• 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!

2016 Football Recruiting Thread - Notes from NSD Press Conference and Reception

Deac94 said:
OT Jaylen Miller (Jacksonville, FL) committed to Duke. I had removed Miller from my Board on March 1 because I felt he was out of reach for Wake Forest. He had P5 offers from schools like Ole Miss, Miami, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and South Carolina. I go back and forth between bitterness and respect for what Duke is doing. From following these kids on Twitter I can tell you that recruits show more enthusiasm for Duke following their official visits than any other school in the area. Undoubtedly part of that stems from the football program leveraging the basketball program, but my perception is that there is more going on there as well. If a kid typically tweets “I had a good day at X school” after a typical visit, he will tweet something more like “Absolutely loved EVERYTHING about Duke” after visiting there. (Note: I wouldn’t be surprised to see their next commit be 4-star safety Eric Burrell who visited Wake for Junior Day)
Click to expand...

Basketball game experiences aside, I wonder what the major differences between visits are. Any thoughts? (I ask as someone who is pretty ignorant to what these visits entail)
 
leftcoastdeac said:
Basketball game experiences aside, I wonder what the major differences between visits are. Any thoughts? (I ask as someone who is pretty ignorant to what these visits entail)
Click to expand...

The visits that are going on right now are mostly: 1) tour the football facilities, 2) tour the campus and 3) meet with the coaching staff. If the visit is on a day where the team is practicing then a recruit would observe practice from the sidelines. I think there are some organized group activities on Junior Day, but I don't know the details.

I am equally curious about what Duke does/has during their visits that is impressing these recruits. If they are loading their staff with great recruiters, Wake needs to match that. If they have better football facilities, then Wake needs to match that. It could also be their recruiting pitch, I just don't know.

I do know that Clawson is very passionate that he needs more impressive facilities to show these recruits when they get on campus. The next priority being a top notch weight room.
 
94 -

Isn't a flashy new weight room part of the new S&C Center ?

We next need the long overdue new locker room within Bridger.
 
HONDO2 said:
94 -

Isn't a flashy new weight room part of the new S&C Center ?

We next need the long overdue new locker room within Bridger.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Part of the S&C Center, not the indoor practice facility. I could be mistaken, but I think the fundraising for the S&C Center is still ongoing.
 
Deac94 said:
The visits that are going on right now are mostly: 1) tour the football facilities, 2) tour the campus and 3) meet with the coaching staff. If the visit is on a day where the team is practicing then a recruit would observe practice from the sidelines. I think there are some organized group activities on Junior Day, but I don't know the details.

I am equally curious about what Duke does/has during their visits that is impressing these recruits. If they are loading their staff with great recruiters, Wake needs to match that. If they have better football facilities, then Wake needs to match that. It could also be their recruiting pitch, I just don't know.

I do know that Clawson is very passionate that he needs more impressive facilities to show these recruits when they get on campus. The next priority being a top notch weight room.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing, all of it makes sense. Perhaps it's time to start giving to the Athletic Department again :couch:
 
I definitely missed the mark on OT Stephen Spanellis (Baltimore, MD) when I left him off my Board after his Junior Day. It sounds like he is focused on very focused on academics. So much so that he might be considering the Ivy League schools. He hasn't visited many places this spring other than Wake Forest. Not only should I have him on my Board, but he may end up being one of Wake's bigger targets this year.

Rivals has him as the #34 OT in the country. That means he is close to being a 4-star (the lowest rated 4-star OT is #26). Coach Scheier would be his area recruiter.
 
Deac94 said:
I definitely missed the mark on OT Stephen Spanellis (Baltimore, MD) when I left him off my Board after his Junior Day. It sounds like he is focused on very focused on academics. So much so that he might be considering the Ivy League schools. He hasn't visited many places this spring other than Wake Forest. Not only should I have him on my Board, but he may end up being one of Wake's bigger targets this year.

Rivals has him as the #34 OT in the country. That means he is close to being a 4-star (the lowest rated 4-star OT is #26). Coach Scheier would be his area recruiter.
Click to expand...


Sounds like a top priority target.....and we have a good coach/recruiter after him
 
My son is a backup QB on an elite 7v7 team, so we have been on a few of unoffical visits lately - Duke, SC, Clemson, UGa, Fla - with the team. On those tours, they emphasize:

1 - Stadium gameday atmosphere and recent championships/bowl wins - Clemson had 50 to 60k at their spring game last year
2 - S&C facilities and the latest seems to be 24 hour nutrition centers in the workout area for shakes / protein bars / fruit snacks
3 - Lockerrooms to some degree, but more specifically player lounges, with the latest PS4, Xbox, etc
4 - Academic counseling centers - especially when the parents are around
5 - Indoor practice facilities - I don't remember one at SC, but everybody else spent a lot of time touring and talking about indoor facilities to get out of heat/rain.

My son is just a sophmore, so the hard push hasn't started yet, but at every stop, the coaches were pros at pulling aside the top kids and giving them a private tour of the coaches office - where they gave the hard sell trying to get the kids to committ. These coaches all have the routine down pat.

I can't really comment on Wake's setup. It has been years since I have been in the lockerroom / weight room, but my recollections was that is was not impressive - escpecially in comparison to some of the other schools.

Funny related story - last spring we went down to a SC spring scrimmage (not spring game). One of the kids was a 4 star DB committed to Clemson. He shows up in a BRIGHT orange Clemson hoodie. I asked his dad - wtf is he doing. He said I tried to tell him, but he wanted to 'represent'. We got there after practice started, but the first stop on tour was weight room - where injured guys were getting PT and working out. Within minutes they had him cornered and giving him all kinds of crap. Needless to say, the hoodie went back to the car and he froze his butt off watching the rest of practice.

I used that as a lesson to remind my son - you have spent many years being one of, if not the best/toughest guy on the field. But you need to remember when your Freshman year comes around, you will be going into a lockerroom with grown men 3 or 4 years older than you.
 
91deac said:
My son is a backup QB on an elite 7v7 team, so we have been on a few of unoffical visits lately - Duke, SC, Clemson, UGa, Fla - with the team. On those tours, they emphasize:

1 - Stadium gameday atmosphere and recent championships/bowl wins - Clemson had 50 to 60k at their spring game last year
2 - S&C facilities and the latest seems to be 24 hour nutrition centers in the workout area for shakes / protein bars / fruit snacks
3 - Lockerrooms to some degree, but more specifically player lounges, with the latest PS4, Xbox, etc
4 - Academic counseling centers - especially when the parents are around
5 - Indoor practice facilities - I don't remember one at SC, but everybody else spent a lot of time touring and talking about indoor facilities to get out of heat/rain.

My son is just a sophmore, so the hard push hasn't started yet, but at every stop, the coaches were pros at pulling aside the top kids and giving them a private tour of the coaches office - where they gave the hard sell trying to get the kids to committ. These coaches all have the routine down pat.

I can't really comment on Wake's setup. It has been years since I have been in the lockerroom / weight room, but my recollections was that is was not impressive - escpecially in comparison to some of the other schools.

Funny related story - last spring we went down to a SC spring scrimmage (not spring game). One of the kids was a 4 star DB committed to Clemson. He shows up in a BRIGHT orange Clemson hoodie. I asked his dad - wtf is he doing. He said I tried to tell him, but he wanted to 'represent'. We got there after practice started, but the first stop on tour was weight room - where injured guys were getting PT and working out. Within minutes they had him cornered and giving him all kinds of crap. Needless to say, the hoodie went back to the car and he froze his butt off watching the rest of practice.

I used that as a lesson to remind my son - you have spent many years being one of, if not the best/toughest guy on the field. But you need to remember when your Freshman year comes around, you will be going into a lockerroom with grown men 3 or 4 years older than you.
Click to expand...


Good info, good story and good luck to your son.....
 
WEEKLY WRAP UP

Additions to my Board

RB Johnnie Glaspie (Teachey, NC) reported a Wake offer during an interview with Scout. He also has offers from UNC and West Virginia. He attended Wake’s second Junior Day.

RB Jamauri Wakefield (Jacksonville, FL) was offered earlier this week. See Tuesday’s post in this thread.

WR Tahj Deans (Bailey, NC) tweeted yesterday that he was offered by Wake Forest. His only other P5 offer is Virginia Tech.

OL Jesse Meyler (Alexandria, VA) was offered on March 2 but I forgot to add him (until now). His other P5 offers are Northwestern, Pitt and Vanderbilt.

OL Stephen Spanellis (Baltimore, MD). See Tuesday’s post. I am excited about Spanellis.

S Keyshawn Canady (Teachey, NC) reported a Wake offer during an interview with Scout. He also has offers from UNC and West Virginia. He attended Wake’s second Junior Day.



Removals from the Board

I posted earlier in the week that QB Deuce Wallace and WR Marcus Simms committed elsewhere. Yesterday WR Phil Benker (Jacksonville, FL) committed to UCF immediately after he was offered. Benker had visited Wake Forest for the Junior Day on 2/28.

I’ve read enough articles on LB Brock Miller (Fort Pierce, FL) following his Wake Forest visit to cross him off the list. He is clearly focused on Kentucky, N.C. State and Boise State and would add Duke to that list if they come through with an offer. He had said earlier that he wanted to go to college in North Carolina and has family in Charlotte. He told Scout that he was impressed with the commitment to football at Kentucky including the $100 million football facility that is under development (??!!).


Other Notes on Big Board Recruits

Despite the fact that he is a HS teammate of Kendall Hinton, I have been somewhat skeptical of our chances with 4-star all-purpose back Jordon Brown (Durham, NC). His recruitment has many similarities to Nyheim Hines. He is from the RTP. He is a big fan of one of the RTP teams (in Brown's case it is UNC). However, I think I've been underestimating Wake's chances. I really think that he wants to stay in-state and I read this week that he has a very strong relationship with the Wake Forest staff. He also attended Wake’s Elite Jr. Day. Right now he definitely appears to be Wake Forest’s best chance at a (Rivals) four-star recruit.

OL Thomas Jarrett Hopple (Suffolk, VA) is definitely one of Virginia Tech’s primary targets.

OL Alex Gellerstedt (Dublin, OH) had a string of 247 Crystal Balls to Kentucky this week so I think they are the favorite, however he has an unofficial visit to Wake Forest scheduled for April 10. He has 7 P5 offers right now and also has visits scheduled to 3 schools that haven’t offered yet: Penn State, UNC and Ohio State.

DE Zander Zimmer (Orlando, FL) is favoring Wake Forest and West Virginia right now. He is up 22 total offers now, although many of those are non-P5. Regardless, he appears to a hot name in recruiting circles.

DT Rashad Wheeler (Pittsburgh, PA) has Pitt and Maryland standing out to him the most, but he confirmed this week that he is planning to visit Wake Forest sometime in April.

LB Alexander Gagnon (Charlotte, NC) had good things to say following his Northwestern visit and offer, but he also mentioned that he is feeling a strong pull to stay closer to him. His recruitment will be an interesting one for that reason. Deuce Wallace mentioned that he is already trying to recruit Gagnon to Northwestern. I had previously had him on the Board as OL which is completely incorrect. Not sure where I got that info from, because he is definitely a LB.

S Khalil Bryant (Jacksonville, FL) is favoring UNC and Indiana. Wake Forest is his only other P5 offer. To my knowledge he hasn’t visited Wake Forest yet.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, 94.
 
Wallace Rose-Hill High School is the same high school that produced former NCSU player Nate Irving. WRH ALWAYS has a very good football team.
 
Wake QB targets David Moore (Alpharetta, GA) and Jamie Newman (Graham, NC) both competed at the Elite 11 regional in Atlanta yesterday. I am eager to read the reviews that will be published today/tomorrow. From the early buzz on Twitter I think that Moore had the better day, but both reached the regional finals.

If Moore did have a big day, it will be interesting to see if he adds offers. He did well at the Orlando regional and added non-P5 offers from Houston, Ohio and maybe one other. Out of his current offers I think Wake Forest would be the favorite to land him with Oregon State probably next. However I can tell from Twitter that he is really pushing for a Wisconsin offer. I can't tell how the staff is prioritizing him versus the other offerees.

Another interesting note from the weekend is that OL Tremayne Anchrum (Powder Springs, GA) was named offensive line MVP at the Nike Camp in Atlanta. A week ago he named Wake as the school standing out the most to him. I expect his offer list will continue to grow.
 
Duke keeps rolling along with a commitment from LB Brandon Hill from South Carolina. He chose Duke over offers from Notre Dame, Clemson, Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia Tech. I assume he is a high academic kid since he also had an offer from Yale.
 
Deac94 said:
Duke keeps rolling along with a commitment from LB Brandon Hill from South Carolina. He chose Duke over offers from Notre Dame, Clemson, Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia Tech. I assume he is a high academic kid since he also had an offer from Yale.
Click to expand...

Duke makes me sick!
 
It's annoying, but also goes to show that with the right coach, and the university behind the program recruiting from a smaller academically-oriented private school, even with limited football tradition, can still be an advantage. If Stanford and Duke and can beat UGA and Tennessee for recruits, so can WF.

Once recruits start believing that they can go to Duke or WF, get a valuable education, and beat "name" schools on the field, it becomes easier and easier to attract top talent. The trend of academic schools landing top talent and competing on the highest levels is a trend that is getting stronger and stronger.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top