It seems as though more than a few folks are disappointed that MSU isn't pulling off any Top 25 recruiting classes. What is the basis for the high expectations? High expectations are fine, but are these reasonable expectations for our current situation?
Just take a quick browse through the Top 40 rates recruiting classes as they stand right now. Here's the link for the Rivals list.
Just glancing through it, it's tough to find anyone with as miserable of a decade as we've had. Baylor maybe? Washington? Hell, U-dub at least has some NCs from back in the day to leverage. Other than than, most of the schools on that list have at least some moderate success over the last decade (like I said, I glanced, there might be an anomaly I missed).
Being in the SEC and having decent facilities/fan support can only get you so far. When it comes down to it, there is no reason we should expect quality recruiting classes <span style="font-style: italic;">before we start winning</span>. Hell, we are overachieving at the current moment if you just base it off of winning alone. I know some people will reply "well, we need a bag man", "we can hold anything back", "we gotta get special recruiters here", "let's quit this ***** **** and start bringing in some athletes", "you are what's wrong with MSU, your expectations our too low", etc. etc.
Well, newsflash, every school is aggressively recruiting and has that guy that is going to outwork the opposition win recruiting battles. All good programs have those guys and if paying players really is a common place (I'm skeptical about that) as it is alleged on this board, then it's just that, a common place. We won't be getting a leg up in that department either. To top it off, we have virtually zero history to piggyback off of. Obviously, nobody wants to go to MSU because of our banner collection. I think it's a little shortsighted to think some magical savior is not going to swoop in and instantly begin recruiting the hell out of some athletes at MSU. I honestly think Pete Carrol and a bottomless sack o' cash would have a tough time selling MSU without a few Ws to back him up.
The only way we pull out high-quality classes (Top 20 or better) is if Mullen somehow hope gets us over the hump and we pull out a couple 7/8+ win seasons. I know that's tough to do with sub-par talent, but that's the situation we are in and is exactly why we hired a young/innovative coaching staff to help us, hopefully, outsmart the opposition. That's the only way we are going to be able to pull it off and it also means that means we have to figure out how to stop "being MSU" (i.e. falling short at the goal line, choking in games we shouldn't, scheduling <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>unnecessarily difficult non-conference opponents, etc.).
Fortunately, I see an attitude change with the coaches/players and we finally have an AD that appears he knows what the 17 he's doing. MSU is capable of recruiting well - it's just going to take some execution on the field beforehand.
Just take a quick browse through the Top 40 rates recruiting classes as they stand right now. Here's the link for the Rivals list.
Just glancing through it, it's tough to find anyone with as miserable of a decade as we've had. Baylor maybe? Washington? Hell, U-dub at least has some NCs from back in the day to leverage. Other than than, most of the schools on that list have at least some moderate success over the last decade (like I said, I glanced, there might be an anomaly I missed).
Being in the SEC and having decent facilities/fan support can only get you so far. When it comes down to it, there is no reason we should expect quality recruiting classes <span style="font-style: italic;">before we start winning</span>. Hell, we are overachieving at the current moment if you just base it off of winning alone. I know some people will reply "well, we need a bag man", "we can hold anything back", "we gotta get special recruiters here", "let's quit this ***** **** and start bringing in some athletes", "you are what's wrong with MSU, your expectations our too low", etc. etc.
Well, newsflash, every school is aggressively recruiting and has that guy that is going to outwork the opposition win recruiting battles. All good programs have those guys and if paying players really is a common place (I'm skeptical about that) as it is alleged on this board, then it's just that, a common place. We won't be getting a leg up in that department either. To top it off, we have virtually zero history to piggyback off of. Obviously, nobody wants to go to MSU because of our banner collection. I think it's a little shortsighted to think some magical savior is not going to swoop in and instantly begin recruiting the hell out of some athletes at MSU. I honestly think Pete Carrol and a bottomless sack o' cash would have a tough time selling MSU without a few Ws to back him up.
The only way we pull out high-quality classes (Top 20 or better) is if Mullen somehow hope gets us over the hump and we pull out a couple 7/8+ win seasons. I know that's tough to do with sub-par talent, but that's the situation we are in and is exactly why we hired a young/innovative coaching staff to help us, hopefully, outsmart the opposition. That's the only way we are going to be able to pull it off and it also means that means we have to figure out how to stop "being MSU" (i.e. falling short at the goal line, choking in games we shouldn't, scheduling <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>unnecessarily difficult non-conference opponents, etc.).
Fortunately, I see an attitude change with the coaches/players and we finally have an AD that appears he knows what the 17 he's doing. MSU is capable of recruiting well - it's just going to take some execution on the field beforehand.