical recruits that have to work their butt off to get playing time. 4) Walk ons - We will find a couple MAC level players that will see plenty of playing in the future. The LB who wrestles 220 Lb class in IOWA is intriguing, Hutchinson(?).
(This post was last modified: 12-22-2022 10:03 AM by NIU05.)
(12-21-2022 01:01 PM)epasnoopy Wrote: Hammock said the following:
- New 2023 walk-ons can't be announced until Feb.
- 8 existing walk-on players will go on scholarship in January
- 4 of the new players will arrive in the program in January and six transfers to be announced later next year
- QB Mason Kidd helped make us aware that his teammate Santana was worth recruiting. Both players will be arriving in January
Eight walks on's getting scholarships is a very high number, actually something I have never seen! Typically walk on's do not have offers from anyone else and are given a chance to make the team. Its not unusual to have walks on's but giving away eight very valuable scholarships seems to be a very high number unless Hammock has some special sauce on identifying walk on's that can play. People love a walk on story that gets the scholarship, but eight in one year? The only thing I can extrapulate it too is the very high number of transfers out this year under Hammock? You guys would know best, out of the eight, are all of them really good players that are already contributing ?
(This post was last modified: 12-22-2022 08:45 AM by stpeterocketfan.)
(12-21-2022 12:44 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote: The class is average at best. They didn’t really out recruit anyone and with the coaching change at WMU i really thought we would have went after their IL recruits/commits hard. There has to be a few spots left that they are waiting on for transfers
On paper sure. But I think it’s fair to give these kids time.
Agreed the team didn’t get faster, but these are bigger kids who aren’t being counted on for speed.
Where is the speed going to come from? Maybe the 6 transfers can run.
Either way, I don’t mind the class. The OL look great on paper. The ATH/DBs are probably going to be moved to LB at some point. It’s Hammock’s way.
