We are largely using the portal for younger guys with several years of eligibility left. That can be foundational.
| SCHOOL | TOTAL | 5 STARS | 4 STARS | 3 STARS | AVG by Star | POINTS | Avg by Points Total Class | Avg by Points Ranked Players |
| Ohio State | 21 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 3.95 | 3005 | 143.1 | 150.25 |
| Clemson | 18 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 3.89 | 2472 | 137.3 | 137.3 |
| Oklahoma | 16 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 3.81 | 2148 | 134.3 | 134.3 |
| Georgia | 20 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 3.9 | 2664 | 133.2 | 133.2 |
| Alabama | 26 | 4 | 16 | 6 | 3.92 | 3371 | 129.7 | 129.7 |
| LSU | 21 | 2 | 15 | 4 | 3.9 | 2676 | 127.4 | 127.4 |
| Texas A&M | 20 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 3.75 | 2537 | 126.9 | 126.9 |
| Oregon | 21 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 3.86 | 2639 | 125.7 | 125.7 |
| Michigan | 20 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 3.55 | 2269 | 113.5 | 119.4 |
| USC | 19 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 3.74 | 2244 | 118.1 | 118.1 |
| North Carolina | 18 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 3.56 | 1919 | 106.6 | 112.9 |
| Miami (FL) | 21 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 3.62 | 2327 | 110.8 | 110.8 |
| South Florida | 21 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2.52 | 1140 | 54.3 | 103.6 |
| Texas | 20 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 3.35 | 1930 | 96.5 | 101.6 |
| Florida | 25 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 3.52 | 2425 | 97.0 | 101.0 |
| Washington | 15 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 3.4 | 1369 | 91.3 | 97.8 |
| Washington State | 20 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 2.65 | 1170 | 58.5 | 97.5 |
| Penn State | 15 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 3.4 | 1459 | 97.3 | 97.3 |
| Wisconsin | 21 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 3.48 | 1989 | 94.7 | 94.7 |
| Tennessee | 22 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 3.36 | 2072 | 94.2 | 94.2 |
| Georgia Tech | 17 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 1305 | 76.8 | 93.2 |
| Iowa | 17 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 3.24 | 1485 | 87.4 | 92.8 |
| Notre Dame | 27 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 3.44 | 2383 | 88.3 | 91.7 |
| Michigan State | 19 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 3.05 | 1464 | 77.1 | 91.5 |
| Auburn | 12 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 3.25 | 1093 | 91.1 | 91.1 |
| Nebraska | 19 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 3.11 | 1724 | 90.7 | 90.7 |
| Stanford | 15 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 2.93 | 1152 | 76.8 | 88.6 |
| Colorado | 20 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 2.75 | 1230 | 61.5 | 87.9 |
| Florida State | 17 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 3.18 | 1471 | 86.5 | 86.5 |
| UCLA | 17 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 3.06 | 1382 | 81.3 | 86.4 |
Now all we have to do is win games
Keep doing it and see what happens.
No doubt, if you are comparing our "portal ins" as it were to our "portal outs" we definitely came out smelling like a rose. Which means that we should win at least 5 next year with the contributions of veteran players from the portal who were ranked far higher than the ones we lost. Assuming that they are properly coached and ready to play. The proof is in the pudding and as one coach put it: "They come highly recommended". Indeed, they do.
I agree that it would be a poor long term strategy for a number of reasons. It may help us out short term though. We will see.
On the contrary, you will find out just how powerful a message losing can become. Winning 3 or 4 games will not get it done.
Kansas State made a living for a long time with junior college transfers but ultimately you have to do better than we did this year with incoming freshmen. Win more games and none of this matters...continue losing games and all the smoke and mirrors in the world will not matter.
Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Miss State have gotten top 25 classes after poor or worse repeated seasons—Tennessee too. Tennessee spent years in futility, but kept getting high ranked classes. Nebraska has had horrible seasons and continues to get highly ranked classes. FSU has had a worse three year streak than us, players don’t like their coach, and they’re still top 25 on 247.
Don’t disagree but would simply add that right now, and even over the next two years, it is not the losing that bothers me the most. If we looked disciplined and well coached on the field and looked competitive in our losses, that would make up for a multitude of sins.
100%.
I also wonder if there is a calculated trade off for CGC in all of this? Is it that he does not want to sacrifice “juice?” Is it a philosophy of play loose and fast even if you are making mistakes? Jumping around on the sideline, and even lifting weights on the sideline, seems to me to be about some kind of energized player atmosphere that takes precedence over disciplined execution.
If that were true it would be very troubling. I doubt it - it’s all part of the recruiting appeal I think, but there was a problem this year for sure with penalties and not playing clean. Really regardless of talent you can’t win (at a high level - TM) and not be capable of playing a clean game - ask Florida
Well, Auburn years ago, before Malzhan, had what was derided as the "prairie dog" offense, when they would come up to the line and everyone would look to the sideline with the linemen all in unison looking up and turning their heads like prairie dogs but that is not what we have here. Personally, I think it is the result of having a young team, that is unsure of itself sometimes. We will see. Maybe it will not continue next year as Jeff gets more experienced the team will look to HIM instead of the sidelines.
True but we have this hang up about paying players, bagmen, and the like plus there is this matter of actually going to classes. Imagine, making football players go to class and work towards getting a useful degree. What is the world coming to?
Happened last year too though, and it’s on both sides - at least how I see / perceive it.