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I give the staff credit for the way they rallied to round out this class. Doing so while putting together a staff, I give Lester a strong grade for effort and results.

With that said this is a good class, probably better than any of the Cubit era. But it's not on par with the Fleck classes, and half this class he deserves credit for. That's to be expected in the transition, so after the defections this is about as strong as we could hope for.

The 2018 class really becomes the most important, can we again be a top 50 class, can we have a clear advantage over other MAC teams, and can we land a couple high end 3* guys that will allow us the game breaker/game changers that you need to win this league. You want to know how the next 4-5 years of Bronco football will pan out...pay attention to this recruiting class. This next class is Lester's legacy.

Couldn't agree more.

I want to see us continue getting guys with multiple MAC offers and a few P5 offers sprinkled in.

We should be able to get a top-notch QB in this class also, IMO.

2018 class depends largely on our performance next season. If the wheels come off the cart that will signal to potential recruits that our brief time at the top was just that-brief. We need to have an 8-9 win season in 2017, nothing less than that.

I cant complain about what Lester did given the circumstances. It looks like a pretty competitive class. Although ranked anywhere between 3-5 in the MAC (looks like most of the rankings I saw were done prior to getting one of the highest rated players in our class, which happened later in the afternoon), the top MAC teams are ranked all within earshot of each other, and are pretty equal. I will say this though. Right now WMU Football is still at arguably its highest point ever, and we have a great product to sell potential recruits in an outstanding school, in a great city, on a beautiful campus, with an administration very committed to high level football. The fans are as excited as ever, and Lester also can assure recruits that he will be here for the foreseeable future. That means a lot. Lester really has inherited an unbelievable situation, and one where he should be able to, and needs to recruit top level G5, and several P5 type players, much as Fleck was doing. Part of that will be performance on the field, but that too is under his control.

Lester appears to be a really good and likable guy. He has a decent resume, so he should be able to garner respect. He certainly isnt as polished as Fleck, nor as slick on his feet when it comes to answering questions or selling himself, but I am sure he will work hard. His assistants need to be great recruiters too. This is half the battle in college football. Kids want to be impressed, because if you dont impress them, others will.

The next couple years will be telling.

(02-02-2017 11:15 AM)Doo Wrote:  I give the staff credit for the way they rallied to round out this class. Doing so while putting together a staff, I give Lester a strong grade for effort and results.

With that said this is a good class, probably better than any of the Cubit era. But it's not on par with the Fleck classes, and half this class he deserves credit for. That's to be expected in the transition, so after the defections this is about as strong as we could hope for.

The 2018 class really becomes the most important, can we again be a top 50 class, can we have a clear advantage over other MAC teams, and can we land a couple high end 3* guys that will allow us the game breaker/game changers that you need to win this league. You want to know how the next 4-5 years of Bronco football will pan out...pay attention to this recruiting class. This next class is Lester's legacy.

I couldn't agree more. Because the 2018 class is going to suggest to us whether or not Lester can sell the program. On MLive they have an article about Lester flying around in the private jet, and how that is an advantage...Well, Mr. Lester, you have to show that you can take advantage of it.

If we don't land a top MAC class in 18', might as well say goodbye to all the momentum the program has built.

I give him credit for a couple of the guys that he pulled in this year, and that he was able to salvage a decent class. But I am also discouraged they couldn't land one kid in particular, and that was Brevin Harris. And to make that hurt a bit more, he chose Ohio. Not that Ohio sucks, but Kevin Johns offense is one that most WR's would find favorable over Ohio's. Lester should have at least had somewhat of a relationship with this kid as a Purdue commit, and we still couldn't lock the guy down with two of our WR's going pro in the last two years. I thought Harris should have been a win.

(02-02-2017 10:13 PM)Stampede your face!! Wrote:  But I am also discouraged they couldn't land one kid in particular, and that was Brevin Harris. And to make that hurt a bit more, he chose Ohio. Not that Ohio sucks, but Kevin Johns offense is one that most WR's would find favorable over Ohio's. Lester should have at least had somewhat of a relationship with this kid as a Purdue commit, and we still couldn't lock the guy down with two of our WR's going pro in the last two years. I thought Harris should have been a win.

No reason to get worked up about not landing one kid. We've got four other very capable WR's in this class. We'll be just fine.

(02-03-2017 08:26 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  

(02-02-2017 10:13 PM)Stampede your face!! Wrote:  But I am also discouraged they couldn't land one kid in particular, and that was Brevin Harris. And to make that hurt a bit more, he chose Ohio. Not that Ohio sucks, but Kevin Johns offense is one that most WR's would find favorable over Ohio's. Lester should have at least had somewhat of a relationship with this kid as a Purdue commit, and we still couldn't lock the guy down with two of our WR's going pro in the last two years. I thought Harris should have been a win.

No reason to get worked up about not landing one kid. We've got four other very capable WR's in this class. We'll be just fine.

Indeed. The offense makes the player as much as the player makes the offense. Mr. Harris is going to likely disappear in Ohio's run-happy offense. I can't imagine what compelled him to sign with them, but it's his decision and he has to live with it.

WMU is going to pass and pass like crazy. Those 4 WRers we brought on board could well develop into another Corey Davis with all that focus and opportunity.

Yes we need to keep the train going. I won't measure the recruiting by how many so called high 3* recruits they land each year though.
A lot of coaches will tell you that star ratings aren't everything and sometimes we have to trust the coaches "eye test" on some of the recruits. Don't forget that Davis, perhaps the most impactful player we have had in the last decade or so, was a 2 star recruit. Knowing which positions to fill at the time also can't be overlooked. Seems like this staff has a good handle on things.

(02-03-2017 11:21 AM)texasbronco1 Wrote:  Yes we need to keep the train going. I won't measure the recruiting by how many so called high 3* recruits they land each year though.
A lot of coaches will tell you that star ratings aren't everything and sometimes we have to trust the coaches "eye test" on some of the recruits. Don't forget that Davis, perhaps the most impactful player we have had in the last decade or so, was a 2 star recruit. Knowing which positions to fill at the time also can't be overlooked. Seems like this staff has a good handle on things.

MAC schools rarely get 'sure bets' when it comes to recruits. The 'sure bets' are the 5 star guys who have been analyzed many, many times but the top schools coaching staffs. And even then, some of those guys don't pan out in college.

2 and 3 star players are a crap shoot, 50% of them never achieve starting status and, of those, probably only 10% become real go-to contributors. It's a challenge determining how they will develop after coming aboard, their drive to excel, tendency towards injuries, academic discipline, etc.. You have to rely on your coaching staff to analyze them properly and hope for the best.

But, it's fun to discuss as fans how a class compares to the rest. It's fun, but don't read too much into it. Doesn't necessarily translate to on field performance.