'08 VA OL Kyle Long (Florida State baseball signee - transfer to Piedmont CC)

[osugrad21]

Originally Posted by OSUBucks22

I think it is either or in college for Kyle... I don't see him being able to play both and stay at his natural position (pitcher)... The weightlifting that he'd have to do as an OL or DL in college would not be conducive to the types of muscles that pitchers build...

Eh, with the proper flexibility emphasis, he would be ok...lower half strength is key for both positions.

[zincfinger]

Originally Posted by osugrad21

Rivals $

Kyle says he is not focusing on recruiting right now but was impressed that FSU offered him a baseball scholarship.

Originally Posted by wadc45

Free Scout

4/22

By Allen Wallace...Kyle names FSU as his leader (they are the only school to offer for baseball as well as football). He is also looking at USC, Florida, Ohio State and Virginia.

I'm a little confused on this. Given that, as many have pointed out, for any multi-sport athlete the scholarship has to come from the higher revenue sport (i.e. football), does this mean that Long's offer from FSU is to play baseball only, or merely that FSU has been more explicit than most in their support for his desire to play baseball in addition to football? Or is it really just about the relative strength of the respective baseball programs?

[Buckskin86]

If Long goes to baseball, then what?
Running back Whaley was No. 2 among juniors
By Doug Doughty

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/notebo...b/wb/xp-114863

[Hubbard]

Originally Posted by zincfinger

or merely that FSU has been more explicit than most in their support for his desire to play baseball in addition to football? Or is it really just about the relative strength of the respective baseball programs?

Sorry, a bit slow on this. They have been the only ones to state that he has a spot on the baseball roster as well. Also FSU does have a good baseball team, exactly how good I am not positive. So both those are playing into it.

[Jt4prez]

Currently FSU is ranked #1. They have a great program.

[Colvinnl]

I think an important point, one that is being ignored, is that baseball is a different animal. If Kyle is truly 1st or 2nd round material, it won't matter where he plays. Especially as a pitcher, he doesn't need a supporting cast to make him look good. He could play at a D2 school and his draft status would be virtually unaffected.

The same can't be said about football, where a supporting cast can certainly improve draft status or hurt it.

Of course you do want to play for a great team-and I'm sure that is a factor.

[BuckSkipper]

Originally Posted by Colvinnl

I think an important point, one that is being ignored, is that baseball is a different animal. If Kyle is truly 1st or 2nd round material, it won't matter where he plays. Especially as a pitcher, he doesn't need a supporting cast to make him look good. He could play at a D2 school and his draft status would be virtually unaffected.

The same can't be said about football, where a supporting cast can certainly improve draft status or hurt it.

Of course you do want to play for a great team-and I'm sure that is a factor.

Great points

[LightningRod]

This might help to explain why Long has FSU as a favorite.

In 1993, the former Seminole hurler added the role of pitching coach to his duties with equal success. Under Shouppe's tutelage, the Florida State pitching staff has been among the nation's best. FSU's ERA has been ranked among the top four in the country in three of the last seven years in the final NCAA statistics. The Seminoles have also won the ACC's team ERA title 10 times in the last 15 seasons, which is tied for first all-time with North Carolina despite the fact FSU has been in the conference for just 15 seasons. The Tar Heels won their first ACC pitching title almost 40 years before Florida State ever joined the ACC.

The longtime coach has also shown he can develop Major League caliber pitchers. Ten of Shouppe's pitchers have been selected in the MLB Draft in the last four seasons and 49 Seminole pitchers have been selected in the MLB draft since Shouppe became the team's pitching coach.

[CleveBucks]

As I've said elsewhere, OSU lost their pitching coach Bangtson to Akron last year. Bangtson was the last good coach on that staff.

[ntd]

Originally Posted by CleveBucks

As I've said elsewhere, OSU lost their pitching coach Bangtson to Akron last year. Bangtson was the last good coach on that staff.

I guess that says a lot about OSU's baseball program...

[JCOSU86]

Originally Posted by ntd

I guess that says a lot about OSU's baseball program...

Yes it does

[CleveBucks]

Bangtson left because he was offered the HC job, so you can't really blame him.

[PapaBucks]

Originally Posted by Buckskin86

If Long goes to baseball, then what?
Running back Whaley was No. 2 among juniors
By Doug Doughty

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/notebo...b/wb/xp-114863

I'm not sure I follow the author's logic -- because Kyle Long is possibly leaning towards playing baseball in college, that should preclude him for being considered the best high school football player in VA?

GO BUCKS!!!

[sandgk]

Originally Posted by PapaBucks

I'm not sure I follow the author's logic -- because Kyle Long is possibly leaning towards playing baseball in college, that should preclude him for being considered the best high school football player in VA?

GO BUCKS!!!

More like - if Long signs for Baseball in November with FSU then Virginia sports writers should drop him from the number 1 spot on their list of 100 best players statewide.

But, now comes word that Kyle Long is likely to concentrate on baseball in college and that a commitment to Florida State might be imminent. If that is the case, it?s not readily apparent who the new No. 1 would be.

....
But, let?s say Long sticks with his current preference of baseball, for which the early signing period is in November. You can?t very well make him the No. 1 football recruit at that point, so who would it be?

I don't buy his premise fully either, but it hinges on Long signing that LOI for Baseball.

Because of the hierarchy of the two sports, and their separated LOI signing periods, the only time I'd see dropping a player from a ranking list is if that player explicitly drops the sport. Conversely, even with an LOI signed for Baseball, if Long suits up for Football he should be fairly rated alongside his peers.

[OWUBuckeye51]

Just heard Mike Farrell on Rivals Radio (I am a Sirius subscriber) and he seemed to think Chuck Amato and JImbo Fisher made a great impression on Kyle and that may be why he is leaning towards Free Shoes U.

He also discussed Terrelle Pryor...I will post in the TP thread.