Recruiting is a Tough Reality for Prospects

[corchjay 5,311]

6 minutes ago, Beaker said:

Two quick ones:

I did not mean for my post to turn into a uniform debate.  Sorry. I didn't mean to associate "flash" with uni change.   But tOSU has changed up uniforms using throwbacks and other new wrinkles.  Texas to a lesser degree has done the same.  Only bama and penn st haven't changed at all.  The schools mentioned: bama, tx, penn st, tOSU are all flagship schools for the state.  They get a automatic bump in popularity at Christmas time and so on.  I don't want to change, but if it means we make in-roads and get the players, I will pull my head out of the sand. 

Sweeney - Clemson can't match the inevitable offer.  Remember what he said in 2011 after he beat Auburn?  He will move.  Even if it's not Sweeney, they will get a quality coach and will have a carryover effect.  

I believe Auburn should go high tech and create "flash" somewhere, hire multiple marketing analytics pros regarding brand and and take a very strategic approach to recruiting and create new niches.   The landscape is changing...Nebraska got left behind because they wouldn't change now I don't even know who coaches there and they are the REGION'S flagship school.   

 

 

Bama tried the hounds tooth thing in 2010 so they aren't above all.  They lost games...lost to Auburn... we won a National Championship so that put the hounds tooth piping to bed for them on the uniforms

[auburn4ever 1,266]

We've never had a strong coaching staff when it comes down to locking down top commitments. Other teams don't seem to have that problem.

[augolf1716 21,096]

1 minute ago, auburn4ever said:

We've never had a strong coaching staff when it comes down to locking down top commitments. Other teams don't seem to have that problem.

Lobo's do

[ellitor 33,062]

1 hour ago, corchjay said:

This is quickly turning into the Granddaddy of all Threads....  Should be titled an article about recuits and cornucopia of Auburn related info 

It's essentially the open derailed thread.

[ellitor 33,062]

59 minutes ago, auburn4ever said:

We've never had a strong coaching staff when it comes down to locking down top commitments. Other teams don't seem to have that problem.

A lot of teams have that problem because we are dealing with 16-18 year old youngsters. Nothing is over with them til the fax is in. And some cases not even then either.

[Beaker 2,457]

I've thought about this a lot.   name a state (other than FL and TX) where the state has two nearly equal programs on the field.  I can only come up with Auburn and the turds.  And I mean for a 15 yr period of time....  (FL is big enough with enough talent, UF and FSU can basically get who want/need and TX has a plethora of talent also).  Mich and Mich St come to mind, but not close.

The 'flagship' program always enjoys a huge recruiting advantage.  And they will virtually forever unless the tactics are changed.  TAMU changed conferences and that strategic change flipped the script in TX.  TX still has the advantage, but the gap closed overnight, big time.  Some would say TAMU now has the edge and they prob do.

USC (in Calif) vs. ???  (For 15 yrs?...nobody consistently can rival their advantage)

Clemson (not for 15 yrs; neither them or USC had a huge advantage for a while there) vs. USC

 

My point is what my son said, "social media is a huge driver."   I am not talking about a coach using twitter.  It's more complex that that! How does Auburn look  and compare on social media?  I honestly don't know, but that is a strategic question that, if ignored, will be harder and harder to overcome.  Do we look/act like we did in the 90's, but have a twitter handle now?

Strategic - a multiyear, very high level approach.  Not just recruiting tactics.  Takes both...Chiz was onto something with the Big Cat theme, but we need several 'somethings' and more image building.  If we play the traditional game, we will get the same results.  Winning doesn't cure all - - we didn't get a bump in 2010 that I recall or 2013, but I am no expert.  

Just thinking...

[tinman 305]

Winning in a big way will cure everything.  But it has to be consistent.  We can't have a banner year and then drop off and win 6, 7, or even 8 games a year.  We need 12,11,and 10 win seasons back to back to back to prove we are an elite program and quiet the rumblings about Gus being fired, etc.

[gr82be 14,402]

3 hours ago, tinman said:

Winning in a big way will cure everything.  But it has to be consistent.  We can't have a banner year and then drop off and win 6, 7, or even 8 games a year.  We need 12,11,and 10 win seasons back to back to back to prove we are an elite program and quiet the rumblings about Gus being fired, etc.

A big YES to the above and also stop the losses where the staff and players look lost for the most part. Big time recruits will have this brought to their attention over and over by our rivals. Auburn has to look serious on the field in every game if Auburn wants serious consideration by the truly elite recruits. If it's lack of talent and execution then the recruit will see this as opportunity to play early. If it's a lack of organization and planning then they will look elsewhere to sign. I'm a Gus fan but I'm a bigger fan of Auburn. I'm optimistic about this season coming up but I don't want opponents to ever look forward to playing Auburn however I do want recruits to look forward to playing FOR Auburn. 

[corchjay 5,311]

3 hours ago, gr82be said:

A big YES to the above and also stop the losses where the staff and players look lost for the most part. Big time recruits will have this brought to their attention over and over by our rivals. Auburn has to look serious on the field in every game if Auburn wants serious consideration by the truly elite recruits. If it's lack of talent and execution then the recruit will see this as opportunity to play early. If it's a lack of organization and planning then they will look elsewhere to sign. I'm a Gus fan but I'm a bigger fan of Auburn. I'm optimistic about this season coming up but I don't want opponents to ever look forward to playing Auburn however I do want recruits to look forward to playing FOR Auburn. 

High school players don't pay attention to college games for if a team looks lost or not it's about if the scheme running defensively or offensively will be to their particular strengths and what a player similar to them gets done and how many chances they get in a particular game to showcase their skills.  

Everyone knows winning cures all but everyone can't win all the time.  Auburn throughout history has proven to be one of those school that struggle to have that. However we have always had very high highs and very low lows over the past 30 years and most of that has either come from having a young team or an experienced team.  

So mainly I was questioning in this thread is there anything new we can do to get a higher quality player that can come in and provide 2 deep help in the freshman and sophomore years.  That's the difference in the consistency and not.  

[gr82be 14,402]

21 minutes ago, corchjay said:

High school players don't pay attention to college games for if a team looks lost or not it's about if the scheme running defensively or offensively will be to their particular strengths and what a player similar to them gets done and how many chances they get in a particular game to showcase their skills.  

Everyone knows winning cures all but everyone can't win all the time.  Auburn throughout history has proven to be one of those school that struggle to have that. However we have always had very high highs and very low lows over the past 30 years and most of that has either come from having a young team or an experienced team.  

So mainly I was questioning in this thread is there anything new we can do to get a higher quality player that can come in and provide 2 deep help in the freshman and sophomore years.  That's the difference in the consistency and not.  

I respect your opinion most certainly as you know more about this than I do but in my defense I did not say recruits paid attention to a team looking lost at times. I said that it would be brought to the attention by our rivals. There has been mutiple discussion on here regarding negative recruiting by other schools. The higher quality player was referred to as elite recruit in my post. 

[Gowebb11 9,308]

33 minutes ago, corchjay said:

Everyone knows winning cures all but everyone can't win all the time.  Auburn throughout history has proven to be one of those school that struggle to have that. However we have always had very high highs and very low lows over the past 30 years and most of that has either come from having a young team or an experienced team.  

So mainly I was questioning in this thread is there anything new we can do to get a higher quality player that can come in and provide 2 deep help in the freshman and sophomore years.  That's the difference in the consistency and not.  

I agree with virtually all of your posts, but I have a different perspective on this. Every team in college football has young teams and experienced teams. Going from undefeated to 3-9 then 12-2 to a 2-6 SEC record is more a statement about a cultural problem than an experience problem. Great organizations aren't on top every year, but they don't experience the type of drop offs AU has demonstrated. I've believed for some time AU has had issues with its organizational culture and that starts at the ADs office. My perspective on this is not from expertise in football. I've been privileged to work for one of the world's most successful organizations for 25 years and we demonstrate amazingly consistent top performance. Our leaders have a well defined culture, in which every employee is a major stakeholder. From the janitors to the executive suite, we receive constant training on our culture, understand the why behind it, and hold each other accountable to it. I could be wrong, but I feel like AU lacks that type of commitment from the AD office. Just my two cents. 

[corchjay 5,311]

2 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

I agree with virtually all of your posts, but I have a different perspective on this. Every team in college football has young teams and experienced teams. Going from undefeated to 3-9 then 12-2 to a 2-6 SEC record is more a statement about a cultural problem than an experience problem. Great organizations aren't on top every year, but they don't experience the type of drop offs AU has demonstrated. I've believed for some time AU has had issues with its organizational culture and that starts at the ADs office. My perspective on this is not from expertise in football. I've been privileged to work for one of the world's most successful organizations for 25 years and we demonstrate amazingly consistent top performance. Our leaders have a well defined culture, in which every employee is a major stakeholder. From the janitors to the executive suite, we receive constant training on our culture, understand the why behind it, and hold each other accountable to it. I could be wrong, but I feel like AU lacks that type of commitment from the AD office. Just my two cents. 

I agree with your premise on this post but the AD isn't "responsible" for the culture of football.  That's on the coaches.  Just like for basketball it's on Bruce in softball Clint and back in the day swimming was on Marsh.  An AD's responsibility is to ensure that the football or any sport has the necessary things they need to be successful. Developing culture is all on the coaches.  Beyond that "pressure" can be put on the coaches to win more or else but that leads to part of the negative recruiting we are experiencing now.

[Beaker 2,457]

My last post on this very important matter:

The post by Gowebb11: Culture and that 'swagger' are critical.  Period!  And they are formed strategically by the coaching staff and the AD.    They have to be in synch.  And no doubt at your corp, culture is created as a strategic priority and measured.  I wish I worked with you or for you. 

Strategy is a multiyear, consistent approach to creating a competitive advantage.  I feel, and may be wrong, that we look at recruiting as a tactical or year by year approach.  Our strategy needs to encompass: player & coaching culture, branding, social media, journalism/media, events like Big Cat weekend, that last weekend  before signing day, facilities and finally counter-recruiting.   

Winning cures a lot, but it is not the silver bullet.     I want more: I want Auburn to get our fair share and get to the point that we get who we want.  To get 'there' we have to become more strategic and sophisticated.    Yes I am greedy and want 'more'.  

War Eagle and "beat them all!"