If there’s anything you all want to discuss let me know, and I’ll draft a post about it. Really slow period right now without much that interests me, so I might go into hibernation unless something piques my interest.
There are a couple nuggets on the recruiting front.
1. I’m hearing Isaac Seumalo will likely wind up a Beaver. He was high on Stanford for a while, but the Beavers are now apparently in the lead. Don't be surprised to see these schools jockey back and forth, as February is long away. UCLA is also getting in the mix–you realize how strange the world is when you see Inoke Breckterfield listed as his lead recruiter. Still, Beavs lead here, and for now the kid is entertaining all offers and enjoying his 15 minutes.
2. 4-star WR Kenny Lawler, a soft ASU commit, raves about the Beavs (specifically Brennan) as well.
It's encouraging and exciting to see improvement in recruiting. Now if we could get in on more 4-star DL instead of WRs…
Sounds good. I think we have a strong shot at these guys. Brennan needs to keep it up. I agree if we could get line talent, especially DL but OL too, as well as all the top notch WRs it would be great.
According to this article, OSU is making progress is the number of blue chip recruits!
Read it for yourselves:
http://oregonstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1231498
Article? Yeah… um… no.
Did the link not work? Or do you disagree with the article? (If it was due to disagreement, do you mind explaining why?)
The link worked fine. But I would not classify that as an article. A blog post? Yes. An article? No.
There was nothing in it that we didn’t already know except for a plug for an arbitrary ranking system which year after year is proven to be a failure of a ranking system.
Since there was nothing new in the post, I got lost on trying to figure out how one leverages one’s core values when leverage implies something different than what the author thinks. Then I had to wonder why “their” is in italics, making it stressed. I think “their” is specific enough as an identifier in that it actually indicates possession all by itself.
And I think Wallace is a four star talent (now… maybe more later), and Stanton will be one once he fills out his frame. But there we go with the arbitrary ranking system failure. As a fellow blogger who is paid not, I suggest closing the links on the players where it was clearly intended.
Let me close with this snippet for thought:
“… progressing in the right direction…”
Okay?
Thank you for the clarification and explanation. I apologize for my lack of understanding on how to better differentiate between the two, blog/article. My main intent by posting the link was that, OSU is gaining better recognition from both recruiting services and recruits, according to that link. I wasn’t just saying that based on my own opinion. Or as you said above, OSU is progressing in the right direction. Whether you agree with the recruiting services evaluation of talent/ranking system or not, well, that is another topic of conversation. All I was trying to say, was that OSU has received some really good looking verbal commitments so far, in my opinion.
I’m not saying the post is wrong in its intent. But it’s also a no-brainer, almost redundant at this point.
I think the lack of an editor and actual assignments contributes to the scattered thoughts laid out on that page. Progression by definition is movement (symbolic or otherwise) in the right direction. I would have probably spit my coffee all over my screen if the poster wrote, “… regression in the right direction….” The tangible evidence that recruits of a higher quality are taking notice of OSU in larger quantities comes in the form of the very high quality commits we’re already getting.
There have been many of us who have wondered aloud at the lack of grit our staff has shown when battling for top tier recruits. Two years ago showed an uptick in quality. Last year showed a even better quality, but only at a couple positions. And both years saw us losing out on last minute decisions by kids who really should have come our way. Still, the middle quality recruits from the last two years would have been our top talent from years gone by. They will still contribute to the team as others have before them. But they will also be better contributors themselves due to the elite quality players now peppering the roster. Better practice just makes better players.
This year our staff is locking in on the top talent and reeling them in. And they’re doing it in a big way. After Andrews’ commitment, I’m willing to look at any kid who says he’s interested in the Beavs and take him at his word. I was not willing to say that even yesterday.
And that blog post has played the same broken record for years, so I wasn’t inclined to think twice about its content either. I’m still not inclined to do so because it has suddenly been left in the dust by our staff’s actual recruiting. It’s like we’ve been sitting in a roller coastar car going up and up and up forever, but we haven’t yet started the ride. Well hold on, here we go!
I’d like to see them land three *** o-lineman…o-line seems to be the weakest link.
Brennan is doing a great job early, with the current class coming in this fall, and the early start on this class, OSU should be loaded at WR, hope they take advantage of them.
The new RB coach hasn’t been a great recruiter thus far…haven’t heard him mentioned at all. Haven’t heard much on how he’s doing with the backs, either. Anyone?
I wouldn’t expect a ton from Brasfield right away. He came from Oregon, where he was a GA, so he never got to be out on the road during the recruiting process. His situation is different from Coach Brennan’s who gained a lot of experience at SJSU. I know Texas is part of Brasfield’s region too, so he is working on establishing connections there. I’d give him a little bit of time before judging him as a recruiter. Remember KHJ wasn’t a strong recruiter his first few years, but he was arguably our best recruiter last year and is getting better fast.
As far as him working with the RBs, I’ve heard good things. It’s always a learning process when you bring in a new coach, but the curve isn’t too steep and I’d expect Brasfield to make a name for himself (in a positive way) during fall camp.
Yeah I was not expecting a ton in year one, but I thought he’d have some connections in Texas and at least be in the mix with some guys. I guess what I’m saying is I had low expectations, and he hasn’t even met those. Dude needs to step it up this fall in both coaching and recruiting. Just be average in year one.
Brennan, meanwhile, has been killing it in both coaching and recruiting. That guy should be the head coach in waiting.
Those head coach in waiting schemes have been like cancers everywhere they have happened. I hope that never happens at OSU.
what is with the WR talent we have been getting? this makes little sense to me. can anyone offer up a solid explanation? don’t get me wrong, I am in no way complaining, it just baffles me. pro-style sets? riley’s history? recruiting emphasis?
James goes down, and we lose games.
No more.
Also, recruiting speed and skill positions is an old Tom Osborne tactic. He always preached that you could teach technique, but you couldn’t teach height and speed. If your whole class is full of WR’s RB’s and TE’s with good size and great speed, then you have potential LB’s, linemen and DB’s in your class who aren’t expecting to start from day one but somehow end up in the NFL after all is said and done.
Obviously, Osborne didn’t just recruit those positions. But he did fill in the gaps with them.
Regarding Osborne: yep.
I think the Beavers might be moving toward more 4-WR sets. I know a lot of us are hoping for the excitement (and identity) of an Air Raid offense, but Riley is conservative and won’t do it. So, I’m thinking 4WR sets and depth. We could lose Wheaton to the NFL after this season…keep that in mind.
Osborne also ran the spread.
I think Riley is known for his routes too.
I heard a rumor from a 2012 oregon verbal, that Issac Seumalo is strongly thinking about going to oregon. Word is that they are trying to lure him in to play Offensive Line, and to be a part of the best recruiting class in uo history; to go along with the palaces Uncle Phil is building.
If that’s what rings his bell, he can go to Nikegon, get a second-rate degree and have a need to use it after playing in that system for four years. I’m sure some Beavs fans would moan, but you can’t talk sense to a materialistic kid.
I’m still giggling about Tyler Johnstone wanting to be an engineer and still signing with Nikegon. That right there tells me most of these recruits are just blowing smoke when they talk to anyone about recruiting.
Isn’t Seumalo a DT recruit? I hear he gets props for being a good o-lineman, but i also hear NOBODY is his equal as a DT.
We’re a little richer for recruiting in Oregon this year. I don’t know why I’ve not heard about LB Daniel Halverson or WR Jamarr Graves of Grant yet. Well, position depth and recruiting depth? Still, Halverson can play.
Still nothing on MLB Joel Skotte?
I really like DE Hayden Craig:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJPSl_Jr7RI
and DE/LB Lochlin Deeks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zT45GAV_tg
and DE Tyrone Holmes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGH4M0FJ7Iw
Dalton Milburn should be a good OT project:
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/196756/dalton-milburn
Friends in Hawai’i tell me they’re not as deep in the 2012 Class. There are the twin towers on the d-line for Punahou, but they play a 3-4 defense and like it. There are a couple o-linemen for Punahou whose names escape me, but neither always dominates. There’s one other kid who might be called a blue-chipper, but I forgot his name as well… Bostic? UCLA already has a couple RB commits from the islands as well. One, Lakalaka, is good.
What I do remember is that there are three sleepers. One is a giant o-lineman from Damien whose name escapes me (because it’s long and hyphenated.
The second would be a raw baller with tremendous strength named Brandon Heu. He’s only 6’0″, 270, but he can toss some bodies around.
And the third would be a QB by the name of Jack Foster:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOGlmNmV9QI
I have a soft spot in my heart for QB’s who can drop it in the bucket anywhere at any time. He short-arms the ball, but it comes out so quick… and so pretty… and dead on. Eh… someone will get him.
This is something that interests me: do you guys have any thoughts or insight on whether Google will get involved in the Pac-12 deal, and if so, in what capacity? I think that would be an exciting/innovative partner, but does Google create the infrastructure to get into broadcasting? ESPN sure needs a solid competitor…it would be interesting to see what the nerds over at Google could do.
You are so right! ESPN really needs a solid competitor. I think FOX could give them a good run. Also, has anyone else noticed how much of the oregon kool-aid ESPN drinks? All of the announcers praise the works of Chip Kelly’s discipline policy! What discipline policy? It seems like to me, that oregon has now become America’s lil darling, America’s team. The athletic program at oregon is so dirty, it makes a sewer smell clean! They get away with everything, discusting.
Driving home yesterday from work, a Charter bus merges next to us…South Carolina’s Team bus. Likely headed to TD for BP. It got me thinking how it sucks having that bus full of Cocks in town and no Beavers. Pun both intended and not.
Been to a football game at the Cockpit… saw more than one t-shirt stating, “You Can’t Beat Our Cocks!”…
… just sayin’.
Well, ‘Can’t lick our Beavers’. What a game it would be. Add Irvine’s ‘Eaters’ Jersey’s and it would make Omaha Blush.
Beavers take Cocks, 8-0?
We could have won or lost…
tee-hee
Anyone hear about Cliff Harris of the ducks? Heard he got a ticket for doing over 100mph and is suspended from the team?
Where did you hear this? link?
Sorry, the only links I can find are too slow for you, Cliff.
Nevermind. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Oregon-puts-Cliff-Harris-on-ice-amid-internal-pr?urn=ncaaf-wp2653
Nothing new to that article, but the dregs of society like to comment on it.
Good baseball article: http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=130832537193671400
Gorton as our starting catcher? Ouch.
I guess we have to trust Casey on this. They must think he can hit also. It seemed like the team could have used Matt Boyd’s bat in the line up now and then, but nothing came of it this year.
I hate the DH. The DH is NOT baseball.
The DH is baseball. It has been for a long time. There is nothing fun about watching a pitcher hit. The DH has made baseball just flat out better. I find pitchers hit just plain annoying. Baseball as a whole needs to have a DH for all levels.
Amen.
Are you people high? The DH is an abomination not old enough to be me. Even at the age of three, I knew the Junior League made a huge mistake in giving up on the sport of baseball altogether.
A real baseball player fields and bats, end of discussion. If you can’t play one or the other, you fail as a player, and the fans get to watch failures play.
That’s not meant to be a personal attack against any one DH or pitcher. It’s meant to cover all of them if they fail to be more than half a baseball player.
The DH is lazy baseball made for lazy fans. If you for one second in your life complain about bandwagon fans, then you need to do so about the DH.
I think he caught one game this year and it seemed to be a disaster – correct?
It was. He directed traffic like he’d never caught before.
The bright side is that he had never caught before.
If Casey identified him as athletic enough to play the position, then I guess we wait to see how they train the kid to play. You would guess a P knows how to call a game (the way a C directs the defense).
What happened to Craig Robinson working hard on fundraising for the basketball practice facility. Was supposed to break ground this summer but now next spring hopefully. Did he just not like the process much so is letting BDC try to do it? We have half the funds rasied currently but CR had stated we was going to do signings and fundrasing to help get this done quicker. Seems like he isn’t giving it 100% to get this addressed ASAP and is OK with next spring hopefully. They are making sure the track is ready for next spring, so I guess BDC doesn’t like to oversee to many things at once. Last year was not too great for CR. I am not sure I like the offense. The defense sometimes is OK but not when they get a ton of open 3’s. We seem to be recruiting OK but I think most of these guys would prefer a different style of play. I would rather play more like UW and UA.
As long as Obama stays in office 4 more year, Craig should be our coach. It helps with recruiting. Hopefully they can get to the tournament and make this team attractive again before Obama’s tenure is up.
Ifhe isn’t re-elected, it,s likely Phil Will be pumping record cash into duckville since his effective tax rate will be zero.
His effective tax rate is negative now. Zero would be a tax hike.
He’s probably laying low so he can concentrate on writing another book.
Or he’s doing good things, and one ground level whiner elicited a response from you.
Lighten up, Francis, it was a harmless quip.
Or maybe you know something about these ‘good things.’ I suspect if you did you’d be enlightening us all and not clinging to a supposition.
What supposition? The one where i say he’s trolled for $7m for a practice facility and reeled in some great recruits? Or the one where we have to hear about imaginary stimulus money coming our way because of his sister’s husband (I wish)?
There’s bull, and there’s bullshit.
And don’t… call… ME… FRANCIS!
My buddy just sent me this unsettling bit posted over on rivals:
I agree that BASF does a very poor job of retaining donors and finding “new” donors. Personal knowledge: A 10+ year season ticket (4) holder with more than $23,000 in BASF contributions got 1 telephone call about re-up. Told the caller that times were a little tough this year and unsure if could make a contribution – never called back. No attempt to move him to cheaper location, buy fewer tickets, etc. but keep him in the fold. Just dropped out – no tics, no $$. I know with a little effort and some accommodation he would be cutting a check. I’ve spoken with others having a similar experience. A lot of money is being left on the table. Marketing the program is nil – got to go back to the alumni base and increase the public profile and vision of the program. They are just not getting it done.
Have you guys experienced similar ineptitude? If so, what do you think is the cause? Is it an Oregon/western attitude, something specific to OSU, etc? Wondering if it’s that they caller is being overly courteous and doesn’t want to “bother” this individual, or if this is engrained/social mores. My experience with OSU staff/personnel (other than professors): they’re pretty rude and standoffish. Not in a warm or funny way like a New Yorker…but in a cold manner. Maybe it’s all the rain and the tough, DIY, agricultural mentality…
I have said it before and will say it again. I think BDC is more than happy with teams that go 7-5 to fit his perfect world where we have alot of Kraft and New Mexico Bowls and occassional Vegas Bowls and he gets to keep up the myth that it is hard to compete at Oregon St. Never mind that we should be looking at atleast 33.33 million per team a year when the Pac-12 network and digital network are added to the 3 billion TV deal. His thinking is that if we can hover around 7-5 then expectations will never rise much and then we won’t get the huge letdown year that would threaten his job. He thinks if we are used to going 6-6 or 7-5 then a 5-7 year isn’t that bad. My big issue with him is neither he or Riley ever come out with confidence in preseason about what they want to accomplish. They don’t take enough responsibility for the final record. Rather they play it off on the players not being talented enough or lacking the killer instinct or whatever. The best coaches though make their desire to do big things obvious and attract top talent like flies to honey. Our program has been run with such a status quo attitude and BDC and Riley can often seem like they are just going through the routine. I want BDC and probably even more so Riley to show courage and a more obvious desire to win the vast majority of our games. Slow starts kill us and a good coach wouldn’t ever tolerate getting seasons started off like that. I don’t care how they fix the problem but I expect Riley, Banker, Brennan and Co. to be staying up late many nights figuring it out, and that should be happening 350+ nights a year, not when or after the season starts.
BDC isn’t a bold winner. He is content with mediocre or barely better because he thinks it will make his job security easier. The fans want to win, see great effort and make more BCS bowls, but BDC is more worried about paying for Palm Springs trips for himself and his wife and putting his kid through a better college than OSU. OSU is just a tool for him and with the Pac-12 deal his personal gravy train is getting even sweeter.
FMO
Hahaha
(I kept thinking the style looked familiar…)
I think you are onto something! I think there are many variables involved and it might be too difficult to pinpoint it on just one issue. 1) the economy is hurting much more than is being advertised by most of the media. 2) Due to the economy, OSU has had to cutback staff, and or doesn’t have the luxury of hiring enough staff necessary effective, and effecient . 3) High turnover within the OSU athletic staff due to lack of pay, or incentives to move up. 4) OSU donors are also affected by the economy and are having to cutback in the amount they donate.
I have had mixed experiences from the OSU staff, some of the staff have been very helpful, kind, and polite. While others, need to go/be replaced. Whether someone is donating $5.00 or $50,000+ they both should be given the same kind of mutual respect.
Let’s face it, OSU largest donor, Al Reser has passed away. OSU doesn’t have a “Phil Knight” or a T. Boone Pickens. OSU will need to become very creative, “grass roots” if you will, to get more donors. OSU needs to have the “every little bit helps/many hands make light work” approach.
For OSU to become more successful, the overhaul needed, isn’t just in facilities. There needs to be an overhaul within the athletic department. The OSU athletic department needs to have their own building someday. They need to move out of the basenment of Gill. OSU also needs to adapt and expand their sports marketing department. Companies in the coprerate world that are still alive in this economy, are spending money in advertising and marketing. If you stop advertising and marketing your product, then your business will start to decline. People have to love your product enough to either buy it, or invest in it! Improve the product, and your revenue increases.
But….. if OSU makes it to the Rose Bowl, or another BCS Bowl, both the number of donors and donations would increase. People would love the product more. OSU would NOT be where they are today without the 2000-2001 Fiesta Bowl season!
Winning really does help everything, including BASF donations.
I love the fact that you’re so insecure that you cannot even admit on your own web site that you subscribe to Blitz and that you feel compelled to maintain this charade that your friend sends you things you’ve cut and pasted and that recruiting info you get directly from Blitz came via some network of sources close to the program that you want people to believe you have.
Priceless hypocrisy and intellectual dishonesty from the guy that tries to portray himself as the straight shooter that’s honest enough to say things that are unpopular.
Um, no. Not so long as Mamma Machado and her posse of censors run the show.
I have sources. Wouldn’t call it a “network”, but a handful. You’d be amazed (and based on your comment above, probably feel a jealous rage) if I gave you the list of people who read this blog and communicate with me via email. Sorry if this threatens you.
And if you want to talk about intellectual dishonesty, you can start with blitz posting (free) videos from Youtube and charging subscribers money to view them, and end with the minority of dissenters over there who steal criticisms straight off my site without giving credit because you disallow them to mention my site by name. I don’t really care, though, because it gets the message out there, and unlike you I’m not trying to profit off opinions, public domain, and facts anyone with half a brain can find via social media or direct contact. This is 2011, the pay for information era is over. Sorry, dinosaur.
Lighten up, it’s just sports. It’s not like the world is waiting with baited breath for the next “Blitz Scoop”. If eveyone on that site wants to pay to pat theirselves on the back and feel good about censorship more power to them. I doubt Angry is going to waste his money.
Toatugh watching UNC and Vandy…a team OS has owned in the CWS, but yet they are back yet again. Vandy scholed Beavs this year. I ‘ll be rooting for call, but it,s a tem th ebeavs beat, and they played the only team that they could have beat in a Super, maybe even out of the teams that lost…I hope they prove me wrong.
The people calling from the BASF do not have the ability to change season tickets, suggest downgrades, upgrades or anything of the sort. They are volunteer alumni who are merely calling to provide a friendly reminder that it’s time for ticket renewals. If you don’t like it, then criticize the system that has been put in place, not the alumni that are volunteering their time to help.
I figured as much.
Three things come to mind:
1. This was just a reminder.
2. There is probably a wait-list for those seats.
3. There will be a follow-up later.
There is a failure in that this person was not coddled at the time they were contacted, because this person obviously could not be bothered to suggest any new ideas on their own.
Oh well. I guess that means more people like me finally get in on the ground level.
angry, I don’t know if you noticed, but Malik Gilmore is now a 4*star on scout. Just an FYI.
Thanks, Warren.
Gavin Andrews:
http://youtu.be/8C_2kmpxsoI
Awesome! I knew we were after him hard, but i was afraid he would go with Cal. The kid is on a level only populated by him, Armstead and Tagaloa on the West Coast. We win a big time recruiting fight early!
Right on!
Colorado fans think he’s still open for future poaching, but Cal fans say he will not take any visits and will shun recruiters because he’s so solid with us.
Awesome. This class is great so far. Not just by OSU standards, but by any standard. Keep the OL coming…
Andrews has the tape of an elite lineman. No joke. Keep these guys coming. Why couldn’t the Beavs have started recruiting like this earlier?
Because it’s impossible to recruit to Corvallis! lol
http://www.nbcmontana.com/keci/28281703/detail.html
Re: He had been offered a scholarship at OSU – but it was pulled after the original incident mentioned in the article.
There’s a possibility that Brent Vanderveen might be committing to us soon.
Oregon State was the last of the 3 schools he needed to visit, and he did so this weekend, so this makes sense.
Arroyo Grande is a sweet little town. I bought my guitars there (Lightening Joes, best guitar shop on the west coast).
If he commits I’ll drive up there and check him out in person.
Is Weinreich coming with him?
I’m getting giddy here.
Hah, that would be a nice bonus.
Vanderveen reminds me of Kaepernick, only he looks to be a better passer at this stage. I think I’m in the minority on this one, but I’m not a big fan of Mannion…therefore, while our depth chart looks stacked, I do think landing a QB during this cycle is important.
You know… Seth Jacobs is from there too, is he not?
That trio would be amazing in orange and black.
For those who need reference, this is Weinreich’s tape. I think the world of this kid as a player.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8swnQ8ZT9rI
And I could be talked into liking Jacobs and his skills.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdAyV2a26Is
:)
Make no mistake. He is an elite lineman. We don’t get commits like this or Seumalo in a normal year… or Wallace for that matter. All three of those kids could be the best the West Coast has to offer at their respective positions (given Seumalo might be a DT).
The breakdown for the West elite o-linemen would be:
the cream of the crop – Armstead, Tagaloa, Andrews
the second tier – Peat, Garnett, Banner, Simmons, Murphy, Westbrook
the rest – Seumalo, Thurston, Callahan, Poutasi, Williams, O’Connor, Boyster, Magnuson, Tuerk, Kozan, Hemmila, Weinreich, Taito, Cochran, Sai, Bays, Fanaika, Averill, Stanley and Brostek (the kid from Hawai’i who I couldn’t remember the other day).
There are others who I’m either missing or will play their way into elite status, so I’m not worried about being all-inclusive. But the three best o-linemen in the West are all coming from NoCal this year. Whole defenses are schemed to avoid these three kids, and they still fail (for the most part). If you would have asked me on signing day who the top three linemen in the West are and where I thought they would go, I would have listed these these three and said, USC, USC and Cal. A week ago I would have said USC, Stanford or Cal and Cal.
Now I get to sit here doing the Treasure of the Sierra Madre old man dance while typing USC, who cares and OREGON STATE BAYBEEE!
I am really, really, REALLY happy about this commitment.
Did I mention that I was really happy?
Happy? You should be! You have every reason in the World to be happy about Gavin Andrews committing to OSU! I’m happy too! Just looking at his size alone puts a smile on my face! But, after watching his tape, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C_2kmpxsoI&feature=player_embedded
I’m giddy! He looks like a beast and a fierce competitor! Any chance he gets, he puts a defender on his back and drives him to the ground. He also plays whistle to whistle, he doesn’t just stop if the play is away from him, and he blocks downfield well. It’s early, but I’m starting to get very excited about the 2012 OSU recruiting class!
You have Seumalo listed with “the rest”? Many are calling him the best offensive lineman on the west coast and a 5-star before all is said and done…
I say he’s second tier at best, and I put him in “the rest” because i just haven’t seen enough tape of o-line work. I have seen his DT work, and he is probably the best DT I’ve seen in a long time. He’s highly athletic and has great size. So I could be underestimating his o-line work as well. But I go more on what the opposing coaches chatter about during the season and after. And Seumalo just can’t be contained as a DT. Nobody in Oregon can touch him as an OG, but I’ve spent some bored weekends watching all the players I listed and reading their hype from all angles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05vrSe1w98Y
Andrews one of the best O lineman on the west coast? I expect a comment like that on the O live board but not here. Cal didn’t even offer him.
And?
What do offers have to do with anything? Max Unger had very few offers coming out of high school, and I don’t think any of the pay sites who suck at rankings both historically and presently had him with more than two stars. But everyone on the West Coast knew who he was and what he would do in college and beyond. Sometimes it’s simply useless to offer a kid. And sometimes one of these kids will still take offers out of some sense of ego. I believe Gavin will be like Unger and just shut it down now. It serves no ego, and it gives him no glory. But he knows what he has to do to gain real accolades in the future.
Ask yourself how many offers Armstead had when he committed to USC versus now. Now ask yourself why he keeps receiving offers. He has said he is solid with USC, but he still keeps getting ink.
That’s what it’s all about. He lends an ear to those who would talk to him if only to say he heard from them. He’s playing a game with anyone new while he remains committed. And that game is pushed by Fink and his drive to win in recruiting (because he really sucks as a head coach in real life). I honestly think this game is what cost Fink one DA Thomas commitment to Nikegon.
Just because Cal didn’t offer doesn’t mean Tedford didn’t want to offer or that there wasn’t legitimate interest from him in Cal’s program. If you look at the top rated recruits on even the pay sites, you will see that not everyone offers everyone. Also remember that this is still early in a recruiting sense. Only those schools who think they had to offer early to get someone made the early offer.
I don’t lightly gush about any high school kid. But I love the hosses, and Gavin is a dude. He will be a star at OSU, and he will play in the NFL if he wants to do so (barring injury). I liked Phillip coming out of high school, but he would have been a second tier player. The last time I loved a player’s game as much as I love Gavin’s was when Cav came on board and totally ripped off Hawai’i by bringing Perry with him.
Let’s put it another way.
I don’t care whom offered what to who. I have been vocal about our staff’s inability to recruit in the past, and I will throw it all aside for this kid’s commitment and signing. He is absolutely an amazing o-lineman who I think will be amazing also in college and in the pros. And the commitments of Wallace and Gilmore enhance (as opposed to just being there) Andrews’ commitment.
I forgot to add Villanueva and Eldrenkamp to previous lists as well. Those kids should be on any lists in the West.
I will put it all aside for this year, but one year does not make a solid program. Previous years have been better than years prior to them. If trends continue, I will be blissfully ignorant by next month.
The Arroyo Grande trio would be very nice. Does anybody have access to or information on camp visits?
The K at AG is also a seriously good talent. Sailer ranks him #3 overall and #1 on the West Coast. I think Garrett Owens only has one offer from Cal Poly though (last I heard).
We were the first to offer Jacobs, but there are many, many more offers going his way. Is it just me, or does Jacobs remind anyone else of Donnell Welch?
AG is possibly a second home for the OSU staff chasing that trio. We are solidly on the board for Jacobs and Vanderveen. Langsdorf and Banker live in both kids’ ears. And I would suspect that Cav is working with both on Weinreich.
All three to one school would be grand theft.
We offered a K/P from Michigan. Kid is talented no doubt, but someone tell me how we found this kid.
Kenny Allen
We’re obviously in need of a full time P, and Chris Sailer is usually the place to go for kickers and punters. Allen is one of the top rated P’s in the nation. That he can kick very well is just a bonus (I think Sailer rates him as the #12 PK in the nation). Our staff is starting to do things right, so finding a P and actually offering a full ship goes along with finding and signing Romaine. No more walk-on hopefuls to fill out those positions. We’re expecting kids to come in and contribute on a high level from day one.
Now, I understand that this is an early assessment, and or opinion. However, It appears to me that Brent Brennan and Chris Brasfield are making some headway on the recruiting trail so far! Especially after the 4 verbal commitments that they have now! Finally, OSU received an OT recruit in OT Gavin Andrews, he’s 6’5 280 or 6’6 290 pounds (depending on which website you look at), (for those who like stars) 3 star, not bad! Greg Newhouse just wasn’t getting it done recruiting wise the last few years. Losing Reggie Davis to the NFL, 49ers was a loss. But the Brennan/Brasfield combination, and the shuffling among the coaching staff, at this point look like a change for the better. I was able to attend one spring practice and I really liked what I saw from both Brennan and Brasfield. Brent Brennan is very intense and competitive in a positive way, the WR’s really responded well to him. He also has a few unorthodox coaching methods, example: “the Q-tip”. Chis Brasfield knows how to get through to his players. The players that needed a kick in the rear, he’d give it to them, to the players who needed the positive reinforcement he would tell them. But he is a perfectionist, if they didn’t get things right, especially technique wise, they would repeat drills/plays until they did. But, the RB’s responded well to him as well. Both really know how to coach, they were really positive, yet, constantly telling their players how to get better/improve. Brent Brennan would also help coach up the DB’s covering the WR’s, which I thought was really neat! The youthfulness of the two is refreshing to the program, practices were more upbeat, more lively than they were in the past. 17 and 18 year old kids are really going to like these two by being able to relate to them and they will enjoy playing for them.
Have you guys seen this Beaver/Duck fight on o-live?
http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2011/06/2011-12_college_football_bowl/2557/comments-7.html
I just wound up posting a couple comments…those fans on both sides are really embarrassing. Also, check out my last comment: I’m basically not longer jealous of the Ducks! I went from 100% jealousy down to about 5% now. Feels pretty good. Thanks pay for play!
Anyone know the extent of Gavin Andrews’ injury? This is from the Cal board: “…He’s not even healthy enough to take camp reps unless he was finally able to this weekend….”
torn meniscus is all I’ve heard. I haven’t read that it will even interrupt his senior season, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on.
Torn meniscus during the wrestling season. He’ll be fully healed in a couple weeks.
Sometimes you just have to come out and say it. UNIVERSE, I want Vanderveen as an Oregon State Beaver. I think he will be a good one and the Pac-12 as it continues to rise and with its maximum exposure is where he can best showcase his stuff. Beat Oregon and you are a household name across the country. If you beat Oregon to get OSU hosting a Pac-12 championship in Corvallis you would be a Pac-12 hero and could bask in the national spotlight. The right quarterback with our very talented stable of wide receivers could get the offense back in high gear. Then you figure Storm Woods and others will get pretty good at running back and you have the makings for a potent offense. Good recruiting in general will pull more defensive talent too so we can start having a tenacious D again as well.
I think Vanderveen will be a Beaver by the end of the week.
Good deal. Check below.
So I was bored, and I decided to read the papers released by Nikegon to O-live. I found something interesting, so I thought I would share it here. This is a copy of my post there a couple minutes ago.
____
@sweetdigs,
“Any evidence that this “national guide” actually existed before the investigation??”
That’s a good question. I’ve always wondered about the date of Lyles’ invoice (Feb. 22, 2010) since he prominently displays an URL which was created on March 16, 2010. That same URL is on the front page of the national package provided here.
Another problem arose when I just scrolled to the bottom and scanned back up over the last couple players. I noticed that Jeremiah Williams had a duplicate page. I was laughing that this package only contained 139 players instead of the 140 reported when I thought that maybe I recognized that name. It turns out that Jeremiah Williams will be a junior at EKU in 2011. He graduated from high school in 2009.
So I scrolled up a little more and saw the name Steve Williams… the four star CB who signed with Cal in 2009.
Above him is Steve’s teammate from Skyline HS, RB James White who signed with Iowa State in 2009.
So I went back to the first player, Tyler Williamson of Cypress Woods. Yep, he’s a 2009 grad.
I don’t know why the reporters haven’t latched onto this one yet, but there’s going to be a mighty roar about this one. Apparently Lyles’ “2011 National Package” is full of 2009 players, and the Nikegon Ducks spent $25k for it before they read it very carefully then released it for public consumption.
I imagine that booklet was the work Lyles did for ESS. I think Fishbein might have some questions about proprietary rights. So to answer your question, yes, this “national guide” existed two years before the invoice and three years before the investigation.
Hoo boy!
Are you saying Lyles sold Oregon a package from 2009, and therefore the entire “package” is a front? That’s how I’m interpreting it…
Aaron Fentress picked up on my comment:
http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2011/06/oregon_football_player_profile.html
____
A national recruiting package purchased by Oregon in February 2010 that included the player profiles for 140 players with the heading “Player Profile 2011” is made up of virtually all 2009 high school graduates.
Further, although the service was billed as a “national package,” the vast majority of the players are from Texas. Forty of those profiled are from Houston. Of the five from outside Texas, two were from South Carolina, and one each from California, Oklahoma and Louisiana.
UO purchased the package from Willie J. Lyles’ Houston-based Complete Scouting Services for $25,000.
Amid the documents released by Oregon related to the football scouting services inquiry were 140 recruiting profiles of high school players under the heading “2010 National High School Evaluation Booklet.” Above each individual profile, however, reads “Player Profile 2011.” The related invoice cites the “2011 National Package.”
A search of all the players listed revealed that virtually all graduated from high school in 2009 with a few graduating in 2010 or 2008.
____
Oops!
Oregonian once again ripping off angrybeavs. ;)
Way to break the case, Woodstein.
Now that I think back on it, I should have broken the story myself instead of handing it off to the Groanian with my comment.
This is turning into the dominant story in the national news cycle, and it has yet to reach even half saturation. The Midwest and Eastern Seaboard news services are just picking it up now.
But then Nikegon fans would probably be all over us, complaining about an OSU blog making up stories… as if their denial will subside any time soon.
In the end, it WAS the Groanian’s work that brought the package to light. I was just the first person to actually read it and comment on what I saw.
I’d be pissed that they didn’t give credit.
If I’m looking for professional advancement or awards of some kind, maybe. If I was a professional in that business, then out of habit I probably would have taken the ball and run.
But they would have figured it out eventually. I can’t really be retro-actively upset as some blogger dude who cared enough to actually read the material presented… and actually knew what I was looking at.
Why would one purchase a package of 2009 players in 2011? More importantly, how is the University of Oregon going to answer that question?
This stinky mess is making me smile.
“We were duped”–Chip Kelly
Trust me, it’s his only card.
And it might work.
According to Kendall Rogers, Pat Casey entertaining the Fullerton job…
Why would he leave, further how bad would that be for our athletic department? I hardly see Fullerton as a lateral move at best. He prob just wants a raise from us.
That’s a good sign for OSU, as long as Casey stays I’m Corvallis. The best in any industry interview for other jobs. That’s one way you know they’re the best.
If that scouting report is the best they could do to cover up a shady payment, I’m shocked. They can’t be that stupid, can they? They had the perfect cover for the payment – just backfill with some relevant garbage, then at least you could say that the service sucked. Producing a document with blatantly outdated and obsolete data is ridiculous. If you’re going to cheat, for crying out loud, at least do it well.
It’s just mind-boggling. SI has picked it up.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/06/20/oregon.recruiting/index.html#ixzz1PswSMITC
It should make it into the news cycle by tomorrow. This is so cool. I get bored, and my boredom becomes a news cycle item within a day.
I’m sure someone would have noticed eventually. I think they just might try the “sample” idea Staples proposes. But they better follow it up with thousands of pages on recruits in 22 states. The NCAA has made it very clear that video cannot be purchased. So scouting sheets had better be forthcoming tomorrow.
I personally think they cheated and thought nobody would know any better once they passed off this fake package. But right now I’m guessing the Casanova Center is ablaze with AD staff, coaches and interns cutting and pasting, cutting and pasting, cutting and pasting….
NBC:
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/20/reports-oregon-paid-25k-for-contained-no-11-recruits/related
CBS:
http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/30161157
Ted Miller:
http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/22530/did-oregon-get-its-moneys-worth-from-lyles
SB Nation (one of many):
http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2011/6/20/2234447/did-oregon-buy-a-bridge-or-a-running-back
There will be many more by morning.
I am shocked at the lackadaisical reaction of Nikegon fans. If this was the Beavs, I would be writing blog posts to decry my school’s AD. Hell, I would register a new blog to track the whole thing. I would find every news outlet who reported on the story, and I would comment very sternly against OSU. Then I would find the rest of the news outlets and do the same.
I don’t think the gravity of this situation has sunk in for them. They really needed to stave off the perception that they paid Lyles for players. They needed for this package to contain SOMETHING of value. They can explain away overpricing. They can’t explain this.
Here’s the best follow-up to date. It pretty clearly spells out the reason this is a REALLY big story.
http://eye-on-collegefootball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/30167997
Yeah, I’ve been reading each one. That one is a nice technical breakdown of the specific bylaws. I like this article a lot: http://www.nationalfootballauthority.com/2011/06/world-of-bax-oregon-ducks-caught-with.html
It gives a nice summary and highlights the key point that Chip Kelly is already on the record with the NCAA, and if the information released yesterday doesn’t match what he’s already said…
I wonder why people are letting Nikegon off the hook for the “video is lost in our database” excuse. I mean, they’re not out of a sense of cynicism. But there are about three ways to run filters for such files, and there’s going to be a watermark on the video itself. On top of that, the files would have been uploaded within a certain date range. Timestamps would easily tell anyone with scant computer savvy what content was loaded when. Since they received “great content”, and the price suggests that “great” means A LOT more on each player than was dumped on us yesterday plus A LOT of video cut-ups produced by Lyles himself, there should be large numbers of files uploaded at the same time.
What an absolute mess.
If there’s not a watermark, there will at least be a copyright screen. If it’s produced, packaged and sold for a premium, I think I would have my lawyer protect my livelihood.
Nikegon is Ducked… with a capital F.
Also, there’s another easy way to find the videos: since these videos were worth $25,000, they’re clearly not the free and/or $10 videos we see on youtube, rivals, espn, or scout. So, Oregon: find every video in your database, and see if it’s on any of those services. If it’s not, then Willie gave it to you. Can’t wait to hear how many they find using that method!
You mean eliminate all videos which do have production credit, a watermark or copyright pages and see what’s left?
I think the NCAA will take the time to hire some techie intern for that two days’ work in their upcoming investigation.
Ducked, I say.
Well, ESPN and Rivals use the same footage, which is often available on Youtube for free. Rivals watermarks theirs (and charges $10 per month to view video, which is pretty slimy behavior). However, I’ve never seen Youtube or ESPN use watermarks. Basically, the footage would have to be stuff the general public can’t find for $10. If it’s not, then they’re lying. If it is, then they overpaid and can play the “we’re are idiots who got duped” excuse.
Finding the videos requires simple deductive logic that any university in the world should be able to figure out.
To be fair, most of the Oregon fans have only been following their team for about 6-8 months.
I agree with you though. I’d be pretty pissed off if this was OS.
I think we all kind of understood that it got “quiet, too quiet.” when the Lyles story first broke. It will be an interesting season opener against LSU if there is any truth to the rumors that Lyles was a street agent for former LSU CB Peterson. Be ironic if both schools suffered some NCAA penalties, and had an opening season game in Texas….
This seems like justice, and a case of “the truth will out,” but we’ll soon have to return to one of this site’s intents: don’t focus on what’s wrong with the opponents, focus on what needs to happen to make OSU sports better. Hope OSU’s recent recruiting progress continues…
Now if only this stuff came out a few years sooner. With the string of 2nd runner up finishes the Beavs had for a while, they might be the de facto Rose Bowl contender with the Ducks and Trojans being ineligible for Bowl games.
It could help the Beavs in state possibly, and the hardy har-har factor is nice. But the Pac not keeping it’s nose clean is going to hurt everyone out here I think. The east cost will eat this stuff alive. The little respect the West got from them will be even more diminished because the few props they gave these teams will be ‘due to cheating’. It’s amazing…the NCAA goes the way of the country in moral and ethical values…no price to high, no road to low to get the brass ring (that was made in China).
http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12
Ted Miller struggling to come up with a couple positives for the Beavs…haha. I think he did a good job, though. LBs should be good, and Katz should improve. I’d put the WRs or safeties ahead of Katz, though.
Done deal, Vanderveen commits to OSU.
http://oregonstate.scout.com/a.z?s=182&p=9&c=8&yr=2012
Add video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndidRN3UDVc
Scout only gave him 2 stars?? He should at least be a 3-star.
I agree. yahoo/rivals or whatever has him as 3 star and ESPN has him rated a 72.
Speaking of QB recruits, here’s the video of oregon’s QB recruit, Jake Rodrigues, 4 star on scout, 3 star on rivals, 80 on ESPN…
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/200016/jake-rodrigues
I’m curious what people think about the 2 in comparison?
My thoughts are that Oregon isn’t going to have a football program by the time Mr. Rodrigues cashes the check.
All kidding aside, he looks to have good leadership/command of the offense and looks thick/balanced/hard to bring down. Our guy looks a bit more unsure back there, but appears faster (long, quick strides ala Colin Kaepernick) and appears to be a better passer. Both seem built for the offensive systems they’ve chosen.
Rodrigues is very good. He’s probably the best recruit they’ve had at that position since Joey. He has better intangibles and better presence that does Vanderveer at this time, but he’s also headed somewhere which forces people to wonder in four or five years if he’s going to try to play safety at the next level.
I think the arbitrary star ranking sites just give default ratings for players who get offers but they have yet to “evaluate” themselves. He should be given an initial rating of high 3-star and settle in the 4-star range pretty easily.
Now I would really like to hear that Weinreich and Jacobs want to play with their QB in college. Those two, Caleb Smith, Darius Powe or Kenny Lawler, Isaac Seumalo, Grant Bays and I would really like teammates Johnny Johnson and Chris Brown from Fresno.
Am I asking too much?
I wouldn’t mind at this point if we offered a flier to Fernando Villanueva also. It looks like schools are shying away due to grades, but he’s a good enough talent (and we have a great class so far) for OSU to pull a “will he qualify?” commit from him. Hell, we do it in years when we’re not high on all our commits. Why not now?
Speaking of “will he qualify?” commits, has anyone heard anything about Thomas Molesi?
Hope he doesn’t get the shackles like it seems the mobile QB’s have been given lately. Scrambling is great, but if the kid can run, use it. Lyle didn’t (or wasn’t allowed), and Katz seems to not have too many designed runs.
Stamps and Berberet both signed contracts.
Berberet was a senior, so that’s no big deal. Bummer about Stamps.
Yeah, bummer about Stamps. My own selfish take is that he could have greatly benefited from another year of college ball.
Yeah. I was surprised to see him go. His speed is incredible (how many sac bunts and grounders did he turn into base hits?) but he really would have benefitted from another year in the cage. Probably could have improved his position by ten or more rounds by waiting.
Cal about to send TxA&M home…maybe they could split the Charter with UT…
Texas schools gone.
per Cliff tweet
QB Brent Vanderveen from Arroyo Grande, Calif., committed the Oregon State, according to Rivals.com. He’s the No. 9 dual-threat QB in class.
Vanderveen might take some other visits, so classify him as a soft commit at this point.
Dope if he stays firm in his commitment and gets to work on his AG teammates!
I simply won’t be surprised when scouting services rate Vanderveen higher than he currently is. Still has a Senior year to make waves.
Good to see Storm Woods and Agnew will both be on Campus in two weeks. Need one of them to take over at RB. Unsure we have a legit P-12 RB on the current roster.
I thought Ward was looking solid… at least I thought that was the report I heard.
People do say that. A lot of people on this site like him, too.
I like him as a backup or 3rd down back…maybe 3 carries per game. I don’t see him being a starting back or workhorse. I like Woods…
Out of the guys on the current roster, I’d begrudgingly give the ball to Stevenson. He isn’t great at anything, but he’s adequate at everything.
Riley is going to start Jordan Jenkins if he’s healthy. Great news that Woods will be here soon.
I have absolutely no problem with a RBBC if it comes to that. So long as everyone brings hard-nosed running and an ability to block and receive in the passing game, Let them all play. When you start specializing RB’s by guaranteeing a pass when one’s in and guaranteeing the dive when another is in, you lose any advantage coaching brings to the table. Those specializations are for the NFL where parity makes scheme less important and teamwork and discipline penultimate.
Of course, if we get the big hosses together and keep adding them year after year, then we can just shove the ball down people’s throats without caring what they scheme against or that they know what’s coming.
The reason Ward is getting favorable reviews is because he does everything well. He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s quick and powerful, and he has discipline in the passing game. In a perfect world, he would be the third down back for a year or two, and he would take the primary role later. If anyone coming in or on the roster beats him out as at least the third down back, then I won’t mind if it’s truly deserved (not just granted via seniority).
great thread the past couple days, thanks to all who have contributed
Update on the Ducks: http://www2.registerguard.com/cms/index.php/duck-football/comments/oregon-releases-more-recruiting-documents-from-willie-lyles/
Anyone else think they’re now forging documents? lol
I hope they realize forensics can prove that.
So instead of signing their docs with an X, they’re now using a ‘Swoosh’?
They know about forensics, that’s why they had someone come in and professionally clean all their computers… with bleach.
Speaking of the Ducks and their newly released ‘documents’ I downloaded a couple of the files the Oregonian has on their website, including the two excel files that were released today: redacted-SouthCarolinaProspects and redacted-NorthCarolinaProspects…
You know how you can right click on those files and find out author information and when the document was created? I did that and both files were created by somebody named Michelle Csatari the same day it was emailed to the ‘ucks in February of 2011.
I googled Michelle Csatari. She was the assistant to the head coach at Florida International * edited…sorry, she was there the year previous to the email..she was actually the recruiting coordinator at Dartmouth in February of 2011.
Does that make sense to anyone? Some assistant to a head coach at another university is sending information to the Ducks? Why?
The more they try to cover this up, the more evidence they leave behind. I love that 99% of the baby boomer generation has absolutely no tech savvy.
Coincidentally, this past year she was the recruiting coordinator for the Dartmouth football team.
Dartmouth is in New Hampshire.
Chip Kelly is from New Hampshire.
This is interesting…
Scroll down to the bottom of the list.
http://www.facebook.com/mcsatari?sk=friends&v=friends
Please tell me you’re doing screen captures of all this…
Yeah.
So, a little more sleuthing and I found out that Michelle Csatari and Will Lyles worked together at MSLsports.net in 2008. Hence, they’re friends…
But does that explain why she would create and send these files despite being employed by Dartmouth at the time?
oh by the way, she would leave Dartmouth within 1.5 months to head to her new job.
Here’s her linkedin page: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michelle-csatari/31/25a/259
I’m missing the facebook thing. What’s on it?
She’s friends with Will Lyles.
Since it’s slow in coming to light in the mainstream media, do you think we should fire off some emails and ask some questions?
Duckileaks that shit!
haha
angry, are you doing anything on this? I already have a draft and contacts worked up for Dartmouth football.
See the first post on the main site.
If you want to work on it together email me.
Thanks.
Where the hell is the NCAA in all this? Shouldn’t they be the ones reading all these documents twice over? If it wasn’t for some very astute people on this site there would nothing of this. The Ducks probably thought, and rightfully so, that the NCAA would peruse the bullshit documents, see nothing wrong with them, and carry on. They failed to realize that simple google searches and the right button on a mouse can expose shoddy cover-ups. Good work guys.
Why visitors still use to read news papers when in this technological globe the whole thing is existing on net?