Les Miles on recruiting middle school prospects

Last month, LSU offered a scholarship and and accepted a commitment from 14-year old Zadock Dinkelmann of Somerset, Texas, who happens to be the newphew of 1990 Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer.

During an interview on Wednesday with AJC.com, Les Miles explained his reasons for recruiting a middle schooler:

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“It’s very interesting. Certainly we don’t know all the great players in the country. But those young players that are exceptional – when you come across them, you just know it. We recognize the family, and we recognize a characteristic that they will do well academically and that they have a size and speed component that will only improve. We know they are doing well off the field. Those kind of guys, sometimes they can be young players. We’ve not shied away from them. When we can identify them, we’ve not shied away from offering them.”

“Again, it’s the exceptional kids,” Miles said. “I look back at myself, and I can’t imagine that anybody would’ve though much of me as a seventh or eighth grader. But those guys that need senior years, we’re not passing by those guys either. You know, those guys that are maturing late, developing late and having great senior years for their coach and (high school) team, we’ll still have space for those guys as well.

“But the very rare exceptional and young student-athlete, we’re very open to recruiting him as well.”

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