2008 Recruiting Wars

[Pirogue]

_ Seems like a mature and well spoken kid.

He seems to be a big pickup for track as well

[Pirogue]

_ Johnson, Trotter and Richard left with no commitment. Johnson stated that he is at Memphis next week and either TCU or Miss. State the next. Trotter is at Memphis next week as well, then he will have a decision. Richard is waiting on a visit with Purdue and Tech next. No word on Luther Ambrose and Tim Curry. _

Is Buchanan or Richard an either/or deal or can we seal the deal on both???

White is a great pickup, especially if his size is correct...

[CajunT]

_ Is Buchanan or Richard an either/or deal or can we seal the deal on both???

White is a great pickup, especially if his size is correct... _

Buchanan is being offered at the LB position and Richard at safety

[Cajunsmike]

Buchanan is being offered at the LB position and Richard at safety

Good to see that some guys on defense are giving us strong consideration.

[Clutch0364]

Thanks CT!!!

Have we offered Kyron Benoit or is it just interest at this point?

[ulforlife]

I like the Texas kid

[Just1More]

T,
What is our situation right now? Are we looking good with the specific verbals we have so far (as far as needs go)? Is our gut on some of our outstanding offers looking positive? When do our coaches begin ignoring the lack of verbals from our pursuits, and start finding other choices? Is the list of uncommited that we have on our radar screen still good possibilities for us?

I was told that we were not going to necessarily get verbals from some kids that may very likely sign with UL (I mean some noteworthy kids). Is this still true? The coaching staff is not going to give us any details, understandably. But, what is your current "feel" for what we've done so far and what the coaches are "acting like" about this recruiting class and the remaining offers?

I look at the top football programs in the regional area and they do not have many spots left. Do you think some of these holdouts are playing it too close by not getting on board?

Thanks in advance.

[CajunT]

_ T,
What is our situation right now? Are we looking good with the specific verbals we have so far (as far as needs go)? Is our gut on some of our outstanding offers looking positive? When do our coaches begin ignoring the lack of verbals from our pursuits, and start finding other choices? Is the list of uncommited that we have on our radar screen still good possibilities for us?

I was told that we were not going to necessarily get verbals from some kids that may very likely sign with UL (I mean some noteworthy kids). Is this still true? The coaching staff is not going to give us any details, understandably. But, what is your current "feel" for what we've done so far and what the coaches are "acting like" about this recruiting class and the remaining offers?

I look at the top football programs in the regional area and they do not have many spots left. Do you think some of these holdouts are playing it too close by not getting on board?

Thanks in advance. _

The coaches are generally positive about recruiting, but they can't answer questions about specific recruits. It is true in my conversations with the higher profile prospects that they will probably not commit to the very end, or on signing day. In my conversations with Johnson and Richard, that is exactly what they stated.

The top programs in the area, don't need to wait for kids. BCS programs like LSU, Texas or Oklahoma start getting commitments in the spring and athletes want to play in those programs. Non-BCS programs like Tulane, La.Tech and ULM are filling up early, but for different reasons. Tulane filled up with early commitments from their traveling football camps around the state, but the other side of that coin is holding on to them. Just this week Tulane has lost Savoie and now Mackey to Duke. ULM wanted to sign a large number of Juco's to fill in the gaps of their past classes, so they won't sign as many high school athletes in the end. Louisiana Tech is signing mostly high school athletes, but have lost their top recruit to Texas A&M. Every year mid-levels have to fight off other programs that come back on their commitments, that is the way the game is played.

In the end, I would much rather have a high profile athlete wait until the end to sign or announce their commitment. Because if they do so early, you risk that chane of losing them to a better program.

As for the status of this class, I think we are pushing for more on the defensive side of the ball and a few more skilled position athletes on offense. With Sowels commitment, we have 13 public commitments now. I would say that we might sign another 12 at most, some being grey shirts. One goes to Odom and Ortego has earned a scholarship for this year.

[Just1More]

Thanks T. We fans want to know things and I guess many gauge recruiting success by the early "straw polls". I don't like to "count my chickens until they hatch", either. And it stinks to think you own the goose that laid the golden egg, only to find out it's gonna go into labor on someone else's pond.

So, I would rather get a insider's gut feeling and then just wait until signing day. Thanks again.

[ulforlife]

I'm tired of waiting, I want these guys to sign