2008 Recruiting Wars

[RedCajun]

_ No, its Melvin White, he is from Texas. Marvin White from Port Berre just completed his first year in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals. I believe he was around aa 3rd or 4th round pick...played his college ball at TCU after playing for 2 years at a JUCO. _

Ok gotcha.....there was a typo in a previous post. I knew Marvin couldn't have had little if any eligibilty left.

[NewsCopy]

After visiting UL's campus last weekend, Kyron Benoit, Melvin White and Tim Jackson decided they liked what they saw. Now they're ready to stay in Lafayette for a while. Benoit, a linebacker/defensive back from Crowley High, and White, a defensive back from Brazosport High in Freeport, Texas, committed last weekend to sign to play football for the Ragin' Cajuns. Jackson, a defensive back from Desire Street Academy in Baton Rouge, committed on Tuesday night. The earliest they can sign a binding letter of intent is Feb. 6. "I wanted to be close to home," Benoit said. "The entire atmosphere was real nice. You can tell (UL football) has the support of the whole town." Benoit, who is 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, was a three-time all-district selection. He played multiple positions in high school, spending time at receiver, quarterback and defensive back. The rest of the story Joshua Parrott jparrott@theadvertiser.com

[jdebaillon]

This argument is silly. At no time has any poster EVER said that they want to sacrifice talent for a local kid. Here are the priorities I think most would like to see:

1 - Get the best talent possible

2 - If two kids are EQUAL in talent and one is local and the other isn't, take the local kid.

No one is saying we should pass on Peyton Manning to sign Joe Blow from Acadiana High. That's ridiculous!!!!!

Thank you CajunShocker. I was going to stop addressing this issue because apparently no one but you understood my argument. I want the best product on the field. I just don't want a mediocre player from Florida or Texas when we can get one out of Louisiana. Like I originally posted, these guys better be the real deal. If they are, by all means put them on the field.

[blackjack]

Well now everyone is saying its ok to go out of state and get players. I rember just a couple of weeks ago people started drilling our coaching staff about why we are taking Florida players and how they are the low level players from that state. Well Lewis was a top selection player from that state is he low level. Also to add he was offerred by Ncst, Uconn and others " just wanted to mention that because it was once said that we should look at who else is looking at the kid before we offer him". You should recruite to get the best players to fit your needs regardless of location. Here is something to exam ,area players UL would love to have wr and the db from northside, wr and db from B. Bridge, rb from the crow. Thats five area impact players at the position UL needs help at. ALL HAVE NO GRADES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can get kids from the area to fill the stands but you wont be watching area kids play because they wont be qualified. Thats why UL goes out of state and gets players like Derrick Smith our leading rec. Jason Cherry a true play maker, Fred Davis a solid defensive player, Verlin Moorer upcoming talent in the program, Johnathan Decoaster force on the Oline and more to come. Plus UL recruites more kids in state then we think, but those kids choose to go out of state instead to programs like WVU, USC, etc.

[Cowboy Up]

While I agree that one of the two would not have ended up a QB, I believe you have your players reversed.

I'm not here to bust your chops VO; the proof is in the pudding as they say!

I just wanted someone to comment on the report from the Monroe Newstar on the following potential recruits for ULL. Are they possibilities if Ambrose chooses another school?

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080121/SPORTS/801210332/1006

[ulforlife]

I'm not here to bust your chops VO; the proof is in the pudding as they say!

I just wanted someone to comment on the report from the Monroe Newstar on the following potential recruits for UL. Are they possibilities if Ambrose chooses another school?

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080121/SPORTS/801210332/1006

thanks for the link man

[Hammer58]

Just got the straight scop from Scott Farmer. The Signing Day Bash is Feb 6 2008 5 PM at the Indoor Practice Facility.

[CajunProud]

Are they going to run this in the paper and on television?

[CajunT]

_ I'm not here to bust your chops VO; the proof is in the pudding as they say!

I just wanted someone to comment on the report from the Monroe Newstar on the following potential recruits for UL. Are they possibilities if Ambrose chooses another school?

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080121/SPORTS/801210332/1006 _

Both are potential fall backs, no problem with that. But there are other options before those kids. Ambrose is close to a decision, we should know something before Feb.6th. The Cajuns, like the Cowboys will have to fight to hold on to a few others already committed. Mitchell is an option, as is Zeke Jones. Jones had offers from Oklahoma St., but he insisted on playing RB, so they pulled it early in the fall. He had offers from the Cajuns and LaTech, but he kept holding out because Ole Miss. former staff was stringing him along. Now his left with other state schools, and no offer today from either Tech or UL. Some of these kids get the BCS dreams and their options start to close after a while.

[rhineaux]

_ _

Cajun T, according to this article, the Cajuns pulled their offer from Joe Duhon. Is this true. The way I understood it yesterday, he was only thinking about changing his mind. do you know the real story?

[gorcajun]

The above sign seems great enough to put it on the digital billboards for everyone in a vehicle to see, along with the newspaper, radio, tv and other media outlets.

[Just1More]

_ Well now everyone is saying its ok to go out of state and get players. I rember just a couple of weeks ago people started drilling our coaching staff about why we are taking Florida players and how they are the low level players from that state. Well Lewis was a top selection player from that state is he low level. Also to add he was offerred by Ncst, Uconn and others " just wanted to mention that because it was once said that we should look at who else is looking at the kid before we offer him". You should recruite to get the best players to fit your needs regardless of location. Here is something to exam ,area players UL would love to have wr and the db from northside, wr and db from B. Bridge, rb from the crow. Thats five area impact players at the position UL needs help at. ALL HAVE NO GRADES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can get kids from the area to fill the stands but you wont be watching area kids play because they wont be qualified. Thats why UL goes out of state and gets players like Derrick Smith our leading rec. Jason Cherry a true play maker, Fred Davis a solid defensive player, Verlin Moorer upcoming talent in the program, Johnathan Decoaster force on the Oline and more to come. Plus UL recruites more kids in state then we think, but those kids choose to go out of state instead to programs like WVU, USC, etc. _

You are right blackjack, but it is only one or two people that keep bringing up this local kid thing all of the time. I understand their desire to have local talent considerations a priority, coupled with all of the benefits it brings... but, it is totally unreasonable to think you should force feed yourself with locals... for a bunch of reasons. One or two exceptions over the years, where we supposedly goofed up on a local kid, does not make a rule. We have had a lot of local talent year in and year out. We have also had huge contributions from out of state kids. We are not unique at UL in having a bunch of local people yelling that we are stupid for passing on some kid from some local high school. I could tell you stories that would have you crying laughing about people who think their kid or cousin, or themselves, would have been a "star" at UL. It happens everywhere.

The biggest bottom line that I like is... we get to talk our butts off... and the coaches who do this for a living (and have much more at stake) are making the decisions. Thank goodness.