Historically what school surprises you in recruiting?

#51
#51
AurantiacoFan said:
Us. Below average talent in our state. Top programs in the states surrounding us. I imagine outsiders often scratch their heads at our ability to recruit.
Click to expand...
?? Water sports galore, Smoky Mountains, Neyland Stadium, Vol navy, Football tradition and that's just a start.

Took a job working on the stadium floors, two weeks living in plains and I quit that job. Ugly stadium, ugly campus, and absolute s..those of a city. Can't understand any young man wanting to go to Auburn unless for Vet school
 
  • Like
Reactions: 25vol
#53
#53
ntxVOL said:
Miami? Small commuter school, doesn't even have an on campus stadium.

FSU? Why, just why, I find nothing appealing about Tallahassee.

But I think ultimately it's about winning. If a coach can build a winning program, the recruits will come.
Click to expand...
Right.

Some kids will worry about the surrounding city, but most will end up on campus 99% of the time anyway. Getting coached up, winning big, and now NIL are the most important factors.

That said, distance from home will still matter for quite a few. Probably an advantage for GA/FL kids.
 
#55
#55
swampfoxfan said:
?? Water sports galore, Smoky Mountains, Neyland Stadium, Vol navy, Football tradition and that's just a start.

Took a job working on the stadium floors, two weeks living in plains and I quit that job. Ugly stadium, ugly campus, and absolute s..those of a city. Can't understand any young man wanting to go to Auburn unless for Vet school
Click to expand...
How many recruits cite the Smoky Mountains or water sports?

We have tons of reasons, but I'd say not the great outdoors or Vol Navy which they'll never see in person while they're playing here. From my time at UT, they spend way more time partying than going on sunrise hikes to Mt Leconte.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Defaultuser
#56
#56
Clemson, Auburn, Florida and Florida State. Inland Florida has to be the most miserable place to practice. If I’m going to play football in Florida, I need to feel the ocean breeze. Lower Alabama and Inland South Carolina are suffocatingly humid from April to October also.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ulysees E. McGill
#57
#57
Devo182 said:
How many recruits cite the Smoky Mountains or water sports?

We have tons of reasons, but I'd say not the great outdoors or Vol Navy which they'll never see in person while they're playing here. From my time at UT, they spend way more time partying than going on sunrise hikes to Mt Leconte.
Click to expand...
definitely isn't every recruit, but seems like there is always 1 or 2 who bring it up.

Vol Navy does get brought up a good bit, don't think its a decision maker for a player who won't be involved with it for the 3-5 years, but its one of those things.

I always thought it had more to do with the people, how nice they are, and the culture, how invested those nice people are in the football program.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volfan1000 and swampfoxfan
#58
#58
Devo182 said:
How many recruits cite the Smoky Mountains or water sports?

We have tons of reasons, but I'd say not the great outdoors or Vol Navy which they'll never see in person while they're playing here. From my time at UT, they spend way more time partying than going on sunrise hikes to Mt Leconte.
Click to expand...
My time at UT I just wasn't into the partyscene, spent my time hunting fishing trapping
 
#62
#62
BADGER_VOL said:
I’ve followed recruiting for over 25 years. Many schools have consistently recruited at a high levels thru many coaches.

What is a school in your opinion that you always wonder why so many top players want to go there?

Whether is the school itself, the climate, the surrounding community, etc.

What is a college football program you still shake your head at and wonder “why are so many top athletes wanting to go there vs all the options they have?

Just curious as many of you follow recruiting and have followed it for decades.
Click to expand...
That's a tough one...I've always wondered why Ohio State became the recruiting behemoth they are to start with...Ohio freakin sucks
 
  • Like
Reactions: hooter vol and BADGER_VOL
#64
#64
Ulysees E. McGill said:
That's a tough one...I've always wondered why Ohio State became the recruiting behemoth they are to start with...Ohio freakin sucks
Click to expand...
We visited OSU along with 30 other schools with my son. If you love a MASSIVE campus I guess you found one. But outside their city is cornfields for miles. It was clean but gosh not our fit. I agree with you not sure what the fuss is about although their facilities ARE outstanding
 
#65
#65
Notre Dame. In the middle of nowhere and not great weather. It is a great academic university and it is the primary Catholic school. But I don't think these factors lock down a top 10 class in modern football
 
#66
#66
Not historically but Alabama post saben. He’s gone ya dumb ass kids lmao no reason to go to that dump now

But yeah Auburn is probably the no brainer answer. Clemson is more of a took our spot because we sucked thing and oh they run a literal cult over there.
 
#68
#68
NeverWe'llSever said:
South Carolina is an awful football program, historically, and they consistently recruit decent classes. They’ve been better than usual the past 2 decades, but everything about them is second rate. Stadium is middle of the road in the SEC. Second fiddle program in their own state. Not a ton of NFL draft or on-field success, historically or now. Columbia is a dump. Mascot’s a chicken. I personally don’t care for the state itself at all. Current coach is a clown. They’re just a really lame program. Not a ton of reasons to go there, IYAM, and definitely not if you’re a 4 or 5 star player with options.
Click to expand...
If we could keep Charleston, I’d be willing to sell the rest of the state back to Britain.
 
#70
#70
BADGER_VOL said:
We visited OSU along with 30 other schools with my son. If you love a MASSIVE campus I guess you found one. But outside their city is cornfields for miles. It was clean but gosh not our fit. I agree with you not sure what the fuss is about although their facilities ARE outstanding
Click to expand...
Love Columbus but agree the surrounding area leaves something to be desired.

Athens, OH where Ohio University is located, on the other hand, is almost like a mini-Knoxville.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BADGER_VOL
#72
#72
njvols said:
Missouri of late
Click to expand...
giphy.gif
 
#74
#74
VolnGermany said:
Some of these schools did/do well due to tradition and elite coaching.

More so of the coaching, now that I think about it.

Nebraska at its prime had Tom Osborne - once that went away they lost their luster.

Clemson went a long time without a lot of success. dabo is a pompous jerk but he is perceived to be a good coach.

Auburn is doing better recruiting right now because Freeze is considered to be a good coach.

Then you have anomalies like UCLA who had Chip Kelly, good school, great weather but still didn’t make much noise.

conversely, Miss State has none of these things going for them, and have never had a period of sustained success in my lifetime

Then you have schools like Notre Dame who will always recruit at a relatively high level due to name recognition alone.

For us, Butch Jones was a decent recruiter for a bit, but he was helped by all the legacy players for sure. When the players figured out he was a snake oil salesman the wheels fell off real fast.
Click to expand...
To be fair, Freeze is also considered a pompous jerk.
 
#75
#75
Ulysees E. McGill said:
Why does being mid-sized mean "crap holes"...I love those kind of towns.
Click to expand...
Just a comment on other posters' reasoning for recruiting success being surprising because *insert town* is boring, dirty, "nothing there."

Not saying they are crap holes because they are mid-sized.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top