I like this class

[NorthFlaCane]

maybe we just have to accept that our interior dline will be poor next year and that the overall rebuild will take longer than it should have

if it weren't for the NCAA stuff, there's not a doubt in my mind that we would have Bryant and Bostwick on the roster now - probably would have done better in 2012 as well

at some point you just have to accept that things aren't the way you'd like them, but you can improve them going forward

 

[DiegoCane]

With that said, at this point, DT recruiting is a failure. I don't expect us to get some awesome DT now to go along with Wyche. Judging from the recent past, that's not gonna happen.

I wouldn't call 2014 DT recruiting a failure. Valentine, Jenkins, Moten is a great FR haul.

I can get on board with our past DT recruiting being a failure though.

I should've phrased that better. I love that haul at DT. However, if we're talking about 2014, DT recruiting is a failure. Those guys can't, or shouldn't be asked to do any heavy lifting as true freshmen, even Valentine. He'll be a 18 or 19 yr/old fresh out of high school going against a player who's had 2-3 years of college nutrition and strength training.

You don't win playing true freshmen on the DL. Especially at DT where we ask our DTs to do the most physically.

I agree.

Problem is our past DT recruiting classes 2011,2012,2013 have put us in a huge bind, those were failures. I'm glad we finally pulled a great young DT haul (if Valentine sticks). Hopefully 2015 has a similar haul.

JUCO DT recruiting is what it is, seems like it never works out for us. Unless we get creative in our fronts next year we will be in trouble in the interior.

 

[bobbydigius]

Agreed. But **** what other options are there if we dont bring any DTs in? Throwing Earl Moore and Corey King out there at NT?

Get innovative.....
Go to a 4-3, for the time being. Move Jelani and maybe Chick inside. Not ideal, but I think its better than running that 3-4 and having King/Moore at the important Nt position. In a 4-3 DT would be Pierre, Wyche, Moore, Jelani, and maybe Chick, then King plus Valentine and Moten coming in for a couple snaps a game. Awful but better than Wyche, Moore, King at NT and relying on a true freshman like Valentine to take major snaps. You wait til Valentine is ready and continue recruiting the position the following year and when the horses are there than switch.

Could do something like this. Maybe switch Kamalu and Hamilton.

DE: Chick/Kamalu/Thomas
DT: Pierre/Hamilton/King/Moten
DT: Wyche/Moore/Valentine/Jenkins
DE: AQM/McCord

Exactly, that right there isnt good by any stretch but its not as bad as expecting Wyche, Moore and Valentine as frosh to hold the fort down at NT. Lets see what hey do but I feel that this is the best thing for the time being, also it allows AQM, who I feel is gonna be a difference maker to play full time. By the time 2015 rolls around you can go back to the 3-4 as the depth chart would look great with a monster starting line up of Moten-Valentine-Thomas.

 

[NorthFlaCane]

Looking through the JUCOs, here's who I think is still on the board

Ed Boateng - 3/4 DE - not sure how serious this is but either he's already visited or is visiting, can't remember

Calvin Heurtelou - DT - I'm not sure if he's still in play, but OV over the summer

Lance McDowdell - DT - we were in his top 4 in October, haven't heard anything about him since (good or bad)

Taylor Timmons - DT - he's a bit of a reach, but I think we offered back in the spring - I'm not sure what is up with him but I don't think he committed anywhere


And of course there's Johnson if he doesn't need that class - Apparently Pelon is in some legal trouble or something stupid, doesn't sound like a good reason not to take him but whatever

Losing Stuckey hurts, but WTF do you do?

 

[itsacanething]

not that this makes it all better but be happy we aren't florida. 3 of the top 4 guys in this class are probably going to defect, Jackson, Cook and Lane. if you all think this meltdown is bad wait until that meltdown.

 

[NorthFlaCane]

Let's also not forget that we picked Kamalu late last year and he's really started to look like a good prospect - No reason he won't be a solid player after an offseason with the team

 

[drifters1234]

hopefully Golden can twist an arm or two and get Johnson into school without an online course

it sounds like he would come here if it weren't for that

then get a guy like Derricott at linebacker

I disagree. If he really wants to go to UM then he'd take the on-line course.

Golden cannot waive course requirements. Its far more plausible that the course is a convenient excuse to avoid disappointing those family members who (allegedly) want him to choose UM.

that's great and all, but who the **** is gonna play defensive tackle?

Exactly, which explains why people are so disappointed in the Juco DT recruiting. We missed the boat the LAST TWO years. You simply can't miss at DT for two consecutive years, not replenish with absolute stud JUCO DTs, and expect to have a good defense. Unless something changes dramatically with our JUCO DT between now and signing day, we are in big trouble next year, particularly if we persist with the 3-4.

As far as silver linings, maybe the woeful JUCO DT recruiting will be enough to motivate Golden to switch to an attacking 4-3. It's not a complete answer, but it would appear to be the best resolution for a very bad situation.

 

[Classic]

This class is dope.

We need a safety, and the staff seems on top of that.

And we need another JuCo DT. Golden's gonna have to take that online class himself to get Johnson here, though.

 

[MiamiManiac]

valid went position by position, not you

Valid also has a problem with the OL class which is probably the best in the nation.

I state that it would be nice to have an OG and people lose their **** minds. Didn't know I was so good at this Jimmy Rustlin.

Qus

questioning your logic doesn't mean anyone's jimmy's are rustled. don't give yourself too much credit lol

 

[TP801]

Looking through the JUCOs, here's who I think is still on the board

Ed Boateng - 3/4 DE - not sure how serious this is but either he's already visited or is visiting, can't remember

Calvin Heurtelou - DT - I'm not sure if he's still in play, but OV over the summer

Lance McDowdell - DT - we were in his top 4 in October, haven't heard anything about him since (good or bad)

Taylor Timmons - DT - he's a bit of a reach, but I think we offered back in the spring - I'm not sure what is up with him but I don't think he committed anywhere


And of course there's Johnson if he doesn't need that class - Apparently Pelon is in some legal trouble or something stupid, doesn't sound like a good reason not to take him but whatever

Losing Stuckey hurts, but WTF do you do?

None of these guys are coming to UM.

 

[CANE4LIFE]

People keep forgetting we also have Jenkins coming in. Yes he's young, but he's over 310 right now, and supposedly majorly improved his physical conditioning this year. Word was he was dominant in his last HS game in Jersey. I expect he may be getting some playing time next year too, which adds some depth to what we have. No its not ideal, but we do have some bodies we can plug in.

 

[gongorad]

the class as is great. it can be special though adding a few special pieces. lots of time to change minds as no one is truly committed until the fax comes in

 

[bransuperpower]

I just think the fact of the matter is that we shouldnt have gotten our hopes up about these JUCOs in the first place. Now everyone is in disarray. Whos to say these guys would be studs anyway? What did Lavon Hooks do last year? (Nothing) I agree anything else out there will be the scraps but **** this is where Al can prove himself as a developer of talent. Get SOMETHING out of whatever we have. (talking to you Earl Moore)

hooks ..... smh dude had 11 tkls

 

[cubin10]

This board is great if one suffers from manic depression. I have noticed many of the JC targets would like to come to the U, but cannot qualify. That and shortage of talent definitely reduce the pool. It sure seems from a logical point of view that a four man line for the time being is a better solution then the NT's we think we have.

 

[japancane]

Ideally, I'd like 2 more JUCO DTs, another safety or 2, and another LB.

Like I said, I like the class, but feels like 2008, where we were so busy crowning the class that Had no cbs so Mike Williams had to play a big role. That's still very fresh in my mind

 

[Sable]

Endicott a JC lb presently committed to K State is visiting on January and coaches feel good about flipping him. Pretty sure he is a 4*

 

[eleganttomcat]

Not sure why everyone is complaining this much about the DL commitments when our DT's (Jenkins, Wynche, and Valentine) are all big time kids with big time offers and our DE's (Chad, D. Jackson, Trent Harris, and Mike Smith), despite potentially being OLB as well, are big time guys with big time offers as well.

 

[Classic]

Not sure why everyone is complaining this much about the DL commitments when our DT's (Jenkins, Wynche, and Valentine) are all big time kids with big time offers and our DE's (Chad, D. Jackson, Trent Harris, and Mike Smith), despite potentially being OLB as well, are big time guys with big time offers as well.

Even forgot Moten. It's a nice DL haul any way you slice it. Need another JuCo DT for immediate plug and chug specifically for 2014, though.

 

[eleganttomcat]

Not sure why everyone is complaining this much about the DL commitments when our DT's (Jenkins, Wynche, and Valentine) are all big time kids with big time offers and our DE's (Chad, D. Jackson, Trent Harris, and Mike Smith), despite potentially being OLB as well, are big time guys with big time offers as well.

Even forgot Moten. It's a nice DL haul any way you slice it. Need another JuCo DT for immediate plug and chug specifically for 2014, though.

Yup, totally agree. JuCo kid is definitely a big component of it but in terms of 2014 high school kids I couldn't be happier with this haul.

 

[DiegoCane]

Not sure why everyone is complaining this much about the DL commitments when our DT's (Jenkins, Wynche, and Valentine) are all big time kids with big time offers and our DE's (Chad, D. Jackson, Trent Harris, and Mike Smith), despite potentially being OLB as well, are big time guys with big time offers as well.

Its a monster haul for DL.

Problem is we struck out the last few years. Then without the JUCOs/ready to play guys it doesn't have the perception that it is a great haul, when it really is. If 2012, 2013 had the same haul as this year, we would be doing backflips at this DL class.