I know a lot of people are pretty high on this years recruiting class. Considering the circumstances, Christiensen and staff have brought in a decent group of players. That being said, I sure hope the staff can bring in a a better class next year with a full year to recruit. Unless we bring in some big names in the next couple of weeks, I'm not convinced this class is any better than the last few classes Glenn brought in. Of course Christiensen might be a lot better at recruiting players that fit his system. I sure hope that's the case. This class is still light years behind the recruiting classes that TCU, Utah, and BYU are bringing in. I know Utah has at least one five star player in their class this year and all three teams have a few four star players sprinkled throughout their classes. I don't think we've even had a single four star recruit visit campus. It makes me wonder how serious Christiensen was when he said he wouldn't recruit guys unless he thought they could compete with and beat the top three schools in the conference. I know that the number of stars a player has coming out of high school or junior college can be misleading, but I don't think its a coincidence that the three best teams in our conference have consistently signed 4 and 5 star players. The problem is that for smaller schools like Wyoming, you need to have several winning seasons and some national exposure before high caliber recruits will even consider signing with you. I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but I'm trying to provide a bit more objective analysis of our recruiting class when compared to others in our conference. I hope this coaching staff can get every ounce of potential out of these players. Each and every player on our team is going to have to be willing to work their ass off if we expect to compete for a conference crown.
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Recruiting Class Thus Far
- Thread starter TheRealUW
- Start date
PorkerPoke
Well-known member
You have a point. There is probably nothing in this class that will help next year except maybe the JC QB in the new offensive system. There may be a couple of players that could see some action on special teams and maybe elsewhere on a limited basis. Christensen will have to make due with a Joe Glenn team and we will get to see if it is a lack of ability or how the coaching was.
With a tough schedule and the rest of the conference way ahead of UW there is not much hope of finishing higher than 6th or 7th once again. I think we at least play better like in Joe's first year. But going 4-8 next year after 4-8 last year won't feel any better. Getting beat 23-17 will feel better than 23-0 but it will still be a loss.
The program has at least a couple of years to go before the recruiting shows up in force.
With a tough schedule and the rest of the conference way ahead of UW there is not much hope of finishing higher than 6th or 7th once again. I think we at least play better like in Joe's first year. But going 4-8 next year after 4-8 last year won't feel any better. Getting beat 23-17 will feel better than 23-0 but it will still be a loss.
The program has at least a couple of years to go before the recruiting shows up in force.
SnipeyPoke
Well-known member
Rivals star system would agree as well. Glenn recruited the same amount of 3 stars so far. Maybe we will have some surprises. However, I would like to point out as well though that Dave has been coaching at this level and knows what needs to be done to get talent and what great talent looks like. He has a reputation that is made at this level. I will agree that this is his first head coach position but he seemed to hold his own as offensive cordinator. I believe what I said earlier, Dave will still have to coach regardless if he uses some of his recruits now or wait a season as he cannot recruit an entire team. This will be his greatest challenge and it all depends on his skills and being able to adapt so he can get the most of his current team. At the end of next season I bet we will all agree it is different from last season one way or another... 
JimmyDimes
Well-known member
PorkerPoke said:
I completely disagree. The reason we've been bad is because we turn the ball over way to much. If we cut that in half (which shouldn't be difficult since we were dead last in the NCAA last year), we'll be competing for a bowl next year. The defense will be solid
The thing I see with Dave's first recruiting class is he like athletes that can play a variety postion. Some of these guys recruited as DB's can play LB or WR too. I think he knows what fits his system and he's gone out and got some good athletes in a short period of time. The two DE's are both sub 4.7 guys and the LB's are all sub 4.6.
I wouldn't be suprised to see his first class ranked in the top half of the MWC. It already is.
Turn-overs were one of the problems (probably the major one), offense predictability and ineptness was another, special teams execution was poor, and our defensive secondary wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either (we were young and inexperienced in the defensive secondary though).
Giving up the ball was definitely a problem last year. However, I think that falls on the players shoulders much more than a lot of people want to admit. Yes, we are implimenting an entirely new offensive scheme, but that sure as hell doesn't guarantee a cut in the number of turnovers we will have. Our receivers ran sloppy routes and rarely got much seperation from the defender, requiring the QB to force throws that lead to interceptions. Our QB's made some bad decisions of where to throw the ball. None of them seemed to have any sort of progression of what order to look at the receivers in. They often locked onto a single target and then tried to force the ball into them even if they were covered. They also consistenly missed receivers on the rare occasion that they were open. That type of play will lead to turnovers no matter what the offensive scheme is. The sad thing is, I just don't think of any of our current offensive skill players have the talent to run Christiensen's offense any better than they did Cockhill/Cole's. I won't be expecting much improvement out of the offense until we start to see some new faces on the field. I think Christiensen brought in a couple of QB's with more talent than any other QB currently on the roster. I know this is a ridiculously early prediction, but I'd bet we see Benjamin under center to start the season with Carta-Samuels either seeing playing time as the season progresses or certainly by the 2010 season. I was really hoping for some immediate help at the receiver position in this years class. Bolling has been a big disappointment and Brandon Stewart, while good, is not a game-breaker. We still have a couple of weeks to sign a few more players and I'd be ecstatic if we can get Fritz Rock. That would make me a bit more optimistic about next season.
On to the defense. Although they were the strong point of last year's team, they have a lot of room for improvement. The secondary was probably the biggest weakness. I think Tashaun Gipson will turn out to be a very nice player. He got thrown to the fire a bit early, but I expect a major improvement from him this year. I believe we finshed somewhere around 40th in total defense last year. That just isn't good enough to compete for conference championships in the MWC anymore. You need either a top 20 offense or defense and a decent counterpart if you want to win this conference. The level of play has drastically improved in the MWC and Wyoming has lagged behind in their improvement. I was pumped about the Christensen hire and his promise to only recruit guys that coulkd compete with the Big 3. I don't see that happening right now. In fact, as far as recruiting goes, I see a class very similar to what Glenn brought in. The same actions rarely bring about different results.
On to the defense. Although they were the strong point of last year's team, they have a lot of room for improvement. The secondary was probably the biggest weakness. I think Tashaun Gipson will turn out to be a very nice player. He got thrown to the fire a bit early, but I expect a major improvement from him this year. I believe we finshed somewhere around 40th in total defense last year. That just isn't good enough to compete for conference championships in the MWC anymore. You need either a top 20 offense or defense and a decent counterpart if you want to win this conference. The level of play has drastically improved in the MWC and Wyoming has lagged behind in their improvement. I was pumped about the Christensen hire and his promise to only recruit guys that coulkd compete with the Big 3. I don't see that happening right now. In fact, as far as recruiting goes, I see a class very similar to what Glenn brought in. The same actions rarely bring about different results.
Fullback41
Well-known member
I agree this recruiting class is not where we need to be in the future, but I feel he has done a great job taking a class that was ranked 117th a few weeks ago to #78 now. Over the last several years the big 3 have hovered around being ranked #50th (which we all know they are better than) so I think that should be a goal for next year. A class ranked in the 50s or 60s would definitely prove to be a step in the right direction. Next years class will really tell the story of how much better a recruiter he is or isn't.
Rivals rank for Wyoming over the years (similar types of results from Scout as well)
currently 78
2008 96
2007 89
2006 102
2005 77
2004 87
2003 111
2002 81
So you are right this class is pretty similar to Glenn's classes, but DC has brought in more speed players and done it in a short amount of time. Final grades aren't in yet, and a few studs could drastically change our ranking, but considering where we were in November and where we are now, I think he has done a good job. I really felt with the late start by DC, this class would finish at 90+.
A few more wins next year (with the harder schedule) and a better opportunity to contribute early could bring in classes similar to the big 3. Missouri has been finishing around #25, so I know DC will emphasize recruiting if he is following a blue print from Mizzou.
Rivals rank for Wyoming over the years (similar types of results from Scout as well)
currently 78
2008 96
2007 89
2006 102
2005 77
2004 87
2003 111
2002 81
So you are right this class is pretty similar to Glenn's classes, but DC has brought in more speed players and done it in a short amount of time. Final grades aren't in yet, and a few studs could drastically change our ranking, but considering where we were in November and where we are now, I think he has done a good job. I really felt with the late start by DC, this class would finish at 90+.
A few more wins next year (with the harder schedule) and a better opportunity to contribute early could bring in classes similar to the big 3. Missouri has been finishing around #25, so I know DC will emphasize recruiting if he is following a blue print from Mizzou.
Snowman_55
Well-known member
Fullback41 said:
Agreed, especially given the difficulties associated with a head coach's first year of recruiting at a new school. No communication with recruits (on behave of that school), no visits during the season, etc. Realistically if DC has a better recruiting class this year than Glenn did last year that should be seen as a victory, and the recruiting classes should only get better over the next few years assuming DC lives up to what he has been preaching. In all honesty I have been impressed with the quality of athletes that we are bringing in for visits and do believe we are on the right track for improved success this next season with even better results to follow.
Fullback41
Well-known member
Found this on Laramie Boomerang this morning, makes me glad to see him at UW. Also as a 3 star recruit he should help our overall ranking. Also interesting is the breakdown by position, eases my worries about stockpiling DBs.
Green River All-Stater commits to Cowboys
By BOB HAMMOND
Boomerang Sports Editor
Green River High School football star Andrew Meredith always wanted to be a University of Wyoming Cowboy. Now, he’ll have that chance.
After several months of deliberation and fully exploring all his options, the 6-0, 185-pound safety notified Cowboy defensive coordinator Marty English earlier this week of his decision to continue his football career at the University of Wyoming, according to a Green River press release.
Meredith is a two-time Class 5A All-State selection. This past season, Meredith was named the Wyoming Defensive Player of the Year as well as being selected to the Wyoming Super 25 team after recording 136 tackles, including 91 solos, three interceptions, six pass breakups and 237 defensive points from his safety position.
He also played at running back and wide receiver for the Wolves, who advanced to the Class 5A state championship game before losing to Gillette, 23-21, in Gillette.
Meredith, who had 346 total tackles during his prep career, was also selected to play in the U.S. Army Bowl in the Alamodome in San Antonio as well as the annual Wyoming Shrine Bowl.
In making his decision, Meredith was excited about the direction of the Wyoming program under new head coach Dave Christensen.
Meredith is ranked a three-star recruit by Rivals.com with a 5.5 rating and ranked as the 71st-best defensive prospect in the nation after turning in a solid performance in the site’s Ultimate 100 Camp.
According to a football recruiting evaluation by ESPN U:
“Meredith is a tough, instinctive safety prospect who may be better suited down in the box at the next level as a Rover/Bandit. Lacks ideal size at this time for that role but is athletically built and pound-for-pound a strong, physical kid. Reactive athlete. Breaks hard and fast on underneath run and pass support. Shows good pop on contact and is a collision tackler who looks to punish ball carriers.
“Range and overall speed is adequate-to-good. Takes good angles to the ball with little wasted motion. Gets over blockers quickly running the alley. However, his speed and ability to cover the deep zone as a high-point safety at the D-I is a concern. Better playing the ball in front of him. Could have difficulty matching up and breaking down on quicker skill players in space at the next level. Shows some hip stiffness pursuing laterally.
“That said, Meredith has deceptive recovery burst, a good understanding of the game and is a potential sleeper on the recruiting trail. A bit of a ‘tweener with his lack of ideal size and speed but is a savvy, tough competitor who is consistently around the football. Potentially a very good special teams player as well.”
In addition to Wyoming, Meredith also drew interest from Utah, Colorado State, Boston College, Iowa, Nebraska, Virginia, Boise State, Penn and Carroll College.
—
UW Football Recruiting
JUNIOR COLLEGE SIGNEE (1)
(Enrolled at UW for Spring semester)
Quarterbacks
ROBERT BENJAMIN (6-2, 205), quarterback, Phoenix (Ariz.) South Mountain High School and Phoenix College.
* * *
2009 VERBAL COMMITMENTS (19)
Quarterbacks
AUSTYN CARTA-SAMUELS (6-1, 207), quarterback, San Jose (Calif) Bellarmine College Prep.
Running Backs
ALVESTER ALEXANDER (5-11, 205), running back, Houston (Texas) C.E. King High School.
Receivers
RODNEY JAYNES (6-4, 205), wide receiver, Chicago Hales Franciscan High School.
LARRY MITCHELL (6-2, 180), wide receiver, Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley High School.
T.J. SMITH (6-3, 220), tight end, Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High School.
DAVID TOOLEY (6-6, 215), tight end/wide receiver, Moberly (Mo.) Senior High School.
Linemen
SCOTT CRISS (6-5, 250), offensive lineman, Omaha (Neb.) Creighton Prep.
JOSHUA MARTIN (6-3, 215, defensive end, Aurora (Colo.) Cherokee Trail High School.
MIKE PURCELL (6-3, 260), defensive end, Highlands Ranch (Colo.) High School.
MARK WILLIS (6-4, 230), defensive end, Oak Park-River Forest (Ill.) High School.
Linebackers
DEVYN HARRIS (6-3, 195), linebacker, Fountain-Fort Carson (Colo.) High School.
TODD KNIGHT (6-2, 200), linebacker, Aurora (Colo.) Grandview High School.
JEFF ROUECHE (6-3, 205), linebacker, Niwot (Colo.) High School.
Secondary
KENNY BROWDER (5-10, 180), defensive back, Round Rock (Texas) Stony Point High School.
SHAMIEL GARY (6-1, 205), safety, Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High School.
ANDREW MEREDITH (6-0, 185), safety, Green River (Wyo) High School.
TRENDT MARSOM (6-0, 195), safety, Honolulu (Hawaii) Kaimuki High School.
GHALLI MUHAMMED (5-11, 200, athlete, St. Joseph’s (Mo.) Central High School.
LUKE RUFF (5-11, 185), defensive back, Castle Rock (Colo.) Douglas County High School.
Green River All-Stater commits to Cowboys
By BOB HAMMOND
Boomerang Sports Editor
Green River High School football star Andrew Meredith always wanted to be a University of Wyoming Cowboy. Now, he’ll have that chance.
After several months of deliberation and fully exploring all his options, the 6-0, 185-pound safety notified Cowboy defensive coordinator Marty English earlier this week of his decision to continue his football career at the University of Wyoming, according to a Green River press release.
Meredith is a two-time Class 5A All-State selection. This past season, Meredith was named the Wyoming Defensive Player of the Year as well as being selected to the Wyoming Super 25 team after recording 136 tackles, including 91 solos, three interceptions, six pass breakups and 237 defensive points from his safety position.
He also played at running back and wide receiver for the Wolves, who advanced to the Class 5A state championship game before losing to Gillette, 23-21, in Gillette.
Meredith, who had 346 total tackles during his prep career, was also selected to play in the U.S. Army Bowl in the Alamodome in San Antonio as well as the annual Wyoming Shrine Bowl.
In making his decision, Meredith was excited about the direction of the Wyoming program under new head coach Dave Christensen.
Meredith is ranked a three-star recruit by Rivals.com with a 5.5 rating and ranked as the 71st-best defensive prospect in the nation after turning in a solid performance in the site’s Ultimate 100 Camp.
According to a football recruiting evaluation by ESPN U:
“Meredith is a tough, instinctive safety prospect who may be better suited down in the box at the next level as a Rover/Bandit. Lacks ideal size at this time for that role but is athletically built and pound-for-pound a strong, physical kid. Reactive athlete. Breaks hard and fast on underneath run and pass support. Shows good pop on contact and is a collision tackler who looks to punish ball carriers.
“Range and overall speed is adequate-to-good. Takes good angles to the ball with little wasted motion. Gets over blockers quickly running the alley. However, his speed and ability to cover the deep zone as a high-point safety at the D-I is a concern. Better playing the ball in front of him. Could have difficulty matching up and breaking down on quicker skill players in space at the next level. Shows some hip stiffness pursuing laterally.
“That said, Meredith has deceptive recovery burst, a good understanding of the game and is a potential sleeper on the recruiting trail. A bit of a ‘tweener with his lack of ideal size and speed but is a savvy, tough competitor who is consistently around the football. Potentially a very good special teams player as well.”
In addition to Wyoming, Meredith also drew interest from Utah, Colorado State, Boston College, Iowa, Nebraska, Virginia, Boise State, Penn and Carroll College.
—
UW Football Recruiting
JUNIOR COLLEGE SIGNEE (1)
(Enrolled at UW for Spring semester)
Quarterbacks
ROBERT BENJAMIN (6-2, 205), quarterback, Phoenix (Ariz.) South Mountain High School and Phoenix College.
* * *
2009 VERBAL COMMITMENTS (19)
Quarterbacks
AUSTYN CARTA-SAMUELS (6-1, 207), quarterback, San Jose (Calif) Bellarmine College Prep.
Running Backs
ALVESTER ALEXANDER (5-11, 205), running back, Houston (Texas) C.E. King High School.
Receivers
RODNEY JAYNES (6-4, 205), wide receiver, Chicago Hales Franciscan High School.
LARRY MITCHELL (6-2, 180), wide receiver, Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley High School.
T.J. SMITH (6-3, 220), tight end, Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High School.
DAVID TOOLEY (6-6, 215), tight end/wide receiver, Moberly (Mo.) Senior High School.
Linemen
SCOTT CRISS (6-5, 250), offensive lineman, Omaha (Neb.) Creighton Prep.
JOSHUA MARTIN (6-3, 215, defensive end, Aurora (Colo.) Cherokee Trail High School.
MIKE PURCELL (6-3, 260), defensive end, Highlands Ranch (Colo.) High School.
MARK WILLIS (6-4, 230), defensive end, Oak Park-River Forest (Ill.) High School.
Linebackers
DEVYN HARRIS (6-3, 195), linebacker, Fountain-Fort Carson (Colo.) High School.
TODD KNIGHT (6-2, 200), linebacker, Aurora (Colo.) Grandview High School.
JEFF ROUECHE (6-3, 205), linebacker, Niwot (Colo.) High School.
Secondary
KENNY BROWDER (5-10, 180), defensive back, Round Rock (Texas) Stony Point High School.
SHAMIEL GARY (6-1, 205), safety, Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High School.
ANDREW MEREDITH (6-0, 185), safety, Green River (Wyo) High School.
TRENDT MARSOM (6-0, 195), safety, Honolulu (Hawaii) Kaimuki High School.
GHALLI MUHAMMED (5-11, 200, athlete, St. Joseph’s (Mo.) Central High School.
LUKE RUFF (5-11, 185), defensive back, Castle Rock (Colo.) Douglas County High School.
PokerOfPoway
Member
We Fritz Rock and the class is a total success.......and thank you Wyoming for the Hathaway Scholarship - spending state money on education is what makes Wyoming the Greatest state 
However, we will get a feel of what is going to happen with Spring ball because we all know a couple QB's are going to depart...and we wish them all the best......but I am stoked with no 1st down run, 2nd down run, 3rd down tight end run 4 yards.........
For all you naysayers...WYO athletics is going up up and away!!!
However, we will get a feel of what is going to happen with Spring ball because we all know a couple QB's are going to depart...and we wish them all the best......but I am stoked with no 1st down run, 2nd down run, 3rd down tight end run 4 yards.........
For all you naysayers...WYO athletics is going up up and away!!!
Here is an article on Wyoming recruiting in the Laramie Boomerang:
By BOB HAMMOND Boomerang Sports Editor
The current college football recruiting period is finally winding down in leading up to next Wednesday’s National Signing Day, and it appears as if first-year University of Wyoming coach Dave Christensen is just about where he wants to be.
In less than two months, Christensen and his staff have been able to sign a top junior college quarterback in Robert Benjamin from Phoenix College and have reportedly received 19 verbal commitments from current high school seniors from nine different states — Colorado (6), Texas (3), Illinois (2), Oklahoma (2), Missouri (2), Wyoming (1), Nebraska (1), California (1) and Hawaii (1).
With three scholarship spots still open, Wyoming has scheduled two more campus visits this week while waiting for answers on a couple of prospects that have already visited.
Expected to be on the UW campus today for an official visit is Thomas Vonashek, a 6-foot-9, 280-pound offensive tackle from Glynn Academy in St. Simons, Ga.
According to Rivals.com, Middle Tennessee and Georgia Southern are also recruiting Vonashek.
This past season, Vonashek, who runs a 5.1 40 and is also playing basketball at Glynn Academy, was a Georgia 2-AAAA All-Region selection.
Reportedly coming in on Friday is Chris McNeill, a 6-1, 170-pound wide receiver from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
This past season, McNeill caught 41 passes for 806 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a first-team All-Sierra League pick as a senior.
According to Rivals.com, McNeill has also drawn interest from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado State, Nevada, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State and Washington.
UW Football Recruiting
JUNIOR COLLEGE SIGNEE (1)
(Will Enroll at UW in the Fall)
Quarterbacks
ROBERT BENJAMIN (6-2, 205), quarterback, Phoenix (Ariz.) South Mountain High School and Phoenix College.
2009 VERBAL COMMITMENTS (19)
Quarterbacks
AUSTYN CARTA-SAMUELS (6-1, 207), quarterback, San Jose (Calif) Bellarmine College Prep.
Running Backs
ALVESTER ALEXANDER (5-11, 205), running back, Houston (Texas) C.E. King High School.
Receivers
RODNEY JAYNES (6-4, 205), wide receiver, Chicago Hales Franciscan High School.
LARRY MITCHELL (6-2, 180), wide receiver, Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley High School.
T.J. SMITH (6-3, 220), tight end, Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High School.
DAVID TOOLEY (6-6, 215), tight end/wide receiver, Moberly (Mo.) Senior High School.
Linemen
SCOTT CRISS (6-5, 250), offensive lineman, Omaha (Neb.) Creighton Prep.
JOSHUA MARTIN (6-3, 215, defensive end, Aurora (Colo.) Cherokee Trail High School.
MIKE PURCELL (6-3, 260), defensive end, Highlands Ranch (Colo.) High School.
MARK WILLIS (6-4, 230), defensive end, Oak Park-River Forest (Ill.) High School.
Linebackers
DEVYN HARRIS (6-3, 195), linebacker, Fountain-Fort Carson (Colo.) High School.
TODD KNIGHT (6-2, 200), linebacker, Aurora (Colo.) Grandview High School.
JEFF ROUECHE (6-3, 205), linebacker, Niwot (Colo.) High School.
Secondary
KENNY BROWDER (5-10, 180), defensive back, Round Rock (Texas) Stony Point High School.
SHAMIEL GARY (6-1, 205), safety, Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High School.
ANDREW MEREDITH (6-0, 185), safety, Green River (Wyo) High School.
TRENDT MARSOM (6-0, 195), safety, Honolulu (Hawaii) Kaimuki High School.
GHALLI MUHAMMED (5-11, 200, athlete, St. Joseph’s (Mo.) Central High School.
LUKE RUFF (5-11, 185), defensive back, Castle Rock (Colo.) Douglas County High School.
By BOB HAMMOND Boomerang Sports Editor
The current college football recruiting period is finally winding down in leading up to next Wednesday’s National Signing Day, and it appears as if first-year University of Wyoming coach Dave Christensen is just about where he wants to be.
In less than two months, Christensen and his staff have been able to sign a top junior college quarterback in Robert Benjamin from Phoenix College and have reportedly received 19 verbal commitments from current high school seniors from nine different states — Colorado (6), Texas (3), Illinois (2), Oklahoma (2), Missouri (2), Wyoming (1), Nebraska (1), California (1) and Hawaii (1).
With three scholarship spots still open, Wyoming has scheduled two more campus visits this week while waiting for answers on a couple of prospects that have already visited.
Expected to be on the UW campus today for an official visit is Thomas Vonashek, a 6-foot-9, 280-pound offensive tackle from Glynn Academy in St. Simons, Ga.
According to Rivals.com, Middle Tennessee and Georgia Southern are also recruiting Vonashek.
This past season, Vonashek, who runs a 5.1 40 and is also playing basketball at Glynn Academy, was a Georgia 2-AAAA All-Region selection.
Reportedly coming in on Friday is Chris McNeill, a 6-1, 170-pound wide receiver from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
This past season, McNeill caught 41 passes for 806 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a first-team All-Sierra League pick as a senior.
According to Rivals.com, McNeill has also drawn interest from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado State, Nevada, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State and Washington.
UW Football Recruiting
JUNIOR COLLEGE SIGNEE (1)
(Will Enroll at UW in the Fall)
Quarterbacks
ROBERT BENJAMIN (6-2, 205), quarterback, Phoenix (Ariz.) South Mountain High School and Phoenix College.
2009 VERBAL COMMITMENTS (19)
Quarterbacks
AUSTYN CARTA-SAMUELS (6-1, 207), quarterback, San Jose (Calif) Bellarmine College Prep.
Running Backs
ALVESTER ALEXANDER (5-11, 205), running back, Houston (Texas) C.E. King High School.
Receivers
RODNEY JAYNES (6-4, 205), wide receiver, Chicago Hales Franciscan High School.
LARRY MITCHELL (6-2, 180), wide receiver, Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley High School.
T.J. SMITH (6-3, 220), tight end, Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High School.
DAVID TOOLEY (6-6, 215), tight end/wide receiver, Moberly (Mo.) Senior High School.
Linemen
SCOTT CRISS (6-5, 250), offensive lineman, Omaha (Neb.) Creighton Prep.
JOSHUA MARTIN (6-3, 215, defensive end, Aurora (Colo.) Cherokee Trail High School.
MIKE PURCELL (6-3, 260), defensive end, Highlands Ranch (Colo.) High School.
MARK WILLIS (6-4, 230), defensive end, Oak Park-River Forest (Ill.) High School.
Linebackers
DEVYN HARRIS (6-3, 195), linebacker, Fountain-Fort Carson (Colo.) High School.
TODD KNIGHT (6-2, 200), linebacker, Aurora (Colo.) Grandview High School.
JEFF ROUECHE (6-3, 205), linebacker, Niwot (Colo.) High School.
Secondary
KENNY BROWDER (5-10, 180), defensive back, Round Rock (Texas) Stony Point High School.
SHAMIEL GARY (6-1, 205), safety, Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington High School.
ANDREW MEREDITH (6-0, 185), safety, Green River (Wyo) High School.
TRENDT MARSOM (6-0, 195), safety, Honolulu (Hawaii) Kaimuki High School.
GHALLI MUHAMMED (5-11, 200, athlete, St. Joseph’s (Mo.) Central High School.
LUKE RUFF (5-11, 185), defensive back, Castle Rock (Colo.) Douglas County High School.
PokeNer
Well-known member
I think you take Rivals recruiting rankings with a grain of salt. Take Boise for example, go back and look at there recruiting classes in '02, '03, etc. They were two star across the board. We all know that most of those players aren't two star and several of them are in the NFL now, and have an undefeated season under their belt. Now look at Boise's class this year, lots of 3 star players. Has their recruiting changed lately? Doubtful, these are probably the same type of player that they would rate a 2 star back in '02 or '03. Utah's '04 and '05 classes (the leadership on this year's team) were dominated by mostly 2 star and some 3 star players, and we all know what those 2 star players (Brian Johnson, Darrel Mack, Brent Casteel, Zane Beadles, Louie Sakoda - all 2 stars) did this year.
Rivals is all about who you are. Utah, BYU, TCU, Boise have gotten a ton of publicity lately, and therefore Rivals believes that they are recruiting better players and therefore rates them higher. Granted some of their recruits are also being pursued by some big time schools, but the other players that only those school recruits are rated higher because of what the teams have done lately. If Wyoming had some big time bowl wins over the past few years, I would guarantee that some of the 2 star commits right now would be 3 star or higher.
What really matters is how DC is evaluating and then coaching that talent, not what Rivals ranks them, and how they perform on the field 3 or 4 years from now.
Rivals is all about who you are. Utah, BYU, TCU, Boise have gotten a ton of publicity lately, and therefore Rivals believes that they are recruiting better players and therefore rates them higher. Granted some of their recruits are also being pursued by some big time schools, but the other players that only those school recruits are rated higher because of what the teams have done lately. If Wyoming had some big time bowl wins over the past few years, I would guarantee that some of the 2 star commits right now would be 3 star or higher.
What really matters is how DC is evaluating and then coaching that talent, not what Rivals ranks them, and how they perform on the field 3 or 4 years from now.
PokeNer
Well-known member
I got myself thinking a little bit, looking at the All-MWC 10th Anniversary team, and decided to look at what each player was rated on Rivals (only those that are in the database):
Alex Smith, QB, Utah - 2 Star, NFL - 1st overall pick
David Anderson, WR, CSU - 2 Star, NFL - 7th Round
Johnny Harline, TE, BYU - 2 Star, NFL - UFA
Chase Ortiz, DE, TCU - 2 Star, NFL - UFA, Browns
Beau Bell, LB, UNLV - 2 Star, NFL - 4th Round, Browns
Eric Weddle, DB, Utah - 2 Star, NFL - 2nd Round, Chargers
Other Notables not on the All-MWC team:
Brian Johnson, QB, Utah - 2 Star
Austin Collie, WR, BYU - 3 Star
Harvey Unga, RB, BYU - 2 Star
Max Hall, QB, BYU - 2 Star
Kyle Bell, RB, CSU - 2 Star
Dion Morton, WR, CSU - 2 Star
Kory Sperry, TE, CSU - 2 Star
John Wendling, DB, UW - 2 Star
Derrick Martin, DB, UW - 2 Star
Wynel Seldon, RB, UW - 2 Star
Julius Stinson, DB, UW - 2 Star
I think I made my point, Rivals rankings don't mean shit.
Alex Smith, QB, Utah - 2 Star, NFL - 1st overall pick
David Anderson, WR, CSU - 2 Star, NFL - 7th Round
Johnny Harline, TE, BYU - 2 Star, NFL - UFA
Chase Ortiz, DE, TCU - 2 Star, NFL - UFA, Browns
Beau Bell, LB, UNLV - 2 Star, NFL - 4th Round, Browns
Eric Weddle, DB, Utah - 2 Star, NFL - 2nd Round, Chargers
Other Notables not on the All-MWC team:
Brian Johnson, QB, Utah - 2 Star
Austin Collie, WR, BYU - 3 Star
Harvey Unga, RB, BYU - 2 Star
Max Hall, QB, BYU - 2 Star
Kyle Bell, RB, CSU - 2 Star
Dion Morton, WR, CSU - 2 Star
Kory Sperry, TE, CSU - 2 Star
John Wendling, DB, UW - 2 Star
Derrick Martin, DB, UW - 2 Star
Wynel Seldon, RB, UW - 2 Star
Julius Stinson, DB, UW - 2 Star
I think I made my point, Rivals rankings don't mean shit.
The star rating a recruit receives out of high school or junior college is certainly not any sort of guarantee about how good of player that recruit will turn out to be, but it is a very good indicator of the talent level and potential of a given recruit. The MWC has rarely received commitments from 4 or 5 star recruits. Thus, the majority of the players in the league are going to be 2 star recruits with some 3 star recruits scattered in there. This helps explain why many of the players on the MWC 10th Anniversary team is composed of 2 and 3 star recruits. I added together the rivals.com points from the 2004-2008 recruiting classes and this is what I found:
BYU - 1128
Utah - 1408
TCU - 1196
UW - 417
That isn't just a coincidence to me. I don't think it has been any secret that these schools have outrecruited the rest of the conference in the past few years. I'm not saying it is the entire reason they have dominated the conference as of late, but it certainly played a major role. The sad thing is, this years recruiting classes have a even larger disparity between the Big 3 and the rest of the conference. Here are the rivals.com points for the 2009 recruiting class thus far:
BYU - 640
Utah - 857
TCU - 786
UW - 154
The closest team to the Big 3 is UNLV at 174 points. Christensen definitely has his work cut out for him in the next few years.
BYU - 1128
Utah - 1408
TCU - 1196
UW - 417
That isn't just a coincidence to me. I don't think it has been any secret that these schools have outrecruited the rest of the conference in the past few years. I'm not saying it is the entire reason they have dominated the conference as of late, but it certainly played a major role. The sad thing is, this years recruiting classes have a even larger disparity between the Big 3 and the rest of the conference. Here are the rivals.com points for the 2009 recruiting class thus far:
BYU - 640
Utah - 857
TCU - 786
UW - 154
The closest team to the Big 3 is UNLV at 174 points. Christensen definitely has his work cut out for him in the next few years.
Fullback41
Well-known member
TheRealUW:
I do agree this class is not where we need to be if we want to compete for MWC championships, but feel it was good given the time and recent UW history. The stats you gave on the total number of stars can be very misleading though. According to the stats you quoted it appears these schools have recruits rated as much as 5.5 times greater than ours. The reason they have 5.5 times more stars is because they have more commitments. If our average recruit is 2.2 stars they are not getting recruits with 12 stars. They have more stars and commitments because not all will get scholarships, they have more JUCO guys who will only be around 2 yrs and they are generally rated a little higher, more kids who did commit have dropped out, so more scholarships are available, etc. I think your stats would have been more relevant if done on average stars, then we would see a better representation of how they are beating us.
So, while I think your example was flawed, I do agree with you. We can't find 8 diamonds in the rough every year. We will need to go head to head against BCS schools, the big MWC 3, and Boise St, and just flat out win the recruit. When we start getting about 8 kids a year that had offers at those schools then we will really be doing something recruiting wise. I say 8 because if they all redshirt, and are spread evenly, we could field a complete offense, defense, kicker, & punter, with nothing but 3 star recruits in their 3rd year or older. That is essentially where the big 3 and Boise St have been the last couple years.
On the flip side, until we start a winning tradition, our classes will be underrated anyway. As others have stated, there is the factor that some UW recruits rankings have dropped (Adam Barry 3 to 2) after committing to UW while others have raised, so there is some obvious bias to me. In general recruits rankings only increase as more info becomes available not sure how a recruit can drop, yet ours do. I am sure there is some inflated rankings on BCS kids based on where they commit as well. I also feel in general kids in our region of the country are not given their due ability wise, maybe because most "experts" are in SEC, Texas, Big 10, or PAC-10 areas.
I do agree this class is not where we need to be if we want to compete for MWC championships, but feel it was good given the time and recent UW history. The stats you gave on the total number of stars can be very misleading though. According to the stats you quoted it appears these schools have recruits rated as much as 5.5 times greater than ours. The reason they have 5.5 times more stars is because they have more commitments. If our average recruit is 2.2 stars they are not getting recruits with 12 stars. They have more stars and commitments because not all will get scholarships, they have more JUCO guys who will only be around 2 yrs and they are generally rated a little higher, more kids who did commit have dropped out, so more scholarships are available, etc. I think your stats would have been more relevant if done on average stars, then we would see a better representation of how they are beating us.
So, while I think your example was flawed, I do agree with you. We can't find 8 diamonds in the rough every year. We will need to go head to head against BCS schools, the big MWC 3, and Boise St, and just flat out win the recruit. When we start getting about 8 kids a year that had offers at those schools then we will really be doing something recruiting wise. I say 8 because if they all redshirt, and are spread evenly, we could field a complete offense, defense, kicker, & punter, with nothing but 3 star recruits in their 3rd year or older. That is essentially where the big 3 and Boise St have been the last couple years.
On the flip side, until we start a winning tradition, our classes will be underrated anyway. As others have stated, there is the factor that some UW recruits rankings have dropped (Adam Barry 3 to 2) after committing to UW while others have raised, so there is some obvious bias to me. In general recruits rankings only increase as more info becomes available not sure how a recruit can drop, yet ours do. I am sure there is some inflated rankings on BCS kids based on where they commit as well. I also feel in general kids in our region of the country are not given their due ability wise, maybe because most "experts" are in SEC, Texas, Big 10, or PAC-10 areas.
Fullback41:
I was actually using the rivals.com points system and not the total number of stars. Granted, the points system is largely based upon the number of stars a recruit has, but it also takes into account where the recruit ranks within his position and if he is a top national prospect. I agree that just looking at the number of stars a recruit has can be very misleading. There is a major difference between a 5.0 rated 2 star recruit and a 5.4 rated 2 star recruit, the latter of which is nearly receiving 3 stars. Thus, only looking at the average number of stars doesn't paint the entire picture either. However, I have compiled that information as well. Here is the average number of stars for the Big 3 and UW and where that ranked within the conference:
2004: BYU - 2.30 (3rd), Utah - 2.24 (4th), TCU - 2.38 (2nd), UW - 2.05 (7th)
2005: BYU - 2.31 (3rd), Utah - 2.29 (4th), TCU - 2.38 (2nd), UW - 2.11 (T-7th)
2006: BYU - 2.12 (6th), Utah - 2.44 (2nd), TCU - 2.56 (1st), UW - 2.05 (7th)
2007: BYU - 2.46 (2nd), Utah - 2.32 (T-3rd), TCU - 2.54 (1st), UW - 2.29 (5th)
2008: BYU - 2.52 (2nd), Utah - 2.73 (1st), TCU - 2.25 (3rd), UW - 2.14 (7th)
Also within that time frame (2004-2008) I think it is worth noting that BYU had 3 four star recruits and 36 three star recruits. Utah had 4 four stars and 35 three stars while TCU had 3 four stars and 39 three stars. UW had 0 four stars and only 13 three stars in that same amount of time. I think this really helps explain why things have shaken out the way they have in the past few years. Just as I stated before, the disparity is only getting worse:
2009: BYU - 2.90 (2nd), Utah - 2.78 (3rd), TCU - 3.00 (1st), UW - 2.20 (5th)
As of today, BYU has 2 four star recruits and 14 three star recruits in this years class. Utah has 1 five star, 2 four stars, and 13 three stars while TCU has 4 four stars and 11 three stars. UW has 0 four or five stars and 4 three stars. It's pretty obvious to me why we haven't competed for a conference crown recently and classes like this aren't going to get us there.
I was actually using the rivals.com points system and not the total number of stars. Granted, the points system is largely based upon the number of stars a recruit has, but it also takes into account where the recruit ranks within his position and if he is a top national prospect. I agree that just looking at the number of stars a recruit has can be very misleading. There is a major difference between a 5.0 rated 2 star recruit and a 5.4 rated 2 star recruit, the latter of which is nearly receiving 3 stars. Thus, only looking at the average number of stars doesn't paint the entire picture either. However, I have compiled that information as well. Here is the average number of stars for the Big 3 and UW and where that ranked within the conference:
2004: BYU - 2.30 (3rd), Utah - 2.24 (4th), TCU - 2.38 (2nd), UW - 2.05 (7th)
2005: BYU - 2.31 (3rd), Utah - 2.29 (4th), TCU - 2.38 (2nd), UW - 2.11 (T-7th)
2006: BYU - 2.12 (6th), Utah - 2.44 (2nd), TCU - 2.56 (1st), UW - 2.05 (7th)
2007: BYU - 2.46 (2nd), Utah - 2.32 (T-3rd), TCU - 2.54 (1st), UW - 2.29 (5th)
2008: BYU - 2.52 (2nd), Utah - 2.73 (1st), TCU - 2.25 (3rd), UW - 2.14 (7th)
Also within that time frame (2004-2008) I think it is worth noting that BYU had 3 four star recruits and 36 three star recruits. Utah had 4 four stars and 35 three stars while TCU had 3 four stars and 39 three stars. UW had 0 four stars and only 13 three stars in that same amount of time. I think this really helps explain why things have shaken out the way they have in the past few years. Just as I stated before, the disparity is only getting worse:
2009: BYU - 2.90 (2nd), Utah - 2.78 (3rd), TCU - 3.00 (1st), UW - 2.20 (5th)
As of today, BYU has 2 four star recruits and 14 three star recruits in this years class. Utah has 1 five star, 2 four stars, and 13 three stars while TCU has 4 four stars and 11 three stars. UW has 0 four or five stars and 4 three stars. It's pretty obvious to me why we haven't competed for a conference crown recently and classes like this aren't going to get us there.
Fullback41
Well-known member
Oops my bad, I misunderstood what you were doing. Sounds like we are on the same page though, we need equal talent to get where we want to be. It is scary to think what Calhoun at AFA could do with the talent the others have, so good coaching and a unique scheme can make a difference, but they haven't won any league titles either.
I believe the decommit was Josh Martin. It's probably not a huge loss. The fact that we offered him a scholarship to begin with was sort of a head scratcher. I remember reading a story that said he was even surprised that we offered him a scholarship. I know Christensen has his own system of evaluating talent and he must of done well in that evaluation system. I've heard he decided to go to Columbia and pursue his academics. I'm not sure if he will be playing football there or not. Can't fault a kid for making that choice. The fact that Spencer Bruce is visiting so soon after the decommit is very very interesting considering he will probably play the same position that Martin was projected to play at. There are a lot of people in the state, including high school coaches, who would say Bruce is the best prospect in the state (better than Merideth). Bruce is definitely built more like a FBS college football player than Meredith is. I've heard that we originally offered Bruce a preferred walk on status, but he decided to take the scholarship at Southern Miss. It sounded like he was very interested in playing for UW, but he and his family might have been a little bit pissed off that we didn't offer him a scholarship. Thus, it will be very interesting to see what he does if we decide to offer him a scholarship now. Obviously, he must still have some interest or he wouldn't come on the visit.
