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Topic: Brandon Atwell
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UpSan Bobcat
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Posted: 8/23/2014 11:43 PM
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He spent four years with the Bobcats and redshirted as a freshman, so he could have played this fall for Ohio as a senior. But he graduated and moved on to Radford Unviersity, where he is on the soccer team. Pretty impressive to play Division I college athletics in two different sports.
Paul Graham
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Posted: 8/24/2014 11:00 AM
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I'm sorry, why is it a good thing that one of our senior linebackers moved on to play D1 soccer?
L.C.
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Posted: 8/24/2014 11:36 AM
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Paul Graham wrote:expand_more
I'm sorry, why is it a good thing that one of our senior linebackers moved on to play D1 soccer?

It's good that he graduated. Unlike the P5, the G5 still is operating on the pretext that these are amateur atheletes, and unpaid, and that the scholarship athletes are in it for the education. Congratulations to Brandon on graduating in only 4 years, a good achievement while also playing Division I football.
UpSan Bobcat
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Posted: 8/24/2014 1:02 PM
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We'd all like to have him for another year, but he's doing what's best for him. He's in grad school and still playing college athletics.
Bcat2
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Posted: 8/24/2014 1:03 PM
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L.C. wrote:expand_more
I'm sorry, why is it a good thing that one of our senior linebackers moved on to play D1 soccer?

It's good that he graduated. Unlike the P5, the G5 still is operating on the pretext that these are amateur atheletes, and unpaid, and that the scholarship athletes are in it for the education. Congratulations to Brandon on graduating in only 4 years, a good achievement while also playing Division I football.


Friday evening I attended a local high school game. Sitting in the stands I overheard an exchange between one of the area youth team coaches and a young man, a high school junior who had played football through youth league, middle school and his first two years of high school.  The adult, supposedly, challenged the young man about being in the stands and not out on the field. The former player responded that because of shoulder issues he was switching from football to soccer.  The adult, supposedly, responded that once his shoulders were better he surely should return to football. I was able to interject that I was glad he was able continue to compete and represent the school through soccer and that if he found he enjoyed it he should certainly be proud playing it going forward.
colobobcat66
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Posted: 8/24/2014 9:03 PM
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UpSan Bobcat wrote:expand_more
We'd all like to have him for another year, but he's doing what's best for him. He's in grad school and still playing college athletics.

Absolutely true, it's not just about what's best for us.
cbarber357
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Posted: 8/25/2014 12:26 AM
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Bcat2 wrote:expand_more
I'm sorry, why is it a good thing that one of our senior linebackers moved on to play D1 soccer?

It's good that he graduated. Unlike the P5, the G5 still is operating on the pretext that these are amateur atheletes, and unpaid, and that the scholarship athletes are in it for the education. Congratulations to Brandon on graduating in only 4 years, a good achievement while also playing Division I football.


Friday evening I attended a local high school game. Sitting in the stands I overheard an exchange between one of the area youth team coaches and a young man, a high school junior who had played football through youth league, middle school and his first two years of high school. The adult, supposedly, challenged the young man about being in the stands and not out on the field. The former player responded that because of shoulder issues he was switching from football to soccer. The adult, supposedly, responded that once his shoulders were better he surely should return to football. I was able to interject that I was glad he was able continue to compete and represent the school through soccer and that if he found he enjoyed it he should certainly be proud playing it going forward.

Soccer has no pads. I messed up my shoulder for life playing soccer. No longer has a full range of motion.
Paul Graham
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Posted: 8/25/2014 12:42 AM
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Of course, I'm happy that this student graduated and has moved on. That's fine.

However, I can't imagine that Jim Schaus and the powers-that-be want to run a program where 5'th year linebackers forgo their final season to play small college soccer.

And this continues the "And Then There Were None" narrative for the 2010 recruiting class. If you are wondering why we are so thin at linebacker this year, you need look no further than that class. That year they brought in 4 linebackers and ultimately moved Atwell to that position. Take a look at the list:

Blake Jones, AJ Grady, Joe Stefanski, Joe Morales and Brandon Atwell.

Looking over that list, I thought to myself - "Wow, that's not a great group talent-wise" So I did some investigation and I was able to determine that NONE of these players received a scholarship offer to ANY OTHER D1 SCHOOL. That is really something. Keep in mind that in 2009 and 2010 we played in bowl games and had good seasons.

Perplexing. I guess we'll never really know what went so horribly wrong that year. But for me, this is just another reminder of this staff's bizarre decision making and failure to capitalize on their own success.
Last Edited: 8/25/2014 12:45:53 AM by Paul Graham
GoCats105
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Posted: 8/25/2014 7:48 AM
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Paul Graham wrote:expand_more
Of course, I'm happy that this student graduated and has moved on. That's fine.

However, I can't imagine that Jim Schaus and the powers-that-be want to run a program where 5'th year linebackers forgo their final season to play small college soccer.


PG, do you really think JS cares about whether this happens or not? This is not as big of a deal as you are making it out to be. And honestly, this is the first time it's happened in 10 years of the Solich regime. It's an outlier.
Bcat2
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Posted: 8/25/2014 8:37 AM
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Paul Graham wrote:expand_more
Of course, I'm happy that this student graduated and has moved on. That's fine.

However, I can't imagine that Jim Schaus and the powers-that-be want to run a program where 5'th year linebackers forgo their final season to play small college soccer.

And this continues the "And Then There Were None" narrative for the 2010 recruiting class. If you are wondering why we are so thin at linebacker this year, you need look no further than that class. That year they brought in 4 linebackers and ultimately moved Atwell to that position. Take a look at the list:

Blake Jones, AJ Grady, Joe Stefanski, Joe Morales and Brandon Atwell.

Looking over that list, I thought to myself - "Wow, that's not a great group talent-wise" So I did some investigation and I was able to determine that NONE of these players received a scholarship offer to ANY OTHER D1 SCHOOL. That is really something. Keep in mind that in 2009 and 2010 we played in bowl games and had good seasons.

Perplexing. I guess we'll never really know what went so horribly wrong that year. But for me, this is just another reminder of this staff's bizarre decision making and failure to capitalize on their own success.


Other Offers; Price, T.Scott ...
Under the radar; Brazil, Carrie, Bass, Basham, Irons

Still working harder than the other guys. Can't rely on services. Hard Work + Dedication = Success. Still no MACC but since he arrived coach Solich has given the fans the second winningest program in the MAC. You are correct that Coach Solich and his staff do things differently. However, Solich, Dixon, Burrows, Albin, Collins, Johnson have all been at bigger programs. It is like they have all come together at Ohio to do things a little differently, to work harder, to find athletes they will enjoy working with who they believe can be winners. Since he arrived every class has built on the success. In spite of their finish, last year's seniors left with more wins than any group ever in Ohio history. This year's group might just add to it. Bizarre.
Last Edited: 8/25/2014 11:50:27 AM by Bcat2
Monroe Slavin
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Posted: 8/25/2014 10:38 AM
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Are we going to start again with the absolute refusal to allow for even the barest of criticism of Coach and his staff?

1)  No one is perfect so some well-intended criticism is fair.

2)  Any wise person wants to get better, wants to hear/read of legit criticism so that he or she can improve.  Coach shows this in the way he's been able to learn and change.


PGraham makes a good point about one linebacker class and 105 responded legitimately to that point.  Going to the 'no criticism allowed card'--you're better than that.

 
Last Edited: 8/25/2014 10:39:45 AM by Monroe Slavin
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Posted: 8/25/2014 10:46 AM
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Monroe Slavin wrote:expand_more
Are we going to start again with the absolute refusal to allow for even the barest of criticism of Coach and his staff?... PGraham makes a good point about one linebacker class and 105 responded legitimately to that point.  Going to the 'no criticism allowed card'--you're better than that.

 

I don't see that happening on this thread.

 
Ted Thompson
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Posted: 8/25/2014 11:00 AM
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Paul Graham wrote:expand_more
Of course, I'm happy that this student graduated and has moved on. That's fine.

However, I can't imagine that Jim Schaus and the powers-that-be want to run a program where 5'th year linebackers forgo their final season to play small college soccer.

And this continues the "And Then There Were None" narrative for the 2010 recruiting class. If you are wondering why we are so thin at linebacker this year, you need look no further than that class. That year they brought in 4 linebackers and ultimately moved Atwell to that position. Take a look at the list:

Blake Jones, AJ Grady, Joe Stefanski, Joe Morales and Brandon Atwell.

Looking over that list, I thought to myself - "Wow, that's not a great group talent-wise" So I did some investigation and I was able to determine that NONE of these players received a scholarship offer to ANY OTHER D1 SCHOOL. That is really something. Keep in mind that in 2009 and 2010 we played in bowl games and had good seasons.

Perplexing. I guess we'll never really know what went so horribly wrong that year. But for me, this is just another reminder of this staff's bizarre decision making and failure to capitalize on their own success.

If the coaches don't see a role for a player going forward, they may be OK with them going about their life's work. I'm glad we're committing to 4 years of education for these players. But we've seen players leave before when they've graduated and still have a year of eligibility left. As long as the coaches know, and it seems like they did with Atwell, you can recruit hopefully a better replacement a year earlier.

The recruiting misses you mention point to a different issue. 
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 8/25/2014 11:39 AM
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What some may very well be missing is that since he graduated, maybe the staff did not renew his scholarship because they needed it for this last class, or someone they felt they needed to get into the program.  Nothing wrong with this, the obligation to the young man was fullfilled, and is a common practice.
Last Edited: 8/25/2014 11:48:26 AM by BillyTheCat
L.C.
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Posted: 8/25/2014 11:41 AM
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Paul Graham wrote:expand_more
Of course, I'm happy that this student graduated and has moved on. That's fine.

However, I can't imagine that Jim Schaus and the powers-that-be want to run a program where 5'th year linebackers forgo their final season to play small college soccer.

And this continues the "And Then There Were None" narrative for the 2010 recruiting class. If you are wondering why we are so thin at linebacker this year, you need look no further than that class. That year they brought in 4 linebackers and ultimately moved Atwell to that position. Take a look at the list:

Blake Jones, AJ Grady, Joe Stefanski, Joe Morales and Brandon Atwell.

Looking over that list, I thought to myself - "Wow, that's not a great group talent-wise" So I did some investigation and I was able to determine that NONE of these players received a scholarship offer to ANY OTHER D1 SCHOOL. That is really something. Keep in mind that in 2009 and 2010 we played in bowl games and had good seasons.

Perplexing. I guess we'll never really know what went so horribly wrong that year. But for me, this is just another reminder of this staff's bizarre decision making and failure to capitalize on their own success.

I think everyone agrees that the 2010 class did not turn out well. A couple from that class, however, seem to be pretty good leaders, and maybe through their leadership they will lead this class to successes yet.

As far as whether players have other offers, yes, that is a good indicator of success. Players with a lot of other offers have tended to be pretty good. Yet, at the other extreme, I'd say that it's also true that sometimes the very best players come from the group with no other offers at all, where Ohio gets them because they are the only ones that notice them.  Thus, playing the "other offers" card is kind of a two-edged sword, because that group has an unusually high percentage of players that never contribute, but also some very good players.

Here are some of the "no other offers" group that did work out: Mike Mitchell, Kris Luchsinger, Julian Posey, Marcellis Williamson, Dak Notestine, Lavon Brazill, Neal Huynh, Alphonso Lewis, Vince Carlotta, Tyler Futrell, Jelani Woseley, Travis Carrie, Matt Weller, Mario Dovell, Carl Jones, Ryan Boykin, Ryan McGrath
Monroe Slavin
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Posted: 8/25/2014 11:54 AM
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Thanks, L.C., for a reasonable, balanced, all-sides-considered approach.



 
Paul Graham
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Posted: 8/25/2014 10:27 PM
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L.C. wrote:expand_more
Here are some of the "no other offers" group that did work out: Mike Mitchell, Kris Luchsinger, Julian Posey, Marcellis Williamson, Dak Notestine, Lavon Brazill, Neal Huynh, Alphonso Lewis, Vince Carlotta, Tyler Futrell, Jelani Woseley, Travis Carrie, Matt Weller, Mario Dovell, Carl Jones, Ryan Boykin, Ryan McGrath


Its hard to argue with the names on that list. This program was essentially built on such players (I think TT could be included in there too).

The problem is, there is a big difference between guys like Carrie and some others that I have mentioned. Its up to the coaches to know who is worth the "long shot" and who isn't. Carrie was ready to play when he arrived, and it was quite clear from the get-go. I'll never forget seeing him at Northwestern...I made the prediction then that he would be an NFL player as he was clearly the fastest dude on the field.

What I mean is, when you see Travis or Lavon on film, a professional football coach will know what they are seeing. I'm sure the coaches weren't shocked with Carrie showed up and immediately earned playing time in a crowded (and talented) defensive backfield.
L.C.
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Posted: 8/25/2014 10:43 PM
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Yet somehow these guys did end up with no other offers, and to hear Carrie's coach, he called every Division 1 team in the state of California, and couldn't find anyone that was interested. At the other extreme, of course, there are plenty of people with no other offers who didn't contribute, of which you named a few, and I can name more, if you like.

For me the way it breaks down is that the players that have a lot of offers have been looked at carefully by a lot of people, and are certainly going to be solid players. The ones with no other offers maybe have been looked at and rejected, and maybe they haven't had much of a look at all. Thus when you take from that group you're going to get some super gems, and some that don't work out.

Yes, it's the coach's job to try to figure out which ones are which, and I'd say that they are doing reasonably well considering how many successes they have found in that group.

(BTW, I always thought TT had no other offers, but I remember when Ohio played NMSU, TT said something about how NMSU was the only other school that had made him and offer.)
Paul Graham
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Posted: 8/26/2014 12:51 AM
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Agreed LC. You and I have had this discussion many, many times :) My position has always been that as the program matured we should have been able to bring in better players. And, as you've quantitatively shown us many times, that has started to happen the last couple of years. I still say it's took WAY too long.

I think in that context, I've shifted my dissent away from complaining about the recruiting to now wondering why these newer (higher rated) guys aren't seeing the field. Once the 2010 guys graduate, I'll need something new to whine about.
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