Zips to Recruit More Ohio Student Athletes

[Kangaroo Craig]

On February 3, 2018 at 6:11 PM, Lee Adams said:

The only way it seems to me to help the University is financially. Again,the Info hangs like an albatross. Otherwise, there are several concerns for the football program in particular. First, the number of top quality DI athletes in Ohio is not what it used to be. Population out migration. The very best Ohio athletes are going to OSU or probably another Big-10 program. That leaves what is left for programs like Akron..etc.Then come the Toledos,Cincys etc that will pick off the best of the rest. Second,how many of the other MAC schools are limiting themselves in this way? That means that the out of state recruits that Akron may no longer pursue are going to go to places like OU,Toledo,WMU,Pitt,Cincy etc. if they come to Ohio at all. The repercussions of this have yet to be felt,obviously!

 Agree wholeheartedly. Such a move would put our football program back to the Ianello period. The primary reason for the success under Bowden has been his recruiting efforts, particularly in the state of Florida where he and his father have HS coaching connections. If anything, they need to consider expanding their efforts into talent rich areas such as California and Texas. Everyone on here who has commented regarding the competition between the other MAC schools, Cincinnati, and YSU, is spot on. Limiting recruiting efforts to Ohio will absolutely kill our football program. Message to school administrators: if you want to be a major FBS program, don't treat your athletic budget like you are a community college. Idiots!

[Blue & Gold]

For next year's ('19) recruiting class we already have three commitments - and all players from Florida. So I don't think we have to worry about Bowden & Co. pulling out of the Sunshine State. (See post #1 in the "2019 Recruiting" thread.)

 

However, for '19 we have also offered a LB from Cincinnati, Jarred Uran (La Salle).  IIRC we haven't done much (any?) recruiting of southern Ohio since Bowden's been here.  So maybe this is in response to this new initiative?

[LZIp]

1 hour ago, Blue & Gold said:

For next year's ('19) recruiting class we already have three commitments - and all players from Florida. So I don't think we have to worry about Bowden & Co. pulling out of the Sunshine State. (See post #1 in the "2019 Recruiting" thread.)

 

However, for '19 we have also offered a LB from Cincinnati, Jarred Uran (La Salle).  IIRC we haven't done much (any?) recruiting of southern Ohio since Bowden's been here.  So maybe this is in response to this new initiative?

Don't recall if Bowden recruited him or not, but Conor Hundley from St. Xavier sticks out. But I do agree, we haven't done much there. He's never talked about it really when discussing his strategy, which I believe is NEO, Western PA, Central Ohio, and FL.