A little over a week until signing day...

[Duff Man]

Right now, this class is still hard to read. We will not know about the bigger prospects until signing day. From my vantage point, this class still looks like a typical transition class. I am not blasting the new coaching staff (they came in under some really bad circumstances), just saying they can potentially elevate this class by landing some of the bigger fish.

So how do you see this class finishing out?

 

[buffsyko]

Right now, this class is still hard to read. We will not know about the bigger prospects until signing day. From my vantage point, this class still looks like a typical transition class. I am not blasting the new coaching staff (they came in under some really bad circumstances), just saying they can potentially elevate this class by landing some of the bigger fish.

So how do you see this class finishing out?

I think parker will be a buff, after that have no idea. Not getting a good read on willingham,lucien,asiata. Hopefully we sway them and get nembot and martin. Maybe a few suprises? I'd also like to see wr thomas visit as well as the de jackson.

As you said, they can elevate this class big time if they can land some of these remaining recruits.

 

[Buffnik]

Our National Signing Day class will be a typical transition class. And that's an accomplishment. Most times when there's a transition class, the new staff is trying to hold onto guys and add a handful more. Embree and staff only had Lewis, Kelley and Daigh on board that they ultimately wanted to keep. As far as additional guys who had existing interest in CU, there were only about 4 or 5 that the staff wanted to recruit. They weren't just in a hole on December 7th, they were buried in one.

All things considered, I'm mostly happy so far. Also, I don't think we'll be able to give an early on grade this year's recruiting until fall camp starts. I believe we'll see some attrition from our team in the spring and summer along with getting the benefit of some transfers, attrition from the over-signing other programs have done, and late qualifiers being brought in.

Guys like Lucien, Willingham, Parker, Asiata... and some others we'll learn about this week... are what can take our NSD class to the next level. Gonna be a fun week and a half.

 

[slider]

So we have approximately 5 spots left. I see us getting Lucien and Parker. The rest I have no idea

 

[dyemeduke]

I think we get Parker, Asiata, Willingham and possibly Lucien.

I for one think this class is fine. This won't be acceptable next year, but for this year, it's fine. remember Hawk's first class? There were some gems like Jimmy, but when the class was announced, there was very little to be really excited about.

 

[Buffskier]

I can see Parker, not sold on Lucien coming here. It would be nice to snag Nembot away from UW and Martin away from USC.. Michigan fans seem pretty sold that they're going to get Willingham.. (i'm not too worried if he doesn't come here, he already broke our hearts once...) I think that Asiata is 50/50 right now... The Buffs have a big contingent of islanders as well as Tui and Cabral here, but so does UW.. so hopefully it was rainy while he was up there, so he can see what it's like 80% of the time!

 

[Buffnik]

A small note on Michigan. It looks like they're going to get their 2nd OLB this week. Frank Clark also visited last weekend. He is expected to cancel his Minnesota trip and commit to Michigan some time this week. http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/blog?name=kurelic_bill&id=6053400

fwiw, the big OL Bryant we've been tracking is also supposed to end his recruitment this week with a re-commitment to Michigan.

 

[Del]

So far I would give the new staff a B+ for this class considering the circumstances - If we could have gotten at least 1 4 or 5 star to flip from a previous commit I would give it an A. I would even go as far to say that this class looks just as good if not better than last years class that Hawk and co had well over a year to try to recruit. I think there might be a few diamonds in the rough in this class and with some good coaching up, we will be happy.

With that said, I'm looking forward to next year's class and excited to see what our new coaches can do with a full year to develop relationships with kids we are interested in.

 

[buffs04]

Some of our more knowledgeable posters have previously suggested that we are/were solidly positioned to land some top-flight guys. I take it this is no longer the case?

 

[Daaah]

Some of our more knowledgeable posters have previously suggested that we are/were solidly positioned to land some top-flight guys. I take it this is no longer the case?

When I hear top flight, I picture 4 and 5* guys not 3* and unranked. That's what I'm not getting about the praise this class is getting. Are we in on any of these types of guys?

 

[buffsyko]

When I hear top flight, I picture 4 and 5* guys not 3* and unranked. That's what I'm not getting about the praise this class is getting. Are we in on any of these types of guys?

Lucien,willingham are top flight guys, asiata,parker and any commit from a dt would be good gets.

I'd like to tell you why some are 'praising" this class but one of the mods would have extra work in putting it in barzil...

 

[leftybuff]

I'm no recruiting guru, but it seems to me, this class' recruitment was so far behind the eight ball with dimwit Dan mailing it in, it is a wonder CU is getting any love at all.

To Embo and staffs credit, Mustoe, Daigh are good instate gets. Flipping Greer and Tuumalo was pretty nice too. Spruce also is a good get. In the end you never really know, according to some, as soon as a kid commits to CU, he is suddenly an all world player. We'll have to wait and see how this class pans out, not only on NSD, but a few years down the road.

Grabbing two QB's was smart, but I really haven't a clue whether either one of them are the answer, we'll just have to see how they play out, at least they can see downfield without a step ladder.

 

[MtnBuff]

Our numbers will be small but we knew that coming in. I see two real positives out of this group. One is that the level of athleticism is already a step up from what we were getting with Hawk. He went after a lot of overachiever types but over time his team got smaller, slower, and weaker. The guys we have so far are a start at turning this around. Some of these guys are less noticed guys because they are a year or two behind in development or just didn't get or seek the publicity but have the athletic ability to compete. The old saying that you can't coach size or speed holds true.

The second positive is that they are establishing themselves with some quality HS programs in the areas that we will have to recruit in future years to be successful. Obviously we want the top guys to pick CU but at worst it doesn't hurt us to have top guys mentioning us in their decisions as finalist. Next year is going to be an important year for us and getting CU thought of as legitimate option.

Compared to what we were getting the last couple of years I think we are already ahead but if this program is going to compete we need some of these guys to turn into legitimate two-deep contributors and a couple to be difference makers. I think that potential is there, go beyond that and we are way ahead

 

[leftybuff]

Our numbers will be small but we knew that coming in. I see two real positives out of this group. One is that the level of athleticism is already a step up from what we were getting with Hawk. He went after a lot of overachiever types but over time his team got smaller, slower, and weaker. The guys we have so far are a start at turning this around. Some of these guys are less noticed guys because they are a year or two behind in development or just didn't get or seek the publicity but have the athletic ability to compete. The old saying that you can't coach size or speed holds true.

The second positive is that they are establishing themselves with some quality HS programs in the areas that we will have to recruit in future years to be successful. Obviously we want the top guys to pick CU but at worst it doesn't hurt us to have top guys mentioning us in their decisions as finalist. Next year is going to be an important year for us and getting CU thought of as legitimate option.

Compared to what we were getting the last couple of years I think we are already ahead but if this program is going to compete we need some of these guys to turn into legitimate two-deep contributors and a couple to be difference makers. I think that potential is there, go beyond that and we are way ahead

+1 well said, Mtn.

 

[Duff Man]

Some of our more knowledgeable posters have previously suggested that we are/were solidly positioned to land some top-flight guys. I take it this is no longer the case?

When I hear top flight, I picture 4 and 5* guys not 3* and unranked. That's what I'm not getting about the praise this class is getting. Are we in on any of these types of guys?

Lucien, Willingham, and Asiata are the big names. Lucien is a 4*/top 250 player, Willingham is a 4* player, and Asiata ranking varies quite a bit but he is a 4* on Scout.. I think we get Lucien, but Willingham is a toss-up as is Asiata.

 

[Buffs@5345']

Regardless of whether CU is able to add any flashy names in the next few days, I am at least excited for NSD with the hope that guys signed this year will be here in Boulder for years to come, rather than heading off to greener pastures after a season or two, like in recent years past.

Really appreciate the work done here to keep fans in the know as NSD approaches.

 

[White_Rabbit]

I have a pretty good feeling on Lucien and Willingham. Asiata seems high on UW, but his buddy is probably coming here, so I would think that helps us quite a bit. Not sure who else we will get.

 

[buffaholic]

I think it's very solid so far, given where we were 4 weeks ago, and might be above that in the next week depending on some more guys who may commit. I think these guys have shown they can recruit. They will have to win though before 2013 to keep that going.

Not sure what Klatt has been spouting about. Could only be two guys that I'm aware of....

'Nik - you say the staff kept the guys they wanted from the last staff. Do we really have anything credible on the Brock Berglund situation? I tend to think you are right here. Just wondering if this has come from anyone you feel may really know.

 

[Swish]

I'd go with the experts for the most part. I think they rank the class in the eighties nationally. Most of the kids that have committed thus far are the kind of kids that will have something to prove which I like because the effort to do that will be there. Some of the top kids walk in and think the fans and the school owe them the moon just for showing up.

While I have hopes for at least a couple of pleasant surprises I have no real feel for who it might be. To me a silent commit is just a kid who still wants to keep his options open just in case the right one comes calling at the last minute. More than anything I'd like to see them land some big, fast, strong and nasty players on the defensive side to finish things out.

 

[JWP303]

Hey guys, this is my first post here, I've lurked off and on lately and figured I'd get registered... I'm "Buff_bronc_fan" at the Daily Camera or "Buff" over on broncosforums.com if any of you have had the misfortune of reading my opinions in the past. I used to pay for a Scout membership, but I didn't really see the value in it after a while.

Looking forward to our first signing day under Embree, but I've got to say, the more I dig into recruiting the more I find it disheartening and not-at-all-rewarding from one Buff fan's perspective. I've got to admit, the Hawkins era has me a little jaded. The first year I decided to get really heavy into following recruiting news was a few years (2008) back when we were after Darrell Scott... Nothing from that class panned out...

We lost out on Emory Blake to Auburn. Diante Jackson changed his mind on NSD and committed to Oregon. Scott was a bust. Some of the guys I was excited about like the DT Nuckles (Sp?) never got qualified. Ussery turned into a never-was. Simmons is gone. Lynn Katoa never played a down. We got Ray Polk the mediocre safety instead of Ray Polk the 4* RB. I mean, I just can't imagine a more disappointing class...

So, long story short, I've come back into the recruiting news cycle with guarded optimism that Embree will give me something to get excited about. Granted, we can't expect much out of him this year because he got such a late start this year and had very few existing recruits to work with... But it can't possibly be worse than 2008 IMO. I'd rather have fewer kids who are underhyped that outperform my expectations as opposed to the gigantic hype machine that was Dan Hawkins and everything he touched.

 

[You Assholes]

Hey guys, this is my first post here, I've lurked off and on lately and figured I'd get registered... I'm "Buff_bronc_fan" at the Daily Camera or "Buff" over on broncosforums.com if any of you have had the misfortune of reading my opinions in the past. I used to pay for a Scout membership, but I didn't really see the value in it after a while.

Looking forward to our first signing day under Embree, but I've got to say, the more I dig into recruiting the more I find it disheartening and not-at-all-rewarding from one Buff fan's perspective. I've got to admit, the Hawkins era has me a little jaded. The first year I decided to get really heavy into following recruiting news was a few years (2008) back when we were after Darrell Scott... Nothing from that class panned out...

We lost out on Emory Blake to Auburn. Diante Jackson changed his mind on NSD and committed to Oregon. Scott was a bust. Some of the guys I was excited about like the DT Nuckles (Sp?) never got qualified. Ussery turned into a never-was. Simmons is gone. Lynn Katoa never played a down. We got Ray Polk the mediocre safety instead of Ray Polk the 4* RB. I mean, I just can't imagine a more disappointing class...

So, long story short, I've come back into the recruiting news cycle with guarded optimism that Embree will give me something to get excited about. Granted, we can't expect much out of him this year because he got such a late start this year and had very few existing recruits to work with... But it can't possibly be worse than 2008 IMO. I'd rather have fewer kids who are underhyped that outperform my expectations as opposed to the gigantic hype machine that was Dan Hawkins and everything he touched.

Spanky? Kidding, someone else has the "#1 Buff Fan" thing. Welcome.

The fact that you are here, dipping your toe in the water with cautious optimism, tells a tale in itself:

You are back!

Maybe the buffs are too. We'll see...

 

[Buffnik]

Welcome, JWP.

The fact you registered and posted tells me that hope is creeping in for Buff fans again. As someone said on another board, after what we've been through the past decade it has gotten to the point where trying to give a Buff fan good news is like trying to use positive reinforcement on an abused dog. Trust just isn't there.

Hopefully Embree (along with other coaches like Boyle & to a lesser extent Lappe and Kritza) can repair this and get us our swagger back.

 

[lawdogg]

As others have mentioned already, it was going to be highly difficult to land 5*, top 150-type guys with the timetable the coaches have been working with. However, they seem to have been doing a decent job of recruiting speed and athleticism across the field, and bringing in guys have a serious case of the nasties and are very aggressive. I do think the nature of the recruits tells you a lot about the character of the team that Embree is trying to put together. The top 150 guys will hopefully come next year.

 

[somebody]

Lots of talk about next year's class - that will depend a lot on what happens on the field. While I'm following this recruiting cycle, I'm much more interested in seeing the product Embree puts on the field.

 

[DBT]

This year is mostly about setting up for next year, as has been mentioned above. One disappointment is that I haven't really heard much on the Texas front.

 

[buffaholic]

Lots of talk about next year's class - that will depend a lot on what happens on the field. While I'm following this recruiting cycle, I'm much more interested in seeing the product Embree puts on the field.

History shows that:

you get a little buzz with a coaching change, but it's difficult to cash much in a short window of time (this year).

you get a good run in the first full year, with play on the field boosting your prospects, but losing doesn't hurt you as much as you think. It appears that recruits will give you a one-year "rebuilding" mulligan.

By the 2nd full year, play on the field starts to overshadows all else. By year 3, it becomes all-important.

Recent examples I've looked at include UCLA, UofW, Hawk, UofA, Nebraska and a few others. They were all in "rebuilding" mode.

 

[BuffNut99]

We lost out on Emory Blake to Auburn. Diante Jackson changed his mind on NSD and committed to Oregon. Scott was a bust. Some of the guys I was excited about like the DT Nuckles (Sp?) never got qualified. Ussery turned into a never-was. Simmons is gone. Lynn Katoa never played a down. We got Ray Polk the mediocre safety instead of Ray Polk the 4* RB. I mean, I just can't imagine a more disappointing class...

All good points but Simmons is still a Buff

 

[SINKRATZ]

I don't know if Embree is going to get the "one-year rebuilding mulligan" from recruits. Hawk got the benefit of taking over a team the won the Big 12 North the year before, so he could sell the transition year struggles. Embree takes over a team that has sucked for 5 years - fair or not he needs to show significant improvement on the field THIS YEAR to sell the vision to the 2012 recruits.

 

[wsp4820]

All good points but Simmons is still a Buff

Check the roster.

 

[leftybuff]

Hey guys, this is my first post here, I've lurked off and on lately and figured I'd get registered... I'm "Buff_bronc_fan" at the Daily Camera or "Buff" over on broncosforums.com if any of you have had the misfortune of reading my opinions in the past. I used to pay for a Scout membership, but I didn't really see the value in it after a while.

Looking forward to our first signing day under Embree, but I've got to say, the more I dig into recruiting the more I find it disheartening and not-at-all-rewarding from one Buff fan's perspective. I've got to admit, the Hawkins era has me a little jaded. The first year I decided to get really heavy into following recruiting news was a few years (2008) back when we were after Darrell Scott... Nothing from that class panned out...

We lost out on Emory Blake to Auburn. Diante Jackson changed his mind on NSD and committed to Oregon. Scott was a bust. Some of the guys I was excited about like the DT Nuckles (Sp?) never got qualified. Ussery turned into a never-was. Simmons is gone. Lynn Katoa never played a down. We got Ray Polk the mediocre safety instead of Ray Polk the 4* RB. I mean, I just can't imagine a more disappointing class...

So, long story short, I've come back into the recruiting news cycle with guarded optimism that Embree will give me something to get excited about. Granted, we can't expect much out of him this year because he got such a late start this year and had very few existing recruits to work with... But it can't possibly be worse than 2008 IMO. I'd rather have fewer kids who are underhyped that outperform my expectations as opposed to the gigantic crap machine that was Dan Hawkins and everything he touched.

Excellent first effort. Only one editorial suggestion bolded above. Welcome aboard.