Commit #9 - Nazir Williams

[whaler11]

At least according to Scout, Murphy had MTSU, Navy and WMU offers so my initial list was short.

But still 9 recruits and only 2 had AAC offers? Plenty of Cornell and Bryant on the list but not a single Syracuse, BC, Rutgers?

 

[BlueMAB]

I'd love to buy into this... If the bigger programs didn't already have more verbals.

I won't judge Diaco at all until he's had 18 games but it's impossible to not look at the offers and see a giant red flag.

It's not impossible at all. The bigger programs should have more verbals, they are bigger programs. Because they have more verbals they can be more selective. These may very well be the guys that would end up with offers but didn't want to wait. Maybe they won't. The only thing we can be certain of, is that some will pan out and be very good, and some won't. Our staff has a pretty good track record of finding and developing players.

My optimism is based on the fact I can't remember the last time there were this many commits, this early. Add everything this staff (and the department) is doing differently than before and I feel good about the future. I think it's reasonable to accept that this staff is going after guys that are physically imposing that they can coach up. And I trust they can coach them up.

It's their first class, and this is going to be a process. I don't think it's reasonable to expect this staff, in their first year, at this program, in this conference, to be regularly beating out B1G and nACC programs for Juniors. Especially since if this staff were doing that regularly at this stage of the cycle, it would be the first time in this program's history that was happening. Right?

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm torn between two minds on this one. On one hand, I feel the same way that Whaler and others feel from the standpoint that we have 9 recruits verballed; all 2-star prospects, with very few other "P5" type offers. I was expecting that Diaco and Co. were going to expand our reach and be able to convince more highly rated recruits to come on board at this point.

The other side of the coin for me is that this has a very Randy Edsall-esque recruiting feeling (from the positive side), which means a bunch of athletic kids who flew under the radar and have chips on their shoulders. A nice number of those kids made their way to professional football after UConn.

Definitely some red flags here, but I'm hoping that through athleticism, desire, and some proper x's and o's (yes, PP, I'm calling you out with that last one), they will hopefully turn into some solid players...

 

[uconnbill]

I remember another coach getting underrated players that ended up in the NFL like Reyes, Beatty, Branch, Moore and others who had much success at UCONN. I think the coaching staffs know more than some writers on Rivals, Scout, 24-7 or ESPN.

 

[UConnDan97]

I don't think it's reasonable to expect this staff, in their first year, at this program, in this conference, to be regularly beating out B1G and nACC programs for Juniors.

I don't think the problem is that they haven't regularly done it, because you're right that it would have been an unrealistic expectation. But out of the 9 kids, not one of them was. In other words, we haven't "irregularly" beat them out either! Again, I hope that these kids can build upon athleticism and their large frames, and really surprise some people...

 

[UConnDan97]

By the way, let me just take this opportunity to say that when I look at Nazir's picture in a UConn jersey, the kid definitely LOOKS like a football player! Kinda reminds me of a young Sio Moore when he was coming out of Apex, NC (not the hair, but the rest). And Sio turned out to be....well, you know the rest...

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I am torn between two perspectives on this. On one hand I am excited we have attracted so many young men with great minds and large physical frames. Hell, seems like half these dudes had offers from at least one Service Academy.

On the other hand, I feel happy as a pig in crap we have attracted so many young men with seemingly high potential this early in the process.

I am torn.....

 

[BlueMAB]

I don't think the problem is that they haven't regularly done it, because you're right that it would have been an unrealistic expectation. But out of the 9 kids, not one of them was. In other words, we haven't "irregularly" beat them out either! Again, I hope that these kids can build upon athleticism and their large frames, and really surprise some people...

Have any of our staffs landed recruits in June with multiple P5 offers? I honestly can't think of any. Usually we're looking at 2-3 recuits by now, and we aren't landing any of the higher rated ones until later in the process. That's how I remember our recruiting, others are more tuned in and should correct me if I'm wrong. I can't remember having 9 recruits with 4 or 5 of them having P5 offers before the end of June. And that's when we were in the Big East, not this...

Some of you are better with the numbers game, but we're only about 1/3rd of the way through this class, and this is the first class for this staff. Lots of room and the more we land, the sooner we can get picky and start saving spots for the higher rated kids.

As we all know, CR has not been kind to UConn. To expect early verbals from numerous recruits with P5 offers is IMO too ambitious. I think people need to remember these guys haven't coached a game at UConn. To convince "more highly rated kids to come on at this point" I think is unrealistic. In 18-24 months I think it's fair to question

If we get to 18-20 kids, and none of them have those other offers, I'll be concerned. I've seen a good but not great coach, with a good staff, win a lot of games against tougher competition with these types of recruits. I think this staff has the potential to be much better.

 

[BlueMAB]

By the way, let me just take this opportunity to say that when I look at Nazir's picture in a UConn jersey, the kid definitely LOOKS like a football player! Kinda reminds me of a young Sio Moore when he was coming out of Apex, NC (not the hair, but the rest). And Sio turned out to be....well, you know the rest...

Physically, he looks ready to step on the field this fall. And he's a junior.

 

[coachcap]

Enough with these midgets. When is the coaching staff going to attract the Ed "Too Tall" Jones types?(Sarcasm intended)
In actuality, I'm very pleased with these early returns. Future Husky teams will no longer look like a group of middle schoolers taking the field against an NFL team. Once these kids get in the weight & conditioning system & redshirted, I envision much success in the playing field.

 

[rich1122]

They have a strategy it appears. High quality kids, good grades and what staff thinks is great upside. Can't see that they have been to camp or not. Most are at Defensive positions rather than skill positions - Davis and the one WR the exceptions.

 

[Srqhusky]

9 recruits in... are the only FBS offers for all 9 from - Temple, Buffalo, ODU and Cincinnati? At least according to Scout?

And what does that I've to do

I remember another coach getting underrated players that ended up in the NFL like Reyes, Beatty, Branch, Moore and others who had much success at UCONN. I think the coaching staffs know more than some writers on Rivals, Scout, 24-7 or ESPN.

anyone know what offers those four had after their junior years of hs

 

[whaler11]

I'm torn between two minds on this one. On one hand, I feel the same way that Whaler and others feel from the standpoint that we have 9 recruits verballed; all 2-star prospects, with very few other "P5" type offers. I was expecting that Diaco and Co. were going to expand our reach and be able to convince more highly rated recruits to come on board at this point.

The other side of the coin for me is that this has a very Randy Edsall-esque recruiting feeling (from the positive side), which means a bunch of athletic kids who flew under the radar and have chips on their shoulders. A nice number of those kids made their way to professional football after UConn.

Definitely some red flags here, but I'm hoping that through athleticism, desire, and some proper x's and o's (yes, PP, I'm calling you out with that last one), they will hopefully turn into some solid players...

I don't 'feel' anything. I just asked a question initially. People seem to be celebrating the timing of when they commit while ignoring the 8 million pound gorilla in the room.

 

[whaler11]

Have any of our staffs landed recruits in June with multiple P5 offers? I honestly can't think of any. Usually we're looking at 2-3 recuits by now, and we aren't landing any of the higher rated ones until later in the process. That's how I remember our recruiting, others are more tuned in and should correct me if I'm wrong. I can't remember having 9 recruits with 4 or 5 of them having P5 offers before the end of June. And that's when we were in the Big East, not this...

Some of you are better with the numbers game, but we're only about 1/3rd of the way through this class, and this is the first class for this staff. Lots of room and the more we land, the sooner we can get picky and start saving spots for the higher rated kids.

As we all know, CR has not been kind to UConn. To expect early verbals from numerous recruits with P5 offers is IMO too ambitious. I think people need to remember these guys haven't coached a game at UConn. To convince "more highly rated kids to come on at this point" I think is unrealistic. In 18-24 months I think it's fair to question

If we get to 18-20 kids, and none of them have those other offers, I'll be concerned. I've seen a good but not great coach, with a good staff, win a lot of games against tougher competition with these types of recruits. I think this staff has the potential to be much better.

You are building strawmen.

The other teams in this conference are winning some recruiting battles against legitmate programs. So sure maybe Diaco is a better version of Edsall, I certainly hope that is the case.

Doesn't change the fact that when you are beating Bryant and Delaware for players you are creating an uphill climb for yourself.

 

[kibblesnbits]

How much have any of these kids really been evaluated by the scouting services? It seems that there is a chicken and egg problem here. The services focus their initial work on identifying and promoting the top tier 4 and 5 star kids (and many of the candidates for those slots are selected for evaluation based on perceived P5 - and really the top 1/2 of the P5 - interest). Many of these kids haven't even been reviewed (no stars) or probably got a cursory check (2 stars is effectively the default if it looks like there is any FBS interest). When the big boys get past their first choices (the top dozen or so at every position that have boxes of offers) and come sniffing around, especially if they have productive senior years, I'll bet some of them will be reevaluated and get upgraded. Let's just hope they remember who showed faith in them early and they keep their commitments.

 

[whaler11]

I think the coaching staffs know more than some writers on Rivals, Scout, 24-7 or ESPN.

Gee Bill, I wonder why I'm asking about offers from college football coaching staffs and not stars...

 

[rich1122]

Evidently RU was hot on his trail.

Williams Ready For Rutgers Visit
Bridgeton (N.J.) High's Nazir Williams is a versatile prospect who could be on the verge of his recruitment blowing up, and he will visit Big Ten-bound Rutgers later this month.

3 Star kid which gives some sense that their was interest.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Whaler has a fair point....these recruits do feel even further below the radar than we have seen before. Is it because they have committed earlier than usual and they haven't had a chance to collect more offers? They seem like good athletes with good potential. Maybe Diaco is a better closer than previous regimes and instead of waiting for more offers they are signing on early.

Until I see otherwise....I will trust the BD knows talent. But...it's a fair question to raise.

 

[UConnDan97]

Have any of our staffs landed recruits in June with multiple P5 offers? I honestly can't think of any.

Actually, the last couple of years, we've had a few kids that were either 3 stars or had other "p5-type" offers by July.

2013:
Schafenaker (7/30) - 3 star, offers from South Carolina, USF, Cincy
Hopkins (5/12) - 3 star, no P5 offers
Thompson (7/13) - 3 star, offer from BC
Bradley (6/7) - 3 star, no P5 offers
Hadley (7/26) - 2 star, offer from Mississippi State
Holines and Stapleton were also 3-star players that came in August, but Holines left and neither had P5 offers

2012:
Melifonwu (6/14) - 3 star, no P5 offers
Myers (6/19) - 3 star, offer from Penn State
Norris (6/22) - 2 star, offers from Maryland and Kansas State
Sylva (6/21) - 3 star, offer from BC *never played due to academic issues for entrance
Jh. Williams (7/27) - 2 star, offer from Kentucky
We had a couple of 3-stars join up in August that year also (Cochran and Rugg)

The bottom line is, yes, we've had a few of those kids sign up by July in years past. But that's not to say that the kids we got now are worse. And again, players like Nazir certainly look like they are "game ready" right now. But it is raising some eyebrows...

 

[rich1122]

Honestly had no problem with PP's recruiting, but unfortunately we needed a more dynamic sort of younger guy to lead the pack.

 

[gioff23]

A few observations:

1. per 24/7, 3 of them are 3 stars
2. when you recruit in the northeast, you have to remember the entire process starts late - camps, etc. Kids in FL and across the south are playing year round, and the recruiting there starts much earlier. As such, a kid can remain under the radar a lot longer.
3. we are recruiting kids who are multi-sport kids. Kids wo play BB or lacrosse often skip the camps where the recruiting sites troll. I spoke to someone in DE about Freeborn and his reaction was as follows - "are you kidding, you got him to play FB, how in the heck did you do that - I know him and I know he was committed to playing lacrosse at the highest level. I just talked him to a few weeks agoHe would have been very good. And the scariest part, he is better at FB. How you got that kid when other P5 schools wanted him may be the biggest surprise I've heard in a long time - I know him and I am shocked. Good kid, good family. Good for you."
4. Diaco is taking the long road - he is recruiting the right areas, the right schools. When the '16 kids come up to visit, they will see kids they know, played against, have seen, and you create a pipeline. You have to create that as part of your environment.
5. There is a certain reality settling in - we are not P5, we suffered for 3 years of poor results, we are off the radar. We need to rebuild our name and sell kids on playing in CT, in the AAC. A good way to start that is to identify the kids who have the right measurables to play the schemes they want and believe in yourslef to coach them up. But if anyone thought recruiting would NOT take a step back based on where we are as a program, I applaud your unbridled enthusiasm. To me, this is Edsall-like, but much more focused, and much more energetic.
6. for some insights on his approach, I would suggest readers get a view of the Iowa way, the way he learned first
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/102867/will-iowas-moneyball-recruiting-pay-off

We'll all know if this plays out in about 2 years, but I remain optimistic. Having seen HCBD live as well as via the media, I don't know how you can't be.

 

[gioff23]

Honestly had no problem with PP's recruiting, but unfortunately we needed a more dynamic sort of younger guy to lead the pack.

He could get them to commit, he couldn't get them in. We looked good on paper, but when you look at those that actually made it at all or for more than a few practices, the ratings would be far less. Think of the kids we lost who never came, came for a cup of coffee, or left after 1 or 2 years. I've not done the math, but I would guess the list of those here is not much longer than those that never made it.

 

[Exit 4]

Sure, its worrisome that we haven't won a recruiting battle against a P5 offer. That said, I think several of these kids will have a terrific senior year which will likely generate a push by a few p5 programs to pry a few away.

Looks like we are bringing in size....not so sure about speed.

Nazir Williams might be one of our best gets yet. Not sure if he is Geremy Davis 2.0 or Sio Moore 2.0 + 3inches. He has tremendous hands and can out position defenders for the ball. On the other hand, looking at those arms, hard not to see defense.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I'm not too worried personally. So far Diaco seems to know what he's doing and the coaching staff, I believe, know what they want out of recruits. I bet by October Diaco and company will be competing with a lot of the P5 schools in our area.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Some of you get way too offended by people asking critical questions regarding verbal commits.

Everyone keeps going back to the stars and recruiting sites and says trust the staff - I don't think anyone being critical here is deferring to the sites.

I trust college football coaches on talent evaluation, so when we're pulling northeast kids and the BC, Cuse, Rutgers, Pitt, Maryland, and Temple staffs don't see anything it concerns me.

You think those staffs are just sitting at home while ours is the only one out there looking at kids? I don't.

I sure hope he knows what he's doing, because even though the conference situation sucks, there are some pretty good football teams at the top of this league.