Looking at my depth chart, there are some obvious recruiting needs to fill before we can close the books on this class. I know some guys will get moved around this spring and other guys will leave the program--and that will change my thoughts a little. But my most obvious recruiting needs are as follows:
Defense--based on the numbers we have right now, we could probably devote most of our remaining scholarships to defensive players.
DL--particularly DT types. Most of the interior DL in our program will be juniors or seniors next year and one or two of them haven't accomplished much to date. Not many DL underclassmen are currently in our program. We need some big guys. Not many HS prospects still available to us but there are several JCs. We need one JC for sure and I'd be OK with two. One of these days we will need to address our recruiting needs with HS players but it doesn't look too promising this year unless there are some under-the-radar types available (which probably means they're developmental projects). I think we are OK at DE/Devil with our signing of Subtyl and commitment of Johnson but one more wouldn't hurt.
LBs (excluding Devil)--I'm sure we'll try some guys at different LB slots this spring and next fall but, at the moment, I'd be OK with adding two or three LB types. One JC and a HS LB or two. I suppose Mondy is one of the HS types...and I don't exactly know what to say about him at the moment. Soelle might be the other but he could play Devil or somewhere else.
CBs--If 7 to 8 scholarship CBs is the right number, we probably can use two or three in total. We have Perry committed. Maybe one JC and one more HS CB.
Safety--The overall numbers don't look bad but I think we have two-three guys in the program who will either be tried at LB or possibly leave the program. We're probably a little short on "real" safety numbers. Thomas is signed but hoping for a couple more HS signings.
Offense--the number of scholarships already committed to the offensive side looks about right but the distribution is out of whack. Six QBs and six TE/HBs is a lot. I do look for some position changes/attrition this spring or afterwards to reduce those numbers.
OL--I'd like to add a JC OT. Was surprised we didn't get the guy who signed with Louisville but there are a couple more JCs available. The problem is that the JC won't arrive until this summer. I'd also like to add HS OT Austin Jackson. He'd be a very welcome addition to the program if we can convince him not to sign with SC. Otherwise, adding a very good HS OT might be difficult. We're OK with interior OL.
RB--we have one HS commitment and are trying for another. If a JC like Grice or Torain were available, I'd certainly consider him. I don't expect that to happen but, if Ballage gets a positive report from the NFL and leaves the program, I think we could use some help at RB.
WR--I'm generally OK with the numbers we have and we should be OK from a talent perspective. I might add somebody if attrition is expected. Maybe our top need is adding a WR coach.
Special teams--if we can get Ruiz, we will sign him. Otherwise, I look for a walk-on PK to be awarded a scholarship and that would end ST recruiting.
Looking at the guys who are still strongly considering ASU and assuming that several of them will turn into commitments, I'd say that this staff has done a good job. Given all the coaching turnover that occurred last year, factoring in the way this season played out, and losing Jay Norvell to Nevada, we might be exceeding expectations. Whether that can translate into getting back to the upper half of the conference remains to be seen.
Defense--based on the numbers we have right now, we could probably devote most of our remaining scholarships to defensive players.
DL--particularly DT types. Most of the interior DL in our program will be juniors or seniors next year and one or two of them haven't accomplished much to date. Not many DL underclassmen are currently in our program. We need some big guys. Not many HS prospects still available to us but there are several JCs. We need one JC for sure and I'd be OK with two. One of these days we will need to address our recruiting needs with HS players but it doesn't look too promising this year unless there are some under-the-radar types available (which probably means they're developmental projects). I think we are OK at DE/Devil with our signing of Subtyl and commitment of Johnson but one more wouldn't hurt.
LBs (excluding Devil)--I'm sure we'll try some guys at different LB slots this spring and next fall but, at the moment, I'd be OK with adding two or three LB types. One JC and a HS LB or two. I suppose Mondy is one of the HS types...and I don't exactly know what to say about him at the moment. Soelle might be the other but he could play Devil or somewhere else.
CBs--If 7 to 8 scholarship CBs is the right number, we probably can use two or three in total. We have Perry committed. Maybe one JC and one more HS CB.
Safety--The overall numbers don't look bad but I think we have two-three guys in the program who will either be tried at LB or possibly leave the program. We're probably a little short on "real" safety numbers. Thomas is signed but hoping for a couple more HS signings.
Offense--the number of scholarships already committed to the offensive side looks about right but the distribution is out of whack. Six QBs and six TE/HBs is a lot. I do look for some position changes/attrition this spring or afterwards to reduce those numbers.
OL--I'd like to add a JC OT. Was surprised we didn't get the guy who signed with Louisville but there are a couple more JCs available. The problem is that the JC won't arrive until this summer. I'd also like to add HS OT Austin Jackson. He'd be a very welcome addition to the program if we can convince him not to sign with SC. Otherwise, adding a very good HS OT might be difficult. We're OK with interior OL.
RB--we have one HS commitment and are trying for another. If a JC like Grice or Torain were available, I'd certainly consider him. I don't expect that to happen but, if Ballage gets a positive report from the NFL and leaves the program, I think we could use some help at RB.
WR--I'm generally OK with the numbers we have and we should be OK from a talent perspective. I might add somebody if attrition is expected. Maybe our top need is adding a WR coach.
Special teams--if we can get Ruiz, we will sign him. Otherwise, I look for a walk-on PK to be awarded a scholarship and that would end ST recruiting.
Looking at the guys who are still strongly considering ASU and assuming that several of them will turn into commitments, I'd say that this staff has done a good job. Given all the coaching turnover that occurred last year, factoring in the way this season played out, and losing Jay Norvell to Nevada, we might be exceeding expectations. Whether that can translate into getting back to the upper half of the conference remains to be seen.
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