Official 2016 Recruiting Updates Thread: Links, Tweets, Videos, Stories, Rumors, etc.

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die hard gopher said:
Hank will be a two year starter and a 4 year contributor when he graduates, I'd consider that to be more than a niche role.
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You're helping me to make my point. Hank's (lack of) productivity indicates that he's being cast in a role he's not suited to play.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Right, and they are/were niche players. Which is exactly what I said. Huff has come in strictly to rush the passer on obvious downs - Coughlin is a different caliber of player.
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Huff will in all likelihood be a multi-year starter before his career is over. He has a niche role rushing the passer as a true freshman because he's faster off the edge than some of our current D-lineman. Given that the staff has used Laster and Huff in this role, it really wouldn't be surprising at all if they used Coughlin the same way as a freshman.
 

die hard gopher said:
According ESPN.com's depth charts, of the 47 ILBs starting in the NFL, only 8 are at least 6-3 and only two are 6-4. According ourlads.com depth charts, there is only one starting Big Ten LB this year that 6-3, Joe Bolden of Michigan, and none that are 6-4. You can draw your own conclusions from that.
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Just because we have a tall OLB that tackles high and hasn't learned in 4 years how to get low and stuff a running back coming through a hole doesn't mean tall guys can't play MLB. I can't see our coaches setting a bar and saying your too tall to play MLB. Other factors might dictate that, but I don't buy height as the deciding factor and when according to you a fourth of NFL MLB are that tall. The fact that less than 10% of Big Ten MLB are tall that just might mean there are less 6'3 guys running around than there are 6'2 guys.
 

LakerFan said:
Just because we have a tall OLB that tackles high and hasn't learned in 4 years how to get low and stuff a running back coming through a hole doesn't mean tall guys can't play MLB. I can't see our coaches setting a bar and saying your too tall to play MLB. Other factors might dictate that, but I don't buy height as the deciding factor and when according to you a fourth of NFL MLB are that tall. The fact that less than 10% of Big Ten MLB are tall that just might mean there are less 6'3 guys running around than there are 6'2 guys.
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Of course it's not the end all be all and the coaches don't set a bar but chances are, if your 6-3/6-4, you not very likely to end up at middle. Fact of the matter is it's much harder to take on a 5-11, 250 pound FB like Miles Thomas or tackle a 5-9, 220 RB like Kirkwood if you 6-4 instead of 6-1. As a result, there are few of them.

As for the bold, what about OLB? I don't feel like looking this one up but chances are there are just as many 6-3 guys as 6-2 guys at that position. If the coaches wanted guys that tall at mike, they could find them.

As for your ripping of De'vondre, it's not a matter of him "learning" how to get low. He gets as low as he can but most of the time he will just never be able to get as low as the guy across from him. He has played quite well and I have been pleased with his performance in all facets of the game including inside run support. Plenty of scouting services are currently projecting him to get drafted which was not the case before the season started.
 

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Garcia decommits?!

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Stan said:
Garcia decommits?!

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Sounds more like he's quitting football. I'll never knock a kid for quitting this game.
 




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Looks like from the tweets JoJo has decided he is done with football and not decommiting to look at other schools. I know he hasn't been able to play at all this season with the transfer situation thing but I really like his potential and it is at a position where we could definitely use more depth. I hope the staff can maybe get him to reconsider his decision.
 




Don't be surprised if Coach Kill reaches out to JoJo and other recruits. Claeys needs to get the job and keep things moving forward. Kill needs to stay around this program in some sort of capacity and if he can do that it might be what is best for everyone.
 

JoJo's situation is weird. Even Coach Kill would recommend him to play... chance of a football career and if nothing else free ride to a great school and it's resources. Think about it for a couple of weeks JoJo!
 

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KARE 11: Gopher recruits react to Kill's retirement

"I was like wait, is this true?" Minneapolis North QB Tyler Johnson said.

"It was probably one of the toughest things I've ever had to watch," Eden Prairie LB Carter Coughlin said.

Seeing the man who made their Minnesota football dreams come true, Jerry Kill, step away before they ever had the chance to play for him was a tough pill to swallow for Minnesota's top two in-state recruits.

"He was a coach that I could only dream of playing for," Coughlin said.

"He was just very real and just told the truth about everything," Johnson said.

http://www.kare11.com/story/sports/...-recruits-react-to-kills-retirement/74777128/

Go Gophers!!
 

MaxyJR1 said:
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This is going to be a huge consideration going forward. Keeping this entire class would be huge. And going outside the staff, I think, would lead to a pretty large group of decommits.
 

STrib: Early reaction from Jerry Kill's recruits: no change

Eighteen players have committed to Kill for 2016, and Coughlin’s sentiment was mostly echoed throughout the ranks on a chaotic Wednesday. The prospects, close enough that they already share an ongoing group text and contacted each other throughout the day, remained stunned and saddened. “Everyone is in shock,” said Sean Foster, a senior offensive tackle from Mundelein, Ill., outside of Chicago. “Yesterday, he was our head coach and today he is retired.”

Despite the change, all but one of the Gophers’ commits held firm on their pledges.

Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys will take over as interim head coach, and Claeys and offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover planned to call each of the recruits Wednesday evening.

“I have questions and so do my parents,” Foster said, “and when the coaches call, we’ll ask our questions and go from there. But right now, me and my family are full Minnesota.”

http://www.startribune.com/early-reaction-from-jerry-kill-s-recruits-no-change/338159931/

Go Gophers!!
 



MLive.com: Lansing Catholic QB Tony Poljan still verbally committed to Minnesota despite coach Jerry Kill’s retirement

Poljan said he was contacted by quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski and is still committed to Minnesota.

Poljan, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound senior, had a breakout junior season as he threw for 2,802 yards and 34 touchdowns and rushed for 1,017 yards and 22 scores while leading the Cougars to the Division 5 state title game. He drew offers from Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, Central Michigan – which gave him the option of playing football and basketball – and Toledo before verbally committing to Minnesota in May, in part due to the coaching staff. Now that Kill is retired, Tracey Claeys is the interim head coach and it’s uncertain who will run the program after this season.

“It’s really a concern for (Poljan) because you never know what’s going to happen,” Lansing Catholic coach Jim Ahern said. “A guy could come in that wants to run something entirely different than what they’re running and they can pull his scholarship. He’s told everybody that’s talked to him that ‘I’m committed to Minnesota,’ now this has happened. It’s a tough situation to be in.”

Poljan, who is busy preparing for Friday’s Division 5 playoff opener against Ovid-Elsie, acknowledged that his commitment to Minnesota is surrounded by uncertainty given the coaching situation. Verbal commitments are non-binding and National Signing Day is Feb. 3, 2016.

“It’s just too early right now to tell,” Poljan said.

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/n...nnesota-despite-coach-jerry-kills-retirement/

Go Gophers!!
 


I was told today that Antoine Winfield was still going to make a formal visit to Minnesota despite having to cancel his scheduled visit a couple of weeks ago.
 

John Galt said:
Final OV list for tomorrow: http://minnesota.247sports.com/Season/2016-Football/Visits

If we can get Durr and Thomas locked up after their visits we should be done at DB for this class. Same with RB if we get a commitment from Byrd or Bryant.

D-line is the one area that still needs some work. And TE. And maybe a 2nd QB.
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Here is Chris' article about the official visits this weekend, with season stats and the like:

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/570311?referrer_id=388419

Go Gophers!!
 

East Ridge junior kicker Grant Ryerse hit a game winning 42 yard field goal as time expired last night to send East Ridge to the state semi finals. I just learned that he's a Gopher verbal. I've seen him play many times this season and he's got a very strong and accurate leg. Against Prior Lake he missed a 52 yard attempt wide by a foot but he had the strength to hit it from 60.
 


Do we think we hold on to this Great class? How quick do we need to name Claeys the full time coach? I think it's soon
 

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