re: Is Bobby Petrino really the best coach in the SEC?

LSU '08
LSU '10
LSU '11

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:denial:

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Sooo......Arkie to SECCG if they beat LSU? Arkie in NC game if they beat LSU?

First off.....beating LSU is not gonna happen

Secondly, go back to your delusion and another bowl loss.

I noticed you left Miles off that list, since he can't seem to beat us!

0-1

What's Les's record against BP? Only valid point this week.

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0-1 What's Les's record against BP? Only valid point this week.

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Actually....this means nothing for Friday

Petrino is a fine coach but recruiting ability is a major factor in assessing today's college football head coaches. I'd still rate Saban and Miles ahead of him at this point but he has closed the gap.

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its not hard to recuit to arky if you know how to recruit

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This. Most schools have something players are looking for; all it takes is the right coach. The state of Arkansas will produce 6-10 SEC type players annually. So, that leaves 15-19 players a staff has to bring in from out of state.

I've stated many times that not all players in Oklahoma what to stay and play for the Sooners or Cowboys. Not all players from Texas want to stay and play in Texas. Not all players from Mississippi want to play for Ole Miss or State. The same thing goes for any other state. With the right coach players will come from near and far to play for them and with the proliferation of SEC games on television the desire to “play close to home” is becoming less and less important.

He may not be the best but he certainly is one of the best. He is very disciplined, focused and excellent at creating matchup problems for opposing defenses. Like Miles and apparently unlike Saban, puts alot of emphasis on special teams.
Like Saban, he is extremely proficient at his specific specialty. Saban's is defense and Petrino's is Offense. Saban can make an excellent Passing team look sub par. Petrino's passing offense can make an excellent defense look poor.
The key for an excellent defense to avoid being made to look poor agains Petrino is all about discipline. He uses the opposing defenses speed and aggression to his advantage. His receivers are big, fast and have good hands. His QB's are disciplined and well coached. The defensive line has to made the QB throw quickly, the defense has to account for every single potential receiver every play. Lastly, and most important is the defensive player who is the first player to make contact with the receiver, RB or Tight end receiving the ball, MUST wrap up on the man. Don't try to knock the player down or knock the ball out. They must wrap their arms around the receiver or grab onto their Jersey, legs, anything until another defender arrives for support.
Watch Petrino's teams from Louisville and now Arkansas. Notice that most touchdowns or large gains are a direct result of the first defender not containing the ball carrier until help arrives. As a result the receiver break the first contact and either takes the ball to the house or at the very least picks up alot of extra yards. Petrino's offenses seldom "ground it out" or sustain long, methodical drives. Their touchdowns are usually from poor discipline on the part of the defense and tenacity and discipline by the receivers and QB.
Eventually the good defenses will catch up to this and he will have to evolve. But for now, his QB's, RB's and Receivers are coached more intensively than most others. They all know how to read practically any defensive formation, where the blitzes are coming from and thus where the week spot will be and who to pick up and block.
Hopefully Friday our defensive backs and linebackers will realize these specialties and stay disciplined and play as team to gang tackle and keep every Arkansas RB, TE and receiver accounted for. Bama did this and won. We didn't last year and lost.
GEAUX TIGERS!

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how is he not a good recruiter? because his classes aren't ranked high? they are mediocre in ranking but its obvious he finds the right guys to fit his system and win games, isnt that te sign of a good recruiter?

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I actually had a chance to talk with Coach Petrino about a year ago about his recruiting philosophy. His evaluation of a player goes way beyond a star-rating. I was fascinated by the things he looks for in a player, and one thing that is very important to him is "fit." Not just if they will fit into his system, but will they fit into the overall philosophy of the program. He spends a LOT of time evaluating their high school programs and the discipline that is taught to them when they first learned the game of football. Looks at their HS weight programs, offseason programs and other things. He wants guys who have already learned how to sacrifice and prepare to win. He said when he gets kids out of HS programs that taught those things, he already knows how those kids are going to respond to his coaching style and how they will respond under pressure.

That's not to say that he doesn't crave your can't-miss 5-star guys, but it does explain how he might have been willing to pass on a Michael Dyer or some others in favor of someone with less fanfare but an attitude and mentality that would more likely lead to success within what Petrino is trying to do.