re: Arky fans...explain something to me. (Texas recruiting)

I think alot of it is Petrino realizes we can't recruit with Bama and LSU for the blue chippers so he looks for guys not recognized as blue chippers that he thinks have blue chipper upside. With Nutt we'd sign 6-0 200 linebackers with offers from big east/conference usa schools, and the mississippi schools. Nowadays we're more likely to sign 6-3 235 lb's with good athleticism that is an essential unknown. I think Petrino's philosophy is that just because he can't recruit blue chip football players doesn't mean he can't recruit blue chip athletes and turn them into blue chip football players.

1) Petrino doesn't kiss the asses of 15-18 year old kids. He says, "Hey, you've got the athletic ability, but you're going to have to work to be a starter on my team. I don't want you thinking it will be easy. I'm going to recruit people that are better than you, so it's up to you to keep your job once you get here. I'm not going to promise you anything, but if you work hard the sky's the limit."

When every other coach (a lot of them at least) is saying that your shite don't stink, I doubt Petrino's strategy appeals to them as much. What that, I think, means is that we end up with maybe less talented guys who are more willing to work hard and buy into the team concept that Petrino wants. We really don't have any prima donnas.

2) Who the frick says he's NOT recruiting well. Explain to me how Arkansas is looking at 8, 10, and most likely 10/11 win seasons in a row...yet he doesn't recruit well. Either the SEC sucks, or he recruits well. Choose one. Stop living your life thinking that Rivals knows more than someone that gets paid almost $4MM per year.

When was the last time Florida WASN'T in the top 15 in recruiting? How's that working for them? Texas? Sure, I'd love to have the level of athlete those schools get. But I, nor any of the other Arkansas fans, have any say on Bobby Petrino's coaching/recruiting decisions. So I guess we'll just have to live with being superior teams than some habitually awesome recruiting powers at the moment (FL, UT, Tenn, A&M, Ohio State, etc).

System + Development > Recruiting.

Petrino's proven that already, IMO.

Will he be able to beat teams like Alabama or LSU consistently if he doesn't improve the recruiting? Not with any consistency. But who does beat those teams besides themselves? The fact of the matter is that Arkansas is limited by their geography and, IMO, stereotypical stigma attached to the state.

B/c Arkansas only produces 5-10 max D1 caliber players per season that are any good based on our population.

As a program we're not going to pull top 10 classes unless we win a couple SEC titles etc. It's hard to get kids to leave their home states unless you're A. Florida/Cali locations B. winning titles

That said, I think next years class will be the one were you start seeing it pay off for us being ranked highly the last two years

I've watched James all year and everyone in this district is saying that he looks like he's already at college. Came in to the season out of shape and has not run hard all year. Outside of one team the district is way down this year as well. He just doesn't appear to be motivated.

It's not a flame either. I like the kid and he is very talented, not sure if he's SEC talent. There are other RB's in this district that are better.

quote:

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Why is that you guys don't recruit better? You have a very nice stadium, campus, weather, and tradition. You're in the SEC and Petrino is winning.

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I didn't realize it was a problem. I'll have to go back and check our record and progress under Petrino because it seems like the talent we are putting on the field is good enough to win a lot of games. Maybe I'm wrong.

Also, off the top of my head Knile Davis and Andrew Peterson had A & M offers but signed with the Hogs. How did that happen? I'm sure there are more but it's not worth researching.