[NU Sports] Talent

[Jim Leonard]

I agree completely that our academic standards will always make recruiting an uphill challenge - and I never want to see the standards change. However, the one area that has always baffled me is the kicking game. Thousands of young men handle kickoffs, field goals, and punting on their high school squads. There have to be a bunch of academically-minded kickers out there. For someone with a brain and a good leg, a free NU education should be very attractive, yet we struggle. 

Go Cats!
Jim





----- Original Message ----
From: Sportsbiz <sportsbiz at gmail.com>
To: hakirsch at aol.com
Cc: tbng at comcast.net; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Sent: Tue, October 20, 2009 8:16:50 PM
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Talent

And we are not going to lower our academic standards for football,
basketball or any other athletes (no that Harry suggested that) so the
built-in disadvantage will continue.  However, Fitz is one who can more
effectively sell those football players who qualify that NU is a better
place to be than the state schools that are also recruiting him because he
lived it and he breathes it.  Give him a few more years and let's see the
talent level rise a bit.  The level of the starters will be improved, it
will always be depth that is an issue.  If Fitz can significantly upgrade
our depth so that the second team is not a major drop-off in talent, then we
will be able to compete for Big Ten titles consistently.  I, for one,
believe he can given the tools and I think Philips and President Shapiro
will give him what he needs.
Mark