Comparing 2012 verbal commitments to 2011

[ReedFrawg]

All true but there are so many more 3 star players now it seems hard to judge anything based on that. More and more I look at number of offers (and number of quality offers) to compare one class or year to another. Just my thoughts - probably worth what you paid for them...

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at where we stood this time last year regarding recruiting and compare it to where we are now. Last year we had 12 kids commit to SMU midway through July. Of those twelve, nine endeberate being rated 3* recruits by Rivals, one was a 4* and the other two were 2* recruits.

This year, we now have 11 verbals. Six of those are 3* recruits and one is a 4*. It is reasonable to assume that some of the unrated players also will be rated as 3* recruits when they are rated. The difference this year is that we have kids who are committed to USC who are calling Klemm and asking to come visit. Additionally, this year's highest rated recruit is more highly regarded than Moreland was last year.

There is a lot of positive momentum right now and this is shaping up to be an outstanding class.

[Wuba]

All true but there are so many more 3 star players now it seems hard to judge anything based on that. More and more I look at number of offers (and number of quality offers) to compare one class or year to another. Just my thoughts - probably worth what you paid for them...

I do not think we have seen any evidence that this year is going to have significantly more 3* players than last year, so I do not see a problem in comparing this year to last year. Now, if one were to compare this year to 6 years ago then the growth in 3*s would have to be considered.

[smudubs]

All true but there are so many more 3 star players now it seems hard to judge anything based on that. More and more I look at number of offers (and number of quality offers) to compare one class or year to another. Just my thoughts - probably worth what you paid for them...

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at where we stood this time last year regarding recruiting and compare it to where we are now. Last year we had 12 kids commit to SMU midway through July. Of those twelve, nine endeberate being rated 3* recruits by Rivals, one was a 4* and the other two were 2* recruits.

This year, we now have 11 verbals. Six of those are 3* recruits and one is a 4*. It is reasonable to assume that some of the unrated players also will be rated as 3* recruits when they are rated. The difference this year is that we have kids who are committed to USC who are calling Klemm and asking to come visit. Additionally, this year's highest rated recruit is more highly regarded than Moreland was last year.

There is a lot of positive momentum right now and this is shaping up to be an outstanding class.

I agree to a certain extent. It's just that a lot of people on this board seem star struck and there is a lot of unnecessary bickering about how the recruiting services rate these guys. This was more of a response to the panic threads that some have posted. Just trying to rally the troops so we can stop fighting amongst ourselves and start focusing on A&M.

[ReedFrawg]

All true but there are so many more 3 star players now it seems hard to judge anything based on that. More and more I look at number of offers (and number of quality offers) to compare one class or year to another. Just my thoughts - probably worth what you paid for them...

I do not think we have seen any evidence that this year is going to have significantly more 3* players than last year, so I do not see a problem in comparing this year to last year. Now, if one were to compare this year to 6 years ago then the growth in 3*s would have to be considered.

Fair enough. Just seen so many "2 star" guys excel at TCU that I put very little stock at all into stars or ratings. Much more interested in offers as a way to compare.

[SoCal_Pony]

It's just that a lot of people on this board seem star struck and there is a lot of unnecessary bickering about how the recruiting services rate these guys.

smudubs, I do not think there is a single poster on this board who would take a Rivals 3* whose only offer is from Sam Houston State over a Rivals 2* with an offer from Texas Tech, so I disagree with your statement. I do however see 'star struck' behavior from posters when commitments have no legit offers yet are rated 3*, that somehow this rating justifies us offering him. As many have commented, Rivals does seem to be more generous in their 3* ratings lately.

You say we are on track to 2011, I also disagree with that statement as well. Very encouraged by the most recent signees, but if you look at our class to date in entirety compared to 2011 by what most consider the best barometer, i.e. 'Other Offers', we are not tracking as well.

Last year ~44% of our commitments had marginal or no offers, this year looks like 70% do not have quality other offers. By my standard, that is not building positive momentum.

[LA_Mustang]

I agree with So Cal. Only three of our commits have BCS offers.....

Nabushosi - NR - no other offers
Palacio - NR - no other offers
Reed - NR - no other offers
Stewart - NR - 1 offer (La Tech)
Coleman - NR - 1 offer (NT)
Line - 2* - no other offers
Cramer - 2* - no other offers
Lagasse - 3* - 1 offer (Rice)
Lewis - 3* - 6 offers (Ole' Miss, Colorado, Utah, San Diego St, New Mexico St, Idaho)
Pettway - 3* - 2 offers (NC St, West Virginia)
Neroes - 3* - 2 offers (NT, La Tech)
Marks - 4* - 6 offers (BC, Colorado, UCLA, Utah, Utah St, Idaho)

[SMU 86]

I agree with So Cal. Only three of our commits have BCS offers.....

Nabushosi - NR - no other offers
Palacio - NR - no other offers
Reed - NR - no other offers
Stewart - NR - 1 offer (La Tech)
Coleman - NR - 1 offer (NT)
Line - 2* - no other offers
Cramer - 2* - no other offers
Lagasse - 3* - 1 offer (Rice)
Lewis - 3* - 6 offers (Ole' Miss, Colorado, Utah, San Diego St, New Mexico St, Idaho)
Pettway - 3* - 2 offers (NC St, West Virginia)
Neroes - 3* - 2 offers (NT, La Tech)
Marks - 4* - 6 offers (BC, Colorado, UCLA, Utah, Utah St, Idaho)

That is not good IMO.

[No Quarter]

Maybe this question has been asked again recently and talked out, but if so, I missed it. I guess it was last year and Coach Jones said something about being about one and one-half recruiting classes away from where we wanted to be.

If SMU holds these verbals and if all the next class is similar to the players so far committed, are we gaining or loosing or on course so far as reaching that desired position?

[ponyboy]

Not speaking to the quality of the current class, which I believe will be solid once signing day occurs in six months. (By all accounts we are at the top of, if not THE top of the CUSA right now). But to what extent does recruiting matter to us vis a vis other schools? There seems to be an assumption that as goes our recruiting so goes our team. This ignores the fact that, with the current coaching staff, fit to scheme rather than raw talent is most important. It seems to me that, rather than piling up a bunch of Rivals or Scout stars and numbers, the key question is whether this staff finding good fits to what we're trying to do.

[The PonyGrad]

And recognizing potential in players to move to new positions and excel.

[well travelled pony]

Plenty to consider in regard to how the classes stand at thhis point. One note stands out to me. Kache Palacio didn't have other offers, but was getting a lot of attention from Pac -12 teams. Looks like he bought into SMU hard, and good for us. I think the kid is a lot better than expected and is quick off the ball. So, how do you figure all that?? Go Ponies.

[indianmustang]

stewart go 10 offers
http://rivals.yahoo.com/smu/football/re ... art-126881

[PerunaPunch]

Two things that June has said that I think have a bearing on this discussion.

#1 That he never had access to this kind of talent when he was in Hawaii. So with inferior talent, he was able to achieve, what, a #6 national ranking?

#2 June has a bias against web media because, to paraphrase, in the past his staff worked harder to unearth the hidden gems. Now, because who offers whom is immediately known, it's harder for June to keep the "gems" he finds.

Corollary to #1: I think these points are relevant because when you see the size and athleticism of the kids we're recruiting nowadays, you realize it's a whole different ballgame than what we've had in the last 20-ish years. You can see how much havoc Navy causes with their mediocre talent, so imagine the possibilities when you have some of the best coaching in football working with solid D1 talent.

Corollary to #2: Unlike when Cavan was around, I don't get nervous when June is the first to identify a talent. To a degree, I expect that.

[SMU 86]

As Stallion said I don't think the others had the same chance as June has. And The SMU coaches have said that the WAC did not have near the speed as CUSA. It will take time to overcome UH's, UCF's and USM's talent level and good coaching but we are slowly geting there. Also, the other coaching staff's did not have Adrian Klemm. Good hire Coach Jones.

[Mike Coppage]

Interesting to note that last year's 13th commitment was also from Cali (Moreland).