OT: Gunner Kiel To Choose LSU
Gino Joubert, LSU recruiting analyst says Gunner will announce his decision this week. Great get for Les and LSU...the rich get richer.
Gino Joubert @ginojoubertDVI 5h
#1 QB Gunner Kiel from Indiana will pick LSU either today or Thursday according to one of my sources close to the Kiel family. If so, HUGE
December 21st, 2011 at 12:45 PM ^
Would rather see him at LSU than at Norte Dame. I mean, if Jamarcus Russel can be the #1 pick, just think would Gunner can do.
December 21st, 2011 at 3:16 PM ^
Imagine that offense with someone that can, you know, throw, unlike Jefferson.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
Looks like Columbus is wearing off on you a little bit...
More seriously, I can't believe he's gonna go to LSU. Were they even in his top group when he decommitted from Indiana? I thought he was going to go to Oklahoma. I just can't help but wonder what kinds of shenanigans Miles had to pull to get him there.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^
Sorry, I was typing it in a hurry as I was leaving for lunch. Made a big mistake and looked at it when I got back and saw the number of spelling mistakes and was horrified.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
No problem. Just doing my best to keep this community as safe and grammatically correct as possible.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:00 PM ^
LSU probably pulled the same shenanigans everyone in the SEC does. I'm guessing that it starts with a little "southern hospitality" from a "co-ed" and continues on to a golden handshake or two. Then they can actually do the official tour.
That's why I don't blame kids for taking as many visits as they can. If I was in their shoes, I'd try to schedule as many visits as possible.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:17 PM ^
Or some booster coughed up some dough because wanted to make sure Kiel plays in Baton Rouge for the next 4 years.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:19 PM ^
Why Tater? LSU has a smoking good football program and they've recently placed a QB at #1 in the NFL draft. What makes you think that they need to cheat to get the players they want?. Other than oversigning I've never heard of any issues or problems with LSU such as the ones you insinuate they had to do to get Kiel.
December 21st, 2011 at 2:23 PM ^
They're on probation and got docked a couple scholarships for some minor recruiting related shenanigans.
It's not the biggest scandal in the world, but it's something.
December 21st, 2011 at 7:13 PM ^
Willie Lyles has very close ties to the program - and he is already on record stating that Oregon paid him to influence recruits. There is some smoke there.
December 21st, 2011 at 4:46 PM ^
Playing in the BCS title game on a consistent basis is pretty cool.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
I agree, send him somewhere where we will only meet him in a bowl game. I wish he would've stuck with Indiana really, it's nice to see teams like that get a chance to make a run.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
at the helm. I mean really, LSU over Indiana? The kid must be crazy.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
is that, once he decommitted, everyone thought he was going to ND.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
Not bad switching from Indiana to LSU. I would say that is more the obvious choice.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
Not surprised Gunner went to a strong team. I thought the IU thing was really odd.... good luck to the dude. Hope beats up on Alabama (and their fictitious national titles) often.
But, we have Sugar Shane in two years, and Denard again next year. I'll take our dudes over Kiel any day.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
His brother plays for IU. Plus you forgot a redshirt (hopefully) junior Devin Gardner.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
Indiana, LSU, its all the same, right? WTF.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^
Was at the Columbus East v Columbus North basketball game last night where Gunner received recognition and Mr. Football for the state of Indiana. Rumors had Gunner making an announcement at halftime which, of course, didn't happen. He is also planning on enrolling early. So good to see him going out of conference even though seeing him play at IU would be scary(?) at most.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^
But he seems a little fickle.
December 21st, 2011 at 12:50 PM ^
Poor Indiana.....
December 21st, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^
"It just didn't work out between us."
[lights cig, speeds off into night on motorcycle]
December 21st, 2011 at 12:50 PM ^
Why? IU is on the rise. LSU is on the decline. This decision makes no sense. ugh, college football these days.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^
LSU is undefeated and ranked #1 headed into the NC game. Yeah what a decline they're on....
December 21st, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^
I suppose he did forget to post the /s but then again he really didn't need one, lol.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:42 PM ^
*SARCASM METER MALFUNTION*
Sir, I hate to be the one to tell you this but you have a malfunction in your sarcasm meter and it needs to be fixed before more responses can be posted on MGoBlog. Thank you and have a good afternoon.
Sincerely,
Sarcasm Police
December 21st, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^
BUT TECHNICALLY THEY ARE ON THE DECLINE BECAUSE YOU CAN GO NOWHERE BUT DOWN FROM #1
December 21st, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^
I can't say he made the wrong choice considering his final three were Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and LSU. I will say that it hurts to lose a 5 star prospect to a school not in the Big Ten (plus Notre Dame). This might not be a popular opinion, but I'd like to keep the top talent in the Big Ten states up here even if that means we have to play them. Keeping this talent is important to maintaining the level of the Big Ten conference. Losing it sucks.
Whatever. Best of luck to him. He'll have the time of his life with Les Miles.
December 21st, 2011 at 7:09 PM ^
But . . . but . . . but, Ohio State has Urban Meyer. The B1G doesn't need anything else ever again.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:03 PM ^
LSU seems like an out-of-the-blue pick. I thought, as others did, that he was going to Oklahoma after decommitting from Indiana. At least we don't face him at ND though - seems like he has the capability to be scary good.
Is that something one says out loud, "I am committed to Indiana."?
This seems difficult to say with a straight face. In any event, good luck in the SEC West, Gunner.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:01 PM ^
Very odd choice for a star quarterback recruit since LSU, like Alabama, traditionally build to win games in spite of their QB.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:02 PM ^
He won't have to worry about being decleated in Ann Arbor twice in the next four years.
Honestly though... IU seemed like such a stretch for a kid of this caliber.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:10 PM ^
i'm looking forward to his next decommittment.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:13 PM ^
Florida goes from a spread option Tebow attack to a pro style offense. Auburn goes from the super spread with Cam Newton to a pro style offense. LSU rins the spread, and looks to switch to the pro style with Kiel. Michigan switched from a pro style to a spread with RR, and Urban Meyer is coaching in Ohio now. Its like an episode of Wife Swap around here.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:18 PM ^
Have you seen the pix of LSU chicks? Pfft ND, Indiana... No chance.
December 21st, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^
Mary's girls are all babes and they party hard every time.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:21 PM ^
Maybe it's just me, but if I were the #1 quarterback recruit in the country (or close to it), I would do my best to attend a school with a reputation for developing quarterbacks and getting them to the NFL. I would be choosing Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC, etc.
LSU doesn't produce good NFL quarterbacks, and the offense they run under Miles isn't exactly a pro-style offense. It seems like going there will only stunt Kiel's growth.
But hey, at least he'll probably get a shot at a national championship before becoming a bust in the NFL.
December 21st, 2011 at 3:01 PM ^
If you were going that route wouldn't you want the coaches responsible for producing that talent instead of the school? I could see your argument with Michigan if Loeffler was still here, he had a proven track record (Borges to some degree as well). Kind of like Bedford with DBs, Larry Johnson Sr with D-lineman. The only thing I can think of is Wisconsin because I don't really know if there was any turnover with the offensive coaching when Bielema took over, considering they still crap out offensive lineman.
When talking about ND I would say Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen's careers combined aren't much more impressive than Matt Flynn and Jamarcus Russell. Clausen is a backup with a few spot starts like Flynn, Quinn was a first round bust that started about as many games as Russell. However that was a completely different coaching staff at ND.
December 21st, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
It looks like Matt Flynn might be a hot name in free agency this offseason. He could be the next Kevin Kolb. However, if he gets a shot, it should be credited to his tutelage under Mike McCarthy and Tom Clements, not his days as caretaker of LSU.
December 21st, 2011 at 4:05 PM ^
Yes, but Notre Dame and Michigan have a history of producing quarterbacks. Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, Rick Mirer, Brady Quinn, Jimmy Clausen, etc. They might not have been great players in the NFL (not all of them, anyway), but they were all good college players and high draft picks. Michigan obviously has a long history of putting QBs in the NFL, going back to Harbaugh, Grbac, and so on; even Denard will get to the NFL, although maybe not as a 1st rounder since he'll probably have to change positions.
LSU has Jamarcus Russell...and that's about it. High draft pick, NFL bust. Otherwise, they've been succeeding with no-name quarterbacks who rely on the running game and defense to win games.
December 21st, 2011 at 5:06 PM ^
Remember these kids are 17. 1st and 2nd round draft picks at QB, last 6 years:
The only people to double up on this list are USC (Pete Carroll gone) and ND (Charlie Weiss gone, and Quinn was recruited by Willingham).
2011
Cam Newton – Auburn
Jake Locker – Washington
Blaine Gabbert – Missouri
Christian Ponder – Florida State
Andy Dalton – TCU
Colin Kaepernick – Nevada
2010
Sam Bradford – Oklahoma
Tim Tebow – Florida
Jimmy Clausen – Notre Dame
2009
Matt Stafford – Georgia
Mark Sanchez – USC
Josh Freeman – Kansas State
Pat White – West Virginia
2008
Matt Ryan – Boston College
Joe Flacco – Delaware
Brian Brohm – Louisville
Chad Henne – Michigan
2007
JaMarcus Russell – LSU
Brady Quinn – Notre Dame
Kevin Kolb – Houston
John Beck – BYU
Drew Stanton – Michigan State
2006
Vince Young – Texas
Matt Leinart – USC
Jay Cutler – Vanderbilt
Kellen Clemens – Oregon
Tavaris Jackson – Alabama State
December 21st, 2011 at 1:33 PM ^
LSU with an elite QB. It's about the only thing on their team that isn't elite right now
December 21st, 2011 at 1:33 PM ^
This man has 52 Twitter followers. I highly doubt that he has inside information.
Still, Kiel could end up at LSU.
December 21st, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^
Honey Badger don't care.
December 21st, 2011 at 7:04 PM ^
Brings a whole new meaning to:
December 21st, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
He'll get to play in a lot of big games, have a good shot at a national title and best of all: the LSU defense. Al ot of pressure is removed when you only have to score a couple touchdowns per game to win. Heck, in 2011 they would have went 9-3 scoring only 12 points per game. Add in the fact that special teams and defense also contribute offensively, just two TDs by the offense might get you to 11-1.
December 21st, 2011 at 3:00 PM ^
I seriously doubt this clown has any inside info. His myspace and phone# posted on it are a hint to that. Frankly the family has been tighter lipped than anything and I would be VERY surprised if this leaked out before an announcement.
December 21st, 2011 at 3:51 PM ^
I told a coworker who is an ND fan about this and he posted it on ndnation. Caused a bit of a firestorm with it (always enjoy that) but there were plenty of folks pointing out his MySpace page and other indications that call into doubt his credibility.
December 21st, 2011 at 5:57 PM ^
I feel bad for Wilson. Kiel would have been an amazing building block to revitalize Indiana's offense, and maybe even the university's interest in football. IU's the one school in the Big Ten where I just don't feel like it can ever be competitive. Its had 1 Rose Bowl in its history, and 10ish bowl appearances, almost all losses. IU just seems like a football grave yard.