Saturday, April 2, 2011

The Big Board 2011.1

Recruiting is the lifeblood of college football programs.  Schools that can't recruit stay marred in mediocrity, while those that consistently bring in talent find themselves competing year in and year out.   There are several different ways of compiling the best class you can. 
Tim Brewster used to hand out scholarship offers like they were Minnesota Lynx tickets, using the throw a bunch of shit against the wall and see what sticks method.  This method can work because while there are limited number of recruits that want to become a Gopher you are trying to contact as many of those kids as you can.  It’s a numbers game, the more you contact the better chance you have at scoring.
Jerry Kill is the complete opposite, where you’ll have to pry a scholarship from Jerry’s cold, dead fingers.  Kill is trying to establish a relationship with the kids he brings in and wants to make sure that they are a fit athletically, academically and socially.  The theory that Kill uses is he tries to make a Gopher offer more valuable by limiting the number that are issued, much like currency.  Kill wants to see players at camp, junior days, spring practice, etc. to get to know them before issuing an offer.
The following list are the players that have a standing Minnesota scholarship offer for the 17 recruits openings we have this cycle.  They are ranked in order of how excited I would be if they gave a verbal commitment to the Gophers today. 
The Big Board:
1. Noah Spence (DE, PA)
2. Keith Marshall (RB, NC)
3. Jonah Pirsig (OT, MN)
4. Dan Voltz (OG, IL) committed to Wisconsin
5. Ty Darlington (OG, FL)
6. Amara Darboh (WR, IA)
7. Brian Kimbrow (RB, TN)
8. Tommy Schutt (DT, IL)
9. Durron Neal (WR, MO)
10. Greg Garmon (RB, PA)
11. James Burgess Jr (LB, FL)
12. Dwayne Thomas (CB, LA)
13. Sheldon Day (DT, IN)
14. Faith Ekatitie (DE, IL)
15. Wes Brown (RB, MD)
16. Nick Davidson (OL, MN)
17. Andre McDonald (WR, MN) committed to the Gophers
18. Vince Biegel (LB, WI)
19. I'Tavius Mathers (RB, TN)
20. Jordan Westerkamp (WR, IL)
21. Vonte Jackson (RB, WI) committed to Wisconsin
22. Jordan Armstrong (ATH, FL)
23. Cordarelle Patterson (WR, KS JUCO)
24. Dami Ayoola (RB, FL)
25. Philip Nelson (QB, MN) committed to the Gophers
26. Jamal Marcus (DE, NC)
27. Jaleel Johnson (DT, IL)
28. Isaac Hayes (OL/DL, MN)
29. Jamel Harbison (WR, NC)
30. Kenno Loyal (RB, GA)
31. Ryan Ward (OL, IL)
32. David Smith (RB, IL)
33. Antonio Morrisson (LB, IL)
34. Maurice Fleming Jr (ATH, IL)
35. Robert Gregory (QB, IL)
36. Bryan Cox Jr (DE, OH)
37. Dominic Ramacher (TE, TX)
38. Will Johnson (TE, MN)
39. Nathanael Lohn (DE, KS)
40. Jon Burt (DT, IN)
41. Maxx WIlliams (TE, MN) committed to the Gophers


Other names to watch:

QB - Joe Mollberg (MN)

RB - Andrew Larson (MN), Antonio Ford (MN), Kendrik Brewster (MN), Toneo Gulley (WI), Marcus Horne (WI), Leo Musso (WI) and Elijah Hughes (NJ)

OL - Josh Smith (IN) and Sam Lee (MN)

DE - Pierre Aka (IN)

DT - Jon Harden (MN), Karmichael Brewster (MN) and Vontrell Williams (IL)

LB - Jeremiah Allison (CA), Sam Maresh (IA JUCO) and Quanzell Lambert (NJ)

S - Nick Rallis (MN), Adam Bungum (MN) and Hugsaly Etienne (FL)

CB - Charles Webb (MN)

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