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Someone smarter than me on all things portal: how are we honestly looking?

Imafan4evr_

Junior
Jul 31, 2004
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Anyone really well-versed in the portal game and willing to enlighten the dumber amongst us (as I raise my hand) on how we should be feeling based on our current commits and visitors?

It’s hard for me to get a solid feel when I’ve obviously heard of nearly none of these guys based on their previous programs and / or spots on their previous teams’ pecking orders. Are we looking good? Meh? Like we will be better suited battling for 5th place in the MAC?

Tell us how to feel.
 
Anyone really well-versed in the portal game and willing to enlighten the dumber amongst us (as I raise my hand) on how we should be feeling based on our current commits and visitors?

It’s hard for me to get a solid feel when I’ve obviously heard of nearly none of these guys based on their previous programs and / or spots on their previous teams’ pecking orders. Are we looking good? Meh? Like we will be better suited battling for 5th place in the MAC?

Tell us how to feel.
No one including Mark Stoops can build a football team through the portal. You build your team through recruiting and developing your recruits. You then can fill a few holes through the portal. A QB is the most difficult to get a good player through the portal. Most QBs enter the portal because they are not good enough to play with the team they are leaving. Look at our last two portal QBs. I would like to see a list of portal players we have gotten in last 3 years that have been great. Basketball is different because one great portal player can totally change a basketball team, not football.
 
No one including Mark Stoops can build a football team through the portal. You build your team through recruiting and developing your recruits. You then can fill a few holes through the portal. A QB is the most difficult to get a good player through the portal. Most QBs enter the portal because they are not good enough to play with the team they are leaving. Look at our last two portal QBs. I would like to see a list of portal players we have gotten in last 3 years that have been great. Basketball is different because one great portal player can totally change a basketball team, not football.
Leary was the starter before his injury. He most likely would have been if he stayed. He was a top portal qb that many teams wanted. He just didn’t recover from his injury.
 
Anyone really well-versed in the portal game and willing to enlighten the dumber amongst us (as I raise my hand) on how we should be feeling based on our current commits and visitors?

It’s hard for me to get a solid feel when I’ve obviously heard of nearly none of these guys based on their previous programs and / or spots on their previous teams’ pecking orders. Are we looking good? Meh? Like we will be better suited battling for 5th place in the MAC?

Tell us how to feel.
The OT they added was #44 in the portal and #4 OL. Not bad but not going to change the team
 
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3 teams in On3’s 2024 portal rankings are in the CFP and at least 1-2 others got dang close. I think the idea you CAN’T build from the portal has been debunked. It’s not how I want UK to do it but it can clearly be done and done well.
 
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I go by rankings. That’s the only way to really do it imo. We have picked up the following:

#6 OT (45 overall)
#10 IOL (212 overall)
#9 LB (190 overall)
#19 edge (158 overall)

As of 4 days ago, there were over 1,500 FBS scholarship players in the portal. We have a lot of work to do, but it’s a decent start.
 
Edgarman is pretty much dead on. You can fill a few holes with portal guys but you can get too many and loose all team chemistry. QB is a tough call, lots of QBs hit the portal because if you aren't the top dog you don't play much. Some for whatever reason are starters hit the portal. Always a safer bet to get a starter, but still a gamble
 
No one including Mark Stoops can build a football team through the portal. You build your team through recruiting and developing your recruits. You then can fill a few holes through the portal. A QB is the most difficult to get a good player through the portal. Most QBs enter the portal because they are not good enough to play with the team they are leaving. Look at our last two portal QBs. I would like to see a list of portal players we have gotten in last 3 years that have been great. Basketball is different because one great portal player can totally change a basketball team, not football.
This is a lie. Oregon is the number 1 team in the country and over half of their starters are from the portal. Most Indiana teams is also from the portal. I could really keep going. Also cam ward and Dillion Gabriel who were heisman finalists both came from the portal lol
 
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This is a lie. Oregon is the number 1 team in the country and over half of their starters are from the portal. Most Indiana teams is also from the portal. I could really keep going. Also cam ward and Dillion Gabriel who were heisman finalists both came from the portal lol
As was Travis Hunter, albeit two seasons ago. In fact almost the entire Colorado team are transfers and they were one win away from the playoffs.
 
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You can absolutely build/turnaround a program from the portal. Arizona st won 4 games last year. Look at where Indiana is. Now you maybe can’t build a national champion from the portal alone but you can go from 4 wins to 7-8 with the portal. Honestly if you’re a Kentucky fan you’d have to be ecstatic if stoops can pull that off. Then you gotta hope to keep a top 30 class intact and then hit the portal hard again. The portal allows programs like ours to close the gap on the big guys but you damn sure better pay the right kids to come over. Or you get what we just had
 
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If we hit on Maalik Murphy and that RB from ULM then I’ll start to believe we’re maybe more of a 6-6 team next season than a 3-9 one.
 
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