Coach Frost visited Arizona WR commit Julian Brooks today. We're still after the other WR PSA's more but Brooks can play multiple positions. Here's a highlight tape. [video=youtube;_VTykvRGGOI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VTykvRGGOI[/video]
From ESPN's blog about the Army game on Saturday: I think it'd be a small miracle if any of these guys picked Oregon, but you never know Ed O.
rumors swirling that Shaq has already committed to Cal. (as everyone but .2% of the people who are gullible enough to believe he wouldnt, thought)
I wouldn't mind our academics catching up a bit to some of the other schools in the Pac 12. I'm not sure it's cost us anyone, but it has to be a factor?
Biggins says Shaq Thompson Tweeted him. @GregBiggins Greg Biggins "I want to help turn this program (Cal) around and this class is going to do it," Shaq Thompson texted moments ago Armstead, Seymour, McCarthy next to commit to Cal?
probably Armstead.. but I'd be shocked if McCarthy is anywhere other than USC come The first Wednesday in February.
I think it's very odd that Cal could potentially pull the best three defensive players in the west coast in McCarthy, Shaq and Armstead with a coach last year on the hot seat ready to be fired... That and why would you pick going to a program where there is no chance you'll beat Oregon, Stanford or USC for the next two years? You think any of these three guys will be in school in 3 years when they could be competitive? No chance... they'll be in the NFL... so this Cal thing is raising my radar.... Meanwhile we are under investigation....HMMMMMM!
I don't get it either. Why Cal? They're not a traditional power, their history of sending players to the NFL is about on par with Oregon, their facilities are garbage, their coach is horrible. You're telling me that being in Nor Cal and having a 30-something recruiter who can "relate" to a player is all it takes? Why don't we take the Jim Mora Jr. approach and pluck a few 'ace' recruiters away from other schools to work in an assistant role here?
That's exactly the number one reason really Wheels. I've explained it before but Location is usually the biggest factor for recruits. Academics and relationship with the coaches seem to also be a bigger factor than success on the football field. If anything though, winning has gotten our name into homes that we normally wouldn't have a chance with. Cal can recruit California kids but can they recruit Texas, Florida, and now Ohio kids as well as us? I don't think so. I mean here's an example right here. http://247sports.com/Player/Robert-Nkemdiche-8132 He's the number 1 kid in the country next year and he has us among his list. We haven't even made an offer and probably don't have a chance of landing him but still.
A few thoughts why... Cal just pumped 150M+ into their facilities upgrading them to being in the same conversation as Oregon's. They're located in a warm, vibrant urban environment surrounded by the recruiting hotbed that they draw most of their recruits from. Lastly, though they use the same low standards that Oregon does for admitting PSA's, a Cal degree is much more highly thought of. STOMP
Location both in terms of lat-long, but also in terms of urban-rural. Some kids just don't think that Eugene is big enough for them... it doesn't make them bad people nor Eugene a bad city. It's just a bad fit. It's frustrating, but it's just the way it is. We just need to keep beating Cal on the field I'm also not convinced that Teford is on the hot seat, by the way. Ed O.
They also offer basically a football/basketball-only curriculum, which is unique for the Pac-12 as well. Doug Gottlieb's brother, who is an assistant basketball coach there, said that between football/basketball, only 5 kids would have qualified for Cal had they not been in those sports. I can't blame Cal for it, though, because football pays the bills at major universities these days. In terms of academic requirements, though, it's arguable that the Oregon players have a more rigid academic course to graduation at this point.
Cal has traditionally had good recruiting classes. In 2005 they had 12 four to five stars and a handful of three star commits. Some of the best players in the nation chose Cal - DeSean Jackson, Desmond Bishop, Ayoob. A few years later they got this kid named Jahvid Best - who we were recruiting heavily and had taken a visit to Oregon. If you look at their classes, they often pull in top 5 rated athletes at their position. Cal is a tough recruiting school and seems adept at pulling in recruits we've offered and had visit. Just the way it is and has been.
Jeff Howe of Hookem.com is reporting that Thomas Johnson has officially decommitted to Texas and has eliminated them from contention. Johnson will visit us on the 20th, TCU on the 24th, and Cal on the 27th. Cal already has 6 WR commits so you have got to like our chances......a lot.
I still think the NCAA should look into Cal. Other schools have had great location and big programs, yet they were caught cheating.
Some more good news today. Kyle Long's teammate and fellow offensive lineman Menelik Watson will be visiting on the 27th. He has 3 years to play 2. http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=5995827
