• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Wake Forest Football Recruiting

Not to be a downer, but it's a pretty big bummer that we're only going to sign one of the top 20 players in NC (and Whitter is #20). I understand the algorithm and all that, but coming off a year where we signed two 4 stars in the top 15 in NC and won our 3rd straight bowl, I was hoping we could build on our in-state 2019 success.
 
Not to be a downer, but it's a pretty big bummer that we're only going to sign one of the top 20 players in NC (and Whitter is #20). I understand the algorithm and all that, but coming off a year where we signed two 4 stars in the top 15 in NC and won our 3rd straight bowl, I was hoping we could build on our in-state 2019 success.

I think this years results are going to mean a lot for recruiting. If Wake could have a 9 win season or finish ranked, then I think we could see that bump in NC recruits.
 
Not to be a downer, but it's a pretty big bummer that we're only going to sign one of the top 20 players in NC (and Whitter is #20). I understand the algorithm and all that, but coming off a year where we signed two 4 stars in the top 15 in NC and won our 3rd straight bowl, I was hoping we could build on our in-state 2019 success.

Can you explain the algorithm in a nutshell? Is it that we don’t waste time chasing recruits who aren’t likely to sign with WF?
 
Not to be a downer, but it's a pretty big bummer that we're only going to sign one of the top 20 players in NC (and Whitter is #20). I understand the algorithm and all that, but coming off a year where we signed two 4 stars in the top 15 in NC and won our 3rd straight bowl, I was hoping we could build on our in-state 2019 success.

Ratings matter more for fun and excitement today but at non CFP teams, it means less. Whitter wasn't even rated when he committed and now 247 has him as a 4 star. Phil Haynes was a two star and drafted to the NFL. Bachman had no offers and wasn't rated when we offered and he's in camp with the Rams. Jake Benzinger didn't have a profile and everyone assumed he was a preferred walk on..... On the other side remember Rocky Reid who is now at Campbell was a top 20 NC player. Ratings are wrong as often as right outside of the top 100 players.

I understand and I get frustrated too at times and not going to argue that top ranked classes don't mean anything as the numbers show national championships going to top 10 rated classes. But we also have to deal with academics and kids that want to play in a big time football atmosphere like Clemson, Va Tech, as well as those that grow up wanting to be Tarholes and Woofies. We are not the household name in state, yet. It would help if we beat all 3 in state teams this year.

If you get the chance, listen to the podcast with Hemphill that I think was posted somewhere on this site. He goes in depth in how we recruit. Ratings don't show that a kid is still pushing himself as hard the last 5 minutes of practice as he did the first 5 minutes. Our coaches want to see these guys in person as much for heart and passion as they do for their athleticism.
 
Ratings matter more for fun and excitement today but at non CFP teams, it means less. Whitter wasn't even rated when he committed and now 247 has him as a 4 star. Phil Haynes was a two star and drafted to the NFL. Bachman had no offers and wasn't rated when we offered and he's in camp with the Rams. Jake Benzinger didn't have a profile and everyone assumed he was a preferred walk on..... On the other side remember Rocky Reid who is now at Campbell was a top 20 NC player. Ratings are wrong as often as right outside of the top 100 players.

I understand and I get frustrated too at times and not going to argue that top ranked classes don't mean anything as the numbers show national championships going to top 10 rated classes. But we also have to deal with academics and kids that want to play in a big time football atmosphere like Clemson, Va Tech, as well as those that grow up wanting to be Tarholes and Woofies. We are not the household name in state, yet. It would help if we beat all 3 in state teams this year.

If you get the chance, listen to the podcast with Hemphill that I think was posted somewhere on this site. He goes in depth in how we recruit. Ratings don't show that a kid is still pushing himself as hard the last 5 minutes of practice as he did the first 5 minutes. Our coaches want to see these guys in person as much for heart and passion as they do for their athleticism.

So the reverse Wake Forest effect? He committetd, THEN, went up to a 4 star.

For the most part agree, I would argue that rankings don't really matter outside of the top 300/400.

It's very Wake Forest (or every fanbase) to complain about something, but I wouldn't complain about the players ratings under Clawson.

The biggest concern I have had under Clawson since the day he was our coach was "can he recruit defense?" He clearly knows how to recruit to his offense but the jury is still out on defense. Grobe could recruit defense and after his players matriculated, our defense went down. Elko was a beast, but even his defenses were mostly Grobe's guys. Obviously last year was freaky with injuries and such but will be interested to see if the defense can turn the corner.
 
So the reverse Wake Forest effect? He committetd, THEN, went up to a 4 star.

For the most part agree, I would argue that rankings don't really matter outside of the top 300/400.

It's very Wake Forest (or every fanbase) to complain about something, but I wouldn't complain about the players ratings under Clawson.

The biggest concern I have had under Clawson since the day he was our coach was "can he recruit defense?" He clearly knows how to recruit to his offense but the jury is still out on defense. Grobe could recruit defense and after his players matriculated, our defense went down. Elko was a beast, but even his defenses were mostly Grobe's guys. Obviously last year was freaky with injuries and such but will be interested to see if the defense can turn the corner.

Should take into account Sawvel and the transition to Hemphill along with the injuries. I think our defense will be much improved. Arguably our two best LB's that we've recruited in Burley and Monroe have yet to see the field. Bates left with 2 years of eligibility left and is starting for the Bengals. Bassey is one of the highest rated CB's coming back in the ACC next year and Henderson is playing well. Not having depth with injuries and the DC transition were huge. There are definite question marks with guys like Redd and Masterson at safety not having excelled so agree they still have to prove it, but I think we'll see steps forward this year. Imagine how much better we would have been with Bates staying just one more year with Coby Davis back there with any healthy LB. That is where being developmental rather than ready to go has hurt us with young depth not ready to step in.
 
The Wake plan from the Grobe years on is to bring in a player that fits your system. An example of this going wrong was Troy Aikman running the wishbone as a freshman at Oklahoma. The staff must be able to adjust to the talent in the game. Example would be sending in Riley Skinner against Syracuse in '06. Mike Haynes turned himself into a pro prospect. Many other did not or could not. Tommy Tuberville said years ago, "Give me 3* players who are 5* people". If you look at 24/7 all-time recruits (since 2006), only Josh Adams rose to league wide acclaim with his Rookie of the Year in 2007. We have enough talent to translate into wins
 
Josh Adams was a 4-star recruit.

Yes, that's my point. He's the only 4* of the six we have had since 2006 to garner league wide acclaim. Two, Donavan and Nolan, haven't suited up for a game yet. The gredit for the program success is given to 2* and 3* who developed into good players.
 
Lol, okay. So one of four 4-star players garnered league-wide acclaim versus maybe in twenty of everyone else Wake recruited. Is that what you're telling me ?
 
Good athletes, with high character, who take to good coaching is our path to success. We have won 3 bowl games in a row, for the first time in school history. We did it without a 4* starter in any of them. Our All ACC recipients last year were all 2* and 3*. Clawson is more important to Wake than any player he has brought in here. That's likely to be true for as long as he is here.
 
Good athletes, with high character, who take to good coaching is our path to success. We have won 3 bowl games in a row, for the first time in school history. We did it without a 4* starter in any of them. Our All ACC recipients last year were all 2* and 3*. Clawson is more important to Wake than any player he has brought in here. That's likely to be true for as long as he is here.
Yes
 
Back
Top