Grobe says "ask me in 3 years"

[Neurodeac]

Only 1 player from Nease/Bolles the last 2 years and 3 from Pahokee so maybe there has been a change in philosophy. Or it just may be random fluctuations in the vagaries of recruiting.

 

[Lectro]

There is a fine line between developing ties to schools with winning traditions and signing a bunch of guys from those schools who can't get the job done. The Haynes boys, for example, have not to this point been the type of players who can start on a good defense. Same is true for Stachitas, Betros, Booi, and the overwhelming majority of the Bolles/Nease crowd. There is still time for some of them to get it together. But taking kids who have had the best training that money can buy and then expecting them to blossom in college is not necessarily the best bet. Many of those guys are within spitting distance of as good as they will get the minute they step on campus. Compare that to Curry, or the Pahokee kids.

I think Wake was on the wrong side of that fine line for the past several years. Hopefully the past couple classes will rectify that trend.

Well, wait a doggone minute...lets start with Ramon Booi. It is part of recruiting to also say to yourself "hey, I think we can get to this guy and get him to meet his abilities." With Booi, it has never been a question of anything other than size. Wake Forest does not turn down the biggest DL since Fred Robbins...particularly not one who can run!

The kid was 6'5-344 in H.S. when LSU and the Mad Hatter offered him as an OL. They thought he was good at DT. He sparred with Chris Wilson (Florida / WF flirt) everyday in practice and more than held his own. Nick Saban watched him and an offer was on the table if Ramon would commit to being an OL. As it happened Ron Zook at Illinois and WF took control...each believing they could get the kid to shed 40 pounds, take on a determined regimen and eventually standout at DT. It has always been a challenge with Ramon...lord knows if the mind would commit then the flesh would permit. He has lacked nothing but the squash.

Interestingly, as regards Booi and his 'inspiration', it seems as if the diminutive Whitlock has been up in his grill saying "damn Ramon...do you know what I'd give to be 6 fuckin 5 and with your body!? Man you are wasting your time and everybody else's...your time is fine you can do what you want but don't be wastin' my fuckin time!"

Ramon, to his credit, seems to have turned a corner this spring and was dominant at times but he still has some more effort to give...maybe the best thing that ever happened to Ramon the football-player was meeting and competing with the sawed-off Whitlock.

I'd make the two of 'em 'inseperable'.

I'll return for more...later.

But first I'll hit one of the other RS JR 'feeders' Ted Stachitas... Ted was NOT an injured player in HS. He followed Tim Tebow and excelled in the State Championship game two years running though both times falling short. He was a great highschool runner and was such a blur that you thought he could play wingback. He had a solid if unspectacular arm...threw a solid deep ball but nothing special and had a very good presence in the huddle. Ted got to college and he hurt his shoulder (is there a worse injury for a qb? I dont know, ask Chad Pennington). Anyway, the injury bug hit and Ted has battled back each time. He is still a rising RS JR (I know it feels like he's been around for 6 years) and I like having his grit in the bull-pen. Hell, maybe ol' Ted is due a stretch of healthy weather...


*I think it way too early to pan rs Sophs and I'll address the Florida and FSU offer for Gallagher as well as the early Auburn ship for Frank Souza (two early commit guys with SEC schools already on them). Again, injury and some sickness and off field personal stuff has slowed 'em down...Souza has been turning the corner from injury and it appears the personal stuff has cleared for Gallagher... I hope! We will wait and see...but both are rising Sophomores.

 

[Deacfan2009]

It's really fantastic news on a lot of different levels if Nikita really is pushing Ramon to be the best he can be. He's got crazy potential.