Are Recruiting Rankings Ruining College Football?

[ShotgunDawg]

After listening to all the radio shows talk about the decline of college football attendance today, I began to wonder why.

There are many reasons why, but are recruiting rankings one of them?

Are recruiting rankings bringing about a Yankees vs Kansas City Royals feel to college football?

As more data is built that verify the importance of recruiting rankings, are they causing a resignation among many fan bases that are forced with the reality that unless their school attempts to cheat their ass off, they have no chance of winning anything?

Prior to recruiting rankings, were we all more ignorant on how we compared to championship caliber teams while now we fully understand that the sport is pointless unless you support 1 of about 10 schools?

I don't blame the recruiting guys because they found a way to make money by filling a void, but the education of talent to the masses could be contributing to people not caring any longer.

[Rick Danko]

Interesting topic. I don?t think recruiting rankings are killing college football. I think Bama is killing college football. Like it or not, people are just flat ass sick of them winning over and over. But on top of them, it?s also that it has become pretty clear, there is only about 10 teams in this country that have any damn shot to win it all, and about 6 of them it takes a miracle to be up there. CFB has completely left the have nots in the dust and it will come back to bite the sport eventually.

[Gutter Cobreh]

Poor attendance is due to the ease of watching the game on TV and the cost of attending a game in person.

Even Alabama with all of its success is renovating their stadium to reduce the number of seats and increase higher dollar suites. They're banking on their success continuing, but this sport is cyclical. They won't always be on top, and as such, will there always be a demand to attend their games when they aren't winning? Time will tell, but even they will face an attendance issue at some point.

[ShotgunDawg]

Poor attendance is due to the ease of watching the game on TV and the cost of attending a game in person.

Even Alabama with all of its success is renovating their stadium to reduce the number of seats and increase higher dollar suites. They're banking on their success continuing, but this sport is cyclical. They won't always be on top, and as such, will there always be a demand to attend their games when they aren't winning? Time will tell, but even they will face an attendance issue at some point.

The sport is cyclical?

Could've fooled me. Time to put that narrative to bed.

As for the TV, I agree that has contributed, but I also think the apathy of knowing your team is playing for a crappy bowl has also set in.

[Poindexter]

Not at all. Reduce scholarships to 70 per team. One of the main strengths of the NFL is the parity in the league. But that did not happen by accident, but is the result of league policies. The NFL model promotes healthy competition but is much more socialistic in how it operates compared to MLB or the English Premier League.

[confucius say]

1. Reduce schollies to 70 per team and 20 per year. No exceptions, period. 20.
2. Pay the players a slightly increased stipend.
3. Penalize cheating in a draconian fashion. Make it so harsh that a coach is automatically on the chopping block if the program gets caught.

These things will create parity and, in turn, increase attendance.

[Hot Rock]

It's not recruiting rankings. It's just the natural cycle of life. There are many factors:

Kids today just have so much more to be interested.
Then there it the TV angle and the cost of attending games.

It's not just one thing for sure, but recruiting rankings? Nope, that won't be what does it. Casual fans don't even follow recruiting anyway.

[KOdawg1]

Yes and no. Alabama is ruining football. The rankings just show us how Alabama is ruining football.

[ShotgunDawg]

Yes and no. Alabama is ruining football. The rankings just show us how Alabama is ruining football.

I think this is well said. It's not so much the recruiting rankings as much as being educated on just how little chance you have. It really makes you ask what the point is

[ShotgunDawg]

1. Reduce schollies to 70 per team and 20 per year. No exceptions, period. 20.
2. Pay the players a slightly increased stipend.
3. Penalize cheating in a draconian fashion. Make it so harsh that a coach is automatically on the chopping block if the program gets caught.

These things will create parity and, in turn, increase attendance.

I agree. For whatever reason though, people want to blame the lack of attendance on everything but that fact that the games mostly suck & aren't competitive

[ShotgunDawg]

It's not recruiting rankings. It's just the natural cycle of life. There are many factors:

Kids today just have so much more to be interested.
Then there it the TV angle and the cost of attending games.

It's not just one thing for sure, but recruiting rankings? Nope, that won't be what does it. Casual fans don't even follow recruiting anyway.

Many casual fans don't follow recruiting, but the talent discrepancies do create the hype or lack thereof that do get back to the casual fan.

[Dawgcap]

I posted on another site. Isn’t it funny how basketball and baseball have many teams that can play with the big boys based on scholarships limatations but in a sport with higher scholarships the big boys accrue the talent. Football is the moneymaker for the NCAA so the scholarships are higher. That’s why there is a disparity because the media sells the big programs and then we wonder why a guy chooses certain schools in our conference. Players are pushed to the big time schools by recruiting services and ESPN.

[ShotgunDawg]

I posted on another site. Isn’t it funny how basketball and baseball have many teams that can play with the big boys based on scholarships limatations but in a sport with higher scholarships the big boys accrue the talent. Football is the moneymaker for the NCAA so the scholarships are higher. That’s why there is a disparity because the media sells the big programs and then we wonder why a guy chooses certain schools in our conference. Players are pushed to the big time schools by recruiting services and ESPN.

Also the nature of basketball & baseball are that lesser teams can win more often.

The football situation won't be fixed until the games are more competitive.

The media pushed the blue bloods, but in the long run, it's going to cost them. The NFL is better & more profitable with more teams in contention, which in return, equals more die-hard fans of the non-large market teams

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Let's take a look at who has been recognized as the national champion by the NCAA since 1933 (the year the SEC was established). In the last 20 years 11 teams have claimed a natty, Since 1933, 29 teams have claimed the crown. There were also 17 other teams that can claim a natty since 1933 due to split polls before the BCS & CFP. Case in point Ole Miss in 1960. Alabama's dominance can be traced back to 2 major factors - their coaches, Saban and the Bear. Recruiting ranking may have distorted the program building process somewhat but it is the masterful work of the head coach that probably is the real difference maker.


source: NCAA
Authority: CFP, BCS & AP


Last 20 years - 11 different teams
YEAR SCHOOL SOURCE
2018 Clemson CFP
2017 Alabama CFP
2016 Clemson CFP
2015 Alabama CFP
2014 Ohio State CFP
2013 Flor State BCS
2012 Alabama BCS
2011 Alabama BCS
2010 Auburn BCS
2009 Alabama BCS
2008 Florida BCS
2007 La State BCS
2006 Florida BCS
2005 Texas BCS
2004 USC BCS
2003 La State BCS,
2002 Ohio State BCS
2001 Miami BCS
2000 Oklahoma BCS
1999 Flor State BCS


RANK SCHOOL NATTYs
1 Alabama 10
2 Notre Dame 8
3 Minnesota 6
4 Oklahoma 6
5 Ohio St. 5
6 USC 5
7 Miami (Fla.) 4
8 Nebraska 4
9 Clemson 3
10 Florida 3
11 Florida St. 3
12 Louisiana State 3
13 Michigan 3
14 Texas 3
15 Army 2
16 Michigan St. 2
17 Penn St. 2
18 Pittsburgh 2
19 Tennessee 2
20 Auburn 1
21 Brigham Young 1
22 Georgia 1
23 Georgia Tech 1
24 Maryland 1
25 Syracuse 1
26 Texas A&M 1
27 Texas Christian 1
28 UCLA 1
29 Washington 1

Total Championship Years 86

[Dawgcap]

Also the nature of basketball & baseball are that lesser teams can win more often.

The football situation won't be fixed until the games are more competitive.

The media pushed the blue bloods, but in the long run, it's going to cost them. The NFL is better & more profitable with more teams in contention, which in return, equals more die-hard fans of the non-large market teams

And that’s my point because recruits are led to believe the only way to a professional contact is by going to a big time contract. And I’m not dumb enough to believe that handlers of these players aren’t selling this to players. If they have done it for college basketball you can damn well believe that the big boys in college football aren’t utilizing the same strategy. Why do guys go to Alabama or other schools to sit for 2 years unless they are bought. Sad thing is so many are processed when someone else comes along. In other sports you can’t waste a scholarship so the playing field is a little more balanced.
Sports are a sad situation because we have not realized that their are people getting rich that shouldn’t. Kinda like politics

[CadaverDawg]

I used to attend so many games, but now I can homegate with friends/family and watch football from morning until midnight, cook on the grill, drink, etc....whereas when I used to attend the games weekly my whole day was devoted to that 1 game, and you had to see highlights to find out what happened in the rest of the games. Yes it's cheaper, but more importantly it is convenient and you get more entertainment on your Saturday at home than you would attending the game. I hate hearing myself say it, bc I want us to have great attendance....but with a family, I can't just pick up every fall Saturday and spend one of my two days a week off work at a game. By being at home I can knock out honey do list items and household responsibilities before the games start, and still have a fun weekend too. Is what it is

[Dawgcap]

I used to attend so many games, but now I can homegate with friends/family and watch football from morning until midnight, cook on the grill, drink, etc....whereas when I used to attend the games weekly my whole day was devoted to that 1 game, and you had to see highlights to find out what happened in the rest of the games. Yes it's cheaper, but more importantly it is convenient and you get more entertainment on your Saturday at home than you would attending the game. I hate hearing myself say it, bc I want us to have great attendance....but with a family, I can't just pick up every fall Saturday and spend one of my two days a week off work at a game. By being at home I can knock out honey do list items and household responsibilities before the games start, and still have a fun weekend too. Is what it is

I gave up season tkts after my daughter was about 3. Did the same thing. Loved being a fan while at home, and yes I respect everyone who is a fan at the house. We went to games off and on but I remember my daughter being a fan but not sure why. We went down to the Auburn game and I talked a guy into selling us tkts for $300 for 2 tkts. Scalpers offered him $350. I wanted my daughter in that game that day like I was the first time I fell in love with State when we beat LSU under the temporary lights. Huge upset and I was hooked! After the Auburn win my daughter was Maroon. Never pushed her! Anyway she is graduating this year and heading to Lipscomb for PA school. Son headed to Starkville in the fall as a freshman. Long story is I’m proud where my family is but we wouldn’t have got there unless we familygated at home. Love Maroon at home it pays off later

[Todd4State]

I used to attend so many games, but now I can homegate with friends/family and watch football from morning until midnight, cook on the grill, drink, etc....whereas when I used to attend the games weekly my whole day was devoted to that 1 game, and you had to see highlights to find out what happened in the rest of the games. Yes it's cheaper, but more importantly it is convenient and you get more entertainment on your Saturday at home than you would attending the game. I hate hearing myself say it, bc I want us to have great attendance....but with a family, I can't just pick up every fall Saturday and spend one of my two days a week off work at a game. By being at home I can knock out honey do list items and household responsibilities before the games start, and still have a fun weekend too. Is what it is

It is VERY inconvenient to go to a game. If you live in Jackson you have to drive two hours, probably most people want to do the tailgating thing which takes a few hours or so depending on how much you're into that, then watch a three hour game, and then drive back through the night in Mississippi- I typically don't make it back until midnight. You're talking about 10-12 hours or so between driving, tailgating for two hours and watching the game.


I think the other thing that really hurts too is I think a lot of people honestly feel like on some level that the officials are either so biased or incompetent that schools like MSU are never going to do better than 10-2 without a championship that I think a lot of people have gotten frustrated with the product and frustration over something that they can't control which appears to be "rigged" and have just said- forget it. It's not worth it. But I also think that we're not the only school in the league that feels that way- Kentucky, Arkansas, South Carolina, and etc. and probably about half the league.


That along with the modern conveniences have hurt I think.


Maybe when the Jetson's are around we can teleport to Starkville while having access to watch other games while AT the MSU game. I'll be dead by the time that happens though.

[Todd4State]

1. Reduce schollies to 70 per team and 20 per year. No exceptions, period. 20.
2. Pay the players a slightly increased stipend.
3. Penalize cheating in a draconian fashion. Make it so harsh that a coach is automatically on the chopping block if the program gets caught.

These things will create parity and, in turn, increase attendance.

And give some of those 15 scholarships to baseball.

[Jarius]

The recruiting services have made it much easier for the big time coaches to not miss prospects. Back in the pre ranking days, some kids could fly under the radar. Not today. A star in Greenville, MS is known by every coach in America. That has made it easier for the big boy schools to poach talent.

I will always go to games. I don't like the fact that I know we are never going to have a chance at a National Title barring a miracle, but I still love my team and I have more fun at the game than I do at home. I also have a place to stay every week for free in Starkville so I don't have to drive back to Jackson. To prevent only seeing one game a week (the MSU game I attend), I go to Bulldog Burger or BWW in Starkville and do my pregame there. The junction is packed and I would rather watch football than socialize. I used to buy the tailgate package where they set up and take down the tailgate / tv for you but it's easier to just go to a restaurant. I have young kids and "junctioning" all day is a pain in the ass with toddlers.

The scholarship reduction idea makes too much sense for the NCAA to do. Take away 15/20 scholarships and give them to baseball. Without getting too political, it will turn into a "racism" issue of taking education opportunities away from black athletes and giving it to a sport where it is predominantly white playing. It won't happen, but it should. It would make football more competitive and would make the absolutely ridiculous scholarship issue with baseball go away.