The Athletic: Wisky stopped recruiting home state players and now can't get them....

[tboyer]

Behind The Athletic paywall unfortunately, but quotes a lot of Wisconsin HS coaches not happy with the Badgers right now. Apparently Paul Chryst basically stopped recruiting Wisconsin and tried to go national. Fickell has semi-tried to refocus on the state with mixed success.

PSU has benefited. PSU has two OL and a running back from Wisconsin on the roster now.

Wisconsin high school football coaches on Badgers’ in-state recruiting, Luke Fickell

While some coaches praised Fickell's recruiting efforts when he first arrived, one coach said they felt like a "complete afterthought."

www.nytimes.com

 

[RickinDayton]

Behind The Athletic paywall unfortunately, but quotes a lot of Wisconsin HS coaches not happy with the Badgers right now. Apparently Paul Chryst basically stopped recruiting Wisconsin and tried to go national. Fickell has semi-tried to refocus on the state with mixed success.

PSU has benefited. PSU has two OL and a running back from Wisconsin on the roster now.

Wisconsin high school football coaches on Badgers’ in-state recruiting, Luke Fickell

While some coaches praised Fickell's recruiting efforts when he first arrived, one coach said they felt like a "complete afterthought."

www.nytimes.com

Their OL bread & butter for many years were wisconsin and other midwestern farm boys. That was dumb to abandon their home state.

 

[lazydave841]

Somebody quoted Barry Alveraz recently. He said if you hold camp at Wisky, your turnout is 70/30 OL body types vs the skill positions. That was the big thing about their offense back then. They probably churned through 50 kids to get their 2 deep, but it was a process that worked.

In the NIL era, I think it could still work, but requires patience. Kentucky is a good example. Pro style, develop recruits, hit the portal for others cast offs. If done smart, you end up with a 10 win year and right now, that will put you in the playoff.

These schools have to understand, there will be down years. If you don't have a strong recruiting base, you better be able to go regional and national.

 

[87 Penn St8]

Jerry Cross is from Wisconsin- maybe he heads home?

 

[RickinDayton]

Jerry Cross is from Wisconsin- maybe he heads home?

Perhaps. PSU TE room will still be deep next year with Dinkins, Rapplyea, and Reynolds.

 

[royboy]

Perhaps. PSU TE room will still be deep next year with Dinkins, Rapplyea, and Reynolds.

Plus incoming 2025 TE Matt Henderson from Virginia. Not a lot of publicity or a great offer list but might develop.

Who was that 3-star TE prospect from Virginia who came along in the 2020 class? How did he turn out?

 

[tboyer]

Somebody quoted Barry Alveraz recently. He said if you hold camp at Wisky, your turnout is 70/30 OL body types vs the skill positions. That was the big thing about their offense back then. They probably churned through 50 kids to get their 2 deep, but it was a process that worked.

In the NIL era, I think it could still work, but requires patience. Kentucky is a good example. Pro style, develop recruits, hit the portal for others cast offs. If done smart, you end up with a 10 win year and right now, that will put you in the playoff.

These schools have to understand, there will be down years. If you don't have a strong recruiting base, you better be able to go regional and national.

They were a factory for NFL OL and now they're not. It takes a really long time to rebuild that -- doesn't Penn State know. PSU OL program is really only now reaching full recovery from the sanctions years -- that's 10 years. 3 or 4 OL coaches before PSU finally found one who can succeed at the level PSU wants to be at.

 

[PSU Soupy]

Wisconsin should get 80% of their OL and 50% of their DL from Wisconsin. Along with any stud athlete that plays other positions. 50% of their roster should be Wisconsin kids.....then add in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan along with a few national recruits. For an OL stud in Wisconsin to leave Wisconsin is something that should never happen. Happy that it has happened for PSU....we got a few really nice players.

 

[royboy]

Wisconsin should get 80% of their OL and 50% of their DL from Wisconsin. Along with any stud athlete that plays other positions. 50% of their roster should be Wisconsin kids.....then add in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan along with a few national recruits. For an OL stud in Wisconsin to leave Wisconsin is something that should never happen. Happy that it has happened for PSU....we got a few really nice players.

Yeah, meanwhile, PSU got Wisconsin natives OL Donovan Harbour and Garrett Sexton in the 2024 Class, plus a portal transfer from the Wisconsin team in OL Nolan Rucci (who looks more comfortable with his regular playing time), and something unusual -- a really fast skill player from Wisconsin, Corey Smith also in the 2024 Class.

Thanks, Badger world.

 

[Steve G]

Behind The Athletic paywall unfortunately, but quotes a lot of Wisconsin HS coaches not happy with the Badgers right now. Apparently Paul Chryst basically stopped recruiting Wisconsin and tried to go national. Fickell has semi-tried to refocus on the state with mixed success.

PSU has benefited. PSU has two OL and a running back from Wisconsin on the roster now.

Wisconsin high school football coaches on Badgers’ in-state recruiting, Luke Fickell

While some coaches praised Fickell's recruiting efforts when he first arrived, one coach said they felt like a "complete afterthought."

www.nytimes.com

Fickle not well liked up here at many levels. HS coaches not enamored of him, lots of UW insiders and supporters dislike him and his approach