IUP Football 2021

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I'm usually not a fan of Heritage Conference players (and, frankly, we don't sign them very often). However, there are certainly diamonds to be found.

I recall (unfortunately) a QB that IUP didn't recruit from Northern Cambria (not Heritage but from the 'Indiana suburb' of Ebensburg) about 25 years ago. His name was Randy McKavish.

Schmidt, while a late signee, may actually be an equal prospect with the QB we signed on NSD.

I don't think it's just IUP that doesn't recruit the Heritage much but rather most of college football. Schmidt threw for a ton of yards and TDs and also ran for over 1,200 this past season. He's a tremendous athlete with nice size.

The jump, of course, is huge. Running around like a Tecmo Bowl player against Saltsburg won't work against California. But, he'll have time to develop here.

He very well could turn in to a good safety or maybe even a QB.

I was actually surprised they didn't pursue him earlier -- especially when their first two QB targets fell by the wayside.

The other late signing, the OL from IHS, could be another really nice find. He's got a mean streak in him and plays with a chip. He's nice size now and they'll bulk him up some more. He could project to be a nice player here in a couple years.

I think we'll look back and see a ton of players just like these two who got looked over on NSD mainly due to the lack of spots. My opinion, these two really rounded out a strong class. And, I know, everybody says they got a strong class (and few actually end up with one).

[Matt Burglund]

I'm usually not a fan of Heritage Conference players (and, frankly, we don't sign them very often). However, there are certainly diamonds to be found.

I recall (unfortunately) a QB that IUP didn't recruit from Northern Cambria (not Heritage but from the 'Indiana suburb' of Ebensburg) about 25 years ago. His name was Randy McKavish.

Central Cambria.
Northern Cambria is in the Heritage Conference.

IUP recruited him, all right. Frank Cignetti told me the story of Randy's mom asking him to consider matching SRU's offer. He didn't raise his offer, and McKavish was gone. Frank told me that was one of his biggest recruiting regrets.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Central Cambria.
Northern Cambria is in the Heritage Conference.

IUP recruited him, all right. Frank Cignetti told me the story of Randy's mom asking him to consider matching SRU's offer. He didn't raise his offer, and McKavish was gone. Frank told me that was one of his biggest recruiting regrets.

Wow. Didn't know that part. I had always heard they didn't recruit him. Perhaps that was coming from people not wanting egg on their face, however.

Then again, everybody has 20/20 when it comes back to revisiting recruiting.

[Matt Burglund]

Wow. Didn't know that part. I had always heard they didn't recruit him. Perhaps that was coming from people not wanting egg on their face, however.

Then again, everybody has 20/20 when it comes back to revisiting recruiting.

It's not always true that if a player signs with School A, then School B must not have recruited him. Many, many coaches (from a lot of schools) have told me when talking about a player, that "we had him here on a recruiting weekend but he picked them instead." There are exceptions, but a lot of these players who sign with PSAC schools get recruited by the same D2s and a few D3s.

• IUP went after Marcus Martin, but Slippery Rock got him.
• Gannon thought it had Jemal Averette, but IUP landed him.
• Jamar Brittingham visited IUP but chose Bloomsburg.
• I remember sitting in the IUP HC's office one January when he got a call from one of the assistants who was out on the road. An RB they were hot after told them Cal had offered a full ride. IUP didn't match it, and the player picked Cal, although as best as I can tell never played there.

There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of more examples like these.

[Fightingscot82]

It's not always true that if a player signs with School A, then School B must not have recruited him. Many, many coaches (from a lot of schools) have told me when talking about a player, that "we had him here on a recruiting weekend but he picked them instead." There are exceptions, but a lot of these players who sign with PSAC schools get recruited by the same D2s and a few D3s.

• IUP went after Marcus Martin, but Slippery Rock got him.
• Gannon thought it had Jemal Averette, but IUP landed him.
• Jamar Brittingham visited IUP but chose Bloomsburg.
• I remember sitting in the IUP HC's office one January when he got a call from one of the assistants who was out on the road. An RB they were hot after told them Cal had offered a full ride. IUP didn't match it, and the player picked Cal, although as best as I can tell never played there.

There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of more examples like these.

I thought Edinboro was going to get either Duane Brown or Justice Evans. IUP got them both. That was huge.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's not always true that if a player signs with School A, then School B must not have recruited him. Many, many coaches (from a lot of schools) have told me when talking about a player, that "we had him here on a recruiting weekend but he picked them instead." There are exceptions, but a lot of these players who sign with PSAC schools get recruited by the same D2s and a few D3s.

• IUP went after Marcus Martin, but Slippery Rock got him.
• Gannon thought it had Jemal Averette, but IUP landed him.
• Jamar Brittingham visited IUP but chose Bloomsburg.
• I remember sitting in the IUP HC's office one January when he got a call from one of the assistants who was out on the road. An RB they were hot after told them Cal had offered a full ride. IUP didn't match it, and the player picked Cal, although as best as I can tell never played there.

There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of more examples like these.

There's some real interesting stories of similar situations on the basketball side.

Of recent times, Dustin Sleva wanted to come to IUP (he's said as much in interviews) but IUP passed on him. He then went on to become probably one of the best post players in the PSAC in the past 30 years. IUP took a high school guard over him that year. Said guard left the program a year later. I still can't imagine what a low post of Sleva and Jacabo Diaz would have done together.

Micah Till, who for the most part had a very strong career at Slippery Rock, was briefly in the mix here. That's quite a different story, however.

Amir Hinton is perhaps the biggest what-if tale in the KCAC. Hinton somehow landed at Lock Haven out of high school. It was apparent from about his first game he wouldn't be there very long. He was too good. The summer he announced his transfer there was essentially a bidding war among D2 heavyweights for him. Depending on which version of the story you believe, he was all but signed here. What happened next is pretty secretive. Hinton ended up at Shaw. In his lone year there he was a first-team All America selection and then declared for the NBA Draft. He's now playing for the Knicks' G-League team.

Edinboro star Jaymon Mason did an official visit to IUP but never got an offer. He went on to have an excellent PSAC career.

Slippery Rock recruited former IUP All-America guard Malik Miller so hard coming out of high school that they basically all but offered to name a building after him. Luckily, he picked Joe instead.

One that still gets me is IHS's Carlos Carter. He's been a key cog for a very strong Shippensburg team. IUP never offered the local boy. He was originally committed to Wheeling Jesuit (when they were a power under Danny Sancomb). When Sancomb got fired Carter opened his recruiting. That's when Chris Fite grabbed him. Joe didn't recruit him either time (or, didn't offer, anyway). That's a strange one.

[Fightingscot82]

There's some real interesting stories of similar situations on the basketball side.

Of recent times, Dustin Sleva wanted to come to IUP (he's said as much in interviews) but IUP passed on him. He then went on to become probably one of the best post players in the PSAC in the past 30 years. IUP took a high school guard over him that year. Said guard left the program a year later. I still can't imagine what a low post of Sleva and Jacabo Diaz would have done together.

Micah Till, who for the most part had a very strong career at Slippery Rock, was briefly in the mix here. That's quite a different story, however.

Amir Hinton is perhaps the biggest what-if tale in the KCAC. Hinton somehow landed at Lock Haven out of high school. It was apparent from about his first game he wouldn't be there very long. He was too good. The summer he announced his transfer there was essentially a bidding war among D2 heavyweights for him. Depending on which version of the story you believe, he was all but signed here. What happened next is pretty secretive. Hinton ended up at Shaw. In his lone year there he was a first-team All America selection and then declared for the NBA Draft. He's now playing for the Knicks' G-League team.

Edinboro star Jaymon Mason did an official visit to IUP but never got an offer. He went on to have an excellent PSAC career.

Slippery Rock recruited former IUP All-America guard Malik Miller so hard coming out of high school that they basically all but offered to name a building after him. Luckily, he picked Joe instead.

One that still gets me is IHS's Carlos Carter. He's been a key cog for a very strong Shippensburg team. IUP never offered the local boy. He was originally committed to Wheeling Jesuit (when they were a power under Danny Sancomb). When Sancomb got fired Carter opened his recruiting. That's when Chris Fite grabbed him. Joe didn't recruit him either time (or, didn't offer, anyway). That's a strange one.

I don't think Mason was ever really going to consider anyone but Edinboro unless it was a D1 offer. Maybe kicking the tires to be sure Edinboro gave him the money he deserved.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Would you say that to his face?

If he was asking for my sincere advice on the issue----then yes of course I would. It's not just combat that kills those types of troops. Their training is very dangerous as well. It is a very noble endeavor but it is not a movie. You need to know what can happen when you sign up for that sort of thing. I can elaborate greatly if you like.

[Matt Burglund]

I am very much aware of what can happen when you join the military, and so is Ben Schmidt. If a guy wants to volunteer to serve our country, in any way, I wouldn't be as flippant to say "There is the very real possibility that he could end up dead before he is 25." It's not like your statement would be news to him.

When my oldest daughter turns 16 and gets her driver's license, I'm not going to sit her down and say "I hope you know that you might get killed in an accident tonight. Be home by 11."

I don't know man. You hit a nerve there.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

I am very much aware of what can happen when you join the military, and so is Ben Schmidt. If a guy wants to volunteer to serve our country, in any way, I wouldn't be as flippant to say "There is the very real possibility that he could end up dead before he is 25." It's not like your statement would be news to him.

When my oldest daughter turns 16 and gets her driver's license, I'm not going to sit her down and say "I hope you know that you might get killed in an accident tonight. Be home by 11."

I don't know man. You hit a nerve there.

Okay, whatever. It's not like I care that much one way or another.

[IUPalum]

I don't think Mason was ever really going to consider anyone but Edinboro unless it was a D1 offer. Maybe kicking the tires to be sure Edinboro gave him the money he deserved.

Actually, I heard it from the horses mouth. Now Cathedral Prep's coach Steve Piotrowicz got Jaymon down to IUP for a workout. Let's just say Joe didn't have much nice to say about the workout.

[Fightingscot82]

Yikes. This is clearly a bunch of bologna but holy jeez what a load of accusations.

https://www.indianagazette.com/opini...f792828d8.html

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yikes. This is clearly a bunch of bologna but holy jeez what a load of accusations.

https://www.indianagazette.com/opini...f792828d8.html

Why would the IG even print that garbage?

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Why would the IG even print that garbage?

The Gazette itself is garbage. They print all that crap from local political hacks and that hatchet job they did on the former Blairsville magistrate a few weeks was really uncalled for. I guess they have gone full-blown supermarket tabloid.

[iupgroundhog]

I think the writer could have expressed herself more clearly but I can understand her frustration.

It's not like she's one of these right-wing Roseanna Roseanna Danna's spewing incoherent nonsense like other letters to the editor.