JJ Recruiting so far?

[RE Tycoon]

When we first hired JJ I assumed we would attract a blue chip QB within the first three years, and a stable of very talented WR's, if not blue chips, at least very high three starts and a decent number of 4 star kids, with size and speed.

Is it a little shocking to anyone that ranking wise, we've seemed to attracted the most talent at RB in the first few classes (Pope, Fields, Nlemchi). I realize they haven't set foot on the field yet, and I'm evaluating this based solely on Rivals, Scout, etc. rankings.

I'm not saying there is a dearth of talent at QB (Kaiser, Padron) or WR (DJ, JJ, Guinyard?, Collins?), but I was expecting an all world QB to jump at the chance to play in a JJ offense on the mainland, and some fast tall WR's who wanted gaudy numbers and a fast track to the NFL.

This is not meant to be a complaint, but just an examination of what type of kids/positions have been attracted to the program thus far. I realize with continued winning in a few years we may start to see the top QB's and WR's showing legit interest.

So I guess the question is, do 16, 17, and 18 year old kids have enough capacity to see the opportunity in those skill positions, or do the bright lights and TV cameras of the bigger conferences cloud their judgement? I think I know the answer and can't say I blame them.

Thoughts?

[CalallenStang]

I think Kaiser was a steal that we wouldn't have gotten without JJ, but in terms of recruiting the next Jimmy Clausen-level QB recruit (with all of that hype), keep in mind that those kids don't want to go to a place where they will be called a "system QB" (for right or wrong).

They also want the chance to win a national championship, and unfortunately, in the situation we are in right now, a team not in the AQ conferences has no shot at winning a national championship.

As for "tall WR's," that's never been JJ's M.O. Look at the guys he had at Hawaii during the Sugar Bowl year. Davone Bess 5'10" Ryan Grice-Mullen 5'11" etc. JJ likes the guys that are that size.

[RE Tycoon]

I don't really agree with the JJ's MO being small receivers. I think that's what he has had to settle for in his career at Hawaii and now SMU b/c tall, fast, sure-handed WR's are typically "blue chippers".

I think if a 6'3, 210, 4.4 guy wanted to play here you would see JJ fall all over himself to get the kid. Again, I just thought since he was on the mainland now, with just JJ's rep we would at least be sniffing those types of prospects.

[Garret]

Didn't several QBs that ended up going to BCS AQ Conferences (like the guy that went to Oklahoma) openly talk about how they hoped JJ would offer them? They came to JJ's camp and he chose to offer Padron instead. Given how JJ and Dan Morrison had the QBs together to compare and they chose Padron, and given how Padron did last year, it is hard to question that judgment. If I were an SMU fan I'd hope that the coaching staff evaluate recruits without looking at how many stars are by their name.

Wasn't Darius Johnson the highest rated WR in his recruiting year that did not go to a BCS AQ conference? The tall, fast, all-everything WRs will probably go to UT or other high profile schools for now. UT basically decides how many WRs they want each year and picks what they want...SMU is not at that level.

[Mexmustang]

I think the coaches are pleased where they are going in terms of recruiting...that is they are building better and better classes, but they would agree with you in terms of doing a better job with respect to recruiting wide receivers.

[Stallion]

I think this WR Class is the best in 20 years if they are all healthy and eligible-which I'm not sure they are.

[Mexmustang]

I think you're right to be concerned. No question about the receivers they recruited being better than they have been in a number of years, but I think they have set high standards for themselves and hoping a big-time national recruit would come on board--(maybe as you suggest, that they were also giving thought, to those recruits that committed, but won't be able to join the team this fall).

[westexSMU]

To me I think it is interesting that JJ is going into his 3rd season, and at least 3 of 4 WR starters were still recruited by Coach Bennett. No question JJ & Co. have had a tremendous impact on the development of these former high school 2 Star recruits and also having 3 years in JJs system is the reason they have become so good now.

[Cardinal Puff]

Where we will bump up against the majors in wanting the same player will be on the line, not qb or wr.

[Alaric]

Didn't several QBs that ended up going to BCS AQ Conferences (like the guy that went to Oklahoma) openly talk about how they hoped JJ would offer them? They came to JJ's camp and he chose to offer Padron instead.

His name was Drew Allen and yes, he publicly discussed his desire to get an SMU offer but one was never given, went to Padron instead...Oklahoma was interested at the time but hadn't offered.

I also agree that JJ would love to have tall, fast wideouts and in fact, has offered them since he's been here but guys that are 6'3" and run a 4.4 are in tremendous demand. JJ has offered guys like Randy Knust that went to Arizona who was around 6'3", 6'4"...

[Garret]

If you want to see what a tall, fast outside receiver can do in JJ's offense, check out Ashley Lelie's stats at Hawaii. I have a lot of his games on DVD and it is amazing what Lelie did in the offense...and he became a 1st-round draft pick (Broncos) who really had his career messed up when he held out and demanded a trade.

[SMU2007]

I think the appeal that you talk about with jones (getting all world qbs and WRs who want to put up gaudy numbers in a pass first offense) has been diminished by having texas tech near by - a bcs team with much more national coverage who has been throwing the ball around quite a bit

[CalallenStang]

I think the appeal that you talk about with jones (getting all world qbs and WRs who want to put up gaudy numbers in a pass first offense) has been diminished by having texas tech near by - a bcs team with much more national coverage who has been throwing the ball around quite a bit

Yes but Texas Tech has lost their inner pirate and they will fast find out that Tuberville will not run an offense like Leach's. Franklin's offense is a spread but it's not the air raid (it does put up nice passing numbers though). We will see if Tuberville can manage a team that runs the spread (at Auburn he could not).

[PonyTime]

Didn't one of his superstar QBs at Hawaii come from Hawaii (Timmy Chang) and the other from a state pen?

I am not sure he has ever lured a big time QB.

With that said - I agree that you would think that one would want to play in his offense.

[Alaric]

and the other from a state pen?

From the Colt Brennan entry on Wikipedia...the truth was probably somewhere between what he said and what she said: Brennan originally attended the University of Colorado in 2003 as a walk-on. He spent the year as a redshirt. On January 28, 2004, Brennan entered the dorm room of a female CU student, uninvited, and, according to the victim, "exposed himself and fondled her',"a charge which Brennan denied. Brennan, who was intoxicated at the time of the incident, was arrested and eventually convicted of charges of felony burglary and trespassing (serving one week in jail along with probation until he graduated from college), but a guilty verdict for unlawful sexual contact was vacated by the court for lack of evidence. Brennan was court ordered to take a polygraph test about the incident and passed. He later showed those results to Saddleback College President Richard McCullough. After the incident, which was caught up in the middle of the time when CU was flooded with other accusations of sex crimes and revelations of wild recruiting parties involving Colorado football players, he was kicked off the team.

Brennan then transferred to Saddleback College in California in 2004 and helped lead the school to a conference championship. He was named honorable mention All-America, state offensive player of the year by the JuCal Transfer, and first-team all-conference for his performance that season. He repaired his image well enough for the University of Hawaiʻi head coach June Jones to offer him a walk-on opportunity. Looking to put some distance between himself and his past problems and interested in Jones' quarterback knowledge, Brennan accepted the offer and turned down an offer from San Jose State.