I am as excited as anyone about the developing list of commits for the class of ‘09. But for the remaining 8-9 recruits I only want to see a couple more LB’s, and couple of DL and a good 4-5 more O lineman. As this year showcases, all those other positions become extremely difficult if not impossible unless you have the engine to move the team bus!

Stay Tru

this to be quite interesting, and I was as surprised, no make that stunned, as maybe you will be too.

 We have all talked about the lack of depth and condition of the program that KD left it in. But the recruiting class of ‘06 (I’m pretty sure that is the correct year), had I recall 26 commits! Quite a few right? But get this of the 26, 8 were OL’s. 4-4 stars, 3-stars and 1-2 star (Glicksenberg or however you spell it). Of those eight OL, one (Sheller) is out for the year with injury, one is like third on the depth chart on Defense and a lot of the remaining are still down the depth charts. Now I might be off on a number or two so don’t take all of this as absolute, but what struck me of the discovery I found is that KD had rightfully placed (nearly a third of his commits that year) his priority on a known weakness. Additionally, for what it worth, at least by the “all knowing” star rating game, he had apparently made a huge mine strike with that kind of ratings and quantity, right? What would we be saying now about CRN if he were to get 8 OLineman into this class and of that caliber? But as we see in reality a couple of years later, the “stars” don’t guarantee the future. If they did and that group of commits had dominated like their ratings might lead you to believe, than maybe just maybe, KD would still be here! Interesting isn’t it?

Of course, things happen for a reason and I am SO thankful that they did. The main point I was trying to make here is that KD brought in 7(I’m not counting the 2 star, but yet today he is one of our seemingly more dependable players) highly thought of OLineman and look how many panned out? So that is why I feel we need another huge haul of Olineman, and Dlineman too for that matter, because if we get a bunch, maybe actually a few will work out. These odds are working against every team, so we need to cast a much bigger net and bring in more than just Hasiak. This Oline will not be fixed with a savior, but with an army.

For what it’s worth, due to injury and being lost all season to us, I look at Sheller as basically being another 4 star BODY to bring into the mix next year, so in my mind we are at 2 (new bodies) at this point for the OLineman. But let’s have a lot more to pick from, please! Go get’em coach!

Stay Tru

…don’t you always love to hear that? Anyway, I totally agree that it was more than just KD, as you noted so well. The OL coaching and S & C coaches were very subpar, and I couldn’t agree more that it couldn’t of helped (or in this case hurt) there overall development. But again, I had the impression that KD hadn’t even stocked the cupboards with worthy kids until I went back to look. But that is only the first part, right? Then you have to develop and coach them to their fullest potential, and to me with what I found out, it really puts the spotlight on that aspect. Which again comes back to KD not having the right coaches in the first place, something we all knew, but this really brings home the point of it, and shows just how important those coaches are. If today we were to bring in the same quality class of OL’s I think the outcome would be entirely different. And maybe with our coaches now we can get by with less numbers because we will do more with them. Well here’s hoping anyway.

Here’s also hoping that Walker does get the UDub job (I know it’s a long shot) and we can than offer the DC job to Ken Norton Jr! Because not only do I think he would do a great job at DC, he is incredible on the recruiting trail! Again, one can hope can’t they.

Stay Tru