National Signing Day

[Spence]

Ohio State didn't even try to go into Texas this year. Tressel new it was going to be too tough to pry guys away from the longhorns. Now if we can pull off the upset in Austin.....You will probably see a few players targeted by Ohio State.

[mountainman]

Coach Fulmer at Tennessee was quoted as saying this about some recruits:

"There's guys that just lie to you ... flat lie to you. That goes back to upbringing. It's the generation now out there. It's not everywhere, but it's out there. There are a few out there that make it a show ... You might come or you might not, but just be honest. I don't begrudge anyone for not choosing our school. We're not going to get every recruit, but just be honest. I saw more kids this year go against the wishes of their parents. Regardless if you're 18 years old, it's amazing. It's really amazing. I don't call it all disrespect, but it's certainly not what you're used to."

Fulmer also said many high-profile recruits relish keeping schools waiting, trying to gain some extra media attention.

I would imagine there are a number of coaches out there that might not say it, but certainly would not dispute what Coach Fulmer had to say.

[mountainman]

Coach Rodriguez was quoted as saying this on Wednesday:

"We've got more people here than we normally do for our regular season press conferences (recruiting announcement). It's amazing that recruiting has taken on the life that it has.
Usually by January most of the recruiting pieces have already been fit. This is the smallest class I can ever remember being a part of and next year we won't be able to sign 25 because we've only got 14 or 15 seniors. (same as this year)
I like the character. the temperament and the attitude of the young men we signed. We're pretty excited about that.
There are possibly one or two out there that didn't sign and maybe one or two that might qualify later this spring. We didn't come close to using our number of total visits because we tried to use our visits for only those guys where there was a serious interest.
I've been doing this for 21 years and you think kids are coming and they lie to you. Adults lie to you ... you get lied to a lot in recruiting. Our coaches, to my knowledge, don't lie to anybody ... and not that coaches would but some of them do. But, nonetheless, a lot of that goes on in recruiting and it is part of the business. That's why I'm so excited about the guys we signed. None of the guys we signed lied to us."

[Yeofoot]

My step-mom has Dvoracek's little brother in her class. Just some random fact.

[Spence]

Recruiting does have a life of its own. It is almost like a sport in its self. Fulmer is right in what he said, but the other side of the coin is that some coaches lie to players. Recruiting is a dirty business the way some coaches do it.


Not all top rated players seek their 15 minutes with recruiting. Chris Wells committed to Ohio State last Feb and never waivered. Coach Tressell told him to take all of his visits so he could make sure that Ohio State was where he really wanted to be and that was it. He didn't try to get pub. from the experience.

[mountainman]

I'm just as about as sure as I am of anything that's the case, Spence.

Fulmer is not used to being turned down, but with all the coaching changes and with the uncertainty at Tennessee I can't blame the recruits for taking a long look.

I'm sure one of the concerns the kids have, or should have, is about coaching changes since they are being recruited as position players. New coaches come in before they graduate or otherwise leave and bring a new system with them they can be setting on the bench during their junior and senior years.

I believe Coach Rodriguez is venting a little because a hot shot multi-starred defensive back that committed to the Mountaineers changed his mind and chose Pitt in the final hours.

The kid got on TV to make his announcement and said, "I've made my decision and it's Pitt, but West Virginia was a real close second."

Somewhat strangely, the geology department at West Virginia reported what resembled a 6.2 RS earthquake with its epicenter located at Mountaineer Field right about the same time that announcement was made.

[Spence]

I know a lot of fans have meltdowns when a kid doesn't choose their school. Usually if a coach blows a gasket, then something underhanded has taken place. I think maybe if Rodiguez was more then just disappointed then either the kid played him or Pitt was playing dirty.

I know after a couple of years ago when Fulmer wasn't being such a friendly recruiter he had the Ohio State coaches very angry over his dealings with a recruit. After that if a kid commits early at Ohio State the coaches are instructed to encourage them to take all of their visits to make sure they really want to be Buckeyes. It came from Tressel who said that he only wanted kids who wanted to be at Ohio State. If they had to have the extra convincing we didn't need them. Ohio State doesn't get every kid they want, but now we get all the ones we want that want to be Buckeyes.

I think if most coaches would do that it would take some of the showmanship out of recruiting.

[mountainman]

I figure you've got that one right too, Spence.

I think Rodriguez tipped his thoughts with the comment about coaches lying to recruits, "and not that coaches would but some of them do".

I haven't heard what happened yet, but some of my fellow Mountaineer fans in Morgantown who get all the 'juicy stuff' will let me know what the scoop is.

Ahhhhhh, college football ....... there's so much more to it than meets the eye on those glorious fall afternoons.