My takeaway from mid-term signing day

[BillySee58]

Looks like it's just going to be OL TJ Henson signing with us today, which is what it looked like leading up to today. It's pretty clear Coach Littrell wants to focus on building this team with his own high school recruits. Also have to factor in the short time to sign jucos, as last weekend was his only chance to host them. The position we were watching for was QB, and he made it clear early on that he was probably not going to go that route.

I see this signing as Coach saying "hey, there's a chance we go with a young/freshman QB next year, so I want to make sure our line can adequately protect him." 

Nothing stunts a young QB's growth quite like constantly getting sacked and having to miss games (and practices). At the same time, I don't see Littrell just completely casting away next year as a rebuilding year. Just because we didn't get many jucos doesn't mean we're going to be young next season. We are set to have 26 scholarship seniors next year, and Littrell knows that.

[Harry]

Good points Billy.  I am ok with going strictly high school route if you can get quality.  That is how you build a program for the long run.  Plus Mac did a lot of that last year so we probably need a year of focusing on the high school prospects.

[Graddean]

Billy, how does he rate with your system since he has already signed?

[BillySee58]

Billy, how does he rate with your system since he has already signed?

I haven't really made a customized scale for JUCO recruits, but let's just say he has the offer list that would qualify him in the "makes sense" category if he were to make all-conference by his senior year. Not saying it's likely, just that he's a good CUSA prospect. A high-school recruit with his offer list would be an "A" recruit.

Better offer list than the juco o-line signees Mccarney got (Ochs and McKinney). They weren't able to land guys with similar offer lists last year.

 

[Graddean]

Thank you.  I thought that might be the case.  I appreciate your efforts.

[BillySee58]

For reference, we wanted a JUCO Offensive tackle last year, and the offered and brought in several but didn't land any. Here they are:

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-James-Works-161063

- signed with Houston

http://247sports.com/Player/Justin-Sandifer-75836

http://247sports.com/Player/Jordan-Fagan-77138

http://247sports.com/Player/Tristan-Nickelson-15406?PlayerInstitution=94591

http://247sports.com/Player/Preston-Brooksby-77303

http://247sports.com/Player/Matt-Kellerman-77437

 

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

I haven't really made a customized scale for JUCO recruits, but let's just say he has the offer list that would qualify him in the "makes sense" category if he were to make all-conference by his senior year. Not saying it's likely, just that he's a good CUSA prospect. A high-school recruit with his offer list would be an "A" recruit.

Better offer list than the juco o-line signees Mccarney got (Ochs and McKinney). They weren't able to land guys with similar offer lists last year.

 

This is a great sign to me, we took one guy and he had a lot of offers. Last season it was like we were throwing mud at a wall and seeing what stuck.