Player retention

[zipboy]

I went back and looked at some stats on the 04 and 05 class. I think that some good points have been raised about who really signs and who stays in the program. From what I remember when LO was here, we generally had 13-15 guys on senior day. The largest that I can remember is 17 with a few being walk ons. Assuming that about 15 make it, just over 50% of the players signed in Feb, make it through 4 or 5 years. I also looked at the # of seniors for 3 of the top teams in the MAC - WMU has 10 this yera, NIU has 15, and Ohio has 19. It seems that ohio state always has 20+ seniors. My guess is the average in the MAC is more around 15. Some guys don't qualify. Some guys see the writing on the wall, they are not going to play, and quit. So if we lose 10 guys per class, that is no different from everyone else. But it also matters who we lose. 5-7 is still 5-7 and that is the final grade regardless. But here are the numbers below. You be the judge.Class# 1 - 20041.Jesse Arntz - not on roster, I don't remember him2. Jemall Benjamin - did not see the field much if at all this year. 3. Garrett Brewster - back up OL. Does he start next year?4. Chris Brown - I liked him a lot last year. Career ending injury and a loss to secondary.5. Jared Cecchetti - last player to get a scholarship. Decent DL, probably exceeded expectations but is no Nate Robinson6. Donte Cloud - highly touted, kicked off team7. Doug Fife - LO recruit, has not gotten playing time8. Brian Flaherty - LO recruit for QB, moved to TE. Played some today.9. Gary Frisby - LO recruit, never enrolled10. Stephon Fuqua - special teams guy, got in today as 4th receiver11. Kevin Grant - All MAC, I thought a better 2nd year than 1st12. CJ Grube- career ending injury13. Jamail Jackson - did he even enroll?14. Eric Lively - back up DL in the 6 man rotation15. Johnny Long - wish he would play more16. Joe McDaniel - starting FB17. Kurt Shoemaker - not getting any PT, transferre to UC. LO recruit18. Renaldo Siler- on team, does not play19. Brion Stokes- All MAC, had a better 1st year than 2nd20. Andre Walker - LO recruit, I would like to see him push for the starting job next year.21. Brandon Williams - 4th receiver22. Doug Williams - starting LBOther additions23. Dennis Kennedy - starting RB24. Luke Getsy - transfer, starting QB the last 2 years25. Andy Alleman - day 2 NFL pick26. Brett Biggs - the greatest JUCO in Zips history and best RB in the last 20 years.In total - 19 of the 26 either are still here or graduated. Taking out the transfers, 17 of 24. From a retention standpoint that is about what you would expect. From who is not here anymore, Cloud was considered one of the top 3 or 4 in the class. The other highly touted guys are still around. Class # 2 - 20051. Alex Allen - torn ACL, highly regarded coming out2. Michael Alphonse - 3rd string3. Brandon Anderson - one of the main DBs4. Zak Anderson - 2nd string, was highly touted coming out5. Al Teric Balaam - emerged as one of the main backups6. Elliot Bates- 2nd string, was highly touted coming out7. Jose Cruz - 4th string, was highly touted coming out8. DeAndre Scott - special teams player9. Rodney Etienne - special teams player10. Kevin Garner - out of program, was highly touted coming out11. Antwon Hight - may be coming back? For now he is gone, was supposedly one of the main coups of the class.12. Keith Huebner- 2nd string OL13. Carlton Jackson - next year's QB? was highly touted coming out14. Chris Jacquemain - probably will be moved to another position or transfer15. Chris Kemme - surprise of class last year, had a sophmore slump this year16. Joshua Kiner - out of program17. Jermaine Lindsey - starting WR, highly touted18. Terricko Marshall - out of program, highly touted19. Bryant McMillan - 4th string RB20. Clarence McPherson - I am going to mark him gone, was highly touted21. Merce Pointexter - in main rotation22. J Sharps - out of program, highly touted23. Joe Tuzze - back up FB, in rotation24. Scott Uziel - out of program, not sure if he was here last year25. Nate Robinson - transfer, back up DL26. Andre Jones - best new comer of the year?Of the 26 guys listed, 7 guys (counting McPherson) are gone. Many of the highly touted DL are gone as well which is what really hurts now. In terms of total numbers, I don't see anything unusual. In terms of quality of talent, we lost some big names, but many of the highly touted kids are still here. Whether they are performing as expected is another questionClass 3 -2006Captain had a post about that class.I am curious to see what others think. I don't see anything glaringly bad from the numbers above. What I do see as bad is we lost our future DL. We really need Stoudamire to be eligible and Cline to be good. I have also been disappointed in the development of the Oline. JD said he may look at the JUCO route which means these kids are not ready to step in to starting roles.

[72 Roo]

Zipboy, thanks for sending your post. Very interesting. What seems to cause me concern is that the recruits who are expected to contribute early seem to be the ones we are having trouble keeping. That may be because for any MAC school to get someone who is capable of playing early, that recruit may be marginal by Big ten or Big East standards i.e. grades, work ethic, attitude, character. Therefore, they end up with us but still have the baggage ( see good old Nate Robinson). Just a thought, not really researched.Either way we are in for a tough year next year. With completely rebuilt offensive and defensive lines, a new quarterback and no solution to special teams in sight we have to brace ourselves for a bleak season. Just what I need, more post Thanksgiving depression.

[Lee Adams]

good stuff...but is he bringning in too many potential QB's?Jackson next year...does Jacqueman stay?...what about Hakes etc etc.? i know they all don't make it but if kids come in and see they don't have a chance to play because the line is too long kids will stop coming...i know i'm not on top of this but whatever happened to Mickey Baker the JUCO LB?

[Buckzip]

The problem with JD recruiting is what I have been saying for the last 2 years.Many people rate a class by hoy many stars the rating system gives them. Then they take the average stars and rate the class baased off of that.The higher ranked players that JD gets are mostly never going to be elegible. He takes them because the bigger schools won't waste a scholly on them. They are happy to have an offer and commit to Akron.Then they never make it. Well, that high ranked class that UA had is now minus all of the higher ranked players that made it highly ranked. So what we are left with is an average class. Sure other schools do this too. However, we have a much worse percentage than most of the top end recruits. Of the 5-7 that don't make it at UA, most of them are the higher ranked guys.A perfect example is Mark Jackson. Last year he commited to Akron. No big schools offered him because of grades. Now he has gone to prep school and got the grades, and the big schools are after him. He won't even give Akron a sniff now.If you rate our class after they are eligible, I tink you will find JD isn't that great of a recruiter.This season hasn't helped the cause one bit either.

[RACER]

i think the d-line will be ok next year,but with little depth.if we can get some of the other's like the kid from canton mc kinley back on the d-line then they could be very good.what scares me is the o-line where we have to replace three to four guys ,and no depth. it seems like jd realizes there is a problem,and is looking to the jc route.