Race for the #1 Ranking Class

TiderJack

Hall of Fame
Jul 9, 2010
12,224
6,249
187
Inverness, AL
Many fans still take the stars too seriously, as though they were the gospel. Many 4 stars are really 3 stars or 5 stars, many 3 stars are 4 star or 5 stars, many 5 stars are 4 stars. etc. If a top recruiting staff knows what they are looking for and have an eye for talent, if they take 3 stars at this point, they are likely better than available 4 or 5 stars.

Nick Saban's greatest"gift' is probably his ability to evaluate talent, thus his classes are usually better than their ranking. But the recruiting services know this and bump many of his players up quicker than they would others. Also, Saban is looking for specific types of players that fit what he wants. IMO, from 08-15 LSU had more athletically gifted teams than Bama, but Bama's fit Saban's style of play. Now that Bama has changed it's philosophy, Bama's teams are much more athletically gifted than before.

Bottom line is that though the rankings have some value, they are not close to being a precise measurement even at the class level and much less at the individual level.
They have much more value than you are giving them. A consistent top 10 ranking in most cases is a very good indicator your team is going to be good to very good. Your argument was mayebe good 10 years ago or so but with the money recruiting services spend on their evaluations they are now accurate for the most part. Bama, Clemson, Ohio State, FSU, the Barn finish Top 10 in recruiting and typically they are the ones being discussed for the play-offs and other big bowls. You can throw Boise St or UCF at me but playing 11 patsies a years and having a pretty good recruiting class and good coaching can do that when playing that type of schedule.
 

BamaInBham

All-American
Feb 14, 2007
4,465
2,110
187
They have much more value than you are giving them. A consistent top 10 ranking in most cases is a very good indicator your team is going to be good to very good. Your argument was mayebe good 10 years ago or so but with the money recruiting services spend on their evaluations they are now accurate for the most part. Bama, Clemson, Ohio State, FSU, the Barn finish Top 10 in recruiting and typically they are the ones being discussed for the play-offs and other big bowls. You can throw Boise St or UCF at me but playing 11 patsies a years and having a pretty good recruiting class and good coaching can do that when playing that type of schedule.
I'm not saying that as an aggregate over 4 years that there is not some legitimacy, but looking at a one year class becomes more of a guess and finally, thinking that a specific player's ranking as anything close to a sure thing is lunacy. In most programs, if you hit (they become meaningful contributors to your program) on half of them you have done very well.

And I'm not dissing the rankers, who have improved, but they are not nearly as good as coaches who are paid many times over what the "analysts" make. Almost any analyst would die for a P5 job. And the highly paid, true experts, the coaches, miss on roughly half of them.

If you go back and look at Bama's past classes you will be surprised at how many 5 star, top 50, top 100, 4 star recruits never do anything at Bama. And Bama probably does the best job of the high profile programs. I do not want to name the kids.
 

92tide

TideFans Legend
May 9, 2000
58,145
44,863
287
54
East Point, Ga, USA
they get UGA early 2nd game and they are a good team. UGA going to have some growing pains with losing players
i've been saying I think uga drops 1 or two of the uf, ut, usce games this season. those three teams will be gunning for them and uga has never really had to play with much of a target on their backs.
 

DawgByte

1st Team
Dec 21, 2017
461
98
47
UGA has had talent the entire time. FSU had talent for 20 years. development is where bama is just different. Mental toughness as well. Saban's teams at LSU were doing the same thing when he was there. Saban has the process that nobody has nor likely will figure out as much as other emulate.
As I've stated on this board several times, Richt was great at bringing in flashy talent in certain positions. What Richt lacked that Bama, Clemson and Ohio St. has done over the years is amass top tier talent across all positions. To win Championships you need to be talented and deep across the board, not just in 3 or 4 positions. Georgia has never had 5*'s backing 5*'s across the board. However, that's changing under Kirby Smart. We're still not there yet, but we're closing the talent game.
 

jambama1

All-American
Aug 1, 2005
2,830
2,650
187
Tuscaloosa
As I've stated on this board several times, Richt was great at bringing in flashy talent in certain positions. What Richt lacked that Bama, Clemson and Ohio St. has done over the years is amass top tier talent across all positions. To win Championships you need to be talented and deep across the board, not just in 3 or 4 positions. Georgia has never had 5*'s backing 5*'s across the board. However, that's changing under Kirby Smart. We're still not there yet, but we're closing the talent game.
Couldn't disagree with you more. 2012 was a championship team for UGA that had talent everywhere same in 08. If you think for a second y'all are about to go bama on this league you are sadly mistaken. This past year was led by Richt players except the starting QB in prime positions. The deep RB backfield you enjoyed came from Richt not Kirby. Kirby better show more results to tame the wild expectations you guys have. Especially when Miami is about to have a great season in the ACC.
 

jambama1

All-American
Aug 1, 2005
2,830
2,650
187
Tuscaloosa
I will say again go back and look at these so called rankings of 5 stars. Then see if you can even remember what they did in college. Bama 50 % at first round (not just drafted but developing them into the top 32 players) Call when Kirby does this.
 

DawgByte

1st Team
Dec 21, 2017
461
98
47
Couldn't disagree with you more. 2012 was a championship team for UGA that had talent everywhere same in 08. If you think for a second y'all are about to go bama on this league you are sadly mistaken. This past year was led by Richt players except the starting QB in prime positions. The deep RB backfield you enjoyed came from Richt not Kirby. Kirby better show more results to tame the wild expectations you guys have. Especially when Miami is about to have a great season in the ACC.
It's not about a year here and there. It's about developing a standard of excellence where you're consistently in the hunt for the playoffs and playing for national championships - with an emphasis on plural. I've been following Georgia recruiting (365 days a year) for over 20 years, so I know a little something about our talent and depth. Lastly, no UGA football fans I'm aware of are pining for the Mark Richt days. I'm sure you are though.
 

The Ols

Hall of Fame
Jul 8, 2012
5,136
5,724
187
Cumming,Ga.
That's more like a cat's meow than a "dawgbyte"...
It's not about a year here and there. It's about developing a standard of excellence where you're consistently in the hunt for the playoffs and playing for national championships - with an emphasis on plural. I've been following Georgia recruiting (365 days a year) for over 20 years, so I know a little something about our talent and depth. Lastly, no UGA football fans I'm aware of are pining for the Mark Richt days. I'm sure you are though.
 

DawgByte

1st Team
Dec 21, 2017
461
98
47
That's more like a cat's meow than a "dawgbyte"...
I'm perfectly capable of stepping up to the mean and nasty table, but for the most part I've been treated fairly, so there's no need to go medieval.

FWIW, Georgia is back on top of the rankings!
 

NoNC4Tubs

Hall of Fame
Nov 13, 2010
8,139
3,849
187
It's not about a year here and there. It's about developing a standard of excellence where you're consistently in the hunt for the playoffs and playing for national championships - with an emphasis on plural. I've been following Georgia recruiting (365 days a year) for over 20 years, so I know a little something about our talent and depth. Lastly, no UGA football fans I'm aware of are pining for the Mark Richt days. I'm sure you are though.
Is that you, Darrell?
 

jambama1

All-American
Aug 1, 2005
2,830
2,650
187
Tuscaloosa
It's not about a year here and there. It's about developing a standard of excellence where you're consistently in the hunt for the playoffs and playing for national championships - with an emphasis on plural. I've been following Georgia recruiting (365 days a year) for over 20 years, so I know a little something about our talent and depth. Lastly, no UGA football fans I'm aware of are pining for the Mark Richt days. I'm sure you are though.
When did one year become plural ? The standard isn’t set off of one year. You came in second (in your own division) at 8-5 in Kirby’s first year then won the sec his second yet lost the big game. So this plural must mean singular right ? I’m glad you’ve been following for twenty years so you must know that Georgia has gotten almost every player in the top 10 for the state the last twenty plus years right ? I guess richt just couldn’t get it done in the sec by your fan base yet he was just as close as Kirby to winning a national title multiple times during a era before the playoffs. If the playoffs had been in effect then 2012 would’ve been a rematch and he would’ve won a title in 07. You give Kirby a lot of glory for two years of coaching. Florida had muschamp and Mac have great years too and then what had happened was. Bama produced an sec championship with mike dumbo that lost to la tech. Again Kirby isn’t Saban and until Kirby actually goes plural on championships then richt is still the Better coach. Lastly, lsu pinned for better days than miles but they got a coach o. Remember that
 
Last edited:

Skeeterpop

Hall of Fame
Jul 18, 2008
5,651
27
67
I'm perfectly capable of stepping up to the mean and nasty table, but for the most part I've been treated fairly, so there's no need to go medieval.

FWIW, Georgia is back on top of the rankings!

I am by no means a Mod. However, I can share some words of advice.

This is not the place to be threatening to step up to the plate. I can promise you that you will be out the door before the dinner bell is even rung if that is your intentions. This is a Bama board. Not Georgia, not FL, not LSU or any other team. You are a guest here and as long as you are civil towards the Bama members and Bama in general you will likely be able to hang around as long as you like.

The minute you start challenging Bama fans, Board moderators or disrespecting Bama players and coaches, or just creating a confrontational atmosphere in the threads you particpate in, you will find yourself on the outside looking in. Please dont “step up” at any Bama member here or place your team’s accomplishments or perceived potential above our team. That wont go over well.

I hope you respect the board rules and hang around. But remember, this is not a two way street with equal rights. We dont have to agree with you on anything but you do have to leave your external biased opinions outside these walls when they start encroaching on becoming confrontational or you attempt to measure our school against yours and claim superiority.

Good Luck
 
Last edited:

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
45,499
46,842
187
When did one year become plural ? The standard isn’t set off of one year.
Not taking his side in this discussion, but I took his post to mean that he hopes and expects GA to stay in contention with Smart as head coach, making it plural down the road, once that has been achieved. He is getting ahead of himself, but I don't blame him for being excited. He just needs to keep in mind that Saban is the best in the game, and Smart will have to beat Saban for GA fans to see this materialize into anything more than they achieved under Richt.
 

CrimsonEyeshade

Hall of Fame
Nov 6, 2007
5,409
1,520
187
The bottom line, whether we want to accept it or not, is this: Kirby Smart is recruiting and working to build a sustainable program at a far different level than Mark Richt. We knew he was a workaholic and crack recruiter when he was in Tuscaloosa. Why would that change now? He came within one play last year. Let's see what he accomplishes as the head guy from this point on.
 
Last edited:

TiderJack

Hall of Fame
Jul 9, 2010
12,224
6,249
187
Inverness, AL
The "helicopter dad" has hit UGA before his son has dressed out for his first game. Amazing how QB's and their dad's think nowadays. I guess every school is going to need to sign 2 QB's in every class since most are going to take their ball and go to a what they think is a greener pasture when they don't become the starter.
 

Tideflyer

Hall of Fame
Dec 14, 2011
7,824
3,904
187
Savannah, GA
The "helicopter dad" has hit UGA before his son has dressed out for his first game. Amazing how QB's and their dad's think nowadays. I guess every school is going to need to sign 2 QB's in every class since most are going to take their ball and go to a what they think is a greener pasture when they don't become the starter.
Sometimes it's not just the kids that succumb to the " you da' man " syndrome.
 

Padreruf

Hall of Fame
Feb 12, 2001
8,687
12,227
287
73
Charleston, South Carolina
Sometimes it's not just the kids that succumb to the " you da' man " syndrome.
Had a major college golf coach explain why he only had 7 players, when most teams had at least 10. Besides having to split up scholarship money -- only 4.5 per team -- he said, "I only have 2 sets of parents to deal with when we play tournaments and their son doesn't go." Much of the time parents are far worse than their children.

A dean at a major ACC school said that they have replaced the term "helicopter" parents with "bulldozer" parents. They want to bulldoze every obstacle out of the way for their child. He had to reserve 3-4 hours every Friday afternoon during the school term to return phone calls of parents who wanted their child's grade changed -- which he was not about to do.

And we wonder why millennials are like they are -- look at our parenting...

Thus endeth the sermon....
 

New Posts

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.