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Gophers Recruiting Against Top programs - Twincities.com

Photos from the visit show a handful of Florida State items on the walls and ledges, but it wasn’t a precursor to Seminoles coach Willie Taggart jumping out to spook Fleck and try to snatch away Gordon. But the threat was there, with Florida State and Miami offering scholarships to Gordon in November — months after Gordon pledged to the Gophers in June.

Gordon stayed true to Minnesota, and on Wednesday, he was one of 21 scholarship players to sign national letters of intent with the Gophers as the early signing period opened before dawn. Gordon is one of many examples of the Gophers contending, and sometimes winning, recruiting battles with programs such as Oklahoma and Alabama and in-state schools like Florida State, which can be magnets for recruits.

Fleck called them “big-boy fights. That’s where we want to be.”

The Gophers’ 2019 class has four remaining open scholarships, which they will attempt to fill during the traditional national signing day on Feb. 6. Last year was the first with the early signing period, and the Gophers signed all 25. They went into the winter wishing they had one or two vacancies, and now still-incoming prospects could be a mix of high schoolers, junior college transfers or graduate transfers.

One of those “big-boy fights” will be waged for four-star defensive tackle Kristian Williams of Memphis, Tenn. The second highest-rated prospect in the U’s class had committed to the Gophers on Friday and told the Pioneer Press on Wednesday his plan has been to wait and sign in February.

“It’s just simply me being comfortable with it, and by that time, I would be mentally prepared to do it,” said Williams, who visited Minneapolis in early December.

Fleck can’t speak about specific recruits until they sign, but he expressed confidence Wednesday, saying, “We still have one player committed to us that is going to sign in February.”..

Thirteen of the 23 new Gophers will enroll in January — more than double those that came early in Fleck’s first two classes. That total includes two walk-ons: Cretin-Derham Hall receiver Peter Udoibok and St. Croix Falls offensive linemen Tyler Cooper. Udoibok will join in January, and both will be given distinct shots to earn scholarships, Fleck said...

https://www.twincities.com/2018/12/...g-away-from-big-boy-fights-with-top-programs/

GLC Signing Day Social Event

At night this year. https://goallineclub.org/collections/frontpage/products/2018-signing-day-report-member

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

TCF Bank Stadium - DQ Club Room
Enter at the Benton County Premium Entrance Doors

Doors open at 5:00pm
Light dinner buffet from 5:00-6:00pm
Program with P.J. Fleck starts at 6:00pm
Cash bar until 7:30pm
Evening concludes at 8:00pm

Join other Golden Gopher fans and learn more about Minnesota’s 2019 recruiting class from P.J. Fleck, who will share comments and video clips on the new student athletes.

Parking is hourly in the Gopher Lot and $5 in the Maroon or Victory Lots.

Your name will be placed on our guest list when you register online. Tickets will not be distributed. Please include the names of your guests for the pre-made name tags.

Registration for this event closes at 1:00 pm on Friday, December 14, 201

Question: What happens if schollies lose some value?

WARNING: This is a CFB debate, NOT a political debate.

I am here to address a hypothetical. I’m not interested in debating the merits of the idea that would lead to this hypothetical.

So...I had a weird thought. When you look at people under 35-40, and it’s arguably the most politically progressive generation since, if I were to hazard a guess, maybe the WWI generation?

College is extortion in this country whereas in most other western countries it’s free or cheap.

So let’s say free college/free trade school becomes law.

What happens to CFB?

The optimist in me says it doesn’t change a ton.

1) the ability receive elite coaching and training at elite facilities with a ton of support in all aspects of their lives is still so compelling that the structure doesn’t change a ton.

2) A significant percentage of guys couldn’t get admitted to most power 5 schools without a scholarship anyway and the per diem and free food is a huge draw.

I think there’s a compelling case that’s how it works out and the status quo of CFB doesn’t that much.

But what if it does change?

What’s the big give? Is it the per diem? Does that increase?

Do they straight up start paying players like it’s a job as well as an academic requirement?

How do you deal with private schools that still charge tuition vs. public schools that don’t?

What can you offer players if they could go to school for free anyway?

CFB would still exist I think. The NFL loves that’s it doesn’t need to have any kind of developmental system.

Do players feel emboldened to start demanding more money?

I am suddenly and quite selfishly rethinking this whole thing.

Football Recruiting SIGNING DAY THREAD

NLIs will get faxed in at 7 am local time. Below are when several commits' signing ceremonies are. All times central.


Jacob Clark: 8:15 AM
Cameron Wiley: 9:00 AM
Michael Lantz: 10:00 AM
Solomon Brown: 11:30 AM
Donald Willis: 1:00 PM
Noon: James Gordon
Nnamdi Adim-Madumere: 12:30 PM
JJ Guedet: 1:30 PM
Michael Brown-Stephens: 1:30 PM
Tyler Nubin: 6:30 PM
Kristian Williams: not signing until February

Football Recruiting Tuesday Recruiting Update

One day before signing day, and we don’t have much of an update from what we’ve already reported this week.

Login to view embedded media There has been a shift for Colorado now being the favorite for Darius Robinson since the Kristian Williams commitment. Remember, even though the Colorado head coach changed, Robinson’s recruiter stayed. He took two official visits to Boulder because of the new rule changes. Mizzou and Michigan are the other options, but the Michigan folks aren’t convinced he’s a take for them, and remember, they want him to play TE, which I’m not sure Robinson wants to do. Whatever the case is, I’d be surprised if the choice is Minnesota, which is fine because Minnesota’s defensive line class is already really big.

Login to view embedded media Demariyon Houston looks like he’ll sign in February. Haselwood to Oklahoma steam could increase SIGNIFICANTLY if Justin Fields transfers to Oklahoma, which has been noted as one of his top options. The two are very close. Haselwood to OU should guarantee Houston doesn’t have a spot there, which it looks like he already doesn’t have. Also watch for Langston Anderson and Oklahoma State, as he decides tomorrow and is their top WR target. Haselwood to OU, and Anderson to OKSU would be good for Minnesota, but they’ll still have to hold off other schools that try to jump in late.

Login to view embedded media Ahmarean Brown I don’t think has a committable offer from Minnesota. Again, Gophers are pretty tight on room and satisfied with their class.

Login to view embedded media Dontye Carriere-Williams decides today. He’s the one to watch for, but our sources in the South say he’ll be signing with Vanderbilt. I guess now that Damarion Williams won’t be signing, Minnesota’s door is likely now open for Carriere-Williams, but we’re expecting him to choose Vanderbilt.

Login to view embedded media Hookfin we expect to sign with Baylor, or maybe Texas.

This leaves Minnesota at 21 total commitments (Peter Udoibok and Tyler Cooper are maroonshirts). Houston will be the main target to watch for in the next Signing Period.

Football Recruiting Kristian Williams commits

Login to view embedded media
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Just spoke briefly to Kristian, and he was thrilled about his commitment to Minnesota. Here's what he had to say:

“It was unexpected, but when I went on the official visit I noticed the culture, the people involved. I looked at it and saw the type of person that I would be coming out of Minnesota. The coaching staff, the relationship that I have with them. I just feel like they will make me a better person spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially. I just felt like it was the best for me. My family like them. It’s a development process right now, and they’re very young. The recruiting class we have coming in, I feel like we can come in and make an impact right away. RTB I’m committed to Minnesota.”

Football Recap: Position coaches interviews

Marcus West:
  • Christmas came early for us. We attacked a position of need. This group is selfless. They're highly-rated, talented, sought-after. I can't wait to coach them. It was fun to develop relationships with them.
  • We're changing the narrative of playing defensive line. We got two state champions.
  • DeAngelo Griffin is disruptive. At nose tackle you want a bull in the china shop. DeAngelo Griffin is a bull in the china shop. Coach Fleck used his one contact to watch him in the state championship. He looked to Coach Fleck and rowed the boat.
  • MJ Anderson can slide to the 3-tech and win one-on-ones.
  • D'Vion Harris has what you cannot coach: first step and twitch. The first thing we look for is twitch because that's something you can't coach. He'll be the leader of the Big Ten in sacks in the near future.
Kenni Burns:
  • This class serves and gives to their community. They're also state champions.
  • Cam Wiley is long, rangy, can move and change direction. Trey Potts can make you miss. He could play some slot as well.
  • Coach Fleck wanted to emphasize Missouri, and being from central Illinois, I'm just an hour away.
Matt Simon:
  • Going to start Jason Williamson in the backfield and will put him all over the place. Going to find the best place for him to play.
  • Udoibok we saw at camp. He brings a lot of size.
  • Logan Richter has been through the process and rolled with it.
Jahmile Addae:
  • A lot of work goes into the last three weeks, from both the coaches and support staff, on both the front end and the back end. It's important the players understand how excited we are to have them.
  • If I took off this jacket right now, you'd see some big time pitting going on. This year we were able to hold commits within our family when they had some other big opportunities.
  • Cam Wiley is an elite athlete. He has a lot of upside. I'm excited to see a 6'2" running back with his athleticism.
  • Solomon Brown's high school head coach played at Iowa, so that was a pain in my butt. He did exactly what we told him to do, to be loyal to the program, because we were loyal to him as well. He's from my hometown so that means a lot, as well.
Clay Patterson:
  • Coach Fleck does everything on an elite level. This is a great production.
  • Coach Ciarrocca said you're never going to go to Texas and beat Texas schools for a Texas kid. Coach Ciarrocca likes to rib me a lot. Nnamdi wanted to do something different and chose an elite culture. He analyzed what was important to him and found that at Minnesota.
  • Keonte Schad changed his life forever by signing with Minnesota and our culture today. I told him when we offered that people are going to come in and be reactive but we were proactive.
  • I cannot confirm or deny that Coach Fleck was walking aroud Madison with the Axe when we visited his family in Madison.

It’s been real, guys...

We’ll see, but it appears Rivals made sweeping changes across their platforms last night after an update.

If things go how I expect them to go, things likely out of @Matt Jessen-Howard ’s control will continue to be taken away and/or censored.

It might be nothing, but we’ve already all lost our avatars, which make it easier to remember who is who.

If threads that normally wouldn’t be locked and/or zapped start getting removed, then it may be the end of me depending on what privileges get taken away.

Anyway, hopefully the Rivals overlords aren’t that dumb.


Oh and Ski-U-Mah and go Gophers!
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