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It'll be complete this summer.Is Northwestern building a new practice facility? If so, could you provide a link or tell me where to look. Thanks
Is Northwestern building a new practice facility? If so, could you provide a link or tell me where to look. Thanks
Will it be ready on 2/18 in the event weather forces relocation of the WLAX home opener?
Fake. By the Lake.Wow! That's excellent news. We'll be able to recruit with it this Spring and Summer. I can't believe it's even happening. NU has come a LONG way from the facilities in the '70's.
June 2017:
December 2017:
I’ll be honest, that does look a bit fake.
I know I'm dense, but help me out...why are ppl calling it that?By the way, it's called Ryan Fieldhouse, but the regulars here only know it as TFBTL.
The Fake by the Lake.
I know I'm dense, but help me out...why are ppl calling it that?
It must be larger than it appears in the pictures because the domed part covers a complete football field that includes End Zones and sidelines.
Will they be giving tours to alums? Especially ones that made donations to make it happen?I hope some day to get to see it.
That’s what she saidIt’s massive.
If you ever get to outer space you can see it from there!!I hope some day to get to see it.
It must be larger than it appears in the pictures because the domed part covers a complete football field that includes End Zones and sidelines.
I thought TFBTL was "Taj Fitz By The Lake"By the way, it's called Ryan Fieldhouse, but the regulars here only know it as TFBTL.
The Fake by the Lake.
It'll be a game changer over a number of years. I'd say only around 10-20% of the recruiting impact has played out so far from the new facility. As others have said, there's no substitute for walking through the actual facility. Pictures are nice, but nowhere near the same for a recruit. Even the most jaded recruit (a heavily recruited 4-5 star) will be blown away by this place.If this facility is truly a game changer for our recruiting, we need to get it finished ASAP and get it ready for Spring practices.
It'll be a game changer over a number of years. I'd say only around 10-20% of the recruiting impact has played out so far from the new facility. As others have said, there's no substitute for walking through the actual facility. Pictures are nice, but nowhere near the same for a recruit. Even the most jaded recruit (a heavily recruited 4-5 star) will be blown away by this place.
If you use 247 rankings, we've been on an upwards recruiting track for around 5 years now and for the past 3 years each incoming class has been better than the previous one.
At this point, almost all of our recruits are high quality 3 stars with a few that have 4 star comparable raw talent.
To get to "another level" would require us to win recruiting battles for multiple of the actual 4 star recruits annually. That will likely take another 2-3 years with the new facility open, but it should start happening by the 2019 class.
We are, I just mean to those who look at star/quality rankings purely; our classes will likely outwardly feature more 4 stars.“Another level” will require getting good players, which we are doing already.
We are, I just mean to those who look at star/quality rankings purely; our classes will likely outwardly feature more 4 stars.
I think anybody should agree that the past 2 classes have been the best of Fitz's tenure from top-to-bottom in aggregate. So that shows that the winning (the 10 win seasons in particular which featured plenty of weeks ranked as well as winning bowls and getting that negative recruiting tool used against us off our back) is working.
I just mean, if you supplement that with the full impact of the facility in the coming years (going from bottom of the Power 5 in facilities to the best in the nation level), you're talking about an even higher ceiling. I don't think we're anywhere near the ceiling of where recruiting can go.
I think within a few years, our team recruiting rankings (in terms of average quality) should only be behind Nebraska in the Big Ten West.
“Another level” will require getting good players, which we are doing already.
We are, I just mean to those who look at star/quality rankings purely; our classes will likely outwardly feature more 4 stars.
I think anybody should agree that the past 2 classes have been the best of Fitz's tenure from top-to-bottom in aggregate. So that shows that the winning (the 10 win seasons in particular which featured plenty of weeks ranked as well as winning bowls and getting that negative recruiting tool used against us off our back) is working.
I just mean, if you supplement that with the full impact of the facility in the coming years (going from bottom of the Power 5 in facilities to the best in the nation level), you're talking about an even higher ceiling. I don't think we're anywhere near the ceiling of where recruiting can go.
I think within a few years, our team recruiting rankings (in terms of average quality) should only be behind Nebraska in the Big Ten West.
"Another level" means getting better players than the "good players" NU currently is getting.“Another level” will require getting good players, which we are doing already.
It is the most broadly used metric in recruiting. It is the same reason we still use feet, pounds , and Fahrenheit. The US has been trying to switch to the metric system as long as I can remember (the mid 60s at least) but we cling to a standard that we best understand.Did you ever notice that no matter what the thread starts as it ends up in a star/ratings discussion?
Yeah, the other half of the equation is player development, but there the facility will be much slower to deliver returns.There is another level than where we are at right now. I love our recruits and think we are doing well. I'm looking for us to land a few more top offers - kids like Cody White, DJ Moore, Kasim Hill, Chris Hinton jr, Walker Little, etc. - and hoping that the new facility will be a swing factor in some of these cases, that will take us to the next level.
I agree. Star rankings aside, we've missed on several kids that could definitely help us. If we can successfully recruit the top kids on our list, the rankings will take of themselves. Hoping that the facility will make a significant difference. Don't know if it will, why wouldn't it.
Yeah, the other half of the equation is player development, but there the facility will be much slower to deliver returns.
For recruiting, 10-20% impact before opening, 30-40% in year 1, 100% by year 2 (recruiting class of 2020).
For development, I think by year 3 or 4 we should see the difference in facilities (around 2021). Of course, some players are already studs when they come here, but others need the development more (like any program in the middle of a major conference).
But naturally, all these things go hand-in-hand with winning. If we have another good year next year (7+ wins and a bowl win with a national statement victory or two), there's no reason why the returns can't come in faster.
Unclear to me why the new facility could/would meaningfully improve player development. The strength and conditioning, nutrition, and other development programs will not change with the location but will be slightly more convenient for players.
Will it be ready on 2/18 in the event weather forces relocation of the WLAX home opener?
It's fair to question that, and it's a nebulous assertion. I do think that the convenience is a major factor, but there should be an upgrade in terms of S&C in the general sense of how much more equipment/real estate it's getting.Unclear to me why the new facility could/would meaningfully improve player development. The strength and conditioning, nutrition, and other development programs will not change with the location but will be slightly more convenient for players.
Maybe the players will get an extra 15 minutes of sleep since it's on campus. Growing boys need their sleep.