WR Recruiting/Retention has been horrendous

[BleedsGreen33]

Just looking back to 2016.

2016 Tyre Brady - Miami Transfer that had a pretty great two year career at Marshall.
2016 Obi Obialo - Oklahoma State transfer that has been a solid #2 since taking the field. Figures to be this year's #1.
2016 Raymond Flanders - Never made it here.
2016 Chris Jackson - Moved to CB
2016 Antwan Wright - Never made it here.
2016 Jacob McCrary - I may be wrong, but don't think he ever made it here.
2016 Willie Johnson - started out pretty well, got hurt, has never really lived up to his hype
2016 Brandon Rodgers - played STs in his freshman year then left the team for JUCO (Might have been classroom related)

2017 Naquan Renalds - NQ that might have played a little last season. Was supposed to be one of the "newcomers to watch" last year. (BOY IS THAT NOT THE KISS OF DEATH)
2017 Marcel Williams - Had a pretty darn good career and is now graduated.
2017 Janiero Crankfield - Never made it to campus
2017 Monterio Hunt - Was here for all of one season before leaving. He might have redshirted.

2018 Tyquavious Terrell - Red shirted
2018 Markeis Colvin - Redshirted in 2018 and is listed as a DB.
2018 Talik Keaton - Might have played a little last season. Still here.
2018 Corey Gammage - NQ that was highly rated and still here.
2018 Artie Henry II - Played last season. Started to improve towards the end. Was a JUCO so he has one more season left.
2018 Jaquan Webb - came then left before the season started
2018 Caleb McMillian - Never made it to campus
2018 Kenny Wilkins - NQ and is supposed to still be here
2018 Reggie Thompson - Never made it to campus.
2018 Jon Jiles - Never made it to campus.

Here are the WRs signed in the 2019 class
Malik Tolbert
Broc Thompson
Jeremy Smith
Amir Richardson
Joey Fields Jr who is a 5'8" walk-on transfer from Central Connecticut State

Here are the WRs listed on the Spring Roster
Obi Obialo SR
Artie Henry SR JUCO
Willie Johnson rJR
Simino Walden rJR
Brennon Tibbs rJR walk-on
Stone Scarcelle rSO walk-on
Naquan Renalds rSO
Ty Terrell rFR
Daniel Darko rFR walk-on
Talik Keaton rFR
Broc Thompson FR

No wonder the staff is trying to land a grad transfer. This is one of the reasons I have fallen out of love with following recruiting. From 2016 to 2018 there have been 21 signings and transfers at WR.

8 Never made it to campus
2 left after one season
2 were moved to DB
3 have been impact players

 

[Josh Stowers]

2018 Caleb McMillian - Never made it to campus
2018 Kenny Wilkins - NQ and is supposed to still be here
2018 Reggie Thompson - Never made it to campus.
2018 Jon Jiles - Never made it to campus.

McMillan is here. I literally stood next to him on Sunday.

Wilkins was not recruited as a WR. He was either going to be RB or LB.

Reggie Thompson was not recruited as a WR. He was a DB.

Jon Jiles was not recruited as a WR. He was a DB.

 

[BleedsGreen33]

McMillan is here. I literally stood next to him on Sunday.

Wilkins was not recruited as a WR. He was either going to be RB or LB.

Reggie Thompson was not recruited as a WR. He was a DB.

Jon Jiles was not recruited as a WR. He was a DB.

My bad. I thought I remembered someone saying McMillian wasn't coming. Either way it drives the point home more that the recruiting at WR has been less than stellar to say the least.

Hopefully Gammage is eligible and still here in the fall and can live up to his hype. That would be a big boost to the WRs.

 

[pdbailey]

Chris Jackson was recruited to play CB and has started 37 games.
Monterio Hunt left because he was homesick and didn't play as a T-FR.
Renalds has very good long term potential and played a little in 4 games in 2018.
Colvin was recruited as a DB and played in 4 games in 2018 to preserve his RS.

 

[Josh Stowers]

Gammage is eligible and still here in the fall and can live up to his hype. That would be a big boost to the WRs.

He's here as well. Saw him on Sunday.

He possesses insane ability without question.

 

[BleedsGreen33]

Chris Jackson was recruited to play CB and has started 37 games.
Monterio Hunt left because he was homesick and didn't play as a T-FR.
Renalds has very good long term potential and played a little in 4 games in 2018.
Colvin was recruited as a DB and played in 4 games in 2018 to preserve his RS.

I knew that. Jackson was also listed as a WR coming out. Colvin too. I get that they were recruited to play DB. You could say that it is even worse on the recruiting outlook because that means there are less actual WR commits and is why we are now in such an unstable position at WR. Looking at the WRs that are here right now Obi is the only known commodity. All we can say about the others is that they've shown potential or they had hype coming out. There are just too many unknowns at that position.

I think Henry could be really good, but we don't know how he's going to react as a main fixture in the rotation.

I'd also like to see Gaines have a bigger role in the passing game this season.

As far as the reasoning on Hunt it doesn't change the fact that he was hyped up and he isn't here anymore.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

He's here as well. Saw him on Sunday.

He possesses insane ability without question.

We need guys like him to step up for sure. I hope we can land a GT WR or late Juco WR who slipped through the cracks somehow.

 

[Josh Stowers]

We need guys like him to step up for sure. I hope we can land a GT WR or late Juco WR who slipped through the cracks somehow.

Although WR is a position that’s much easier for younger players to adapt to, I’d still temper my expectations for Gammage.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Although WR is a position that’s much easier for younger players to adapt to, I’d still temper my expectations for Gammage.

I was just feeding off your comment that he had insane ability. Hoping that translates to solid play on the field.

 

[Josh Stowers]

I was just feeding off your comment that he had insane ability. Hoping that translates to solid play on the field.

Oh, his combination of size athleticism is next level, but he still has to learn routes, coverages, etc...

 

[5150]

Just looking back to 2016.

2016 Tyre Brady - Miami Transfer that had a pretty great two year career at Marshall.
2016 Obi Obialo - Oklahoma State transfer that has been a solid #2 since taking the field. Figures to be this year's #1.
2016 Raymond Flanders - Never made it here.
2016 Chris Jackson - Moved to CB
2016 Antwan Wright - Never made it here.
2016 Jacob McCrary - I may be wrong, but don't think he ever made it here.
2016 Willie Johnson - started out pretty well, got hurt, has never really lived up to his hype
2016 Brandon Rodgers - played STs in his freshman year then left the team for JUCO (Might have been classroom related)

2017 Naquan Renalds - NQ that might have played a little last season. Was supposed to be one of the "newcomers to watch" last year. (BOY IS THAT NOT THE KISS OF DEATH)
2017 Marcel Williams - Had a pretty darn good career and is now graduated.
2017 Janiero Crankfield - Never made it to campus
2017 Monterio Hunt - Was here for all of one season before leaving. He might have redshirted.

2018 Tyquavious Terrell - Red shirted
2018 Markeis Colvin - Redshirted in 2018 and is listed as a DB.
2018 Talik Keaton - Might have played a little last season. Still here.
2018 Corey Gammage - NQ that was highly rated and still here.
2018 Artie Henry II - Played last season. Started to improve towards the end. Was a JUCO so he has one more season left.
2018 Jaquan Webb - came then left before the season started
2018 Caleb McMillian - Never made it to campus
2018 Kenny Wilkins - NQ and is supposed to still be here
2018 Reggie Thompson - Never made it to campus.
2018 Jon Jiles - Never made it to campus.

Here are the WRs signed in the 2019 class
Malik Tolbert
Broc Thompson
Jeremy Smith
Amir Richardson
Joey Fields Jr who is a 5'8" walk-on transfer from Central Connecticut State

Here are the WRs listed on the Spring Roster
Obi Obialo SR
Artie Henry SR JUCO
Willie Johnson rJR
Simino Walden rJR
Brennon Tibbs rJR walk-on
Stone Scarcelle rSO walk-on
Naquan Renalds rSO
Ty Terrell rFR
Daniel Darko rFR walk-on
Talik Keaton rFR
Broc Thompson FR

No wonder the staff is trying to land a grad transfer. This is one of the reasons I have fallen out of love with following recruiting. From 2016 to 2018 there have been 21 signings and transfers at WR.

8 Never made it to campus
2 left after one season
2 were moved to DB
3 have been impact players

Yep, Doc had the same issue while recruiting NQ's at WVU back in the late 90's. Lots of behavior problems or kids that never panned out due grades or off the field problems

 

[31Herd55]

Gaines targeted 19 times, had 13 catches...68%...not too shabby.

Levias 39 targets with 25 catches...64%

 

[Josh Stowers]

Yep, Doc had the same issue while recruiting NQ's at WVU back in the late 90's. Lots of behavior problems or kids that never panned out due grades or off the field problems

I may be wrong here, but I’m fairly certain the Big East never allowed non-qualifiers so this post doesn’t make a lot of sense.

 

[5150]

I may be wrong here, but I’m fairly certain the Big East never allowed non-qualifiers so this post doesn’t make a lot of sense.

oh yes, WVU could only take a certain amount but they took props for sure...remember Jerry Porter, Adrian Murral, Gary Stills were all props, those are the ones that worked

 

[5150]

I may be wrong here, but I’m fairly certain the Big East never allowed non-qualifiers so this post doesn’t make a lot of sense.

btw, VT was all over the prop bandwagon as well...I thought it would hurt them by not taking those when going into the ACC but they did a good job of getting those kids to the VA prep schools

 

[31Herd55]

Academics are a tough sell to a lot of these primadonnas that have been pampered throughout their
school years to their athletic abilities. We'll never get them all through that NQ year and on to the roster, but
it is a major advantage of our's that helps keep us in the top tier of C-USA.

 

[Jeepers Creepers]

btw, VT was all over the prop bandwagon as well...I thought it would hurt them by not taking those when going into the ACC but they did a good job of getting those kids to the VA prep schools

I think by the time VPI left, props had been disallowed for a while in the Big East.

 

[Josh Stowers]

oh yes, WVU could only take a certain amount but they took props for sure...remember Jerry Porter, Adrian Murral, Gary Stills were all props, those are the ones that worked

Unless the Big East changed their rules, they did not accept non-qualifiers in the later 2000's.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Academics are a tough sell to a lot of these primadonnas that have been pampered throughout their
school years to their athletic abilities. We'll never get them all through that NQ year and on to the roster, but
it is a major advantage of our's that helps keep us in the top tier of C-USA.

That's the sad part. Most CUSA schools don't take them. We should be heads and shoulders above the rest when you consider that advantage and with the facilities and support we have. jmho.

I don't mind 8-4, 9-4 every year but I'd like to see a couple more CUSA crowns in the trophy case.

 

[Sean Hammond]

oh yes, WVU could only take a certain amount but they took props for sure...remember Jerry Porter, Adrian Murral, Gary Stills were all props, those are the ones that worked

Yeah, I think they took them in Rich Rod's beginning too. I think Pac Man, Chris Henry, Darius Reynaud, and maybe a few others were props. There was a limit on many they could take and I think the BE did away with it toward the end of Rod's reign, which is one of the things he was demanding from the president at the end--if my memory is correct.

 

[5150]

Unless the Big East changed their rules, they did not accept non-qualifiers in the later 2000's.

I know after the split some things changed but as mentioned above Reynaud and Henry were props.

 

[mlblack16.]

I don't mind 8-4, 9-4 every year but I'd like to see a couple more CUSA crowns in the trophy case

Oh boy, Sam will be along any minute to tell us how we don't have enough money for a trophy case.