Recruiting Forum: Football Talk XVI

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#552
#552
Apparently Texas A&M could have named Durkin their DC on Wednesday, but Sumlin wanted to see if he could get Chavis first. Obviously this didn't happen. In the process, he made the Jefferson kid (5* who committed to Texas today) mad, seeing it as a trust issue because Sumlin couldn't tell him who the new DC would be. When they didn't get Jefferson, Mack (5* DT) decided he would decommitt from A&M as well.

Sumlin wanted total control of the A&M program and he’s been given carte blanche to run all aspects of the program and to make the defensive coordinator hire. Unfortunately, because of that, everything that’s happened in the past 48 hours is his responsibility.

In fact, what’s become apparent is that Sumlin has not made very good decisions about managing either situations or people related to the A&M program. Some of those issues have only come to light because of Jefferson’s very public decision to select Texas but they have been there beneath the surface during Sumlin’s tenure and also during the defensive coordinator search itself.

Sumlin’s desire to place a high emphasis on getting a “name” or make a “splash hire” at the defensive coordinator position means that A&M has chased people like Chavis, Will Muschamp, and Bud Foster even though they never had a realistic shot at those coaches. It’s a decision that’s inexplicable for the simple reason that in that no one (either Sumlin or the people above him) apparently seemed to have a feel for what was realistic in terms of whom to hire even though Snyder has been gone since at least the Alabama game and possibly even before that. However, it’s also inexplicable A&M was vulnerable with Jefferson because he was an early enrollee, had other schools pounding on them right up until he made a decision, and for whatever reason no sensed the danger that underlay that scenario.

Also, we’ve been told by multiple that Sumlin’s reputation among defensive coaches does not match his reputation among Aggies. For example, he is considered an up tempo offensive coach whose style of play does not lend itself to playing good defense or protecting defenses via time of possession.

In addition, communication is an issue as Jefferson himself referenced. There was a press release yesterday that offensive line coach B.J. Anderson would not coaching in A&M’s bowl game. We had heard back during the season that Anderson possibly would not be retained. If that was the case, then the time to announce his departure would be coincide with that of Snyder’s immediately after the season or after the bowl game or even signing day. Instead, a press release eventually has to be put out a few hours after a press conference with the head coach for the bowl game. Not only that, recruits were not informed prior to the press release that Anderson was gone.

Again, that goes back to communication and trust. There was no need for the situation for the situation to be handled like that (although this part was lost in the joy over Anderson’s departure). The fact that Anderson was not going to be retained or could not be retained (and he would have been under contract until after the bowl game) means that the situation was not properly handed internally or communicated to others both inside and outside of the program.

Up until this point in time, Sumlin’s recruiting and public persona have managed to overcome his inability to make the right hires, maintain discipline within the program, and communicate with people about the program. Now, with the loss of Jefferson, the decommitment of Mack, and the defensive coordinator position still unfilled, those issues are now out in the open and both Sumlin and the people above him has to deal with them.
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All this was in the update from their 247 writer a few minutes ago. Whew.
 
#553
#553
eazyTD said:
from VQ
Quote:
Oh, worth noting and pretty cool for Vols' folks: we are told that Gator Bowl/Jacksonville officials will checkerboard the Tennessee end zone --- marking the first time in the bowl's 70-year history to have a checkerboard end zone. That's per folks in Jacksonville we spoke with this week.

Let's interject here about just how much momentum and fan support Tennessee has: outside of the SEC's playoff or BCS participants, no league school has done more to burnish ticket sales than the University of Tennessee. The Vols sold-out their initial 8,000-ticket allotment in a hurry; they're nearly out of the additional 2,000, non-premium seats they received on the heels of that.
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And that my friends is why we're going to a great bowl and why there was a very predictable bidding war over us behind the scenes. I said from the start that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for non-BCS bowls to snatch up a team whose fans will paint the town orange while they fill the stadium. If it were the old system we'd have been bumped up even higher because bowls know what we'll bring.

To do that with a 6-6 record punches our ticket to damn near anywhere we want to go as soon as we get a better record and the SEC office will go along with it too -- bowls can't survive without fans showing up. And we bring 'em in good times and in bad.

Fans ought to pat themselves on the back for this one because there's no doubting our loyalty and love for our team through thick and thin!
 
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#560
#560
Wow!! Bussey is a great pickup. I know many are saying Reid will move on, but I think he stays. We need 4 solid RBs going into next season. Look at the injury issues we have had this year. Also look at the problems UGA had this season with RB injuries. They are down to their 4th RB.
 
#569
#569
jave36 said:
He's never had a driver's license, he didn't just leave it at home. That's an actual crime.
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That does paint a different picture.

On a side note: You know I used to think that these kids were all idiots for driving on an invalid or suspended license then something happened to me. I tried to renew my license and couldn't for the life of me make that happen - I called everywhere, talked to people in Nashville but no one could tell me why or what I needed to do. Eventually, I had to get an attorney to find out what was wrong. Turns out a ticket had been issued that I never knew about and never received (minor fine for an expired tag, IIRC). I'd been driving another person's loaner that day and already paid my the only ticket I got (speeding) or so I thought. But because of a mailing error I never received any ticket on the tag thing - I'm still not sure why the officer never handed me the expired tag ticket (maybe he changed his mind after the fact - who knows).

Anyway...turned out that after a year's time they actually issued a minor warrant for me (nothing big but enough to scare me to death when the attorney told me!) and flagged my license so I couldn't renew. I'd been driving on an invalid license for nearly a year! I'd have happily paid any fine had I known about it.

Point being: crazy stuff happens, especially if you ever have need to borrow a car (mine was in the shop) and the misfortune of getting pulled over or there are mailing issues.
 
#572
#572
Holy ratings mismatch for Bussey. A top 100 player on Rivals and a 3* on 247Sports.

In this case, Rivals is clearly the superior recruiting service.
 
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