Transfer Portal Guys

[valpofb16]

There is probably not a one size fits all reasoning here.

In my time with program our average was about 1-4 wins a season.

We had the 8A Florida player of the year Dalton Stokes as a backup QB and went 2-9. I think what gets lost is despite being non scholarship football. These are really I mean really good high school players, many of which come from winning programs.

So if you come into a losing program and are not playing after a great school career. It's extremely deflating, not only for you but Mom and Dad too. add in Valpo weather, school, costs. It can get downright very depressing.

That's one end.

The other end are guys like Kaplan and Navarro who have early success and move on. Jeremiah Orr that type of guy.  Verdict is out on Merklinger, Contreras , Kaplan going to FCS schools. But to make it at an FBS school is a massive , I mean massive jump. Cole Anderson started 20 games here his first few years and was never more than special teams at Colorado State.

Then there's a handful who just quit because they do not understand how hard college football is.

[David81]

There is probably not a one size fits all reasoning here.

In my time with program our average was about 1-4 wins a season.

We had the 8A Florida player of the year Dalton Stokes as a backup QB and went 2-9. I think what gets lost is despite being non scholarship football. These are really I mean really good high school players, many of which come from winning programs.

So if you come into a losing program and are not playing after a great school career. It's extremely deflating, not only for you but Mom and Dad too. add in Valpo weather, school, costs. It can get downright very depressing.

That's one end.

The other end are guys like Kaplan and Navarro who have early success and move on. Jeremiah Orr that type of guy.  Verdict is out on Merklinger, Contreras , Kaplan going to FCS schools. But to make it at an FBS school is a massive , I mean massive jump. Cole Anderson started 20 games here his first few years and was never more than special teams at Colorado State.

Then there's a handful who just quit because they do not understand how hard college football is.

Thank you for that very thorough explanation.

Regarding your mention of Dalton Stokes. A huge difference I've noticed from generations past is that the quarterbacking at the high school level gets better and better -- and not just at the P5 feeders, but just about everywhere. The highlight reel film on some of these guys who come to VU and don't play much is very, very impressive.

By sharp comparison, my 1970s NW Indiana high school football team went undefeated in the regular season, running the triple option, and passing maybe 40-50x the whole season. The junior high and frosh teams had super boiled down passing playbooks that included plays such as (and I kid you not, as I was a benchwarmer on those teams!) as "Pass right" and "Pass left."

And yet, even back then, I recall guys who were high school standouts thinking they could walk onto the VU football team and have an impact, and after a few practices, they knew they were overmatched.

[JD24]

Regarding QB play at the HS level....pee wee leagues start these guys off running an offense which is at least somewhat passer friendly. 20-30 years ago if you watched 10 and under or even through middle school age it was all nearly 100% running game from the wing-t to the wishbone. within the last 20 years it has become common to see those ages throwing the ball fairly often which at that age is maybe 10 times a game.

By the time the QBs get to HS they are already fairly polished due to the prevalence of QB camps for those prior to HS.

As far as a guy being player of the year in a particular class....I'm not sure how much that means as production in HS does not necessarily relate to the skillset of the QB in terms of the ability to throw and run. A QB locally was fairly recently 1st team QB in his class...I think 7A....and he not only ended up at a fairly low program (Div II?) but changed positions and never expected to play QB in college.

[valpofb16]

Keyon Turner (South Dakota), Matt Ross (Indiana State) Danny Files (Coastal Carolina) and Dom Grguric ( Bowling Green) not listed in two deeps at new school

Ryan Merklinger is starting at center for Western Illinois

[NotBryceDrew]

None of them except maybe Turner had a shot at the two deep