Why does the Blue-Chip DT seem to elude us?
- Thread starter RTRMR
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Mustipher and Hansard were Blue Chip recruits at DT and true freshman Brevard and Izzard are Blue chip as well.
If you mean "elite" DT prospects -- like Christian Wilkins or Bresee -- then I don't have an answer. Mustipher is probably the closest we've gotten.
It's definitely a position in which we haven't been able to land the truly elite, and that kind of elite talent up front is probably the difference between us and an Ohio State or a Georgia.
We're not THAT far away.
It's definitely a position in which we haven't been able to land the truly elite, and that kind of elite talent up front is probably the difference between us and an Ohio State or a Georgia.
We're not THAT far away.
As Franklin has said, there aren’t that many game changing DTs and everyone wants them.
There are many reasons why student-athletes choose a school.
- Sometimes they aren't good enough,
- sometimes they are academically challenged,
- sometimes they believe the propaganda from other schools,
- sometimes friends encourage them to join them at school XYZ,
- sometimes they are legacy choices of another school,
- sometimes they are dating a girl at or going to school XYZ,
- sometimes they want to stay closer to home,
- sometimes they want to get away, far away from home,
- sometimes they want a change in weather,
- sometimes they believe the grass is greener,
- sometimes they like rural vs city life or vice versa,
- sometimes they the colors of XY.
- sometimes they like the changes to play early.
Yes, “ELITE” is the term I was looking for.
I amend my title from “Blue Chip” to “Elite”.
You said what was the point I was getting at:
This program will not see the playoffs until we land ELITE DL like Bresee, Wilkins et al.
We’ve been snake bitten, at having an elite DT, for quite some time.
Granted, we were close with Wilkins. If you're one who lives and dies by crystal balls, he was ours. He was the one that got away.
But in general, there aren't that many elite DTs per cycle, and they seem to congregate in the SEC/Clemson.
If our coaches can coach them up to their potential, I'm happy landing guys like Mustipher and Brevard on a regular basis. We'll win a lot of games with that kind of talent in the middle. But yeah......we're probably in the CFP in '17 with Wilkins.
2 words - Lazy River - we get one of them installed and the elite ‘croots will be flocking to Happy Valley.
I’m only half kidding - if PSU wants to be the best and get the best recruits on an annual basis it’s gonna cost an arm and a leg to keep up with the O$U’s, LSU’s, ‘Bama’s etc. Right now for multiple reasons the college and a sizable chunk of the football donors don’t want to pay that price, so get used to being in the 2nd tier just outside elite. Still a great accomplishment don’t get me wrong, but it’s just the reality in college football at the present time.
I’m only half kidding - if PSU wants to be the best and get the best recruits on an annual basis it’s gonna cost an arm and a leg to keep up with the O$U’s, LSU’s, ‘Bama’s etc. Right now for multiple reasons the college and a sizable chunk of the football donors don’t want to pay that price, so get used to being in the 2nd tier just outside elite. Still a great accomplishment don’t get me wrong, but it’s just the reality in college football at the present time.
Pay for play won’t make it any easier. The football factories will cheat with recruiting becoming much more corrupt with incentives and the NCAA has become impotent to control it as Emmert and company will turn a blind eye which will become standard for the favored schools.
Can’t cheat if it’s not against the rules. But really - we’re already at the point where it’s a handful of “football factories” and everybody else, I don’t see how it can get worse than it already is. Since 2014 when the playoffs began ‘Bama and Clemson have been to the playoffs 5 times each, Oklahoma 4 times, O$U 3 times, and then 7 different schools with 1 appearance each.
I may not have an answer, but I do have some observations....Floyd Wedderburn was a must have DT recruit, then he got hurt and things changed for him. Not putting him down. I love him on OL and he ended up going to the NFL. Carl Nassib was a walk on and ended up playing pro ball. Love to have an elite DT recruit, but even if we don't get one, a kid could blossom into a game changing player.
Good points PS4814. The cheating at the factories will escalate to a much higher level, academics will become totally irrelevant and it won’t be long until players will be allowed to bolt earlier in their college career to the NFL. The only control mechanism that might help slightly to compete with the factories is struggle to manage all the egos among the elite players that can impact team chemistry and since there’s only one football, some will not get the playing time promised and will transfer. How much these factors might help compliant teams is unknown that only time will tell.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
Guest
Nassib was a no star walk on, made himself into an ALL AMERICAN.
300 pound guys who can move, are willing to work to be great, play with leverage and explosion are the rarest of beasts. Everyone wants them. Even fewer are interested in attending classes, let alone working towards a degree. Just having minimal standards gets rid of most. We were second for Wilkins, and likely second for Bresee. They are game changers. Eventually we'll get one, but the ones we did get are elite, just not the ultra elite.
Heard David Jones (board’s favorite whipping boy) say on a podcast that this was just the latest recruiting stunt by Harbaugh and that if he truly wanted to effectuate change rather than try to ingratiate himself to potential recruits with this publicity stunt he simply sends this letter privately to the NCAA. Lots to dislike about Jones for sure, but he was spot on about this.
