QB Dion Ray commits to Ragin Cajuns Football

[DaddyCajun]

at one point he high jumped 6'10"!!! Not sure on Fuse!

[DaddyCajun]

The point I was trying to make is they are different types of athletes, Mitchell was never a great QB. He was a RB playing QB and, Ray can throw the ball and has the wheels to make you pay with some open field moves. He has the potential to be a very good QB, but we will never rush for the numbers that Mitchell has per game.

CajunT, you feel these commits are strong or will they wavier? Do you think as Phase 1 starts rising we will get more commits early and a higher grade athlete?

[ulXrunner]

One thing Coach Lancon told me when UL was recruiting me back in '99 for a track scholarship. He said, "Whitfield! If you want to be great, you can be great anywhere! You just have to want to be great."
UL now more than anytime I can remember gives any kid in any sport that opportunity to be great.

[zephyr]

I didn't think he would take a snap, pretty much everyone were convinced he would move to RB or LB is my point. I just never understood why coaches don't let kids play where they want. It usually works itself out anyway. Side note, the couple passes I just saw him throw on the news, he deserves a shot at QB and I'm glad it's here

Because where kids want to play is not always where they should play. The coaches jobs are to find the best personnel for every position and develop depth, amongst a gaggle of other duties but you get the point. We've seen numerous kids have to make position changes once they get to this level to make the team better. Hell, our starting LB from last year is now our slot receiver....lol. I understand what you are saying and we should certainly give the kids a try at the position of their liking to see how it works out but we should not be held prisoner either if they aren't meant to be there.

[CrazyCajun]

Because where kids want to play is not always where they should play. The coaches jobs are to find the best personnel for every position and develop depth, amongst a gaggle of other duties but you get the point. We've seen numerous kids have to make position changes once they get to this level to make the team better. Hell, our starting LB from last year is now our slot receiver....lol. I understand what you are saying and we should certainly give the kids a try at the position of their liking to see how it works out but we should not be held prisoner either if they aren't meant to be there.

That wasn't what I was suggesting, let the kid start at the position he wants, if he is good enough, he will know it, coach will know it. If he isn't good enough he will know it. Coach then explains how they could really use him at another spot and it's a chance to get on the field right away. Delhomme, favre, Mitchell etc...that's just the few I can think of. When will some coaches learn they don't always know everything. I'm glad HUD isn't one if those bc it gave us a chance to get this kid.

[zephyr]

The point I was trying to make is they are different types of athletes, Mitchell was never a great QB. He was a RB playing QB and, Ray can throw the ball and has the wheels to make you pay with some open field moves. He has the potential to be a very good QB, but we will never rush for the numbers that Mitchell has per game.

T, this is a good and interesting point. Ray, if he comes here and is what they think he is, could be a better collegiate QB than Mitchell was yet not have quite the numbers, at least in the running game if you will. Someone mentioned Fenroy and McGuire and its the same. They are both great in different ways. McGuire will probably be referred to as better than Fenroy at some point in terms of overall skill and balance in his game but will never be a 1,000 yard rusher consecutively for 4 years in college which Fenroy accomplished. It goes to show that numbers only tell you so many things.

[zephyr]

That wasn't what I was suggesting, let the kid start at the position he wants, if he is good enough, he will know it, coach will know it. If he isn't good enough he will know it. Coach then explains how they could really use him at another spot and it's a chance to get on the field right away. Delhomme, favre, Mitchell etc...that's just the few I can think of. When will some coaches learn they don't always know everything. I'm glad HUD isn't one if those bc it gave us a chance to get this kid.

Transparency is very important. A kid should be allowed to come in with the expectation of getting a shot at his natural position BUT be prepared to move to another position of need to help the team if it doesn't work out. Also, don't fool yourself into thinking HUD and staff are that much different from other coaches. Every year, they recruit kids and move on from kids who have a different thought process on what position they want to play in college. In CRZ chats, we constantly see T mention kids who we like but don't feel they will make it at X position in college so we won't stay on them hard. At the end of the day, the coaches are paid to put the best players on the field at every position possible and they have to exercise their own judgement.

[CajunT]

CajunT, you feel these commits are strong or will they wavier? Do you think as Phase 1 starts rising we will get more commits early and a higher grade athlete?

I can only take his word at this time, don't know if he will keep it. These two commitments are the results of the success on the field, facilities and the staff. Right now, everyone wants to go to an SEC, Big12 or PAC 12 school, but things will thin out a bit in the fall after summer camps. Dion Ray wants to play QB, more than he wanted to play in the SEC...that doesn't happen often.

[CajunT]

T, this is a good and interesting point. Ray, if he comes here and is what they think he is, could be a better collegiate QB than Mitchell was yet not have quite the numbers, at least in the running game if you will. Someone mentioned Fenroy and McGuire and its the same. They are both great in different ways. McGuire will probably be referred to as better than Fenroy at some point in terms of overall skill and balance in his game but will never be a 1,000 yard rusher consecutively for 4 years in college which Fenroy accomplished. It goes to show that numbers only tell you so many things.

Agree! I brought up the comparison of Fenroy and McGuire for that exact reason.

[CrazyCajun]

Transparency is very important. A kid should be allowed to come in with the expectation of getting a shot at his natural position BUT be prepared to move to another position of need to help the team if it doesn't work out. Also, don't fool yourself into thinking HUD and staff are that much different from other coaches. Every year, they recruit kids and move on from kids who have a different thought process on what position they want to play in college. In CRZ chats, we constantly see T mention kids who we like but don't feel they will make it at X position in college so we won't stay on them hard. At the end of the day, the coaches are paid to put the best players on the field at every position possible and they have to exercise their own judgement.

There is a difference in moving on from a kid who just isn't good enough and trying to make a stud athlete move to a position he doesn't want. Transparency=son, you will have the oppertunity to win the qb job. It's up to him to do it. Telling a kid, he isn't good enough to be your qb before he ever steps foot on your field is different.