'09 HI LB Manti Te'o (Official Offer)

[irish4ever]

Originally Posted by SoCalDomer

the scholarship offers are renewed year to year.

That's the key right there. This applies to ALL signees .... there is no "4 year guarantee". It may be implied that they are getting a 4-yr. scholarship (as long as they stay in good standing w/ grades, team rules, etc.), but it can be revoked by the school in any particular year.

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

I didn't know that.

[irishmarine]

nor i, but good info all together

[SoCalDomer]

For Te’o, mission is high on list of priorities
Aug 24, 2008 03:27 PM
By Brian McLaughlin
Sporting News

When it comes to the recruiting process, Manti Te’o is a bit unique. While academics and playing time are important—as they are with any football recruit—the Honolulu Punahou LB also wants to attend a school that is open-minded.

When it comes to the possibility that he may choose to go on a traditional two-year Mormon mission when he turns 19 years old, he wants to know if they would agree to it.

“I ask coaches, ‘If I want to go on my mission, would you support me?,” Te’o told Sporting News Today. “All of the schools that have offered have said it would be OK. Some of those programs that haven’t supported missions in the past have agreed to it.”

Te’o, a five-star prospect who is rated the No. 7 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.com, will soon cut down his list of favorites from 32 scholarship offers to “around five”, he told SN Today.

He said he and his father will try to trim it down before September, when coaches can call more frequently. A coach’s response to his question about the mission, and the sincerity they’ve shown in the answer, could be the difference maker.

“I think some are (sincere), and some aren’t,” Te’o said. “Some have different intents, and right when I would get there they may try to persuade me otherwise.”

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[IrishAddiction]

Good article....some of those schools that may change their mind when u get there like say USC backing out of saying it was okay to go on a mission, or LSU saying ur going to be a defensive lineman but when u get there they give u to the offensive line and say deal with it.

[realitycheck]

Originally Posted by IrishAddiction

Good article....some of those schools that may change their mind when u get there like say USC backing out of saying it was okay to go on a mission, or LSU saying ur going to be a defensive lineman but when u get there they give u to the offensive line and say deal with it.

as has been stated in this thread, no school can tell him he can't go on his mission. What they CAN tell him is that his scholarship will not be saved for when he returns from the mission. A player of Manti's skill level will not have to worry about not having a scholarship to return to after his mission, i'm sure teams will be lining up for him post-mission.

Also your point about LSU, coaches pick what position a player will play and thats how it should be. Kids should not be dictating to coaches what and where they will play. If a coach tells a recruit he will be able to get a shot at DL and then puts him with the OL on his first day on campus then that is wrong. But if the aforementioned player can't cut it at the position he preferred, I can't fault the coach for putting the kid at a position that will best help the team succeed. Thats what happened with Joe Barksdale at LSU (the situation i believe you're referring to)

[IrishAddiction]

Originally Posted by realitycheck

as has been stated in this thread, no school can tell him he can't go on his mission. What they CAN tell him is that his scholarship will not be saved for when he returns from the mission. A player of Manti's skill level will not have to worry about not having a scholarship to return to after his mission, i'm sure teams will be lining up for him post-mission.

Also your point about LSU, coaches pick what position a player will play and thats how it should be. Kids should not be dictating to coaches what and where they will play. If a coach tells a recruit he will be able to get a shot at DL and then puts him with the OL on his first day on campus then that is wrong. But if the aforementioned player can't cut it at the position he preferred, I can't fault the coach for putting the kid at a position that will best help the team succeed. Thats what happened with Joe Barksdale at LSU (the situation i believe you're referring to)

what is wrong is when a school says they can go on the mission and have the kid sign the LOI but then pressure him afterwards not to go on the mission or his scholarship will not be there when he gets back. USC has done this before and Manti has even talked about it in some article im not taking the time to look up. And as for LSU the Barksdale situation was just that, he was told he would get to play defensive line and thats what they recruited him as, but never gave him a shot, even though he wanted to play DL. Last year we recruited a Nebraska LB signee as a FB, and he didnt accept our scholly bc of that. As a linebacker he might have signed, but our coaches are honest and have class. Barksdale link below

Scout.com: Barksdale Says, "I'm a Defensive Tackle!"