'12 VA OLB Ken Ekanem (Virginia Tech Signee)

[BGIF]

Ekanem VT LOI

Ekanem VT LOI

Ken Ekanem Commits To Virginia Tech Over Notre Dame
By Bud Elliott - SB Nation
Ken Ekanem could be Virginia Tech's next great pass rusher.

Feb 1, 2012 -

Ken Ekanem, the No. 209 rated recruit according to Rivals, has committed to the Virginia Tech Hokies over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, announcing the news on television on National Signing Day 2012. Ekanem, who played for Clifton (Va.) Centreville High School, chose Virginia Tech over Notre Dame, Boston College, and others.
The 6'3", 226 pound Ekanem is a four-star player on most major services.
Ekanem had zeroed in on Virginia Tech on National Signing Day. The Hokies frequently use undersized, quick defenders, and Ekanem has a chance to play some defensive end as well. Virginia Tech will no doubt use him to get after the passer.

...

 

[North Buffalo Irish]

Probably the position of least need for us and the injury is a concern... but you have to feel that he'd be Irish if the staff knew what was about to hit them over the last month of recruiting.

 

[IrishLax]

Per the Washington Post... ND was all over him (and from what I heard, he was ND bound) before he got hurt. Then they flat out told him they couldn't take his commitment then and would wait until after the surgery... then the day came for his late-cycle visit and we said "thanks but no thanks." In retrospect, this was an 'interesting' call.

With Darby, seems like Cooks or whoever was recruiting him (was Molnar involved?) did not woo him enough PLUS we were out there going after other CBs. We blew this one. Totally. I can't post this in Darby's thread because it's locked... but it's in the same Washington Post article.

 

[NYIrish14]

National Signing Day 2012: Few surprises among D.C.-area recruits, including Ron Darby, Eddie Goldman and Ken Ekanem - The Washington Post

Kind of pissed about this. The article makes the staff sound like they didn't have their **** together IMO. Darby stated they didn't even really check on him...WTF is that. Disappointed.

 

[Emcee77]

Per the Washington Post... ND was all over him (and from what I heard, he was ND bound) before he got hurt. Then they flat out told him they couldn't take his commitment then and would wait until after the surgery... then the day came for his late-cycle visit and we said "thanks but no thanks." In retrospect, this was an 'interesting' call.

With Darby, seems like Cooks or whoever was recruiting him (was Molnar involved?) did not woo him enough PLUS we were out there going after other CBs. We blew this one. Totally. I can't post this in Darby's thread because it's locked... but it's in the same Washington Post article.

Disappointing because Ekanem seems like a true RKG who deserves better than to get gradually snubbed, but at least I get what the staff was thinking. The way they handled Darby was inexcusable if what the article says is accurate. There was no greater position of need than cornerback.

 

[irishfanjho15]

Frankly, and it's my own opinion completely, but I highly doubt they weren't checking in and talking with Darby. I just for the life of me cannot see how this staff would let that happen.

 

[irishff1014]

Frankly, and it's my own opinion completely, but I highly doubt they weren't checking in and talking with Darby. I just for the life of me cannot see how this staff would let that happen.

I agree wit ouon that. We have heard his side now i want to hear the coaches side

 

[OCIrish]

I wouldn't be surprised if the article is true, but I wouldn't be surprised if the articles completely wrong.

These kids made their beds, as did we.....let sleeping dogs lye.

 

[Zwidmanio]

I agree with irishfanjho15 and irishff1014, it's just hard to believe that the staff would drop the ball this badly...particularly after hearing what some of the other recruits have said about their efforts and given some of their recruiting successes. I can't say that it's absolutely false, but I suspect that it's more of an excuse.

As to the actual thread that we're posting in, I agree with Emcee77. I was excited about the prospect of getting Ken and thought he'd be a great fit in the system. What went down was especially disappointing given ND's typical policy of honoring scholarship offers despite injuries. I just hope that the staff was right on this one because if Ken ends up living up to the potential that he displayed, we'd all end up wondering what might have been.

 

[ThePiombino]

I agree with irishfanjho15 and irishff1014, it's just hard to believe that the staff would drop the ball this badly...particularly after hearing what some of the other recruits have said about their efforts and given some of their recruiting successes. I can't say that it's absolutely false, but I suspect that it's more of an excuse.

As to the actual thread that we're posting in, I agree with Emcee77. I was excited about the prospect of getting Ken and thought he'd be a great fit in the system. What went down was especially disappointing given ND's typical policy of honoring scholarship offers despite injuries. I just hope that the staff was right on this one because if Ken ends up living up to the potential that he displayed, we'd all end up wondering what might have been.

Honoring offers and honoring commitments/scholarships are two totally different things IMO.

 

[Emcee77]

Frankly, and it's my own opinion completely, but I highly doubt they weren't checking in and talking with Darby. I just for the life of me cannot see how this staff would let that happen.

You are probably right. I think it is more likely that Darby is rationalizing a change of heart than that the staff dropped the ball.

 

[NDinL.A.]

I can see the opinion that the staff dropped the ball on Darby. I really can. However, this was a kid who FROM THE JUMP was talking out of both sides of his mouth. One day he's totally committed, the next day he's taking a visit. The next day he's claiming that the visit he took to a college campus was just to be with his teammates, and then the next day he was "98%" committed to the Irish. And then the next day he's claiming that he's going to take visits 'just to make sure'. And then the next day he's still Irish.

And then THE DAY AFTER HIS FINAL H.S. GAME (all-star event), where he knew there would be no injury that would put his scholly in jeopardy, he decommits, blaming it on the coaches not holding his hand and having the audacity to recruit other DB's (when, A. Darby was never committed, and B. we needed multiple DB's).

Sorry, but I smells a-something fishy.

As for Ken, well, he should have done what Darby did I guess - commit to ND when he had the chance, so as to secure his spot. When he got injured, ND was under no obligation to take his commitment. ND is everything but shady - truth is though, these coaches have to win and they need more sure-thing (there is no such thing, I know) players than guys coming of major injuries. We already have Cam Roberson doing that, thus taking an important scholly away. ND can't do that with too many guys. Feel bad for Ken though...seems like a great kid.

 

[Zwidmanio]

Honoring offers and honoring commitments/scholarships are two totally different things IMO.

Yeah, you're right on that one. Long day, slow mind.

 

[OCIrish]

LA, I agree about Darby. He knew we needed DB's in this class, and his excuses for not sticking with his commitment are really pathetic. He made his bed.

I disagree about Ekanem. I tore my ACL, and MCL in my senior year during the State playoffs. It happened the second Friday of November. By the 2nd week of February, I was playing full court Basketball. As bad as these injuries are, when your young and strong, the easier it is to bounce back from this type of injury. I think Ekanem is going to be a great player, ND Passed on him, so, they made their bed.

 

[SoJerseyIrish]

When you sit back and think about it.....does anyone REALLY think we let a 5 star CB go without contact from ND.........not a chance, we're not talking about a bunch of newbies, these guys know what their doing.

When you only hear one side of the story......your not getting a complete picture. Time to turn the page.......and who knows, maybe young DArby will pull a Priestwood.

 

[BGIF]

LA, I agree about Darby. He knew we needed DB's in this class, and his excuses for not sticking with his commitment are really pathetic. He made his bed.

I disagree about Ekanem. I tore my ACL, and MCL in my senior year during the State playoffs. It happened the second Friday of November. By the 2nd week of February, I was playing full court Basketball. As bad as these injuries are, when your young and strong, the easier it is to bounce back from this type of injury. I think Ekanem is going to be a great player, ND Passed on him, so, they made their bed.

Wanna remind me how well Aldridge bounced back? Lots of people thought he was still going to be a great player. How about Ragone, the first time? The second time?

Melvin Dansby was an AA coming out of high school a couple of knee surgeries later he was still a gutsy, tough player. The heart was there but the knees weren't. Still formidable but not great.

There are lots of other potential greats that didn't bounce back. The damage varies, the skill of the surgeon varies, the bodies don't all respond the same. One situation doesn't guarantee another but there are statistics which get taken into effect.

 

[phork]

LA, I agree about Darby. He knew we needed DB's in this class, and his excuses for not sticking with his commitment are really pathetic. He made his bed.

I disagree about Ekanem. I tore my ACL, and MCL in my senior year during the State playoffs. It happened the second Friday of November. By the 2nd week of February, I was playing full court Basketball. As bad as these injuries are, when your young and strong, the easier it is to bounce back from this type of injury. I think Ekanem is going to be a great player, ND Passed on him, so, they made their bed.

Wow you are an Iron Man. Victor Martinez tore his ACL will be about for over a year...

 

[Grahambo]

Wow you are an Iron Man. Victor Martinez tore his ACL will be about for over a year...

Look at Adrian Peterson, he is practically done for the entire year with his injury. A torn ACL is almost an automatic year out. They do say that it really takes about 2 years to get back to your old self.

As much as having him would be great, I'm okay with passing on him because of his injury. It's a big gamble and he might never return to his previous playing ability.

I remember when Armando Allen got hurt his senior year of high school and he never really regained his ability either.

 

[ohara831]

Besides the ACL tear, Martinez is also needing micro fracture surgery on the knee. He may have been able to play near the last of the season with just the ACL, but the micro fracture surgery on top will most surely keep him out 2012.

 

[NDPhilly]

Starting at DE right now for Virginia Tech. Has 2 sacks and 6 tackles on the year as a RS Soph.

 

[NDPhilly]

Finished the year with 10.5 sacks and 15.5 TFL. Would be our best defensive end. This one stings.

 

[dublinirish]

yeah kid has been on some watch lists, top 10 DE's returning in CFB etc..

 

[IrishLax]

Finished the year with 10.5 sacks and 15.5 TFL. Would be our best defensive end. This one stings.

SMH.

Beyond idiotic by the staff unless they really know something we don't about other prospects.

Sure called this one right... in 2012 we had oodles of open scholarships and passed on Ekanem because of his knee injury. In retrospect, we should've gambled on him recovering... he was a great prospect.

 

[BobbyMac]

Posted in Va Tech gameday thread. Thought I should double post it.


Story by Norm Wood of the Daily Press (Va)

Hokies' Ekanem recalls Notre Dame recruitment heartbreak, looks forward to finally getting to see the school - Daily Press

BLACKSBURG — Two weeks before Ken Ekanem was about to visit Notre Dame’s campus for the first time in January 2012, he received in-person news that broke his heart, but also provided him with a reality check about the recruiting business.

He’s moved on, but he’s never forgotten.

At the time, he was about a month removed from tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees in the state championship game, while playing the final game of his high school career for Centreville in Northern Virginia.

Virginia Tech (7-3, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) and Notre Dame were among the five finalists in his college decision, but where Tech told him they’d honor a scholarship offer made to him no matter the situation with his knee, Ekanem said it was a much different situation with Notre Dame.

After then-Tech coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster came to his house to assure him he was still invited to come play in Blacksburg on scholarship, Ekanem said he got a visit from Notre Dame. He was slated to visit Tech on the weekend of Jan. 20 and Notre Dame on the weekend of Jan. 27 — his last two visits before he made his decision — but his plans changed.

“Notre Dame came two weeks later to my school, and they told me I shouldn’t come visit and they wouldn’t accept my commitment due to the uncertainty in my knee,” said Ekanem, who will lead Virginia Tech’s defense Saturday when it travels to Notre Dame (4-6) for the first meeting of the programs. “I was like, ‘Oh, really?’ They were like, ‘Yeah. I mean, most schools would do that, right?’ I was like, ‘Tech didn’t.’ ”

When Ekanem sets foot on Notre Dame’s campus, he’ll be just as interested as many of his Tech teammates in seeing all of the Fighting Irish’s iconic symbols — Touchdown Jesus, the golden dome, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. If Ekanem had it his way, he’d have seen all those things nearly five years ago.

“It was awesome being recruited by those guys, but Tech wanted me more as a student as well as an athlete,” said Ekanem, a 6-foot-3, 255-pound redshirt senior defensive end who was considered by most recruiting analysts one of the nation’s top 25 high school defensive ends or outside linebackers in the class of 2012. “(Notre Dame) kind of just wanted the athlete part of me, and a full-functioning athlete.”

While Ekanem’s story tells just one side of the recruiting process, it’s not an indication of a general rule for how Notre Dame handles offers to recruits who get injured.

A year before coming to Notre Dame, current Fighting Irish players Torii Hunter (broken femur), Daeline Hayes (torn rotator cuff) and Josh Adams (torn ACL) all suffered injuries, but Notre Dame honored offers made to each player.

About a month before he said Notre Dame rescinded its offer, Ekanem said he noticed the Irish’s recruitment of him was starting to get a little odd.

Brian Kelly, who is now in his seventh season as Notre Dame’s coach, was in his second season as the Fighting Irish’s coach when they were wrapping up Ekanem’s recruitment. Charley Molnar, who was Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the time, headed the Irish’s pursuit of Ekanem.

During a visit Molnar made to Centreville High in early December, Ekanem said he couldn’t help but feel strange about his interaction with Molnar. Ekanem said Molnar was clearly distracted, and for good reason.

“He kept getting interrupted by these phone calls,” said Ekanem, who ultimately became Tech’s final commitment for its ’12 recruiting class. “I was like, ‘What the hell is going on?’

“So, the next day, my (high school) coach comes up to me and said, ‘What’s up with your boy Charley Molnar?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know. He was kind of acting weird last night, but I’m not sure.’ (My high school coach) was like, ‘He just accepted the head-coaching job at (Massachusetts).’ I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’ ”

Regardless of how it turned out with Notre Dame, which recruited Ekanem as an outside linebacker for what was then a 3-4 defensive scheme, Ekanem harbors no ill will toward the school. His decision to sign with Tech worked out just fine, considering he’s been a three-year starter for the Hokies and has logged 29.5 tackles for loss and 18.5 career sacks.

“They’ve got great tradition (at Notre Dame) and a really good business school,” Ekanem said. “I’m a business (management) major, so it was really attractive to me. I mean, the main reason why Notre Dame was in my top five was because — it’s Notre Dame. The school is cool. I was interested, but I guess they weren’t interested in me fully.”

Like many of his Tech defensive teammates, Ekanem is gritting his teeth through injuries this season. After suffering what he described as a slight tear in his right pectoral muscle Oct. 15 in Tech’s 31-17 loss at Syracuse, he said he played one-armed at Pittsburgh, but started feeling better at Duke and against Georgia Tech.

“He’s battling through it,” Foster said. “It’s going to always aggravate him, I believe, until the season is over. …Those guys are working hard like they would professionally. I appreciate them wanting to be out there, and they’re leading by example. I’m talking (defensive tackle) Nigel (Williams). I’m talking Ken. Those guys like that, that are seniors, that have been beat up. Sam Rogers. They’re warriors. I appreciate everything they’re all about.”

Ekanem, who is tied with defensive tackle Woody Baron and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds for the team lead this season with 4.5 sacks, has a succinct way to describe his aches and pains.

“I’m just old,” said Ekanem, who added he felt about 95 percent healthy in the Georgia Tech game. “I think everybody is just nicked up. It’s just stuff you’ve got to deal with.”

Now, as he prepares for the final true road game of his career in a place he could’ve called home for his college-playing days, Ekanem is looking to help get Virginia Tech’s defense back on track against what Foster calls a “normal” offense, as opposed to Georgia Tech’s triple spread option that posted 309 rushing yards in the Jackets’ 30-20 win last Saturday in Blacksburg.

Ekanem will be expected to put pressure on Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer, who has completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 2,470 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions to go along with 440 rushing yards and seven more touchdowns on the ground.

From Ekanem’s perspective, instead of losing focus on what took place in the past, this weekend is all about refocusing before getting into what could be an ACC Coastal Division-clinching opportunity for Virginia Tech on Nov. 26 against Virginia.

“I love playing away, definitely, in these type of games,” Ekanem said. “I’m not trying to have like a personal vendetta against these guys, but I’m just trying to get better as a team, just get right and get back into the flow heading back into ACC play.”

 

[NDPhilly]

If only we were Alabama or some other team in the SEC. Then we could take Byron Marshall, Ian Thomas, Taylor McNamara, David Perkins, Marcus Rios, Tommy Schutt, Yuri Wright, and Ken Ekanem and just dropped the under performers. Did I miss any?

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