How would expansion affect MSU recruiting?

[DawgAtDuke]

With all of the talk and speculation going around about SEC expansion, most of the discussion has been focused on teams, revenue, and division alignements. The topic of recruiting wars hasn't been discussed that much. So my question to the board is, how do you think the addition of 4 teams to the SEC affects MSU recruiting? For the purposes of this topic, assume those four teams are Texas, Texas A&M, Clemson, and Florida State.

For instance, withthe addition of the Texas, MSU will be fighting offyet anotherpowerhouseteam for the top talent in MS as highschoolers grow up watching Texas as part of the SEC. However, the distribution of SEC games into homes increases thanks to the Texas market(specifically for non-ESPN televised games like those on syndicated networks, etc), thus giving MSU more exposure in Texas as well as making the SEC more of a premier league in that state. This gives teams like MSU a better chance at landing those recruitsthat Texas passed over. Is this a net gain or loss if MSU has more competition for top instate talentin a small talent pool but better chances at unrecruited talentedin a much larger talent pool?

 

[Todd4State]

what's going to happen is you're going to have four-six major conferences, and those conferences will clean house as far as the talent goes. Fortunately, we're in a major conference. Unfortunately, so are our competitors.

I think what you will see happen is that the chasm- which exists already- is going to widen between the schools in the major conferences and the others. I think we will compete at about the same rate as we are now relative to the rest of the SEC. What's happening right now probably will end up hurting USM much more than State or Ole Miss. Even if USM gets into the Big East, who knows if the Big East will be a BCS conference at that time? It looks to me like the Big 12 is going to fold or become a minor conference. I fully expect the ACC to raid the Big East very shortly.

As far as recruiting in Texas- I don't think being in the same conference as Texas or A&M is really going to help our recruiting much over there. I think we will probably continue to try to focus on getting the talent in Mississippi and then build our team around those players as far as football. I think we will still get players from Texas, but probably at about the same rate as we are now.

 

[jacksonreb1]

beating tx for many recruits right now. their joining the sec won't change that. clemson and fla state aren't going to be more attractive to very many kids if they are sec schools either. so IMO there is no reason for it to affect recruiting in any notable way. what it will affect is it will just be that much harder for msu and ole miss to get to atlanta........

ETA... tx won't recruit ms any harder, IMO. ole missdoesn't recruit flacause fla ansec school. we recruit there cause its full of great players. tx can get all it needs without comingto ms any morethan they ever have. i don't think recruiting is impacted geographically by conference alliance. esp with big time programs. now if say memphis were to join the sec, it could help theirrecruiting and might impact msu and ole miss.

 

[Johnson85]

beating tx for many recruits right now. their joining the sec won't change that. clemson and fla state aren't going to be more attractive to very many kids if they are sec schools either. so IMO there is no reason for it to affect recruiting in any notable way...

ETA... tx won't recruit ms any harder, IMO...

It's about beating Houston, TCU, Tech, etc. for the recruits Texas, OK,and A&M pass over. I think if MSU or UM starts winning 7-9 games a year consistently, being in the same conference as UTand A&M starts to help recruiting Texas. Not a huge difference, I just think the familiarity of seeing the teams at UT and A&M everyother year will make them seem closer to home.I think it would also marginally help UT and A&M recruit Mississippi prospects (ones that UM and MSU actually want).Probably not that big of a deal either way, but I think it would make a difference.

 

[jacksonreb1]

saying it wouldn't affect it in a "noteable way" was my way of saying some but not that big of a deal. you touched on what i think really matters...msu and um winning 7-9 games annually.regardless of who's in the conf, winning will help our recruiting.