Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
No real surprises but a bit more detail on some of the recruits
https://lehighsports.com/news/2021/7/26 ... eason.aspx
https://lehighsports.com/news/2021/7/26 ... eason.aspx
Re: Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
Agree this class is filled with question marks. Difficult to assign a grade but probably no more than a C.
Re: Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
A lot depends on the two long shots Rodriquez and Bailey. If they bomb then this class is a bust.
Re: Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
Bunch of Debbie Downers? What's the point? To protect yourself from 'your' disappointment?
The beauty of getting 'prospects' is their futures -- ones that none of us can accurately predict. Denny Reed became an NCAA 7th, didn't he?
Bailey was ranked #2 at his wt; could have finished CA 7,2 -- which would have projected him as our best-ever CA recruit (1x NCAA 5 Toth-Fejel was 1x CA 3, I think).
Edmonton's HS credentials in PA are virtually identical to Brad Dillon's - whose 5th, 3rd were at 106 and 141. Nobody but Dillon had a clue he'd become that good.
Garcia was Michigan's best recruit 1 yr ago and was OW as PA senior, 96-0 last 2 yrs; 1 of our top 2 recruits at 197 in several decades (3?) and 1 of a handful of Top 20 recruits in that time period since 2002.
Nathan Taylor is already 1 of our biggest hwt recruits -- ever -- and 1 of 5 PA state champs.
Given all that potential, I see no reason to put pressure on Rodriguez but his moves on his feet + pinning ability, at least "for now," are spectacular. For now is all I've got .... but if I agreed with some of these posts I'd either retire now, or shoot myself, at least in the leg. Thank God our athletes are more upbeat.
The beauty of getting 'prospects' is their futures -- ones that none of us can accurately predict. Denny Reed became an NCAA 7th, didn't he?
Bailey was ranked #2 at his wt; could have finished CA 7,2 -- which would have projected him as our best-ever CA recruit (1x NCAA 5 Toth-Fejel was 1x CA 3, I think).
Edmonton's HS credentials in PA are virtually identical to Brad Dillon's - whose 5th, 3rd were at 106 and 141. Nobody but Dillon had a clue he'd become that good.
Garcia was Michigan's best recruit 1 yr ago and was OW as PA senior, 96-0 last 2 yrs; 1 of our top 2 recruits at 197 in several decades (3?) and 1 of a handful of Top 20 recruits in that time period since 2002.
Nathan Taylor is already 1 of our biggest hwt recruits -- ever -- and 1 of 5 PA state champs.
Given all that potential, I see no reason to put pressure on Rodriguez but his moves on his feet + pinning ability, at least "for now," are spectacular. For now is all I've got .... but if I agreed with some of these posts I'd either retire now, or shoot myself, at least in the leg. Thank God our athletes are more upbeat.
Re: Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
Uh, D Reed went into the state Finals, 25-0, one of two undefeated guys in the Bracket, but was upset by the WPIAL 4th in the finals.
Not the best athlete in th family though. His brother Barney might have been an Olympian in Table Tennis, had they not waited until 1988 to include the sport.
Not the best athlete in th family though. His brother Barney might have been an Olympian in Table Tennis, had they not waited until 1988 to include the sport.
Re: Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
They all have about 3 years to develop. Don't expect any to crack lineup in next 2 years.
Re: Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
I agree 100% with Denny on this. Gaige Garcia is a blue chipper -- why is he being questioned? There are several potential gems in this group. No clue how any will develop, but a solid, if not spectacular on paper, group. Recruiting at LU is cyclical -- always has been. With 9.9 rides and no NCAA stipends, what does anyone realistically expect?
Cornell and Princeton have unlimited rides. Power 5 teams have $6K in stipends to offer. Pat is a great recruiter -- most everyone outside of a few on this board acknowledge that.
I suppose if it's really that much of a burden to follow the Lehigh program and not piss and moan all the time, then I hear UPenn is doing a nice job re-building and they're not that far away if one wants to attend their matches. I'm sure Roger Reina is much more accessible and willing to accept criticism of his recruiting prowess -- especially when someone doesn't pan out or develop as much as the fans would like.
Cornell and Princeton have unlimited rides. Power 5 teams have $6K in stipends to offer. Pat is a great recruiter -- most everyone outside of a few on this board acknowledge that.
I suppose if it's really that much of a burden to follow the Lehigh program and not piss and moan all the time, then I hear UPenn is doing a nice job re-building and they're not that far away if one wants to attend their matches. I'm sure Roger Reina is much more accessible and willing to accept criticism of his recruiting prowess -- especially when someone doesn't pan out or develop as much as the fans would like.
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Re: Lehigh Announces Incoming Class
If Gaige Garcia was committed to just wrestling me thinks the general opinion on this board would be much different towards this recruiting class and him in particular. I have no problem with it just happy to have him, would I rather he just wrestled? Sure, but he probably wouldn't be at Lehigh, at least for now, if that wasn't the case.
I would agree with Mookie to some degree, that this class strength will be decided by the success of Bailey and Rodriguez in the long term (although not near using the word bust). Will be interesting to see what weights these two end up at.
The grouping of PA and NJ kids is interesting but from watching video from afar I see all as long term developmental projects to become "saturday" wrestlers as Pat is quoted as saying. Everyone coming into D1 wrestling is a developmental project to some degree (minus a couple exceptional whales), but this grouping of "local" wrestlers will need some coaching magic to reach that level, not unattainable though if they are willing to put in the work and stay healthy.
I would agree with Mookie to some degree, that this class strength will be decided by the success of Bailey and Rodriguez in the long term (although not near using the word bust). Will be interesting to see what weights these two end up at.
The grouping of PA and NJ kids is interesting but from watching video from afar I see all as long term developmental projects to become "saturday" wrestlers as Pat is quoted as saying. Everyone coming into D1 wrestling is a developmental project to some degree (minus a couple exceptional whales), but this grouping of "local" wrestlers will need some coaching magic to reach that level, not unattainable though if they are willing to put in the work and stay healthy.
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