Bucknell Recruiting Class

[Ken_Z]

Bison finally announce their class: 27 players, a good number of good sized OL.

http://www.bucknellbison.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/052412aaa.html.

guessing will score low on Carney's point system.

[BisonHype!]

Seems a little delayed as an announcement to me.

[Ken_Z]

very late, were still adding players late in the year. usually not a good sign.

[BisonHype!]

very late, were still adding players late in the year. usually not a good sign.

Probably receiving an INCOMPLETE grade earlier in the Recruiting Grading. NOW THOUGH!!!... F-

[BisonHype!]

A lot of these players don't have bio's on this link. Did you lose a lot of players last year? Says you return 13 starters.

[Ken_Z]

don't know why so few bios are available. many of these players without bios did commit months ago.

yes, we lost a lot, including some top players from last year.

[ngineer]

don't know why so few bios are available. many of these players without bios did commit months ago.

yes, we lost a lot, including some top players from last year.

SI officer needs to get it in gear and not worry only about basketball. (;-)

[RichH2]

Some excellent RBs, Regan particularly. Enormous OL kids. Guess HC looking to score more and the heck with D. What I do like lots of team captains. Always a solid basis for a squad.

[bison137]

very late, were still adding players late in the year. usually not a good sign.


I'm not sure that is the reason for such a ridiculously late announcement. We had identified 24 of the 27 by late February - most in January - and I think that two of the three others may have committed prior by the end of February as well.

I'd like to know if the coaching staff or the athletic communication dept is the culprit for delaying the announcement for months and then not even having bios for everyone at that point. Many of the players without bios committed in January. Does it take four months to write a one-paragraph bio?

[RichH2]

Referring back to our early lists it does appear that at least 21 of these recruits were IDed in February. Hard to believe SID couldn't produce a more professional announcement. Still some real good talent and size. OL kids may be a tad ponderous but Lord they are big.

I do wonder if any PL coaches stockpiled recruits in some Prep school for next year?

[BucBisonAtLarge]

The OL played both ways in the Spring game, so some of these wide bodies are going to see playing time early I would think.

[colorless raider]

Regan is player for sure. However, if I were one of these recruits I would question if Bucknell really gives a hoot about football given the sloppy late release.

[carney2]

guessing will score low on Carney's point system.

I hope not. Won't know for a while. I've been away and have now been told that I am taking the phrase "holiday weekend" seriously.

[carney2]

I do wonder if any PL coaches stockpiled recruits in some Prep school for next year?

C'mon, Rich, time to come out of la-la land. I know you've been following the discussions on the Lafayette Sports Forum, and should now realize that this scholarship thing is not going to be what some people think.

[bison137]

Referring back to our early lists it does appear that at least 21 of these recruits were IDed in February.


The only three not ID'd by the end of February were OL Trevor Duba, WR Bobby Kaslander, and RB Justin Shangold. I suspect at least two of the three (Kaslander and Shangold) committed in January but did not have any internet notice. Kaslander is the son of a former BU player and Shangold's first offer, back in May of his junior year, was from Bucknell.

[RichH2]

Carney,

Actualy my speculation based in part on Pard thread. Agree schollies are not a magic wand to lift us to CAA or Socon level. Pl cannot redshirt , other than medical. Can we greyshirt as the IL does? Unlikely. Most of us have prepped recruits ever since I can remember. Will some staffs more affirmatively use that tool, at least during the transition period, to increase impact of these rercuits. What combination of academic aid, athletic aid and "prepping" will be most useful or is it without benefit?

[carney2]

Carney,

Actualy my speculation based in part on Pard thread. Agree schollies are not a magic wand to lift us to CAA or Socon level. Pl cannot redshirt , other than medical. Can we greyshirt as the IL does? Unlikely. Most of us have prepped recruits ever since I can remember. Will some staffs more affirmatively use that tool, at least during the transition period, to increase impact of these rercuits. What combination of academic aid, athletic aid and "prepping" will be most useful or is it without benefit?

You really assume a lot. Why would a kid who merits a scholarship, and presumably has other choices, delay the start of his college experience just so he can attend Lehigh...or Holy Cross...or...well, you get my point. The only kids who are going to be "prepped" are the ones who are academically not qualified for admission. Again, why would a kid delay, even if he's in this boat? If he's a for real scholarship recruit he could go to any number of schools with lower academic standards and begin his collegiate career immediately. This "prepping" will, in my opinion, be a onesy, twosy thing that is of little overall significance. A "prepped" kid will usually be a marginal recruit, one who had few options - in short one of the kids we are getting now without scholarships.

[RichH2]

Not assuming he would , just wondering whether prepping can be a recruiting tool. Dont know about these kids being marginal as practically all the recruits LU has prepped over the years have been very good. Admittedly only a couple of kids every few years fit the category .

[jdb037]

Getting back to the recruiting class, I'm very interested in the size of 2 guys in particular. I recall hearing that the Barrett kid from Florida is fairly new to football and worth taking a chance on given his size and athleticism. Further down the list is Ramy Kased. Are those measurables real? If so, that is one large human being. How can we justify him being an offensive lineman and not a nose tackle?

[DFW HOYA]

You really assume a lot. Why would a kid who merits a scholarship, and presumably has other choices, delay the start of his college experience just so he can attend Lehigh...or Holy Cross...or...well, you get my point. The only kids who are going to be "prepped" are the ones who are academically not qualified for admission. Again, why would a kid delay, even if he's in this boat?

Three other scenarios:

1. The school has overrecruited or cannot offer him a place in the class with a grant. A grayshirt essentially makes him a counter for the next recruiting class.

2. The grayshirt becomes a de facto wait list should another scholarship player decommit before August.

3. The player is recovering from injury (ACL tear, etc.) and wasn't going to play as a freshman anyway. In this scenario, he maintains a year of eligibility and doesn't go back in the recruiting mix for other schools.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Further down the list is Ramy Kased. Are those measurables real? If so, that is one large human being. How can we justify him being an offensive lineman and not a nose tackle?

Mr. Kased looks like he's a pretty good-sized feller.


http://sub.gmnews.com/sites/suburban.gmnews.com/files/images/2012-03-01/64p1.preview.jpg


Three year starting OL at Old Bridge, NJ HS (not too shabby) and (like many PL recruits) he was the team captain. Excellent get for Bucknell.

[bison137]

Getting back to the recruiting class, I'm very interested in the size of 2 guys in particular. I recall hearing that the Barrett kid from Florida is fairly new to football and worth taking a chance on given his size and athleticism. Further down the list is Ramy Kased. Are those measurables real? If so, that is one large human being. How can we justify him being an offensive lineman and not a nose tackle?


Barrett is 6'6", 320 lbs and has only played one year of football at this point so he may have a fair amount of upside. His football squad advanced to the semis of Florida 3A (out of 8 groups) before losing to the eventual champs. Last year in baseball, his main sport until senior year, he hit 7 HR's in 21 games and slugged .662 with an OBP of .403 playing against fairly good Tampa area opposition. This year, however, he played early in the year - not nearly as effectively - but did not play at all in April or May.

As for Kased, it appears his size is real, but I'm not overly optimistic. Despite his size, it doesn't appear that he made any level of all-league, all-area, etc. His team played some strong teams - but lost to all of the good ones. Hopefully he's a late bloomer. Standing 6'6" (or 6'7" according to his school's website), I doubt he would be a good fit at nose tackle.

[ngineer]

You really assume a lot. Why would a kid who merits a scholarship, and presumably has other choices, delay the start of his college experience just so he can attend Lehigh...or Holy Cross...or...well, you get my point. The only kids who are going to be "prepped" are the ones who are academically not qualified for admission. Again, why would a kid delay, even if he's in this boat? If he's a for real scholarship recruit he could go to any number of schools with lower academic standards and begin his collegiate career immediately. This "prepping" will, in my opinion, be a onesy, twosy thing that is of little overall significance. A "prepped" kid will usually be a marginal recruit, one who had few options - in short one of the kids we are getting now without scholarships.

Actually, a few, maybe not alot, have 'prepped' for both LC and LU. "Wyoming Seminary" has been known to harbor some future Leopards over the years, as some military school in VA has had one or two further Engineers...Kim McQuilken of Allentown being the most famous 'prep' to come to Lehigh. I don't know whether the new scholarship policy would have an impact on that option, since admissions requirements are not being changed.

[ngineer]

Barrett is 6'6", 320 lbs and has only played one year of football at this point so he may have a fair amount of upside. His football squad advanced to the semis of Florida 3A (out of 8 groups) before losing to the eventual champs. Last year in baseball, his main sport until senior year, he hit 7 HR's in 21 games and slugged .662 with an OBP of .403 playing against fairly good Tampa area opposition. This year, however, he played early in the year - not nearly as effectively - but did not play at all in April or May.

As for Kased, it appears his size is real, but I'm not overly optimistic. Despite his size, it doesn't appear that he made any level of all-league, all-area, etc. His team played some strong teams - but lost to all of the good ones. Hopefully he's a late bloomer. Standing 6'6" (or 6'7" according to his school's website), I doubt he would be a good fit at nose tackle.

Interesting observations. Someone that big who does not make any 'all anything' teams says one of several things: 1) Not a 'tough' player, i.e. one with a 'nasty' streak who loves pancaking people, or 2)horribly slow which means he was used mostly for 'screening'. I'll take a 275lb mean s.o.b. with some speed over an immovable mountain. If however he's a "late bloomer" and gets the right tutelage, the guy could become a monster, i.e. a "project". Time will tell.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Trying to remember if Will Rackley was on any A-A teams out of high school. Can't find the original release(s) but my recollection is that there was little indication that he would be the dominating OL that he would become - aside from his size, that is. Though he wasn't 300 lbs, either, out of high school.

I'm with Bogie on this one: three-year starter and team captain means this kid is a really good find for the Bison.

[RichH2]

tEAM CAPTAINS SEEMS TO BE A DEFINING ELEMENT IN bISON CLASS. GREAT BASE FOR FUTURE

[carney2]

Three other scenarios:

1. The school has overrecruited or cannot offer him a place in the class with a grant. A grayshirt essentially makes him a counter for the next recruiting class.

2. The grayshirt becomes a de facto wait list should another scholarship player decommit before August.

3. The player is recovering from injury (ACL tear, etc.) and wasn't going to play as a freshman anyway. In this scenario, he maintains a year of eligibility and doesn't go back in the recruiting mix for other schools.

All good points, but I come back to my original argument: Why would a scholarship caliber recruit - one with recognizable athletic accomplishments, other recruiting options, and, most likely, higher football aspirations than his high school teammates - agree to this merely to end up at a Patriot League school? To get a "quality" education? If he is truly a scholarship recruit, he could probably work out a similar deal with an Ivy institution and end up with a better name on his diploma. I say again, this will probably happen now and again, but I do not envision it as the "recruiting tool" that RichH imagines.

[RichH2]

Gee maybe a an elite education fo free.

LFN Will was a star in HS but he was small 6'1 260 starting senior year. Left Lehigh at 6'3 307

[bison137]

Trying to remember if Will Rackley was on any A-A teams out of high school.


He was first team All-Area from a strong football area.

[ngineer]

Trying to remember if Will Rackley was on any A-A teams out of high school. Can't find the original release(s) but my recollection is that there was little indication that he would be the dominating OL that he would become - aside from his size, that is. Though he wasn't 300 lbs, either, out of high school.

I'm with Bogie on this one: three-year starter and team captain means this kid is a really good find for the Bison.

Rackley came in around 275 and was highly thought of coming out of the Atlanta, GA area. I remember joking that he had the same name as a former Laughyette basketball coach!

[jdb037]

“@ShenoyVik: This Bucknell conditioning has me puking #outofshape #fat”

Bucknell Recruit Vikram Shenoy. At least he's working....