This could be big for HS football players in KY.  With the current recruiting landscape of HS seniors, this could allow an opportunity for valuable experience and "getting a year older".  

From the Juco website listed it shows what states this "league" is active in:

A NATIONWIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NETWORK

Our reach goes coast-to-coast. NJCP Football League connects athletes across several states into one national network, making sure your film reaches more coaches and your talent gets the national spotlight it deserves.

30 minutes ago, theguru said:

From the Juco website listed it shows what states this "league" is active in:

A NATIONWIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NETWORK

Our reach goes coast-to-coast. NJCP Football League connects athletes across several states into one national network, making sure your film reaches more coaches and your talent gets the national spotlight it deserves.

This sounds interesting.....and a bit skeptical at the same time.

12 minutes ago, Unrivaled97 said:

This sounds interesting.....and a bit skeptical at the same time.

Why skeptical? 

32 minutes ago, Unrivaled97 said:

This sounds interesting.....and a bit skeptical at the same time.

I don't think Coach Wolfe would be involved if it were shady. A few days ago, he let me know this was going to be a reality and he is really excited about it. I am happy for him. He is a good man and football coach. 

Recruiting for HS guys, right now, is the toughest I have seen, ever. The best advice an elite college coach gave me a few weeks ago was to get my guys to a California JUCO. A JUCO in Kentucky with Chris Wolfe involved at a high level is great for KY HS Football players and coaches. 

The website leaves much to the imagination. Calling this JUCO is a stretch at best, because there is nothing about college anywhere on the website. This is directly from the new leagues press release. "NJCP operates as a junior college prep program, giving athletes the ability to compete in a full season of football while maintaining NCAA eligibility. This allows players to continue improving their game, building experience, and preparing for college opportunities while keeping their long-term college options open. The league is currently operating with 18 teams across 13 states, in Eastern and Western conferences."

This seems to be a football playing opportunity with no affiliation going to college. My guess is this league is a pay to play opportunity to catch all of the portal athletes who transfer, but do not ever get picked back up by a team. 

28 minutes ago, Builder1214 said:

The website leaves much to the imagination. Calling this JUCO is a stretch at best, because there is nothing about college anywhere on the website. This is directly from the new leagues press release. "NJCP operates as a junior college prep program, giving athletes the ability to compete in a full season of football while maintaining NCAA eligibility. This allows players to continue improving their game, building experience, and preparing for college opportunities while keeping their long-term college options open. The league is currently operating with 18 teams across 13 states, in Eastern and Western conferences."

This seems to be a football playing opportunity with no affiliation going to college. My guess is this league is a pay to play opportunity to catch all of the portal athletes who transfer, but do not ever get picked back up by a team. 

It seams similar to when kids go to prep school after HS to develop in an extra year.

15 hours ago, theguru said:

Why skeptical? 

So many unanswered questions honestly.  It says kids have chances to get accredited hours and work towards an " academic pathway" towards a 4-year university but doesn't say from where the credit hours are coming from.  It says it's covering all of these states, but when you hover over some of the states, it says "team names to be announced".  Who is the governing body?  How does this affect eligibility as in do any of these seasons count towards NCAA eligibility or is this going to be treated like a post-secondary school like a Hargrave Military?  I hope for the high school kids of Kentucky, this turns out to be a fantastic opportunity for them, but I'm always skeptical when new things such as this pop up that seem to have so many unknowns.  Just my opinion.

15 hours ago, ChiefSmoke said:

I don't think Coach Wolfe would be involved if it were shady. A few days ago, he let me know this was going to be a reality and he is really excited about it. I am happy for him. He is a good man and football coach. 

Recruiting for HS guys, right now, is the toughest I have seen, ever. The best advice an elite college coach gave me a few weeks ago was to get my guys to a California JUCO. A JUCO in Kentucky with Chris Wolfe involved at a high level is great for KY HS Football players and coaches. 

I wouldn't think so either, but sometimes what we're sold as individuals doesn't end up being what things really are.  

I agree that recruiting HS guys is the hardest it's ever been.  With the landscape of college football, coaches have to have kids that are ready to play now.  They don't have time to develop them for a year or two, only to lose them to the portal.  To give an example, my son plays for East Texas A&M.  He just transferred there from EIU.  I was listening to a recent ETA&M athletics podcast where their head coach was a guest.  He talks about how the college landscape has changed.  He said that just 3 years ago, they signed 24 HS kids.  They just brought in over 30 new, full scholarship kids this spring (over 50 if you include some walk-ons and partial scholarship guys) and only 3 of them were HS kids so from 3 years ago bringing in 24 HS kids to now bringing in 3.  If this turns out to be legit, and I truly hope it is, then this is a great alternative and opportunity for those HS kids that are getting squeezed out.

For those interested, I've attached the recent podcast I was referencing.  Head Football Coach Clint Dolezel is the guest for about the first 12 1/2 minutes.  At the 3-minute mark, he talks about JUCO.  At the 5-minute mark, he talks about the "new model" of college football.  I really like Coach Dolezel as he's just brutally honest about the landscape of college football.

 

California, Mississippi, California, Kansas all have lots of JUCO and conferences ect.  If I was czar for a day over KY football, I would add football programs to 6-8 of the KCTCS/BCTC schools in the state.  Allow each major University (UK, UL, EKU, WKU, MSU) the ability to place out of state potential recruits on these rosters and fill the rest with instate talent.  

IMO it would strengthen our College programs and give our HS athletes more marketability.

1 hour ago, Unrivaled97 said:

I wouldn't think so either, but sometimes what we're sold as individuals doesn't end up being what things really are.  

I agree that recruiting HS guys is the hardest it's ever been.  With the landscape of college football, coaches have to have kids that are ready to play now.  They don't have time to develop them for a year or two, only to lose them to the portal.  To give an example, my son plays for East Texas A&M.  He just transferred there from EIU.  I was listening to a recent ETA&M athletics podcast where their head coach was a guest.  He talks about how the college landscape has changed.  He said that just 3 years ago, they signed 24 HS kids.  They just brought in over 30 new, full scholarship kids this spring (over 50 if you include some walk-ons and partial scholarship guys) and only 3 of them were HS kids so from 3 years ago bringing in 24 HS kids to now bringing in 3.  If this turns out to be legit, and I truly hope it is, then this is a great alternative and opportunity for those HS kids that are getting squeezed out.

For those interested, I've attached the recent podcast I was referencing.  Head Football Coach Clint Dolezel is the guest for about the first 12 1/2 minutes.  At the 3-minute mark, he talks about JUCO.  At the 5-minute mark, he talks about the "new model" of college football.  I really like Coach Dolezel as he's just brutally honest about the landscape of college football.

 

OnTopAthletics does a super job w/ their camps. Will host one in May that will be attended by college coaches. 
 

But, they did share this yesterday. :

 

This is EXCELLENT news for the State of KY! As a product of the California JUCO system, I can say first hand that this will give many players the opportunity continue their playing careers beyond HS and potentially add 1-2 seasons of continued development to possibly make it to the next level of college play! 

As in a previous post, HS kids have the toughest road to travel trying to get into a major or minor program, regardless of level with the onset of the transfer portal, NIL, etc.

I ended up at a strong FCS, well I-AA back then, program and was a great experience and started those last 2 seasons. Probably wouldn't have gotten that opportunity without taking advantage of the JC process. Like all programs, there are some good ones and some bad ones but it does give KY players another option to consider.

Wishing the Louisville Thunder nothing but success!

 

I talked to a parent of a kid who was invited by Coach Wolfe to try out and he said the school hours are online from Utah State.