Football recruiting

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Football recruiting

When I was a senior in high school I was "considering" the U of Minn. They showed some "interest" in me, but ultimately asked me to walk on. When I said that most DII schools are full of players who were receiving interest from D1 programs, that's what I meant. D1 schools send out feelers everywhere. Getting a letter from U of Minn did not mean they were ever seriouslly recruiting me, but instead probably saw my name on an all-conference list or something.

When a kid ends up at a DII or D1-AA school, 90% of the time it's because the majority of D1 schools didn't feel he was D1 worthy. Nothing wrong with that. Just the way the pecking order plays out.

Same thing goes for when you read the USF Cougar signings in today's Argus. Alot of them said they chose USF over USD, SDSU, etc. I would bet most of the players were choosing between walking on at USD, etc. or having a chance to play right away for a USF team. Most athletes out of highschool aren't going to pass up the $$, if for no other reason than to say they are a scholarship athlete.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Football recruiting

Sorry Jacks fans but I had to post the latest Coyote get. Another two-star recruit according to Scout.com. Kimbrick Baker of Miami Jackson High School in Florida:

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 170 40: 4.59
Position:  WR  
Projected as:  WR  
Class:  2005 Senior

I hope the kid can block.

[coyotefanatic]

Re: Football recruiting

I hope the kid can block.

That's fair. USD certainly doesn't air it out like SDSU does. I agree 100% that most kids that end up DII, especially the NCC or MIAA, are kids that have been asked to walk-on at their in-state DI institution. However, some of those kids never even play at the Division II level. USD had a DB from Bellevue, NE in their class last year that was asked to walk-on at Nebraska and he isn't even playing anymore. Ryan Justice was a DI transfer and he was TERRIBLE! The point is well taken, DI interest doesn't amount to much unless there is some kind of an offer on the table. I agree. I do think that in Baker's case, however, that he may be a little bit better than many of those cases. Larry Blustein from the Scout.com network in Florida said he was shocked that Baker ended up at USD and felt he would have ended up at least at a Big East school.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Football recruiting

I'd take Stephan Logan of USD on my team anyday. I think every DII team has a few players who could have ultimately played at a higher level and excelled.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Football recruiting

I'd take Stephan Logan of USD on my team anyday. I think every DII team has a few players who could have ultimately played at a higher level and excelled.

Couldn't agree more on both points.

[Mavericks#1]

Re: Football recruiting

We just added 2 more Two star recruits on Rivals. One is a Quarterback. This might be UNO's best class ever.





They are coming from near and far to join the UNO football recruiting class.

Greg Wunderlich, an all-state quarterback from Illinois, and Troy Kush, son of one of the top players in the University of Nebraska at Omaha's football history, have recently committed to scholarship offers from the Mavericks.

Letter of intent signing day is Wednesday.

Wunderlich, a three-year starter at Naperville North, completed 61.3 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,220 yards for a 10-1 team last year. He is rated as a two-star recruit by rivals.com.

Other two-star recruits in the UNO class are Omaha Central running back Robert Wesley and Bellevue West lineman Travis Thomas.

"A lot of coaches asked about him, and his name is out there with all the national prospects," said Larry McKeon, Wunderlich's high school coach. "But the problem is he is only 6-foot tall so a lot of schools bypassed him - even though statistically he's better than 90 percent of the kids out there."

Kush, from Gretna, is the son of former NFL safety Rod Kush and the brother of current UNO defensive back Randy Kush.

At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, the all-Nebraska honorable mention player is taller than his brother.

"They're similar in many ways," Gretna Coach Todd Mueller said. "But Randy was always incredibly intelligent and extremely physical. Troy uses a little more finesse and he's a little bit faster."

A wide receiver and safety, Kush caught 26 passes for 417 yards and three touchdowns on offense and had seven interceptions and a team-high 77 tackles on defense.

Mueller said he also had an offer from Emporia State.

"I think family history won out," Mueller said.

[Mavericks#1]

Re: Football recruiting

18 High School Recruits Sign National Letters
Mavericks Draw Talent from 6 States

The 2005 Maverick recruiting class has a little bit of everything...from every direction.

Coach Pat Behrns and his staff signed 18 high school standouts to national letters of intent on Wednesday, the first day that recruits are permitted to sign, the newest class comes from six different states. Also significant is that the Mavs concentrated solely on high school players and didn’t sign any junior college transfers.

“We just felt that these young players, plus the returning young players already in the program, will be able to meet our needs for next season,” Behrns said. “I think there are definintely some of these new recruits who could emerge as regular players this fall.”

Behrns, who is beginning his 12th season as the Mavericks’ head coach feels that most of the program’s needs have been met by the latest batch of recruits.

“Everything we did this year was meant to meet a specific need, more so than any class I’ve had,” Behrns said. “I think we attained our goals, and actually signed more than I thought we would.”

UNO last year posted an 8-3 overall record and won its sixth North Central Conference championship and fourth under Behrns, who was named the league’s coach of the year a fourth time in 2004.

The recruiting roster includes one quarterback, one kicker, five wide receivers, five defensive backs, three running backs, two defensive linemen and one center.

“I like the size of our safeties we recruited and I think the talent level is very high,” Behrns said.

The Mavericks will open spring practice on March 21 and will conclude drills with a spring game on Saturday, April 16.

The 2005 Recruiting Class
Matt Ajuoga, WR, 6-2, 170, Ralston, Neb./Ralston HS
David Chochon, DB ,6-1, 190, Columbus, Neb./Columbus Lakeview HS
Alexander Hahn, K, 6-0,,190, Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS
LaVell Jackson, DB, 5-9, 175, Harvey, Ill./Thornton HS
Zac Keller ,DL, 6-2, 275, Kearney, Neb./Kearney HS
Andy Keith, FB, 6-1, 216, Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep HS
Troy Kush, WR, 6-3, 185, Gretna, Neb./Gretna HS
Andy Parke, OC, 6-3, 270, St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park HS
Arsenio Richardson, RB, 5-11, 200, Minnetonka, Minn./St. Louis Park HS
Antony Ritton, WR,6-5, 195, Auburn, Neb./Auburn HS
Tanner Samame, WR, 6-4, 193 , West Des Moines, Iowa/W.Des Moines HS
Dan Sellers, DB, 6-2, 185, Brown Deer Wis./Brown Deer HS
Michael Tamez, WR, 6-2, 200, Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS
Travis Thomas, DT, 6-3, 270, Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue West HS
Robert Wesley, RB,5-9, 175, Omaha, Neb./Central HS
Pagel Williams, DB, 5-8, 165, Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park HS
Greg Wunderlich, QB, 5-11, 180, Naperville, Ill./Naperville HS
Jason Zabka, DB, 6-2, 190, Petersburg, Neb./Boone Central HS





View all Football Headlines

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Football recruiting

The recruiting roster includes one quarterback, one kicker, five wide receivers, five defensive backs, three running backs, two defensive linemen and one center.
 

1 offensive lineman? and 5 WR's?

[Mavericks#1]

Re: Football recruiting

I would agree that 5 Wide receivers and one lineman seems odd. I'm not sure how many O-linemen we have returning.



My question for you is 5 kids from Nebraska and only 2 from South Dakota? What up with that?



Steven Bazata, DL, 6-4, 230,Howells, NE (Howells HS)
Casey Bender, TE, 6-6, 250, Lindsay, NE (Lindsay Holy Family)
Joseph Blackman, DB, 5-11, 175, Pittsburg, CA (Pittsburg HS)
Ryan Crawford, QB, 6-2, 205, Oro Valley, AZ (Ironwood Ridge HS)
Glen Fox, DB, 6-2, 180, Fairfax, IA (Cedar Rapids Prairie HS)
Hank Goff, DL, 6-4, 240, Chanhassen, MN (Minnetonka HS)
Brad Herman, LB, 6-3, 205, Luverne, MN (Luverne HS)
Chris Johnson, LB, 6-2, 210, Council Bluffs, IA (Abraham Lincoln HS)
Isaiah Jackson, LB, 6-2, 200, Chandler, AZ (Chandler HS)
Casey Knips, OL, 6-8, 290, Adrian, MN (Adrian HS)
Nathan Koskovich, OL, 6-4, 280, Kingsley, IA (Kingsley, Pierson HS)
Jacob Ludemann, OL, 6-6, 250, Norfolk, NE (Norfolk Catholic)
Adam Monke, RB, 5-10, 190, Nickerson, NE (Arlington HS)
Jacob Pfeiffer, DL, 6-3, 255, Sheboygan, WI (Sheboygan South HS)
Jordan Paula, RB, 6-3, 210, Brookings, SD (Brookings HS)
Jimmy Rogers, DB, 5-11, 190, Chandler, AZ (Hamilton HS)
Evan Skiles, OL, 6-7, 250, Beatrice, NE (Beatrice HS)
Mike Steffen, WR, 6-5, 195, Mt. Vernon, SD (Mt. Vernon HS)
Kris Stone, LB, 6-1, 215, Gilbert, AZ (Highland HS)

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Football recruiting

The coaches have said numerous times that the South Dakota Kids (and parents especially) will be the toughest to sell on the benefits of the D1 move at first.
Working with SD high school kids everday i can see that is very true.
So it is no surprise to me that we have fewer SD Kids in this class just as we did in Bball as well.   I would think that will start to change in future years.

do you have any info on any of the Nebraska kids mav.

[Mavericks#1]

Re: Football recruiting

Don't know much about them. I believe that UNO was also on the kid from Arlington as well and he chose to be a rabbitt. I will foward any info that I see in the Omaha World Herald or Lincoln Journal Star. This is some info on the kid from Council Bluffs that you probably already have seen. No one answered my question yesterday on what happened to Tim Neneman (sp) from Omaha North who signed last year. Sister was a great basketball player at Creighton. I am pretty sure he was a linebacker. Here is the article:





The state of South Dakota will be getting the services of two of western Iowa's top high school football players.

Harlan Community senior Kevin Kruse has given a verbal commitment to the South Dakota football program, while Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln senior Chris Johnson has pledged his loyalty to South Dakota State.

Kruse, a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, narrowed his decision to NCAA Division II schools USD and Northwest Missouri State before selecting the Coyotes. His father, Clifford, said Kruse visited the Vermillion campus last weekend, where he was offered a partial scholarship.

Kevin Kruse called the USD coaching staff Monday night to tell them he was accepting the offer.

"After he made that phone call, you could tell it was just like lifting something off his chest," Clifford Kruse said.

Kevin Kruse was hoping to visit Northwest Missouri State, but hadn't received an expected phone call from the Bearcats to set up the details, his father said, so he decided to act on USD's offer.

Kruse ran for 2,011 yards and 41 touchdowns last season, including a Class 3-A championship-game record 273 yards on 21 carries as the Cyclones blistered Decorah 42-7 for the 3-A title. The 3-A state player of the year also played defensive end for the Cyclones. Clifford Kruse said the USD coaches project his son as an outside linebacker in college.

Abraham Lincoln's Johnson also gained more headlines for his play at running back. The 6-2, 220-pounder ran for 692 yards in the first three weeks of last season, but a severe ankle injury hampered his production the rest of the way. He finished with 1,192 yards on 172 carries, and also played linebacker for the Lynx.

Lynx Coach Bob Forsyth said Johnson's combination of size, speed and character will make him an outstanding college player.

"He'll be a captain for them some day," he said. "He's going to flourish there."

Johnson, who scored a 27 on his ACT, was contacted by a variety of schools, from the Ivy League to Division III. He narrowed his choices to Division I-AA SDSU and Division II Augustana (S.D.), visiting both. He decided on the Brookings-based school late last week.

Forsyth said Johnson is also expected to become an outside linebacker.

"They did a great job recruiting him," Forsyth said.




Mavs #1

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Football recruiting

Coyotefanatic,
Your boy from Florida didn't show up on the list USD released this afternoon. Any foreseen reason why?

[Mavericks#1]

Re: Football recruiting

Rabbitt in Verm


Here is an answer to your lineman question that I found on another board.



Mavs signed at least 5 O-Linemen last year, and lose only 1 guy from last years line. They should be in pretty good shape there.

[footballfan]

Re: Football recruiting

Mav,

Neneman had some personal issues to deal with at the start of summer camp. He made it 2 days and left....





Go Jacks !!!!!!

[jackmd]

Re: Football recruiting

Rabbitt in Verm


      Here is an answer to your lineman question that I found on another board.



Mavs signed at least 5 O-Linemen last year, and lose only 1 guy from last years line. They should be in pretty good shape there.

Not that I don't find some of your comments here juvenile but humorous, you should be running smack on the USD, UNO, or Augie fan board. You're not relevant to us.