I attended the meeting tonight (thanks again mysterious benefactor). Despite the bad weather, the meeting was well attended. Syracuse fans are #hardnosed.
It was held in the big hall at the main entrance to the football wing of Manley. Nice area, lots of SU football trophies and memorabilia everywhere. Hor d'oeuvres were served, the usual cheese, crackers, grapes, shrimp, etc were available and I believe they had an open bar as well. This provided an opportunity to talk to the coaching staff.
Some general comments from the coaches: they were very happy with the incoming class, had a lot of battles with other schools trying to poach our players late. Coach Lea loves the incoming linebackers and says that he rated JT higher than Cabinda. He reminds Coach L of a slighter bigger version of Davis. Says the 3 early commits are everything you want in a football player: tough, smart, hard working, athletic and all are natural leaders. Everyone was still agog over the Duke game, said the recruits loved the atmosphere. They want to recreate it for football soon.
After that, Coach Shafer had everyone ushered into the football meeting auditorium. They started by showing the highlight film from the 2013 season, which got a big ovation from the crowd, and then Coach S showed brief film clips (typically 3 plays) for each member of the incoming class.
Here are some highlights from that talk:
Bennett:
Not the biggest guy but he has great heart and instincts and finds a way to make plays. Extraordinary production (138 tackles) as a senior. First team all state. Great role model for others at his school and team captain.
Cooper:
Smallest WR in the class but he is a terrific athlete, a real playmaker. Makes hard plays look easy. One of his themes with this recruiting class was to find WRs who could make catches while covered. Cooper fits the bill.
Cordy:
3 fer player, meaning he can help on offense, defense and special teams. Tough, physical player even though he is only 175 pounds. Led his team to a state championship as a senior.
Custis:
SS said he is not supposed to have favorites but whispered that Custis is his favorite in this class. Said he would have been tempted to offer him just based on how well he treated his mother on his official visit. A kid who has grown up with very little but is a great kid who will never get in trouble and will find a way to succeed. Just loves looking at him lined up waiting for the snap. His body and height are so perfect, it greatly pleases him. Says he couldn't believe he was really 6'6 because of how fast and easy he ran in the films he was watching. Says he makes every play look easy, will be a great weapon in the red zone, things he is a special player.
Dawson:
Confirmed he has not been well, said they finally found out it was a virus that was bothering him. Said he will recover and will play at SU but will likely not enroll until the spring semester. Had one of his former players, a Chicago native, check up on him and he told Shafer he was a terrific athlete with great ball skills and that Saint Rita HS DBs hit the bleep out of WRs. Led the state in interceptions as a senior. Shafer has recruited the catholic leagues of South Chicago for years and is very familiar with the high school. Said he and Coach Smith, a Chicago native, had good times recruiting in their old stomping grounds and enjoyed a chicken place so much they were almost late for a home visit.
Dowels:
First team all state, captain of his team as a junior and senior, leader in his school, great kid who is tough as nails. Was a little worried about his height until he saw film and saw him jumping like a jackrabbit. Has fluid, great hips, another 3 fer kid. Shafer is really high on him.
Edouard:
Originally verbaled to Miami but backed off after Miami took a couple of other QBs in his class, making it clear to him he was going to be moved to another position. Shafer says he, like all SU QBs, is a dual threat athlete who can make plays passing and running. Urged fans to go to You Tube to watch him on running plays (he gets his knees above his chest and just can fly out there). Has tremendous game changing speed. Another captain of his team.
Enoicy:
Another captain of his HS team. Same HS as Brisley, same position but Coach Shafer says Enoicy could carry Brisley around in his pocket. Big kid who is great at making catches in traffic, while tightly covered.
Franklin:
Penn State did not offer him initially but came back to him when they got more scholarships. Zaire said no thanks, I am staying loyal to the school that was there for me when you weren't. I believe this is the kid SS said has lost both parents but is the leader for the entire HS, loved by all, great kid, someone SS really admires. Another extremely motivated, really hard worker.
Harvey:
Got involved late with him, could not believe how good his film was. Family drove to SU to meet the staff and see the campus before giving him the okay to go here. SS joked his mom said she wanted to see the buildings but she really wanted to look into my eyes and be sure I was okay. SS sees him playing DT like Bromley, sees a lot of the same ability to be disruptive from Harvey.
Howard:
Was offered early, his speed and athletic ability made him really attractive to SS. Had some growing up to do early in his HS career but has matured and SS likes where he is at now.
Hudson:
Discovered by Coach Lester, who called SS and told him he found the cover CB they were looking for. They love his long arms, his intelligence and his raw athletic ability. They say he is fast now but is going to get even faster when they get him here, get him eating the right food and working on the squat machine (like Eskridge, who has taken his 40 time from 4.7 to sub 4.5 since he got on campus). Captain of his team as a junior and a senior, really smart, will be close to an AA degree before he officially even enrolls at SU. Will have a masters degree by the time he is done at Syracuse.
Ishmael:
Between Coach McDonald and SS, they have recruited about 12 kids from North Miami HS, including Ritchy Desire. He has speed, size, leaping ability and great hands but SS especially loves his ability to make catches while well covered. Just throw the ball in his direction and he will go and get it. Coach McDonald says he has the ability to play immediately.
Long:
Showed him score on a run from about 95 yards. They love his athletic ability, another guy who can run and throw, helped recruit the rest of the class, like KJ, related to Jerrod West.
Moskal:
Was captain of his HS team as a senior, junior and sophomore. SS says when you look in his eyes, you can just see he is a football player. Born to play the MIKE position, great student, unbelievable kid, great attitude, comes from a great family, SS loves him.
Philips:
Another captain. SS says he will start at RB. Loves his ability to make catches out of the backfield. Says he has great hips and outstanding acceleration, a threat to score anytime he touches the ball. Said only 3 players in Connecticut history have more TDs and rushing yards than Ervin.
Prater:
Another kid who might not make it initially academically, SS thought it worth the gamble to take him because he is so special on the football field. Loves kids from East St Louis, says he thinks Treevon will end up playing FS for Syracuse.
Roberts:
Really likes how he stays low and keeps leverage when he blocks. Consistently finishes his blocks 'off the screen' meaning he blocks his man so far he disappears off the screen. Expected to play guard at SU. Shafer has recruited a lot of kids from De La Salle, another Chicago catholic HS on the south side. Smith helped recruit him as well.
Samuels:
SS says Coach Daoust couldn't believe this kid was not going to a BCS school when he got a look at the film on him. Stays low, is very strong, disrupts inside consistently.
Slayton:
Says he reminds him of Chandler Jones. 6'5, looks really skinny but weighs 270 pounds. Another kid from the Chicago area, Crete is a little south of the city. Terrific athlete, has potential to be a great pass rusher. Really quiet, a challenge to have a phone conversation with him.
Thomas:
His mom is from Africa. Grew up playing soccer. His gym teacher saw him in gym class out performing his football players (comes from a great football program) and convinced him to come out for football as junior. Great athlete who can really run. Very similar story to Diet Tab, who is a GA for the football team now and had a 4.0 GPA last semester. Another kid who has work to do in the class room and who may or may not be eligible for fall ball. If not then, he will be ready for January. SS sees him as a slightly bigger version of Dyshawn Davis and will play his position for SU.
Ward:
Was measured at 6 feet 7 1/2 inches and 307 pounds when he visited Syracuse. Team captain as a junior and a senior, led his team to a city chamionship both years. Quality kid. Future leader.
