re: Are we really underachieving vs. the rest of the SEC?

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I hope you actually don't believe that and I doubt that you do. And please note I have stated repeatedly that winning NC's is just one factor in a recruits decision making process while you seem to contend that it's not a factor at all. You site ONE instance where a team, Alabama, has had a top recruiting class having not one a NC and think you have established a winning correlation. You have not. You should also consider that Saban had previously won a NC at LSU which was likely was a factor in him attracting top recruits to Alabama prior to winning his first NC at Alabama.

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Sure, it is a part... It is not in the top 3 for most elite recruits. Early playing time, path to NFL, relationship with coach recruiting them, and randomn intangibles would be ahead of recent past MNCs.
Back when I was being recruited all of these along with playing on TV were weighted ahead of the team recently winning championships. 3 of the schools I was being recruited by had won MMCs in the recent past ... I just don't recall anyone in my recruiting class saying that they are going to UGA because it gives them the best chance to win a MNC. They go there with the intent on winning one, but not because it puts them in the best spot to.... I recall my OVs to LSU and UNC... Neither had won a MNC in the recent past during my recruiting era, but the shrines and films of teams past made you feel like they were in the hunt every year. Also, 18 year old just don't have the sense of history we do...especially about UGA... Other teams can say what they want, but when a kid visits theBM and sees all that history, thier frame of refrence sees it as a part of the now. Especially with the top ten finsihes and big games.
To give you some morre personal anecdotes, I also took one of my OVs to Notre Dame and they had an amazing amount of trophies and history. It certainly was impressive and made you sit there and dream about being a part of it... but they had not won one in a while... seeing all the guys who were in the pros... legends... and TV games was real impressive.

Most 4 and 5 stars are looking for 3 years and NFL. It may not happen, but that is what recruiters sell them. Saban wins because he recruits better than anyone... even when they don't win it all, he still get's the top recruits. FSUs and Ohio State's recruiting both trended up before they won MNCs/NCs...