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Mercenary Ball vs HS Development
Posted on 10/5/25 at 5:13 pm
Posted on 10/5/25 at 5:13 pm
I was of the belief that developing mostly HS recruited rosters is the most sustainable formula for championship football, cherry picking obvious holes in the off-season via the portal. Yet the usual suspects involved in the big game portal hunting world are having the most success half way into the season. One off trend or is that the direction of the game?
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Posted on 10/5/25 at 5:17 pm to EastTXHorn
quote:Id day it’s the new norm. Kids leveraging a second stop can be hungrier than a 18 year old who thinks they just secured the bag. And, you can fix a roster deficiency quicker. That said, the one position group where the jury’s still out is OL.
One off trend or is that the direction of the game?
Posted on 10/5/25 at 5:19 pm to EastTXHorn
Mercenary ball is the direction of the game. It’s hard to keep the egos in check when they can hit the portal and find a team where they can play immediately. There are some outliers, but it does seem that this is the mindset of most kids. Find somewhere where you can play, get NIL after you get some film.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 5:21 pm to EastTXHorn
I think most coaches would prefer to develop HS players they recruited and supplement via the portal.
Unfortunately, a lot of those players are impatient and don’t want to wait their turn so if they don’t get the playing time they want as freshmen they immediately look to leave.
And coaches have had to adapt to this reality and use the portal to get good players.
I am interested to see what happens now that the NCAA has narrowed the portal window. It may help coaches keep rosters intact but remains to be seen.
Unfortunately, a lot of those players are impatient and don’t want to wait their turn so if they don’t get the playing time they want as freshmen they immediately look to leave.
And coaches have had to adapt to this reality and use the portal to get good players.
I am interested to see what happens now that the NCAA has narrowed the portal window. It may help coaches keep rosters intact but remains to be seen.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 5:41 pm to EastTXHorn
Hard to say but with portal players you usually have college tape to see if they can really play or not while the high school kids you will have a lot of busts even with the blue chippers. I you are on a restricted budget paying for a G5 QB that has produced and looks SEC ready is probably money better spent.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 6:57 pm to EastTXHorn
Do you want people to feel sorry for Texas because they didn’t play the game properly??
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:00 pm to EastTXHorn
You use every tool at your disposal to improve the roster.
Rodo
Rodo
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:05 pm to EastTXHorn
I think it's too early for a trend. Oline/playcaller that's been together for a couple of years and has gotten to know each other while making a pretty good living can be dangerous. Ty Simpson's an interesting case. Don't know his thinking for staying around, but he was a top prospect out of hs (opinions on recruiting rankings will vary) and has stayed the course. I think there will be a bit of a regression "to the mean", and players will want to be a bit more settled in the coming years, overall. Portal rule change could help that a bit.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:35 pm to EastTXHorn
I thought football would be more difficult to go deep in the portal every year than basketball.
In basketball, I’d never sign another HS kid unless you are KY, KS,Duke level.
Hunt and gather in the portal every year. You only need 8/9 guys to compete at a high level.
In football, you really need 60 guys who can plug in and produce. The days of redshirting freshmen, bringing underclassmen along slowly on special teams and spot duty are probably gone.
I can remember looking at Alabama’s bench and trying to decide how many teams Jerrell Harris would start for. He was on the bench for awhile. Guys like that are not willing to sit and wait to be developed.
The portal is here to stay. Whoever manages their roster best and finds the right guys will win.
In basketball, I’d never sign another HS kid unless you are KY, KS,Duke level.
Hunt and gather in the portal every year. You only need 8/9 guys to compete at a high level.
In football, you really need 60 guys who can plug in and produce. The days of redshirting freshmen, bringing underclassmen along slowly on special teams and spot duty are probably gone.
I can remember looking at Alabama’s bench and trying to decide how many teams Jerrell Harris would start for. He was on the bench for awhile. Guys like that are not willing to sit and wait to be developed.
The portal is here to stay. Whoever manages their roster best and finds the right guys will win.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:36 pm to EastTXHorn
I barely recognize the sport anymore. It’s in a death spiral.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:46 pm to AtlantaLSUfan
quote:
I barely recognize the sport anymore. It’s in a death spiral.
NFL lite.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:49 pm to EastTXHorn
I think it has to be a balance of both.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:56 pm to EastTXHorn
quote:Seems like Texas was there with the bag open when Saban left.
Yet the usual suspects involved in the big game portal hunting world are having the most success half way into the season
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:56 pm to EastTXHorn
Clearly the direction of the game.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 7:59 pm to EastTXHorn
Chasing 18 year olds with 0 seconds of college film versus a 19/20 year old with experience seems like a no brainer.
Unless you got a slam dunk recruit, which comes around every 5 years or so, look to the portal.
Unless you got a slam dunk recruit, which comes around every 5 years or so, look to the portal.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 8:15 pm to supersaints9
I’m not as old as a lot of you boys. I became a conscious Texas fan post-Mack Brown. The team was pretty average during my time at the University. All I really know is a dysfunctional Texas Football program, so I don’t really care for perception. It was just an observation. Since NIL became prevalent it seemed as if the eager and early adopters weren’t getting championship results. The teams made up of mostly in house developed HS prospects were winning. This season it’s looked a bit different.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 8:25 pm to narddogg81
Prior to 2025, Texas has never been that involved in a high-profile NIL recruitment that didn’t have prior connections to the staff or the State of Texas. This past off-season was the most active we’ve been in Sarks tenure. We got a handful of DTs and a starting TE. Those were competitive national recruitments that couldn’t have been cheap. In retrospect, some guys should have been allowed to walk and more funds should have been allocated to ensuring Arch’s success.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 8:38 pm to EastTXHorn
quote:
One off trend or is that the direction of the game?
Yes.
I wouldn't expect it to be an annual occurrence for Miami, Ohio State, and Oregon to be in the top 5 just because they're going to get their QB decisions wrong from time to time and all 3 of them are coached by guys with less than stellar big game records, but the fact that you can build a team that is talented and loaded with upperclassmen every single year if you have the money to do it is a massive advantage.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 8:49 pm to EastTXHorn
Portal is definitely the way to go now. Look at LSU- Burrow (pre-portal but a transfer who absolutely would hit the portal), a guy who wanted to get on the field. Left Ohio State, came to LSU and got a Heisman and a natty. Jayden Daniels, portal QB who came and won a Heisman.
LSU's current WRs- Hilton was recruited out of high school. The rest are guys who transferred to get more playing time, or to step up in class. That was also last year, too.
Most of our DBs since Kelly came have been portal. Probably over half the O Line, and half the D Line.
I think it's the same scouting and recruiting, but you don't close the book when guys go to college elsewhere anymore.
LSU's current WRs- Hilton was recruited out of high school. The rest are guys who transferred to get more playing time, or to step up in class. That was also last year, too.
Most of our DBs since Kelly came have been portal. Probably over half the O Line, and half the D Line.
I think it's the same scouting and recruiting, but you don't close the book when guys go to college elsewhere anymore.
Posted on 10/5/25 at 8:50 pm to TMRebel
quote:Sadly, this is true.
Mercenary ball is the direction of the game.
I'm not moving my schedule around anymore to watch Georgia. I only watched the 1st hald of the game Saturday because my kids had a birthday party to attend. 6 years ago I would gave had my now ex-wife take them while I watch the game.
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