National recruiting guy Jeremy Crabtree on coach B and his recruiting

[forrest city joe]

 Jeremy Crabtree @jeremycrabtree  ·  1h

We knew coming in '15 class was critical for @BretBielema, and I think it's safe to say he and his coaches have delivered so far. #WPS #Hogs

If we can close this class strong. it could be the best class in a very long time. i am loving this.

[Poker_hog]

This class would have to totally fall apart for it not to be the best class in 25 years.

[Tim Harris]

IMO the only thing left for them to prove is can they land a couple difference makers on the defensive side of the ball.  They definitely know how to recruit RB, OL, and TE.

Now I want to see us land a back 7 defensive player that is the same type of recruit as a Alex Collins, KJ Hill, etc...

[immahog]

I AM FREAKING PUMPED WPS

[ldfergu]

IMO the only thing left for them to prove is can they land a couple difference makers on the defensive side of the ball.  They definitely know how to recruit RB, OL, and TE.

Now I want to see us land a back 7 defensive player that is the same type of recruit as a Alex Collins, KJ Hill, etc...

I think we all agree there.  Would love to see more DB's and LB's start adding to the list

[Cale]

I'd absolutely love to see a difference maker on defense. I think we recruit the line well, but I want a defensive field general out there.

[forrest city joe]

Bret Bielema @BretBielema  ·  2h

Calling the Hogs all the way from Dumas, Arkansas! Building it one Hog at a time. #WoooPig #BeUncommon

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Walker
Graham
Raymond
Haughton

[navyhog24]

If they can somehow pull Raymond away from LSU territory, that'll be really impressive. I can see us landing landing Walker and Graham with no worries really. If they could also somehow get that big-time LB from Utah, that would just be icing on the cake, even though I think we no shot at all for him.

[East TN HAWG]

IMO the only thing left for them to prove is can they land a couple difference makers on the defensive side of the ball.  They definitely know how to recruit RB, OL, and TE.

Now I want to see us land a back 7 defensive player that is the same type of recruit as a Alex Collins, KJ Hill, etc...

Tim you nailed it.  If we could get a Pittman on that side of the ball, it would be awesome. 

[Pork Twain]

Man this is a great time to be a hog fan

[Huds_HawgTide]

I think we have a long shot at tevon coney...was reported over the summer he would visit us...he had put in twitter one time he and hilliard the lb out of ohio might play together...kj is going to OSU to visit...maybe the hill gragg connections at the opening run deep

[WriterWrong]

Tim you nailed it.  If we could get a Pittman on that side of the ball, it would be awesome.

We've got Randy Shannon on that side of the ball, and he's pretty darn good. I've got faith the defensive coaches, along with Bielema, will pull in the defensive players we need.

[Maximus Tusk]

IMO the only thing left for them to prove is can they land a couple difference makers on the defensive side of the ball.  They definitely know how to recruit RB, OL, and TE.

Now I want to see us land a back 7 defensive player that is the same type of recruit as a Alex Collins, KJ Hill, etc...

From what I've seen so far, Tolliver and Lidell look to be difference makers. I know it's early but those two have impressed the heck out of me. I understand what you mean with getting higher ranked recruits though.

[Chief Mac]

Man this is a great time to be a hog fan

something great is being built!

[Paul]

From what I've seen so far, Tolliver and Lidell look to be difference makers. I know it's early but those two have impressed the heck out of me. I understand what you mean with getting higher ranked recruits though.

Ramsey may be too

[rljjr]

All of our young guys have been impressive so far. They will learn and grow. Very exciting time to be a Hog fan! Keep bringing them in and building one man at a time. WPS!

[The Hogfather]

Maybe Brown as well?

[mhuff]

All of our young guys have been impressive so far. They will learn and grow. Very exciting time to be a Hog fan! Keep bringing them in and building one man at a time. WPS!

[Oklahawg]

The recruits from 2014 are exceeding expectations so far. We may have an Alex Collins-type in that class for the back seven (as mentioned above).

Part of Shannon's genius is seeing the talent within the recruit. We don't need to elevate as much as we think as long as the "hit" rate continues at the 2014 pace.

[alwaysnextyear]

Can't really call Ramsey, Liddell and Brown hits yet. Toliver yes. He should be starting.

[MissippHog]

Can't really call Ramsey, Liddell and Brown hits yet. Toliver yes. He should be starting.

You can definitely see the potential in those 3 though and they should continue to see more snaps as the season progresses.  Toliver is going to be really, really good.

[East TN HAWG]

We've got Randy Shannon on that side of the ball, and he's pretty darn good. I've got faith the defensive coaches, along with Bielema, will pull in the defensive players we need.

Nolan made the comment about Ron Mercer after his recruitment.  Nolan said something along the lines that Mercer was so talented a blind man could see him play.  I want some of those type players on defense.  I just believe Pittman is signing higher caliber players. 

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

IMO the only thing left for them to prove is can they land a couple difference makers on the defensive side of the ball.  They definitely know how to recruit RB, OL, and TE.

Now I want to see us land a back 7 defensive player that is the same type of recruit as a Alex Collins, KJ Hill, etc...

We are getting pretty salty with a few hidden gems and great coaching. Defense had a helluva hole to dig out of. Players will soon see they're needed and recognize that Arkansas' new head hog has not forgotten about defense...

[jgphillips3]

7 of 14 kids committed are four star.  That's astounding for Arkansas recruiting.  Even if all the remainder are high character, quality men only rated 3*, we can compete with classes like this.  Big time.  I can't wait to see who this staff lands on the defensive side of the ball.  I think this class may be our coming out party.  WPS!!!

[GalaHawg]

7 of 14 kids committed are four star.  That's astounding for Arkansas recruiting.  Even if all the remainder are high character, quality men only rated 3*, we can compete with classes like this.  Big time.  I can't wait to see who this staff lands on the defensive side of the ball.  I think this class may be our coming out party.  WPS!!!

+1 for the nice group of Belgians in your avatar. Not in your pic but my favorites are Hop Ruiter for hot, sunny summer days and Rochefort 10 for rainy, cold days... and everything in between.

[WriterWrong]

Nolan made the comment about Ron Mercer after his recruitment.  Nolan said something along the lines that Mercer was so talented a blind man could see him play.  I want some of those type players on defense.  I just believe Pittman is signing higher caliber players.

I don't disagree. Pittman is doing an outstanding job recruiting guys to the offensive side of the ball. But, Randy Shannon is an excellent recruiter in his own right. When plucking guys out of south Florida, not many guys have the pull Shannon does. In time, we'll be getting elite players on both sides of the ball. Hopefully, that starts with this class.

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

The motorcycle accident may be the best thing to ever happen to our football program.

No one here has recruited like this.

[tampahog]

I'm hoping that having a critical mass of 4*s this early will lead other 4*s who may not be on our radar yet to jump on board (the Ole Miss effect of last year).  We've got to get it done on defense. 

[titanhawg]

Froholdt is certainly a difference maker recruit on the DL (Top 100 player)...but totally agree on needing to find some back 7 difference makers.

[TMc]

Bret Bielema @BretBielema  ·  2h

Calling the Hogs all the way from Dumas, Arkansas! Building it one Hog at a time. #WoooPig #BeUncommon

[TX HOG]

Thought the new db coach from TCU was gonna be a fantastic recruiter. Maybe he'll eventually turn out to be one.

[Pudgepork]

Just win a few games against SEC competition and it should get much easier to convince
players that success is on the way and this team looks to be having fun.  The FUN factor can't be anything but a bonus

[FATHAWG08]

If you think about what this staff has had to overcome in the last 2 recruiting classes do not sell them short on this upcoming class. I look for this class to close strong. If we can give this staff anything positive on the field to sell to recruits this year we will have a 10-15 ranked class. I think this staff is going to blow away the theory you can't recruit to NWA. Which I've always called BS.I always thought Nolan blew that theory up during the Golden Years of our BB program

[moses_007]

The motorcycle accident may be the best thing to ever happen to our football program.

No one here has recruited like this.

I don't think anyone has recruited this well since the Lou Holtz days.

[forrest city joe]

I don't think anyone has recruited this well since the Lou Holtz days.

Holtz was not a good recruiter. that's one of the things that got him fired. this is the best staff at recruiting since Frank Broyles was the coach.

[moses_007]

Holtz was not a good recruiter. that's one of the things that got him fired. this is the best staff at recruiting since Frank Broyles was the coach.

It very well may be the best since Broyles.

Lou got himself fired because he went over to South Carolina and made a TV commercial supporting Jesse Helms without Broyles' approval.

I heard Lou Holtz talk about his dismissal from Arkansas within the last year.  He said Broyles called him in his office and just told him he wanted to go in another direction, and dismissed him.  Lou said Broyles never told him the reason for his dismissal.

[Pigsear]

Holtz was not a good recruiter. that's one of the things that got him fired. this is the best staff at recruiting since Frank Broyles was the coach.

Your 100% correct Joe, when Holtz had to start depending on his recruits, he was barely average.

[imtad16]

Do you remember when Woody Womack (Rivals writer) got mad at CBB for his comments about recruiting services not being the end all be all and said this...

@RivalsWoody: @RecruitingAJC Had a five-star recruit tell me yesterday that he forgot Arkansas had a team.


I still can't believe how unprofessional that was and for something so small. Anyways, at this point we don't have any 5-stars in this class, but his heavy handed dis on the Arkansas program is looking a little ignorant right now. There is quite a while until signing day so I'm not celebrating yet, but our class is looking pretty good. It's hilariously far from prospects forgetting Arkansas has a football team.

[greenie]

Holtz certainly struggled to recruit at Ark. At the time of his firing, it was widely accepted that this played a role in his dismissal. Regardless, this staff, and CBB in particular, is second to none in the last 35 years at least in terms of recruiting. His leadership is pretty impressive as well.

[1highhog]

I don't think anyone has recruited this well since the Lou Holtz days.

  Lou Holtz?  Ole Lou couldn't recruit, that was his biggest flaw and the one big reason he needed a place like Notre Dame, where he wouldn't really have to recruit but land good players simply because of the Schools status, which has really went downhill these days.  But Lou was great here at Arkansas while he had the players left over that Broyles and his staff had recruited, but he went down fast when his recruits started coming in, or the lack there of.

[Chief Mac]

It very well may be the best since Broyles.

Lou got himself fired because he went over to South Carolina and made a TV commercial supporting Jesse Helms without Broyles' approval.

I heard Lou Holtz talk about his dismissal from Arkansas within the last year.  He said Broyles called him in his office and just told him he wanted to go in another direction, and dismissed him.  Lou said Broyles never told him the reason for his dismissal.

not to further derail but granny Lou was losing top instate recruits (keith Jackson being of note) and alienating state HS coaches....that provided the fuel to fire him.  The Helms incident was the flame that finished the job

[fakebobholt]

The motorcycle accident may be the best thing to ever happen to our football program.

No one here has recruited like this.

yeah because we all hated 10 win seasons and top 5 seasons

[alwaysnextyear]

yeah because we all hated 10 win seasons and top 5 seasons

If you couldn't see the writing on the wall then there's little hope for you. We weren't sniffing 10 wins in '12 or '13. Bobby's going to lose 4 games this year with a talented team handed to him.

[lc480]

BP was a just smart a-- I can't understand why anyone would even want to play for him.

[DeltaBoy]

This Staff is a Recruiting machine.

[Pork Twain]

The recruits from 2014 are exceeding expectations so far. We may have an Alex Collins-type in that class for the back seven (as mentioned above).

Part of Shannon's genius is seeing the talent within the recruit. We don't need to elevate as much as we think as long as the "hit" rate continues at the 2014 pace.

That is one thing that is standing out to me so far with CBB, an exceptionally low miss-rate/washout-rate.  I guess after so many years of HDN and CBP, I had just gotten used to seing many of our mid/upper recruits fall through the cracks after they were signed.

[Pork Twain]

yeah because we all hated 10 win seasons and top 5 seasons

And what did we have to show for the in our trophy case or in recruiting?

[Paul]

Thought the new db coach from TCU was gonna be a fantastic recruiter. Maybe he'll eventually turn out to be one.

Jennings seems to have great relationships with recruits.  I think he'll do well, sooner rather than later

[Vantage 8 dude]

Jennings seems to have great relationships with recruits.  I think he'll do well, sooner rather than later

I agree. While Jennings obviously already had established contacts in Texas when you change schools it's still going to take a year or two to change over the perception of who you're NOT working for any longer. I think is particularly relevant when one considers how long it's been since the U of A made such major recruiting efforts (at least equal to or more than what we have now) down in the Lone Star State.