What's left?

[GVTD]

As it stands right now we actually signed a better class last year.........

This class filled needs pretty well.  Getting four linebackers was huge.

[wildturkey8]

The mood changed after Cuffee pulled his stunt.

[JayBell]

Still think blowing those first couple games played into recruiting.  Two more wins makes hogs a little more attractive. Also some negatives out there on BB's remarks over past year. Yet recruiting is something that needs to be addressed and maybe more investment.

Invest more, how?  Bielema and his staff are already in constant communication with recruits.  He flew, what was it, 20,000 miles during recruiting season? 

There's no reason to make more of it than it is.  Arkansas aimed high and missed.  They could have chased some lower rated players and had a bigger class.  They chased some difference makers and missed on all of them.  I don't think that represents some higher failure.

[azhog10]

Don't stalk outside of Jump Ball.  We know your agenda.  This is a football discussion.  I'll be happy to discuss Anderson and your boy Zimmerman in a basketball related forum.

With football, we've always had to recruit out of state. We lost out to teams that we either beat, or finished the season worse than us, and a few of them we've beat multiple times the last few seasons. Again, it's an excuse and recruting outside of Arkansas isn't anything new to anyone. Sorry I was reading this thread and decided to reply to one of your comments. Just found it funny considering your post history.

[wildturkey8]

Win a championship is the surest way to change things.  I wish LR public school football would return to the way it was in the 70's and 80's.

[razorbackchamps94]

Good class.   I will agree, but they have to close on some of them. 

I wouldn't say good .. Avg maybe

[TebowHater]

The mood changed after Cuffee pulled his stunt.

Don't want to give him credit...but I can't disagree.

[cardinalandwhite]

Invest more, how?  Bielema and his staff are already in constant communication with recruits.  He flew, what was it, 20,000 miles during recruiting season? 

There's no reason to make more of it than it is.  Arkansas aimed high and missed.  They could have chased some lower rated players and had a bigger class.  They chased some difference makers and missed on all of them.  I don't think that represents some higher failure.

We landed the biggest difference maker we were after. Agim is an instant-impact player. And then there was the part where we needed a stud RB and got one.

[hog19911]

As we sign the best class we've had in a long, long time?

WTH are you talking about? There is nothing to suggest that.

[GVTD]

Win a championship is the surest way to change things.

Better recruits usually precedes winning championships, not the other way around. 

[JayBell]

This class filled needs pretty well.  Getting four linebackers was huge.

I feel like they needed another running back and another standout playmaker.  Any of Porter, Fulton and Cleveland could've met those needs.

Otherwise, some more stud linemen on both sides of the ball, a fullback, receivers and finally some numbers at LB and DB.  Maybe none of the LBs and DBs turn into star players, but getting more on campus should finally help with the depth issues they've struggled with.

[azhog10]

This class filled needs pretty well.  Getting four linebackers was huge.

I like the class. I think we missed in some areas of need and hit some homeruns elsewhere, specifically with DL and LB. We missed on OL and RB's though. Secondary was just okay, but if Putu ends up living up to the hype he gathered the last two weeks then I'd say we did a solid job there as well. He's just a bit of an unknown coming on so late.

[TebowHater]

I like the class. I think we missed in some areas of need and hit some homeruns elsewhere, specifically with DL and LB. We missed on OL and RB's though. Secondary was just okay, but if Putu ends up living up to the hype he gathered the last two weeks then I'd say we did a solid job there as well. He's just a bit of an unknown coming on so late.

Want Putu to sign already so I can rest a little easier there...

[HotlantaHog]

I think the CBB and the staff should evaluate what went wrong and what can be done in future years to improve the ability to attract top talent to Arkansas.

My sense is the staff works very hard -- hopefully they will direct some of that energy toward a strategy that draws the very best players to campus.

[azhog10]

Want Putu to sign already so I can rest a little easier there...

He'll sign. It's cold up there in North Dakota. I'd put off signing if it meant I had to walk outside to get anywhere.

[Nuttcracker, Sweet!]

In the past, at least in different coaching regimes, guys like Cleveland, Fulton, and Jones would not have even come to campus!

Getting them on campus is STILL and ALWAYS WILL BE critical to our chances of signing them.

It just worked out this year that we got none of the late targets. Three years ago, we got Collins and Kirkland late from out of state, Kirkland on signing day.

When a staff is unafraid to take on the Florida's and Texass' and LSU's and 'Bama's of the college football world, we are going to be left at the altar more often than not, just how it is.

It still beats taking most of your recruits away from Sam Houston State and Missouri State like Hooten because you are afraid to compete with the "Big Boys".

7 of these young men had an offer from 'Bama, to wring our hands and moan about the ones who went elsewhere rains on their parade in addition to not helping improve future classes in any way.

It would have been great to get any 2 between Porter, Cleveland, Fulton and Jones. Even one would have been very good. It didn't happen, so I would prefer to focus on the ones who DID sign with us.

[TebowHater]

I think the CBB and the staff should evaluate what went wrong and what can be done in future years to improve the ability to attract top talent to Arkansas.

My sense is the staff works very hard -- hopefully they will direct some of that energy toward a strategy that draws the very best players to campus.

They certainly drew many top players to campus this year -- more than ever. We gotta figure out what it will take to close them. It may just be we have to continue to build our brand and reputation. We love the hogs but I could see how a kid from out of state could feel inferior if he went to ... "Arkansas" than LSU

[JayBell]

We landed the biggest difference maker we were after. Agim is an instant-impact player. And then there was the part where we needed a stud RB and got one.

Exactly.  I think Agim and Whaley were the top two targets.  They got the bulk of who they wanted earlier on.  They just whiffed on the late targets for signing day.  That's the kind of thing that gets solved by winning a few more games, not (legal) investment in recruiting.

[1highhog]

we didn't land anyone.  Thats very disappointing....Why do you think we whiffed?

What the hell do you mean we didn't land anyone?  That's a slap in the face to this whole class!  I do hope you're joking.

[WooPig90]

Get ready for the CBB conference

What time?

[hawginbigd1]

This wasn't the best class we've had in a long time at all. Could actually end up worse than last year

Exactly!!! I am no pessimist, but the finish to this class was weak, and this class is not as good as last years IMO, its not far off, but until now IMO each of his classes have been better than the one before. The last 2 were undervalued IMO, this class is rated just about right.

[JayBell]

In the past, at least in different coaching regimes, guys like Cleveland, Fulton, and Jones would not have even come to campus!

Getting them on campus is STILL and ALWAYS WILL BE critical to our chances of signing them.

It just worked out this year that we got none of the late targets. Three years ago, we got Collins and Kirkland late from out of state, Kirkland on signing day.

When a staff is unafraid to take on the Florida's and Texass' and LSU's and 'Bama's of the college football world, we are going to be left at the altar more often than not, just how it is.

It still beats taking most of your recruits away from Sam Houston State and Missouri State like Hooten because you are afraid to compete with the "Big Boys".

7 of these young men had an offer from 'Bama, to wring our hands and moan about the ones who went elsewhere rains on their parade in addition to not helping improve future classes in any way.

It would have been great to get any 2 between Porter, Cleveland, Fulton and Jones. Even one would have been very good. It didn't happen, so I would prefer to focus on the ones who DID sign with us.

/thread

[Atlhogfan1]

With football, we've always had to recruit out of state. We lost out to teams that we either beat, or finished the season worse than us, and a few of them we've beat multiple times the last few seasons. Again, it's an excuse and recruting outside of Arkansas isn't anything new to anyone. Sorry I was reading this thread and decided to reply to one of your comments. Just found it funny considering your post history.

What is funny about my post history?

No darn we have always had to recruit out of state for most of our players.  How is that an excuse? 

Football recruiting is about location.  It is why the NC has been dominated by programs from the I10/I20 region with the exception of Oh St. 

[1highhog]

Invest more, how?  Bielema and his staff are already in constant communication with recruits.  He flew, what was it, 20,000 miles during recruiting season? 

There's no reason to make more of it than it is.  Arkansas aimed high and missed.  They could have chased some lower rated players and had a bigger class.  They chased some difference makers and missed on all of them.  I don't think that represents some higher failure.

Tell me on fortune teller, how did our staff aim high and miss?  We got the best RB out of Texas that everyone was after, and filled our biggest needs in years at LB.  I would have liked to have had a couple more OL added to this class but every team in the Country didn't get everyone they were after, hell, we got about 7 or 8 players that had Alabama offers on the table.

[PonderinHog]

What time?

Now!

[greenEGnHAWGS]

This thread is getting petty hard to read.

How is it so hard for fans to understand that we are CONSTANTLY going up against teams that have had success very recently with titles and 10-11 win seasons. Once we won more games which is very likely considering how close we were to winning 2-3 more games this year.

Once we get over that hump, this staff will be able to close out on more of these top recruits. But RIGHT NOW, we're still an upcoming team going against elite teams...and are in real contention wroth which is impressive.

Love this class.
Love this staff.
Woo Pig

[PLHawg]

Out of our 22 commits, 5 are from AR.  Does anything else really need to be said?  We are really lacking in home-grown talent this year, and to go into LA, AL, FL, GA or TX and try to pull in 4* or 5* talent with any consistency is a near impossibility, I don't care who our recruiters are.   I believe if we'd won a couple more games this year it could have made a difference on one, maybe two of these recruits, but then again might not made a bit of difference since there were family dynamics involved.

What I do think will pay dividends going forward is coaching stability.  We have geography and lack of in-state talent working against us, but if we can make incremental gains going forward, and show consistency we could start possibly landing recruiting classes in the top 15 or so.  I believe coaching stability is huge going forward.

[TebowHater]

Exactly!!! I am no pessimist, but the finish to this class was weak, and this class is not as good as last years IMO, its not far off, but until now IMO each of his classes have been better than the one before. The last 2 were undervalued IMO, this class is rated just about right.

That said, this class was closer to being the best by far than any of the others. So while we didn't close well, up until that point we were wayyyyy beyond any of the previous years. The closing thing can be somewhat of just luck. I think how close we got to being amazing must be considered. Rarely will you go 0 for 7 on kids you are recruiting very strongly that take OVs. The accomplishment occurred in getting those 7 to campus. I realize this will never be seen in the rankings, but I do think it is progress on how we are recruiting as a whole

[cosmodrum]

Meanwhile, black kids stroll right past the Stars and Bars and dudes dressed like ghosts to play for a guy taught how to coach by Sandra Bullock.

[TNRazorbacker]

We have to prove we can win consistently to be able to pull these types of recruits from bigger programs.  Just how it is.  There was big progress made this year - we had cumulatively the most talent we've ever had visit Fayetteville and consider us.  The relationships the coaches are building now with high school coaches around the country will pay off once things start rolling.

This, like I said before I think its great that we even had these highly rated out of state recruits seriously considering us this late. Even getting one of these guys was a long shot though. I think the board set itself up for the letdown with inflated expectations.

These guys are in states with more highly regarded programs and could go just about anywhere. This means we managed to attract them purely on approach and relationship building. This tells me this staff works hard and knows how to market our product.

Long term this is going to make a difference. We may never drag all or even most of the blue chips that visit but we will eventually get some and they will make an impact.

I had a high school football coach that used to say, "throw enough mud against the wall some is bound to stick". Sucks that we didnt get one but no way do I view this as a let down on the whole. Just learn, adapt, and keep throwing mud.

[azhog10]

What is funny about my post history?

No darn we have always had to recruit out of state for most of our players.  How is that an excuse? 

Football recruiting is about location.  It is why the NC has been dominated by programs from the I10/I20 region with the exception of Oh St.

We are as close to I10/I20 as many other Universities. 10 other Universities not even close to the I10/I20 finished higher than us. Again it's a poor excuse and I would imagine not one any of the staff would use. It's a learning opportunity and it's not anything new.

[PonderinHog]

Burn a couch

[Atlhogfan1]

We are as close to I10/I20 as many other Universities. 10 other Universities not even close to the I10/I20 finished higher than us. Again it's a poor excuse and I would imagine not one any of the staff would use. It's a learning opportunity and it's not anything new.

Learning opportunity?  What is the staff learning?  How can something not new be a learning opportunity? 

Our campus is not as close to that region as much of our competition is and many other universities aren't winning NC's.  Texas, LSU, Bama, AU, FSU, Florida have.  Clemson was close.  Now go back to basketball and join dsims and dap and Shadow/WarPig/jamie and Swine and talk about how poor lil Mike is treated so unfairly and differently. 

[Kevin]

lot of you guys only live in the moment.

this is a good class, with most of the work done early.

lots of these guys committed a long time ago, and stuck to it.

[azhog10]

Learning opportunity?  What is the staff learning? 

Our campus is not as close to that region as much of our competition is and many other universities aren't winning NC's.  Texas, LSU, Bama, AU, FSU, Florida have.  Clemson was close.  Now go back to basketball and join dsims and dap and Shadow/WarPig/jamie and Swine and talk about how poor lil Mike is treated so unfairly and differently.

I think anytime you don't succeed (i.e. get some of your top recruits) there may be things you can learn from it. Maybe something from the in home visits or when the kids called to tell them they weren't going to be coming, maybe there was some information there that shed light on what they were looking for that maybe we didn't show them or don't offer at this time. That's information you can take and use going forward to try and help persuade a kid to come here.

Ironcially you are the only one briging up a different forum and showing your arse. I've had complimentary things to say about this recruiting class and CBB, sorry I don't agree with your excuses and I think there is always things to learn from and get better on. If we aren't doing that as people we aren't growing as individuals. But it's good to see your true colors.

[moses_007]

Well I guess we could just give scholly's to the walk-ons, or flip a few more players from UCA, Arkansas Tech or Henderson.

[Atlhogfan1]

Out of our 22 commits, 5 are from AR.  Does anything else really need to be said?  We are really lacking in home-grown talent this year, and to go into LA, AL, FL, GA or TX and try to pull in 4* or 5* talent with any consistency is a near impossibility, I don't care who our recruiters are.   I believe if we'd won a couple more games this year it could have made a difference on one, maybe two of these recruits, but then again might not made a bit of difference since there were family dynamics involved.

What I do think will pay dividends going forward is coaching stability.  We have geography and lack of in-state talent working against us, but if we can make incremental gains going forward, and show consistency we could start possibly landing recruiting classes in the top 15 or so.  I believe coaching stability is huge going forward.

This, like I said before I think its great that we even had these highly rated out of state recruits seriously considering us this late. Even getting one of these guys was a long shot though. I think the board set itself up for the letdown with inflated expectations.

These guys are in states with more highly regarded programs and could go just about anywhere. This means we managed to attract them purely on approach and relationship building. This tells me this staff works hard and knows how to market our product.

Long term this is going to make a difference. We may never drag all or even most of the blue chips that visit but we will eventually get some and they will make an impact.

I had a high school football coach that used to say, "throw enough mud against the wall some is bound to stick". Sucks that we didnt get one but no way do I view this as a let down on the whole. Just learn, adapt, and keep throwing mud.

This thread is getting petty hard to read.

How is it so hard for fans to understand that we are CONSTANTLY going up against teams that have had success very recently with titles and 10-11 win seasons. Once we won more games which is very likely considering how close we were to winning 2-3 more games this year.

Once we get over that hump, this staff will be able to close out on more of these top recruits. But RIGHT NOW, we're still an upcoming team going against elite teams...and are in real contention wroth which is impressive.

Love this class.
Love this staff.
Woo Pig

I think anytime you don't succeed (i.e. get some of your top recruits) there may be things you can learn from it. Maybe something from the in home visits or when the kids called to tell them they weren't going to be coming, maybe there was some information there that shed light on what they were looking for that maybe we didn't show them or don't offer at this time. That's information you can take and use going forward to try and help persuade a kid to come here.

Ironcially you are the only one briging up a different forum and showing your arse. I've had complimentary things to say about this recruiting class and CBB, sorry I don't agree with your excuses and I think there is always things to learn from and get better on. If we aren't doing that as people we aren't growing as individuals. But it's good to see your true colors.

Do you believe these other posts to be excuses?  Or just mine? 

[rustr]

I don't see it.  It's similar to many classes.  Last year's class was arguably just as good.  Maybe better.

On paper, this class is strongest on the defensive front 7 with offensive skill position after that.  OL and DB are well behind.

I agree. We nailed it on the front 7 and offensive skill positions but it's lacking in other spots. Unless we land some out of left field, overall last year's class was better. We were a few guys away from probably having our best class ever but completely whiffing on all the highly rated guys that came the last weekends hurts. You could tell Bielema was disappointed in that small interview he did on ESPN a little while ago and said "Florida is the new ole miss" pulling out some crazy stuff.

[Sir Oinksalot]

...maybe we need to rethink the fried catfish thing as our focal point...

[moses_007]

...maybe we need to rethink the fried catfish thing as our focal point...

Maybe top sirloin or prime rib would be a better option. 

[JayBell]

Tell me on fortune teller, how did our staff aim high and miss?  We got the best RB out of Texas that everyone was after, and filled our biggest needs in years at LB.  I would have liked to have had a couple more OL added to this class but every team in the Country didn't get everyone they were after, hell, we got about 7 or 8 players that had Alabama offers on the table.

LOL, you don't have to be a fortune teller to see Arkansas missed on every single late target they've had since mid-January.  Porter, Cleveland, Jones, Fulton all came to campus and Arkansas didn't get one of them.  They weren't the only ones they missed on either.

I've also said this is a class that met some needs, but go ahead and try to drum up some contention.

[azhog10]

Do you believe these other posts to be excuses?  Or just mine?

Nice try, check the time stamps....whose came first?

[greenEGnHAWGS]

Do you believe these other posts to be excuses?  Or just mine?

Let me guess...you're just being a "realist"...?

[woodhog14]

What we need is homegrown talent. That has been the biggest disadvantage for Arkansas in the last century. It's gotten worse as the LR school district detioriated.

This is so true. I wish most of our fans would understand this.

[azhog10]

This is so true. I wish most of our fans would understand this.

I think most fans understand that the state doesn't produce the amount of recruits that other states do. However, some sit around and twiddle their thumbs and say "man if only we had homegrown talent like Louisianna or Texas" while others want us to find a way to cope with that fact (because it isn't changing) and find ways to bring in talent like other top notch universities do.

[azhog10]

This is an excuse.

Only 6 of Ole Miss' 25 are from MS.

Bama has 6, one has yet to sign his LOI, 1 a 5 star, 1 4 star, and the rest three stars (the one yet to sign is a 5 star). Arkansas had one 5 star and 2 4 stars from the 5 that signed.

[Hawgndaaz]

Meanwhile, black kids stroll right past the Stars and Bars and dudes dressed like ghosts to play for a guy taught how to coach by Sandra Bullock.

This, in my opinion, is the biggest question of the 2016 recruiting class.

Not why they didn't come to Arkansas, but why they are FLOCKING to Ole Miss. It is mind-numbing to think about. They literally have nothing to offer that we do not. There is SO much more to do in NWA than Oxford. Proximity to Memphis? Tunica? I don't get it. It is a racist, pretentious, over rated boring town. Maybe Fayetteville seems that way too? I don't want to hear about the grove, because football players will get to tailgate exactly zero times during their 4-5 years at Ole Miss. That's for the fans. OH yeah, they get to walk through it before the game.

[immahog]

What we need is homegrown talent.  That has been the biggest disadvantage for Arkansas in the last century.  It's gotten worse as the LR school district detioriated.

THIS is the issue ......every school in the sec has great talent in the back yard every year. We may have 5 players each year maybe

[rustr]

For ANY program outside the states of FL, LA, TX and CA success is predicated on recruiting out of state.

Yep, I get so tired of hearing that excuse. Would it make it easier to have more in state? Sure would. Is there anything we can do about that? Fixing the school districts and increasing the state population come to mind, but that's about it.

MS has a similar population to us but they have more top talent, BUT they also have two SEC schools competing for that talent. We have no other power 5 schools in state so that is an advantage for us. And as you pointed out, if you look at Ole Miss recruits this year, they are sitting the same as us on in-state - but they are drawing in a lot of top talent from out of state. There are a lot of schools that recruit really well that rely on a lot of out of state talent, it's not a very good excuse.

[Atlhogfan1]

For ANY program outside the states of FL, LA, TX and CA success is predicated on recruiting out of state.

Ga


Then you have to consider those programs near these states and what other states like Ohio, Va and the Carolinas can provide to their region.