I know that stars don't matter. But in looking at the Gophers recruiting rankings over the recent past, it strikes me as odd that we finished this year at 50 (Rivals) and had an average player star rank of nearly 2.9 while not long ago were coming in in the mid to upper 50's (assume it's Rivals) but had a much lower average player star rank. The question I have is has there been a change in the number of kids getting 3+ stars now versus even just 5 years ago? I've been scratching my head on this for a little while now. Thanks for light that can be shed on this on.
Question for the recruiting gurus
- Thread starter Izatys98
- Start date
50PoundHead
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2008
- Messages
- 8,690
- Reaction score
- 1,839
- Points
- 113
Overall, I've noticed that star ratings appear to be a bit higher on Rivals. Another thing to keep in mind is that the average star rating is only part of the ranking. The other variable is number of recruits. I don't know how that compares for recent Gopher groups. I just know that it is factored into the final ranking.
To say there is star "inflation" is a load of crap. That would imply that some of our 3* players should only be 2* players to equal the rank of what we were used to seeing half a decade ago. If this is true, then are you honestly believing the level of talent on the field today is equal to the talent we had 5 years ago? Not even close. Our players are much more talented, thus proving their stars (in general) are reflected reasonably.
So why is our star total going up but our rank not? More talent available! 10 years ago in hockey (for example) the Gophers had half a dozen players get drafted into the NHL. Today, it's about 90% of the roster. Don't blame rivals, but rather respect the youth programs.
So why is our star total going up but our rank not? More talent available! 10 years ago in hockey (for example) the Gophers had half a dozen players get drafted into the NHL. Today, it's about 90% of the roster. Don't blame rivals, but rather respect the youth programs.
WAGopher
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2008
- Messages
- 4,623
- Reaction score
- 2,849
- Points
- 113
Last fall, someone here on Gopherhole compiled a list that compared the percentage of players ranked for each star category over a period of years. I believe the conclusion was that the percentages are very close to what they have been since Rivals started.
As to why we seem to have more three stars, but a lower ranking than some seasons, I would point to the bonus points Rivals adds for being the top 150, top 50, national ranking by position, etc. I think Gjere was the only nationally ranked player we signed and he wasn't in the top 150. If our 2 four stars had cracked the top 150, we would have moved up quite a few spots in the rankings.
harrys ghost
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2008
- Messages
- 1,048
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 38
I don't know why but, if you look at the 2008 recruits on Rivals all of the non-JUCO three stars have a position ranking. If you look at 2010, most of our three stars are not position ranked. This has a significant effect on the overall team score.
We will have to respectfully disagree. Star inflation with Rivals happens A LOT ... nation-wide, so not unique to this program at all. Just look at Ferguson ... had no stars, then the next day had 3-stars ... explain that one?
Not yet evaluated genius....
harrys ghost
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2008
- Messages
- 1,048
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 38
It's probably because he is ranked in the top 50 prep school players in the country (number 39):
http://minnesota.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=2581
Gold Vision
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2008
- Messages
- 6,386
- Reaction score
- 1,940
- Points
- 113
no stars = no film.
KD6-3.7
credulous skeptic
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2008
- Messages
- 2,960
- Reaction score
- 246
- Points
- 63
so you are saying that he committed to the gophers and the recruiting gurus at rivals sat down that night and put in the tape of this guy with no other BCS offers who had committed to a lower tier big ten school and evaluated him enough to give him a 5.5 (which, by the way is the LOWEST three star you can get). i am not saying that he is not a good player, and i am very excited about having him as a gopher, but this is not the lone example. the same thing happened with the scranton JUCOs that committed and then received three star ratings shortly after.
it is quite clear that the bread and butter of the rivals network of boards are the sixty or so mid-level BCS teams. they are going to make more money selling the hype to these sixty schools when the fans of these schools feel so good about their three stars. look at us. we totally reject the scout ratings and claim that rivals is superior, but can you really tell me harold legania, a 5.5 three star with no position and no national ranking has been better evaluated at rivals at scout because he is one decimal point into the three star range at rivals and a two star at scout.
does anyone honestly think that the recruiting gurus at rivals are sitting down and analyzing the thousands of minutes of tape of the hundreds of mid level recruits?
i am guilty of it myself. i tout the rivals rankings because it makes me feel better about the class when we have all those three stars, but i don't think there is any different between a class that has 19 two stars at scout and a class that has five two stars at rivals with eight low three stars at rivals? can anyone tell me that there is a discernible difference between a 5.5 three star and a 5.4 two star? or even a 5.6 and 5.4?
the class is the same whether you think that a guy was evaluated a three star because a recruiting specialist broke down his film or whether he was given a three star because he committed to s BCS school. i am happy with the class no matter where it is rated. it is deep with lineman, which are notoriously hard to evaluate out of high school and it meets the needs that the team has.
get over the three star versus two star players. there is no way that anyone can say that they can discern the difference between a two star and a three star from five minutes of grainy youtube footage.
Genius ... I have some oceanfront property to sell you in International Falls if you think star inflation doesn't happen with Rivals ... look up the name Barry Every.
Didn't mean to make people twitchy
Ask a question about recruiting and a hockey game breaks out...
Wondering if this has more to do with the business side of the recruiting services than anything else. Perhaps in the face of growing competition every service feels the need to at least give the appearance of being omnipotent and rank every player...
Ask a question about recruiting and a hockey game breaks out...
Wondering if this has more to do with the business side of the recruiting services than anything else. Perhaps in the face of growing competition every service feels the need to at least give the appearance of being omnipotent and rank every player...