Incoming!
Ijeoma "EJ" Odigwe
It’s been too long since we’ve had any news on the class of 2015 recruiting front, but we got a bit today.
Rivals.com is reporting that Ijeoma Odigwe from Arizona’s Chandler High School has committed to Columbia.
I don’t see any Chandler alums on my LionFeeder list of schools, so this could be a groundbreaking deal for the Lions.
Chandler is a very strong football school to say the least.
Odigwe’s highlight reel is here.
So our list of reported incoming freshmen is now up to six:
1) Sean Coffinger LB 6-4 215 lbs. Desert Vista HS Phoenix, AZ
2) Ryan Flannery WR 6-3 185 lbs. North Attleborough HS North Attleborough, MA
3) Joe Kopp OL 6-4 260 lbs. Arundel HS Gambrills, MD
4) Hunter Little DL 6-4 225 lbs. The Webb School Knoxville, TN
5) Ijeoma Odigwe DL 6-2 220 lbs. Chandler HS Chandler, AZ
6) Kal Prince QB 6-4 198 lbs. Owenboro HS Owensboro, KY
-Desmond Conner, who writes the UConn football blog for the Hartford Courant, reports that Head Coach Norries Wilson interviewed for the vacant spot in Storrs eventually given to Paul Pasqualoni this week.
-Bloomberg is reporting that applications for Columbia's class of 2015 soared by 32% this past year. Suffice it to say that the boys who choose to play football for he Lions will join an EXTREMELY exclusive club any way you slice it.
posted by Jake @ 7:21:00 AM
24 comments
24 Comments:
Jake, you have Sean Coffinger listed as a linebacker, but Rivals.com shows him as a tight end. Also, the defensive lineman Hunter Little is 6'5" not 6'4." Little attends the Webb School in Knoxville, the same school as Phil Mitchell. Webb honored Little and his family this past week with a wonderful ceremony marking his commitment to Colunbia. There's a nice report from Webb on the Internet, but I am sorry that I do not have the cite.
Two tidbits: our football site lists "signing day" as the "next game." I don't remember our acknowledging that signing day had any relevance to us in the past. And, our golf team "announced" that some hot golfer from FL has "committed" to come to CU. Not sure I understand why it's OK to announce a golfer but not FB or BB recruits, unless the golf announcement is just someone's screw up.
-Dr.V
Nice bb win over Cornell. We had a big lead and held on for dear life.
Congratulations to the Columbia Men's and Women's Basketball Teams for their victories over Cornell last night!
Another recruit:
My nephew,
Ray Pesanello
Mahwah H.S., Mahwah, NJ
6'2" 215 LB (4.7/40)
Tell us more about Pesanello
Congratulations to Ray Pesanello and the whole Pesanello clan on his becoming part of the Columbia Football Family.
A Columbia Football Fan From the Mahwah Area.
Congratulations to Ray Pesanello and the whole Pesanello clan on his becoming part of the Columbia Football Family.
A Columbia Football Fan From the Mahwah Area.
Kyle Smith has made great strides with the BB team in his first season. New coaching can make a difference, so why hasn't it in FB?
Norris Wilson needs to bring in heavyweight OC/DC rather than interview for other coaching jobs.
Chen '82
Assembling a team of 30 or so FB players is quite different from around 8 BBers, especially as FBers get hurt much more often.
To last poster, I am aware that a FB team is larger than a BB team....but so it the coaching staff and the budget ...and injuries affect all teams equally over the long run.
...so I view this as a weak excuse (at best)
Chen 82
Bags and Murphy are always interviewing. Cut Norries some slack.
I am not surprised Wilson interviewed for the UCONN job. It is to be expected and I am guessing that is not the only one. Why should the AD be the only one looking. That said, I am sure he is working on his coaching staff needs also.
chen 82 is right...to a point.
The number of the prime players in each sport is relevant, no matter the number of coaches. Generally, FB players take longer to develop; there are many serious, sometimes season-ending injuries in that sport, as compared with BB players. Despite some promising FYs on the FB squad, only a couple had any impact at all, while three frosh have played significant time in BB.
Hi Guys,
A little info on Ray Pesanello.
Committed - July '10
Accepted early decision.
Brother plays at Fordham.
Ray is probably better suited at OLB. He's 6"2" 223lb, ran a 4.7 at Columbia camp. He really runs to the ball well. He wants to be a biology major.
Thanks for the info. He has very good size and speed for an outside linebacker. Good luck to him and his family.
Speaking of vacant AD positions, did anyone hear if Army picked theirs yet? Sorry Chen, I have to agree with anonymous. In BB you can recruit a couple of players like Barbour and Frankoski, who immediately have made a major impact on our program, while in FB, it takes multiple good classes of recruits to achieve the same objective. FB injuries are generally more serious and more likely to derail a season, unless there is adequate depth.
To Doc et al, I get all your points about BB being easier to turn around....but mine is that NW has had 5 seasons to make an impact. Are we going to argue that this is not enough?
Chen 82
I understand that we all have different opinions about the Lions football team, program and coaching staff. I think this forum is a very respectful and thoughtful opportunity to exchange observations and opinions. But I think there is a bit of bullying from the same individuals to continually post week after week to fire coaches from their job. We know your opinion and some of us agree with it and some do not. But please, be respectful of the men and their families trying to make a livlihood coaching with all their capabilities. We have a terrible economy and lost jobs are a frightening thought for men with families. Please think before badgering the blog with thoughtless and possibly cruel posts about firing men from their sole source of livelihood. This is real life and not some video game. Additionally, it tears the team and the players moral down. These kids know this stuff. Please let the AD do the job she is paid to do and leave the men some peace. We know and hear how you feel. Let's show Columbia's class. That will be the path to success.
Point taken and well-stated. I'll cease fire until end of next season.
Chen '82
Jake, the Blooomberg article about Columbia and Harvard admissions has now been modified to drop all discussion of Columbia! Go figure.
To the anonymous poster who said "Additionally, it tears the team and the players moral down. These kids know this stuff" and Chen calling a cease fire. Well done poster and Chen. My son went back yesterday after break and we had a very good discussion about general football thoughts during break. Some players do read this blog and most of the team hears what has been written. This does wear on them related to the comments about the coaches. The coaches are trying their hardest, and the players are trying their best. They realize the record is not what the team, coaches and alums wish for a record, and they wish to win as most came from winning programs. They also realize that coaches come and go for various reasons, but the players came to represent Columbia and receive one of the finest educations possible. Everything is not as we wish, but for now we look forward to the fall and will cheer for our team, and hope for the best.
For the record and for the players and families who read this blog, I love my school and the athletes who come here to compete. I have been a die hard fan of Lions football for 32 years and I come to or watch at least 6 games a year. I respect and support immensely this team and its coaches and players.
I can say with hand on heart that Columbia is a consistently better team these last fews years than most of my tenure as a fan, and I think it is because we are so close to being "great" that I can be a bit too spirited in my posts. I thank my fellow posters for pointing this out in a gentlemanly and eloquent manner.
Chen 82
Way to go, Chen. You're a true Lion fan, that's why you voice your grievances and also why you're still there as hopeful as ever. We need more like you!
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