Portal Movement in the NSIC

[Otis Day]

I don't pay much attention to anything under Class AAAA in MN. Are colleges really recruiting kids from non-MHS high schools in the area? I mean, I'm sure there are some - especially from Pipestone, but I never hear of any. SMSU lands a guy from my HS about once every 3 years and he usually leaves the roster after a season on scout team.

Genuine question to any SWMNers on the board.

Personally I'm sure glad Coach Grubb and DeBoer didn't ignore SW MN. Or maybe because we beat MHS regularly as wee AA school (RIP to the SWC) I got noticed. The entire USF progam was built with underrecruited Wyoming and SD guys with some Iowa and MN guys like myself. No different now really. Joining the NSIC has just shifted recruiting as coaches and the talent landscape changes but the premise for every program in this conference is essentially the same. Coach Glo has said as much on our pod. It's really a matter of salesmanship and success on Saturdays for who can do it better.

No one is denying that metro areas have talent. No one is even denying that NSIC programs should recruit the Twin Cities. But there are also plenty of other places to find talent closer to home rather than outsourcing your program to Florida, Texas or Nevada.

This is why they need to bring back the Metro vs. Outstate format for the Minnesota HS football all-star game. Loved the chip on the shoulder mentality of this game. Series was pretty even too over 30 years.

[Stanger86]

Also in the last 15ish years from one school and only football:

No one is denying that metro areas have talent. No one is even denying that NSIC programs should recruit the Twin Cities. But there are also plenty of other places to find talent closer to home rather than outsourcing your program to Florida, Texas or Nevada.

[Stanger86]

One thing that the portal is going to diminish even further is the concept of player/roster development. Finding these kids who come into your program undersized, but through weight room and good diet and nutrition planning can leave the program 5 years later as a physically imposing presence on the football field.

[Purple Mav Man]

I don't pay much attention to anything under Class AAAA in MN. Are colleges really recruiting kids from non-MHS high schools in the area?

I mean, I'm sure there are some - especially from Pipestone, but I never hear of any. SMSU lands a guy from my HS about once every 3 years and he usually leaves the roster after a season on scout team.

Genuine question to any SWMNers on the board.

Good coaches find talent anywhere. And in today’s world, talent can reach out much easier and be seen/found.

[Purple Mav Man]

Also in the last 15ish years from one school and only football:

(copied from their website, so apologies for formatting errors and D3/NAIA inclusions - as well as non-current teams/school name)

LAKEVILLE SOUTH PLAYERS WHO PLAYED COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

Ryder Patterson (2022) - University of Minnesota - Duluth

Owen McCloud (2022) - University of North Dakota

Carson Hansen (2022) - Iowa State University

Brecken Klein (2022) - Winona State University

Jacob Dorner (2022) - Minnesota State University - Moorhead

Jacob Royse (2022) - University of Wisconsin - Stout

Jackson Hall (2022) - University of Wisconsin - Stout

Jaden Groen (2022) - Dordt

Evan Barnett (2022) - University of Minnesota - Morris

Alex Vazquez (2021) - MSU Mankato

Camden Dean (2021) - MSU Mankato

Payton Schulz (2021) - Concordia - St. Paul

Zach Juckel (2021) - Air Force Academy

Hasan Kassim (2021) - Concordia - St. Paul

Joey Ulmen (2021) - Concordia - St. Paul

Chase Androff (2021) - Nebraska

Ty WInn (2021) - Concordia Moorhead

Delaney Suraju (2021) - University of St Thomas

John Olson (2020) - Air Force

Riley Mahlman (2020) - Wisconsin

Jonathan Elliott (2020) - University of Mary

Garrett Savard (2020) - UW - Whitewater

Jonas Pearson (2020) - Concordia University - Moorehead

Joe Abbott (2020) - Augsburg College

Derek Ashland (2020) - Augsburg College

Jared Stewart (2019) - University of Minnesota-Duluth

Matt Borowicz (2018) - South Dakota State University

Zach Stelzer (2018) - Moorhead State University

Eric Rousemiller (2017) - University of Minnesota

Burk Substad (2016) - Bethel University (MN)

Clay Geary (2016) - University of Minnesota

Jack Swanhorst (2016) - Augustana University

Mason Kohlbeck (2016) - Augustana University

Kyle Martin (2016) - Concordia College

Will Heller (2016) - University of Wisconsin-Stout

Anthony Vote (2016) - University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse

Blake Wacholz (2016) - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Mason Kohlbeck (2015) - Augustana University

Josh Corcoran (2015) - LOS ANGELES CHARGERS, Northern Illinois University

Ryan Kretzschmar (2015) - Augustana College

Grant Mosser (2015) - John's Hopkins University

A.J. Westrude (2014) – South Dakota State University

Tyler Lattery (2014) – University of Minnesota-Duluth

Alex Hoffman (2014) – Bemidji State University

Luke Iverson (2014) – University of St. Thomas

Mark Ruhl (2014) – University of St. Thomas

Brendan Boche (2014) - Gustavus Adolphus

Grant Seger (2013) - Bemidji State University

Travis Soleta (2013) - North Dakota State College of Science

Jordan Johnson (2013) - Bemidji State University

Austin Britnell (2013) - UND Fighting Sioux

Nevin Andreas (2012) - Augustana College

Scott Newby (2012) - Gustavus Adolphus College

Devon Bzoskie (2012) - St Cloud State University

Matt Heller (2012) - Augustana College

Matt Mehlhorn (2012) - Bethel University

Zach Richter (2012) - Augustana College

Matt Leidner (2012) - University of Minnesota

Travis Soleta (2012) - North Dakota State College of Science

Tyler Woodward (2011) - Augsburg College

Mitch Hall (2011) - University of Missouri

Mitch Leidner (2011) - MINNESOTA VIKINGS, University of Minnesota

Caleb Seger (2011)- University of Minnesota-Crookston

JD Melhorn (2010) - Bethel University

Brady Soule (2007) - Augustana College

Nick Andreas (2007) - Augustana College

Dirk Wilkens (2007) - Augustana College

Marcus Brumm (2007) - Augustana College

Zach Martens (2007) - MInnesota State-Mankato

[Stanger86]

I don't pay much attention to anything under Class AAAA in MN. Are colleges really recruiting kids from non-MHS high schools in the area?

I mean, I'm sure there are some - especially from Pipestone, but I never hear of any. SMSU lands a guy from my HS about once every 3 years and he usually leaves the roster after a season on scout team.

Genuine question to any SWMNers on the board.

The MSHSL lists Dawson-Boyd has an enrollment of 143. Over the last 15ish years...
Nate Huot (Was at one point the NSIC's all-time leading receiver)
Michael Lee (For SMSU men's basketball, started 90 of 125 career games)
Zach Stratmoen (started every game from his sophomore to senior season)
Zach Durfee (I think we all know the story by now)
Eli Weber (second team D2 All-American)
Brayson Boike (HS junior already has a basketball offer from SDSU)

Those are just some standouts...many others have gone on to play D2/D3 sports out of one of the smallest high schools in our region.

Coach Underwood had success recruiting a Minneota kid in his St Cloud days. A TMB kid is a lineman for the Gophers.

[SW_Mustang]

One of my favorite essay questions on my college geography class that I taught: Define the "Midwest". Another was "Define Southwest Minnesota"- the region, not the school.

I once saw a tweet that described both as the following:

"There's nothing here except beer and corn"

I wish I would have saved it. It's long gone. True or not, I always got a chuckle out of it.

[laker]

This almost gave me flashbacks of essay questions :)

One of my favorite essay questions on my college geography class that I taught: Define the "Midwest". Another was "Define Southwest Minnesota"- the region, not the school.

[Brandon]

Dude you made me laugh out loud.

I hope I didn't cause any PTSD to flare up.

[Purple Mav Man]

What does "D2 level" mean to you?

This almost gave me flashbacks of essay questions :)

Its pretty open-ended since not every player on a D2 team (football in particular) is D2 level. Just as not every player on a D1 team is D1 level. Also, not every player can play at the same time, or even in the same game.

But to give it my best shot: Someone who is recruited by a D2 institution and/or meaningfully contributes to the betterment* of a D2 team (be it practice, star player, etc).

*I was going to say success, but obviously not all teams achieve success via wins/losses. So that’s also very subjective. I also wrestled with, if a team consistently isn’t successful and only wins 1-2 games each year, do they even have D2 caliber players to begin with? Certainly some, but enough for a 2-deep, or even a full 22? So betterment won. Ha.






San Dimas High School football rules!!!!

[WBChargerDad]

I didn't want to try to find the data for 50 states, but I'd really be interested in reading it.

I've looked and looked, and while you can find total US data, I don't see it anywhere separated by state. I did find Wisconsins numbers from 2013, and they were a little over 27,000 football players (https://www.wissports.net/news_article/show/248455). Minnesota in 2019 was a little over 23,000 (https://www.startribune.com/high-sch...ars/558316042/).

[Umdfan35]

Where did you hear that? PM me if it needs to be private.

As long as the scholarship level is 36 or less

[SW_Mustang]

I didn't want to try to find the data for 50 states, but I'd really be interested in reading it.

Same - especially for states in the NE that aren't nearly as football heavy, and comparing states in the deep south with each other.

That math would take a lot of time, especially for the bigger states. I multiplied 33 × 105 to get a really rough estimate for ND - which is by no means accurate. Sure would be interesting though.

[Brandon]

I didn't want to try to find the data for 50 states, but I'd really be interested in reading it.

[SW_Mustang]

I would estimate 2,000-2,500 varsity HS football players in ND total last year.

I came up with a really rough estimate of 3,465, however that assumed an average roster of 33 players (Class A Lisbon was the guinea pig), but that was ~3x larger than the 9-man team I looked at (and they go down to 6-man apparently).



Used data right from the NDSHAA's website.