Saturday, January 25, 2014

Minnesota Motor

Basketball Exhale

It was a tight game in Ithaca this afternoon for a long time, but an incredible run in the final four minutes or so gave Columbia a nice 74-58 win over Cornell this afternoon. Columbia is now 2-0 in the Ivies.



Lord Hyeamang


Fast DE


Lord Hyeamang, a 6-4 235 pound DE from Apple Valley, MN has committed to the Lions.

Once again, Hyeamang presents us with a highlight video that actually looks like a highlight video. He looks sharp, quick, and determined out there.

Hyeamang is also a star wrestler.

He is the first documented Apple Valley HS grad to come to play football at Columbia, but two other recent Lions, Brad Losee '14 and Evan Sanford '10, come from the same town.

Here is the updated list of our confirmed incoming class of 2018 players so far:

1) Collin Breckenridge OL 6-2, 270 lbs. W.B. Ray HS, Corpus Christi, TX

2) Leander Cutler RB/LB 5-9, 205 lbs. Varina HS, Richmond, VA

3) Charlie Flores OL 6-4, 280 lbs. All Saints Episcopal School, Fort Worth, TX

4) Connor Heeb OL/DL 6-4 245 lbs. Canandaigua Academy, Canandaigua, NY 

5) Anders Hill QB 6-4 210 lbs. Fairview HS, Boulder, CO

6) Tyler Holmes WR/DB 6-0, 175 lbs. 
Norfolk Academy, Norfolk, VA

7) Lord Hyeamang DE 6-4, 235 lbs. Apple Valley HS, Apple Valley, MN

8) Mike McGrath OL 6-6, 294 lbs.  St. Augustine Prep, Richland, NJ

9) Hagen Patterson LB 6-2 230 lbs. Lake Travis HS, Lake Travis, TX

10) Markham Paukune OL 6-4, 280 lbs. All Saints Episcopal School, Fort Worth, TX

11) Bailey Popeck TE 6-5, 230 lbs. St. Georges School, Germantown, TN and Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH (PG Year)

12) Marc Raye-Redmond RB 5-11, 172 lbs. Trotwood-Madison HS, Trotwood, OH

13) Chris Schroer RB 6-0, 215 lbs. Elder HS, Cincinnati, OH

14) Reid Stables OL 6-3, 293 lbs. Mullen HS, Denver, CO 

15) Nick Surges LB 6-3, 215 lbs. Benet Academy, Lisle, IL

16) Ian Tyler DE 6-4, 205 lbs. Muskegon Catholic Central HS, Muskegon, MI

17) Bewley Wales OL 6-5, 285 lbs. Metro Christian Academy, Tulsa, OK

18) Greg Washington DE 6-3, 215 lbs. Norfolk Academy, Norfolk, VA

19) Dylan Weldon, DB/RB 5-9, 175 lbs. Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, NV


23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am all for a 6'4", speedy DE that can stuff the run and intimidate QBs. I'm no expert at analyzing game film but it looked to me like a player who knows how to stay in position, pin his ears back and get after it.

Could it be that there is a shred of hope with this year's class making an impact? Is it possible Pete will manage to win a few games and stay on a (gasp) 4th season, possibly more if he keeps raking in serviceable talent?

Go on, say it Jake. We're gonna win.

#1 Lion said...

This kid from MN is not a good recruit, he is a GREAT recruit! That makes two key players. If Nottingham comes back (or Helinski), maybe the CO QB can play TE. At 6'4" he could be a great target!

To "alswingman"... NOBODY wants Columbia to win more than Jake! Regretfully, we are past the "if Pete wins" stage. He signed his ticket out of town with 240 lb linemen, the way he treats his players and his hubris. The facts are that he is a record setting coach (several Ivy losing records), and in two years Harvard has scored 110 points to our ZERO. By game 5 we need to start creating a list of potential replacements. By game 8, we shhould narrow that list. By game 10 please snd your apology note to Jake who can safely say "I told you so..."

Great start for the men's hoop team, keep it up!!!

Unknown said...

1lion you are the biggest PM hater I see on here. How can you call yourself 1 lion? Can you say anything positive about the team and the future. This recruiting class looks good, real good. I say this is CU best looking class in YEARS. Maybe they don't pan out in PM term, but they will pan out. And they will always be PM recruits!

Chick said...

This bickering is unnecessary. I know that I, and I believe
99 percent of others here, have no factual knowledge of the true potential or lack of it of any of these recruits. What I do know is that the team's record is terrible and each year we see another list of recruits and hear various claims about them and then the team still loses.
We really know nothing until we see the results on the field. I would love to hear the opinions of anyone who is either a coach, football journalist or anyone else who tries to amass factual appraisals of these kids abilities. Lacking that,we just have to wait and see, and calling each other names doesn't accomplish a thing.
If the buck stops anywhere, it's with Bollinger and Murphy. Yeah, the coach too, but B and M don't make the effort to identify and hire a first-class coach which is where reform must start. My personal opinion is that
Generally our players are a higher caliber than our coaches. A winning program needs both.


Anonymous said...

I'm just giving Jake some ribbing. Everyone is fully aware of the pitfalls the program needs to overcome. That is not even factoring in the difficulty of being a college freshmen, making a life adjustment like that, living in NYC and coping with the demands of school.

As far as Pete goes, we have hashed all that out on this blog. He has his work cut out for him. The coaching market is not that soft for a guy with his experience so he can fail at Columbia and move on. Though, there is no question right now he is fighting to keep his career upright. He is doing what any of us would do - beating the bushes and finding some playmakers.

#1 Lion said...

This a is a very cyclical conversation, however, for the record, I applauded the CO QB and the MN DE recruits (as I stated earlier). Nevertheless, there are people on this BLOG that have blind faith in Pete. I would suggest they are just blind.

Bob, the question has been asked over and over again: “What positive tangibles has Pete brought to the program?” Feel free to avoid to answer as others such as you have done before. But Bob, before you answer, please don’t give us that same boring argument that “the cupboard was bare” when Pete arrived. We had several All-Ivy players on the team (one currently in the NFL) . You know what is defenseless (pun intended)??? This number… 402-73. Think about it, opponents scored 402 points versus our 73. I really don’t need to say any more, do I, really?

I’ve watched this program since Coach Garrett and I’ve never seen anything like this…

alawicius said...

The Minnesota DE made Honorable Mention All-League which doesn't seem that impressive, so I wonder if some of you are overrating him, although it's possible that his potential is higher.

Big Dawg said...

Couple of comments.
Congrats and good luck to the Minnesota DE, but if league Hon Mention is the honorific, it's pretty meaningless.

Chick's comment is the best here. Our kids are better than our coaches and our admin. And PM isn't the underlying problem, he's just a symptom of the whole disease. Maybe he got scared into reality and stepped up his game. If so, good.

#1 Lion said...

I was unaware that the DE from MN was HM? Maybe he got hurt in the middle of the season. His tape looks good though. He's got a good frame to put on quality weight (coaching staff permitted), and he looked aggressive (delivery blows as opposed to waiting on the play). Also, if you look at some of the schemes that his coaching staff ran, this kid played multiple positions and has a good motor. I just hope we don't lose him.

WOF said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
WOF said...

Barker: How would you know if this class is the best in several years. I thought you were a friend of one of the players and a recent fan?

To Some of you newer parents and fans who get upset with us old guard cynics: We all respect your defense of the program and that you have a fresh perspective and positive outlook for the team. But just try to understand some of us have suffered through decades of CU ineptitude. We've seen AD's and coaches come and go and the one constant has always been a lack of interest and support fromt he President's office.

Every year we try to convince oursleves the next year will be different but it rarely changes. Pete's handling of everything this past year has only made it worse and more insulting.

We all want the same outcome it is just that many of us have been BS'd by the school for so long and after two years of PM it is going to take a miracle to get us to believe he is going to be our saviour.... Be it on the field or out in public, He has shown us NOTHING thus far....

Unknown said...

Well I know a little of CU history. Looked up most of the players on the roster and most didn't really have a lot of interest from other schools. I see this yes class and most seem to have a decent offer list. CU beat the likes of Harvard, Yale, Brown, and Houston for kids. I think this past yr might have helped recruiting since kids feel they can contribute right away. I might be wrong, but I think CU will shock some people this yr.

#1 Lion said...

Bob- Either we "beat" the other Ivies to these guys, or they weren't interested in them in the first place. Based on the profiles listed on "Rivals", "Scout" and "Yahoo", these aren't big time recruits like Helinski.Time will tell, but having ofers from Monmouth, or Davidson, or Sacramento State don't thrill me.

WOF said...

The recruits look the same every year. None of us have a clue how strong this class is going to be...

And typically a handful of the kids we think are the best recruits quit the team early on..

I hope we have our best season in years but I really doubt it will happen. The coach has failed miserably in generating any good will or any enthusiasm for the coming season.

Anonymous said...

#1 Lion I am not so sure Hilinski was that much of a big time recruit. He drew interest certainly and had a few offers but if i recall, two of those were Colorado and Wyoming. Ok, D1 schools with programs that need a QB to come through but big time? hmmmm... maybe...maybe not.

I was a bit concerned for Hilinski this past season. You are on difficult ground as a freshman QB. The learning curve is rather steep if you get pressed into duty. Not that he couldn't handle it under the right conditions but he did not do well at all. The OL of course was terrible, his timing was off and he was predictably running for his life - not a strong suit for a pocket passer. As said many times, the coaching and offensive game planning was off target - not the QBs fault but it still reflected poorly on both he and McDonagh.

Would Hilinski do better if he had accepted a scholarship at a DI school? Maybe and he would have had time to develop as a freshman with (hopefully) good coaching.

This does not mean Hilinski made the wrong decision to come to CU but it will be harder for him with Nottingham coming back, a new recruit who could impress and McDonagh still looking to improve as well.

I am still wondering what happened to Hank Trumbull. 6'4", 200+, excellent highlight video - shows speed getting to the edge, seems ideal for the read option (a MUCH better solution than the ridiculous system Pete and Elizondo have installed considering the OL talent the past 2 seasons). Trumbull was a solid recruit that received no PT whatsoever. He may not even be on the team anymore.

Unknown said...

To get insight on Hank and any other players playing status, just go on the athletic website and read Coach M's opinion of them from this past summer. He says that Hank came from a lower level of high school competition and has got to improve his decision making etc.

#1 Lion said...

Helinski had an offer from Arkansas as well (per his father). Colorado is Pac 12, so that's big time exposure. I get it on WY... Ideally, someone like Helinski would have had the ability to red Shirt and then progress naturally. He didn't have that luxury. Regretfully, he was under fire all year; especially since our O-Line had freshmen on it that should have been playing second team on the JV team. Oops, Pete got rid of that so that he could focus on the team. Has anybody seen certain parallels with that decision? Hmmmm...

Bob, still awaiting the positives that Pete has brought to the program... Yeah, I thought so.

#1 Lion said...

OldLion - your insight is missed!

Anonymous said...

A southern Califiornia kid in Arkansas? I dunno, stranger things have happened. I don't think Colorado, Wyo or Ark would work for Hilinski. I just hate to see his talent squandered under Pete and Elizondo.

As for Trumbull, Pete's assessment is bunk! I just wonder what kind of chance he had to compete. If he's not the right fit then ok. I don't want to hear lower level competition in HS is the reason. Not every recruit has the luxury of playing for a top flight team and schedule. Look at the guy's value athletically and what he can do for the team. I'm talking about moving the ball and having a QB that can run - something Pete despises. That's why he's a loser. You need athleticism at QB and guys who can think on their feet.

WOF said...

Bob

You arent supporting your comments with any real facts. The profile of this recruiting class looks similar to any other year. We are all guessing if we think it is a good one or a bad one.

I still wonder if you are a PM plant but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, assume you are new to rooting for CU, and compliment on your hopeful and optimistic outlook. Believe it or not, many, if not all of us on this board, once had that, too... But that was a long time ago...

Unknown said...

Alswingman...Hank probably had the same chance to compete anyone else. Read the coaches comments. With the QB troubles we had this year, why would he not get a chance if he was capable? I'm hoping that Hank is in his play book and getting better by the hour so that he can help us. Our QB woes are bothersome to me. None are mobile. Kelly has arm strength it appears but his passes go into the dirt. Trevor does not have a strong arm and Nottingham might as well be a freshman since he has only had a handful of snaps in 3 years. I believe the o-line will be much improved now that they have some upperclassman as well as cohesion from playing together. In addition, they will probably be bigger and understand their responsibilities better. Lets get some depth on this team and some DT's.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Hank did not perform well in camp or maybe he had the freshman jitters or maybe he was not put in a situation allowing him an opportunity to succeed. Maybe it's just that Pete's offensive system sucks and no one can succeed in that situation. I don't trust a sound byte attached to a media guide a few seasons old to be informative.

Obviously my lamenting is post-mortem. The damage is done. Pete and his subordinate OC, Jamie Elizodo, are not inventive strategists. Without real change opponents will still easily key in on the few CU strengths (1 receiver that can be considered a threat, plays that take too long to develop downfield, etc.). With no mobile QBs, unproven RBs, no bona fide fullback to pick up blocking and short passes it looks like more of the same on O.

alawicius said...

We will have the players to be good if we have good coaching, just that simple. Put up or shut up time for Pete. I agree there's little hope with the current OC, same for the DC although the lack of an offense made it hard on the defense. Not sure about Pete. Let's see what the "multiple openings" coaching changes bring. Maybe Pete has seen the light and is ready for a new look. We can only hope.