RUMLAX Flips Uva Verbal

[Caliknight]

This is big for a number of reasons.

https://twitter.com/DavidSprock_?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

 

[RUinSeattle]

#95 according to Maxpreps https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/david-sprock/YHoNl_ovEeW-8KA2nzwbTA/default.htm

#86 recruit according to this (year old article) https://recruitingrundown.com/2016/...ns-top-100-high-school-juniors-class-of-2018/
That would make him our highest ranked recruit. I'm surprised we didn't have a recruit in the top 100 before though.

I'd love to hear the story behind this...

 

[RickB113]

I am guessing lax recruiting rankings are pretty much meaningless? We don't recruit in the top 100 and have one of the best teams in the country.

 

[Caliknight]

They aren't completely meaningless, but not far off. It isn't the NFL where massive resources are being thrown at it. It's basically a few guys who I'm not sure even played the game. It's probably not too hard to rank the top 10 -15 kids but there is no way they have the bandwidth or resources to accurately rank anything beyond that.

One thing is for sure. Hopkins for instance has arguably had the best classes over the lst 4 years combined if you go by rankings. There is no way one can watch us play them and say they have better athletes.

It's all a crapshoot, but one thing I true- our staff knows talent when it sees it and knows how to recruit to the system. And athletes want to play in our system. Our success is starting to beget more success.

 

[bigmatt718]

Cali, I heard rumors on Laxpower.com forum that RU might be adding a transfer from a 2016 Final Four team. You hear anything like that? An ace FOGO would be fantastic.

 

[Caliknight]

I did actually. I'd rather not put it out there until it's official though. Family might shed more light if he wants.

 

[jmc11201]

They aren't completely meaningless, but not far off. It isn't the NFL where massive resources are being thrown at it. It's basically a few guys who I'm not sure even played the game. It's probably not too hard to rank the top 10 -15 kids but there is no way they have the bandwidth or resources to accurately rank anything beyond that.

One thing is for sure. Hopkins for instance has arguably had the best classes over the lst 4 years combined if you go by rankings. There is no way one can watch us play them and say they have better athletes.

It's all a crapshoot, but one thing I true- our staff knows talent when it sees it and knows how to recruit to the system. And athletes want to play in our system. Our success is starting to beget more success.

Seems like more and more talent is coming from places that are not Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Northern Virginia. If you play in Georgia or Oregon or most of the country, you may get noticed at tournaments and camps, but you are likely to be ranked lower than you should as you probably don't play the same level of competition, aren't seen as often, etc. Much of the country, when it comes to recruiting rankings, would be the equivalent of being from the Dakotas, Wyoming, Idaho, or Alaska for football.

 

[rufamily]

Seems like more and more talent is coming from places that are not Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Northern Virginia. If you play in Georgia or Oregon or most of the country, you may get noticed at tournaments and camps, but you are likely to be ranked lower than you should as you probably don't play the same level of competition, aren't seen as often, etc. Much of the country, when it comes to recruiting rankings, would be the equivalent of being from the Dakotas, Wyoming, Idaho, or Alaska for football.

If you look at our 2019 class there is not a single kid from NJ on it so far. I think BB has taken the approach that if you are good and can play we want you no matter where you are from and there are alot of great players that play outside of NJ that want to come to Rutgers. There is still a kind of negative perception of RU by NJ lacrosse players as you can see by the Top 100 ranking which has 6 (I Think) Jersey guys and none of them are going to RU (all however play on a club team created by an RU alum)

 

[Caliknight]

The bulk of our players will always be from NJ//NY, but it isn't a surprise the roster is well represented geographically. That is very much by design.

And we have had great success with kids from non traditional areas, which really is becoming a misnomer. Places like California, Utah, Colorado, Texas, aren't emerging. They've emerged. And will only continue to get stronger.

 

[bsh75]

I have been following all of the lacrosse threads and the general consensus is that the program is going in the right direction and there is a great deal of optimism about the next few seasons. The past two seasons have shown promising results but there have been a couple of disappointing results that have prevented Rutgers from getting to the NCAA tourney.

The answer may have been posted before but who in the 2017 class should we be looking at to contribute quickly and who are the top overall prospects?
It looks like Rutgers is very close but what is needed to get to the top- more depth? upgrade in talent? any particular position? or just more experience winning especially on the road? or something else.
Does the 2017 class and current commitments for 2018 and 2019 appear to fill any holes in the roster.

 

[Caliknight]

There are definitely some interesting recruits. But when you get to the level they have built the program to, you aren't expecting freshmen to come in and contribute immediately. If they are playing, it is not out of necessity. They earned it by beating out a kid in front of them who is experienced and good. That's a mature program.

If you go by graduation, there is a d spot open, midfield spot, and a spot in the d middie rotation. I wouldn't be super surprised to see one of the d recruits get a look, and by the middle to end of the season, to see one of the NJ middies getting some action. The attackman from Georgia is intriguing, but who comes out?

This isn't a knock on the recruits. These classes we are bringing in are very talented. The squad they are walking into though is deep and experienced. They will make their mark as seasons progress.

 

[Caliknight]

Liked what I saw from Thompson a lot. I think the key is Groel kept the D together through communication. That is an area someone is going to have to pick up. Nordhausen is obviously an imposing figure back there.

The D guys we have coming in all look good too. Kid from NorCal, one from SoCal (Orange Co. player of the year which is where the best lacrosse here is played), and in 18, Taub from NJ has a great tape. All fit into exactly what we are trying do to from a style perspective.

 

[NJ_CO_RU]

If you look at our 2019 class there is not a single kid from NJ on it so far. I think BB has taken the approach that if you are good and can play we want you no matter where you are from and there are alot of great players that play outside of NJ that want to come to Rutgers. There is still a kind of negative perception of RU by NJ lacrosse players as you can see by the Top 100 ranking which has 6 (I Think) Jersey guys and none of them are going to RU (all however play on a club team created by an RU alum)

I think one of the historical stigma's about kids outside of the Northeast has historically been that their lax IQ might no be as high. Sure, they might be insane athletes but if they were from Utah or Texas for example, they generally didn't play with or against top flight talent on a regular basis. I think people might have even felt that way about Jersey/Philly kids in the 80's and 90's. Nowadays, I simply don't think that argument holds up much with clubs and better coaching across the country.

 

[Caliknight]

I think it's true to some degree. Kids from Baltimore/NY and now Jersey and Philly, they are just exposed to much better coaching their entire lives. They are coached by people their whole lives who played at a high level and have fathers, uncles, cousins who did the same.

There is good coaching out here, but not at the level you see the so called hotbeds from cradle to grave.