It is mid-July and it will not be long before Gopher football hits training camp.  Recruiting is in full swing right now with recruits taking unofficial visits, attending camps and many making their non-binding verbal commitments.  The Gophers have had a handful of recent verbals bringing their overall class up to nine.  My daily routine consists of checking GopherIllustrated at least 4 or 5 times a day hoping for a new verbal commitment to pop up. 

A typical recruiting class will have 25 players (give or take a couple).  We currently have 11 future Gophers who have said they want to play for Tim Brewster, here is a brief synopsis of the current class of 2011. 

Plenty of good info after the break (this is a long post)

Continue reading this post »

As the 2011 recruiting season is rapidly picking up I though this might be helpful for Gopher fans to get an idea of areas are going to be positions of need in the near future and approximately how many scholarships are available for this year's class. 

Here is the roster matrix of scholarship players.   It should be noted that this is based on the 2010 September class.  So the FR class below is the current class that signed in February and the SR class are those who will be playing this fall as a senior (i.e. Adam Weber).  It should also be noted that there may be some slight imperfections.  For instance having to guess which spot an offensive lineman will actually play is a bit difficult, especially with the incoming freshmen.  So that was a bit of guesswork and then several players are just listed at OL.

Other notes:  Lamonte Edwards was put as RB, Ra'Shede Hageman was moved from TE to DE and I verified as much as I could in regards to who red-shirted and who did not last year.  Also remember that things change.  corners become safeties, defensive linemen become offensive linemen or vice versa and wide receivers move to defensive back or vice versa.  This is a fluid situation so don't read the above matrix as anything set in stone.

There is much you can learn from this little exercise.  The first thing I tend to look at are positions with several players in the JR and SR classes.  These are currently areas of strength that will need to be replaced soon.  TE is a great example of a position that is clearly a position of need in this recruiting class as we have 4 scholarship players in the JR and SR classes but nobody behind them.  Do not look strictly at the graduating seniors and assume those are the positions we'll need to be filling.  One would hope the coaching staff has recruited with more foresight than that unless you are planning on having a true freshman step in to replace departed seniors.

It is also interesting to note how few sophomores we have on scholarship.  I'm sure that things will get spread out a little more and we'll be able to sign more than seven kids next year.  But even if we are able to sign 10 or 12, that will be a small class and the staff will have to work pretty hard to make sure those scholarships are going to great players.  2011 will be fun, 2012 should be extremely interesting.

2011 recruiting positions of need.

• TE (2) - I like the current group we have but after 2011 we'll need to replace Lair and Euree.  Early in the 2011 process we have reportedly offered three TEs already and I'm sure that number will grow significantly.
• OG/OC (2/3) - There are a few positions that you need to add bodies with each and every class.  I think OT can take a break as we have several young tackles who are rather promising (Gjere, Michel, Lenkiewicz and Ragoo). We have several kids who are listed as OL who will end up filling the guard and center positions, but there are only three kids Sophomore or younger who are expected to fill in these positions.  This area needs some bodies.  One guard has given his verbal commitment but more are needed.
  
• MLB (2) - not exactly a position of strength currently, not much depth and no true MLBs in 2010 class.  Landing a couple quality LBs to man the future middle of the Gopher defense would be outstanding tremendous.  If the early offers are any indication, the coaching staff also recognizes this an area of need with this class.  Seven offers have been reported at ILB.
• CB (2/3) - Only one corner was brought in last year.  There are currently four juniors but most expect the only one you'll get any production out of Chrystyn Lewis.  There are some bodies at this position but we desperately need an upgrade in talent.
• K (1) - if Kip Smith hadn't changed his mind we'd be set here, but instead we have to replace Eric Ellestad.
  
• WR (2) - We have only one senior receiver so the corp should be fine through 2011, but at that time we'll need some major help.  I'd love to see one highly ranked receiver come in with class, give him a year to acclimate and then really step up production in 2012 when needed most.
  

The Remaining Positions

• QB (1) - The staff has said repeatedly that they want to bring in 1 QB per class, I'm sure this year will be no different.
• RB (1) - There are currently 8 RB offers out there and we have one verbal (that my not stick).  So the actions of the staff indicate we are working hard at landing a quality RB.  We also just brought in 3 in the most recent class so this will likely be an effort to find quality, not quantity.
• FB (0) - I know that we have a senior here but there may be players switching to FB from other positions, this is a position that a walk-on could earn a scholly and I'm guessing a scholarship will not be used here.  Chances are that Donnell Kirkwood may end up at FB.
• OT (1) - Like I said we have probably four quality, young tackles who will have a year to develop and then step in for the current seniors.  It's very likely we'll sign someone, but this isn't a huge "need" right now.
• DE (2) - For depth I think we need at least a couple, but I did not list this as a position of need because two of our top three at this position will be a rFR and as Sophomore (Hageman and Wilhite).  Matt Garin will also be in the playing time mix.  The talent is young at this position but we do need some more depth.  Actions speak volumes and we have seven offers out to DEs.
  
• DT (1) - I really like our starting tackles, who are both juniors.  And we did bring in three freshmen with the 2010 class.  I'd like to see one player that is ranked fairly high to add some quality to our quantity.
• OLB (1) - We have quite a few offers out there, but our current set of OLBs are pretty young.  I'm not sure how bad we need to fill this position but if the right player is out there, I don't see why we'd pass on him.
• S (1) - Off the 2010 class I probably like our safety group the most (maybe RBs first).  So I'm not concerned about the future of this group, but we are losing two very good senior starters.  We have seven offers out there so this is yet another position that indicates we are making a strong push to land a safety or two in this class.

Those numbers are pure speculation based on looking at the needs on the roster (both needs of depth and needs of playmakers).  My numbers have about 20 scholarships offered and that might be a little high considering we are only graduating 15 scholarship seniors. 

But we already have a jump on the 2011 class with three current verbal commitments.  Tommy Olson (OG) is the early favorite to be the #1 player in Minnesota.  He has been committed for quite some time.  He fills an area of need and is not someone that I'm concerned will be changing his mind.  James Farrow (CB) is the most recent commit, the Minnetonka native seems excited to be a Gopher and will be a top 3 or 4 player out of the state.  Calvin Phillips (RB) is the final verbal.  Phillips is highly touted but there seems to be a lot of drama surrounding this kid and I'm not sure how committed he truly is.

my personal top 10 wish list after the jump...

Continue reading this post »

  And finally the JUCO transfers.  JG has astutely pointed out that Brewster has gone to the JUCO well early and often in his brief tenure as a Gopher.  Defensively he has had some pretty good success.  Tramaine Brock was one of our best players in 2008 before succumbing to academic troubles and not playing in 2009.  Traye Simmons was 2nd team All-Big Ten as a junior and a two year starter, that is a successful pickup.  Simoni Lawrence was quietly one of our best defenders in 2009 and a two year starter.  Cedrick McKinley was a brute along the D line and will be missed this year.

Offensively however the results have not been so great.  Jeff Wills might be the best offensive JUCO we have signed and his tenure as starting RT has been tenuous at best.  The big name recruits, Hayo Carpenter and David Pittman have failed miserably at living up to expectations.  And even if expectations haven't been met they really haven't provided any sort of contribution to the offense.  Carpenter still has a chance to make some plays but the picture to the right so far deserves a big "FAIL" embedded on the bottom.

This year we signed four JUCOs.  Three have are defensive and one large TE.  Defensively I would expect that two will be major contributors immediately.  This is hard to gauge as there is not as much info on these guys as you can get on high school recruits, but below is your four-man JUCO class this year.

Christyn Lewis
	Position: CB Measurables: 6-2 / 175 Videos: [none found] Rankings: - Rivals: #NR CB (3*) - Scout: #NR CB - ESPN: #NR CB Notes:  Good size for a B10 corner, the question is how fast is he and how fast can he pick up the defense and push Collado or Michael Carter for PT at the corner.  The success or failure of recruiting JUCOs is apparent very quickly.  Lewis was brought in because secondary depth/experience is lacking, if he's not getting playing time right away then this was not a wise usage of a scholarship.  Expect to see him on the field in week 1.
Tiree Eure
	Position: TE Measurables: 6-6 / 245 Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #NR TE (3*) - Scout:  #NR TE - ESPN: #NR TE Notes: His initials are TE and his position is TE.  That's not a coincidence folks.  Eure is a BIG TE.  Most are assuming that Haggeman is moving to DE and with graduation of Tow-Arnett there is a lack of TE depth.  I'm assuming that most of the snaps will go to Eure and Eric Lair.  I really like his size.  Eure also thinks he can take anyone in bowling, see how athletic he is?
Hershel Thornton
	Position: S Measurables: 6-1 / 205 Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #NR S (3*) - Scout: #NR S - ESPN: #NR S Notes:  All of these JUCO's have good size and Thornton is no exception.  It should be noted that Thornton is old, even for a JUCO transfer.  He graduated high school in 2006 and took a couple years away from school/football to work.  Thornton was named 1st team All-Conference in Lackawanna CC's league and will certainly add depth while pushing Kyle Theret and Kim Royston for  playing time.  He is a physical run-supporter and though he may not start, he'll be a key addition to the defensive secondary.
Dwight Tillman
	Position: DB Measurables: 5-11 / 184 Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #NR CB (2*) - Scout: #NR CB - ESPN: #NR CB Notes:  The fourth and final Lackawanna CC player to commit to Minnesota.  Tillman was 2nd team All-Conference.  I'd be surprised to see him getting a lot of reps but Tillman will certainly add depth and hopefully competition for the entire secondary.

xxxx

After posting the Midwest commits to the 2010 Gopher class, I should continue with those outside of the Midwest.  This group of 11 players is full of kids from southern hotbeds of talent.  The rub with this class could be that we are getting the players not snatched up by the Texas, Floridas, Miamis and LSUs of the world.  This is true that we didn't steal away one of the ten best players out of those states but we did get some players who will add speed, size and athleticism to this class.

Commitments by State

Florida - 4
Texas - 3
Louisiana - 2
California - 1
New Jersey - 1

Below is your 2010 Gopher recruiting class (special thanks to Tomahawk Nation for the table).

Devon Wright
	Position: RB Measurables: 6-0 / 190 /4.5 Videos: none found Rankings: - Rivals: #NR (3*) - Scout: #111 RB - ESPN: #22 RB Notes: This article from last spring argues that Wright was often overlooked but arguably the best RB in South Florida.  ``Devon is just incredibly humble,`` Taravella coach Dan Marguriet said. ``He works so hard and doesn't think he's better than anyone. He's just a great kid.''  A 97 yard TD run in 2007 (as sophomore), 1600+ yards as a junior and 1800+ yards in 2009.  According to ESPN Wright was the best commitment of this 2010 Gopher class.  Has the tools to be very productive and the opportunity to play early in a wide open backfield.
Donnell Kirkwood
	Position: RB Measurables:5-10 / 197  Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #53 RB (3*) - Scout:  #143 RB - ESPN: #48 RB Notes: 88th best player out of Florida. The Delray Beach native has very mixed recruiting evals.  ESPN profile had this to say..."He is very thick and compact; really has a low, powerful base which should remain durable in a high-carry role. Projects to be more of downhill, between the tackles back with the strength to wear down a defense."  At the very least should add good depth and change of pace.  May also end up being a dangerous fullback.
Brock Vereen
	Position: DB (likely CB) Measurables: 6-0 / 175 /4.45 Videos: none found Rankings: - Rivals: #66 CB (3*) - Scout: #164 CB - ESPN: #57 CB Notes:  Vereen recorded 51 tackles and 8 picks for his 12-1 team in Valencia, CA.  His actual height varies depending on the recruiting service, ESPN lists him as 5-9 while Rivals says he is 6-0; that is a pretty big discrepancy.  According to ESPN he has very good ball adjustment skills, also tackles well for a corner and has good speed.  Probably the best corner in this class but likely won't see any playing time as a true freshman.  Vereen's brother is Shane who will be the starting tailback at Cal this fall.
Johnathan Ragoo
	Position: OT Measurables: 6-7 / 342 Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #45 OT (3*) - Scout: #138 OT - ESPN: #87 OT Notes: The big fellow from Miami has his ESPN profile start out like this..."This guy is as big as the bus he came to the game in. He has very impressive size and has the build of an NFL lineman. Destroys the opponent when he fires out and works his hands but needs to play with a lot more intensity."  Given time to develop and perfect technique he could be a massive addition and a good lineman down the road.  Has the size to contribute right away but I'd be shocked if he didn't redshirt.
Josh Tauaefa
	Position: DT Measurables: 6-2 / 265 Videos: [sack for safety], [stuffing the run] Rankings: - Rivals: #NR DT (3*) - Scout: #NR DT - ESPN: #161DE Notes:  Evals show state that he is a tough kid and pretty good run defender who has some things to work on at this level.  DT is an area of great need for the Gophers but I don't imagine Tauaefa (man that is a lot of vowels to type) will contribute as a true freshman but he'll get a year to put on some strength, weight and improve his technique.
Harold Legania
	Position: DT Measurables: 6-3 / 250 Videos: none found Rankings: - Rivals: #NR DT (3*) - Scout: #NR DT - ESPN: #96 DT Notes:  Gets the classic DT "has a good motor" label. New Orleans product who had several other BCS offers including TexTech, Miss, Miss St, Colorado, Maryland and Virginia.
Tyrone Bouie
	Position: CB Measurables: 6-0 / 170 Videos: [[1] Rankings: - Rivals: #NR CB (3*) - Scout: #154 CB - ESPN: #40 CB Notes: ESPN Eval has this to say about Bouie, "Very active and fearless corner who can set the tempo of the defense with his high tempo, aggressive style of play. Soundly anticipates the pass and sees the play develop quickly."  He's been one of my favorite recruits because he appears to be a smart kid, tackles well and has decent size for a CB.  A great candidate for a redshirt and then a long career in the defensive backfield.
Dwayne Mitchell
	Position: LB Measurables: 6-2 / 220 Videos: none found Rankings: - Rivals: #NR LB (3*) - Scout: #84 MLB - ESPN: #69OLB Notes:  Everything you read on Mitchell is that he's an "under the radar" player.   Class 4-A Louisiana All-State his JR and SR year (class 5A is the largest).  Mitchell has very good speed which should allow him to rush the passer from the outside and string out stretch/pitch runs.  A year to add mass to his body should be great for Mitchell.  A next generation Simoni Lawrence who is currently listed as 6-1, 220.
Ben Perry
	Position: DE Measurables: 6-5 / 230 Videos: none found Rankings: - Rivals: #NR DE (2*) - Scout: #NR DE - ESPN: #NR DE Notes:  Perry attends what is arguably the best high school football program in Texas.  Southlake Carrol is dominant and Perry was a starting DE for them.  This is a good thing and a bad thing.  Players on the SLC roster do not get overlooked so the fact that Perry is a 2-star end with no other BCS caliber offers (barely any D1 offers), is a bit concerning.  But he has a nice size frame, this establishes a relationship with SLC and given a year to grow he may end up being a productive player.  I do not believe he will be a future All-Conference player but he'll get the chance to prove me wrong.
Sean Ferguson
	Position: DT Measurables: 6-6 / 305 Videos: none found Rankings: - Rivals: #XX DT (3*) - Scout: #XX DT - ESPN: #XX DT Notes:  Big kid from a New Jersey Prep school.  Ferguson has no other major offers and is clearly a project.  But it is a position of need and if Ferguson can develop there will be opportunity for him to contribute.  Supposedly a solid run-stopper but will need time to develop.
Logan Hutton
	Position: WR Measurables: 6-1 / 185 Videos: [[1] Rankings: - Rivals: #NR WR (2*) - Scout: #NR WR - ESPN: #NR WR Notes:  This was the "surprise" of the day for Gopher fans.  Hutton was not on the radar but accepted a scholarship.  Has a very good vertical, 32 inches according to Rivals, and with a number of receivers ahead of him he'll get time to adjust and learn the system.

A class built more on size, length and athleticism than it is on pedigree and star rankings.

24 officially signed letters of intent.  This class is getting mixed reviews depending on which Gopher fan you talk to or which recruiting sight you prefer.  This class has a handful of players expected to be significant contributors down the road, a couple key JUCOs and a number of lower rated players that will need to be developed.

I'm going to give you quick profiles on your entire 2010 class (special thanks to Tomahawk Nation for the table).  As it turns out there were 10 Midwest kids, 11 non-midwest kids and then 4 JUCOs.  I'll begin with the kids from the Midwest. 

Minnesota - 3
Illinois - 1
Ohio - 1
Wisconsin - 3
Missouri -
Indiana - 1

Jimmy Gjere
	Position: Offensive Line (probably tackle) Measurables: 6-7 / 275 Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #17 OT, #161 overall, (4*) - Scout: #21 OT - ESPN: #19 OG Notes: Any other year this would be a recruit Gopher fans would be ecstatic about.  But this year he is the runner-up to Seantrel Henderson when it comes to Offensive Tackles from our state.  But Gjere projects to not dissapoint.  Big frame, good footwork, very good athlete.  Should be noted that in 2009 Gjere threw more touchdown passes (2) than MarQueis Gray!  Also plays hockey and baseball.  I'm confident that Gjere is going to be a very good Gopher and longtime starter at LT.
Lamonte Edwards
	Position: RB / LB (very likely RB) Measurables: 6-2 / 218 / 4.48 benches 305 lbs Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #29 ATH (4*) - Scout: #86 OLB - ESPN: #89 RB Notes: The other significant local product to sign with the Gophers.  Edwards is athletic and has the potential to be a very good running back in what is a wide open Gopher backfield.  He may have the best shot at contributing as a true freshman.  Brewster believes had Edwards played his high school FB in Texas or Florida he would have had more offers than he would have known what to do with.
Tom Parish
	Position:QB Measurables: 6-3 / 200 / 4.6 Videos: N/A Rankings: - Rivals: #15 dual-threat QB (3*) - Scout: #67 QB - ESPN: # 114 QB Notes: Good size, accurate and mobile though not exactly finished product.  Parish will very likely red-shirt and will have the opportunity to battle with Moses Alipate for the Gopher QB in a couple years.  Had an offer from Iowa, did not however have an offer from his home-state Wisconsin Badgers.
James Manuel
	Position: Safety Measurables: 6-2 / 200 / 4.5 Videos: N/A Rankings: - Rivals: #79 S (3*) - Scout: #56 S - ESPN: #37 S Notes: Manuel projects to be a hard-hitting safety.  His ESPN eval says over and over that he is an aggressive tackler who also has good cover skills.  Could potentially play CB or even LB but seems best suited for the safety position.  With the depth we have a S, Manuel may get the benefit of a red-shirt year and then a long and hopefully productive Gopher career.  Manuel has some very good tools to be be an excellent Big Ten Safety.
Marquise Hill
	Position: Athlete (likely WR) Measurables: 6-0 / 165 / 4.49 Videos: [sophomore highlights] Rankings: - Rivals: #85 ATH, (3*) - Scout: #141 WR - ESPN: #95 ATH Notes: St. Louis product who could be a real playmaker.  Like most of this class, very little is expected in the 2010 season especially with guys like Troy Stoudermire and Bryant Allen ahead of Hill on the depth chart.  But a fast, play-making WR is always a nice addition.  Hill had offers from several other major BCS schools.
Willie Tatum
	Position: LB Measurables: 6-3 / 205 /  4.58 Videos: none found Rankings: - Rivals: #NR (3*) - Scout:  #150 LB - ESPN: #74 LB Notes: The Pickering, Ohio native had a great senior season which, according to Rivals, led to several BCS schools coming on strong for Tatum.  But fortunately the fast linebacker stuck with his commitment.  Natural pass rusher, very quick first step, needs to add bulk.  Could be very well suited to be the next in line of the Simoni Lawrence, Keanon Cooper lineage.
Marek Lenkiewicz
	Position: OT Measurables: 6-5 / 240 Videos:  [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #76 OT (3*) - Scout:  #62 OT - ESPN: #96 OT Notes: Has ideal height, needs to add bulk.  But Lenkiewicz is an agressive lineman with very good feet.  I'd be shocked if he didn't redshirt, but projects as a potential starter as an upper-classman.  The RT bookend with Gjere for a few seasons.
Matt Eggen
	Position: OL (probably Tackle) Measurables: 6-5 / 290 Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #53 RB (3*) - Scout:  #96 OT - ESPN: #73 OT Notes: LaCrosse native who fits the mold of the taller and longer athletes that dominate this 2010 class.  Eggen is also a virtual certainty to redshirt and will get his chance to compete down the road.  Eggen played defensive line as well in high school but is considered to be an offensive lineman in college.
Zach Epping
	Position: OL (likely a Guard) Measurables: 6-2 / 274 Videos: [1] Rankings: - Rivals: #NR (3*) - Scout:  #112 DT - ESPN: #122 OG Notes: Like Eggen, Epping plays both ways.  Another Wisconsin lineman who will redshirt and then get his chance to compete beginning in 2011.  This is a class heavy along the offensive line but Epping projects at G or C while most of the others are likely tackles.
J.D. Pride
	Position: ATH (DB or WR or ??)   Measurables: 6-1 / 190/ 4.52 Videos: none found Rankings: - Rivals: #NR ATH (2*) - Scout:  #NR QB - ESPN: #243 ATH Notes: Pride was a QB in high school but will end up playing another position in college. Another virtual certainty to redshirt as he learns the details of playing defensive back.  Pride is related to the Barber family.

Up next will the 11 players from outside the Midwest.

After months of unofficial visits, official visits, phone calls, texts, interviews, rumors and speculation; the nation's top player (or really close to it) has finally make his decision.

Seanrel Henderson is going to attend...

USC

Apparently the draw of southern California, the Kiffins and Ed Orgeron were too much to pass up for the Hendersons.  From a Minnesota perspective this is disappointing but who can blame a kid for wanting to be a Trojan and live in LA.  Hopefully someday soon that attitude will cease and desist but for now it is the reality we face.  The other "silver" lining in this is that Henderson did not choose to go to another Big Ten school (Ohio State).  Good luck Seantrel.

"I just felt I was the most comfortable at USC.  They had a great recruiting class coming in so they have a lot of players that's going to be around me."

Was there a second place school?  "Yes there was a second place school, it was Ohio State."

Conquest Chronicles - USC SBN Blog for reactions - no Henderson story up, he's part of a great class; but not the story of the class.

NY Time story on the USC commitment

LA Times article...? nothing up yet.  Henderson isn't the story in that town at this point.

When Seantrel sticks his head up out of his recruiting hole, will he see a Gopher for his shadow?

It is a very rare thing for the state of Minnesota to lay claim to the nation's #1 prep football player.  Having a player of his caliber in our own back yard is kind of fun and what has added to enjoyment is the intrigue and mystery surrounding Henderson's final college destination.  There are apparently 6 schools still in the hunt.  Ohio State, USC, Notre Dame, Florida, Miami and the hometown University of Minnesota.  Each of the schools listed has been "rumored" to be a silent commitment or the current "school to beat."  He even had Michigan and Iowa fans believing they were in (or near) the driver's seat for the nation's top offensive tackle.

• Ohio State -the current favorite according to internet rumors.  ESPN Scout's Inc also projects Henderson to the OSU.  This one makes the most sense based on what many perceive to be the factors that matter the most to Seantrel.  Ohio State is still in the Midwest, it is a quality school academically, they are in the hunt for BCS games every year, they turn out NFL talent every year and they have a stable coaching staff expected to be there throughout Henderson's time there.  It makes sense and most would believe they are the favorites.
  
• Notre Dame - is always listed as Henderson's supposed top-3.  The Irish have cornered the market on Cretin-Derham Hall kids and SH is also friends with current Irish wide receiver, Michael Floyd; which may or may not affect his decision.  While nobody is predicting Notre Dame (this week), nobody would be surprised if this is where he lands.  Also worth noting, Tom Lemming is often accused of being a Notre Dame lackey who pushes kids to sign with the Irish.  This accusation may or may not be fair but it is out there and Henderson is going to announce his decision on Lemming's signing day show. 
  
• USC - Bill Kurelic believes USC has the slight advantage, but he's guessing like everyone else. I was convinced throughout this process that USC was the favorite but that was before Pete Carrol left for the NFL.  Now Henderson has to establish a new relationship in a short amount of time with the Kiffin staff. What the Kiffin staff has in their favor is a rock-star staff.  Given another month to woo him, I would imagine USC would put themselves back in the driver's seat but I'm not sure where they stand as of Feb-3, 2010.
  
• Florida - nothing has been rumored here for a few weeks.  Not that they are out of the running but nobody is "predicting" the Gators (this week).  In fact due to the lack of any news surrounding Florida, JG thinks this will be the Henderson school of choice.  The "no-news is good-news" theory is what Gator fans are hoping for.
  
• Miami - The Henderson's just returned from Miami which was their final official visit.  I'm not convinced they are in the realistic list of schools to land his services, but you never know.  "It's definitely an advantage for Miami that this is my last visit," Henderson said. "I just want to see what the campus is about and see how I relate with the players and coaches."  Who wouldn't take a free trip to Miami, in January, during the week of the Pro Bowl.  Henderson could be the next Bryant McKinnie, hopefully with a better attitude.
• Minnesota - no actual rumors of committing here but the message boards will occasionally have the poster who has a friend who knows Henderson's uncle who told him that Henderson loves Brewster and wants to be a Gopher.  Actually I think he is Joe Mauer's cousin and the two of them are going to sign with the Gophers at the same time (Mauer has eligibility left doesn't he?) and they are going to lead the Gophers to the Super Bowl (or something).  Seriously though the Gophers have made a strong pitch to Henderson.  One can make the argument as to why he should stay here but the reality is that he's very likely to go to a place where he'll have a chance to play in a BCS bowl.  Miami was the final official visit, but the Gophers were the last ones to spend time with Henderson as they hosted him at TCF Bank Stadium Sunday night.
  

There is so much speculation and the Henderson circle of trust has kept their intentions incredibly tight-lipped.  The elder Henderson, Sean has been willing to talk to whoever asks but he has never indicated where Seantrel will end up.  Bucknuts questions the integrity of Sean Henderson (if he chooses to sign with USC or Notre Dame), based on the numerous comments in the past about coaching stability being a major factor.

There have been a couple local interviews in recent days and here are a couple highlights. 

Bob Sansavere interview - this talks a lot about what it is like to be the father of the #1 recruit in the country and the influence he's had in Seantrel's decision.  There is more in the link, but these were some of the highlights.

BS: Has Seantrel made his decision about a college, and is he just holding off announcing it?

SH: No, he hasn't made a decision. I can honestly say, 100 percent, he hasn't made a decision yet.

BS: Has Seantrel made his decision about a college, and is he just holding off announcing it?

SH: No, he hasn't made a decision. I can honestly say, 100 percent, he hasn't made a decision yet.

BS: Is the University of Minnesota still very much in the running?

SH: We were just with the Gophers last (Sunday) night. We were at TCF Bank Stadium until 11 p.m. A lot of people think we may be leaving because of the weather here. Seantrel is making his decision based on relationships and comfortability with players and coaches.

BS: So, will you be moving with Seantrel if he leaves Minnesota?

SH: Definitely, 100 percent, if he chooses to do that (and attend a school other than Minnesota).

BS: There's a rumor out there that Snoop Dogg has told you that if Seantrel goes to Southern Cal, he would help you launch your rap career. Any truth to that?

SH: Emphatically, no. I've never met Snoop. I've never ever, ever comprised anything so that what I'm doing with my life has anything to do with Seantrel. I've never initiated a conversation about music into Seantrel's career at all. My career and music, and Seantrel's career never have been discussed. Three schools said, "You rap." They brought it up at the University of Florida. It came up this weekend at the University of Miami. They said they heard, "Blah, blah, blah." My mother saw it on the Ohio State Buckeyes' (Web) site. I don't know where it's coming from. I never talked to Snoop ever in my life. Nobody talked music and my situation. I've heard people say, "Oh, there are great studios here." I told Seantrel how uncomfortable that makes me. I'm not interested in combining my music with Seantrel's career. He has a tough decision. I'm just doing whatever a dad would do. I think people — because they're so concerned with (his decision) and there's so much emotion in where Seantrel is going — they want to find different variables of why he'd go here, or why he'd go there. In case he doesn't pick their school, they can say, "Oh, it's his dad." Or, "It's his mom and dad." It's his decision 100,000 percent. We don't want to cloud his decision-making process.

GopherHole interview- this much more Gopher-centric.  Again, there is more in the link if you want to read more, click there.

GH: Will he tell the coach that he's going to be committing to before he announces it publicly?
SH: No, we'll be doing it on TV.

GH: How was your visit to the University of Minnesota last night?
SH: It went well, we had a nice time. We spent time with Coach Brewster and the rest of the coaches. We got back from Miami at about 3:30p.m. and went over there about 7pm. I specifically told them that we wanted to come and meet with them last out of all of the schools because that was the only right way to do it. They were first out of all of our visits, and we wanted them to be last as well.

GH: I heard they put on a special evening for Seantrel, what did that entail?
SH: Not anything special, they just got us together, and we watched the Pro Bowl and he played video games. It was just good for everybody to be there and come by, they brought their wives and a couple of them brought their kids so they made it real comfortable.

GH: Did they make a huge cut-out of Seantrel?
SH: They had a cutout of Seantrel in a Gophers' uniform, and stuff like that. It was nice. They're recruiting and that's what they do.

GH: Was that the first time Seantrel was able to meet the Gopher's new Offensive Coordinator, Jeff Horton?
SH: No, we met him the Saturday before at the Michigan State/Gophers basketball game.

GH: What are your thoughts on him?
SH: He was okay.

GH: There have been a lot of rumors as to what happened with Seantrel's Iowa offer, when did you eliminate them?
SH: Iowa eliminated themselves when they found out that they couldn't be our 5th official visit. I thought that was a poor choice on their part, but it just makes it a little easier on us.

GH: Even though he went down there for an unofficial visit?
SH: He went their twice, so I really don't get why they needed us to have a "official visit." The only difference is basically that they'd be paying for us to stay in the hotel, other than that, I think they're too concerned with how people will view them in the media, and maybe what they read in the paper and on websites. I think it was more about that, if it's not known that we weren't going to take an official visit there, then it didn't pull as much weight. I don't know - I would think that if Seantrel had taken his own particular interest to go down there twice on his own, they would be able to see that he was somewhat serious.

The Case for Minnesota - we are a Gopher blog, we are pretty well convinced that Henderson will go somewhere else for his college football career, but I do believe we are in the running.  Clearly the University of Minnesota is not at the competitive level of the other schools on Henderson's list.  We are a middle of the pack Big Ten team that hasn't accomplished anything significant in decades.  The case for Henderson staying in Minnesota is that he could be the catalyst to change that.  It comes down to how badly (if at all) he wants to be known as a legend.  The state of Minnesota is very provincial and LOVES their local athletes.  Were Henderson to stay here and were the Gophers to make a Rose Bowl (or even a top 3 finish in the Big Ten), he becomes a legend.  Those of you reading who do not live here, this is no exaggeration.  He would go down as an instant Gopher Great.  He would go on to an NFL career and be able to move back here and do whatever he wants in the business community.

Even before he plays a snap at the college level he instantly becomes one of the three most recognizable names in a very crowded local sports arena.  Joe Mauer, Adrian Peterson and Seantrel Henderson would arguably be the three biggest sports names in town.  This is really the only angle and legit reason a player of his caliber would (or should) choose to be a Gopher.  Instant Joe Mauer status if he is a Gopher.  At USC, Ohio State or Notre Dame he is still a great player who would be vital to their teams' success.  But he is not the only 5-star recruit on the roster and not the only 5-star recruit in this 2010 recruiting class.

This point was only solidified to me this morning.  I get in my car ready for a long commute through the snow.  WCCO is the station playing when I start the car.  What are they talking about?  Seantrel Henderson and what he would mean to the Gophers.  I only catch about 10 seconds of the conversation before commercial. So I switch over KFAN.  Guess what?  They are talking about Seantrel Henderson and the impact he would have on the Gopher program.  Literally within 2 minutes I hear him being talked about on two major radio programs on the AM dial. 

No offense to the rest of the 2010 class.  I am really excited about Jimmy Gjere and Lamonte Edwards, but I am certain the KFAN morning show knows very little about these kids (if they've even heard of them).  Sid Hartman probably knows we are signing a big kid from Irondale but I guarantee he doesn't know his first name.  But everyone knows about Seantrel Henderson.  When I say instant "rock-star status" I mean it.

There are a lot of IF's surrounding the case for Minnesota.  Primarily Henderson goes down as a legend "IF" the Gophers start winning while he is here.  But convincing the #1 player in the country helps in recruiting, especially around the state.  For the other schools Henderson brings a great skill set that will help them a lot along the offensive line.  For Minnesota he would be more than that.  He would be a cornerstone and a reason for other great athletes to commit to Minnesota.  This would easily the biggest success Brewster has had as a head coach at Minnesota. 

I'll reiterate that none of us here believe Henderson will choose Minnesota.  But drinks are on me tomorrow (figuratively, not literally.  SBN doesn't pay well enough) if Henderson gives the biggest shocker of the year tomorrow by putting on a Gopher hat on national signing day.

TDG Predictions

Photo is property of Rivals.com. 2009 Four-Star receiver, James Green.

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All of the Seantrel conversation this week reminded me that there are other recruits out there to be had.  The last week has seen a couple of our higher profile recruits decommit and head elsewhere.  Kip Smith couldn't resist the lure of UCLA and Josh Huff is having trouble making up his mind, as of today he is going to TCU.  Those losses sting a bit and the 2010 class is becoming less and less impressive, but we are not going to dwell on what we aren't getting. 

This past weekend saw the Gopher commit class grow by three more moving the total up to 24.  This was a large official visit weekend and we received three "non-traditional" verbals.  James Green is the highlight of the group.  Green committed to Tennessee a year ago but had some academic issues, took the year off and will enroll as a freshman in January.  The other two were JUCO commits.  TE, Tiree Eure and DB, Hershel Thornton give us a coupe more experienced players to bolster the 2010 roster.

Who actually is still committed to the Gophers and where will they fit into the team next year?

The Minn Kids - one of Brewster's recruiting goals was to lock down the border and stop the exodus of Minnesota D1 football players to places like Wisconsin, Iowa and other schools around the country.  In my opinion he has not done this nearly as well as I would have liked.  In his tenure guys like Willie Mobley, Michael Floyd and Bryce McNeal come to mind as top rated players who left for other programs.  You can't fault him for 2007 since he barely had time to pull a class together.  In 2008 he received commitments from exactly one of the state's top five players.  2009 was much better as he kept five of the top six in state, but still lost WR-Bryce McNeal, who was the states highest rated player, to Clemson.  The bleeding is coagulating and it is nice to see that we are at least in the running for a player of Seantrel Henderson's stature, but I'd like to see the top five or six commit the U each and ever year.  Here is who we have from Minnesota this year.

• Jimmy Gjere - OL (6-7, 275 lbs) - The #2 ranked Minnesota player and the forgotten OL out of our fine state.  In a year where Seantrel Henderson wasn't also graduating and picking a school, Gopher Nation would be thrilled about this commit.  Gjere has been invited to the US Army All-American game, he should be a long time starter after likely red-shirting his first year.
  
• Lamonte Edwards - ATH (6-2, 215) - The #3 ranked local from Woodbury projects as big RB or LB once he gets on campus.  Once again there is very little buzz around this four-star, likely due to the focus on Henderson and Edwards' early commitment.  In years past we would be pretty excited to have two, four-star recruits; especially if they were both local.  Edwards may provide depth at LB, but if he contributes in 2010 it would likely be on special teams if at all.
  
• J.D. Pride - ATH (6-1, 190) - Pride is a two-star prospect and currently not in the state's top 10.  QB at Totino-Grace, friend of Henderson and hopefully gem of a prospect.  The most likely red-shirt candidate in this class.
  

The Offensive Linemen - this class a class heavy on heavy kids.  After not signing one offensive linemen in 2008 and five in 2009, this class already has six verbal commitments along the offensive line.  And hopefully a seventh will follow. I would be shocked if we see any of these guys contribute in 2010 or even 2011.

• Josh Allen - OL (6-2, 256) - Texas kid who is a borderline four-star (which means he's a three-star) recruit.  Allen could end up playing at a number of potential positions.  OT, OC, DT or even DE have been on the table.
  
• Mark Lenkiewicz - OL (6-5, 250) - likely a tackle once he arrives on campus.
  
• Johnathan Ragoo - OL (6-7, 342) - Big kid from Florida who had an offer from Miami.  If anybody contributes early Ragoo would be the most ready, physically.  He may need to trim down a little and I'm not sure how nimble his feet are.  But he posts a high SAT and is a large body so maybe he'd be ready mentally and physically to play early.
  
• Matt Eggen - OL (6-5, 290) - Wisconsin kid is the 7th highest rate player to come from Cheeseland. 
  
• Zac Epping - OL (6-2, 274) - #10 ranked player out of Wisconsin who also saw the light and is headed to Minnesota.

Offensive Skill Position Players - over the last few years we have brought in some potentially exciting offensive skill position players, this class is incredibly light in this area.  Nobody in the class of MarQueis Gray, Brandon Green or Hayo Carpenter type recruits are on the board this year.  Fortunately there are not many positions of significant need in this area, with RB being the glaring exception.  Next year should focus on this area much more.

• Chris Hawkins - WR (6-2, 175) - Texas receiver who appears to be the next in line to decommit.  Hawkins would be a nice addition to continue adding quality depth to the WR corp.  With Stoudermire, McKnight, Green, Carpenter and Allen returning I don't see Hawkins playing a lot in 2010 but you can't have too many quality receivers.
• James Green - WR (6-2, 200) - Green was a four-star, 2009 recruit who had committed to Tennessee.  Due to some academic issues (similar to Gray and Reeves) he was unable to attend Tennessee.  He sat out this past year, is apparently on track to enroll somewhere in January, visited Minnesota and is our newest verbal.  I have yet to see a first year WR do much of anything in a Gopher uniform but he is probably our best skill position recruit and will have the spring to get acclimated prior to August camp so maybe he'll contribute in 2010. 
  
• Tom Parish - QB (6-3, 200) - big and strong Wisconsin native.  Parrish is the #3 ranked prospect out of the state.  Parrish will likely red-shirt unless he is able to pass Alipate, Gray and Weber on the depth chart.  Good size and a pocket passer, don't be surprised if he is under center for a few year assuming Fisch and his pro-style offense are around through his career.
  
• Marquise Hill - ATH (6-0, 165) - Missouri native and three-star prospect had a number of very good other offers.  UCLA, Neb, Iowa, Wis, Ark, Kan, K St and others.  Good offers but I'm not sure where we will see Hill.  Hill had 77 carries this year, 31 receptions, 14 offensive TDs, 2 interceptions and 37 tackles so who knows where he will end up playing for the Gophers.  Lemming ranked him the #1 receiver in St. Louis so my guess would be he ends up outside, but who knows.  May be talented enough to contribute in 2010.
  
• Donnell Kirkwood - RB (5-10, 197) - Kirkwood is the 91st rated Florida prospect and chose the Gophers over offers from Pitt, Rutgers and K State.  With our struggles at RB he very well could step up and earn some PT as a true freshman.  I think he'll be burried on the depth chart this year.  Given some time he very well could bulk up to be a bruising RB.
• Tiree Eure - TE (6-7, 240) - JUCO transfer, with other offers from Syracuse, Purdue, UConn and Colorado.  This kid is big!  It will be interesting to see how he fits into the picture at TE where we have Hageman, Hughes and Lair who project to get a lot of PT next year.
  

Defense - the glaring needs in the immediate future are at nearly every position on the defense.  I like a lot of our potential starters for 2010 but would struggle to fill out a second string that I'd feel comfortable with.  With that in mind here are the incoming commits on the defensive side of the ball.

• Josh Tauaefa - DT (6-2, 265) - a very strong kid who could be a real steal out of Texas.  Edwards and Kirksey are the certain starters but after that Tauaefa could be given every opportunity to get playing time behind them.  Needs to get bigger but having a motor that won't quit but if the rumors of strength are true he could see some time.
• Tyrone Bouie - DB (6-0, 170) - a personal favorite of mine for absolutely no logical reason.  Bouie has good size for a corner, tackles well and is a very fluid player.  DB is an area of need for next year but it is also a hard position to play at the Big Ten level as a true freshman.  I don't see him surpassing Carter, Collado, any incoming JUCO, Dandridge, Lewis, etc. this year.  A year to learn and get stronger would be great for Bouie.
• Harold Legania - DT (6-3, 250) - three-star tackle from New Orleans who had offers from SEC, B12 and ACC schools.  As stated above depth is a real issue at our DT situation so Legania should be given opportunity to earn that right away.
• James Manuel - DB (6-2, 200) - Safety is the likely position for this three-star kid out of Indianapolis. Maybe he's get some PT but with both safeties returning, this is the one position where we do not have any need.  Manuel should red-shirt a year and be ready to step in 2011.
  
• Willie Tatum - LB (6-3, 205) - three-star recruit out of Ohio.  Tatum will be a Golden Gopher next year and could provide some depth at LB but I would expect he'll take a year to put on some weight and get acclimated to the system. 
  
• Dwayne Mitchell - LB (6-2, 220) - This two-star kid out of New Orleans was an all-state LB as a junior and has pretty good size for a high school senior.  Mitchell may not be 100% sold on Minnesota but as of today he is still committed.  Good size, good measurables, may take a year or two before he'd contribute.
  
• Doral Willis - DT (6-0, 330) - A two-star Florida kid who is pretty good sized at what we've determined is a position of great need.  According to the two-stars in an area that is heavily scouted and the lack of any other big schools offering leads me to believe that he'll need some time to develop but you don't get very many 330 lbs incoming freshmen.  Maybe he can plug a running lane or two while Edwards and Kirksey get some rest.
• Hershel Thornton - DB (6-2, 205) - Another JUCO pickup from this past weekend.  Thornton actually graduated high school in 2006, worked for two years to support his family and needed to go the JUCO route to get back to big time football.  Pitt, Rutgers and S Florida were the other pursuers of Thornton.  All JUCO's, especially on the defensive side of the ball, are coming because they think they will get ample opportunity to play.  He'll be in the mix with Royston and Theret.
• Christyn Lewis - CB (6-2, 175) - the first of what I expect will be a few JUCO defenders.  There is so little depth in the secondary it would have been rather surprising had we not landed a JUCO corner.  Lewis is set to enroll in January and will likely be battling with Collado for the starting spot opposite Michael Carter.  Assuming no other JUCO corners come on board he'll be playing a lot.
  
• Allen Veazie - DB (5-11, 165) -does not have a rivals rating, has no other BCS offers.  Veazie is pretty fast but is a prime candidate to red-shirt to add some size to his frame.  

Those are the 23 commits as of 12.14.09.  If you are looking for guys to contribute as first year guys I think it is a short list.  Chrystin Lewis is the strongest candidate to play right away and play the most.  The handful of freshmen DTs will have a shot to get some time on the field but I expect a JUCO DT will find his way onto the roster to give us some more experienced depth.  The incoming receivers, Green and Hawkins, may fight for some PT but the WR depth should be pretty good heading into next season.

Check back in the next day or so and I'll have a little recap of who we are still pursuing and who are the most likely candidates to end up playing Saturday afternoons at TCF Bank Stadium.