Many Tulane fans were very disappointed (even angry) last year when Coach Fritz only signed two Louisiana high school players. The departures of Tanner Lee and Teddy Veal (seemingly without any effort to retain them) upset some fans even more. The Louisiana priority established by Coach Johnson was seemingly lost despite the fact that Coach Fritz repeatedly said that one of the main selling points of the Tulane job was the local recruiting area. Regardless, one signee doesn’t seem to support that claim.
Greater New Orleans and the larger state are clearly fertile recruiting grounds for college football. In many years the state produces a higher per capita number of BCS scholarship players than any other state. In fact, in recent years over 100 Louisiana kids have signed BCS scholarship papers annually; until last year. Last year may have been an aberration but the number of scholarships dropped significantly. In 2015, for example, 114 kids received scholarships, 57 to P5 schools and 57 to G5 schools. In 2016, those numbers dropped to 108, 57, and 51 respectively. But last year (2017) only 44 Louisiana kids received P5 scholarships with another 41 going the G5 route. 85 BCS scholarships total suggests a bad recruiting year for the state compared to previous years, despite, anecdotally, an increase in out-of-state interest in Louisiana players.
If Tulane is to compete for an AAC title, let alone compete for a P5 position at some point, we need to recruit against P5 schools, not G5 schools, or, heaven forbid, FCS schools, for most of our signees. With roughly 300 high schools playing football in the state and probably well over 3,000 seniors (at least 10+ per school) participating, only about 100 or so will receive BCS scholarships. Roughly half of those, the top 50, are what we need. And every year (including the last one), based on info gathered from various print and internet recruiting sites, we seem to offer virtually all of the “top 50” players in the state. Signing them has been the problem. Settling for 2nd and 3rd tier guys will not get us to where we need to go. So rather than sign a bunch of guys foisted on us by local coaches who shield their best players from "the Wave," I’d rather say “no thanks.” That’s apparently what Coach Fritz did last year to the consternation of some high school coaches and many of our fans. Of interest to me, Frank Wilson, at UT San Antonio, signed only one Louisiana player last year, though he, Jason Rollins, and Frank Scelfo spent a great deal of time in the state. For people with such strong Louisiana ties, you’d think they’d have signed more than a few, let alone, just one. I think part of the answer is lack of true BCS-caliber players last year.
So, that brings us to this year. At this point we don’t know how many kids we can sign. I’d guess around 20, though a couple more might be in the cards also. Coach Fritz has offered over 60 kids in-state thus far with the vast majority (40+) included on James Smith’s latest “Nifty 50.” Although I recognize Smith’s “love affair” with LSU and his highly questionable relationship with the afore-mentioned Frank Wilson, his list is probably as good as anyone else’s. Anyway, our only current commit, Monjarres, is on that list. If we could get 5-7 more, I’d be thrilled and wouldn’t be concerned that we didn’t sign a bunch of more marginal prospects from the state. It’s been many years since we signed as many as three “top 50” guys and some of those failed miserably.
To this point, I’ve reviewed the highlights of about 200 Louisiana kids—most of the ones with at least some “recruiting site” interest and, though there are undoubtedly more. I think there may be 70 or so players in the state I’d be happy with. That’s up from last year, even at this early date, so I think this is likely to be a good year for Louisiana recruiting.
Over the next two months our coaches will interview, test, time, weigh, measure, and evaluate hundreds of Louisiana (and other state) kids “up close and personal.” I expect more offers to come in and a few more commitments during that time.
Roll Wave!!!!
Greater New Orleans and the larger state are clearly fertile recruiting grounds for college football. In many years the state produces a higher per capita number of BCS scholarship players than any other state. In fact, in recent years over 100 Louisiana kids have signed BCS scholarship papers annually; until last year. Last year may have been an aberration but the number of scholarships dropped significantly. In 2015, for example, 114 kids received scholarships, 57 to P5 schools and 57 to G5 schools. In 2016, those numbers dropped to 108, 57, and 51 respectively. But last year (2017) only 44 Louisiana kids received P5 scholarships with another 41 going the G5 route. 85 BCS scholarships total suggests a bad recruiting year for the state compared to previous years, despite, anecdotally, an increase in out-of-state interest in Louisiana players.
If Tulane is to compete for an AAC title, let alone compete for a P5 position at some point, we need to recruit against P5 schools, not G5 schools, or, heaven forbid, FCS schools, for most of our signees. With roughly 300 high schools playing football in the state and probably well over 3,000 seniors (at least 10+ per school) participating, only about 100 or so will receive BCS scholarships. Roughly half of those, the top 50, are what we need. And every year (including the last one), based on info gathered from various print and internet recruiting sites, we seem to offer virtually all of the “top 50” players in the state. Signing them has been the problem. Settling for 2nd and 3rd tier guys will not get us to where we need to go. So rather than sign a bunch of guys foisted on us by local coaches who shield their best players from "the Wave," I’d rather say “no thanks.” That’s apparently what Coach Fritz did last year to the consternation of some high school coaches and many of our fans. Of interest to me, Frank Wilson, at UT San Antonio, signed only one Louisiana player last year, though he, Jason Rollins, and Frank Scelfo spent a great deal of time in the state. For people with such strong Louisiana ties, you’d think they’d have signed more than a few, let alone, just one. I think part of the answer is lack of true BCS-caliber players last year.
So, that brings us to this year. At this point we don’t know how many kids we can sign. I’d guess around 20, though a couple more might be in the cards also. Coach Fritz has offered over 60 kids in-state thus far with the vast majority (40+) included on James Smith’s latest “Nifty 50.” Although I recognize Smith’s “love affair” with LSU and his highly questionable relationship with the afore-mentioned Frank Wilson, his list is probably as good as anyone else’s. Anyway, our only current commit, Monjarres, is on that list. If we could get 5-7 more, I’d be thrilled and wouldn’t be concerned that we didn’t sign a bunch of more marginal prospects from the state. It’s been many years since we signed as many as three “top 50” guys and some of those failed miserably.
To this point, I’ve reviewed the highlights of about 200 Louisiana kids—most of the ones with at least some “recruiting site” interest and, though there are undoubtedly more. I think there may be 70 or so players in the state I’d be happy with. That’s up from last year, even at this early date, so I think this is likely to be a good year for Louisiana recruiting.
Over the next two months our coaches will interview, test, time, weigh, measure, and evaluate hundreds of Louisiana (and other state) kids “up close and personal.” I expect more offers to come in and a few more commitments during that time.
Roll Wave!!!!
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