Class of 2015 CB Gerald Robinson (FL) Verbal to FAU

[SUFan44]

Other than the completely obvious answer that has already been implied, could someone please state one logical reason why zero members of the Syracuse coaching staff had contacted him since September? I did not see him post any of the photoshops that the other recruits were posting... why is that? What the heck happened? Is he not good enough? He is qualified by his own admission and is ready to enroll in January... I'm just at a loss for words with this.

 

[Bambrewer]

Other than the completely obvious answer that has already been implied, could someone please state one logical reason why zero members of the Syracuse coaching staff had contacted him since September? I did not see him post any of the photoshops that the other recruits were posting... why is that? What the heck happened? Is he not good enough? He is qualified by his own admission and is ready to enroll in January... I'm just at a loss for words with this.

He has posted photo shops the newspaper one was the last he posted. Shy hasn't posted the last 3 he got either... He doesn't like the way he looks in the picture they have used. Lol.

 

[timkay99]

If what he says is true, no contact since September. Explain why then...

Maybe someone dropped the ball, but i'm not buying that. The commits have been bombarded with letters, calls and the magazine edits continuously. This staff stays on the kids they want.

Robinson was already committed. The staff wanted him. If you don't think that, I don't know what to tell you. He was the best CB/S in this class, IMO.

I have said in an earlier post that I don't think its true.

 

[CuseOnly]

Actually, Ishmael is Exhibit A, and Estime, Edouard, Cordy and Dowels are Exhibit B. Exhibits C,D - ? are Grimes, Robinson, and probably Spence and whoever else decommits from Florida this cycle.

Its evident to me that those that attacked his ability to recruit either don't follow recruiting, don't understand the dynamics of recruiting in Florida or they are so blinded by their dislike for MCD that they were willing to disparage him no matter the evidence to the contrary.

He was one of the best recruiters on the staff and our biggest player in Florida. Losing him and his roots in that state will never be measurable because of such a short tenure here but, without a doubt in my mind, its gonna hurt us short-term and that will continue to be felt.

We were getting 3 star recruits from FL since forever, are these 3 star recruits more special than the 3 stare recruits of he past?? We will continue to get 3 star recruits from FL long after McF*** It leaves.

Good riddance. Next recruiter that can get 3 star recruits from FL will be on the clock after this clown leaves.

 

[Louie and Bouie]

In think half the board wonders who are all the big time blue chippers he's brought in. Steve Ishmael is that kid but little else. Certainly not enough to warrant big time recruiter title. Maybe given more time but I see other guys make bigger impacts at other schools of similar stature.

Hell Acosta has made as big if not bigger impact on the same staff

In think half the board wonders who are all the big time blue chippers he's brought in. Steve Ishmael is that kid but little else. Certainly not enough to warrant big time recruiter title. Maybe given more time but I see other guys make bigger impacts at other schools of similar stature.

Hell Acosta has made as big if not bigger impact on the same staff

He had one full class and the guys in 2015. Your judging the talent he brought in. We've only seen 2 guys he recruited get minutes. Estime who won our bowl game last year and Ishmael who is our best offensive player in his true frosh. year. Dowels will play here and Hudson and Cordy too. Robinson was loved by all prior to the decommitment. Grimes was likely to get a post-season rating bump too. We weren't recruiting Florida like this over the past 10-12 years. Do your research. Don't cherry pick an unrated Eskridge, Desir (who has played more on necessity than talent), Hodge, and Whigham (not sure thats a good example of something that worked out). We haven't recruited well in Florida in the past decade in numbers or talent. That's a fact.

Look past your feelings about McDonald

 

[Louie and Bouie]

You make it sound like those kids are some superstars. We were getting that type of South Florida talent before McDonald took over.

No we weren't. Check the commit list over the past 10 years. This was the best cluster of Florida talent we have gotten in the last decade. And if your into stars this years Florida class was the best in the past 10-12 years.

You may disagree but the data don't lie. MCD for all his flaws was a great recruiter and if it had worked out differently he could have been a huge asset to the talent level. I've seen the talent flowin northward for the past decade and it has been under/off the radar guys for the most part and not many of them at that. Because a few worked out over 10 years is a false analysis.

For all his other flaws, real and imagined, losing MCD as a recruiter hurts and if HCSS doesn't figure out a fix for that area it's not a positive step for the program.

That's my take on it.

 

[Louie and Bouie]

Now it looks like it might have been a 2 for 1 swap for Crawford and Hale. Head spinning. Crossed fingers.

 

[BKCuse]

IMO it looks like the staff has decided it can recruit over him so they iced him out in the hopes he'll decommit, which he did.

its the shxtty part of college football but it happens everywhere - Miami did it to Alin

If the staff wants you they stay on you

But this is what happens when you accept 20 commits in the spring

 

[cuseman404]

Now it looks like it might have been a 2 for 1 swap for Crawford and Hale. Head spinning. Crossed fingers.

What do you mean?

 

[bnoro]

IMO it looks like the staff has decided it can recruit over him so they iced him out in the hopes he'll decommit, which he did.

its the shxtty part of college football but it happens everywhere - Miami did it to Alin

If the staff wants you they stay on you

But this is what happens when you accept 20 commits in the spring

Not a chance. He's the best CB we had committed at this point, excellent tape and good numbers this fall.

 

[Chip]

Not a chance. He's the best CB we had committed at this point, excellent tape and good numbers this fall.

So where I'm confused is who should be keeping up with our recruits. Isn't Eric White involved in that process?

Seems like framing this as McDonald is checked out is just too simple. Someone should have been on top of that, knowing it was a risk the very moment you demoted an OC midseason who was mostly brought in for his recruiting ability.

 

[CuseLegacy]

So where I'm confused is who should be keeping up with our recruits. Isn't Eric White involved in that process?

Seems like framing this as McDonald is checked out is just too simple. Someone should have been on top of that, knowing it was a risk the very moment you demoted an OC midseason who was mostly brought in for his recruiting ability.

Isn't it the position coach that is suppose to keep up with these commits? Robinson mentioned Coach Reed in the Fizz interview.

 

[SUFan44]

It's one of 4 things and I have no idea what the answer is.

1. Intentional
2. Disorganized
3. The kid isn't really being truthful about our contact
4. Our level of contact is normal, and consistent with other players of his talent, the kid is just more high maintenance than most of our recruits

I'll go with 2 or 4. Kid has no reason to lie. Does he? Unless it's 1.

 

[orangeinohio]

It's one of 4 things and I have no idea what the answer is.

1. Intentional
2. Disorganized
3. The kid isn't really being truthful about our contact
4. Our level of contact is normal, and consistent with other players of his talent, the kid is just more high maintenance than most of our recruits

Just my two cents on a couple of these -

2. Disorganized
It's entirely possibly that, with all the coaching turmoil, this played a part.
It just seems that it's Eric White's job is to ensure this doesn't get disorganized, not the coaches' job.
White can't really tell them to call recruits but he should be the one coordinating and ensuring recruits are in contact, whether that means coaches calling or him calling.

4. Our level of contact is normal and consistent with other players of his talent
If this is really some of the coaches' SOP for keeping in contact with recruits in a season where the team will be lucky to be 6-6, all I can say is no wonder.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Just my two cents on a couple of these -

2. Disorganized
It's entirely possibly that, with all the coaching turmoil, this played a part.
It just seems that it's Eric White's job is to ensure this doesn't get disorganized, not McDonald's or Lester's.
He's not McDonald's or Lester's boss so he can't tell them to call recruits but he should be the one coordinating and ensuring recruits are in contact, whether that means coaches calling or him calling.

4. Our level of contact is normal and consistent with other players of his talent
If this is really some of the coaches' SOP for keeping in contact with recruits in a season where the team will be lucky to be 6-6, all I can say is no wonder.

He's not an Offensive recruit.

 

[orangeinohio]

He's not an Offensive recruit.

brain fart. i had McDonald and Lester on my mind.

Still it seems like Eric White would be on top of contacting recruits.

 

[dollarbill44]

I'll go with 2 or 4. Kid has no reason to lie. Does he? Unless it's 1.

You just covered all 4.:noidea:

 

[HeaterCuse22]

This board is funny.

 

[PhatOrange]

I'll go with choice #1 (with #4 coming in second). Because while we've kept in close contact with EVERYBODY including Doyle Grimes, we forgot to keep in touch with Robinson? Hardly.

 

[Chip]

I'll go with 2 or 4. Kid has no reason to lie. Does he? Unless it's 1.

Maybe not an intentional lie, but 'misremembering', perhaps as trying to give some kind of reason or justification for his change of heart.

Recruiting is a strange business. Two sides to every story, but one side can't really tell their story (or have to carefully dance around it), because it's a violation.

 

[anomander]

He had one full class and the guys in 2015. Your judging the talent he brought in. We've only seen 2 guys he recruited get minutes. Estime who won our bowl game last year and Ishmael who is our best offensive player in his true frosh. year. Dowels will play here and Hudson and Cordy too. Robinson was loved by all prior to the decommitment. Grimes was likely to get a post-season rating bump too. We weren't recruiting Florida like this over the past 10-12 years. Do your research. Don't cherry pick an unrated Eskridge, Desir (who has played more on necessity than talent), Hodge, and Whigham (not sure thats a good example of something that worked out). We haven't recruited well in Florida in the past decade in numbers or talent. That's a fact.

Look past your feelings about McDonald

Talk about cherry picking? Eskridge playing out of necessity? He will be the first Syracuse guy taken in the draft this year. He was a pre-season top 5 safety for underclassmen. Let's see if any of the guys McDonald brought in will do that.

I thought McDonald's Florida haul from last year was solid, but the guys he got this year were the same type of kids, maybe even a step down, that we have always got. And it could be we are bringing in more Florida talent now, is because we are putting more of an emphasis on it.

Not a chance. He's the best CB we had committed at this point, excellent tape and good numbers this fall.

Ya i'm not buying that either. Feels like a whole lot of spin to me.

 

[Louie and Bouie]

The playing out of necessity was in reference to Desir not Eskridge and all four players were from a prior post referencing how well we've done in Florida without McDonald on the staff. Those were the four chosen by that poster, I guess because they've seen the field at Syracuse. I wish I had four full MCD classes of Florida guys to match your one NFL draft pick (Eskridge) we've had out of the State of Florida in the last 10 years.

Onto the matter at hand and that is the continued trumpeting of how well we've done in Florida prior to McDonald, he hasn't upped the talent level and the talent he's getting from Florida is the same talent we've always got, thus, once he's gone things in Florida will continue on status quo. There are many variations of these statements that have been reiterated on this board.

Alert: This isn't the 80's and 90's anymore and the Florida talent/bodies on the roster since 2000 have been few and far between. I don't understand why people continue to say we've been pulling this talent always and no big deal if we lose a S. Fla. recruiter with the ties on the ground that MCD has there. Do you really believe that or are you just being contrarian? I know you follow recruiting and used to be a strong supporter of McDonalds efforts so I don't quite understand.

Let me break it down for you and everyone else that feels our recruiting in Florida has remained static and we always get the guys we've gotten in the 2014 and 2015 classes. Lets go to school. Once again, the numbers don't lie.

In the classes from 2002 until 2012 (11 years of recruiting) we signed 20 players from the State of Florida or 1.8 players per year. Of those 20 players we signed:

3-star - 3 players

2-star - 15 players

Unrated - 2 players

In the 2014 and 2015 classes we have had 13 signed/committed players (prior to Grimes and Robinson decommits) from the State of Florida or 6.5 per year. Of those 13 players signed/committed:

3-star - 11 players

2-star - 2 players

*2013 was not included in the analysis due to changeover in staff. In the interest of full disclosure 2 Florida guys committed prior to the staff change (Provo and Hodge) and 3 Florida guys committed after the staff change (Batten, Estime, Avant).

How anyone can look at the numbers/players and think that MCD hasn't been a huge help in Florida is either blind or just wants to argue for the sake of arguing.

I undersand that MCD has polarized the fanbase but the attempts at cutting into his recruiting prowess in the State of Florida come off as sour grapes and aren't founded in reality. Bottom line is that without a Florida recruiter with roots/contacts in the Florida HS football scene Syracuse University will not recruit well in Florida. That's just how it is my friend. Pretty sure the staff knows this as well. Why the hell does everyone think we've been recruiting the Midwest with the makeup of our staff and now NJ with Acosta? They have proven contacts/credibility/relationship in those areas.

My father always told me to try and not argue facts so I'm done with this debate for now. Although doubtful it will influence the staunches anti-MCD crowd I am hopeful it has educated some as to the last decade of our efforts/failures in State of Florida and how we were on the brink of turning that around.

Go CUSE! Beat Duke!

 

[PhatOrange]

The playing out of necessity was in reference to Desir not Eskridge and all four players were from a prior post referencing how well we've done in Florida without McDonald on the staff. Those were the four chosen by that poster, I guess because they've seen the field at Syracuse. I wish I had four full MCD classes of Florida guys to match your one NFL draft pick (Eskridge) we've had out of the State of Florida in the last 10 years.

I chose them because they're starting this season. Here's our Florida haul since Marrone. Cherry pick away

*Offers are per sct, rvls and newspaper articles

Bryce Hawkes
(O)

Max Beaulieu
(O) Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wake Forest

Jeremi Wilkes
(O) FSU, LVille, Rutgers, Iowa

Beckett Wales
(O) Duke, Iowa, Indiana

Keon Lyn
(O) Northern Illinois

Oliver Vigille
(O) South Florida, UCF

Durrell Eskridge
(O) FSU, Georgia, Purdue, UCF, Cincy, Marshall

Rich Desir
(O) WVU, Texas Tech, Kansas

James Washington
(O) South Carolina, WVU, Illinois, Pitt, Purdue, BC, Duke, Iowa State, Vandy, Michigan State, Cincy

Julian Whigham
(O) Miami, NIU, WMU

Tyler Provo
(O) LVille, BC, UCF, Minnesota, Purdue, Pitt, USF

Marquez Hodge
(O) WVU, Minnesota, Cincy, Marshall, FIU, Western Kentucky (Petrino)

Andre Batten - McDonald
(O) Duke, Kentucky, Minnesota, UConn, Temple, Bowling Green (Kent State FLIP)

Brisley Estime - McDonald
(O) Cincy, Iowa State, NC State, Purdue

Josh Avant - McDonald
(O) LVille, Wake, UCF, Temple, Marshall, FIU, Bowling Green

 

[tep624]

I chose them because they're starting this season. Here's our Florida haul since Marrone. Cherry pick away

*Offers are per sct, rvls and newspaper articles

Bryce Hawkes
(O)

Max Beaulieu
(O) Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wake Forest

Jeremi Wilkes
(O) FSU, LVille, Rutgers, Iowa

Beckett Wales
(O) Duke, Iowa, Indiana

Keon Lyn
(O) Northern Illinois

Oliver Vigille
(O) South Florida, UCF

Durrell Eskridge
(O) FSU, Georgia, Purdue, UCF, Cincy, Marshall

Rich Desir
(O) WVU, Texas Tech, Kansas

James Washington
(O) South Carolina, WVU, Illinois, Pitt, Purdue, BC, Duke, Iowa State, Vandy, Michigan State, Cincy

Julian Whigham
(O) Miami, NIU, WMU

Tyler Provo
(O) LVille, BC, UCF, Minnesota, Purdue, Pitt, USF

Marquez Hodge
(O) WVU, Minnesota, Cincy, Marshall, FIU, Western Kentucky (Petrino)

Andre Batten - McDonald
(O) Duke, Kentucky, Minnesota, UConn, Temple, Bowling Green (Kent State FLIP)

Brisley Estime - McDonald
(O) Cincy, Iowa State, NC State, Purdue

Josh Avant - McDonald
(O) LVille, Wake, UCF, Temple, Marshall, FIU, Bowling Green

When was Esk offered by FSU or GA? He went on a late visit to WVU that we were all sweating about but they never offered.

 

[tep624]

Enoicy had early offers from USC and all the Florida schools, Eduard was a Miami decommit, both ESPN 4 star recruits, and Ishmael speaks for himself. Those 3 kids alone, in Shafer's one full class, and all due to McDonald, are better on paper, as recruits, than anyone we've plucked out of Florida the past 10 years (arguably maybe Max B. should be thrown on that list - bigtime recruit that was a flop).

Ishmael already looks like he's going to be legit, Enoicy suffered an injury and was out for the year but Shafer was gaga over him in fall camp and the jury is still out on Eduard but he's a highly talented kid at a huge position of need.