2023 Team Rankings

[MarcoVol]

Clemson had stacked elite classes for years and had a top 5 class the year before their first championship. They also had the benefit of emerging from an extremely weak, non competitive ACC. A luxury that UF does not have in the SEC. We’ve all seen the model at Bama and UGA. It takes thoroughbreds to win championships in the SEC.

They won their first in 2016.

Recruiting rankings leading up to NC:

2012 - 20
2013 - 14
2014 - 15
2015 - 9
2016 - 11

Where’s the stacking of elite classes pre-2016 you speak of?

2nd NC in 2018….

2017 - 16
2018 - 7

 

[JBVolunteer]

They won their first in 2016.

Recruiting rankings leading up to NC:

2012 - 20
2013 - 14
2014 - 15
2015 - 9
2016 - 11

Where’s the stacking of elite classes pre-2016 you speak of?

2nd NC in 2018….

2017 - 16
2018 - 7

Not sure why we are so hung up on a comparison with Clemson given they don’t play in the SEC but ‘15 and ‘16 were 4th and 6th nationally. Inferior talent gaps mean significantly more over the course of a season in the SEC.

 

[MontyPython]

If we had some higher caliber players on defense, we likely make the playoffs. Recruiting 100% matters. You may have a great season occasionally without elite recruiting, but long term success requires higher level recruiting

Nobody's suggesting recruiting doesn't matter. But evaluating a team's success in doing so isn't based solely on star rankings.

Case in point:

TCU Horned Frogs.

Last 4 years recruiting ranking per Rivals:

60th
63rd
24th
29th

Yet TCU going to the playoffs.

 

[Vol8188]

Nobody's suggesting recruiting doesn't matter. But evaluating a team's success in doing so isn't based solely on star rankings.

Case in point:

TCU Horned Frogs.

Last 4 years recruiting ranking per Rivals:

60th
63rd
24th
29th

Yet TCU going to the playoffs.

TCU has landed a ton of transfers and doesn’t play in the conference we do

 

[MarcoVol]

Not sure why we are so hung up on a comparison with Clemson given they don’t play in the SEC but ‘15 and ‘16 were 4th and 6th nationally. Inferior talent gaps mean significantly more over the course of a season in the SEC.

Rivals rankings? Be serious

 

[JBVolunteer]

Nobody's suggesting recruiting doesn't matter. But evaluating a team's success in doing so isn't based solely on star rankings.

Case in point:

TCU Horned Frogs.

Last 4 years recruiting ranking per Rivals:

60th
63rd
24th
29th

Yet TCU going to the playoffs.

How would TCU have done with Tennessee’s schedule? 8-4 maybe?

Everyone excitedly points to a top 10 class ranking as the harbinger for future success but if you are in the SEC with a 10th ranked class; it means 4-5 other schools in YOUR conference are out-recruiting you. If you are stacking 10’s while Georgia, Alabama etc is consistently stacking 1’s-3’s; you’re never going to catch them…Top 10-15 classes are elite for many conferences but not the SEC.

 

[joshwa]

The team a recruit commits to seems to have an affect on their rating as well. Just saying

 

[Vol8188]

The team a recruit commits to seems to have an affect on their rating as well. Just saying

Bama, Clemson, Oh St, etc all sign 3* players every year

 

[hUTch2002]

Oh joy, here we go. @Freak We really need that 'Ignore Thread' function back. Please!

Or, crazy thought, just ignore the thread.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

What would you call our defensive recruiting this year?

14 of 23 commits are defensive players. 1 5*, 7 4* & 6 3*... And one of those is Jalen Smith who is definitely better than his rating.

3 edge
3 DL
3 cb
3 safeties
2 lbs

We're probably not done yet either and there's the portal that really have even gotten started.

A step in the right direction, imo.
That 5* has to see the field next season.
You need 1 maybe 2 of those 4*’s contributing next year and 2-3 more the following year.
You need 3-4 of those 3*’s contributing in year 3.
By year 2 the 5* should be playing at a high SEC level, along with 2-3 of the 4* players.
By year 3 you have to hope that the rest of the 4*’s and a couple of the 3*’s are solid contributors.
JMO

 

[Toucan Sam]

2023 Team Rankings
Vols are ranked #11 in both total points and average stars
Vols-3.61 Average stars 6th in SEC
Nico is ranked 4th overall. 3rd ranked QB after Arch Manning & Dante Moore

The #11 ranking is pretty solid.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

There are 3 types of lies in this world... lies, damn lies and statistics.

CJH had us ranked #1 in the nation with classes that included the #35th ranked in 2020.

Recruiting the right kids that *fit* into your program then coaching them up is more important than just getting high * kids. SEE: Pruitt debacle.

Also, recruiting thugs and kids with character issues generally ends with them being dismissed from the team. SEE: Kiffin debacle.

CJH seems to have done a fine job recruiting-wise to date. Not only are we getting high * caliber kids, but we are winning most of the battles for specific kids we really appear to want/need. SEE: 2023 DB commitments.

GBO.

We have not had a class that finished worse than 22nd on the composite since it existed around 2002.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Nobody's suggesting recruiting doesn't matter. But evaluating a team's success in doing so isn't based solely on star rankings.

Case in point:

TCU Horned Frogs.

Last 4 years recruiting ranking per Rivals:

60th
63rd
24th
29th

Yet TCU going to the playoffs.

TCU is going to get a prostate exam from UGA when they play them.

 

[allvolrecruiting]

Nobody's suggesting recruiting doesn't matter. But evaluating a team's success in doing so isn't based solely on star rankings.

Case in point:

TCU Horned Frogs.

Last 4 years recruiting ranking per Rivals:

60th
63rd
24th
29th

Yet TCU going to the playoffs.

TCU also plays in the Big 12 where they barely beat a lot of mid teams

 

[jakez4ut]

A step in the right direction, imo.
That 5* has to see the field next season.
You need 1 maybe 2 of those 4*’s contributing next year and 2-3 more the following year.
You need 3-4 of those 3*’s contributing in year 3.
By year 2 the 5* should be playing at a high SEC level, along with 2-3 of the 4* players.
By year 3 you have to hope that the rest of the 4*’s and a couple of the 3*’s are solid contributors.
JMO

I think with the portal and who is returning (hopefully), the 'need' to rely on freshmen isn't as prevalent as it's been in years'past. That's a good thing.

That said this staff has shown, and has to because of the offensive style, it will play talented players early in the front 7.

So as contributors rotationally, sure. But do we absolutely 'need' production game in game out?

I don't think so. But this staff send to want to play guys early in their career if they are ready.

I really like how they've fast tracked some of the development for many of the young guys on this roster and I see no reason that should change doing forward.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

TCU also plays in the Big 12 where they barely beat a lot of mid teams

TCU would be 8-4 against our schedule, at best.

 

[MarcoVol]

I think with the portal and who is returning (hopefully), the 'need' to rely on freshmen isn't as prevalent as it's been in years'past. That's a good thing.

That said this staff has shown, and has to because of the offensive style, it will play talented players early in the front 7.

So as contributors rotationally, sure. But do we absolutely 'need' production game in game out?

I don't think so. But this staff send to want to play guys early in their career if they are ready.

I really like how they've fast tracked some of the development for many of the young guys on this roster and I see no reason that should change doing forward.

Portal is a literal game changer

 

[jakez4ut]

Portal is a literal game changer

Totally. You have needs you'd like to address, and you never really know who might leave your program either so it feels like your ability to manage a roster yay l year to year is gonna be the next 'most important' trait your staff is gonna have to excel at to get and remain completive.

 

[lifeisdeep]

If we had some higher caliber players on defense, we likely make the playoffs. Recruiting 100% matters. You may have a great season occasionally without elite recruiting, but long term success requires higher level recruiting

It’s not a coincidence that a team that has out-recruited everyone except Bama the last several years is ranked #1.

 

[lifeisdeep]

Nobody's suggesting recruiting doesn't matter. But evaluating a team's success in doing so isn't based solely on star rankings.

Case in point:

TCU Horned Frogs.

Last 4 years recruiting ranking per Rivals:

60th
63rd
24th
29th

Yet TCU going to the playoffs.

TCU would have three losses if they played in the SEC.

 

[lifeisdeep]

The #11 ranking is pretty solid.

Considering we ranked that high with Dooley and Jones and Pruitt, no, it’s not.

 

[bpalmer28]

If we had some higher caliber players on defense, we likely make the playoffs. Recruiting 100% matters. You may have a great season occasionally without elite recruiting, but long term success requires higher level recruiting

Recruiting matters. Talent matters. Rankings from the recruiting services? Meh. They aren’t talent evaluators. They just try to pick up on who is heavily pursued. If our coaches can evaluate and recruit effectively the talent will be there despite low rankings early in their era. See Clemson and Dabo, for example.

 

[jakez4ut]

Considering we ranked that high with Dooley and Jones and Pruitt, no, it’s not.

There's a lot wrong with this post. But the fact you posted it, and meant it, means you don't know what that is and you aren't interested in why.

 

[peaygolf]

TCU is going to get a prostate exam from UGA when they play them.

I bet it’ll be closer than most think. TCU has some speed and really good players. They ain’t a fluke.

 

[lifeisdeep]

There's a lot wrong with this post. But the fact you posted it, and meant it, means you don't know what that is and you aren't interested in why.

I think you have a poor understanding of the basics of D-I football. Heupel has done better coaching our players than the other coaches I referenced; the fact he hasn’t capitalized on this season’s success for more highly-rated players is concerning, and anyone who can’t see that is simply a sheep. Every coach we have had for the last fifteen years we have heard this same crap that stars don’t matter; if we had had more four- and five-stars we would have been back a lot sooner. Until we start getting top-five classes we won’t be reaching the next level. You know, the one where we don’t get blown out by SC.