Official 2021 Gophers Football Recruiting Updates Thread: Links, Tweets, Videos etc

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UpAndUnder43 said:
Kristoff has options. I get wanting to go to highest level possible...but Ivy League offers dont sound bad either. Hope he has a great career somewhere
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These are the kids we need to keep in state. Recent running back from Cambridge committed to UND is over 200 pounds, ran a 10.88 100 meter as a sophomore and is over 6 feet. Fill your roster with these type of kids in addition to your other recruits. Over 50% will contribute and have roots.
 

Tommyboy said:
These are the kids we need to keep in state. Recent running back from Cambridge committed to UND is over 200 pounds, ran a 10.88 100 meter as a sophomore and is over 6 feet. Fill your roster with these type of kids in addition to your other recruits. Over 50% will contribute and have roots.
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Are you saying offer them scholarships or put more work into convincing them to walk on? If it's the former, we don't need to use scholarships on borderline FBS guys. If it's the latter, I don't know if we have offered them walk on spots, but it can't be easy to convince a kid to pass up on a scholarship from UND/NDSU/USD/SDSU that also provides a better path to playing time, compared to paying tuition at the U and possibly being buried on the depth chart.
 

Gophers1992 said:
Are you saying offer them scholarships or put more work into convincing them to walk on? If it's the former, we don't need to use scholarships on borderline FBS guys. If it's the latter, I don't know if we have offered them walk on spots, but it can't be easy to convince a kid to pass up on a scholarship from UND/NDSU/USD/SDSU that also provides a better path to playing time, compared to paying tuition at the U and possibly being buried on the depth chart.
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My sales pitch would go something like: it's your chance to earn a spot in the bigs. You can always transfer to a Dakota or Northern Iowa after giving it a year or two here. They'll still take you then, and you'll be able to contribute there. Lots of examples of this, off the top of my head Steveler to South Dakota and Johannesson to North Dakota.
 



Tommyboy said:
These are the kids we need to keep in state. Recent running back from Cambridge committed to UND is over 200 pounds, ran a 10.88 100 meter as a sophomore and is over 6 feet. Fill your roster with these type of kids in addition to your other recruits. Over 50% will contribute and have roots.
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This guy

247sports.com

Gaven Ziebarth, Cambridge-Isanti , Running Back

Gaven Ziebarth is a 6-0, 200-pound Running Back from Cambridge, MN.
247sports.com 247sports.com

I think we'll be ok.
 

Tommyboy said:
These are the kids we need to keep in state. Recent running back from Cambridge committed to UND is over 200 pounds, ran a 10.88 100 meter as a sophomore and is over 6 feet. Fill your roster with these type of kids in addition to your other recruits. Over 50% will contribute and have roots.
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Roots don't matter. Of course over 50% will contribute if you fill the roster with them. Contribute to a mediocre at best B1G team. The best of Minnesota will never be better than the best of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Illinois, it's just a simple numbers game. I get wanting to watch local kids, but it's not a winning strategy.
 


Gophers1992 said:
We always get reminded of the MN kids that we pass on who excel at the lower levels. We rarely hear about the many, many kids who we pass on and are right to pass on.
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100%. Definitely missed out on some good MN kids over the years for variety of reasons.
 



Tommyboy said:
These are the kids we need to keep in state. Recent running back from Cambridge committed to UND is over 200 pounds, ran a 10.88 100 meter as a sophomore and is over 6 feet. Fill your roster with these type of kids in addition to your other recruits. Over 50% will contribute and have roots.
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Totally cool with offering kids like this walk on spots but not scholarships. Some of those type of kids will develop into really good players but that doesn't mean it is worth spending a scholarship on them out of high school as they are far riskier then the kids we typically offer scholarships to.

We all want to see the local kids do well but the reality is that the majority of Minnesota High School football players just aren't good enough to compete at the power 5 level against the best players in the country. Doesn't make them bad football players and guys absolutely will get overlooked from time to time, but the simple reality is that a roster heavy on Minnesota players at key positions would have a very hard time competing in the Big Ten.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
He also camped with the Gophers several times, but that was way back when PJ had hair. Less hair = cooler head = he cooled on Kristoff.

5330378.jpg
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I'm sorry to fudge up the recruiting thread, but I just wanted to say PJ's whole outfit just works. I want that belt so bad...in case any of you are looking to buy me a gift. I'd actually love every piece of the outfit including his watch band, lol...
 





Many more throws on that feed. He might challenge for the starting job as a true Freshman unless Tanner stays for another year.

Here are a couple that stand out to me. Someone mentioned the Aaron Rodgers like flick of the wrist.


Here, he just throws it up, sidearm, while falling away. Right on the money.

 

PitinoFan said:
Many more throws on that feed. He might challenge for the starting job as a true Freshman unless Tanner stays for another year.

Here are a couple that stand out to me. Someone mentioned the Aaron Rodgers like flick of the wrist.


Here, he just throws it up, sidearm, while falling away. Right on the money.

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Looks like he is pushing the ball compared to the zip on Kowalkowski's ball
 

PitinoFan said:
Many more throws on that feed. He might challenge for the starting job as a true Freshman unless Tanner stays for another year.

Here are a couple that stand out to me. Someone mentioned the Aaron Rodgers like flick of the wrist.


Here, he just throws it up, sidearm, while falling away. Right on the money.

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????
 

noamfromm said:
Looks like he is pushing the ball compared to the zip on Kowalkowski's ball
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Ha, good point!

Seriously, though....look at the difference in the releases of the two QBs. Kristoff has a long windup. Athan’s release does look a little like Rodgers.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Totally cool with offering kids like this walk on spots but not scholarships. Some of those type of kids will develop into really good players but that doesn't mean it is worth spending a scholarship on them out of high school as they are far riskier then the kids we typically offer scholarships to.

We all want to see the local kids do well but the reality is that the majority of Minnesota High School football players just aren't good enough to compete at the power 5 level against the best players in the country. Doesn't make them bad football players and guys absolutely will get overlooked from time to time, but the simple reality is that a roster heavy on Minnesota players at key positions would have a very hard time competing in the Big Ten.
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To go over the next hump, you need higher end recruits. You have to cast a wider net nationally. Sure, we are going to miss a few instate talent. At least the ones who want to be a Gopher. We can't do anything about the ones who want to go elsewhere.
 


I get wanting local kids. However, when a local kid has zero power 5 offers, maybe he just doesn't belong at a power 5 school right out of high school? Nothing wrong with it, not saying they aren't very good. Some kids are late bloomers and end up being great, kids we wish were gophers. But for every 1 of those, there is a lot more that aren't one of those.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I get wanting local kids. However, when a local kid has zero power 5 offers, maybe he just doesn't belong at a power 5 school right out of high school? Nothing wrong with it, not saying they aren't very good. Some kids are late bloomers and end up being great, kids we wish were gophers. But for every 1 of those, there is a lot more that aren't one of those.
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This is very true. You never know who is going to gell. I agree can't have 10 guys on the roster every year who don't make it.
 


Gophersince72 said:
Wow, this Munnerlyn kid looks like a real sleeper. Can really run. Quick first step is great feet at 1:29 of the video. Hmmm...
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I like him just on the name alone. It sounds like an NFL DE name.
 



per Sid:

Jottings

• ESPN published a list of the most surprising success stories in college football recruiting and the Gophers were the Big Ten representative. "This class has two ESPN 300 commitments in cornerback Avante Dickerson and quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis. Dickerson, from Omaha, had offers from some of the top programs in the country, including Georgia, Oregon, USC and Tennessee, but he chose the Gophers," ESPN wrote. "[P.J.] Fleck has been able to land six ESPN 300 commitments combined in his four recruiting classes from 2018 to 2021. That might not sound like a lot, but consider that Minnesota had only four ESPN 300 commitments in the nine recruiting classes from 2009 to 2017 and you can see the improvement."

www.startribune.com

Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's history gives Vikings a big advantage

Offensive coordinator has done the job before, and he knows his Vikings co-workers well.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
Kristoff has options. I get wanting to go to highest level possible...but Ivy League offers dont sound bad either. Hope he has a great career somewhere
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Maybe he ought to talk to Matt Birk who went to Harvard for some advise/perspective.

If he truly wants to be a Gopher and if his family has the financial wherewithal, he should go PWO to the U. If he is that good, he can compete against the best anywhere. The Gophers are loaded at the position.

If it is the Pros that he wants, look at Minnesotan Trey Lance at NDSU. He will be in the Pros. Kristoff Kowalkowski will most likely get more looks at the FCS level by the Pros than being a backup player at a D1 school.

PJ Fleck has to recruit nationally to elevate the program to elite level.

He has a tough battle when it comes to home grown talent. The Carrolls, Benharts, and Mahlmans who are highly ranked don't want to be Gophers. Maybe the tide will turn when they start winning titles.

He is getting Minnesota kids on the roster who may be the next Blake Cashman, Sam Renner, Kamal Martin, Carter Coughlin, and Tyler Johnson for that matter.

PJ Fleck is emphatic about Gopher Football being a developmental program. He wants to puts many players in the Pros. Five Gophers were drafted into the NFL in 2020. The Pros are paying attention. Recruits nationally are also noticing.

This is why we should be very excited as Gopher fans.

A cursory count at the current published roster show 37 players from Minnesota not counting neighboring states. So, it is not like the Gophers are not paying attention to instate players.
 
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Here is a nice looking prospect from Georgia. Did he decommit from Nebraska? The Gophers offered.

247sports.com

Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss Rebels, Linebacker

2022 Second-Team Freshman All-American (CFN, The Athletic) 2022 Freshman All-SEC 2022 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Produced an outstanding season, earning...
247sports.com 247sports.com
 


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