Official 2017 Recruiting Updates Thread: Links, Tweets, Videos, Stories, Rumors, etc.

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RatherBeGolfing said:
I also liked how he's apparently out of Indianapolis too. Didn't know Kentucky was within the Indy city limits. I must have outdated maps
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I think they moved the Mason-Dixon line a few years ago....geeesh keep up man!
 


And Marshall is in SW Minnesota, not Se Minnesota.

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Has anyone seen a depth chart that would include non scholarship-preferred walk on players
 

I don't believe this has been covered here yet, but on Ryan Burns's most recent podcast, he stated that Trey Creamer tried to commit here and we turned him down. Supposedly, Trey called Rutgers and tried to commit there and was told they were full, then called Minnesota and was turned down, before finally calling Iowa and they took his commitment. Also, Burns thinks that Marsette's mom wanted him to be a Gopher, but he always preferred Iowa. Finally, near the end of the podcast, Burns suggested the Gophers would be considering grad transfers in both the secondary and at quarterback. I can't remember exactly how he worded it, but said that there was more than one grad transfer QB they were looking at but he (Burns) wouldn't name names as those kids were still in at their respective schools. Overall, I'd recommend the podcast as he gave a little bit of info on every recruit in this class. Search "Gopher Gridiron Radio" in your podcast player to find it.
 

EG#9 said:
I don't believe this has been covered here yet, but on Ryan Burns's most recent podcast, he stated that Trey Creamer tried to commit here and we turned him down. Supposedly, Trey called Rutgers and tried to commit there and was told they were full, then called Minnesota and was turned down, before finally calling Iowa and they took his commitment. Also, Burns thinks that Marsette's mom wanted him to be a Gopher, but he always preferred Iowa. Finally, near the end of the podcast, Burns suggested the Gophers would be considering grad transfers in both the secondary and at quarterback. I can't remember exactly how he worded it, but said that there was more than one grad transfer QB they were looking at but he (Burns) wouldn't name names as those kids were still in at their respective schools. Overall, I'd recommend the podcast as he gave a little bit of info on every recruit in this class. Search "Gopher Gridiron Radio" in your podcast player to find it.
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It's probably the best Gophers fb podcast out there in terms of recruiting and game breakdown.

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EG#9 said:
I can't remember exactly how he worded it, but said that there was more than one grad transfer QB they were looking at but he (Burns) wouldn't name names as those kids were still in at their respective schools.
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Malik Zaire CONFIRMED
 




EG#9 said:
I don't believe this has been covered here yet, but on Ryan Burns's most recent podcast, he stated that Trey Creamer tried to commit here and we turned him down. Supposedly, Trey called Rutgers and tried to commit there and was told they were full, then called Minnesota and was turned down, before finally calling Iowa and they took his commitment. Also, Burns thinks that Marsette's mom wanted him to be a Gopher, but he always preferred Iowa. Finally, near the end of the podcast, Burns suggested the Gophers would be considering grad transfers in both the secondary and at quarterback. I can't remember exactly how he worded it, but said that there was more than one grad transfer QB they were looking at but he (Burns) wouldn't name names as those kids were still in at their respective schools. Overall, I'd recommend the podcast as he gave a little bit of info on every recruit in this class. Search "Gopher Gridiron Radio" in your podcast player to find it.
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Agreed, great podcast by Burns. In Creamer's case, it sounded like he was in contact with the Gophers staff while he was in Iowa City on his visit, and he kept insisting that he wasn't there. Pretty stupid of a kid to think that the truth wouldn't come out eventually. So it sounds like when he called back before signing day to commit we didn't take him because his first impression to the new staff was that of a liar, not because we didn't want him as a player.

I also found it interesting that Burns was much higher on Dominik London as a running back than Mo Ibrahim, and he also thought very highly of Bursch as a blocking tight end... made me feel better about those recruits in particular.
 


MNGopher74 said:
You've probably answered this elsewhere already, but I have seen you comment several times regarding Zaire. Has the Gopher's interest and contact with him been confirmed, or is it just speculation? Thank you.
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Yes.
 



According to 247, WR Brock Annexstad enrolled here as a PWO. He transferred to IMG in Florida from Mankato West. Reportedly had a PWO offer from Miami.

His brother is a QB target for 2018.
 


McPeePants said:
According to 247, WR Brock Annexstad enrolled here as a PWO. He transferred to IMG in Florida from Mankato West. Reportedly had a PWO offer from Miami.

His brother is a QB target for 2018.
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Smart if true. Has to help with his brother for next year and we certainly need help and depth at WR.


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MNGopher74 said:
You've probably answered this elsewhere already, but I have seen you comment several times regarding Zaire. Has the Gopher's interest and contact with him been confirmed, or is it just speculation? Thank you.
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He's stated that he's choosing between Wisconsin, North Carolina & Baylor.

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Lordshawesome said:
He's stated that he's choosing between Wisconsin, North Carolina & Baylor.
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Pretty sure he was waiting on news of whether Mitch Trubisky was going to enter the draft, which he is, before deciding. I haven't seen any developments since that was announced though.
 

per Shooter:

Eleven Big Ten teams — Ohio State (No. 2), Michigan (No. 4), Penn State (No. 15), Maryland (No. 17), Nebraska (No. 21), Michigan State (tie 31), Iowa (No. 39), Wisconsin (No. 40), Illinois (tie 45), Rutgers (No. 47) and Northwestern (tie 50) — finished among the top 50 national football recruiting classes in composite rankings by the four major scouting services (ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports), as compiled by athlonsports.com.

Only the Gophers, Indiana and Purdue didn’t make the top 50.

http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/1...ill-take-pitcher-hunter-greene-no-1-in-draft/

Go Gophers!!
 

For this class I have to say, so what. We did well considering.
 






kid is a stud and great athlete...will be interesting to see where he fits but with talent like that, the Chaska kid will definitely be utilized somewhere.
 

GopherHole Q&A: Eden Prairie's Tommy Fuller Says It Was a "No-Brainer" to Walk-On at Minnesota
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/761772?referrer_id=


Tommy Fuller, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound safety from Eden Prairie (MN) High, is a preferred walk-on at Minnesota.

Fuller helped lead the Eagles to an 11-2 mark as a senior, losing to Totino-Grace in the Prep Bowl title game 28-20.

Fuller runs a 4.54 forty yard dash and 4.14 shuttle. He has a 36.7 inch vertical and squats 455 pounds and cleans 285 pounds.

Gopher Hole recently caught up with him to learn more about his decision.

Gopher Hole: You recently committed to Minnesota as a preferred walk-on. What was the main reason you decided Minnesota was where you wanted to be?

Tommy Fuller: Just because Minnesota has always been the place that I wanted to go since I was a kid. It is a great school and the coaching staff with all the energy they bring made me feel even better.

Gopher Hole: When did you first start talking to Minnesota about being a possible walk-on?

Tommy Fuller: I want to say about two weeks ago. It wasn't very long ago.

Gopher Hole: Had you heard much from the previous staff or was it mostly the new staff?

Tommy Fuller: It was the new staff.

Gopher Hole: What other schools were you hearing from besides Minnesota?

Tommy Fuller: I had a PWO (preferred walk-on) from Iowa State and offers from Concordia St. Paul and Bemidji.

Gopher Hole: How hard was it to say no to money from those two schools to walk-on?

Tommy Fuller: I think it was a no-brainer to get to walk-on at Minnesota because that is always wanted to do. It is Big Ten football. I also get to play with Carter (Coughlin) and Blake (Cashman) again. It will be awesome to play with Danny (Anderson), who is another Eden Prairie preferred walk-on. It was kind of a no-brainer for me.

Gopher Hole: You mentioned Danny. Had you talked to him much throughout the process. I know that he had mentioned to me about you two going down to Iowa State for a visit?

Tommy Fuller: We are basically best friends. We talked about it like every day. We talked about what we wanted to do. We work really well together, so I think we always wanted to end up together somewhere at a university, so this works out great.

Gopher Hole: You mentioned a couple of former Eden Prairie teammates of the defensive side in Carter Coughlin and Blake Cashman. Had you talked to them much before you made your decision about Minnesota?

Tommy Fuller: Yes. I actually talked to Blake a lot about the preferred walk-on process. He is treated the same way and loved it and said it was a great experience from him and that I would love it, too, so it kind of gave me the confidence to do it too.

Gopher Hole: Obviously, he has a really good year this past season. He was named the Holiday Bowl Defensive MVP and will likely be on scholarship this season after playing so well. Is that something that you have looked at and would like to emulate?

Tommy Fuller: Yes. He is a role model for me. To see him be so successful like that is something that I have always wanted to do. Earn my way onto the field and get a scholarship.

Gopher Hole: I am sure that every school like Iowa State and Minnesota uses former walk-ons who earn scholarships and become important players as examples when recruiting kids. Is that nice that you actually know the kid who did it here rather than hear a story about someone else. Does that make it seem more real in a way?

Tommy Fuller: Yes, because you can also talk to him about how he went through the process and then take your own way through it.

Gopher Hole: Your senior season, your team finished 11-2, losing to Totino-Grace in the Prep Bowl 28-20. You came a little bit short of where you wanted to be, but how pleased were you with the success you had this past season?

Tommy Fuller: There was a lot of doubt going into this season, but I was really happy with how hard we played and we had one of the best defenses in Eden Prairie history. I had an amazing season with my brothers and you couldn't ask for anything more other than that championship. Sometimes it doesn't work out. Totino played great.
.
Gopher Hole: How pleased were you with some of the individual success you had this year?

Tommy Fuller: The offseason work, I can see really paid off a lot. I'm really happy with how I played this year.

Gopher Hole: You played mostly safety in high school. What have the coaches said about a position you would play in college?

Tommy Fuller: Not yet, but wherever they need me or can use me, I can play,

Gopher Hole: Do you play any other sports anymore?

Tommy Fuller: I play Lacrosse.

Gopher Hole: Obviously, Lacrosse has some comparisons with football in terms of foot work. Do you think that helps you as a football player?

Tommy Fuller: Yes, because I play defense in that, too. I think it helps you a lot with the contact and the foot work as well and also the conditioning aspect. It keeps me in shape since you are always running.

Gopher Hole: Are you definitely going to play this season?

Tommy Fuller: Yes. I think I'll play and we'll see how it works out.

Gopher Hole: What things are you going to be to get ready to report to camp in June?

Tommy Fuller: I have been doing a lot of speed work and explosive weight lifting. Trying to get as conditioned as I can.

Gopher Hole: You just recently committed to Minnesota as a preferred walk-on, but what has your relationship been like with the new coaching staff so far?

Tommy Fuller: I had some one-on-one conversations with Matt Simon (wide receiver coach) at the basketball game. Based on that conversation, I could tell that they really care about their players and they want to bring back Minnesota players to Minnesota in building their program.

Gopher Hole: Coach Fleck seems have a lot of kids excited about Minnesota. Does that make you more excited, too since others are excited about playing at Minnesota?

Tommy Fuller: Oh, yes. It makes me super excited. I can't wait to show up for camp.
 

Q&A: Nathan Bursch on Excitement for Playing for U: "It will mean a lot. It will be exciting."
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/762391?referrer_id=

Nathan Bursch, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end/tight end from Woodbury (MM) High, signed with Minnesota earlier this month.

Bursch helped lead the Royals to a 4-5 record, losing to Prior Lake 19-12 in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs.

They finished 6-3 in his junior season.

Bursch also plays basketball and has helped lead the Royals to a 17-6 mark. He is averaging 4.6 points per game

Bursch also throws the shot put and discus. He had a season-best 55-8 1.2 in the shot, winning the Section 4AA title and finished eleventh in the state with a tos to 52-11 and 122-1 feet in the discus.

Gopher Hole caught up with Bursch to learn the latest on his college choice and current basketball season.

Gopher Hole: You signed with Minnesota earlier this month. What was the feeling when you finally got that done?

Nathan Bursch: It was a really good feeling just to finally be a part fully of the team and start the process of just coming in the summer and starting to get after it.

Gopher Hole: How tough was it dealing with the uncertainty of Coach Claeys leaving and Coach Fleck being hired? You had planned on going to Minnesota for a long time, but then you had to wonder what was going to happen with you?

Nathan Bursch: It was a little bit rough, but we talked about it as a family. We were patient. I wanted to be a Gopher all along, so I sat and waited. At the beginning, I wanted Cleays, but we had actually talked about P.J. Fleck as a basketball team and his mottos, so it was kind of crazy that all of sudden he becomes my head coach here. When I finally got to meet him and have all the uncertainties taken care of, I was set and ready to sign.

Gopher Hole: What was he like as a person?

Nathan Bursch: Very exciting. Very direct. Right to the point and he is honest with you and that was a big key factor.

Gopher Hole: Had you been in contact with some of the other local Minnesota commits?

Nathan Bursch: The whole time I had been talking to Dominick London and Grant (Ryerse). We were just helping each other through it, because we were feeling all the same things and decided to stick to it. Everything turned out great.

Gopher Hole: Did that make it easier because you are all in the same area, too?

Nathan Bursch: It worked. We still only just talked over the phone, but Blaise (Andries) was talking with us, too. We had a chat. We were talking to Big E (Eric Abojei). We all still wanted to be Gophers.

Gopher Hole: You played tight end and defensive end in high school. Where are they are looking at you plying at Minnesota?

Nathan Bursch: Probably tight end or D end. I am willing to play whatever just to get on the field and help the Gophers win.

Gopher Hole: To be honest, the Gophers were a very young team this season and didn't lose a lot of seniors. Have they talked to you much about what the expectations might be as a freshman?

Nathan Bursch: I got a work book just a little bit ago and they are expecting me to be lifting all week even with basketball. I have been getting after it and lifting every morning, too and choking down food and just trying to get as big as I can.

Gopher Hole: What will it mean to put on the Gopher uniform this fall?

Nathan Bursch: It will mean a lot. It will be exciting. Finally get to hit someone, too. This basketball thing is getting a little boring, not being able to hit people.

Gopher Hole: How about the basketball? Obviously, you lost to one of the best teams in the state today in Hopkins, but you have had a pretty good year. How pleased are you with how things have gone?

Nathan Bursch: I'm pleased. I think that you'll be seeing us at Target Center through sections. We are planning on winning our conference this week and beating Cretin and East Ridge.

Gopher Hole: Is this kind of game good for you guys to get you focused on what you might have to face in the state tournament?

Nathan Bursch: I think it also a good eye-opener that we can stick with teams, even though they are about a foot taller than us, all the way around. We just have to fight. Teams better look out for us.

Gopher Hole: How about your senior season in football? You started out a little bit slow (1-3), but were playing really well towards the end of the season. How pleased were you with your senior year?

Nathan Bursch: It was a little disappointing in the playoffs. It was just a tough break, playing Prior Lake at their place right away. I was pleased, we destroyed East Ridge (47-25) and that was one of our big things we really wanted to do because it is our town and they had it coming.

Gopher Hole: What things are you going to be working on to get ready to report to camp in June?

Nathan Bursch: Lifting. Eating a ton. Running. I am going to be doing track here. Doing some sprints and stuff to make sure that I am up to speed and that everything is muscle and no fat. I'll probably be going to state for shot again and hopefully for discus.

Gopher Hole: Obviously, you had a good season last year throwing. Have you seen much improvement?

Nathan Bursch: I think last year was a tough break, because I got a little overheated and now I know what I am coming into. For shot put. I think you'll see me placing in the top three, at least.
 


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