Ryan Switzer Could Of Been A Mountaineer

[Blast From The Past]

Ryan Switzer is in a good mood.

When I caught up with him on Metronews Talkline Monday, he had just finished a morning workout and was headed for an 11:30 class at the University of North Carolina.

“I’m very happy down here in Chapel Hill,” said the West Virginia native and former George Washington High School standout football player. “The people are great, and it’s a great college town.”

Switzer made a quick transition during his first year with the Tar Heels from a diminutive (5’9”, 166 lb.) three-star recruit to a first-team All-American (FWAA, Athlon, ESPN.com) because of his special teams play.

He returned five punts for touchdowns, including two against Pitt, breaking an ACC record and tying an NCAA record. Switzer’s 502 punt return yards led the country and broke a school record. He averaged a phenomenal 21 yards per return.

Switzer also had 32 catches for 341 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver. He expects to be a bigger part of the offense this season, especially since the Tar Heels leading receiver from last season, tight end Eric Ebron, has skipped his senior year to go to the NFL.

“I had a great spring. I’m real excited to show everyone the offensive side of me,” Switzer told me. That’s why he’s spending more time in the weight room and watching film. “I don’t plan on having a sophomore slump. I want to do something special here.”

Yes, Switzer still hears it from some WVU fans that remain unhappy he did not end up in Morgantown, despite the opportunity to play for the team he followed passionately as a child.

“West Virginia did offer me a scholarship. I grew up a diehard (WVU fan). There was no other team I would have rather played for when I was growing up in West Virginia, but for some reason it didn’t work out, and that’s okay… people need to realize that’s okay,” Switzer said.

Every year, West Virginia has only a few D-1 football recruits. Fans of WVU and Marshall love it when the local kids stay home. They become a great source of pride for the fans.

But those young men are under no obligation to stay in the state. If every college recruit exhibited fealty to their home state, WVU and Marshall wouldn’t even come close to filling their rosters. Only 19 of the 108 players currently listed on the WVU roster are from the Mountain State. Marshall’s spring roster listed 82 players, with just nine from West Virginia.

Read: http://wvmetronews.com/2014/07/15/ryan-switzers-right-choice/comment-page-2/

 

[Questfor6]

WVU fans get butt hurt all the time when kids from our state leave to go play elsewhere, been like that since Moss. This kid was electric in high school, same in college, & most likely will have the same opportunity in the pros.

 

[Blast From The Past]

Just an FYI, I am a born and raised Texan. Lifelong Cowboys fan. But moved to West "By God" Virginia when I married a WV girl. My kids are Wv natives and I lived there for over 15 years. Crazy as some people think I feel like a dual citizen of both states, and I hold Brooke County as my team of choice as they were perennial winners in the 80's when I moved there as my team of choice, Packer colors be darned!

 

[DFWJC]

Public school all academic rankings for 2017

5) University of North Carolina
.
.
.
99) West Virginia University
--------
All around sports programs ranking 2016 final

7) North Carolina
.
.
.
.
60) West Virginia



No disrepect..I have direct relatives (and deep roots) that went to WVU (and North Carolina) ..but we are talking no comparison.
UNC-Chapel Hill is very near the absolute top if you combine BOTH athletics and academics.

 

[okstateCowboy]

Who cares. Every major high school prospect has multiple options.

Is this all they have to talk about in WV?

 

[AzorAhai]

Wonder if this makes @BrAinPaiNt like him more or less? Probably less.

 

[MileyDancer]

Who cares. Every major high school prospect has multiple options.

Is this all they have to talk about in WV?

That or prescription pain killers.

 

[Ring Leader]

When i saw the title I was hoping for an Appalachian State shoutout.

 

[xwalker]

Ryan Switzer is in a good mood.

When I caught up with him on Metronews Talkline Monday, he had just finished a morning workout and was headed for an 11:30 class at the University of North Carolina.

“I’m very happy down here in Chapel Hill,” said the West Virginia native and former George Washington High School standout football player. “The people are great, and it’s a great college town.”

Switzer made a quick transition during his first year with the Tar Heels from a diminutive (5’9”, 166 lb.) three-star recruit to a first-team All-American (FWAA, Athlon, ESPN.com) because of his special teams play.

He returned five punts for touchdowns, including two against Pitt, breaking an ACC record and tying an NCAA record. Switzer’s 502 punt return yards led the country and broke a school record. He averaged a phenomenal 21 yards per return.

Switzer also had 32 catches for 341 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver. He expects to be a bigger part of the offense this season, especially since the Tar Heels leading receiver from last season, tight end Eric Ebron, has skipped his senior year to go to the NFL.

“I had a great spring. I’m real excited to show everyone the offensive side of me,” Switzer told me. That’s why he’s spending more time in the weight room and watching film. “I don’t plan on having a sophomore slump. I want to do something special here.”

Yes, Switzer still hears it from some WVU fans that remain unhappy he did not end up in Morgantown, despite the opportunity to play for the team he followed passionately as a child.

“West Virginia did offer me a scholarship. I grew up a diehard (WVU fan). There was no other team I would have rather played for when I was growing up in West Virginia, but for some reason it didn’t work out, and that’s okay… people need to realize that’s okay,” Switzer said.

Every year, West Virginia has only a few D-1 football recruits. Fans of WVU and Marshall love it when the local kids stay home. They become a great source of pride for the fans.

But those young men are under no obligation to stay in the state. If every college recruit exhibited fealty to their home state, WVU and Marshall wouldn’t even come close to filling their rosters. Only 19 of the 108 players currently listed on the WVU roster are from the Mountain State. Marshall’s spring roster listed 82 players, with just nine from West Virginia.

Read: http://wvmetronews.com/2014/07/15/ryan-switzers-right-choice/comment-page-2/

Come and listen to my story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
And then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground come a bubblin crude.

Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.

Well the first thing you know ol Jed's a millionaire,
The kinfolk said "Jed move away from there"
Said "Californy is the place you ought to be"
So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly

Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.

The Beverly Hillbillies

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/beverlyhillbillieslyrics.html

 

[mattjames2010]

Switzer will probably be a guy who sits for a year or two outside of returns and some catches here and there before taking over for Beasley. I like Beasley and I'm not taking anything away from him, great route runner, but I just think Switzer is built a little more for the NFL and has more athleticism.

Excited to see how he develops. Usually WRs like him, route runners, tend to adjust to the NFL a little quicker.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Wonder if this makes @BrAinPaiNt like him more or less? Probably less.

Have no problem with his choice. Happy he is a Cowboy.

 

[BigStar]

Public school all academic rankings for 2017

5) University of North Carolina
.
.
.
99) West Virginia University
--------
All around sports programs ranking 2016 final

7) North Carolina
.
.
.
.
60) West Virginia



No disrepect..I have direct relatives (and deep roots) that went to WVU (and North Carolina) ..but we are talking no comparison.
UNC-Chapel Hill is very near the absolute top if you combine BOTH athletics and academics.

WVU is a party school aka backup choice for most outside of the state (DMV region) and is terribly easy to get accepted to. Your synopsis is spot on. Mom's side of the family is from WV so seen da ugly; Boone County

 

[adbutcher]

Come and listen to my story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
And then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground come a bubblin crude.

Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.

Well the first thing you know ol Jed's a millionaire,
The kinfolk said "Jed move away from there"
Said "Californy is the place you ought to be"
So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly

Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.

The Beverly Hillbillies

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/beverlyhillbillieslyrics.html

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Public school all academic rankings for 2017

5) University of North Carolina
.
.
.
99) West Virginia University
--------
All around sports programs ranking 2016 final

7) North Carolina
.
.
.
.
60) West Virginia



No disrepect..I have direct relatives (and deep roots) that went to WVU (and North Carolina) ..but we are talking no comparison.
UNC-Chapel Hill is very near the absolute top if you combine BOTH athletics and academics.

HAHAHA academics and sports in UNC....Yes...that is why they have to have their athletes cheat.

The University of North Carolina academic-athletic scandal is an ongoing controversy about fraud and academic dishonesty committed by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), which has become one of the most widely publicized academic fraud cases in United States history.[1] Following a lesser scandal that began in 2010 involving academic fraud and improper benefits with the university's football program, two hundred fraudulent classes offered by the university's African and Afro-American Studies department (commonly known as AFAM) came to light. While initially the media focused more on the implications for the famous UNC men's basketball program, the university as a whole was placed on probation by its accrediting organization.

An internal investigation by the university released in 2011 and another investigation commissioned by former North Carolina governor Jim Martin in 2012 found numerous academic and ethical issues with the AFAM department, including unauthorized grade changes and faculty signatures, classes with very little teaching taking place, and a disproportionate proportion of the student-athletes enrolled in affected classes. Then in 2014 began charges and counter-charges between university officials and former learning specialist Mary Willingham, including disputes about statistics and methods of analysis by Willingham alleging that certain student-athletes are not academically qualified for college.[2] Additionally, former basketball player Rashad McCants, a member of the North Carolina basketball team that won the 2005 NCAA championship, said that he took substandard classes and had much of his classwork done by tutors. As a result of these revelations, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed the university on probation for one year, which ended in June 2016. The NCAA is currently proceeding with its own investigation, which could lead to a variety of athletic punishments.[3] It affects a variety of different people in different ways, including coaches, players, judges, politicians, academics, rivals, whistleblowers, lawyers, alumni, college administrators, the NCAA, state governors,[2] and journalists.[4] This controversy has also sparked debate about whether the university is educating some of its student-athletes properly and the role of NCAA Division I athletics in colleges.[5]


UNC is FULL of themselves and are one of the biggest hypocrites when it comes to..."academics"

 

[BigStar]

HAHAHA academics and sports in UNC....Yes...that is why they have to have their athletes cheat.

The University of North Carolina academic-athletic scandal is an ongoing controversy about fraud and academic dishonesty committed by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), which has become one of the most widely publicized academic fraud cases in United States history.[1] Following a lesser scandal that began in 2010 involving academic fraud and improper benefits with the university's football program, two hundred fraudulent classes offered by the university's African and Afro-American Studies department (commonly known as AFAM) came to light. While initially the media focused more on the implications for the famous UNC men's basketball program, the university as a whole was placed on probation by its accrediting organization.

An internal investigation by the university released in 2011 and another investigation commissioned by former North Carolina governor Jim Martin in 2012 found numerous academic and ethical issues with the AFAM department, including unauthorized grade changes and faculty signatures, classes with very little teaching taking place, and a disproportionate proportion of the student-athletes enrolled in affected classes. Then in 2014 began charges and counter-charges between university officials and former learning specialist Mary Willingham, including disputes about statistics and methods of analysis by Willingham alleging that certain student-athletes are not academically qualified for college.[2] Additionally, former basketball player Rashad McCants, a member of the North Carolina basketball team that won the 2005 NCAA championship, said that he took substandard classes and had much of his classwork done by tutors. As a result of these revelations, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed the university on probation for one year, which ended in June 2016. The NCAA is currently proceeding with its own investigation, which could lead to a variety of athletic punishments.[3] It affects a variety of different people in different ways, including coaches, players, judges, politicians, academics, rivals, whistleblowers, lawyers, alumni, college administrators, the NCAA, state governors,[2] and journalists.[4] This controversy has also sparked debate about whether the university is educating some of its student-athletes properly and the role of NCAA Division I athletics in colleges.[5]


UNC is FULL of themselves and are one of the biggest hypocrites when it comes to..."academics"

Sounds like the ol' Hurricanes; the Butch Davis way

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Come and listen to my story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
And then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground come a bubblin crude.

Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.

Well the first thing you know ol Jed's a millionaire,
The kinfolk said "Jed move away from there"
Said "Californy is the place you ought to be"
So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly

Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.

The Beverly Hillbillies

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/beverlyhillbillieslyrics.html

Make more sense if the Beverly Hillbillies were from West Virginia...however they were not.

Just saying.

 

[chicago JK]

I am sure this has been posted in other Switzer threads but I like watching the High School highlights of guys who made it to the pros. Here are switzers

 

[dogberry]

Has North Carolina been punished by the NCAA?

 

[DFWJC]

Has North Carolina been punished by the NCAA?

As far as I know, no official punishment after years of investigating violations as recent as 2011.
I suspect it comes to an end this year with some form of punishment.

Fwiw, they've already lost untold numbers of top recruits (Brandon Ingram, etc) in multiple sports due to having an ongoing investigation hanging over their head for so long. Not to pity them, but it has damaged them significantly...rep wise.

It was/is a huge embarrassment to the school and alumni, and there will be still be some sort of penalty for apparent violations (the African American Studies stuff) committed well before anyone currently there was even in school.

Meanwhile, this year's basketball national champs had the highest possible academic ranking by NCAA standards....as did 19 other sports there...which historically has been more the norm.

The irony is that so many NBA and NFL players always joke about some of the "paper classes" they took in various schools. Certainly all the major programs. UNC's problem was that they in were multiple classes in the African American Studies "curriculum" that went on for several years. An assistant professor named Debbie Crowder ran the classes.
Very poor institutional oversight.

Huge black eye