Official UW Recruiting Thread

[Turk Nowitzki]

Still waiting on those Dwyer prospects to decide, I would love to have Brissett at UW.

[El Duderino]

Notre Dame is still perceived as a good program with a promising future thanks to their hype machine of Tom Lemming and NBC. I'm not surprised that Okotcha switched. Nor am I displeased. He was in my bottom third of recruits in this class because: 1. he's slow, 2. he couldn't back peddle without stumbling from what I saw, and 3. it's been well documented by myself and others that our efficacy with Texas recruits is by far worse than any state.

What's your thought on when or if Notre Dame will eventually decide to join the Big Ten?

Sure their independent status has allowed the Domers to keep their exclusive contract with NBC, but i do believe that not belonging to a conference like the Big Ten has contributed to the downfall of their program on the field.Obviously the poor decisions in hiring head coaches over the last 15-20 years has also badly hurt the program, but in today's college football, i really think their best chance to revive the status of Notre Dame football would be joining the Big Ten.

When trying to recruit kids today, my guess is that very few of them recognize or even care about the tradition of Notre Dame playing teams like Michigan, USC, and the military schools for so long. Hell, i'm a huge fan of college football and old enough to remember just how prominent Notre Dame was during those Lou Holtz years, but it's been quite awhile since i tuned into NBC to watch Notre Dame football.

Plus, as a fan of a college football team, by being in a conference instead of being independent, i get to not only watch and cheer for my Wisconsin Badgers, i have good reason most weeks over the years to also tune into say a Michigan, OSU, Iowa, or Michigan St. game depending how it effects the Badgers in the standing. For Notre Dame fans though, they don't have many other games besides theirs which impacts them greatly.

[SugarRay34]

Is this really exciting? He was only getting offers from MAC schools and Southern Illinois.

Yes.. 1 because he went to my high school. The second reason being I think he is a great prospect. 6-5 with a huge arm. He was the #1 QB in state and we needed a QB to round out the class. I am guessing you have never seen him play but if others have, almost positive they will vouch for the potential of this kid.

[jimmybones]

Dude if they get Brissett.............pretty epic

[Kerb Hohl]

So I was just taking a stroll back through memory lane on rivals. I realize this is par for the course but it seems to me like we shot about 10% on our "4 star" D-Linemen and about 60% on our "3 star" D-Linemen.

[Flames24Rulz]

So NIU is apparently going to hire your DC as the head coach.

Thoughts on Doeren?

[Bernman]

Notre Dame is still perceived as a good program with a promising future thanks to their hype machine of Tom Lemming and NBC. I'm not surprised that Okotcha switched. Nor am I displeased. He was in my bottom third of recruits in this class because: 1. he's slow, 2. he couldn't back peddle without stumbling from what I saw, and 3. it's been well documented by myself and others that our efficacy with Texas recruits is by far worse than any state.

What's your thought on when or if Notre Dame will eventually decide to join the Big Ten?

Sure their independent status has allowed the Domers to keep their exclusive contract with NBC, but i do believe that not belonging to a conference like the Big Ten has contributed to the downfall of their program on the field.Obviously the poor decisions in hiring head coaches over the last 15-20 years has also badly hurt the program, but in today's college football, i really think their best chance to revive the status of Notre Dame football would be joining the Big Ten.

Well, college athletic's programs are primarily a business, especially one at a private school like Notre Dame, so you kind of answered your own question. Generating revenue is the most important thing and as long as their fans are deluded about their relevance, which they still are if you've had conversations with a few recently, then they'll continue to be a powerhouse in the pocketbook, and thus won't want to join because they'd be getting a bad deal financially. They need a couple more losers as coaches before the fan base dwindles enough to where it makes dollars and sense for the Domers to join, and then the question would be if the Big Ten would even want them especially after repeated rejections from overtures. It's going to be tough to make that marriage work.

So I was just taking a stroll back through memory lane on rivals. I realize this is par for the course but it seems to me like we shot about 10% on our "4 star" D-Linemen and about 60% on our "3 star" D-Linemen.

They haven't secured near 10 4-star D-Line recruits to make it 10 percent.

And of the group they did secure they suffered a lot of injuries, which is happenstance. Ostrowski was great in the few games he was allowed to play. He had like no cartilage or ligaments in one knee. That eventually forced early retirement. Hoey was done in by a back issue. I know they were high on him before that occurred. Westphal had some chronic injury which forced a transfer to a lower division.

Most of the rest are younger players. Gilbert was of true frosh age this year because he grew up in Jamaica and they start school earlier there. Kohout was already a starter as a redshirt frosh. He's on pace to have been deserving of 4 stars.

So NIU is apparently going to hire your DC as the head coach.

Thoughts on Doeren?

Average DC or still unproven even after 5 seasons. The performances overall by the defense during his tenure were mediocre, but in fairness there were a lot of injuries to the D-Line especially, and the DB recruiting was thin and pedestrian.

[Kerb Hohl]

Bern, I was being slightly sarcastic in my analysis. All I'm saying is a lot of the 4 star DLs were not household names and I knew that a lot failed due to injury.

What's the word on Brissett? (I'd love the TE as well, I just don't see it happening).

[Bernman]

Apparently, 2 de-commits.

Okothcha and Dorleant. Both DBs.

That's a shame because we need the talent (speed) in the defensive backfield. Maybe that's where Melvin Gordon ends up?

Also, 5-star RB recruit Savon Huggins apparently not visiting.

Devin Gaulden, a CB, from Florida, committed today. He's the replacement for at least one of the corners lost. FWIW, I remarked after the Dorleant decommit, he was on my like 4 recruit (not just CB) wish list to complete the class. He's almost as talented as Dorleant, but without the baggage. He originally committed to Auburn, and then again to Wake Forest just like a week or two ago, but the coaches put on the hard press to prompt reconsideration. His commit secures the CB future quite a bit.

This class has been yo-yo'ing a lot lately. The FB/RB Trayion Durham decommitted due to not meeting the academic standards required (supposedly). Reportedly the WR/CB Darius Hillary is up in the air. Then you also had the DE Eric Steffes re-classify to 2012.

So having enough scholarships available for prospective talented commitments are not going to be much of an issue anymore.

There has now been inkling about a Brissett commitment within the next few weeks and a Dwyer prospect accompanying him. That would explain the movement. Re-interest in Huggins would do so further.

[Turk Nowitzki]

There is post on Badgernation talking about a post on an Alabama forum saying that two of the Dwyer kids, Brissett and Maggitt, are supposedly down to us and Alabama. Who knows if that's true but it seems plausible to me.

[Bernman]

Wisconsin recruit Melvin Gordon was the leading rusher at last night's offense-defense All American Bowl (like the 3rd best showcase). All week it was remarked he was the best player on the roster. "When you watch the way he cuts and can make people miss, combined with his size, speed, vision and the system he’s going to play in for the Badgers and it’s easy to understand why we think he could be a special player in college with development. 

Gordon showed he has ability in the passing game on Wednesday as well, displaying soft hands in pass-catching drills. He’s dangerous in space after catching the ball.", JC Shurbutt said.

Brissett is reported to be making his pick in next weekend's Army All America game and Wisconsin is expected by most to be his choice at this point. His teammate Curt Maggitt has said he prefers to wait until Signing Day in February, but UW is also expected to be the area defensive player of the year's selection when it occurs.

[Turk Nowitzki]

Brissett is reported to be making his pick in next weekend's Army All America game and Wisconsin is expected by most to be his choice at this point. His teammate Curt Maggitt has said he prefers to wait until Signing Day in February, but UW is also expected to be the area defensive player of the year's selection when it occurs.

Is this your opinion or something you read? Those two would be great gets for the program.