The National Signing Day for college football teams is Wednesday, February 3. As a result, all of the questions directed to Coach Tracy Claeys on today’s Sports Huddle were recruiting-related.
1) Sid wanted to know if Minnesota will be able to keep all of their commitments:
“We’ll find out for sure on Wednesday,” Claeys answered. He added that a lot of “seventeen and eighteen year-olds change their minds at the last minute.”
Claeys sounded optimistic in his answer and is looking forward to Wednesday’s signings.
2) Dave Mona said for years coaches have awaited the return of faxes with signatures on the recruits Letters-of-Intent. He wanted to know if emails are now acceptable:
Coach Claeys said things have “loosened up,” and emails are accepted provided that the document is scanned and has the recruit's signature. Pictures of the important document can be sent via iPhones; however, they must have a picture the recruit’s signature as well.
3) Sid said he’s heard this year’s class is very athletic:
Tracy Claeys affirmed Sid’s statement. He also sounded positive about the last two classes as well. He went on to say that in the past couple years they’ve started getting in homes of top athletes - highly recruited players - whereas that hadn’t been the case before. Not only have they had the opportunity to visit the players and their parents in their homes, they’ve also been able to get many of the recruits to visit the campus.
Claeys ended his remarks to Sid’s question saying he expects recruiting will be even better next year because of the new sports complex will be under construction and that they won’t have to show conceptual drawings.
4) Sid, as he did last week, wanted know what the early signees have looked like in winter drills:
Claeys replied that neither he nor his coaching staff has had the opportunity to watch the new recruits in the team’s first four or five workouts, because they’ve been busy on the road recruiting. There are two short windows in which they can recruit on-the-road (home visits) – two weeks in December and two weeks in January. And since school resumed this past week, they haven’t had a chance to conduct the workouts (grad students have, however); but that will change tomorrow. It’ll be the first time that the entire staff will be on hand to conduct the workouts and evaluate the new players.
5) Sid spoke highly of Seth Green’s abilities as a quarterback:
Claeys sounded positive in responding to Sid’s comment; however, he did not elaborate in his brief remarks about Seth Green. However, he also sounded upbeat when he mentioned the signing of three juco players – offensive linemen Garrison Wright and Vincent Calhoun and defensive lineman Merrick Jackson and freshman Thomas Barber.
He credited the staff in doing a good job of evaluation when discussing this year’s recruits.
6) Dave Mona said according to some recruiting boards, the Gophers have 19 commitments and he asked about recruiting players during the last few days before National Signing Day:
“Here’s the thing, gotten in homes we haven’t in the past . . . some are visiting today,” Claeys replied. The tale of recruiting, according to Claeys, “(You) win a few, lose a few . . . keep knocking on doors.”
7) Sid opined that the Gophers have a lot of quarterbacks:
Claeys responded saying, “(Minnesota has) three on scholarships, most (teams) will have four. He also said quarterback recruiting is not easy, “Tough position to recruit; only one can play!” However, because Mitch Leidner will be entering his final year at Minnesota, it has been somewhat easier this year.
The toughest position to recruit this year, according to Claeys, is at running back because of the emergence of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks and both having three years left of eligibility remaining.
8) Dave Mona asked about recruiting juco players and players who have graduated and transferring to another school ala Russell Wilson (North Carolina State to Wisconsin):
As to Mona’s question of players expressing an interest in transferring to Minnesota, Claeys replied, “There’s always a chance . . . must have a need . . . transfers are not looking to sit on the bench.”
The recruiting of juco players is also based on need. As far as Claeys’s coaching philosophy on recruiting juco players, “You’ve got to build (program) with high school players.”
Although some schools are known to recruit and sign a number of juco players, that will not be the case at Minnesota. “(Will) not sign ten jucos . . . recruit (jucos) to fill needs”
9) Sid wanted an appraisal of quarterback Demry Croft being a good player:
“He can be . . . good size, speed, and throws the ball well,” Claeys answered.
He then stressed the importance of “competition to work and challenge everyday to get better.”
10) Dave Mona mentioned the praises that have been song on some college football recruiting websites concerning the recruiting skills of Mike Sherels:
Claeys sounded very positive about Sherels being on the staff - Sherels is from Minnesota, played at Minnesota, and recruits the state of Minnesota. He can tell recruits what it’s like to attend (academics) and play football for the Gophers.
11) Sid asked about the center position next fall:
In answering Sid’s query, Claeys mentioned Tyler Moore’s name. However, he hastened to add, “Once the season is over” it no longer is a depth chart, but, rather, it’s a position chart. Starting in spring drills, Claeys said, “(You) give everybody a chance to win up” at their position.
12) Dave Mona wanted to know about offering scholarships to underclassmen (juniors in high school):
Claeys replied, “Must know a lot about them . . . you’ve got to make sure you’ve evaluated them.” They don't go by what other schools are doing in recruiting and who they've offered.
In his remarks, Claeys stressed the importance of summer camps, especially if the recruits are from the upper-Midwest where there aren’t opportunities for spring ball as there are in the southern states.
13) Dave Mona asked if there was going to be a “signing event” as there has been in past years:
Claeys said there will be a social/signing event at TCF Bank Stadium on Wednesday, February 3. (He thinks the Signing Day social starts at 6:00 p.m.) The annual event is sponsored by the Goal Line Club, and Claeys suggested people interested in attending showed visit the Goal Line website for details.
Claeys sounded very supportive of the annual event. “A good way to end the season and leading up to spring ball.”
Go Gophers!!
1) Sid wanted to know if Minnesota will be able to keep all of their commitments:
“We’ll find out for sure on Wednesday,” Claeys answered. He added that a lot of “seventeen and eighteen year-olds change their minds at the last minute.”
Claeys sounded optimistic in his answer and is looking forward to Wednesday’s signings.
2) Dave Mona said for years coaches have awaited the return of faxes with signatures on the recruits Letters-of-Intent. He wanted to know if emails are now acceptable:
Coach Claeys said things have “loosened up,” and emails are accepted provided that the document is scanned and has the recruit's signature. Pictures of the important document can be sent via iPhones; however, they must have a picture the recruit’s signature as well.
3) Sid said he’s heard this year’s class is very athletic:
Tracy Claeys affirmed Sid’s statement. He also sounded positive about the last two classes as well. He went on to say that in the past couple years they’ve started getting in homes of top athletes - highly recruited players - whereas that hadn’t been the case before. Not only have they had the opportunity to visit the players and their parents in their homes, they’ve also been able to get many of the recruits to visit the campus.
Claeys ended his remarks to Sid’s question saying he expects recruiting will be even better next year because of the new sports complex will be under construction and that they won’t have to show conceptual drawings.
4) Sid, as he did last week, wanted know what the early signees have looked like in winter drills:
Claeys replied that neither he nor his coaching staff has had the opportunity to watch the new recruits in the team’s first four or five workouts, because they’ve been busy on the road recruiting. There are two short windows in which they can recruit on-the-road (home visits) – two weeks in December and two weeks in January. And since school resumed this past week, they haven’t had a chance to conduct the workouts (grad students have, however); but that will change tomorrow. It’ll be the first time that the entire staff will be on hand to conduct the workouts and evaluate the new players.
5) Sid spoke highly of Seth Green’s abilities as a quarterback:
Claeys sounded positive in responding to Sid’s comment; however, he did not elaborate in his brief remarks about Seth Green. However, he also sounded upbeat when he mentioned the signing of three juco players – offensive linemen Garrison Wright and Vincent Calhoun and defensive lineman Merrick Jackson and freshman Thomas Barber.
He credited the staff in doing a good job of evaluation when discussing this year’s recruits.
6) Dave Mona said according to some recruiting boards, the Gophers have 19 commitments and he asked about recruiting players during the last few days before National Signing Day:
“Here’s the thing, gotten in homes we haven’t in the past . . . some are visiting today,” Claeys replied. The tale of recruiting, according to Claeys, “(You) win a few, lose a few . . . keep knocking on doors.”
7) Sid opined that the Gophers have a lot of quarterbacks:
Claeys responded saying, “(Minnesota has) three on scholarships, most (teams) will have four. He also said quarterback recruiting is not easy, “Tough position to recruit; only one can play!” However, because Mitch Leidner will be entering his final year at Minnesota, it has been somewhat easier this year.
The toughest position to recruit this year, according to Claeys, is at running back because of the emergence of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks and both having three years left of eligibility remaining.
8) Dave Mona asked about recruiting juco players and players who have graduated and transferring to another school ala Russell Wilson (North Carolina State to Wisconsin):
As to Mona’s question of players expressing an interest in transferring to Minnesota, Claeys replied, “There’s always a chance . . . must have a need . . . transfers are not looking to sit on the bench.”
The recruiting of juco players is also based on need. As far as Claeys’s coaching philosophy on recruiting juco players, “You’ve got to build (program) with high school players.”
Although some schools are known to recruit and sign a number of juco players, that will not be the case at Minnesota. “(Will) not sign ten jucos . . . recruit (jucos) to fill needs”
9) Sid wanted an appraisal of quarterback Demry Croft being a good player:
“He can be . . . good size, speed, and throws the ball well,” Claeys answered.
He then stressed the importance of “competition to work and challenge everyday to get better.”
10) Dave Mona mentioned the praises that have been song on some college football recruiting websites concerning the recruiting skills of Mike Sherels:
Claeys sounded very positive about Sherels being on the staff - Sherels is from Minnesota, played at Minnesota, and recruits the state of Minnesota. He can tell recruits what it’s like to attend (academics) and play football for the Gophers.
11) Sid asked about the center position next fall:
In answering Sid’s query, Claeys mentioned Tyler Moore’s name. However, he hastened to add, “Once the season is over” it no longer is a depth chart, but, rather, it’s a position chart. Starting in spring drills, Claeys said, “(You) give everybody a chance to win up” at their position.
12) Dave Mona wanted to know about offering scholarships to underclassmen (juniors in high school):
Claeys replied, “Must know a lot about them . . . you’ve got to make sure you’ve evaluated them.” They don't go by what other schools are doing in recruiting and who they've offered.
In his remarks, Claeys stressed the importance of summer camps, especially if the recruits are from the upper-Midwest where there aren’t opportunities for spring ball as there are in the southern states.
13) Dave Mona asked if there was going to be a “signing event” as there has been in past years:
Claeys said there will be a social/signing event at TCF Bank Stadium on Wednesday, February 3. (He thinks the Signing Day social starts at 6:00 p.m.) The annual event is sponsored by the Goal Line Club, and Claeys suggested people interested in attending showed visit the Goal Line website for details.
Claeys sounded very supportive of the annual event. “A good way to end the season and leading up to spring ball.”
Go Gophers!!
