Michigan State University Athletics
John L. Smith Signing Day Press Conference Transcript
2/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 6, 2003
Opening Remarks:
"This is an exciting class of 20 kids. There are 19 on this list, but (wide receiver) Matt Trannon will count as part of this initial class. A lot of these guys we are just projecting the position where they might fit best, but that doesn't mean they won't be shuffled around. Most of the freshmen that get here, they will be looked at on both sides of the ball and our obligation to them is to get them on the field. Our obligation to the football team is to get them on the field. If you see a running back listed, that might not be the case, he might become a linebacker."
Delton Ashburn:
"Delton is a kid that can run and has a lot of speed. We think that he is going to be a defensive back. He was recruited as a corner and I think that is what he'll end up playing. He's got one thing you can't coach, and that's speed."
Sylvester "Bobo" Brown:
"We would like him to be a little bit taller (5-foot-9), but he is a physical kid. He's big and strong. He's a power lifter, so we think even at the running back position; he can take the pounding that a one-back is going to take. He can also step up and block like a one-back has to in this offense. He's a little bit older as well, so we like his maturity. He's a kid that could step in and help us the first year out."
Kris Bush:
"Kris is a running back out of New Orleans. This is a guy that could possibly be a safety as well. He's a guy that can take a pounding because he's a very physical player. What were going to do is get all of the running backs together, see which one is best, and then possibly move some of the other guys around."
Irving Campbell:
"Irving is a very, very quality wideout. He can jump up and go get the ball. He could also play some defensive back."
Jehuu Caulcrick:
"He is a big running back. He's a very physical runner. He can get done what a coach is looking for in the one-back offense. He can step on the other side of the ball as well. We really like him. We think he's going to be a kid that's going to come in and help because he's mature enough step in right away. There are some kids we may end up having to count on this first year, and he may be one of them."
Sean Clayton:
"Sean is a very, very athletic kid that can do a lot of things. If he doesn't end up at quarterback, he's such a great athlete that we'll find him a place to play."
Pete Clifford:
"Pete is on campus right now. He's a big kid who's getting stronger all the time. He's huge and he's also got a great work ethic. The good thing is he's a freshman that will go through spring ball. All offensive linemen to a degree are going to be a project because the position is so hard to play, especially for a young kid. We'll getter a better evaluation down the road, but I'm sure he will be a great lineman for us."
DeAndra Cobb:
"We recruited him as a corner, but he was a running back (in high school and junior college). He has great speed, so we feel he can make the transition. Being a junior college kid, we are going to count on him. We're expecting the two junior college transfers to come in right away and provide us with immediate help."
Greg Cooper:
"We think he has the capability and the size to be either a corner or a safety. He's one of the guys that could come in and play his first year out."
Cole Corey:
"He's a young man that as we were looking at video and evaluating him, he impressed us as just a darn good football player. When you spend hours looking at him on video, you know that this kid has to play somewhere. I don't know if he's going to be a running back here. We expect him to be a defensive back. He's a good football player."
Mike Gyetvai:
"He's a big kid, and another thing that you can't coach is size. He's got great size and we think he has the capability to be a big, big guy down the road. We like him a lot."
Jamar Jones:
"Jamar is a good-looking wideout. He's a basketball player and a very good athlete. We recruited him because he's going to take me pig hunting (laughs). He said I could come down and get one of those with the big teeth. Besides that, he's a great football player."
Terry Love:
"He can run and catch the ball. He was thinking about going to a couple of different places, but he changed his mind and ended up coming to our place. He could possibly play right off the bat as well."
John Masters:
"We think he's going to be an offensive lineman. He's a kid we were recruiting while coaching at Louisville. We think he could be an inside guy for us, possibly a center or a guard. He's a smart kid and he can play."
Daryl Melvin:
"Daryl is the other junior college recruit for us. We think he's going to be an edge rusher for us. He can really rush the passer. We need him to get bigger (currently 227 pounds) over the summer because when he gets here, he needs to be ready to go."
Stephen Reaves:
"Stephen is a quality quarterback. He can really throw it. He's got great mobility and he can get out in the open. We think is a quality football player."
Maurice Smith-Davis:
"He's a running back who could possibly end up being a linebacker for us. He's a big, physical running back. His dad, Travis Davis, was a great player here, so we think he's got a good gene pool. He's going to help us, without a doubt."
Kaleb Thornhill:
"He comes from a family of linebackers and a family of Spartans, so he also has a good gene pool. He's going to be a great football player."
Joe Toth:
"He's listed as an offensive lineman, but he could very easily wind up on the other side of the ball. He's very thick and strong. He's like a block. Even though he may not what you want height-wise (6-2), he's a solid, solid player."
Overview:
"We wanted to get as many wideouts as we could. A year down the road, we're going to be losing a lot of offensive linemen, so we brought some linemen in as well. We got a couple of talented quarterbacks and we like to get at least one a year. We would have liked to address the defensive side a little bit better. We still have the capability of adding some kids if some test scores work out. Overall, it's a good class. Next year, I will be able to tell you more about these guys. But I've never known a coach to have a bad recruiting year. They all look good on paper. We'll just have to wait and a year from now, I'll be able to tell you who's good and who isn't. Right now, there all real good."
How many more players can you add?
"We have the capability, if we wanted to, to add maybe five or six guys, but I don't think we will. We're not going to panic. We would like to get 17 kids per year. You times that by five years and there's your limit of 85 (scholarships). And that's were you like to be. If all of a sudden a great player popped up, we would take him. But we're not going to go out and get anybody just to fill a spot."
How much were you in the hole with the late start?
"A lot of in-state kids had already committed. A lot of top players committed before we got on board here, so that hurt us a little bit, without a doubt. Some of the guys that committed earlier changed their mind during the process of changing coaches, but we can't worry about that. We would like to really concentrate on our own backyard in the future, and gradually expand from here."
Have you found more kids committing to schools earlier?
"I think in the Big Ten players have more of a tendency to commit to schools earlier. Penn State started this practice years ago, and now it has carried over to everybody. A lot of kids are getting it (the recruiting process) over quicker. Yes, it's more prevalent here than in the other places I've been at. It's tough now, but next year at this time I won't be complaining."
Do you expect to move some of the offensive plays to defense?
"I don't want to say so right now because they haven't played for me yet, but like I said before, we've got four or five running backs. Probably, one of those guys will end up at running back. We'll keep the best one there and the others will find a place to play because they are good athletes. They're good football players or we wouldn't have gone out and recruited them. They could end up changing positions very easily. You'll see that a lot. There might be a bunch of guys at one position and if they are all really good athletes, then we might have to put them at another position.
Kaleb Thornhill had his press conference less than an hour ago. Talk about what he brings to the program.
"I'll tell you what a great kid Kaleb is. His dad, brother, mother - his entire family went here. That kid is going to be a great football player - he's got no choice! From mom on down, they'll work him over if he comes home without having success. Neat kid. Great character. Good athlete. He's going to be strong. He's a linebacker and he could end up being a factor right off the bat. Come on, when your dad's nickname is 'Mad Dog', what do you think you would do? Kaleb is just a good, solid kid."
How many of the signees have already qualifying academically?
"How many have already qualified? I'm not sure, but I expect them all to qualify. How many have at this point, I don't have an exact number. We don't expect that to be a problem."
After accepting the Michigan State job, did you continue to recruit players you were considering at Louisville?
"Yeah, there were a lot of kids from Louisville that we continued to look at. We brought the list with us and then weeded it out a little bit coming here."
How important is speed during the evaluation process?
"The days of the dinosaurs are over. You have to be able to run. If you can't run, then you can't play the game anymore because there too many people out there that can run. We're looking for speed, even on defense. We're not just going to sit in there; we're going to get after you. That's our philosophy and that's what we believe, so speed is a major factor."
Is Matt Trannon eligible for competition next fall?
"He'll be set to go. He'd better! First, he's got to make it through the year and pass his hours. He's going to class and checking-in in the morning. But he's doing good and he'll be ready to go."
How different is recruiting at Louisville vs. Michigan State?
"I think there were some guys that we might not have recruited that heavily at Louisville, because we didn't think we would get a good shot at there. But we had a shot with them here, so we went after them."
How concerned are you about the lack of recruits along the defensive line?
"Yes, that is a concern but it's always a concern. Everybody wants those guys. D-linemen are a premium. Everybody recruits those guys. We didn't want to go out there and just find a defensive guy that can't really play over there or can't run well enough. We might have play a little thin over there for a year or so but eventually, we will get those big linemen. I don't want to go out there and get somebody who can't run just to say we picked up a D-lineman. That's why some of these guys (signees) will have to move."
How much attention do you pay to the Internet recruiting polls?
"How much stock in those do I have? The Internet. . . I don't even know how to turn it on, so I guess that tells you how much stock I put in those things. Yes, I am sure they spend countless hours watching tape of every high school player. Give me a break."
In the future, how much focus will you give to recruiting in the state of Michigan?
"Without a doubt, those kids are important to this program. You feel the rivalry against a school like Michigan and the other Big Ten schools. I feel that there is no point for me to go to California to recruit unless I'm looking at a junior college player. We're going to start at home and concentrate on Michigan. We'll begin the recruiting process here; then move on to Ohio and then we'll work our way out to the East Coast. You have to expand from here. I think that you develop that as you go along."
How does the recruiting evaluation process begin?
"Well, I think number one you have to be the size, the weight and the speed. Once you get through that. It starts with the recruiting contact and he provides the first test. He will watch the videos and then take it to that position coach and give it to him. That gets another set of eyes on it. Once a prospect passes that test, the coordinator gets involved and puts his eyes on it. Finally, after all that is done, the tape lands on my desk. Now, I may nix the guy even after those three already passed him because I might see something different. If we can continually get three or four coaches evaluating each kid, then we're going to have a good idea on how things will go."
