The coaching/recruiting balance in CFB has shifted

[NewEra 2014]

If you look back at the history of CFB before the 85-man scholarship limit, the top programs could stockpile a bunch of talent, with the net effect of keeping some of that talent away from your rivals. IIRC, freshmen couldn't play back in the day, either. This resulted in an inefficient distribution of talent throughout CFB. You had a lot of great talent sitting on the bench at top programs and with freshmen ineligible throughout the country.

Then, we got the 85 scholarship limit. During this period, recruiting has still been king. Even though everyone was on a level playing field with regard to having 85 schollies, great recruiting still won the day. Programs with the top recruiting classes still dominated the playoffs, and the 2nd string players of the top programs could beat the first string players of many other teams. So, we still have had an inefficient distribution of talent seeing the field.

Does the transfer portal now allow for the most efficient distribution of talent that we have yet seen in CFB? Will the game be better if guys like Martell, Wimbush, Hurts, and Fields are playing at programs that they feel fit them best, instead of riding the bench at their original school? Will we have more parity in the game over time, particularly if more and more players don't have to sit out a year after transferring?

As others have pointed out, the CFB model is now going more towards an NFL free agency model (except without a salary cap for CFB). So, although the teams with the best bagmen will still have an advantage, the transfer portal will result in even more CFB roster turnover than has historically existed. Which I think will push the importance of coaching and player development to the forefront. If we look at the teams left in the NFL playoffs, you have Payton, Belichick, Reid, and McVay--four of the best coaches in the game. I'd argue that Bama and Clemson have two of the best coaching staffs in the CFB game as well. OSU has been at the top of the BIG for awhile because the coaching staff has been top notch. Penn State's greatest recent success has come when our coaching staff was its strongest. Michigan underachieves every year because its head coach see bats.

My point is that although CJF has recruited very well, the transfer portal will make his selection of coaches at least as important as his recruiting. If his coaches are underachieving, he needs to move quickly to fix it--perhaps much more quickly than he has been inclined to do in the past.

 

[AWS1022]

If you look back at the history of CFB before the 85-man scholarship limit, the top programs could stockpile a bunch of talent, with the net effect of keeping some of that talent away from your rivals. IIRC, freshmen couldn't play back in the day, either. This resulted in an inefficient distribution of talent throughout CFB. You had a lot of great talent sitting on the bench at top programs and with freshmen ineligible throughout the country.

Then, we got the 85 scholarship limit. During this period, recruiting has still been king. Even though everyone was on a level playing field with regard to having 85 schollies, great recruiting still won the day. Programs with the top recruiting classes still dominated the playoffs, and the 2nd string players of the top programs could beat the first string players of many other teams. So, we still have had an inefficient distribution of talent seeing the field.

Does the transfer portal now allow for the most efficient distribution of talent that we have yet seen in CFB? Will the game be better if guys like Martell, Wimbush, Hurts, and Fields are playing at programs that they feel fit them best, instead of riding the bench at their original school? Will we have more parity in the game over time, particularly if more and more players don't have to sit out a year after transferring?

As others have pointed out, the CFB model is now going more towards an NFL free agency model (except without a salary cap for CFB). So, although the teams with the best bagmen will still have an advantage, the transfer portal will result in even more CFB roster turnover than has historically existed. Which I think will push the importance of coaching and player development to the forefront. If we look at the teams left in the NFL playoffs, you have Payton, Belichick, Reid, and McVay--four of the best coaches in the game. I'd argue that Bama and Clemson have two of the best coaching staffs in the CFB game as well. OSU has been at the top of the BIG for awhile because the coaching staff has been top notch. Penn State's greatest recent success has come when our coaching staff was its strongest. Michigan underachieves every year because its head coach see bats.

My point is that although CJF has recruited very well, the transfer portal will make his selection of coaches at least as important as his recruiting. If his coaches are underachieving, he needs to move quickly to fix it--perhaps much more quickly than he has been inclined to do in the past.

How good of a coach would Dabo be with Rutgers’ talent?

 

[Art]

How good of a coach would Dabo be with Rutgers’ talent?

He'd still be the same coach. He just wouldn't win as many games as he does at Clemson, but probably more games than Ash does. Interesting question is would Ash win as many games with Clemson talent that Dabo does. My opinion is no.

 

[delcoLion]

If you look back at the history of CFB before the 85-man scholarship limit, the top programs could stockpile a bunch of talent, with the net effect of keeping some of that talent away from your rivals. IIRC, freshmen couldn't play back in the day, either. This resulted in an inefficient distribution of talent throughout CFB. You had a lot of great talent sitting on the bench at top programs and with freshmen ineligible throughout the country.

Then, we got the 85 scholarship limit. During this period, recruiting has still been king. Even though everyone was on a level playing field with regard to having 85 schollies, great recruiting still won the day. Programs with the top recruiting classes still dominated the playoffs, and the 2nd string players of the top programs could beat the first string players of many other teams. So, we still have had an inefficient distribution of talent seeing the field.

Does the transfer portal now allow for the most efficient distribution of talent that we have yet seen in CFB? Will the game be better if guys like Martell, Wimbush, Hurts, and Fields are playing at programs that they feel fit them best, instead of riding the bench at their original school? Will we have more parity in the game over time, particularly if more and more players don't have to sit out a year after transferring?

As others have pointed out, the CFB model is now going more towards an NFL free agency model (except without a salary cap for CFB). So, although the teams with the best bagmen will still have an advantage, the transfer portal will result in even more CFB roster turnover than has historically existed. Which I think will push the importance of coaching and player development to the forefront. If we look at the teams left in the NFL playoffs, you have Payton, Belichick, Reid, and McVay--four of the best coaches in the game. I'd argue that Bama and Clemson have two of the best coaching staffs in the CFB game as well. OSU has been at the top of the BIG for awhile because the coaching staff has been top notch. Penn State's greatest recent success has come when our coaching staff was its strongest. Michigan underachieves every year because its head coach see bats.

My point is that although CJF has recruited very well, the transfer portal will make his selection of coaches at least as important as his recruiting. If his coaches are underachieving, he needs to move quickly to fix it--perhaps much more quickly than he has been inclined to do in the past.

In other words, nothing is new. Material (good players) and good coaching produces good teams.

I guess there’s something wrong with me, I’m not bent out of shape due to these transfers. Personally, I’m at a stage where I don’t understand why colleges bother with athletics at all, although that won’t change until I’m long gone.
PSU will have a team out there next year, I’ll be watching and I hope they win.

 

[NewEra 2014]

How good of a coach would Dabo be with Rutgers’ talent?

Maybe the question should be, would Dabo have more success at Penn State the last few years with his coaching staff and Penn State's talent than CJF did, and would CJF have had as much success at Clemson with his coaching staff than Dabo did? Is the difference between Penn State's talent and Clemson's talent marginal, or is there still enough of a gap there where coaching can't close the gap in performance?

 

[jimjim47]

If you look back at the history of CFB before the 85-man scholarship limit, the top programs could stockpile a bunch of talent, with the net effect of keeping some of that talent away from your rivals. IIRC, freshmen couldn't play back in the day, either. This resulted in an inefficient distribution of talent throughout CFB. You had a lot of great talent sitting on the bench at top programs and with freshmen ineligible throughout the country.

Then, we got the 85 scholarship limit. During this period, recruiting has still been king. Even though everyone was on a level playing field with regard to having 85 schollies, great recruiting still won the day. Programs with the top recruiting classes still dominated the playoffs, and the 2nd string players of the top programs could beat the first string players of many other teams. So, we still have had an inefficient distribution of talent seeing the field.

Does the transfer portal now allow for the most efficient distribution of talent that we have yet seen in CFB? Will the game be better if guys like Martell, Wimbush, Hurts, and Fields are playing at programs that they feel fit them best, instead of riding the bench at their original school? Will we have more parity in the game over time, particularly if more and more players don't have to sit out a year after transferring?

As others have pointed out, the CFB model is now going more towards an NFL free agency model (except without a salary cap for CFB). So, although the teams with the best bagmen will still have an advantage, the transfer portal will result in even more CFB roster turnover than has historically existed. Which I think will push the importance of coaching and player development to the forefront. If we look at the teams left in the NFL playoffs, you have Payton, Belichick, Reid, and McVay--four of the best coaches in the game. I'd argue that Bama and Clemson have two of the best coaching staffs in the CFB game as well. OSU has been at the top of the BIG for awhile because the coaching staff has been top notch. Penn State's greatest recent success has come when our coaching staff was its strongest. Michigan underachieves every year because its head coach see bats.

My point is that although CJF has recruited very well, the transfer portal will make his selection of coaches at least as important as his recruiting. If his coaches are underachieving, he needs to move quickly to fix it--perhaps much more quickly than he has been inclined to do in the past.

LOL

 

[Lion8286]

LOL

Hey jimjim, nice to see Michigan finish the season in typical Michigan fashion.

 

[klemman]

There’s also the possibility that good to great players transfer to top tier programs, creating more of a disparity between the top and the next tier. Fields going to OSU and Hurts going to Oklahoma, doesn’t increase parity, it solidifies the elite. What if players unheralded as high school recruits who commit to mid-level teams, develop into All-Conference and All-Americans, decide to start transferring to programs with a shot at a National Championship in their Junior and Senior year’s? Can you imagine if Khalil Mack transferred from Buffalo to Alabama in 2012?

 

[djr4rebs]

There’s also the possibility that good to great players transfer to top tier programs, creating more of a disparity between the top and the next tier. Fields going to OSU and Hurts going to Oklahoma, doesn’t increase parity, it solidifies the elite. What if players unheralded as high school recruits who commit to mid-level teams, develop into All-Conference and All-Americans, decide to start transferring to programs with a shot at a National Championship in their Junior and Senior year’s? Can you imagine if Khalil Mack transferred from Buffalo to Alabama in 2012?

Unless they drop the sit out portion of the transfer rule, perhaps not. The NFL quality kids are going to enter the draft and get paid before risking a transfer and sitting out a year and or finishing up as a grad transfer to be eligible.

Now if they drop the transfer thing... It could open up a completely new version of recruiting.

 

[81b&w]

It's gotta require more discipline to sit out a year and remain mentally and physically prepared, more distractions and less incentive

 

[jimjim47]

Hey jimjim, nice to see Michigan finish the season in typical Michigan fashion.

42-7, Franklin 1-3 and 3-12 but Michigan is underachieving.

 

[NewEra 2014]

42-7, Franklin 1-3 and 3-12 but Michigan is underachieving.

Florida just scored again, jimjim.

 

[michnittlion]

42-7, Franklin 1-3 and 3-12 but Michigan is underachieving.

Stop being an ass by trying to derail a thread into a PSU/U-M piss-fest.

 

[blion72]

Unless they drop the sit out portion of the transfer rule, perhaps not. The NFL quality kids are going to enter the draft and get paid before risking a transfer and sitting out a year and or finishing up as a grad transfer to be eligible.

Now if they drop the transfer thing... It could open up a completely new version of recruiting.

the sit out a year is the only thing that is keeping this from turning into an NFL model, only without any constraints. if this happens the recruiting class ranks will not matter as much. you will need to keep your classes intact. it may not take long for under the table process to develop to entice transfers. you will not be able to redshirt 4/5* players to manage roster - redshirt will have to be just for injuries. hopefully the ncaa increases the strength of the sit a year rule and does not give in to lawyers. it appears that lawyers can come up with any half baked excuse to justify waivers.

 

[djr4rebs]

the sit out a year is the only thing that is keeping this from turning into an NFL model, only without any constraints. if this happens the recruiting class ranks will not matter as much. you will need to keep your classes intact. it may not take long for under the table process to develop to entice transfers. you will not be able to redshirt 4/5* players to manage roster - redshirt will have to be just for injuries. hopefully the ncaa increases the strength of the sit a year rule and does not give in to lawyers. it appears that lawyers can come up with any half baked excuse to justify waivers.

I think the waiver thing needs to be all or nothing. If the Shea Patterson's can transfer freely, every kid should be allowed to. If not, stick to how it was.

The grad transfers don't really bother me. If these kids were great, they would be turning pro. If one can go somewhere and start his Master's or simply play one more year, more power to him.

 

[blion72]

I think the waiver thing needs to be all or nothing. If the Shea Patterson's can transfer freely, every kid should be allowed to. If not, stick to how it was.

The grad transfers don't really bother me. If these kids were great, they would be turning pro. If one can go somewhere and start his Master's or simply play one more year, more power to him.

remember all the wrangling about whether PSU, PSU alumni assn or other PSU attached entities could get standing to bring suit vs NCAA? seems like the players seeking waivers are having no trouble getting standing with the right lawyers. NCAA even talking to the lawyers to keep it out of court so they realize they could face suits. NCAA is a shadow of the entity that put a near death sentence on PSU.