Observation about our recruiting class

[UConnSportsGuy]

A great recruiting class for sure. And a very good year securing key CT talent. But one interesting note is that we did not sign a single recruit from the state of NJ (I know that the WR had academic issues and will join us later). But still, not a single official LOI from the talent rich NJ.

NJ used to be a very strong recruiting area for us. And when PP and GDL were hired, a lot of people touted their recruiting contacts and history in the key NJ pipeline which should pay dividends. What happened? Is it just bad year for NJ recruitng for us? Which coach is responsible for the NJ recruting area for us?

 

[pj]

NJ was heavily picked over by national programs this year. Rutgers only got 1 of the top 14 NJ players and 4 of the top 30, http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrec...s/rank-3119;_ylt=AvAxBuCi5MNFJr5K8GRRq2BGPZB4. Temple added some new competition and beat us out for a few NJ players.

Not sure who was recruiting that area -- maybe Cersosimo.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Only 1 listed in top NJ 30 from Don Bosco -wtf??

 

[WallStreetHusky]

Only 1 listed in top NJ 30 from Don Bosco -wtf??

Not a vintage Bosco team, plus most of their best players are not seniors.

 

[businesslawyer]

I noticed that as well. Things change from year to year and you can not read too much into one year, but you would think that long term success means getting our share of the three stars from jersey.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Enter(@king)tain me offense offense offense!!!!!!!!

 

[Dann]

heres the answer to this, when it came time to reach this year we did it twice.

don brown reached early ove the summer at camp with a kid or 2
late on signing day we signed a ol and qb who had both visited and been under radar

last year when it came time to reach we had nothing locked up like the kids we did this year becuase the staff was flying around like mad med trying to fill slots any way possiblle, the "no talent" issue. the result was gdl went to nj late and just grabbed anything we could. we landed samara from bosco as a legit recruit. but if u really look after that the nj kids were gdl ole boy network reaches. clax was a good player with other offers, but he had a issue that made him sit there with nothing and take ours so quick. vinci? stephens? levy? u get my point. the nj total # last year was not the new norm but more a reach of epic porportions by gdl and we know how mentally there he is after watching him this fall.

-note not ripping the players so dont come after me, just gdl...

 

[huskymedic]

heres the answer to this, when it came time to reach this year we did it twice.

don brown reached early ove the summer at camp with a kid or 2
late on signing day we signed a ol and qb who had both visited and been under radar

last year when it came time to reach we had nothing locked up like the kids we did this year becuase the staff was flying around like mad med trying to fill slots any way possiblle, the "no talent" issue. the result was gdl went to nj late and just grabbed anything we could. we landed samara from bosco as a legit recruit. but if u really look after that the nj kids were gdl ole boy network reaches. clax was a good player with other offers, but he had a issue that made him sit there with nothing and take ours so quick. vinci? stephens? levy? u get my point. the nj total # last year was not the new norm but more a reach of epic porportions by gdl and we know how mentally there he is after watching him this fall.

-note not ripping the players so dont come after me, just gdl...

They remain very high on Levy... Specifically mentioned Wednesday night.

 

[Dann]

They remain very high on Levy... Specifically mentioned Wednesday night.

thats fine and good. just the overall prospect of recruiting nj is way over blown here for many reasons. if we can control nyc and ne, were 75% there in any class then. were not going to beat out rutgers, b10, acc and sec teams in nj that often so we shouldnt focus on it. we do way better in other areas.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Enter(@king)tain me offense offense offense!!!!!!!!

Go have your wife/girlfriend entertain you by dancing on the pole for you.

This thread is reserved for discussingUConn FB, or (of course) saying BCU sucks!

 

[pj]

So many schools recruit NJ heavily. It almost seems easier to recruit Florida and Texas than NJ. They are also heavily recruited but the ratio of players to recruiters is higher.

 

[mattp]

One thing i noticed about this class is that almost all of them played on both offense and defense and a large percentage played basketball which tells me this is a very athletic class we're bringing in.

 

[UConnDan97]

Tyler Samra
Nick Williams
Dwayne Gratz
Donald Brown
Alex LeMagdelaine
Cornell Brockington

These are / were all important starters for us from Jersey (I'm taking poetic license with Samra, because he's started, and I believe he will be a key piece in years to come). We also still have to see what happens with guys like Levy, Vinci, and Omaine Stephens. If Jamar Summers clears clearinghouse, we'll see how he does too. Are we going to win a lot of battles in Jersey? No. But there is no way that we are going to abandon the heavy recruiting work in New Jersey. Not at all. Look at many of our early scholly offers for 2014, and you are going to see Jersey all over them...

p.s.
I'm more than well aware that even when we land three-star prospects from Jersey that they don't always work out, like Kitt Pommells and Todd Dorcelus. Still, we have to be there in the fight...

 

[Palatine]

Brian Markowski LG and Ryan Krug LT, both NJ, anchored the line for Orlovsky for three years.