[Redrum]

Phillips of course, but I was really hoping that Veach would recognize and jump on the opportunity bus.  Maybe that's our great strength.  Finding and developing undervalued HS players.  Betcha Veach gets some stars before long.

[Redrum]

Phillips of course, but I was really hoping that Veach would recognize and jump on the opportunity bus.  Maybe that's our great strength.  Finding and developing undervalued HS players.  Betcha Veach gets some stars before long.

[pcgoode]

Lealao just tweeted the following about an hour ago:

@NEE_FEE_ZEE: One Of The Best Days Of My Life... #FullRideToStanford #SophomoreYear #MakinItHappen #AllGloryToGod http://t.co/BMH8VXFVtv

[pcgoode]

Lealao just tweeted the following about an hour ago:

@NEE_FEE_ZEE: One Of The Best Days Of My Life... #FullRideToStanford #SophomoreYear #MakinItHappen #AllGloryToGod http://t.co/BMH8VXFVtv

[AthleticsDynasty]

What do you guys think of Kurt Holuba? He's a teammate of Garrett Dickerson and I presume also an OLB prospect. He has one of the best DL highlights I have seen, better than Dickerson's defensive highlights in my opinion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBf-usV7_NA

[AthleticsDynasty]

What do you guys think of Kurt Holuba? He's a teammate of Garrett Dickerson and I presume also an OLB prospect. He has one of the best DL highlights I have seen, better than Dickerson's defensive highlights in my opinion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBf-usV7_NA

[StannyBoy]

He has an offer but I'm not sure where he fits in if we land Veach, Dickerson, Okereke, and Alfieri. But I guess we'd be willing to take 5 LBs since Dickerson has potential at TE and we're losing Skov, Murphy, and Lancaster this year.

[StannyBoy]

He has an offer but I'm not sure where he fits in if we land Veach, Dickerson, Okereke, and Alfieri. But I guess we'd be willing to take 5 LBs since Dickerson has potential at TE and we're losing Skov, Murphy, and Lancaster this year.

[AthleticsDynasty]

He has an offer but I'm not sure where he fits in if we land Veach, Dickerson, Okereke, and Alfieri. But I guess we'd be willing to take 5 LBs since Dickerson has potential at TE and we're losing Skov, Murphy, and Lancaster this year.

I assume we are taking 3 OLBs and since Nelson picked Iowa Holuba is taking his spot. After watching his highlights i want him BAD.

[AthleticsDynasty]

He has an offer but I'm not sure where he fits in if we land Veach, Dickerson, Okereke, and Alfieri. But I guess we'd be willing to take 5 LBs since Dickerson has potential at TE and we're losing Skov, Murphy, and Lancaster this year.

I assume we are taking 3 OLBs and since Nelson picked Iowa Holuba is taking his spot. After watching his highlights i want him BAD.

[OutsiderFan]

Alfieri and Okereke are ILBs at Stanford, so they don't have any bearing on Holuba.  His video is impressive as a 4-3 WDE who always goes forward, but how does he do dropping into coverage?  Did Holuba camp at Stanford so they could see how he projects as a 3-4 OLB?

Anyway, gotta love a guy who puts NFL Films theme music on his highlight video!

[OutsiderFan]

Alfieri and Okereke are ILBs at Stanford, so they don't have any bearing on Holuba.  His video is impressive as a 4-3 WDE who always goes forward, but how does he do dropping into coverage?  Did Holuba camp at Stanford so they could see how he projects as a 3-4 OLB?

Anyway, gotta love a guy who puts NFL Films theme music on his highlight video!

[washingtonismoney]

tDid Holuba camp at Stanford so they could see how he projects as a 3-4 OLB?

Yes, he did. Additionally, I believe both Wisconsin and Florida State both run 3-4s and are recruiting him (I presume at OLB).

[washingtonismoney]

tDid Holuba camp at Stanford so they could see how he projects as a 3-4 OLB?

Yes, he did. Additionally, I believe both Wisconsin and Florida State both run 3-4s and are recruiting him (I presume at OLB).

[washingtonismoney]

Additional note: 247 has rated Veach as an 87 (90 is the demarcation for four-stars), which makes him a pretty solid three-star recruit. With the Veach commitment, 247's composite rankings put us first in the Pac-12. We've slipped a bit in the per-recruit average to third behind SC and UW, but the difference is pretty small.

While there are a number of recruits who could decide to decide at any time, the next scheduled decision is Bentley Spain's at the end of the month. Spain is a very important recruit, so we'll see. It seems most observers are calling it for the home state Tar Heels.

[washingtonismoney]

Additional note: 247 has rated Veach as an 87 (90 is the demarcation for four-stars), which makes him a pretty solid three-star recruit. With the Veach commitment, 247's composite rankings put us first in the Pac-12. We've slipped a bit in the per-recruit average to third behind SC and UW, but the difference is pretty small.

While there are a number of recruits who could decide to decide at any time, the next scheduled decision is Bentley Spain's at the end of the month. Spain is a very important recruit, so we'll see. It seems most observers are calling it for the home state Tar Heels.

[Bruce Wang]

While there are a number of recruits who could decide to decide at any time, the next scheduled decision is Bentley Spain's at the end of the month. Spain is a very important recruit, so we'll see. It seems most observers are calling it for the home state Tar Heels.

The same observers calling Nebraska for Phillips? 

The Tar Heels's massive academic scandal in their athletic department works in our favor.  What good is UNC's good academic reputation when it's clouded with these shenanigans?  Then again if this kind of stuff is viewed as a feature rather than a bug, then Stanford is not the place for them.

[Bruce Wang]

While there are a number of recruits who could decide to decide at any time, the next scheduled decision is Bentley Spain's at the end of the month. Spain is a very important recruit, so we'll see. It seems most observers are calling it for the home state Tar Heels.

The same observers calling Nebraska for Phillips? 

The Tar Heels's massive academic scandal in their athletic department works in our favor.  What good is UNC's good academic reputation when it's clouded with these shenanigans?  Then again if this kind of stuff is viewed as a feature rather than a bug, then Stanford is not the place for them.

[washingtonismoney]

The same observers calling Nebraska for Phillips? 

Yup. Predictions are hard, especially about the future. Still, think it's worth nothing in the same way that, say, betting lines are: as a way to figure out what the consensus is on a particular issue. Obviously sometimes both betting lines and consensus are spectacularly wrong, but I would guess more often than not they are right.

[washingtonismoney]

The same observers calling Nebraska for Phillips? 

Yup. Predictions are hard, especially about the future. Still, think it's worth nothing in the same way that, say, betting lines are: as a way to figure out what the consensus is on a particular issue. Obviously sometimes both betting lines and consensus are spectacularly wrong, but I would guess more often than not they are right.

[StannyBoy]

Yes, he did. Additionally, I believe both Wisconsin and Florida State both run 3-4s and are recruiting him (I presume at OLB).

Wisconsin is switching to a 3-4 but Florida State uses a 4-3.

[StannyBoy]

Yes, he did. Additionally, I believe both Wisconsin and Florida State both run 3-4s and are recruiting him (I presume at OLB).

Wisconsin is switching to a 3-4 but Florida State uses a 4-3.

[washingtonismoney]

Wisconsin is switching to a 3-4 but Florida State uses a 4-3.

Hired a Nick Saban disciple as their defensive coordinator, so I think they're going 3-4.

(the google search for this article seems to confirm that idea: http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges...ive-scheme Anyone with insider can confirm?

[washingtonismoney]

Wisconsin is switching to a 3-4 but Florida State uses a 4-3.

Hired a Nick Saban disciple as their defensive coordinator, so I think they're going 3-4.

(the google search for this article seems to confirm that idea: http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges...ive-scheme Anyone with insider can confirm?

[StannyBoy]

they announced in December that they weren't switching to a 3-4 even though they hired a 3-4 guy to run their D. Probably a smart move, their LBs are all pretty thin compared to most of the guys Stanford has at LB. Looks like they even have LBs under 220 lbs. Most of their DEs could never play OLB in a 3-4.

[StannyBoy]

they announced in December that they weren't switching to a 3-4 even though they hired a 3-4 guy to run their D. Probably a smart move, their LBs are all pretty thin compared to most of the guys Stanford has at LB. Looks like they even have LBs under 220 lbs. Most of their DEs could never play OLB in a 3-4.

[Hank 91]

As for Veach and his rating (or lack thereof), I've gotten to the point where I put far more faith into the coaching staff's ability to recognize and develop talent than I do in the recruiting service rankings. Sure, it's great to get four- and five-star guys, but it's obviously better to get guys who develop into All-Pac-12 performers. Consider:

Two-star players:
Doug Baldwin, Thomas Keiser, Owen Marecic, Sam Schwartzstein, Ben Gardner

Three-star players:
Sione Fua, Toby Gerhart, Richard Sherman, Coby Fleener, David DeCastro, Delano Howell, Jonathan Martin, Chase Thomas, Michael Thomas, Zach Ertz, Kevin Danser, Jarek Lancaster, Trent Murphy, Cameron Fleming, Ed Reynolds, AJ Tarpley, David Yankey, Kevin Hogan

Rivals rankings. Bold indicates 1st or 2nd team All-Pac-12/10; the rest received honorable mention.

[Hank 91]

As for Veach and his rating (or lack thereof), I've gotten to the point where I put far more faith into the coaching staff's ability to recognize and develop talent than I do in the recruiting service rankings. Sure, it's great to get four- and five-star guys, but it's obviously better to get guys who develop into All-Pac-12 performers. Consider:

Two-star players:
Doug Baldwin, Thomas Keiser, Owen Marecic, Sam Schwartzstein, Ben Gardner

Three-star players:
Sione Fua, Toby Gerhart, Richard Sherman, Coby Fleener, David DeCastro, Delano Howell, Jonathan Martin, Chase Thomas, Michael Thomas, Zach Ertz, Kevin Danser, Jarek Lancaster, Trent Murphy, Cameron Fleming, Ed Reynolds, AJ Tarpley, David Yankey, Kevin Hogan

Rivals rankings. Bold indicates 1st or 2nd team All-Pac-12/10; the rest received honorable mention.

[slide]

As for Veach and his rating (or lack thereof), I've gotten to the point where I put far more faith into the coaching staff's ability to recognize and develop talent than I do in the recruiting service rankings. Sure, it's great to get four- and five-star guys, but it's obviously better to get guys who develop into All-Pac-12 performers. Consider:

Two-star players:
Doug Baldwin, Thomas Keiser, Owen Marecic, Sam Schwartzstein, Ben Gardner

Three-star players:
Sione Fua, Toby Gerhart, Richard Sherman, Coby Fleener, David DeCastro, Delano Howell, Jonathan Martin, Chase Thomas, Michael Thomas, Zach Ertz, Kevin Danser, Jarek Lancaster, Trent Murphy, Cameron Fleming, Ed Reynolds, AJ Tarpley, David Yankey, Kevin Hogan

Rivals rankings. Bold indicates 1st or 2nd team All-Pac-12/10; the rest received honorable mention.

I agree with you that staff discovers and develops underappreciated players.  however, it looks like that 2-star pipeline is drying up a bit.  per Scout rankings, only 1 2-star over the last 3 recruiting cycles (Taijuan Thomas)

[slide]

As for Veach and his rating (or lack thereof), I've gotten to the point where I put far more faith into the coaching staff's ability to recognize and develop talent than I do in the recruiting service rankings. Sure, it's great to get four- and five-star guys, but it's obviously better to get guys who develop into All-Pac-12 performers. Consider:

Two-star players:
Doug Baldwin, Thomas Keiser, Owen Marecic, Sam Schwartzstein, Ben Gardner

Three-star players:
Sione Fua, Toby Gerhart, Richard Sherman, Coby Fleener, David DeCastro, Delano Howell, Jonathan Martin, Chase Thomas, Michael Thomas, Zach Ertz, Kevin Danser, Jarek Lancaster, Trent Murphy, Cameron Fleming, Ed Reynolds, AJ Tarpley, David Yankey, Kevin Hogan

Rivals rankings. Bold indicates 1st or 2nd team All-Pac-12/10; the rest received honorable mention.

I agree with you that staff discovers and develops underappreciated players.  however, it looks like that 2-star pipeline is drying up a bit.  per Scout rankings, only 1 2-star over the last 3 recruiting cycles (Taijuan Thomas)

[Hank 91]

The two-star pipeline is still there, it just no longer flows to Stanford. What we're seeing now is the answer to the Big Question: What would happen if this great coaching staff continued to get great kids, put them in the same locker room together and allowed them to push each other, just as they always have, but now instead of two-, three-, and the occasional four-star player, we're talking about three-, four-, and the occasional five-star player?

I don't think our recruiting classes will ever match up star-for-star with Alabama and Ohio State and those types on a year-to-year basis, but the overall quality of our student-athletes will more than make up the difference. Think back to the mid 90s when UCLA basketball was loaded with blue-chip recruits, and Stanford had to struggle along with the kids no one wanted -- you know, people like Brevin Knight, Mark Madsen, Arthur Lee, Peter Sauer, guys like that. We couldn't match UCLA's talent, but we still beat them. In the years that followed, once the blue-chippers started coming to Palo Alto (Jaron and Jason Collins, Casey Jacobsen, Josh Childress) the teams got even better. (You might point out that those teams never got to a Final Four, but I'd counter that the tournament is kind of a crap shoot.)

Anyway, I like the way our recruiting is going, both with respect to 2014 and the overall picture.

[Hank 91]

The two-star pipeline is still there, it just no longer flows to Stanford. What we're seeing now is the answer to the Big Question: What would happen if this great coaching staff continued to get great kids, put them in the same locker room together and allowed them to push each other, just as they always have, but now instead of two-, three-, and the occasional four-star player, we're talking about three-, four-, and the occasional five-star player?

I don't think our recruiting classes will ever match up star-for-star with Alabama and Ohio State and those types on a year-to-year basis, but the overall quality of our student-athletes will more than make up the difference. Think back to the mid 90s when UCLA basketball was loaded with blue-chip recruits, and Stanford had to struggle along with the kids no one wanted -- you know, people like Brevin Knight, Mark Madsen, Arthur Lee, Peter Sauer, guys like that. We couldn't match UCLA's talent, but we still beat them. In the years that followed, once the blue-chippers started coming to Palo Alto (Jaron and Jason Collins, Casey Jacobsen, Josh Childress) the teams got even better. (You might point out that those teams never got to a Final Four, but I'd counter that the tournament is kind of a crap shoot.)

Anyway, I like the way our recruiting is going, both with respect to 2014 and the overall picture.

[AthleticsDynasty]

[quote author=Hank 91 link=topic=6741.msg64403#msg64403 date=1373999499]
As for Veach and his rating (or lack thereof), I've gotten to the point where I put far more faith into the coaching staff's ability to recognize and develop talent than I do in the recruiting service rankings. Sure, it's great to get four- and five-star guys, but it's obviously better to get guys who develop into All-Pac-12 performers. Consider:

Two-star players:
Doug Baldwin, Thomas Keiser, Owen Marecic, Sam Schwartzstein, Ben Gardner

Three-star players:
Sione Fua, Toby Gerhart, Richard Sherman, Coby Fleener, David DeCastro, Delano Howell, Jonathan Martin, Chase Thomas, Michael Thomas, Zach Ertz, Kevin Danser, Jarek Lancaster, Trent Murphy, Cameron Fleming, Ed Reynolds, AJ Tarpley, David Yankey, Kevin Hogan

Rivals rankings. Bold indicates 1st or 2nd team All-Pac-12/10; the rest received honorable mention.

I agree with you that staff discovers and develops underappreciated players.  however, it looks like that 2-star pipeline is drying up a bit.  per Scout rankings, only 1 2-star over the last 3 recruiting cycles (Taijuan Thomas)
[/quote]

Star ratings mean nothing they are purely entertainment

[AthleticsDynasty]

[quote author=Hank 91 link=topic=6741.msg64403#msg64403 date=1373999499]
As for Veach and his rating (or lack thereof), I've gotten to the point where I put far more faith into the coaching staff's ability to recognize and develop talent than I do in the recruiting service rankings. Sure, it's great to get four- and five-star guys, but it's obviously better to get guys who develop into All-Pac-12 performers. Consider:

Two-star players:
Doug Baldwin, Thomas Keiser, Owen Marecic, Sam Schwartzstein, Ben Gardner

Three-star players:
Sione Fua, Toby Gerhart, Richard Sherman, Coby Fleener, David DeCastro, Delano Howell, Jonathan Martin, Chase Thomas, Michael Thomas, Zach Ertz, Kevin Danser, Jarek Lancaster, Trent Murphy, Cameron Fleming, Ed Reynolds, AJ Tarpley, David Yankey, Kevin Hogan

Rivals rankings. Bold indicates 1st or 2nd team All-Pac-12/10; the rest received honorable mention.

I agree with you that staff discovers and develops underappreciated players.  however, it looks like that 2-star pipeline is drying up a bit.  per Scout rankings, only 1 2-star over the last 3 recruiting cycles (Taijuan Thomas)
[/quote]

Star ratings mean nothing they are purely entertainment

[Hank 91]

Star ratings mean nothing they are purely entertainment

That's actually incorrect. There will always be highly-ranked players who underperform, just as there will be two- and three-star players who develop into NFL players, but generally the ranking system is pretty good. Here's a recent study from SI.com that uses Rivals rankings as a predictor of a team's success:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college...-accuracy/

There was another article somewhere (I couldn't find it, but I'm sure it was discussed on this board when it was published) that looked at how the stars translated to NFL success. Surprise, surprise -- more five-star players were drafted than four-stars, more four-stars than three, etc.

But here's where you're right. Chase Thomas tweeted something last year in reference to the arriving freshmen -- "You're all no star players now." The message? Nothing is given; you have to work for what you want. That's why Stanford will contend for a national championship this year.

[Hank 91]

Star ratings mean nothing they are purely entertainment

That's actually incorrect. There will always be highly-ranked players who underperform, just as there will be two- and three-star players who develop into NFL players, but generally the ranking system is pretty good. Here's a recent study from SI.com that uses Rivals rankings as a predictor of a team's success:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college...-accuracy/

There was another article somewhere (I couldn't find it, but I'm sure it was discussed on this board when it was published) that looked at how the stars translated to NFL success. Surprise, surprise -- more five-star players were drafted than four-stars, more four-stars than three, etc.

But here's where you're right. Chase Thomas tweeted something last year in reference to the arriving freshmen -- "You're all no star players now." The message? Nothing is given; you have to work for what you want. That's why Stanford will contend for a national championship this year.

[OutsiderFan]

I'm pretty sure Fua, DeCastro, Ertz, and Howell were four star recruits. 

[OutsiderFan]

I'm pretty sure Fua, DeCastro, Ertz, and Howell were four star recruits. 

[Hank 91]

I only looked at Rivals, where they were all given three stars. Not all recruiting services are in agreement on all players.

[Hank 91]

I only looked at Rivals, where they were all given three stars. Not all recruiting services are in agreement on all players.