As an interested but far outside observer, it is difficult to see how anyone can be particularly displeased with our recruiting this year. It seems to me that this staff is recruiting well over what the results would predict. Let's look at what the staff has to overcome:
1. Few homegrown players. Let's face it, Florida, Texas and USC can and do always recruit well because they have a lot of home grown talent. Texas signed a top 5 class last year with exactly 1 out of state recruit.
2. Players like to go where they know they can win. Alabama and Florida have proven they can win and be dominant over the last four or five years in Florida's case and two years in Alabama's case. Tenneessee is coming off a 7-6 season.
3. For all the discussion about NFL coaches, Alabama, Georgia and Florida can all point to players they have developed and put in the NFL. Alabama and Florida can claim to have developed players into Heisman winners by their sophomore season and Georgia had the number 1 pick in the draft last year.
We've all heard the line about a girl who is a 6 who thinks she's a ten. Well like it or not, but when everything is considered, Tennessee is about a 6 or 7 right now but is recruiting like a 9.
Tennessee will be a nine soon enough. For now, given where this program is over the last five years, Kiffin et al have been recruiting over their head. Instead of comparing to Florida and Alabama, the better comparisons are Michigan, Texas A&M and UCLA, schools with strong football traditions going through an average time. Yet our class is considerably better than any team of comparable record.
The fact the rich are getting richer and a few commits are changing their minds are temporary nuisances.
1. Few homegrown players. Let's face it, Florida, Texas and USC can and do always recruit well because they have a lot of home grown talent. Texas signed a top 5 class last year with exactly 1 out of state recruit.
2. Players like to go where they know they can win. Alabama and Florida have proven they can win and be dominant over the last four or five years in Florida's case and two years in Alabama's case. Tenneessee is coming off a 7-6 season.
3. For all the discussion about NFL coaches, Alabama, Georgia and Florida can all point to players they have developed and put in the NFL. Alabama and Florida can claim to have developed players into Heisman winners by their sophomore season and Georgia had the number 1 pick in the draft last year.
We've all heard the line about a girl who is a 6 who thinks she's a ten. Well like it or not, but when everything is considered, Tennessee is about a 6 or 7 right now but is recruiting like a 9.
Tennessee will be a nine soon enough. For now, given where this program is over the last five years, Kiffin et al have been recruiting over their head. Instead of comparing to Florida and Alabama, the better comparisons are Michigan, Texas A&M and UCLA, schools with strong football traditions going through an average time. Yet our class is considerably better than any team of comparable record.
The fact the rich are getting richer and a few commits are changing their minds are temporary nuisances.
