West Monroe La. DT Will Blackwell talks with Hogville.net (LSU lean)

[The Recruiting Guy]

West Monroe is one the most storied high school programs in the nation. West Monroe won four state titles in the 90's and added titles in 2000 and 2005. They were crowned National Champions in 1998 and 2000. Will is a 6-4 290 pound DT with 4.9 speed in the 40 and is rated one the top defensive tackles in the nation.. We talked today and here's what Will had to say about recruiting.

TRG: What was your first offer?

Will: LSU offered me first my soph year and then Auburn offered later that year.

TRG: When did Arkansas offer? 

Will: They verbally offered my Jr. year but officially offered two or three months ago.

TRG: How many offers do you have?

Will: I have 15 offers.

TRG: When do you plan to narrow down your list? 

Will: I plan to be down to 5 schools by the end of the summer.

TRG: Do you have a favorite?

Will: No. Their all even right now. I'm real open.

TRG: Who did you pull for as kid?

Will: No one in particular. I usually pulled for the underdog. Most of my family graduated from La. Tech.

TRG: When do you plan to make a decision?

Will: I want to take my visits after our season and make a decision mid January.

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.

TRG: Have you ever been to Fayetteville?

Will: Never been but I hear a lot of good things. I want to go up for a game this fall.

TRG: I understand that your grandfather coaches you.

Will: Yes sir. He's my defensive line coach and our defensive coordinator. All my success should go to him. He's my motivation. My uncle is also the LBer coach. He's like a brother to me.

TRG: What do you plan to work on this summer to get better?

Will: My quickness and speed. I plan to workout everyday. Our goal is to win the state title.

I'll be playing DE this season so I plan to play around 270 to 275.

TRG: What's your bench and squat?

Will: I bench 330 and squat 520. I plan to improve.

TRG: I can tell by talking to you that you're a competitor.

Will: Yes I am. It doesn't matter what I play, play station or whatever I'm trying to win.


Will Blackwell is the run stopper that every school in the nation is looking for and hopes to sign. You know he'll be well coached coming from West Monroe. Because of that and his physical talent I look for Will to contribute his freshman season at whatever school he decides to attend.

I really enjoyed talking to Will. I can see him being very successful in life.

[Hawgballz]

TRG, when you said you were going to do this, I had no idea it was going to be soooooooo much good info this fast.  +1 to you once again.  GO  :razorback: GO

[return2glory]

I know you probably get tired of hearing it, but GREAT JOB!!! It sure would be nice if we were making more of a push for this kid. Pretty sad that he doesn't even know the name of the coach who is recruiting him.

[HogInaStrangeLand]

That's information that I appreciate from this board.

Thank you
TRG, hSv and Mike for contributing.

[hogfan064]

520 Squat!! Not bad.  330 Bench isn't bad either for a guy that probably has very long arms. 

[LSUFan]

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.


Speaks voulumes for Nutt.

[thahawg]

So are we even on his list?

[GrizzledHogFan]

I know you probably get tired of hearing it, but GREAT JOB!!! It sure would be nice if we were making more of a push for this kid. Pretty sad that he doesn't even know the name of the coach who is recruiting him.

I was fairly disturbed when I read that.

Anyway, great interview TRG.  Keep it coming.

[Atreyu]

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.


Speaks voulumes for Nutt.

I can't stop staring at your signature!!!

[HighonSwine]

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.


Speaks voulumes for Nutt.

I can't stop staring at your signature!!!

Me neither, and I am very ticked about that answer on who is recruiting him from here.  That is pathetic.

[LSUFan]

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.


Speaks voulumes for Nutt.

I can't stop staring at your signature!!!

Me neither, and I am very ticked about that answer on who is recruiting him from here.  That is pathetic.

You are preaching to the choir brother.

Sad, very sad.

[Hawgballz]

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.


Speaks voulumes for Nutt.

I can't stop staring at your signature!!!

Me neither, and I am very ticked about that answer on who is recruiting him from here.  That is pathetic.

I took it that this kid wasn't interested in Arkansas even if Bill Clinton was recruiting him with LSUFan's signature with him as a recruiting benefit.  GO  :razorback: GO

[Whataboar™]

Nice job, Recruiting Guy.
Keep up the good work. Otis will be hating your guts very soon. 

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Recruiting Guy, are you recruiting these kids as posters on Hogville? 

If they see how much fun we have around here, it could influence them to come play for us.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Great job, btw.

[The Pulse]

Will: LSU offered me first my soph year and then Auburn offered later that year.

I guess it depends on how teams give offers, but i always though it was against NCAA regulations to give a player a scholarship offer while they are a sophmore. Unless it was just a verbal promise of a scholarship offer.

I was watching the news on Jimmy Clausen and Steve Spurior had offered him a scholarship too early and he wasn't suppose to do that.

[hog caller]

must have been on the trip for company and the food because the recruit doesn't know his name . Mr Nutt must have done all the talking. it speaks volumes doesn't it.

[gwddog]

 
   


looks like he'll be a HOG


Will:  I usually pulled for the underdog. /quote]

[mountainhog]

trg,  will you be doing recruiting for all the sports or just football?  btw, keep up the good work,  This is a pleasant change from all the hater vs. hugger threads.

[Tomhog™]

Wow! I can see TRG is bringing in some posters into the Recruiting Forum that I haven't seen in here before.  His clout is gaining momentum!  This is a guy I wish we had two of.  It sounds like we are low on his interest list, but at least on the list.  I hope he goes out of the SEC if he doesn't come to Arkansas...

[arkbengal]

Very likely that Blackwell will be a Tiger next year.

[CarolinaHog1176]

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.


Speaks voulumes for Nutt.

it could be that Nutt and the staff have learned from past mistakes.  if a top-notch recruit isn't very interested and doesn't seem to care much about whatever you say, then you're wasting valuable resources when you could be going after someone maybe not as highly rated, but someone who could help your program.

right now, arkansas isn't a top program so alot of top talent isn't going to come here.  I've written on this before where alot of guys don't want to help build a program, they just want to ride on the coattails of the players who were successful at (add top 10 team of choice here).

maybe (and this is totally hypothetical since me or anybody else on this board work alongside the coaching staff), Nutt and the staff have said to hell with the top ones that are a reach and are just going after the ones who are pretty good and show medium to high interest to build a solid team.  as all of the top teams in the nation can confirm, once you get thrown into the national spotlight, the top recruits will be calling you instead of the other way around.

[BirmingHam]

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.


Speaks voulumes for Nutt.

it could be that Nutt and the staff have learned from past mistakes.  if a top-notch recruit isn't very interested and doesn't seem to care much about whatever you say, then you're wasting valuable resources when you could be going after someone maybe not as highly rated, but someone who could help your program.

right now, arkansas isn't a top program so alot of top talent isn't going to come here.  I've written on this before where alot of guys don't want to help build a program, they just want to ride on the coattails of the players who were successful at (add top 10 team of choice here).

maybe (and this is totally hypothetical since me or anybody else on this board work alongside the coaching staff), Nutt and the staff have said to hell with the top ones that are a reach and are just going after the ones who are pretty good and show medium to high interest to build a solid team.  as all of the top teams in the nation can confirm, once you get thrown into the national spotlight, the top recruits will be calling you instead of the other way around.

So, are you saying that they didn't spend too much time or bother with introductions since they knew he was not interested?

Or, are you saying Nutt wasted his resources by even talking to the recruit who he knew was not interested instead of going after someone (preferably some 1 or 2 star teammate) who he could actually get to sign on?

Or, are you saying that we should stop recruiting highly ranked out-of-state recruits and glean the diamonds-in-the-roughs until we are a top-notch program under Nutt ?  And exactly when do you think Nutt will ever get us to that status?

[sitting out]

Great job so far TRG!

Big, strong and fast Defensive lineman the crown jewel of top recruiting classes. Look at the top rated programs in the country and they sign several of these guys every year. Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, Georgia, Bama, Auburn, Michigan,  Ohio St., Miami all of these schools are able to successfully recruit this type of DL. It is hard for any program to win 10 or more games without solid depth at the DL position. Arkansas has some incredible skill position players that will lead us to more victories in the coming years. Until we start signing several exceptional interior lineman(OL and DL) every year we won't compete for championships.

[Porkerpower]

And I still say you can win it all with 3 stars, and just a few 4 and 5 stars sprinkled in.  The difference maker for teams that have built their programs this way is coaching and scheme.  Soft schedule is also a factor, but really as long as you have great coaching and SCHEME, you can go a very long way.

How else do you explain off a team like Va Tech.  Solid as a rock EVERY year, and on the off ones still very salty.  Despite their less than stellar recruiting classes year in and year out.  (Hell, we were ranked above Va Tech according to Rivals this last year)  Va Tech is NEVER among the elite in recruiting.  They take their 3 star kids, then coach and plug them into their SCHEME.  Works very well I'd say.
It can work here too.  We actually out-recruit Va Tech every year, if you go by Rivals.  Check it out.

But I have a feeling this point will become mute in the next couple of years anyway.  Malzhan has already taken over this offense, and recruiting is about to explode as far as the 4 and 5 star recruits coming into the program.  He's a great recruiter.

Go Hogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sitting out]

VA Tech is the exception not the rule. Is there another consistant top program that rarely excels in recruiting? Beamer has proven himself to be on the best coaches in college football. Florida St. is a good example of squandering great talent in recent years. Since Bowden has lost all of his great assistant coaches he has underachieved with incredible talent on the inside.

I haven't checked recently, but I don't think we have even recruited 3 star interior lineman in the HDN tenure. Sure we have 1 or 2 every year, but no great depth. You are right winning with 3 star interior lineman is possible. Consistant numbers of 3 star recruits with some top guys like Will Blackwell sprinkled in should compliment our new and improved offensive coordinator. That could be a recipe for some 10 win seasons.

[Hogstocking]

I agree sitting out.  Besides VT, Iowa is the only other one I can think of. 


Although in 2005 they had a very good class, but the rest of their classes look mediocre at best.

[Porkerpower]

 Va Tech, Louisville, Wisconsin, Boston College, even TCU. All are teams, most years, we "out-recruit".  Dare I say they would kick our a#$% on the field.  In the recent past anyway.

Scheme is the way to overcome mediocre recruiting.  That and coaching.

[CarolinaHog1176]

TRG: Who's recruiting you for Arkansas?

Will: I'm not even sure. Coach Nutt was down here about a week ago along with another coach. I can't remember his name.


Speaks voulumes for Nutt.

it could be that Nutt and the staff have learned from past mistakes.  if a top-notch recruit isn't very interested and doesn't seem to care much about whatever you say, then you're wasting valuable resources when you could be going after someone maybe not as highly rated, but someone who could help your program.

right now, arkansas isn't a top program so alot of top talent isn't going to come here.  I've written on this before where alot of guys don't want to help build a program, they just want to ride on the coattails of the players who were successful at (add top 10 team of choice here).

maybe (and this is totally hypothetical since me or anybody else on this board work alongside the coaching staff), Nutt and the staff have said to hell with the top ones that are a reach and are just going after the ones who are pretty good and show medium to high interest to build a solid team.  as all of the top teams in the nation can confirm, once you get thrown into the national spotlight, the top recruits will be calling you instead of the other way around.

So, are you saying that they didn't spend too much time or bother with introductions since they knew he was not interested?

Or, are you saying Nutt wasted his resources by even talking to the recruit who he knew was not interested instead of going after someone (preferably some 1 or 2 star teammate) who he could actually get to sign on?

Or, are you saying that we should stop recruiting highly ranked out-of-state recruits and glean the diamonds-in-the-roughs until we are a top-notch program under Nutt ?  And exactly when do you think Nutt will ever get us to that status?

first of all, you're attacking like I'm a hugger but that's not true...  I'm impartial to nutt at this point but I'm a fan of the razorbacks.  all I'm saying is that nutt and his staff have done a solid job of recruiting the past few years despite having relatively bad seasons... you don't land all 4's and 5's (stars) when you go 7-4, 6-5, 5-6 but what you do is you stay the course.  they're in damage control mode right now, but they do have the unknown of the new additions to the staff that will give them some recruiting points with HS players.

there's a lot of good players out there that have us high on their list, so let's keep after them.  yes, we can go after a few 5's (or top 100 players), but let's not let those solid interest guys fade away trying to catch the big one.

like I said, once a program gets over the hump and becomes a top 10 team, the 4's and 5's will be calling you

[Hawgballz]

CarolinaHog11, I agree with what you are saying.  This kid showed very little interest from the start so let's move on to the highly rated more obtainable kids who may look at Arkansas and the new things that Reggie & Gus are doing and want to be a part of that program.  I would certainly like for Mr. Blackwell to be a part of the program, but if he is not inclined then let's go get the next best kid we can.  I may be wrong, but I think his interview showed his lack of interest in Arkansas for anything more than a free recruiting visit.  I hope I am wrong.  GO  :razorback: GO

[BirmingHam]

"...you don't land all 4's and 5's (stars) when you go 7-4, 6-5, 5-6 but what you do is you stay the course."

Isn't this chicken-egg, you can't land 4 and 5 stars with those type of seasons, but you also can't have 10-1, 11-0, 9-2 seasons without 4 and 5 star recruits.  Sooner or later you have to go after the big fish, striking out regularly, in order to start landing something other than diamond-in-the-roughs. 

Of course, this takes a well organized recruiting system which has done considerable background work prior to recruiting.  That will keep you from wasting time on those who have no interest, and will also help you get in with the better recruits before they get inundated from other programs.  It's usually the first 2 or 3 salesmen to call that land the sale unless your product is so far above the others that it is no contest.

We should be heavily into Arkansas, Texass, and Louseyanny when these guys are in their sophmore - prejunior years, not showing up after the OUs, LSUs, Texasses, Flourides, Allbarns of the worlds.  Heck, those schools are in our backyards before we are laying down the sale.

[Hogstocking]

CarolinaHog11, I agree with what you are saying.  This kid showed very little interest from the start so let's move on to the highly rated more obtainable kids who may look at Arkansas and the new things that Reggie & Gus are doing and want to be a part of that program.  I would certainly like for Mr. Blackwell to be a part of the program, but if he is not inclined then let's go get the next best kid we can.  I may be wrong, but I think his interview showed his lack of interest in Arkansas for anything more than a free recruiting visit.  I hope I am wrong.  GO  :razorback: GO

He does seem to come across as having little more than a passing interest, but he does plan to visit here, and if we can get him on campus to see the facilities...You never know.  We don't get many guys like his, so if he has any interest whatsoever, stay on him...and hard.

Atleast he mentions us in his top 7.
Scout.com only allows seven colleges under the schools of interest in a player's profile. Which seven would Blackwell like to be listed?

"I would put Notre Dame, Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, and lets see, I really do not know about a seventh. Go ahead and put Arkansas in there. Yes, Arkansas would be my 7th."

In one sentence, what stands out about each school?
Arkansas - "The only thing I hear about Arkansas is that it is so nice up there. I just hear a lot of positive things about Arkansas. I have never been there, but I plan to pretty soon."

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=10&p=2&c=535547

[HogasaurusRex]

Will is a 1st class kid.  I used to be his rec-league coach down here in West Monroe.   He is as dominate at his position as I have seen (and that's a lot considering WM's D-1 reputation) and he's also the 1st cousin of LB Luke Sanders (LSU).  I don't get caught up in all the recruiting stuff, but I can tell you that given his cousins ties and the fact that he is telling my kids he's going to LSU, that may be why he's not seriously being considered by Arkansas.  Believe me, I'd love for Will to be a Hog!