boog23 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 This won't be your regular Bowl Bound Dynasty. In this dynasty, I will be the acting recruiting coordinator for my given teams. I'm deligating all aspects of the game to the computer. Coaching, game planning, even trying to get transfers in. All will be handled by the computer. I'll refer to the computer as Coach Parrish (their current coach). Now without further adu, I give you the Ball State Cardinals. Preseason Coach tells me to look over the recruits that could potentially help us this year. I know we're not going to be getting the four and five star recruits (at least not yet ). Coach tells me to try and stick around the Midwest, doing most of our damage in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and when we can, Illinois. I look around our homestate, Indiana, and find a quarterback that I think would do us some good. C. Lynch is ranked as the 640th ranked prospect in the nation. Listed as an athlete that currently is at quarterback, Lynch could bring some things to Muncie that we just don't have right now. T. Brenner is an offensive tackle from Lakeland High School that could really help us next year. Brenner, like Lynch, is listed as an athlete as well so he could play a few different positions in college. We've got some options here in Indiana. I take a look into the state of Michigan and find a free safety that I think could do some good for us. J. Monk is a 5'11, 164 pound product from Grant High School that we think can really help shore up our secondary. I also found a 5'9, 164 pound reciever out of Portage Central that could really help us. S. Wells is a burner from Portage Central. I'm sure he could be utilized in some way with the vertical passing game that Coach Parrish is instituting this year. Michigan has a lot of players that I think will fly under the radar and we can come in and nab. Illinois is a state that isn't really rich on high end talent, but is a place that us Mid-Major schools can come in and get some good players. I've got an offensive tackle on my radar from Glenbard North High School. When I say that L. Baty would be a huge pickup is no overstatement. Baty checks in at 6'2 and 308 beefy pounds. Like every coach I've ever had, they always say you could never have too many offensive lineman. Well, Baty would count as two just by himself. Another tackle catches my eye. His name is R. Morris and he hails from Martinsville High School. He's not as big as Baty, but he's got some skills. Like I said before, you can never have to many lineman. Over in Ohio, they've got some players that could really help us out. J. Gilmore is the type of defensive tackle that could really thrive in the MAC conference. He's not a huge guy (only 6'1, 261 pounds), but he can use his speed to reck havoc on the opponents offensive line. If we can get the Fairland High product to Muncie, that would be a huge accomplishment. For sure, we've located some players that could really help us out. Week 4 The team is struggling out to a 3 game losing streak, which is gonna make my job that much more difficult. If we don't start winning, we're gonna have a hard time attracting some of the recruits we'll need to be competitive. This is the week where I can finally see some stats. J. Monk, the free safety out of Grant High School in Michigan, is having himself a solid start to the season. 14 tackles and an interception is a solid through only three games. The Portage Wells product, S. Well, is off to a good senior campaign. 12 catches for 149 yards and one touchdown is fine with me. To boot, he's also picked off two passes on defense, but he's not projected to play defense if we get him. Indiana product C. Lynch is having one of the best years of any high school quarterback in the state. Throwing for 960 yards while competing 67% is outstanding. Throw in 8 touchdown passes compared to 4 interceptions is awesome. He can also beat you with his feet, rushing for 231 yards. We've picked up some interest from a running back from Lawerence North High School in Indiana. Ranked as the #1161 ranked player in the nation, B. Mazurek has rushed for 280 yards and 4 touchdowns in only three games. I don't think he's a featured back type of player, but he could certainly turn out to be a goal line type back. Week 8 Coach Parrish has finally lead us to a couple of wins. Not just any wins. Conference wins! This can only help me in getting Coach Parrish some solid players come signing day. We've had a tough schedule so far, but it's only going to make us better. We've picked up some interest from a defensive tackle from nearby North White High School in Indiana. M. Washington is having good senior year, recording 18 tackles, 5 sacks, 4 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Oh yeah, he's also got a pick! He's rather small for a tackle, but with time, he should be able to grow into his body. I've also got my eyes on a tight end from Chesterton High School in Indiana. M. Peoples doesn't have stats that pop out at you (only 6 catches for 111 yards), but he's got good size (6'5, 232 pounds) that could be used to create matchup problems our stay on the line and help block. Whatever Coach Parrish sees fit. Hopefully, the guys can pull together and pull in some more wins. It's essential for us to win. No wins = hard work from me. I like my work to be as easy as possible. Week 12 On the field, we've had a couple more wins. We're now 4-4 in the conference, which is absolutely awesome for us! Good job Coach Parrish. Keep up the good work. An inside linebacker has gained some interest in us! G. Sydner is a 6'2, 235 pound backer from Cloverfield High in Indiana. Recording 49 tackles, 6 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and two interceptions is a great season so far. With any luck, we'll be able to get him to Muncie to patrol the middle of our defense. I've revisited how well J. Gilmore, the defensive tackle over in Ohio, is doing. Well, he's doing awesome! 30 tackles, 5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss (I love that), 3 forced fumbles and a INT is awesome. Hopefully we'll keep winning, and he'll gain a little more interest in us. We've got some other players interested in us, but I'll give this a wait and see type of approach. Our season is already over, which is good and bad. We've got another 3 weeks in the season, so prospects won't be on campus. We'll see how everything goes. Offseason I'm being told by Coach Parrish that we've got $26,250 dollars to use on 12 scholarships. I kinda expected this after a 4-7 season (4-4 in conference). I know times are tough coach, but damn, I could use a little more then that to help me out. Oh well, gotta work with what I got. Coach Parrish decided that there weren't any transfers out their that could help turn the program around, so those 12 scholarships are what I have to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Recruiting: Weeks 1-3 Week 1 Well, it's the time of the year where I have to make my money. I'm starting off in our homeland, trying to keep some of the top players in state and here in Muncie. I know we're easily no where near the big three programs in the state (Notre Dame, Indiana, and Purdue), but still, we've got some things we can pull out of hat. I know we won't be getting the high talnets, hell it'll be hard to get the three star prospects right away. Still, I think we can come away with some good players. In Indiana Marion Peoples is a tight end that we had on our radar during the regular season. He's got good size that I think could do some things in the MAC conference. The Charleston, Indiana native didn't have a huge season in terms of receptions, only 13 catches for 253 yards and a score. His role is more of a blocker. He'll never be that big pass catching threat, which is fine. Not everyone can be that number one tight end type. Nobody else is looking at him at the moment, so hopefully, he'll stay under the radar for us. We also had our eye on Brian Mazurek, an athlete that played both running back and safety / linebacker in high school. We monitored him throughout and liked what we saw. 1335 yards and 14 touchdowns is about as good as any running back had all year in the state. On the defensive end of the ball, he recorded 71 tackles and 5 sacks. Right now, we'd probably play him at running back, just because he is so dynamic when he has the ball. Currently, we're not in his top 10, but no other school has offered him, except for us of course. Todd Brenner is a big bruising tackle that I think could really do some things in Muncie. The Lakeland High School product has the capabilities of not just playing at the tackle spot, but can also slide over and play guard as well if need be. Brenner has got some serious strength, able to bench 358 pounds and squat 555. Not only would he fit a need, but I think he'll be a hell of a player when the time comes for him to show his stuff. We're not the only schools after him though, as both Eastern and Western Michigan both have their eyes on him. Mark Washington was someone that we were looking at during the season. He produced enough that we decided to offer him right away. His senior year, he recorded 38 tackles with eight sacks, eight tackles for losses, three forced fumbles, one interception and a defensive touchdown. He's not the biggest tackle around at only 250 pounds. He makes up for it though with his absolutely blazing speed, clocking in at 4.66 seconds in the 40. If I can pull into another d-tackle, maybe a shift over to defensive end could be in order. In Illinois We located a couple of tackles that I think could really help us in the MAC. The first is one of the largest young men I've ever seen. When I say that Larry Baty is a big boy, I mean it. All 308 pounds of him. The Carol Stream, Illinois product could also be one of the strongest players that has ever graced the Muncie campus, benching 409 pounds. Akron is also after his services, so it should be interesting to see who comes out of this battle with him. Ramon Morris is the other tackle that we've got our eyes on. He's not nearly the size of Baty, but still he can hold his own (6'3, 277 pounds). What I really like about this young man is he's got some speed. He ran his 40 time in 4.8 seconds. Toledo has offered the young man, so we'll have to be in a battle. In Michigan Jermaine Monk is the young free safety from Grant, Michigan that I really like. 50 tackles and one sack is, to me, a good player for the MAC conference. He's got some skills on the offensive side of the ball as well, catching 36 passes for 656 yards. He also returned two punts back for scores. Monk is a dynamic player. Someone that would score me some points if we could get him in Muncie. Sam Wells is the speedy receiver from Portage Central High. Wells had himself one hell of a year, 46 catches, 746 yards and three touchdowns. What I really like about him is he's an absolute burner, running his 40 in 4.46 seconds. He's got a plethera of schools after him, including Eastern and Western Michigan and Toledo, all MAC schools. We would love to have him on campus with us. I was scrolling through the list of prospects and happened apon a tight end that I really like. Blue Crumpler doesn't have the size that you like for a tight end (only 6'0, 210 pounds), but we think he could be someone that can stretch the field for us. He didn't have a big senior year, only having 14 catches for 320 yards and a touchdown catch, but then again, I don't think he was the number one pass catching option on his high school team. What I really like about this kid, is he can play some defense as well, recording 44 tackles, eight sacks, and 10 tackles for loss. I think this kid could be a diamond in the rough type of player for us. Both Eastern and Western Michigan have offered. In Ohio We've found a guard that we really like in Columbus, Ohio native Leon Dawkins. He's a 6'1, 277 pound bruiser that likes to throw his weight around to bully the defensive line around to where he wants them to be. This kid, in my opinion, has a chance to be really good down the road. We've got some competition though for him, as he's picked up offers from three Ohio schools, Akron, Toledo and Kent State. Outside the Midwest I got a call from a cornerback from Texas the other day that said he'd like to play for us. Joe Copeland is a athlete that played corner on defense and receiver on offense. On defense, he made 46 tackles, two sacks, one intereception and a score. On offense, he caught 36 passes for 647 yards. He's a big guy, standing 6'1, so we've got some options with him. Nobody else is after him right now, so we'll go ahead and offer him. Another athlete that has struck my interest is Matt McFarland. This kid can do it all. He passed for over 2600 yards (with 17 TDs), rushed for over 1100 yards and had a kick return average of over 28 yards a game, while taking two back to the house. The Willmington, Delaware prospect is really a player that when he gets the ball, good things happen. Nobody else have come onto him yet, so hopefully our offer will sway him our way. Week 2 We've got some work to do. Nobody commited for anybody last week, as usual. We've decided to up our recruiting bases on a few players. We've offered on Peoples, Morris and Dawkins. We've also found a few more players that we think can help us out. Outside the Midwest Stacey Kelly is the type of player that I think could really help the program. Listed as an athlete, the Birmingham, Alabama native did it all for his high school team. He passed for 2409 yards and 28 touchdowns. He rushed for 827 yards. He returned a total of five kicks back, be them punt or kickoff, back for touchdowns. He wants to take a visit here, so we've decided to get him on campus as quick as we can so hopefully, we can make a good impression. In Illinois There's a receiver that has caught my eye over in Chicago. Greg Robustelli won't ever run away from you, only clocking in with a 4.93 40 time, but he will move the chains. He's got good size at 6'2, so he could be a matchup problem for the smaller corners that he could potentially go up against in the MAC. His senior year, he caught 50 passes for 548 yards and 9 touchdowns. Looks to me like he could be a real red zone threat. We're the only school that has offered him, so hopefully it stays that way. We have Monk, Washington and McFarland in for a visit this week. Hopefully they like what they see. Week 3 Nothing new has happened on the recruiting front. Everyone (on our level anyway) is still waiting and weighing all their options. I don't blame them. I just wish some of them would hurry up and make up their minds. We've decided to stop our recruiting of Blue Crumpler, the tight end from Michigan. He just wasn't feeling us, which is totally fine with me. We'll switch up and go find someone that wants to hopefully become a Cardinal. In Ohio I found a defensive end that I think could really help us. Chris Keaton is a 6'2, 235 pound end that played for Lima Central in Lima, Ohio. Keaton is a ball hawk, recording 52 tackles, 5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, one interception, a forced fumble and a defensive touchdown. At the moment, we don't have a scholarship to offer the youngin', so he could be on his way to Toledo, who has offered him already. Just to recap, here are the players that I've offered a scholarship to: Matt McFarland - QB (A) Stacey Kelly - QB (A) Greg Robustelli - WR Larry Baty - OT Marion Peoples - TE Todd Brenner - OT (A) Mark Washington - DT Brian Mazurek - RB (A) Sam Wells - WR (A) Jermaine Monk - FS Leon Dawkins - OG Joe Copeland - CB (A) I really like how we're going about this class. Sure, it would be nice to get everyone we've offered, but I know as well as anybody, you don't always get what you want in the recruiting game. If I can haul in 7-8 of these guys, I'll be a happy camper. We've got some fall back prospects we really like as well. Always got to have a plan B, in this game at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Recruiting: Week 4-6 Week 4 Still, nobody has decided to declare. That's fine with me. I would like some players to start making up their minds, but hey, can't really rush them into something that will affect them for the next four years. Since nobody has signed anywhere that I'm recruiting, our budget is still being used up. I've decided to start pitching players though, if they're giving me clues that I feel confident in what they want to hear. Robustelli: Chance to win McFarland: Style of play Dawkins: Location Peoples: Chance to win Monk: Location Kelly: Playing time Mazurek: Style of play Brenner: Location There were a couple of players that I just didn't have a good feel about. We've also got Brenner coming to campus this week. I pray that we make a good impression on him. We could use all the o-line help we can get. I went ahead and took a look at the complete Midwest recruit list and to my surprise, not a single player from Indiana has committed to any school. That's crazy. Ohio has quite a few thats committed, Michigan has some and Illinois has a couple. It's pretty safe to say that all the recruits are being cautious with their choices. Hopefully we'll start to get some action either one way or the other. Week 5 We got some horrible news today. No, nobody declared their intentions. Yet, one of the recruits that we were going after didn't qualify academically. Larry Baty, the huge offensive tackle out of Illinois didn't do the work in the clasroom so he could do work on the field. This one really hurts. I think he could have done some good things in Muncie. Losing Baty means we now have an open scholarship to fill. We've decided to offer up his scholarship to the other Illinois tackle that we were after, Roman Morris. Morris still has Toledo after him. Hopefully us waiting doesn't hurt us to much. I've also pitched the prospects that I hadn't pitched yet. Morris: Chance to win Washington: Location Copeland: Location Wells: Location I'm not to sure on Wells, but he's got four other teams that have offered for him. I've got to do something before he commits, because if he does, I'd be kicking myself for not at least making a pitch for him. I looked around the MAC conference, and the only school that has signed anyone is Miami (OH). They've brought in a pair of three star prospects, one a cornerback and the other a quarterback. Week 6 We've finally got some action going on. I admitt, we didn't make our very well this week. Below is what happened: Players committing to Ball State QB Stacey Kelly WR Greg Robustelli Players recruited that committed to other schools FS Jermaine Monk - Akron OG Leon Dawkins - Akron WR Sam Wells - Eastern Michigan TE Blue Crumpler - Eastern Michigan OT Todd Brenner - Eastern Michigan DE Chris Keaton - Toledo OT Roman Morris - Toledo I'm really excited that Stacey Kelly is coming to Muncie. I think he'll be a real playmaker for us. Greg Robustelli should be someone that can move the chains for us. I'm a little bummed that we lost so many good prospects. Eastern Michigan had a huge haul. I think Sam Wells could be someone that makes a lot of noise down the road. With so many prospects signing elsewhere, we now have six scholarships to fill. I'm gonna go and look around. In Ohio We're taking a shot in the dark on this one. Adrian Turner is a three star quarterback that hasn't been offered by anyone, so we'll go ahead and let him know he's wanted in Muncie. Unlike Kelly, the Coldwater, Ohio product is a pure quarterback. He completed 67.3% of his passes for 3036 and 27 touchdowns. He's not the most accurate quarterback around, but with some coaching, I think he could be a special player in the MAC. John Stephenson is a offensive tackle from Niles, Ohio. The 6 foot, 298 pound tackle likes to use both his strength and speed to manipulate the defensive line so that his runners have holes to run through. He's got some interest from both Akron and Kent State, so this one maybe a little bit of a reach. Outside the Midwest[/b] I've found a free safety from Leadville, Colorado that I think could do some things for us. James Peterson had a solid senior year, recording 62 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. Ranked as the #24 ranked player in Colorado and #11 safety in the region, I think Peterson is someone that is flying under the radar by most teams. We're the only team to offer him, so hopefully he'll except. At Fauquier High School in Warrenton, VA we find another offensive tackle that could do some things for us. He's a big guy, standing 6'5 and weighing in at 289 pounds. Currently, there are no other schools that have offered him, so we'll go ahead and take the oppurtunity to show our interest. He's a strong kid, benching 375 and squating 566, so naturally he likes to use that power to bully his opponents. The final scholarship we have open is going to go to Indiana athlete Markese McKinnie. We'd like to have as much Indiana flavor as we can. We really like the potential that we think Mckinnie has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Recruiting: Week 7- Week 10 Week 7 We've got some more movement on the recruiting front. I can happily say that the majority of it was good news for us. The following is what happened: Players committing to Ball State TE Marion Peoples DT Mark Washington Players recruited that committed to other schools OT John Stephenson - Kent State Really happy to get both Peoples and Washington. Washington should help shore up the defensive line while Peoples will bring us a legit tight end that I feel can be more then just a blocker. I had a feeling we were going to lose out on Stephenson. I just figured that it was to little, to late for him. Kent State had been after him for awhile. Percistance pays off. We've now got a scholarship open, so I'll go look at who's available. In Wisconsin I've found a corner that I think could do some things for us. Tony Tunnell is a cover corner that puts fear in QBs. Last year for Custer High in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the 5'11, 178 pound prospect recorded 66 tackles, three sacks and eight pass deflections. The kid can really run, clocking a 4.52 40 yard dash. He's not a book kid (only a 2.0 GPA), so he's a bit of a risk for us. Still, nobody else has offered so we'll take a shot. Week 8 Another successful week. We got our highest rated recruit this week. Here's how it broke down: Players committing to Ball State CB Joe Copeland Players recruited that committed to other schools FS Jason Moore - Central Florida C Thabiti Blair - Northern Illinois Joe Copeland is the type of player that I think will thrive in the MAC conference. Copeland is a true athlete. He's got good speed, so a move to receiver could be in the works, but I still think he'll be best suited for our secondary. He should see the field relatively soon. The two players that committed elsewhere weren't players high on our priority list. With no players that we offered committing elsewhere, we have no money to spend. Week 9 This wasn't a good week for us. We lost two players we had offered and got absolutely shut out. Below is what happened: Players recruited that committed to other schools CB Tony Tunnell - NW Illinois RB Brian Mazurek - Northern Illinois QB Brett Loverne - Central Texas I knew that Tunnell was a long shot. Hell, he committed to a Big 10 school. He's got some talent. Mazurek hurt though. We had been after him for awhile. Not getting him hurts us both in terms of talent and depth. I'll have to go out and find some replacements quick. Time is starting to run out. In Indiana We've found a really good receiver in Billy Warrick that could do some things. The Merrillville, Indiana product is a real threat down field, catching 52 passes for 843 yards and 11 touchdown catches. He's got good speed (4.58 second 40). He's 6'5, so he's got good size. This kid is the total package. He's a long shot at this point, considering we're not on his top 10 list. We've scouted him before though, so we've got an idea of what kind of pitch to use on him. Hopefully, it works. I've decided to scout a couple of other players, but won't offer anyone at the moment. I want to try to guage interest in players that might have some interest in our program. We're starting to get to the nitty gritty, so time is of the essence. Week 10 Well, we're coming down the final stretch. Things are getting tight. We picked up a couple more new recruits while not losing any of our offered recruits. Here's the scoop: Players committing to Ball State FS James Peterson OT John Henry Players recruited that committed to other schools SS Roland Adams - Illinois We picked up another player for our secondary. I think it should be set in a couple of years. Peterson is more a cover safety then a big hitter. That's fine with me. With the way our team is, we need people that can cover someone. This is a good pickup for us. I think Henry maybe moved to a guard spot. He's the first offensive lineman we've picked up. Guard is the spot where we're weak at. I can see a move for him. Outside the Midwest[/b] We've found another corner from Ocilla, Georgia that I really like. Johnny Parry is a press corner that will get up in your face and hit you. For Irwin County High school, he recorded 60 tackles, two sacks, one interception and one touchdown. We're the only school that's offered him, so hopefully we'll get him. The rest of the scholarships are looking good for us. That is except for wide receiver Billy Warrick. He's picked up a couple more offers, specifically from Notre Dame, Michigan and Indiana. It's not looking good for us with him. Final Recruiting Report Well, I've got mixed emotions today. We got some good players, but missed out on the difference makers. Here's the skinny: Players committing to Ball State QB Markese McKinnie CB Johnny Parry SS Tom Taylor Players recruited that committed to other schools WR Billy Warrick - Michigan QB Adrian Turner - Purdue FS Perry Provost - Kansas FS Joe Jackson - Louisiana-Laf OG Kimble Egu - Kent State McKinnie and Parry are solid pickups for us. McKinnie is listed as an athlete that played quarterback. He's got some skills. Parry pair well with Copeland. I didn't offer Tom Taylor, so one of our other coaches must of. This thing is for sure, our secondary should be set. We picked up two corners, a free safety and a strong safety. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm actually quite happy with the way our recruiting season went. It's not gonna be a highly ranked recruiting class. I think it fills needs while keeping us competitive. Below is the final recruiting report: TE Marion Peoples, 2-stars Chesterton (Chesterton, IN) National Rank: 1522, Regional: 271, Position: 82 QB Markese McKinnie, 2-stars Madison Consolidated (Madison, IN) National Rank: 1596, Regional: 288, Position: 128 DT Mark Washington, 2-stars North White (Monon, IN) National Rank: 1673, Regional: 308, Position: 74 CB Joe Copeland, 2-stars Malakoff (Malakoff, TX) National Rank: 1270, Regional: 242, Position: 142 QB Stacey Kelly, 2-stars Jackson-Olin (Birmingham, AL) National Rank: 1852, Regional: 461, Position: 157 WR Greg Robustelli, 2-stars Manley Career Academy (Chicago, IL) National Rank: 1602, Regional: 290, Position: 196 FS James Peterson, 2-stars Lake County (Leadville, CO) National Rank: 1552, Regional: 299, Position: 64 OT John Henry, 2-stars Fauquier (Warrenton, VA) National Rank: 1789, Regional: 323, Position: 120 CB Johnny Parry, 2-stars Irwin County (Ocilla, GA) National Rank: 1445, Regional: 365, Position: 167 SS Tom Taylor, 1-stars Hamden (Hamden, CT) National Rank: 1775, Regional: 321, Position: 87 Looking at it, we only grabbed three players from our homestate. We grabbed one player from Illinois and the rest were from the outside of the Midwest. This wasn't how I thought the recruiting season would go for us. Still, it's a good haul for us. Recruit Class Ranking: #99 I thought this would be a higher number. Oh well, just have to prove them wrong. On to next season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennywanchizoate Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I like it, keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Season Outlook Season Review It was a long season for us, that's for sure. We just didn't play up to our abilitites, going a measly 3-8, which should make things fun for me on the recruiting trail. Still, the guys tried their best. They just couldn't get things going. We played some solid teams. We went into #9 ranked, Oklahoma, and got our butts handed to us. Still, we needed to give these young guys a taste of where we want to be in a couple of years. We finished last in the MAC, but one of our two conference wins was against our division winner, Northern Illinois. That's awesome. It was easily the highlight of the season for everyone here. We were hoping that the win would propel us, which it kinda did, because Kent State came into Muncie and we handed them a loss. After that though, we railed off six straight losses. Once we got into that tail spin, there just wasn't anything we could do to get out of it. Marion Peoples started to get some playing time near the end of the season, actually finishing as our starting tight end. In the end, he finished with two catches for 26 yards. I know those aren't good numbers, but he only played in five games, so when I take that into account, I think he'll improve from this season to next. Joe Copeland had a good season. He finished with 17 tackles and three pass deflections. He showed flashes of brillance, recording 10 tackles in one game. If he can continue that style of play, Joe should be a solid contributor for us for a long time. Coach Parrish decided it was best for the team if converted quarterback, Stacey Kelly, be moved over to RB. It worked out pretty well for us. In five games, he rushed for 286 yards. What really pops out at us though is he is a fumble machine, turning the ball over 5 times. Not good. He'll have to tighten that up if he's gonna help us become succussful. Wide Receiver Greg Robustelli started two games for us and actually playing in five. He finished with 8 catches for 140 yards. Not bad, but not great. He had a long of 58 yards though, so he can stretch the field for us. We need him to mature and be a factor next year. Outside of those guys, nobody really did anything that we brought in last year. We need these guys to get better, period. I'm gonna try my best to get these guys some more help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Week 1 In Indiana We find a ILB from Kentland, Indiana that would sure up our middle. Eric Hunter is a two star prospect for South Newton High School. Hunter had a solid senior year, finishing with 75 tackles, 5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He's not the biggest guy, standing only 5'10, but he's stout, weighing in at 222 pounds. He's got good speed and strength. Right now, he's probably our number one target in our homestate. We've offered him. Reggie Peppers is a three star tight end from Northwestern High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. He's not the brightest bulb in the pack, carrying a low GPA, but I think he could work that out. He's got good size, at 6'4 and 220 pounds. Right now, he's a longshot for us, but nobody else has offered him, so hopefully with us jumping on his early, we'll get the early edge. In Gaston, Indiana, I've located a cornerback at Wes-Del high. Kailee Hardy is a two star prospect thats 5'10, 171 pounds. He's labeled as a zone corner, meaning he's not much of a hitter. He stills finished his senior campaign with 54 tackles and four sacks. Hardy would be someone we would love to have. He'd make a good MAC player. Currently, he also has an offer from North Texas, so I'm hoping he wants to stay close to home. We are in desperate need of a kicker. I've located one we like in Lake Station. Scott Phillips played for T.A. Eddison High, where he converted 66% of his field goal attempts. He had a long of 46, so he's got a pretty good leg. Hopefully, we'll be able to get the young man onto campus. Dick Kimber is a defensive tackle for Southern Wells High School in Poneto. The big man is just that, big. He stands 6'8, which is mighty impressive. He only weighs 259 pounds, so he'll definately need to put on some weight. He finished his last year in high school with 48 tackles, 10 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Nobody has offered as of now, so we're going after him with all we got. In Illinois I've located a offensive guard that I think could do us some good. Alex Johnson is only a two star recruit, but I think he could do some good for us. The Nauvoo-Colusa High School product has good size, standing 6'4 and weighing in at 261 pounds. Right now, he uses his power to bully the defensive line around, but he'll have to improve his agility to really help us next year. Still, we like him. We've offered along with Kent State. In Ohio Brooks Fletcher is a three star QB from Johnstown. The Northridge High prospect had a great senior year, completing 66.8% of his passes for 3685 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 intererceptions. He's got good size, standing 6'5. He only weighs 197, so he needs to bulk up a bit. Still, he's a gun slinger, so we could definately use him. I ventured over to Lima, Ohio and found a cornerback that could do some things for us. Clarence Bates doesn't really do anything great, yet just keeps producing on the field. Bates finished his senior year with 54 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions. He's one of the hardest workers around, so there's no doubt in my mind that he's gonna improve. In Minnesota MacKenzie Lujack is a two star defensive end that could really do some things for us. Hailing from Benson, Minnesota, he played for Benson Christian High. Lujack had a monster senior year, making 54 tackles, 10 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. He's almost as big as some offensive lineman, standing 6'5 and weighing in at 260 pounds. Still, with all that size, he runs a 4.94 forty, so he's got some speed. We're the only school that's offering at the moment, so that can only be good news for us. We've found a wideout from Kenyon. Clarence Talbert played for Kenyon-Wanamingo High school where he had a huge senior year, making 36 catches for 743 yards and 7 touchdowns. He's got the size that we like our receivers to possess, standing 6'6. He's garnered a lot of interest from other MAC schools, including Kent State, Toledo, Eastern and Western Michigan, who have all offered. Outside Midwest I went down to Stone Mountain, Georgia where I found a huge reciever. Quinten Noel is a 6'5, 177 pound reciever that can absolutely burn. The Stephenson High prospect caught 35 passes for 445 yards and 5 touchdowns. He runs a 4.5 forty, so I wasn't kidding when I said he could run. Nobody is after him right now, which is good for us. We've offered him. Darryl Cooper is a two star corner from North Little Rock, Arkansas that could do some big things for us. Playing for Central Arkansas Christian last year, Cooper recorded 59 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions. What's even more impressive about his two picks were he took them both back for scores. I don't think he'll ever be a star, but he should be someone that is a solid contributor for us. We'd welcome him with open arms here in Muncie. I know there aren't a lot of player in North Dakota, but I found one tha I think could be a hidden gem. Charlie Wiley is a athlete that played quarterback for Max High in Max, North Dakota. He completed 54.3% of his passes, which isn't great, for 2421 yards, 28 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He also rushed for 893 yards, had a punt return average of 14.3 yards and a kick return average of 32.7 yards while tacking one back to the house. Basically, he did it all for his team. I thnk he could be in the same mold as Stacey Kelly. Week 2 In Ohio R.C. Conjar is a running back out of Cincinatti, Ohio that could be benificial to us. Conjar didn't have a huge season for La Salle High, rushing for 894 yards and 13 touchdowns. He's not a big back either, standing only 5'9 and weighing 172 pounds. We've got a some competition for him, with Akron, Kent State and Eastern Michigan all offering him so far. It will be a battle for Conjar. In Illinois Todd Notchkiss is a OG that I found in Normal that could be benificial to us. At 6'2, 269 pounds, this University High School prospect likes to use his brute strength to get the defense to do what he wants to. He's a strong guy, able to bench 348 pounds. There's not much buzz about him, so we're probably not gonna have much trouble getting the young guy. Outside of Midwest I've found another reciever in Phoenix, Arizona. Willie Fryar is a is a speedster, running a 4.54 forty. He played for Barry Goldwater High School, making 33 catches for 401 yards and 3 scores. Like most of the other receivers we're after, he's got great size, standing 6'5. We're currently the only school offering him. Week 3 Before I get into things, I've got to tell you, I'm not to happy with the way things are going. We aren't getting the interest from some of the prospects that I was hoping to garner. Still, I've got to do the best with what I've been given, which to this point, isn't much. Oh well, no time to complain. I might miss out on someone. In Ohio Todd Wheeler is a inside linebacker that I found over in Marysville, Ohio. The Ohio native is a typical backer, not big, not fast, but can produce numbers. He finished his last year in high school with 51 tackles, 3 sacks and 6 tackles for loss. He checks in at 5'9, 219 pounds, yet can bench 263 pounds, so you know he's got some strength. As of right now, Wheeler has two offers, both from MAC schools, Akron and Toledo. Hopefully, I can get him to come to Muncie to play for coach Parrish. I've gone ahead and decided to pitch most of the kids. I was getting some pretty good hints from some of the other staff. I feel confident in just about every pitch I made. Hopefully, we'll be able to start getting some of these kids to start committing. As it stands now, we're out of money and still have a couple of scholarships to offer. Week 4 Not a single thing happened. I mean, seriously. Not a single player we're after committed anywhere. That's either good news or bad news, however you want to take it. I had just over $1,000 to work with this week, so I went and scouted a couple of players from Indiana. Nothing of note really to talk about. We've continued to pitch the majority of the prospects left to pitch. I think at this moment, we've got a total of about one or two that w'eve yet to pitch. We're right on on just about everyone so far, so I've still got hope that we can have a successful recruiting season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Week 5 Not a damn thing happened. Surprise. Not really. I'm getting a little impatient with the lack of activity for us. Other teams are getting players to sign, but not us. I'm just not doing very well. We had a little over $1000, so I just went and scouted a couple of players from Indiana. Week 6 Horay! Finally, we got three players to sign with us. I'm so happy. It feels like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders. Here's all that went down: Players committing to Ball State CB Darryl Cooper QB Charlie Wiley DE MacKenzie Lujack Players recruited that committed to other schools CB Kailee Hardy - North Texas It really sucks to not get Hardy, but in my opinion, Cooper is a much better player. Add in that we got Wiley, who is talented in just about every aspect of the game, and Lujack to give us depth on the defensive line, I think we did pretty well this week. Now that we have some money to actually spend, I'll go look to fill the remaining scholarships. In Indiana Ben Echols is a three star strong safety that is probably a long shot for us, but I have to take the chance. He's got good size for a safety, coming in at 6'2, 169 pounds. At Arlington High School in Indianapolis, he recorded 60 tackles, three sacks, eight pass deflections and three interceptions. What's even more impressive is he took all three back for scores. We're the only team offer him at the moment, but he's got all Big 10 and Big East schools on his top 10. Hopefully, that changes. In Illinois Don Carter is an outside linebacker that is the prototypical linebacker that you see in the MAC. The Downers Grove native had a solid senior year, recording 48 tackles, two sacks, five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and a pick, that he sent back to the house. He doesn't have very good size, standing at 6'0 and weighing 209 pounds, but he's got some good speed, clocking in at 4.69 in the forty. He currently is holding an offer from Eastern Michigan, so we could see him in the MAC anyway. We stayed in Illinois where we found another outside linebacker in Chris Thompson. Thompson, who played for Streator Township in Streator, Illinois, had a solid senior year, recording 50 tackles, seven sacks, five tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble and a touchdown. He's not much bigger then Carter, measuring in at 6'0, 217 pounds. He's got some good speed, clocking in at 4.85 in the forty. Eastern Michigan is also recruiting Thompson. Week 7 We've got some more movement, as four more signed to come play in Muncie. Still, we lost out on quite a few prospects we liked. Here's what happened: Players committing to Ball State WR Willie Fryar WR Quentin Noel OG Tod Hotchkiss K Scott Phillips Players recruited that committed to other schools RB R.C. Conjar - Eastern Michigan OG Alex Johnson - Kent State OLB Don Carter - Eastern Michigan ILB Todd Wheeler - Toledo OLB Chris Thompson - Eastern Michigan I like the haul that we got this week. We picked up a couple of receivers that we really needed, considering a walk on was starting for us at the end of the year. I really like Fryar as a player. Hotchkiss should provide solid depth at the guard spot and Phillips fills a need at kicker for us. Now, we lost out on just about every linebacker we were after. Eastern Michigan sure pulled in a good group of kids. What I don't like is every kid that we didn't get is going to a MAC school. Not good for us. We've now got five scholarships to fill, so I've got to start looking. In Indiana Willie Kinney is a three star wideout from Marshall, Indiana. The Turkey Run prospect had a good senior year, catching 43 passes for 703 yards and 14 touchdowns. He doesn't have the size of the other guys, only measuring in at 5'11 and 156 pounds. Kinney is a true speedster, able to run the forty in 4.49 seconds. Right now, we're not on his top 10, but no other schools have offered. Hopefully, we can sneak in the back door. In Michigan Mike Pittman is a 6'0, 218 pound outside linebacker that hails from Saint Claire Shores, Michigan. The Lake Shore prospect was solid his senior year, gaining 58 tackles, seven sacks, five tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Mike has got some speed, clocking in at 4.73 in the forty. He currently doesn't have any other offers, so we should be tops on his list. Outside the Midwest How often does two players from North Dakota go to the same college playing divisin one ball? Not very. I went over to Fort Yates, North Dakota and found a outside linebacker that I like. Derek Proehl is a 6'1, 225 pound backer that likes to roam the whole field. For Standing Rock High, he recorded 52 tackles, six sacks, five tackles for loss, and interception and a forced fumble. He also scored a touchdown. At the moment, he doesn't have any other offers. Hopefully, we'll be number one on his list. Ligarius Bradley is a running back from Fairfield, Iowa that I really like. For his high school, Fairfield Community, he rushed for 1306 yards and 13 touchdowns. He doesn't have great size or speed, but he's got some serious toughness. At the moment, he doesn't have anyone else offering him. Over in Idaho, I found an inside linebacker that would be a good fit for us. Irv Burnett stands 5'11 and weighs 216 pounds. He runs a 4.81 forty and can bench 315 pounds. The dude is strong. Playing for Glenns Ferry High in Glenns Ferry, Idaho, Burnett recorded 55 tackles, four sacks, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Burnett currently doesn't have another offer by a school, so hopefully he'll be bringing his services here. Week 8 Shoot. We didn't get anyone this week. That really sucks. We lost a couple of guys, one of which I wasn't really holding my breath on. Here's what happened: Players committing to Ball State Players recruited that committed to other schools TE Reggie Peppers - Wisconsin RB Ligarius Bradley - Houston The one good thing I can say about this week is at least we didn't lose any prospects to another MAC school. With two scholarships now to fill, I need to get to work. In Indiana Bob Speedie is a athlete that played cornerback for Reitz Memorial High in Evansville, Indiana. His senior year, Speedie recorded 51 tackles, one sack and two picks, which he took both to the house. Speedie at the moment has a short list of three schools, none of which are us. Still, I'm gonna take the chance and offer him, considering nobody else has. Week 9 We have some more movement. Nothing to big. We lost a couple of players that I really didn't think we had a chance at. Here's what happened: Players committing to Ball State OLB Derek Proehl Players recruited that committed to other schools WR Willie Kinney - Indiana QB Brooks Fletcher - Cincinnati We really needed Proehl. We had been striking out on most of the linebackers we were after, so it's finally good to get one. Both Fletcher and Kinney were longshots for us, so there's really no big losses this week. We've now got three scholarships to fill, so I'm going back to work. Outside the Midwest Dale Madison is an inside linebacker from Madisonville, Kentucky. Playing for Madisonville-North Hopkins high, Madison recorded 61 tackles, four sacks, five tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. He's relatively slow for a linebacker, running the forty in 4.92 seconds. He's got good size though (6'2, 228 pounds). Once again, we're the only school to offer him a scholarship. Travis Mueller is a offenive guard from Libby, Montana. The 6'3, 265 pounder played for Libby High School where he used his power to push the defense around. At the moment, he doesn't have any other schools after him. Lets just keep it that way. Week 10 This is the final week. This is where we get down to the nitty gritty. We had a couple of players sign last week. Here's what went down: Players committing to Ball State ILB Irv Burnett OLB Mike Pittman Players recruited that committed to other schools SS Ben Echols - South Bend RB Grady White - Oklahoma State Glad to have both Burnett and Pittman aboard. Linebacker was a point of emphasis this year in recruiting, and I think we did pretty well. Echols was a longshot. It would have been nice to have him, but oh well. We've got two scholarships to fill, so I'm gonna do that now. In Ohio Steve Whelan is a three star reciever that had a fine senior season for Madison Plains High. The London, Ohio native recorded 52 receptions for 918 yards and 14 touchdowns. Nobody else has offered him, so we'll take a shot. Probably won't get him, but we have to start getting better players in here. John Canada is another three star junior college player from Old Washington, Ohio. The junior to be had a solid sophmore year for his junior college, Central Lakes in Minnesota. He recorded 70 tackles, four sacks, 11 pass deflections and two interceptions. Both INTs went back for scores. He also is a good punt returner, averaging 16.4 yards a return to go along with two more scores. The kid can score touchdowns. Like everyone else we're after, he doesn't have any other offers from other schools. Final Recuiting Report We just got the final haul. Here's who signed: Players committing to Ball State DT Dick Kimber ILB Dale Madison CB Clarence Bates OG Travis Mueller Players recruited that committed to other schools CB John Canada - Florida WR Steve Whelan - Louisville RB Pat Adderley - Wash State CB Bob Speedie - Indiana All in all, I'm not to upset with this get. We didn't get any of the high profile guys, but we got guys that can come in and give us some steady depth. Below is a full list of everyone who signed with us: K Scott Phillips, 2-stars T.A. Edison (Lake Station, IN) National Rank: 1862, Regional: 304, Position: 29 DT Dick Kimber, 2-stars Southern Wells (Poneto, IN) National Rank: 1395, Regional: 232, Position: 80 DE MacKenzie Lujack, 2-stars Benson Christian (Benson, MN) National Rank: 1901, Regional: 309, Position: 126 CB Clarence Bates, 2-stars Lima Senior (Lima, OH) National Rank: 1800, Regional: 293, Position: 200 CB Darryl Cooper, 2-stars Central Arkansas Christian (North Little Rock, AR) National Rank: 1102, Regional: 275, Position: 118 QB Charlie Wiley, 2-stars Max (Max, ND) National Rank: 1675, Regional: 335, Position: 144 ILB Dale Madison, 2-stars Madisonville-North Hopkins (Madisonville, KY) National Rank: 1849, Regional: 481, Position: 100 OG Travis Mueller, 2-stars Libby (Libby, MT) National Rank: 2010, Regional: 385, Position: 123 OG Tod Hotchkiss, 1-stars University (Normal, IL) National Rank: 1855, Regional: 301, Position: 112 OLB Derek Proehl, 1-stars Standing Rock Community (Fort Yates, ND) National Rank: 2285, Regional: 459, Position: 134 ILB Irv Burnett, 1-stars Glenns Ferry (Glenns Ferry, ID) National Rank: 1805, Regional: 344, Position: 96 OLB Mike Pittman, 1-stars Lake Shore (St. Clair Shores, MI) National Rank: 2238, Regional: 384, Position: 130 WR Quentin Noel, 1-stars Stephenson (Stone Mountain, GA) National Rank: 1932, Regional: 500, Position: 219 WR Willie Fryar, 1-stars Barry Goldwater (Phoenix, AZ) National Rank: 1715, Regional: 326, Position: 195 Somethings that stick out to me: - We only signed two players from Indiana - Cooper is clearly our best player coming out for us - We might be the only team in America that signed two players from North Dakota this year Not a great class, but I think we filled some holes that we had last year. Still, I'm not expecting a real high ranking. Should be around 100 again. Class Ranking: #115 (OUCH) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Season Review Coach Parrish was able to round the troops this year and finish off with a respectable 6-6 record, finishing 4-4 in conference. That's awesome. I'm so happy for the guys. This year, we really didn't have a big time win. We beat everyone we were suppose to and lost to the teams that were better then us. We won because of one reason, defense. We had the #9 ranked defense in all of football. If we would have had any resemblence of an offense, we could have been dangerous. Sophmore Stacey Kelley was my first recruit that made first team all conference. The quarterback turned running back had a huge season, rushing for 955 yards and six touchdowns. Hell, he rushed for only three yards less then our starting quarterback threw for. What we're most happy about though is he only fumbled the ball two times this year. A big improvement over last year. Dick Kimber, the freshman d-tackle, made second team all MAC, which I'm really surprised by. He finished the year with 13 tackles, three sacks and three run stuffs. All in all, how can you not be happy with him? Darryl Cooper, our top recuit last year, finished with a fine season and made the second team all MAC as well. Cooper recorded 46 tackles, 13 pass deflections, four interceptions, one forced fumble and one defensive touchdown. Cooper was solid for us this year. Next year, he should be even better. Travis Mueller didn't win any awards, but he played a huge role for us this year. He started 11 games at left guard, allowing only one sack. That was huge for us. Hopefully, next year will be an improvement apon this one. Sophmore John Henry had a huge season for us. He started 10 games for us at right tackle, allowing only four sacks while recording 6 pancakes. He was big for us. He's gonna have to be bigger for us next year for us to continue to get better. Joe Copeland, the sophmore CB from Malakoff, Texas, was steady for us this year. He was outshaddowed by the freshman, but Copeland could have easily been an all-league player. Copeland recorded 41 tackles, one sack, 16 pass deflections and two interceptions. He also forced a fumble. Our corners are solid for the next two year, in my opinion. James Peterson, a sophmore free safety, had a good season for us. 61 tackles, two pass deflections and two interceptions are pretty good production for us. I'm happy with him. Overall, I'm pretty happy with how our season went. Some of my signings over the last two years have played really well. We have ourselves a pretty good secondary, minus a standout strong safety. Our offensive line is starting to come together and Stacey Kelly is an absolute beast for us at running back. I know I've got some things to do during recruiting, but still, we're heading in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Week 1 Recruiting season is here. This is where I make my money. I've got some work to do in front of me. With 17 scholarships to fill, I'm gonna have to get creative on who I go after. In Indiana Michael Burke is a offensive guard that plays for Perry Meridian in Indianapolis. Burke is a stout guy, standing at just 6'1 but weighing in at 259 pounds. He's not the most agile guy out there. That's probably his one knock on him. Outside of that, he doesn't have many things that you can say bad about him. We're the only team after him at the moment. Dewayne Stroude is a 5'11, 223 pound outside linebacker from Rushville. Playing for Rushville High, Stroude had 67 tackles, four sacks, five tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He also scored two defensive touchdowns. Dewayne also has some speed, clocking in at 4.57 in the forty. He has no other offers, except for ours of coarse. In New Albany, I've found center that I think could help us out. James Morgan is a 6 foot, 273 pound center that played for New Albany High. James is the type of player that Coach Lynch loves to have. He's big and strong (able to bench 361 pounds). I don't think he'll ever be great in any one thing, but should be solid in all aspects of the blocking game. In Illinois Scott Jordan is a monster of a kid. He stands 6'8 and weighs in at a crazy 301 pounds. Jordan played for Mattoon High in Mattoon, Illinois. His high school coach says that if he had a mean streak, he probably wouldn't be recruited by the mid-majors. But alas, he doesn't have one, so we'll try our hand with him. Eastern Michigan (go figure) has also offered the big guy. In Michigan I've located a big offensive tackle from Reed City, Michigan. Patrick Simon, a 6'5, 274 pound tackle that played for Reed City High. He's a strong, young kid, able to bench 390 pounds. I think he could get a whole lot bigger with our strength and conditioning coach. We're the only school to offer the big guy. In Minnesota We don't go to the Gopher state much, but we did this week. Alonzo Campbell is a 6'3, 242 pound defensive end from New Ulm. The New Ulm Catholic High propsect finished his senior year with 56 tackles, 10 sacks and five tackles for loss. His high school coach says he a run stopper, meaning he won't be a great pass rusher, yet will get to the ball handler. Currently, Illinois and Eastern Michigan have offered. I'm a little worried going up against a Big 10 school, but we'll have to do it sometime. Might as well be today. In Wisconsin Mike Harris, a 5'11, 215 pound outside linebacker, played his high school ball for Kiel High School in Kiel, Wisconsin. Harris had a nice senior year, making 70 tackles, seven sacks, five tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He also scored twice. At the moment, Harris is raw. His skills just aren't up there yet to be ready to play right away. With a little time though, he should make a fine linebacker. We'll take a chance on him. Outside the Midwest[/b] Three star athlete who projects as a free safety, Kevin Marshall, called me up today and said he was interested in playing for us. The Monticello, Florida native played for Jefferson County High his senior year, where he recorded 55 tackles and four sacks. On offense, he made 40 catches for 576 yards. This kid has got some skills. He runs a 4.76 forty, so he's not slow. He's got good size at 5'11, 182 pounds. I would love to get this kid on campus. A switch to strong safety, where we are weak at right now might be the best for our team next year. We'll see. In Columbia, Missouri, I found a kid that plays defensive end for Columbia Academy. Calvin Lewis is a 6'7, 262 pound moster. His senior year, he recorded 44 tackles, eight sacks, five tackles for loss and one interception, which he ran back for a touchdown. He's an excellent student, carrying a 3.7 GPA, so grades should never be a factor with this kid. Currently, we're the only school that has offered. Joe Sievers is a athlete that played quarterback for Jones High School in Orlando, Florida that I really like. The 6'4, 182 pound kid isn't the best passer, completing only 48.3% of his passes for 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. What I like is that he rushed for 1152 yards, had a 13.7 punt return average (three scores) and a 23.1 kick return average (two scores). He's a solid kid in the classroom as well. We're the only school to offer. Eric Norman is a quarterback from Shawnee, Oklahoma. Standing 6'6, 213 pounds, Norman had a good season for Shawnee High, completing 51.2% of his passes for 2976 yards with 26 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He doesn't excell at anything right now, but with time, he could become a solid player for us. We're the only school that's offered. In Lindsborg, Kansas, I've found a receiver that I like. Kevin DeRamus is 6'3, 191 pounds and can run (4.53 forty). For Smokey Valley High, he caught 36 passes for 727 yards and six touchdowns. His high school coach says that he'll never be a good run blocker, which concerns me a bit. Still, with his speed, he's just to much to pass up. Nobody else has offered him. Week 2 I opened up my laptop and found that we're pretty high on a lot of the players that we've offered. That's good news for us. I like where we're going this recruiting year, so far. In Indiana Bob Whalen is a three star receiver from Evansville, Indiana. The 6'3, 186 pound Reitz Memorial prospect had a nice senior campaign, catching 43 passes for 731 yards and 14 touchdowns. Whalen has crazy speed, clocking in at 4.46 in the forty. There's a reason why he's labeled as a "speed" receiver. His hands are something to be desired, but with time, they should come around where he can be productive. Nobody else has offered, but we're not currently in his top 10, so we'll see. In Illinois Andre Lacy is a defensive end from Rock Falls, Illinois. The Rock Falls Township prospect had a solid senior year, recording 48 tackles, four sacks, nine tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He also scored two touchdowns. He's a big guy, 6'7, 258 pounds. His coach says he's got some of the best instincts that he's ever seen. For his size, he's actually really fast, running the forty in 4.88 seconds. He's an excellent student as well, posting a perfect 4.0 GPA. We're the only school to offer him. In Ohio Terry Means is a 6'2, 191 pound fullback from the home of the pro football hall of fame, Canton, Ohio. Means, who played for Timkin High, rushed for 416 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 11 balls for 212 yards. He's not the fastest guy on the field, only running a 5.24 forty. He's strong though, able to bench 227 pounds. With his receiving skills and his strength, I think he would make a fine MAC style fullback. We've offered. Bob White is a wideout that played for Lake Catholic in Mentor, Ohio. White, 6'2, 202 pounds, is labeled as a athlete that can play either receiver or tight end, IMO. His senior year, he finished with 44 receptions for 523 yards and eight touchdowns. He's not the best pass blocking receiver, but with time, the concensous is that he could be good at it. Fellow MAC schools, Akron and Western Michigan, have also offered White. Week 3 Like usual, nobody was ready to commit just yet. That's alright with me. I haven't pitched anyone yet, so this just gives me a little time to prepare. I've still got one scholarship out there that I've yet to do anything with. In Wisconsin We don't need a punter this year, but I've found one that I think we can redshirt and use next year. Dat Brittenum is a Colby High product that had a 41.5 punt average and a net of 38. He'll strictly be a punter. He kicked in high school, but that's just not his thing. Right now, we're the only school to offer him. I've pitched most of the guys this week. Hopefully, we'll be able to get some of these guys to make a decision soon. I would like to see our future start to take shape. Week 4 Like last week, nobody signed anywhere. This has become the common trend though here in Muncie. Recruits don't start commiting until week 5 or 6. Still, it would make my stress level a whole lot less if they would just hurry up and make up their minds. Since all our scholarships are being offered, I'm left with a measly $1,000. Much like last year, I've decided to scout some players from Indiana. The more I know, the better chance we have to get a "hidden gem". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Week 5 Much like last year, we still don't have a commit. This sucks. We're given another $1000 to play with. Much like last week, we just go and scout a couple of players from Indiana. Hopefully, we'll get someone next week. We've pitched everyone we're after, so something has got to give. Week 6 Horay, something happened. And boy, was it a big week in terms of numbers. Here's what happened: Players committing to Ball State FS Kevin Marshall DE Andre Lacy WR Kevin DeRamus FB Terry Means OT Patrick Simon OLB Mike Harris QB Eric Norman Players recruited that committed to other schools DE Tony Parrella - New Mexico DE Alonzo Campbell - Eastern Michigan OT Scott Jordan - Eastern Michigan WR Bob White - Western Michigan Marshall is easily the best prospect out of everyone we got. I'm anticipating a move to strong safety for him. He should fit in nicely with our secondary. I'm also liking DeRamus, the receiver that we were able to get out of Kansas. We needed a QB, enter Eric Norman. We needed a FB, enter Terry Means. Overall, I'm really happy with what we were able to do this week. We however did lose out on three players so I'm gonna get to work on filling those now. In Illinois Fred Pihos is a 6'3, 293 pound offensive tackle from Shellbyville, Illinois. The Shellbyville High prospect is one of the most aggressive offensive lineman that I'll ever meet, or so his coach says. Right now, he's as raw as a freshly butchered steak, but with time, he could develope into a nice pass rushing lineman. At the moment, nobody else has offered. In Ohio I went to Columbus, Ohio were I found a running back. Donnie Gibson is a two star prospect that played for Centennial High School. Gibson had a great senior year, rushing for 1182 yards and an outstanding 17 touchdowns. He also had 19 receptions for 232 yards. Gibson doesn't have amazing speed, but it is good, clocking in with a 4.63 forty. He's not a big back, thus making it hard for him to break tackles. He could really help us. Right now, nobody else is offering. Outside the Midwest Mel Kemp is a outside linebacker that hails from Manilla, Iowa. Three three star backer played for Irwin Kirkman High prospect finished his senior year with 70 tackles, 10 sacks, six tackles for loss, two pass deflections and a forced fumble. Kemp has got good size (6'0, 225 lbs) and speed (4.66 forty). Because of his speed, he excells in pass defense, which we could always use. At the moment, there are no other offers for him. I'm hoping to get a few more recruits next week. We could use another week like this one. With any luck, we will. Week 7 We're two for two here. Two weeks in a row, we've got players to commit to play in Muncie. I'm so excited. Here's what happened: Players committing to Ball State P Dat Brittenum C James Morgan DE Calvin Lewis Players recruited that committed to other schools QB Laurence Rison - Middle Tenn St We got another DE in Lewis that gives us some depth. James Morgan doesn't play a need position, but he does provide depth. Dat Brittenum will probably get redshirted this year and have four solid years next year. Happy about the haul we got this week. The other players that we had offered didn't commit anywhere, so this should be a boring week. We just have to wait. Week 8 We got some more good news. Not huge news, but good news. Players committing to Ball State OT Fred Pihos Players recruited that committed to other schools For the second week in a row, we didn't lose a prosepct to another school. That's great. Pihos plays a position that you can never have enough of. Our recruiting class is shaping up quite nicely, in my honest opinion. We have absolutely zero money to spend, so there is absolutely nothing else to talk about this week. We've pitched everyone, so much like last week, we have to wait. Week 9 We just keep getting them one at a time. I'm starting to feel like I'm in the movie, Groundhog Day. Here's what went down: Players committing to Ball State QB Joe Sievers Players recruited that committed to other schools The commitment of Sievers is a good one for us. Not only can he play quarterback, but I think he could switch to either running back or wide receiver. He just gives us more options, that all. I'm happy about having him at Ball State. Because we didn't lose anyone to other schools, we'll just continue to wait. Week 10 Well, hell. Nobody did anything this week. We've got five offers out, so this is a big week for us coming up. We need a couple of these guys to come through. I've got my fingers crossed. Final Recruiting Report We got some good news and bad news this week. We didn't fill all of our scholarships, but we did get some good players. Here's what I'm talking about: Players committing to Ball State ILB Mel Kemp OG Michael Burke Players recruited that committed to other schools RB Donnie Gibson - Bowling Green OLB DeWayne Stroud - South Bend QB Bob West - Indiana Mel Kemp is the most prolific recruit that I've ever got to come to Muncie. The inside linebacker should come in and produce right away for us. Burke is also a nice get, adding depth at the guard position. Here's a total rundown of everyone that signed: FS Kevin Marshall, 3-stars Jefferson County (Monticello, FL) National Rank: 1135, Regional: 308, Position: 52 ILB Mel Kemp, 3-stars Irwin Kirkman Manilla (Manilla, IA) National Rank: 708, Regional: 144, Position: 38 OT Patrick Simon, 2-stars Reed City (Reed City, MI) National Rank: 1588, Regional: 266, Position: 92 OLB Mike Harris, 2-stars Kiel (Kiel, WI) National Rank: 1841, Regional: 311, Position: 142 QB Joe Sievers, 2-stars Jones (Orlando, FL) National Rank: 1590, Regional: 427, Position: 143 QB Eric Norman, 2-stars Shawnee (Shawnee, OK) National Rank: 1695, Regional: 340, Position: 153 WR Kevin DeRamus, 2-stars Smoky Valley (Lindsborg, KS) National Rank: 1628, Regional: 329, Position: 192 DE Andre Lacy, 2-stars Rock Falls Township (Rock Falls, IL) National Rank: 1771, Regional: 300, Position: 107 FB Terry Means, 2-stars Timken (Canton, OH) National Rank: 1745, Regional: 292, Position: 69 P Dat Brittenum, 2-stars Colby (Colby, WI) National Rank: 1528, Regional: 248, Position: 27 OG Michael Burke, 2-stars Perry Meridian (Indianapolis, IN) National Rank: 1376, Regional: 214, Position: 103 OT Fred Pihos, 2-stars Shelbyville (Shelbyville, IL) National Rank: 1849, Regional: 314, Position: 112 DE Calvin Lewis, 1-stars Columbia Academy (Columbia, MS) National Rank: 2017, Regional: 521, Position: 122 C James Morgan, 1-stars New Albany (New Albany, IN) National Rank: 1930, Regional: 333, Position: 71 Quick Thoughts: - Kemp is the 10th ranked prospect in the state of Iowa. Big get for us, for sure. - We only got two players from Indiana. Not doing very well in our home state. - Much better recruiting season then last year. I think I did a pretty good job this year. No way are we ranked in the 100's this year. Hopefully, we'll continue our winning ways and recruiting will be easier on me next year. Oh, one can wish. Recuiting Rank: #105 (Damn ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog23 Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Season Review Coach Parrish lead us to our most successful season since I've been here. 7-5 with a 5-3 conference mark. That's great for us. Hopefully, this season will make my recruiting easier. We finished third in our division, which is great. We beat the teams we were suppose to beat and lost to the teams that were better then us. It happens. I'm happy for the guys. Sophmore defensive tackle, Dick Kimber, improved apon his freshman season, gaining second team all MAC honors. The big guy finished with 16 tackles, four sacks and one run stuff. He was big for us this year. Redshirt freshman, Charlie Wiley took over the running back duties this year and rushed for 1014 yards and three touchdowns. Wiley also had 33 catches for 335 yards. The season that Wiley had was good enough for third team honors. Junior Marion Peoples received third team honors. The big tight end had 13 catches for 292 yards. He was a nice release valve for us. We're expecting an improvement next year. John Henry, the junior offensive tackle, had a good season, getting 11 pancakes while only allowing 3 sacks. Henry was good enough for third team honors. Coach Parrish expecting big things out of Henry next year as he should be a leader. Kevin Marshall, the true freshman, gained third team all MAC honors for his play this year. Marshall had 72 tackles, five pass deflections and two interceptions from the free safety spot. I'm expecting big things from Marshall with his time here. Mel Kemp, the talented true freshman inside linebacker, had a big year for us. Kemp was second on the team in tackles with 83 and lead us with 19 run stuffs. He also had three sacks. Kemp should only get better. Our talented corners, Cooper and Copeland, had a nice year. Copeland lead us with three interceptions while Cooper was one behind with two. Sophmore Willie Fryar lead us in receptions with 41 catches for 607 yards and four touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Quentin Noel was second on the team with 29 catches for 346 yards and a score. Stacey Kelly was a bit of a disappointment, losing his starting job to Charlie Wiley. Still, Kelly rushed for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also had 16 receptions for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Not great, but I'll take it for a backup. I find it quite funny that our two leading rushers are converted quarterbacks. I think there's a secret to finding someone that can play multiple positions. I'll stick with what I'm doing. I think it's working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennywanchizoate Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Real good stuff you're putting out; I love the format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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