Recruiting: The Road To Gopher Glory

So far, you have to be impressed with PJ Fleck's recruiting. As of this week, they are matching Wisconsin's recruiting.

Mark Coyle hired PJ Fleck because he can recruit to get the Gophers to the next level. Realistically, to the level of Iowa and NW on most years. Unless, we get lucky with a lights out QB (with supporting cast of OLs, WRs, RBs) who can put us on a glorious three to four year run.

Things run in cycles. Wisconsin historically went through this ebb and flow of good and average recruiting in the modern era regardless of who is coaching. I think they are on the up cycle again. Somebody please check the historical data to validate this. Their ceiling is much higher than everyone else's in the B1G West with a cold war brewing to try to usurp their perch.

The Gopher Defense has to be good or better to mount the challenge. "Offense sell tickets, but defense wins championships" - quote attributed to Bear Bryant.

However, NFL stats show that you can win championships with offense or defense: http://vizual-statistix.tumblr.com/post/70230210095/bear-bryant-is-credited-with-the-quote-offense

You can win championships by being very good at offense or defense. Just be better than your opponents.

The B1G West is going to get more competitive with Brohm at Purdue and now possibly Frost at Nebraska. Wisconsin can possibly enter the playoffs with a win over tOSU.

It really boils down to recruiting. The Gophers have to match or outpace Wisconsin's recruiting to be in title conversations in the future. The Gophers have been 5th in recruiting in B1G West the last 5 years, and that is what their average finish in the standings were.

It won't be a cake walk for PJF. When he gets the talent, we'll see if he can match the coaching prowess of Fitz, Ferentz, Chryst, Brohm, and possibly Frost. If not, expect the Gophers to be forever in 6th place in B1G West. Every team in the B1G West are clawing and scratching to get to the level of Wisconsin.

PJ Fleck and company have to play a chess match. There is value in the humiliating routs the last two weeks. It is a big learning experience for the Gophers' coaches. Your competition can punch holes in your weaknesses in a hurry. You have to be able to adjust and game plan differently to each teams' strength and weaknesses. They are doing the same thing.

Talent-wise on game day inclusive of injuries, they were no match against both Wiscy and NW. The Badger players were even surprised how little challenge the Gophers had to offer. They had nothing left in the tank at season's end.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/showthread.php?79879-Badger-players-surprised-by-Gophers-bland-offense-on-Saturday-expected-more-passing

Hopefully, we'll see the Gophers win a title every now and then. But, it will be delusional if we think that they can stay on top every year. Let's start with trying to make it to the first B1G West title.

To start, the Gophers need to win the recruiting battle in their own backyard. They missed on JD Spielman for instance. We have to stay on top on every talented HS football player in the state.

So far, the B1G East is out-recruiting the B1G West. Geography is in their favor. Even lowly Rutgers is just a step right behind MN and Wiscy.
https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Football/CompositeTeamRankings?Conference=Big-Ten

It will be interesting to watch a) how many of our verbals sign a LOI and b) how the other schools fill out their classes.

The Gophers still have the benefit of volume of recruits at this point in time, but that advantage will wane as we approach NSD. Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin have a higher rated average verbal commit than the Gophers - but fewer overall commits. If those schools fill out their classes with similar players we'll likely see a decline, if they fill them with backup plans, we have a chance to maintain our ranking. I imagine it'll be a mix of the two when all is said and done.

Great post. Let's do this!

The real test to PJ Fleck's recruiting is will all his commitments stick, and what he does with the remaining scholies.

The recruiting trip to Florida has to be very encouraging. I bet he already has alternate plans. So far, I am pleased with the results.

So I looked at that 247 recruiting and we are 6th, but we also have 24 recruits. Many. Of the schools behind us all have lees and some much less recruits in their class. Once it's all said and done I imagine it will be at about 10th or 11th...is that any better than before? (Being serious here) would love to stay at 6th, but that looks unlikely. How about Maryland? They have recruited very well recently.

NotAFanOfBecky said:

So I looked at that 247 recruiting and we are 6th, but we also have 24 recruits. Many. Of the schools behind us all have lees and some much less recruits in their class. Once it's all said and done I imagine it will be at about 10th or 11th...is that any better than before? (Being serious here) would love to stay at 6th, but that looks unlikely. How about Maryland? They have recruited very well recently.

Click to expand...

2017: 12th (6th B1G West)
2016: 8th (3rd B1G West)
2015: 13th (6th B1G West)
2014: 11th (4th B1G West)
2013: 14th (7th B1G West)

That said, looking at previous years on 247, an average recruit rating of 84.61 (our current 2018 class rating) at the end of NSD with 22+ signings would have landed us somewhere close to the 8-10 range, and somewhere around 3rd or 4th in the West. I imagine that's where we end up this year, ahead of Illinois, Purdue, and one of Iowa/Northwestern, but behind Wisconsin, Nebraska, and the other one of Iowa/Northwestern. It would be ahead of most of the last five years, although whether its a meaningful difference is in the eye of the beholder and will be determined by time.

I'd be happy if they are just a step behind Wiscy.

Iowa, Wiscy, and NW recruit differently. They seem to have slow marinating relationships with HS coaches.

PJF is a newbie and for now he relies on salesmanship. Does it have a lasting effect? We'll see on NSD.

A good example is Noah Shannon. He has been developing relationships with the Iowa coaching staff long before PJ Fleck convinced him to commit to the Gophers. After some thought, he decided he trusted his relationships with the Iowa coaching staff more.

PJF strikes me to be the type of coach/recruiter who can adapt easily to a changing landscape. I'd expect him to start cultivating relationships within his recruiting turfs geared towards P5. If he can pull it off and win a title with P5 MN in the next four years, his credibility factor will go up considerably, and so will the quality of recruits that will consider MN a destination of choice.

Most additional commits at this point will be middle to bottom of the class for most schools. I think I saw Wisconsin potentially has a potential top 300 player to get. Unless I don't see MN moving that much... but I'm terrible at understanding how the ratings work.

I thought I read somewhere that only the top 20 in each class go toward the team rating, so MN's class can only stay the same or get better. It will just depend if a number of teams leapfrog them to move them down.

MaxyJR1 said:

I thought I read somewhere that only the top 20 in each class go toward the team rating, so MN's class can only stay the same or get better. It will just depend if a number of teams leapfrog them to move them down.

Click to expand...

I don't think that's true. All players contribute to the team ranking score. You can view each recruit's contribution to our team score here; it ranges from Viramontes (+18.39) to Boe (+0.42).

I'd like to know if Rashod Bateman's ratings will be bumped up. He is setting receiving records at his HS. He is looking like a huge find if he his commitment sticks.

WI has 19 recruits at an average of .8551, if you take Flecks first 19 recruits for this year (because he has 24 so far) the average is .8519. I would say that is on par with Wisconsin.

Not only that, he is able to bring in more of his type players this year than other schools which should be good. Of course Nebraska had even higher rated recruits and look what happened to them. However I don’t think that will apply to Fleck as MN beat those players by 30 this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some Day...Maybe said:

WI has 19 recruits at an average of .8551, if you take Flecks first 19 recruits for this year (because he has 24 so far) the average is .8519. I would say that is on par with Wisconsin.

Not only that, he is able to bring in more of his type players this year than other schools which should be good. Of course Nebraska had even higher rated recruits and look what happened to them. However I don’t think that will apply to Fleck as MN beat those players by 30 this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Nebraska is an anomaly. They have the highest five-year average recruiting ranking in the B1G West, yet Wisconsin finishes better in the average 5-year standings

Some Day...Maybe said:

WI has 19 recruits at an average of .8551, if you take Flecks first 19 recruits for this year (because he has 24 so far) the average is .8519. I would say that is on par with Wisconsin.

Not only that, he is able to bring in more of his type players this year than other schools which should be good. Of course Nebraska had even higher rated recruits and look what happened to them. However I don’t think that will apply to Fleck as MN beat those players by 30 this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

One more nugget. I think that a four star rating has much more weight than lower stars on the projected team score. For instance, if the Gophers can snatch from Florida OG Curtis Dunlop (6'4", 368 lbs) with a composite rating of 0.9185, the average team composite will jump from 182.85 to 190.33.

https://247sports.com/college/minnesota/Season/2018-Football/Commits/Preview

Getting a commitment from Victor Viramontes if it sticks is huge.

This will probably help cement the incoming WR commitments and others.

Furthermore, if they can convince OLs Curtis Dunlop & Verdis Brown from IMG, OL Jason Dickson from JUCO, and Craig Williams (current Baylor commit) to commit to the Gophers, this will be an amazing recruiting class.

Kudos to PJ Fleck and Company if they can pull it off.

hungan1 said:

Getting a commitment from Victor Viramontes if it sticks is huge.

This will probably help cement the incoming WR commitments and others.

Furthermore, if they can convince OLs Curtis Dunlop & Verdis Brown from IMG, OL Jason Dickson from JUCO, and Craig Williams (current Baylor commit) to commit to the Gophers, this will be an amazing recruiting class.

Kudos to PJ Fleck and Company if they can pull it off.

Click to expand...

I really hope he can get all three. OL depth would be nice.