caliGopher
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There's nothing to agree on, it is a fact. The 2014 recruiting class is this years SR's and RS JR's. There were 22 commits. 10 of them are not even on the roster. Another 5 either don't play or have played sparingly. That's missing on nearly 70% of a recruiting class, which should be the leadership and foundation of this year's team.
That is the #1 reason why my expectations are low for this season and has nothing to do with who's coaching them.
So, because these players haven't broken through yet, as RS Jrs, they have nothing to offer?
The Wide Receivers haven't developed/stayed healthy. Is that because the suck? maybe it was the coaching. I'm not ready to give up on Holland or Gentry just yet. They may never be #1 Wide Receivers, but they still have 2 years of eligibility, some speed, and it does take some kids longer to develop than others. But hey, let's give up on em, right?
Smith, Stelter, Richardson, Poock, Celestine, Lingen, Wyler are all quality starters. That's 32% of the starting line-up. Should it be more, Maybe/Maybe not, but you're dismissing some quality players out of hand in your "factual" analysis.
Everett Williams has played and at times looked really good. At times looked lost. He redshirted last year. Could he develop further and make an impact? He's shown he can play. Can he put it all together? If nothing else, he's quality depth at a strong position for the team.
Guys that were projects: Moore and Gibson both came in as projects. Both have been getting bigger and more phyically mature. Are they going to be all Big Ten? It doesn't look like it so far, and since no developmental player has ever, in the history of the Big Ten become something in the final two years of football, I can understand why you've written them off already.
So that's twelve.
Then there is Elmore and Mayes. And both of them left because recruiting was bad, right? Say what you will about either of them, but they started and were depth. Where they a factor of being bad, or something else? Is them being gone on them? The Coaches, The Admin? In your factual evaluation you kind of glossed over this.
So that leaves 7 players who left the team (one of the players never enrolled) out of 21....or is it 6 out of 20?.
According to articles about his transfer, McKinzey was a walk-on, not a scholarship player, so should he count? (He starts now for Northeastern State in (OK) in the MIAA conference (DII), BTW).
1 total rock head that was worth the gamble and flamed out (Jones).
1 who played very little didn't develop and graduates this spring so left the game of Football (Kafo)
1 who had some family issues and transfered to Southern Illinois and played all of last season there (James)
1 who transfered because he wanted to play QB (Krizancic) and subsequently left football after having another concussion (issue here?)
2 who I don't know what happened to. (Rasmussen and Gant).
So, was the class as bad as you want it to factually be? I'm not arguing this was a great class, but it is far from the total recruiting disaster you stated and should have two more starters/quality depth bringing the total contributors to the class to 41% of the starting positions. There were a few issues there and some players may never pan out, but overall through basically their first three years, the class has delivered a lot of quality starts, and may have more to show for itself in the next two years.
But hey, don't let facts get in the way of your narrative.
And note, this is not for or against any coach past our future, it simply takes a different look at the class that has you so downhearted on this season without an agenda.