At least from the eyes of this uninformed observer, it seems like this summer has been drastically different from previous ones under this staff with respect to recruiting. It seems there were more official visits this year than in years past, and a concerted effort to garner as many early pledges as possible, not only from the 2024 class, but from those years further out as well. Any one else notice this as well, and does anyone feel this change in approach has been a success? Failure? Too early to tell?
Paradigm Change
- Thread starter jlkirk
- Start date
It seems that way. I think it shows the program's continued growth and the new "behind the scenes recruiting staff" doing a better job of organization and preparation in our recruiting efforts. The moves Coach Stoops has made on this staff is showing to be money well invested.
Go Big Blue!
I like the fact that a lot of our offers and commits come out of camps where nearly all our staff can evaluate these guys in person. Measurables and film are one thing but it’s a huge plus to see how they react in situations against stiffer competition imo. One reason why other schools may have a lot early commits and ours never seems to take off until summer. Also the reason imo why we are and have been competitive while finishing in the bottom half of the SEC in recruiting.
We will continue the rise as long as coen is here. When he leaves, hopefully we find a better replacement. It isn't just x and o, it's an elite ability to make personal connections to these players
Not taking anything away from Coen's X's and O's, but like you said it's his ability to connect and build relationships that elevates his recruiting. That's the way recruiting has always been.
The early December signing date may have something to do with that as across the CFB landscape June has become sort of 'The Month' for taking OVs, as more and more kids are wanting to commit in July or August before their seasons start.
It is too early to conclude anything, since they won't sign for another 6 months. In recruiting, six months is almost a lifetime. Without a doubt, there are some 2024 prospects who lean toward UK to one extent or another now but won't commit yet because they are being methodical. And without a doubt there are one or two prospects out there who are currently leaning somewhere else to one extent or another, but will end up in UK's class for one reason or another. It happens every year.
Counting OVs prior to July 1 seems arbitrary. Some of our fans get preoccupied with class rankings during the summer, but the objective truth is that summer class rankings are meaningless.
While it is true that our coaches have focused a lot of their attention on two big recruiting weekends in June, most of our 2024 scholarships still remain open and several key positions like WR, OT, DL, and Mike LB remain partially or completely unaddressed. This is neither good nor bad. The goal is to sign the best class, not the quickest. There will be more big recruiting weekends in the fall. As always, I suggest withholding judgment on each class until 2-3 years after they actually sign. That may not be entertaining or popular, but it is realistic.
Well...he's not wrong. I'm a glass half full guy by nature, but I try to pump the brakes on any given recruit and not get too high OR too low on them. And entire classes in general, we have no way of knowing how they will pan out. Our highly rated 2022 class had 19 (I didn't count the kicker) signees. With Dixon's departure, that's 7 of 19 who are gone after one season, including our highest rated commit (Goodwin) and three of the nine 4 stars we signed. Recruiting can be a real crapshoot.
I answered his question honestly. Where did you get the idea that the rest of us are here to entertain you?
I agree 100%. Honestly, for where we stand today as a program, I expected that we would have some higher rated guys already committed. We just lost another huge target today in Witten. It’s time to capitalize on our momentum and put a couple of top 15-20 classes together! If not now, it’ll never happen.
I don’t see a paradigm shift, as we’ve had huge visiting groups previously in June, and our total commitment list is roughly the same number as in prior years.
What has shifted, is our having become a magnet for 4 Star/Top 100 type QB’s, and the serious potential of signing them, yearly.
That, and the inclusion of more physical territory, especially the Atlantic Coast area.
Both changes are linked directly with Coach Coen.
What has shifted, is our having become a magnet for 4 Star/Top 100 type QB’s, and the serious potential of signing them, yearly.
That, and the inclusion of more physical territory, especially the Atlantic Coast area.
Both changes are linked directly with Coach Coen.
Let's give it some time. Higher rated prospects have a lot of options and usually need more time to sort through them. OH St pushed hard for Witten so that was always an uphill process for us, but Coach Marrow got close. We have a real shot at Robinson's commitment and that one is important. The recruitment of Hardley Gilmore is a late development that could pay off for us.
You’re dead on as usual. Our coaches have earned the right to bring the class along the way the see fit.
Thanks for your gracious comment. You are spot on again here. Our coaches often save scholarships for the fall, which is a smart tactic if you are expecting positive recruiting influences to happen during the season. In recent years we have picked up some really important commitments in November, December, and January, for example, Jordan Dingle, Octavious Oxendine, Trevin Wallace, Deone Walker, Alex Afari, Barion Brown, Kendrick Gilbert, Khamari Anderson, Jamarion Wilcox. These late commitments don't help your summer class rankings, but they move the needle for your football team. Results on the field count. The summer class rankings don't. It's really that simple.
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