51 thoughts on “Recruiting Recap: Purple Reign”

1. Brick Township HS is known as the “Green Dragons.” Pretty pedestrian. considering that the township is named after a piece of baked clay …. 😉

2. Hm. Sort of disappointing.

   I mean, if your school name is Brick Township or White House, why choose boring nicknames like the Green Dragons or Blue Devils? 🙂

3. On that same Blessed Trinity I note that Brandon Braner got a “football scholarship” to Randolph-Macon in Ashville (sic), VA.

   http://btcatholic.org/content.asp?id=1630

   Tim Dougherty has signed with the “Colonels of Center (sic) College, located in Danville, Kentucky.”

   http://btcatholic.org/content.asp?id=1632

   Ryan Homire has signed a letter of intent to play placrosse at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

   http://btcatholic.org/content.asp?id=1591

   Matt Mazzanti is also going to Center (sic) College.

   http://btcatholic.org/content.asp?id=1633

   Stephen Pieczynski has committed to play football for Randolph-Macon College in Ashville (sic) VA.

   http://btcatholic.org/content.asp?id=1655

   Hopefully, Mr Frye has told the friends and family of his son’s teammates about D3football.com. 🙂

4. Im surprised that i haven’t heard anything about Linfield’s new recruit: LB Paul Partlow from Lincoln H.S. (OR). He was on the state’s best defense (allowing only 7 pts a game), and finished the season with 135 tackles, 6 sacks, 3 ints, 3 fumble rec. and 1 TD. He was an unanimous all league selection, League Defensive Player of the Year, and 1st Team All State and he’s going D3! To Linfield! Yet I havent read anything about him on this website. Does anyone know anything about this guy?

5. John:

   You haven’t read anything about him because we haven’t heard anything about him until this post.

   With over 200 Division III schools that are very different, we rely on published news stories and school releases to track recruits and where they are going. In the absence of real letters of commitment and athletic scholarships, this is the only way we have to verify that someone really is headed to a particular school. And even if they are going to the school, they are not commited to playing the sport since their financial aid cannot be tied to athletic participation by Division III’s rules.

   Occassionally we have a player or a player’s family post the student’s plans online. In those cases, we appreciate their interest in the site but still wait to hear published reports.

   Incidentally if Paul is headed to Linfield, he’ll have a great experience — it’s a tremendous program with great community support. But he’ll also find pretty quickly that, even at the Division III level, he’ll be matched up with a lot of other people with credentials similar to his own. One of the most common stories we hear from young players is how surprised they are at the quality of competition at Division III.

6. JohnDoe, if you are Paul Partlow or his father/brother/mother/sister/other relative/girlfriend/friend, then submit a URL from the local newspaper’s press release so we can confirm your facts and read anything else about him that that reporter might mention such as height, weight, vertical jump and 40-speed. Those physical attributes might be why he isn’t going to Oregon or Oregon State. 🙂

   What will be his major at Linfield?

7. No mention on him attending Linfield or what his major will be, but after some digging;

   -he’s 6-0, 215
   -his team went 13-1 in 2005, giving up 9.6 ppg (not seven)
   -he had 81 tackles his junior year

8. Hey JohnDoe,

   Great to hear about Partlow. A great pickup for the ‘Cats. However, to be mentioned here there needs to be some sort of news article/press release/url.

   Looking forward to seeing him this fall.

9. Typical LC type of baller – good athlete just shorter/lighter than what an OSU, UofO, or PSU would look for. His size would make him a DB, at best, at the Oregon D1 schools. Bet he has a huge heart and is willing to stick his nose into harm’s way – just the kind of player that makes D3 so entertaining.

10. Ralph: Thanks for the suggestion. The BT football dads have been informed about this great site.

11. http://www.eastoregonian.info/main.asp?SectionID=15&SubSectionID=51&ArticleID=52393&TM=68704.83

    Here’s another article on two more incoming players headed to Linfield. WR, Trevor Patterson from Pendleton, Oregon and teammate Blane Goodwin both played in the Oregon large school all-star game.

12. Gordon,
    Our son Vinny DeRosa, is amoung the players who has decided to play for Mount Union, even though he had walk on offers from, Michigan state,U of missisippi and James Madison. Vinny who plays LB also fell in love with the college, the coaches and the chance to possibly play in a national championship. You brought up a very important point.
    Jim & Sheryl Fatig

13. here is a website that has links to Paul Partlow : http://portlandtribune.com/search.cgi?search=partlow

    The Oregonian had a big article on him but i had trouble finding it. its titled “Lincoln’s Defense Earns Respect”

    Im not sure what he is majoring in, all i know is that he is going to Linfield where he should get some playing time in special teams as a freshman

14. Gordon – Quick questions for you. Where is the disconnect between the perceived “Weak East” and Street & Smith’s having Rowan, Del-Val and Wilkes in their National Preseason Top 10? Can you put a few names (or find out for us) behind the D-1AA and D-2 transfers coming to Del-Val in the Fall (one being a former CB West QB who could be the starting QB for the Aggies)? Give me a few more teams to look out for in the East and do you agree with Street & Smith’s top 3 in the East?

15. Perhaps the disconnect is that Street & Smith’s doesn’t know what it’s talking about.

    Here’s the three rankings that have come out so far, courtesy of Matt Barnhart’s Bridgewaterfootball.com blog:

    http://bridgewaterfootball.com/d3rankings.html

    A hint — one of those three rankings is put together by people who actually follow Division III football.

16. Jim & Sheryl:

    Thanks for the note.

    Duke:

    Thanks for the questions.

    On Street & Smith, I’m hesitant to insult their picks because I’ve heard the guy who puts the list together does his best to collect information for it. Obviously I’m biased, but I’ll still take our approach where we rely on the knowledge of 25 people who follow the sport closely at this level.

    That being said, I was surprised where S&S slotted Delaware Valley (#4) and Wilkes (#9). The Colonels have a lot back and I have no problem with them being Top 25. But they got waxed by Rowan at partial strength 42-3. Meanwhile Union played the Profs respectably, lost two fewer games and are ranked 5 spots lower.

    As for Delaware Valley, I suspect you may know more than I about transfers and the like. But I don’t understand how they can be ranked higher this year in the preseason than they were last year (#7) when they graduated three huge pieces of that offense. They lost Division III’s top rated center, a Gagliardi trophy finalist at quarterback and arguably the school’s best RB ever. Even if they can fill some of those holes, the new quarterback will have a learning curve.

    As for the East being weak, that’s more than a perception. The last East team to win the Stagg Bowl was Ithaca in 1991. The region hasn’t even won a national semifinal in six years.

    Yes, Rowan played Mount Union respectably last year with Orihel’s injured arm tied behind their back. Yes, Rowan got hosed in the 2001 clock game against Bridgewater. But when the best in the East plays the best in other regions, the result hasn’t been pretty recently.

    As long as I can reserve the right to change my mind lots of times before the season kicks off, here is my Top 3 in the East coming into the season. 🙂

    1) Rowan
    2) Union: A lot of pieces back in a great offense
    3) Cortland: See above substituting defense

    In no particular order, I’d go Del Val/Wilkes, Hobart and RPI after that.

17. Gordon – Thanks for the response……..friendly, informative, lack of mean edge (unlike someone else we know……relax for God sakes pcole……it’s friggin’ D3 football. We love it on this site, but if a tree falls in the woods and nobody……..you get my point!!!).

    There is only one team who is left standing as a winner at the end of the year. Every other team ends their season with a Big “L” and regardless of the location, round, opponent, final score, etc…..a loss is a loss is a loss.

    Taking the “hint” given to me you polar opposite, the Howard Eskin of this site (likes to stir it up but is very knowledgable as well!!) the “rankings put together by people who actually follow Division III football” stun me in the high ranking given to Rowan (because the East stinks of course!!), Union, Wesley (regardless of where they are placed….they are in the East…..but not the Northeast!!) and the high ranking given to Del-Val with the three critical losses that you site.

    Gordon and pcole…..your challenge given that you know more than any of these magazines combined and multiplied by 100…..a little later in the summer, please give us your national preseason top 25.

    Thanks for the response and great site and venue for thought sharing!!

18. The reason that “East Region sucks” is everyone else in the region, not Rowan. Historically the Profs have been the only east team even capable of challenging the rest of the nation. And last year’s playoff proves it more than ever. Del Valley has their best team ever and Rowan is depleted with injuries, yet Rowan still wins. Face it, the East Region is very weak outside of Rowan.

19. HScoach – Spoken like a non-Easterner (or I hope!!). I particularly enjoyed watching Wesley (yes, Delaware is in the East…..part of the outskirts of the Greater Philadelphia Area GMA) lay a pasting on a much bigger, better Mary Hardin-Baylor team…… in Texas nonetheless. What would Rowan have done with all of their weapons? And could Del-Val have beaten Rowan (up 14 – 0 at the half) if they hadn’t lost their best receiver (Carman) to a separated shoulder, their best pass receiving running back, punt and kickoff returner (Sheffield), most of the effectiveness (shoulder) of their stud defensive end (Silver) and their best cornerback (Murphy). It could have been a great second half!!

    I don’t believe a “region sucks” because of the lack of national championships. The East has a zillion D-III schools (in addition to D-II and D1-AA’s) and the talent is somewhat diluted (note……I said just somewhat).

    My question to pcole and Gordon (as the experts……..unlike HScoach who doesn’t have their national expertise) is why would any school in the East (except Rowan) even occupy a spot in any of the national preseason top 25 rankings (including the one that pcole endorses) if the region was so horrific from top to bottom!

    HScoach……do you think that any of the Eastern teams (please include Trinity of CT and Wesley) other than Rowan should even be within smelling distance of any Top 25 mentions?

    Mount Union was the only “WINNER” when the curtain came down on the 2005 season……..but all of the student-athletes who participate on the D-III level are winners for their committment and hard work balancing the books and the ball.

    I’ve hired many of them to work for me and they’ve done well by me, for themselves and the company!!

20. Dukefinadv-
    Great posts, truly accurate…..

    HScoach-
    I’m not sure I’m following your rationale. Rowan is the team from the East that keeps losing in the semis and finals, but they aren’t contributing to the “Weak East” perception? I tend to believe the dominance of Mt Union (won 7 out of last 10 Stagg Bowls) is skewing the debate. People assume the “lesser powers” of the North region are automatically better than the “lesser powers” of the East region just because of Mt Union’s dominance. I’m sure teams like Ithaca, Union, Cortland, Wesley, Del Val would do quite well against any of the lesser powers in the North or West.

21. Thank you pumkinhead……this is all meant in good fun and interest and I mean no ill towards HScoach, pcole or anybody else who bashes the East.
    The East not winning a national championship won’t bring our troops back, won’t cure cancer, won’t balance the budget, won’t dispel the fallacy of the Laffer Curve or Supply- Side Economics (Masters in Economics from an Eastern school but I digress!!) or won’t mean a thing when it’s time for these student-athletes (emphasis on student) to trade the diploma in for a job!! So let’s just enjoy!!!!

    In fact I’ll go as far as to state (and that’s not much of a reach either) that the Mount Union’s, Linfield’s, Wisconsin-Whitwater’s, etc. are better than the top schools from the East for a variety of reasons that will never change (watch Rowan though with the money that is pouring into that school and their athletic programs!!). But I will take the lower half of the top tier and most, if not the entire second and third tier Eastern programs and beat comparable programs in the other regions of the country.

    I’m probably talking about Eastern depth top to bottom versus East against the country top to top.

    I’ll put it in Gordon’s and pcole’s hands to decide if Rowan is the only Eastern program worth a mention in the Preseason Top 25…….are 24 other non-Eastern programs better than the East’s number 2?

    I have my opinions but will leave this up to the two who know far more than me and more than most/all of us who post on this great site.

22. Good to see some action on here today. I couldn’t respond since my day (and early evening) job has the mother of all firewalls.

    In no particular order, a couple observations…

    – The East has a few more teams than the others, but not a lot more. My quick count was 63 East, 58 North, 58 West and 52 South. If you drop the non-playoff playing NESCAC out, it’s more even.

    Duke makes a good point about the number of DI-AA and DII schools, though. I think that has impact on the pool of talent available, but that’s not based on anything specific

    – Neither Pat nor I said the East doesn’t deserve to have more than one team in the Top 25. I’d put 5-6 teams in the Top 25 without a problem. I wouldn’t put two East teams in the Top 4, though I don’t have a problem with 2-3 in the Top 10. And I’d have Union a little higher and Del Val and Wilkes lower, but that’s just my take. No one has to agree with it.

    – I agree with Pumpkinhead on the score that East teams besides Rowan could hold their own with the North teams (outside Mount Union) and the West teams (outside UWW and Linfield last year). Last year I think Del Val, Union, Cortland and Hobart all would’ve been competitive with Augustana, North Central, ONU and maybe even Capital.

    While Mount Union is clearly the standard and the OAC is excellent, I haven’t been overwhelmed by the other North teams outside the OAC recently. Last year a wounded Rowan team put up a much better fight against Mount Union than Augustana did.

23. The wounded Rowan deal giving Mount a better fight is true because they could complete a pass! If you are going to enter the playoffs and expect to move on you better have some type of passing game. Augustana was approx 17 for 31 passing for the season coming into the Raider game! They finished the day 0-2 with 1 interception. Not going to get it done with numbers like that.

    Let me see, I am a defensive coordinator and I am playing Augustana………do you think they will run, run,run,run, run,runnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn,Pass, Interception,runnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn etc.
    Don’t get me wrong they had a stud RB who could really pound the ball but come on. Give him his 150 yards and call it a day. Maybe they could get the ghost of Knute Rockne to stop by and give them some tips on the invention…….the forward pass.

24. We’ve had discussions about Augie’s offense many times on the CCIW board, and we’ve had pretty good success winning football games since the wing-t was implemented back in 1979. We won 4 straight Stagg Bowls back in the mid 80’s utilizing the same offense you saw last year in Alliance. We also heard the same types of comments each year during our run that we would have a hard type continuing to win if we didn’t pass more. Obviously, that wasn’t the case. The biggest difference in the teams from the 80’s and Augie of the past several seasons has been the lack of a strong defense. Our history of competing against teams during the regular season and in the playoffs has been very good, with the exception of being beaten by very good Raider teams. However, we did beat two very strong Mt. Union teams during the 85 and 86 playoffs. During the 4 national championship seasons, we had more interceptions in two of those seasons than we had pass receptions.

25. Raiderguy………….Forget Knute Rockne. How about Augustana’s own NFL QB Ken Anderson!! Question……….which former D-III All-American QB will have had the better NFL career when it’s all said and done, Ken Anderson or Brett Elliott? My answer…….it’s not the one who started at the D-I level over the eventual first pick in the 2005 NFL Draft!!

26. Augie 6

    My point exactly, back in the eighties!

    Your history in the playoffs? In the last seven years Augustana has made the playoffs 3 times and lost in the 2nd round to you know who all three times.

    And in the other four years they lost to Wheaton in conference and did not make the playoffs. Hmmm. Wheaton just may have figured it out. They’re going to run.

    Convince me that a balanced attack wouldn’t have helped. That’s all I am saying.

    Maybe the ’99 game will shed some light on my point. Auggie had the ball 48 minutes and 8 seconds…….”.let’s just keep the ball away from the opponent. If they don’t have the ball they can’t win the game.” Wrong….42-33 Raiders. And 447 total yards for Augustana vs 293 for the Raiders. They won every stat but the most important one.

    I think I said if you” expect to move on in the playoffs” and so far the last seven years are proving that correct. You need to do more than run the ball today.

    Dukefinsdv

    A little too early to tell I would say.

    I have a question. If Kenny Anderson became the coach at Augustana, where would the wing-t end up?

    My guess is the endangered species list.

27. Raiderguy,

    I’m not sure that your examples really support your point. In 3 of the games against Wheaton, Augie had the lead with 2 minutes or less to go in the game and the defense couldn’t prevent Wheaton from scoring the game winning TD. In the 2004 game, Augie’s offense scored 38 points, the QB rushed for 350 yds and they still lost because Wheaton went 70+ yards in a little of 2 minutes and then scored a two point conversion to win. In the ’99 game against Mount, I’m not sure how a more balanced attack would have won the game. If you control the ball for 48 of 60 minutes, score 33 points and outgain your opponent by 150+ yards, you should win the game regardless of how you gain the yards. If you lose this game, it tells me the defense is the problem, not the offense. If you can tell me how a more balanced attack solves the inability of your defense to come up with a big stop when it counts, I’m all ears.

28. Linfield lands another standout from the state of Washington.

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/highschoolsports/2003099379_stategrid02.html

    Aaron Boehme from Stanwood High had a stand-out game during Washington’s all-state game in Everett, Wa. Boehme wants to give the QB position a shot but could be moved around due to his athletic ability.

    ***Thanks to Sko from the NWC board for the link to this article.

29. Augie6 a more balanced attack doesn’t allow the defense to play 11 in the box and attack the run. The run offense was so good that is they had thrown in 10% passes to keep them honest the running game would have been more effective and instead of driving down the field and either scoring after running a lot of time off the clock or getting held on downs they would have literally scored every possession which they did not do.

30. Realizing that none of these kids is actually a “recruit” until they pay their fees and show up for practice, why would anyone advertise who they think they have coming. These guys are still fair game for another month. Also if your looking at a school and you see a “recruiting” list that shows a guy you perceive as better than you at your position wouldn’t you think about going elsewhere. I just don’t understand what any D3 school has to gain by playing “D1/D2” and publishing a list of recruits. Please enlighten me because I don’t see the upside.

31. 70s:

    I’ve been told that some of the NJAC schools don’t post recruits for just the reason you cite — they are afraid someone will poach off the list. That may be particularly a concern if the D3 school has lots of lower level scholarship programs nearby who can offer financial aid as a lure.

32. It’s publicity for the student-athlete. That’s not a bad thing.

33. In the three years I’ve posted Bridgewater’s recruiting class on my fan site (with the permission of the football office), no one (that I’ve been told) has ever looked at the list and not come, or been lured away by another school.

    I think the benefits of posting a recruiting list (like Pat said, publicity for the recruit, as well as it being informative for the fans) outweighs the minute chance a kid won’t come because he sees there are too many recruited at his position or another school talks him into playing elsewhere. I mean, if that ever did happen, wouldn’t you not want that type of kid anyway? Someone who gives you his word and changes because he’s too sensitive? I’d want him “leaving” before he ever puts on a helmet.

    Perhaps those coaches who don’t like releasing lists are doing so because (1) their list isn’t that impressive (quality or quantity wise) or (2) he wasn’t being honest with the recruit(s) all along with questions like “so how many are you going after at my position” or “so where do I fit in over the next couple years.”

34. I can understand a coach not wishing to post a list of recruits until camp opens up or even until after camp when the “Turk” may have claimed a handful of the less committed recruits; but suggesting a coach may not post the names of recruits because he’s concerned that other coaches may “poach” on them seems far-fetched.

    DIII recruiting classes are finalized in May. A bunch of college coaches then lurk around on websites over the summer to see what players other schools have recruited so that they can contact them and get them to change their mind…..I don’t think so, and for two basic reasons:

    1. The process is over. Everyone is on vacation…high school seniors have just graduated, college coaches have a little down time before they start into the season grind in August and Admissions & Financial Aid Departments, who would also have to be involved in this “sinister summertime poaching effort,” are also shut down until fall.

    2. Most competitive DIII programs are bringing in 30-50 freshmen football players each year and no more then 10-15 will actually be major contributors to their programs over the long haul. How do you know which ones will contribute and which ones will not measure up? Most freshmen at the DII level are not ready to play at the varsity level when they show up at college. The majority of them will never be ready, for anyone of a number of reasons: A. Doesn’t have the football skills for the next level. B. Doesn’t have the academic discipline to cut it in college C. Will not put in time and effort necessary to get better. D. Doesn’t like being away from home and girlfriend and wants out. E. Decides to spend the next 4 years drinking.

    Why would a coach damage his professional reputation in a business when you never know where your next job is coming from in order to steal someone elses recruit when there is only about a 30% chance that the kid will be a player?

35. I guess I’m in the minority here, but in the world of D3 where nothing is binding and the success of the program usually rides on finding “diamonds in the rough”, the last thing I would want to do is let my competitors know which kids I’ve found.

    Case in point #1, Mount Union’s best QB ever (Bill Borchert) was found by LK while looking at another of Borchert’s team mates. No one was recruiting Borchert because he completed a whopping 7 passes in high school running an option offense, but Kehres saw something in him worth recruiting him as a QB in a pass happy offense. That ability was obviously was there, but hidden in high school, as Borchert threw for 10,000+ yards and won the Gagliardi and 2 Nat Titles at MUC.

    Now if I’m Larry Kehres, why would I want to publish for John Carroll, Baldwin Wallace, Ohio Northern, etc that I’ve recruited a little know QB (Borchert) when they might not even know he exists? Or maybe the other schools blew the player off becuase he didn’t have the stats to get noticed, but if Kehres is recruiting him, then maybe the kid is worth looking at again since LK has a reputation as building great QB’s?

    Think about how we all approach D1 recruiting press. If I’m am Ohio State fan and OSU is recruting a Florida player that has offers from FSU, FLA and Miami, there’s a pretty good chance that kid’s a player. If none of the 3 Florida schools are recruting him then I wonder why OSU is after him. I think that same thought process would apply to opposing coaches that are looking at MUC’s recruitment of players. If LK wants the kid, he must have potential.

    Case in point #2, there is a certain stub RB in the OAC right now (not Kmic) that was “rumored” to end up at his current school as follows: The kid was transferring from a lower D1 Kentucky (can’t remember which) school and was recruited to come to Wooster. Early in that summer a certain OAC coach was at a conference and talking to a Wooster coach that was bragging about this RB they stole out of Kentucky. The OAC coach then starts checking into it, finds out who the kid is, sends him some info, invites him to visit campus and now that kid is the starting TB at that OAC school.

    So I think keeping your mouth shut about your recruits is a very smart thing to do. At least until the kid sends in his $ deposit to the college and registers for fall classes. It might be nice for the fans and alumni to see a bunch of names in the paper, but as a football coach I don’t think it’s a smart idea to let the competition know your recruits before their on campus.

36. Considering that’s the rule, it makes sense:

    13.10.7 Announcement of Acceptance

    Publicity released by an institution concerning a prospective
    student-athlete’s commitment to attend the institution shall occur only
    after the paid acceptance of the institution’s written offer of admission
    and/or financial aid. Such communications may be released to media
    outlets at the institution’s discretion; however, an institution is
    prohibited from purchasing or receiving commercial advertising (e.g.,
    print, media or billboard) to be used to identify a prospective
    student-athlete by name or picture. Violations of this bylaw do not
    affect a prospective student-athlete’s eligibility; however, the
    violation shall be considered an institutional violation per Constitution
    2.8.1. (Revised: 1/14/97, 1/11/00 effective 8/1/00, 1/9/06)

    (Emphasis added.)

37. I guess there is a paranoia on this topic that I don’t quite comprehend. By May recruits send in their deposit checks along with an acceptance letter to the DIII school of their choice. While that decision is not necessarilly binding, I don’t know a whole lot of kids and their parents that choose to throw away money. That is when recruiting for DIII is basically done for the year.

    A lot of folks, including alumni, fans, the recruits themselves, as well as the people that run this site would like to see schools post the list of recruits at that time or shortly thereafter during summer break. I see no problem with that. The risk to a school of losing a recruit to another school by posting their name on the schools website along with a little blurb about their position, high school and honors is infinitesimally small.

    The only point I raised in my prior posting was that some kids don’t make it into camp and others wash out at camp so I can understand coaches reluctantance to post a complete list of recruits until that time.

38. Pat:

    Exactly. Most of the recruits that I see in the Alliance local paper come via the family telling the newspaper, not the school.

39. Bring on summer camps and the start of the season……….this “splitting of the atom” talk is killing me!!!!

    Let me try this question one more time. When we look back 15 years from now, which former DIII QB will have had a more successful NFL career……….Ken Anderson or Brett Elliott?

40. dukefinadv-
    I would be extremely surprised if Elliott makes the Chargers roster this year. Best-case scenario he hangs around on the practice squad and plays in NFL Europe next year. There are at least 20 QB’s with similar talent coming out of college each year- not to mention the number of top tiered QB’s that actually get drafted.

    When was the last time the Stagg Bowl winner didn’t have a D1 transfer starting?

41. pumkinhead,

    Here’s an a very recent article where Elliott himself talks about just wanting to make the practice squad and hope to make the team or go to Europe.

    http://www.localnewsdaily.com/sports/story.php?story_id=115282215794583200

    ”Anytime you’re fighting for a spot as an undrafted guy, it’s going to be long odds,” Elliott says. “It definitely would have helped to be drafted. That was a big blow. I’m trying to hang on any way I can.

    ”But my whole attitude I’m taking is it’s a long process. It might not happen for me this year, or even with San Diego. I’m willing to wait my turn,” he says.

42. Pumkinhead,

    Last year I believe.

43. Ironic, I guess that this thread started out talking about Mount Union recruiting and Louisville HS QB Drew Kuhn. Despite some of the talk above, nobody seems to know where Drew is going to school. I can assure you that on the list of kids playing in next weekend’s Stark County All-Star game, a good third are still not decided. It’s not as cut and dry as some have portrayed it. The only vaild recruiting list is the sheet of paper they sign in on the first day of practice.

44. Another purple recruit for Mt. Drew Kuhn has said in the local paper he will attend Mt. However, there is one small matter. He is so bummed out that no one [ D1] offered him a scholarship , he may not play football anymore. I believe that once he is at Mt., coach K will work his special magic and Mr. Kukn will be a purple raider. This kid has it all. But at 5 feet 11 inches and 185, no D1 schools were willing to give money.

45. Gordan,

    Cat’s bag another all-star

    http://www.thepresstribune.com/articles/2006/07/29/sports/local_sports/01optimist_preview.txt

    Oakmont High School de-fensive lineman Todd Eyster will be a Wildcat this fall but will play in a Sacramento area all-star game first:

    “Eyster, who said, “It was definitely an honor,” to be picked for the game, will join his teammate Esquivel in switching positions for the night. Eyster played strong side defensive end for the Vikings, but will also play some defensive tackle for the North.

    “It’s kind of a learning process,” he said. “I’m breaking some old habits. When you play outside, you read things differently from when you play inside.”

    Only a handful of the players on either roster have yet to commit to a two- or four-year college. Eyster is headed to Linfield College in Oregon after considering UC Davis and Brown, among others.

    His Optimist Game experiment at defensive tackle may be a preview of what he could be asked to do at Linfield, assuming he can add weight to his current 6-3, 245-pound frame. But for now it’s all-star competition, not college, that’s on his mind.

    “Basically I just want to win,” Eyster said. “I want to play well and do my job. But I just want to win.”

46. Oregon States takes away but also gives back to the ‘Cats:

    http://www.localnewsdaily.com/sports/story.php?story_id=115403289257760000

    • Linfield has made an important athletic acquisition in Cory Ellis, the former Glencoe High three-sport standout who has played baseball at Oregon State the past two years. The 5-8, 160-pound Ellis – Erik Ainge’s chief target while catching 72 passes for 1,142 yards and 12 TDs as a high school senior in 2003 – is transferring and will play both football and baseball at Linfield. He will have three years of eligibility in both sports.

    ”It’s a great opportunity for me,” says Ellis, a second baseman who played sparingly at OSU this past spring after redshirting in 2005. “I had a good time at Oregon State, but I’m ready to step on the field and try to make a difference in both sports.”

    Ellis, incidentally, was a 3.78 student in business during his time at OSU. He received an award for the highest GPA on the team at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., last month.

    • Torrie Coleman, a redshirt freshman running back who is leaving Nevada-Las Vegas, won’t be transferring to Oregon State. Coleman, who narrowed his choices out of high school to UNLV and OSU before deciding on the Rebels, told Las Vegas media he might be headed to Corvallis, but Beaver coaches aren’t interested.

47. Gordon,

    Cats get another Sacramento kid:

    http://folsomtelegraph.com/articles/2006/07/26/sports/local_sports/03durst.txt

    Lineman Brad Durst from Folsom High (Ca.) will make tracks up to Linfield:

    —-After the Optimist game, Sells and Durst will be looking forward to playing football at the collegiate level, Sells at Division III Linfield College in Oregon and Durst right here at home at American River College.

    “I’m not sure what to expect when I get there,” Sells said. “A lot of those guys have been playing (at that level) for three years so I think the biggest adjustment I’m going to have to make is just to catch up to them and it may take me a year to do it and if that’s so that’s fine.”

    Durst said he’s not sure of what the biggest adjustment he’ll have to make is but he said he just needs to improve in all areas.”

48. Here’s an article (towards the end) about a DL freshman from the Sacramento area going to Linfield.

    http://www.rosevillept.com/articles/2006/07/29/sports/local_sports/01optimist_preview.txt

49. Redlands has released its recruiting class. Here they are, listed by area:

    CALIFORNIA
    Inland Empire (12)
    Name Position Hometown / High School
    Tamerat Berhe DL San Bernardino / Colton High School
    Josey Cruse RB Blythe / Blythe – Palo Verde High School
    Curtis Gold QB La Verne / Bonita High School
    Brett Lewis WR Riverside / Riverside Polytech High School
    Markus Mitsutomi DL Mentone / Redlands East Valley High School
    Ojan Namvar OL Indian Wells / Palm Desert High School
    Michael Petersen WR Victorville / Hesperia Christian High School
    Paul Reyes LB Fontana / Henry J. Kaiser High School
    Donovan Romaine DB Corona / Santiago High School
    Joshua Soldo LB Mentone / Yucaipa High School

    Richard Valenti LB Palm Desert / Palm Desert High School
    Matt Vasquez OL Murrieta / Murrieta Valley High School

    Los Angeles Metro (8)
    Name Position Hometown / High School
    Steve Brantingham DB Carpinteria / Carpinteria High School
    Matt Hale OL Malibu / Malibu High School
    Travis Mcbride DL Long Beach / Los Alamitos High School
    Kyle Ochoa QB Van Nuys / Van Nuys High School
    Jonathan Ontiveros OL Burbank / John Burroughs High School
    Shane Toten LB Yorba Linda / Esperanza High School
    Rudy Vidales WR Los Angeles / Loyola High School
    Matthew Wabby QB Westlake Village / Crespi Carmelite High School

    San Diego Metro (4)
    Name Position Hometown / High School
    Greg Fish DL San Diego / Clairemont High School
    Abel Hurtado DL Chula Vista / Eastlake High School
    Dylan Kruska LB Encinitas / University High School
    Ben Longwell LB Escondido / San Pasqual High School

    Fresno / Bakersfield (3)
    Name Position Hometown / High School
    Brenden Barkate WR Bakersfield / Garces Memorial High School
    Tyler Ferreria LB Fresno / Edison High School
    Jon Jackson DL Bakersfield / Ridgeview High School

    North Central (2)
    Name Position Hometown / High School
    Evan Reuter WR Carmichael / Jesuit High School
    Matt Smith WR Mountain View / The Kings Academy

    4-YEAR TRANSFERS (8)
    Name Position Hometown / High School
    Stephen Bay TE Woodinville, WA / University of Washington
    Josh Cunningham LB Phoenix, AZ / Texas A&M Tyler
    Sean Freas LB Honolulu, HI / University of Colorado
    Peter Heimerdinger WR Honolulu, HI / Northern Arizona University
    Kyle Muraoka DB Honolulu, HI / University of Hawaii Manoa
    Charles (CJ) Oddo WR Phoenix / Valparaiso University

    Jamiel Vanover LB Phelan / University of Nevada at Las Vegas
    Bryan Yatabe LB El Segundo / San Diego State

    2-YEAR TRANSFERS (17)
    Name Position Hometown / High School
    J.J. Brannan RB Brentwood / Los Medanos College
    Nate Brown DL Victorville / Victor Valley College
    Vince Brown RB Hughson / Modesto Junior College
    Ryan Calzaretta WR Redlands / Crafton Hills College
    Carlos Celis WR Los Angeles / Pasadena City College
    Mark Chapman DB Larkspur / College of Marin
    Marshall Cooley DB Los Angeles / Los Angeles Valley College
    Pat Donovan TE Orange / Santa Ana College
    Elliot Easley LB Dixon / Solano Community College
    Jake Lacey TE Quincy / Feather River College
    Jeff Mccraw LB Lake Havasu, AZ / Mesa Community College
    Marcus McKoy DB San Jose / San Jose City College
    Jordan Moss DB Kailua, HI / Santa Barbara City College
    Chris Rodarte DL San Bernardino / San Bernardino Valley College
    Steve Skinner OL Crescent City / College of the Redwoods
    Brian Szumnarski DL Phoenix, AZ / Phoenix College
    Bryan Tsudama DB Torrance / Los Angeles Harbor College

    OUT OF STATE (15)
    Name Position Hometown / High School
    Josh Ard OL Portland, OR / Roosevelt High School
    Lance Beam LB Fountain Hills, AZ / Fountain Hills High School
    Matt Bean LB Idaho Falls, ID / Idaho Falls High School
    Warren Booth TE Genesee, ID / Genesee High School
    Jared Fink DB El Paso, TX / Eastwood High School
    George Foreman IV RB Huffman, TX / Hargrave High School
    Robert Haugan WR Arnold, MD / Broadneck Senior High School
    Robert Lopes OL Honolulu, HI / Iolani School
    Thomas Marinucci OL Las Vegas, NV / Bishop Gorman High School
    Micki Rodgers OL Lake Oswego, OR / Lakeridge High School
    Harry Rollins RB Fountain Hills, AZ / Fountain Hills High School
    Sean Scott WR Bellevue, WA / Sammamish High School
    Steve Smith QB Lake Oswego, OR / Lake Oswego High School
    John Thies WR Fairbanks, AK / Lathrop High School
    John Tryon OL Scottsdale / Notre Dame Prep High School

50. Redlands had quite a recruiting year.