2004wrongisland wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 6:56 pm
uncfan1013 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 2:17 pm
2004wrongisland wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 2:00 pm
laxfan9999 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 12:28 pm
I think Charlotte Corkins also sees some time on D as a freshman. Her speed will help the transition game.
I can’t see Zenk starting. Nelson was a more highly ranked recruit and she struggled as a freshman. I see Nelson coming back a different player and her being a key to how high the ceiling is for UNC. I watched Zenk a lot over the last couple of years and often she was outplayed by the other goalie on her club team who is going to Hopkins.
As I recollect, at the time of her commitment, Corkins was IL’s # 2 ranked recruit in the country. Levy is the # 4 ranked recruit. They’ve played midfield their whole life. They were recruited to play midfield. I can’t see either of them being really happy being moved to defense. And getting recruited as a middie and then getting shunted to defense- isn’t that the very reason one poster on this forum said that Markey is transferring to Syracuse ?
I think you have a point but with the amount of midfielders UNC is getting in the next 2 seasons, you have to think some players would rather become a full time starter as a defender than not get much time as a midfielder. I think Levy can play both and Corkins is fast in transition so she can play both. Some players would rather get time in a position they are equally as good at then split time in your primary position.
If UNC starts moving top 10 middie recruits to defense , they aren’t going to get many 10 middie recruits in the future.
You also can’t yank them back and forth between positions- it makes them weaker and less experienced at both. Also, it’s not easy to play an entirely new position starting in college. Also, the fact that they are good athletes or fast doesn’t mean they will be good defenders.
Two things can both be correct at the same time. Most d1 commits play midfield in high school. They are the best players and best athletes on their teams. Most d1 commit midfielders are either more naturally offense or defense inclined, but are good enough at both and athletic enough to excel in high school in the midfield. In college, this flips. The vast majority of former midfielders simply aren’t good enough to play two way midfield. They become attackers or defenders. Many of the best college defenders and attackers were midfielders in high school. Emma trenchard. Izzy Scane.
I don’t know if levy or corkins are good enough to play two way midfield at unc. Jenny levy will figure that out. I have no opinion on either of them as I haven’t seen them play. Nor do I know what levy told them when they committed as to where she saw them playing on the field.
But you are right that the EXPECTATIONS of top 10 IL ranked midfielders (and as importantly their parent) are that they will play midfield, whether or not they are actually good enough to do so at the highest level.
So I agree that if unc (or any other team) starts committing top recruits by telling them they will play position X, but consistently moves them to position Y (where Y is seen as suboptimal from the recruits perspective) it will impact their yield down the road.