Interesting HS Early Commitments

[LongJim]

Link

[DeepGreen]

Link

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You wont see North Texas mentioned in these early committment articles. Stealth recruiting you know.

[Ole Green Guts]

Yea McElroy from here just verbally committed to Baylor. Said that they were honest and up front with him and he can go there and play right away.

T

[buff64]

On the A&M websiter they have a list of all the high school players they are interested in , tells which of the players have already committed and which school they chose. Also shows which players A&M has offered scholarships to and which they have not already offered. List all the schools the remaining players are interested in . ( none list UNT )

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---Play right away!!!!.. ....hmmmm..........that usually means the coaches are not very honest or else that the team is not very good...... unless this guy an absolute superstar. Time will reveal the truth..

[H-towngreen]

I swear while some teams are almost done with next years recruiting class, and others are starting to get their first verbals. I get the feeling that DD and staff are just now beginning to start the recruiting process. Anyone have that feeling?

[good_ken]

I swear while some teams are almost done with next years recruiting class, and others are starting to get their first verbals. I get the feeling that DD and staff are just now beginning to start the recruiting process. Anyone have that feeling?

No, we have seen several articles posted on this board about UNT recruiting, and they occurred some time ago. One was a lineman, in Mansfield or DeSoto (can't remember exactly).

For whatever reasons, we don't hear about UNT's recruiting until later in the year.

[H-towngreen]

I thought it was Tray Allen the #1 recruit in the state. It would be nice to see NT sign just 1 player before the season started so that we could follow them. And too let us know that DD is actually on the recruiting trail.

[UNTLifer]

Here's a good article from www.Texasfootball.com on a couple of QB's from the Houston area still available. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear either one has been to our camp.

Click here

[H-towngreen]

I wouldn't count on any of them ending up here. Cotton Turner of Dulles(Sugar Land) is someone who can really throw the ball around. Once again though I highly doubt it. We will continue with out "top secret" recruiting. Which means don't do anything until the last 2 weeks of the recruiting season.

[PHSCoach]

I thought it was Tray Allen the #1 recruit in the state. It would be nice to see NT sign just 1 player before the season started so that we could follow them. And too let us know that DD is actually on the recruiting trail.

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the players can not sign or be committed to the college until Feb.

[UNTLifer]

the players can not sign or be committed to the college until Feb.

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They can verbally commit.

[good_ken]

They can verbally commit.

Which means absolutley nothing.

I thought it was Tray Allen the #1 recruit in the state. It would be nice to see NT sign just 1 player before the season started so that we could follow them. And too let us know that DD is actually on the recruiting trail.

The reference to UNT wasn't in regards to one of his teammates, not Allen himself. The other lineman was very regarded himself though.

We will continue with out "top secret" recruiting. Which means don't do anything until the last 2 weeks of the recruiting season.

The style of recruiting that DD uses doesn't mean that he doesn't do anything until the final 2 weeks; it means that the public (and fans) just aren't aware of it until then. Thus fans feel slighted because they can't pick apart commitments until after Feb 2nd.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---Verbal committments are almost meaningless... a local kid had committed to A&M but messed around that fall and they would not sign him.. Some verbals change their minds as well.. The February commentment time is absolutely correct.

[OldTimer]

Which means absolutley nothing.

The reference to UNT wasn't in regards to one of his teammates, not Allen himself.  The other lineman was very regarded himself though.

The style of recruiting that DD uses doesn't mean that he doesn't do anything until the final 2 weeks; it means that the public (and fans) just aren't aware of it until then.  Thus fans feel slighted because they can't pick apart commitments until after Feb 2nd.

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The NT recruiting process as I understand it.

Yesterday NT held the second of two 1 day FB camps for HS Seniors. We have picked up several committments from these camps.

During the football season they host prospects and their parents at the NT home FB games...you can see them walking on the field with the angel flight hosts and seating on the 50 yard line behind the NT bench during the game.

I know they spend major time after the season visiting HS's looking at tapes and talking to prospects...sending out several hundreds (500?) of request for info sheets on the prospects, and NT information.

They then narrow it down to the top 50 players each coach has on their prospect lists.

They have already had many prospects and their parents visit the NT campus since last season.....

That being said, I have heard rumors that the Asst. coach responsible for one major metropoliton area had not visited a specific school in the last year and the coaches at that school contacted another NT coach about a prospect which we ultimately signed.

During this "hunting season" if a coach in say the Houston area came across a WR prospect, the coach of that position has the say over whether or not an offer will be made. Beyond that I understand DD personally visits every prospect and their families (and he makes the ultimate decision on whether an offer is to be made.) when an offer is to be made...before that offer is made.

A lot of the players we signed played behind major FB player prospects their Jr. year and saw little playing time.....this is where during their Sr. season when they have major playing tiem NT will pick up a very good player. Several players we have recruited played BB thru their Jr. seaon then played FB their Sr. year and were natural athletes and turned out to be very good NT players.

I have heard that if a prospect commits to NT they are asked to "keep it a secret". There has been several instances when a "bigger school" loses a prospect late in the recruiting season they pounce on a prospect that had committed to NT and we lost that prospect the last few days before signing. I can remember at least 2-3 during last years recruiting season.

If I am wrong on any of this information feel free to correct me, but don't just blanket be critical on the entire FB recruiting prospect.

[ntsumck]

I swear while some teams are almost done with next years recruiting class, and others are starting to get their first verbals. I get the feeling that DD and staff are just now beginning to start the recruiting process. Anyone have that feeling?

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Someone else said it might be stealth recruiting? It is just the opposite. It is poor recruiting. You can tell that when the kid commits and you never see NT mentioned in the article as a school he was considering. If NT was hot on the recruiting trail you would at least see there name mentioned.

Show me one early commit that said they chose a school and considered NT.

[emmitt01]

I heard somewhere once that DD actually sent a letter to Adrian Peterson. While I commend that effort to we CONSISTENTLY try to get the big boys or do we just write them off as untouchable and go after the next tier?

[GangGreen]

If I am wrong on any of this information feel free to correct me, but don't just blanket be critical on the entire FB recruiting prospect.

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Why not? It's so much easier that way.

[good_ken]

Is it tough to root for the team when you spend the off-season bagging on the quality of the recruits that are brought in here? I just struggle with blanket comments on a process that most of us don't have insight into.

Every year we seem to do a little better in the recruiting wars, and this last off-season we were very close to landing some very big recruits. And the standard by which we are measuring recruits is a system that is known to favor bigger schools, and to de-rate kids that choose non-BCS schools. Go and read the last several Texas Footballs. They have consistently ranked our graduating classes very, very high in the state; while the keep ranking our incoming classes very low. That tells me that we recruit kids who are able to make the jump to college football, not necessarily the flashiest kids.

[OldTimer]

Someone else said it might be stealth recruiting?  It is just the opposite.  It is poor recruiting.  You can tell that when the kid commits and you never see NT mentioned in the article as a school he was considering.  If NT was hot on the recruiting trail you would at least see there name mentioned.

Show me one early commit that said they chose a school and considered NT.

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I can name two that commited early for next Feb 07 signing at this time that showed a committment and listed considering UNT. OLB Chris Dowell El Paso Andress who committed to UTEP and Ath/QB Terrance Ganaway who committed to SMU...both listed as considering UNT. Per Rivals at this time.

2 years we missed on a Gainesville RB who committed to Iowa State, a center who committed to TCU and a 3* lineman who also committed to TCU all in the last week of recruiting season...we thought we had each of them committed, TCU and Iowa State came in the last week and we lost.

Last year Rivals shows over 14 players who committed to other schools but considered NT, Kansas State -3 one a QBwe thought we had because of DD's relationship with his father , Utah State, SMU 2, TCU 2, A&M 2, Iowa State, North Carolina, Iowa State, Purdue, UTEP

Edited July 10, 2006 by OldTimer

[GangGreen]

Is it tough to root for the team when you spend the off-season bagging on the quality of the recruits that are brought in here?  I just struggle with blanket comments on a process that most of us don't have insight into. 

Every year we seem to do a little better in the recruiting wars, and this last off-season we were very close to landing some very big recruits.  And the standard by which we are measuring recruits is a system that is known to favor bigger schools, and to de-rate kids that choose non-BCS schools.  Go and read the last several Texas Footballs.  They have consistently ranked our graduating classes very, very high in the state; while the keep ranking our incoming classes very low.  That tells me that we recruit kids who are able to make the jump to college football, not necessarily the flashiest kids.

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Very good post. I have been happy with the players Dickey has been able to bring in. Do I think he is a subpar coach? Yes. But, his recruits have been good.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

According to Phil Steele's numbers, we seem to be falling in the recruiting wars.

Phil Steele uses a variety of recruiting services and averages their ratings to determine a PS (Phil Steele) number. It used to be that he only rated the top numbers at each position and if not included that player did not get a PS#. Now at least several recruiting services assign a rating to every 1-A signee so everyone now gets a #. He also does the same for junior college players but he does not assign that by position, as he does with high schoolers.

Following are the PS numbers for our recruits:

Woody Wilson PS#99 QB in '04

Bryant Seidle PS#205TE

Robbie Gordon PS#417DB

Sam Owusu-Heming PS#433DL

Esteban Santiago PS#435DL

Kelvin Drake PS#452OL

Tim Patton PS#453DL

Nicholas Foster PS#475OL

Craig Robertson PS#485LB

Kail Krider PS#495DL

Matt Menard PS#495DL

Kendrick Ridge PS#495DL

Draylen Ross PS#495DL

Marquis Sykes PS#495DL

Chris Neal PS#515RB

JUCOs:

Roy Loren PS#193

Brian Carlson PS#446

Nick Najarro PS#477

Remember, these point total rankings are by position, so that the 500th rated OL is actually al little higher than, say, the 105th rated tight end or quarterback, since there is only one per team, whereas there are five offensive linemen on each team.

Of course, these rankings aren't foolproof by any means. Some recruits lack size, strength and/or speed but can add one or all later. Since these are people rating these players, they are subject to mistakes. They review hours of film, the players stats and comments from their coaches but they are not infallible. They're the best information that we have though and are right on the vast majority of the recruits.

As you can see, we have only one athlete with a position ranking below 200; MTSU has seven. Troy four, ULL two, Arkansas State five, Florida Intl. five, ULM four and Florida Atlantic one. We would have had two I'm sure if we'd have been able to sign Steve Woodward in February. A lot of our older players do not have a rating. Some were signed after the signing class, while others were truly under the radar due to size and speed. Some have excelled (i.e. Johnny Quinn); some remain near the end of the depth chart or are gone.

Again, rating recruits is far from an exact science but the services are the benchmark and we are falling short with them.

[Stan R]

Following are the PS numbers for our recruits:

Woody Wilson  PS#99 QB in '04

Bryant Seidle  PS#205TE

Robbie Gordon  PS#417DB

Sam Owusu-Heming  PS#433DL

Esteban Santiago  PS#435DL

Kelvin Drake  PS#452OL

Tim Patton  PS#453DL

Nicholas Foster  PS#475OL

Craig Robertson  PS#485LB

Kail Krider  PS#495DL

Matt Menard  PS#495DL

Kendrick Ridge  PS#495DL

Draylen Ross  PS#495DL

Marquis Sykes  PS#495DL

Chris Neal  PS#515RB

JUCOs:

Roy Loren  PS#193

Brian Carlson  PS#446

Nick Najarro  PS#477

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Would be nice to have a percentile ranking or 199 of 600 something like that for reference. Otherwise these are meaningless.

[UNTLifer]

According to Phil Steele's numbers, we seem to be falling in the recruiting wars. 

Phil Steele uses a variety of recruiting services and averages their ratings to determine a PS (Phil Steele) number.  It used to be that he only rated the top numbers at each position and if not included that player did not get a PS#.  Now at least several recruiting services assign a rating to every 1-A signee so everyone now gets a #.  He also does the same for junior college players but he does not assign that by position, as he does with high schoolers. 

Following are the PS numbers for our recruits:

Woody Wilson  PS#99 QB in '04

Bryant Seidle  PS#205TE

Robbie Gordon  PS#417DB

Sam Owusu-Heming  PS#433DL

Esteban Santiago  PS#435DL

Kelvin Drake  PS#452OL

Tim Patton  PS#453DL

Nicholas Foster  PS#475OL

Craig Robertson  PS#485LB

Kail Krider  PS#495DL

Matt Menard  PS#495DL

Kendrick Ridge  PS#495DL

Draylen Ross  PS#495DL

Marquis Sykes  PS#495DL

Chris Neal  PS#515RB

JUCOs:

Roy Loren  PS#193

Brian Carlson  PS#446

Nick Najarro  PS#477

Remember, these point total rankings are by position, so that the 500th rated OL is actually al little higher than, say, the 105th rated tight end or quarterback, since there is only one per team, whereas there are five offensive linemen on each team. 

Of course, these rankings aren't foolproof by any means.  Some recruits lack size, strength and/or speed but can add one or all later.  Since these are people rating these players, they are subject to mistakes.  They review hours of film, the players stats and comments from their coaches but they are not infallible.  They're the best information that we have though and are right on the vast majority of the recruits.

As you can see, we have only one athlete with a position ranking below 200; MTSU has seven. Troy four, ULL two, Arkansas State five, Florida Intl. five, ULM four and Florida Atlantic one.  We would have had two I'm sure if we'd have been able to sign Steve Woodward in February.  A lot of our older players do not have a rating.  Some were signed after the signing class, while others were truly under the radar due to size and speed.  Some have excelled (i.e. Johnny Quinn); some remain near the end of the depth chart or are gone.

Again, rating recruits is far from an exact science but the services are the benchmark and we are falling short with them.

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These are meaningless numbers used to attract readers. As stated in another thread, or earlier in this one, Texas Football has gone back and graded the recruiting classes based on their success over the past 4 to 5 years, and North Texas has been ranked #3 or #4 in Texas the last few years. These classes were ranked near the bottom of the rankings on signing day. You can't judge recruits based upon their HS production. Fry signed the number 1 player in the state, Milton Collins, who ended up having a very ho-hum career.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

  Would be nice to have a percentile ranking or 199 of 600 something like that for reference.  Otherwise these are meaningless.

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Phil Steele doesn't think that they're meaningless and devotes a considerable portion of his magazine talking about the numbers and using them for comparison.

The number represents your standing at the time of recruitment. If a recruit is #201, at say quarterback, it means that there are 200 others who played quarterback rated ahead of him. I'm not sure if you mean by percentile that if say there were 300 quarterbacks rated, that you'd be in the 33 percentile. I'm not sure what that would mean to you unless such a number might put you in the Top 10%, for example.