Recuriting Ramble

[ChicagoHog]

Long time reader and first time poster here.

Lately, I find myself questioning a certain team that has found themselves in the top 15 in recruiting the last three years after a long run of losing seasons.
Yup, you guessed it; I'm talking about Ole Miss.

I truly don't understand how a team that won two total games in 2011, under a second year head coach in Hugh Freeze lands an 8th nationally ranked recruiting class that includes the number 1 ranked player (weed/spice boy).  Then following that up with another top 15 class in 2014, and an 4th nationally ranked class this year. 

What the hell are they doing down in Oxford to land this kind of talent, and more importantly why can't we do the same thing?  I've been to Oxford countless times and it's a wonderful college town, that has a great football environment.  I'll be the first one to say that the Grove is one of the best places to tailgate in all of college football.  That being said, I still don't understand how you can convince five star recruits to come to Oxford, Mississippi over places like Athens, Ann Arbor, Baton Rouge and the rest of the top college football destinations.  Oxford is small, lacks amenities of a larger city, and is not considered a football powerhouse. 

I'm really not trying to knock Ole Miss or Oxford itself because I do think its a great college town and school.  I just have hard time figuring out how they are convincing the best players in the country to commit over the last 4 years.  I know the NCAA is investigating into some possible infractions but, I don't think anything will really stick related to Freeze and the football team.  To make it even more crazy right after the NCAA announced they were investigating Ole Miss they landed the 4th ranked class for 2016.

Anyways thats my rant, one that was probably more jealously fueled than anything else.  What do you guys think is the key to changing the narrative of Arkansas recruiting?

[RaisinHog]

In before the $$$$$ start flying

[Nosboar Accubond]

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/ole-miss-football/hugh-freeze-discusses-2016-class/

[Nosboar Accubond]

https://www.seccountry.com/mississippi/3-reasons-why-ole-miss-doesnt-need-to-cheat-to-recruit-well

[Shrevepork]

https://www.seccountry.com/mississippi/3-reasons-why-ole-miss-doesnt-need-to-cheat-to-recruit-well

I've just had my laugh of the day.

[BILLYBOB]

The recruiting pool is small. When you reduce it further by only looking for high character guys, who will not have acedemics problems, you just end up with a very small number of guys to recruit. I love the Hogs...but I don't think it's a sexy destination. No tradition, no beach, no recent history, ok facilities.

Frankly, I'm amazed some of the guys he gets to come here...like AC.

[ChicagoHog]

The recruiting pool is small. When you reduce it further by only looking for high character guys, who will not have acedemics problems, you just end up with a very small number of guys to recruit. I love the Hogs...but I don't think it's a sexy destination. No tradition, no beach, no recent history, ok facilities.

Frankly, I'm amazed some of the guys he gets to come here...like AC.

Exactly! That's what I can't understand.  How is Ole Miss recruiting so well, while lacking that 'sexy destination' aspect.  I feel their rankings should be similar to a school like Arkansas rather than up at the top with Alabama, FSU, Michigan, ect.

[Sed76]

Frustrating when Ole Miss is pulling in super recruiting classes and Mississippi State has owned us the past few years plus spent a few weeks as the #1 team in the country. Meanwhile we are stuck near the bottom of recruiting and struggling to make it to lower tier bowls.

[Arazorbackguy1]

You have to drive 2 hours just to get a flight out of MEMPHIS. This alone, would make me never want to go to Oxfart again.

[scruf]

In before Surfing8 says "Hogs need to start cheating, it's the only way."

[12247]

OM may be cheating or they may be working their rears off by using every second of every legal recruiting period on the road asking these players to come make a difference. 

I mean when you go with a HC who hasn't done anything special till ending up at OM and a location that isn't better than we have there has to be something bringing these Guys to OM.  Might be real hard work.

[scruf]

OM may be cheating or they may be working their rears off by using every second of every legal recruiting period on the road asking these players to come make a difference. 

I mean when you go with a HC who hasn't done anything special till ending up at OM and a location that isn't better than we have there has to be something bringing these Guys to OM.  Might be real hard work.

I agree that they are working hard to recruit at OM. I think everyone agrees that they work hard at recruiting. There's no doubt about that.

[hawginbigd1]

I agree that they are working hard to recruit at OM. I think everyone agrees that they work hard at recruiting. There's no doubt about that.

But..........that is not all!

[Deep Shoat]

Frustrating when Ole Miss is pulling in super recruiting classes and Mississippi State has owned us the past few years plus spent a few weeks as the #1 team in the country. Meanwhile we are stuck near the bottom of recruiting and struggling to make it to lower tier bowls.

MSU did it the way we are building, though.  They built for staying power instead of instant gratification. 

[DoctorSusscrofa]

Instant gratification might work in situations where you're totally dedicated to it. Tell the best players you fully expect them to leave early and you'll do everything you can to help them do it. Tell every great player we won't redshirt you - you'll produce and leave or else you'll fail and we got someone that will push you aside. Some recruits would probably respond well to that philosophy - produce now and get the heck out of here to make room for another guy that's better.

[LZH]

MSU did it the way we are building, though.  They built for staying power instead of instant gratification. 

If Ole Miss has had four consecutive top 15 classes, I would say that is definitely building for staying power.

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

I think Ole Miss must reside in Denmark.

[Atlhogfan1]

https://www.seccountry.com/mississippi/3-reasons-why-ole-miss-doesnt-need-to-cheat-to-recruit-well

Those aren't bad points.  It just doesn't address the sudden and drastic change.  OM should be able to recruit well and has signed a couple of highly rated recruits in recent years due to unique circumstances that benefitted them.  I also don't believe discipline is a high priority within Freeze's program although he will portray himself as a high morals person.  Reminds me of Baylor and Briles in this way. 

[Deep Shoat]

If Ole Miss has had four consecutive top 15 classes, I would say that is definitely building for staying power.

No, it's cheating.

Everyone knows it, including the NCAA. 

[CallMeAl]

What's any of this got to do with recuriting? 

[LZH]

No, it's cheating.

Everyone knows it, including the NCAA. 

C'mon man, you sound like my ex wife. Until they get smacked with penalties for infractions committed under HF's watch, it looks like they will continue to stockpile talent......much of which could be coming to Fayetteville instead, but obviously isn't.

I think that is why everyone is so ruffled, because they have improved their recruiting rankings and we haven't. So, the perception is they are improving and we aren't. Whether that is true or not remains to be seen.

[BILLYBOB]

I know this sounds uppity but I honestly think Ole Miss is wiling to take guys who have character issues and academic challenges...and CBB simply will not.  If CBB lowered his standards, we would greatly expand the our pipeline of 4 and 5 star recruits. I also believe, to give Ole Miss some credit, they are simply very good at recruiting. Better than we are.

[woodrow hog call]

I have to wonder if Freeze is still riding some celebrity cool factor from the fact that he was portrayed in The Blindeside. When these kids were young and impressionable that movie was pretty big.

[Hoggish1]

$o, you're $aying you don't really know...?

[Deep Shoat]

$o, you're $aying you don't really know...?

They are trying to pretend they don't.

[HogFoo]

It is pretty obvious what is going on down there in Ole Mi$$ .  All you have to do is look at these kids twitter posts.  Laquan Treadwell posted picts after his visit of stacks of money, with beeeches and ho's as he put it.   He also posted jewelry and pictures of him with the beeches while wearing the jewelry.   He later removed the post.  We've all seen the pictures of the auburn recruits doing the same thing.   If Ole miss was in a wildly recruit rich state like texas or florida or cali and were able to go in their back yard and get these 5*s.  Ok, that might be understandable, but they are not.  They are getting these guys that are #1 at their position type 5*s!   And they are getting them from all over the country.  For someone who had no previous bigtime coaching experience,  nothing of a track record putting kids in the NFL to be getting these type recruits just doesn't jive!    This recruit who was the #1 recruit in america who went to Michigan,  rashan Gary, he was saying that ole mi$$ and auburn and afew other schools were offering up special perks if he went there.  I hope the NCAA looks into it further and drops the hammer on these schools.

[WMHawgfan]

https://www.seccountry.com/mississippi/3-reasons-why-ole-miss-doesnt-need-to-cheat-to-recruit-well

So the proof Ole Miss is not cheating is because 1. They are located in the south 2. Their coach is a good recruiter 3. Their long mediocre history no longer matters.

Seriously? Guys actually get paid to come up with this stuff?

[scruf]

MSU did it the way we are building, though.  They built for staying power instead of instant gratification. 

Agree, and they haven't owned Arkansas. They have beaten them three times by very narrow margins. That's not the same thing as owning. Owning is what Alabama did to us in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

[Thomas A]

Agree, and they haven't owned Arkansas. They have beaten them three times by very narrow margins. That's not the same thing as owning. Owning is what Alabama did to us in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Being owned would be having a 7-17 conference record?

[ricepig]

Being owned would be having a 7-17 conference record?

If one wishes to see it that way, or is 7-4 in their last 11conference games....

[elviscat]

It's all about the money, why else would anyone want to go to Oxford.They have a committee of people including the coaches who look at the need of the football program and decide how to best fund those needs.Then the mega booster are approached to pony up the money. They select 50 athletes that they want to target and start establishing a relationship with the parents of those kids. Then the student athlete and his parents visit the school. Afterwards a value is determine as to what it would take for their son to attend Ole Miss and once the value has been determined. Bagman from OM delivers cash and the kid signs. There is no paper trails.

[scruf]

If one wishes to see it that way, or is 7-4 in their last 11conference games....

Look, ricepig, he had a pretty sweet little cherry pick going on until you got back on defense. Party pooper.

[Wildhog]

Having a big season sure would help a lot. 

[scruf]

Having a big season sure would help a lot. 

If anyone disagrees with this then they are either certifiably crazy or boot-lickin' drunk or an aggie.

[Wildhog]

If anyone disagrees with this then they are either certifiably crazy or boot-lickin' drunk or an aggie.

If we take a step back this year, it's going to be harder to sell ourselves as a "program on the rise."

And there's no reason it can't be a crazy, drunk Aggie.

[scruf]

If we take a step back this year, it's going to be harder to sell ourselves as a "program on the rise."

And there's no reason it can't be a crazy, drunk Aggie.

With regards to #1 - Agree.

With regards to #2 - Same diff.

[Inhogswetrust]

You have to drive 2 hours just to get a flight out of MEMPHIS. This alone, would make me never want to go to Oxfart again.

Actually less than that. It's about an hour and a half. I've driven it quite a few times. Probably will this coming weekend for the game there.

[rjm1940]

https://www.seccountry.com/mississippi/3-reasons-why-ole-miss-doesnt-need-to-cheat-to-recruit-well

This article is a joke.  In no way does this explain the MS success in recruiting and on the field.

If it had not been for Hunter, Collins, etc completing the miracle play against OM they would have been in the SEC Championship game and might very well have won the National Championship.

Maybe the NCAA will take away all the OM wins five years from now, but what really changes.  SoCal was slapped by the NCAA, but do we feel any better about the 70 points they scored when we played them?

[codeHog]

Think what Freeze could have done if he was at ASU still

[rjm1940]

It's all about the money, why else would anyone want to go to Oxford.They have a committee of people including the coaches who look at the need of the football program and decide how to best fund those needs.Then the mega booster are approached to pony up the money. They select 50 athletes that they want to target and start establishing a relationship with the parents of those kids. Then the student athlete and his parents visit the school. Afterwards a value is determine as to what it would take for their son to attend Ole Miss and once the value has been determined. Bagman from OM delivers cash and the kid signs. There is no paper trails.

This is the best explanation I have seen for the OM success in recruiting.

[rjm1940]

The recruiting pool is small. When you reduce it further by only looking for high character guys, who will not have acedemics problems, you just end up with a very small number of guys to recruit. I love the Hogs...but I don't think it's a sexy destination. No tradition, no beach, no recent history, ok facilities.

Frankly, I'm amazed some of the guys he gets to come here...like AC.

I will second this comment.

AC could have gone to any school in the country.  Our staff did a great job in getting him.  He has been a pleasure to watch on the field and I his off the field actions have made me proud he is a Hog.

Other names that come to mind are Skipper, Kirkland, Tretola, and Froholdt.  Our staff did a great job in getting these young men with good character who are also outstanding players and there are many others.

Henry is a little different story in that he has strong Arkansas ties, but the fact is he could have gone anywhere.  I was very happy about and proud of the way he handled his recruitment, his play, and his off field actions.

We have many good players.  We just need a few more players, need to beef up a few positions, and have a little luck (no blocked field goals or bad calls), and we will be where we want to be.  We made progress with our current recruiting class.

[Vantage 8 dude]

The recruiting pool is small. When you reduce it further by only looking for high character guys, who will not have acedemics problems, you just end up with a very small number of guys to recruit. I love the Hogs...but I don't think it's a sexy destination. No tradition, no beach, no recent history, ok facilities.

Frankly, I'm amazed some of the guys he gets to come here...like AC.

So let me see: according to your "logic" we shouldn't even try to recruit with "big dudes" 'cause we allegedly have no beaches, tradition, just decent facilities, etc. Well let me see now...no beaches would be a "check"; no tradition would be a......WRONG! The Razorback tradition and passion are very well known by many through out the country; and while it's been a while, the Hog's SWC records and even at times SEC teams have been pretty darn good....As far as the facilities: here is perhaps your biggest idiotic and misinformed statement. If you bother to actually go back and check the comments of various recruits time and time again the vast majority have been extremely impressed and complementary of our various athletic facilities, along with the overall campus itself.

BTW when it comes to "beaches" when the hades did that ever enter into the equation for most schools. Duh...hate to inform you that the vast majority of higher echelon programs don't have beaches either. Let's see: 'Bama, LSU, tOSU, Clemson, FSU, OU, Mich. State to name just a few don't have any particular access or proximately to those sandy shores either. So your "logic", not surprisingly, is totally lacking and bogus. Gee, who could have guessed that?

[HogFries]

So let me see: according to your "logic" we shouldn't even try to recruit with "big dudes" 'cause we allegedly have no beaches, tradition, just decent facilities, etc. Well let me see now...no beaches would be a "check"; no tradition would be a......WRONG! The Razorback tradition and passion are very well known by many through out the country; and while it's been a while, the Hog's SWC records and even at times SEC teams have been pretty darn good....As far as the facilities: here is perhaps your biggest idiotic and misinformed statement. If you bother to actually go back and check the comments of various recruits time and time again the vast majority have been extremely impressed and complementary of our various athletic facilities, along with the overall campus itself.

BTW when it comes to "beaches" when the hades did that ever enter into the equation for most schools. Duh...hate to inform you that the vast majority of higher echelon programs don't have beaches either. Let's see: 'Bama, LSU, tOSU, Clemson, FSU, OU, Mich. State to name just a few don't have any particular access or proximately to those sandy shores either. So your "logic", not surprisingly, is totally lacking and bogus. Gee, who could have guessed that?

Please tell me you are kidding

[LRrazorback]

Also, there was a racial blowup on campus, not sure of the year but since 2010, which of course would be a big draw for black recruits.  It's ridiculous to think this staff is out working other staffs to this degree and a coach that had but one year of head coaching experience could set the world on fire at this rate.

[razorbackfaninar]

I don't know if OM is cheating, they probably are, but what I don't understand is why so many in sports media keep trying so hard to defend them. I've seen a ton of articles justifying why they are recruiting at such a high level, generally not doing a great job of it. I don't remember sports journalists doing that in the past for other programs.

[LAHOG1962]

It's all about the money, why else would anyone want to go to Oxford.They have a committee of people including the coaches who look at the need of the football program and decide how to best fund those needs.Then the mega booster are approached to pony up the money. They select 50 athletes that they want to target and start establishing a relationship with the parents of those kids. Then the student athlete and his parents visit the school. Afterwards a value is determine as to what it would take for their son to attend Ole Miss and once the value has been determined. Bagman from OM delivers cash and the kid signs. There is no paper trails.

This is very accurate

[Vantage 8 dude]

Please tell me you are kidding

So when referring ONLY to the beaches am I wrong or what? I mean if having beaches is such a HUGE thing (at least according to the OP) and therefore would be a major hindrance to a program who doesn't have ready access to one. Something doesn't compute; then again, why should it?

[HogFries]

So when referring ONLY to the beaches am I wrong or what? I mean if having beaches is such a HUGE thing (at least according to the OP) and therefore would be a major hindrance to a program who doesn't have ready access to one. Something doesn't compute; then again, why should it?

thought you were referring to Hogfoo's post about beeches([CENSORED])

[JIHawg]

Being owned would be having a 7-17 conference record?

Your second post and you're already negative or a troll?  Prove me wrong.  Do ten positive posts about the program.  We already have trolls and negative nancys.   We don't need any more of that.

[westside_player]

Long time reader and first time poster here.

Lately, I find myself questioning a certain team that has found themselves in the top 15 in recruiting the last three years after a long run of losing seasons.
Yup, you guessed it; I'm talking about Ole Miss.

I truly don't understand how a team that won two total games in 2011, under a second year head coach in Hugh Freeze lands an 8th nationally ranked recruiting class that includes the number 1 ranked player (weed/spice boy).  Then following that up with another top 15 class in 2014, and an 4th nationally ranked class this year. 

What the hell are they doing down in Oxford to land this kind of talent, and more importantly why can't we do the same thing?  I've been to Oxford countless times and it's a wonderful college town, that has a great football environment.  I'll be the first one to say that the Grove is one of the best places to tailgate in all of college football.  That being said, I still don't understand how you can convince five star recruits to come to Oxford, Mississippi over places like Athens, Ann Arbor, Baton Rouge and the rest of the top college football destinations.  Oxford is small, lacks amenities of a larger city, and is not considered a football powerhouse. 

I'm really not trying to knock Ole Miss or Oxford itself because I do think its a great college town and school.  I just have hard time figuring out how they are convincing the best players in the country to commit over the last 4 years.  I know the NCAA is investigating into some possible infractions but, I don't think anything will really stick related to Freeze and the football team.  To make it even more crazy right after the NCAA announced they were investigating Ole Miss they landed the 4th ranked class for 2016.

Anyways thats my rant, one that was probably more jealously fueled than anything else.  What do you guys think is the key to changing the narrative of Arkansas recruiting?

I'm real good friends with a girl that went to school there in the mid 2000's and knew a few football players. She told me that she had overheard one player tell another student they don't talk about where they get their nice cars. 

Greg Hardy and Dexter McCluster wrecked a new Cadillac Escalade their last year there.  How does a 21 year old acquire a 70k dollar ride when he don't even work? I'm pretty confident Ole Miss has the booster(s) and have been in the business of doing it long enough that we're seeing the byproduct of an elevated amount of benefits being thrown around under the table. For years, they haven't been that good so no one really cares.  But in their case, someone over there may not be so concerned with winning the SEC, but just simply competing and making a bowl. The more wins, the more ticket sales, the more money the school makes, the better the big money booster feels.  Nutt had such a poor last 2 years there that someone said, this ain't happening again.

I'll put it like this. If I was rich and I was obsessed with how many games the hogs won, I'd be doing what I could to get the players my coach wanted on the roster especially if I liked the coach. You can bet whoever is throwing money around down there loves Freeze.