COACH STOOPS: Very excited about this class. It's been a strong class led by the five guys in state. They're great football players, great leaders. We did, once again, very good in Ohio signing 11 players out of Ohio. Top to bottom extremely strong group.
Great football players, but more importantly great people, great leaders, great families. They're going to be a great addition to the Big Blue Nation. Very excited about this group. Ready to get them in here and get them going.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Talk about those local guys.
COACH STOOPS: The most important thing. Definitely the most important thing is to get the local guys. We are blessed to have some great talent in state this year. We are blessed to have some guys very close to home here. I thought those guys were critical.
Everybody talks about the three guys that were in the U.S. All-American game. Those guys represented us the right way. They're great players. Again, they're great leaders, with Kash and Drake being nominated captains says a lot.
Of course, Landon arguably was one of the best players there, certainly one of the top offensive linemen. It was great with those guys in how they represented us at the All-American game. A guy that goes unnoticed in that group is Davonte. Being right down the road here. He was arguably as important of a guy in this class as anybody we got. Him and Jordan Griffin, I think it's so important to get those corners, those talented guys. Everybody comes after them and battles for those corners till the very last second.
Davonte being in state, not because he's highly ranked, he didn't go to the camps, but everybody that sees him play, it's a no-brainer. He can play with just about anywhere in the country. Great player. Obviously excited about him.
Zy'Aire the same way. Zy'Aire we watched two years ago in person. We loved him then. We love him now. He's a difference maker and a play-maker with the ball in his hands.
Q. (Question regarding Jordan Griffin.)
COACH STOOPS: I think it was important because it was important from where he was at. Coming from the heart of the SEC, right in the Atlanta area, having every SEC school banging on him and knocking on his door. To win that so far away from home, in the heart of the SEC, I think is critical.
We know we had the nucleus of the five guys in state that were as solid as can be. We know we've been extremely strong with Vince's leadership there in taking the lead role with the Ohio kids. It's also important to supplement them, get guys from the south.
To win the battle against a bunch of SEC schools, we're very gratified. Teams were not letting up. It was relentless pressure with him to the point where we talked with him and mom every day this week, they were just getting absolutely hounded, wore out, wore out by head coaches, by assistants. It was ironic. This morning he was the first call I got. D.A. (Assistant Coach Derrick Ansley) handed me the phone. It was about 7:05 this morning. As we were on the phone, I could tell he was a little bit flustered. I heard mom in the background.
I said, Jordan, are they on the phone with you right now? I'm not going to say who.
He said, Yeah, they're wearing out my mom right now.
I said, Tell them I got the fax in my hand. It's over. It was good to see. It was important.
Q. Why did this class stay together so much better than last year's?
COACH STOOPS: I think it starts with the nucleus of last year's guys. Landon may have been the first guy. Drake really took a leadership role. I think it starts with those guys. What was nice is they were such high-profile guys in state and they were so solid. I think the guys from Ohio that have been committed for a long time have been extremely solid.
I think this year we made it a point in just the message. A lot of times guys just want to take trips. What happens is when they want to take trips, it gets you that crack in the door, sends the wrong message to the other recruits.
There were several guys down the stretch, I'm going to take a trip here, a trip there. We let them know that's not the perception we want from this class. These guys have been solid, they've been holding true and steady for a year. They said, I got it, coach. We're not going anywhere. We're staying here.
There was one or two, but not much. I think that's a big part of it. But I think the unity of the whole class was important.
Our staff does a great job of getting them on campus. When they get off campus during the contact period, we don't just get in and out of schools. Our coaches have done a great job getting in there. They may spend six, seven, eight, nine, ten hours at one place, whether at home, going to dinner with these folks, just spending time. I think the relationship piece you heard me talk about for years is still most important, to have those strong relationships with these players and with these prospects.
I think it's a combination of things. I think it was the leadership, the staff doing a great job, and us really staying on it and really pushing for that unity this year.
Q. You've been around a lot of great DBs. Where does this group, the three guys, kind of rate on paper?
COACH STOOPS: Very high. Very high. You know, we'll see. But just looking at them on paper and looking at what I've seen over the years, who we really wanted, who we targeted, it's a great group.
That's where it gets dicey because if you have a defection, you can't go recruit more, because then they start looking at you. Coach, you have four corners, guys on your staff, that gets touchy because you always want to have some depth. You lose one, you lose two, that's where it hurts you, that's where it hurts your program and class. To see those bookends stay the course I think was real key.
But they're a very talented group.
Q. With this class, how close do you feel you're getting to the type of depth you need not just for success, but sustained success?
COACH STOOPS: I think that's something that we talk about in this room. You hear me talking about it all the time. Heck, it is what it is. Nobody cares, you've heard me joke about it before, nobody cares what your problems are. Nobody cares in this league, that's for darn sure.
But you need to stack classes on top of classes on top of classes. Then you need to develop them and put them in position by coaching. There's a lot of things that go into it. But it absolutely starts with having great players.
Q. On importance of stacking good classes in consecutive years …
COACH STOOPS: Take a good look around at our league. We feel very good about this class. Again, take a look around where we stand.
The good thing is, wherever you slot us, nine, ten, whatever in the SEC, it's a lot closer than being way off. You know what I mean? The balance is getting closer.
Q. One of your early signees talked about is QB Gunnar Hoak. He committed and stayed with you. How important is that? What do you project and like about him?
COACH STOOPS: I think it's very important for Gunnar. As you know, as things turned out with some of the guys on our team, it was extremely important to keep Gunnar because of depth and his ability.
You're right because he's a quiet kid. He's been committed, kind of under the radar. He's a terrific football player, a great leader. Our players have been extremely impressed with him. Our receivers have been out throwing with him and they said he can spin the heck out of the ball, has a great touch, doing a great job out there throwing. He's a guy we're very excited about.
I'm excited to get out there this spring and see what he can do, compete for playing time. So I'm very high on Gunnar.
Great football players, but more importantly great people, great leaders, great families. They're going to be a great addition to the Big Blue Nation. Very excited about this group. Ready to get them in here and get them going.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Talk about those local guys.
COACH STOOPS: The most important thing. Definitely the most important thing is to get the local guys. We are blessed to have some great talent in state this year. We are blessed to have some guys very close to home here. I thought those guys were critical.
Everybody talks about the three guys that were in the U.S. All-American game. Those guys represented us the right way. They're great players. Again, they're great leaders, with Kash and Drake being nominated captains says a lot.
Of course, Landon arguably was one of the best players there, certainly one of the top offensive linemen. It was great with those guys in how they represented us at the All-American game. A guy that goes unnoticed in that group is Davonte. Being right down the road here. He was arguably as important of a guy in this class as anybody we got. Him and Jordan Griffin, I think it's so important to get those corners, those talented guys. Everybody comes after them and battles for those corners till the very last second.
Davonte being in state, not because he's highly ranked, he didn't go to the camps, but everybody that sees him play, it's a no-brainer. He can play with just about anywhere in the country. Great player. Obviously excited about him.
Zy'Aire the same way. Zy'Aire we watched two years ago in person. We loved him then. We love him now. He's a difference maker and a play-maker with the ball in his hands.
Q. (Question regarding Jordan Griffin.)
COACH STOOPS: I think it was important because it was important from where he was at. Coming from the heart of the SEC, right in the Atlanta area, having every SEC school banging on him and knocking on his door. To win that so far away from home, in the heart of the SEC, I think is critical.
We know we had the nucleus of the five guys in state that were as solid as can be. We know we've been extremely strong with Vince's leadership there in taking the lead role with the Ohio kids. It's also important to supplement them, get guys from the south.
To win the battle against a bunch of SEC schools, we're very gratified. Teams were not letting up. It was relentless pressure with him to the point where we talked with him and mom every day this week, they were just getting absolutely hounded, wore out, wore out by head coaches, by assistants. It was ironic. This morning he was the first call I got. D.A. (Assistant Coach Derrick Ansley) handed me the phone. It was about 7:05 this morning. As we were on the phone, I could tell he was a little bit flustered. I heard mom in the background.
I said, Jordan, are they on the phone with you right now? I'm not going to say who.
He said, Yeah, they're wearing out my mom right now.
I said, Tell them I got the fax in my hand. It's over. It was good to see. It was important.
Q. Why did this class stay together so much better than last year's?
COACH STOOPS: I think it starts with the nucleus of last year's guys. Landon may have been the first guy. Drake really took a leadership role. I think it starts with those guys. What was nice is they were such high-profile guys in state and they were so solid. I think the guys from Ohio that have been committed for a long time have been extremely solid.
I think this year we made it a point in just the message. A lot of times guys just want to take trips. What happens is when they want to take trips, it gets you that crack in the door, sends the wrong message to the other recruits.
There were several guys down the stretch, I'm going to take a trip here, a trip there. We let them know that's not the perception we want from this class. These guys have been solid, they've been holding true and steady for a year. They said, I got it, coach. We're not going anywhere. We're staying here.
There was one or two, but not much. I think that's a big part of it. But I think the unity of the whole class was important.
Our staff does a great job of getting them on campus. When they get off campus during the contact period, we don't just get in and out of schools. Our coaches have done a great job getting in there. They may spend six, seven, eight, nine, ten hours at one place, whether at home, going to dinner with these folks, just spending time. I think the relationship piece you heard me talk about for years is still most important, to have those strong relationships with these players and with these prospects.
I think it's a combination of things. I think it was the leadership, the staff doing a great job, and us really staying on it and really pushing for that unity this year.
Q. You've been around a lot of great DBs. Where does this group, the three guys, kind of rate on paper?
COACH STOOPS: Very high. Very high. You know, we'll see. But just looking at them on paper and looking at what I've seen over the years, who we really wanted, who we targeted, it's a great group.
That's where it gets dicey because if you have a defection, you can't go recruit more, because then they start looking at you. Coach, you have four corners, guys on your staff, that gets touchy because you always want to have some depth. You lose one, you lose two, that's where it hurts you, that's where it hurts your program and class. To see those bookends stay the course I think was real key.
But they're a very talented group.
Q. With this class, how close do you feel you're getting to the type of depth you need not just for success, but sustained success?
COACH STOOPS: I think that's something that we talk about in this room. You hear me talking about it all the time. Heck, it is what it is. Nobody cares, you've heard me joke about it before, nobody cares what your problems are. Nobody cares in this league, that's for darn sure.
But you need to stack classes on top of classes on top of classes. Then you need to develop them and put them in position by coaching. There's a lot of things that go into it. But it absolutely starts with having great players.
Q. On importance of stacking good classes in consecutive years …
COACH STOOPS: Take a good look around at our league. We feel very good about this class. Again, take a look around where we stand.
The good thing is, wherever you slot us, nine, ten, whatever in the SEC, it's a lot closer than being way off. You know what I mean? The balance is getting closer.
Q. One of your early signees talked about is QB Gunnar Hoak. He committed and stayed with you. How important is that? What do you project and like about him?
COACH STOOPS: I think it's very important for Gunnar. As you know, as things turned out with some of the guys on our team, it was extremely important to keep Gunnar because of depth and his ability.
You're right because he's a quiet kid. He's been committed, kind of under the radar. He's a terrific football player, a great leader. Our players have been extremely impressed with him. Our receivers have been out throwing with him and they said he can spin the heck out of the ball, has a great touch, doing a great job out there throwing. He's a guy we're very excited about.
I'm excited to get out there this spring and see what he can do, compete for playing time. So I'm very high on Gunnar.
