My litmus test on a recruiting class has always been that you need at least 10 guys from the Top 100. We currently sit at 6 and are projected to get 3 more with Morgan, Edwards, and Wilson. With Tank Jones still out there, he would make 10 total. Saban really lived in that ~14ish range and our best classes stretched up to as many as 17 in the Top 100, but that was typically with much larger classes than what we are expecting this year. Also, I think that’s a lot harder to do now in the current state of recruiting. More dispersion of that Top 100 across schools. It does appear it will be a small, top-heavy class with potentially 5-6 five-stars. But that number of elite dudes can definitely carry a class if you can retain them. Then develop your lower ranked guys and hit on some top portal targets.
It almost feels similar to the new roster construction approach Oats has mentioned in college basketball. Where he is looking for 1/3rd HS recruits, 1/3rd retained/developed players, and 1/3rd transfers. Of course those ratios are still very different for football, but I wonder if we begin to see something similar where we target 5-7 elite HS guys to spend our money on, then more of the #250-#750 type HS recruits who don’t cost anything but we feel good about our evals and think we can develop/retain, then go get 6-8 difference maker transfers. That may be a more sustainable approach than spreading your funding thin trying to attract 20 top #250 guys. But who knows where the transfer portal is headed now.
I think you are on to something with this theory. One caveat I'd like to throw in there. It occurs to me that this staff may be good to very good at evaluating national players from lets say Indiana or Maryland or Missouri or the west coast that are underappreciated. They get into camp and run a 4.4 as a 6'3 receiver etc. Those players can turn into top 100 ish players before the rankings are over. I think mixed in with that we are also probably bringing in a few guys that have no business being in these classes.
I’ve never wanted a player eval to hit or a nickname to stick as much as white lightning, feel like there’s fun to be had with that one
It's always important to have some elite guys who are also doing some recruiting themselves, and we seem to have that going on.
Hey fellas, didn’t run away or anything, just been an (ironically) busy few months. Cautiously optimistic about this season, which is a strange feeling. All aboard the Ty Train.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bordea000ty- 6.65 ERA last season Odin lol
Texas Tech is a good baseball school but they were pretty bad last year so I’m not sure getting their Saturday starter is anything worth getting excited about
Auburn fans on the corner are convinced Debo & Morgan can't recruit and these kids are only committing bc they saw Saban. Can't make this shit up.
Opposing fans are having a hard time dealing with an outsider coach coming into the southeast and recruiting his ass off. They thought Bama was dead.