Em_Jae20
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https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1766322&PT=4&PR=2
Nice pub for Adam Gotsis and the entire GT football program.
Nice pub for Adam Gotsis and the entire GT football program.
Adam Gotsis Getting More Off Season Love
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Techster
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Our coaches are really good at evaluating talent. The staff had a hard time signing guys they liked (the first and second tier guys) early in CPJ's tenure. Now they are getting the guys that are higher up on their board. We're not scrambling to sign players at the end of the process like we were before. Gone are the days of signing guys because we need bodies...now we're getting guys we like early, and cherry picking at the end of the process. I mean, when you get a guy like Vicious Alexander and Anree Saint-Amour at the end of the process and they aren't "make or break" signings, that tells you how far we've come in recruiting.
I remember reading that our staff knew about Gotsis for a while, they just didn't make any moves until the end of the process because they didn't want to alert any other schools to him. We brought him in with like two weeks left in the process, and no one was the wiser. CPJ said at the time had Gotsis grown up in the US, he would have been a 4 star talent. Well, here we are 4 years later and Gotsis is a legit NFL prospect. One of the better recruiting gets, and stories for the staff.
I remember reading that our staff knew about Gotsis for a while, they just didn't make any moves until the end of the process because they didn't want to alert any other schools to him. We brought him in with like two weeks left in the process, and no one was the wiser. CPJ said at the time had Gotsis grown up in the US, he would have been a 4 star talent. Well, here we are 4 years later and Gotsis is a legit NFL prospect. One of the better recruiting gets, and stories for the staff.
Northeast Stinger
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I never get tired of this story.
cuttysark
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The best part of the Gotsis recruiting story IMO was that it all came about because of a former player CPJ had at Hawaii back in the 80's who recommended that he take a look at Adam. These are the types of connections that show what strong relationships Johnson has developed over his 35+ years in this profession. A former player referral of sorts has to be the highest compliment one can bestow on a prior Coach.
This is the reason all of the hype around "stars" recruiting gets blown way out of proportion. Tell me that with all of his POY awards that AJ Gray isn't a 5 stars talent? I'll trust long time Coaches like CPJ and CTR to find players the old fashioned way through hard work and connections as opposed to some know nothing bestowing stars onto a HS kid.
Now if we can find some more kids like Adam Gotsis playing "America Gridiron" in Australia; American Samoa; and New Zealand imagine where this program can end up. Heck I'll take Rugby or Australian Rules Football players and maybe even a "2 stars" kangaroo right now if they can play the NCAA game of American Football. Who knows, maybe Gotsis is already starting a pipeline of talented recruits to GT.
This is the reason all of the hype around "stars" recruiting gets blown way out of proportion. Tell me that with all of his POY awards that AJ Gray isn't a 5 stars talent? I'll trust long time Coaches like CPJ and CTR to find players the old fashioned way through hard work and connections as opposed to some know nothing bestowing stars onto a HS kid.
Now if we can find some more kids like Adam Gotsis playing "America Gridiron" in Australia; American Samoa; and New Zealand imagine where this program can end up. Heck I'll take Rugby or Australian Rules Football players and maybe even a "2 stars" kangaroo right now if they can play the NCAA game of American Football. Who knows, maybe Gotsis is already starting a pipeline of talented recruits to GT.
Skeptic
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A question: is it possible, or is it against NCAA rules -- and surely one must cover it, and if not one soon will -- for an Australian mate to be an All-American? Back home in Perth or where ever that would be a sure conversation starter when he returned.
GTJason
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Quiet, you're going to get our wins from the last few years vacated
RLR
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I was once told that collegiate track and field is the only sport where nationality is a requirement/factor in determining all-americans. I've confirmed one foreign-born all-american college football player. You probably guessed it already - Morten Andersen. Also, GT's own Jeremiah Attaochu was born in Nigeria and was a third team all-american.
The funniest discovery in my research - it actually appears that the NCAA neither has nor will have a rule covering foreign born players being named "all-america". Instead, the NCAA recognizes football all-americans that are recognized by 5 "independent" sports media publications. A player named to 3 of the 5 lists is a "consensus all-american". A player named to all 5 is unanimous. In track, the NCAA defers to the US track/cross country coaching association. Classic NCAA move.
TheGridironGeek
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One thing I really liked about the NFL Europe experiment was if you looked carefully, there were internationally born players getting reps in every game. It was probably by design & coaches were told to do it from on-high but I recall the Japanese and other foreign players fit right in & didn't look lost or particularly over-matched. Aussie Rules is definitely overlooked in scouting because the sport is based on American football, especially the jump-ball. Can't believe teams haven't mined more excellent receivers, TE's and safeties from the AFL.
Skeptic
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My son was in Perth three years as liaison to the Aussie submarine force -- six subs, just one actually sailing at the time -- and got hooked into rugby so the Aussies could see what the Yank had in him. Played HS football and one year walk-on at ECU. They beat him half to death. And only after he was doggone near a cripple they decided he could stay. Said it was the roughest and toughest sport he ever played, and Monday morning on the base was a walking sick bay.
TheGridironGeek
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Meanwhile there's a former AFL prospect tearing it up at DL for Georgia Tech. 18-year old kids are what they are, athletically, regardless of their country of birth. A 240 lb, 6-4 guy who can run can be molded into an excellent college TE regardless if he grew up playing with boomerangs. Most kids recruited into college programs are basically raw talent who are changing positions & learning the game all over again to begin with.
TheGridironGeek
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I know it was written into the rules. The fact that you couldn't point to the screen and say "look at that pale, cowardly novice who keeps getting hurt, he must be one of the European players" should disprove any prejudice vs. finding overseas prospects for a D1 college team.