I agree with you on the strength and maybe even the speed, but the size factor is what I think kept Tyler and Several other very good players down through the years from competing at the D1 Level. Being at the most 6ft tall, doesn't get you many offers on the defensive side of the ball at D-1 schools, unless it is maybe at corner where if your 6ft or under you better make up for it with either "quickness" or "vertical. On the offensive side, again your looking at maybe RB or FB position. From being around Tyler, Tobey and Adam through this process, the highest ranked school that even made a more than passing glance at any of them was Hanover college at Indiana (Div III) and West Virg. Wesleyan (Div II). If Tyler, Adam or Tobey were 3 to 4 inches taller than I would definitely say a DIV I MAC school like Marshall, O.U. or maybe even U of Cincinnati would have been visiting us here at Russell.

 

But regardless of all that, these 3 have been given the opportunity to play at a very good school with a very good coach and on a team that is on the rise.

Congrats to them, and I can't wait to see them play again this fall.

 

Congarts to all three young men. I am so happy to hear they signed. Would have loved to see them go to Hanover. That's my home town (even though I live in Madison now) Would have been awesome to see some of my extended Russell family... As always go :fire:

Congrats to T. Jones, A. Foster and T. Hicks on accomplishing a goal of playing at the next level. More importantly these fine young men will be getting a college education. People talk about D1 and all of that, I will just say that there is absolutely no shame or disgrace at all of playing at one of these smaller schools. First and foremost these schools offer a quality education and another thing is imo too many kids try and go to a D1 school to play and just get lost in the shuffle.

A small school imo would offer more opportunities and a better chance to see playing time as well as that all important college degree.

JMO and congrats again to these three from Russell. :thumb:

There is just not way that he is a d-1 caliber football player IMO. Even the guys that play in the MAC and C USA are outstanding athletes. Kasey Clark was a great high school player and he did not even recieve a full scholarship to play at the d-1AA level. Players who get scholarships to play D-1 or D-1AA football are in a different league then most of the guys around this area. Tyler Jones is a heck of a football player and I think he will have a good career at UC. I dont think he will make an immediate impact because even at an NAIA school its still college football and the players there are VERY good football players. All three of the signees from Russell are very talented but they are goin to have to earn their stripes and go through the growing pains of being a freshman in college. I think Jones will eventually play at UC and have a good career but I dont see him stepping in and getting significant minutes as a freshman. But he will do good things there eventually, he is to talented not to play at UC eventually.

:thumb: I agree with this post and as I stated in my previous post, there is absolutely no shame or disgrace in playing at a smaller (NAIA) school. People imo get way to caught up in that idea. NAIA schools like you have said have some quality athletes football players. Usually these players are smaller, maybe a step slower and little weaker than the D1 level players. Most do not realize what kind of athlete takes to play at a high (D1) level of college football.

Most kids in our area that I have seen will do much better at a smaller school.

I will also repeat that the college degree is by far the most important thing here. Football is just a great avenue to get some financial help in achieving that goal.

Way to go.