Other Sports: NCAA Thread v12

[LegionOfDoom91]

@LegionOfDoom91 I watched a Kotelnicki clinic this morning. It sure didn't do anything to dissuade my stance that he deserves an NFL gig.

Plus the more I dig into them statistically, the more I think so much of the complaints about Allar last season comes down to WR talent. Is there any hope this year on that front or is this just going to have to be TE heavy?

Their personnel definitely still skews to TE & RB talent wise.

They get Harrison Wallace back, he’s probably their most talented. Him & KLS were probably the only functional ones they had last year.

Granted the schedule picked up too so that’s certainly a factor but their passing attack really went down hill when Wallace got hurt. KLS left & I don’t totally blame him but he did ultimately just mail it in the back half of last season. He was really good when he was the second or third option behind Dotson &/or Washington. So he was definitely being put at a disadvantage being the clear #1 without really anything behind him once Wallace went down. But at the same it sounds like he thought he was a lot better than he actually is behind the scenes which caused issues. So I understand why both parties mutually parted ways.

They added Julien Fleming from the portal. I don’t think he’s great but he can potentially be functional I think. There wasn’t really a whole ton of great options in the portal this year & the small pool of really good ones often went for good NIL deals which Penn State isn’t really heavy into.

Another thing that kind of killed them too timing wise was that this past WR recruiting class within their region really wasn’t good at all. I don’t think there was a single higher end type of talent & the depth of just overall quality players weren’t great either. They did for the most part kind of get the most of the top WR’s in the region this last cycle sans a guy or two. So that kind of shows you how weak it was at that position. But their top WR recruit they did get in Tyseer Denmark should play it sounds. He was a higher rated recruit as a sophomore/junior but dropped because questions about how athletic he is (he’s not big as well) but from a technical standpoint he’s pretty polished & natural pass catcher. So that is something they could use if he can prove to be useful.

So he’s a young guy to look at as well Kaden Saunders & Omari Evans who are entering their third years now. If you’re gonna have growth which they would really need. It would probably come from that group if it’s gonna happen.

At this point I kind of have to see it to believe with their WR’s. I don’t necessarily think this is a quick fix. But PFF keeps bringing it up they had Kansas’ WR group graded as the second best behind Washington last year & they probably don’t have an NFL talent in that room or at least not an apparent one at that time. So that probably speaks to the coaching & scheme there because talent wise they’re nowhere close to that. So I guess that’s the hope if you’re a Penn State fan.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Their personnel definitely still skews to TE & RB talent wise.

They get Harrison Wallace back, he’s probably their most talented. Him & KLS were probably the only functional ones they had last year.

Granted the schedule picked up too so that’s certainly a factor but their passing attack really went down hill when Wallace got hurt. KLS left & I don’t totally blame him but he did ultimately just mail it in the back half of last season. He was really good when he was the second or third option behind Dotson &/or Washington. So he was definitely being put at a disadvantage being the clear #1 without really anything behind him once Wallace went down. But at the same it sounds like he thought he was a lot better than he actually is behind the scenes which caused issues. So I understand why both parties mutually parted ways.

They added Julien Fleming from the portal. I don’t think he’s great but he can potentially be functional I think. There wasn’t really a whole ton of great options in the portal this year & the small pool of really good ones often went for good NIL deals which Penn State isn’t really heavy into.

Another thing that kind of killed them too timing wise was that this past WR recruiting class within their region really wasn’t good at all. I don’t think there was a single higher end type of talent & the depth of just overall quality players weren’t great either. They did for the most part kind of get the most of the top WR’s in the region this last cycle sans a guy or two. So that kind of shows you how weak it was at that position. But their top WR recruit they did get in Tyseer Denmark should play it sounds. He was a higher rated recruit as a sophomore/junior but dropped because questions about how athletic he is (he’s not big as well) but from a technical standpoint he’s pretty polished & natural pass catcher. So that is something they could use if he can prove to be useful.

So he’s a young guy to look at as well Kaden Saunders & Omari Evans who are entering their third years now. If you’re gonna have growth which they would really need. It would probably come from that group if it’s gonna happen.

At this point I kind of have to see it to believe with their WR’s. I don’t necessarily think this is a quick fix. But PFF keeps bringing it up they had Kansas’ WR group graded as the second best behind Washington last year & they probably don’t have an NFL talent in that room or at least not an apparent one at that time. So that probably speaks to the coaching & scheme there because talent wise they’re nowhere close to that. So I guess that’s the hope if you’re a Penn State fan.

They were basically just as efficient as UNC in the passing game last year. That's while spreading the ball around a ton. They were functionally equivalent to a Clemson in that regard. Any one guy stepping up would be huge in and of itself. You don't even need great. We know Kotelnicki can design an explosive run game and that they have some talent in the backfield, so I'm really buying this as a base for a meaningful offense. I'll probably feel like a fool, but I believe.

The other thing is that we have Jalon Daniels ascending to one of the very top talents in the entire country under Kotelnicki. He sure as hell wasn't that in 2020 without him. I know everyone is worried about scheme fit, but he must have said a dozen times in the clinic that you have to be flexible to your personnel and how people think QBs have weaknesses that don't actually exist because their schemes neglect to stretch defenses both horizontally and vertically.

Look at the yellow section. This is how he's talking to coaches let alone players. I want to be the one to make the bet on this guy. I think he gets it.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

They were basically just as efficient as UNC in the passing game last year. That's while spreading the ball around a ton. They were functionally equivalent to a Clemson in that regard. Any one guy stepping up would be huge in and of itself. You don't even need great. We know Kotelnicki can design an explosive run game and that they have some talent in the backfield, so I'm really buying this as a base for a meaningful offense. I'll probably feel like a fool, but I believe.

The other thing is that we have Jalon Daniels ascending to one of the very top talents in the entire country under Kotelnicki. He sure as hell wasn't that in 2020 without him. I know everyone is worried about scheme fit, but he must have said a dozen times in the clinic that you have to be flexible to your personnel and how people think QBs have weaknesses that don't actually exist because their schemes neglect to stretch defenses both horizontally and vertically.

Look at the yellow section. This is how he's talking to coaches let alone players. I want to be the one to make the bet on this guy. I think he gets it.

Yeah I’m not really worried about the fit between Kotelnicki & Allar. Kansas used two QB’s last year & it’s not like they were carbon copies of each other. The offense still hummed despite this. So I’m not too worried. Plus their backup Beau Pribula is a really good athlete & runner. So they’re probably gonna feature him too as a change of pace type of thing. For whatever reason Yurcich didn’t last year but they started to use him more once they fired Yurcich & it gave them some nice change of pace.

Also the QB I posted above that they landed recently. He’s a pocket passer. So that’s not someone Kotelnicki inherited. He was apart of that evaluation & ultimately that decision to take that player.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Central Michigan fired their QB coach within the last few weeks. He previously worked at Michigan under Harbaugh.

 

[Chinatown88]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820793645559062907

 

[FLYguy3911]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820831239726678319

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820793645559062907

Seems like in year one so far with Harbour at South Carolina the concern with him coming out of high school is still lingering. His track/olympic aspirations are keeping his weight down & forcing him into a position that might not be the best for him (wide receiver).

He came on the radar I believe after his sophomore year in high school. At that time he was being looked as a guy as essentially a jumbo athlete that probably finds a home as an edge or OT over time. Then he started blowing up on the track too & he put as much focus on that as football which pretty much ended any shot of that.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820793645559062907

I'm very interested in what Alex Orji can do. As the years go on, less and less true pocket passers exist in both CFB and the NFL. Of course it doesn't matter if he can't develop as a passer, but what the hell is this?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820798143518347373

He's 240 lbs. That feels impossible. Like Jayden Daniels the last few years, these are the guys you file away for meaningful top of the draft potential if they can get there on the field.

Random thoughts: Love seeing Shavon Revel on the list. Some huge schools tried to get him. Landon Jackson sure feels like he's headed toward a Day 1 slot eventually. VA Tech with two guys in the top 25 feels notable. I'll have to pay more attention to them this year. The Charles Grant (William & Mary LT) hype is kicking into overdrive. Freaks list and Brugler pumping him up in the same week.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I'm very interested in what Alex Orji can do. As the years go on, less and less true pocket passers exist in both CFB and the NFL. Of course it doesn't matter if he can't develop as a passer, but what the hell is this?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820798143518347373

He's 240 lbs. That feels impossible. Like Jayden Daniels the last few years, these are the guys you file away for meaningful top of the draft potential if they can get there on the field.

Random thoughts: Love seeing Shavon Revel on the list. Some huge schools tried to get him. Landon Jackson sure feels like he's headed toward a Day 1 slot eventually. VA Tech with two guys in the top 25 feels notable. I'll have to pay more attention to them this year. The Charles Grant (William & Mary LT) hype is kicking into overdrive. Freaks list and Brugler pumping him up in the same week.

They were talking Jack Tuttle as the potential QB1 in Michigan in recent weeks. I don’t think Orji has taken over the spot to this point. I think the feeling in Michigan is they might not have a solidified QB heading into the season. Both guys very well could play.

Whoever their QB is I think there’s going to be more pressure on them this year. I’m not sure they can replicate their blueprint the last two years given all the losses along the OL & Corum. I think Moore has reserved the right to be given the benefit of doubt with the OL given the turnaround under him at that position. But if they’re just merely ok it’s going to be hard to run the football like they have.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

I'm very interested in what Alex Orji can do. As the years go on, less and less true pocket passers exist in both CFB and the NFL. Of course it doesn't matter if he can't develop as a passer, but what the hell is this?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820798143518347373

He's 240 lbs. That feels impossible. Like Jayden Daniels the last few years, these are the guys you file away for meaningful top of the draft potential if they can get there on the field.

Random thoughts: Love seeing Shavon Revel on the list. Some huge schools tried to get him. Landon Jackson sure feels like he's headed toward a Day 1 slot eventually. VA Tech with two guys in the top 25 feels notable. I'll have to pay more attention to them this year. The Charles Grant (William & Mary LT) hype is kicking into overdrive. Freaks list and Brugler pumping him up in the same week.

Has anyone tracked how the guys on this Freaks List have done at the next level over the years? I'm of course poisoned in my mind by Mazi Smith (who could still come good), but I'm curious how these guys have done.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Has anyone tracked how the guys on this Freaks List have done at the next level over the years? I'm of course poisoned in my mind by Mazi Smith (who could still come good), but I'm curious how these guys have done.

He’s expanded his list over the years. i think he used to do a smaller list like 25 or 50 names I believe which were mostly upperclassmen geared towards the draft. I think since then he’s expanded which has included more younger unproven players at the college level. So there’s probably even more variance now.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Has anyone tracked how the guys on this Freaks List have done at the next level over the years? I'm of course poisoned in my mind by Mazi Smith (who could still come good), but I'm curious how these guys have done.

Blame part of Mazi on the idiot org insisting he slim down by 20+ lbs. The athleticism at the weight was what made him good.

As a broad concept, it has coincided reasonably well with draft position and/or strengths of these player on their draft days. These are just freak athletes, so someone like Trevin Wallace being at #11 may not look like a hit but he went in the top 75 of his draft based almost entirely on his athletic traits.

Here are some top 10s. Some of these kids haven't even declared yet.

2023
1. Nyckoles Harbor, FR, South Carolina, WR
2. Marvin Harrison Jr., JR, Ohio State, WR
3. Kingsley Suamataia, RS SO, BYU, OT
4. Jordan Burch, JR, Oregon, DE/ED/OLB
5. Francis Mauigoa, FR, Miami, OT
6. Kris Jenkins, SR, Michigan, DT
7. Chris Braswell, SR, Alabama, DE/ED/OLB
8. Thor Griffith, SR, Harvard, DT
9. Chop Robinson, JR, Penn State, DE/ED/OLB
10. Rylie Mills, SR, Notre Dame, DT

2022
1. Mazi Smith
2. Marvin Harrison, Jr
3. Myles Murphy
4. DJ Johnson
5. Will McDonald IV
6. Kelee Ringo
7. Julius Welschof
8. Owen Pappoe
9. Calijah Kancey
10. Chris Braswell

2021
1. Evan Neal
2. Aidan Hutchinson
3. Kyle Hamilton
4. Jalen Virgil
5. Devonte Wyatt
6. Tariq Woolen
7. George Karlaftis
8. Jeffrey Gunter
9. Derek Stingley, Jr
10. Tyler Linderbaum

Also PMing you about a related topic.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Some of these smaller P4 schools are starting to throw around money.

Although there’s probably stipulations & such in that contract that I’d imagine makes it earning potential & not a flat rate.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

 

[flyershockey]

Some of these smaller P4 schools are starting to throw around money.

Although there’s probably stipulations & such in that contract that I’d imagine makes it earning potential & not a flat rate.

That's a really lucrative deal for a light in the ass tackle that hasn't put on the weight needed to play high level P4 football.

Brent Key is starting to turn that program around though I think. But then again, anything is better than Paul Johnson punting away any shot at competing in one of the most talent rich states in the country by running the triple option.

 

[Flybynite]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1825920140254322795

Wait. So football is gonna be like Twitch streaming with donations?

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1825920140254322795

Wait. So football is gonna be like Twitch streaming with donations?

The NIL system is such a mess. I’m for players getting paid but the NCAA half assed it putting it into place. They’re asking regular people to fund these things & these NIL collectives often don’t have enough cash on hand to know for sure if they’re going to make the payments or not. They’re often raising money just in hopes of making the next set of payments & start all over again for the following payment cycle.

Revenue sharing should absolutely be the play going forward with the actual athletic/football departments paying these kids. It would take a lot current issues of the table. It would actually benefit the kids as well because the process would become more official & the schools would actually have the cash on hand to make the payments without worrying. It would also take out of these bad actor investors who are taking advantage of these kids who don’t know any better or have people around them to know anybody. They’re taking these big upfront payouts from people like this while not realizing you’re probably going to lose money in the long run when they’re taking a certain percentage of your future incomes if you make it to the league.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

@JojoTheWhale Wallace apparently has had a big summer camp after having one in the spring.

Reading between the lines with the staffs quotes this summer I think they’re considerably more cautiously optimistic with their wideouts this year than last year.

 

[FLYguy3911]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826460191010742442

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Spoilered for language.

Spoiler

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827306664220881258

ESPN is removing people with hilariously tame signs too. An all-time fraud. Might be my least favorite announcer this side of team employees.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Spoilered for language.

Spoiler

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827306664220881258

ESPN is removing people with hilariously tame signs too. An all-time fraud. Might be my least favorite announcer this side of team employees.

I never been to one but just hearing stories from like message boards of people who have. They have really cracked down on signs over the years. They inspect everyone that comes through their gated area now. Obviously profanity or such is an absolute no go. But they’ve apparently even cracked down on even less obvious ones.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

This game might be a shootout.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Ahmari Harvey is going to get himself drafted fairly early if he keeps this up. Leaving Auburn helps people.

 

[Chinatown88]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827395104295809047

Not watching but I assume it was hell like everyone knew it was going to be?