Cochran v. Boyle v. Lagow

[EdgewoodNHV]

You always gotta do what's best for the program. Most of the recruiting services I read had Boyle marginally ahead of Lagow, but when it comes to that level, it's extremely difficult to say. I am certainly not qualified to make that kind of call. I am encouraged that Lagow and Tommy Myers have grown fairly close over the last X months, so I am hoping that Lagow will still come to UConn and have a tremendous career here. If not, I wish him the best elsewhere and hope it was the right choice.

Unfortunately, as with so much in life, it's never easy to know what the right thing to do is. Hindsight may be 20/20, but from here, the future is murky at best.

 

[RMoore1999]

G

Recruiting sure is fun huh?

I have no reason to doubt that Mr. Lagow, is Mr. Lagow. But who knows? Crazier things have happened around here. It was a long time, before I was able to convince people that I was NOT Zach Frazer's dad. (i'm not) That said, again, I have no reason to think otherwise, except that it's an internet forum we're all participating in.

Now - will the kid be among those announced for the 2013 class wednesday night? Find out wednesday night.

The truth is that competition on the depth chart makes a program better, and having both Lagow and Boyle, on the depth chart behind Whitmer and Cochran iwould be better for the program, than having just one or the other behind them.

A parent of a recruit, that fits the profile of Mr. Lagow and a recruit that fits the profile of Lagow -at any position, for any program at any level - are most likely going to be less than thrilled with what's happened - and make no mistake, there are hundreds and hundreds of similar parents and recruits around the country right now in the same boat. Long term commitment, with a new arrival in competition showing up at the last minute.

If the fit is right, it will stick. It's that simple. It's been said that the point man on the kid's recruitment is no longer on staff. A quick check of the coaching staff, seems clear that anyone that would be directly dealing with the player on a regular basis is still on staff, and it's likely that they've all met appropriately accordingly to NCAA rules and are comfortable with each other.

I'll be surprised if Lagow is not listed on Wednesday night.

Lastly, as for the quality of the player(s), I'm going to have to go with my gut, and note that the guys that all have recent experience both coaching directly, and studying game film and devising game plans both for and against - guys like Jay Cutler, Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Aaron Rodgers......those are the guys that decided that both of these players were worthy of being recruited to UCONN.

Fear not, Carl. I think Mr. Lagow is the real deal. So I don't think you were Catfished. And if you were, it was for a good cause....

If i was Mr. Lagow, i'd be a bit frustrated too. but as a fan, i totally support the staff on this one.

That all said, I predict Richard signs with Connecticut. If even Boyle didn't sign, who is to say Cochran doesn't blossom into the next Drew Brees, or we don't sign the next Aaron Rodgers in 2014?

No guaranties in life....

 

[Dann]

this issue is a good one to have. not worried.

 

[Excalibur]

Ugh! My worst nightmare. Staff must not have been clear on this from the beginning or Weist came in with his own ideas.

That's a pretty big assumption . . .

 

[metsfan2323]

Imagine this scenario :

- Boyle wants to sign with UCONN but P tells him we have no room because of Lagow
- Boyle signs with Pitt
- Lagow has a surprise last minute change of heart and signs elsewhere
- UCONN ends signing day without a QB.

I have to imagine this scenario ran through the minds of the coaching staff which is why they had to pursue Boyle once it was clear he was interested in UCONN again. A bird in the hand.....

Still hoping RL signs with UCONN.

 

[pj]

Imagine this scenario :

- Boyle wants to sign with UCONN but P tells him we have no room because of Lagow
- Boyle signs with Pitt
- Lagow has a surprise last minute change of heart and signs elsewhere
- UCONN ends signing day without a QB.

I have to imagine this scenario ran through the minds of the coaching staff which is why they had to pursue Boyle once it was clear he was interested in UCONN again. A bird in the hand.....

Still hoping RL signs with UCONN.

Can't imagine they had many doubts about Lagow after he turned away other suitors all year. I think the issue is that even with Lagow, the team had only 3 QBs.

 

[UConnDan97]

NOBODY should expect that they are the only one in their position in any given recruiting year at any given D1 school. And even if they are lucky enough to be the only one in their position that year, they are almost certainly going to be battling with three or four qualified candidates for the two-deep, due to the scholarships in years before them as well as after them.

Having said that, I do like Lagow. I think that he's done a nice job of showing leadership with a lot of the other recruits through Twitter, etc. Speaks highly of UConn, and he's someone that I could easily root for. Let's hope that he makes the only "right choice" that there ever is.....the UConn choice....

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Not good news, but not terrible news, at least:

Desmond Conner ‏@desmondconner
#UconnFootball recruit Richard Lagow:"Right now I plan on signing but sometimes plans change, not saying mine will but nothing is guaranteed

 

[Dann]

does HFD have to start the rain dance up again??!??!?!????!?!??!?!

 

[Bezzz]

I hope he comes, I really do. I can't wait for him to walk on water in Husky blue.

But, in trying to read great meaning into his brief tweets (#waitandsee) I don't think he signs tomorrow.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Somebody check on Jimmy Serrano. I think the last tweet from Lagow might have knocked him out. LOL.

Nobody wants to see Lagow decide not to come to UCONN the day before signing day. If that happens, everybody will be disappointed, but no one near as disappointed as the kid himself after the past year. Everybody around here will be incredibly relieved if he does sign on, and once again, all of us, won't be nearly as relieved as the kid himself.

Recruiting is high pressure business, and the subjects are the youngest of adults - 18 year olds, and the recruiters, their livelihoods and ability to feed their own families, relies on continually working to land better recruits, than they already have. Anybody think that UCONN recruiters aren't pursuing as many kids as they can right now last minute? Just like I"m sure multiple programs are pursuing Lagow, and pretty much everybody else in our 2013 commit list?

There is a dynamic here, that we're all witnessing, where you've got kids that are legally responsible for their own actions, and parents that have been responsible for those kids right up to the same very moments, but no longer, technically are responsible.

For most recruits, signing the NLI, is the very first major life choice that they're technically making as an adult. And it's a HUGE choice.

As I've said repeatedly, the entire NLI concept itself exists as a valve, to let the pressure out of the process for recruits and families.

Signing day is Christmas Day in college football. It's the day that everybody opens their new presents, adn the recruits and their families get to breathe again, without wondering who the next phone call is going to be, and begin to really plan their next stage of their lives in earnest.

Happy Christmas Eve everybody!

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Somebody check on Jimmy Serrano. I think the last tweet from Lagow might have knocked him out. LOL.

Nobody wants to see Lagow decide not to come to UCONN the day before signing day. If that happens, everybody will be disappointed, but no one near as disappointed as the kid himself after the past year. Everybody around here will be incredibly relieved if he does sign on, and once again, all of us, won't be nearly as relieved as the kid himself.

Recruiting is high pressure business, and the subjects are the youngest of adults - 18 year olds, and the recruiters, their livelihoods and ability to feed their own families, relies on continually working to land better recruits, than they already have. Anybody think that UCONN recruiters aren't pursuing as many kids as they can right now last minute? Just like I"m sure multiple programs are pursuing Lagow, and pretty much everybody else in our 2013 commit list?

There is a dynamic here, that we're all witnessing, where you've got kids that are legally responsible for their own actions, and parents that have been responsible for those kids right up to the same very moments, but no longer, technically are responsible.

For most recruits, signing the NLI, is the very first major life choice that they're technically making as an adult. And it's a HUGE choice.

As I've said repeatedly, the entire NLI concept itself exists as a valve, to let the pressure out of the process for recruits and families.

Signing day is Christmas Day in college football. It's the day that everybody opens their new presents, adn the recruits and their families get to breathe again, without wondering who the next phone call is going to be, and begin to really plan their next stage of their lives in earnest.

Happy Christmas Eve everybody!

Thanks for your concern. I'm fine. I just think Lagow is head and shoulders the better prospect.

But, if he doesn't want to come up and here compete........well, I'll wait to see how this plays out before I comment further.

 

[minidarren]

This whole committment thing from Lagow is pissing me off. The more I think about it the more angry I become. Its not about the school. Its about the easy road to playing time. If Texas produces better athletes, which I believe it does, then he should be head and shoulders above who UConn has coming in. Why does he have concerns? Why is he against competition. Wont it only make him better? Isnt advanced competition what has ultimately made him "better" than the other recruits. It pisses me off to no end that kids today want the easy road to success. If he wanted to play at UConn it shouldnt matter to him is Dan MFin Marino was recruited.

The fact that he is now wishy washy about things now shows that he wasnt committed to the school for being what the school is. He is committed to having an easy path to playing time.

I want Lagow to come to UConn because from what I have seen and what I have read about him. I feel that he could be something special. But I want him to come to UConn for all the right reasons. The reasons that he has been tweeting about for the past however many months. I hope that he makes the choice to come here. But my gosh, dont be afraid of competition, its only going to make you better.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The fact that he is now wishy washy about things now shows that he wasnt committed to the school for being what the school is. He is committed to having an easy path to playing time.

Not trying to get on a high horse here, but the kid had made a decision to come to UConn a year ago and was steadfast in his decision up until a day ago when the situation he thought he was coming into changed.

It doesn't mean he isn't coming to UConn and it sure as hell doesn't mean he is scared of competition.

It just means the current situation changed from the one he anticipated for a year and he needs to think it over with his family.

I think he'll realize that UConn still is a tremendous destination and opportunity for him to come in and be the QB from Day 1, but you can't fault him for taking a chance to reevaluate things and act on what is best for him.

 

[HobokenHusky]

This whole committment thing from Lagow is pissing me off. The more I think about it the more angry I become. Its not about the school. Its about the easy road to playing time. If Texas produces better athletes, which I believe it does, then he should be head and shoulders above who UConn has coming in. Why does he have concerns? Why is he against competition. Wont it only make him better? Isnt advanced competition what has ultimately made him "better" than the other recruits. It pisses me off to no end that kids today want the easy road to success. If he wanted to play at UConn it shouldnt matter to him is Dan MFin Marino was recruited.

The fact that he is now wishy washy about things now shows that he wasnt committed to the school for being what the school is. He is committed to having an easy path to playing time.

I want Lagow to come to UConn because from what I have seen and what I have read about him. I feel that he could be something special. But I want him to come to UConn for all the right reasons. The reasons that he has been tweeting about for the past however many months. I hope that he makes the choice to come here. But my gosh, dont be afraid of competition, its only going to make you better.

Yes. Why do you think the top schools are able to bring in 2, sometimes 3 of the top QB's in the country in a given class? There is a reason they are at the top, and part of that is KNOWING that they are the best, and thinking that they can beat anyone out. That is an attitude that you NEED in a QB. Moxy is a powerful thing. ZF threw a football that looked like a punt, but i'll be damned if the kid didn't have a brass set. Part of the reason we got him was because he commited to ND along with several other top prospects, and got beat.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I think everyone needs to take a step back and calm down with this. Let me first say, I will be very disappointed if he doesn't come to UConn (though I haven't seen any indication to cause the kind of uproar I've seen on here). That being said, it is in no way ridiculous or him taking the easy way for him to think over things. Bottom line is the circumstances changed since he committed between Boyle and Weist. When we're talking about recruits choosing between us and one or two other schools, how many times do people talk about an easier path to playing time as the reason X recruit should choose UConn? You can't say that is legitimate and then call a committed player out for rethinking their decision when the path to playing time gets a little more clouded. I hope he stays with UConn, it looks like he probably will, but if he doesn't then I wish him the best.

 

[minidarren]

Not trying to get on a high horse here, but the kid had made a decision to come to UConn a year ago and was steadfast in his decision up until a day ago when the situation he thought he was coming into changed.

It doesn't mean he isn't coming to UConn and it sure as hell doesn't mean he is scared of competition.

It just means the current situation changed from the one he anticipated for a year and he needs to think it over with his family.

I think he'll realize that UConn still is a tremendous destination and opportunity for him to come in and be the QB from Day 1, but you can't fault him for taking a chance to reevaluate things and act on what is best for him.

I can agree with this.

 

[SAMCRO]

Sounds like a line from a Pink Floyd song.......that probably few readers have ever heard.

It doesn't have to be like this. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.

 

[Jimdish255]

I think everyone needs to take a step back and calm down with this. Let me first say, I will be very disappointed if he doesn't come to UConn (though I haven't seen any indication to cause the kind of uproar I've seen on here). That being said, it is in no way ridiculous or him taking the easy way for him to think over things. Bottom line is the circumstances changed since he committed between Boyle and Weist. When we're talking about recruits choosing between us and one or two other schools, how many times do people talk about an easier path to playing time as the reason X recruit should choose UConn? You can't say that is legitimate and then call a committed player out for rethinking their decision when the path to playing time gets a little more clouded. I hope he stays with UConn, it looks like he probably will, but if he doesn't then I wish him the best.

Agreed. Richard has to do what's best for him. I haven't seen anything directly from Richard indicating he is backing away from UConn. However, there is some slight irony in the fact that we've been hearing great things about Richard that would indicate he competes at a much higher level of competition. Yet the concern that a local QB prospect might pose a challenge has led to communications with no less than 6 schools. I hope he doesn't reconsider because we all want him here. It's an interesting dynamic and as a parent I get the protective aspect of it. But if Richard is as advertised there shouldn't be any reason to entertain doubts. Good players make each other better. And wherever you go they're always looking for the next Johnny football.