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Recruiting

57 Replies to “Recruiting Chatroom”

  1. I hear no mention of QB recruit from last year Stevie Dorman. Anyone have an info on him? Is he a possible challenger this year at QB?

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  2. Hate to see a chat room added to this fine website as opinions expressed about these fine young kids by observers with no expertise in coaching or social behavior are invariably expressed with little thought on their effects on them. Stuart I know you do not have time to police this area so either shut it down after the recruiting comments are over or put some very strict rules in place about critical comments of any kind. Thanks.

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  3. Below there was some talk about Don Bosco being a “good” football (high) school. I case anyone is wondering “how” good:
    Final MaxPreps Ranking
    1 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ)
    2 Trinity (Louisville, KY)
    3 Armwood (Seffner, FL)
    4 Grayson (Loganville, GA)
    5 Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, MD)
    6 Carroll (Southlake, TX)
    7 Lake Travis (Austin, TX)
    8 Maryville (TN)
    9 Plant (Tampa, FL)
    10 De La Salle (Concord, CA)
    11 Manatee (Bradenton, FL)
    12 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)
    13 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, PA)
    14 Bellevue (WA)
    15 Carmel (IN)
    16 Norland (Miami, FL)
    17 Central (Miami, FL)
    18 Page (Greensboro, NC)
    19 St. Ignatius (Cleveland, OH)
    20 Dekaney (Houston, TX)
    21 Olive Branch (MS)
    22 Prattville (AL)
    23 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
    24 Lake Oswego (OR)
    25 Skyline (Dallas, TX)

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  4. I enjoyed Coach Embree’s press conference today. Going forward, I hope that the Buffs:
    (1) go after colorado kids more aggressively
    (2) continue making inroads at pipeline schools like Don Bosco Prep (NJ) and Woodson (DC)
    (3) offer recruits early

    One of the impressive aspects of this years class is that there were no late defections. Each of these kids stuck with CU. Coach mentioned a number of cases where big name schools took late runs at CU commits, and they stuck with CU.

    In his press conference, Coach Embree mentioned that he had “one scholarship in his pocket”. I’m guessing that he’s hoping that one of these players commits as soon as later today: (1) Seth Jacobs; (2) Chris Solomon; (3) Ewing Simmons; (4) Tavita Taito.

    Shane Brostek committed to Washington this afternoon.

    I’m hoping for one last guy today.

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  5. I really like that we picked up the Donta Abron/Christian Powell combo.
    Looks like a bruising backfield combo with great chemistry that can be plugged into the pro style offense.

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  6. I, for one, am not excited about people referring to Jim McElwain as “Coach Mac”. That name means a lot around these parts.

    So far, Rivals is reporting CSU as having 19 signees: 3 three stars, 6 two stars, and 10 zero stars.

    So much for CSU getting a “recruiting bump” when Alabama won the National Championship.

    I hope that McElwain knows what he is getting into. I’d guess is that this class may not even be in the top 100.

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  8. I see that Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (4 star TE – California) did sign with USC (he was a USC soft verbal and had visited Boulder recently). Oh well, I never like hyphens – especially for men.

    In similar fashion, Kyle Kelley (4 star DE – Arizona) has been a “soft verbal” for U of A, and he did sign with the Wildcats.

    And I see that Jontrey Tillman signed with Houston today.

    Rivals has the following uncommitted players as listing CU in their top two: (1) Shane Brostek (3 star OG – Hawaii); (2) Tavita Taito (3 star OG – California); (3) Don Hursey (JC CB – New York); (4) Ewing Simmons (3 star DE – California).

    Chris Solomon (3 star Safety – Washington) has CU as 4th on his list. The Buffs don’t show up on Seth Jacob’s top 5 today – I hope that’s wrong.

    So I’m still wondering if Gerld Kough might have been asked to greyshirt, or been asked to hold off on his Letter of Intent, until the Buffs know about one of the list above (Jacobs, Solomon, Brostek, Taito, Hursey or Simmons).

    We may know more at 3 PM.

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  9. I would also like another opinion (Stuart?) on keeping Norgaard at linebacker. It seems like he has the size and speed to excel in the middle. If he does it will certainly keep us going at that position until we can get some more classes in here.
    I would like to think that Jon and the other coaches have their eyes on the upcoming classes and chose to get the D linemen early because they see better WRs, O linemen and linebackers coming up in next 2 years.

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    2. I agree with you on planning a head for next year’s class. CU being short on D was probably the difference between them having a 6 win season last year. Stocking up on those and get those 6+ wins and next year, when the class is smaller (only 11 jrs. this year) you go for quality WRs and etc.

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  10. I can’t complain a whole lot…it appears to be a good class especially with the DBs we got. I will complain a little. I think the D line was a little overdone.
    The good side to this is that with those numbers there has to be a couple of guys who will be premium players…..but….Almost no one on the O line which I feel is the most important position on the team after QB.
    There has been talk about turning some of the D linemen into O linemen which is a lot easier said than done. If that is a plan you better start the process right away cause learning the O line isn’t done overnight.
    Right now we have one proven player at WR
    and pretty short depth at linebacker
    Hopefully we can make it through at those positions until some new recruits can get here and get developed.
    I hope this unbalanced class in favor of the D line doesn’t lead to future unbalanced classes in order to make up for the deficit positions in this one.

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  11. I see that Gerald Kough has not been heard from yet. My guess is that Embo is holding the offer until Seth Jacobs (or someone else?) announces their intentions. Tough thing to do to a kid, but it’s a tough business. Kough is a great candidate to greyshirt. He could probably use another year to get bigger/stronger/faster, and it’s hard to imagine him getting on the field for at least three years. But Jacobs can jump right in and contribute.

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  12. Any thoughts on who is going to be the top producing RB
    Crowder
    Payne
    Abron.
    Plus guys like Jones and Creer, showed great last year.
    We could be D-Back, Running Back U

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    1. Hopefully, all these guys can produce. With Jones and Ford already showing potential, we can only hope we end up with a group of guys like Brown, Purify, Calhoun, Drumm, Houston. Bienemy is a hell of a running backs coach and recruiter. He must see something he likes in all these guys. Sorry, I keep dating myself with my name dropping.

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  13. I am surprised at how little chatter there has been about landing Yuri Wright. I get that people are nervous whenever a recruit comes with question marks, but this is not some gangbanger who beat his girlfriend. As a local jersey boy I can tell you that his rep is that of a generally good kid who keeps his nose clean. He screwed up for sure, but there is a definite cultural gap in the media coverage – for the most part his “sexually graphic, racially-charged” tweets were just quotes from Lil’ Wayne lyrics. Lil’ Wayne isn’t exactly a role model, but the guy has sold more than 40 million downloads, mostly to white suburban kids.

    The real key to Yuri Wright is that he could be the second recruit (Tony Jones) in a pipeline opening up from Don Bosco Prep. This is a school that produces multiple 4 star recruits every single year and has separated from the rest of NJ HS football. These kids travel around the country to play top schools from other states as much as possible. This could be the equivalent to the pipeline Nebraska used to have to Bergen Catholic when they were a dominant player in NJ HS football.

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    1. Julian, I believe you said you’re from Jersey. All I can tell you is that CU fans are THRILLED to land Mr. Wright. I think there is always a “cooling” period when something like this happens. As a long time Buff fan I am thrilled that Yuri will be wearing Black and Gold and look forward to what his future brings. I have read many blogs where Buff fans are thrilled for Yuri and realize it was nothing violent he did just an immature moment. GO BUFFS!!

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    2. Very well said Julian, and I could not agree more. When I saw not one, but two headlines in the paper today regarding young Mr. Wright (plus the byline at the top of the front page), I threw up in my mouth a little bit at the sensationalism. The thirst for blood in most media outlets is out of control. It’s not like the kid hurt anyone or stole anything, and though I haven’t actually read the tweets (not interested), as far as I know the comments he made were not directed toward any specific person. Who among us was not guilty of some youthful “dumbassery” when were 17 or 18 years old? I think his comments and the way he has handled the aftermath speak volumes about his character, and I for one am impressed. I think I share the sentiments of 99% of Buff-Nation when I say welcome Yuri, we are glad to have you in the family, keep learning and growing as a person, and go get ’em out on the field!

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    3. I, for one, am ecstatic about landing Yuri Wright and Kenneth Crawley. With Greg Henderson already having a great showing as a true freshman, we should be a lot better in the secondary in the pass happy Pac-12. No excuses this year. Sounds like Yuri has learned and is truly humbled by his mistake and his opportunity to be a Buffalo. You are so right about creating a pipline to Don Bosco. Good football program.

      I love how our coaches are going out and getting the guys they like. Only time will tell if all these three star guys were undervalued. When it comes down to it, I’ll take a Speedy Stewart or Chris Brown over a Darrell Scott or Marcus Houston any day. I also agree with Gary about needing to recruit better in Hawaii and our home state. We’re gonna have a small class next year so it really has to count.

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    4. I read over most of Yuri’s tweets, and while airing his thoughts on social media was unwise, many of the inflammatory lines are actually lyrics taken from the globally successful Jay-Z/Kanye West album “Watch the Throne” and other popular hip-hop tracks. It doesn’t excuse what he said in a public forum, but it is the reality of pop culture. To me, this is a HUGE get for the Buffs at an essential position of need that will help us compete on the outside with stud receivers at USC, Oregon, and throughout the Pac-12. Here’s hoping Yuri learns to avoid social media and has a stellar career in Boulder, with Crawley locking it down on the other side of the field!

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  14. Why have we not recruited more linebackers this cycle? Brian Cabral is our most tenured coach and always has been a good recruiter. His linebacking corps is usually one of our bright spots. With Major and Rippy being Seniors, we need another young Jordan Dizon for the future! Still hoping for Seth Jacobs, but am quite pleased with our commitment list for a team that went 3-10. Go Buffs!

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    1. Last year we got guys like Diegh, and Greer, and we have Webb still.
      But i agree would like to see a LB, still maybe Jacobs.

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      1. Agreed. If we can get Jacobs, that will really help with LB depth in the short-term, and he could become all-conference under Cabral’s tutelidge. Perhaps a few of those smaller DE’s (did anyone else see that Kasime Jagne runs a 4.5???) could convert to LB or be hybrid DE/LBs like Hartigan last year or Dumervil with the Broncos.

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    2. I agree it would have been nice to have 1 or 2 more LB’s and/or OL, however the gaping holes in depth at DL and DB necessitated the numbers. Plus, we will end up converting one or two to LB in the years to come. If I had to pick an area on defense to be light in depth, it would be LB. As Brad says, we still have some decent LB’s in the mix as well. Something tells me that Jacobs will be a Buff at the end of the day.

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    3. I think the DBs on the roster that haven’t seen playing time and played LB in high school (Will Harolos, Jermane Clark, Vince Ewing, Paul Vigo) and are less likely with the new DBs coming in may get a look at LB. I also think some of the D-line players that we recruited this year (John Stuart, Kisima Jagne, and De’Jon Wilson) may make the swtich like Juda Parker did last year.

      I like how we recruited California and Texas while establishing connections in NJ and DC but we need to recruit Hawaii and Colorado better.

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  15. Per Brad’s comment below on Henderson being a shutdown corner. What do you think, is he a shut down corner at this point? I would love to think so. He was a warrior playing so many snaps as a true FR, and he was no doubt our best option having to guard the other team’s #1 receiver every week. But then again, simply because he was by far our best option doesn’t automatically mean ‘shut down’? I can’t say I watched him close enough to know.

    Any comments from people that watched his play one on one regularly throughout the season?

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    1. Kept an eye on him. Kind of feel like in the same way as Champ, or Jimmy Smith, when you don’t here about them all game, QB’s aren’t throwing their way. He would take WR out of the game. He rarely got beat.
      Our safeties on the other hand were awful, we need big time help there. Need someone to take Polk’s spot, he’s a day late and dollar short all the time.

      But maybe a little quick to say, “shut Down”, but i think for a True Freshman to come in and do what he did, was pretty impressive.

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      1. Brad there were times when it looked like Polk was late getting to a play but I’m not sure you can’t label him as awful. We don’t know what kind of scheme they had called for given plays and he at times because of his speed was covering an area although it seemed late, for someone else. When you have a defensive backfield made up of a freshman corner, offensive wr’s and fill in safeties and kids at times playing on 1 1/2 legs with very little pass rush it is really hard to judge the abilities of some of the guys that were out there. It really was a helter skelter defense in the secondary most of the year. I’m also under the impression that the coaches are pretty pleased with Polk’s play as he is still learning the position. He could have been a little more careful about some of his late hit penalties though.

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  16. Shout-out to Stuart for all his good works on the recruiting info leading up to NSD and putting up a live chat room on the site. Thanks Stuart, & Keep up the great job! We are really glad you devote your time for this.

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  17. Let’s say we are fortunate enough to get jacobs services. Would Embree pull a scholarship from an existing verbal comittment? It would be almost impossible for a recruit to enroll early this semester because it is the 3rd week of classes and the add deadlines are nearing..

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    1. I don’t think it would be possible to get another early commit.
      That would leave only three options:
      1) Convince another recruit to gray-shirt, and enroll next January;
      2) “Hope” that one of the other recruits doesn’t qualify (the 25 per class limit on recruits doesn’t kick in until August); or
      3) Say “no” to another recruit – which might be tough after today, with LOI already in the CU fax machine.

      None of the above are great options. If Jacobs signs, here’s betting CU goes with option No. 2 …

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      1. Perhaps Jacobs is waiting to announce tonight in order to see if embree has a full class or if one of the verbals we were counting on flips

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  18. Now that it seems we have an “in” with Woodson and Upland, are there any high profile Juniors from those schools that could be future Buffs?

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  19. Sounds like we are full, but would still like to see Jacobs and atleast 1 O-Lineman.
    Think Powell and Kisima out of AZ our going to be immediate impact guys.
    Kisima looked like a man among boys out there.

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  20. Which “position” group do you feel will have the greatest impact down the road? DB’s, DEF LINEMEN, TE’s, or RUNNING BACKS (including the fullbacks)?

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    1. Robert,
      The first reaction would be to say the defensive backs, as it is a need, and the Buffs picked up two stars to help out Greg Henderson.

      Long term, it might be the defensive line, just from the sheer numbers. Hopefully, there will be two or three studs emerging from that group.

      I also like the two new fullbacks. Both are “players”, the football equivalent of “gym rats”. Both will play early, and have a huge impact on installing the type of offense JE and EB want to install.

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    2. I want so bad to think the DBs, with Henderson looking like the real deal and two 4* recruits. But remember two years ago we had two NFL draft pick DBs and we still got torched in the passing game. At the end of the day, you have to get to the QB on a regular basis to have success. I think Embree is making a statement with this class (see # of D-line commits) about which unit he sees as the foundation of a good D (he also had to because we are paper thin at that position). But if this class pans out on the D-line I think it will be a huge step forward for the program.

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    3. I would think you are going to see a hard defense to score on.
      Rippy and Major back.
      Henderson was a shut down guy. And guys like Wright and Goodson that got some looks. We got some guys that can come in and play right away:
      Yuri, Crawly, Kisima, Henington.

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  21. Really like the video footage on recent commitment, Christian Powell. Seems very quick and explosive for a 250 lb. guy and while he often blocked for Donta at Upland, I hope Bienemy gives him a chance to carry the ball as well as block. Any indication at this point of what role Bienemy envisions for the Powell?

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    1. Rivals rated Powell as the nation’s No. 55 “athlete”, so he obviously is a talented prospect.
      With CU returning no fullbacks, though, and with only Clay Norgard available (as a green-shirt) this spring, I would think that Powell is going to be used primarily at fullback – at least until there is more proven depth at that position.

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    2. In order to get Powell to flip from UCLA, I’m sure they told him he would at least have the chance to figure prominently in the run game. John Embree loves the way Stanford plays, so I think the coaching staff is hoping that he turns out to be a Toby Gerhart being so big and athletic. And it he doesn’t have that upside, we still have an athletic fullback that can keep defenses honest.

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  22. For a program that hasn’t been ‘relevant’ on the college landscape for many years for a multitude of reasons, I think this is a good class with some gems – especially after a 3-10 season. I love hearing what some of the top recruits have said about Embree and company – sounds like their message has started being heard nationally and the coaches have just started scratching the surface. Top recruits that CU hasn’t been able to touch in years will now become possibilities.

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  23. I think this class is all about depth. After we get some depth we can go after some bigger home run hitters. I am very pleased with this class.

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  24. Based on your knowledge, do you think Dillon has a shot at competing for the starting job this year, or do you think he’s going to redshirt?

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    1. If Shane Dillon had graduated early, and had been in Boulder for spring practices, I would think that the competition for quarterback would be much more intense. As it is, with Nick Hirschman a question mark for spring ball due to injury, the job is Connor Wood’s to lose.

      If Wood impresses this spring, I would think that Dillon would be a good red-shirt candidate. If Wood struggles, it will be an open competition in August between the three quarterbacks.

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      1. Was Wood able to practice with the team this past fall? Or is that prohibited? I’m sure he’s been able to immerse himself in the playbook, but wondering if he got any scout team duties. I would like to think that CU quarterbacks will be much better in the coming years!

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        1. Dusty,
          Wood did practice with the Scout team, and got rave reviews.
          What is left to be determined is whether he can translate that onto the field, or did the Texas coaches – who relegated Wood to third team despite quarterback issues, saw something we have yet to see.

          Reply

          1. Texas Shorthorn player issues always make it hard to determine if a player is struggling due to performance or politics.

            Brown can recruit, but his coaching has always been suspect (think 2001 and the Big 12 Championship game)!

  25. Any word on Seth Jacobs? Are the Buffs still in the running for him? He would be a nice bookend to a pretty decent class! Overall I am happy about the class. Could it be better? Sure, but coming off 3-10 I think Embree and Co. did a pretty good job!

    Reply

    1. It doesn’t sound like Jacobs is going to be a Buff.
      It is being reported that the CU Class is “full”. Still, with no true linebackers in the Class, if Seth Jacobs were to have a change of heart and want to become a Buff (announcement coming tonight), I’m sure the Buff coaches would find a place for him on the roster.

      Reply

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