Cajuns showing interest in Josh Brister

[Bandwagon King]

I will say it again. A father's pride is a wonderful thing but it can also leave one blinded. Nobody accused you of lying or embellishing, certainly not me. I was just responding a post that you made in which you said that your son was quote "a stud" and the he was quote "a four star' talent and that his overall stats were comparable to the quote "stats to the top tackles coming out of college & going into the NFL draft". You dismiss the fact that your son's absence from all of the major recruiting sites that everyone in the country tends to look at (including the coaches at UL, LSU, etc.) is something that is meaningless. There are plenty of stories out there of the kid that was under valued, under talented and overlooked but who worked hard to make himself into a success. Perhaps your son can be and will be one of these stories. But his recruitment (or lack thereof according to you in regards to UL) would be better served with less boisterous remarks by you. My posts are not intended to bash your son but rather a chance to give you a moments pause and offer some clarity to the situation. Speed is but just one factor in the recruiting process. But if this is what you want to hang your hat on, then perhaps it might be wiser to steer him towards a career in track.

I understand where you are coming from & if I were in your seat not having been on the inside now for over a year, I would be asking the very same questions you are asking. Pondering the very same things. But you have to be there first hand to understand some of the crap I've seen. And other parents who have super talented kids at the top of their game who do even more following with their sons ask these questions a lot harder than I am asking them. The frustration level is almost unbearable for a parent.

That's why I haven't even gone with him this year to camp. I already know what I know about where he stacks up in the pile. And I'll say it just like Bumm Phillips used to. He might not be in a class by hisself, but it don't take long to call the roll. I have been following this closely as a parent on the inside for about two years now, & have no more of an idea now, how in the hell Scouts or Rvals come up with their witchcraft than I did two years ago. As a matter of fact, I can tell you they don't really know ____ about evaluating players except the very very tippy top guys like Bo Jackson. Other than that, it's a crap shoot. That's why they're always asking about the competition. You're either bad ___ or you aren't.

I mean who did Walter Payton, or Jerry Rice play against? Who did Payton or Eli play against in high school? Who did Michael Orr play against in high school? Who did Jahri Evans play against in High School or college? Who did Terron Armstead play against in college? I could go on & on & on all day long for pages. The fact is that those recruiting sites are wrong at least as much as they are right. So I put zero stock in them personnaly. I subscribe to one. But I wouldn't bet my old pair of blown out flip flops much less my house on their rating system. I do depend on them for the facts, when they can be accurate. And that isn'textremly often. Sorry Cuz. But the politics of recruiting is part of the problem as much or more than the solution. This is just one parents nightmare, but I know I'm not alone.

[CrazyCajun]

You make great points all the way around. And for that I would just ask that whoever would be inquiring, go talk to his present coach, Because if a parent is ever gonna be a pain in the ___ to a coach, it's gonna be the high school coach. In the stands I'm by far the roudiest most obnoxious parent you could want to never see in the stands. But you would think a coach of the future would be sly enough to ask the coach of the present, what about that Brister kid? How can you put up with his old man? The answer might be completely different than you would think. I understand the difference between being a fan & being a parent.

I won't be angry if it doesn't work between parties here. I just don't want anyone being angry with me if it appears I went back on my word due to circumstances beyond my control. I have made my point with this board a long time ago. If my son ends up at LSU on scholarship, I don't want anyone being angry with me. I may be a fool & the only place he is good enough to play is Manitoba State. But I have a feeling the grease is about to get a lot hotter before it gets cold.

Let the fall play out, we brought in 8 or 9 lineman, see how it goes. There are a tons of great athletes that don't have offers going into their senior year. He might end up on defense.

[JMV JustMyView]

The guy im talking about was 17 when he started college and he played division 1 ball....If you cant bench your body weight in hs regardless of position or arm length then your considered weak...For good measure he ran a 4.42 40 yd dash...

[Bandwagon King]

I will say it again. A father's pride is a wonderful thing but it can also leave one blinded. Nobody accused you of lying or embellishing, certainly not me. I was just responding a post that you made in which you said that your son was quote "a stud" and the he was quote "a four star' talent and that his overall stats were comparable to the quote "stats to the top tackles coming out of college & going into the NFL draft". You dismiss the fact that your son's absence from all of the major recruiting sites that everyone in the country tends to look at (including the coaches at UL, LSU, etc.) is something that is meaningless. There are plenty of stories out there of the kid that was under valued, under talented and overlooked but who worked hard to make himself into a success. Perhaps your son can be and will be one of these stories. But his recruitment (or lack thereof according to you in regards to UL) would be better served with less boisterous remarks by you. My posts are not intended to bash your son but rather a chance to give you a moments pause and offer some clarity to the situation. Speed is but just one factor in the recruiting process. But if this is what you want to hang your hat on, then perhaps it might be wiser to steer him towards a career in track.

Sorry, I could not resist. But this has been quite therapeutic for me as a parent. But I ask you this one thing reality check. And then I'll try to rest my case. How good are recruiting sites, when the local fishwrap does a story on a player who is 6'4" plus & is in the 285-300 pound range and he doesn't have his name even listed on that site? Not even with zero stars? Not even with negative stars? Not even saying this kid has size but zero talent & a real pain in the rear daddy. We award him minus two stars? How can you possibly be that big & invisible? Obviously you need to ask the question of the site rather than the daddy. Just saying.

And I can give you the answer in a nutshell. Because LCA wasn't supposed to be any good for at least 5-10-15 years? They were one of the leading schools in the country in Yards per carry, touchdowns per game, total rushing touchdowns, and rushing yards per game through four weeks of the season last year. They still had the number three rusher in the state at the end of the season in any class in this state & didn't have a single kid get voted all district or second team all district. You need to read the article that was posted in this thread. You need to pay special attention to what my son said. He means what he said. I'll give him credit for that.

[Bandwagon King]

The guy im talking about was 17 when he started college and he played division 1 ball....If you cant bench your body weight in hs regardless of position or arm length then your considered weak...For good measure he ran a 4.42 40 yd dash...

He must have been one heck of a football player. The guy I refered to at Arizona was like a national high school weight lifting champion out of the Houston area. He could bench press like 550 pounds. But he couldn't run sideways to save his life. You need to understand how the game is eveolcving & what the NFL & college are looking for these days. BTW, when my son did the 290 it was for a charity event about two months ago. He was 280 then he's put on 16 pounds of probably pure muscle the last two months. Plus he never lifted a weight until the spring after his sophomore season. So that's a grand total of a year and a half of work. I'm guessing you're proud of your friend.

I grew up with a friend named Jay Pennison. he was my QB into junior high. then he started growing out as well as up. When I left South Terrebonne High at the end of Jay's junior season, the last maximum of the year, he finally got to where he could bench 300 pounds on the machine at school. I saw Jay four years later at Nicholls State. He was benching 450 pounds maximum & working out with 400 pounds. He went on to become the starting center for the Houston Oilers for 6 years playing with Mike Muncheck, Bruce Matthews, & Warren Moon. Everything has relevance. 290 pouds of free weight is not week by anybody's terms. And anyone who says it is, has obviously never lifted it.

[RedCajun]

290 pound bench press for a 296 pound kid is not impressive at all...You need more strength that that to play on a o-line or d-line in college...I played with a running back who was 175 pounds and benched 310...

For going into his senior year in high school, a 290 pound bp is legit. As an OL he would have at least 2 more years of development (Senior year plus redshirt freshman year) before being being expected to contribute at all in a college program. Just saying

[CajunSaint]

Going pop some popcorn...anyone want some?

no thanks, cj. going to see if there's something better on the next screen.

[Dad04]

I know he was speaking of the pro ranks but its like Elfrid Payton Sr. told Elfrid Payton Jr.

"If you can play, they will find you."

Jon Lucroy came from a small high school in a small town and got one D1 offer at the end of the fall senior year. The rest, as they say......is history.

[Boomer]

Kyle, you know I disagree with both you and Boomer on the subject of Zeno. I've spoken to both of you and here is the bottom line on the kid, he had zero FBS offers! So, not a single FBS program in Louisiana offered him and every UL OL signee in the 2014 class had FBS offers. So that means not only did UL not have Zeno on their board late, but Tulane, ULM, Louisiana Tech and LSU did not as well.

He has the frame to put on weight and get stronger after a couple of years at McNeese State, but he will not be ready to contribute until then. He may turn out to be a pretty good player, but I don't fault our staff for not signing a kid that did not have one FBS offer. And I don't always agree with the staff and they don't always agree with each other on prospects. Its not a perfect science.

---Please T--read my posts ---I never once said he should be offered in football except as a walk-on maybe---I talked to coach Johnson on various occasions and he told me the status---All I referred to was the fact that he had potential---now with track that is a totally different story--Think he will do very good at McNeese in that sport--can't believe we didn't offer something!!!-----OH and I did tell Coach about a great OT prospect from Abbeville-----J J Davenport---he got a laugh out of it but talking to JJ tonight man he sure looks like an OT!!!

[jumboragncajun]

I think EP was a ZERO star on the recruiting websites.
Lottery Pick!!

[Turbine]

I think EP was a ZERO star on the recruiting websites.
Lottery Pick!!

Besides the final commitment list, did his name even appear coming out of high school?

[JMV JustMyView]

For going into his senior year in high school, a 290 pound bp is legit. As an OL he would have at least 2 more years of development (Senior year plus redshirt freshman year) before being being expected to contribute at all in a college program. Just saying

if YOU CANT BENCH PRESS YOUR OWN WEIGHT IN HS THEN YOUR NOT LEGIT!