With the 2013 and 2014 classes being huge years in the state of VA, the current state of the season got me thinking about how this would affect our ability to recruit the top talent in VA which will be the top talent in the nation for those years. That brings me to ask, is a successful season or a poor season with a promise of change better for recruiting? It's too difficult to understand the mind of a 17 or 18 year old kid, but it's worth discussing.
I look at how Mike London was fairly successful recruiting his first season because of the promise of something different and the potential to be a part of something new. Then I see Saban and any other program that ends the season in the top 10 pull in top players because they want to be on a winning team, even if they ride the pine. Now we could discuss the name brand programs (Michigan, ND, USC, Texas, OSU, Bama, etc.) that get top players regardless of the product on the field because of their name alone, but we don't have that pull.
So which would mean more to you, being on a winning team, or starting something new?
Comments
Personally, I'd rather play for a perennial winner. I cannot stand losing, at anything. I stopped playing recreation league bocce, the one all about drinking and relaxing, because my team prioritized having a good time over winning. I'd feel as/more satisfied building on a tradition, as I would reviving or starting up a program.
For recruits, I think it's personal preference and specific to each player and their goals. Some kids prefer to redshirt, others want to play right away. Some want to do three years as quickly as possible and shoot for the NFL, others want the complete college experience and a degree. How a player relates to a coach is a huge factor. Bud Foster might intimidate a lot of kids, but Da'Shawn Hand has a great relationship with him.
Well let's hope
That Bud can keep building on that relationship. Too much talent in the state over the next 2 years to let it slip on a down year that this appears to be headed towards. The season isn't over, but they can't let recruits like Holland Fisher wander if they want to get back to where we were and then beyond.
My pitch to Holland Fisher would be:
Winning team unless its a name program that is starting new.
U guys crack me...fisher promised official to Bama and made good on his promise...he's not going anywhere
Position
In addition to the individual player, I think a lot of it has to do with the position. Skill guys like RB, QB, WR have shown a tendency to go with the rebuilding or upstart program, especially if it is a name brand, because they are going to have the ball in their hands with a chance to score and all of the attention that comes with that. If it happens to come for a program reaching new heights (RGIII at Baylor) then even better. I remember an interview with Bobby Bowden during F$U down years where he was asked if poor rushing hurt recruiting RBs, and he said that it was actually the opposite, because you can preach to the kid that he is the one to turn it around.
I think where it really makes a difference is with the big uglies and LBs, etc. who have to work extremely hard and often don't get recognition that the skill players get. They want to be on a winning team because that is often their biggest/only reward.