The commitment of Cary defensive end Fre’Shad Hunter over the weekend virtually gives the in-state recruiting title to N.C. State, and is a direct slap in the face to North Carolina coach Butch Davis, known for his own high-powered talent gathering.
While Tar Heel fans defend their in-state struggles by saying that Davis and his staff are working on better national recruits—and thus paying less attention to players closer to home—there are two major flaws in that theory.
First, the in-state players the Wolfpack is landing are as good as any in the country, and grew up in the backyards of both schools. OT Robert Crisp (No.2 on The Observer’s Top 25 Prospects list), WR Anthony Creecy (No.6) and Hunter (No.5) are all prep all-Americans on someone’s list, the kind of talent capable of lifting a program into the top ten.
And second, North Carolina is simply not getting the national recruits Butch and his boys are going after. There was a brief, fast start with the early commitment of OL James Hurst, but that was as good as it got--there has been precious little follow-up.
The Tar Heels currently have landed one member (Charlotte Christian LB Ty Linton) on our NC 25-best list.
And it can’t get much better for North Carolina in-state, since the remaining three players in that top six we mentioned — DE Gabe King, S/WR Keenan Allen and DL Alfy Hill — are all expected to play their college football out of state.
Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien has to be celebrating, if quietly for the moment. And next year, Davis would be advised to protect his home turf first.
- Stan Olson, The Charlotte Observer
Comments
Why has UNC-CH lost a step?
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 07:54 — ruralnc"why UNC has seemingly relinquished its in-state dominance (for the 2010 recruiting season, anyway) to anyone - NCSU included."
41 - 10 has an impact.
UNC/NCSU recruiting
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 14:27 — eskinn44_40No question: In the contest to see who will have the best NC recruits for the 2010 recruiting class, NCSU has dusted Davis' 'Heels.
The bigger problem for UNC is the ground that Duke & Wake (and heck, probably ECU, too) are gaining with their in-state efforts. I have no idea why the drop-off in recruiting for UNC. I know this: it is very disturbing if you are a Tar Heel fan/supporter. Butch Davis, and John Blake in particular, are considered two of the best recruiters in the country; what's more, it is widely believed that Davis & his staff have the program headed in the right direction. So what gives? As the article indicates, UNC isn't just stinking it up in-state, but the overall recruiting for 2010 currently stands at a level far below Davis' first two classes in Chapel Hill. If sites like rivals.com & scout.com are to be believed, very few of the nation's elite undecideds have serious interest in UNC.
National Signing Day is a long way off. Some kids inevitably change their commitments and end up playing somewhere besides their initial choice. But hoping to catch kids changing schools, or worse, hoping to pilfer commitments at the 11th hour, is a pretty risky way to build a class.
Maybe Davis, Blake & Co. have a master plan that will become clear to us as the recruiting season kicks into high gear (after the football season). As a Carolina fan, I sure hope so. Even I know that, to build a championship-calibre program, you can't afford to take any time off on the recruiting trail.
Eskinn
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 17:11 — UNC_Trumpet_GuyEskinn:
You sure don't sound like a Tar Heel fan or else you would know more about your own team.
By my count Carolina only has 10 scholarship seniors and they already have 10 commits for next year. After all of the attrition before this year, the Heels were actually below the scholarship max of 85. With that plus some possible attrition off of this year's team (e.g. players going pro), they can probably sign 15-20.
My point is that Davis has to be a bit selective (and patient) in offering scholarships because of the numbers. He addressed the biggest need (OL depth) by going out and getting one of the top OT's and one of the better C's , plus he still has OG Johnnie Farms coming in after a year at Hargrave and another OG from VA.
I doubt this class has the WOW factor of his previous classes, mainly because it will likely be of a much more modest size. Davis is not done with this class and may add 3-4 more players from NC before he is done.
As well, Davis has shown a knack of identifying the diamond in the rough. CB Charles Brown came in as a 2-star player and is now a starter on D and one of the top playmakers on a very good defense. WR Erik Highsmith came in as a 2-star and has emerged quickly this year as the Heels top WR, ahead of many more highly rated players.
It's not time to panic Chicken Little.
UNC/NCSU recruiting
Wed, 09/30/2009 - 08:26 — eskinn44_40UNC_Trumpet_Guy:
I am a UNC fan - but also a realist. Davis may have limited scholarships for 2010, but that only emphasizes the importance of getting the most bang for his buck. Clearly, you don't follow recruiting; while it's easy to site a player here or there that the "gurus" missed the mark on, more often than not there's something to the opinions of the so-called experts. The USC's & Texases of the world don't become perennial powers by counting on the handful of players misjudged by the recruiting experts. Those programs are built on 4- and 5-star kids - just what UNC needs more of. What's most concerning about the lack of quality (and quantity) of UNC's 2010 commitment list is how few top-calibre local kids there are on it. North Carolina high schools are producing an extraordinary number of top-notch prospects this year; too many of them are going places other than UNC - and far too many of them are headed out-of-state.
This turn of events not only does not bode well for the 2010 Tar Heel recruiting class, it could be the beginning of a nasty trend that could well impact future classes - and the quality of future UNC teams as well. Anyone with the remotest sense of how recruiting works understands this much: The key to becoming the best program in North Carolina and one of the top programs nationally is to first dominate in-state recruiting. Here in his third season at UNC, Butch Davis and his staff have dropped the ball on that one. Will this become a "trend"? I only hope not.
There are a number of top high school players around the nation who are currently undecided. If their current "short lists" are to be taken as accurate, then UNC has its work cut out trying to snag some of this talent. Surely, the opportunity is there - I said as much in my previous post. Hopefully UNC can convince a few to come to Chapel Hill.
I am concerned about the in-state kids, however. Butch blew into Chapel Hill and promptly put together two excellent recruiting classes - the fruits of which we are already seeing on the field. It appeared a given that UNC would dominate NC recruiting for years to come. Now, the pipeline seems to be drying up - and I want to know why.
No one's panicking; but there is reason for concern. Davis & Co. have shown themselves to be strong finishers in the recruiting game - and maybe they'll do it again. They'll need to - despite the fact that recruiting has changed in recent years, and more kids are committing earlier and earlier, a trend that for now seems lost on Davis and his staff.
Here's why
Wed, 09/30/2009 - 13:49 — bradleyb123"I am concerned about the in-state kids, however. Butch blew into
Chapel Hill and promptly put together two excellent recruiting classes
- the fruits of which we are already seeing on the field. It appeared
a given that UNC would dominate NC recruiting for years to come. Now,
the pipeline seems to be drying up - and I want to know why."
If you really and sincerely want to know why, you need to accept that TOB is having SOME say in this, as well. Butch and UNC aren't the only sheriffs in this town, as difficult as it is for you to accept that. If you choose not to accept that, it is because Carolina's basketball success has you spoiled.
UNC/NCSU recruiting
Thu, 10/01/2009 - 09:19 — eskinn44_40bradleyb123:
Jeez, you NCSU folks really have one he**uva complex when it comes to all things UNC.
I know that O'Brien & his staff have done a great job recruiting this season. I'm willing to give him the credit. What I want to know - and no, I don't expect you to have the answer - is why UNC has seemingly relinquished its in-state dominance (for the 2010 recruiting season, anyway) to anyone - NCSU included.
There is no question Davis established himself and the 'Heels as the team to beat in the race to attract the area's best prospects. What I want to know is, how did that change - so dramatically and so quickly. I know as an obvious NCSU fan, you want to think that it's all about St. O'Brien and some magic switch he decided to turn on all of a sudden. But the truth is, UNC is getting out-recruited in its home state by almost all of the area D-1 schools (and way too many schools from outside the area). Tell me, is O'Brien responsible for Duke's recruiting success, too? Alabama's? How about Oregon and Cal?
Finally, before you go counting your chickens before they hatch, remember: National Signing Day is still a good four months away. I'm disappointed in the UNC recruiting haul - so far. But, alot can change in four months. Committed players will de-commit and commit again - to new schools. New names will surface as "stars" of this high school season. And there are still a slew of national recruits who are currently uncommitted. So, the potential is there for Butch & staff to make up the ground they've relinquished to date.
As a Carolina fan, I am concerned - but hopeful.
yea
Wed, 09/30/2009 - 22:37 — gvillegatrb/c we (UNC fans) are always in here talking badly about TOB. <---sarcasm
next.
UNC Trumpet Guy
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 20:28 — gvillegatreveryone knows Butch can't coach up the lower level stars. only TOB can do this. Recruiting sites CLEARLY had Highsmith and Brown low balled or misplaced altogether! (sarcasm)
great post, UNCTG.
State used to get blasted by
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 13:43 — mad_maxState used to get blasted by the media and fans under Amato for not recruiting well in the state of NC. Now that the tables have turned, I see UNC fans claiming that it doesn't really matter. I'm not surprised.
tables have been turned????????
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 14:00 — gvillegatrwhat tables? this is the first year in some time and the YEAR "AIN'T" OVER!
Ken Tysiac is not the "be all end all" of college football recruiting. we'll see what Rivals and Scout have to say later in the year ...
Tysiac
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 15:18 — mad_maxLol I never said he was. Just look at the recruits being pulled in though. At the end of last year, I believe State landed the #1 and #2 players in the state, and now I know they've got that kid at Athens Drive and recently got the committment after the Pitt game. Yes, the year is not over, but it looks like State is in control of NC at this point. I'll rephrase myself though just for you...the tables are turning. There we go.
who are the 2 recruits
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 20:24 — gvillegatr... who "transferred" to a school in raleigh!? gawd, I can't wait for that to come full circle ...
But I see alot of guys tooting your horns about the "best recruits in the state." It wasn't so long ago you guys hilacked UNC threads about how it wasn't important to get the best recruits according to the gurus and the like.
I see you guys quickly changed your minds!
Not so
Wed, 09/30/2009 - 02:21 — bradleyb123I still trust TOB's judgment in recruiting over the political and biased player rankings. Russell Wilson was a 2-star recruit. Paulus (the QB that holds the clipboard every week for Carolina) was a 5-star recuit. Player DEVELOPMENT is so much more important in football. (Basketball is a different story...)
It's just funny to watch you guys squirm over this.
No sir. I can't speak for
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 21:15 — mad_maxNo sir. I can't speak for others, but I was always upset that Amato didn't care about in-state recruits. In fact, I remember he visited my high school many years ago, and I was embarassed with his arrogance.
I'm not saying that BMFD is showing that same arrogance or that he can't win without the state's best recruits, but historically the team that is leading the in-state recruiting war has had better results on the field. Don't think I've forgotten about the 3 straight wins that Bunting put on Amato even though State had all those "speedy and talented" players from Florida.
T-shirts
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 11:43 — SurferSo what does this say? I guess BD doesn't care about garnering an "in-state recruiting title" t-shirt.
Also, I like izzy's thought process of going after the guys who love the school etc... Seems like we can find the "UNC fans" far and wide and not just in our own back yard.
and you should...
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 12:23 — izzykareemthe UNCCH basketball team has made a name for the school around the world.
I live in upstate NY. My neighbor the other day, this lady, came out of the house with an all black hat, with a black embroided NC logo (the tarheel logo) on it. So i go: "Wow, do you like NC?" She goes: "No, i just wore the hat because its the only all black hat i could find". I was busting a gut inside laughing, because these are the walmart fans we wuffies rail against. She said: "Oh, you must like them right since you're from NC." I said: "No i hate them actually." Then she looked embarassed.
And she's not the only one, i see people everyday 800 miles from NC with UNCCH apparel.
So your recruiting net is wider. You got a kid from here actually, the TE recruit from Pittsford. Tysiac, is from this way as well. I bet he went to high school at McQuaid which is across the street from me.
The only thing that messes up the theory are people like Jordan and Stackhouse, both self-professed wolfpack fans who ended up at UNCCH.
see GT 24 UNC 7
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 13:28 — gvillegatrI wonder if Andy will come in here and complain about a story he cannot confirm.
you know, the one like you just told us about a lady across the street who wears a UNC hat b/c she likes the color. all this story does is help credit your story even though none of us can realy confirm it. (sarcasm)
I'm waiting, Andy ... tick, tock. tick, tock.
?
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 12:51 — SurferThanks. That really clears up everything......
I don't know about Stackhouse, but Mike liked State because of DT. I liked DT as well. But trust me, in the late 70's early 80's Jordan wanted to go to UNC.
also...
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 11:17 — izzykareemCrisp and Hunter both grew up as NCSU fans, not sure about Creecy but i think so too. What this does is pretty special within a program because you have really high profile/capable guys who love the school which often leads them to give extra effort; they want to be where they are.
Very timely story.