Update on DT Will Blackwell of West Monroe La.

[The Recruiting Guy]

I just talked to Will to check on his status with Arkansas. Here's what he had to say.


TRG: Are you close to narrowing your list?

Will: Not really. I'll probably do it in a few more weeks.

TRG: Have you taken any visits lately?

Will: I went to Alabama and Tennessee. Alabama was great. I got to meet the coaches and liked it a lot. Tennessee the coaches weren't in town but they seem interested. Their two pretty good schools.

TRG: Have you talked to Arkansas?

Will: No. The last time I heard from them was when Coach Nutt was down.

TRG: That was the last time I talked to you in late May.

Will: I got a few letters. Don't know what's going on. It's their loss. Maybe they need another recruiting coordinator.


My previous interview with Will.

http://www.hogville.net/yabbse/index.php/topic,59431.0.html

[Boared]

Glad to see we're making more progress in Louisiana....

[cubbie]

Will: I got a few letters. Don't know what's going on. It's their lost. Maybe they need another recruiting coordinator.

WOW!!!

[WilsonHog]

Kids say the darndest things, huh?

Unbelievable.

We've talked about whether recruits read message boards. Maybe we need to talk about whether recruits talk to other recruits.

[Oklahawg]

Maybe we need coaches to read message boards. That way our bunch will know what to do on the recruiting trail. That is, if they can't figure it out by watching Gus.

[bigred7987]

I know there is SOMEONE on here who can relay this to the right people. 

[Boared]

I'm guessing someone on the staff is just incredibly lazy or gave up on this kid thinking he was going to LSU (which normally gets who they want from LA). That's a strategy for losers.

[DezNuttstehsuq]

Let us pray.

LORD, MAKE THIS PAIN (the murray state mafia) GO AWAY, EXCISE THESE DEMONS OH LORD FOR THEY HAVE FORSAKEN EVERYTHING THAT IS HOGLY!

[cubbie]

AMEN

[bigred7987]

Well he didn't mention us for a while back in June so I have no clue maybe they thought we had no shot but from the looks of this interview we would have a shot if we gave his recruiting to Malzahn

[TX HOG]

WilsonHog said it best, "UNBELIEVABLE".  This kind of thing does not EVER need to happen, absolutely inexcusable.  These kind of words coming straight out of the mouth of  a recruit is sad.  I didn't sound like he had given up on Arkansas, but we gave up on him.  I'm guessing Houston is our recruiting coordinator, right? 

[pioneerhog]

You know it is bad when even the recruits are saying we need a new recruiting coordinator. This is ridiculous and something should be done and I mean now. Has Nutt just gave up on coaching at AR? Does he know something we don't, like he isn't gonne be here next season? That's just wishful thinking.

[Boared]

Yeah, but you never know. If he had even a small amount of interest in us, Arkansas has a successfull season, and something somewhere else rubbed him the wrong way, he could possibly come here.  You never know. Wasn't Felix Jones a last-minute surprise?

[TX HOG]

Yeah we got Felix on signing day, but we didn't ignore him during the process

[pioneerhog]

I bet TRG was speachless when he heard this.

[TX HOG]

I was speachless when I heard this, then I had bad thoughts

[bigred7987]

We picked up on Felix late TX hog

[WilsonHog]

As recently as two months ago the young man said he was completely open and wanted to come to a game in Fayetteville this fall.

Now he's clearly pissed off, and should be.

Dammit.

[cubbie]

I want my mommy

[pioneerhog]

Can we just go to Nutt and beat some sense into him.









Just joking but if it would do any good it might be a thought.

[Jim Harris]

We picked up on Felix late TX hog

wrong, wrong just *** wrong. Bobby Allen was on him at various times in the recruiting process, not just in the final weeks. He may have remained uncommitted to anyone until just before signing day, but it was a longer recruiting process than you indicate, and we were helped in that he had missed the majority of his junior season, and others got on him late.

[Cresthog]

I cannot believe that statement...


FREGGIN RIDICULOUS

[bigred7987]

Arkansas is a relative newcomer to the race for the 5-foot-11, 197-pound back's signature. What stands out about the Razorbacks?

"I don't know a lot about Arkansas. I'm still learning about them," Jones said. "I know they are improving and getting better and they are supposed to have a nice campus, but I need to learn more which is why I need to take my visits."

Thats compliments of rivals.com on December 22, 2004.  He didn't even know he had an offer from Arkansas until December 6th of 2004. 

I call that getting on someone very late

[T-Bag Hawg]

How many golf tourneys did they play in in May? 31?

[WilsonHog]

If this kid was a 5-11, 260-lb, 5.5 40 defensive tackle from Arkansas we'd be on him like brown on a turd, and pissed because he hasn't committed to us.   

[Whataboar™]

You know it is bad when even the recruits are saying we need a new recruiting coordinator. This is ridiculous and something should be done and I mean now. Has Nutt just gave up on coaching at AR? Does he know something we don't, like he isn't gonne be here next season? That's just wishful thinking.

Certainly makes one wonder if his plans extend beyond the upcoming season.
A pattern is slowly developing here and it's disconcerting.
Just how many other recruits are getting the same treatment?
Keep asking those questions, TRG. You're shaking things up.

[Jim Harris]

Arkansas is a relative newcomer to the race for the 5-foot-11, 197-pound back's signature. What stands out about the Razorbacks?

"I don't know a lot about Arkansas. I'm still learning about them," Jones said. "I know they are improving and getting better and they are supposed to have a nice campus, but I need to learn more which is why I need to take my visits."

Thats compliments of rivals.com on December 22, 2004.  He didn't even know he had an offer from Arkansas until December 6th of 2004. 

I call that getting on someone very late

I will agree that he didn't have an offer from Arkansas until after his incredible performance in the Oklahoma state playoffs, as was true with most teams. Again, he missed his junior season. He wasn't immediately on everybody's radar for offers yet, and I'm certain people wanted to see him actually play, but Bobby says he was in our wish list in May. The wish list doesn't correspond to the offer list, certainly not two years ago. A lot is different this year with recruiting than two years ago, try not to get into revisionist recruiting history.

[T-Bag Hawg]

We need Chris Vaughn on the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fool_on_the_hill]

i dub thee,  the slick shelly syndrome

[Oklahawg]

After Jones' injury UA was one of the few to stay in contact. We told him that we'd monitor his play during his senior seasion. About the time we should have offered--when Jones was tearing up the competition with week after week of single digit carries for 200 yards rushing--we were in the middle of our annual "oh for october" swoon. By being the only major school to keep contact with him after his injury we kept afoot in the door. SHould have shut that fricker with an offer by mid-September.

[Jim Harris]

We need Chris Vaughn on the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we need him and the rest of the MSM on the road to another job.

[fool_on_the_hill]

ok now that ive gone off half cocked,
can any one provide the guide lines of contacting
recruits how, how often, by what means , when the dead period is
if they dont have a cell to text, can u e mail them,

i would like anyone who knows the rules to provide them
so i can be fair in my judgement

but something tells me i will be more po d when i find out

[Oklahawg]

Schools are in a dead period between the end of May and the start of school at the respective high school. During this period the coaches may initiate a single contact via phone. The schools/coaches may make unlimited contact with recruits via text message, email and snail mail.

Once school is in session coaches are limited to one initiated contact per week and the same unlimited secondary contacts.

Its not that hard folks. You just have to want to. We'd struggle to find 5 better linemen in the entire SE recruiting region, Texas included. Here's one that was primed for a visit.

[Hugehogsfan]

WOW that is eye opening for a young man to say that.  He will probably go to other camps and tell them the same thing.  That is un-freaking belivable.  Well oh well I guess we can just use our wide outs to play DE again. 

[fool_on_the_hill]

Schools are in a dead period between the end of May and the start of school at the respective high school. During this period the coaches may initiate a single contact via phone. The schools/coaches may make unlimited contact with recruits via text message, email and snail mail.

Once school is in session coaches are limited to one initiated contact per week and the same unlimited secondary contacts.

Its not that hard folks. You just have to want to. We'd struggle to find 5 better linemen in the entire SE recruiting region, Texas included. Here's one that was primed for a visit.

so in other words there is no excuse for this level of ineptness

[AFWarrior83]

   just makes me SICK!! 

[The Pulse]

Round of Applause for Nutt and his boys on the wonderful recruiting effort. If you only have sub-par players..then you can't ask them to be an above par team. Only underdogs that eek out 6 wins. even though they were only supposed to win 4 or 5.

[DezNuttstehsuq]

Schools are in a dead period between the end of May and the start of school at the respective high school. During this period the coaches may initiate a single contact via phone. The schools/coaches may make unlimited contact with recruits via text message, email and snail mail.

Once school is in session coaches are limited to one initiated contact per week and the same unlimited secondary contacts.

Its not that hard folks. You just have to want to. We'd struggle to find 5 better linemen in the entire SE recruiting region, Texas included. Here's one that was primed for a visit.

so in other words there is no excuse for this level of ineptness

No there is a word (or words rather)...Head Coach Houston Dale Nutt

Truthfully Im very pumped for this upcoming season (mainly b/c Nutt's control has been limited somewhat) but time and again Nutt oversees/does something that makes me want to scream and leaves me flabbergasted at the INEPTNESS of his administration. What is so hard about someone penning a letter every week just to say "Hey, How are things going, We are keeping our eye on you....blah blah blah.

I think Im going to Wikipedia tonite and updating the word INEPTNESS to include a fark of HDN!

[Razorod]

when you look at height and projection, Bequette could easily spin down to DT--the same position as Will Blackwell. He's only listed as a 4.85, he looks like he's pretty broad through the shoulders, like he could carry another 30-40 lbs and play at 285-295--DT size. We're recruiting DE's pretty hard--see Michael Keck Demario Ambrose and Jared Glover. Also, we're in the running for Relondo Melancon, DT also from LA. In an effort to put a postive spin on things, we may be only looking for one more DT and feel our recruiting efforts are better spent on Melancon and the DE's than a player the coaches may have felt was an extreme longshot at best.

Not saying I like the content of TRG's interview with Blackwell, just saying this may be what's going on.

[WilsonHog]

when you look at height and projection, Bequette could easily spin down to DT--the same position as Will Blackwell. He's only listed as a 4.85, he looks like he's pretty broad through the shoulders, like he could carry another 30-40 lbs and play at 285-295--DT size. We're recruiting DE's pretty hard--see Michael Keck Demario Ambrose and Jared Glover. Also, we're in the running for Relondo Melancon, DT also from LA. In an effort to put a postive spin on things, we may be only looking for one more DT and feel our recruiting efforts are better spent on Melancon and the DE's than a player the coaches may have felt was an extreme longshot at best.

Not saying I like the content of TRG's interview with Blackwell, just saying this may be what's going on.

Here's my problem with that scenario, Razor. How much time would it take to send the kid a text message or shoot him a few e-mails? We haven't had any problems stringing along in-state kids before we finally decide what we want to do, but we can't be bothered to keep contact with one of the best defensive tackles in the south, and one who wanted to visit our campus?

I just can't make rational sense of it.

[fool_on_the_hill]

upon further reflection i realized we are only getting one side of the
story , coaches cannot defend themselves here, nor can they talk about a
recruit,

maybe there was something they didnt like about the young man

all i can say to the coaches is  attitudes can also be diamonds in the rough

[Hollywood_HOGan]

wow.

This is just insane.

One of the top tackles in the country?

Are you freakin serious?

Please can Gus take Louisiana now?

[SwinedMelon]

yeah- we're doing terrible in LA... London Crawford.

[The Pulse]

yeah- we're doing terrible in LA... London Crawford.

London Crawford is from Mobile, Alabama

[Hawgzilla]

yeah- we're doing terrible in LA... London Crawford.

London Crawford is from Mobile, Alabama

               He was committed to LSU,but signed with us......And yes he is from Alabama.........

[diehardrbackfan]

.

[HatfieldHog]

I may get in trouble for doing this, but here goes:  I can't really believe that this kid actually said that last sentence.  That sounds totally too much like one of us on this board, and not a High School kid.

Can TRG drop another post and verify that this kid actually said that?

See ya

[Hawgballz]

I wonder how many schools have stopped recruiting Lee Zeimba based upon some belief that he is a lock for either Auburn or Arkansas?  Also, I remember reading on one of these boards that HDN & GM both went to meet him in May I believe.  Judging by that, we sent our Head Coach & best recruiter, so I figure we took our best shot and either he didn't show an interest or we didn't see what6 we liked from him.  I don't know, but I wish I knew the whole story.

[Oklahawg]

Tag-teaming with ImHogginIt, TRG sent a PM that said something to the effect of: "I ask him if I could quote him on that". TRG wanted to make sure that was accurate before posting it.

[The Recruiting Guy]

I may get in trouble for doing this, but here goes:  I can't really believe that this kid actually said that last sentence.  That sounds totally too much like one of us on this board, and not a High School kid.

Can TRG drop another post and verify that this kid actually said that?

See ya

That's exactly what Will said. I asked him if I could quote him on that and he said yes and that he didn't care. I would never post something like that without asking the recruit if it was ok to do so.