BillySee58

https://twitter.com/untsportsnewz/status/481580877135089664 http://m.aggieathletics.com/all/article/205707336 http://sports.yahoo.com/tamu/basketball/recruiting/player-J-Mychal-Reese-70421

Are you sure? This is very early to be offering a grayshirt. I don't get the point behind offering grayshirts this early. If you don't think the kid is good enough to be a part of your class this year, what makes you think he'll fit better for the next year? Especially considering this is Strong's first year and you would think he hopes to improve his recruiting at Texas to where his class is better next year than this year. Which again, why would he fit better next year?

Ranked #62 according to the Orlando Sentinel

http://t.co/steDVJQtYa Hit .351 on the season

The way those crystal balls work is the longer the prediction is up, the more points the predictor gets when/if that kid commits to that school. They can change them last minute, but they won't get as much points. We are his only offer, so that guy is just hoping it stays that way and he eventually picks us. But that is the bigger point. We still appear to be his only offer (I believe he did pick up an FCS offer). I wouldn't mind getting this kid at all. He checked in at about 6'1" 225 at a camp and ran a 4.6 I believe. He'd be a very good fit at linebacker, even as an inside linebacker.

Valid points. But you and Andrew both talk about how we don't normally win these big recruiting battles and that the exception was the 2011 class with Forrest, Jordan, and Chris. That's the point. That's what state the program was left in when Benford took over. That's the state the program was in when Benford was able to land Wesley and Hardwick before ever coaching a game here. Not to mention he underperformed with that talent, and he's bringing in players who were not as highly recruited and we're supposed to expect an improvement. That's where the reason for alarm is coming from. As for Mccarney, he did use a lot of Dodge recruits but most of Dodge's recruits were not super highly recruited. Certainly not more highly recruited than some of the kids we've been pulling lately. Did Mac and co just do an amazing job developing those players, or was it great scouting by Dodge bringing in those underrated guys? Could be a combination of both. Could be more one than the other. We haven't found out yet. We also don't know if we are capable of greater things now that we are bringing in higher rated recruits than Mac was left with, and he's actually keeping them on campus and developing them.

Yup. We had 5 seniors and Tony Mitchell. So we only had 6 spots to fill in reality. But we ended up signing 10 because of those reasons you mentioned and we still ended up with just 11 scholarship players last season (2 short of what you're allowed). Last class we only had 4 spots and ended up signing 7, and we're still 1 short now that CJ has left. We sign more than we have initial spots.

Benford's first full class (after Coleman and Hardwick) was actually 2013. He signed a total of 10 players. 5 signed in the spring and all made it in as transfers (Vaughns, Aniefiok, Voss, Flannigan, Gaines) while 5 signed in the fall (Casimiro, Norris, Nunn, Friar, and Wesley). Of the 5 signees from his first early signing period, none have played a game for us yet with hopefully Wesley set to play this season. But honestly, this shouldn't become another Benford bashing thread. Whether we get this kid or not. We need this class to be successful, regardless of who our coach is going forward. We have 5 seniors and 1 extra open spot for this class. History suggests we'll sign more than just the amount of open spots we have for our class. If these players aren't good then we'll be in big trouble.

A big part of what UNT90 is getting at is that Benford isn't winning any recruiting battles. A lot of the players you listed, you gave us their high school offer lists, even though we got them via transfer. Getting Kelvin Gaines as a grad transfer after two years of riding the pine at cincy is hardly like beating out UCONN or Memphis for him. Same with Vertrail Vaughns, wanting to come home for his last season. The offers you listed for Anthony Norris were retracted in high school after he regressed and he didn't start for Midland JC. I'm really not sure why Benford chose to portray Deandre Harris as the jewel of this class. He didn't have any other offers, came off the bench his freshman year, and redshirted last year. Ahmed looks pretty good, but not sure what his offer list was. Doesn't show anything on his recruiting profiles so hard to know for sure. Also, Greg White-Pittman said his only other offer was New Orleans, so Auburn never offered. And as 90 said, Wesley, Hardwick, and Taylor came in before he ever coached a game so they were recruited on someone else's merits. We signed 4 guards this year who had 1 offer combined. We saw how Benford-recruited bigs led to bottom of the conference production. Scary to think what it's going to be like with his guards as well.

Did end up flipping to Arkansas. http://bit.ly/1wfHqTG Still think we don't take a back for this class and that Jeffery Wilson redshirts and Willy Ivery potentially does to. Although I see him playing some on offense and having a role on special teams.

6A First-team all state preseason on DCTF

I completely agree. I also think people should take into consideration that our team could be not as good as last year's and still have a similar record or even better. I don't care if I sound like I'm drinking the green kool aid, but we were better than our record last year. We were better than that Ohio team, and the rest of the year proved that, and Tulane as well. Then there's the UTSA game. If we can limit those games where we come out incredibly slow, and turn some of those 1-score games the other way, we can easily be 8-4 or better with this schedule.

The 2010 class was really one of the more efficient classes you'll ever see. And I think a lot of that has to do with Mac and our staff's ability to develop players as long as we can keep them on campus. The fact that so many 2012 kids have left already is what makes that class disappointing so far. But I think the ones who have stayed are going to have it benefit them. Just like how Malik Dilonga had a breakthrough spring. But that 2010 class (outside of the desperation JUCOs Dodge signed) featured 12 high school signees. 1 of which left early and never contributed (Graylin Hawkins). Out of the other 11 we had 9 multi-year starters and Richard Abbe (played plenty in first three years including spot start here and there). Also had 5 all-conference players. If we can get that kind of efficiency going forward, coupled with bigger high school classes not consisting of so many desperation JUCOs, we will have a stacked roster. Maximizing production the way Mac did with the class of 2010 will have us in the hunt for the West every year.

Holmen also had listed offers from La Tech, Santa Clara, UTEP, Oral Roberts (was coming off 3 straight NCAA tourney appearances heading into Holmen's senior season, and Drake (was coming off a 28-5 season in which they received a 5-seed heading into Holmen's senior season).

I didn't purchase DCTF but I was perusing it earlier today and I don't recall seeing or not seeing Fonzale's name on our list of signees. I didn't really pay it any attention. However, the article part did mention O'Keeron Rutherford coming in. Rutherford and Davis both double signed with Kilgore. So at least no exclusion of Rutherford.

We only have 2 scholarship centers on our roster in Kaydon Kirby and Shawn Mckinney. Kirby is obviously starting and Mckinney was playing mainly with the first huddle at guard.

Too bad. I thought he could've been a good fit as a speedy outside linebacker in our scheme. I wonder if he's going to play safety at OSU. What we really need is a good inside linebacker this class. We are set outside IMO.

Cyril Lemon is getting great respect across the country in the preseason football magazines. - Named 1st team all Texas in the DCTF magazine - 1st team all CUSA in every magazine that has or will come out - 4th team All American on Phil Steele's magazine - Was named the top NFL prospect this year in all of CUSA in Lindy's preseason magazine - Outland trophy watch list - Lombardi trophy watch list Great recognition for a guy who has meant so much to turning this program around, and has a great shot at breaking our streak of years without an NFL draft selectee.

Really picking up interest. Very solid looking film from their spring practices. His rivals profile lists offers from Air Force, Liberty, UL Monroe, SFA, Toledo, Central Florida, and Utah State. Definitely looks the part. http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2594970/jess-trussell

Commits to Louisville

Yeah, I actually have a thread on Cook. The thing about him is that he is being recruited by most of those schools as a linebacker, so there's a good chance we're recruiting him there as well. But either way, like you said, he'd be a hard pull. Since we got 2 running backs last year and at least one will redshirt (like Jeffery Wilson) that'll basically serve as your back for this class. In a small class I think that's the best way to go about things anyways, IMO. Use those scholarships on o-linemen, d-linemen, receivers, and defensive backs for this class.

Williams has picked up 2 crystal ball predictions to Arkansas on 247 over the last couple days. His Ole Miss commitment does appear to be shaky, which is the good news. The bad news is that Arkansas appears to be making a strong push for him as well. Apparently Mac stated that he wants to sign a running back every class. Williams is the only running back offer for this class, to my knowledge. I think we can afford not signing one for this class. If nothing else, we'll likely to continue to be very picky with RBs.

Bully seating?

5'11" 172 lb receiver from Lawton, Oklahoma. Plays for Lawton High School, one of the top programs in the state of Oklahoma. Teammate of 5-star offensive lineman Jalin Barnett, who we offered as well. Sadler plays all over the field for Lawton, especially in the slot, plays safety, and has a solid build. Versatile athlete, and I really like his film. We have offered. Also holds offers from New Mexico, Illinois, La Tech, Minnesota, and Texas State. Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/514973/kalin-sadler http://hsoklahoma.scout.com/a.z?s=406&p=8&c=1&nid=7195368 https://sports.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Kalin-Sadler-144500 http://247sports.com/Player/Kalin-Sadler-32631

5'11" 179 lb cornerback from Santa Fe High School in Edmond, OK. Rated a 3-star on scout. We are his first offer. Louisville appears close to offering as well. Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/601264/ashton-preston http://247sports.com/Player/Ashton-Preston-36697 https://sports.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Ashton-Preston-152549 http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/176211/ashton-preston http://smu.scout.com/a.z?s=357&p=8&c=1&nid=7195198