Johns Hopkins 2021

[DougELax]

Recent article on John Crawley as a college coach: https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/college/m ... lege-coach

He struck me as not only a good player, but also a class act.

Thanks for sharing, Crawley is a class act.

[10stone5]

I wonder with Grant Jr. there,
could he influence a player like this to come here,

he looks like the, or at worst, a top 5 player for
2022, Edge Lacrosse, Mark Matthews clone,
6’4” 215, Matthew Collison,

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NdmbUUuJvwg

[ohmilax34]

I wonder with Grant Jr. there,
could he influence a player like this to come here,

he looks like the, or at worst, a top 5 player for
2022, Edge Lacrosse, Mark Matthews clone,
6’4” 215, Matthew Collison,

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NdmbUUuJvwg

I haven't watched the video, but I'm sure the kid is talented. This class won't be arriving on college campuses for another 2 years (and a lot of the class will PG). Have you really seen enough players from that grade all over the country to say that this player is one of the top 5 in his entire class?

[jhu06]

there were a ton of excuses we heard in recent years-the aforementioned coach is too mean, early recruiting, expectations are too high, no admin support. None of which are viable moving forward. was epsteins class the last of the early recruit generation?

[nyjay]

No. Next year's incoming class (HS 2020) is really the last class of ER. I think Brennan O'Neill (fall of 8th grade) remains the earliest ever commit. But there are also a small number of 2021s who committed early (as 8th graders) before the rule change. But the 2021 HS grads are largely the first year of non-ER recruits. Technically, however, it's actually the 2022 HS class, who haven't even started the process yet. Process supposed to start on 9/1, but that won't be the case this year.

Takes a long time for the python to digest the large mammal.

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

How the hell anyone recruits an 8th grader with much foresight into who and what they might be as a person and athlete as a college freshman is well beyond me.

I think I was 110 pounds in 8th grade.

[runrussellrun]

there were a ton of excuses we heard in recent years-the aforementioned coach is too mean, early recruiting, expectations are too high, no admin support. None of which are viable moving forward. was epsteins class the last of the early recruit generation?

It begins, and ends, with NOT spelling a HOF goalie's name wrong on the Hopkins website. Coach Larry's last name is spelled with 2 N's, not one.

If details don't matter, why waste time watching "film" and game planning.

[MDlaxfan76]

there were a ton of excuses we heard in recent years-the aforementioned coach is too mean, early recruiting, expectations are too high, no admin support. None of which are viable moving forward. was epsteins class the last of the early recruit generation?

It begins, and ends, with NOT spelling a HOF goalie's name wrong on the Hopkins website. Coach Larry's last name is spelled with 2 N's, not one.

If details don't matter, why waste time watching "film" and game planning.

Even if this is indeed a relevant indicator or reflection of a deficient attitude in the program, it definitely does not "begins, and ends" with this specific example. But I do agree with your point, assuming I understand it correctly, that attention to detail, pride in getting it 'right', does matter...a lot.

Jhu06, when the coaching change was made in Charlottesville, similarly a HOF caliber long term coach who year after year had recruits who were highly touted as among the very best, and was beloved by many alums, I cautioned that expecting immediate results from the new staff was unrealistic. And when the first year produced a definite change in style of play, yet was roundly criticized by many as never going to be able to generate Final Four success, I cautioned that not only does culture take time, but that the style of play itself was likely to take a full recruiting cycle to attract the players best suited to that style. I urged fans to simply enjoy the style of play as it certainly was fun to watch. I was pleasantly surprised to see success come faster, but I think I was still correct that UVA fans should be patient and simply enjoy cheering for youngsters going all out, mistakes and all.

It's going to be interesting to see what this new staff produces, though I'm, sadly, a bit pessimistic as to whether there's even going to be a 2021 season to watch.

[HopFan16]

Aaaaaand we're back to talking about a spelling error on the team website from like four years ago. Just pathological at this point.

nyjay is right—the 2022s are the first class without any early recruiting. Even a few 2021s committed very early before the rules changed. Maryland signed a kid, Eric Spanos, in February of his 8th grade year. To my knowledge that's the earliest commitment ever and will remain so for eternity unless the rules change again. Congrats Coach Tillman!

Most of our incoming freshman class committed pretty early. Grimes was an early commit to Ohio State but then switched to us later in the process. Dunn, DiMarsico, Ince, and Deans were all later commits. I think the rest were pre-junior year and in many cases pre-sophomore. But none as early as Mr. Spanos.

Re: Crawley—only a matter of time before he's running his own program.

[nyjay]

16 is correct as to the earliest commit. I thought it was O'Neill, but O'Neill was March of his 8th grade year (2016), and Spanos was February of his (2017).

[runrussellrun]

Aaaaaand we're back to talking about a spelling error on the team website from like four years ago. Just pathological at this point.

nyjay is right—the 2022s are the first class without any early recruiting. Even a few 2021s committed very early before the rules changed. Maryland signed a kid, Eric Spanos, in February of his 8th grade year. To my knowledge that's the earliest commitment ever and will remain so for eternity unless the rules change again. Congrats Coach Tillman!

Most of our incoming freshman class committed pretty early. Grimes was an early commit to Ohio State but then switched to us later in the process. Dunn, DiMarsico, Ince, and Deans were all later commits. I think the rest were pre-junior year and in many cases pre-sophomore. But none as early as Mr. Spanos.

Re: Crawley—only a matter of time before he's running his own program.

Ummm......NO. Unless 2019 was four years ago. Guess HOPKINS time is like that Jodie Foster character in that sci fi flick, Contact. James Woods sums it up.

[51percentcorn]

Somewhat ironic that the youngest early recruit ever - or certainly one of - is likely going to turn out to be the best of the lot. Hard to imagine the scenario - aside from injury - where O'Neill is not very very successful. Doesn't mean I support early recruiting - just find it amusing. Quint said on the Air Force Duke telecast that Duke's biggest issue was the lack of an alpha attackman - even before the Sowers deal - problem was solved.

[wgdsr]

"likely going to turn out to be the best of the lot."
and he hasn't played a down.

[nyjay]

Agree. But pretty hard to bet against O'Neill. He's special.

[HopFan16]

I believe Joey Epstein was one of if not the earliest commits ever when he committed as a freshman at Landon. Anyone who ever watched him play knew that one was going to work out. There's a select few kids who are just absolute no-brainers and barring injury will pan out. But it really is only a select few—probably no more than 1-2 per class and everyone knows who they are. I don't think there is one in the 2021 class. The Spallina kid and Dom Petro (both 2022s) do fit the bill however. Given their pedigrees and the fact that they were among the best players in their respective leagues as high school freshmen (nevermind the obvious athletic traits) you could have comfortably said back then that they'd turn into elite college players. Don't think the calculus on those two has changed since that point—if anything they've only gotten even more hyped, and rightly so.

O'Neill definitely makes Duke a whole lot better but I don't think he would have solved their problems on his own—they really needed an X attackman/quarterback type to run the show and O'Neill, while special indeed, is not exactly that.

[watcherinthewoods]

earliest recruit ever? Forey Smith, right? Fall of his 8th grade year, if memory serves.

[wgdsr]

"likely to be the best"

[Typical Lax Dad]

I believe Joey Epstein was one of if not the earliest commits ever when he committed as a freshman at Landon. Anyone who ever watched him play knew that one was going to work out. There's a select few kids who are just absolute no-brainers and barring injury will pan out. But it really is only a select few—probably no more than 1-2 per class and everyone knows who they are. I don't think there is one in the 2021 class. The Spallina kid and Dom Petro (both 2022s) do fit the bill however. Given their pedigrees and the fact that they were among the best players in their respective leagues as high school freshmen (nevermind the obvious athletic traits) you could have comfortably said back then that they'd turn into elite college players. Don't think the calculus on those two has changed since that point—if anything they've only gotten even more hyped, and rightly so.

O'Neill definitely makes Duke a whole lot better but I don't think he would have solved their problems on his own—they really needed an X attackman/quarterback type to run the show and O'Neill, while special indeed, is not exactly that.

I could live with one or two freshmen in a recruiting class...but 12 to 14 in a single school’s recruiting class? Fools gold. I know kids that were cut after they got to college. Another kid didn’t even start for his high school team.

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

Another no brainer: recruits with the last name Stanwick.

[HopFan16]

earliest recruit ever? Forey Smith, right? Fall of his 8th grade year, if memory serves.

Fall of his freshman year. It was the earliest commitment at the time, but that has since been surpassed several times.