PWO Candidates, Class of 2011 - the Undecideds

[AlferdJasper]

Consider this a recruiting thread, but I wanted to track a few athletes who have expressed an interest in CU -- possibly walking on -- and have not committed anywhere else.

We have only so many scholarships to offer every year, and CU is fortunate to offer an excellent education, great location and welcoming football program to the athletes who choose to be buffs.

Here are a few I'll be watching:

P/K Miles MacKenzie, Denver East
Why?
Because we have three guys that can kick (in theory) on scholarship, but only one of them is much of a true punter, the other two are competing for placekicking duties. (Backups Kirkwood and Frieberg are not longer on the team.) The coaches are looking for a walk-on punter to challenge our starter and also serve as backup.

Scout said on signing day:

MacKenzie has also not ruled out a preferred walk on position at Colorado State and Colorado.

Miles won both punting and kicking competitions at CU's camp in summer of 2010. He has some Div 2 offers, but has not decided yet what to do. With one of the highly interested parties is the School of Mines, I'll make a leap and say he's not an academic risk, since that's the topic of the day.

P/K Nate Ekhoff, Ponderosa (allbuffs link)
One of the top combo guys in the state, he has not made a college decision.

Another top in-state kicker, Brady Rogers, Cherokee Trail, is also undecided, but does not mention Colorado in his most recent interviews. However, he did attend CU's kicking camp last summer. (Not that the new coaches know that, but ... )

"I went to the Chris Sailer kicking camp, the University of Oregon, the University of Cal-Berkley, CSU, and CU also."

DB River Thompson, Denver East (allbuffs link)

Denver East DB River Thompson, holds DII offers but wants a shot to play at Colorado. He will meet with the CU staff, he may potentially go as a preferred walk on.

River Thompson holds offers from Northern Colorado and Fort Lewis, but has always been interested in playing at CU. Both MacKenzie and Thompson would have a reunion with three former East teammates on the CU roster. And, FWIW, as of Jan. 1, 2011, Thompson owns a 3.2 GPA, so grades not an issue, since he handily mentioned that in a recent interview.

Scout Colorado High School Signing Day update (premium)

CB John Scott, Evergreen (allbuffs link)

Evergreen (Colo.) High cornerback John Scott is quick enough to play college football for Colorado, having been timed at 4.53 seconds for 40 yards.

Was in contact with previous staff --- would assume he's smart enough to send the new guys his tape and see what is possible.

Joe Ziccardi, Arapahoe (Centennial, CO)

Washington, Colorado, Wyoming, Colorado State and San Diego State have all shown some form of recruiting interest in Ziccardi. He has high interest in the Huskies and Buffaloes.

He mentions trying to get his grades up in one article, so that may be his story - don't know.

wide receiver Blake Froistad, Valor Christian
Injury sidelined him for much of his senior season, but in a November interview, Froistad said:

Froistad does hope to get an opportunity to play at the college level. "I'm hoping so. The door will be open to play college football. I am looking into Wheaton in Chicago, the University of San Diego, and the University of Colorado."

CB Marquise Coleman, Aurora (Colo.) Eaglecrest
http://coloradoprepreport.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1040912
Here's what he told a reporter in January 2010, a year ago:

"CU is still my favorite. As soon as I get my grades up, I am going to commit there. … It is close to home and I like the players up there. I feel comfortable up there, just like being around family."

No updates. Does not appear committed.

Offensive guard Ben Clarke, Chatfield, Littleton, Colorado
Not a lot said about Clarke and Colorado, but he did meet some former players with CU ties, and was a standout at the summer's NUC combine. "Clarke has quick feet, which helps him excel in pass protection. He was among the fastest linemen at the NUC, clocking in with a 5.17-forty and 4.92-shuttle."

Clarke earned second-team all-league honors as a junior, and he was also an Academic all-state selection.
"I have gotten letters and a few calls from colleges, but nothing major," said Clarke.

Was all-conference this year.

Don't know if this guy is on our radar, but interesting CU-ties.
Barima Ackah-Yensu, Aurora (Colo.) Overland athlete

Ackah-Yensu spends time playing wide receiver, tight end, linebacker and defensive end for the Trailblazers. He earned all-conference honors as a defensive end last fall.

Coached By CU Buff Ron Woolfork in high school, and worked in off season with Kelron Sykes, brother of Jayshon Sykes and Michael Westbrook (yeah, remember him? the catch?) at the Future Pro Skills camp.

"I wanted to come out here and show that Overland High School has a player that is worth looking at," said Ackah-Yensu, who stands 6-foot-2.5, 220-pounds. "The colleges have said I might be a little small for defensive end but I could play wide receiver, tight end or linebacker."

DE / FB Aaron Norris, Chatfield is talking about walking on, but not to CU. However, since he's talking about walking on to some D1 program, might as well keep an eye on him. He expects to play fullback in college, from what coaches have told him.

Montrose QB Nathan Robertson created quite a buzz as a junior, but a foot injury early in his senior year sidelined him the rest of the year.
Recruiting Analyst Tom Lemming had him on the preseason watch list. "dual-threat--very good player" ... but he can play more than quarterback. For his first three years at Montrose, Robertson started at quarterback/defensive starter/kicker/punter. Not a bad guy to have around, once his foot injury clears him, he may have something to prove. And seems to be willing to play where ever the team needs him.


There are more in-state undecideds, but I'll have to come back to this later.

If I wanted to dedicate my ENTIRE Saturday to Allbuffs, I'd add links to each profile, but for now, look 'em up yourself:
2011 recruit profile index

p.s.
Three other guys we did not get ... but since I put the research in, before discovering this factoid:

{cancel - never mind} Running back Ryan Tasker, Grandview
Injuries slowed his recruitment, but at one time, he liked CU a lot.

"I've been to the CU elite camp over the summer and I also went to the Junior Day a couple of days ago. I really like CU a lot. I talked to their running back coach. I also get a lot of letters from Columbia University, Air Force, and Washington University out of St. Louis."

Scout says:

Tasker is not your typical small back, he gets north and south quickly and always finishes runs to gain positive yardage.

update: committed U Nebraska Kearney

{cancel - never mind} TE Jess Roberson, Pine Creek (Colorado Springs)

"I went to Colorado's Junior Day. I really did like it. I really like their coaches, the atmosphere, and the campus is gorgeous. I think that academics are a big thing and CU is a great school for that. We got to watch their spring practice and I loved the intensity."

Frick .. cancel that. He committed to Adams State.

{cancel - never mind} OT Michael Mancinelli of Mullen is taking his 6'4" and 280 lbs to Harvard.

 

[MtnBuff]

Thanks for the good work.

With a new staff and a lack of quality depth at a lot of positions this would be the year for a guy to get a real shot as a PWO.

I truly believe that this staff is a better staff for teaching and developing talent than the last one was (hard to be worse.)

Let's get some of these guys in and see if they can contribute.

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

Ackah-Yensu sounds like an intriguing prospect. Size to fit multiple positions (which he already played), variety of skills, room to grow. Might be worth taking a flyer on him.

Great work AJ, as usual.

 

[Tractor]

Good work on that info. It sure would be great to get a PWO program going again. You'd think that all that BCS/NFL coaching experience would be a great selling point for these kids.

 

[AlferdJasper]

No program can do it with just scholarship athletes.

The committed, hungry and talented walkons contribute to the success (or otherwise) of any program.

 

[AlferdJasper]

P/K Nate Ekhoff, Ponderosa
One of the top combo guys in the state, he has not made a college decision.

Another top in-state kicker, Brady Rogers,

Again, no information that he's interested in being a buff, but still no word on what his plans are for the future.
Nate was the All State Kicker at 4A in 2010. Denver Post Link
And Nate is one of three Ponderosa players to be named an All American

All-American Football Players (from Ponderosa)
John Anest (05)
Jon Major (07)
Nate Ekhoff (10)

 

[AlferdJasper]

12 months ago, this was Buffnik's opinion:

02-05-2010
First Commit- Where & When?

Marquise Coleman at the end of this semester.

​

As far as I can tell, Coleman remains uncommitted. Anywhere.

None of the players in the original post appear on commitment lists, not even as PWOs. I'll keep checking, but they may not show up until they roster (if they do) in the fall somewhere.