2020 commitments

[gofurman]

If the recruits are as good as the posts here imply (I will go with that for now) I assume we will do a little better in the playoffs next year or in a year or three. I can't wrap my head around these posts of our recruits and what I saw vs Woff and Cit and APSU... because I read the same thing the past two years. And we now know the SoCon is an EASY league to win. It is per our playoff "performance" of Furman and WOff. So if these posts about the quality of these guys are correct we should win the SoCon. I really do hope these are Great recruits ! I am about as passionate a Furman fan as there is .

I REALLY hope we have some nasty interior DL and safeties coming .. and aren't we supposed to be getting a QB? I really ask that - wasn't that a priority for this year?

[The Jackal]

If the recruits are as good as the posts here imply (I will go with that for now) I assume we will do a little better in the playoffs next year or in a year or three. I can't wrap my head around these posts of our recruits and what I saw vs Woff and Cit and APSU... because I read the same thing the past two years. And we now know the SoCon is an EASY league to win. It is per our playoff "performance" of Furman and WOff. So if these posts about the quality of these guys are correct we should win the SoCon. I really do hope these are Great recruits ! I am about as passionate a Furman fan as there is .

I REALLY hope we have some nasty interior DL and safeties coming .. and aren't we supposed to be getting a QB? I really ask that - wasn't that a priority for this year?

Half of our offense was freshmen this season.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

[DeepPurple]

One thing to remember, these big old fast nasty DL are extremely hard to find, especially when you tag on the Furman ENTRANCE part. We have tough competition with the service academies for these same kids and other TOP academic schools. Go FU!

[AstroDin]

If the recruits are as good as the posts here imply (I will go with that for now) I assume we will do a little better in the playoffs next year or in a year or three. I can't wrap my head around these posts of our recruits and what I saw vs Woff and Cit and APSU... because I read the same thing the past two years. And we now know the SoCon is an EASY league to win. It is per our playoff "performance" of Furman and WOff. So if these posts about the quality of these guys are correct we should win the SoCon. I really do hope these are Great recruits ! I am about as passionate a Furman fan as there is .

I REALLY hope we have some nasty interior DL and safeties coming .. and aren't we supposed to be getting a QB? I really ask that - wasn't that a priority for this year?

Half of our offense was freshmen this season.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

I've never heard QB was the priority… that said our coaches are still out there recruiting - so your knock-on Furman's recruiting class is a bit pre-mature).

Concerning this class and recruiting under CCH… to my eyes, it's pretty obvious we have a lot of young talent and our coaches are developing that talent. This will be year four of the CCH era the turnover from Fowlers era starts this season.

On paper this class builds on a highly regarded 2019 class - DiMaggio (LB), Davis (OL/DL), Wilson (OL), and Yates (DB) are all ranked in the Hero-Sports Top 50 recruits. Blake Hundley (2 SEC offers) no doubt is in the top 50, maybe the top 10.

Back to your last point JT… watch the film of who's committed. The DINS have two DTs committed Seth Johnson and Jeremiah Jackson. Based on offers Furman wants more commits at DT and DE so I'd hit the brakes. Safety… we've got our men… If you don't see the willingness to hit and the physical abilities of Caden Richards and Jack Rhodes - I can't help ya - no wait - I'll make it easy for ya…

Caden Richards senior season - by the way - he plays against the highest level competition in the state:

Jack Rhodes does it all for Miton, love this play:

[The Jackal]

This is my outside read on the subject.

A few years ago, Hendrix commented that he's not going to waste scholarships on warm bodies to ride the bench. There is a lot of money, time, and effort wrapped up into a single player. Furman, I think, got themselves in a bind for a while tying up scholarships with guys that never or rarely played.

At a school like Furman and with FCS restrictions in place, making mistakes in recruiting can be pretty devastating. The better course, I think, is to keep some "powder dry" and strategically look for transfers and provide scholarship opportunities to walk-ons that earn their playing time. The worst thing we can do is lock up resources on a player simply because we need a guy at position X.

To put it differently, I think there are guys we are targeting for certain positions. If those guys fall through, we may not take a kid at those positions. My inclination is they'd rather take no one and look for other opportunities than bring on a bad fit.

[youwouldno]

QB is the most important position in the game. I'm at a loss as to how that position could ever be a secondary priority, but that's a consistent theme under CCH.

[AstroDin]

QB is the most important position in the game. I'm at a loss as to how that position could ever be a secondary priority, but that's a consistent theme under CCH.

I disagree - it's not a secondary priority - Furman offered I know of at least two QBs last year I think both chose an academy. Furman has at least one offer out to a QB this year a de-commit from TexasTech and maybe one other that Paul C found…

To Jackal's point, if these guys chose to sign with another school, I don't think you'll see CCH and staff rush to just sign a body that plays QB. IMO it's a smart strategy.

I will agree that if we don't get our guy this season, the pressure is on to get one signed next season.

[The Jackal]

QB is the most important position in the game. I'm at a loss as to how that position could ever be a secondary priority, but that's a consistent theme under CCH.

Wait a second. Why on earth would QB - perhaps the position that is most important to a teams' success - be a secondary priority for any coaching staff?

Let's look at the facts -

Hendrix inherited a roster with a senior QB (Blazejowski) and J-Jr backup (Roberts) and a couple of walk-ons. There really wasn't a QB behind Roberts because the guy recruited to fill that spot - Avery Armstrong - was moved to WR.

In year 1, Furman had a commit from Jalen Greene, who ended up flipping to Elon. He played two years as a backup QB at Elon and is now a defensive back. Greene would be a junior this year.

After Greene flipped his commitment late, we got a commitment from Jemar Lincoln. Lincoln, of course, played sparingly and left the program.

The next year, Furman got a commit from Hayden Mann, a highly rated QB. He flipped late, played safety at James Madison for a season, and then transferred to Lenoir Rhyne.

Furman then landed both Darren Grainger and Hamp Sisson. Grainger (a little before) and Sisson (a little after) both announced offers at roughly the same time Mann announced his decommitment.

So, let's not pretend that that we're ignoring the QB positions. That's at least five QBs in the last three classes that Furman has gotten commits from.

[AstroDin]

^^ plus we added Shiflett a transfer QB/WR from MTSU.

[The Jackal]

^^ plus we added Shiflett a transfer QB/WR from MTSU.

And Shiflett, who we recruited out of high school as a QB.

[gman84]

Some folks will find any reason to rag on this program.

[fufanatic]

QB is the most important position in the game. I'm at a loss as to how that position could ever be a secondary priority, but that's a consistent theme under CCH.

The next year, Furman got a commit from Hayden Mann, a highly rated QB. He flipped late, played safety at James Madison for a season, and then transferred to Lenoir Rhyne.

Wow, he ended up at LR ... I wonder if he's regretting his decision to decommit from the Paladins?

[Paul C]

Updated 12/10: Here is a summary of our 13 (8 D, 5 O) commits to date with other offers listed....

4 DB
2 LB
2DL
3 OL
1 WR
1 RB

Caden Richards DB (6-1, 180) Gaffney SC (Mercer, Richmond)
Ty Youngblood LB (6-0, 210) Greeneville, TN (Army, Navy, AFA, ETSU, Richmond)
Evan DiMaggio LB/TE (6-3, 225) Buford, GA (Colo St, Liberty, Central Fl, Akron, Coastal Car, UNCC, AFA, Cincy)
Jack Rhodes DB/OLB (6-1, 188) Alpharetta, GA (Jax St, Ivies, Coastal Car, EKU)
Micah Robinson CB (5-11, 160) Westlake, GA (Jax St, Wofford, So Ill, Tenn Tech, Tenn St, So Ill, APSU)
Kendall Thomas RB (5-8, 175) Round Rock, TX (AFA, Dartmouth, Princeton)
Ambe Caldwell WR (6-1, 182) Atlanta, GA (So Ill, AFA, Columbia, Yale, Fordham)
EJ Wilson OL (6-4, 290) Xenia, OH (Colo St, Akron, YSU, EKU, Ivies, AFA, Navy, Colgate)
Dylan Davis OL (6-3, 260) Bradenton, FL (Illinois, Iowa St, Army, Cornell)
Seth Johnson DL (6-2 265 DL) Chattanooga, TN (Western Illinois, Lafayette, Columbia)
Jeremiah Jackson DL (6-0, 250) Fleming Isl, FL (Chattanooga, Fordham, Colgate, Chas So, Ivies)
Ivan Yates DB (5-11, 175) Roswell, GA (Air Force, Bucknell, Liberty, South Alabama, Austin Peay, TN Tech, Ivies)
Blake Hundley OL (6-4, 285) Clarksville, TN (Richmond, APSU, Kansas, Kentucky, Yale, South Carolina, UTM)

[Paul C]

If the recruits are as good as the posts here imply (I will go with that for now) I assume we will do a little better in the playoffs next year or in a year or three. I can't wrap my head around these posts of our recruits and what I saw vs Woff and Cit and APSU...

Because most of our recruits in Clays first couple of years were skill position players, LB's, CB's....we didn't have room to recruit a bunch of OL. And our success with his first couple of classes are well documented when you look at all the Fr and Sophs playing. And those guys aren't finished products, by far....

As for your comment on QB we will have THREE Soph QB's next year that all have significant potential in Sisson, Grainger and Shiflett. Is signing a blue-chip QB this year a necessity? No. However, If a guy we love wants to come here I'm sure we would take him. Next year? Yes. Especially if Shiflett moves to WR.

with 63 scholly's you have to be careful how you allocate among position groups. Can't have too many at one group without sacrificing another group. Especially since no one every bats 1.000 on recruiting, there will always be guys that just don't pan out....so 63 scholarships is more likely like 45 or so quality players.....just enough to fill out a 2 deep.

[youwouldno]

Let's look at the facts -

Hendrix inherited a roster with a senior QB (Blazejowski) and J-Jr backup (Roberts) and a couple of walk-ons. There really wasn't a QB behind Roberts because the guy recruited to fill that spot - Avery Armstrong - was moved to WR.

True. Probably would have been smart to look for a transfer.

In year 1, Furman had a commit from Jalen Greene, who ended up flipping to Elon. He played two years as a backup QB at Elon and is now a defensive back. Greene would be a junior this year.

The fact he didn't pan out as a QB is hardly reassuring, even putting aside the fact that getting a commitment is meaningless if the player doesn't show up.

After Greene flipped his commitment late, we got a commitment from Jemar Lincoln. Lincoln, of course, played sparingly and left the program.

Again, this is not very reassuring . . . the staff got 2 QB commits and neither worked as an FCS QB.

The next year, Furman got a commit from Hayden Mann, a highly rated QB. He flipped late, played safety at James Madison for a season, and then transferred to Lenoir Rhyne.

Yet again, not entirely reassuring . . . seems to be a pattern.

Furman then landed both Darren Grainger and Hamp Sisson. Grainger (a little before) and Sisson (a little after) both announced offers at roughly the same time Mann announced his decommitment.

So, let's not pretend that that we're ignoring the QB positions. That's at least five QBs in the last three classes that Furman has gotten commits from.

I never said they were "ignoring" it, I said the position seemed like a secondary priority, which none of the above contradicts, and if anything adds further support to. Of course the team has QBs, the point is that recruiting hasn't gone particularly well, and especially early on it made sense to add a transfer. Maybe Shiflett will make an impact once he's healthy.