Gophers new safety Jordan Howden has some Antoine Winfield Jr.-like moments

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Gophers safety Antoine Winfield Jr., in coach P.J. Fleck's estimation, is "one of the best players in the country." Winfield, however, won't play in Saturday's homecoming game against Iowa — or in any other contest this season — because of a foot injury suffered in the Big Ten opener.

In place of Winfield, who might be the most indispensable player on the team, the Gophers are turning to Jordan Howden, a true freshman walk-on from Las Vegas.

No pressure, kid.

"He's a gamer," said Tico Rodriguez, Howden's coach at Desert Pines High School, the reigning Nevada Class 3A state champion. "He pretty much locked everybody down that we put him against."

That Howden is with the Gophers is a story in itself. He didn't join the program until June after receiving a walk-on offer. He was an under-the-radar recruit, Rodriguez believes, because he transferred from Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, Calif., to Desert Pines for his senior season after his parents moved to Las Vegas.

"He kind of got lost in the shuffle, but he dominated in Nevada," said Rodriguez, who used Howden in a Winfield-like role by matching him against the opponent's best player, be it as a safety or a cornerback. "I was shocked other schools didn't jump on him, because I've had guys go to the Pac-12. I thought he was better."

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...nfield-jr-like-moments-in-his-past/495092331/

Go Gophers!!
 


It's still amazing to me that in our internet age, a legit PAC-12/Big Ten/Big XII talent like that could get completely lost and not be recruited by those P5 schools. You'd think he'd at least have offers from Mountain West.
 

Great story! Really glad the Gophers have stories like that! I’ll be rooting hard for Howden!

Go Gophers! Ski U Mah!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Great story! Really glad the Gophers have stories like that! I’ll be rooting hard for Howden!

Go Gophers! Ski U Mah!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We'll be all rooting for Howden Saturday!
 


I hope Howden is our next Cashman. Everyone roots for an unheralded recruit.
Sneak him in on a blitz Saturday. I want to hear a Mike Grimm replay where he says " And Howden says how do you do to Nate Stanley! Sack!"

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 

It's still amazing to me that in our internet age, a legit PAC-12/Big Ten/Big XII talent like that could get completely lost and not be recruited by those P5 schools. You'd think he'd at least have offers from Mountain West.

It was the same with Richardson. You watch video of him and think everyone should be after him. He only had a hand full of FBS offers though. Whether its certain measurables or whatever, programs just feel like a player like Howden is too big of a risk. The bonus is he helped get a commitment from Cameron Wiley for next year IMO.
 

It's still amazing to me that in our internet age, a legit PAC-12/Big Ten/Big XII talent like that could get completely lost and not be recruited by those P5 schools. You'd think he'd at least have offers from Mountain West.

Shouldn't be so surprising. There's no national AAU year-around football playing. There isn't a big national prep school structure loaded with scholarship players for football like there is in basketball. You can't go to a tournament and see 8 or 16 elite national football teams loaded with D1 players all playing one another within 3 or 4 days. Football is too expensive for all that stuff.

Look at KC's Kareem Hunt. Obviously, he was as good as almost any running back playing anywhere in college, but he played at Toledo and his five offers (according to 247) were from 4 MAC schools and in-state Cincinnati. 247 had him rated at #107 for running backs and the 91st rated player in Ohio.
 

Shouldn't be so surprising. There's no national AAU year-around football playing. There isn't a big national prep school structure loaded with scholarship players for football like there is in basketball. You can't go to a tournament and see 8 or 16 elite national football teams loaded with D1 players all playing one another within 3 or 4 days. Football is too expensive for all that stuff.

Look at KC's Kareem Hunt. Obviously, he was as good as almost any running back playing anywhere in college, but he played at Toledo and his five offers (according to 247) were from 4 MAC schools and in-state Cincinnati. 247 had him rated at #107 for running backs and the 91st rated player in Ohio.

Well, not quite. Kareem Hunt was scheduled to visit but he cancelled at the last minute and decided to stay close to home. He had offers from us and Pitt in addition to the others.

I hope this kid can begin to approach Winfield’s freshman season production as he gets settled in. His first game was pretty rough. Didn’t realize he was a true freshman at the time.
 



I'm confused does this help the stars don't matter argument or stars are everything argument?
 


Shouldn't be so surprising. There's no national AAU year-around football playing. There isn't a big national prep school structure loaded with scholarship players for football like there is in basketball. You can't go to a tournament and see 8 or 16 elite national football teams loaded with D1 players all playing one another within 3 or 4 days. Football is too expensive for all that stuff.

Look at KC's Kareem Hunt. Obviously, he was as good as almost any running back playing anywhere in college, but he played at Toledo and his five offers (according to 247) were from 4 MAC schools and in-state Cincinnati. 247 had him rated at #107 for running backs and the 91st rated player in Ohio.

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense to me.

FB coaches have to go around and physically attend individual games to see any particular player or players. They might get lucky if two teams have a few DI prospects, but probably have to go to a bunch of games in a single night and do the best they can in the time they have. Plus film review.
 

Well, not quite. Kareem Hunt was scheduled to visit but he cancelled at the last minute and decided to stay close to home. He had offers from us and Pitt in addition to the others.

I hope this kid can begin to approach Winfield’s freshman season production as he gets settled in. His first game was pretty rough. Didn’t realize he was a true freshman at the time.

Well, you haven't really refuted my point. Hunt was rated what he was rated, not all that highly. Kill didn't recruit highly rated players but Kill/Claeys had a knack for recruiting underrated players, especially on defense.
 



Well, not quite. Kareem Hunt was scheduled to visit but he cancelled at the last minute and decided to stay close to home. He had offers from us and Pitt in addition to the others.

I hope this kid can begin to approach Winfield’s freshman season production as he gets settled in. His first game was pretty rough. Didn’t realize he was a true freshman at the time.

Wait....we were actually recruiting Kareem Hunt and had him scheduled for a visit at one point?
 

Well, you haven't really refuted my point. Hunt was rated what he was rated, not all that highly. Kill didn't recruit highly rated players but Kill/Claeys had a knack for recruiting underrated players, especially on defense.

I agree the K-C defensive staff had a real eye for talent. But, you said Hunt only had the 5 offers while he listed offers from those in addition to Pitt and MN and he was surely a take. I suppose it’s arguing semantics but IMO he wasn’t nearly as “under the radar” as Howden (with no offers despite playing in Murrieta CA and a bigger school in Vegas, and AFAIK not an injury casualty). That doesn’t mean Howden can’t be good. He’s going to be heavily tested tomorrow.



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Howden has really looked good. I know that we have the running back recruit from Desert Pines committed for next year. We should keep in touch with that coach because there is another guy on that team who is supposedly Nevada's top recruit for next year (too lazy to look up his name). High school sports here are kind of a mess. DP will have to overcome a forfeit to win the title again this year. https://lasvegassun.com/news/2018/sep/25/desert-pines-liberty-coaches-accept-blame-for-figh/ Maybe this stuff happens in Minnesota too, but I don't remember it. Go Gophers!
 

I agree the K-C defensive staff had a real eye for talent. But, you said Hunt only had the 5 offers while he listed offers from those in addition to Pitt and MN and he was surely a take. I suppose it’s arguing semantics but IMO he wasn’t nearly as “under the radar” as Howden (with no offers despite playing in Murrieta CA and a bigger school in Vegas, and AFAIK not an injury casualty). That doesn’t mean Howden can’t be good. He’s going to be heavily tested tomorrow.



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Don't disagree with that at all. I was just reporting what was shown for Hunt on 247. I made no inference on Howden. My original point only addressed why so many more really good football players than basketball players can be under the national radar.
 




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