Quick Takes From Tommy Tuberville's Signing Day Press Conference

My quick takes on Tommy Tuberville's press conference announcing the class of 2015.

• Tubs two overriding goals for this class are the same as they have been for his first two signing days with the Bearcats, improving the overall team speed and adding difference makers at the line of scrimmage. The second one is a noted buggabo of this program and the last vestige of Butch Jones era recruiting. UC really addressed both areas with this class. With guys like Jaylyin Minor, Bryan Wright, Kahlil Lewis, Jhavonte Dean and especially Joshuwa Holloman they went out and got guys who are extremely fast for their position groups. They also got some real difference makers up front with DeLonte Murray, Marquise Copeland, Wright and Idarius Ray being guys with immense potential. Not all of these guys will make an impact this year, but this is a class that will pay big dividends in two or three years time.
• Singled out Taylor Boose as a guy in a very new corner of a newish state for the Bearcats recruiting, in a market (Northern Virginia/DC) where the Bearcats have not spent much time recruiting in the past. Boose had a huge buzz after his junior season at Centerville. The UC staff saw his tape , liked it, got him to come to their camp, liked him even more and got him to sign. I don't think that path of events was unique to Boose in this class.
• Really singled out a pair of JUCO kids who won't get here until the summer, but will have a chance to really help the 2015 team. Jaylyin Minor and Lyndon Johnson (nicknamed LBJ from here until the end of eternity) who play linebacker and defensive end in particular.
• Tubs is incredibly high on Ross Trail, so much so that he stated as plainly as possible that he could see playing time next year, presumably as an emergency backup. It's not difficult to see why Tubs is so high on the Arkansas native. The fact that he brought up Trail, unprompted, and suggested that he could have a role to play next year suggests that the coaching staff is really impressed with Trail's handle on the intellectual challenges of the most difficult position in sports. That speaks volumes for me because that was the only thing that we as fans are in the dark on. The stuff that happens during the players 20 hour work week. Most of you reading this will have already watched the above video. For the meaningful percentage of people who skipped it, or skimmed it go to the 7:20 mark and listen to Tubs talk about Ross. The position is in good hands.
• The impact that New Nippert will have on recruiting will be fascinating, and very positive.
• Fascinating admission on the part of Tuberville in saying that they had no idea what kind of players they would need to match up with their conference teams. Part of that is down to the conference changing so much from the day Tubs took the job til June 1st when Navy officially joins for football. The other is that UC had no idea what to expect from teams because the league is all over the map philosophically. They have a much better handle on all that now heading into their third season and know what kind of guys they need to match up. The Bearcats growing fondness for incredibly long corner backs is a perfect example. In the last two classes UC has signed 8 defensive backs that are 6'0" or taller. In his first three classes Butch Jones signed just five such players.