Jim Harris says if recruiting gurus are right, A&M should win running away

[SportsLife]

But recruiting experts don't take the field...

http://www.sportinglifearkansas.com/jim-harris-stars-must-come-hogs-aggies/

[mizzouman]

Recruiting and Guru should not be  paired together.

[Biggus Piggus]

This is a really good piece from Jim.

I like his angle. Jim points out how Arkansas's best players were underrated recruits, while many of the higher-rated ones did not pan out (or have not yet).

It's also a great question - recruiting rankings matter (Alabama, Ohio State) until they don't (Louisville > Florida State), but when do you know when they won't?

One comment from me - just because Cole Hedlund was a Parade All-America kicker does not mean it translates to college. Seems like high school kicker ratings are the worst of them all in terms of accuracy. He still looks/seems young, and maybe he will be great when he is a little older and stronger.

If we are going to give a scholarship to a freshman kicker, though, I would hope he is ready to play.

[GoHogzzGo]

Certainly looks like an accurate statement. Aggies have out recruited us statistically speaking.

That really illustrates how good Bielema has been at developing and program building. Also shows for the moment he is an average recruiter. Or he is picky and all the ranking are wrong depending on your leaning.

[King]

If we are going to give a scholarship to a freshman kicker, though, I would hope he is ready to play.

Is there still that issue with Texas HS kickers using a tee?

I remember when Eddie Camara was recruited with a scholarship and he could not beat the walk-on Zach Hocker, who turned out to be one of our best kickers in the last 20 years.

[younghog]

GOOD READ..

I didn't read it as A&M should win running away..

GO HOGS

[RaisinHog]

Is there still that issue with Texas HS kickers using a tee?

I remember when Eddie Camara was recruited with a scholarship and he could not beat the walk-on Zach Hocker, who turned out to be one of our best kickers in the last 20 years.

I thought Arkansas kickers used  T too

[DeltaBoy]

Great piece from Jim this week. 

[bigred223]

Certainly looks like an accurate statement. Aggies have out recruited us statistically speaking.

That really illustrates how good Bielema has been at developing and program building. Also shows for the moment he is an average recruiter. Or he is picky and all the ranking are wrong depending on your leaning.

He's recruiting very well compared to predecessors. If we keep winning we could probably get to the point where we consistently land classes ranked 15-20. That's a realistic goal.

[ricepig]

I thought Arkansas kickers used  T too

Most do, it's just such an advantage not to. I do know of some kickers that used the college height tee for kickoffs, and used a lower one for FG's, just to help with the transition.

[bphi11ips]

Most do, it's just such an advantage not to. I do know of some kickers that used the college height tee for kickoffs, and used a lower one for FG's, just to help with the transition.

I'll read Jim's article in a minute and am sure it's as well done as all of his are.  Meanwhile, I'll address the Hedlund derail and recruiting in general with more personal information than perhaps I should give on a message board.  Frankly I don't get the need for anonymity.  What are some of you that don't like me going to do to me?  I not scare.

Cole Hedlund was a Parade All-American because of his performance on the field, not because of his recruiting ranking.  Hedlund was ranked fourth in his class by the largest kicking instructional organization in the US - Kohl's.  Jamie Kohl runs the organization and knows Bret Bielema well.  Kohl's is based in Wisconsin.  Zach Hocker was one of his students.  Chris Sailer is Jamie's only real competitor.  Some would say Sailer deals with more elite recruits.  Blake Johnson was Sailer's top ranked punter.  College coaches are honest these days with kicking recruits - we don't care what you're ranked - show us what you can do. 

How do I know this?  My son, Matthew Phillips, is Kohl's 13th ranked punter and 15th ranked placekicker in the class of 2018.  He has kicked in competition since he was 11, but he has yet to kick in a varsity game.  His last kick was a 37 yard field goal as a freshman.  The reason is that Sailer's number one ranked punter, Tucker Day, is a senior.  Remember that name.  Tucker is an 18 year old version of Ray Guy and probably headed to Clemson.  He will be one of the punters in the Army All American Bowl in January.  Tucker also hits the ball out of the back of the end zone in the air 80% of the time.  His longest field goal thus far is 54 yards.

Back to recruiting.  Tucker is a kicking specialist, but Matthew is a player.  He's 5'11, 175, and was timed at Michigan's sattellite camp in July at 4.46.  He won the CB race, but Harbaugh never said hello.  No big deal.  Last week he rushed for 182 yards and scored 4 TDs for Brentwood High School.  I'm telling you this not to brag on my son but to set up this truth - if you want your son to get noticed by college recruiters and recruiting services in 2016, you have to hire a pimp.  Maybe Kohl's is pimping Matthew in a sense now on his website, but I can tell you that Jamie is passionate about his kickers and that he and his staff have been vital to Matthew's development.  Thus far we have resisted going to any of the players' rep organizations, but I will say this - if you expect 3 stars or more on any recruiting service, you best hire one.

I say this to point out the obvious - recruiting service rankings are influenced by a variety of factors having nothing to do with talent.  The integrity of the recruiting service business is compromised by the money flowing on both sides.  It is also influenced by pure measurables.  I'm sure that Bret Bielema is well aware of this, as evidenced by his position that stars don't matter.  We played a team last week with a 6'3" 205 pound 3 star North Carolina commit.  I cringed when he went out for the coin toss.  An imposing speciman.  The kid was invisible.  Had absolutely no impact on the game.  I know who his pimp is.  The guy does a great job.  North Carolina better hope they can teach him to play corner because he's terrible.

The state of affairs I described above does not bode well for the future of college football, in my opinion.  In the end, the best players will wind up at the best schools and in the NFL.  At the top end the recruiting services are reliable.  They don't miss the Agims.  But in the 3-star range, you have no idea what you're getting.  I think one of the advantages we have at Arkansas currently is that Bret Bielema evaluates every player himself, and then he makes sure they develop on the field and in the classroom,which brings me back to Jim's article.  I don't give a rat's ass which team has the recruiting stars, Arkansas has equal talent and is going to beat the snot out of A&M tomorrow night.

[bphi11ips]

Most do, it's just such an advantage not to. I do know of some kickers that used the college height tee for kickoffs, and used a lower one for FG's, just to help with the transition.

Jamie Kohl encourages his kickers to not use a tee.  Matthew taught himself to kick without one because his mom didn't buy him one, so he doesn't use one in competitions.  When he kicks next year for Brentwood he will use 1/2 inch tee, I hope.  It's like refusing to use a tee on a par three.  Why not use it if you can?

One more thing, and this may account for some of Hedlund being overrated to the extent that he was.  Kickers bring their own balls to competitions, and some pump them up like balloons.  In high school, refs generally just take the ball the sideline throws them and set it down for the snap.  The offense provides the ball.  So - high school kickers are hitting balls that are optimum for distance, at least in Tennessee.  I have no idea how it works in college, but if Hedlund kicked juiced balls in high school and can't at Arkansas, that could account for the difference between his high school highlight film and his performance thus far at Arkansas, because on film and where stats are concerned he was aboutvas good as it gets.

[Prestworthy]

I'll read Jim's article in a minute and am sure it's as well done as all of his are.  Meanwhile, I'll address the Hedlund derail and recruiting in general with more personal information than perhaps I should give on a message board.  Frankly I don't get the need for anonymity.  What are some of you that don't like me going to do to me?  I not scare.

Cole Hedlund was a Parade All-American because of his performance on the field, not because of his recruiting ranking.  Hedlund was ranked fourth in his class by the largest kicking instructional organization in the US - Kohl's.  Jamie Kohl runs the organization and knows Bret Bielema well.  Kohl's is based in Wisconsin.  Zach Hocker was one of his students.  Chris Sailer is Jamie's only real competitor.  Some would say Sailer deals with more elite recruits.  Blake Johnson was Sailer's top ranked punter.  College coaches are honest these days with kicking recruits - we don't care what you're ranked - show us what you can do. 

How do I know this?  My son, Matthew Phillips, is Kohl's 13th ranked punter and 15th ranked placekicker in the class of 2018.  He has kicked in competition since he was 11, but he has yet to kick in a varsity game.  His last kick was a 37 yard field goal as a freshman.  The reason is that Sailer's number one ranked punter, Tucker Day, is a senior.  Remember that name.  Tucker is an 18 year old version of Ray Guy and probably headed to Clemson.  He will be one of the punters in the Army All American Bowl in January.  Tucker also hits the ball out of the back of the end zone in the air 80% of the time.  His longest field goal thus far is 54 yards.

Back to recruiting.  Tucker is a kicking specialist, but Matthew is a player.  He's 5'11, 175, and was timed at Michigan's sattellite camp in July at 4.46.  He won the CB race, but Harbaugh never said hello.  No big deal.  Last week he rushed for 182 yards and scored 4 TDs for Brentwood High School.  I'm telling you this not to brag on my son but to set up this truth - if you want your son to get noticed by college recruiters and recruiting services in 2016, you have to hire a pimp.  Maybe Kohl's is pimping Matthew in a sense now on his website, but I can tell you that Jamie is passionate about his kickers and that he and his staff have been vital to Matthew's development.  Thus far we have resisted going to any of the players' rep organizations, but I will say this - if you expect 3 stars or more on any recruiting service, you best hire one.

I say this to point out the obvious - recruiting service rankings are influenced by a variety of factors having nothing to do with talent.  The integrity of the recruiting service business is compromised by the money flowing on both sides.  It is also influenced by pure measurables.  I'm sure that Bret Bielema is well aware of this, as evidenced by his position that stars don't matter.  We played a team last week with a 6'3" 205 pound 3 star North Carolina commit.  I cringed when he went out for the coin toss.  An imposing speciman.  The kid was invisible.  Had absolutely no impact on the game.  I know who his pimp is.  The guy does a great job.  North Carolina better hope they can teach him to play corner because he's terrible.

The state of affairs I described above does not bode well for the future of college football, in my opinion.  In the end, the best players will wind up at the best schools and in the NFL.  At the top end the recruiting services are reliable.  They don't miss the Agims.  But in the 3-star range, you have no idea what you're getting.  I think one of the advantages we have at Arkansas currently is that Bret Bielema evaluates every player himself, and then he makes sure they develop on the field and in the classroom,which brings me back to Jim's article.  I don't give a rat's ass which team has the recruiting stars, Arkansas has equal talent and is going to beat the snot out of A&M tomorrow night.

Wowzy... you must be your son's agent, eh? And I'm not just saying that because I graduated from Ravenwood.

[bphi11ips]

Wowzy... you must be your son's agent, eh? And I'm not just saying that because I graduated from Ravenwood.

Nope, Tucker Day's.

Actually just trying to illustrate a point.  BTW - we beat Ravenwood 41-10 this year.  Then Franklin clobbered us. 

[bphi11ips]

This is a really good piece from Jim.

Agreed.

[Biggus Piggus]

Wowzy... you must be your son's agent, eh? And I'm not just saying that because I graduated from Ravenwood.

Coulda sworn it was Slytherin.

[clew]

I'll read Jim's article in a minute and am sure it's as well done as all of his are...

freaking excellent information.  Thanks for sharing the insight.

[bphi11ips]

Yeah but...
Tennessee.

:p

Good luck w/ your son's journey.

Thanks.  We're not sure how it will wind up - kicker or player, but he's put in 10 years so far and is determined.

[carolinahogger]

Thanks for the interesting insight, bphillips.

[HogsonHicks]

Ole Miss and LSU have had an ever greater recruiting ranking advantage over us, and we've racked up a dominant 4-0 over the past two years.

Recruiting ranking means little after players report to the first day of camp.

[rljjr]

Also shows for the moment he is an average recruiter.

I don't think that's quite a fair statement. I think you have to consider the state of the program when he started, the traditional places where Arkansas ranked from previous coaches (we're improved), and the type of system we run.

[Kevin]

I'll read Jim's article in a minute and am sure it's as well done as all of his are.  Meanwhile, I'll address the Hedlund derail and recruiting in general with more personal information than perhaps I should give on a message board.  Frankly I don't get the need for anonymity.  What are some of you that don't like me going to do to me?  I not scare.

Cole Hedlund was a Parade All-American because of his performance on the field, not because of his recruiting ranking.  Hedlund was ranked fourth in his class by the largest kicking instructional organization in the US - Kohl's.  Jamie Kohl runs the organization and knows Bret Bielema well.  Kohl's is based in Wisconsin.  Zach Hocker was one of his students.  Chris Sailer is Jamie's only real competitor.  Some would say Sailer deals with more elite recruits.  Blake Johnson was Sailer's top ranked punter.  College coaches are honest these days with kicking recruits - we don't care what you're ranked - show us what you can do. 

How do I know this?  My son, Matthew Phillips, is Kohl's 13th ranked punter and 15th ranked placekicker in the class of 2018.  He has kicked in competition since he was 11, but he has yet to kick in a varsity game.  His last kick was a 37 yard field goal as a freshman.  The reason is that Sailer's number one ranked punter, Tucker Day, is a senior.  Remember that name.  Tucker is an 18 year old version of Ray Guy and probably headed to Clemson.  He will be one of the punters in the Army All American Bowl in January.  Tucker also hits the ball out of the back of the end zone in the air 80% of the time.  His longest field goal thus far is 54 yards.

Back to recruiting.  Tucker is a kicking specialist, but Matthew is a player.  He's 5'11, 175, and was timed at Michigan's sattellite camp in July at 4.46.  He won the CB race, but Harbaugh never said hello.  No big deal.  Last week he rushed for 182 yards and scored 4 TDs for Brentwood High School.  I'm telling you this not to brag on my son but to set up this truth - if you want your son to get noticed by college recruiters and recruiting services in 2016, you have to hire a pimp.  Maybe Kohl's is pimping Matthew in a sense now on his website, but I can tell you that Jamie is passionate about his kickers and that he and his staff have been vital to Matthew's development.  Thus far we have resisted going to any of the players' rep organizations, but I will say this - if you expect 3 stars or more on any recruiting service, you best hire one.

I say this to point out the obvious - recruiting service rankings are influenced by a variety of factors having nothing to do with talent.  The integrity of the recruiting service business is compromised by the money flowing on both sides.  It is also influenced by pure measurables.  I'm sure that Bret Bielema is well aware of this, as evidenced by his position that stars don't matter.  We played a team last week with a 6'3" 205 pound 3 star North Carolina commit.  I cringed when he went out for the coin toss.  An imposing speciman.  The kid was invisible.  Had absolutely no impact on the game.  I know who his pimp is.  The guy does a great job.  North Carolina better hope they can teach him to play corner because he's terrible.

The state of affairs I described above does not bode well for the future of college football, in my opinion.  In the end, the best players will wind up at the best schools and in the NFL.  At the top end the recruiting services are reliable.  They don't miss the Agims.  But in the 3-star range, you have no idea what you're getting.  I think one of the advantages we have at Arkansas currently is that Bret Bielema evaluates every player himself, and then he makes sure they develop on the field and in the classroom,which brings me back to Jim's article.  I don't give a rat's ass which team has the recruiting stars, Arkansas has equal talent and is going to beat the snot out of A&M tomorrow night.

Thanks for the info

[Biggus Piggus]

I don't think that's quite a fair statement. I think you have to consider the state of the program when he started, the traditional places where Arkansas ranked from previous coaches (we're improved), and the type of system we run.

I am pretty sure that the future W-L results will be a better measure than the recruitnik rankings.

[Ragnar Hogbrok]

Recruiting rankings didn't matter the past two years against Ole Miss. Or auburn last year. Or LSU the last two years.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Recruiting and Guru should not be  paired together.

Truth.

But I caint stand the word guru either.