Carnifax enrolls early

[DkeCat]

He will be eligible for spring practice.

Welcome to the team!

 

[thewildcat2011]

 

[beetlemania74]

He will be eligible for spring practice.

Welcome to the team!

Sounds like Fitz is relaxing his "no" stance on early enrollees. Westphal and now Carnifax are the only ones I can think of during Fitz's coaching tenure.

Begs the question of what the benefit is doing this. Maybe it's simply because we want the recruit and this is what he wants. Another spring of practice can't hurt, but Westphal hasn't done much with it so far (I know, he's been hurt).

 

[Hungry Jack]

Great news!

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

I figured Turk would be all over this since he is a Howland Tiger. And why they didn't call themselves the Howland Wolves is beyond me.

 

[DkeCat]

Sounds like Fitz is relaxing his "no" stance on early enrollees. Westphal and now Carnifax are the only ones I can think of during Fitz's coaching tenure.

Begs the question of what the benefit is doing this. Maybe it's simply because we want the recruit and this is what he wants. Another spring of practice can't hurt, but Westphal hasn't done much with it so far (I know, he's been hurt).

Westphal has been hurt, as you said, which has really negated the benefits (he was essentially completely off for a year with his injury). Think it is more a function of 1) being able to recruit better athletes that are more ready for college athletics (as evidenced by the amt of true freshmen that he has been playing) and 2) keeping up with the times / recruits wants. Always felt like his line of they should stay in school was hubris.

Enrolling early is pretty significant for most, as you get much more time to learn the playbook (the biggest hurdle for true freshman) and access to a college strength program.

 

[Seattle_Cat]

Sounds like Fitz is relaxing his "no" stance on early enrollees. Westphal and now Carnifax are the only ones I can think of during Fitz's coaching tenure.

Begs the question of what the benefit is doing this. Maybe it's simply because we want the recruit and this is what he wants. Another spring of practice can't hurt, but Westphal hasn't done much with it so far (I know, he's been hurt).

Didn't he say that he doesn't recommend early enrollment, but he would let recruits do what they want. Some kids want to play early and possibly avoid red shirting. Thus they graduate sooner.

 

[Overly_Invested_Cat]

...and maybe it prepares the player better for the rigors on Northwestern educationally. Playing football and attending classes is more than a full-time job and early enrollment may ease that transition.

 

[lou v]

Didn't he say that he doesn't recommend early enrollment, but he would let recruits do what they want. Some kids want to play early and possibly avoid red shirting. Thus they graduate sooner.

Yep. Fitz is philosophically opposed to enrolling early, but he will accommodate a recruit that wants and is prepared to do so. Fitz personally believes that a player should enjoy his last semester in high school, but he is willing to adapt to the times.

Here's the release from NU: Carnifax to enroll early

 

[KramerCat91]

Didn't he say that he doesn't recommend early enrollment, but he would let recruits do what they want. Some kids want to play early and possibly avoid red shirting. Thus they graduate sooner.

It may be somewhat beneficial financially to the school in that a player can play for 4 seasons in less than 5 years vs. redshirting.

 

[Turk_rivals223269]

I figured Turk would be all over this since he is a Howland Tiger. And why they didn't call themselves the Howland Wolves is beyond me.

Tigers is a cool nickname.

 

[hdhntr1]

Westphal has been hurt, as you said, which has really negated the benefits (he was essentially completely off for a year with his injury). Think it is more a function of 1) being able to recruit better athletes that are more ready for college athletics (as evidenced by the amt of true freshmen that he has been playing) and 2) keeping up with the times / recruits wants. Always felt like his line of they should stay in school was hubris.

Enrolling early is pretty significant for most, as you get much more time to learn the playbook (the biggest hurdle for true freshman) and access to a college strength program.

It puts them in a better position to play in the fall as true Frosh.

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

Tigers is a cool nickname.

perhaps, but.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howlin'_Wolf

 

[LakeviewCat]

Lets hope he recovers from the shoulder injury quickly. I think the NU medical staff will help in that regard.

 

[Deeringfish]

perhaps, but.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howlin'_Wolf

Yeah how many teams of any kind have a whole music genre for a theme song. It is like if there was a new high school called Steppen High School. They would be idiot not to be the Steppen Wolves. It would be the only Marching band in America that all the cool kids played in.

 

[shakes3858]

Lets hope he recovers from the shoulder injury quickly. I think the NU medical staff will help in that regard.

I believe that Parker was allowed in early due to his injuries (complete speculation). Let's say the staff knew he need to get some things taken care of surgically. They bring him in to let him get his feet wet in spring practice of 2014. Then he gets the surgeries done in the offseason, sits out 2014, and is ready to go spring of 2015 (or fall if he still wasn't ready). The later they bring him in, the later the get him him the surgeries.

What's the shoulder issue with Carnifax? Does this follow my hypothetical on Westphal? If we can get a player medical attention sooner rather than later, then it makes sense to have him give up the last semester his senior year. Health is a good reason to do that, but wanting to go to spring so you can play as a true freshman isn't.

 

[LakeviewCat]

Carnifax dislocated his shoulder last week according to press reports.