Can/Should Bama ever expect a #1 recruiting class?

TexasBammer

All-SEC
Feb 8, 2005
1,613
0
55
Hotlanta, Ga
I have pondered this question.

For those who believe that rivals and scout rankings don't matter, I guess this doesn't matter.

However, if you put stock in the recruiting rankings, I would like some feedback?

Can, or should I ever expect a #1 ranked recruiting class?
I threw together a few of the pros and cons about us...Not exhaustive mind you.

Pros
We have the one of the best traditions in College Football.
We have facilites on par, or better than most all other programs.
We have probably one of the 10 best fan bases in the nation.
We can offer early playing time to anybody but RB's.
CBS is the Crimson Broadcasting System when we are winning.

Cons
Traditional uniforms
There is another competitive team in our state.

Is it wrong to expect a #1 recruiting class some time in the near future?
How about #1 recruiting class in the SEC.

Why/When/How will it happen?
Why/When/How will it not?

Just picking everyone's brain
 

day-day

Hall of Fame
Jan 2, 2005
9,937
1,659
187
Bartlett, TN (Memphis area)
Too many of Bama's players come from schools that don't get enough press coverage which will make it tough to get the top ranking but may actually be the best class. Its likely that the players won't get ranked as high as those from other areas of the country even if they are truly equal or better players.
 

derek4tide

Hall of Fame
Jan 19, 2005
11,492
1
0
Daphne, AL
If you're talking about the top 5 classes of Tennessee and Florida over the last few years, then leave me out. Rankings, smankings. What if we land Tebow and he is more like Aigne? Which causes us to miss out on Smelley and he turns out like Vince Young? I say, go with your gut and give the offer to Smelley.
 
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bamaee04

All-SEC
Nov 15, 2004
1,236
104
82
Birmingham, AL
My thoughts exactly HT. I am with everyone else in hoping that we get Tebow, but waiting on him to make his decision and missing out on Smelley would be much worse. I think we need to go ahead and offer Smelley a scholly and hope we get both of them. We need to continue to reel these guys in that are diehard about playing for the tide from the start.
 

bayoutider

Administrator Emeritus & Chef-in-Chief
Oct 13, 1999
29,712
27
0
Tidefans.com
bamaee04 said:
My thoughts exactly HT. I am with everyone else in hoping that we get Tebow, but waiting on him to make his decision and missing out on Smelley would be much worse. I think we need to go ahead and offer Smelley a scholly and hope we get both of them. We need to continue to reel these guys in that are diehard about playing for the tide from the start.
In 17 days (Dec 14) Tebow will committ somewhere. It is still 67 days (Feb 2) till national signing day. What's the rush?
 

NYBamaFan

Suspended
Feb 2, 2002
23,320
14
0
Blairstown, NJ
Another con today is the location of the University. Tuscaloosa is out in the middle of nowhere. How do you get someone who is not from the south to commit to Alabama when they could play in Florida or California and spend so much time in the sunny climate that those states offer? Sun, sand, and beach babes. Remember where your mind was at that age?

The only way to get them to come is to have a program that offers them a chance to get ready for the NFL and offers a stage to showcase that talent, while convincing their parents that you will take care of their boys. For a while, that was missing. With Shula, and so many games on national television this year, it is coming back. Now the coaching staff has to prove that it is going to continue to send quality players to the NFL...
 

runtheoption22

News|BB|FB|REC Moderator
Staff member
Nov 10, 2003
13,290
18
107
41
Cleveland
Top 5 is most definitely possible....including this year.

#1 will always be hard to achieve b/c we get a lot of "3 star" talent from around the state of AL. These boys are typically the ones who don't put out astronomical numbers at combines, etc. but really turn out to be extremely solid players in college. For example, Ken Darby-- 3 star out of HS who most people said his best position was LB.
 

CornBiscuit

Suspended
Oct 2, 2005
4,386
0
0
38
Mobile, AL
NYBamaFan said:
Another con today is the location of the University. Tuscaloosa is out in the middle of nowhere. How do you get someone who is not from the south to commit to Alabama when they could play in Florida or California and spend so much time in the sunny climate that those states offer? Sun, sand, and beach babes. Remember where your mind was at that age?

The only way to get them to come is to have a program that offers them a chance to get ready for the NFL and offers a stage to showcase that talent, while convincing their parents that you will take care of their boys. For a while, that was missing. With Shula, and so many games on national television this year, it is coming back. Now the coaching staff has to prove that it is going to continue to send quality players to the NFL...
Ever been to Auburn?
 

ihatefulmer

All-American
Jan 26, 2004
2,016
2
0
55
Scottsboro
NYBamaFan said:
Another con today is the location of the University. Tuscaloosa is out in the middle of nowhere. How do you get someone who is not from the south to commit to Alabama when they could play in Florida or California and spend so much time in the sunny climate that those states offer? Sun, sand, and beach babes. Remember where your mind was at that age?

The only way to get them to come is to have a program that offers them a chance to get ready for the NFL and offers a stage to showcase that talent, while convincing their parents that you will take care of their boys. For a while, that was missing. With Shula, and so many games on national television this year, it is coming back. Now the coaching staff has to prove that it is going to continue to send quality players to the NFL...


Another con today is the location of the University. Tuscaloosa is out in the middle of nowhere. How do you get someone who is not from the south to commit to Alabama when they could play in Florida or California and spend so much time in the sunny climate that those states offer? Sun, sand, and beach babes. Remember where your mind was at that age?


I guess those oil rigs in Austin are nice this time of year and kids cant seem to get enough of those reservation'a in Norman either.
 

bamajas

1st Team
Oct 5, 2005
895
94
47
Jasper, AL
I think one of our biggest cons right now is stability...we have to have several years of success in the recruiting AND on-field rankings (more than just this year)...think about Texas', USC's, OU's recent runs...it just takes some time to get the people's perceptions "primed" with a view of a strong and successful program...I also think it hurts us that local talent isn't typically "glamor" talent like it seems to be for kids from TX, CA, FL, etc. (as was mentioned earlier by someone)
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
we could get "#1" class this year if Tebow picks us and a few other skill players follow him to Bama.
 

lorange

1st Team
Jan 21, 2005
695
0
0
I could care less about recruiting rankings. How much difference is there between #1 and #5. I just wish we could keep more of our local players in-state. They are not ranked as high, but alabama's best players are as good as anyone's. If our coaches start getting them ready to play, we shouldn't have any trouble recruiting to THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA.
 

Marg

1st Team
Mar 24, 2003
822
556
212
Somewhere, AL
the days of teams going after all the "5 star" players it can is probably over. with the ncaa enacting harsher rules for programs with/without qualifying players, it stands to reason that they will begin to go after increasingly more of the solid, yet reliable players that are academically sound (to bolster the class of great players that are not great students and may or may not qualify). programs are going to go away from the "best player no matter what" philosophy and focus more on student athletes. do i think it will happen overnight? no. but i do think it is going to start moving in that direction. there will always be the #1 class, but the days of signing 25 5-star players is probably going the way of the dodo.
 

NYBamaFan

Suspended
Feb 2, 2002
23,320
14
0
Blairstown, NJ
ihatefulmer said:
I guess those oil rigs in Austin are nice this time of year and kids cant seem to get enough of those reservation'a in Norman either.
Texas produces 10 times the number of Div 1A football players that Alabama produces. The Sooners are the only successful Div 1A football team in that part of the country. Alabama used to be the only successful program in the south. Not so any more.

I am not saying that we cannot recruit, just that we have to pull the players away with things other than location. The good news is that most players that come to Bama come for the right reasons. Miami can't say that. Can you say, "South Beach"?
 

bamaslammer

All-American
Jan 8, 2003
4,440
1,099
282
Argo, AL, St Clair
www.kirkwoodhouse.com
I don't think #1 to #10 is real critical. And of course you have to develope them too, To answer your question until global warming sinks Florida and puts the beaches and thongs close to Tuscaloosa Alabama will never get the #1 class. Young men spend 98% of their brain power on one thing. If I could have escaped that I'd probably be wealthy by now.
 

bobmack12champs

1st Team
Mar 1, 2001
678
1
37
Florence, Al. USA
You mentioned 'traditional uniforms'

as a con.I'll say it up front, I haven't read what any or all of the recruits have said about why they would or wouldn't come to Bama, but by the same token, I haven't read or heard that they would turn down a scholarship because of the uniforms.
 

TideFaninFl

1st Team
Jul 26, 2003
496
3
0
Merritt Island, FL, USA
Gainesville is out in the middle of horse country....

NYBamaFan said:
Another con today is the location of the University. Tuscaloosa is out in the middle of nowhere. How do you get someone who is not from the south to commit to Alabama when they could play in Florida or California and spend so much time in the sunny climate that those states offer? Sun, sand, and beach babes. Remember where your mind was at that age?

The only way to get them to come is to have a program that offers them a chance to get ready for the NFL and offers a stage to showcase that talent, while convincing their parents that you will take care of their boys. For a while, that was missing. With Shula, and so many games on national television this year, it is coming back. Now the coaching staff has to prove that it is going to continue to send quality players to the NFL...
The closest thing to the beach is the side of a lake ( Lake Alice I think)..... with alligators swimming in it.....

Any team that has a top 15 recruiting class year in and year out will have a team that will compete for NC just about every year... there is very little difference in #1 and #15......
 
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