What is the Most Difficult Position to Recruit?

Salsa · Post by **Salsa** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:19 pm

I think there is an overwhelming consensus on this question. The most difficult position to recruit is Defensive Linemen. And I don't mean defensive ends, but interior defensive linemen.

A lot of BG fans have argued that this is our biggest need. Well, we recruited at least 4 (Frericks, Hardwick, James, and Minturn) and maybe more who are penciled in for this position.

This alone, in my view, makes this a promising class. And when you consider the number of LBs and Defensive Secondary prospects that we recruited, I'm even more positive. Coach Brandon said in today's BG News article that recruiting to improve our defense was a priority. Again, good defensive linemen are hard to come by.

I can't recall the last defensive lineman from BG who ended up having a significant career in the NFL. For that matter, I can't recall any MAC defensive lineman who achieved this. Now, I'm sure there must be some. But they've got to be few and far between. Remember, I'm not talking about defensive ends, but interior defensive linemen.

I think our coaching staff recruited with the objective of improving where we need it the most. I'm real happy with the number of good sized offensive linemen, defensive linemen, and linebackers they're bringing in.

Last year, our offensive line was probably as good as it's been in a long time. The protection they gave Omar was outstanding. I see that continuing as a recruiting objective. And now we're working on having a better defensive line.

Bottom line--I feel good about our recruiting class.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:23 pm

I truely think the hardest person to recruit is the center. I played center is HS and everyone thinks it is not an important position, boy are you wrong. Have to snap the ball, listen for the silent count, keep an eye on the defender and possible blitzes. Then when your used to something, the QB goes back in shotput so then you have to quickly adjust and go to the longsnap. Then if your fortunate enough you may also have to snap for a FG or a punt. With all this said, in one serious you could have a normal snap, a 4 yard shotgin snap, a 7 yard field goal snap, and then possibly a 12 yard field goal snap. I feel the center is the second most important player on the team, and also the hardest player to recruit.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:38 pm

Wife.....but the concept of an oral committment sounds intriguing

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:44 pm

Flipper wrote:Wife.....but the concept of an oral committment sounds intriguing

SuperFan_FutureGrad · Post by **SuperFan_FutureGrad** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:47 pm

With all due respect for bgsufan1972, I couldn't disagree with you more!

Is the center an important position? Absolutely. Could one argue it is more important than the other INTERIOR lineman (the guards)? Sure. But it would be a challenge for anyone to argue it is more important than the offensive tackle for the tackles' importance both in the run/pass, and I believe the placement of talented offensive lineman in the NFL will lead you to see the emphasis on the tackle position (ie Orlando Pace). However, each position on the line, and on the field, is important and valuable in their own right.

With your statement about recruiting is where I disagree most. First of all, most college and professional football teams have specialized players to do the long snapping duties (was Gavin Powell for us this past season) - not the center! Second of all, our own center, Scotty, did not ever play the position until his junior year, and when John Lanning went down late in the season with another knee surgery, the man who replaced him as the 2nd-string center, Jonathan Culp, had NEVER played center in his life - was a tight end in high school and at BG played every other position on the line (left and right) EXCEPT center. Korey Lichtensteiger, another guy who got some reps at center late in games to pursue the possibility of having him replace Scotty next year, was learning the position for the first time. It is also not unusual at all for college and professional offensive guards to be put in at the center position to fill an injury, etc.

And every offensive lineman has to listen for the count and "keep an eye on the defender and possible blitzes." And as far as the silent count, when there is a silent count, that means the QB is silent and it is the center who yells "GO!" when snapping the ball to signal the other lineman to get out of the blocks!

Sorry bgsufan, not that I don't appreciate the talent required to be a center - after all, I played QB in high school and recognize the importance of a good snap - I just would never put a center as the second most important player on the team, nor consider it the hardest position to recruit.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:20 pm

Center is not the most difficult to position to recruit. As SuperFan outlined, it is far from it. Players move to and from the center position all the time.

The original poster has it correct, the consensus among coaches is clearly DT. You need a freakish combination of size & speed to become an elite DT. We can usually get the 260 pound DTs (that we seem to covet), or we can get the big fatties with no mobility. Those guys that are 290-310, with a high motor, and the athleticism to make use of it just don't end up at BG. There aren't enough of those guys to keep the OSU's of the world well stocked, so they just don't quite find their way to MAC schools.

I hope that the kids we brought in can develop into solid or outstanding DTs, but without a doubt that is the most difficult position to recruit.

MajorFalcon92 · Post by **MajorFalcon92** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:55 pm

bgsufan1972 wrote:I truely think the hardest person to recruit is the center.

maybe, but I heard the Right Guard probably smells the best.

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:32 pm

MajorFalcon92 wrote:
bgsufan1972 wrote:I truely think the hardest person to recruit is the center.

maybe, but I heard the Right Guard probably smells the best.

Oh, I didn't know Comdey Central was here.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 8:42 am

hammb wrote:Center is not the most difficult to position to recruit. As SuperFan outlined, it is far from it. Players move to and from the center position all the time.

As someone who played tackle, guard, and center in high school, I will say that guard is by for the most difficult, followed by center, then tackle.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:50 am

Warthog wrote:
hammb wrote:Center is not the most difficult to position to recruit. As SuperFan outlined, it is far from it. Players move to and from the center position all the time.
As someone who played tackle, guard, and center in high school, I will say that guard is by for the most difficult, followed by center, then tackle.

At the HS level that may be true, but ask any NFL exec and they'll tell you the exact opposite. Not sure about the collegiate level. OTs have to be among the best athletes on the field at the NFL level, they're going against so much quickness and strength.

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 10:13 am

I know this is a sore subject for some on this board, but you also can't ignore how difficult it is to find a truly great tight end. Guys like Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow Jr. are rare indeed.

At the college level, it's difficult to find someone big & strong enough to block, that has great hands and catch balls in traffic and has the speed to stretch a defense. Not to mention the other many intangibles that make a great TE.

You don't see guys like that too often at any level.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 10:21 am

Yes, I know that high school and college and pro is much different. In high school, tackle and center are pretty much just block the guy in front of you.

Guards have to pull and/or go after LBs which make it more difficult to play. And you don't have to call out blocking schemes for every play and worry about figuring out who is blitzing as defenses in high school usually aren't that complicated.

In the pros, the blind side tackle seems to be the most important and most athletic as he has to protect the QB. In high school you don't have much luxury in putting athletes on the line so you just end up with the biggest guys playing tackle and center and then the faster guys play guard.

As far as this being a difficult postion to recruit, I really don't think it is. O-line is probably the easiest positions to recruit, IMO.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:15 am

1987alum wrote:I know this is a sore subject for some on this board, but you also can't ignore how difficult it is to find a truly great tight end. Guys like Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow Jr. are rare indeed.

At the college level, it's difficult to find someone big & strong enough to block, that has great hands and catch balls in traffic and has the speed to stretch a defense. Not to mention the other many intangibles that make a great TE.

You don't see guys like that too often at any level.

I agree '87. And I also could make a strong argument that TE can be your most important position on offense. No other position can produce such great mismatches in your favor, while also freeing up the running game & passing routes for other receivers.

I have no problem bringing TEs in if we're actually going to use them. Guys like Winslow are a rare breed, and you won't find them at too many MAC schools.

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:22 am

hammb wrote:
1987alum wrote:I know this is a sore subject for some on this board, but you also can't ignore how difficult it is to find a truly great tight end. Guys like Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow Jr. are rare indeed.

At the college level, it's difficult to find someone big & strong enough to block, that has great hands and catch balls in traffic and has the speed to stretch a defense. Not to mention the other many intangibles that make a great TE.

You don't see guys like that too often at any level.
I agree '87. And I also could make a strong argument that TE can be your most important position on offense. No other position can produce such great mismatches in your favor, while also freeing up the running game & passing routes for other receivers.

I have no problem bringing TEs in if we're actually going to use them. Guys like Winslow are a rare breed, and you won't find them at too many MAC schools.

hammb:

I think our offense is tangible recognition that we're not in a position to recruit that type of player because of their scarcity (in fact, practically any MAC school). It sounds like Brandon is going to use the TE more going forward, but my guess is it will continue to be incremental because, quite frankly, a TE that doesn't have the dimensions noted above actually cuts back on the number of mismatches in our favor and probably limits our offensive options in some ways.

Dayons_Den · Post by **Dayons_Den** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:24 am

Kind of off subject but all the TE talk has me thinking about some of our opponnents and namely the basturds up north. I have to say that the player on their team I "liked" the best was their big TE Holmes. He was big, stayed on his feet and was great to slip out for big pick up every now and then. I hope that we can add some of these plays to our Offense and perhaps one of our plethora of TE recruits can give us a nice little wrinkle to the Brandon/Meyer spread.