Official 2019 Recruiting Updates Thread: Links, Tweets, Videos, Stories, Rumors, etc.

Right now we rank 13th in the Big 10 in average rating JG so it's easily possible we may not end up much better from a ranking standpoint - hopefully we'll develop players better than that class though.


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According to rankings and star values? I dont really care what his ranking is. All that s*** is subjective. I care about what the kid can do and who else wants him.

Take the Anderson kid who committed today. He had legit offers from ND, MSU etc. Not Syracuse or Rutgers or Uconn.

Jeez guys...use some common sense here. If big time programs want our recruits, then we are doing something right and the star rankings be damned
 




Right now we rank 13th in the Big 10 in average rating JG so it's easily possible we may not end up much better from a ranking standpoint - hopefully we'll develop players better than that class though.


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I guess it depends on how you want to twist statistics.
Overall ranking is good, but it's because it's a larger class moreso than highest quality of players. But we need a lot of players.

I looked at it to see how many recruits with a score of 0.8500 or higher we had (vs other teams) to see how many players of at least that level we had.

By team it breaks down like this:

Michigan - 18
OSU - 15
PSU - 15
Purdue - 13
MSU - 12
Nebraska - 12
Iowa - 10

WI - 10
MN - 9
NW - 8
IN - 8
MD - 6
ILL - 3
Rutgers - 3


Then you consider how much some are going to get coached up or down.
How many will score higher, how many will score lower, etc.
In the end, I don't know how much it matters.

If you get 18 guys that rank over 0.8500, but only 4-5 are with the team 3 years later, you might be better off with 10 guys who all stay.

Also, arguments could be made that if have a great QB, maybe your other players don't have to be more than a 3 star. It's really hard to know how much ratings matter in the end.

My theory generally is if you don't have good players, you want more off them.
If you have enough players, then you want more of the players who are better.
 


Even though this class isn't perfect, PJ continues to make large strides. Just take a look at the dumpster fire class of 2015:

https://247sports.com/college/minnesota/Season/2015-Football/Commits/

It ranked 63 nationally and 13th in the Big Ten. This is the class that should be seniors and redshirt juniors this year. 14 of the 24 recruits aren't even with the program any longer. Only 2 players will likely be starting - Jacob Huff and Shenault.

Cashman isn't even shown on this list. He will probably be a starting LB.

And then Tyler Moore transfered to Okla St after Claeys was fired. He has actually announced his retirement from football due to injury/disease(?): http://www.ocolly.com/sports/tyler-...cle_7e025140-9cc2-11e7-aa6b-5f1fe0853798.html But he would've been the starting center last season and allowed Weyler to play guard. Who knows what would've happened, but that would've likely been a huge boost to the OL and running game.

Brooks just hasn't be able to stay healthy, but would say he is far from a bust. May even contribute late this season, hopefully contribute a lot next year.

Then you have Oseland and Dovich. It's possible that neither will start a game this year, with Olson, Weyler, and Andries being the starting interior OL. But you never know what is going to happen. These two both played some last year and are going to be excellent backups and able to contribute and maintain a high level of play, if a starter goes down. Maybe they'll even have a rotation of sorts. We will see.
 



It's all about stars.
It's all about rankings.
It's all about offers from other teams.
It's all about how they fit the coaches' schemes.
It's all about how they looked in camp.

In short - you can come up with all types of criteria for evaluating a recruiting class pending on your point of view (or agenda.)

me - I'm the curmudgeon. I wait until I can watch them play in games, and see how they do.
 



If only there were a simple metric to tell how good a team is/was. Failing that, advanced stats can be helpful. Unfortunately last year was below average in wins and abysmal in the advanced stats.

Do you know such a metric, I’mthewalrus?
 

It's all about stars.
It's all about rankings.
It's all about offers from other teams.
It's all about how they fit the coaches' schemes.
It's all about how they looked in camp.

In short - you can come up with all types of criteria for evaluating a recruiting class pending on your point of view (or agenda.)

me - I'm the curmudgeon. I wait until I can watch them play in games, and see how they do.

I have no problem with this or people who star gaze. In the end if they don't play well that 4 star ranking does nobody any good. All we can do is hope for the best, which is what I am seeing a lot of people do. There's nothing wrong with that either.
 

Cashman isn't even shown on this list. He will probably be a starting LB.

And then Tyler Moore transfered to Okla St after Claeys was fired. He has actually announced his retirement from football due to injury/disease(?): http://www.ocolly.com/sports/tyler-...cle_7e025140-9cc2-11e7-aa6b-5f1fe0853798.html But he would've been the starting center last season and allowed Weyler to play guard. Who knows what would've happened, but that would've likely been a huge boost to the OL and running game.

Brooks just hasn't be able to stay healthy, but would say he is far from a bust. May even contribute late this season, hopefully contribute a lot next year.

Then you have Oseland and Dovich. It's possible that neither will start a game this year, with Olson, Weyler, and Andries being the starting interior OL. But you never know what is going to happen. These two both played some last year and are going to be excellent backups and able to contribute and maintain a high level of play, if a starter goes down. Maybe they'll even have a rotation of sorts. We will see.

Having only ten from the 2015 class still on the team is quite a hit on the program. The 2015 class included the defensive secondary trio of Kiante Harding, Ray Buford and Dior Johnson involved in the sex scandal. This really hurt.

We just want the guys left to be solid backups with the two starters already mentioned.

So far, the last two classes looked very promising. The coaches got seven offensive linemen in the 2018 class which will be a key recruiting class. Add to that Ryan Keating the PWO OT from Strongsville OH for an eigth new OT. Shoring up the offensive lineman is an absolute priority. Now, it looks like they may even have 3 deep for practices.

After a little house cleaning, they are razor focused on building up good team depth and addressing the weaknesses in the lineups.
 
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Is PJ Fleck's 2019 Recruiting Class done?

He has 24 recruits so far (2 Grey Shirts included).
In 2018 and 2017 he had 25 in each recruiting class with Logan Richter the sole Grey Shirt which counts against the 2019 class.

At WMU, here iare the recruiting numbers:
2016 - 26 (Tim Lester took over)
2015 - 21
2014 - 27
2013 - 19
2012 - 27

It seems like he likes maxing out on recruits. But does that mean some kids will have to transfer, quit, or grad transfer each season?
 



It's all about stars.
It's all about rankings.
It's all about offers from other teams.
It's all about how they fit the coaches' schemes.
It's all about how they looked in camp.

In short - you can come up with all types of criteria for evaluating a recruiting class pending on your point of view (or agenda.)

me - I'm the curmudgeon. I wait until I can watch them play in games, and see how they do.
Bravo, SON, like your notes for the CCO hour, you provide an excellent perspective on what matters.
 

per the Springfield News Sun:

Earlier this week, senior wide receiver Michael Brown-Stephens announced his commitment to the University of Minnesota. He had 24 catches for 341 yards (14.2) and accounted for five touchdowns last season for the Wildcats.

“Everything they have is basically perfect for me,” he said. “The city, the coaches – everything just fell into place.”

It’s also a relief to have his future set before the start of the season, Brown-Stephens said.

“I can focus on winning with my team,” he said.

Browns-Stephens also enjoyed spending time with Gophers coach P.J. Fleck, the former Western Michigan coach who has sent 17 receivers into the NFL over the past decade, he said.

“He’s super energetic,” he said.

https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/...-feel-good-about-2018/66HmEpgLL64t4n6tznqRvM/

Go Gophers!!
 

I’m not as high on this class as the previous but I do think that our average rating will go up. I was looking at some of our players offers and a lot of these guys are underrated in my mind. I think the ones who’s rating will go up are MJ Anderson for sure, Cameron Wiley, Trayson Potts, Michael brown Stephens a little bit, I think Cole Kramer is better than rated just doesn’t have ability to showcase it, and Chris Daniels. I expect class to finish somewhere around 40-45 in the country
 

Is PJ Fleck's 2019 Recruiting Class done?

He has 24 recruits so far (2 Grey Shirts included).
In 2018 and 2017 he had 25 in each recruiting class with Logan Richter the sole Grey Shirt which counts against the 2019 class.

At WMU, here iare the recruiting numbers:
2016 - 26 (Tim Lester took over)
2015 - 21
2014 - 27
2013 - 19
2012 - 27

It seems like he likes maxing out on recruits. But does that mean some kids will have to transfer, quit, or grad transfer each season?

According to the scholarship grid on 247, we currently have 80 scholarship players and ten seniors. So only 15 spots open next year at this point? Yoou're allowed 85 I believe.
 
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Go Gophers!!
 

According to the scholarship grid on 247, we currently have 80 scholarship players and ten seniors. So only 15 spots open next year at this point? Yoou're allowed 85 I believe.

Do you have a link to this grid?

Yes the max is 85 players with a scholarship, in FBS. This is then what that would ultimately come to: Fleck would need to identify 10 players, probably guys who are redshirt juniors and redshirt sophs going into this season, who are unlikely to be major contributors (outside of special teams), and have meetings with those guys after this season is done to ask them to give up their scholarships.
 

Do you have a link to this grid?

Yes the max is 85 players with a scholarship, in FBS. This is then what that would ultimately come to: Fleck would need to identify 10 players, probably guys who are redshirt juniors and redshirt sophs going into this season, who are unlikely to be major contributors (outside of special teams), and have meetings with those guys after this season is done to ask them to give up their scholarships.
Can't exactly do that. If he actually asked guys to give up their scholarships without any valid reasoning he would be in big trouble with NCAA. A couple years ago Alabama's baseball coach tried to take away a bunch of guys scholarships that he had inherited from the previous coach and ended up getting fired. It is more just telling a guy hey you probably don't have a good chance at seeing the field so if you want to play we can help you find someplace else but if you are fine with the role you are in that is fine too. The other thing is guys have to do what they are supposed to be doing off the field too. We lost a couple from the last class to "transfers" but really they weren't doing the right things off the field and P.J. told them they needed to find somewhere else. Looking at the roster it is pretty easy to see 10+ guys who may be in a spot where they want to transfer and look for a bigger role after this season.
 

Can't exactly do that. If he actually asked guys to give up their scholarships without any valid reasoning he would be in big trouble with NCAA. A couple years ago Alabama's baseball coach tried to take away a bunch of guys scholarships that he had inherited from the previous coach and ended up getting fired. It is more just telling a guy hey you probably don't have a good chance at seeing the field so if you want to play we can help you find someplace else but if you are fine with the role you are in that is fine too. The other thing is guys have to do what they are supposed to be doing off the field too. We lost a couple from the last class to "transfers" but really they weren't doing the right things off the field and P.J. told them they needed to find somewhere else. Looking at the roster it is pretty easy to see 10+ guys who may be in a spot where they want to transfer and look for a bigger role after this season.

Thank you!

Yes, that would be the far more appropriate way to handle it, than what I suggested. And it may be the case that some of the guys he has a meeting with will decide "no, I want to stay, even if I never see the field". Which is their choice, of course.
 

The guys you don't want to lose are the one that have developed in the system for a couple of years that provide team depth. Did the NCAA change to rules about sitting out a year after transferring? That will be very devastating to programs like the Gophers if their players can be poached by bigger P5 teams.

I think there is always "natural" attrition due to career ending injuries, homesickness, transferring to warmer weather, academics, disciplinary reasons, etc... PJ Fleck seems to be a fair, but no nonsense guy.
 

Thank you!

Yes, that would be the far more appropriate way to handle it, than what I suggested. And it may be the case that some of the guys he has a meeting with will decide "no, I want to stay, even if I never see the field". Which is their choice, of course.

My brother played at a B1G school in another sport and went through a similar experience. The coach (who is no longer in the job) needed my brothers scholarship due to over recruiting and did everything he could to get my brother to transfer out (I.E. extra conditioning practices, not dressing him for games etc). My brother didn’t want to transfer so the team eventually just cut him and the athletic dept moved him to an academic scholarship and he graduated 2 years later at the university.

This is pretty common, I know at least 2 other people this happened to in various schools. One due to injuries, one more due to over recruiting. All 3 of the athletes were highly highly touted in their sport entering into college (I.E. Draft Picks, All - State etc.)

All I am saying is there are ways to work the numbers if the coaches need the scholarships.
 

My brother played at a B1G school in another sport and went through a similar experience. The coach (who is no longer in the job) needed my brothers scholarship due to over recruiting and did everything he could to get my brother to transfer out (I.E. extra conditioning practices, not dressing him for games etc). My brother didn’t want to transfer so the team eventually just cut him and the athletic dept moved him to an academic scholarship and he graduated 2 years later at the university.

This is pretty common, I know at least 2 other people this happened to in various schools. One due to injuries, one more due to over recruiting. All 3 of the athletes were highly highly touted in their sport entering into college (I.E. Draft Picks, All - State etc.)

All I am saying is there are ways to work the numbers if the coaches need the scholarships.

If a (former) coach recruits a player to play for the school and offers a scholarship, then the school *should* be on the hook to pay for that person's tuition, fees, etc. for four years, if he/she wants to stay at the school and get the degree. That should be non-negotiable, in my opinion.

But what I agree with, perhaps even like, is the idea that the player and coaching staff can mutually agree to "move" the player "off" of athletic scholarship, free that up for someone else, onto an "academic" scholarship, funded by the athletic dept. There should be rules allowing for that, perhaps 10% per sport, per year, max, or something.
 

The guys you don't want to lose are the one that have developed in the system for a couple of years that provide team depth. Did the NCAA change to rules about sitting out a year after transferring? That will be very devastating to programs like the Gophers if their players can be poached by bigger P5 teams.

I think there is always "natural" attrition due to career ending injuries, homesickness, transferring to warmer weather, academics, disciplinary reasons, etc... PJ Fleck seems to be a fair, but no nonsense guy.

As far as I know, there is only an exception to the 1 year sit-out rule if the player has graduated with a bachelor's degree but still has eligibility remaining. Then he/she can transfer to another school without sitting out.

Will the NCAA in the future do-away with the sit-out rule entirely? Maybe. People can (and probably have) made the argument that players who switch teams in the NFL offseason don't need to sit out. Etc.
 

It has to be done fairly, legally, and ethically. You can bet that big programs have this down to a science.
 

If a (former) coach recruits a player to play for the school and offers a scholarship, then the school *should* be on the hook to pay for that person's tuition, fees, etc. for four years, if he/she wants to stay at the school and get the degree. That should be non-negotiable, in my opinion.

From what I recall from my family’s situation was that the school wasn’t necessarily on the hook for the 4 Years under NCAA rules because scholarships are 1-year renewable contracts (this may have changed since this occurred) but there was some legal gray area with how the school recruited (I.E. provided my family with recruiting paperwork that said 4-year full scholarship). I am not 100% sure the school would have honored the scholarship without my family keeping that paperwork.
 

It's all about stars.
It's all about rankings.
It's all about offers from other teams.
It's all about how they fit the coaches' schemes.
It's all about how they looked in camp.

In short - you can come up with all types of criteria for evaluating a recruiting class pending on your point of view (or agenda.)

me - I'm the curmudgeon. I wait until I can watch them play in games, and see how they do.

Then why are you even in this thread and bothering to reply if you don’t care until you see them play?


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From what I recall from my family’s situation was that the school wasn’t necessarily on the hook for the 4 Years under NCAA rules because scholarships are 1-year renewable contracts (this may have changed since this occurred) but there was some legal gray area with how the school recruited (I.E. provided my family with recruiting paperwork that said 4-year full scholarship). I am not 100% sure the school would have honored the scholarship without my family keeping that paperwork.

I thought I recalled reading that this was changed recently, from 1 year renewed to 4 years guaranteed. Would love to know ..
 

I’m not as high on this class as the previous but I do think that our average rating will go up. I was looking at some of our players offers and a lot of these guys are underrated in my mind. I think the ones who’s rating will go up are MJ Anderson for sure, Cameron Wiley, Trayson Potts, Michael brown Stephens a little bit, I think Cole Kramer is better than rated just doesn’t have ability to showcase it, and Chris Daniels. I expect class to finish somewhere around 40-45 in the country

I tend to agree. The stars aren't really higher but it looks to me the commits have much better offer lists than in the past.


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