Recruits

[UND92,96]

I heard some interesting news today while watching Christmas hoops. Gratzek from SA is leaning towards UND if he decides to play football. Yeah, if he decides. I guess he is tossing around the idea of playing basketball. He's had interest as a basketball player from the same schools that are looking at him for football. I don' t know what he looks like as a ball player. I've never seen him......but this info came from a very reliable Northern Minnesota source.

I've never seen him play basketball either, but at 6'3" and around 235-240, I assume he'd physically resemble Kleinsasser as a high schooler.

[BJD]

I heard some interesting news today while watching Christmas hoops. Gratzek from SA is leaning towards UND if he decides to play football. Yeah, if he decides. I guess he is tossing around the idea of playing basketball. He's had interest as a basketball player from the same schools that are looking at him for football. I don' t know what he looks like as a ball player. I've never seen him......but this info came from a very reliable Northern Minnesota source.

While it's true that Gratzek is leaning towards playing at UND if he decides to play football, the IF has nothing to do with basketball. While he's a great athlete, he's not a college basketball player. I went to school with him, and my little brother plays with him everyday. The reason for the uncertainty has to do with whether he wants to beat up his body playing football and whether or not the school he chooses expects him to put on more weight than he'd prefer. That's a large reason for him not wanting to play at NDSU, when he went on his visit there was talk of him playing center or d-tackle and putting on 40 lbs and he didn't like that idea so much. Again, while he's an amazing athlete and an absolute beast, he's too much of a tweener to play college basketball. At 6'4 and nearly 250 lbs he's much too short to play in the paint and about 5o lbs too heavy to play on the wing aside from lacking the handling and shooting skills.

FYI, Stephen Argyle plays Cavalier in basketball at Cavalier January 28th if you wanna see Gratzek and Anderson square off. I'm not sure how good the Cavalier bball team is but SA's won their first six games by an average of 27 points per game and hasn't had anyone within 18 points yet.

I'll try my best to keep everyone updated if I hear anything else. Thanks

[UND92,96]

Another Wisconsin kid UND is apparently recruiting: link.

[knowledge]

While it's true that Gratzek is leaning towards playing at UND if he decides to play football, the IF has nothing to do with basketball. While he's a great athlete, he's not a college basketball player. I went to school with him, and my little brother plays with him everyday. The reason for the uncertainty has to do with whether he wants to beat up his body playing football and whether or not the school he chooses expects him to put on more weight than he'd prefer. That's a large reason for him not wanting to play at NDSU, when he went on his visit there was talk of him playing center or d-tackle and putting on 40 lbs and he didn't like that idea so much. Again, while he's an amazing athlete and an absolute beast, he's too much of a tweener to play college basketball. At 6'4 and nearly 250 lbs he's much too short to play in the paint and about 5o lbs too heavy to play on the wing aside from lacking the handling and shooting skills.

FYI, Stephen Argyle plays Cavalier in basketball at Cavalier January 28th if you wanna see Gratzek and Anderson square off. I'm not sure how good the Cavalier bball team is but SA's won their first six games by an average of 27 points per game and hasn't had anyone within 18 points yet.

I'll try my best to keep everyone updated if I hear anything else. Thanks

I'm just passing on what I've heard but obviously you have closer sources. Also...SA plays MayPort CG @ Mayville State this week. MPCG has talented low post players that can give many player fits. It might be a good matchup. I think SA backcourt will make the difference.

[BJD]

I'm just passing on what I've heard but obviously you have closer sources. Also...SA plays MayPort CG @ Mayville State this week. MPCG has talented low post players that can give many player fits. It might be a good matchup. I think SA backcourt will make the difference.

Gratzek won't be at the Mayville State Tourney this weekend, he and his family are on vacation in Mexico.

[UND92,96]

UND has apparently offered a receiver from Mounds View who is getting quite a bit of dI interest: link.

[UND92,96]

I think this list is kind of a joke considering some of the names left off it (Landon Smith, Landry, Kasowski, Sauvageau, German, Glaser, Zarak, Weidler, etc.), but here's a list of the supposed top prospects in North Dakota according to the ESPN site: link.

[joelbird]

I think this list is kind of a joke considering some of the names left off it (Landon Smith, Landry, Kasowski, Sauvageau, German, Glaser, Zarak, Weidler, etc.), but here's a list of the supposed top prospects in North Dakota according to the ESPN site: link.

You can have your name put on that list by filling out some info online and you can also send them game tape and I believe that is part of how they come up with your score.

[UND92,96]

You can have your name put on that list by filling out some info online and you can also send them game tape and I believe that is part of how they come up with your score.

Thanks. That would explain the glaring omissions.

[bigmrg74]

On the ESPN site. "Grayshirted" Is that an actual term used anywhere, because I've never heard of it. That or its one Hell of a Typo.

Edited December 30, 2005 by bigmrg74

[NDSU grad]

On the ESPN site. "Grayshirted" Is that an actual term used anywhere, because I've never heard of it. That or its one Hell of a Typo.

Let's see if I can get this right. Grayshirt refers to a guy out of high school that may be on the borderline of being a "star" DI recruit. I think generally they don't enroll at the college of their choice the fall semester. They enroll in the spring and pay their own way, and of course participate in spring football. The next fall they are given a full scholarship. Somebody correct me if I screwed that up.

[Bison Pride]

So is German the only verbal for the Sioux so far? It seems like the verbals are somewhat slow to come in this year for many teams. I imagine that will pick up in the next week or two. I think the Sioux do have a shot a Gratzek if NDSU has limited him to the OL or DL, it sounds like he'd have to put on a lot of weight.

[UND92,96]

So is German the only verbal for the Sioux so far? It seems like the verbals are somewhat slow to come in this year for many teams. I imagine that will pick up in the next week or two. I think the Sioux do have a shot a Gratzek if NDSU has limited him to the OL or DL, it sounds like he'd have to put on a lot of weight.

UND has two known verbals--German and the Winnipeg offensive lineman, Henderson. News of commitments has been quite limited as far as I have been able to find for UND, NDSU and really all other regional dII or I-AA schools. Last year at this time, UND had about six known commitments, but two years ago, there were also just two. I guess these things just go in cycles.

[Sioux27]

Well its finally official.........Matt Anderson verballed to NDSU! Let's hope Gratzek doesn't convey similar news!!

[LennonIsTheMan]

I agree. C'mon Matt Gratzek, commit to UND buddy. :-)

[UND92,96]

Well its finally official.........Matt Anderson verballed to NDSU! Let's hope Gratzek doesn't convey similar news!!

Here's a Forum [url="http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=113470

[iramurphy]

Here's a Forum [url="http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=113470

[Jamestown]

[bincitysioux]

[Sioux-per Fan]

it will be announced soon...but we lost the stephen- argyle kid today also...matt gratzek..has verballed to ndsu....too bad

[UND Fan]

We also lost the Vandal kid from Rolla. It has to be a very disappointing week for Lennon and his staff - losing three of the top kids they wanted - all to SU!

As a previous poster noted, we better get used to it - it will likely continue to happen!

[tnt]

Talent is all fine and good, but it is what you do with it that counts. Some of the big name recruits end up being average college players and lower level recruits stars. Look at Eslinger from Minnesota. UND's defense hasn't been so great all these years based on talent alone, it is the chemistry that makes them what they are. They keep plugging in new people from Travis Oneal to Eric Schmidt to Digger Anderson. I have no doubt that will continue. Sure it would be nice to have that exceptional player, but sometime they know that and don't work as hard to improve as the less talented player. Let's see how it all plays out on the field.

[BJD]

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/13552151.htm

Here's the article in the Herald about Gratzek's verbal to SU...came down to his options in education as it often does with 4.0 students.

[knowledge]

We also lost the Vandal kid from Rolla. It has to be a very disappointing week for Lennon and his staff - losing three of the top kids they wanted - all to SU!

As a previous poster noted, we better get used to it - it will likely continue to happen!

Let me preference what I'm going to type: I by no means want these local kids to fail.

----Losing these athletes to SU is a tough pill to swallow right now but if these kids don't succeed/transfer/quit...whatever. This will hurt SU in the long run. If they recruit and "steal" UND recruits and these athletes don't pan out, this can help UND in the long run. NDSU has much less interest in the local kids compared to UND. Talent has something to do with that as does the fact that Bohl and most of his staff aren't local either. If these athletes don't do well UND can use it to there advantage for future recruiting classes. Right now as UND stays DII they must play the waiting game on SU's advantage. Remember we are only two classes into this debate about DIAA and DII. Mertens, Kyle Belmont, Gratzek, Anderson and Vandal are going to be the test rats for this debate. If the don't succeed UND can spin it to their advantage. If they do....then UND has a tough road ahead.

----Also, Gratzek making his choice based on the books doesn't make me feel bad at all. If he has a future in a profession/major that UND doesn't provide, he shouldn't waste his time, and future profession at UND. He's a heck of a football player, but I'm not sure if he's going to play on Sundays so it's good to see that the books matter. Though on the football field he'd look much better in a lighter shade of Green!

[dlsiouxfan]

These recent commitments convince me more and more that UND needs to go Division I ASAP. If NDSU continues to get first picks at all of the local talent as it appears is happening this will be disastrous for our football program. If we don't watch out we'll end up sacrificing a great football tradition here at UND so our non- revenue sports can be competitive. Continuing to lose these kids is bad for the program and if it continues we'll be a shell of the power we are now. Kupchella and the administration need to start looking forward and due what's best for the marquee athletic teams here at UND.