JUCO TE Prospect: Ivan Thomas

[da truth]

We don't seem to be recruiting the JUCOs the way we once did. Even back in the '80's and after many I spoke to talked about the risk of relying too much on JUCOS. Often, they were kids we couldn't take academically coming out of HS. Still, doing it right, we got some of our best players ever out of the JUCO ranks: Cortez Kennedy, Fast Eddie Brown, Shockey, and others.

I can't quite figure out why JUCO recruiting has fallen out of favor, except for the fact we can fill immediate needs more easily from portal transfers.

some kids also for whatever reason don’t get noticed out of hs. could be injuries, play for a bad team, didn’t camp, are from an area not recruited well or blossom after hs.

 

[Cortez55403]

I live in Cali, home of many JUCO football programs. Dont forget that our stellar punter, Lou Hedley, came to us from the top San Francisco JUCO!

A key reason we have none this year and next? At least in Cali, the JUCO football season was completely cancelled due to Covid. Ex. Last Chance U didn’t happen last season as Oakland’s Laney College didn’t play. So, all the potential transfers had no place to showcase their talents. They will have to rely on the 2021 season to revive interest in their recruitment.

Maybe 2022 will bring some JUCO recruits back to the U!