Ok, if you think recruiting rankings are the end all and be all and totally accurate in it's ability to predict future success, then Dabo has the advantage. But..
I'm talking about Fleck at Minnesota vs Dabo at the same point in his time at Clemson.
Dabo's 3rd season, against a Conf with ZERO other teams ranked in the Top 28, Clemson went 10-4, ending with a LOSS to #23 going into the game, WVU.
Fleck's 3rd season, against a Conf with FIVE other teams ranked in the Top 18, Minnesota went 11-2, ending with a WIN to the #9 going into the game, Auburn.
Fleck's 2nd season was also better, than Dabo's, again vs much tougher conf competition.
Some might say, but hey, Dabo's first season was better? Well, he inherited a team full of players from recruiting classes of #9, 14, 15 & 16. Fleck inherited a team full of players from recruiting classes of 67, 57, 63 & 46.
And if you combine what Fleck did at WMU, with teams full of players from classes in the 70s, 80s, 90s and one of 108, can any coach out there claim to have done MORE with LESS than Fleck has over his career?
Two of Dabo's first recruiting classes were rated 36th and 27th and his 4th(5th?) class was 20th. He didn't do better than 15th until his 2015 class, so his 7th or 8th?
Fleck already has 38th and 35th rated classes and could easily pull in a class better than Dabo's 27th rated class, and maybe even that 20th rated class? Now again, I am NOT claiming Fleck is or every will match Dabo's recruiting rankings, but seeing what Fleck does with his lowered rated players, I don't think he needs to match up to Dabo, especially when most of us know that recruiting rankings are not the end all and be all of determining how well players will perform as they grow and mature into young men.
But as long as the higher rated players Fleck is bringing in, and will probably bring in down the line, are his kind of players, and fit the programs needs, have good character and good attitudes and the right qualities, then the sky could really be the limit for this Gopher program. Dabo, compared to the Sabans and Meyers of the cfb world, has done more with less. Looking only at their recruiting rankings, they probably shouldn't have won either of the Titles they did. So if Fleck is doing even more with even less, I don't see any reason why our 2019 11-2 season has to be anywhere near our ceiling, nor will we have to be happy with going 12-0 before losing to OSU in the Conf Title game, either, if Fleck can coach up the 3 and 4*s to 4 and 5 star level players, and maybe bring in a few 5*s as well, if they are of the right attitude and character.
It took Dabo just shy of a decade to win a Natl Title. Is it really that out there to think Fleck could pull that off by 2025?
I'm talking about Fleck at Minnesota vs Dabo at the same point in his time at Clemson.
Dabo's 3rd season, against a Conf with ZERO other teams ranked in the Top 28, Clemson went 10-4, ending with a LOSS to #23 going into the game, WVU.
Fleck's 3rd season, against a Conf with FIVE other teams ranked in the Top 18, Minnesota went 11-2, ending with a WIN to the #9 going into the game, Auburn.
Fleck's 2nd season was also better, than Dabo's, again vs much tougher conf competition.
Some might say, but hey, Dabo's first season was better? Well, he inherited a team full of players from recruiting classes of #9, 14, 15 & 16. Fleck inherited a team full of players from recruiting classes of 67, 57, 63 & 46.
And if you combine what Fleck did at WMU, with teams full of players from classes in the 70s, 80s, 90s and one of 108, can any coach out there claim to have done MORE with LESS than Fleck has over his career?
Two of Dabo's first recruiting classes were rated 36th and 27th and his 4th(5th?) class was 20th. He didn't do better than 15th until his 2015 class, so his 7th or 8th?
Fleck already has 38th and 35th rated classes and could easily pull in a class better than Dabo's 27th rated class, and maybe even that 20th rated class? Now again, I am NOT claiming Fleck is or every will match Dabo's recruiting rankings, but seeing what Fleck does with his lowered rated players, I don't think he needs to match up to Dabo, especially when most of us know that recruiting rankings are not the end all and be all of determining how well players will perform as they grow and mature into young men.
But as long as the higher rated players Fleck is bringing in, and will probably bring in down the line, are his kind of players, and fit the programs needs, have good character and good attitudes and the right qualities, then the sky could really be the limit for this Gopher program. Dabo, compared to the Sabans and Meyers of the cfb world, has done more with less. Looking only at their recruiting rankings, they probably shouldn't have won either of the Titles they did. So if Fleck is doing even more with even less, I don't see any reason why our 2019 11-2 season has to be anywhere near our ceiling, nor will we have to be happy with going 12-0 before losing to OSU in the Conf Title game, either, if Fleck can coach up the 3 and 4*s to 4 and 5 star level players, and maybe bring in a few 5*s as well, if they are of the right attitude and character.
It took Dabo just shy of a decade to win a Natl Title. Is it really that out there to think Fleck could pull that off by 2025?
