Official 2014 Recruiting Updates Thread: Links, Tweets, Videos, Stories, Rumors, etc.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/mteam_srich">@mteam_srich</a> we are turn the state of Minnesota upside down</p>— No Name (@Elmore2014) <a href="https://twitter.com/Elmore2014/statuses/428602714981797888">January 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Stan said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/Elmore2014">@Elmore2014</a> next year is going to be insane</p>— Steven Richardson (@mteam_srich) <a href="https://twitter.com/mteam_srich/statuses/428601296912785408">January 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
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I think we can rest easy in regards to Illinois going after Richardson.
 

MadtownGopher said:
I think we can rest easy in regards to Illinois going after Richardson.
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Yeah sorry about that. It was an older rumor from an Illinois board. Sounds like he had a great senior year.
Gotta wonder if these rumors are floated by the Beckman coaching staff through their various media recruiting sources. Things are not very happy down in Champagne in regards to in state recruiting specifically.
 

Sounds like Richardson is pretty solid on his commitment!
 

Would anyone who follows this closely be willing to update those of us who jump on recruiting late about the last few targets?

Lenius? James? etc... who are they, where do we stand...

Thanks.
 


BleedGopher said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>S/O to the big man <a href="https://twitter.com/Isaiah_Gentry">@Isaiah_Gentry</a> for committing to Minnesota! We may end up having the tallest TE/WR core in the country.. No joke! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Golden&src=hash">#Golden</a></p>— No Name (@Elmore2014) <a href="https://twitter.com/Elmore2014/statuses/428573946242277376">January 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Go Gophers!!
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See Phil? They bring in all these tall receivers to help remedy your airmailing issues and you turn tail and run.
 

Dirk Diggler said:
Would anyone who follows this closely be willing to update those of us who jump on recruiting late about the last few targets?

Lenius? James? etc... who are they, where do we stand...

Thanks.
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People seem to think that James is a silent verbal. He will not be announcing until signing day. Thoughts are that if Lenius is offered by Washington on his official he will be a Husky, if not we have a shot.
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Been hearing that Kill's 2014 class could get into top 40 range by some services if he now lands Frank Ragnow and keeps Jeff Jones. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a></p>— Marcus R. Fuller (@GophersNow) <a href="https://twitter.com/GophersNow/statuses/428631220637814785">January 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Go Gophers!!
 

Wouldn't You like to Know said:
People seem to think that James is a silent verbal. He will not be announcing until signing day. Thoughts are that if Lenius is offered by Washington on his official he will be a Husky, if not we have a shot.
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The reason for that is after he visited Minnesota he said he was no longer going to be talking about recruiting and that he would announce his decision on National Signing Day. For what it is worth the 247 site list Minnesota at 100% chance of signing James. We will find out next Wednesday if they were right.
 




Wouldn't You like to Know said:
Jeff Jones was going to take other officials! Do you really think Kill would have pulled his scholarship?!?!
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Kill doesn't let them commit unless they end their recruiting from all the reports I've seen. That's one reason we always lag other schools in getting early commits. My guess is that he didn't let Jones commit until he was convinced that Jones was positive. Then a few months later Jones had second thoughts and just wanted to be sure by checking out other schools and Kill was okay with that…the kid is a teenager…so he changed him to a soft recruit. Kill doesn't like it when players flip. It is probably why Khari didn't tell him he wanted to reopen his recruiting until he flipped to Vandy.
 

I was born and raised in Austin and moved to Chicago when I was fifteen. But the crazy love for the Gophers has never left my blood. I've been screaming at the television since the days of Rickey Foggie an Darrell Thompson. Now for the first time in recent memory, the program is building serious positive momentum. The Melvin Holland Jr. signing propelled me to an epic workout at my gym. I know, very strange, but true.
High school players are finally starting to look past cold temps and see what coach Kill has going at a great school in a great city. The Gophers are on the rise, lets keep it rolling!
 

CoMn said:
Kill doesn't let them commit unless they end their recruiting from all the reports I've seen. That's one reason we always lag other schools in getting early commits. My guess is that he didn't let Jones commit until he was convinced that Jones was positive. Then a few months later Jones had second thoughts and just wanted to be sure by checking out other schools and Kill was okay with that…the kid is a teenager…so he changed him to a soft recruit. Kill doesn't like it when players flip. It is probably why Khari didn't tell him he wanted to reopen his recruiting until he flipped to Vandy.
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What reports? Pretty sure Jeff said he was going to take his visits right from the start.
 



He was a commit and when he opened his recruiting, it was changed to a "soft commit". Look at when the guys commit and the visits they take after that day…you will be hard pressed to find examples other than Jones. What is a commitment if you are still running around checking other places out anyway? Kill promises not to look for others at your position and you promise not to look at other schools and it's a handshake and your word until NSD.
 

CoMn said:
He was a commit and when he opened his recruiting, it was changed to a "soft commit". Look at when the guys commit and the visits they take after that day…you will be hard pressed to find examples other than Jones. What is a commitment if you are still running around checking other places out anyway? Kill promises not to look for others at your position and you promise not to look at other schools and it's a handshake and your word until NSD.
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Wrong . When he committed he told Kill he was still gonna take visits.
 

The Elephant in the Room that Nobody Is Talking About

WarriorGopher said:
We have to be getting close to the number of scholarships we have available. Trying to track that is tough, but it would seem we're close since this was to be a "small class."
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We probably are already there. The problem is that this is a moving target. Right now with the verbals we have there are no more open slots available, assuming every verbal we presently have sign their letter and none of the scholarship players that are on the 2014 roster decide to leave, transfer, or are suspended.

Jerry has indicated that they might over sign this year by three players. That would be the case if all of the above holds true and they also sign Ragnow, James, and Campbell. Everything still may then balance out if three of our present 2014 scholarship players leave before 2014 fall semester. We had this problem in 2012 when it appeared likely that Duke Anyanwu and Ben Lauer were going to have to grey shirt but thing eventually worked out and they didn't have to do that. This time it may not.
 

I dunno but

Killjoy said:
We probably are already there. The problem is that this is a moving target. Right now with the verbals we have there are no more open slots available, assuming every verbal we presently have sign their letter and none of the scholarship players that are on the 2014 roster decide to leave, transfer, or are suspended.

Jerry has indicated that they might over sign this year by three players. That would be the case if all of the above holds true and they also sign Ragnow, James, and Campbell. Everything still may then balance out if three of our present 2014 scholarship players leave before 2014 fall semester. We had this problem in 2012 when it appeared likely that Duke Anyanwu and Ben Lauer were going to have to grey shirt but thing eventually worked out and they didn't have to do that. This time it may not.
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A couple weeks ago somewhere in these pages Coach Kill said about 22 guys. After that, Harbison, Mc Donald and Nelson transferred. Kill was likely aware of these transfers coming? Was he counting them at the time? I dunno?
But, I think the number is 22 or greater. We have guys visiting and are actively recruiting. We wouldn't be working this hard if we don't have available spots to fill in addition to the three you mentioned.
 

60's Guy said:
A couple weeks ago somewhere in these pages Coach Kill said about 22 guys.
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22? Do you know when/where that was? The last firm number I heard him give was 19, but that was a while ago. 22 seems unlikely given that there don't seem to be 5 realistic options left unless there are some guys REALLY under the radar.
 

Grid of scholarship players and prominent walk-ons available at TDG (http://www.thedailygopher.com/pages/football-scholarship-grid) would imply that we are at 85 when including Gentry- and it does account for the defections of Nelson, McD and Harbison. Nevertheless, more attrition may be in he works, or if there's talent out there that Kill and Co. still desire, I would imagine that a few of the commitments they have garnered to date are with the stipulation that they may need to grey-shirt (guesses include Lingden, Rassmussen and Celestin as they would appear to be red-shirters anyways) and thus they would be counted on next years docket.
 



Gopherprof said:
22? Do you know when/where that was? The last firm number I heard him give was 19, but that was a while ago. 22 seems unlikely given that there don't seem to be 5 realistic options left unless there are some guys REALLY under the radar.
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I am very comfortable in saying that number is wrong. If it was said it could have included preferred walk-ons at the time. Every times I heard it talked about the number was in the 18-19 range and that included approximately up to three potentially over signings.
 

hungan1 said:
WR recruit? Heck, he looks good at QB!
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Gosh, that seems like a lot of touchdown runs. He throws unorthodox, kinda like Phillip Rivers, but in the highlight reel he is very accurate. This guy is a playmaker. Any where near the end zone he shook off tackles to score over and over. His touchdown to catch ratio is pretty high as well as a receiver. ha
 

Killjoy said:
I am very comfortable in saying that number is wrong. If it was said it could have included preferred walk-ons at the time. Every times I heard it talked about the number was in the 18-19 range and that included approximately up to three potentially over signings.
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I have no information other than what I read which could have easily been false. But, we have 17 guys according to rivals...right?We got guys announcing Friday and signing day we feel are Gophers or at the least hope are Gophers. They have been so for awhile..correct? Those guys alone put us over your number. If we know, Jones, Ragnow, James, Campbell are not Gophers, then it might make some sense. But signs don't suggest that. So, if the number isn't greater than 20 why are people continuing to visit and why are we still visiting recruits? There is certainly another handful of guys besides these we seem to be recruiting hard right now and adding guys to the pile. I'm just going on logic. Actions speak louder than words. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. JMO
 

60's Guy said:
I have no information other than what I read which could have easily been false. But, we have 17 guys according to rivals...right?We got guys announcing Friday and signing day we feel are Gophers or at the least hope are Gophers. They have been so for awhile..correct? Those guys alone put us over your number. If we know, Jones, Ragnow, James, Campbell are not Gophers, then it might make some sense. But signs don't suggest that. So, if the number isn't greater than 20 why are people continuing to visit and why are we still visiting recruits? There is certainly another handful of guys besides these we seem to be recruiting hard right now and adding guys to the pile. I'm just going on logic. Actions speak louder than words. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. JMO
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I thought they were planning on taking 18 then 3 guys transferred. So that makes 21. The number of scholarships available is truly one of the only things that people outside of the program don't have a concrete idea about.
 

Killjoy said:
I am very comfortable in saying that number is wrong. If it was said it could have included preferred walk-ons at the time. Every times I heard it talked about the number was in the 18-19 range and that included approximately up to three potentially over signings.
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I think we'll sign 22 guys and there will be some attrition that we don't know about.
 

We have a handful of redshirt seniors to be who could graduate in the spring and move on. That said, I was sure a Alipate would never be able to milk his full five years and he did.
 

60's Guy said:
Gosh, that seems like a lot of touchdown runs. He throws unorthodox, kinda like Phillip Rivers, but in the highlight reel he is very accurate. This guy is a playmaker. Any where near the end zone he shook off tackles to score over and over. His touchdown to catch ratio is pretty high as well as a receiver. ha
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Looks like he is a soft verbal to Cincy. Must have stood out on film vs Gentry's team.
 

60's Guy said:
I have no information other than what I read which could have easily been false. But, we have 17 guys according to rivals...right?We got guys announcing Friday and signing day we feel are Gophers or at the least hope are Gophers. They have been so for awhile..correct? Those guys alone put us over your number. If we know, Jones, Ragnow, James, Campbell are not Gophers, then it might make some sense. But signs don't suggest that. So, if the number isn't greater than 20 why are people continuing to visit and why are we still visiting recruits? There is certainly another handful of guys besides these we seem to be recruiting hard right now and adding guys to the pile. I'm just going on logic. Actions speak louder than words. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. JMO
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You don't how many recruits you will actual have until national signing day so there is a lot of contingency planning and games being played as we draw near to February 5th.

There is a very simple reason why it is very unlikely that we will not sign more than 20. First the Big Ten does not allow a school to over-sign by more than three recruits than the number available slots that have. Minnesota presently has 17 available slots. Two of those have already been used by the two recruits that enrolled this semester. That leaves 15 slots for national signing day plus the 3 additional over-signing slots that you are also allowed. Thus the total number of signings we are allowed for 2014 is 20.
 

a nice Marcus Fuller article http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_25020234/gophers-football-team-picks-up-three-star-receiver

"There's a really good chance they're going to land (Ragnow)," Shanker said. "It looks like Jeff Jones is going to stick with them as well. The class then would probably put them in that same category with Nebraska and Iowa in the middle of the Big Ten. That's pretty good when you're Minnesota and you're starting to build a program in a state where there isn't a large quantity of homegrown talent. Middle of the road a lot of times is the best you can hope for."

exciting stuff right there to have a class in the same group as Nebraska. Shanker is an ESPN analyst
 

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