Chandler Leniu
- Thread starter kougkurt
- Start date
Not sure why it is surprising. He didn't see the field a lot, he was in between positions, he wanted to play linebacker but lost speed because of his weight.
I thought it surprising, as well. Heading to a JUCO in hopes of getting other offers. Apparently signed off by his father.
But heres my over-arching question… Does this ever work, in today's world? Does a kid get into a Power5 conference team, go to JUCO (after 3 years) and then find a good home to again transfer to? Key words being "good home". Transferring to Weber State or New Mexico State isn't my definition of that.
I know it happens all the time to go down to JUCO in hopes of getting more offers… But does that next part ever happen? After a player transfers to a JUCO, I tend to lose track of the kid. I don't know that I've ever heard WSU picking up a kid via this route? Or have we and it just isn't explained or I missed it?
I don't know what percentage make it back, but some do. Just off the top of my head in relation to WSU are Cherry and Booker in the recent past. Beyond grades and qualifications....poor judgement is a large contributing reason why teams back off of certain players who end up in JC ball. I had a coach tell me that the rap in a players video.."scared the hell out of him".
Booker never made it into school, so he is not a good example. Cherry did, but grades again were the problem and he left WSU after only a year if I remember correctly. So again, not quite the same.
However, there are some that do make it back. Two Cougars, Jacob Seydel (since graduated) and Aaron Porter, started playing at UCLA, transferred to a JC and then to WSU. Neither of them were/have been starters at either P12 school.
Apparently dad didn't think he got a fair shot. I could acuse Leach of a lot of things, but not giving kids a fair shot would not be one of them. See our walk on QB who beat out a 4 star. Or see the former walk on who is at media day currently.
He's listed at 6'0" 260lbs. What do you think happens in practice when his 260lbs. starts running back and forth covering slot receivers? I haven't seen him play or practice but I know this... It takes a special player at 260lbs to run back and forth covering slot receivers. Guess what? It isn't gonna get much easier on game day for 260lbs. either. Up tempo, spread offenses, that 260lbs better be in amazing condition to play the game, as well as, maintain his speed. So in 15 snaps defending a drive, at up tempo or spread offense, how many plays in a row can his 260lbs run full speed and maintain his speed??? If I saw him defending my offense, Im gonna run right at him 15 times in a row and make his 260lbs defend crossing routes, deep seem routes and then Im running my big OL right at him when he's bent over out of breath.
The days of 260lbs linebackers in the PAC 12 are coming to an end, not a beginning.
Best of luck at the JC.
The days of 260lbs linebackers in the PAC 12 are coming to an end, not a beginning.
Best of luck at the JC.
I misread the question. I don't think Cherry made it into school either. There's plenty of players - mainly in the south- who made it into school and either flunked out or got kicked out...only to return to a return to an established program. Alvin Kamara goes from Alabama to Hutchinson CC (Kansas) and then to Tennessee. Devonte Fields starts as a true freshman and becomes conference Defensive Player of the Year at TCU before betting kicked off the team. He played at Trinity CC and then transferred to Louisville. A famous case is Howie Long's son Kyle who went from Florida State (on baseball scholarship), flunked out, played football for Saddleback two years (one at DT) and then went to Oregon.
There's Elvis Dumervil followed by crickets and corn fields.
Exactly. He's 6 feet tall. If he were 6'3" or 6'5" his 260lbs is spread out. At 6 foot, he's built like a truck. He's better off at 225lbs. Or put on 25 more and play DT.
If that's true, then it doesn't sound like he wanted to do what it takes to get on the field. I'd rather see his schollie go to a kid who is willing to do what it takes.
Well please fill me in on "quite a bit? 75 snaps a game, did he see more than 15, and did he see 15 in all the games? If the answer is no, in my book he didn't play "a lot".
Most parents love and are protective of their children. Leniu's father's remarks should be taken in that view. Leniu got a fair chance. He had two chances: play at linebacker at a reduced weight or move to DE. Apparently he didn't like either option and moved on. His physique was perfect for a Dick Butkus style linebacker spot but didn't fit into today's defense which is designed to confront pass heavy offenses. Grinch is obviously emphasizing speed over size and Leniu just no longer fit the mold of WSU's defensive scheme. ElC's post is spot on. Grinch's adjustment is understandable. Leniu's decision to transfer is understandable as is his father's defense of his son. Too bad he is no longer with the team but I suspect that it may be for the best of all concerned.
Maybe Tamaivena's brother is making it in? If the max scholarship numbers are 11 dline, 15 lb's and 15 db's.....then they're 15 linebackers right now with only 3 being seniors.
Did he have the speed to begin with, or did he get simply caught in the wash of a new DC? Would he have received more playing time if Beske was DC? He could have been one of those cases where they recruited a kid who didn't have the speed to play at this level once he put on some weight. Was he this weight when he was recruited?
Not that any of the questions matter. Yes, as pointed out above with respect to rypien parents and family members are protective. His dad is simply being protective. As I have said many times parents and friends don't have the fulltime access to practice nor the film room. I see it all the time in high school basketball. "Why is my kid not playing he shoots the lights out of the ball"? Cause he/she scores 15 and gives 30. meanwhile the other kid scores four and saves gets probably 7 turnovers that lead to 14 points, and their person scores four points.
From the Seattle Times article..."Leniu (6-feet, 260 pounds) redshirted in 2014 and played in 13 games in a backup capacity in 2015, recording 14 tackles, including one for loss. He took second team reps behind junior Peyton Pelluer at middle linebacker in the spring."
Again, do you even read, let alone follow Cougar football? Chris Ball needs to let you come up for air now and then.
Oh I guess that is one way to answer "what does quite a bit" mean. Just a guess by the dad's reaction, something I could read, maybe the words were bigger so I could understand them. But I believe dad said he wasn't given a fair chance. My guess your definition and his definition of quite a bit are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Unless you truly believe this is about something else than playing time, it sure seems by even by remedial reading standards quite a lot is not what he played. What do you mean by "Chris Ball needs to let me come up for air. What is the reference to?
I was under the impression that Tamaivena's brother had been offered a scholarship by Texas A&M while only being offered walk-on status by us. Do we have an available scholarship with which to upgrade his offer?
I'm not sure about either, but you'd think he would of accepted a Texas A&M offer.
I think I'd read he'd fallen behind Porter on the depth chart. So, that could be what dad meant by "not getting a fair shot".
It's about playing time, at any level. Men and woman. There are very few instances where a player or parent has said-he/she just didn't work hard enough, or they might be one step above where they should be playing. It is human nature.
Step 1: Google "Chandler Leniu"
Step 2: Click on link to his profile on Rivals
Step 3: See that he was reported as being 6'0", 225 when recruited
Step 4: Profit
Chandler has a great nose for the ball and great instincts. When he was recruited he weighed 240 and quickly gained weight to 260. In order to get on the field more he needed to trim down to linebacker weight of 240 to 245. He could not do that so his playing time was limited.
If he goes to JC and trims down he could very easily find his way back to a P5 school or high level Mid Major like Boise State. The guy has talent, and I will miss him being a Coug.
If he goes to JC and trims down he could very easily find his way back to a P5 school or high level Mid Major like Boise State. The guy has talent, and I will miss him being a Coug.
Why would I need to "google" it? Are you saying what is reported is accurate? Like 40 times? You really believe Damante Horton was a 4.5 or 4.6 guy? That was reported by rivals/scout and scout. Or he could have been 225 and ate himself silly and didn't work out before he stepped on campus.
Ed expects others to do his homework for him. Then complains about it when people do.
You've mentioned this kind of thing before. And I actually agree that it happens. "Lets list him at 225 even though he's 235." kind of thing. But here's my beef with your train of thought. What's our alternative for the question YOU gave? All we can go by is the listed weight, isn't it? If you don't trust the listed "stats", why'd you ask the question?
Really...I didn't see a complaint. All I said is why would I google it.
Arguing to argue. We've already confirmed that in another thread. Repeat performances are not necessary.
I asked a bunch of questions. This is the one you and 425 decided to jump on to. Would you me rather simply say Leach and staff whiffed and sucked hind tit on this one? I speculated there was five or six scenarios that could have transpired. But feel free to google his weight from three years ago.
Well I will "argue" that I didn't raise a complaint...you accused me complaining about the work someone else chose to do.
Last edited:
Ed, I doubt anyone in this forum would have better information than what was reported on the recruiting sites at the time he was recruited. I'm not saying it was accurate, but instead saying that I doubt anyone here knows how much he actually weighed when he was in high school.
Even if you were specifically looking for "inside" information, it's a lot more productive -- and immeasurably less offputting to others -- if you instead write something like this:
"It looks like Rivals had him listed at 6'0", 225 when recruited. Anyone know whether that was off or if he showed up to campus out of shape?"
You type something like that and people won't dislike you as strongly.
When you instead just "ask a bunch of questions," you see the result. It's annoying as hell -- certainly when, but not only when, you are really just passively-aggressively slamming Leach under the guise of "just asking questions" -- and doesn't allow the discussion to go anywhere. It just becomes you arguing with a bunch of people about you and your motives instead of actually trying to discuss the football points.
Not trying to be your mommy here, telling you how to play with others, but just offering this on the chance you'd actually like to talk some football instead of having every thread turn into the same stupid game.
