Tim Boyle to UConn, per Dez

[RMS25CT]

I'm not a big fan of Boyle's on-field antics.

I'm not sure that's a Tim Boyle thing. It is definitely a Xavier thing.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Nice to see UConn bringing in so many of their main recruiting targets. As far as the QB situation, this can only help. Realistically, we have four potential current or future starting QBs with the two additions in this recruiting class. I think Whitmer will probably win the job this year, but I think this really helps us when he graduates. Cochran, Lagow, and Boyle. All highly regarded recruits with at least a year under their belts at that point. From everything Lagow has said, he has the right attitude and confidence, accepting that there will be competition and he's not guaranteed playing time. If all three have that competitive fire, it should be a heck of a battle for the starting job.

 

[Brochacho]

Geez, everybody and their mother is committing to UConn. HFDan paying recruits?

Welcome.

 

[RMS25CT]

Care to elaborate on this? I played for the program and follow it now and I couldn't disagree more.

They have a swagger and aren't shy about making it known. I personally don't have a problem with it. I played against the program many years ago and it was the same then. My sons team plays against them in preseason and in the playoffs (at least the past few years) and I have good friends whose kids play or have played there. The program brings an intimidation attitude and some of them take it borderline too far. Again, I personally have no problem with it. Some might like the poster who I originally replied to.

 

[huskymedic]

But I wouldn't say 7v7 championships prove anything. There's no rush, it doesn't simulate real game pressure. It's tag football. I'd love to know how many 7v7 champs go on to win state titles.

A different view...

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/r...college-football-recruiting-leans-7-7-leagues

 

[Ronpatz11]

A different view...

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/r...college-football-recruiting-leans-7-7-leagues

Don't ruin it with facts! Just be happy Kris1 posted something without pimping an Ansonia player or putting down Xavier.

 

[kris1]

A different view...

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/r...college-football-recruiting-leans-7-7-leagues

I stand corrected.

 

[kris1]

Don't ruin it with facts! Just be happy Kris1 posted something without pimping an Ansonia player or putting down Xavier.

Nailed it!!

 

[SAMCRO]

We're on the same page. They are great gets and I'm glad both are coming in. But I wouldn't say 7v7 championships prove anything. There's no rush, it doesn't simulate real game pressure. It's tag football. I'd love to know how many 7v7 champs go on to win state titles.

kris, don't get me wrong, I love your passion for CT HS FB, but I believe that if it was Boyle or another CT player who won some 7v7 passing league, you would be touting that as a big indicator to how prolific they could be. These leagues are great for developing the skill. While true there is no rush, there is a time limit you need to make a decision in, topped off with all 7 guys on defense know you're throwing the ball (so they're not cheating to stop the run). But agreed, we are both on the same page with being happy these two kids are UConn bound!

 

[Justwinbaby]

Ok, just for the record, and despite my intent to be quiet.....

Last season my son's team threw the ball but the first three games were very early whippings so he did not get to throw much. The next to the last game he broke his ankle and needed surgery that he fought back from. He actually only had to throw in five games and had over 1600 yards. After fighting back from the ankle break and the surgery he had Alabama tell him he had a spot during a camp visit and they would be there for his first few games. He then helped his team win the Texas State 7on7. After that championship he had numerous typical top ten teams calling and telling him he was their man and they would be here for the first few games of the season. A week before the season practices started he was told that their offense was changing to a run based and all the college coaches arrived to see the Texas State 7on7 MVP hand the ball off over and over and they quit coming. Throughout this process he won numerous camp MVP awards along with a high school All American Bowl QB MVP. He had dozens of local public and private high schools try to recruit him away but he stayed loyal to the program despite the obvious signs, he had a team he refused to walk out on. He is a real 6'6" frame with the ability to easily carry 245 lbs. He came to the Uconn camp and he did not have an incomplete pass while throwing to kids he did not know and his team did not lose a game. Every coach in the SEC and Big 12 have said he has the strongest and most accurate arm they have seen but they needed him in a program that threw more than ten times a game and we understood, I would have said the same thing. So he came to a Uconn camp with another highly desired QB and went toe to toe and was made an offer and everything was set. Now a new QB entered the mix on literally the last day. He was not at the camp, or went unnoticed. Maybe it was too far.

Rankings on those "scouting" sites are largely based on what college coaches say after a kid visits the program on campus. If those guys had the ability to evaluate talent they would call them coaches and not several other less flattering descriptions. I actually told a Rivals scout to stay away from my son, he was later terminated but not before he refused to evaluate Richard. If a player visits a lot of colleges, or high profile programs, the writers add a star or say something nice. The thing about those "scouting" operations is that they follow the programs and they do not have the expertise or ability to have a program follow them. Richard visited Alabama at a camp and then Uconn at a camp. He did not make the circuit, did not get kicked out the door by Uconn, and anyone who thinks he does not have the stronger arm needs to quit looking at film because there is no help. Even in a run based offense he was able to keep his yards per completion at the top of the stats charts. His running yardage is poor because the only time they passed was when everyone knew they had to pass......off of deep drops with play action.

So, Uconn has a new QB, a local product from a good school who seems to be a good kid and Six schools have since come back into the picture concerning Richard. I have no doubt Uconn offers an exceptional education, that the new qb recruit is a good kid and can maintain the program, but as I told Richard last night he has something impossible to teach. He is 6'6" and not a stretched 6'3" like so many high school recruits. There are very few 6'6"+ QB's with a strong arm and good footwork that have the potential to develop and then maybe, just maybe, help change a program. Everything is about upside.

 

[pj]

If we lose Richard there will be tears here, because what you say has the ring of truth. He does have the potential to change UConn's program in ways the other QBs don't.

I am not sure why it seems the staff was content with a one-QB class until the last month, and then decided to offer Boyle & Kempt. I would assume it was some combination of concerns over depth and maintaining recruiting networks by helping out the orphaned QBs who the staff had recruited prior to Richard's commitment. If we lose Richard this decision will have proven to be a disaster. Hopefully Richard understands there is competition everywhere, most schools have 5 QBs not 4 as UConn will have even with a 2 QB class, and we want him just as much as ever.

God bless you and your son. Whatever his decision is, may it be the right one. We get attached to players in the recruiting process and Richard more than others as he has been so friendly and enthusiastic on Twitter. I hope to root for him in college and the NFL, so please do find the best spot for him (but let it be the Huskies!).

 

[Chin Diesel]

Ok, just for the record, and despite my intent to be quiet.....

Last season my son's team threw the ball but the first three games were very early whippings so he did not get to throw much. The next to the last game he broke his ankle and needed surgery that he fought back from. He actually only had to throw in five games and had over 1600 yards. After fighting back from the ankle break and the surgery he had Alabama tell him he had a spot during a camp visit and they would be there for his first few games. He then helped his team win the Texas State 7on7. After that championship he had numerous typical top ten teams calling and telling him he was their man and they would be here for the first few games of the season. A week before the season practices started he was told that their offense was changing to a run based and all the college coaches arrived to see the Texas State 7on7 MVP hand the ball off over and over and they quit coming. Throughout this process he won numerous camp MVP awards along with a high school All American Bowl QB MVP. He had dozens of local public and private high schools try to recruit him away but he stayed loyal to the program despite the obvious signs, he had a team he refused to walk out on. He is a real 6'6" frame with the ability to easily carry 245 lbs. He came to the Uconn camp and he did not have an incomplete pass while throwing to kids he did not know and his team did not lose a game. Every coach in the SEC and Big 12 have said he has the strongest and most accurate arm they have seen but they needed him in a program that threw more than ten times a game and we understood, I would have said the same thing. So he came to a Uconn camp with another highly desired QB and went toe to toe and was made an offer and everything was set. Now a new QB entered the mix on literally the last day. He was not at the camp, or went unnoticed. Maybe it was too far.

Rankings on those "scouting" sites are largely based on what college coaches say after a kid visits the program on campus. If those guys had the ability to evaluate talent they would call them coaches and not several other less flattering descriptions. I actually told a Rivals scout to stay away from my son, he was later terminated but not before he refused to evaluate Richard. If a player visits a lot of colleges, or high profile programs, the writers add a star or say something nice. The thing about those "scouting" operations is that they follow the programs and they do not have the expertise or ability to have a program follow them. Richard visited Alabama at a camp and then Uconn at a camp. He did not make the circuit, did not get kicked out the door by Uconn, and anyone who thinks he does not have the stronger arm needs to quit looking at film because there is no help. Even in a run based offense he was able to keep his yards per completion at the top of the stats charts. His running yardage is poor because the only time they passed was when everyone knew they had to pass......off of deep drops with play action.

So, Uconn has a new QB, a local product from a good school who seems to be a good kid and Six schools have since come back into the picture concerning Richard. I have no doubt Uconn offers an exceptional education, that the new qb recruit is a good kid and can maintain the program, but as I told Richard last night he has something impossible to teach. He is 6'6" and not a stretched 6'3" like so many high school recruits. There are very few 6'6"+ QB's with a strong arm and good footwork that have the potential to develop and then maybe, just maybe, help change a program. Everything is about upside.

Uconn still is a great opportunity for Richard. Right now there is one QB on the roster who has thrown a pass in D1 (I'm not counting McCummings). If Richard is as good as advertised, he will have as good of an opportunity as Cochran or Boyle. They were all similarly ranked by recruiting services. It would come down to which one can stand out in the film room, in practice, in the weight room and leadership in the huddle.

Regardless of Boyle committing there isn't any opportunity lost.

 

[sportsart]

You're singing to the choir Mr Lagow. We know your boy is very talented and can have a huge impact on our program.

I'm sure the other 6 schools have other QB's coming in as well. If UConn told Richard he would be the only QB in this class I'm sure they stopped recruiting them but when a home grown talent like Boyle falls in your lap you can't say no.

The old saying is go with your first instinct. Obviously UConn was first for Richard and I hope he stays with us.

 

[Adios]

Mr. Lagow, I am sure you can tell we've been excited about your son for a while. He DOES have the chance to win at UConn. Compared to what we've had in recent years? We also have a new OC who emphasizes the pass. We all hope your son sticks with us, obviously. UConn absolutely does offer a top level education in a beautiful area and we also do offer the opportunity to get recognized by the NFL.

 

[Justwinbaby]

I think what I am most concerned about is the concentration of qb's now at a freshman level. You have two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman. One or even two will have to go elsewhere at the end of the season if they want to play and then you will have a healthy cycle of a 2014 qb coming in. But only one of the three can play and if they use a redshirt this year then that player will have to sit out this year and then next year in order to transfer to play. There is no doubt that competition makes stronger players but none of the three, no matter who wins, deserved to make up for prior recruiting failures at the cost of their playing. They all,want to play and they have worked hard to get the chance. In an ideal situation the staff would have brought in a juco player to support the lack of depth. That did not happen and now, on a team filled with local talent in a close community, the kid from Texas will be the odd man out. And one last trivial note: if he does come he is bringing his 2012 Raptor with him and I will knock on the nearest homes and ask if they will let me build them an extra garage for free as long as my son can park his trimmed out truck there for free while he is in school.........he is not coming as the outsider and carless. It is amazing how fast a college kid can no longer be an outsider when he has a car A car and food money, we all forget how simple college really is.

 

[businesslawyer]

I think what I am most concerned about is the concentration of qb's now at a freshman level. You have two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman. One or even two will have to go elsewhere at the end of the season if they want to play and then you will have a healthy cycle of a 2014 qb coming in. But only one of the three can play and if they use a redshirt this year then that player will have to sit out this year and then next year in order to transfer to play. There is no doubt that competition makes stronger players but none of the three, no matter who wins, deserved to make up for prior recruiting failures at the cost of their playing. They all,want to play and they have worked hard to get the chance. In an ideal situation the staff would have brought in a juco player to support the lack of depth. That did not happen and now, on a team filled with local talent in a close community, the kid from Texas will be the odd man out. And one last trivial note: if he does come he is bringing his 2012 Raptor with him and I will knock on the nearest homes and ask if they will let me build them an extra garage for free as long as my son can park his trimmed out truck there for free while he is in school.........he is not coming as the outsider and carless. It is amazing how fast a college kid can no longer be an outsider when he has a car A car and food money, we all forget how simple college really is.

Your family is wise to take in all the information that it can in making a decision.

Having said that, I do think your post makes the situation seem a little more problematic than it is. Most schools will have a redshirt freshman taking off the shirt this fall, and at many of those will have brought in two true frosh to boot. As far as not being local, there is no reason to think that will effect playing time here. It never has here.

Again, if your son decides that Boyle's addition means that other schools he could go to make more sense to him, good luck and godspeed. For better or worse this is how recruiting goes, and I will wish him nothing but the best. But given that we haven't had a BCS average QB since '04, if your son is going to develop into nearly the QB you think he will, the odds of him not getting a chance here are pretty damn slim.

 

[Adios]

I wouldn't sweat it. If you are as confident as you stated in your son's skills as a QB, let him compete. We have to better our program every way we can. In-state recruits are a must for us. We have to market our program to our own state. We do have a very neat history but that's not enough. And we absolutely need a connection to Texas too. Let your son be that connection. There's no way a Texas recruit as good as your son would be an odd man out. I am sure you know we do recruit from the southeast. I very seriously doubt he would regret playing for us. And he'll also get to come back to Texas and Louisiana to play SMU, Houston and Tulane. And there's also Memphis, if you want to make the road trip there.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think what I am most concerned about is the concentration of qb's now at a freshman level. You have two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman. One or even two will have to go elsewhere at the end of the season if they want to play and then you will have a healthy cycle of a 2014 qb coming in. But only one of the three can play and if they use a redshirt this year then that player will have to sit out this year and then next year in order to transfer to play. There is no doubt that competition makes stronger players but none of the three, no matter who wins, deserved to make up for prior recruiting failures at the cost of their playing. They all,want to play and they have worked hard to get the chance. In an ideal situation the staff would have brought in a juco player to support the lack of depth. That did not happen and now, on a team filled with local talent in a close community, the kid from Texas will be the odd man out. And one last trivial note: if he does come he is bringing his 2012 Raptor with him and I will knock on the nearest homes and ask if they will let me build them an extra garage for free as long as my son can park his trimmed out truck there for free while he is in school.........he is not coming as the outsider and carless. It is amazing how fast a college kid can no longer be an outsider when he has a car A car and food money, we all forget how simple college really is.

As someone said earlier, you are speaking to the choir on this board, BUT......

I don't think there should be any fear/aprehension of ANY player coming here an feeling they won't get as fair of a shake if they are matched up against local kids.

Fortunately/Unfortunately the football culture here isn't in the galaxy as many other places. Above all else, the fans want players who represent the state, the university and the team in the best light. Many of the most beloved football and basketball players came from areas far away from Ct and New England.

Again, Whitmer is the only proven QB on the roster and he suffered three concussions in the month of the season. He is far from a sure thing to take all the snaps next season.

Any of Cochran, Boyle or Richard can grab the bull by the horns and run with this offense.

Best of luck with the next 36-48 hours.

 

[Jimdish255]

There are very few 6'6"+ QB's with a strong arm and good footwork that have the potential to develop and then maybe, just maybe, help change a program. Everything is about upside.

I especially agree with your last statement. It's great to have physical tools and I think QB's short in stature face obstacles moving up to this level. The next step of developing decision-making skills needed is key in reaching that potential. For a HS QB playing at the level of your son I'm sure some of that was determined by the coach or system. I saw TB play once in a State-semi and while his skills were apparent and he had a strong (looked like a JUCO) surrounding cast, the coach kept very tight reigns over the details of execution. Understandable given the need to win a playoff game, At the next level mastering the system and the ability to use all the tools and make quick smart decisions will have a lot to do with how far a skilled guy can take his team. We're optomistic our new OC can give each QB a chance to develop and knows how to use his personnel to get real production. Anyone who comes in late making promises is counting on a young man ignoring the reality that there are always going to be hungry guys on your heels who got the same pitch you did. It's great for your ego but there are no guarantees.

 

[Stvbs1124]

I spoke to a friend who coaches at a 4A private school in the Dallas area about how we received a commitment from the Plano QB. He said the kid was 1st team all-district and that he plays in one of the toughest conferences in the state and that Lagow will be the perfect fit for UCONN's offense. Hoping he stays with UCONN.

 

[noeynox]

An injury, poor grades, or ineffectiveness and the odd man out gets his Kaepernick moment. Im really hoping Lagow comes here. There will be competition anywhere he goes. If he really likes UConn why go somewhere else to.......compete.

 

[huskysupporter]

Would love to see him affirm his commitment. I loved reading his quotes for the past several months. He sounds like a leader, and his enthusiasm regarding UCONN is great.

He will face competition no matter what school he ultimately chooses. I hope the fact that Boyle signed is not the reason he is wavering. Instead, I hope he (along with Boyle) embrace the competition.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[kcc1442]

Coach PP is coming off of two 5-7 seasons. Writers, fans and a even a few players were calling for his dismissal last year. Quite frankly he doesn't have the opportunity to be locally biased. He must win and he must win now. If Richard is as good as many of us believe he will come in here and win the spot. Then it leaves the others kids with decisions to make on whether they will gut it out and hope they can catch him. The decision on Boyle doesn't change anything about the school, the playing time opportunity, the chance to succeed and get a great education. The only thing it changes is that there will be someone else competing for that spot with him. Someone is going to win that playing time. The playing time for next year and for the future. Lets not just hand it to Boyle/Cochran.

Side note: Boyle made his commitment knowing that Richard was already coming......He was in a very similar situation with UCONN and BC. He committed with BC knowing the QB Lowrie was going there.

 

[Justwinbaby]

In my opinion the new OC is very good and seems to be a great person. We have talked to him and like him a lot. Nothing about this process reflects on any of the coaches. I was at SMU during the Ron Meyers days and know BS when I see it and know how bad it can ruin a program. I was also recruited by the likes of TA+M and others and know that the day you sign your papers you are forgotten and the snake charming moves on to the next class. It is what it is. So you had better be right. Now, as for the elite height and size, the fact is that a shorter guy can sustain a program but it is like I was taught.......at the end of the game a small guy is tired and small and a big guy is tired but he is still big. My point is that Uconn no longer needs Richard, a smaller guy who is a local favorite can do the job. That was demonstrated already by another local product. Either way this falls Uconn is better for having Richard involved because he helped talk to other recruits early on, tried to talk the program up as much as possible, and the goal for all of us should always be to leave a place better than when you arrived. Granted, he has not arrived yet, but my family loved the place and people and we would never have allowed him to second guess his choice if we did not believe there was a capable QB in place for the future. You never do more harm than good, period.

 

[Greenback]

I think what I am most concerned about is the concentration of qb's now at a freshman level. You have two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman. One or even two will have to go elsewhere at the end of the season if they want to play and then you will have a healthy cycle of a 2014 qb coming in. But only one of the three can play and if they use a redshirt this year then that player will have to sit out this year and then next year in order to transfer to play. There is no doubt that competition makes stronger players but none of the three, no matter who wins, deserved to make up for prior recruiting failures at the cost of their playing. They all,want to play and they have worked hard to get the chance. In an ideal situation the staff would have brought in a juco player to support the lack of depth. That did not happen and now, on a team filled with local talent in a close community, the kid from Texas will be the odd man out. And one last trivial note: if he does come he is bringing his 2012 Raptor with him and I will knock on the nearest homes and ask if they will let me build them an extra garage for free as long as my son can park his trimmed out truck there for free while he is in school.........he is not coming as the outsider and carless. It is amazing how fast a college kid can no longer be an outsider when he has a car A car and food money, we all forget how simple college really is.

There are no outsiders at Uconn, once you are a Husky you are family.