BillySee58

So you use a couple of 2 star players (Stojkovic and Brooks) as examples of how highly ranked players don't always pan out? At least keep the argument consistent.

1st law of recruiting: Any spark in conversation about one's team's recruiting class, whether positive or negative, will result in an argument about how stars don't matter.

Also Xavier Washington http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Xavier-Washington-144371 Christian Beard http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/179980/christian-beard And Jeffery Wilson http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Jeffery-Wilson-154072

I mean, we only scored 20.9 points per game last year, which is only 1 point/game more than a team who went 0-12 in this conference last year (Southern Miss).

Thank you! Let's not forget about Wallace!

Seriously?! Came home from work yesterday to find out we landed Garner, today come back and see we got Montgomery and McClain!! I knew it was not a matter of if but when with Montgomery, but McClain was a very pleasant surprise. I love the way our class is shaping up defensively.

I never said anything about killing the sport, I'm just talki about the game.

I agree. Some money should've been donated to the schools and bowls, not just the NCAA. There's greed involved from both sides, I just think Sam Keller and Ed O'Bannon are two of a few who are ruining something for a lot of people.

This is a little more recent. Two years ago Rod Lancaster only had an offer from us and was a 3 star, and Nick Schrapps only had us and an Air Force offer yet was still a 3-star. It is very political though.

It's ridiculous IMO. Every player I know dreams of being on that game and expects nothing more than being able to play as themselves in return. Because a few greedy guys like Ed O'Bannon and Sam Keller believe they should get a cut they're going to ruin this for everyone else. If the creators of the game made up random players with random ratings the real players would all be mad that the teams wouldn't be real enough. A vast majority of college football players play this game religiously and love playing with players modeled after themselves and their teammates. Old baseball games used to be like this too, but instead the players' numbers they would scramble up their name. For example, Nolan Ryan would be named Rye Noles and would be based off of the Nolan Ryan when it came to skill ratings. The game will go on but it's ridiculous that it had to come to this.

Two more than we had all of last year.

We have to get more touches for Jimmerson. Byrd wasted some good run blocking at times last year. Jimmerson gets in the endzone. I know people like to look at Byrd as the power back, but he ran too top heavy last year and would get tripped up too easy even with a head of steam going. Jimmerson is over an inch shorter, weighs more, and carries more of his weight in his lower body. That's why even though Byrd is the "power" back, Jimmerson still breaks more tackles. Byrd may have improved, but Jimmerson is a game changer.

How do ya figure? Byrd averaged 4.2 yards/carry and Jimmerson averaged 5.

Lemon is ranked one of the top 40 or so draft eligible guards according to Phil Steele.

Wow! So this happens while I'm at work. Good deal, big pickup. Another 3-star (according to 247) for all you stargazers.

Right. Darnell Smith did nothing but make plays and find a way to get open in the second half of the season. Same for Harris. Now that they have some experience under their belt I expect them to be even better. And yes, judging from spring they have improved.

Plays well in space. That seems to be a trend among the linebackers Coach Mac is recruiting. See Ellis and Calvin Minor last year, as well as Jamal Marshall the year before who they quickly converted to a linebacker. You need speed on defense with all the spread offenses out there. Maybe he could potentially be a strong safety for us, but I'm thinking linebacker.

Plays for a pretty good team. Former Purdue commit, has since decommitted. Also holds a UTEP offer. http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Brandon-Garner-142182 http://247sports.com/Player/Brandon-Garner-20286 http://www.hudl.com/athlete/554011/brandon-garner

At receiver we have: probably our best offensive weapon and fastest player in Brelan Chancellor, two players who had productive first years with us last year in Harris and Darnell Smith, new guys who've looked good so far in Darius Terrell and Skip Caldwell, and a stud true freshman in Darvin Kidsy. Throw in a true pass-catching threat out of the backfield (Jimmerson), a group of tight ends that the coaches are very high on, and an above average blocking o-line. No excuses for lack of production in the passing game or lack of scoring.

This gives him a better chance to play early IMO.

There's not much you can say about that. You can never prepare for something like this.

I really hope they go 0-12. I want us to beat them every year like Texas over Baylor, Tennessee over Vandy, USC over Cal. Cross state "rival" that isn't much of a rival because we pummel them every year.

90's right, we have the facilities. If we win we have a good shot at keeping this kid. We also have 3 of our top 6 receivers graduating (Chancellor, Pleasant, D Smith) so this kid will have a chance to start right away. We're close to home, have great facilities, good television exposure in CUSA, and a chance to play early. You add a bowl game trip this year to that list and we have a great sell to keep this kid and get other top recruits.

Not to mention our current starting center is a freshman. This kid hopefully won't have to worry about taking over the starting center position for another 4 years.

I didn't say we had a great o-line, just stating that your post makes it sound like you're complaining about our o-line not giving DT enough time to throw. We were fine at o-line last year, we will be again this year. And yes, Emmitt is right. We were running with the box stacked all the time. Also, I feel that Brandin Byrd wasted a lot of good run blocking last year, but that's another story. As for "LOFT" we had two players who could've easily been first-team in Zach Orr and Cyril Lemon. In many preseason magazines Orr and Lemon are first team and Akunne, Whitfield, Chancellor and fellow o-lineman Antonio Johnson and Mason Y'Barbo have been receiving preseason all-conference hype as well. We have enough talent, especially on offense. Yeah that does contribute to the few sacks, but let's not take away from the job they did last year. There were more complex, long developing routes than you make it seem. Mac and Chico trusted our o-line to give DT time to throw and they called plays accordingly. Yes the o-line was not a powerhouse, but they were consistent game in and game out. Something DT was far from.