Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Time to get to writing

After watching 22 games and another 33 teams in scrimmages, now is the time to get back to work on this blog site. Getting ready to work on videos and starting to collect information for my directory. Actually, being a retired English teacher, I kind of enjoy writing. After 5 games, the cream of the crop in the Ohio Class of 2011 is starting to come to the top.

Braxton Miller-QB - Wayne High School is everything that I thought he would be. Has a leg injury now, but he will be back soon. The ultimate spread offense QB. Can run, can pass, and can make decisions. Most of all, he takes coaching and so far, he is grounded.

Kenny Hayes-DE - Toledo Whitmer is awesome. A 6'5 frame with speed. Can stop the run either inside or outside. Excellent off the edge on pass rush. Motor is always running. Also a leader by example.

Steve Miller-DE - Canton McKinley is different type of pass rusher. A 6'4 frame, but will need to add weight. Thin hips and really comes off the edge. Changes direction and closes well. Also could be a drop end. Like his toughness. Never quit attitude.

Trey DePriest-LB - Springfield continues to get quicker and faster. Has played DE and FB, but best position is LB. Toughness was never a question for me. Worked hard on conditioning in the off season and now it shows. Can take over a game.

Josh McClain-OLB - Dayton Northmont is wide receiver now, but he is out growing the position. On the next level needs to be an OLB. Tremendous athletic skills. Tough. hardnose competitor. Excellent hands. Worry about his focus on and off the field. Grades could hold him back, but has all of the natural skills.

Devin Smith-WR - Massillon Washington just makes plays. Faster when the ball is in the air. Excellent vision. Soft hands. Transferred from Akron Ellet, because of family ties with the Tigers. Saw him in camp last summer. A natural WR. Better person off the field. A top guy.

Dorian Grant-DB - Akron St Vincent- St Marys has the top end speed. Cover corner. Rotates hips. Recovers well. Strength is his combination of speed and size and strength. Will not see him until next week.

Chris Rock-DE - Columbus DeSales has the frame to add weight and needs to. Very athletic. Functional speed and quickness is good. Really was disappointed in his effort against Anderson. May be a better TE or OL prospect. Could see him as a center.

Trayion Durham-RB - Colerain plays FB now, but at the next level should be a TB. 5'11-210 and tough. Like his balance and burst. Good ball skills. Can get bigger. Like his vision, but hard to see much because he is a FB in the option. For some reason, I think he could be special.

Matt Skura-OL - Worthington Kilbourne does not realize how good he can be. Natural bender. Good feet. Aggressive run blocker. Understands schemes. Lineman instincts good. Only about 250, but can add weight and strength. Really like his natural skills at the center position. Must realize how good he can be.

These prospects are not necessarily the "top ten," but I would evaluate them very thoroughly, when picking my franchise team. As you will see over the next few weeks, the "Class of 2011" is pretty good.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Four star, whatever?

Read in the Toledo Blade this morning about a young man at Anthony Wayne High School who has committed to Iowa to play football. He grew up a Buckeye, but they had not offered him, so he chose the Hawkeyes. Good move. I know the Buckeyes liked him in camp, but wanted to see more of him this fall. By the way, that speaks volumes for the Buckeyes.(I am not a big early offer guy).

In this article, he was rated a 4-Star, by Rivals, something else by Scout, and something else from a service in Ohio. For you young football players, I beg you not to get caught in this nonsense about a Rivals rating, a Scout rating, or being ranked by any internet service in Ohio. These services feed "internet recruiting junkies." Their job(some make good money) is to give a small cult of recruiting people something to read and to go on chat rooms and chat about.

Do not let where they rank you, better yet, if they did not rank you, mess up your mind. Just play football. Let the people that matter(college coaches) rank you on their boards. That they do for sure. Parents are often as guilty as anybody about getting caught up in these rankings. I could tell you war story after war story about football recruiting and the lack of integrity that goes on.

One big name recruiting "expert" on the West Coast, a few years ago told a QB from Maryland that if he did not give him inside "stuff," he would not rate him high in his magazine. Of course, that happens alot. Years ago one college's boosters group bought 13,000 dollars worth of magazine subscriptions. That school's recruiting class was rated 8th in the country that winter by that magazine.

As college coaches know, if I have not seen a prospect, I do not rate him. Not fair to the kid. Of course and obviously, we do not always agree. For example, NO ONE, except Western Michigan, was willing to take a chance on Tim Hiller, former QB at Orrville. MSR rated him the 2nd best QB in Ohio that year. Enough said. Justin Swick, and I really like Justin, was highly over rated coming out of Massillon and I said that. I am not blowing my own horn. Just saying that a high school player should not get caught up in ratings.

Even at the professional level this occurs. A few years ago, Houston surprised the Mel Kiper's of the world by skipping over the QB from Texas and the RB from USC to take a DE from North Carolina. Kiper and the draft experts ripped the Houston GM. Now, look who is really contributing to each's own pro team.


I could tell you how the ratings are constructed, but that is not really the purpose of this blog entry. Just-- please do not get caught up in all this ratings stuff. Play hard and enjoy your high school football days. Everything will take care of itself.

Getting ready for Centerville-Moeller and Butler-Springfield.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Blog on Hold

I really not have been neglecting my blog entries, and I apologize for that. I have just been so swamped with traveling and evaluating that my time has been limited. During the course of the season, I do weekly updates on the prospects that I have seen. Not counting scrimmages, after the first week, I have been to eight games. This weekend I will be at five games. Now this is not to "beat my chest," but evaluating is my first love.

With that being said, my blog is going to go at a much smaller pace. I will get some entries up, when I have time, or if something interesting happens. After the season, the blog will be, hopefully, refreshing.

Off to look at some new video. Enjoy the season.