FullBloodedTiger

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Unfortunately, too many recruits will still think it won't happen to them.

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Exactly! Even if Saban was dismissing 15-25 players every single year from Bama's team just to make room for new recruits, it wouldn't affect their recruiting because every single elite high school prospect would say "It won't happen to me. I'm better than that."

High school kids are not known for making the best long term life decisions and will always have the invincible attitude.

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This class was good, but not what an ELITE program should have.

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Don't bother saying TL;DR. I know its long, but I just wanted to make a point to some of the negative folks.

OK, come on, the doom and gloom needs to ease up a bit. Could we have gotten a better quality class? Yes. Do we have alot of VERY talented, and likely underrated players in this class? DEFINITELY. If we pull in a good class in 2013, are we still able to maintain our position as one of the top-5 NCAA football powers? No doubt.

You can talk about elite programs all you want, but look at the Rivals rankings:

1. Alabama -- the only team that worries me at all. I don't want to see the beginnings of a Pipeline from LA to Bama. Our two teams are quite evenly matched, both athletically, in coaching, and raw talent. Sometimes, the difference in a game can be the big play made by a super-talented guy over a good player.....i.e. Eric Reid's INT in the Nov 5th game. Alabama is about even with LSU, all things considered.

2. Texas -- Bleh, barely bowl eligible the last two years. They have been in decline. They have a huge and fertile recruiting bed in Texas and seem to waste it on overrated recruits. Either that, or they don't coach their players up and build a strong and successful team. They'll continue to be 3rd-6th in the Big-12. LSU is better.

3. Ohio State -- may be trending up with Meyer, but probably not a concern anytime real soon. LSU is MUCH better.

4. Florida -- sucked arse the last two years, even with great talent. Muschamp may bring them out of the hole, but I think we've got their number for at least 2-3 more years. LSU is better

5. Michigan -- another team trending up. I think they got lucky a few times this year and may not be as successful in 2012, but even so, LSU is better.

6. Oklahoma -- they stay near the top of recruiting, but don't always pan out on the field. Should have been better this past year and likely will in 2012. Still not as good as LSU.

7. Fla State -- A team that is SUPPOSEDLY on the upswing, but with dominating recruiting performances the last few years, they're barely winning in the "Who Gives a frick" Bowl 18-14 against a sloppy Notre Dame team and losing in the reg season to Virginia, Clemson, and Wake Forest? They have a LONG way to go to restore Seminole pride. LSU would DESTROY them.

8. Miami -- a lowly 7-6 and not even bowl eligible in 2011. Tracy Howard was an IDIOT for picking Miami. When is the last time LSU went 7-6? Miami looked horrible even in some of their wins, and lost to Virginia, Boston College, and even Gary Crowton's pathetic Maryland. They likely won't be too much better for the forseeable future. LSU would DOMINATE.

9. Clemson -- Do I even have to have to comment about a team that lost 77-33 to West Virginia? They are not even close to ready for the Big-Boy stage....also got stomped by South Carolina, NC State, and Ga Tech. Not even in LSUs league.

10. Texas A&M -- New boys in the SEC. If they didn't learn the meaning of embarrassment from the Cotton Bowl through their 6 losses this season, then they will next season in the SEC West. Not to mention new coach who's gimmick offense and pee-wee defense is going to get torn apart in the SEC. Aggies should finish 5th or 6th in the West next season.

11. USC -- the other pick for preseason #1 next season. Notice anything? They are #11. LSU is #12. Probably the only other team besides Bama that is on LSU's level.

12. LSU -- looking GREAT for the next 2 years, at least.

13. Stanford -- With Luck gone, they will drop back down into mediocrity. The recruit smart players and they coach them up well, but its unlikely they'll sniff the NCG again for a while.

14. UCLA -- I don't think anyone in their right mind could actually conceive that a team with 8 LOSSES is anywhere NEAR the same level as LSU. Not even close. Nothing else to say on that.

15. South Carolina -- Looked decent a few times this season, but still not on the level of LSU, Bama, Arkansas, or even Georgia at the end of the season. Even if they beat out UGA for the East next season, they're still not a real contender fot the SEC against LSU.

16. Notre Dame -- probably wouldn't be anywhere near #16 if Gunner's Mom hadn't started spontaneously lactating and then gone on a selfish tirade to convince him to ignore his own desires and choices for his future and instead to let her make his decision for him out of her own need to be there to wipe his wittle nose after every play. Maybe she can feed him chicken on the sidelines, like that other little Titty-baby from Arkansas.

I know this was a long post, but damn, I'm sick of hearing about how this class is horrible and due to us not having the so-called best player in every category that our team is going to go down in flames. An NCAA football team is made up of players from 5 different recruiting classes. Our classes have been good previously. THIS class is better than many think, and we will likely get another top-10, or even top-5 class once again next year. Our coaches know how to evaluate talent, and, more importantly, we have one of the best conditioning coaches in the nation, and our coaches know how to train and teach players in order to enable them to perform to their utmost ability. They can turn 3-star players into top-10 draft picks.

We are LSU, and we will continue to be successful, JUST LIKE WE WERE THIS SEASON when we went 13-1!!!

I, personally, think that our current recruiting philosophy, if executed properly, really is our best bet.

Per Capita, Louisiana and Miss produce the most NFL talent. On a yearly basis, we can't even keep all the talent in LA. Also, Louisiana players take a lot of pride in playing for LSU. I'm not saying that players from elsewhere don't, but many of our hard-working overperforming diamonds ( Claiborne, Hester, etc ) are from Louisiana.

If we can take 70%-80% of the top 20 talent from Louisiana, and supplement that with a few stars from East Texas, Georgia, Miss, Bama, and Florida, and maybe a few from elsewhere, then we will be fine.

I don't think it makes sense to waste a lot of time and money focusing too much on other region recruits....UNLESS they show a definite interest in LSU.

The only place that I wish we would attack a little bit harder is Mississippi. Ole Miss and Miss State manage to pull in a few BEASTLY players each year that could be major difference makers on an LSU team, but somehow seem content to play on losing teams for 3-4 years before they go pro. LSU should be pulling more of them.

If I had made a commitment to a premier football college after already backing out once, had caused another player to not be able to enroll at said college, and was packing my bags to leave and my mom started some blubbery shite.........my dad would have calmed her down and said "Look, he has made a man's decision. Its his decision and the best one for him, so stop treating him like a fricking baby!"

Also, I wonder what all the clowns over on irishevny are saying.......the same ones, and there were MANY, who were clamoring on about how Kiel actually sucked, didn't really deserve any accolades, really lacked talent if you watched his film, how they preferred their 2 star project over him anyway, and how he just seemed kinda flighty and stupid so he certainly didn't fit at Notre Dame

Here's the facts.

We went 13-1 this season ( best record in the nation )
We lost 1 game to a team we had already beat
We won the SEC West outright and were SEC Champs
We beat the Pac-12 and Rose Bowl Champ
We beat the Big-East and Orange Bowl Champ
We beat 7 Top-25 teams, including 3 Top-3 teams

Everyone was STOKED about Mettenberger and Randall before Kiel even considered LSU.

I know that nothing is certain yet, and I definitely want Kiel to be a Tiger. He looks like a DAMN GOOD prospect. I'm one of the folks who followed him intently since the Arky game when he came back for a visit, all the way through the Christmas-time debacle and beyond. I want him at LSU, and I think it would be a good match for him, as well.

At the same time, if he does decommit, there is nothing we can do. The one thing we CAN do, as fans, is stop this "sky is falling-Armageddon style" meltdown that we are having over the Natl Championship Game and a couple of lost recruits.

We had a GREAT season this season, and REGARDLESS of any 2012 recruits, we are stacked and picked for a preseason top-3 ( #1 in some cases ), picked to win the SEC, and on our way to another Championship run again next season. 2011 WASN'T supposed to be LSU's season, 2012 WAS.

So, yeah, it sucks if Kiel leaves, but we WILL work it out.

Its been a while since I've seen a high school WR who is as butter smooth as this kid is. Super fluid, but with speed. Needs to be a slight bit more crisp with his routes. His speed allows him to get separation right now, but in the SEC he'll definitely need to add size, strength, and quick burst in order to shed the press.

GREAT HANDS, tho! Its almost as if you can't even see the ball make contact. Its flying towards him and then his hands just flow out and he just absorbs the ball.

Should be a 5-star. Kiel and Mettenberger are gonna LOVE him.

I think this guy is a great player and it would be awesome to have him in Purple and Gold. That being said, however, I don't see how ANY Louisiana high school football player who has pride in his state and a strong interest in attending LSU could EVER root for Bama in the NCG and make the comments that he did.

If I were the coaches, I would say, "Young man, we would REALLY love to have you represent your state, your family, and friends, and be a Tiger. You have a standing offer and can commit at any time. That being said, we aren't going to have another Landon Collins situation. We will be happy to answer any questions you have, show you everything you need to see regarding LSU facilities, academics, etc., but the truth is, the answer is in your heart, and we want players that WANT to represent Louisiana and LSU. There is no reason that LSU should have to fight tooth and nail for a Louisiana recruit, because if we do, we're wasting our time because he's probably not a recruit that wants to be here in the first place.

I'll never forget the Jones hit against Arky at the goalline...........BS flag. Unbelievably hard hit.

Of course you lose a bit of style points when the offensive player walks away and you are still crawling around on the ground looking for your spleen that popped out of your ear.

Wasn't this old news 2 weeks ago?

Wow, if true, what a freaking idiot.

Auburn?!?!?

Are you kidding me? Yes, Auburn won last year with a bought QB and a dirty-arse DLinemen, but fell back to their place in the middle of the road this season, and that is where they will stay.......4th in the SEC West ( maybe 5th with TxAM ), for years to come.

Poor choice.