WOW.. we've picked up some size today...

[WXAPP]

Holy Cow.. we have picked up some size with our incoming 18 (22 in total) kids today. AMEN. They will only get bigger when they hit a coordinated weight training program. This is exactly what we needed.. and need to keep doing.

Some of these kids for the OL and DL... the phrase "Brick Wall" comes to mind.

[WXAPP]

App State Football Welcomes Incoming Class of 22

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University football has officially welcomed 22 new student-athletes to its program following Wednesday’s National Signing Day. The class of 22 includes four student-athletes that are already enrolled at Appalachian State and 18 that signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday to attend Appalachian in the fall.

“Every coaching staff in the country is excited today and we’re certainly no exception,” Appalachian State head coach Scott Satterfield said. “This is a top-notch class that is filled with terrific student-athletes from top to bottom. I am confident that the 22 young men that are joining our program will help us compete for Sun Belt Conference championships and bowl berths on the field and will be terrific representatives of our program and our University in the classroom and the community. We welcome them to App Nation and the Mountaineer family!”

MOCK ADAMS (WR, 6-4, 187, Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood)
Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... tabbed as the state of South Carolina’s No. 2 wide receiver in the Class of 2015 by Scout.com ... ranked as South Carolina’s No. 30 overall player in the Class of 2015 by 247Sports ... S.C. 4A all-state honoree ... despite playing in a run-heavy offense for much of his high-school career, caught 92 passes for 1,417 yards and 17 touchdowns over his final two prep seasons, including 70 receptions for 1,057 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior in 2014 ... participated in prestigious Blue-Gray All-America Bowl and Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas ... coached by Dan Pippin ... attended same high school as former Appalachian State quarterback and two-time Walter Payton Award winner Armanti Edwards ... chose Appalachian State over NC State, Marshall, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion and Tulane.

BO ALEXANDER (OL, 6-5, 285, Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... began his prep career at 7-A Winter Springs H.S. before transferring to 8-A Dr. Phillips H.S. after his family moved across Orlando prior to his senior season ... named second-team all-Central Florida as a senior at Dr. Phillips after earning third-team all-state recognition as a junior at Winter Springs ... as a senior, was key cog in an outstanding offensive live that paved the way for running back Daquan Isom to rush for 1,440 yards and 17 touchdowns while helping lead Dr. Phillips to an undefeated regular season and berth in the Florida 8-A regional finals ... as a junior, helped running back Julius Bennett rush for more than 1,000 yards while leading Winter Springs to its first-ever playoff berth ... coached by Rodney Wells ... is also a standout wrestler, winning the heavyweight district championship as a junior ... chose Appalachian State over Army, New Mexico, Buffalo and Eastern Michigan.

BRODY BARRETT (DL, 6-3, 305, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./JSerra Catholic)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... playing in one of the nation’s top high-school football conferences (Southern California’s Trinity League), was the starting nose tackle on a team that allowed just 19.5 points per game as a senior ... during senior campaign, helped lead JSerra Catholic to a 10-2 overall record and a second-place finish (4-1) in the ultra-competitive Trinity League, which has been lauded by MaxPreps as the second-toughest high-school football conference in the United States ... team finished ranked No. 10 overall in the football-rich state of California after advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2014 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Pac 5 Division playoffs ... coached by Jim Hartigan ... is the first California product to land on Appalachian State’s football roster since El Cajon, Calif. native Daniel Jeremiah (now an analyst on the NFL Network) played quarterback for the Mountaineers from 1998-2000 ... despite drawing interest from several programs, did not consider attending any school besides Appalachian State.

DANIEL DAVID (QB, 6-1, 192, Hoschton, Ga./Mill Creek)
Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... tabbed by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 30 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2015 ... earned honorable-mention all-state recognition as a senior, as well as being named the Gwinnett County Touchdown Club Athlete of the Year, first team all-county and first-team all-region ... amassed 5,999 yards of total offense (4,117 passing, 1,882 rushing) and 64 touchdowns (36 passing, 28 rushing) as a three-year starter at quarterback ... threw for 945 yards, rushed for 799 and accounted for 21 touchdowns (eight passing, 13 rushing) while leading Mill Creek to a 7-4 overall record and a share of the Georgia AAAAAA Region 7 championship as a senior in 2014 ... coached by Shannon Jarvis ... named MVP of 2014 Georgia Athletic Coaches Association North-South All-Star Football Game after completing 13-of-20 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns to rally North squad from a 7-0 halftime deficit to a 14-10 victory ... chose Appalachian State over Navy, Troy, Georgia State, Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss and Ohio.

AKEEM DAVIS (OLB, 6-2, 200, Thomasville, N.C./Thomasville)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... named second-team all-state and Central Carolina Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... two-time all-county selection ... three-time all-conference honoree ... racked up 115 tackles (61 solo), 33 tackles for loss, five sacks and two forced fumbles as a senior and 93 tackles (46 solo), 21 tackles for loss, three sacks and three forced fumbles as a junior ... also played running back and tallied eight rushing touchdowns over final two prep seasons ... earned an invite to 2014 Shrine Bowl 100 invite-only camp ... a Davidson County Student-Athlete of the Month ... coached by Allen Brown and Wes Mattera ... in addition to four letters in football, outstanding athlete earned three in track and field, two in basketball and one in baseball ... chose Appalachian State over Boston College, Georgia Southern, Charlotte, Old Dominion, Ball State and Miami (Ohio).

EDWARD DAVIS (ILB, 6-0, 224, Farmville, N.C./Farmville Central)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Scout.com and 247Sports ... named 2014 American Family Insurance North Carolina Defensive Player of the Year after tallying 210 tackles, 45 tackles for loss, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns as a senior ... also named first-team all-state and Pitt County Defensive Player of the Year following senior campaign ... helped lead Farmville Central to an 11-3 overall record and quarterfinals of N.C. 2A state playoffs as a senior in ‘14 ... finished high-school career with more than 500 tackles ... participated in prestigious Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas ... coached by Scott Gardner ... chose Appalachian State over The Citadel, Western Carolina, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central and drew interest from several in-state FBS programs, including East Carolina and North Carolina.

JAKE EASTER (QB, 6-2, 186, Pfafftown, N.C./Reagan)
Rated as a three-star prospect by Scout.com and a two-star prospect by 247Sports ... tabbed as the nation’s No. 52 dual-threat quarterback and North Carolina’s No. 54 overall player in the Class of 2015 ... two-time all-Northwest Region selection by the Winston-Salem Journal ... completed nearly 65 percent of his passes for 3,549 yards and 42 touchdowns with just nine interceptions while rushing for 623 yards (5.4 avg.) and nine touchdowns as a senior ... helped lead Reagan H.S. to a 12-2 overall record, including a perfect 6-0 mark in Central Piedmont 4A Conference play, and a berth in quarterfinals of N.C. 4A state playoffs as a senior in 2014 ... coached by Josh McGee ... chose Appalachian State over Old Dominion.

ANTHONY FLORY (ILB, 6-2, 225, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./American Heritage)
Earned first-team Florida 5A all-state recognition after racking up 110 tackles (69 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in 2014 ... finished his high-school career with 221 total tackles (110 solo), 17.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and seven pass break-ups in three prep seasons ... helped lead American Heritage H.S. to back-to-back Florida 5A state championships as a junior and senior ... anchored a defense that allowed just 16 points per game over final two high-school campaigns ... coached by Mike Rumph ... chose Appalachian State over Cincinnati and Western Michigan.

DESMOND FRANKLIN (ATH, 6-2, 190, Inverness, Fla./Citrus)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com ... named first-team all-district as a “utility player” as a senior in 2014 ... excelled on both offense and defense during his three-year high-school career highlighted by 39 receptions for 767 yards and 10 touchdowns on offense and five interceptions that he returned for a total of 159 yards on defense ... racked up 1,607 all-purpose yards during prep career, incluing 755 as a senior (340 rushing, 232 receiving, 23 kick-return, 41 punt-return and 119 interception-return) and 666 as a junior (402 receiving, 108 kick-return, 116 punt-return and 40 interception-return) ... also played some quarterback as a senior and threw one touchdown pass ... coached by Justin Taylor ... chose Appalachian State over South Florida, Temple and Massachusetts.

TAE HAYES (DB, 5-11, 175, Decatur, Ala./Decatur)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com and 247Sports ... named second-team all-state, second-team all-Tennessee Valley and first-team all-area as a senior ... was an impact player on offense, defense and special teams ... earned most recognition for his defensive exploits, which included 60 tackles and three interceptions as a senior ... gained more than 300 yards as a receiver, kickoff and punt returner and on interception returns as a senior ... helped lead Decatur H.S. to 10-4 overall record and berth in Alabama 6-A state semifinals as a senior in 2014 ... coached by Jere Adcock ... captained Alabama’s team in Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic ... chose Appalachian State over Central Arkansas, Chattanooga and Tennessee State, among others.

VICTOR JOHNSON (OL, 6-5, 260, North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... tabbed as South Carolina’s No. 5 offensive lineman in the Class of 2015 by The State (Columbia, S.C.) ... earned first-team all-area recognition as a senior ... helped lead North Augusta H.S. squad that averaged nearly 30 points per game, went 10-4 and advanced to quarterfinals of 2014 S.C. Class 4A, Division II state playoffs as a senior ... selected to play in prestigious Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas (where the athletic offensive lineman was actually named to the roster as a tight end) and South Carolina/Georgia Border Bowl ... coached by Brian Thomas ... attended same high school as future Appalachian State teammates Parker Collins and Montez McGuire ... chose Appalachian State over East Carolina and Charlotte.

ZIREYCUS LETMAN (WR, 6-3, 195, Lincolnton, Ga./Lincoln County/Georgia Military College)
Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and 247Sports and as a two-star prospect by Scout.com ... tabbed by 247Sports as the No. 11 junior-college receiver in the nation ... caught 35 passes for 541 yards and six touchdowns in two seasons at Georgia Military ... named GMC’s Newcomer of the Year in 2013 ... coached at Georgia Military by Bert Williams ... was an all-state selection and four-year letterwinner at Lincolnton (Ga.) H.S. ... coached at Lincolnton by Kevin Banks ... drew interest from a slew of power-conference programs, including Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisville, Mississippi State, Tennessee and UCLA and was also recruited by in-state rival Charlotte and Sun Belt Conference opponent Georgia State.

GERALD MORGAN (DB, 6-2, 190, Fitzgerald, Ga./Fitzgerald)
Rated as a two-star prospect by 247Sports ... named first-team Georgia AA all-state as a senior in 2014 ... despite spending much of his senior campaign at quarterback, was the state of Georgia’s second-leading rusher in 2014 with 2,299 yards on the ground in 2014 ... averaged 7.6 yards per rush and scored 27 touchdowns on the ground as a senior ... also threw for 1,382 yards and 17 touchdowns and caught two passes for 57 yards during senior campaign ... prior to his senior season, spent much of his prep career as a defensive back ... tallied 74 career tackles and eight interceptions (three as a sophomore, four as a junior, one as a senior) ... also recorded three pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a defensive back ... helped lead Fitzgerald to a 13-2 record and a berth in the Georgia AA state semifinals as a senior ... coached by Jason Strickland ... chose Appalachian State over Georgia Southern and Troy.

TYLER NORRIS (OL, 6-5, 260, Kingsport, Tenn./Dobyns-Bennett)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Scout.com and 247Sports ... first-team all-state selection as a senior in 2014 ... two-time all-conference honoree ... was credited with 22 blocks that sprung touchdowns and 43 knockdowns as a senior ... helped lead an offense that averaged 39 points per game and a team that went 9-3 and advanced to the second round of the 2014 Tennessee Division I, Class 6A playoffs as a senior ... also served as team’s long snapper ... coached by Graham Clark ... attended same high school as former Appalachian State star offensive lineman and current San Francisco 49ers starting center Daniel Kilgore ... chose Appalachian State over Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee State.

DEVIN PAPENHEIM (DL, 6-6, 225, Bushnell, Fla./South Sumter)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Scout.com and 247Sports ... named first-team Florida 5A all-state and District 8 5A Player of the Year as a senior in 2014 ... was a second-team all-state honoree as a junior ... during final prep season, anchored South Sumter H.S. defense that tallied 30 takeaways and surrendered just 11.3 points and 207.1 yards per game, en route to an undefeated regular season and 11-1 overall record ... helped lead squad to 33-straight regular-season victories and four district championships ... coached by Inman Sherman ... also excels in track and field as a regional qualifier in shot put and discus ... despite drawing interest from several programs, did not consider attending any school besides Appalachian State.

COLLIN REED (TE, 6-3, 230, Boiling Springs, S.C./Boiling Springs)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... tabbed as the state of South Carolina’s No. 1 tight end in the Class of 2015 by Rivals.com ... hauled in 120 receptions for 2,135 yards and 22 touchdowns during his prep career, including 32 catches for 680 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore in 2012, 48 catches for 850 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior in 2013 and 37 catches for 545 yards and five touchdowns as a senior in 2014 ... two-time all-region and all-area honoree ... coached by Rick Tate ... chose Appalachian State over Army, Charlotte and Toledo and also drew interest from several ACC and SEC programs.

DEZMIN REED (OLB, 6-2, 230, Atlanta, Ga./Chamblee/Georgia Military College)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... amassed 91 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumble recoveries, two pass break-ups and a blocked kick in two seasons at Georgia Military College (21 games) ... in 10 games as a sophomore in 2014, recorded 56 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and six sacks ... coached at Georgia Military by Bert Williams ... prior to becoming a full-time linebacker at GMC, was a standout running back at Chamblee H.S. ... ran for 817 yards (6.0 avg.) and 13 touchdowns as a senior ... also tallied 32 tackles, including five for loss, as a prep senior ... coached at Chamblee by Allen Johnson ... chose Appalachian State over Colorado, Marshall and South Alabama.

MICHAEL RUBINO (PK, 6-3, 190, Apex, N.C./Middle Creek)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Scout.com and 247Sports ... tabbed as the nation’s No. 8-ranked place kicker in the class of 2015 by 247Sports ... two-time Southwest Wake Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year ... two-time first-team all-conference selection as a kicker and punter ... accounted for 71 points with 50 extra points and seven field goals and averaged 43.2 yards per punt as a senior in 2014 ... made 12 field goals, sent 31-of-62 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks and averaged 36 yards per punt with 20 downed inside the 20 yard line as a junior in 2013 ... Middle Creek recovered six of his 14 onside-kick attempts in ‘13 ... four-time academic all-conference honoree ... coached by Michael Castellano ... chose Appalachian State over Penn State and East Carolina.

ANTONIUS SIMS (DL, 6-3, 250, Covington, Ga./Eastside/Georgia Military College)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... led Georgia Military College with 21 tackles for loss for 79 yards in just 10 games as a sophomore in 2014 ... also tied for team lead with three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles and tied for second on the squad with six sacks as a sophomore ... stellar sophomore campaign was made even more impressive by the fact that he played running back in his first collegiate season at GMC, finishing with one rush for two yards and four receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown in seven games as a freshman ... coached at Georgia Military by Bert Williams ... was named Georgia Region 8-AAAA Defensive Player of the Year despite missing two-and-a-half games due to injury as a senior at Eastside H.S. ... tallied 23 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and three quarterback hurries in eight-and-a-half games as a high-school senior ... coached at Eastside by Rick Hurst ... attended same high school as Appalachian State defensive back Dante Blackmon ... chose Appalachian State over Middle Tennessee and Southern Miss.

ALEX TAYLOR (OL, 6-9, 294, Moncks Corner, S.C./Berkeley Senior)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... mammoth basketball standout played only 17 games over two seasons of high-school football ... was a key cog in an offense that averaged 28 points per game and helped lead Berkeley Senior H.S. to the S.C. AAA Region VIII championship and a berth in the quarterfinals of the AAA state playoffs as a senior in 2014 ... coached by Jeff Cruce ... chose Appalachian State over East Carolina, Georgia Southern and Middle Tennessee.

JOSH THOMAS (ATH, 6-0, 205, Montgomery, Ala./Montgomery Academy)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... two-time first-team Alabama 3A all-state honoree as a quarterback ... accounted for 9,414 yards (5,190 passing, 4,224 rushing) and 97 touchdowns (35 passing, 62 rushing) as a four-year starter at quarterback ... also tallied 27 receiving yards, 470 punt-return yards and 20 kick-return yards during stellar prep career ... passed for at least 902 yards in each of his four seasons (1,403 as a freshman, 902 as a sophomore, 1,398 as a junior, 1,487 as a senior) ... rushed for at least 638 yards each season (716 as a freshman, 638 as a sophomore, 1,540 as a junior and 1,330 as a senior) ... averaged 17.0 yards per completion and 6.8 yards per rush for his career ... helped lead Montgomery Academy to a 23-3 record and two state playoff appearances over his final two seasons ... coached by Anthony McCall ... chose Appalachian State over Arkansas State, South Alabama, Troy, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky and Southern Miss.

MONDO WILLIAMS (DB, 5-11, 175, Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City West/Iowa Western)
Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports ... intercepted eight passes, broke up nine more and had 44 tackles in 2014, en route to being named a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) second-team all-American ... returned one of his eight interceptions for a touchdown ... helped lead Iowa Western to an 11-0 regular-season record as a sophomore and a berth in the 2014 NJCAA national championship game ... coached at Iowa Western by Scott Strohmeier ... played high-school football for coach Brian Sauser at Iowa City West H.S. ... is the first Iowa product to land on Appalachian State’s football roster since Milton, Iowa native Eric Roberts was an offensive lineman for the Mountaineers from 1990-91 ... chose Appalachian State over Georgia State, Idaho, New Mexico, Ohio and Toledo.

[AppTraveler]

Not only bigger but some definite skills too. Watch the videos of the Oline guys and they are pancaking guys all over the field. Size on the Dline and skill poistions too. Future looks so bright we're going to have to wear shades! Excellent rundown WXApp!

[NewApp]

I liked the three which said: "chose Appalachian State over East Carolina."

[TheMoody1]

The schools that had offered these guys make a pretty impressive list. A lot different than the SoCon days.

[bertolinidives]

Looks like an awesome kicker coming our way!

Is there any truth to what I am hearing about having academic requirements waived or relaxed for the next couple of years as part of our just joining the Sunbelt?

[asu66]

Looks like an awesome kicker coming our way!

Is there any truth to what I am hearing about having academic requirements waived or relaxed for the next couple of years as part of our just joining the Sunbelt?

I seriously doubt that in view of the *low bar* experiences that Jason Capel left us to endure. Our institutional academic reputation can't afford to take another hit from the athletic department. The faculty would rise up in righteous indignation and I'd probably join in with them.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Looks like an awesome kicker coming our way!

Is there any truth to what I am hearing about having academic requirements waived or relaxed for the next couple of years as part of our just joining the Sunbelt?

I seriously doubt that in view of the *low bar* experiences that Jason Capel left us to endure. Our institutional academic reputation can't afford to take another hit from the athletic department. The faculty would rise up in righteous indignation and I'd probably join in with them.

I don't give much but I do give each year and always have on the academic side, going back to my senior gift. More recently I have started a small donation to Yosef, but if I ever knew this was happening I would write a check to WCU instead or more locally to a Greensboro based school.

[AppinVA]

I'm all for giving a kid a chance, but we had best be damn sure he will put in the effort to do the work -- legitimately -- to earn a degree. We have been successful, because we have standards, not in spite of it. We can only continue our success if we adhere to those same standards. I trust those in power to make these decisions feel the same way. We are a challenging school academically, but we aren't Harvard, and any student willing to do the work and get the available help, should be able to get a well-earned degree.

[Black Saturday]

Looks like there are 2 players from eastern NC, 1 western North Carolina and no Mountain area players on this list. Must be a first not signing that few players from NC that were the foundation for so long?

Hit GA FL SC hard.

Anyway it looks like we are going nationwide to CA and IA. This class must be 2' taller and 20 lbs. more than we are used to getting on average.

[bigdaddyg]

Would love to see some of the 6'3"-6'4" 250lb range kids recruited as DE's convert to bigger LB's.

[EastHallApp]

Would love to see some of the 6'3"-6'4" 250lb range kids recruited as DE's convert to bigger LB's.

Don't think we're going to recruit that way. Actually I don't think almost anyone does. Much easier to recruit fast guys and bulk them up than recruit big guys and make them fast.

[EastHallApp]

Looks like there are 2 players from eastern NC, 1 western North Carolina and no Mountain area players on this list. Must be a first not signing that few players from NC that were the foundation for so long?

Hit GA FL SC hard.

Anyway it looks like we are going nationwide to CA and IA. This class must be 2' taller and 20 lbs. more than we are used to getting on average.

Actually that's pretty much the norm for NC. We signed 5/28 from NC last year and 2/16 the year before. Georgia has been more our foundation than NC for a while now. If anything, the numbers from Ga. were low relative to recent years, though that was more due to last-minute defections than anything.

I did notice the widening recruiting footprint going into effect though, with four each from Florida and SC and a couple from Alabama.

[bigdaddyg]

Would love to see some of the 6'3"-6'4" 250lb range kids recruited as DE's convert to bigger LB's.

Don't think we're going to recruit that way. Actually I don't think almost anyone does. Much easier to recruit fast guys and bulk them up than recruit big guys and make them fast.

I am not talking about converting a bigger, slower down lineman. I am talking about the "tweener". We have a had a few smaller DE's convert to inside LB's over the past few years. Obviously you can't do anything about lack of speed. I just believe that it will be tougher to compete with the stronger SB and OOC teams with 210lb LB's on a consistent basis.

[EastHallApp]

Would love to see some of the 6'3"-6'4" 250lb range kids recruited as DE's convert to bigger LB's.

Don't think we're going to recruit that way. Actually I don't think almost anyone does. Much easier to recruit fast guys and bulk them up than recruit big guys and make them fast.

I am not talking about converting a bigger, slower down lineman. I am talking about the "tweener". We have a had a few smaller DE's convert to inside LB's over the past few years. Obviously you can't do anything about lack of speed. I just believe that it will be tougher to compete with the stronger SB and OOC teams with 210lb LB's on a consistent basis.

Oh I agree with the last point. I think we'll start seeing our LBs in the 230-240 pound range. Coach Sig will help us out there.

[JTApps1]

Would love to see some of the 6'3"-6'4" 250lb range kids recruited as DE's convert to bigger LB's.

Don't think we're going to recruit that way. Actually I don't think almost anyone does. Much easier to recruit fast guys and bulk them up than recruit big guys and make them fast.

I am not talking about converting a bigger, slower down lineman. I am talking about the "tweener". We have a had a few smaller DE's convert to inside LB's over the past few years. Obviously you can't do anything about lack of speed. I just believe that it will be tougher to compete with the stronger SB and OOC teams with 210lb LB's on a consistent basis.

Oh I agree with the last point. I think we'll start seeing our LBs in the 230-240 pound range. Coach Sig will help us out there.

We already have a number of LB in that range. At ILB we have 4 current players at 235 and two incoming at 225. At OLB we currently have 1 at 235 and 2 at 230.