Big Recruiting Weekend.

[westexSMU]

Well, I have heard that our list of talent coming in this week end has apparently dropped alot in quality. QB Petty and WR Bonugli are Not coming to SMU this week end. They are either going somewhere else or have commited to other schools.

[Garret]

Stallion,

If SMU holds on to Darius Johnson and their other key commits and adds 2 of the 3 uncommitted players going to SMU this weekend, then I would have to say that this SMU class is definitely higher-rated than any of JJ's Hawaii classes...but Hawaii relied on JC talent more and that talent is overlooked in the ratings.

Hawaii had basically an entire secondary in their Sugar Bowl season (Patek, Newberry, Lewis, Mouton) that were from JCs and not really rated out of high school. Colt Brennan was also from a JC (and before that he was a walk-on, not a scholarship player, at Colorado). Sopoaga (49ers) was a JC DT. Bess (starting in the NFL now) was recruited while he was in prison. Pisa (2nd round pick, 6 NFL years so far) had legal problems.

JJ also has success discovering players who the recruiting services overlook, which was how Hawaii overcame low recruiting rankings:

Ikaika Alama-Francis (2nd round NFL draft pick) was a walk-on basketball player (who wasn't playing much at all) who he convinced to try to learn to be a DE.

Reagan Mauia (6th round NFL draft pick) was a backup DT moved to FB

Nate Ilaoa (Eagles draft pick) was a skinny slotback...until he gained 100 pounds or so and became a bruising RB.

[Stallion]

Damn that was fast-I actually just PM'ed you.

[Garret]

Stallion,

Here is some additional info. Your question was whether or not some LBs or lineman were overlooked because they were from Hawaii. Let me use 2007, JJ's last Hawaii team, as a case study.

Starting LBs:
Sol Elimimian--from Los Angeles, CA (now Hawaii all-time leading tackler)

Adam Leonard--from Seattle, WA (Pac-10 schools backed off his recruiting when he suffered a knee injury during his senior season, but JJ told him that his offer still stood)

Blaze Soares--from Kailua, HI. So, 1 of 3 LBs were from Hawaii and Sol and Adam had far more tackles.

DL had a lot of players rotating, but the anchors were Lafaele and Veikune:
Michael Lafaele--from Hawaii but he was a center in high school and was switched to NT at Hawaii.

Francis Maka (JC)

Josh Leonard (JC)

David Veikune (transfer from Colorado, high school in Hawaii)

Amani Purcell (Samoa)

Keala Watson (Nanakuli, HI)

Rocky Savaiigaea (Ewa Beach, HI)

Fale Laeli (Honolulu)

[Garret]

So, in 2007 Hawaii had 2 of 3 LBs from California and Washington while Soares/Kalilimoku shared the 3rd starting spot and both were from Hawaii.

ON the DL, the key contributors were a converted center and a transfer from Colorado. Several JC players were in heavy rotation, and several DTs rotated who were from Hawaii high schools.

[Stallion]

Interesting, but I'm thinking broader than just the 2007 Season-more historically since JJ went to Hawaii and even before-were the rankings and ratings of Hawaii players by Rivals, Scout and their predecessors reliable or accurate-or did Hawii fans that follow recruiting feel that these services really didn't have a good feel for the quality of the Hawaiin and Polynesian players that were from the Islands? Is there even a Hawaii Guru whose opinion was even consulted by the services.

[Garret]

Interesting, but I'm thinking broader than just the 2007 Season-more historically since JJ went to Hawaii and even before-were the rankings and ratings of Hawaii players by Rivals, Scout and their predecessors reliable or accurate-or did Hawii fans that follow recruiting feel that these services really didn't have a good feel for the quality of the Hawaiin and Polynesian players that were from the Islands? Is there even a Hawaii Guru whose opinion was even consulted by the services.

The big complaint from Hawaii fans is that JJ didn't recruit Hawaii high school players that successfully. Both main Hawaii newspapers put out recruiting rankings, and Hawaii normally wouldn't get many out of the top 10. The exceptions were JJ's 2nd recruiting class (after the miracle turnaround season in 1999) and maybe 2005. The Pac-10 has been getting their share of the top players for awhile, and others have gone to Tennessee, etc.

Samoa is completely overlooked by the rating services...that is probably why Hawaii and SMU are looking to establish a presence there. Also, Hawaii would get walk-on DTs regularly that probably had the bulk and strength to contribute to SMU last season.

2007 might have been slightly distorted...but if you look at the players that went to the NFL under JJ, you'll see they were mostly JCs, those that changed positions, those with legal problems, or transfers.

There are a number of combines and other events that help get Hawaii high school recruits some visibility. So, I don't think that they are as overlooked as you would expect.

[Stallion]

No I honestly don't know-I've always wondered.

[EastStang]

Don't forget he also had inroads in Samoa from UH. The PAC-10 and MWC schools have begun to pay much more attention to Samoa, but I suspect JJ could tell from films the general speed, agility and quickness of a recruit and then could spend one trip to Samoa to recruit. I'd love to see a few Samoans, Tongans, and Hawaiians on the roster.

[ponyboy]

Ikaika Alama-Francis (2nd round NFL draft pick) was a walk-on basketball player (who wasn't playing much at all) who he convinced to try to learn to be a DE.

Which is analogous to what he's trying to do with Margus Hunt.