Where dey go?

[Total Red]

In case anyone is curious CB grad transfer Willie Edwards will playing his final season at Appy St.
Step up?
Not so sure. Didn't we beat those guys?

Still another surprise. TE /H Jake Hendershot another former Redbird is at Indiana U. I thought he was giving up football. Does playing for the Hoosiers count as giving up football?

 

[redbird Recon]

App State has won a bowl game in each of the past 4 seasons and won at least a share of the Sun Belt for three consecutive years.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Agree the App State’s program has earned some respect. They are near the top of all the G5 programs.

 

[Redbirds100]

Jason Harris is at UCLA

Good Luck Jason!!!!

 

[fourthandshort]

Jason Harris is at UCLA

Good Luck Jason!!!!

Good for him ... read article saying they lack depth at LB .. as grad transfer he can play immediately.

 

[TIMMY]

So he'll play for Jerry Azzinaro. That'll be a trip. And I mean that in a good way. He is one cool cat. Runs a 3-4 and likes to 2 gap his nose. Really good clinic speaker.

 

[isuquinndog]

So he'll play for Jerry Azzinaro. That'll be a trip. And I mean that in a good way. He is one cool cat. Runs a 3-4 and likes to 2 gap his nose. Really good clinic speaker.

Jerry is that you?

 

[Hamdonger]

So he'll play for Jerry Azzinaro. That'll be a trip. And I mean that in a good way. He is one cool cat. Runs a 3-4 and likes to 2 gap his nose. Really good clinic speaker.

Yeah, um, copy that CT (CoachTimmy)
https://youtu.be/7ADHNjfqwHg

 

[Chi-bird]

I really hope that going forward, Spack and his staff can retain most of these 5th year seniors.

 

[fourthandshort]

Times have changed .. Spack is old school and can wear players out with his demanding he is. If there is area he needs to work on .. it is here.

 

[Chi-bird]

Times have changed .. Spack is old school and can wear players out with his demanding he is. If there is area he needs to work on .. it is here.

True. But you have to anticipate the allure and do your best to retain. Also, are you saying that these players left because Spack was too demanding and wore them out?

 

[fourthandshort]

Times have changed .. Spack is old school and can wear players out with his demanding he is. If there is area he needs to work on .. it is here.

True. But you have to anticipate the allure and do your best to retain. Also, are you saying that these players left because Spack was too demanding and wore them out?

I think that element is a factor ... hard to know where to draw that line. But there are newer school ideas/science about how to optimally strength train and condition athletes to reach their peak performance. Spack just likes to work his players as hard as he can ... there is science to support notion that training is NOT just about more work and more weights. Recovery is very important part of process.

Who knows why ... but it sure seems like were having trouble keeping guys for 4/5 years lately. Some of it is on today's players, but some of it probably on coaches. Spack and Lathrop are both old school types. I've heard rumors that some of the massive coaching exodus from 2 years ago was due in part to this. So when I put this altogether, that is why I think he may be wearing out some players.

Still believe he is our best chance to get bacl to title game and we are lucky to have him. But if there is an area he needs to evolve more as a coach, this is it. Sometimes "more" is worse not better.

 

[TIMMY]

Lathrop runs a spirited room. No doubt about it. He pushes hard. But that's better than not pushing hard enough. If football at ISU is too hard for someone I'm OK with saying bon voyage. Maybe it is. But bigger, faster, stronger beats smaller, slower, weaker every time.

 

[topiarydan]

I hate embracing the minor league FCS approach - but if Harris and Edwards get serious playing time at FBS programs this year then I figure use it to your advantage in recruiting. If a kid gives us 3 solid years on the field AND graduates and they want to give their talents a try at FBS level then I'm all for it.

Granted you want to see a kid use all four at ISU but it is how it is on both FBS and FCS levels and as long as a kid sees examples that if they do go the grad transfer route to get their Masters at another school that is FBS then so be it. Shows good for ISU finding these kids that can make that jump

 

[Redbirdwarrior]

I hate embracing the minor league FCS approach - but if Harris and Edwards get serious playing time at FBS programs this year then I figure use it to your advantage in recruiting. If a kid gives us 3 solid years on the field AND graduates and they want to give their talents a try at FBS level then I'm all for it.

Granted you want to see a kid use all four at ISU but it is how it is on both FBS and FCS levels and as long as a kid sees examples that if they do go the grad transfer route to get their Masters at another school that is FBS then so be it. Shows good for ISU finding these kids that can make that jump

Also think of it as a two way street. If programs in the Pac12, Big 10, Big East, ACC, Big 12 and SEC start seeing playing from Illinois State players coming in and immediately earning minutes on their depth chart at key positions, those players might see that and then consider ISU when maybe they aren't getting the minutes they want when that position is more robust. They will see these guys come in and see that Illinois State isn't some chump program and they can come here, play immediately and still develop under an excellent coaching staff with NFL eyeballs still on them.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

LB Jason Harris officially admitted to UCLA as Grad-Transfer.