Zip Recruits - Are we hurting ourselves?!

[Ryno aka Menace]

I have a dumb question so please don't flame me for it. Anyway, to me it seems we are getting alot more early verbal commits. This seems like a great thing if they are the "top" recruits in the country, but they aren't, truthfully they are mid-level players. It is obvious that our success will continue, and it is no doubt that we will have another successfull season. Couldn't we be shooting ourselfs in the foot if there is a higher ranked player that wants to come to akron and we miss out because there are no avalible scholarships (position wise). You can't take back an offer can you? You have to weigh in so many factors like transfers coming in and out, grades, injuries, etc. and a general greater need at certain positions? What are your feeling on this? I understand that every kid you offer is not going to accept but there has got to be some sort of system. Also we seem to be getting alot of WR's do you think JD will switch to a run and gun type offense or what? Not necessarily a run and gun but a pass primarily offense?

[PSU_Nut]

I would not worry. the coaches communicate with the guys they are recruiting on a regular basis. they know where they stand with guys alot better then any one outside the prgram. they know where they stand with them and will offer based on that. there are ways you can get guys in if a big time guy would want to commit. You have to be realistic but Akron is still akron and your not going to see an avalanche of talent after a 7-5 season.

[mcperp]

I think the strategy of many mid-major programs, including Akron is to try to find the "under the radar" recruits early, offer a scholarship, and hope that the recruit will commit before bigger schools take notice. This is a smart strategy as it builds up loyalty ("Akron believed in me before anyone else"), and enables the Zips to lock up better athletes early rather than scrambling for leftovers.Check out a linebacker from Lisbon, Ohio named Vincent Browne. Just a few months ago he was relatively lightly recruited and the Zips offered and were being considered. He then had some phenomenal camp numbers and many major schools became interested. Akron quietly slipped into the recruiting black hole and Browne is likely going to Colorado.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I have a dumb question so please don't flame me for it. Anyway, to me it seems we are getting alot more early verbal commits. This seems like a great thing if they are the "top" recruits in the country, but they aren't, truthfully they are mid-level players. It is obvious that our success will continue, and it is no doubt that we will have another successfull season. Couldn't we be shooting ourselfs in the foot if there is a higher ranked player that wants to come to akron and we miss out because there are no avalible scholarships (position wise). You can't take back an offer can you? You have to weigh in so many factors like transfers coming in and out, grades, injuries, etc. and a general greater need at certain positions? What are your feeling on this? I understand that every kid you offer is not going to accept but there has got to be some sort of system. Also we seem to be getting alot of WR's do you think JD will switch to a run and gun type offense or what? Not necessarily a run and gun but a pass primarily offense?

I think that the early offers and verbals are a necessary evil in college football today. I'm sure coaches would like to wait as long as possible to evaluate players before making an offer, but that doesn't fly now-a-days. I know the Zips staff is somewhat selective on their "early" offers. The kids who verbal early are typically one's the staff is pretty high on, and one's where there's stiff competition from BCS schools. Or, where they feel they've found a real unknown "gem" and try to secure him before anyone else catches wind of him.Do we have too many WR's? Probably not. Jabari didn't really have too many catches last season (until the MCB)...Long has seen limited action...and that about all the experience we've got at that position. That said, I think we're getting near "full" at WR with the early verbals this year, combined with the last recruiting class. If you see another WR taken by the Zips in this class, you can pretty much bank on the staff thinking the kid is pretty "special," or that he may ultimately end up playing a position other than WR for the Zips.Based upon what I've seen from JD thus far, we'll always have a deep stable of quality wide-outs. That's why Getsy is the #5 QB in Akron history after only one season.:blink: WR is JD's specialty...he was one himself...and he also helped develop guys like Antonio Bryant, Larry Fitzgerald and Hixson.

[Ryno aka Menace]

Do we have too many WR's? Probably not. Jabari didn't really have too many catches last season (until the MCB)...Long has seen limited action...and that about all the experience we've got at that position. That said, I think we're getting near "full" at WR with the early verbals this year, combined with the last recruiting class. If you see another WR taken by the Zips in this class, you can pretty much bank on the staff thinking the kid is pretty "special," or that he may ultimately end up playing a position other than WR for the Zips.Based upon what I've seen from JD thus far, we'll always have a deep stable of quality wide-outs. That's why Getsy is the #5 QB in Akron history after only one season.:blink: WR is JD's specialty...he was one himself...and he also helped develop guys like Antonio Bryant, Larry Fitzgerald and Hixson.

Hmmm...that is a pretty good point, I just recall seeing alot or Wr's this year and last on the commit list.