Wally Hall confirms what we all know We are behind the 8 ball on recruiting.

[Atlhogfan1]

I was very hopeful when BB was hired that he would be able to really step up our recruiting...... at least enough we would have a class break into the top 10 every few years when the instate talent boosted the class. His rhetoric sounded convincing but the reality after 4 years is about the same as our past. And this level is never going to get us a championship absent a miracle player or three that materialize out of three star players or in-state talent.

Well instate talent hasn't come close to approaching this.

[kp72204]

If we could move the campus to south Arkansas, would recruiting pick up. Also if we had a couple of factories spring up and more jobs available (i started a business if I could). Have a couple of cities where everybody had a job and BAM more talent would be available (just have to wait a few years).

[East Clintwood]

Charlie Strong had over 25 players from Florida on the Louisville team at the same time.  It is possible for a good recruiter who knows an area well (strong connections to the area HSs) to bring in good players from far away.

[Oklahawg]

You can recruit Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, etc., players to Arkansas. Do you have to take marginal citizens and questionable transcripts to do so? Risk management.

Said otherwise, do you want JoJo Robinson or Cody Hollister? JoJo is the "star" recruit with character and transcript issues. Hollister is a lesser talent but a solid citizen and a productive player.

And, it is easier to find a player like Hollister - look how many WR get 3-star ratings. Finding a DT who can move a pile, or a LB long enough to fill passing lanes and fast enough to run down a TE, is a lot tougher.

There is an issue recruiting too many players from Arkansas - they don't see competition in practice, let alone games. Too many small high schools where a player may have to play out of position because they are the only college-worthy talent on the field. DBs rarely see sophisticated offenses with college-worthy QBs. WRs rarely face a lock-down cover CB.

Consider Austin Beck. Austin was from Nowata, OK, a 2A OK high school with a modest history of success. His senior year all four playoff qualifiers in their district advanced to the final 8 in the state. An impressive achievement given there are 8 districts and two school had to win 2 road games. Austin was ginormous compared to the rest of his roster. Not one other lineman was over 6-2 (Austin was 6-7). Only the very best teams had more than 2-3 200+ pounders playing on the OL. Many were shaped like dorm refrigerators with similar skill sets.

Beck owned every game he played in. There was a video I saw of Beck being blocked by four OL while he was playing DL. Four! It looked like a crazy uncle playing with 3- or 4-year old nephews.

Beck is stereotypical of small-school players. Never saw one player his entire senior year who played D1 football on any of the other teams, despite playing good teams.

Contrast that with Jenks, OK, who will have 4-5 D1 players sign and another 8-10 sign with smaller schools. Jordan Curtis (UA commit) practices against far better talent than most teams Beck played against.  In fact, he sees better JV competition in practice than in many varsity games. That is what you covet - players with elite expectations nurtured over years of high-end competition. He knows the speed of the game, he has played against numerous D1 players. And, for what it is worth, he pops off the screen when you watch highlights on Friday nights. He is clearly a special talent.

[Piggfoot]

If we could move the campus to south Arkansas, would recruiting pick up. Also if we had a couple of factories spring up and more jobs available (i started a business if I could). Have a couple of cities where everybody had a job and BAM more talent would be available (just have to wait a few years).

I heard Frank said it would be better if they had located the school in Texarkana.

[Pork Twain]

Butch Jones is a perfect example of the difference a coach can make in recruiting alone.  As of now the Vols rank 8th nationally in recruiting. They've got 27 commits only 7 from in-state. CBJ may not be an Xs and Os type of guy but he definitely knows what to sell those kids to get them to sign on with his Vols.

This type of recruiting along with the success to back it up can completely change the landscape of the Razorback football program. If we build it they will come.

Again Tennessee has the intangibles that Arkansas does not have, a NC the kids parents can remember, recent major success, Peyton Manning and Neyland stadium.  Also most of their other recruits are from VA, FL AL.

http://tennessee.247sports.com/Season/2017-Football/Commits

[DeltaBoy]

Due to Tenner being a long state vs a more square shaped Ark they border more states.

Tenner borders 8 states  Ark 6  plus Ohio and West Virginia not far away.

[Razorbackers]

[hogfan58]

It's not rocket science....

1) Keep every high rated kid in the state
2) Recruit the border states (LA, TX, OK, MO, TN)
3) Use contacts from days at Wisconsin to recruit FLA, WIS, IL, Iowa, etc.

There are enough kids in LA and TX that all the schools there can't sign them all. NLA and DFW area should be good for us.

[hogsanity]

You can recruit Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, etc., players to Arkansas. Do you have to take marginal citizens and questionable transcripts to do so? Risk management.

Said otherwise, do you want JoJo Robinson or Cody Hollister? JoJo is the "star" recruit with character and transcript issues. Hollister is a lesser talent but a solid citizen and a productive player.

And, it is easier to find a player like Hollister - look how many WR get 3-star ratings. Finding a DT who can move a pile, or a LB long enough to fill passing lanes and fast enough to run down a TE, is a lot tougher.

There is an issue recruiting too many players from Arkansas - they don't see competition in practice, let alone games. Too many small high schools where a player may have to play out of position because they are the only college-worthy talent on the field. DBs rarely see sophisticated offenses with college-worthy QBs. WRs rarely face a lock-down cover CB.

Consider Austin Beck. Austin was from Nowata, OK, a 2A OK high school with a modest history of success. His senior year all four playoff qualifiers in their district advanced to the final 8 in the state. An impressive achievement given there are 8 districts and two school had to win 2 road games. Austin was ginormous compared to the rest of his roster. Not one other lineman was over 6-2 (Austin was 6-7). Only the very best teams had more than 2-3 200+ pounders playing on the OL. Many were shaped like dorm refrigerators with similar skill sets.

Beck owned every game he played in. There was a video I saw of Beck being blocked by four OL while he was playing DL. Four! It looked like a crazy uncle playing with 3- or 4-year old nephews.

Beck is stereotypical of small-school players. Never saw one player his entire senior year who played D1 football on any of the other teams, despite playing good teams.

Contrast that with Jenks, OK, who will have 4-5 D1 players sign and another 8-10 sign with smaller schools. Jordan Curtis (UA commit) practices against far better talent than most teams Beck played against.  In fact, he sees better JV competition in practice than in many varsity games. That is what you covet - players with elite expectations nurtured over years of high-end competition. He knows the speed of the game, he has played against numerous D1 players. And, for what it is worth, he pops off the screen when you watch highlights on Friday nights. He is clearly a special talent.

very good post

[IronHog]

very good post

Melvin Bradley came from Barton and was a bad, bad man.


Big project kid from OK is what he is......

[Youngsta71701]

We have 19 seniors on this roster.
17 of them have been starters at some point during their career at Arkansas.
1 of them has been a key contributor.
1 had bad luck with knee injuries that may have held him back from seeing significant playing time.
This is what Coach B is trying to build this program on once he get's it rolling.
4th year Juniors and 5th year Seniors with your occasional blue chips mixed in.
I got a vision of his masterpiece. I just hope he can finish painting it.

Like I said in an earlier post. We're never going to have a roster full of 4 and 5 star recruits. But with good development we can turn recruits into 4 and 5 star players with experience and have a good football team before they leave.

[Michael D Huff AIA]

http://247sports.com/Season/2017-Football/RecruitRankings?State=AR

According to this site, UA has commitments from 4 of the top 5 players in this state: #1, #2, #3, and #5.  The #4 player is going to Alabama.  It lists the states all 20 commits are from as Arkansas (4), Louisiana (4), Florida (2), Texas (2), and others.  The #4 player is the highest rated 4*, and the list goes down from there.  The #7, #8 and #10 players are all not committed.

247Sports has us with the #23 class with the #10 SEC class. 

First blush tells me that we are getting what talent we have in this state.  We aren't overflowing with talent as a state but it looks like we are getting it.

[thefisher]

http://247sports.com/Season/2017-Football/RecruitRankings?State=AR

According to this site, UA has commitments from 4 of the top 5 players in this state: #1, #2, #3, and #5.  The #4 player is going to Alabama.  It lists the states all 20 commits are from as Arkansas (4), Louisiana (4), Florida (2), Texas (2), and others.  The #4 player is the highest rated 4*, and the list goes down from there.  The #7, #8 and #10 players are all not committed.

247Sports has us with the #23 class with the #10 SEC class. 

First blush tells me that we are getting what talent we have in this state.  We aren't overflowing with talent as a state but it looks like we are getting it.

Right you are sir.  There were only 5 in state recruits that were talented enough to garner an offer this time around. One of those is academically ineligible. So ... actually only 4 in state recruits this year that can make the roster.

How someone can compare that to places having 50-100 D1 players within 200 miles of campus to recruit from is insanity.

That is the challenge with Arkansas football.  There are no great talent beds within 150-175 miles of campus.  Tulsa/Broken Arrow area has some good football but is only 120 miles from OU and 70 miles from Oklahoma State. Playing for a P5 team in your home state and staying closer to home or consider the Hogs.  That one isn't going the hogs way very often if those kids have offers from OU and/or O State. Unfortunately, that's as good as it gets for out if state recruiting.

[hogsanity]

Right you are sir.  There were only 5 in state recruits that were talented enough to garner an offer this time around. One of those is academically ineligible. So ... actually only 4 in state recruits this year that can make the roster.

How someone can compare that to places having 50-100 D1 players within 200 miles of campus to recruit from is insanity.

That is the challenge with Arkansas football.  There are no great talent beds within 150-175 miles of campus.  Tulsa/Broken Arrow area has some good football but is only 120 miles from OU and 70 miles from Oklahoma State. Playing for a P5 team in your home state and staying closer to home or consider the Hogs.  That one isn't going the hogs way very often of those kids have offers from OU and/or O State. Unfortunately, that's as good as it gets for out if state recruiting.

BUT, BUT, BUT if the kids we get just want it bad enough, and the coaches just put in the effort, talent just does not matter. A bunch of walkon's with heart and dedicated coaches can win the sec.

[IronHog]

Right you are sir.  There were only 5 in state recruits that were talented enough to garner an offer this time around. One of those is academically ineligible. So ... actually only 4 in state recruits this year that can make the roster.

How someone can compare that to places having 50-100 D1 players within 200 miles of campus to recruit from is insanity.

That is the challenge with Arkansas football.  There are no great talent beds within 150-175 miles of campus.  Tulsa/Broken Arrow area has some good football but is only 120 miles from OU and 70 miles from Oklahoma State. Playing for a P5 team in your home state and staying closer to home or consider the Hogs.  That one isn't going the hogs way very often of those kids have offers from OU and/or O State. Unfortunately, that's as good as it gets for out if state recruiting.

Which is the primary case for Arkansas being in the big 12.....


Except Arkansas, ATM, Neb, and Mizzou killed it.....stuck in the SEC with no Texas recruiting.

[jkstock04]

I hope y'all remember this thread come signing day in February when we are celebrating like we won the lottery despite being at the bottom of the SEC in the rankings.

Never ceases to amaze me. Same thing every year. Only time people will admit there is a problem in recruiting/talent is the week after getting dog whipped by a much more talented conference foe. Come signing day when we get the per usual 25-40th ranked class and bottom of the SEC there will be nothing but sunshine and rainbows.

Supposedly Bielemas plan will take 5 years to implement. We got another year to go of the rebuild. Fun times.

[Deep Shoat]

I hope y'all remember this thread come signing day in February when we are celebrating like we won the lottery despite being at the bottom of the SEC in the rankings.

Never ceases to amaze me. Same thing every year. Only time people will admit there is a problem in recruiting/talent is the week after getting dog whipped by a much more talented conference foe. Come signing day when we get the per usual 25-40th ranked class and bottom of the SEC there will be nothing but sunshine and rainbows.

Supposedly Bielemas plan will take 5 years to implement. We got another year to go of the rebuild. Fun times.

Are you saying we shouldn't celebrate the kids that sign with the Hogs?

[elviscat]

Don't waste your time reading Wally Hall, he wouldn't know the truth if it were a base fiddle hitting him in the ass. I don't see how he keeps his job, he is the worst sports writer in the business. Boring!!!!!

[jkstock04]

Are you saying we shouldn't celebrate the kids that sign with the Hogs?

I think people should understand what they are celebrating. Seems like in this thread at the present most everyone gets it. Talent disparity for us is a legit excuse.

But come Feb 2nd most everyone takes crazy pills and forgets.

[Biggus Piggus]

I think people should understand what they are celebrating. Seems like in this thread at the present most everyone gets it. Talent disparity for us is a legit excuse.

But come Feb 2nd most everyone takes crazy pills and forgets.

I want our coaching staff to get the players they want, every year. If they are the right players, we'll eventually know. If they aren't, that too. Then I will want our next coaching staff to get the players they want.

[Deep Shoat]

I think people should understand what they are celebrating. Seems like in this thread at the present most everyone gets it. Talent disparity for us is a legit excuse.

But come Feb 2nd most everyone takes crazy pills and forgets.

i think people just celebrate the kids who choose to be hogs.  Feb 2 isn't the day to be critical dickbags.

[DeltaBoy]

In Years past I taken NSD off from work to watch ESPN and keep up with recuriting for the Hogs.  I missed last year. But I might do it again.

[Torqued pork]

In Years past I taken NSD off from work to watch ESPN and keep up with recuriting for the Hogs.  I missed last year. But I might do it again.

Playing hooky to hear ESPN say the Hogs signed the 10th best class in the SEC? I take it you work for the government?