Positive News for the Good Guys? Chris Allen (LB) may flip from 'Bama to LSU -> 4* OLB Willie Gay to UM?

Submitted by boliver46 on

I don't know how to embed the Twitters (I am old, so sue me!  But get off my lawn while you do it!).

However, high 4* LB Chris Allen of Baton Rouge might be considering sticking close to home after he took a recent visit to LSU.

His immediate reaction after the visit was: "Home do sound nice."  And the speculation of a flip began in earnest.

Wiltfong got in on the action with this comment:

"Whoever blue chip linebacker commits to LSU, they're going to have a chance to start," 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong said. "That's one of the biggest needs in college football."

Link

Ballz are heading LSU's way as well...

So does this potentially mean Willie Gay might be more of a possibility than previously thought?

Willie mentioned earlier that the ability to see the field early on was a reason to go to LSU...maybe Allen flipping could flip Gay to the Good Guys?

I'm not very good at all this flippity floppity recruiting stuff - but I found it very interesting nonetheless.

DISCUSS!

Willie Gay 247 Profile

Chris Allen 247 Profile

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Blue Know It

January 24th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^

You are probably looking exclusively at OLBs. Ross is an ILB so he would be the third. 4 if you count Mason (another projected ILB) whom is an enrollee.

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Pepto Bismol

January 24th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^

Of course LSU will take as many top-100 LBs as they can get.  But I think you're missing the point.

When LSU had a blue-chip LB commit in the fold, Gay didn't seem that interested and Michigan led.  Then that guy decommitted and Gay-to-LSU got serious in a hurry.  Now they might soon have another blue-chip LB commit in the fold.  Does that mean Gay's LSU interest dims?

 

For those that won't click Voldemort's link above, this is extremely linear:

------------------

"Did they have a linebacker de-commit today?" Gay asked SEC Country.

Yep.

"Well tell them Willie Gay is on his way."

Asked if he was just joking, the linebacker said, "No. I don't mind competing but once you see opportunity like that sometimes you've just got to jump on it."

-----------------

If that "opportunity" isn't there anymore, then maybe he no longer has to "jump on it".

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Magnus

January 24th, 2017 at 2:17 PM ^

We'll find out in a week how many linebackers they sign.

EDIT: On a side note, Dave Aranda is a 3-4 guy and Boliver46 said above that LSU has 6 LB on the roster and 1 commit. Eight linebackers aren't very many if you're rolling out 4 of them on a regular basis. Michigan runs a 4-3 or a 4-2-5 and has 10 LB (players and commits combined).

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Pepto Bismol

January 24th, 2017 at 2:27 PM ^

I don't care.  Do you not understand my post?  Here. Try an analogy:

 

I prefer McDonald's over Burger King. 

But Burger King has nobody in line. I think I'll go there.

       (Just then 3 cars pull in the drive through ahead of me)

Do I still stay with my BK decision which seems to be rooted in the quicker path to food?  Or do I go back to McDonald's, which I originally preferred? 

 

You're explaining to me that Burger King will sell more burgers today.  That's friggin' great, man.  Who cares?

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Magnus

January 24th, 2017 at 2:37 PM ^

I get it, but Gay didn't say "Didn't they have an ELITE linebacker decommit?" There's no indication in that exchange that he cares whether the linebacker was good or not. And in fact, it sounds like an off-the-cuff discussion that I wouldn't take too seriously either way.

So might LSU take him more linebackers than just Chris Allen? Sure.

Might LSU scare him away by getting Chris Allen? Sure.

So you're making an assumption when you say that Gay just became interested because they had an ELITE linebacker decommit.

I don't think it's conclusive either way. And like I said, we'll find out in a week whether he's scared away, how many linebackers they take, etc.

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Pepto Bismol

January 24th, 2017 at 3:30 PM ^

But by all accounts, Michigan was his leader when that happened (per Willie Gay).  And once that one LB flipped to UGA, Willie said he's going to LSU.  Just like that.

Everything can change as the wind blows.  None of this is binding.  It's all nonsense.

Voldemort's point (and mine) is that when there was 1 LB on LSU's commitment list, Michigan led.  When there became 0 committed LBs on LSU's list, all of a sudden LSU led.

Is that coincidence?  That's all.  That's pretty much the entire point.  If yes, then good for LSU.  If no (and per Willie Gay's own mouth, the answer is no), then Michigan might jump back in it.  We'll see.

Now there could be 1 LB on LSU's commitment list again.  How will Gay feel about that? 

 

I'm not attacking you.  You're looking at it from LSU's perspective.  Of course they'll take 'em both.  Yes, LSU has a need and a favorable depth chart.  Good for LSU!  Geaux Tigers!  I don't care.

We're looking at it from Gay's perspective and hoping that the "clear path" to a starting spot is no longer so clear if Allen joins the fold.  And maybe that bodes well for Michigan. 

No, it's not conclusive.  It's recruiting.  That's all this is - inconclusive assumptiions based on the daily whim of teenagers. 

 

 

(Edit:  After re-reading, why are you capitalizing ELITE?  You are saying that it doesn't state that Gay cares whether the LB is good or not.  I never said he does either.  I see I wrote "blue-chip" in passing.  If you think that's part of my point, you're mistaken.  Take that out and re-read my post.  Caliber doesn't matter.  Number of LBs does.)

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Blue Know It

January 24th, 2017 at 2:42 PM ^

If Gay is still interested in LSU after adding Allen maybe that one decommit that made him look at them just made it more obvious how bad they need LBs. Maybe he just wasn't aware of the numbers before.

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boliver46

January 24th, 2017 at 1:16 PM ^

certainly could. (unless you mean UM).  However, Gay highlighted immediate playing time as a draw when he heard a LB had decommitted from LSU.

Not saying he would shy from competition, but he clearly saw an immediate opportunity and LSU jumped way up his list.

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boliver46

January 24th, 2017 at 1:28 PM ^

Hopefully it didn't come across that they (LSU) would deny Willie entry.  I was speculating on the fact that WIllie himself heard of a LB decommitting and the path to playing time being wide open - and immediately named LSU his leader.

Wondered if the continued pursuit of other LBs might help shift him to UM - or the Don Brown Mind Meld ™ would have greater effect!

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Caille33

January 24th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^

I would think this is the exact base of Harbuagh's sale pitch at the latest in home with Gay.  It has been well documented that Gay was a huge fan of Peppers and I would think selling him on being his replacement and getting a chance at immediate playing time would be key.  

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goblue224

January 24th, 2017 at 1:28 PM ^

I don't think there's much to read into here. LSU is selling Gay on the same thing that Michigan is, he can be an instant impact guy no matter what other LB's are in the class.

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Perkis-Size Me

January 24th, 2017 at 1:30 PM ^

I don't really think this makes much difference one way or another. He goes to LSU, he has to compete for a spot against whoever they've recruited. He comes here, he has to compete with Singleton and Anthony for a spot. He's facing competition wherever he goes. 

I doubt he's the kind of guy that will shy away from it. 

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M_Born M_Believer

January 24th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^

And there is not a single LB listed as committed. There is a safety listed at 6'3" 200 and an athlete list at 6'0.5", that is it. Meanwhile we have 3 LBs pledged (2 specifically listed as OLB). I would guess that LSU showing him they have the space for him and Allen without much resistance for either to get on the field. With that being stated...... In Harbaugh We Trust

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State Street

January 24th, 2017 at 1:39 PM ^

I don't know why in gods name a high school kid would change his college choice based on where a fellow high school kid decided to go. When I was making a college decision I just fucking went to a the school I wanted to go to. There was no 4-D chess involved.



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Chiwolve

January 24th, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^

Please tell, were you a highly recruited athlete coming out of high school with prospects of making millions of dollars playing professional sports? If not, then your decision-making process coming out of high school is probably not that relevant to this situation.

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