I can't think of any precedent for this, but what if Riley asks Isaac Seumalo to play DT for one season, then move to OG (where everyone feels he's an NFL prospect) for his final three seasons? They could spend the spring/summer of his sophomore year making the transition. In the meantime, it would buy time to recruit DTs and build up the ones on the roster.
This class would actually be great (one of the best in OSU history) if Seumalo and Josh Mitchell convert to DT. Still need one JC DT in tha scenario.
Anyway, a creative solution that I figured I'd throw out there given the circumstances.
Btw, http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2011/12/canzano_at_espn_money_talks_jo.html
Remember the “is college football in decline?” post last year?
http://angrybeavs.com/football/4412
People will argue that the Pac-12’s TV deal is exciting. You know what is exciting? Two teams on a level playing field going at it for bragging rights and the love of the game. ESPN takes us further away from that each year, and more into the realm of scripted football…”reality” TV…
Then there’s this: Joe Nocera in the NY Times – http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/31/opinion/nocera-the-college-sports-cartel.html
Can’t say as I blame the kids for wanting a piece of the action. After all it’s their butts that are on the line.
Considering his age, weight, strength, etc. I’m not sure OSU would be doing the kid a favor by putting him in as a DT in his first year of college ball.
He’s 6’3/280, the #3 OL prospect in the nation, and all accounts a dominating player ready to start as a freshman. Sure, I am assuming all that is true in my premise.
You’re saying he can’t add 10-20 lbs and dominate on defense? He’s reportedly almost as good at DT (at the HS level)…
“…You’re saying he can’t add 10-20 lbs and dominate on defense?…”
No. But I did say “…I’m not sure…”
I’m thinking if a freshman is playing against guys who’ve had up to 5 years of training at the college level then no matter what his skill level he’s going to be in for a tough time. Maybe even get injured because of it. For example, is he 280lbs of muscle and fat OR fat and muscle? I used to work with a lady who’s husband was trying to make it as a lineman for the Raiders. One time she told me that compared to the regulars on the team her husband looked like a lot of his weight was nothing more than baby fat instead of muscle. Since Isaac’s dad is a coach perhaps the strength issue is a moot point.
I thought the ideal situation was to have the linemen take a redshirt so that they had time to grow and develop. For his sake I hope he doesn’t get thrown into a situation where he shouldn’t be.
So even though he’s a dominating player and rated very highly he’s going to be going up against guys who were as highly rated and they’re further down the road w.r.t. strength, conditioning, maturity, game experience, etc. and thus the reason for my concern.
I hear what you are saying Angry but isn’t this robbing from Peter to pay Paul? Only at Oregon State with our coaches being who they are do we need to imagine taking a for sure star at a position and move him because of the thumb up the butt practices concerning recruiting.
I think it all depends just how good the other OL recruits are. If we have one that is good enough to play right away then that would help. There isn’t another position that requires more of an upgrade then the OL, although the DL is a close second. I like the idea, but I would need to see what our OL would look like. Sure we have some experience coming back, but the ability to stay healthy and the actual level of play is a concern. I see it as a gamble, one that could work if we have some recruit(s) that could play right away. If Isaac can come in play right away at OG I see that as a major upgrade and a much better OL with added depth.
However, I feel you should try to build your team around defense, if your defense is strong enough it can keep you in games, while the offense does just enough to win the game. I would much rather have a shut down defense then rely on the offense to steamroll opponents. So as you can see I am conflicted.
Weinrich, (Gavin) Andrews, and Bays are all 280+ already. Bays is the #9 Center. Weinrich the #38 guard.
Michael Philipp should return healthy, too.
Say the line is Enger (should be a tackle), Josh Andrews, Grant Bays/Roman Sapulo, Michael Phillip, Colin Kelly.
Other than Kelly, that’s a good line.
So, if your argument is to move Phillip to tackle and Seumalo at guard…yeah, that is great. But, my question is this: would you rather have a great OL and bad DT situation or a good OL and a good DT situation?
I realize a lot of this is “in theory” since the guy hasn’t suited up yet.
would you rather have a great OL and bad DT situation or a good OL and a good DT situation?
That’s a tough question I keep going back and forth on. Some of me says that if you can be great at something then do it, and then maybe other positions (back 7) can help mask the bad?
Could you see a line of Kelly (OT), Seumalo (OG), Andrews (C), Phillipp (OG), and Daryl Jackson (OT)?
If not Jackson then Phillip at Tackle with Bays or Garner at center?
I know there was talk of Andrews being a Center but they moved him to Guard, because he couldn’t handle the line callls as a roookie. I don’t know anything about Jackson so I don’t know if he is viable but he was highly anticipated when he signed last season.
PS. Sark fires his entire defensive staff after making the Alamo Bowl. The guy is making an example and setting standards. If I’m a Husky, I love it.
Yep,giving up 777 yards in a bowl game loss is a little rough.
http://www.oregonlive.com/pac-12/index.ssf/2011/12/washington_huskies_fire_nick_holt_2_other_defensiv.html
Just read on ESPN that the Beavs received verbal commitments from two DBs from Louisiana. I was excited at first but then I read where one of them has already made 3 early commitments. Looks like this guy is only in the fold after the LOI is signed. I am a bit underwhelmed by the schools that were recruiting these guys. Hope Riley is not going after guys who were down on his list because the top guys are going elsewhere. Time will tell.
“Noland told Rivals.com that they are both solid commits and don’t plan on taking any other visits”.
http://cliffkirkpatrick.mvourtown.com/2011/12/30/two-southern-recruits-commit/
I like the fact that these are guys Mitch spotted first. That bodes well.
SOT-
How retarded is it that the Pac12 is partnering up with the Big10 for nonconference games but keeping 9 conference games?
http://cliffkirkpatrick.mvourtown.com/2011/12/28/pac-12-vs-big-10/
Cliff surprised me with his comment:
“That linked story mentioned the Pac-12 would stay at nine, admitting it would be tougher to get to the title game, but said it was worth it, meaning more money.
Winning titles are not important, just making money. That’s the new mantra of college sports.”
I like the annual game with a Big-10 school. We have suffered through crappy non-conference games for years and will get our first big name school (Wisconsin) coming next year. One only need look to the Ducks to see that their past games with the Big-10 generated more revenue and fan interest than the Sac States. We need to jump on this and take advantage so that we can begin to close the gap with the Ducks!
No I’m fine with playing the Big10 games.
My problem is with sticking with the 9 game conference schedule. I say screw the cali teams that think they need to play each other every year,and go with an 8 game conference schedule.
I think the only way that we get at least one LA school on the schedule is to stay with 9 games since Colorado made their admission to the league conditional on being in the south and playing both LA schools every year. I don’t know how many years are needed to honor that condition but without playing at least one LA school it will be much harder to recruit in California.
Riley commented way back when he wants to play Cali schools for recruiting purposes… besides, it is my only chance to see them lose in person with a fake 1 second left on the clock.
Good one.
Are you concerned at all that Noland had no major schools other than OSU offer him? Is Riley settling for what he can get? It appears that we are losing ground every year in the recruiting race. Is Banker really doing the job?
I’m just glad that they’re both 3* guys that don’t look like 5 year project neat stories.
Good “neat ” reference.
I will say the last group of recruits from LA weren’t highly recruited either. Dennis Christopher wasn’t a standout but contributed on special teams and in the LB rotation. I think he was a 2 star recruit. Keenan Lewis I think was a 2star recruit. He started after a redshirt I think, and played most of his four years. He was a little bit of project, but very solid by his senior year, much like he has been in the pros, going through growing pains and then becoming a solid contributor. The third from that class was Mike Wallace who I think was a 3star with lighting speed, he ultimately backed out of committ when his High School coach got a gig with Ole Miss and played there and now is a complete stud with the Pittsburgh Steelers. So even though they are “only” with a few quality offers I like that they are from LA. Louisana is such a fertile recruiting area, much like Texas, lower rated star athletes can tend to be an upgrade to the level out in the West (see James Rodgers). So although they may not be ready to starters at their positions, I would argue that their football knowledge is good enough for them to be high contributors on the field. I like the committs. Nothings assured obviously, but I like their potential, and like Angry has said DB’s are one of the hardest positions to recruit after DL’s. Maybe why some schools were scared away from offering was their desire to play with each other, and I like it from the fact that they both will be out here with somebody they know making the transition easire hopefully.
and hey if this program is going to take a chance on a players I would much rather see them take a chance this way to fill up the class, then offer some undersized track star with little football experience from BC (Kenyan Parker)…
Wallace was a verbal at one time? The Kellen Moore story was bad enough.
We have a lot of db’s lined up. Perhaps we will start using an extra safety vs a lb
to get more speed on the field?
Yeah, Wallace was a verbal with Lewis.
Suh had OSU in the lead for some time, too. Beavs have had some tough breaks.
The laid back cool guy routine will get you only so far when recruiting against guys like Pellini. They’re gonna land their guy 99 out of 100 vs a limpdick like Riley.
That was Bill Callahan who got Suh originally.
Yup, that’s why losing Suh hurt even worse, but he really liked Callahan for some unknown reason. Beavs almost got him a second time because he had serious doubts about playing for Pellini, but as we all know that worked out pretty well for him.
Salt, meet wound. Wallace is WAY faster than the vast majority of the NFL. Would he have been in the 07 or 08 graduating class?
Tough breaks or failure to “close”???
I sometimes think MR’s golly gee approach doesn’t “fight” for these kids and just lets them go, but I have no first hand knowledge of this, pure speculation.
That was my point.
Callahan, Pellini, Kelly, Leach…pick one,they all win the recruiting battle vs.Golly-gee 99/100.
You might find a kid here and there that likes the laid back,” let me make my own decision” schtick but for the most part they’re gonna respond better to the confident,commanding presence.
Yeah, agreed, it is a failure to close. Once and a while a recruit likes the no pressure approach, but it’s rare. It’s like a guy picking up a girl by pretending to be “just friends”…most girls want a guy to take over.
THAT’S what I been doing wrong! Wow this sight is so informative, it even helps with recruiting females.
Lewis and Christopher were in my ’05 media guide as redshirt Freshmen so they came in the ’04 class. Which I think was a pretty good class. Yeah, Wallace was a definet coup, too bad he didn’t follow his bro’s to Corvallis. Point is even though they might not be highly recruited they come from the South and most of them boys have different skill sets than we see around here. They are raised on football. I am not saying these two will be NFL players, but I wouldn’t bag on them for the teams that offered. I think Brice actually had an Ole Miss offer if I remember seeing something on Rivals saying he had received his first SEC offer.
I think this is a reasonable suggestion Angry, given the number of inocming offensive lineman. But I don’t see OSU doing it, it goes back to your “chess” analogy and non-strategic use of players. Also, given the amount of time Seumalo has reportedly spent watching the offensive line, I don’t expect he’s that interested in moving to the defensive side.
Seumalo and Mitchell at DT, Wynn at MLB, Gwacham at TE…RB’s used in rotation, led by Chris Brown…an offenset that plays with urgency, sometimes going no huddle…only the RB rotation seems likely.
As I posted on another thread, I like the two new commitments because of the way the SE takes their football, OSU can benefit from that kind of attitude to help balance out the kids and coach that are “just happy to be here.” Both seem to tackle well and have experience against option offenses.
The downside is one seems pretty fickle, OSU being his third commitment. You have to wonder if a kid like that can move across the country and stick it out even if he doesn’t change his schools before signing.
How many scholarships are left now, and who are the Beavs targeting besides the obvious ‘med interest” guys on Scout/Rivals?
I think we will take 5 more. We have a really good shot with Kenny Lawler, who is also a 4-star and in the Rivals 250.