Where is Matt Stafford from?
Knowshon Moreno?
Percy Harvin?
Jevan Snead?
Jarrett Lee?
Brandon LaFell?
Ben Tate?
Glenn Coffee?
Charles Scott?
I could keep going.
Only two starting qb's in the SEC stayed in state.
JZ, I know you aren't really trying to make a point that bad. You are much smarter than that. Are you really trying to suggest that out of state recruiting isn't typically tougher than instate recruiting or that UT isn't more dependent than other teams in the top half of the SEC?
Other schools DO get out of state players. I NEVER said they didn't but it isn't what their program lives on... or what kept them afloat while they filtered through coaches. Their foundations are unquestionably in-state or "local" in the sense of not being but a few hours away. LSU has a ton of east Texas players whose homes are as close to BR as Austin. UT's ONLY "local" source for top players is Atlanta and they're by no means the preferred destination by stars there.
EX: if you go back and avg Bama's recruiting classes for the team Saban inherited, you'll find that they aren't too far behind UT's avg and rank in the top 20. They have a stock of great in-state players who grow up dreaming of playing for the Tide.
Just go look at the rosters, count the number of highly rated players, and see how many of them come from the homestate or within say a 4 hour drive. Better yet, consider which competitive team in the SEC has players coming the furtherest to play.
By any measure you can come up with, I'd virtually guarantee that UT is the most out of state dependent team in the SEC.
If anything N.S. had to produce faster than other coaches because of the coaching carousel Bama has had.
But the point is that he had talent when he got there because they have a loyal recruiting base that will go to Bama whether they are 6-6 or 11-1.
IFFFF UT's first try doesn't work... say they get a Ray Goff... The second guy will have little chance of competing or hanging onto his job. UT may not rise out of the lower half again until Tenn HSFB catches up with other SEC states in quality. But even then you have to hope loyalty that we haven't seen before develops with those players.
The bottom line is that:
a- UT's risks replacing a coach are much higher,
b- they grow higher if the departure of CPF is unpleasant,
c- and UT CANNOT afford to jump on the coaching carousel.
Which part of that specifically do you not agree with?
I'm not saying CPF should not be replaced. I've been clear that his standard should have been continual improvement starting in 05 until he gets a championship, top ten, or BCS bowl. Those are unlikely this year. If I were Hamilton, he might get one plateau year if the team played well but would allow NO backsliding.
IOW's, it is very, very likely that UT will end the season with results that I think CPF should be removed for... but I'm not a fool. Recruiting IS the lifeblood of college football. CPF has done a very good job of that. There's no guarantee his replacement will and if he doesn't....
