Coaching, Talent, Development, Scheme, etc. What wins more games?

[LZH]

I don't know that there is a simple answer. Les Miles wins 10 games 70% of the time at LSU and has a National Championship. I don't think that's great coaching on his behalf (granted, the Chavis argument on defense can be made). I'm not sure the development at LSU exceeds expectations either.

Bobby Petrino isn't going to knock the recruiting rankings out of the park, but he has a great scheme and coaches offensive skill players very well.

Honestly, what I like about CBB, and the reason I believe he could win a national championship at Arkansas is that he does all of the above. This is the best four year recruiting effort I can remember at Arkansas. The consistency of talent being brought in at all levels on both sides is better than we've had since recruiting was truly followed.

His development really speaks for itself. So, not only is Arkansas getting a higher quality of player, but their development is better than we've we've had as well. I think we've seen the difference scheme and coaching can make on the defensive side of the ball with the Robb Smith.

I think a solid program and a championship caliber team here or there can be done with any of the above. I think to have a program that consistently provides contenders and breaks through on multiple occasions, it takes all of the above.

Miles has a good eye for talented coaches, and has a good recruiting base.....and, he's not as stupid as we wanna think he is.  BB (yes, I was probably wrong about him) seems like a good recruiter, a hard-ass when necessary, and also has an eye for coaching talent.  If he can keep reeling in some 4* out-of-state talent, I think we'll be OK.

[bennyl08]

Not sure recruiting comes first. Look no further than Ole Piss. They are consistently landing amazing classes and generally finish lower of the pack in the SECW, in terms of wins. They have not had good coaching in years, which is a waste of all the talent they have.
I think Coaching > Recruiting > Development > Scheme

Consistently? Their recruiting was round 30 in the early 2000's and they struggled to make a bowl. A few seasons of recruiting around 20th and they bumped up towards 9 win seasons. However, this was Nutt so they quickly fell off when Oregeron's recruits left and it was just Nutt's guys. Then, they two years with top 10 classes coming off of 0-16 in the SEC and they bumped from 2-7-8 wins total but as their win total was only 9 this year, their recruiting fell off to 17th. While they do typically do less with more, it is not nearly to the degree that you mention. Plus, their rankings relative to the SEC are pretty consistent.

I'd add Georgia to that list, too.

Georgia pretty consistently wins 10+ games each year. The general exception to this is when they have a high NFL year their wins tend to drop the next year (see 2011: 10 wins, 7 draft picks; 2012: 12 wins, 8 draft picks; 2013: 8 wins, jut lost 15 draft 2 years prior and only produced 2 draft picks following that season; 2014: 10 wins, 5 draft picks). If Goergia underplayed with 50 wins vs 22 draft picks, what does that say about Arkansas having 14 wins over the past 3 years but with 13 draft picks over that same time span?

[LZH]

Georgia pretty consistently wins 10+ games each year. The general exception to this is when they have a high NFL year their wins tend to drop the next year (see 2011: 10 wins, 7 draft picks; 2012: 12 wins, 8 draft picks; 2013: 8 wins, jut lost 15 draft 2 years prior and only produced 2 draft picks following that season; 2014: 10 wins, 5 draft picks). If Goergia underplayed with 50 wins vs 22 draft picks, what does that say about Arkansas having 14 wins over the past 3 years but with 13 draft picks over that same time span?

Georgia is just a few hours drive of recruiting heaven.  I know they win a lot, but they should have a couple National Championships by now....they really should.

[bphi11ips]

Miles has a good eye for talented coaches, and has a good recruiting base.....and, he's not as stupid as we wanna think he is.  BB (yes, I was probably wrong about him) seems like a good recruiter, a hard-ass when necessary, and also has an eye for coaching talent.  If he can keep reeling in some 4* out-of-state talent, I think we'll be OK.

It amuses me the way Hogville runs Les Miles down.  He's a very good football coach.

Coaching is the single most important factor to building a consistently winning football program.  That's true from youth football to the NFL.  It's more about the process than anything else, and it's that winning process that serves as a template for success beyond football. 

[LZH]

It amuses me the way Hogville runs Les Miles down.  He's a very good football coach.

Coaching is the single most important factor to building a consistently winning football program.  That's true from youth football to the NFL.  It's more about the process than anything else, and it's that winning process that serves as a template for success beyond football. 

I'd rather have the best players than the best coach....but usually the best coach gets the best players, so that's probably kind of a wash.  I still like the old saying "he can take his and beat yours, or he can take yours and beat you".

[bphi11ips]

I'd rather have the best players than the best coach....but usually the best coach gets the best players, so that's probably kind of a wash.  I still like the old saying "he can take his and beat yours, or he can take yours and beat you".

Said about Bear Bryant.  There are limits to what a coach can do.  Nick Saban couldn't take Toledo ' s players and win a NC.  But the coach is still the single most important factor and there are lots of examples from Rockne to Belichick. 

[LZH]

Said about Bear Bryant.  There are limits to what a coach can do.  Nick Saban couldn't take Toledo ' s players and win a NC.  But the coach is still the single most important factor and there are lots of examples from Rockne to Belichick. 

Can't make much of an argument about that one.  That 2003 team, and certainly that 2006 team (some could argue 2010 & 2011) had a bunch of talent, but our higher-than-thou coaching staff(s) was asleep at the wheel.

[LAHogfan123]

Coaching, and developing of talent.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

You can argue any aspect, but I think this is correct.  In today's CFB landscape, you won't ever have enough talent to compete if you don't excel at recruiting, and that's linked directly to the coach regardless of how many people he has delegated some of that to.  To me...it's simple.  You won't win without great players, but you won't have them without at least a very good coach.   

I think AD support is our best chance of keeping BB here long term.  I think he's been on the other side of the fence and clearly knows the difference between a supportive AD, and one who thwarts you every step of the way.  Eventually, you get so used to hearing no that you more or less resign yourself to the current situation, and that has a profound negative effect on most people in the workplace.  There's a LOT of value in knowing your boss believes in you and will go to bat for you.  I'm not sure you can put a value on that work environment. 

I love what he's doing, and I agree that you need a great coach to ever even get great talent in today's CFB landscape.  One thing you also need is some luck.  You have to get some amazing in state talent along the way that was well developed along the way, or a few kids from out of state have to be impressed enough to buck the 250 mile radius trend and come be a Hog.  That's in ADDITION to the trench warfare you have to be engaged in to get every player you can with hard work and dedication to recruiting.   

I think it's kinda an ironic way to look at it, but he's building the team to mimic his personality.  He believes success follows hard work.  You get better with constant discipline and putting in the effort.  If you're putting in the effort in the trenches, you're going to need less luck.  I think our team and style is like that too.  We're improving in the trenches, and now what it is going to take is some luck sprinkled in with all of the hard work, and to get some elite skill players that can marry up with the solid base he's building. 

My only concern is whether or not he gets those players on a timeline that works for him, the UA, and the fans.  I guess we'll see.... 

I think you are right about Bielema loving the support that he receives from the AD and Administration in general and though I don't think it was purposely meant to make things more difficult for him at Wisconsin, I think their overall philosophy for that particular conference was one that frustrated him. It's difficult to build continuity and attract better Assistant's if they know they aren't going to get compensated as much as they could elsewhere? It appears that Long is committed to helping him in this way.

As for "luck", there is luck and then there is dumb luck. Some luck you create yourself by applying pressure and being in unexpected places at unexpected times. An example, as a DT you are executing a slant call with perfect technique and appear in the backfield at the time of the hand-off and the RB is distracted by your sudden presence, doesn't secure the ball, and fumbles. That is luck that you created by perfectly executing a called move.

Then there is the "luck" where a ball carrier is trying to avoid several tacklers and one guys helmet or hand happens to land on the ball (not purposely) and the ball comes out. It can happen very purposely but let's assume for this example that wasn't the case. Then that would be "dumb luck". Unplanned, but poor technique on the part of the ball carrier just made it possible to occur.

Whether purposeful or by accident, it is nice to have either one but especially so if you have scouted a certain ball carrier and know that he gets careless in certain situations and you take advantage of that situation by being successful in punching the ball out. Some folks see this as "luck". Most players and coaches see this as the execution of carefully practiced technique. Sometimes, you create your own luck.