Recruiting skill vs luck
Last week Plyler wrote a gushing post about the football team’s coaching staff and their success in recruiting. Certainly the rankings of the recent classes have been good. And his post was spurred by the recent commitment of Craig Loston, who lives in Texas. Plyler writes, amongst other things, “[o]ne of the ways this staff has been able to become so successful is they have identified prospects very early in their high school careers… Clemson has been able to beat many schools to the punch,” and “[t]his staff has decided to take a backseat to no one.”
I definitely don’t follow recruiting much. Part of it is a lack of time. Nonetheless, Plyler’s words certainly made it seem as if our coaching staff is becoming a nationwide force in recruiting. Unless they’re breaking the rules in the process, this certainly sounds like good and comforting news.
Unfortunately, today’s news makes things sound a bit less exciting. Per the Post & Courier
Loston actually initiated the contact with Clemson by sending them film. “They didn’t know anything about me, and I put myself out there to them,” he said. “I like the way they play, I like their style and I think I would fit in well with their defense.”
Another reason I don’t follow recruiting very much is that it is mostly rumor and speculation.
Nonetheless, congratulations to the coaching staff for paying attention and not screwing up when a 5-star recruited himself.
I would love to see the numbers on the percentage of recruits that actually play for the first school they commit to. I bet it goes down as the stars go up.
I do like the fact that one of the top defensive backs in the country made the move himself to get on Clemson’s radar. I am not sure if Clemson has the balls to go into big 12 country on a player like that.
But in Thinking’s point of view, just look at all the recruits who changed on the last day this past LOI day. We lost one ot GA and we gained a couple from other schools. It’s all words until the ink hits the paper….And even then things can change!! (re: FSU/Clemson battle after signing LOI and faxing another)