Recruiting class shaping up nicely
- Thread starter lowcountry_cock13
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So if a team signs quality offensive lineman cause it’s a need and several quality players in secondary cause it’s a position of need it means “ they ain’t hanging “?? Um nope
Some of you are overlooking one big factor in Spurrier's last few years.
The cupboard wasn't bare when he left. But what we had hadn't been developed like previous teams. What went south was coaching. Our staff dropped off starting with losing Lawing, and the level of play dropped off with every coaching replacement. Ward (as DC), Adams, Botkin and crew on defense was a recipe for disaster.
The cupboard wasn't bare when he left. But what we had hadn't been developed like previous teams. What went south was coaching. Our staff dropped off starting with losing Lawing, and the level of play dropped off with every coaching replacement. Ward (as DC), Adams, Botkin and crew on defense was a recipe for disaster.
It was a combination of Spurrier’s two more years comment (we had a top ten class at the time) and losing Shane Beamer, Ellis Johnson and Brad Lawing.
All I know is that coaches here have been saying that for years, and only about twice have we had Top 10 recruiting classes. The historical results speak for themselves.
After I wrote my reply and went back and read it, I see that I am once again guilty of a lengthy diatribe. What can I say—mid December can be difficult while waiting for bowl season. Once again sorry for the length, but you are all free to skip right over it.
I should probably clarify that a bit in order to express myself more clearly. I think that you're absolutely correct that a group of veteran coaches doesn't suddenly forget the process of vetting the players they were recruiting.
I think the increased number of misses (for lack of a better word) due to character issues and/or inability to qualify was due to a few reasons. As you suggested, likely the primary reason relates to the negative recruiting tactics of competitors (especially SEC East rivals and the Tiggers), which most likely forced the staff to have to expand their recruiting base to include more questionable targets to make up for the potential negative effect from the negative recruiting by the competition.
Then of course there would likely be at least some effect on recruiting with the uncertainty surrounding Spurrier's long-term future that was completely independent of any of the negative recruiting—i.e. his age as you suggested.
However, I still believe to some extent that the staff (primarily SOS but by extension the other coaches as well) was no longer putting in the required effort to make sure that all the young men being recruited were right for the program. While I tend to disagree with the exceedingly common assertion that Spurrier and co. were only putting forth a minimal effort on talent evaluation and on the recruiting trail altogether, I do believe that some of the staff did take shortcuts in terms of their character evaluation for the final couple recruiting cycles.
Some of the issues can even be chalked up to bad luck. It's not like Spurrier and the staff hadn't recruited guys in the past where qualifying was a bit of an uncertainty. It just so happens that at the end of his tenure the a much larger number of the borderline recruits failed to qualify. It was as if virtually all of the 50/50 guys (not sure how else to describe them) over the last two cycles weren't panning out.
At the same time all of this was going on in terms of recruiting, I think there was a significant decline in the quality of player development in certain areas. The most obvious example was with the departure of Brad Lawing. Clowney was undoubtedly a generational talent, but Lawing was always able to get all of his guys playing to their maximum potential. I also thought that the LB play gradually declined after Ellis Johnson left and Botkin took over the LB duties. That's not to mention how the secondary (especially CB's) gradually regressed after Whammy became full time DC. Whammy went from being an above average CB/ secondary coach when that was his primary responsibility to a DC that appeared to be in over his head without Ellis Johnson there to help him after all of the superstars of the 2011-2013 era departed.
Things were clearly on a slow decline post 2013, but the 2014 offense was quite often able to mask the defensive ineptitude. Regardless though, I still felt like with a slight shakeup of the defensive staff and some new hires along with a renewed commitment from SOS that the decline would be short lived and the team would rebound with no more than perhaps one more mediocre year at most following 2014.
That is of course where I was sorely mistaken. With a roster that was already suffering from a combination of higher than normal attrition, players that failed to qualify, and a few instances of less than stellar talent assessment, the last thing the program could afford at that point was to have their leader quit on them midseason. So much for leading by example to illustrate to these young men how to be a man when faced with adversity. Spurrier made it seem as though he was above the messages and principles that the coaches were trying to instill in the players.
Sean Elliott certainly did the best that he possibly could given the situation he was thrust into. I don't care if the interim coach was Knute Rockne, Bear Bryant, John Heisman, Bud Wilkinson, or Vince freakin' Lombardi. Spurrier left the team in a situation where success was all but impossible.
While this admittedly isn't the proper place for anything more than a cursory conversation about UGA's recruiting, I must admit that Smart and company have been recruiting at an unworldly level. Various recruiting sites may have tOSU ranked #1, but UGA's potential class is much more impressive IMO.
More importantly, given the style that UGA has been playing (whether by design or due to a true frosh QB) they have been picking up recruits that are absolutely perfect for their scheme.
For those on here that are unfamiliar, they have like 18 recruits that include a 5* QB (#1 dual threat Justin Fields), the consensus #1 RB (5* Zamir White), the consensus #3 RB (4* James Cook), and the #2 OG (4* Trey Hill). That's before taking into consideration that they are the heavy favorite to land the #1 OG (5*Jamaree Salyer) and many feel that it's a two way race between UGA and Clemson to land the nation's #2 OT (5* Cade Mays).
As if that wasn't unfair enough already, they've got a commitment from the nation's #5 Center to boot (4* Warren Ericson) who just happens to excel at guard as well.
Once they get the QB situation settled between their three 5* QB's (Eason, Fromm, Fields) and they get more comfortable passing the ball they already have two 5^ WR's with Mecole Hardman and Terry Godwin who were each rated #1 nationally in their position the past couple years.. I'm pretty sure that they have a high 4* WR committed for 2018 too. OH yeah, I have to mention that 5* TE of theirs (Isaac Nauta) too who was also #1 at his position nationally.
So as nice as it will be to finally see Chubb and Michelle move on to the NFL, they will still have three 5* RB's with Swift and the two freshmen running behind what will be far and away the most talented OL in the nation. They will have multiple 5* OL on the bench next year along with 5* QB's and 5* RB's.
The defense should be better next year too.
Forget just the SEC East. Look out Bama and look out Tiggers. UGA will be the next dynasty,
They will have multiple 5* OL on the bench next year
Such a shame. They wouldn't be on the bench if they were Gamecocks.
No, defense won't be better, don't have anyone to replace Roquan Smith on the roster or in the 18 class, but the other defensive guys leaving can be replaced by guys who were in the rotations this year
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This is a free board that has rules for posting, I haven't cursed anyone, said anything negative about USC , the school, coaches, players or fans, so to the best of my knowledge I haven't broken any rules. For the reason of posting here I enjoy football and recruiting and also enjoy conversation about both. If you are not interested in how teams on your schedule are doing I am sure Rivals would appreciate you buying a subscription and then you would only have to hear Gamecock news.
Maybe this exist already but I would think one of these recruiting sites would ranked classes 3-4 years after they sign....would be interesting to see those trends of who is developing guys the best. I guess the ultimate proof is the on-feild results...you can analyze things to death but it comes down to wins and losses
Saban gave the family secret recipe to Smart, left all his other past assistants out in the cold.
247 does a ranking of current talent on each team which includes attrition. Closest thing you’ll get I think
I actually do not understand this about recruiting and have thought the same about Bama for years. Why would a five star sign up to sit behind a five star? Not complaining, but it is perplexing.
1-Excellent coaching
2-No pressure to perform for 2 years
3-Get to work out, practice and learn for 2 years and be a part of a team that is competing at a high level, which is always fun.
4-only have to play and audition for the League for 2 years.
5-Higher chance of making the league playing for a top tier college team.
It's basically an easier path to a huge paycheck.
Thank goodness for scholarship limits...especially for teams like ours. Looks like your team could be on the path to being equal to Bama.
