Alex Keith Commits to Minnesota Thread

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sonnygarcia said:
Recruited strictly as DE by Gophs
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If true, good. I wouldn't care if he is 205lbs right now, and personally, I don't want him gaining too much weight too fast, which in most cases means it's the wrong kind of weight. Lean, and fast off the edge - that's what I want in a DE, and he appears to be exactly that. I'd be cool with him ending up at about 245/250 in a few years (gradual).
 

sonnygarcia said:
Recruited strictly as DE by Gophs
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Why do people try to pigeon hole players? Yes I'm sure the gophers want him as a DE, but if things don't work out I'm sure any coaching staff worth it's salt will try to plug a player in wherever they think he can help.
 

Coach Kill gets up to bat and hits one out of the park. Everyone knows it's a home run. Urban Meyer wakes up one morning and is standing on 3rd. How did he get there. Okay, it's late and I am not sure what that means.
 


btowngopher said:
Why do people try to pigeon hole players? Yes I'm sure the gophers want him as a DE, but if things don't work out I'm sure any coaching staff worth it's salt will try to plug a player in wherever they think he can help.
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I don't think anybody's pigeon-holing him as a DE. I read SG's note as he may know someone who has told him the staff plans to play him at DE. If so, why would they say so instead of taking an "open-minded" approach? Well, because it seems he has played mostly DE (see his junior year highlights), he looks crazy athletic, and appears to be able to really run (clearly the case, since he was playing WR this year as well).

What has Kill said from day 1 regarding defense? Paraphrasing, but "give me a DE that can rush the passer and a couple of shut-down corners and I'll take my chances". If they see Keith as that guy, then that's where they intend to play him initially. That said, I don't think anybody is foolish enough to think that's where he HAS to stay for the next four years; that's just what they are intending for him as of right now.
 

He may be being recruited as a DE but I guarantee the coaches have evaluated the possibility of him playing another position if it looks like he won't make it at DE. It is the same thing that is done with high school QB's in that you may recruit them at QB but depending on your situation you may or may not ever actually play them there.

JD Pride was recruited as a QB and given a shot there first but the coaching staff never had any intention of keeping him at that position. They knew he was going to be a WR eventually.
 

The article in the Missourian, was from September, so early on some schools were feeling him about the possibilities. Rivals has him at 6'4 and 235 the tape 6'3 230. He looks like he could add 20 to 30 pounds. At 250 to 265, with the knack for coming of the edge with outstanding speed, he really could become an outstanding defensive end. In any case he's a big versatile athlete with speed. Welcome aboard Alex Keith
 

All the recruiting experts saying in the next few weeks he's bringing I a lot of kids. Some have a lot of (stars) if that matters. Should be interesting!!
 



Just remember the coaches theory: Want Tackles the size of ends, ends the size of linebackers, linebackers like safeties and safeties the size of corners. Speed, speed, speed.
 

Offers from Northern Iowa and Missouri State. How does this kid fly under the radar? Can't be grades or the staff wouldn't have offered him. Level of competition?
 

I like the kids they pick for DE, they know what they want at that position, and with kids they bring in as freshmen, it won't take a year to get them to understand the way the world works here, now. The good news is apparently even some of the current guys figured it out in the last month.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
Offers from Northern Iowa and Missouri State. How does this kid fly under the radar? Can't be grades or the staff wouldn't have offered him. Level of competition?
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Hickman isn't a powerhouse, but they've put kids in FBS programs (Missouri commit last year, Miami (OH) a few years ago). I'd guess the primary issue is size. I've seen anything from 185 to 235. That's a huge swing.

Seems like the staff has been following him for months, so I'm not concerned with the commit, but he's in Mizzou's backyard and didn't get an offer, so I'm going to temper my expectations for him for a few years.
 




According to this GopherHole interview, his HS coach (Arnel Monroe) describes a very athletic young man.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1586

"He was a good football player last year on a team that came close, but he was 210 pounds...Alex puts on 30 pounds in four months under our new weight program and we are in no means as specialized as a BCS school will be in far as his athletic training, so the sky is the limit for what that kid can do. He could be 260, 265 easy and I mean a swell 260, 265 by December of next year if he gets after it. He has the bone structure. He’ll still be explosive. He picked up 30 pounds and he still runs a 4.57, 4.6 flat (40-yard dash)."

Looks like a nice find by Kill and his staff. Seems like they worked to build relationships early (with Keith and his coaches) and kept kept after the sales process. These guys know what they're doing.
 

Mngoph79 said:
According to this GopherHole interview, his HS coach (Arnel Monroe) describes a very athletic young man.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1586

"He was a good football player last year on a team that came close, but he was 210 pounds...Alex puts on 30 pounds in four months under our new weight program and we are in no means as specialized as a BCS school will be in far as his athletic training, so the sky is the limit for what that kid can do. He could be 260, 265 easy and I mean a swell 260, 265 by December of next year if he gets after it. He has the bone structure. He’ll still be explosive. He picked up 30 pounds and he still runs a 4.57, 4.6 flat (40-yard dash)."

Looks like a nice find by Kill and his staff. Seems like they worked to build relationships early (with Keith and his coaches) and kept kept after the sales process. These guys know what they're doing.
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I think someone else said this in another thread about Keith, but he really reminds me of Wedley Estime (last year).
 

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