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Anyone else feel jaded about recruiting?
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:05 pm
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:05 pm
And I don't mean jaded about the process, or the level at which our current program is recruiting, but more the fact that it doesn't seem to have the effect you would expect for us?
The obvious example to me is the 2014 class. Top 5 class, best in my lifetime probably, including the number 1 overall NFL Draft pick. But we didn't achieve crap with that class (I know they aren't all gone yet but the most talented players are).
Meanwhile I am reminded of the times I rolled my eyes reading Texags in 2008-2010 that "stars weren't everything" and "our coaches were finding the diamonds other teams were missing." At the time I saw it as justification of poor overall recruiting (as we weren't getting our top choices), but then lower-star players like JFF and Mike proved a lot of those people right.
I am left with the conclusion recruiting doesn't matter, at least for us, and there isn't one single thing we can point to that WILL make us guaranteed better. It is very disheartening. Am I alone?
Sorry for all the words.
The obvious example to me is the 2014 class. Top 5 class, best in my lifetime probably, including the number 1 overall NFL Draft pick. But we didn't achieve crap with that class (I know they aren't all gone yet but the most talented players are).
Meanwhile I am reminded of the times I rolled my eyes reading Texags in 2008-2010 that "stars weren't everything" and "our coaches were finding the diamonds other teams were missing." At the time I saw it as justification of poor overall recruiting (as we weren't getting our top choices), but then lower-star players like JFF and Mike proved a lot of those people right.
I am left with the conclusion recruiting doesn't matter, at least for us, and there isn't one single thing we can point to that WILL make us guaranteed better. It is very disheartening. Am I alone?
Sorry for all the words.
6
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:11 pm to cardboardboxer
There is one thing. Something we haven't had in almost 30 years...coaching.
This post was edited on 6/1/17 at 1:12 pm
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:14 pm to cardboardboxer
I've learned that it's not only about "stars" but where those stars are on the field. Accepting that we aren't Bama, I would like our top recruits on defense to be in the front 7 and not in the secondary. This is tough because of the talent base in Texas. I think elite talent up front can make three star type talent on the back line look better instead of vice versa, maybe some disagree. Same goes for offense with the OL and skill position talent.
Recruiting absolutely matters though, player development is extremely important but with few exceptions you need to recruit at a high level to contend
Recruiting absolutely matters though, player development is extremely important but with few exceptions you need to recruit at a high level to contend
This post was edited on 6/1/17 at 1:15 pm
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:18 pm to cardboardboxer
Stars matter if they are in positions of need and importance, landing high ranking classes because of 4 and 5 star skilled position players aren't going to get you far when you don't have any SEC quality LB's, CB's or DLineman. We've had a BDF conference roster playing against grown arse men, doesn't help that the staff does zero to make players more physical imo.
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:19 pm to CGSC Lobotomy
I get your point there, but frankly that begs a larger question: How can A&M not land on the right coach in 30 years if only by accident?
I mean, Sumlin was the hottest young name when we hired him. He had more success than Herman had at the same program. Fran had success everywhere he went before us and was poached from the SEC's top program. Sherman ran an NFL team before us. R.C. was one of the most respected defensive minds in the country when we hired him.
I mean hell, you can go back further than 30 years if you want. The only coach since WW2 that really moved the needle at A&M was Jackie, and he did it by cheating at Ole Miss levels if history is to be believed. Outside of him not playing by the rules we have decades upon decades of bad coaching hires that span many different ADs, presidents, and administrators. That is even more inexplicable than our struggles in recruiting, so I am just trying to bite off what can actually be chewed.
I mean, Sumlin was the hottest young name when we hired him. He had more success than Herman had at the same program. Fran had success everywhere he went before us and was poached from the SEC's top program. Sherman ran an NFL team before us. R.C. was one of the most respected defensive minds in the country when we hired him.
I mean hell, you can go back further than 30 years if you want. The only coach since WW2 that really moved the needle at A&M was Jackie, and he did it by cheating at Ole Miss levels if history is to be believed. Outside of him not playing by the rules we have decades upon decades of bad coaching hires that span many different ADs, presidents, and administrators. That is even more inexplicable than our struggles in recruiting, so I am just trying to bite off what can actually be chewed.
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:26 pm to cardboardboxer
quote:
How can A&M not land on the right coach in 30 years if only by accident?
If Trevor (who let's face it wasn't all that) had not been hurt in the MSU game I think we'd all be singing a different tune. MSU and OM would almost certainly be wins, and now we're 10-2 instead of 8-4. I think even CGSC Lobotomy could be kinda sorta happy with that... nah, who am I kidding?
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:43 pm to cardboardboxer
I just continue to get pissed when I see tu, the most morally bankrupt program next to Baylor in the state buying kids left and right
Posted on 6/1/17 at 1:50 pm to finestfirst79
quote:
If Trevor (who let's face it wasn't all that) had not been hurt in the MSU game I think we'd all be singing a different tune.
I do think this, as well. He was one of the main reasons we were overachieving. Not because he was a stud all by himself, but because he was a gamer enough to make the effort plays that keep you in games/win them. Worst possible time/position for us to suffer an injury. He stays healthy we probably only lose to LSU the rest of the way.
This post was edited on 6/1/17 at 1:51 pm
Posted on 6/1/17 at 2:34 pm to TbirdSpur2010
Knight vs. Arkansas 
Posted on 6/1/17 at 3:14 pm to Old Sarge
Oh hey Sarge, that reminds me I have a question I want to ask you off the forum. Would you mind DMing me or me DMing you?
Posted on 6/1/17 at 4:01 pm to cardboardboxer
Shoot me an email brother 
Posted on 6/1/17 at 4:20 pm to cardboardboxer
I used to follow recruiting fairly heavily, now it's an afterthought for me, might try to figure out our commitment list in late January....maybe.....
Really it's everything about it: how recruits change their minds as often as they change their underwear, the blatant cheating (ole miss), how it doesn't seem to affect our success one way or the other, and last but not least how people go about rationalizing it to spin it whether it's up or down for that year. Whether we are recruiting well (and not winning, like right now) or bad for the year, there will always be excuses.
Really it's everything about it: how recruits change their minds as often as they change their underwear, the blatant cheating (ole miss), how it doesn't seem to affect our success one way or the other, and last but not least how people go about rationalizing it to spin it whether it's up or down for that year. Whether we are recruiting well (and not winning, like right now) or bad for the year, there will always be excuses.
Posted on 6/1/17 at 6:07 pm to Texas Gentleman
I really dislike the style of football the state of Texas is putting out.
Posted on 6/1/17 at 8:44 pm to Jobu93
I presume you mean at the high school level Jobu93. If so, I agree. You could install the wing T and still be effective on offense.
Posted on 6/1/17 at 8:56 pm to cardboardboxer
It's probably for the best that we (all college fans, not just Ags) pay less attention to it. It's gotten out of control with Twitter and the recruiting sites.
Posted on 6/2/17 at 8:56 am to finestfirst79
quote:
If Trevor (who let's face it wasn't all that) had not been hurt in the MSU game I think we'd all be singing a different tune. MSU and OM would almost certainly be wins, and now we're 10-2 instead of 8-4. I think even CGSC Lobotomy could be kinda sorta happy with that... nah, who am I kidding?
It was 28-7 when Trevor got hurt and he wasn't playing well. This is revisionist history. The score ended much closer than the game was, and State let their foot off the gas. It was a butt whooping from the very start, and even Christian Kirk going Super Saiyan couldn't fix it.
Trevor played over his head all season and I think when we were at our best we could have competed with anyone in the country, but our team doesn't have a spine. We lay down after the first sign of adversity. Every year after we lose a game our guys won't fight the rest of the way. We're world beaters until we're beat and then we're not interested.
This post was edited on 6/2/17 at 9:01 am
Posted on 6/2/17 at 9:17 am to Nguyening
I couldn't agree with your take any more, this is absolutely spot on. We played like dog shite that game even before Trevor got hurt, then we let a true fish at ole miss come into our house and beat us too. I still have nightmares about mussburger trying to start the "he's the next Johnny manziel hype train" talk during the broadcast (thank God I wasn't in the stadium for that abortion of a game), and then watching that kid struggle in the rest of his games that weren't against us.
You're also right about the mentality, our team gets punched in the mouth and then shuts down for the season at the first sign of adversity. This has happened three straight years since Johnny played, and with different players every time. So what's the common denominator? The coaching staff. Plain and simple. When are people gonna learn that DJs at practice, an on site barber shop, and swagcopters don't lead to a winning attitude/atmosphere?
You're also right about the mentality, our team gets punched in the mouth and then shuts down for the season at the first sign of adversity. This has happened three straight years since Johnny played, and with different players every time. So what's the common denominator? The coaching staff. Plain and simple. When are people gonna learn that DJs at practice, an on site barber shop, and swagcopters don't lead to a winning attitude/atmosphere?
Posted on 6/2/17 at 1:20 pm to Nguyening
The score was 14-7 when Knight got hurt, and he had just gone 5/5 while rushing for 30 yards on the drive.
We made them punt on the next possession and Jake had to come in and we went 3 and out, the next play was the 60 yard bomb that made it 21-7.
We made them punt on the next possession and Jake had to come in and we went 3 and out, the next play was the 60 yard bomb that made it 21-7.
This post was edited on 6/2/17 at 1:28 pm
Posted on 6/2/17 at 2:04 pm to Raid05
quote:
The score was 14-7 when Knight got hurt, and he had just gone 5/5 while rushing for 30 yards on the drive.
You're right. I stand by my point that the team laid down though. We should have never given up that many points to a bottom feeding state team. We continued to lay down the rest of the season against every team with a pulse.
Posted on 6/2/17 at 4:39 pm to Nguyening
Aggy sports lets us down enough as it is on the field, why in the hell would you willingly follow the whims of high schoolers on their way to let you down either on the field in the future or by going to another school?
This post was edited on 6/2/17 at 4:39 pm
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