Which new recruits will play right away?

[Kermit]

Coach Bohl said today that he would expect 2 or 3 true freshmen to play right away, but he refused to give names.

Based on comments at today's events, highlight videos, and my own reading my guesses as to the most likely candidates are:

WR: Zach Vraa. Vraa is already 200 pounds, he can catch anything thrown near him, and we need help at receiver. Wesley Hudson could be a sleeper. Hudson could potentially return kicks and play WR and/or RB.

LB: Grant Olson is a special player who has already been mentioned as a potential future captain. Carlton Littlejohn is an outstanding athlete who is very mature physically. The Bison don't have much depth in the upper classes at LB.

S: Colton Heagle and Christian Dudzik may have a shot at playing early at safety.

[Kermit]

All 3 jucos have a great shot to contribute immediately. I will guess that Boen Anderson and Chad Wilson may start immediately.

[DjKyRo]

Without having a roster from this year in-hand or on-screen I'd have to agree - pass coverage was sketchy last year (understatement?) and with Bowman having graduated that leaves at least a spot open at CB, if not for an underclassmen to really prove themselves and beat out an upperclassman.

[SamsRams]

they will find a spot for Hudson.

[BisonNolesFan77]

At this point, I would almost consider it a lock that Olson plays next season, just got that feeling by how Bohl was talking about him today. Dudzik and Heagle will be at a position of need, Vraa and Hudson depending on the WR's on the roster look this spring, Vraa more so than Hudson. Also, even though hes technically not part of this class, I would say Marcus Williams comes in and competes for immediate PT in the fall.

[Siouxfallsbison]

Gebhart and a corner.

[AEBison1998]

I need to see a video of Gebhart. Anyone seen one???

Is he a speed guy on the outside? slot guy? hands guy? What is his game?

[BisonNeil]

Everything I have heard and read indicates that Vraa is a talent, but a very raw talent. He can catch and he can leap and he has decent speed, but he played in a pedestrian offense that did not require him to run mulitiple cuts in pass patterns, read the defense as to man or zone, determine whether the coverage is inside or outside and make adjustments, etc. I also understand that he needs to get more physical to get off a defender and he has marginal blocking skills. None of this bodes well to contribute at WR the first year, not in NDSUs offense. He'll be a star, just not this fall.

I have said this before and will say again, I seriously doubt any TFr WR will ever see the field at that position. The offense has too many intricacies for a TFr WR to grasp the first year. Now, whether or not they see the field on special teams, that is always a possibility.

I also think if Olson plays it will be on special teams. If Olson contributes at MLB, then Bohl and company have serious injury issues again or they screwed up recruiting the two JUCO LBs and they are not up to snuff.

Personally, with the DB situation being razor thin, my guess is that the DBs will be most likely to contribute on the field, along with the JUCOs, of course. RBs and DBs are the positions in college where TFr are most likely to contribute on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.

[Bison Dan]

I need to see a video of Gebhart. Anyone seen one???

Is he a speed guy on the outside? slot guy? hands guy? What is his game?

Speed and hands. Runs track and is a state champ in some speed events.

[BisonNeil]

Also, even though hes technically not part of this class, I would say Marcus Williams comes in and competes for immediate PT in the fall.


This is an interesting situation, actually. As I understand it, in essence, he grayshirted. If that is true, then he will "technically" be a part of this class.

And I agree with you, he will likely come in and compete. Not only because he is an incredible athlete, but as a gray shirt he could still take part in the conditioning and weight training. He is likely to have a year of strength that will help him immensely.

[Siouxfallsbison]

I need to see a video of Gebhart. Anyone seen one???

Is he a speed guy on the outside? slot guy? hands guy? What is his game?

Speed. ran a 4.58 at camp. Great hands and can read defenses. Great Kick and punt returner. Returned 6 out of 17 for TD's. Runs 48 splits in 400 and 22 flat 200's. Ran a 10.78 100.:D

[IzzyFlexion]

Speed. ran a 4.58 at camp. Great hands and can read defenses. Great Kick and punt returner. Returned 6 out of 17 for TD's. Runs 48 splits in 400 and 22 flat 200's. Ran a 10.78 100.:D

In terms of a comparison that B-Villers might be familiar with, Weston Dressler's state record time in the 200 meters that has stood since 2004 is 21.83. Gebhart's 22.0 was good enough for 1st place at the AA level in the SD state meet last spring. It'll be interesting to see what times he posts in his senior track season.

[unbison]

Everything I have heard and read indicates that Vraa is a talent, but a very raw talent. He can catch and he can leap and he has decent speed, but he played in a pedestrian offense that did not require him to run mulitiple cuts in pass patterns, read the defense as to man or zone, determine whether the coverage is inside or outside and make adjustments, etc. I also understand that he needs to get more physical to get off a defender and he has marginal blocking skills. None of this bodes well to contribute at WR the first year, not in NDSUs offense. He'll be a star, just not this fall.

I have said this before and will say again, I seriously doubt any TFr WR will ever see the field at that position. The offense has too many intricacies for a TFr WR to grasp the first year. Now, whether or not they see the field on special teams, that is always a possibility.

I also think if Olson plays it will be on special teams. If Olson contributes at MLB, then Bohl and company have serious injury issues again or they screwed up recruiting the two JUCO LBs and they are not up to snuff.

Personally, with the DB situation being razor thin, my guess is that the DBs will be most likely to contribute on the field, along with the JUCOs, of course. RBs and DBs are the positions in college where TFr are most likely to contribute on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.

You my friend have probably over analyzed what it takes to run a route. Athletic ability!

[Bison"FANatic"]

I have to agree with Neil. It is very tough to come in as a freshman a contribute right away at the WR position, In the west coast offense their are a bunch of reads that need to be made and it is way more complicated than just going out and running a route.

It is not even common at the NFL level for a Rookie to have a great year as a WR and they have a ton of Athletic Ability.

Just my .02

[unbison]

I have to agree with Neil. It is very tough to come in as a freshman a contribute right away at the WR position, In the west coast offense their are a bunch of reads that need to be made and it is way more complicated than just going out and running a route.

It is not even common at the NFL level for a Rookie to have a great year as a WR and they have a ton of Athletic Ability.

Just my .02
If you are saying the bison offense is as intricate as an nfl offense you are foolish......or maybe i am foolish for thinking it is not..... if it is that complicated i believe that to be a mistake

[lcbison]

You my friend have probably over analyzed what it takes to run a route. Athletic ability!

Exactly, Football is not that complex. If a guy has talent he will be on field. Randy Moss has made a nice career on running a couple routes.

[Wacker_in_the_Hall]

Exactly, Football is not that complex. If a guy has talent he will be on field. Randy Moss has made a nice career on running a couple routes.

And we all know how many Randy Moss type athletes we have recruited. There are lots of adjustments made. depending on coverage.

[Bison"FANatic"]

And we all know how many Randy Moss type athletes we have recruited. There are lots of adjustments made. depending on coverage.

and on who is blitzing, where they are blitzing from, or not blitzing or who is waiving to the pretty blond in the second row :D :D ...............

[lcbison]

And we all know how many Randy Moss type athletes we have recruited. There are lots of adjustments made. depending on coverage.

well Moss did play 1-AA.

[NDSUFan_Sav]

Vraa will play, I could see Hudson playing right away, same with Grant Olson.

[stevdock]

Back on topic, I know we all want the team to succeed next year, but for the long term health of the program, I would hope that none of them see the field next year. Like Hallstrom said a while back, you are trading their best year for their worst year. I'm looking forward to when the whole class will redshirt every single year.

[Trampled]

I highly doubt any receiver will play as true freshman. Much too hard of position to learn in 2 months. There should be some underclassmen from last year that can step up this year.

[unbison]

Back on topic, I know we all want the team to succeed next year, but for the long term health of the program, I would hope that none of them see the field next year. Like Hallstrom said a while back, you are trading their best year for their worst year. I'm looking forward to when the whole class will redshirt every single year.

What are you talking about.......this will never i repeat never happen

[HandoEX]

I highly doubt any receiver will play as true freshman. Much too hard of position to learn in 2 months. There should be some underclassmen from last year that can step up this year.

I agree and hope you are right. It would be great to see the two big kids that redshirted last year to step up and make plays. Same with Delane Woods.

[coloradobison]

well Moss did play 1-AA.

Moss originally was at FSU, or an FSU recruit before off the field issues pushed him to Marshall. So it's not like he wasn't the caliber WR to play I-A

[HerdBot]

Coach Bohl said today that he would expect 2 or 3 true freshmen to play right away, but he refused to give names.

Based on comments at today's events, highlight videos, and my own reading my guesses as to the most likely candidates are:

WR: Zach Vraa. Vraa is already 200 pounds, he can catch anything thrown near him, and we need help at receiver. Wesley Hudson could be a sleeper. Hudson could potentially return kicks and play WR and/or RB.

LB: Grant Olson is a special player who has already been mentioned as a potential future captain. Carlton Littlejohn is an outstanding athlete who is very mature physically. The Bison don't have much depth in the upper classes at LB.

S: Colton Heagle and Christian Dudzik may have a shot at playing early at safety.


Hopefully none have to play. That means our current group is getting better.

[unbison]

Hopefully none have to play. That means our current group is getting better.
or it could mean that these recruits are just that good
redshirting for some at fcs level is good
ability to play right away is what gets us some of these guys

[OldBison]

well Moss did play 1-AA.

But only because he got in trouble at Florida State and got kicked off the team. He was not recruited as an IAA athlete :smh:

[HerdBot]

or it could mean that these recruits are just that good
redshirting for some at fcs level is good
ability to play right away is what gets us some of these guys

I would assume they were told they have a chance to play right away. The problem is once they get to college, they realize they are no longer the best player on the field. They realze the other players are bigger, strong, and faster and know more than they do. Redshirting is the way to go.

[tjbison]

I would assume they were told they have a chance to play right away. The problem is once they get to college, they realize they are no longer the best player on the field. They realze the other players are bigger, strong, and faster and know more than they do. Redshirting is the way to go.


Man wish we would have had some of these "players" last year:D

[HerdBot]

Man wish we would have had some of these "players" last year:D

We played way too man freshman & sophmores and that's a big reason why we sucked. Hopefully they can make some big strides.

[tjbison]

We played way too man freshman & sophmores and that's a big reason why we sucked. Hopefully they can make some big strides.

I know just trying to pass the time till Sept. with some Sarcasm.;)

[Wacker_in_the_Hall]

We played way too man freshman & sophmores and that's a big reason why we sucked. Hopefully they can make some big strides.

Well said!

[ndsubison1]

If you are saying the bison offense is as intricate as an nfl offense you are foolish......or maybe i am foolish for thinking it is not..... if it is that complicated i believe that to be a mistake

there's more to running a route then simply, running a route...

I dont think any of these TFR WR will play next year. Our redshirt frosh will get the first look over them. Cooper Wahlo and Powell I can see them getting some significant PT. Dont forget our three JUCO WR, plus Williams and Holloway

[unbison]

there is no more to running a route than running a route....running the right route is a whole different story....that said who is to say they wont be able to pick that up......they have from now until august to learn the offense.....its a matter of if they really want it? redshirting is great and all but you have to put the best players on the field!

[ndsubison1]

there is no more to running a route than running a route....running the right route is a whole different story....that said who is to say they wont be able to pick that up......they have from now until august to learn the offense.....its a matter of if they really want it? redshirting is great and all but you have to put the best players on the field!

i see you have never ran a route in a game before then :D. It's about reading coverages, adjusting to the defense, effort, creating seperation from your defender, agility. Speed and schemes arent the only things that allow a receiver to get open

[onbison09]

Without having a roster from this year in-hand or on-screen I'd have to agree - pass coverage was sketchy last year (understatement?) and with Bowman having graduated that leaves at least a spot open at CB, if not for an underclassmen to really prove themselves and beat out an upperclassman.

Yeah. You don't need a question mark.

[unbison]

i see you have never ran a route in a game before then :D. It's about reading coverages, adjusting to the defense, effort, creating seperation from your defender, agility. Speed and schemes arent the only things that allow a receiver to get open
this is hopefully why we recruited them


really we argueing semantics at this point.......they are already more than capable of running every route in the playbook! What they must learn is the route needed to be run.......

[bisonmike2]

We played way too man freshman & sophmores and that's a big reason why we sucked. Hopefully they can make some big strides.

I agree. I hope that most of these guys redshirt. I'd rather get them for an extra year in their 20's then have them spend the better part of their true freshman year trying to adjust to the speed of the game. Granted, some players are special and can step in right away, but even then those players could benefit from redshirting a year, hitting the strength program, learning the playbook, then stepping on the field a year older, wiser and stronger.

[rutlandbison]

http://www.maxpreps.com/events/red_zone_player_of_the_year/default.aspx?athleteid=f566cfaf-5be1-4dc8-8fea-3b27eb0f087d

[Kermit]

I have said this before and will say again, I seriously doubt any TFr WR will ever see the field at that position. The offense has too many intricacies for a TFr WR to grasp the first year. Now, whether or not they see the field on special teams, that is always a possibility.

I also think if Olson plays it will be on special teams. If Olson contributes at MLB, then Bohl and company have serious injury issues again or they screwed up recruiting the two JUCO LBs and they are not up to snuff.

Personally, with the DB situation being razor thin, my guess is that the DBs will be most likely to contribute on the field, along with the JUCOs, of course. RBs and DBs are the positions in college where TFr are most likely to contribute on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.

You make several excellent points in this post. Coach Bohl did say that he EXPECTS 2 or 3 true freshmen to play barring something unexpected like a rash of injuries. DB is probably the most likely spot. Heagle, Dudzik, and Colvin could all compete for playing time early.

I doubt we will see a true freshman RB this year because we have 4 good ones coming back. If Smith or Hudson play it will more likely be as a kick returner. Hudson was actually listed as a WR/athlete on the press release.

Bohl and Polasek dropped some hints that led me to think that Olson and Vraa are among those who they think could play. I don't think Olson is a pure middle linebacker. He mentioned when he committed that the staff will probably try him at different spots. I doubt he will start, but with the uncertain health status of Matt Anderson and Eddie Beson, it wouldn't be a big surprise if he ends up on the 2-deep.

The frosh receivers will have a lot to learn and we have a number of veterans, but I think that Vraa and Gebhart are more advanced and have a higher upside than any freshman receivers we have had for some time. Vraa is bigger and stronger than Gebhart which may give Vraa an early edge, but Gebhart is faster.

[Kermit]

Back on topic, I know we all want the team to succeed next year, but for the long term health of the program, I would hope that none of them see the field next year. Like Hallstrom said a while back, you are trading their best year for their worst year. I'm looking forward to when the whole class will redshirt every single year.

The coaches expect 2 or 3 to play, so I would bet that a few will play. The good news is that they don't expect a repeat of last year when too many played because of many injuries and a lack of depth/talent at a few positions. The team should have improved depth this season but look for 2 or 3 frosh to be "just too good" to redshirt.

[BisonNolesFan77]

Moss originally was at FSU, or an FSU recruit before off the field issues pushed him to Marshall. So it's not like he wasn't the caliber WR to play I-A

Add Notre Dame to that list...he signed a LOI with ND, got his addmission denied because he was involved in a fight at his H.S., transfered to FSU where he tested positive for weed and got the boot, thus ending up at Marshall...

[WRSDBison]

Moss originally was at FSU, or an FSU recruit before off the field issues pushed him to Marshall. So it's not like he wasn't the caliber WR to play I-A

Jacking the thread for a moment. Moss originally signed a letter of consent to Notre Dame. However, he got into a fight which apparently a kid was hospitalized. Notre Dame denied him admittance into school and Lou Holtz suggested to him that he attend FSU, allegedly because Bowden did so well with troubled players. NCAA then considered him a transfer student since he signed with ND first. He redshirted(due to the transfer) his first year at FSU. Before his redshirt freshman season(while serving a 30 day jail sentence from the high school fight) he tested positive for marijuana usage and his scholarship was revoked and he was sentenced to an additional 60 days in jail for violating his probation. Thus, he transferred to Marshall which was a 1-AA so he didn't have to sit out yet another year and waste a year of eligibility.

OK, sorry about the ramble. Let's get back to the task at hand. Preserving an extra year for whoever we can.

[WRSDBison]

Add Notre Dame to that list...he signed a LOI with ND, got his addmission denied because he was involved in a fight at his H.S., transfered to FSU where he tested positive for weed and got the boot, thus ending up at Marshall...

I guess I should have read the whole thread before putting my two cents in right behind you.

[IzzyFlexion]

The frosh receivers will have a lot to learn and we have a number of veterans, but I think that Vraa and Gebhart are more advanced and have a higher upside than any freshman receivers we have had for some time. Vraa is bigger and stronger than Gebhart which may give Vraa an early edge, but Gebhart is faster.



Kermit.....regarding the size difference between Gebhart and Vraa when I first saw this picture of Gebhart, I was impressed as to how big and strong he looked. The picture of Vraa below is the only one that I found that gave me any idea of how he's framed. I guess what I'm tap dancing around here is that even though Gebhart is listed as 5 pounds lighter.....I think he looks bigger.

Zach Vraa 6'2" 185.
http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/76/762617.jpg

Trevor Gebhart 6'2 180. (in orange: 3rd place box)
http://sports.sdpb.org/boys/track/satawards/09aaboys-track-100dash.jpg