Commit now, no need to wait-n-see, if UK's season tanks other teams will make room for him (5-star).
The argument(s) for Wills picking UK
- Thread starter Rajon did it
- Start date
I think Saban has given him a drop-dead commit date, that's why we're hearing commitment hints. In other word, says Saban: "Commit by such and such a date or we move on." Being Saban and being Bama he can do that. What we heard in early spring was Wills would be slow and methodical and likely commit in the fall. Hope he weighs all that and picks UK.
I'm not setting myself up for disappointment - but - did anything change during his last visit to tour the facilities: Could it have been a game-changer to commit to us now, or did it simply reaffirm his reasons to pick Bama?
Check out our 247 and SECRant sites. We're thrilled. Randolph was always going to be part of this class. And frankly, I'm glad we got him instead of Troxell who committed to Auburn. Randolph is more of a pure Tackle. We're very thin at OT after this season. We're losing 3 (if you count Brandon Greene) and Baldwin got kicked off the team, and will only have 3 true OT's on scholarship returning after this year, which is why we're loading up. If we get Isaiah Wilson, he will play Guard, and Hunter Brannon will be a Guard or Center.
You conducting damage control on all sites, or just this one? BTW, I doubt this changes anything with Wills - he's bought into "the process"...
I wish Wills could look ahead and see how the other former UK recruits (Harris & Jones) who "bought it" turn out.
Doesn't that work both ways, if Saban pushes him into a commitment he doesn't want to make now should he feel too bad about changing it when UK goes bowling with maybe 7 or 8 wins?
After looking at Wills' Twitter - just now - I'd say he's already committed to Bama. The announcement is just a formality. The pinned tweet (2 days ago) is all but a message to UK fans: "My goals don't stop for anyone. Either you support me or I make it happen alone. Either way it's going to happen." If you commit to your hometown school you don't need that kind of message pinned to the top of your page.
I feel like you're making too much out of that quote. That could be self motivation about just getting better and blocking out the negative people. Doesn't necessarily stand out to me as being about commitments or which school he may choose.
It will be interesting to see if he re-tweets any... no. I can't! I told myself I'm done with the damn teenager Twitter tea leaves! [eyeroll]
Is he campaigning for offensive tackle or President?
I don't think it could possibly be for President, I think to do that you need to have milked about $156,000,000 from the American public or have a billion or two that you have managed to stash away. And of course to have a real chance to win you have to belong to the lawyer/politician clique.
Harris is in his 2nd year. He played special teams and got carries last year. Also won a national championship. He will get 10 carries a game this year. Yeah but just keep bashing.
Scarborough looks like the beast Saban seems to prefer, JMO. The player with the second leading carries last year was the QB, and that wasn't that many, about 50 plus for the entire season, IIRC, and probably most of those were scrambles. In Bama's two crucial games at the end of the season their Heisman winner had 42 and 44 carries IIRC, only a couple for the other RBs.
I maybe implied that they would both turn out bad? But I definitely didn't say that... my point was I wish he had more info on how those guys careers turned out. "Bashing"?
People go on so much about the# of players Ala puts in the NFL...currently they have 36 players on active NFL rosters and TWO are offensive tackles, not necessarily offensive line U. Hell I think Otis has that many.
They are terrible at developing pro's. I mean they are almost getting every 4-5 without any big time player in the league. Julio Jones is the only superstar, they have recruited top OL but almost all have been duds.
I mean with their pedigree, NC's, ALL SEC, All American, they have been terrible at translating to next level with all the success. ESPN has done shows and this has been point of topic about Alabama players.
He goes to Alabama to win NC or SEC, you don't go to Alabama to be a great pro. Sorry.
Pick LSU, FSU, Oh. St, USC, Clemson, Georgia has put more players in NFL,
That argument does not play out, National champion probabibilty-yes, Pro status- NO.
In fact Alabama has done a lousy job with the rankings and National championships to how their players have translated. Look at Cal and UK in comparison, high rankings and most have panned out to their draft. Alabama has been woeful in producing great pro's when you look at their success.
Most of their recruits are pretty good pro prospects out of high school, the ones that don't really star there probably hurt their pro prospects.
We'll see where Harris ends up. Woohoo...he got a national championship from the bench. That's the lamest of reasons to go somewhere unless you actually play a part in the accomplishment.
If Scarborough stays healthy, Harris is a afterthought. Especially so once the #1 RB committed joins the crowd next year. He is a big back with speed like Scarborough. It will be poetic justice if Harris falls down the depth chart before transferring.
I was a walk on at UK. Played on special teams mainly. Had a lot of fun playing in two bowl games. I practiced hard everyday just like the scholarship starters. Your attitude would not be welcome from a Stoops, Mumme or Brooks coached team. We are all a part of the team.
Glad to hear it...I am now and always have been all about team first mentality throughout my sporting life.
That said, the topic at hand was using the National Championship ring as an example of why Harris has been successful at Bama and how he made a wise college decision. I would dispute that based on the fact the number 1 ranked 5 star running back isn't going to a school with the expectation of bring a special teams and practice player. Personally i would prefer to actually see the field for significant minutes at another quality school verses just being part of Bama's personnel machinery and getting a ring.
Not worth rehashing as its stale IMO Harris screwed his home state school with recruiting theatrics and trolling Kentucky fans going forward. It would be poetic justice to see him fall down the depth chart. He can have the ring. I'd rather actually play a significant role in winning that ring
So Bama's guys don't make great pros...big deal. They win the SEC and NCs and I'll take that over super-duper All-Pros any day of the week and twice on Sundays. The #1 goal of Saban at Bama is to win, not produce a bunch of 1st Rd draft choices. Refreshing in my view.
Also Keif from Ohio, 6'5 'wide receiver. He was always on Campus with his friends.
Cool story bro. This is a message board, thanks for your service to bowl success and all, but give me a break.
You seem very negative like that tammefan guy on HOB. I wouldn't say bowl success we lost both times.
That's all fine and well, but the point being made here by some, is that if Harris's (or anyone else) motivation to choose Bama over UK was perceived superior player preparation for the next level, that argument may not be worth nearly as much as some might think on first blush.
There are competent and capable coaches throughout college football that can do a great job of teaching, coaching and preparation, but in the end, it's largely a factor of the work that the player puts in, and how dedicated he is towards achieving his goals.
Wills would get the best chance at UK to play his preferred tackle position. And will be beloved by this state for staying close to home to help build something special. unlike going far away to a group of strangers where he would just be another cog in an impressive machine on an already built already established program.
or could be treated like **** if it doesnt work out...ask Maurice Smith
ATHENs — When Maurice Smith informed Alabama of his intention to transfer, his locker was cleaned out, personal belongings thrown in the trash, he was banned from using the athletic facility, and he generally felt “ostracized.”
Compare with how Jason Hatcher who was kicked off the team due to personal conduct felt treated by UK & Stoops:
Hatcher was dismissed from UK’s team immediately after his arrest, but he said UK allowed him to finish the spring academic semester on scholarship, helping him remain in good academic standing. Hatcher, who said he participated in community service this spring in Lexington while passing all his classes, wrote letters to multiple members of UK’s athletic department, including athletic director Mitch Barnhart, thanking them for letting him stay in school and for “standing by me and believing in me even though I let a lot of people down.”
“At the end of the day,” Hatcher said, “they didn’t have to do that, so I was very grateful for that whole opportunity.”
or could be treated like **** if it doesnt work out...ask Maurice Smith
ATHENs — When Maurice Smith informed Alabama of his intention to transfer, his locker was cleaned out, personal belongings thrown in the trash, he was banned from using the athletic facility, and he generally felt “ostracized.”
Compare with how Jason Hatcher who was kicked off the team due to personal conduct felt treated by UK & Stoops:
Hatcher was dismissed from UK’s team immediately after his arrest, but he said UK allowed him to finish the spring academic semester on scholarship, helping him remain in good academic standing. Hatcher, who said he participated in community service this spring in Lexington while passing all his classes, wrote letters to multiple members of UK’s athletic department, including athletic director Mitch Barnhart, thanking them for letting him stay in school and for “standing by me and believing in me even though I let a lot of people down.”
“At the end of the day,” Hatcher said, “they didn’t have to do that, so I was very grateful for that whole opportunity.”
That's an interesting point re: the bolded. I made the same point the other day and compared Wills potentially being another cog at Bama to John Petty being another cog at UK or Kansas for Basketball.
Okay. Not even close, but whatever. I can tell you are new around here. If you get put off by my perceived negativity, you'll want to avoid this place at the first sign of adversity this season. Just some friendly advice from someone who's posted on and off of here for over a decade. Remember this discussion between us started because I said an Alabama player may or may not match his 5-star status. I hope Harris does great, I honestly do. If he doesn't I won't be concerned either.
I look at things more from a players perspective. Let's hope we have a good season and the negative things stay on rupps rafters.
If you include Maurice Smith we're at 83. And that's also including 2 guys that just got cleared that many thought were long shots to enroll.
It might be refreshing in your view, but I bet every 4 or 5 star player who goes to Bama has only one thing on his mind, "Play at the next level." National Championships don't pay the bills.
OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!
All this talk about being better prepared for the NFL doesn't mean anything to me, I am a college football fan and seldom watch NFL games. So I wouldn't care if UGA players didn't do well in the league as long as they were bring NC to UGA. I am sure Bama fans feel the same way. Nick Saban's, Mark Stoops's and Kirby Smart's job is to win college football games, not get guys ready for the NFL.
As for as Harris goes, if he is good enough to play in the NFL and has spent his time as a career backup at Bama, he will have less wear on him than guys setting records and that's huge for a RB. Only so much pounding a body can take before it starts to fall apart.
But being a UGA fan, I know it sucks to have a kid you want bad to leave the state, we have multiple do that every year, and more often than not its the number 1 player in the state and has been the number 1 player in the country.
As for as Harris goes, if he is good enough to play in the NFL and has spent his time as a career backup at Bama, he will have less wear on him than guys setting records and that's huge for a RB. Only so much pounding a body can take before it starts to fall apart.
But being a UGA fan, I know it sucks to have a kid you want bad to leave the state, we have multiple do that every year, and more often than not its the number 1 player in the state and has been the number 1 player in the country.
Alfonso Smith is a great example of that from here at UK. Mostly played as a back-up and special teams. Ended up as a free-agent signing with Arizona. He went on to play 3 years in the NFL. He made $550,000 for just 1 of those years in the NFL. It doesn't take much...