Recruiting

[LR54]

Having a hard time finding that information. Can you give me a link to that?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/02/08/2008-recruiting-classes/

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/02/06/re-ranking-class-of-2009/

[MuskogeeHogFan]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/02/08/2008-recruiting-classes/

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/02/06/re-ranking-class-of-2009/

Thanks for the links, but that shows one class upgraded and notice that the next year, even with TW at QB, that class wasn't upgraded.

Inconsistent recruiting is all that says to me.

[hogsanity]

Thanks for the links, but that shows one class upgraded and notice that the next year, even with TW at QB, that class wasn't upgraded.

Inconsistent recruiting is all that says to me.

All I need to see from BP's recruiting is that his best recruits were in the 2008 class, and all were in state guys ( counting RM although he went to HS in Texas ).  IF not for that freakish in state group in 2008, what would his tenure here have been like. 

[Hawgon]

Its funny how there are some that say we can't win the way that Arkansas has traditionally tried (running oriented offense) but then out the other side of their mouth they say we need to concentrate our recruiting in our traditional areas.

How is that even related?  Do you read what you post?

[RedSkiesAtNightHog]

Because this staff has little experience in and almost no Texas recruiting connections and would rather mess around in South Florida getting a recruit or two than to concentrate on our traditional recruiting area of Texas.

The main reason I wanted Mike Gundy was because his entire team is built on Texas kids and he could have brought that entire Texas recruiting framework three and a half hours east.

And that is why I wanted Art Briles!

[RedSkiesAtNightHog]

lol @ recruiting Texas.  I'd rather have a roster with a few Arkansas kids and mixed in with a few Florida/Georgia/Louisiana kids than an entire roster filled with Texas kids.  SEC kids make SEC teams. 

I guess you missed the fact that Texas is an SEC state!

[tophawg19]

i'd say the top 250 would be more accurate or top 500 . consider Trey Flowers and smith were 3 star guys .

[Acehawg]

Because this staff has little experience in and almost no Texas recruiting connections and would rather mess around in South Florida getting a recruit or two than to concentrate on our traditional recruiting area of Texas.

The main reason I wanted Mike Gundy was because his entire team is built on Texas kids and he could have brought that entire Texas recruiting framework three and a half hours east.

Yeah, it would have worked out great.  But sometimes a man (Long) must forge his own path and prove to everyone else he knows better.

[hogsanity]

And that is why I wanted Art Briles!

Yes we needed a coach whose team scored 63 AND LOST. 4 times have scored 50+ and lost. Briles may be the only coach to be worse at putting a D on the field than BP was.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I guess you missed the fact that Texas is an SEC state!

I'm not sure that Briles would have come here anyway. Rumors have been that he wants the Texas job but I'll be shocked if Texas hires him as their HC even if he is a "Texas boy". Reason? That Texas bunch tends to like solid defense. It isn't their offense down there that is the problem, it is the defense that allows 431.7 yds per game and is currently ranked #90 in the nation. You would think by looking at Baylor's total defense numbers this year that they have finally embraced defense (#11 nationally right now) but they haven't really faced anyone yet who has the ability to generate very much offense. We'll see how good their defense really is once they start a 5 game grind with Oklahoma, then Texas Tech, Okla State, TCU and Texas.

And I quoted the wrong quote from you here obviously. Meant to quote your remarks about wanting Briles here at Arkansas.

[the_kosher_pig]

I guess you missed the fact that Texas is an SEC state!

Imported SEC state. 

[texas tush hog]

Very good RBs and big slow linemen love this power football but most fans don't and choose to do as our HC does and appear to fall asleep on game day.  I know thats a jab and was meant to be but I do wish BB would show some emotion and quit looking like he has the flu and took too much over the counter sleep medicine just before the game.  Get in the game instead of standing with a disapproving look of a Father who expected more from the Kids and got less. 

Maybe we could give him some of Nutt's happy pills. Then he could jump around on the sidelines and look like a winnah and a fightah.

[RazorReddie]

Rebuild Through Recruiting:

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/72963/sec-programs-rebuild-with-focus-on-recruiting

..."Bielema is out to bring that same edge back to Arkansas, the kind of blue-collar attitude he established at Wisconsin before leaving for the SEC. He and his staff have cast a wide net to get the kind of players they need to make that happen, drawing on spots like Florida and the Midwest. Bielema boarded a private jet Monday to visit four different states and see his top offensive line prospects.

"One of our donors gave us that opportunity before and I told him he had a huge impact in recruiting," he said. "At times that's worth a lot of value. We could have as many as four true freshmen All-Americans this year. If we can do that again it will be worth its weight in gold."

Adhering to the old attitude of staying in your state borders and within the hierarchy of the SEC won't cut it for coaches like Bielema, Jones and Stoops"...

I think Bielema and his staff will improve recruiting at the U of A. However, other SEC programs who had recent HC changes like Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the year before Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss have out recruited Bielema and his staff hands down.
Not to mention the top tier teams like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida, etc. 

 

[RazorPiggie]

Rebuild Through Recruiting:

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/72963/sec-programs-rebuild-with-focus-on-recruiting

..."Bielema is out to bring that same edge back to Arkansas, the kind of blue-collar attitude he established at Wisconsin before leaving for the SEC. He and his staff have cast a wide net to get the kind of players they need to make that happen, drawing on spots like Florida and the Midwest. Bielema boarded a private jet Monday to visit four different states and see his top offensive line prospects.

"One of our donors gave us that opportunity before and I told him he had a huge impact in recruiting," he said. "At times that's worth a lot of value. We could have as many as four true freshmen All-Americans this year. If we can do that again it will be worth its weight in gold."

Adhering to the old attitude of staying in your state borders and within the hierarchy of the SEC won't cut it for coaches like Bielema, Jones and Stoops"...

I think Bielema and his staff will improve recruiting at the U of A. However, other SEC programs who had recent HC changes like Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the year before Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss have out recruited Bielema and his staff hands down.
Not to mention the top tier teams like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida, etc. 

UK is higher in the recruiting ranking than we are right now because they have 25 guys committed.

How hard is it to look at the guys they and the guys we have and notice that we are slightly better than they are right now and definitely will be when it is all said and done? How hard is it to look at the each class and see that they have 25 guys committed and we only have 17 guys. OF COURSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE RANKED HIGHER THAN US RIGHT NOW DUMMY!!! Please get that through your thick skull.

4th dumbest fan base in the nation. #1 in the SEC.

[RazorReddie]

So I'm supposed to feel better by you telling me its close, but we are probably out recruiting Kentucky, a basketball school.  Who is the real DUMMY? 



Wait, I think I have the answer to that question:

http://outkickthecoverage.com/the-ten-dumbest-fan-bases-in-america-2-the-kentucky-wildcats.php

Hey, you were right!  It was close, but it looks like they are DUMBER than we are.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

So I'm supposed to feel better by you telling me its close, but we are probably out recruiting Kentucky, a basketball school.  Who is the real DUMMY? 

UK is higher in the recruiting ranking than we are right now because they have 25 guys committed.

How hard is it to look at the guys they and the guys we have and notice that we are slightly better than they are right now and definitely will be when it is all said and done? How hard is it to look at the each class and see that they have 25 guys committed and we only have 17 guys. OF COURSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE RANKED HIGHER THAN US RIGHT NOW DUMMY!!! Please get that through your thick skull.

4th dumbest fan base in the nation. #1 in the SEC.

Please read, Reddie. It would help a great deal.

[RazorPiggie]

Please read, Reddie. It would help a great deal.

No point.

[12247]

I am not a BB crotch licker but I do believe his staff didn't have ample time last year to fully show their stuff recruiting.  I have often wondered why each of those fine coaches couldn't bring at least 1 each of those great recruits they were on before signing on with Arkansas.  You know great coaches have a following, yet the only follower was Collins who stayed with BB when he came to us.

I started this recruiting thread and I'll say, shut up and show me.  Some very good coaches have recruited to Arkansas over the past 50 years and I do not believe we've notched anything top 5 ever and maybe never a top 10.  Moving to the SEC where its do or die, we've died.  Forgive me if I don't just fall all over the new Guy who is offering he can getter done.  Show me.

[Wildhog]

I am not a BB crotch licker but I do believe his staff didn't have ample time last year to fully show their stuff recruiting.  I have often wondered why each of those fine coaches couldn't bring at least 1 each of those great recruits they were on before signing on with Arkansas.  You know great coaches have a following, yet the only follower was Collins who stayed with BB when he came to us.

I started this recruiting thread and I'll say, shut up and show me.  Some very good coaches have recruited to Arkansas over the past 50 years and I do not believe we've notched anything top 5 ever and maybe never a top 10.  Moving to the SEC where its do or die, we've died.  Forgive me if I don't just fall all over the new Guy who is offering he can getter done.  Show me.

If you're expecting top ten, you're never going to be satisfied.





Ever.

[12247]

I agree with the poster who said we need to offer more top talent, win or lose.  We will never be at our best withut great effort in Texas.  Talent is there, we need to pound that area all the time.  Its unlikely that we could ever pull enough top recruits out of FLA, GA, LA, and Miss to add to the homegrown Kids to make us top tier.  We need 2 or 3 Kids annually from eastern OK and a dozen from Texas every year and you will see a huge difference in our team quality.  Might not be an SEC winner but much closer than we've truly ever been.

[The Artist Yo Huckleberry]

I agree with the poster who said we need to offer more top talent, win or lose.  We will never be at our best withut great effort in Texas.  Talent is there, we need to pound that area all the time.  Its unlikely that we could ever pull enough top recruits out of FLA, GA, LA, and Miss to add to the homegrown Kids to make us top tier.  We need 2 or 3 Kids annually from eastern OK and a dozen from Texas every year and you will see a huge difference in our team quality.  Might not be an SEC winner but much closer than we've truly ever been.

This. The best teams we have ever had at Arkansas were loaded with Texans.

[dwcherr]

UK is higher in the recruiting ranking than we are right now because they have 25 guys committed.

How hard is it to look at the guys they and the guys we have and notice that we are slightly better than they are right now and definitely will be when it is all said and done? How hard is it to look at the each class and see that they have 25 guys committed and we only have 17 guys. OF COURSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE RANKED HIGHER THAN US RIGHT NOW DUMMY!!! Please get that through your thick skull.

4th dumbest fan base in the nation. #1 in the SEC.

You make it clear that you know absolutely nothing about recruiting rankings. They have 8 four stars and 8 5.7 three stars (the highest 3 star) out of 25 commits.

They have an average star ranking of 3.28 with 25 commits. We, on the other hand, have 3 four stars and four 5.7 three stars committed. That gives us an average star ranking of 3.12.

They have 15 players that made the list among their position groups. We have 6.

They have both more players committed and better players committed. They are currently ranked #7 and will probably end up #11 or 12. We are currently #26 and will probably end up about #24 or 25.

Texas ATM, LSU, and Michigan are ranked 10th, 14th, and 17th respectively and all have 15 commits.

In order to even sniff KENTUCKY in recruiting, we will have to get 5 four stars out of the next 8 commits.

[DoctorSusscrofa]

I am not a BB crotch licker but I do believe his staff didn't have ample time last year to fully show their stuff recruiting.  I have often wondered why each of those fine coaches couldn't bring at least 1 each of those great recruits they were on before signing on with Arkansas.  You know great coaches have a following, yet the only follower was Collins who stayed with BB when he came to us.

I started this recruiting thread and I'll say, shut up and show me.  Some very good coaches have recruited to Arkansas over the past 50 years and I do not believe we've notched anything top 5 ever and maybe never a top 10.  Moving to the SEC where its do or die, we've died.  Forgive me if I don't just fall all over the new Guy who is offering he can getter done.  Show me.

A couple of observations.  First, although I'm sure some of the coaches did try to turn a recruit or two after they joined Arkansas, it might be tougher to get a player to follow you to a new school after you've spent months or even years trying to convince them to attend your old school.  If I've been telling you all about how good Wisconsin, TCU or someone else is and how it's your "perfect fit" I probably don't want to undermine my own sales pitch by changing my tune and saying that old school is now "not your perfect fit."  Especially if I've only just started at Arkansas (so how would I really know?).  A full year into my new job, I might be far more convincing because I now really know my new school and I don't seem like I'm just flip-flopping for convenience. Second, the new staff did recruit Skipper and Kirkland, so it's not like they were totally ineffective other than AC.  I don't know how they'll do this coming spring, but I'm at least willing to let them show me.

[DoctorSusscrofa]

This. The best teams we have ever had at Arkansas were loaded with Texans.

I agree that we need to recruit Texas hard. But with aTm and Mizzou now in the conference and doing well we have to get what we can from Fla/Ga/La now too. The two new kids are clearly getting a boost by SEC membership and we can't just rely on TX/Ok/AR.  Even if we only get one or two AC type players out of the Southeast each year, it will make a difference.

[LJHOG]

Recruiting is a marathon, not a sprint.

The race is just about 3/4 over.

the "race" was over before it started for Arkansas.

[CDBHawg]

the "race" was over before it started for Arkansas.

Why? or How?

[Pig In The City]

PLEASE no. The recruiting forum is bad enough right now, we don't need the hysteria of MMQB over there!

You must have me confused with someone else.  There is no hysteria here.  But your exclamation mark gives me pause.

[the_kosher_pig]

The best team Alabama had (2011) and what might be one of the top teams of all time.........

http://alabama.scout.com/a.z?s=14&p=8&c=2&nid=745&yr=2011
Well, a whopping 4 contributed from Texas. 

That's unfair.  They are a few states away.  Let's go with what might have been the 1A for greatest teams of all time, LSU in 2011.
http://louisianastate.scout.com/a.z?s=107&p=8&c=2&nid=748&yr=2011
They dominated that roster representing Texas.  11 players.  From a bordering state. 

And now you queue up the "but they have fertile recruiting grounds in state"
And that's exactly my point.  Load up with Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida kids.  That's what wins for you. 

[RazorPiggie]

You make it clear that you know absolutely nothing about recruiting rankings. They have 8 four stars and 8 5.7 three stars (the highest 3 star) out of 25 commits.

They have an average star ranking of 3.28 with 25 commits. We, on the other hand, have 3 four stars and four 5.7 three stars committed. That gives us an average star ranking of 3.12.

They have 15 players that made the list among their position groups. We have 6.

They have both more players committed and better players committed. They are currently ranked #7 and will probably end up #11 or 12. We are currently #26 and will probably end up about #24 or 25.

Texas ATM, LSU, and Michigan are ranked 10th, 14th, and 17th respectively and all have 15 commits.

In order to even sniff KENTUCKY in recruiting, we will have to get 5 four stars out of the next 8 commits.

Rivals is quickly becoming as bad as Scout in the recruiting department. Look at 24/7. Our average recruit ranking is 86.64 and UKs is 86.59. And that is their composite ranking that factors in every recruiting services rankings.

[ricepig]

Rivals is quickly becoming as bad as Scout in the recruiting department. Look at 24/7. Our average recruit ranking is 86.64 and UKs is 86.59. And that is their composite ranking that factors in every recruiting services rankings.

It doesn't fit their agenda, they never look at 247's composite ranking.

[dwcherr]

Rivals is quickly becoming as bad as Scout in the recruiting department. Look at 24/7. Our average recruit ranking is 86.64 and UKs is 86.59. And that is their composite ranking that factors in every recruiting services rankings.

First you talk about how bad Scout is then you point to a ranking that USES SCOUT'S RANKING IN THEIR FORMULA. Like it or not, Rivals is still #1 by a wide margin when it comes to football recruiting.

How about this. Ban bets with both of y'all as to who's class is ranked higher??

[870hogfan]

First you talk about how bad Scout is then you point to a ranking that USES SCOUT'S RANKING IN THEIR FORMULA. Like it or not, Rivals is still #1 by a wide margin when it comes to football recruiting.

How about this. Ban bets with both of y'all as to who's class is ranked higher??

Lol Rivals is not what it used to be. Most of the rivals guys went to 247.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I am not a BB crotch licker but I do believe his staff didn't have ample time last year to fully show their stuff recruiting.  I have often wondered why each of those fine coaches couldn't bring at least 1 each of those great recruits they were on before signing on with Arkansas.  You know great coaches have a following, yet the only follower was Collins who stayed with BB when he came to us.

I started this recruiting thread and I'll say, shut up and show me.  Some very good coaches have recruited to Arkansas over the past 50 years and I do not believe we've notched anything top 5 ever and maybe never a top 10.  Moving to the SEC where its do or die, we've died.  Forgive me if I don't just fall all over the new Guy who is offering he can getter done.  Show me.

I don't think that anyne need be a "BB Homer" or anything to know that when you come into a job and only have two months to close out a recruiting class (while you are still hiring staff) that you are at a distinct disadvantage to your competition.

Now that being said, I have done some more research and expanded it to the Rivals 250. Now everyone can question the accuracy of Rivals or whatever, maybe it is valid, I don't know. But I use them because their data is pretty easy to acquire and it goes back to 2002.

In any case, what I found in looking at the number of Top 250 recruits that have been signed by current SEC schools since 2009 is as follows.

Alabama-67               Florida-59                 LSU-48
Georgia-41                Auburn-40                Tenn-33
Texas A&M-25           S. Carolina-22           Ole Miss-19
Arkansas-15              Miss St-12                Mizzou-8
Vandy-6                   Kentucky-3

None of us need to be brilliant to be able to look at that list and know who has won more ball games generally speaking, than other programs and obviously talent is as big of an issue as coaching.

I'm encouraged with BB's staff was able to produce this past recruiting year with late, but quality pick-ups from the Top 250, which was 4. That's the most we had signed from that group since 2009. In 2009 we signed 4, 2010-2, 2011-3, 2012-2. I think, and I am hoping, we sign more than 4 this year, but we are going to have to do a lot better than that to consistently compete in the SEC. 

We have to keep in mind that while we have averaged 3 per year since 2009, Alabama has averaged 13.4, Florida 11.8, LSU 9.6, Georgia 8.2, Auburn 8.0, Tennessee 6.6, A&M 5.0, S. Carolina 4.4, Ole Miss 3.8 and only Miss State, Missouri, Vandy and Kentucky come in below us at our average of 3.0 per year.

Personally, I hope we focus on recruiting on what we need, but I also hope that we take a page from Alabama's book and make offers to about 200 of the top 250 and pick and choose the best that we can get from that group. We can all say that it is crazy to do that because we will never land all of those top ranked recruits, but you never know what some kid is going to decide and if they don't sign with us, we haven't lost anything. On the other hand, if you don't offer them you know for a fact that they'll never sign with us. We might as well take more swings.

[dwcherr]

Lol Rivals is not what it used to be. Most of the rivals guys went to 247.

Otis Kirk is the main Arkansas guy for 247. That is enough for me to know that it isn't the gold standard just yet.

[jkstock04]

I am not a BB crotch licker but I do believe his staff didn't have ample time last year to fully show their stuff recruiting.  I have often wondered why each of those fine coaches couldn't bring at least 1 each of those great recruits they were on before signing on with Arkansas.  You know great coaches have a following, yet the only follower was Collins who stayed with BB when he came to us.

I started this recruiting thread and I'll say, shut up and show me.  Some very good coaches have recruited to Arkansas over the past 50 years and I do not believe we've notched anything top 5 ever and maybe never a top 10.  Moving to the SEC where its do or die, we've died.  Forgive me if I don't just fall all over the new Guy who is offering he can getter done.  Show me.

The only way Arkansas ever starts bringing in top 10 classes is to start buying the blue chip players.

[RazorPiggie]

First you talk about how bad Scout is then you point to a ranking that USES SCOUT'S RANKING IN THEIR FORMULA. Like it or not, Rivals is still #1 by a wide margin when it comes to football recruiting.

How about this. Ban bets with both of y'all as to who's class is ranked higher??

24/7 is by far the best out there and its only taken them 2 years to become that way. You do know the guy that started 24/7 was the Rivals guy right?

And I'm not betting shat with you. Sorry I like to take the composite scores rather than just one service. How foolish of me.

[dwcherr]

24/7 is by far the best out there and its only taken them 2 years to become that way. You do know the guy that started 24/7 was the Rivals guy right?

And I'm not betting shat with you. Sorry I like to take the composite scores rather than just one service. How foolish of me.

A few posts ago you were calling people dumb for pointing out how much higher Kentucky is ranked in recruiting than us...

[MuskogeeHogFan]

The only way Arkansas ever starts bringing in top 10 classes is to start buying the blue chip players.

We may not be able to have top 10 classes every year but there isn't any reason to not have top 20 classes every year. I think that is a reasonable expectation. From what I can see it appears that if you want to be consistently competitive and winning a lot more than you lose in the SEC you need to average signing 5 or more of the Top 250 players in the country every year. When you get into signing 8 to 10+ per year of the top 250 you are getting into "elite" territory.

[RazorPiggie]

A few posts ago you were calling people dumb for pointing out how much higher Kentucky is ranked in recruiting than us...

And in my opinion I think it is dumb for pointing that out at this point in the recruiting process. Lets come back to this in Feb.

[hogsanity]

regardless of how many players we have had from Texas, or any other state, the best Hog teams have come 2 or 3 years after an exceptional in state recruiting class.

Can not do it without kids from other states, but it seems we only have really good teams when we have those exceptional in state athletes.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

And in my opinion I think it is dumb for pointing that out at this point in the recruiting process. Lets come back to this in Feb.

I agree and let's hope we close out really well.

The thing is, while last year and this year is a start, I don't care what Kentucky does this year, I care more about who signs more of the Top 250 and Top 100 over the next 3 years than just what happens this year. When you are competing against teams like Alabama that has signed 67 of the top 250 in the nation since 2009, they not only have the quality players but quality depth as well.

If we want to actually compete for an SECCG we are going to have to sign 7, 8, 9 of these types of players every year for the next 3 years.

[Science Fiction Greg]

With recruiting "rankings" there is a certain level that is "good enough to compete."  The variance is so high (it's not an exact science) and the formulas are designed to exaggerate slight differences in evaluations so you can distinguish classes from one another somehow.  The truth is that most classes in the top 25 are not that dissimilar from each other and a break here or there (someone not making it to campus, a player really turning out to be way better than people thought, a position switch, etc.) makes more difference than 10-15 spots in the rankings.  Of course, there are several teams that have notably better classes, and that's fine.  But crying because we are in the bottom half of the sec rankings when we are in the top 25 or even top 20 nationally is really pretty silly.  The differences between the number 10 and number 25 class is a few tenths of a star most times.  There are many things that will affect a team's success WAY more than that difference.

Of course, we'd like to move up into that top group that is "more than good enough" but it will take years to change the culture into something that can attract or produce a difference in quality like that.  Let's take things one step at a time.  None of these challenges we are facing are new.  So our recruiting ranking is down a little bit from the top guys?  We just have to work harder.  No problem, it's what we've always had to do.  Let's do it and stop whining about it.

[Science Fiction Greg]

Also, Bielema has already shown he can close strong.  Remember last year our ranking was in the 60s for a while at the end of the year and he brought it into the 20s.  Let's wait until we have something to go on before deciding that a guy that has gotten it done in the past can't get it done here.  Some of you guys sleep on the panic button I think.

[urkillnmesmalls]

The only way Arkansas ever starts bringing in top 10 classes is to start buying the blue chip players.

....or, maybe we do it the right way and bring in kids that understand the the immediate gratification of having someone give you something illegal to entice you to attend school there, is probably the SAME EXACT SCHOOL that will be on probation before you leave.  Then you'll be stuck playing for a team that can't even play in a bowl game or for conference titles, and possibly even not be on TV. 

[urkillnmesmalls]

regardless of how many players we have had from Texas, or any other state, the best Hog teams have come 2 or 3 years after an exceptional in state recruiting class.

Can not do it without kids from other states, but it seems we only have really good teams when we have those exceptional in state athletes.

That is reality.  I do think that reality can change though.  Matt Jones was an amazing player, but with a QB that was worth anything, he should have been playing WR.  But..he was an Arkansas kid with amazing talent, and he carried our team to some great wins almost single-handedly. 

DMAC, Corliss Williamson, etc, etc....down the line.  We've always needed some stud in state players to be competitive, and while we still need them, we certainly have to do a better job of picking off the AC quality players when we have a shot at them. 

There's no way to know how this is going to pan out, because it's really uncharted waters.  We've never had facilities that were quite up to par, and a staff with this much history of preparing kids for the NFL. 

[TNRazorbacker]

The thing that disappoints me about the incoming class is not the ranking but where the class is weak. As you said, we still have 8 spots to fill but our WRs and LBs are pretty lightly regarded and only one of the WRs and none of the LBs look like contributors next year. We need difference makers now.

Arkansas has never recruited the type of talent that makes an immediate impact. An Alex Collins is a rarity and most likely always will be. That's why our being competitive hinges so much on our experience. Our young years we are usually somewhere between bad and awful.

The good news is that BB is used to what it takes to maintain a successful program under these circumstances. It takes an eye for hidden talent, a strong redshirt program, and a culture of development. It also takes time and patience to establish.

With this formula a team can have success, even in the SEC. We are never going to be an Alabama but its not unreasonable to expect a bowl game most years, play competitive against everyone, and every so often when the stars line up right compete for the conferènce.

[avatar]

ESPN always ranks our classes lower then everyone else, so that shouldn't surprise you any. Our ranking with Rivals is more in line with other sites and 26th isn't exactly bad. Bielema went to 3 Rose Bowls and probably never had a class ranked as high as 26th. Missouri is 5th in the BCS, after beating a team we've yet to beat as a SEC member, and they probably didn't have a class ranked as high as 26th. Better classes would certainly help, but we need to get over this idea that recruiting is our problem.

Most are not proposing solutions for next year because we're doing bad, but rather because that's how it works when you have a new head coach. Why so many on hogville fail to understand this is startling, because it's an old axiom with college football. Just like with Petrino, our second year under Bielema should be better and the 3rd should be vastly improved.

Now, if none of that happens, then we have good reason to be alarmed, but until then we need to be patient (I know that's a virtue unknown to hogville, but it's not to other fan bases.) Those looking for heads to roll now are probably the same who expected to compete for a national title with a temp coach, which is something that just doesn't happen. We've had 2 very tough years, but the hard part is almost over and it should be all uphill from here on out, unless our impatience leads us to do something stupid.

let me get this straight bielema went to 3 rose bowls wow i am impressed. that's the big ten right. oh i am no longer impressed. oh yeah one of those was when ohio state went undefeated right? they couldn't go because well they cheated. so really 2 rose bowls and it is still the big ten. which would have put them behind alabama, georgia, sc, lsu and tamu. hey bret this is the SEC. 26th recruiting classes don't win the SEC

[hogsanity]

let me get this straight bielema went to 3 rose bowls wow i am impressed. that's the big ten right. oh i am no longer impressed. oh yeah one of those was when ohio state went undefeated right? they couldn't go because well they cheated. so really 2 rose bowls and it is still the big ten. which would have put them behind alabama, georgia, sc, lsu and tamu. hey bret this is the SEC. 26th recruiting classes don't win the SEC

Who was the 1st sec coach to lose a bcs game to a big10 team?  Hint he is at wku now.

[Hawg Life]

The only way Arkansas ever starts bringing in top 10 classes is to start buying the blue chip players.

It would also help if our high school football produced  & developed more prospects .

[Hawg Life]

When you look at the ludicrous amount of those lowly recruited players that he sent to the NFL, it's hard not be extremely impressed.

http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/index.ssf/2013/08/syracuse_wide_receiver_quinta_1.html

But we also had our more than our fair share of Vin Ascolse, Kane Whitehurst , and Quinta Funderburk type players that were diamonds in the rough or over valued that were awarded "legend" status that are no longer here.