No Natty without Elite Recruiting

[thunderduck17]

247 Composite Rankings

2017 (Current Class) - 14th
2016 - 14th
2015 - 4th
2014 - 7th

Average 9.75

Recruiting has been where it needs to be under Butch. In line with many of those programs.

 

[Dudleys87]

So BAMA's on field success has underachieved under Saban?

They have lost 2 of 3 NC games so...

 

[chargervol]

which underscores the importance of recruiting. Thankfully, Butch recruited lights out 2014 & 2015.

If we finish ranked 20th this year in 247sports rankings that will be an average ranking of #11 over 4 years. Of course, there has been some attrition (Preston Williams, Jalen Hurd etc.) but that is still a very respectable average.

We are not falling off the cliff. Did recruiting ebb this year? Yes, of course but we also don't need immediate play makers like we did in 2014 & even 2015. Although we are getting a few in this class anyways.

Using 247sports composite that is 33 4* on the roster going into 2017 season and 2 5*

For the first time IN A LONG time the majority of our 1st and 2nd team will be 4* players.

Job well done by Butch and company!

***Note: The last time the #1 ranked Dual Threat QB took the reins he led his team to National Championship games in his sophomore and junior years:

2014 Top Dual-Threat Quarterback Recruits

2016 Top Dual-Threat Quarterback Recruits

Let's step back and see what happens this year and next before we start pushing to start over again. If you look at the overall picture Butch is doing it is a solid B to B+ job in my opinion.

Looking forward to celebrating signing day tomorrow and all the young men who sign with TENNESSEE!

GO VOLS!!!

Trust me, they've already done the mental math. That's why the line of bashing quickly changed to underachieving and Buddy system.

Everyone realized we were still within the numbers except for the poor OP.
He was too busy patting himself on the back for being right, it never occurred to him to check the math.

 

[Dudleys87]

247 Composite Rankings

2017 (Current Class) - 14th
2016 - 14th
2015 - 4th
2014 - 7th

Average 9.75

Recruiting has been where it needs to be under Butch. In line with many of those programs.

Spin it however you like it's getting worse.
Legacies are running out and the diamond in the rough strategy will only carry him so far

 

[QuickSmurf]

^^^ this all day, you can mark up 2 losses for the vols every year at a minimum. With Saban at the Helm there is no way that Butch and this staff will be able to beat him. Period.

To be fair not many have beaten Saban.

 

[QuickSmurf]

Good thing I am inside so I don't get hit by the falling pieces of the sky.

Underrated post

 

[Doberman]

Trust me, they've already done the mental math. That's why the line of bashing quickly changed to underachieving and Buddy system.

Everyone realized we were still within the numbers except for the poor OP.
He was too busy patting himself on the back for being right, it never occurred to him to check the math.

Being right about what?

 

[thunderduck17]

Spin it however you like it's getting worse.
Legacies are running out and the diamond in the rough strategy will only carry him so far

I didn't spin anything. You can't spin the fact that recruiting has been top ten based on 247 composite scores since Butch has been here. It is based on math. Do you need me to help you calculate the average of those four numbers?

 

[MWAVolfan]

I disagree. Now that 4 teams make it in the championship I feel like we have a better chance to win one versus old days where one loss to Bama or FLa did you in. I agree with you though on having to play Bama 2x in a year is difficult though.

If we beat Bama in the regular season it's far from given that we'd play them in Atlanta.

Here is an interesting thing to do... Go back over the last 9 years of and look at what would have (or wouldn't have) happened to Bama if Tennessee had managed to beat them 3 or 4 times in that span. How many national titles could we have prevented?

Bama has benefitted greatly due to how inept Tennessee has been because they "get" to play us every year. If we had only been marginally better with half way decent coaching on the field, Alabama wouldn't be nearly the powerhouse they have been since Saban got there.

 

[WhatInVolnation]

There is absolutely a correlation between recruiting in the top ten on average and winning power 5 conference and/or national titles and this article does a good job of documenting that. No other program is recruiting like Alabama and Ohio State right now. Clemson, however, just won and is an outlier and the same was true for Auburn. I think there are similarities between Auburn and Clemson that are important to note.

In my view, here's the deal: in order to beat the Alabamas and Ohio States of college football a program needs an elite, mobile quarterback and an elite defensive line (at least one elite DT). Those are the most important areas for a less talented team to go toe-to-toe with the more talented top teams. Clemson and Auburn title teams show just that. Clemson had Watson (the best player on the field) and an excellent DL. Auburn had Cam Newton (maybe the most unstoppable force QB that I can remember, and I include Tebow in that, and the best player on the field) and Nick Fairley, the most dominant DT in college football that year. All in all, it is better to have the most talented teams in college football (Bama with four titles and Ohio State with one title in the last 8 years shows just that) but a team can win it all with very good recruiting IF you can land an elite mobile QB and have a havoc wreaking DL because those are the positions that can negate the other teams talent advantage if you have solid supporting talent, which will need to be at least top 15 classes on average according to the numbers.

The lesson for us UT fans: our recruiting is on the lower end of the spectrum for title winning teams when this year is factored in but this year does not remove UT from striking distance in my mind. Guarantano could be the type of mobile quarterback that could lead a team to the title and landing LaBryan Ray and having our other DL recruits and players develop into a Clemson-level line are what will be needed to overcome the gap in recruiting between UT and Alabama and Ohio State. It is possible but the averages are somewhat against us and yet the possibility is there.

 

[chargervol]

Being right about what?

Was your point about a team other than Tennessee?
It wasn't in around the NCAA thread?
I apologize if I was wrong, but it seems you were pointing out that we haven't recruited well enough to be included with those numbers?
Am I wrong?

 

[DERELICK_MY_VOLS]

If we beat Bama in the regular season it's far from given that we'd play them in Atlanta.

Here is an interesting thing to do... Go back over the last 9 years of and look at what would have (or wouldn't have) happened to Bama if Tennessee had managed to beat them 3 or 4 times in that span. How many national titles could we have prevented?

Bama has benefitted greatly due to how inept Tennessee has been because they "get" to play us every year. If we had only been marginally better with half way decent coaching on the field, Alabama wouldn't be nearly the powerhouse they have been since Saban got there.

SO....it is all Tennessee's fault...not any of the SEC West schools...interesting.

 

[Dudleys87]

I didn't spin anything. You can't spin the fact that recruiting has been top ten based on 247 composite scores since Butch has been here. It is based on math. Do you need me to help you calculate the average of those four numbers?

So making it look better by averaging it out isn't spinning it in a good way? When it's clearly declining. Do you need help seeing?

 

[Doberman]

Was your point about a team other than Tennessee?
It wasn't in around the NCAA thread?
I apologize if I was wrong, but it seems you were pointing out that we haven't recruited well enough to be included with those numbers?
Am I wrong?

Where did you get the assertion that I was trying to point out anything other than what the article I posted had to say?

Stars do matter in the macro, and I do agree 100% with the article I linked.

I was taking a shot at the stars don't matter crowd, and no, I never really considered our aggregate ranking over the last 4 years.

I should have known that that is the natural direction it would take, however.

With all that being said, I'll give you that ammo you wanted and tell you that this year, color me underwhelmed.

 

[chargervol]

Where did you get the assertion that I was trying to point out anything other than what the article I posted had to say?

Stars do matter in the macro, and I do agree 100% with the article I linked.

I was taking a shot at the stars don't matter crowd, and no, I never really considered our aggregate ranking over the last 4 years.

I should have known that that is the natural direction it would take, however.

With all that being said, I'll give you that ammo you wanted and tell you that this year, color me underwhelmed.

Well, the article WAS about the AVERAGE recruiting rankings, so sorry that's where we went?

No clue what you're talking about "ammo", I'm not impressed with this class either. The only difference with me and some is that I realize it's just damage, we're not already dead in the water.

 

[thunderduck17]

So making it look better by averaging it out isn't spinning it in a good way? When it's clearly declining. Do you need help seeing?

So you prefer trends? How about looking at the football record underneath Butch?

Fulmer

2008 (5-7)

Kiffin

2009 (7-6)

Dooley

2010 (6-7)
2011 (5-7)
2012 (5-7)

Jones

2013 (5-7)
2014 (7-6)
2015 (9-4)
2016 (9-4)

 

[Doberman]

Well, the article WAS about the AVERAGE recruiting rankings, so sorry that's where we went?

No clue what you're talking about "ammo", I'm not impressed with this class either. The only difference with me and some is that I realize it's just damage, we're not already dead in the water.

"Ammo" in that your previous post suggesting that I was some uniformed rube.

 

[chargervol]

"Ammo" in that your previous post suggesting that I was some uniformed rube.

I apologize, I truly thought the point of your post was that we were not in that group of numbers.
And I would like to add, it was done in jest, not with any serious insult intended. I was just poking fun.

 

[MWAVolfan]

SO....it is all Tennessee's fault...not any of the SEC West schools...interesting.

I'm not saying that. I'm simply saying look how history would have changed if Tennessee had done even just a little bit.

Also, LSU, Auburn, Ole Miss, MSU, and TAMU have ALL beaten Saban at least once. Tennessee, Arkansas are the only two teams that play Bama every year that haven't beaten Saban.

So yeah, a ton of the blame goes to Tennessee.

 

[Doberman]

I apologize, I truly thought the point of your post was that we were not in that group of numbers.
And I would like to add, it was done in jest, not with any serious insult intended. I was just poking fun.

It's fine. I have a thick skin.

You'll have plenty of opportunities to rip me, some well deserved. I enjoy a good bomb throwing as much as the next cat.

 

[chargervol]

It's fine. I have a thick skin.

You'll have plenty of opportunities to rip me, some well deserved. I enjoy a good bomb throwing as much as the next cat.

I post in the recruiting forum also.
A lot of Jabs thrown over there but it's all playful and never as malicious.. as it can be here. Sometimes I forget how seriously things can be over here.
I said it expecting a gif of a middle finger and a in return LOL

 

[volunator]

I'm not a sunshine pumper, but I'm suprised some on here are not on suicide watch. Every other post ends up bashing the coaches or university.

 

[MWAVolfan]

I'm not a sunshine pumper, but I'm suprised some on here are not on suicide watch. Every other post ends up bashing the coaches or university.

Some people can bash and not be affected by it emotionally. It's called telling the truth. It's quite liberating.

 

[Witch_Doctor]

Some people can bash and not be affected by it emotionally. It's called telling the truth. It's quite liberating.

Witch Doctor not bashing, but when its your only bullet and you post it every chance you get....theres feeling involved. Witchie not charge for that one...lol

Bones Never Lie.

 

[beneVOLence]

Does anybody know what the average star rating of the roster of the Super Bowl contenders are this year? According to Danny Kanell New England's is a 2.8 and Atlanta's is a 2.6. Not sure what that says, but I thought it was interesting none the less.