Thanks, Greywolf. My thoughts as the Jackson announcement was coming along was the old adage regarding The Nose, and perhaps now the old Coach K, who could come in late in the game and steal a recruit. You’re absolutely right that Jackson re-opened his recruitment and that DD and Kitchings and Patrick took advantage. I like this mentality in our coaching staff and it appears those coaches are selling good values to these recruits.
“Stealing” a recruit is a good way to put it when a team like Tennessee comes in what appears to us as late and signs a highly valued recruit. What we don’t know is how long Tenn has been recruiting this guy.
Merci Falaise, Assistant Director of Player Personnel/Recruit Communications was hired in early 2017. He had spent the previous three seasons working on the football recruiting staff at Tennessee. Falaise is a former Wolfpack offensive lineman. Falaise also has worked as an assistant coach at Georgia Military College in charge of the offensive line and tight ends. His relationship with GMC allowed State to slip in and sign CB Ki.shawn Miller seemingly out of nowhere. Miller is not a big kid and was flying under the radar but is a full speed ahead hitter.
The position coach who signed Miller and is associated with Miller would appear to be the recruiter who swooped in and stole Miller. Much more complicated than that. Falaise’s playing and coaching background, the relationships with HS and JCs while not mentioned is responsible for Miller coming to State. We are in reaping the same benefits with Ted Roof recruiting in Georgia.
We have a good sized staff behind the scene in the recruiting department but nowhere near as big a staff a Clemson, Tennessee, Bama, etc., and the rest of the top teams. Winning big with sustained success is not done on the practice field alone. It starts much earlier than that and involves lots of unknown staff. Relationships are formed early, sometimes as early as Jr. HS for some top recruits.
Doeren will be a highly valued HC for us and coveted by schools who want to be big time football schools. The Tennessee fans may not have wanted Doeren or knew his value but the Tennessee AD did. We Wolfpack fans are mostly clueless as to what Doeren is doing as our HC. The culture that he has created here amongst the coaches as well as he players will produce results far into the future.
We laugh at our neighbor being a “sleeping giant” but the Pack is as dangerous as an iceberg with only the tip of the danger showing. The recruiting staff and structure is the hidden part. We see the DL that was just drafted, JaySam, Hines, Harmon, Finley, et al but they are all the result of Doeren creating a culture for coaches and staff to work in and thrive while building the Wolfpack.
It’s scary to think what the holes could do with the money they have available IF they had the right HC and culture for successful football.
If the fans knew what DD was accomplishing, we would knock off the lame jokes and put-downs. We almost ran him off last year. Fortunately his wife and family didn’t want to move away from the friends and life they were enjoying here in Raleigh. We want find another DD at the price we are paying him. And folks, money ain’t everything. We can keep him if we as fans really want him. We DO need to trust that he knows what he is doing and is developing himself as a HC while bringing in great staff and top recruits are interested in NC State now.
