Jaxon Howard lists Gophers in final four

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MNVCGUY said:
I get what you are saying but Howard seems genuinely interested in MN. Doesn’t just feel like throwing the hometown team a bone with him.
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To be fair, Minnesota is currently better than Miami and LSU based on recent on-field performance.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
He probably has nothing planned. They may just forget about it. Maybe send a bus to get the kids at the airport and get them some nachos at Sally’s.
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Yeah, don't think we have to worry about Fleck not rolling out the red carpet for Howard and the other guys coming in. Interesting that they have a handful of uncommitted guys coming in with basically everyone who has committed already.

Some impressive offer lists among the uncommitted guys.

247sports.com

Minnesota 2023 Football Visits

Minnesota
247sports.com 247sports.com
 


MNVCGUY said:
Yeah, don't think we have to worry about Fleck not rolling out the red carpet for Howard and the other guys coming in. Interesting that they have a handful of uncommitted guys coming in with basically everyone who has committed already.

Some impressive offer lists among the uncommitted guys.

247sports.com

Minnesota 2023 Football Visits

Minnesota
247sports.com 247sports.com
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I think the aim is to build relationships between the committed guys and the uncommitted guys, so that the uncommitted guys will want to commit. Sort of like fraternity rush, where your best recruiters are the guys who just pledged.
 






MNVCGUY said:
Yeah, don't think we have to worry about Fleck not rolling out the red carpet for Howard and the other guys coming in. Interesting that they have a handful of uncommitted guys coming in with basically everyone who has committed already.

Some impressive offer lists among the uncommitted guys.

247sports.com

Minnesota 2023 Football Visits

Minnesota
247sports.com 247sports.com
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Thanks for posting that visitor list! Some very intriguing DL prospects (especially the guys from down South) with some MAJOR offers.
 

WriterGoph said:
Thanks for posting that visitor list! Some very intriguing DL prospects (especially the guys from down South) with some MAJOR offers.
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yeah, both Williams and Gadson have some really impressive offer lists. Definitely going hard after the both offensive and defensive line recruits in this class.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
I actually think it's between us and Miami. Those 2 are also his first and last visits. Oregon was high on his list and then that changed to Miami when Cristobal left Oregon for Miami.
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Mario is a great recruiter and not so great a coach.
Less with more!
 




#2Gopher said:
Fascination with AJ Barker's mom still fascinates some members on this board. I'd be happy never to see her name mentioned again.
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To be fair her name isn’t AJ Barker’s mom. It’s like Brenda or Kathleen or Wendy. Something like that.
 


go_gophers said:
I mean no offense, but I am so bored with this commonly repeated take. Just because Carroll (or others) didn't pick us the first time doesn't mean we weren't a genuine finalist. Would we prefer if top local talent didn't consider us at all? I agree that it would be nice to win a few more battles (we have won a fair share, by the way), but some on here seem to think it's some sort of conspiracy when a local player considers us but goes elsewhere. Some seem to take it as a personal attack on them when a high school kid considers us, but chooses another. It makes sense to me to keep the possibility open to stay home, even if you're pretty sure you'll go elsewhere. High schoolers change their minds all the time. Complaining about their choice or claiming a grand conspiracy to manipulate the local media and fan base seems petulant and arbitrary.

Jaxon Howard may well choose to go elsewhere, but I choose to take his word that we are among the final four teams he's considering. (The simplest explanation...) At the end of the day, I hope he chooses the experience Coach Fleck can provide over the potential payday in Miami.
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You are forgetting this is Gopherhole.

Expect nothing, and you get something. Expect something, and you will get nothing,
 


I hope Howard is different but I’m tired of these top local prospects including the UMN when they have no intention of attending.
 



Bobek said:
I hope Howard is different but I’m tired of these top local prospects including the UMN when they have no intention of attending.
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Just because they ultimately go somewhere else it doesn't mean the U of M wasn't being seriously considered as an option. I get that there have been guys in the past who have shown token interest but that isn't true in all cases with high level local recruits with lots of options.

Howard has seem very genuine in his interest in the U. He may end up at one of the other schools but I don't think he is just stringing us along. He has been on campus far too many times for that and would have no reason to burn an official visit here if he wasn't actually strongly considering the U as his final destination.
 

Bobek said:
I hope Howard is different but I’m tired of these top local prospects including the UMN when they have no intention of attending.
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How do you know what his intentions are?
 


Bobek said:
I hope Howard is different but I’m tired of these top local prospects including the UMN when they have no intention of attending.
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He's a far cry from Henderson who milked the world out of anything he could. Howard and his family are straight up people from what I've read so far. I have much respect for this family and don't believe they would milk everything up for attention.
 

I'm nervous we can overcome John Ruiz and Miami's NIL collective in head-to-head competition. This is a new reality Minnesota is falling far short in.
 

WindyCityGopher said:
I'm nervous we can overcome John Ruiz and Miami's NIL collective in head-to-head competition. This is a new reality Minnesota is falling far short in.
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If we lose a player because they decided to chase the handout so be it. The reality is we are never going to be in a position to toss money around like some places so if that means we lose the me first guys looking for paydays then that is just something we have to deal with.

To be clear, I don't get the sense that Jaxon is making his decision based on who pays him the most even though lots of fans want to assume that is the only thing recruits care about in this current climate.
 

MNVCGUY said:
If we lose a player because they decided to chase the handout so be it. The reality is we are never going to be in a position to toss money around like some places so if that means we lose the me first guys looking for paydays then that is just something we have to deal with.

To be clear, I don't get the sense that Jaxon is making his decision based on who pays him the most even though lots of fans want to assume that is the only thing recruits care about in this current climate.
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Isn't it possible that guys can want to make money and still be a great team player?
 

Gophers1992 said:
Isn't it possible that guys can want to make money and still be a great team player?
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Sure. But the guys looking to get the huge paydays in order to commit to a school aren't in it for the team, they are in it for themselves. More power to them if they can get some moneybags booster to toss a couple hundred thousand at an unproven high school athlete but that is not what NIL was ever intended to be used for. It is just the way it has been predictably bastardized in football and basketball.
 

Maybe just a perception issue on my part, but any time a MN high school basketball player lists MN, with schools like North Carolina, Duke, and Kentucky as his finalists, I assume the MN “finalist” status is lip service until he decides between his blue blood options. Likewise, when a MN HS football player narrows his choices down to schools like USC, Notre Dame, Alabama, and MN… same thing. As long as MN is supposedly in the running, they comfort the locals.

I hope this becomes an exception to the pattern that has formed my opinion on this. Every kid is different and I have no idea how seriously Howard is considering the Gophers. But, if my hunch is right, KARE 11 should keep their live broadcast cameras far away from his hat table.
 

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