Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

Ok, let me try to phrase this in a better way. While we shouldn't stop recruiting everywhere in the country, the majority of the focus should be in California, Arizona, Washington and Oregon. In the end, it's players from those states that are most likely to commit to the ducks. Spend some time on the other states trying to get guys to visit, but don't get all hung up on it and don't rely on it. This year for instance, I think we spent so much time going after Boyd, Mcneal, Brown,etc, which probably cost us more of the local recruits we couldn't spend enough time on.

duckgrad99 wrote:Ok, let me try to phrase this in a better way. While we shouldn't stop recruiting everywhere in the country, the majority of the focus should be in California, Arizona, Washington and Oregon. In the end, it's players from those states that are most likely to commit to the ducks. Spend some time on the other states trying to get guys to visit, but don't get all hung up on it and don't rely on it. This year for instance, I think we spent so much time going after Boyd, Mcneal, Brown,etc, which probably cost us more of the local recruits we couldn't spend enough time on.

I agree with the first part but I don't think we wasted our time on BB, Boyd & McNeal at all. Also, If you look at our classes it's obvious the coaches focus on the NW along with Cali & AZ since almost all of them are from those areas.

Nation-wide recruiting allows us to make the most of our special relationship with Nike. Nike and the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center makes it possible to recruit anywhere. We can offer recruits a career in sports even if they don't turn pro. We are unique.

It is impossible to have instant success at recruiting players from so far away. Up until a couple of years ago very few people on the east coast even knew Oregon was a state so to be garnering this much attention even if the Ducks don't land these players is quite an accomplishment. Next year the Ducks aready have a local guy and a Florida guy committed as well as a number of guys from Florida, Texas, California and Oregon with the Ducks on their list of schools and a few with the Ducks as their leader right now. Next year's recruiting class will be the beginning to the Ducks success with east coast recruiting.

I'm surprised that the coaches haven't been able to get players from Nevada and Utah in the last several years. There is such good talent in these 2 states that you would at least expect a couple recruits every season. I can see not recruiting Utah as much since BYU and Utah are both doing well, but Oregon should be able to at least crack into Nevada (especially the Las Vegas area) since college teams in that state aren't that good and a good PAC-10 like Oregon could lure some players.

Las Vegas/Henderson has definitely turned out some decent talent.

Maybe the heat affects their judgement?

woundedknees wrote:Las Vegas/Henderson has definitely turned out some decent talent.

Maybe the heat affects their judgement?

Or they get disoriented by all of the sand and neon lights.

We did get Armstrong this year who is from Reno, Nevada. When do we get the next Ngata from Utah?

Ngata chance?

Didn't Ngata's cousin or nephew just choose someone over Oregon?

Fili Maoala, who attended and played for USC (I believe he graduates this spring), was one...

The majority of the top talent here in Utah have been committing to BYU and Utah because those schools get on them early and before a lot of the other schools (USC, Cal, Oregon, etc.) offer those guys are already set on playing for a home state school both of which have had recent success, particularly Utah. I think if Oregon were to get on them early they might have better success because I have heard of some of the top guys Utah has landed were actually interested on playing for a PAC-10 school but the offers either didn't come or they came too late. Just one example:

Latu Heimuli 4* DT (#15 rank at DT)
http://utah.scout.com/a.z?s=365&p=8&c=1&nid=3581990

Offers from Oregon State, Colorado, Nebraska, Arizona, Washington State (all late compared to Utah and BYU) narrowed it down early on between BYU and Utah, although he took visits in October and November to other schools, waited until January to announce.

A lot of the HS players here want to play for Oregon, Cal, UCLA, etc. A lot of times they just don't get the offers. The attention seems to be in California, Arizona, etc.

Our last game against an Utah school was less than stellar (BYU - bowl). That coupled with MB's remarks about talent didn't sit well with folks from that area. However, we do get a shot at Utah this year, which should help some UT kids see what we are all about.