Laray Smith

[pj]

Laray Smith talks to a Syracuse writer: http://www.nationoforange.com/content/laray-smith-talks-recruitment-syracuse-interest-498/

Laray lists UConn, Syracuse, Oregon, and Tennessee as his leaders. He expects an Oregon offer. He says Oregon wouldn't automatically be his leader, he has to take visits.

Come to UConn Laray!

 

[B1GEast]

I don't think an Oregon offer will come, really like Laray as a RB, hope to win this one.

 

[pj]

He thinks an Oregon offer is 90%. Even if he doesn't get a football offer, he could get a track scholarship offer with preferred walkon status for football, planning to play 2 sports. Or maybe he switches to wide receiver where Oregon has more room.

I think we have to win this one on the merits. Hopefully we come out on top. I really like him too, and I like the way he's gone about his recruiting and talks to people. Would be a great asset to UConn.

 

[businesslawyer]

He thinks an Oregon offer is 90%. Even if he doesn't get a football offer, he could get a track scholarship offer with preferred walkon status for football, planning to play 2 sports. Or maybe he switches to wide receiver where Oregon has more room.

I think we have to win this one on the merits. Hopefully we come out on top. I really like him too, and I like the way he's gone about his recruiting and talks to people. Would be a great asset to UConn.

No, that's not how it works. If he goes to Oregon on a track schollie and walks on to the football team, he counts against the football program's scholarship limits.

 

[pj]

Laray says he'd likely commit if Oregon offers: http://oregon.247sports.com/Article/Laray-Smith-Id-likely-commit-if-Oregon-offered-Ducks-78256

Oregon has an embarrassment of riches at running back.

 

[ktuck911]

Laray says he'd likely commit if Oregon offers: http://oregon.247sports.com/Article/Laray-Smith-Id-likely-commit-if-Oregon-offered-Ducks-78256

Oregon has an embarrassment of riches at running back.

Why on earth does a kid want to go to a place where there's a plethora of RBs when he has a better shot at seeing the field and being the man elsewhere?

 

[Dann]

Why on earth does a kid want to go to a place where there's a plethora of RBs when he has a better shot at seeing the field and being the man elsewhere?

track

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

It's hard enough for us to compete with Oregon for football recruits. But if we have to contend with the track program there.........we simply cannot do that.

Tracktown USA. Phil Knight. Facilities are off the charts.

 

[pj]

Oregon track is like Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, and USC football all rolled into one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Ducks_track_and_field. Oregon football is a pretty nice offense for a RB to imagine himself running for.

UConn track is a good program (6 indoor Big East championships since 2002: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Huskies#Men.27s_Cross_Country.2FTrack_and_Field). Laray is an elite athlete, I respect that he wants to compete at the highest level. Hopefully he'll decide that he can do that at UConn.

 

[Dann]

Oregon track is like Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, and USC football all rolled into one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Ducks_track_and_field. Oregon football is a pretty nice offense for a RB to imagine himself running for.

UConn track is a good program (6 indoor Big East championships since 2002: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Huskies#Men.27s_Cross_Country.2FTrack_and_Field). Laray is an elite athlete, I respect that he wants to compete at the highest level. Hopefully he'll decide that he can do that at UConn.

exactly. we can sell him on our track and fball combo vs cuse and tenn. the fact is we have to root for oregon not to offer and for gus to go to cuse.

 

[pj]

The Syracuse board is alive with speculation that all 3 will go to Cuse. One thing working in Cuse's favor with Laray is they have a good communications school and he wants to major in that. Not sure how this is going to play out, but I hope we get him. I think football wise UConn makes the most sense, we would provide the best opportunity to star in college and to advance to a pro career, but he has a lot of factors to weigh and he's said it's not all about football.

 

[pj]

Laray article: http://connecticut.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1379236. He's working at becoming a receiver - he has the body and speed for it. Oregon visit in August - that might decide matters.

 

[Dann]

Laray article: http://connecticut.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1379236. He's working at becoming a receiver - he has the body and speed for it. Oregon visit in August - that might decide matters.

hmm just read that. interesting. the first couple thoughts i had were.
1- he does have the body for wr, maybe coaches feel he can't be physical enough for rb
2-is he trying wr becuase oregon is stacked at rb and hes trying to earn a offer another way
3-we need to get him here one more time, he visits everyone else before making a decision so it would be good to keep uconn fresh in his mind becuase u know cuse and others will be his last impressions
4-we really need to sell our great track to him as a backup to his oregon dreams. if oregon offers then its a very tough get but if not i think our track + fball sell is better than cuse. not really sure about cuse track but i know ours was very good recently and we should be selling a Kash type player role to him, hes a great example of 2 sport under P.

 

[pj]

I had the same thought, WR would be his opportunity at Oregon. But regardless, it's a good move for him to work on receiving skills, his NFL position would most likely be all purpose back doing plenty of receiving, maybe receiver.

I agree, we should hope for a shot to show him we can be an Oregon-light and let him play his natural position. We should be doing a lot more passing this year and showcase a good APB in McCombs, also there may be some parallels with Nick Williams in how Laray could be used.

Edwards and Smith seem to like Tyrone Wheatley, the Syracuse RB coach, who seems to be a great recruiter as well as a 10-yr NFL running back. I wonder if it hurts us that we have an NFL linebacker as our RB coach.

I believe we're in 3rd place at the moment but I think from a football perspective we might have the most to offer -- the best fit for his talents, the best path to the pros, the best facilities this side of Oregon. If he waits long enough to watch us crush Syracuse at the Dome on October 19, maybe he'll be able to see himself in our style of play.

 

[pj]

Laray will visit UConn again this Friday. He expects offers from Oregon and West Virginia after they get his transcripts. The reason he missed his Syracuse visit not long ago was that his father fell ill.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high...alth_improves_xaverian_krT7UlMZBNHV5jkeFCG39L

 

[huskymedic]

Need Kash to call (if permissible) and extoll the virtures of our indoor/outdoor track team and the reigning BE 4x100 champs to LS. Oregon will be tough to beat but we can keep the pace w/ the others.

 

[B1GEast]

Need Kash to call (if permissible) and extoll the virtures of our indoor/outdoor track team and the reigning BE 4x100 champs to LS. Oregon will be tough to beat but we can keep the pace w/ the others.

Trust me, we don't need a call from Kash, I'm sure coach p discussed the Uconn track team, I don't think Oregon will offer, WVU is all set at RB, IMO we're in the driver's seat.

 

[huskymedic]

Trust me, we don't need a call from Kash, I'm sure coach p discussed the Uconn track team, I don't think Oregon will offer, WVU is all set at RB, IMO we're in the driver's seat.

geez - i'd sure like to hear from a peer (who just happens to be fighting for a spot on an NFL squad) about the experiance and challenges of running track and playing football = no?

 

[pj]

Trust me, we don't need a call from Kash, I'm sure coach p discussed the Uconn track team, I don't think Oregon will offer, WVU is all set at RB, IMO we're in the driver's seat.

I wish I had the same confidence. An Oregon fan recently said he expected the Ducks to have a 3 RB class, with either Derrick Greene or Laray as the 3rd. Not sure why they want 3 RBs in a class, it seems silly, but that's what he said. Also, John Garcia and Zach Braziller seem to think Laray favors Syracuse. Seems like the NYC friendships are a draw for Syracuse. I agree that UConn makes the most sense for him, we want him the most, he can do everything here, RB, receive out of the backfield, and return kicks, run track on a top college track program, take advantage of some of the best facilities in the country, he'll get more visibility and experience here than at any of the other schools. It makes so much sense that we should be his destination ... but it seems like Oregon and Syracuse are high in Laray's estimation.

 

[Dann]

i dream of laray and arkeel taking back kicks post nick williams