FCS Recruiting Primer

[mnriverbison]

This will be my first year really following recruiting, and I can't find a decent discussion about recruiting as an FCS program.

Could the more knowledgeable please simplify the recruiting process and where we are with the 2012 class and possibly any add ins to the 2011 class?

Thanks

[tony]

For the moment, I think NDSU is done with the 2011 class. At this point, if anybody is added, it won't be until after spring ball. In the past, NDSU has added one or two guys in the summer. For example, NDSU was looking for some big body defensive linemen transfers but didn't sign anybody so maybe that will happen in the summer.

As for 2012, I'm not sure that NDSU even has a junior day or whether recruits are invited to the spring game. Somebody here knows the answer.

The major recruiting activity seems to take place at NDSU's football camps. Is this the kind of info you are looking for?

[mnriverbison]

To a certain degree, yes.

But I'm also interested in how FCS recruiting typically "goes" throughout the year. I know that aside from the traditional "helmet" school FBS teams and regional powers who just take whoever they want, there is somewhat of a trickle-down of talent as player A doesn't get the offer from school A he was hoping for and then turns his eyes to other schools who'd been pursuing him.


I have to imagine that NDSU has recruits ranging from regional guys who'd love an offer and be somewhat "lucky" to get one all the way from guys who'd hoped that they may get a BCS offer and choose to maybe play right away for a great FCS team rather than go to a mid-major FBS when that BCS offer falls through. I realize that this is a massive simplification, but that is why I ask. Because I don't have the knowledge. Just an interest.

Like I said, I have no clue and have all of a sudden (out of off-season boredom) decided that following recruiting would be a fun way to make the season longer.


Thanks!

[CAS4127]

For the moment, I think NDSU is done with the 2011 class. At this point, if anybody is added, it won't be until after spring ball. In the past, NDSU has added one or two guys in the summer. For example, NDSU was looking for some big body defensive linemen transfers but didn't sign anybody so maybe that will happen in the summer.

As for 2012, I'm not sure that NDSU even has a junior day or whether recruits are invited to the spring game. Somebody here knows the answer.

The major recruiting activity seems to take place at NDSU's football camps. Is this the kind of info you are looking for?

Kids we are interested in will receive invitations to attend. Maybe we can get a list of the names of kids who attend this summer.

[DjKyRo]

To a certain degree, yes.

But I'm also interested in how FCS recruiting typically "goes" throughout the year. I know that aside from the traditional "helmet" school FBS teams and regional powers who just take whoever they want, there is somewhat of a trickle-down of talent as player A doesn't get the offer from school A he was hoping for and then turns his eyes to other schools who'd been pursuing him.


I have to imagine that NDSU has recruits ranging from regional guys who'd love an offer and be somewhat "lucky" to get one all the way from guys who'd hoped that they may get a BCS offer and choose to maybe play right away for a great FCS team rather than go to a mid-major FBS when that BCS offer falls through. I realize that this is a massive simplification, but that is why I ask. Because I don't have the knowledge. Just an interest.

Like I said, I have no clue and have all of a sudden (out of off-season boredom) decided that following recruiting would be a fun way to make the season longer.


Thanks!

Disclaimer: I'm not any kind of authority and, as Kermit is always quick to say, I'm just a rube who tries to follow to the best of his ability. Take everything I say with a grain of salt.

I think you summed it up pretty well; FCS schools, particularly here out west, are going to pick up the kids who don't cut it at some of the others - the Minnesotas, Wisconsins, Iowas, etc. (Trevor Gebhart, Frank Veldman, Marcus Williams). Similar to basketball, we're going to get guys who have some manner of shortcoming that keeps them out of the major spotlight but who have the chance to excel at this level, and it's a philosophy I think Bohl has done really well by in the last two seasons - we saw what kind of impact freshmen can make with Grant Olson, Billy Turner, Marcus Williams, Sam Ojuri last year, that kind of jazz.

[99Bison]

Maybe read teh 2011 and teh 2012 recruiting threads start to finish... that should give plenty of perspective and extra fluff to take up some time :D

[westnodak93bison]

Recruiting analysis for FCS is pretty tough. If you would look at the "ratings" for guys like this group you would say we failed Steve Walker, Kyle Steffes, Tyler Jangula, Joe Mays, Michael Arndt, Keith Buckman, Craig Dahl etc....

[mnriverbison]

Maybe read teh 2011 and teh 2012 recruiting threads start to finish... that should give plenty of perspective and extra fluff to take up some time :D

That is where I started. It just seems that, at least when it comes to any cool news for a fan, this is about as good as a dead period when it comes to recruiting. So I figured I'd try to see what to expect as we work on this year's HS juniors.

So I see who are offers are-but when do we start seeing verbal commitments, and how many offers do we stash away to find guys who slipped through the cracks of the BCS-type schools?