2019 Recruit/Commitment Thread

[dmjcat]

Big JC defensive tackle has decommitted from UH and is now considering AZ and Oregon State

https://247sports.com/college/oregon-st ... 24344055_1" target="_blank

At the top of our list is Eastern Arizona Junior College defensive tackle Myles Tapusoa. The 6-foot-3, 325 pound prospect had originally committed to Houston, but de-committed on November 5 to explore his other options, namely Arizona and Oregon State. Tapusoa is expected to visit during the December 1 weekend.

Tapusoa has accounted for 43 tackles this season, including two sacks.

https://247sports.com/Player/Myles-Tapusoa-46056636/" target="_blank

[dmjcat]

Big offensive lineman from Georgia (center) deciding between UA and Illinois tomorrow.

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/foot ... akai-clark" target="_blank

[ChooChooCat]

Gonna lose him to Illinois. Top notch recruiting per the norm.

[dmjcat]

Gonna lose him to Illinois. Top notch recruiting per the norm.

We'll find out tomorrow at 1pm EST

[dmjcat]

Gonna lose him to Illinois. Top notch recruiting per the norm.

Called that one right Choo!

[ChooChooCat]

If you can't beat Illinois for a non-midwest kid at a major position of need, especially when he was literally all yours after a visit....that's just ridiculously bad.

[PieceOfMeat]

the fact that the guy tweets out a photoshop image of his "decision day" and it's between us and illini is rather hilarious to me. looks like the kid thinks he's bigger stuff than he actually is.

Choo, i know not getting every recruit is disappointing, but really it's gonna take years to see if sumlin's recruiting works or not.

[azcat49]

I thought they just got another kid who could play center? Williams?

Point taken though, the recruiting has been a bit....underwhelming to say the least. Still time though to reel in some top prospects

[ChooChooCat]

the fact that the guy tweets out a photoshop image of his "decision day" and it's between us and illini is rather hilarious to me. looks like the kid thinks he's bigger stuff than he actually is.

Choo, i know not getting every recruit is disappointing, but really it's gonna take years to see if sumlin's recruiting works or not.

I don't expect God like recruiting, we are Arizona after all, and if we lost him to a much better program whose coach wasnt likely to be shitcanned during the guy's freshman year I'd be fine with it. Hell if he was a midwest kid then I totally get this as well. He's a southeastern kid at a position of absolute need (we currently start a walk on at his position) and he was all but wrapped up for us the week prior. He visits Illinois, a crap football school in a crap location, who doesn't have coaching stability and he was sold enough on one visit to pop for them instead. That's just bad.

[PieceOfMeat]

the fact that the guy tweets out a photoshop image of his "decision day" and it's between us and illini is rather hilarious to me. looks like the kid thinks he's bigger stuff than he actually is.

Choo, i know not getting every recruit is disappointing, but really it's gonna take years to see if sumlin's recruiting works or not.

I don't expect God like recruiting, we are Arizona after all, and if we lost him to a much better program whose coach wasnt likely to be shitcanned during the guy's freshman year I'd be fine with it. Hell if he was a midwest kid then I totally get this as well. He's a southeastern kid at a position of absolute need (we currently start a walk on at his position) and he was all but wrapped up for us the week prior. He visits Illinois, a crap football school in a crap location, who doesn't have coaching stability and he was sold enough on one visit to pop for them instead. That's just bad.

well which was it, was he all but wrapped up or did he flip to another school after just 1 simple visit? doesn't sound like a guy who is all wrapped up to me.

Regardless, my real point is, I don't think much weight can be put behind this (or any other similar level player) single recruiting loss. He hasn't even been on the job 1 year yet. He hasn't had time to build relationships with recruits, their families, or to even show to possible recruits what he can possibly do here at arizona.

Your overreacting to losing a guy like this in recruiting is a bit much though at this point. Earlier you said "Top notch recruiting per the norm."

What norm exactly has Sumlin been able to establish in his less than 1 year recruiting to AZ?

Give the man some time to work. You say you're not expecting god like recruiting, but yet your comments seem to expect him to break what has become the AZ norm of recruiting in less than 1 year. That would be pretty damned god like.

[Chicat]

well which was it, was he all but wrapped up or did he flip to another school after just 1 simple visit? doesn't sound like a guy who is all wrapped up to me.

Feels like both those things can be true, especially if the situation was that Arizona was the best offer out of a few.

[PieceOfMeat]

well which was it, was he all but wrapped up or did he flip to another school after just 1 simple visit? doesn't sound like a guy who is all wrapped up to me.

Feels like both those things can be true, especially if the situation was that Arizona was the best offer out of a few.

if we are so weak currently in the eyes of recruits that our offer being the best is not enough bo beat illini, then that speaks to just how far Sumlin has to go to pull us out of the low that previous regimes put us in

[ChooChooCat]

the fact that the guy tweets out a photoshop image of his "decision day" and it's between us and illini is rather hilarious to me. looks like the kid thinks he's bigger stuff than he actually is.

Choo, i know not getting every recruit is disappointing, but really it's gonna take years to see if sumlin's recruiting works or not.

I don't expect God like recruiting, we are Arizona after all, and if we lost him to a much better program whose coach wasnt likely to be shitcanned during the guy's freshman year I'd be fine with it. Hell if he was a midwest kid then I totally get this as well. He's a southeastern kid at a position of absolute need (we currently start a walk on at his position) and he was all but wrapped up for us the week prior. He visits Illinois, a crap football school in a crap location, who doesn't have coaching stability and he was sold enough on one visit to pop for them instead. That's just bad.

well which was it, was he all but wrapped up or did he flip to another school after just 1 simple visit? doesn't sound like a guy who is all wrapped up to me.

Regardless, my real point is, I don't think much weight can be put behind this (or any other similar level player) single recruiting loss. He hasn't even been on the job 1 year yet. He hasn't had time to build relationships with recruits, their families, or to even show to possible recruits what he can possibly do here at arizona.

Your overreacting to losing a guy like this in recruiting is a bit much though at this point. Earlier you said "Top notch recruiting per the norm."

What norm exactly has Sumlin been able to establish in his less than 1 year recruiting to AZ?

Give the man some time to work. You say you're not expecting god like recruiting, but yet your comments seem to expect him to break what has become the AZ norm of recruiting in less than 1 year. That would be pretty damned god like.

Kevin Sumlin was a head coach last year and he and his entire staff had connections throughout Texas, Arizona, and the west coast prior to stepping foot in Tucson. This isnt a situation like Rich Rod where his entire staff had to build recruiting relationships on the west coast. The guys we have were supposed to already have said relationships built. I'm not just reacting to this one massive miss, it's the status of the current recruiting class in general. Looks like a carbon copied RR class minus the short receivers. I don't expect recruiting dominance, but I expected an uptick, and I expect to beat a low level B1G school who's coach will be fired in a year for a guy at a position of absolute need.

[ChooChooCat]

well which was it, was he all but wrapped up or did he flip to another school after just 1 simple visit? doesn't sound like a guy who is all wrapped up to me.

Feels like both those things can be true, especially if the situation was that Arizona was the best offer out of a few.

He told a reporter he was set to commit to Arizona on Wednesday, but the Illinois visit, ILLINOIS, blew him away, so he changed his mind.

[PieceOfMeat]

Kevin Sumlin was a head coach last year and he and his entire staff had connections throughout Texas, Arizona, and the west coast prior to stepping foot in Tucson. This isnt a situation like Rich Rod where his entire staff had to build recruiting relationships on the west coast. The guys we have were supposed to already have said relationships built.

You don't think moving to a new school and trying to now recruit kids to Arizona isn't a hard initial sell? Especially with all the damage the previous regime did in regards to recruiting? You're mistaking my intent with my previous statement. I'm not saying that Sumlin doesn't have decent connections that RR didn't have. I'm saying that with each individual recruit and their families he has to build relationships (and more often than not position coaches need to). Not just head coaches or certain high school teams.

I'm not just reacting to this one massive miss,

The kid had offers from....who again? Arizona...and now Illini? How is this a massive miss? If anything, wouldn't this be the type of kid you'd bash him for bringing to Arizona? Another lower rated recruit that nobody else really wanted? If this kid came to AZ you'd be down on him for being an okg RR type of guy.

it's the status of the current recruiting class in general. Looks like a carbon copied RR class minus the short receivers. I don't expect recruiting dominance, but I expected an uptick

and again, i say, he's been recruiting this class for LESS THAN A YEAR at AZ. Your expectations are beyond reasonable if you're expecting him to magically pull in significantly better recruiting class to this school in less than a year when all the other schools have had years and years to pull in their recruiting class.

Give Sumlin time, he didn't create the "norm" that you're so upset about, in fact he just barely got here and has to try and fix that. If his recruiting is bad for the 2023-2024 class then you can point back and say "hah, see, i told you all from the beginning" if you really want to, but at this point there are basically zero conclusions we can draw on how his recruiting is working here at AZ.

[ByJoveByJingle]

. . . but at this point there are basically zero conclusions we can draw on how his recruiting is working here at AZ.

Well, except that Sumlin isn’t the immediate magic fix that some people made him out to be. Way too many overreactions in both directions. But that’s fandom, I guess.

[azcat49]

It goes back to what mike Stoops said about recruiting. "You get who you are supposed to get". I took that as when you are Oklahoma you get 4 and 5 star guys and when you are AZ you get 3 star and a few 2 star and maybe a 4 star who everyone else thought wasn't that good. This seems to be true no matter who the coach is

[PieceOfMeat]

. . . but at this point there are basically zero conclusions we can draw on how his recruiting is working here at AZ.

Well, except that Sumlin isn’t the immediate magic fix that some people made him out to be. Way too many overreactions in both directions. But that’s fandom, I guess.

Ah, well I never viewed him as a magic fix so perhaps that's why I'm not hopping mad over his first year recruiting.

It goes back to what mike Stoops said about recruiting. "You get who you are supposed to get". I took that as when you are Oklahoma you get 4 and 5 star guys and when you are AZ you get 3 star and a few 2 star and maybe a 4 star who everyone else thought wasn't that good. This seems to be true no matter who the coach is

While I think there is some truth to that, I think it can be changed, though it will take time.

[azgreg]

All the schools that are considered schools that can recruit weren't always that way. It took a change in coaching and a change in culture for them to turn it around.

[ChooChooCat]

You don't think moving to a new school and trying to now recruit kids to Arizona isn't a hard initial sell? Especially with all the damage the previous regime did in regards to recruiting? You're mistaking my intent with my previous statement. I'm not saying that Sumlin doesn't have decent connections that RR didn't have. I'm saying that with each individual recruit and their families he has to build relationships (and more often than not position coaches need to). Not just head coaches or certain high school teams.

I'm not sure what damage RR and the previous regime did in regards to recruiting? Sure they weren't that good at it, but it had nothing to do with burning bridges or anything, it just predominantly had to do with an entire side of the coaching staff (defense) not recruiting at all. Moving to a new school shouldn't be a hard initial sell outside of selling elite recruits to Arizona of course. No one is expecting Sumlin or god to land elite recruits at Arizona, but hell look at Herm he sure hasn't had a damn problem selling ASU and he hasn't coached in college in decades or coached at all in a very long time either.

The kid had offers from....who again? Arizona...and now Illini? How is this a massive miss? If anything, wouldn't this be the type of kid you'd bash him for bringing to Arizona? Another lower rated recruit that nobody else really wanted? If this kid came to AZ you'd be down on him for being an okg RR type of guy.

He was an Auburn commit before this all went down. He also had offers from West Virginia and numerous other FBS programs. I bash Arizona for beating the Southern Alabamas of the world in recruiting, not for beating other FBS schools for guys.

and again, i say, he's been recruiting this class for LESS THAN A YEAR at AZ. Your expectations are beyond reasonable if you're expecting him to magically pull in significantly better recruiting class to this school in less than a year when all the other schools have had years and years to pull in their recruiting class.

Let me introduce you to Herm Edwards.

Give Sumlin time, he didn't create the "norm" that you're so upset about, in fact he just barely got here and has to try and fix that. If his recruiting is bad for the 2023-2024 class then you can point back and say "hah, see, i told you all from the beginning" if you really want to, but at this point there are basically zero conclusions we can draw on how his recruiting is working here at AZ.

I'm hardly calling for him to be fired. He's just losing battles for guys to schools he shouldn't be. As I said losing out on a guy who was all set to commit to Arizona due to taking a visit a week later to a school outside of his region whose head coach will be shitcanned soon enough is just an amazingly awful look, especially when the guy would've contended to start at his position from day 1 at Arizona.

[HaCats]

Actually with Nate Eldridge coming back, who started all of last year....and Josh McCauley coming back, who started all of this year....he would be at best 3rd in line behind two experienced starters who have been through the battles.

[ChooChooCat]

Actually with Nate Eldridge coming back, who started all of last year....and Josh McCauley coming back, who started all of this year....he would be at best 3rd in line behind two experienced starters who have been through the battles.

What makes you think Eldridge is going to play football again exactly? McCauley has become solid, but Clark obviously has the higher ceiling.

[whatisee]

Looks like we're going to land Bobby Wolfe if his Twitter is any indication. Would be a huge get for the secondary

[whatisee]

Actually with Nate Eldridge coming back, who started all of last year....and Josh McCauley coming back, who started all of this year....he would be at best 3rd in line behind two experienced starters who have been through the battles.

What makes you think Eldridge is going to play football again exactly? McCauley has become solid, but Clark obviously has the higher ceiling.

Interesting on Eldridge...Hopefully he and Whitaker come back strong next year

[PieceOfMeat]

He was an Auburn commit before this all went down. He also had offers from West Virginia and numerous other FBS programs.

My mistake then. The question that needs to be asked then, is, how does an Auburn commit end up on the verge of comitting to AZ before comitting Illini?

Seems like quite the fall.

[ByJoveByJingle]

I would love to recruit at a higher level of course—if you want to be nationally elite, you have to. But what I think people forget is that despite perennially mediocre recruiting, every single coach that has been here since Tomey has been depressingly close to winning the PAC and going to a Rose Bowl (Macovick not included) . I don’t know about whassisface before Tomey who ran off to USC in the middle of the night, maybe one of the old timers can comment about that. But Tomey was one disastrous quarter against UCLA from winning the PAC and going to the Rose Bowl. Still had a chance if the asshole Bruins didn’t shit the bed against Miami in make up game (from a hurricane?). Stoops was one disastrous student section field rush against Oregon from going to the Rose Bowl. Rich Rod with awful recruiting made it to the PAC 12 championship game. Basically, if we are a healthy program, we can expect to compete for a championship every 4-5 years. That is who we are. Maybe one day there will be a massive cultural shift, but given the writing on the wall about the future of football in general, I wouldn’t bet on it. In the meantime, I choose to enjoy the surprising runs at a championship, the decent 8-4 type years, and the fighting for a Bowl years, too. Life is too short to be bitter about this stuff.

[EastCoastCat]

I would love to recruit at a higher level of course—if you want to be nationally elite, you have to. But what I think people forget is that despite perennially mediocre recruiting, every single coach that has been here since Tomey has been depressingly close to winning the PAC and going to a Rose Bowl (Macovick not included) . I don’t know about whassisface before Tomey who ran off to USC in the middle of the night, maybe one of the old timers can comment about that. But Tomey was one disastrous quarter against UCLA from winning the PAC and going to the Rose Bowl. Still had a chance if the asshole Bruins didn’t shit the bed against Miami in make up game (from a hurricane?). Stoops was one disastrous student section field rush against Oregon from going to the Rose Bowl. Rich Rod with awful recruiting made it to the PAC 12 championship game. Basically, if we are a healthy program, we can expect to compete for a championship every 4-5 years. That is who we are. Maybe one day there will be a massive cultural shift, but given the writing on the wall about the future of football in general, I wouldn’t bet on it. In the meantime, I choose to enjoy the surprising runs at a championship, the decent 8-4 type years, and the fighting for a Bowl years, too. Life is too short to be bitter about this stuff.

If Larry Smith (whassisface) had stayed and not bolted to SC we would have been to the Rose Bowl without question by the late '80's or early' 90's.

[ChooChooCat]

Landed an insane athlete from Belgium before the game started.

https://247sports.com/Player/Sylvain-Yo ... -46050674/" target="_blank

[whatisee]

We’ve landed a couple more recruits this morning. OT and a DE. That Begian is our highest rated recruit btw

[dmjcat]

JUCO DT commits

https://247sports.com/college/arizona/A ... 125339850/" target="_blank

https://twitter.com/Trevon22Mason" target="_blank

[dmjcat]

Big JUCO OT commits:

https://247sports.com/player/josh-donovan-88671/" target="_blank

[tgrumpy2]

We’ve landed a couple more recruits this morning. OT and a DE. That Begian is our highest rated recruit btw

Are you sure he is the highest rated recruit we have? I look at him as a talented project and we still have that QB from Texas that set all the records.

[whatisee]

We’ve landed a couple more recruits this morning. OT and a DE. That Begian is our highest rated recruit btw

Are you sure he is the highest rated recruit we have? I look at him as a talented project and we still have that QB from Texas that set all the records.

According to 24/7 he’s rated the highest

[azgreg]

Our highest rated recruit is a 3 star kid from Belgium.................

[Spaceman Spiff]

That's slogan material.

Arizona Football:

Our highest rated recruit is a 3 star kid from Belgium.................

[whatisee]

Landed another Juco DT 6’3 325lbs Myles Tapusoa

[dmjcat]

Landed another Juco DT 6’3 325lbs Myles Tapusoa

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/recruitin ... commitment" target="_blank

[Sid]

Landed another Juco DT 6’3 325lbs Myles Tapusoa

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/recruitin ... commitment" target="_blank

Great size, looks like a beast...I like it!

[KillerKlown]

Just parted ways.

[whatisee]

That sucks...we need all the big uglies we can get IMO. Seems to be a family decision?

Trying to not forget we have the Texas A&M Transfer coming to the line next year

[dmjcat]

And now Oregon is back to screwing with our commits..........God I hate modern recruiting

[whatisee]

And now Oregon is back to screwing with our commits..........God I hate modern recruiting

History suggests recruits should stick to their original commitments. Has anyone who switched commitments been successful at their new school? Devon Modster comes to mind. How about any of those kids Taggert flipped?

[azcat49]

Two kids, the CB and the defensive lineman have started and done pretty well since their freshman year.

[ChooChooCat]

Two kids, the CB and the defensive lineman have started and done pretty well since their freshman year.

Are you talking about Thomas Graham? He was never committed to us.

[azcat49]

I thought he was Choo? If not I certainly stand corrected

[ChooChooCat]

I thought he was Choo? If not I certainly stand corrected

He was likely to commit if we kept Donte, but it never came to fruition.

[RichardCranium]

With Oregon on probation, any chance that some of these guys will fall into our lap? Or is it too late now?

[Merkin]

[azgreg]

Awards are weird. Gunnell wins the Honda Player OF The Year while the Gatorade Texas Player Ff The Year is won by someone else.

[whatisee]

Bobby Wolfe is closer to being a reality.