FB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[raiderpa]

Congrats to Nick Sirianni, and especially Larry Kehres!  In an article this morning it is reported that Sirianni when talking to Kehres was asked, "What kind of offense are you going to run?"  As Sirianni started talking, Kehres pounded the table and said something to the effect, "How can you start that without knowing your players?"  And so the answer to the Kehres success...players first, then figure how to best use them.  So many young coaches take their systems in and try to make their teams conform to what they want.  This is a sure formula for failure in many cases.

[Rhythm21]

With the 2020-2021 season roughly a month out, I'll be posting some highlights of AU recruits from both the 2020 class and the upcoming 2021 class that I'm excited about. I'll start off with one of my favorites so far:
2021 Recruiting Class: H-back/TE, Riley Caines, from Georgia
http://www.hudl.com/v/2EEFdU
With All-American Colton Jewell graduating, there is a massive void in AU's explosive offense. The Spartans under Beebe use their TE position similar to how the Saints had used Jimmy Graham back in the day. They flex him out a lot but also need him in-line to block for the running game on occasion. Riley fits this mold perfectly. He's rangy and can track the ball well in the air, and then motion into the backfield on the very next play and go block a linebacker on iso. With our lack of roster depth at TE going into the spring, I'm excited to see if Riley Caines can compete for meaningful playing time immediately this upcoming fall.

[Rhythm21]

2020 Recruiting Class: LB, Christian Bower, from Arizona
http://www.hudl.com/v/2C8c5R
Coach Beebe's staff got a good one with Marcellus Romious in the 2019 class. In limited playing time his freshman year, Romious flashed his potential for making big plays with an INT and TFL. Bower has that same potential for the 2020 class. His first highlight shows him dropping into the passing lane, picking off the pass and taking it back for a TD. He has the instincts needed to be a solid LB and plays with a lot of physicality. Like most freshman LBs, the question will be tackling in space. If he can do that effectively, he has a chance to compete for a spot on the 2-deep against Eureka on March 20. Could see him running down on kickoffs this spring season.
 

[Rhythm21]

2020 Recruiting Class: LB, Cooper Stevenson, from Michigan
http://www.hudl.com/video/3/9954648/5db3ca9a19a5820cc0c8763a
Cooper is that Madden Player who only tackles using Hit Stick. He has great size and can read blocking schemes well enough to meet and stop the ball carrier in the hole. More of a middle linebacker as opposed to Christian Bower, who will most likely be a Will backer, Stevenson's strength will be run stopping. Because of his size, he at times got away with playing too high in high school and he'll have to play lower and with more bend at AU. But he has the skillset to be a major factor in Aurora's run defense. With Blake Martz being the only senior backer on our spring roster, you can tell Beebe and his staff recruited the LB position hard the last few years. And I think they got some good ones to develop.

[Rhythm21]

2020 Recruiting Class: OL, Andrew Genz, from Illinois & OL, Wesley Petersen, from Indiana & OL, Luke Mulder, from California & OL, Ethan Hill, from North Carolina.
Both Genz and Petersen are listed at 6'9 and between 365-370 lbs; Mulder at 6'6 300 lbs; Hill at 6'3 275 lbs. If AU wants to compete year in and year out with the blue-bloods in the playoffs, we're going to have to protect the QB from the massive edge rushers in the WIAC, MIAC, OAC, etc. The NACC has also struggled since its inception to run the ball in the playoffs (See Reasnover's NCAA playoff box score 2 seasons ago.) Between these 4 and a few other OL recruits from the 2020 class, it looks like Aurora is not only building for the immediate future, but planning to compete in the trenches for the long run. Big shout out to the Aurora OL in 2019. They didn't get nearly enough credit for how influential they were on AU's historic offense, and I think this class contains the size to keep our offense progressing in the right direction.

[Rhythm21]

2020 Recruiting Class: WR, Jordan Smith, from Florida
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/8232102/5dc08e6aa0226b0d702b2086
Doesn't have elite size, maybe a shade under 5'10, and doesn't have the blazing speed of Junior WR Cam Moore. But he is a gamer. You watch his highlights and see a dude who's not afraid to go over the middle and take a hit and then on the next play sprint to the secondary and block a safety so his RB can spring a long run. Don't get me wrong, Jordan has excellent hands and has the ability to create yards after the catch, but what really stands out is that this is a kid who will put the team first. With a loaded WR room, he'll be a player who makes the travel squad by running down on kickoffs and maybe gets involved in the return game. He'll make his bones on Special Teams the first couple years and continue to develop. With his determination and play style, he has a chance to excell at AU.

[Rhythm21]

2020 Recruiting Class: DE, Nathan Johnson, from Illinois
http://www.hudl.com/v/2BJHFY
http://www.hudl.com/v/2C8Q0h
http://www.hudl.com/v/2C1N5n
As excited as I am for Riley Caines in our 2021 class, I am equally as excited about Nathan Johnson for our 2020 class. Listed at 6'4 270 lbs, you would think Nathan would be a bit of a mauler and rely solely on his power to win matchups against the offensive line. To be honest, I thought he was going to be a 3 technique when I started watching the highlights, but along with the power, he has quickness. He bull rushes a tckle off edge one play and turns around and splits a double team. Sky is the limit for Nathan Johnson as an edge defender at AU. Would really like to see him go up against some NACC tackles this spring. Wouldnt be surprised if he comes away with a couple sacks in his first few career games, he has that kind of natural athleticism.

[Rhythm21]

2021 Recruiting Class: EDGE, Cam Rogers, from Alabama
http://www.hudl.com/v/2Ekx1A
Cam is a play maker, plain and simple. In high school, he lined up as a stand up DE, edge LB. And he couldn't be blocked. Rogers consistently shed blockers like they weren't even there, and then went on to make the tackle/force a fumble. He splits double teams while exhibiting a high motor. Not sure he has the size to play hand-in-the-dirt DE like Rob Stark, but with his elusiveness, I think AU can develop him into a solid Will backer.

[BigRedScots]

With the 2020-2021 season roughly a month out, I'll be posting some highlights of AU recruits from both the 2020 class and the upcoming 2021 class that I'm excited about. I'll start off with one of my favorites so far:
2021 Recruiting Class: H-back/TE, Riley Caines, from Georgia
http://www.hudl.com/v/2EEFdU
With All-American Colton Jewell graduating, there is a massive void in AU's explosive offense. The Spartans under Beebe use their TE position similar to how the Saints had used Jimmy Graham back in the day. They flex him out a lot but also need him in-line to block for the running game on occasion. Riley fits this mold perfectly. He's rangy and can track the ball well in the air, and then motion into the backfield on the very next play and go block a linebacker on iso. With our lack of roster depth at TE going into the spring, I'm excited to see if Riley Caines can compete for meaningful playing time immediately this upcoming fall.

Jewell has another year of eligibility. Is he not going to play in the fall?

[Rhythm21]

With the 2020-2021 season roughly a month out, I'll be posting some highlights of AU recruits from both the 2020 class and the upcoming 2021 class that I'm excited about. I'll start off with one of my favorites so far:
2021 Recruiting Class: H-back/TE, Riley Caines, from Georgia
http://www.hudl.com/v/2EEFdU
With All-American Colton Jewell graduating, there is a massive void in AU's explosive offense. The Spartans under Beebe use their TE position similar to how the Saints had used Jimmy Graham back in the day. They flex him out a lot but also need him in-line to block for the running game on occasion. Riley fits this mold perfectly. He's rangy and can track the ball well in the air, and then motion into the backfield on the very next play and go block a linebacker on iso. With our lack of roster depth at TE going into the spring, I'm excited to see if Riley Caines can compete for meaningful playing time immediately this upcoming fall.

Jewell has another year of eligibility. Is he not going to play in the fall?

I'm operating under the assumption our seniors playing this spring are foregoing next fall, just to not get hopes up. Would be ecstatic if Jewell, Zimbleman & Co. come back to make one more run at the NCAA Playoffs. I haven't heard any word either way though.

[BigRedScots]

With the 2020-2021 season roughly a month out, I'll be posting some highlights of AU recruits from both the 2020 class and the upcoming 2021 class that I'm excited about. I'll start off with one of my favorites so far:
2021 Recruiting Class: H-back/TE, Riley Caines, from Georgia
http://www.hudl.com/v/2EEFdU
With All-American Colton Jewell graduating, there is a massive void in AU's explosive offense. The Spartans under Beebe use their TE position similar to how the Saints had used Jimmy Graham back in the day. They flex him out a lot but also need him in-line to block for the running game on occasion. Riley fits this mold perfectly. He's rangy and can track the ball well in the air, and then motion into the backfield on the very next play and go block a linebacker on iso. With our lack of roster depth at TE going into the spring, I'm excited to see if Riley Caines can compete for meaningful playing time immediately this upcoming fall.

Jewell has another year of eligibility. Is he not going to play in the fall?

I'm operating under the assumption our seniors playing this spring are foregoing next fall, just to not get hopes up. Would be ecstatic if Jewell, Zimbleman & Co. come back to make one more run at the NCAA Playoffs. I haven't heard any word either way though.

They will be back in the fall. This spring doesn’t effect their eligibility.

[Rhythm21]

With the 2020-2021 season roughly a month out, I'll be posting some highlights of AU recruits from both the 2020 class and the upcoming 2021 class that I'm excited about. I'll start off with one of my favorites so far:
2021 Recruiting Class: H-back/TE, Riley Caines, from Georgia
http://www.hudl.com/v/2EEFdU
With All-American Colton Jewell graduating, there is a massive void in AU's explosive offense. The Spartans under Beebe use their TE position similar to how the Saints had used Jimmy Graham back in the day. They flex him out a lot but also need him in-line to block for the running game on occasion. Riley fits this mold perfectly. He's rangy and can track the ball well in the air, and then motion into the backfield on the very next play and go block a linebacker on iso. With our lack of roster depth at TE going into the spring, I'm excited to see if Riley Caines can compete for meaningful playing time immediately this upcoming fall.

Jewell has another year of eligibility. Is he not going to play in the fall?

I'm operating under the assumption our seniors playing this spring are foregoing next fall, just to not get hopes up. Would be ecstatic if Jewell, Zimbleman & Co. come back to make one more run at the NCAA Playoffs. I haven't heard any word either way though.

They will be back in the fall. This spring doesn’t effect their eligibility.

Unless they have told you they're coming back, you are confusing the ability to return for an 100% certainty they will choose to return for an extra fall semester. No worries, easy mistake to make. A lot of division 3 players are taking this spring semester off to save money and come back in the fall. I dont think that's the case with Jewell and Zimbleman. As far as I've heard, they've been enrolled in classes and are on pace to graduate following the semester. But hey, nobody would be happier if they return in the fall. Maybe taking an elective class or two so they could focus on the season.

[BigRedScots]

They can graduate on time and enter into grad school.

they will 100% be back.

[Rhythm21]

They can graduate on time and enter into grad school.

they will 100% be back.

Well, sure hope you're right. But if not, I'll just save this post in case you're ever "100% sure" about something else.