Best Inside Linebacker in OVAC

[Officer Slater]

its a lot more fun when we know who everybody is.

we are all def all meeting up this year before the all star game.

that is a must

[Ironmike]

Then why did you say this? The bottom line is you screwed up what you said and were called on it.
Also comapring what the NFL does and whether kids from small schools are just as good is not a fair argument. But lets use it anyway. Who are the most recent NFL players from the OVAC? I may miss a few but they are Davis, Galloway, Taylor, Drummond, Willie Clay. Probably some more but of those, they all went to small schools. When is the last time a kid from the 3 or 4 biggest schools in the OVAC played in the NFL? That is not a smart*** question I just probably missed someone. I was giving those names off the top of my head.

Two other NFL players from small OVAC schools within the past 10 years: Quincy Wilson made the Bengals roster by way of an AA WV school (Weir) and Chad Brinker played for the NY Jets out of Martins Ferry, which I believe was D-IV at the time.

[Colts76]

Two other NFL players from small OVAC schools within the past 10 years: Quincy Wilson made the Bengals roster by way of an AA WV school (Weir) and Chad Brinker played for the NY Jets out of Martins Ferry, which I believe was D-IV at the time.

Thanks IronMike, more proof for my theory.LOL Everyone else thinks I am nuts!

[steelpride]

Two other NFL players from small OVAC schools within the past 10 years: Quincy Wilson made the Bengals roster by way of an AA WV school (Weir) and Chad Brinker played for the NY Jets out of Martins Ferry, which I believe was D-IV at the time.

It's been so long ago I can't remember, but did Brinker make the final roster for the Jets? I thought he played in a couple of exhibitions and then was cut. BTW......MF is still D-IV (not just at the time), and has been D-IV since before Brinker.

[FatFred]

Here's a couple of guys that just popped into my head but they go a little further back -

OL John Budenberg played at Bellaire (mid-80s)and then Akron (I think - maybe Kent). I think he went to camp with the Steelers and appeared in a couple of exhibition games.

OL Tim Moxley played at Barnesville (mid-80s) and Ohio State (I think back then it was still Ohio State and not The Ohio State University ). I think he was a Washington Redskin for awhile. An teammate of his at Ohio State was OL Mike Kuri from Martins Ferry - he might have also been invited to an NFL camp.

Just fun to jog the memory!

[steelpride]

Weez told you his name is Mike Coss. He didn't tell you that he was a 4 yr baseball letterman at Notre Dame and played in the Orioles organization. After playing, he was a professional instructor. He won't say this but a number of others will - he's one of the most knowledgable baseball guys around.

While we're at it, my name is Eric Petho. I'm a St Johns grad and a former D1 athlete (WVU Varsity Baseball '87 - '88 -'89). After undergrad, I worked a couple of years in athletic administration at two Big East schools (WVU and UC). My sister, Stephanie, was a fairly highly recruited basketball player at St Johns who went on to play at Pitt.

I'm sorry if I started a firestorm on here but the point that I was trying to make was:

There are guys on here who are very familiar with what type of athlete it takes to be good in hs and to play in college. There are guys on here who are familiar with the recruiting process and what is involved. We're not all knowing for sure but know some. We all recognize there will be different opinions and that's part of the fun. However, when there is a difference in opinion, it gets a little aggravating that some posters defend their opinion by taking the position that others aren't as knowledgable, don't understand, don't have the same experience, etc. I think that is condescending.

While we are doing this, I don't think Steelpride and OSU92 have identified themselves. Have they?

I commend and congratulate both you and Weez for playing your sport at that level. If you were to give me information or critique one of my comments about something having to do with Baseball, I would listen with open ears, and not feel like you were being condescending. However, there can't be any question that being recruited in Baseball vs being recruited in Football is comparing apples and oranges. Do Baseball recruiters want to know your 40 time, or is it your time going 90 or 180 ft? Do they want to know what you run the pro agility in or what your batting average was? Do they concern themselves with your vertical leap or broad jump numbers, or your ERA or # of errors you committed? Apples and Oranges.......Baseball does not have the level of competition issues in it that Football, or Basketball for that matter, has. Baseball is as close to an individual sport played in a team concept as you get. It is hitter vs pitcher, once the ball is hit it is the individual ability of the player that determines if the play is made or not. A second baseman isn't fielding the ball with a player guarding him or hitting him. I'm sure that when evaluating a hitter, they do look at what level of pitching the player faced, but beyond that all the players numbers come from either fielding a ball, throwing a ball, or running the bases. You are doing that with an inanimate object. They don't say that a player has a strong arm from the outfield, then mitigate it with, "but he is throwing a smaller ball". BUT....Football recruiters DO make those type of mitigating statements when looking at say a RB (because that example has been used by both Wooster and OSU) when you look at his rushing totals because he is achieving those totals against OTHER PLAYERS, and the quality of those players he gets those numbers against matters. A RB counts on his lineman to open holes, a WR has to make catches with a DB defending him. The quality of the players around, and defending those players makes a difference, not so much in baseball, wrestling, track, or any other sport where individual ability is the most important factor.

I am glad that people who have actually DONE recruiting in Football try in a polite way to educate those of us who DO NOT do it in order to try to give us some insight and additional information that we didn't have before. I don't need to know their names, even though there are dozens of us on here who know who he is, it isn't hard to figure out if you look at the coaching staff roster at WL. Neither Wooster nor OSU have put down a kid or a team, they have given examples that are factual occurrences, not supposition or opinion. I am not going to call them out to the alley to fight if they don't agree with me, nor does stating names make you any more right or wrong on a topic. I haven't listed my name because I am somehow "afraid" to, it is to protect my relationships and friendships with many people who do not have to get flack for my viewpoints. Have I used words such as "idiot".....yes, but sometimes I have to call it like I see it.

[Colts76]

Steelpride, we obviously just disagree on this subject, but it was clearly stated 5 times in one single post by Wooster that size of school is what they look at. I have qouted that post once and will do it again if need be. Since he works at West Lib. and is in the recuirting business he is your authority I guess. Let's suppose this scenario comes up. WLU is looking for a few more recruits and it is coming down to a couple of local kids. One is from JM, one from Park, and one from Stuebenville. IF stats and rest of things are the same which one should he take? I would bet the one from Big Red will get the nod, even though that school is 3 times smaller than the other 2.
The bottom line is this. In this valley we live in the schools that put more kids at the next level and are lucky enough to put kids into the highest level are the smaller schools. Bellaire, Ferry, Steubenville, Linsly etc. It is not the size of the school but the quality of the program.

[BrianGossett]

It's been so long ago I can't remember, but did Brinker make the final roster for the Jets? I thought he played in a couple of exhibitions and then was cut. BTW......MF is still D-IV (not just at the time), and has been D-IV since before Brinker.

You're correct, Brinker didn't officially make the team for the regular season, but I watched him score a touchdown on National TV during the pre-season, and it later aired on ESPN Sportscenter... That's good enough for me! He played in the NFL.

[steelpride]

You're correct, Brinker didn't officially make the team for the regular season, but I watched him score a touchdown on National TV during the pre-season, and it later aired on ESPN Sportscenter... That's good enough for me! He played in the NFL.

Not questioning whether he played in the NFL or not....I agree that playing in a NFL pre-season game is still playing in the NFL, just asking whether he made the official roster or not. By not making the official roster, the NFL does not consider that he played in the NFL.

Steelpride, we obviously just disagree on this subject, but it was clearly stated 5 times in one single post by Wooster that size of school is what they look at. I have qouted that post once and will do it again if need be. Since he works at West Lib. and is in the recuirting business he is your authority I guess. Let's suppose this scenario comes up. WLU is looking for a few more recruits and it is coming down to a couple of local kids. One is from JM, one from Park, and one from Stuebenville. IF stats and rest of things are the same which one should he take? I would bet the one from Big Red will get the nod, even though that school is 3 times smaller than the other 2.
The bottom line is this. In this valley we live in the schools that put more kids at the next level and are lucky enough to put kids into the highest level are the smaller schools. Bellaire, Ferry, Steubenville, Linsly etc. It is not the size of the school but the quality of the program.

I would be willing to bet it would be the kid from Steubenville, they play better quality opponents week in and week out than both JM or WP by leaps and bounds. BTW, Div III in Ohio is not a small school by any stretch of the imagination. Remember that Ohio uses "eligible boys" to get their ratings vs entire student enrollment like WV does. I will also add that in the post you are referring to, it was also CLEARLY stated that the bigger schools are looked at because they generally play the better schedule. I don't think he nor OSU have ever deviated that level of competition is the key and that the bigger schools usually play the better competition. You just choose to overlook the level of competition comments which are always in conjunction with the size of school to try and make your point.
In terms of whether he is MY authority on it or not, it comes down to this........If I need an opinion on a leaky pipe, am I going to ask an auto mechanic who works on cars, or am I going to ask a plumber who does it day in and day out???? If I want an opinion I feel has credibility regarding recruiting in FOOTBALL, am I going to have more faith in the opinion of BASEBALL and WRESTLING people, or that of a football coach who does it day in and day out??? APPLES AND ORANGES

[Wooster87]

Steelpride, we obviously just disagree on this subject, but it was clearly stated 5 times in one single post by Wooster that size of school is what they look at. I have qouted that post once and will do it again if need be. Since he works at West Lib. and is in the recuirting business he is your authority I guess. Let's suppose this scenario comes up. WLU is looking for a few more recruits and it is coming down to a couple of local kids. One is from JM, one from Park, and one from Stuebenville. IF stats and rest of things are the same which one should he take? I would bet the one from Big Red will get the nod, even though that school is 3 times smaller than the other 2.
The bottom line is this. In this valley we live in the schools that put more kids at the next level and are lucky enough to put kids into the highest level are the smaller schools. Bellaire, Ferry, Steubenville, Linsly etc. It is not the size of the school but the quality of the program.

As I have stated over and over, the one who gained the stats against the highest level of competition is the one that is going to be looked at first. The statement has always been that the bigger schools generally play the higher level of competition, so that is why they will generally be looked at first. Exceptions to that would be WCC who has in the past played a much bigger schedule than other schools their size. In your example, Steubenville is the smallest of the 3, but not a small school, and plays a much more competitive schedule than the other 2. Please take the statements as a whole, not just singular phrases out of context.

[steelpride]

The bottom line is this. In this valley we live in the schools that put more kids at the next level and are lucky enough to put kids into the highest level are the smaller schools. Bellaire, Ferry, Steubenville, Linsly etc. It is not the size of the school but the quality of the program.

You can have the best program in Div VI or class A there is in either state, and the fact still remains that unless they play a schedule equal to or better than schools bigger than them, the kids at the bigger school who plays a better overall schedule than the Div VI or class A school will get looked at first. It isn't the quality of the program, it is the level of competition a program plays against that is the difference maker. There are far more kids from mediocre or bad Div I programs in Ohio who are good players (just didn't have anyone around them) go on to the next level as there are kids from really good or great Div VI programs who play primarily Div VI and Div V opponents. Just look at the Ohio finals this year, other than for Ursuline who is Div V and plays a Div II or III quality schedule, there were far more kids going D1 and D2 from the top 3 divisions than there were from the bottom 3 divisions.

[steelpride]

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[Superndfan]

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I think that is the best post you've had!

[Colts76]

Steelpride let me say it again since you do not seem to understand what I am trying to say. IN THIS VALLEY. Not in Youngstown, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cinncinnatti. IN THIS VALLEY!

[the animal]

Wooster87,greetings, your info on recruiting is very informative,I have read every one. I have a question on D1 schools recruiting from smaller schools. There are 2 players from Barnesville High in Ohio being looked at by Ohio State.U, Jesse Stoudt(linebacker) and Tyler Fitzpatrick(def.end)both Fitzpatrick and Stoudt were invited to Ohio State a few weeks ago for a visit..,Fitzpatrick is tall (6!5") and can tackle.Stoudt is old school tough,very intense linebacker and started his Freshman year on Def. & Off.. They are both awesome players..My question is ,basically do these athletes have a chance ,when it comes to being recruited D1 and why is or would OSU be inviting them up for visits .. Your opinnion on this, with your experience,would be greatly appreciated .... Thanks