Chad Courrier: MSU football recruiting class has familiar look
Feb. 10—Last week, the Minnesota State football team added 28 high-schoolers to the roster in the annual talent boost.
The numbers were familiar. Coach Todd Hoffner's motto of "luck & linemen" certainly was followed, with seven on the offense and five on the defense. That's nearly 50% of the recruiting class, a formula that's brought plenty of success to Minnesota State.
Local high-school football fans might recall seeing Elk River lineman Hunter Nethig, a 310-pounder who helped his team run the ball effectively against Mankato West in the state championship game last fall. He's the heaviest of the Mavericks' recruits, but offensive linemen, maybe more than any other position, make great changes to their bodies in college once they're put on the weight program.
Lineman Collin Selk from Columbus, Wisconsin, was named to the all-state team as an offensive and defensive lineman, which seems impressive.
A lot of the recruits competed in wrestling in high school. Football coaches generally love that wrestling toughness.
Three linebackers, three defensive backs, three receivers, a couple of tight ends ... it's a standard breakdown for a Minnesota State recruiting class.
Chatfield running back Sam Backer is an interesting recruit. He's only 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, but he rushed for 7,377 yards in his career, which ranks second in state history. His 2,782 yards rushing last season is third-best by a Minnesota running back.
If you're Minnesota State, you almost have to recruit a player named Maverick Cole. The 230-pound running back from Sobski, Wisconsin, who scored 21 touchdowns as a senior, looks like the bulldozer that the Mavericks like to use in short-yardage situations, perhaps in the role that Tony Anger filled so well last season and should again in the fall.
The Mavericks added a quarterback with Mitchell Thompson of Kewaunee, Wisconsin. He looks like the dual-threat quarterback that Hoffner prefers, with 1,611 yards passing and 679 yards rushing, with 30 combined touchdowns.
Hayden Ekern goes into spring practice as the clear starter and one of the top returning quarterbacks in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, but last season taught us that you can never have enough quarterbacks on the roster, especially with freshman Camden Dean transferring to Sioux Falls after a promising debut. The Mavericks now are back to four.
You won't hear about most of these players for another 18 months, after a year of redshirting, but in the transfer portal era, if a young player is ready, you might as well let him play. You can't risk that player leaving for other options if he feels you're holding him back.
The Mavericks will open next season as one of the favorites in the Northern Sun and one of the top teams in the region. Many of these 28 newcomers will have a say in how long that lasts.
Chad Courrier is the Free Press sports editor. He's at 507-344-6353, ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com or on Twitter @ChadCourrier.
