01-02-2019, 10:12 AM
OF -- good post to prompt discussion. thanks.
a couple of random responses. first, Alabama and Clemson have more early NFL departures than we do almost every season. second, with Alabama and Clemson (and other top programs), 5th years are not counted on systematically -- they are more of an aberration. if we want to avoid R-Jr departures, we should be playing talented true FR more often. Adebo, Hooper and Solomon Thomas (in addition to Smith) readily come to mind. others are burned the other way like Shittu, Tucker etc. it seems we don't do a great job of evaluating our own talent and pipeline planning for it.
there are a lot of seemingly easy tweaks staff could make in recruiting (more early offers to qualified top 300 types, use of spring official visits, use of technology and non-coaching staff in preparatory recruiting tasks, leverage head coach in-home visits, especially earlier in the process, etc) that would help, but there seems to be resistance to change at the top.
'19 looks like a tough year for us. tough OOC schedule and big ?s marks at ILB and OL, among other positions. '19 spring practice looks to be a repeat of '18, in '18 we often lacked enough healthy bodies to have full contact scrimmages. on the bright side though, we will have multiple scholarship QBs for the '19 spring practices.
a couple of random responses. first, Alabama and Clemson have more early NFL departures than we do almost every season. second, with Alabama and Clemson (and other top programs), 5th years are not counted on systematically -- they are more of an aberration. if we want to avoid R-Jr departures, we should be playing talented true FR more often. Adebo, Hooper and Solomon Thomas (in addition to Smith) readily come to mind. others are burned the other way like Shittu, Tucker etc. it seems we don't do a great job of evaluating our own talent and pipeline planning for it.
there are a lot of seemingly easy tweaks staff could make in recruiting (more early offers to qualified top 300 types, use of spring official visits, use of technology and non-coaching staff in preparatory recruiting tasks, leverage head coach in-home visits, especially earlier in the process, etc) that would help, but there seems to be resistance to change at the top.
'19 looks like a tough year for us. tough OOC schedule and big ?s marks at ILB and OL, among other positions. '19 spring practice looks to be a repeat of '18, in '18 we often lacked enough healthy bodies to have full contact scrimmages. on the bright side though, we will have multiple scholarship QBs for the '19 spring practices.