2020 Recruiting Thread

[Despite the odds Frog]

Somehow TCU has trouble taking advantage of telling the story of their talent going high in the NFL draft or starting on NFL teams. TCU should never be low on depth with regard to offensive line and DEs. Those are two areas TCU has kicked butt in getting athletes to go high in the draft and play at a high level in the NFL. I'm always amazed on lack of depth at those positions when TCU has proven to be better than others at developing.

 

[Eight]

We're talking about the size of guys we are recruiting. Keep up

actually i am as wex's point was the frogs linebackers and safeties were bigger prior to big 12 days and he is right.

brock was well over 230 and might have been over 240 when the frogs played in the rose bowl and carder was the smaller linebacker at ~230.

which pair of linebackers has tcu put on the field since they joined the big 12 that have been that size?

possibly dawson and mallett, but since you are ahead of me on this matter you already knew that

 

[TRF51]

39-34 Big 12 record. 18-19 record in last 4 years.

I just personally don’t think the speed, speed and more speed approach is all that effective in major college football. Our linebackers and safeties were always bigger back when GP was winning all those games that resulted in a statue. Am I wrong?

I think you are correct.

 

[MinFrog]

I agree, GP needs to step up his game on defense recruiting, he has only has these finishes in total defense in the big xii:

2019: 1
2018: 1
2017: 1
2016: 3
2015: 4
2014: 1
2013: 2
2012: 1

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/big-12/2012-team-defense.html

Clearly, our struggles are on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[LeagueCityFrog]

I agree, GP needs to step up his game on defense recruiting, he has only has these finishes in total defense in the big xii:

2019: 1
2018: 1
2017: 1
2016: 3
2015: 4
2014: 1
2013: 2
2012: 1

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/big-12/2012-team-defense.html

Clearly, our struggles are on the defensive side of the ball.

Good post. I'm a keep it simple stupid kind of guy. And what I've noticed is give Gary a seasoned quarterback with that defense with our 5 conferences games at home, good things happen.

Meacham needs to be calling the plays or at a minimum has the ability to audible out of a Cumbie mistake.

Gary in Coach P mode putting juice into the players on our sidelines during a game is not the problem. It's that juice that gets these defensive rankings. We need the offense to stay on the field longer in 2020 and score some points.

 

[froginmn]

I agree, GP needs to step up his game on defense recruiting, he has only has these finishes in total defense in the big xii:

2019: 1
2018: 1
2017: 1
2016: 3
2015: 4
2014: 1
2013: 2
2012: 1

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/big-12/2012-team-defense.html

Clearly, our struggles are on the defensive side of the ball.

But Wallow is 12 pounds lighter than Daryl Washington!

 

[Palliative Care]

Does the less weight effect the way Wallow has been playing very much. I haven't notice it but am I wrong?

 

[froginmn]

Does the less weight effect the way Wallow has been playing very much. I haven't notice it but am I wrong?

/sarcasm

 

[Eight]

But Wallow is 12 pounds lighter than Daryl Washington!

you think wallow is a good a linebacker as washington?

 

[Moose Stuff]

 

[TAINTed frog]

I agree, GP needs to step up his game on defense recruiting, he has only has these finishes in total defense in the big xii:

2019: 1
2018: 1
2017: 1
2016: 3
2015: 4
2014: 1
2013: 2
2012: 1

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/big-12/2012-team-defense.html

Clearly, our struggles are on the defensive side of the ball.

It's taken me a while to put my finger on why I've been so disheartened by the way in which the past couple/few years have gone. Obviously GP is one of the top 1/2/3 experts on the defensive side of the ball in college football.

Unfortunately he rarely surrounds himself with coaches that can elevate/develop the offense, and special teams. I feel like a true HC would surround himself with coaching talent that can make up for his deficiencies.

I found this interview with Jurgen Klopp, the manager at Liverpool, quite enlightening as to his approach in managing a team.

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/351529-jurgen-klopp-leadership-interview-liverpool

“As a leader you cannot be the last who comes in and the first who goes out; you don’t always have to be the first coming in or the last going out, but you have to be an example.

“We have enough confidence and that’s very important for a leader. If I would expect from myself that I know everything and I’m the best in everything, I couldn’t have confidence. But I don’t expect that. I know I’m good in a couple of things, really good in a few things, and that’s enough. My confidence is big enough that I can really let people grow next to me, it’s no problem.

“I need experts around me. It’s really very important that you are empathetic, that you try to understand the people around you, and that you give real support to the people around you. Then everybody can act.

“That’s what leadership is: have strong people around you with a better knowledge in different departments than yourself, don’t act like you know everything, be ready to admit, ‘I have no clue in the moment, give me a couple of minutes and then I will have a clue probably.’

 

[froginmn]

you think wallow is a good a linebacker as washington?

No but I think that our top ranked defense is doing fine with linebackers that are about the same size as they always have been.

 

[Eight]

No but I think that our top ranked defense is doing fine with linebackers that are about the same size as they always have been.

interesting people point to the top ranking.

at one time that was in reference to a national ranking while now it is a conference ranking. the biggest changes have been that the frogs don't have the physical advantage over their conference foes the way they did in the mwc and more of their big 12 peers can stress the frogs defensively in ways that just didn't happen in the mwc.

the result is that the frog linebackers are being asked to do things defensively they weren't before and that isn't right or wrong, just a matter of evolving with the challenges the frogs face in the conference.

consider the 2009 defense that was ranked #1 in the mwc. the most yards they gave up that year was the 317 yards boise gained in the bowl game. in conference play? 298 yards to byu.

compare that to the 2014 frogs who were #1 in the big 12 in total and scoring defense.

frogs gave up 461 yards and 33 points to ou which in the mwc just didn't happen and that isn't even close to the 61 points, 782 total yards, and 272 yards rushing that frog defense gave up to baylor.

the defense has evolved and the linebackers have not been the same size howard played at around 210, same with wallow and they have had to in order to run in coverage.

hawthorne, washington, carder, and brock all played over 230 and it has mattered at times.

tcu has struggled at times in the run game against some of the better offenses, but it has been a pick your poison choice as the frogs don't physically overwhelm offenses like they did in the mwc.

 

[ThisIsOurTime]

Somehow TCU has trouble taking advantage of telling the story of their talent going high in the NFL draft or starting on NFL teams. TCU should never be low on depth with regard to offensive line and DEs. Those are two areas TCU has kicked butt in getting athletes to go high in the draft and play at a high level in the NFL. I'm always amazed on lack of depth at those positions when TCU has proven to be better than others at developing.

We did have a bit of bad luck with Bowen and Chambers becoming non factors despite coming in with big expectations. We had the Devonte Fields meltdown too. All these things create gaps in your depth chart. On paper, we should have got more from our star recruits. Instead, it turned out it was other guys that flourished Collier, Banogu, Carraway, etc. It may just be the TCU way that we will always be led by the 3 star generals at this position.

In terms of OL, for whatever reason, Baylor always seemed to recruit a little better in this area than us where they often seemed to have better depth. Who can say why they chose Baylor over TCU? If we won a few more of those battles, I think the perspective would be different. Maybe with the departure of the Baylor coach, we can make some inroads here.

 

[Eight]

We did have a bit of bad luck with Bowen and Chambers becoming non factors despite coming in with big expectations. We had the Devonte Fields meltdown too. All these things create gaps in your depth chart. On paper, we should have got more from our star recruits. Instead, it turned out it was other guys that flourished Collier, Banogu, Carraway, etc. It may just be the TCU way that we will always be led by the 3 star generals at this position.

In terms of OL, for whatever reason, Baylor always seemed to recruit a little better in this area than us where they often seemed to have better depth. Who can say why they chose Baylor over TCU? If we won a few more of those battles, I think the perspective would be different. Maybe with the departure of the Baylor coach, we can make some inroads here.

frogs have benefited recently in the recruiting in the offensive line as you heard it from multiple recruits the past three classes.

i agree that defensive end has been a bit weird and for whatever reason they just haven't gotten much traction.

big part of that though might be as peacefrog pointed out the competition for defensive end prospects is fierce. far, far easier to find slot receivers and corners than defensive linemen

 

[Froggish]

peacefrog nailed it when he said it isn't a matter of tcu choosing to go lighter at defensive end, but there is a finite number of prospects available each year who either have that size from the start or the frame to carry the weight eventually and skill set to play outside.

since the frogs have joined the big 12 the two "bigger" defensive ends have been lathan and collier and both were very, very effective in gary's scheme.

the frogs have tried to recruit de's who had the potential to grow into bigger defensive ends in prospects such as toll and umanmielen this year, mowry and warren in 2019, and ta'quon graham in 2017.

i think colt will be close to if not over 250 next fall and i think the formula has always been if you have to choose between quickness versus size opt for the quickness.

I generally agree with you eight but not on this one. GP actually chooses speed agility over weight when it comes to DE. In fact there are kids right now in the portal we are actively NOT recruiting that would help us greatly because its been reported that they don't fit in our system due to being to big. It is also the reason why we wanted Lynch as a OL instead of the DE he wanted to play. In the 4 man front he wants size in the middle and speed on the ends.

 

[Eight]

I generally agree with you eight but not on this one. GP actually chooses speed agility over weight when it comes to DE. In fact there are kids right now in the portal we are actively NOT recruiting that would help us greatly because its been reported that they don't fit in our system due to being to big. It is also the reason why we wanted Lynch as a OL instead of the DE he wanted to play. In the 4 man front he wants size in the middle and speed on the ends.

i don't disagree and note that i did say af the end that if gary had to choose between speed and size he will opt for speed.

if the frogs can find a defensive end who has size and the skill set they have shown they will play them and i think colt grows into one of those kids.

as far as the transfer situation, i have no idea who they are looking at for the position.

that is part of the issue when you miss on graham or the de who signed with tennessee and have others transfer out or get injured.

 

[Punter1]

you think wallow is a good a linebacker as washington?

Actually WAAAY better...I don't think its close. D Wash is obviously the better athlete and has/had a higher NFL ceiling but from a production standpoint in college....Wallow is hands and shoulders better than him.

 

[Eight]

Actually WAAAY better...I don't think its close. D Wash is obviously the better athlete and has/had a higher NFL ceiling but from a production standpoint in college....Wallow is hands and shoulders better than him.

don't agree with wallow being significantly more productive than washington.

wallow this year had 77 solos, 18 tfls, and 1 int.

washington in 2009 had 68 solos, 11 tfls, and 3 int.

hard to compare opponents and another variable is the most solos by another frog linebacker this year was winter with 19 and then harris with 14.

tank in 2009 had 68 solos on his own with anotehr 11 tfl's.

wallow was literally the guy in 2019 because the frogs didn't have anyone else who had played linebacker at the college level until wilson was healthy late in the year.

washington played behind two guys who played in the nfl in 2008 and next to a guy who played in the nfl in 2009.

that type of talent tends to make it tough to amass big numbers.

 

[CountryFrog]

39-34 Big 12 record. 18-19 record in last 4 years.

I just personally don’t think the speed, speed and more speed approach is all that effective in major college football. Our linebackers and safeties were always bigger back when GP was winning all those games that resulted in a statue. Am I wrong?

You're constantly on here saying that people grade the defense on a curve and that almost all the losing recently falls at the feet of an anemic offense. Now you use our overall record to justify a point about how we can't win while playing DEFENSE a certain way.

I don't think you can live in both of those worlds. We've had, what, 5 DE's who have been 1st team all Big 12. This season was obviously awful but before that you could easily make an argument that no school in the Big 12 has had better players at that position than TCU over the years.