Anyone just a little bit worried about the 2016 class ?

[utisdabomb12]

To expand on Ryan's post, Strong doesn't like early commits. This isn't even out of the norm for how he recruits. I posted this awhile back but it's still relevant. 

'11 class

Holliman-1/8/11
Rogers-12/20/10
Parker-12/16/09
Dubose-2/2/11
Brown-12/16/09
Pryor-9/21/10
Moore-2/11/11
Harrington-3/22/10
Floyd-11/8/10
Mauldin-3/17/11
Epps-9/1/10
Mount-5/2/10
Mack-7/16/10
Miller-8/3/10
Romano-2/2/11
Bridgewater-12/20/10
Golson-1/10/11
Johnson-1/8/11
Gaines-9/25/10
Reeve-1/5/11
Wallace-9/28/10
Petersen-11/13/09

-17 out 22 commits came after July 1st of that given recruiting year. 

'12 class

Brown-1/17/12
Dawson-1/7/12
Holliman-9/7/11
Parnell-7/13/11
Burgess-1/3/12
Rankins-1/24/12
Gardner-7/11/11
Houchins-6/20/11
Radcliff-1/6/12
Brown-12/10/11
Garcia-11/14/11
Anvoots-3/25/11
Klusman-6/12/11
Manley-7/16/11
Hubbell-12/7/11
Appleby-9/27/11
Bowles-9/29/11
Sibiea-12/11/11
Atkins-2/1/12
Hughley-8/19/11
Jefferson-4/14/11
Herron-7/12/11

-18 out of 22 commits came after July 1st of that given recruiting year. 

'13 recruiting class

Quick-1/5/13
Hearns-6/29/13
Bolin-9/22/11
Thomas-2/17/13
Benjamin-12/16/12
Richardson-1/4/13
Williams-1/22/13
Shortridge-12/10/12
Kelsey-1/28/13
Elam-2/26/13
Fraser-1/29/13
Lacy-5/10/12
Towbridge-4/12/12
Middleton-12/2/12
Ross-5/2/12
Nelson-12/16/12
Bridges-6/16/12
Clark-2/3/13

-13 out of 18 commits came after July 1st of that given recruiting year. 


So the most commits Strong took in a given class before July 1st was 5. To put this in perspective, look at the #s for certain teams in May of this year. FSU has 14 commits already, Ohio State 15, Miami 21, Georgia 12, Ole Miss 13, Kentucky 16, UCLA 10, Michigan State 12, Duke 11, Tennessee 10, Florida 11, Maryland 10, and so on.

 

[utisdabomb12]

Randolph seems to think just because you have a max number of players you can take in a recruiting class means you ought to do it. Poor guy. 

Strong could have easily landed 5 to 7 more commits in the '15 class. There's a thing called roster management and not settling for sub part recruits.  

 

[Randolph Duke]

To expand on Ryan's post, Strong doesn't like early commits. This isn't even out of the norm for how he recruits.

[

Let this sink in - Charlie Strong is no longer at Louisville. He is at Texas. Louisville will never get a first look by top level recruits. If you are saying the new norm for Texas is that we will never get a first look by top level recruits, I will say we need a new head coach. Louisville recruited players who could compete against UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis and the like. Texas doesn't play the dreg teams that Louisville plays week in and week out, although I am sure Shawn Watson wishes UT did.

We have a team that is a mirror image of Louisville - capable of finishing 18th in the nation in the best of years and incapable of competing against top 20 teams week in and week out. I guess that is why so many on the board are thrilled with where the program is. We are what Louisville was. yay!

I guess I am just in the minority where I think UT should aspire to more than being a Louisville level program and to be able to compete every week against top 20 teams and finish better than 18th in the nation every few decades.

Mediocrity sucks. I have no idea why so many believe the UT football program should aspire to it.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

This isn't simply about attrition. It's about a changing of the guard. It's about trying to get a Botanic Garden out of field of weeds. I'm sure SHA can emphasize a little more on this. 

To keep things in a landscape perspective, one might have more success speaking with a Live Oak about this topic.

Nevertheless, to create a garden from a bed of weeds, you must blow the thing up and keep what is of value, add to that value, and carefully select it's occupants. Like an 85 limit, there's only so much room and it all has to work together to look good and perform right.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Damn, that was good. lol

 

[doc longhorn]

The goal is not to sign players, but to get them enrolled and on the field in a game. By that standard, the 2015 recruiting class was extremely unimpressive. As I said, the team has 78 scholarship players and that is after moving Merrick up from a greyshirt.

 The only standard that counts is how many of the 2015 class are still around and successfully contributing in 2018.  And neither you or I are Nostrodamous.  So, any prediction on the value of the 2015 class is simply an exercise in futility.  But, based on the fact that as many as 7 of them will play this year, I like their chances of being far from "extremely unimpressive".  In addition, the fact that the season hasn't even started makes your outrageous claim moot.

The reality is that the football program is years away from competing at an elite level.

Once again, you aren't Nostrodamous and citing something you can't predict as "fact" calls out your credibility as suspect.

Patterson's nickle and dime stupidity is eating into the foundation of the program on multiple levels.

I know Steve Patterson and I can assure you he is probably smarter than you and I put together.  I, also, know for a REAL fact that all of Pattersons moves have been mandated and approved by the UT BOR and administration.  He ain't on an island and is simply the mouthpiece for our beloved university.

If Wickline gets stuck paying his buyout to OSU, what will that do to Coach Strong's ability to recruit coaches?

Nothing, nada, zilch, zippo nyet.  We are still the University of Texas and we pay our coaches more than most all other schools and...Austin.

Steve Patterson is among the worst bosses in all of college sports.

No he isn't. 

Who really wants to work for him? I have admired Shaka Smart's coaching style for a while, but I sincerely believe he made a huge mistake signing on to work for Patterson. Quality control staff being paid less than Kansas isn't going to do much to help the reputation of UT for attracting the best and the brightest staff. I have long been a critic of Bellmont because nothing about Bellmont outside of volleyball, swimming/diving and Randa Ryan even come close to qualifying as highly competent. When athletes see the hypocrisy of being expected to exemplify excellence when the rest of Bellmont exemplifies mediocrity, there is no question they are going to understand UT athletics doesn't truly believe in excellence.

Personal opinion based on zero actual information.  But that is okay, everyone does it.

I understand the HS staff has to refrain from being honest and objective about UT sports or Patterson will jerk your credentials.

Randy, this is only your opinion and, once again, based on zero knowledge.  If anyone is being dishonest here, it is you.

I understand you can't ask the hard questions or press for answers on questions that make anyone inside Bellmont even slightly uncomfortable, but the reality is unless UT athletics attacks the uncomfortable truths, the major programs will remain mired in mediocrity.

Work out the numbers and see where the 2015 class that made it to campus ranked, as opposed to the one that was signed back in Feb. UT is so far away from being in the company of the elite programs it is sad. After a losing season with multiple humiliating losses, Vegas has the O/U on wins for UT as 6. It isn't just me with pitiful expectations for UT football, it is coming from a lot of professionals who are highly paid to consider such things.

Opinions are cheap and everyone has one.  Doesn't mean they are right, however.  And that includes you.

UT football isn't on the verge of a renaissance. That is a hard truth we need to accept if we are going to get the program back to competing as a top 20 program, and even just aspiring to be a top 20 program is a humbling.

78 scholarship athletes going into the season is so far below the UT standard, we can only accept there is no real UT standard and we need to lower the bar to find one. Lowering the bar is not what UT is supposed to be about.

You seem really depressed today.  The aggys haven't bashed UT like you are doing. What's up, big dog?

[And, for the record, I have long said some on the uncomfortable questions that should be asked are since Patterson obviously sees the need for expense reduction, considering the average expense level per athlete for a public university in the US is roughly $110k/athlete, that Stanford has won the Director's Cup for 20 years running on a level of $108k/athlete, that Patterson the ASU athletic department at an expense level of $135k/athlete and UT is now higher than $240k/athlete, what level of expenditures per athlete does Patterson believe would reflect a fiscally responsibly run athletic department and when does he intend to get it there?

Cite me a government controlled entity that has been fiscally responsible and made great profits?

Also, ask Patterson if he is willing to make the year end NCAA financial reports available online without a FOIA request, so UT athletics has a higher level of transparency than other programs.

Patterson will provide the university all necessary receipts and the university will decide what reports will, by law, be made available to the public.  You do understand, don't you Randy, that SP is simply the AD and not UT's CFO?  He answers to the president only.

Ask those questions and your press credentials will be pulled instantly.W

Well, these question are basically inane and, if your credentials are pulled, it's because he will consider the questions obtuse and unrelated to his field of responsibility.  And you are simply on a witch hunt.  I'd pull your credentials as well.

UT athletics isn't ready to do what it takes to get to the next level. the athletes know it, the coaching staff knows it, the press knows it and the fans know it.

Well, they may very well know it, but it's for sure YOU don't know if they know it!

This isn't a Charlie Strong problem or a Shaka Smart problem. Hell, it isn't even a Steve Patterson problem. Its a Greg Fenves problem and he isn't any more willing to make the tough decision than any credentialed reporter is willing to ask the tough questions.Right now, the question is how low are we willing to lower the bar to say the status quo is the "Texas Standard." 53rd in the nation in recruiting at this part of the cycle is where this program is, literally and figuratively.

Relax, it will all be better.  You'll see.]

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Let this sink in - Charlie Strong is no longer at Louisville. He is at Texas. Louisville will never get a first look by top level recruits. If you are saying the new norm for Texas is that we will never get a first look by top level recruits, I will say we need a new head coach. Louisville recruited players who could compete against UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis and the like. Texas doesn't play the dreg teams that Louisville plays week in and week out, although I am sure Shawn Watson wishes UT did.

We have a team that is a mirror image of Louisville - capable of finishing 18th in the nation in the best of years and incapable of competing against top 20 teams week in and week out. I guess that is why so many on the board are thrilled with where the program is. We are what Louisville was. yay!

I guess I am just in the minority where I think UT should aspire to more than being a Louisville level program and to be able to compete every week against top 20 teams and finish better than 18th in the nation every few decades.

Mediocrity sucks. I have no idea why so many believe the UT football program should aspire to it.

RD, for God's sakes, please tell me you're not really whiffing on this. I've met you. You're intelligent. You just made your opponents case for him.

If Charlie can turn straw into gold at LV, what do you think he'll be able to do when he has things to sell to a recruit?

If he can turn non-elite talent into a BCS contender – what in God's name are you worried about? He's already beat that standard at Texas.

There comes a point where visitors to this site see BS like this and just brand it as "no thanks" or "oh hell no" and move on. Bad time of year for that to be happening.

 

[Randolph Duke]

Randolph seems to think just because you have a max number of players you can take in a recruiting class means you ought to do it. Poor guy.

Strong could have easily landed 5 to 7 more commits in the '15 class. There's a thing called roster management and not settling for sub part recruits.

If you are Texas and you have weaknesses at certain positions, hell yes you take players at those positions, unless your coaching staff is utterly incapable of recruiting layers to play at those positions. Exactly what advantage do you perceive from saving unused scholarships when the team has numerous position weaknesses? We had the scholarships no players wanted because the staff sucked at recruiting those positions. Do you somehow thing the staff wasn't rejected my multiple players at those positions? The entire problem is the staff failed to put together a quality recruiting class that could be part of the team when the season started (which is the entire goal of recruiting).

 

[utisdabomb12]

To keep things in a landscape perspective, one might have more success speaking with a Live Oak about this topic.

Nevertheless, to create a garden from a bed of weeds, you must blow the thing up and keep what is of value, add to that value, and carefully select it's occupants. Like an 85 limit, there's only so much room and it all has to work together to look good and perform right.

If you take huge numbers like 32 in a recruiting class you always see pretty big attrition. See recent A&M and Tennessee recruiting classes. That's why you have to have some separation between Fr, So, Jrs, and SRs. If you take 32 players that normally means there's going to be competition at positions within a specific class, which inevitably means players transfer out. It happens all the time. 

This is what Randolph doesn't comprehend about roster management. In a year if 6 to 10  guys are gone from the  32 allotment, what good does that do for a roster?

The roster is being rebuilt, it's not going to be fixed overnight or by one recruiting class. You can't just load up on one recruiting class, that's not how roster management works at all. 

Randolph seems to think just because you have a max number of players you can take that means you ought to do it. That's a very short sighted approach and to be honest the type of mindset that has us in this predicament to begin with. 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

If you take huge numbers like 32 in a recruiting class you always see pretty big attrition. See recent A&M and Tennessee recruiting classes. That's why you have to have some separation between Fr, So, Jrs, and SRs. If you take 32 players that normally means there's going to be competition at positions within a specific class, which inevitably means players transfer out. It happens all the time. 

This is what Randolph doesn't comprehend about roster management. In a year if 6 to 10  guys are gone from the  32 allotment, what good does that do for a roster?

The roster is being rebuilt, it's not going to be fixed overnight or by one recruiting class. You can't just load up on one recruiting class, that's not how roster management works at all. 

Can you translate that into landscape terminology for me? lol

 

[tejasrulz]

 

[doc longhorn]

Mediocrity sucks. I have no idea why so many believe the UT football program should aspire to it.

Actually, Randy, you are the only one asserting it.

 

[Randolph Duke]

RD, for God's sakes, please tell me you're not really whiffing on this. I've met you. You're intelligent. You just made your opponents case for him.

If Charlie can turn straw into gold at LV, what do you think he'll be able to do when he has things to sell to a recruit?

If he can turn non-elite talent into a BCS contender – what in God's name are you worried about? He's already beat that standard at Texas.

There comes a point where visitors to this site see BS like this and just brand it as "no thanks" or "oh hell no" and move on. Bad time of year for that to be happening.

We can act like everything is just incredibly positive with the UT program if it makes everyone feel better. Let's just ignore the problems and refuse to deal with the uncomfortable truths. And when we get humiliated multiple times for yet another season and we all sweat out whether will have yet another losing season or not we can all tell ourselves that next year is our year.

The new normal.

 

[utisdabomb12]

What Randolph fails to comprehend is there's a net cost to every scholarship player you land. 

Texas probably could have landed JW Ketchum last year. That would most likely mean one less WR in the '16 class the staff is higher on. 

Texas probably could have landed Moore last year. That would most likely mean one less OL in the '16 class the staff is higher on. 

There's several other players I could do this with. Building a roster isn't as simple as just maxing out on the number of allotted players you can have. You have to have players that will actually produce, or else it's Mack Brown 2.0 again. 

Give me a class of 10 players where 8 actually produce over a class of 30 players where only 6 produce. Right now the goal is to get players in the system that can actually produce on the field. Randolph talks a lot about mediocrity but his very mindset in recruiting reinforces mediocrity. 

 

[MikeV73]

We can act like everything is just incredibly positive with the UT program if it makes everyone feel better. Let's just ignore the problems and refuse to deal with the uncomfortable truths. And when we get humiliated multiple times for yet another season and we all sweat out whether will have yet another losing season or not we can all tell ourselves that next year is our year.

The new normal.

Step away from the cliff, everything will be OK.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

We can act like everything is just incredibly positive with the UT program if it makes everyone feel better. Let's just ignore the problems and refuse to deal with the uncomfortable truths. And when we get humiliated multiple times for yet another season and we all sweat out whether will have yet another losing season or not we can all tell ourselves that next year is our year.

The new normal.

Yea, I really miss walking out of the Cotton Bowl after 60-something to 10 or 14.

 

[TeamMayhall]

For some people the glass will always be half empty.

 

[streettopeschel]

This shit's getting tiresome. If every topic is going to turn into a 1000-word manifesto repeating yesterday's 1000-word manifesto, only a few will care. And by few, I mean damn near nobody.

 

[TeamMayhall]

This would be a great panel discussion with a 2 drink minimum requirement

 

[Ryan Bridges]

FYI, y'all are getting trolled. The only winning move is not to play.