Will Gentry jump start recruiting for Strong like Simms did for Mack?

[Captain Hookem]

Mack's biggest recruiting coup when he first arrived was convincing Ricky to stay. However there wasn't much momentum in recruiting until Simms switched his commitment from Tennessee to Texas. After that, a slew of talented WRs jumped on board, and the next season (if I remember correctly) led to the Class of Beef and the best O-Line Texas had seen in a very long time a few years later.

Hopefully, with all of the negative that as afflicted Texas as of late, this will be the equivalent of the Simms commitment and build some momentum in the 2015 class. Something like this is about the only thing that could generate any excitement before having a chance to build momentum through winning, which would only really have an effect the recruiting season afterwards. If we're lucky, this will accelerate that process. 

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Interesting comparison, but Simms was the can't miss, son of NFL Super Bowl winner, 5-star, super-hyped Parade magazine cover boy.

I don't think Gentry's gotten nearly as much publicity playing in NM.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Simms didn't jump start recruiting as well as Applewhite did.

 

[utisdabomb12]

No, Strong doesn't recruit like Mack. I mean that in a good way. Strong doesn't care about recruiting momentum or offering "stars". Strong cares about evaluating players and getting players that fit the system, even if it hurts a useless recruiting ranking. Strong probably could have gotten a commit from Kam Martin and even Connor Dyer. Both would have helped our recruiting ranking/momentum, but that's not how Strong recruits.  

 

[Captain Hookem]

JB, I don't think it has to be an extreme case like Simms to make it "cool" or acceptable for talented recruits to have their opinion changed about a school with one guy's commitment. Talented guys want to play where other talented guys go.

It wasn't a coincidence that WRs lined up afterwards and directly led to Roy Williams, BJ Johnson, Sloan Thomas. Then of course you have guys Vince wanted to throw to.

Redding signing that year was huge also, and that combo provided momentum on both sides of the ball. Although I don't think anyone is very concerned about defensive development with Strong.

Matt, don't think I understand where you're coming from there. I'm sure Applewhite was great with recruits as a player, but I don't see him having the cache at that point to help turn the tide like a big time commitment such as Simms did. Fyi, I was on the Applewhite side of the Applewhite/Simms controversy just so you know where my preference was (but I sure don't want to get it into that again

Utis, yes Strong has a different style than Mack, although it's probably unfair to compare early Mack recruiting with how he approached it in later years. Early on he was heavily involved with talent evaluation, and later kind of mailed it in - relying instead on other sources. Mack had the ability to pick and choose whomever he wanted, and to be successful Strong needs that ability as well. 

Whatever method they use to evaluate talent, if Strong can't get the guys he wants then it's not going to work out very well. Getting big time guys on board (that other recruits know, even if they aren't sons of NFL champion QBs or on the covers of magazines) give the program credibility and allows Strong more flexibility in getting the guys he things he needs.

This is vital. The degree to which this is vital just can't be understated. 

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Sorry, Cap'n. My post was an ill conceived attempt at sarcasm without a winkie face to tip folks off.

 

[Captain Hookem]

Sorry, Cap'n. My post was an ill conceived attempt at sarcasm without a winkie face to tip folks off.

Ha, sorry I should've picked up on it anyway - normally I have a much better sarcasm sensor.

Now understood - genius comment.

 

[since_DKR]

Simms didn't jump start recruiting as well as Applewhite did

I'm not sure about this.

You do remember that Major Applewhite was recruited a year before Mack arrived, sat out his freshman year,  and was a red-shirt freshman under Mack, right? He got his chance to play early during Mack's first year when Chance Mock was injured and unable to play. Applewhite was a big "get" for John Mackovic at the time he was recruited because Major initially committed to aggy before de-committing to Texas. It was an indication that aggy was losing some of their grip on the state of Texas even before Mack arrived.

So I have to say that Applewhite was the fans favorite, but Simms was Mack's first really big "splash" signee that did greatly improve recruiting for him at that time.

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

I knew Matt was joking

 

[BudreauReye]

I don't know much, but it seems to me that Coach Strong is already well on his way to turning things around.  At this point Gentry is obviously not the splash recruit that Simms was at the same point,  but,  If things get turned around quickly and Gentry maximizes his potential, In a few years we will be hearing a lot of discussions along these lines.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

The guys we really need to make a definitive statement are Malik Jefferson and Daylon Mack!

 

[texasdobbs]

No, Strong doesn't recruit like Mack. I mean that in a good way. Strong doesn't care about recruiting momentum or offering "stars". Strong cares about evaluating players and getting players that fit the system, even if it hurts a useless recruiting ranking. Strong probably could have gotten a commit from Kam Martin and even Connor Dyer. Both would have helped our recruiting ranking/momentum, but that's not how Strong recruits.

But I like the pretty stars... There so pretty. ...

 

[texasdobbs]

But seriously. .. I think it will help in the long run.

 

[DougNTexas]

Cory Redding was also a big recruit that helped turn recruiting. Bit Simms was the bell cow.