[NU Sports] Odenigbo

Sun Jan 8 15:51:21 CST 2012

First a warning.  This is a long post because I got excited as I learned more about our recruits.

Thanks everyone for all of the great background material posted on Ifeadi Odenigbo.

I don't want to crow too much until signing day, but this signing along with Greg Kuhar clearly improves the defensive profile of the 2013 team (maybe even the 2012 team).

Same thing is true about four star OL recruit Adam DePietro, along with Eric Olsen, Ian Park, and Kenton Playko. 

Clearly this provides a little more insight into Fitz's year end statements about the changes that need to happen in 2012. The biggest change is competition. The prospect of bringing in these guys is going to force our returning starters to think about how much harder they are going to need to work in the off season to keep their starting jobs.

It also raises the bar for the coaching staff. The NU recruiting team is bringing in players with better raw ability. The coaching staff is now on the hook to turn that into better on field performance.

It also raises some interesting questions around recruiting and academics.

Odenigbo could have gone anywhere he wanted. He chose NU because of our high academic standards.

As others have already posted, he plans to actively recruit more players to NU. He said "I don't know why more top recruits don't go to Northwestern." 

Why did Greg Kunar, for example, who has also received a four star rating from some, commit? In part it was because of the good reports he got from Geoff Mogus and Deonte Gibson who were teammates from his Ohio HS. 

Malin Jones whom some also regard as a four star recruit at running back picked NU as much for academics as athletics. "As far as schools with great academics and good football teams? This school is second to none," Jones said. "Coach Fitzgerald is a great guy and that's probably more than half the reason I'm going there. My parents fell in love with him."

Why did four star OL recruit Adam DePietro commit to NU when Wisky was his first choice? It was because Eric Olson, a three star OL NU recruit, suggesting they commit together. 

"We just thought of it today," DePietro said. "He just added me on Facebook, said we both had Northwestern as finalist, and we just got to talking and said, let's just do this, let's go all in and get the best o-line class that we can, let's win a Big Ten title." ..."I just thought, I'm not going to wait, Northwestern has loved me and wanted me to commit for a while," ..."I wanted to go somewhere that loved me and I wasn't an afterthought for them." .DePietro has already reached out to Ian Park on Facebook."All these good linemen are going to change it around and make this a better place," said DePietro. "I'm really excited, I got a great feeling about the future."

Why did Park choose NU? "I've always loved Northwestern," ... "I let it go overnight and when I woke up in the morning I knew I wanted to play for Northwestern." "I got home after workouts this afternoon and called (offensive line) coach (Adam) Cushing. He was on the highway in Ohio and he said he almost swerved off the road he was so excited." This from a kid who lives in Pittsburg. 

These aren't the only stories, but I think that they are important stories.

This may be one of the best football recruiting classes in NU history BECAUSE of NU's admission standards.

It may be one of the best classes BECAUSE of the national coverage that NU gets through the BT and bowl games reaches out to places like Pittsburg, PA and creates fans in young smart football players like Ian Park even though he watched NU lose multiple bowl games. 

It may be one of the best classes because last year's class was good that those players helped bring in their friends. 

It's because NU kept its promises to folks like Christian Jones. 

It's because the continuity in Fitz's staff has allowed them to develop long term relationships with these kids that blossomed into commitments. 

It may be one of the best classes BECAUSE Fitz's pitch is simple and straightforward. NU isn't for everyone. NU has the highest standards in the country academically and plays in one of the best athletic conferences in the country. These kids will be going to class with the best students in the country, practicing with some of the smartest football players in the country, and playing against some of the best players in the country. Most importantly when these kids commit to NU, NU commits to them. They will graduate with a meaningful and valuable degree. They will also get a first class football education and have an opportunity to play on Sunday if that's their goal. 

If these kids are any indication, NU wins every spring graduation regardless of the record at the end of the football season. That's because every graduation is demonstration that NU is serious about the promise it makes to these recruits. 

These are great kids. They are leaders. They have passion. They are willing to take a risk because they understand what it would mean to them and their teammates to be able to take NU football to the next level.

Looking forward to signing day.

Jeff

________________________________

From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com on behalf of rstetson at capps-assoc.com
Sent: Sun 1/8/2012 1:22 PM
To: hakirsch at aol.com; neonrye at aol.com; Jim Bendat; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Odenigbo

Trai Essex could but RW made him choose

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

-----Original message-----
From: hakirsch at aol.com
To: neonrye at aol.com, Jim Bendat <thehaze at earthlink.net>, NUSPORTS 
<nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Sent: Sun, Jan 8, 2012 15:47:18 GMT+00:00
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Odenigbo

Can he play hoops too ?
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: neonrye at aol.com
Sender: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 15:29:27
To: Jim Bendat<thehaze at earthlink.net>; NUSPORTS<nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Reply-To: neonrye at aol.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Odenigbo

I doubt he will redshirt a 4-star--absent some setback in camp.  The only 
concern might be his lack of weight, at least at the outset of his career.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Bendat <thehaze at earthlink.net>
Sender: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 21:35:46 -0800 (GMT-08:00)
To: NUSPORTS<nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Reply-To: Jim Bendat <thehaze at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Odenigbo

I'm a little late to today's party, but this is great news. As Paul said, a 
good pick-me-up for the new year. Now, as I understand it, the kid is saying 
he may well wsnt to get his masters at NU. He also said he doesn't mind 
redshirting next year - which would be consistent with wanting to earn a 
masters during his fifth year.

The question then becomes one of whether Fitz will feel he's just too good a 
player to sit next year.

Jim B.

-----Original Message-----
>From: "Scott Zeller, M.D." <scottzel at gmail.com>
>Sent: Jan 7, 2012 11:24 AM
>To: NUSPORTS <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
>Subject: [NU Sports] 4 minute TV story about Odenigbo family
>
>A very nice TV story from the Under Armour All-Star game which shows why
>Odenigbo chose NU.
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-ovayOrXTY&feature=youtu.be
>_______________________________________________
>nwu-sports site list
>nwu-sports at tssi.com
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