DEPTH AND NEED... (updated 2-1-2006) The Measuring Stick The 2006 recruiting class clearly wasn't a collection of all-stars, just a bunch of good athletes signed to fill immediate and future needs. Some were signed as a response to clear needs for speed and also for more size in the defensive backfield. Some were recruited to fill holes in the defensive line. A burner wide out was among the recruits, as well as a 1000 yard rusher that is also a speed burner from California. As we take a closer look at the list of recruits we see 4 defensive backs ranging in height from 5-10 to 6-1. Two of them are track sprinters and another is one of those guys who's always around the ball eyeing a turnover. The current Bison defensive backs that logged the most playing time go; 5-8, 5-8 and 5-11. They say you can never have enough offensive linemen. In keeping with that philosophy and also with the philosophy of this staff to recruit very large framed young men to play in their offensive line, they signed 6-7 285-pound Micheal Arndt and 6-6 285-pound Chris Wellenstein. We also see 7 defensive line recruits including Matt Gtatzek, who is listed as an offensive line candidate but whom I thought was recruited as a defender. There are a couple of intriguing junior college transfers, Mike Brown and Christon Dallas who should provide immediate help in the defensive line. The other defensive tackle, Thomas Campbell, that has gone to a junior college, but has been out of school for the last two years could be a real find. If he is properly motivated, he has all the tools to be an exceptional player. The other four are high school recruits, with Jimmy Sharpe leading the list, and all have the pedigree to develop into fine players. Landon Smith was recruited because he is a hard nosed young man who will develop into a fine blocking tight end or an H-back. A kicker, Shawn Bibeau, who is also a very good athlete is in the bunch. He will compete with junior, Kyle Wilcox, for the kicking job vacated by the graduated Cory Vartanian. The one wide receiver recruit, Gary Wright, from Houston runs about a 4.4 40 and will compete for playing time as a true freshman, ala Travis White. The young man out of Rolla, Lee Vandal, will be a fine special teams player at the least and as he matures may be a fine blocking fullback. Matt Anderson will be a star at NDSU. He is the best football player out of North Dakota, and I would put him in the same league as Rob Hunt talent-wise. That leaves Pete Blincoe, the young man from California as the last one to comment on. He's obvously a tough kid with breakaway speed, but he is a little small. With a couple of years in the program he could add 20-25 pounds of muscle and if he can do that without losing speed then look out. As they say with all recruiting classes, ask me in 2 or 3 years about them and then we'll decide if it is a good recruiting class. Go Bison!! Bob H.