Recruiting Wars

I'm not sure what the big deal is about being listed as the #1 recruiting class - it really has nothing to do with our direction. What IS important are two key items:

1) LSU/Nick Saban is getting the players he is going after. I have witnessed MANY programs with #1 classes tank it three to four years later, when these players play. It doesn't do you a damn bit of good to have a "#1 recruting class" if you have the top five running backs in the country and no line to block for them, or defense or coach.

2) What we are now seeing is the choices of the players coming to LSU are turning down the other national programs. We used to have asprinkling of that of the Louisiana players, but now we're getting that from out of state players. Do y'all realize how big this is?

 

Agree

 

real big

 

You're right, it's not important to be ranked number one in recruiting in any given year as they( the services and coaches) can be wrong about a few kids who push a team to the top. But to be rated in the top 5-10 every year is important as it gives a team great depth as I know they won't be wrong on all of the kids. When we're beating out the Miami's, OU's, FSU's and UF's of the world that means we are getting many of the best athletes available year in and year out and that is what is so important. Competition at every position with great athletes at everyone of them, instead of the one great kid winning by default.

 

You are assuming the people that rank the high school kids know what they're doing. Remember Louisiana's "Mr. Football" LSU signed, Adam McConathy a couple of years back? He failed miserably and was a bench warmer even at e aTm e...

 

I am not assuming anything as my post clearly staes that they will be wrong on several kids, they always are. What I do state is that they, the coaches especially, won't be wrong on all of them and if we continue to get several of the best at each position then we will have many good players vying for playing time at all positions. It's a numbers game, get plenty at each spot and let the cream rise to the top.

 

Agreed. I thought you were making the comment that being "ranked" in the top 10 meant something, which was contrast to the statement before it.

"You're right, it's not important to be ranked number one in recruiting in any given year as they( the services and coaches) can be wrong about a few kids who push a team to the top. But to be rated in the top 5-10 every year is important..."







Thanks for clearing that up. All good points

 

I think it definitely means something. Not in the accomplishment sense(I really could care less who is number 1 or number 2), but it does matter in the fact that the people who do these ratings know quite a lot about the players in high school. You're both right, they are wrong quite often, but for the most part, having top classes for many years straight almost always translates into great seasons for a team( exception=Mack Brown who should have won a National Championship by now).

I will be the first to say that Nick did a great job getting players to play better than they were ever expected to play, but their definitely is something to have a top 3 class year in and year out...It means you are getting some ultra talented players...

 

I would think that the most important evidence of how good a recruiting class will turn out is who were we competeing against, who really offered the recruit. When we are beating out the top ten colleges for a lot of recruits I think it's a fairly good sign that we are getting some very good players in. Again, some of them will not be as good as expected and that's a given, but by and large most will be pretty damn good.

Also, I would guess that every now and then we offer a schollie to a kid fore other reasons such as a favor to a coach, friend, top donor, etc. Probably very, very seldom but I'm sure it happens.