| RECRUIT Bobby's Recruiting Updates Thread: The Bama Blitz

[Bobby Kunz]

This is going to be an ongoing thread with all my recruiting updates for Roll 'Bama Roll. The series will be year round, once a week. It is called "The Bama Blitz."

Enjoy and leave feedback. Make sure to follow me on Twitter also for all UA recruiting updates (@BobbyMKunz)

 

[BamaFan334]

The only thing I would say is to possibly hold off on the chance radar of if we may or may not get a guy. Recruits are reading what you're writing and them seeing that may turn them off or on depending on how they read into it. Just my two cents, but I love what you're doing, getting names and targets out there to us fans well ahead of signing day and the Fall crunch, so keep up the great work man.

 

[Bobby Kunz]

The only thing I would say is to possibly hold off on the chance radar of if we may or may not get a guy. Recruits are reading what you're writing and them seeing that may turn them off or on depending on how they read into it. Just my two cents, but I love what you're doing, getting names and targets out there to us fans well ahead of signing day and the Fall crunch, so keep up the great work man.

Thank you. Yes, I've thought about that. Honestly, I only cover 6-10 recruits in each roundup and the chances one of those reads the story is very slim. I think recruits only read the interviews they do W/ 247, Scout, Rivals, not so much just roundups. My boss and many readers like it though because it shows them who are top targets and gives them an idea to either follow that recruit throughout the process or to steer away. But you're right, recruits can change their whole recruitment with one visit. I've seen it happen many times.

 

[BamaFan334]

Thank you. Yes, I've thought about that. Honestly, I only cover 6-10 recruits in each roundup and the chances one of those reads the story is very slim. I think recruits only read the interviews they do W/ 247, Scout, Rivals, not so much just roundups. My boss and many readers like it though because it shows them who are top targets and gives them an idea to either follow that recruit throughout the process or to steer away. But you're right, recruits can change their whole recruitment with one visit. I've seen it happen many times.

Do your thing man, you're doing great.

 

[Bobby Kunz]

Give me some feedback and let me know thoughts. Thanks

 

[Bobby Kunz]

1. Alabama Football Recruiting: The Bama Blitz - Roll 'Bama Roll

 

[Bobby Kunz]

2. The Bama Blitz: New Offers and Spring Visitors - Roll 'Bama Roll

 

[Bobby Kunz]

3. The Bama Blitz: A-Day Approaching

 

[Bobby Kunz]

Here's a thread on RBR I'm doing for all 2018 recruiting news. Check it out here.

Class of 2018: Recruiting Updates Thread

 

[Bobby Kunz]

Here's a thread on RBR I'm doing for all 2018 recruiting news. Check it out here.

Class of 2018: Recruiting Updates Thread

Bump

 

[Tidestalker]

Good work young fella.

A couple questions - Why is Akiel Byers being listed as a 2018 commitment on 247 (and I saw it somewhere else too). If he's at JUCO, I'm pretty sure he needs 2 years in order to qualify. I'm confused by this.

Also, whats your the Kentucky QB commit that we offered? Initial impression is that he's got a chance to be really good. I give Kentucky a ton of credit for jumping on him early on, but give them little to no chance of keeping him. The interview after A Day should be telling.

Keep it up! I haven't been as active on recruiting as usual but I enjoy your info. RTR

 

[rolltide66]

Bobby is seemingly Correct. 4-star DT Akial Byers going JUCO route
"I'm signing with Mississippi (Gulf Coast)," he said Monday. "Coach Saban talked to me. They're going to get me in there (MGCCC) and get me out in January, that's the plan!"
The sign-and-place practice is common in college football, especially the SEC. But neither party is binding to the original commitment -- Alabama -- in this case. But Byers wants to make it all the way back.
"I'll just be a 2018 Alabama commit now," he said. "That's where I want to be. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing, get bigger and better and develop more as a player"
I am sure that Saban "has a guy" for this too, I thought if a player did not qualify, they would have to do 2 years in JC, but I am sure that Saban's Guy has this down and there is a way to "fix" the non qualifying elements of a kids records to allow for a quick turnaround and get him in the 2018 class

 

[Tidestalker]

Bobby is seemingly Correct. 4-star DT Akial Byers going JUCO route
"I'm signing with Mississippi (Gulf Coast)," he said Monday. "Coach Saban talked to me. They're going to get me in there (MGCCC) and get me out in January, that's the plan!"
The sign-and-place practice is common in college football, especially the SEC. But neither party is binding to the original commitment -- Alabama -- in this case. But Byers wants to make it all the way back.
"I'll just be a 2018 Alabama commit now," he said. "That's where I want to be. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing, get bigger and better and develop more as a player"
I am sure that Saban "has a guy" for this too, I thought if a player did not qualify, they would have to do 2 years in JC, but I am sure that Saban's Guy has this down and there is a way to "fix" the non qualifying elements of a kids records to allow for a quick turnaround and get him in the 2018 class

Good find RT66.

To me, this sounds like he did qualify, but Saban didn't have a spot for him in that class... Either because he was so late to qualify (AKA pass the standardized test) and they couldn't take the chance, or he just wasn't ready.

Because if he didn't qualify, he couldn't transfer at semester. At least I've never heard of that happening 1 time. Would be awesome if he was red shirting over there, and we could get him with 4 years left. We'll see.

 

[TerryP]

I'm not sure where this "has to be in JUCO for two years" comes from. That confuses me.

The SEC and the NCAA have different rules on this. The NCAA's rule is as follows:

In Division I, if you are transferring from a two-year college and you have been certified as a final academic qualifier, the requirements to compete in your first year are:

Attend the two-year college full-time for at least one semester or quarter;
​

The SEC rules are different here. If I recall this correctly, while the NCAA requires one semester of work the requires two—the academic load has to be completed within a two year time frame. IE: A school can't have a 1 for 1 unless it's a graduate transfer.

​

The link @rolltide66 posted has a few words tucked into it you may have missed:

An Under Armour All-America Game selection, Byers said he is on the track to potentially be a late qualifier, something that could accelerate the potential return process after at least two junior college semesters. That would put him back on the market as a January 2018 enrollee with at least three years of of playing eligibility remaining at the collegiate level.​

 

[TUSKtimes]

I'm prejudiced but would love to see Byers, the Hulkster and Parks come join the gang in January. That might be a pretty talented DL in itself.

 

[Bobby Kunz]

I'm prejudiced but would love to see Byers, the Hulkster and Parks come join the gang in January. That might be a pretty talented DL in itself.

Man, I would love to see Hulk Jones return. I've been in contact with him and he still talks to Coach Dunbar. I think he is as talented as they come.

 

[Bobby Kunz]

Good work young fella.

A couple questions - Why is Akiel Byers being listed as a 2018 commitment on 247 (and I saw it somewhere else too). If he's at JUCO, I'm pretty sure he needs 2 years in order to qualify. I'm confused by this.

Also, whats your the Kentucky QB commit that we offered? Initial impression is that he's got a chance to be really good. I give Kentucky a ton of credit for jumping on him early on, but give them little to no chance of keeping him. The interview after A Day should be telling.

Keep it up! I haven't been as active on recruiting as usual but I enjoy your info. RTR

Yea, Kentucky QB commit is a good one. I think Alabama has a great shot. I talked to him and he told me Alabama offer is a dream come true. I think he is special and is a real player. Not the flashiest, but he can flat out play.

 

[Tidestalker]

I'm not sure where this "has to be in JUCO for two years" comes from. That confuses me.

The SEC and the NCAA have different rules on this. The NCAA's rule is as follows:

In Division I, if you are transferring from a two-year college and you have been certified as a final academic qualifier, the requirements to compete in your first year are:

Attend the two-year college full-time for at least one semester or quarter;
​

The SEC rules are different here. If I recall this correctly, while the NCAA requires one semester of work the requires two—the academic load has to be completed within a two year time frame. IE: A school can't have a 1 for 1 unless it's a graduate transfer.

​

The link @rolltide66 posted has a few words tucked into it you may have missed:

An Under Armour All-America Game selection, Byers said he is on the track to potentially be a late qualifier, something that could accelerate the potential return process after at least two junior college semesters. That would put him back on the market as a January 2018 enrollee with at least three years of of playing eligibility remaining at the collegiate level.​

What are you confused about?

If he hadn't qualified he wouldn't be able to transfer at semester. He would need to make it through two years worth of credits (some get it done in 3 semsters, just like some HS kids enroll early). For Basketball, the student needs to graduate from the junior college program with a minimum 2.5 GPA. I don't see why that would be any different in football.

If he had qualified, he doesn't have to go to JUCO for 2 years. He could leave at semester with no restrictions.

So as I stated earlier, he must have qualified after NSD or whenever the staff needed him to be academically ready. Otherwise he may have been in the class.

 

[TerryP]

What are you confused about?

The notion Byers was going to have to be in another school for two years before he could look at a D1 program. I know this was talked about before...it's confusing why it came up again with some wondering why he isn't required to go to JUCO for two years.

Hence:

I'm not sure where this "has to be in JUCO for two years" comes from. That confuses me.

I'm fairly positive during his recruitment we discussed how similar his situation was with the one Zo Washington had several years back. It falls back to the rule changes of '15 (I want to say it was '15) where the NCAA rules committee tweaked the "partial qualifier" status of players. It's a difference in a class, or two, versus needing several credit hours to qualify.

That said, the SEC does have different entrance requirements than those that are required by the NCAA (as well as other conferences.)

 

[Bobby Kunz]