crawfish
01-19-2008, 01:11 PM
ULM football recruiting coordinator Luke Wells says that the program's profile is higher today than it was when he first arrived in Monroe. "I think people know who we are," said Wells, who is in his fifth season as a ULM assistant. "When we first got here, we were finishing near the bottom of the league. Now we're finishing towards the top." Opening the season on ESPN2 at home against Tulsa, beating Alabama and rallying to finish at 6-6 helped give ULM momentum heading into the recruiting stretch run. "We're starting to make strides in winning more games and getting good publicity with that," Wells said.
Case in point — Butler (Kansas) Community College offensive tackle Ryan Dercher wasn't familiar with the Warhawks — until the victory at Alabama. Dercher would eventually sign with the Warhawks. "The biggest thing we've been able to do is get kids interested in the program, tell them what their opportunity is at ULM — playing I-A ball with a chance to win a conference championship," Wells said. "They can go up against SEC teams every year and beat a team like Alabama."
ULM has also built a better and more organized recruiting infrastructure over the last five years under coach Charlie Weatherbie. A core of coaches have retained the same recruiting areas and built relationships that are paying off. "We've had the same guys recruiting the same area," Wells said. "The guys in state have done a nice job, and we're recruiting Texas hard. We're getting into some of the junior colleges. Really, it's just consistency in recruiting and seeing those same coaches."
Recruiting really has no offseason now. Senior Days around the state and on campus allow the ULM staff to identify and evaluate prospects earlier. "Recruiting has changed where everything is quicker," Wells said. "In the springtime, kids are beginning to get an idea of who's offering them. We knew exactly who we were going after in recruiting during the spring." Wells said five of ULM's commitments so far attended their Senior Day camps. The football team and process has improved at ULM, but so have the aesthetics of the university itself. When recruits visit ULM, they see a different campus than kids did just a few years ago. "The university has changed," Wells said. "Pouring $70 million into new dorms and getting kids on campus. Upgrading the facilities at Malone — like the new field turf."
Meanwhile, ULM's 2008 recruiting class is rounding into shape. The Warhawks signed seven junior college players for mid-term transfer and have nine confirmed commitments from prep players. "I thnk we're very close to being a championship football team," Weatherbie said. "I think this next year with the senior leadership we've got coming back, we've got a chance to be good. If we get some good junior college guys in here, they'll push for starting jobs or be viable backups so we don't have to play freshmen."
With National Signing Day on Feb. 6 fast approaching, ULM is still working to sign a quarterback, a running back or two, two wide receivers and a cornerback. Some of the top players remaining on the ULM wish list according to Rivals.com and Scout.com are quarterbacks Randall Mackey of Bastrop and Tim Curry of Elysian Fields (Texas); running backs Luther Ambrose of St. James and Chris Adkins of Jenks (Okla.). "We've got just a few offers left out there," Wells said. (Source: NewStar Monroe)
Case in point — Butler (Kansas) Community College offensive tackle Ryan Dercher wasn't familiar with the Warhawks — until the victory at Alabama. Dercher would eventually sign with the Warhawks. "The biggest thing we've been able to do is get kids interested in the program, tell them what their opportunity is at ULM — playing I-A ball with a chance to win a conference championship," Wells said. "They can go up against SEC teams every year and beat a team like Alabama."
ULM has also built a better and more organized recruiting infrastructure over the last five years under coach Charlie Weatherbie. A core of coaches have retained the same recruiting areas and built relationships that are paying off. "We've had the same guys recruiting the same area," Wells said. "The guys in state have done a nice job, and we're recruiting Texas hard. We're getting into some of the junior colleges. Really, it's just consistency in recruiting and seeing those same coaches."
Recruiting really has no offseason now. Senior Days around the state and on campus allow the ULM staff to identify and evaluate prospects earlier. "Recruiting has changed where everything is quicker," Wells said. "In the springtime, kids are beginning to get an idea of who's offering them. We knew exactly who we were going after in recruiting during the spring." Wells said five of ULM's commitments so far attended their Senior Day camps. The football team and process has improved at ULM, but so have the aesthetics of the university itself. When recruits visit ULM, they see a different campus than kids did just a few years ago. "The university has changed," Wells said. "Pouring $70 million into new dorms and getting kids on campus. Upgrading the facilities at Malone — like the new field turf."
Meanwhile, ULM's 2008 recruiting class is rounding into shape. The Warhawks signed seven junior college players for mid-term transfer and have nine confirmed commitments from prep players. "I thnk we're very close to being a championship football team," Weatherbie said. "I think this next year with the senior leadership we've got coming back, we've got a chance to be good. If we get some good junior college guys in here, they'll push for starting jobs or be viable backups so we don't have to play freshmen."
With National Signing Day on Feb. 6 fast approaching, ULM is still working to sign a quarterback, a running back or two, two wide receivers and a cornerback. Some of the top players remaining on the ULM wish list according to Rivals.com and Scout.com are quarterbacks Randall Mackey of Bastrop and Tim Curry of Elysian Fields (Texas); running backs Luther Ambrose of St. James and Chris Adkins of Jenks (Okla.). "We've got just a few offers left out there," Wells said. (Source: NewStar Monroe)