Our Recruiting Stinks

[R2Dawg]

I don't think leach thinks he needs top talent to run his offense. This may or may not be true, but we won't stop anyone if we load up our defense with a buncha 84-86 rated guys

If we lose the top D players in the State our program will take a long time to recover. This is what we do.

If Leach tanks, someone can write the book - how to kill a program with two bad coaching hires in a row.

Hope this doesn't happen. We have so much on the line this fall.

[HancockCountyDog]

So how do you propose to stop this ??

I?d hire a coach and pay him close to 5 million a year to address the problem.

If we can win without in state recruiting, then I don?t care. I just don?t think we can.

[Todd4State]

I saw an interesting post on Jeans Paige..

"Interesting stat for the moral high horse contingent. Did you know that during/immediately following the 3 best 3 year period of MSU football since WWII there was some form of NCAA probation? '74-76 we went 24-9-1. Probation followed. '98-00 we went 26-11. Probation followed. '13-15 we went 26-13. That was during the middle of the Redmond suspension and we got some probation for that as well. The modern story of MSU football is if we want to have some double digit wins, we are going to have to go up to and over whatever the line is in order to get the players required to get the job done. Those 9 years I referenced, we won 70% of all games. Equate that to a 12 game season-that's 10-2. I think it's certainly worth it even if there are repercussions. I'd rather try to get to the mountain top and get knocked back down to the valley than just settle for staying at base camp."

In summary, we gotta get down and dirty. .

Yeah. And then we have to stop exhibiting exemplary cooperation when we get caught.

Maybe the NIL will end that. At least I hope it will.

[1bigdawg]

Explain why this is a Cohen issue? Our revenue is shit. We are a small school with a low giving donor base compared to the teams we compete against.
.

While it could be better, our 2019 revenues were ~$120MM. Coincidentally, that is more than the school up the road. We cannot use that excuse in recruiting.

[BrunswickDawg]

I saw an interesting post on Jeans Paige..

"Interesting stat for the moral high horse contingent. Did you know that during/immediately following the 3 best 3 year period of MSU football since WWII there was some form of NCAA probation? '74-76 we went 24-9-1. Probation followed. '98-00 we went 26-11. Probation followed. '13-15 we went 26-13. That was during the middle of the Redmond suspension and we got some probation for that as well. The modern story of MSU football is if we want to have some double digit wins, we are going to have to go up to and over whatever the line is in order to get the players required to get the job done. Those 9 years I referenced, we won 70% of all games. Equate that to a 12 game season-that's 10-2. I think it's certainly worth it even if there are repercussions. I'd rather try to get to the mountain top and get knocked back down to the valley than just settle for staying at base camp."

In summary, we gotta get down and dirty. .

People seem to ignore the fact that we are still on probation for the Tutor crap that we self-reported. Our compliance department isn't going to let us step out until we are out from under the "repeat offender" window

[Ari Gold]

Do y’all think Kiffin is out there burning up the recruiting trail?? **** no he isn’t . Hell he was in Oxford less than Leach was in Starkville.
We all know the game of recruiting and we don’t play it never really have .
Yes Leach needs more interest on the recruiting side , a lot more, but this staff ( minus one maybe 2 ) does get after it with recruiting.
Leach and Kiffin give 2 shits about recruiting , or the OM / MSU rivalry

If we had a HC that was all in on recruiting would we be doing better ? Probably a little .. CJM was a very passionate recruiter and the results were basically the same as always

But we were told Coach Mason Smith was just a “ computer “ guy he didn’t really make much of a factor with recruiting
I guess we don’t need guys that made college football rising stars under 30.. yeah we need less guys like that on the staff..

The NIL will do is zero favors in football, we better hope the portal is our best friend going forward.. of course it is college football it doesn’t matter until something is changed . The new playoff will help get a few more teams and fan bases excited but until them I can tell you 3 of the 4 teams in the final four
Bama , Clemson , Ohio state
same song different year

Just enjoy our 7-5 maybe 8-4 like we have averaged the last 15 years or so , and hope we beat OM more than not.
It is what it is

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Fletcher Cox
Chris Jones
Jeffrey Simmons
B-Mac
Elgston Jenkins

Most of our top NFL guys are from Mississippi

ok the argument is we can WIN without in state talent. When they get to the NFL they really don't help us anymore do they? And don't say it helps with recruiting because it doesn't. I would rather have players that can give us 3 or 4 good years instead of the ones that hit their peak just in time to leave for the NFL.

[OLJWales]

I think we must continue to dominate MS D-Linemen as there is no reason not to. If we continue to do that while Leach continues to get good out of state QB's, we should be good.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Just enjoy our 7-5 maybe 8-4 like we have averaged the last 15 years or so , and hope we beat OM more than not.
It is what it is

[Hot Rock]

All that is True Ari except I don't think we are stuck, you can always build to a magical year.

Thing is Miss State has been getting incrementally better over the years, I expect a bowl game now. Last year, the overall college team talent was 23rd. If they can continue the growth with Leach, you could see some top 20 level teams in a couple years or even better. He will attract QB's, WR's better than we have ever have. I am interested to see where this team talent ends up for this year, we did have several leave. I think the roster is more balanced, at least for this offense. For sure it's getting deeper for this offense in the QB, WR and OL positions where we had been paper thin last year. The Mullen years, we always seemed to have just enough OL to get scrimmage up. Leach values that position much more.

I would expect the portal to give us 1-3 contributors most years as well. This year, we will probably have 5 that will contribute if not start from the portal. Two WR's, one DB, one DL and a QB.

Recruiting is changing, if you consider a couple from the portal and/or JuCo, Leach's draw for WR's & QB's, in-state talent, Texas connection with this group of coaches then the overall team talent could improve over the next couple years.

Will it? I say we have to win some games this year.

[Hot Rock]

I wasn't even thinking about the portal guys from the years before. Scott Lashley, Cole Smith and Ruiz are all portal guys so that's 8 portal guys that are key contributors on this years team.

It's not just about High School recruiting anymore. Mississippi State's overall team talent will be a mixture of things.

[Ari Gold]

All that is True Ari except I don't think we are stuck, you can always build to a magical year.

Thing is Miss State has been getting incrementally better over the years, I expect a bowl game now. Last year, the overall college team talent was 23rd. If they can continue the growth with Leach, you could see some top 20 level teams in a couple years or even better. He will attract QB's, WR's better than we have ever have. I am interested to see where this team talent ends up for this year, we did have several leave. I think the roster is more balanced, at least for this offense. For sure it's getting deeper for this offense in the QB, WR and OL positions where we had been paper thin last year. The Mullen years, we always seemed to have just enough OL to get scrimmage up. Leach values that position much more.

I would expect the portal to give us 1-3 contributors most years as well. This year, we will probably have 5 that will contribute if not start from the portal. Two WR's, one DB, one DL and a QB.

Recruiting is changing, if you consider a couple from the portal and/or JuCo, Leach's draw for WR's & QB's, in-state talent, Texas connection with this group of coaches then the overall team talent could improve over the next couple years.

Will it? I say we have to win some games this year.

Agree I said on average 7-5 or 8-4 .. sure we can have a 10-2 year we can also have a 5-7 year

[War Machine Dawg]

Leach has never been known for his "crootin'." It's laughable that some thought that would change just because he came to the SEC. The guy literally hates that part of the job and puts almost no effort into it. It's no surprise we're getting wrecked. And yes, the structure of our off the field staff is bad too. We just don't take football seriously enough. We may not have Bama, TAMU, FL, etc. money, but we've got enough that we should be able to have a functional off field staff. But our Woke Bastard AD is a disaster for everything that isn't baseball. Unfortunately, he probably has a job for life now that baseball finally got the natty. It's so frustrating to see how little our admin believes in MSU compared to us fans.

[War Machine Dawg]

Yeah. And then we have to stop exhibiting exemplary cooperation when we get caught.

Maybe the NIL will end that. At least I hope it will.

NIL basically ends the "impermissible benefits" arm of enforcement. The NCAA is basically dead now and will be officially within a few years. NIL destroyed their sole reason to exist.

[OLJWales]

Leach has never been known for his "crootin'." It's laughable that some thought that would change just because he came to the SEC. The guy literally hates that part of the job and puts almost no effort into it. It's no surprise we're getting wrecked. And yes, the structure of our off the field staff is bad too. We just don't take football seriously enough. We may not have Bama, TAMU, FL, etc. money, but we've got enough that we should be able to have a functional off field staff. But our Woke Bastard AD is a disaster for everything that isn't baseball. Unfortunately, he probably has a job for life now that baseball finally got the natty. It's so frustrating to see how little our admin believes in MSU compared to us fans.

Can anyone validate this bad stuff?

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Recruiting has changed. NIL is changing it. The handling of the portal (both players leaving and players coming) must be managed correctly. JUCO is a huge deal for us, and always has been. You can really fill some glaring holes with some immediate JUCO help. You basically have to have a few staffers that are almost like GM's. There is so much turnover, and so many places to get players, and it is constantly changing. Roster management is important.

[Hot Rock]

Leach has never been known for his "crootin'." It's laughable that some thought that would change just because he came to the SEC. The guy literally hates that part of the job and puts almost no effort into it. It's no surprise we're getting wrecked. And yes, the structure of our off the field staff is bad too. We just don't take football seriously enough. We may not have Bama, TAMU, FL, etc. money, but we've got enough that we should be able to have a functional off field staff. But our Woke Bastard AD is a disaster for everything that isn't baseball. Unfortunately, he probably has a job for life now that baseball finally got the natty. It's so frustrating to see how little our admin believes in MSU compared to us fans.

I have never kept up with his day to day activities but there is one thing on cruit'n. He always improved team talent wherever he has been.

Texas Tech in 1999 did not recruit a single rated player. Not one, I can't go back any further . Leach averaged 46th in recruiting while he was there. They had that honeymoon for a few years after Leach and did pretty well with Tuberville and Kingsbury but that got started by Leach but the last 4 years they are back down to averaging 58th.

Washington State had won a total of 9 ballgames in the previous 4 years combined with an average ranking of 63rd. He averaged getting 52nd while he was there.

I know he never brought in top talent but he always seemed to do well for the places he was located. Sure, he can do better but I am betting they know players make a difference and really like he is balancing the team out and he will get skill players from all over. We do need some in-state guys. I can't see us ever winning without them but NIL money is no joke. It's a new day folks.

[Bothrops]

These national football talk guys are clueless. They haven't learned one thing about this game since they started getting paid well.

[ShotgunDawg]

Recruiting has changed. NIL is changing it. The handling of the portal (both players leaving and players coming) must be managed correctly. JUCO is a huge deal for us, and always has been. You can really fill some glaring holes with some immediate JUCO help. You basically have to have a few staffers that are almost like GM's. There is so much turnover, and so many places to get players, and it is constantly changing. Roster management is important.

Since most of our best JUCOs lately have been D1 kickbacks, the immediate transfer rule is going to destroy JUCO. Abram & Sweat wouldn't have gone to JUCO

[IMissJack]

That is his J O B!