OT: Gunner Kiel To Choose LSU

Submitted by SanFrancisco_W… on

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

 

http://twitter.com/#!/ginojoubertDVI

Moleskyn

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.

Tater

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.  

mGrowOld

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.

WolverineLake

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.

timtebro

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.

BrownJuggernaut

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.

LSAClassOf2000

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.

Six Zero

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.

turtleboy

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.

Magnus

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.

pdgoblue25

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.

Magnus

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.

Asgardian

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

 

Elmer

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. 

phork

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.

Perkis-Size Me

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.