Who have you picked up in recruiting that...
a. You shouldn't have, considering what team you're with.
b. Was a true diamond in the rough, a guy who has exploded past expectations.
c. Pulled a "hat switch", AKA switching from a soft commit from somewhere else to a hard commit to you in a week.
I've had all three in my first season and a half as the Washington State OC (on Heisman recruiting).
a. After a 10-3 season, the Cougars (using a run-heavy Malzahn...Auburn playbook...scheme) picked up the 5* Californian, #1 RB in the country. I promised young Korie McAllister the world and hammered him for an hour every single week. He eventually had an A+ visit after we knocked off #2 Stanford at home, then became a hard commit a week later. He comes into campus as a 79 overall. 6'2", 93 in speed...breaks tackles like a beast. Splits carries with my senior starter in the nation's #1 rushing attack.
b. Also signed a 1*, JUCO transfer QB from Idaho. Brandon Matthews was a balanced passer who had decent speed and a ridiculous break tackle rating. Thought he'd make a great backup for the injury prone senior I have at QB. Week 7, starter goes down for the rest of the year. Matthews steps in and throws for 210 yards in just three quarters of work as we hold off the upset-minded Oregon State Beavers. Didn't expect a 1* to come in and hold his own. His awareness is pitiful, but he's got the tools to be a stud.
c. I needed a DE badly. My heart was crushed when my #1 defensive prospect, Dominic Wilson, went out of nowhere and verbally committed to Hawaii. I still kept plugging away at him, though, and he switched on the last day before the "dead period" (last week of the season). He now starts at DE for the Cougars.
Anyone else got some great recruiting stories?
a. You shouldn't have, considering what team you're with.
b. Was a true diamond in the rough, a guy who has exploded past expectations.
c. Pulled a "hat switch", AKA switching from a soft commit from somewhere else to a hard commit to you in a week.
I've had all three in my first season and a half as the Washington State OC (on Heisman recruiting).
a. After a 10-3 season, the Cougars (using a run-heavy Malzahn...Auburn playbook...scheme) picked up the 5* Californian, #1 RB in the country. I promised young Korie McAllister the world and hammered him for an hour every single week. He eventually had an A+ visit after we knocked off #2 Stanford at home, then became a hard commit a week later. He comes into campus as a 79 overall. 6'2", 93 in speed...breaks tackles like a beast. Splits carries with my senior starter in the nation's #1 rushing attack.
b. Also signed a 1*, JUCO transfer QB from Idaho. Brandon Matthews was a balanced passer who had decent speed and a ridiculous break tackle rating. Thought he'd make a great backup for the injury prone senior I have at QB. Week 7, starter goes down for the rest of the year. Matthews steps in and throws for 210 yards in just three quarters of work as we hold off the upset-minded Oregon State Beavers. Didn't expect a 1* to come in and hold his own. His awareness is pitiful, but he's got the tools to be a stud.
c. I needed a DE badly. My heart was crushed when my #1 defensive prospect, Dominic Wilson, went out of nowhere and verbally committed to Hawaii. I still kept plugging away at him, though, and he switched on the last day before the "dead period" (last week of the season). He now starts at DE for the Cougars.
Anyone else got some great recruiting stories?
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