Recruits' Rankings

[Indyeeby]

So I read the front page and noticed that even though we are getting more recruits due to our recent win, the majority are two star players. Slightly disconcerting. I have faith in our coaches ability to spot talent, but I think Rivals knows what's up as well. Any thoughts? What was Gronk and Mikey T's rating? Let's hope for diamonds in the rough.

[ArizonaEngineer]

I was just thinking the same thing. I also have faith in Stoops and his staff and feel that getting players who really want to play here and fit the system is important but could we get a few more 4-5 star guys? I know Cason was a 2 star recruit so Rivals doesn't get it right all the time, but I would like some more high profile recruits.

There's also something to be said for all the Louis Holmes, Gabe Longs, BJ Vickers, Terry Longbons and Gerrell Robinsons that we did get to commit only to not work out, whether they made it into school or not.

For now, I'm content with the players Stoops is recruiting.

[olevetonahill]

As most Know Im a Sooner
Id rather have 2 star cruits that WANT to Play than the 5 star Prima donnas
Or however the **** ya spell it .

[WildcatBlitz]

Rivals has us ranked 48th right now. although is Daniel Jenkins is slower than Travis Cobb and is smaller than him? that's interesting.

[WildcatBlitz]

Originally Posted by olevetonahill

As most Know Im a Sooner
Id rather have 2 star cruits that WANT to Play than the 5 star Prima donnas
Or however the **** ya spell it .

AKA...look at our basketball program since we started landing stars.......

[dc4azcats]

Originally Posted by Indyeeby

So I read the front page and noticed that even though we are getting more recruits due to our recent win, the majority are two star players. Slightly disconcerting. I have faith in our coaches ability to spot talent, but I think Rivals knows what's up as well. Any thoughts? What was Gronk and Mikey T's rating? Let's hope for diamonds in the rough.

Would you take the word of a coach who knows exactly what kind of player he is looking for - or a recruiting service? I'm not knocking the recruiting services as much as I'm giving credit to schools like Oregon State who recruit players that fit the system and want to be there.

Arizona is doing the same thing. I would bet that the AZ staff could care less as to what a guy is rated. Why would they - they do there own evaluation and recruit the player that they think best fits the needs of AZ. The list is long of guys who were and are 2 or 3 star guys who turned into great players.

Besides - it takes 3 years or so before you even know whether a guy is a player or not. Coaching a guy up becomes huge and is way more important than how many stars he's got.

[kainoakat]

You can build a program with 2 star guys when you have depth...we have that. That's why it's so important to get to 2-deep in talent, good talent, as soon as possible. The last couple years will hurt us a little long term since Stoops had to play FR due to the pressure to win. I always said, Stoops was building a program and doing it the right way...by redshirting almost everybody. Opposing fans explain his recruiting prowess as selling immediate PT, and if they're good enough that is the case(Cason, Antolin, Ross). But Stoops has predominantly redshirted the majority of his guys. Teams like BYU are an example of what having players who are more physically mature on the field are capable of doing. They win, consistently, and for the most part are more physically and mentally advanced than younger teams. I'd say our loss in '07 was a glaring comparison...an experienced BYU team vs a young Cat team in a new offense=us getting a beat down.

Other than the JC's, I would expect a lot of these guys to RS and start duking it out for PT next year. If we can consistently RS most of our classes, THEN we have a shot at becoming a PROGRAM because capable and mature replacements will be more able to step in and not miss a beat.

[Charlie Murphy]

2 stars contributors currently on team or recent past.
Lolomana Mikaele- Would have been a starter
Joe Perkins- possible starter next season, has played well with limited time this season
Trevin Wade- Possible starter, played very well with limited time
William Wright- Possible replacement to Money Mike
Are you ready for this? How about...
Wilrey Fontenot- 4 year starter
Peter Graniello- 3 year starter
Spencer Larsen- One of the all time best LBs at Arizona

However... I'd sleep a lot better at night knowing we snagged a few 4 and 5 star recruits.

[Stoopstrooper]

4-star recruits

2008
Robert Golden - Probably going to be a starter
Soloman Koehler - has already been moved from DT which is our biggest position of need which indicates how that is going
Matt Scott - He's good
Vuna Tuihalamaka - He'll be starting
J'Marcuss Webb - Even on the team?

2007
Rob Gronk - Yeah Baby!!
Apai Tuihalamaka - Not hearing much about him
Kaniela Tuipulotu - Suspended

2006
Jovon Hayes - Haven't heard a peep out of him
Louis Holmes - Absolutely fawking worthless
Gabe Long - Didn't qualify
Derke Robinson - Went home the first week
Devin Ross - Good, but could not displace Wilrey
AJ Simmons - No where close to as good as our other 4* TE
Mike Turner - Proudly wears his uniform on the sidelines

2005
Eben Britton - NFL draft pick in waiting
Adam Hawes - Starter
Micheal Johnson - Playing in the NFL
Terry Longbons - Biggest recruiting miss ever?
Adrian McCovey - Played quite a bit this year, but not a star by any means
Rickey Parker - Who?
Willie T - Started most of career and set records
BJ Vickers - Academic fraud

Pre 2005
Richard Kovalcheck
Marcus Thomas
Marlon Brisco
Biren Ealy
Keith Jackson
Javier Martinez

Out of 29 I count 8-9 that have been or probably will be difference makers.

[woodcat]

Why do you show Tuipulotu as being suspended?

[BigGeorge83]

Recruiting can be a shell game. It is very common to recruit a big saftey and make him a LB , or a big LB and move him to DT, or a big DT and move him to OT. This is because the ability to run is so improtant on defense.

Stars do not mean much, when I played we had four 5 and 4 star guys out of high school that ended up as 5 year scout team guys....... Never made the feild , or left school. Hell, Waldrop was a 3 star guy, Bruschi was a 2 star guy. This time of year folks get caught up with the stars and the national class rankings. Look at Oregon State , they are littered with 2 and 3 star kids. The services rank the kids , and the coaches will evaluate per their needs, services can have a kid as a 2 start but the staff can have them on their board as a 4 star.

It seems (as an overview) that we are in good shape with this class.

BEAR DOWN , BEAT THE Y

[AZCoachB]

I'd rather have a 2/3 star guy that fits the system really well and will compete for PT than a 4/5 star guy that doesn't really fit the system at all and expects PT to be handed to him. From a fan's standpoint, the 2/3 star guys are much more "rootable." From a coach's standpoint, they're much more coachable.

[kylecollins]

Originally Posted by Stoopstrooper

4-star recruits

2008
Robert Golden - Probably going to be a starter
Soloman Koehler - has already been moved from DT which is our biggest position of need which indicates how that is going
Matt Scott - He's good
Vuna Tuihalamaka - He'll be starting
J'Marcuss Webb - Even on the team?

2007
Rob Gronk - Yeah Baby!!
Apai Tuihalamaka - Not hearing much about him
Kaniela Tuipulotu - Suspended

2006
Jovon Hayes - Haven't heard a peep out of him
Louis Holmes - Absolutely fawking worthless
Gabe Long - Didn't qualify
Derke Robinson - Went home the first week
Devin Ross - Good, but could not displace Wilrey
AJ Simmons - No where close to as good as our other 4* TE
Mike Turner - Proudly wears his uniform on the sidelines

2005
Eben Britton - NFL draft pick in waiting
Adam Hawes - Starter
Micheal Johnson - Playing in the NFL
Terry Longbons - Biggest recruiting miss ever?
Adrian McCovey - Played quite a bit this year, but not a star by any means
Rickey Parker - Who?
Willie T - Started most of career and set records
BJ Vickers - Academic fraud

Pre 2005
Richard Kovalcheck
Marcus Thomas
Marlon Brisco
Biren Ealy
Keith Jackson
Javier Martinez

Out of 29 I count 8-9 that have been or probably will be difference makers.

And look who beat Koehler out- Ward (2*) and Austin (3*)
Look at who beat out Golden - WAde (2*)
And Apai- Reed (3*), Reed (3*), Elmore (3*)
Kaniela would have been behind Mana (2*) if he didnt get suspened
Hayes- Longacre (2*, but he had a good jump start at OL before hayes) and Baxter (3*)
Turner- Wade (2*)
Webb is not on the team.

Kaniela has not been suspened. You are thinking of Mana.

Holmes was a solid player. He just didnt live up to his 5* rating or his physical pass rushing gifts.

Ross is much better than Wilrey.

There have been 10 contribute on a regular basis. And I expect 4 more to get into the mix (Golden, KOehler, Scott, Apai).

[Arnold Booke]

I wonder where people like Rivals ranked Tedy Bruschi, Antoine Cason, or Rob Waldrop. IF anyone knows, please post here.

[kylecollins]

Cason was 3 stars according to Rivals. Scout had him at 2. No idea about the older guys.