Bammer vs. Utah recruiting

[salutethehill]

Something I wondered at the beginning of the season was, how could a team like Michigan, who just has to open their doors to bring in great recruits, get beat by a team like Utah, who fights for every recruit they get and can't be near as picky? Of course, I wondered that last night, also.

Per rivals since 2004
Utah - 4 four-star recruits, 0 five-star recruits
Bammer - 49 four-star recruits, 7 five-star recruits

Average team ranking since 2004
Utah - 61 (best class was ranked #55)
Bammer - 11 (#1 class last year)

Do we put too much emphasis on recruiting rankings? Is this simply a testament to the coaching of Whittingham and his staff? Is this a team chemistry issue? What do you guys think?

 

[knucklehead_vol]

imo it was bama thinking this was just a team from a non bcs conference, and they thought they would roll over them. while whittingham is a good coach, they would not survive undefeated in a top conference, that being sec, big 12, acc, and pac 10. utah is not a better team, but they were outplayed and outcoached.

 

[IPorange]

I think the level of parody in high school athletes is still not fully appreciated. Plus, when you factor in the bandwagon nature of player rankings (players with offers from bigger schools automatically get a rankings bump, leaving undiscovered/unrealized players further behind and still undiscovered), it is easy to see how the entire system is skewed towards the bigger and more high profile programs' favor. Notice that whenever Tennessee is in on a 1 star recruit, that recruit is almost always upgraded to a 3 star before the end of recruiting if a couple other big schools offer.

 

[IPorange]

imo it was bama thinking this was just a team from a non bcs conference, and they thought they would roll over them. while whittingham is a good coach, they would not survive undefeated in a top conference, that being sec, big 12, acc, and pac 10. utah is not a better team, but they were outplayed and outcoached.

To be clear, I agree with this too. I just think the difference between the two pools of athletes, while separated by 50 or so rankings, isn't enormous. Certainly enough for good coaching and a little mental edge to easily overcome.

 

[RCKYT0P]

Rammer Jammer Bammer loses....love it!

 

[gasguy98]

Something I wondered at the beginning of the season was, how could a team like Michigan, who just has to open their doors to bring in great recruits, get beat by a team like Utah, who fights for every recruit they get and can't be near as picky? Of course, I wondered that last night, also.

Per rivals since 2004
Utah - 4 four-star recruits, 0 five-star recruits
Bammer - 49 four-star recruits, 7 five-star recruits

Average team ranking since 2004
Utah - 61 (best class was ranked #55)
Bammer - 11 (#1 class last year)

Do we put too much emphasis on recruiting rankings? Is this simply a testament to the coaching of Whittingham and his staff? Is this a team chemistry issue? What do you guys think?

Well if nothing else it proves that there is more to winning than getting a bunch of guys with 4 or 5 stars next to their name. After studying this thing (recruiting and how it correlates to winning) I am of the opinion that recruiting the right[ I]players is the key. A 5 star prospect could flourish in one program and be a bust in another.[/I]

 

[IPorange]

Well if nothing else it proves that there is more to winning than getting a bunch of guys with 4 or 5 stars next to their name. After studying this thing (recruiting and how it correlates to winning) I am of the opinion that recruiting the right[ I]players is the key. A 5 star prospect could flourish in one program and be a bust in another.[/I]

That's a good point. Players aren't cogs in a machine. The schemes and players around them matter. A team might have done a better job with a recruiting class for their needs than another, but still look fifteen or twenty ranks behind by the class raters.

 

[govols87]

I totally agree...I think our class, when compared to our needs in postition and philosophy of scheme, is a much better class than 17th. Plus, we can only go up by reeling in some of these bigger names by NSD, like we have done in the past...finishing strong that is.

 

[mattvols]

Don't get me wrong Utah is a great team but they would lose a couple games in the SEC. I think Alabama didn't take Utah seriously and that's what caused the game. Talent wise Alabama was far superior which you will see in the number of NFL
players on the two team but I think Utah just really knows how to recruit for their system. They also may take more develomental prospects than guys than guys that are ready to go at day one. Utah is also not a national showcase for high school football so it may be easier for guys to go under the radar
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[BACKDOC]

Don't get me wrong Utah is a great team but they would lose a couple games in the SEC. I think Alabama didn't take Utah seriously and that's what caused the game. Talent wise Alabama was far superior which you will see in the number of NFL
players on the two team but I think Utah just really knows how to recruit for their system. They also may take more develomental prospects than guys than guys that are ready to go at day one. Utah is also not a national showcase for high school football so it may be easier for guys to go under the radar
Posted via VolNation Mobile

I had a feeling this was going to happen; anything other than the national champ. game and Bama was not going too interested. Not to mention it's easier to get excited if you're playing someone like Mich. compared to the Utes.