Overall thoughts on 2019 Class

[RF2044]

I like what we have done and think next year is a "break out" year in recruiting as long as we win 9 games.

We have main in roads in formerly barren recruiting grounds and have addressed needs both from high schoolers and college transfers.

While this year was HUGE for the program next year will be even bigger on taking the next step to bringing SU football back from the dead/irrelevancy.

Now let us all support the team/school this season and enjoy the ride on the Dino Express...

Amen. I'm guessing that we won't be worrying about getting "at least" 40K to home games moving forward.

 

[hoopsupstate]

It will be interesting to see how early we start getting commitments. Several schools already have multiple commitments for 2020.

 

[CuseLegacy]

It will be interesting to see how early we start getting commitments. Several schools already have multiple commitments for 2020.

And a lot of those early commitments will end up decommitting or flipping to another school. We can wait.

 

[SUFan44]

Amen. I'm guessing that we won't be worrying about getting "at least" 40K to home games moving forward.

Hope you’re right. Still think we may struggle a bit against the lower-level teams and even schools like Wake, Duke, etc. that don’t have the cache that Clemson does.

 

[shu 49]

Now that the class is pretty much set. Assuming we land the grad transfer Offensive Tackle from South Alabama and the Defensive line transfer from Coastal Carolina what are the overall thoughts of the class?

Have to say I was a little nervous at the beginning taking so many camp offers and low profile kids but I think this class rounded out extremely well. I think we have a bunch of potential studs in this class with the opportunity to add 2 very good transfers. The last two classes this staff has brought in, coupled with the transfers is huge. Most talent we have had on the hill for football in a very long time.

Thoughts?

The best part is the camp offers might be best ones in the end lol.

 

[shu 49]

I looked at 24-7 sports' class rankings and they have us at 58 with 18 commits, none of whom they rate 4 stars. Are they even looking at their own rankings?

We have three 4-star players - the 2 LBs and Nunn, the safety. Plus we have 2 four star transfers coming in. A class with 5 four star players would get you about 30th in the rankings.

Plus Cantin is a crazy athlete who wasn't on anyone's radar as a Canadian who camped here. Holy cow is he going to be good!

Yes he is

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Feels like a class that's deep in high 3 star talent.

Some of them outperform their ranking and we'll be in strong shape.

 

[klemmer56]

I see an upward trend from where Cuse was at the end of the past two regimes. Quality kids with some good offers chose...chose...to be here. Additionally, coach Babers, whom I do not know personally, seems like a great guy and a Head Coach that prospects and their families can relate too and get behind. Syracuse Football is in some very capable, but more so caring, hands.

 

[Cusedad2X]

And a lot of those early commitments will end up decommitting or flipping to another school. We can wait.

Would really love to see us involved early AND CLOSE with a kid or two in the top 100 type list. We have to start unseating top level kids in the DMV and northeast from PSU and ND. Keep Ohio State and Mich. out of NJ as well. That will be the measuring stick for me in assessing whether we can be a consistent top 10 team. High goals I know. But we were once there and I would love for to get back to that level.

 

[rackman18]

Yes he is

I believe if Geoff Cantin played in the states and was seen, would be a 4* by all three. he is a beast and a "freak of nature" and may be our best player on D when he figures what position he will play. He can play multiple positions. This kid will be "Cannibal Cantin"

 

[ottodaorange]

I think when you look at a recruiting class you look for 3 things - 1) Did it address the team's needs? 2) Is it largely filled with high upside/high ceiling recruits? and 3) What was the analyst/recruiting mag opinion of the class?

This class, especially if we land the two grad transfers that are rumored, strongly addresses point 1. We needed depth on the DL, we needed depth at LB, we needed an understudy QB and we needed upperclassman help on the OL. We effectively are getting all of that. To point 2, the majority of these recruits are high ceiling recruits, arguably our 2 least regarded recruits in the class by the media are Benson and Goulbourne and both are physical freaks. You're talking kids that are potential homeruns if they pan out. And panning out is the hard part - there are kids in this class that I'm sure we are all excited about that ultimately won't impact the program and there are others that are being overlooked now on signing day that will. IT happens with every single class. Point 3 - we still have some work to do here, I truly believe part of it is perception since we still largely play in the 3 star range where it's the most subjective and most affected by "Big Boy" offer shifts in rankings, but part of it is closing on recruits that are highly regarded and have the measurables and offer sheets to prove it. We still have work to do there to get those 6-8 or so freshman kids every single class that are physically ready to hit the 2 deep from Day 1. We did a nice job with the early enrollees this year getting Jordan and Tuazama who prepped a year, they should be physically ready to compete from Day 1 and that's what we need - that type of competition just makes the program that much better and deeper. You couple them with Jones, Kpogba and Nunn and you're approaching that 6-8 range of True freshman that can contribute day 1. We're getting there.

I think the biggest indicator to me of moving from that 45ish range or so in recruiting to a regular top 25 recruiting class is starting to beat out PSU for Northeast recruits they want. We have not been able to do that during Babers reign and that's something that needs to change. If we aren't making a name for ourselves in the Northeast and building that reputation it hurts us when we take on camp offer/high ceiling kids that we like that don't have the offer sheets. Practically every kid PSU offers gets a mid level or better 3 star rating regardless of the other offers. We don't have that rep yet and we need to start beating them out head to head to get it.

I agree with your assessment and believe Dino does too. He covered much or what you said in his presser. My favorite part was when Dino talked about how pleased he was with this class, but said he knows that the "experts" may not agree, which I interpret as a jab to the recruiting services.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Another reason why I think we're in a really good place right now--we had few unexpected or unwanted departures. Other than Amie, that is. That's a sign of stability in the program. A high ranking in recruiting means less when players desert the program in droves.

 

[PhatOrange]

And a lot of those early commitments will end up decommitting or flipping to another school. We can wait.

Probably not so much the kids committing to the higher end schools like Penn St. Those kids are not likely to leave. It's the kids who are committing to the Syracuse's of the world that will be waiting for a better offer.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Probably not so much the kids committing to the higher end schools like Penn St. Those kids are not likely to leave. It's the kids who are committing to the Syracuse's of the world that will be waiting for a better offer.

Probably but there are 2021 and 2020s that are committing way too early. I already see the decommits starting up.

 

[PhatOrange]

Probably but there are 2021 and 2020s that are committing way too early. I already see the decommits starting up.

2021s are just stupid and schools can't even contact them until Sept1 I think.

 

[CuseLegacy]

2021s are just stupid and schools can't even contact them until Sept1 I think.

They can go to camps and Junior Days.

 

[P Vasiloff]

In my very humble opinion, Coach Babers and his Staff always seem to be on the same page with each other and and seem to have a pretty darn good eye for talent. The recruiting seems to be done by committee which would lead to less big misses because more eyes are evaluating the talent. I give them credit because they are seeing and offering first what other programs are recognizing later. Probably what is more important is they are identifying the type of player that can be coached in their system and be successful in it. To me that is very very important. Keep up the great work Syracuse University Football, you have a very excited fan base. Go Orange!!!!!!!

 

[PhatOrange]

They can go to camps and Junior Days.

I'm not sure about the jr days. Camps and camp clinics (ie camper paid prospect days) yes, but a 2021 is currently a sophomore. I don't believe a school can contact them for any recruiting reason. At least I know they can't for lacrosse. Not until they're juniors.

In other words, a kid can go attend the Syracuse lacrosse prospect day that was attended by 100 other colleges (they just had one in January) but Syracuse (athletics) can't reach out to that 10th grader for any recruiting reason; they can't even send an information packet. That would be a violation under the new rules.

 

[atcar]

I'm not sure about the jr days. Camps and camp clinics (ie camper paid prospect days) yes, but a 2021 is currently a sophomore. I don't believe a school can contact them for any recruiting reason. At least I know they can't for lacrosse. Not until they're juniors.

In other words, a kid can go attend the Syracuse lacrosse prospect day that was attended by 100 other colleges (they just had one in January) but Syracuse can't reach out to that 10 grader for any recruiting reason; they can't even send an information packet. That would be a violation under the new rules.

Funny how that is different from sport to sport and even mens and womens. In girls lacrosse there are some 10th graders that had verballed to a team. No idea how it works or why but just know friends daughter s who are in college now or headed to college committed in 10th grade. The first time I heard this I was surprised.

 

[orangepassion]

This kid will be "Cannibal Cantin"

I'm not as picky as you. I don't need him to eat the other team, just tackling them would be fine.

 

[CuseLegacy]

I'm not sure about the jr days. Camps and camp clinics (ie camper paid prospect days) yes, but a 2021 is currently a sophomore. I don't believe a school can contact them for any recruiting reason. At least I know they can't for lacrosse. Not until they're juniors.

In other words, a kid can go attend the Syracuse lacrosse prospect day that was attended by 100 other colleges (they just had one in January) but Syracuse (athletics) can't reach out to that 10th grader for any recruiting reason; they can't even send an information packet. That would be a violation under the new rules.

Last years' Junior Day for 2019s had 2020s visiting. Now they may have come with the 2019s but they were there.

 

[PhatOrange]

Funny how that is different from sport to sport and even mens and womens. In girls lacrosse there are some 10th graders that had verballed to a team. No idea how it works or why but just know friends daughter s who are in college now or headed to college committed in 10th grade. The first time I heard this I was surprised.

The rules for lacrosse just recently changed (I think last year) but there are always the back channels. College coach tells club coach or hs school that we'll have a spot for player X on our team and hs school coach tells player. player commits.

Just literally had a school tell me yesterday Sept1.

 

[CuseLegacy]

The rules for lacrosse just recently changed (I think last year) but there are always the back channels. College coach tells club coach or hs school that we'll have a spot for player X on our team and hs school coach tells player. player commits.

Just literally had a school tell me yesterday Sept1.

NCAA Division 1 FBS Football Recruiting Rules

 

[orangepassion]

I'm not as picky as you. I don't need him to eat the other team, just tackling them would be fine.

Ironic that one of the 2 guys to like this post was Hungrychuck

 

[SURules]

Funny how that is different from sport to sport and even mens and womens. In girls lacrosse there are some 10th graders that had verballed to a team. No idea how it works or why but just know friends daughter s who are in college now or headed to college committed in 10th grade. The first time I heard this I was surprised.

This is all done through the club coaches for girls lacrosse.