Recruiting Observation

UNTexas · February 2, 2016

Judging what I've seen so far it appears Littrell is already out recruiting Mac. I know time will tell but my first impression is this class has some finds. It's pretty impressive given the short time this new staff has been here. Hopefully this turns into a great class.

drex · February 2, 2016

Yep, keep your fingers crossed.

DeepGreen · February 2, 2016

One could only imagine if Coach Litrell and staff produced a winning .500 or better team this Fall with some exciting football, what his recruiting would be like next season.

Edited February 2, 2016 by DeepGreen

BillySee58 · February 2, 2016

Truthfully, I think Littrell's first class is starting to look pretty similar to Mccarney's first class in 2011 (not necessarily a bad thing). This is, of course comparing based on offer lists. A major difference is the focus on JUCOs with this class, as well as the two key FBS transfers.

Comparing the top recruits so far of 2016 to the most highly recruited in 2011:

- 2016 JUCO LB William Johnson's offer list looks a lot like 2011 JUCO TE Andrew Power's

- 2016 RB Nic Smith's offer list is similar to 2011 OL Cyril Lemon's

- 2016 OL Chandler Anthony's offer list is similar to 2011 LB Derek Akunne's

- 2016 WR Rico Bussey has more FBS offers than 2011 DB Freddie Warner had, but Warner had a P5/BCS offer in Texas Tech where Bussey did not

Again, this isn't a bad thing. 3 of those 4 guys from 2011 mentioned spent time in NFL camps, 2 were all-conference, and Warner appeared on track to be as well before injuries tragically de-railed his career.

The key will be to finish strong and follow up this class with a good, hopefully better class next year. Unfortunately we followed up the 2011 class with a class in 2012 that had many players with no other FBS offers and a class that has produced very little outside of Carlos Harris.

HarringtonFishSmeller · February 2, 2016

14 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

Truthfully, I think Littrell's first class is starting to look pretty similar to Mccarney's first class in 2011 (not necessarily a bad thing). This is, of course comparing based on offer lists. A major difference is the focus on JUCOs with this class, as well as the two key FBS transfers.

Comparing the top recruits so far of 2016 to the most highly recruited in 2011:

- 2016 JUCO LB William Johnson's offer list looks a lot like 2011 JUCO TE Andrew Power's

- 2016 RB Nic Smith's offer list is similar to 2011 OL Cyril Lemon's

- 2016 OL Chandler Anthony's offer list is similar to 2011 LB Derek Akunne's

- 2016 WR Rico Bussey has more FBS offers than 2011 DB Freddie Warner had, but Warner had a P5/BCS offer in Texas Tech where Bussey did not

Again, this isn't a bad thing. 3 of those 4 guys from 2011 mentioned spent time in NFL camps, 2 were all-conference, and Warner appeared on track to be as well before injuries tragically de-railed his career.

The key will be to finish strong and follow up this class with a good, hopefully better class next year. Unfortunately we followed up the 2011 class with a class in 2012 that had many players with no other FBS offers and a class that has produced very little outside of Carlos Harris.

Travis · February 2, 2016

Mac couldn't keep anyone from that first class. If SL does that, then it is easy to say he created a better class.

Harry · February 2, 2016

Just win and the results will come. If we have a health winning program we can build with quality high school players in Texas and frankly most of which from DFW alone. We just have never consistently won since the Dickey era so it is hard to compare. I know when Dickey was winning we had our pick of the litter in the Sub Belt level of recruit. The problem was we struggled to dig up the food chain because of poor facilities and a revolving door of our best assistants because we wouldn't pay them anything. We seem to have addressed the facility and assistant comp issue so no we just need to win. I think people will be shocked at how good our recruiting can be with the right staff and an winning record.

UNT90 · February 2, 2016

34 minutes ago, Harry said:

Just win and the results will come. If we have a health winning program we can build with quality high school players in Texas and frankly most of which from DFW alone. We just have never consistently won since the Dickey era so it is hard to compare. I know when Dickey was winning we had our pick of the litter in the Sub Belt level of recruit. The problem was we struggled to dig up the food chain because of poor facilities and a revolving door of our best assistants because we wouldn't pay them anything. We seem to have addressed the facility and assistant comp issue so no we just need to win. I think people will be shocked at how good our recruiting can be with the right staff and an winning record.

What has been the one consistent since the Dickey era?...

Edited February 2, 2016 by UNT90

Aldo · February 2, 2016

1 hour ago, Travis said:

Mac couldn't keep anyone from that first class.

I'll go ahead and disagree

BillySee58 · February 2, 2016

50 minutes ago, Aldo said:

I'll go ahead and disagree

It was somewhat of an issue, but for the most part the kids who left were marginal-at-best prospects who weren't even on the two deep. Two exceptions were Stojkovic who was kicked out after starting as a freshman and maybe Kerry Swarn who was a former Arizona commit who left after redshirting.

Edited February 2, 2016 by BillySee58

NorthTexan95 · February 2, 2016

4 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

It was somewhat of an issue, but for the most part the kids who left were marginal-at-best prospects who weren't even on the two deep. Two exceptions were Stojkovic who was kicked out after starting as a freshman and maybe Kerry Swarn who was a former Arizona commit who left after redshirting.

I had hope that Stojkovic would be something. I remember being disappointed when he left.

Aldo · February 2, 2016

4 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

It was somewhat of an issue

Sure there was a lot of attrition, but it warn't no 2012.

2011 had Akunne, Jimmerson, Laramie, Lemon, Lincoln, Daryl Mason, McNulty, Austin Orr, Polk, Micah, Freddie Warner, Zac Whitfield, Andrew Power.

BillySee58 · February 2, 2016

1 minute ago, Aldo said:

Sure there was a lot of attrition, but it warn't no 2012.

2011 had Akunne, Jimmerson, Laramie, Lemon, Lincoln, Daryl Mason, McNulty, Austin Orr, Polk, Micah, Freddie Warner, Zac Whitfield, Andrew Power.

Exactly. And also, 2012 was similar in that the kids leaving were not really legitimate FBS players and weren't close to being even rotational guys. There were just more in 2012.

Travis · February 2, 2016

34 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Sure there was a lot of attrition, but it warn't no 2012.

2011 had Akunne, Jimmerson, Laramie, Lemon, Lincoln, Daryl Mason, McNulty, Austin Orr, Polk, Micah, Freddie Warner, Zac Whitfield, Andrew Power.

Of this list, I see about four, MAYBE five, that could have gotten big playing time elsewhere.

Aldo · February 2, 2016

Just now, Travis said:

Of this list, I see about four, MAYBE five, that could have gotten big playing time elsewhere.

Ok.

But at UNT we had 13 big contributors. I'll say if SL can keep a whole class, I'll be impressed too.

Mean_Green09 · February 2, 2016

2 hours ago, UNT90 said:

What has been the one consistent since the Dickey era?...

Well it certainly hasnt been the shade of green in the uniforms I'll tell you that right now.

HarringtonFishSmeller · February 2, 2016

6 minutes ago, Travis said:

Of this list, I see about four, MAYBE five, that could have gotten big playing time elsewhere.

And, you honestly see four or five out of this class that could get big playing time elsewhere? And, by elsewhere, I don't mean Austin Peay, Emporia State, Northern Iowa, Eastern Illinois, Abilene Christian and the other D-II and FCS schools Littrell is beating for these recruits. I mean other FBS schools.

7 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Ok.

But at UNT we had 13 big contributors. I'll say if SL can keep a whole class, I'll be impressed too.

Yes. It will be impressive if the numerous JUCOs we're relying upon all qualify as well. Not always a gimme with JUCOs...and, Littrell's thrown our lot in with a good number of them right out of the chute.

Aldo · February 2, 2016

10 minutes ago, HarringtonFishSmeller said:

And, you honestly see four or five out of this class that could get big playing time elsewhere? And, by elsewhere, I don't mean Austin Peay, Emporia State, Northern Iowa, Eastern Illinois, Abilene Christian and the other D-II and FCS schools Littrell is beating for these recruits. I mean other FBS schools.

Oh you left out the other teams Littrell is beating out: UTSA, ECU, Georgia St, Hawaii, Iowa St, Nevada, Southern Miss, ACU, Air Force, ArkSt, Army, ULL, ULM, Navy, NMSU, Wyoming, FAU, Nebraska, Oregon State, S. Alabama, UAB, Washington State, Memphis, Cal, Purdue, SMU, Utah St, Rice...

I'm sure it was by mistake.

HarringtonFishSmeller · February 2, 2016

4 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Oh you left out the other teams Littrell is beating out: UTSA, ECU, Georgia St, Hawaii, Iowa St, Nevada, Southern Miss, ACU, Air Force, ArkSt, Army, ULL, ULM, Navy, NMSU, Wyoming, FAU, Nebraska, Oregon State, S. Alabama, UAB, Washington State, Memphis, Cal, Purdue, SMU, Utah St, Rice...

I'm sure it was by mistake.

Uh-huh...but like half of those you listed are just from the WR from Lawton, right?

And, Nebraska wasn't fighting for the LB/DE when the rubber met the road. It's not like the kid said, "Hmmm...well, I've this got Nebraska offer on the one hand, the North Texas offer on the other, and UAB on the phone...hmmm. What to do, what to do?"

The Nebraska offer was as gone as Augie Debiase's phantom Virginia Tech offer...that he'd supposedly pass up for the chance to go to a prep school.

So, there's something there that their recruiting coordinator/assistants pick up on that we are willing to roll the dice on...usually, that means grades and test scores.

Rice kid...a "smallacademic glitch" (I think that's how Vito termed it) magically made Rice think twice about a kid.

I know, I know...we have to take these kind of gambles. This mindset will never change until we win and garner enough interest from kids that aren't borderline on the field or in the classroom.

Aldo · February 2, 2016

1 minute ago, HarringtonFishSmeller said:

Uh-huh...but like half of those you listed are just from the WR from Lawton, right?

We're talking about four of these kids that contain most of these offers.

Four in just as many weeks of recruiting. With an inherited class of, what, 1 in the end?

MeanGreenTexan · February 2, 2016

4 minutes ago, HarringtonFishSmeller said:

Uh-huh...but like half of those you listed are just from the WR from Lawton, right?

And, Nebraska wasn't fighting for the LB/DE when the rubber met the road. It's not like the kid said, "Hmmm...well, I've this got Nebraska offer on the one hand, the North Texas offer on the other, and UAB on the phone...hmmm. What to do, what to do?"

The Nebraska offer was as gone as Augie Debiase's phantom Virginia Tech offer...that he'd supposedly pass up for the chance to go to a prep school.

So, there's something there that their recruiting coordinator/assistants pick up on that we are willing to roll the dice on...usually, that means grades and test scores.

Rice kid...a "smallacademic glitch" (I think that's how Vito termed it) magically made Rice think twice about a kid.

I know, I know...we have to take these kind of gambles. This mindset will never change until we win and garner enough interest from kids that aren't borderline on the field or in the classroom.

Dang. These guys are about to sign on the dotted line here pretty soon. Let's skip the CougarQueen treatment and just be glad they're here. Can we do better? Sure! ... gotta win more than 1 game the year before though.

Aldo · February 2, 2016

Beggars can't be choosers.

And the way Littrell is working it, he'd be arrested in Dallas for aggressive panhandling.

HarringtonFishSmeller · February 2, 2016

9 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Beggars can't be choosers.

And the way Littrell is working it, he'd be arrested in Dallas for aggressive panhandling.

Amen, that.

12 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Dang. These guys are about to sign on the dotted line here pretty soon. Let's skip the CougarQueen treatment and just be glad they're here. Can we do better? Sure! ... gotta win more than 1 game the year before though.

Agree.

BillySee58 · February 2, 2016

58 minutes ago, HarringtonFishSmeller said:

Uh-huh...but like half of those you listed are just from the WR from Lawton, right?

And, Nebraska wasn't fighting for the LB/DE when the rubber met the road. It's not like the kid said, "Hmmm...well, I've this got Nebraska offer on the one hand, the North Texas offer on the other, and UAB on the phone...hmmm. What to do, what to do?"

The Nebraska offer was as gone as Augie Debiase's phantom Virginia Tech offer...that he'd supposedly pass up for the chance to go to a prep school.

So, there's something there that their recruiting coordinator/assistants pick up on that we are willing to roll the dice on...usually, that means grades and test scores.

Rice kid...a "smallacademic glitch" (I think that's how Vito termed it) magically made Rice think twice about a kid.

I know, I know...we have to take these kind of gambles. This mindset will never change until we win and garner enough interest from kids that aren't borderline on the field or in the classroom.

That's why I compared Johnson (and particularly his Nebraska offer) to Andrew Power, who we got after Tennessee parted ways with him. Still a very good pickup. If Johnson is as good an LB as Power was at tight end I'll take it.

Again, the offer lists of these guys and the guys Mccarney brought in on the same time crunch in 2011 are eerily similar. The key is going to be actually winning recruiting battles in the subsequent classes and stringing together impressive classes every year, not just every 3 years.

Edited February 2, 2016 by BillySee58

HarringtonFishSmeller · February 2, 2016

2 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

That's why I compared Johnson (and particularly his Nebraska offer) to Andrew Power, who we got after Tennessee parted ways with him. Still a very good pickup. If Johnson is as good an LB as Power was at tight end I'll take it.

Again, the offer lists of these guys and the guys Mccarney brought in on the same time crunch in 2011 are eerily similar. The key is going to be actually winning recruiting battles in the subsequent classes and stringing together impressive classes every year, not just every 3 years.

Agree. Short memories, I suppose, for those who pooh-pooh the 2011 class.