Quote Originally Posted by MetEdDawg View Post
I absolutely do. It's not that hard to win one game against an SEC team. Everyone gets up for games against us. But put those teams through the grind of an SEC schedule every week and those flaws come out and are exposed. TCU doesn't finish 12-1 with our schedule this year.

And I will say it again, all of those teams finished in the Top 10 sure. But they didn't play for a national title. They got close, but there are examples every year of teams that finish close but don't quite get there. And there are also examples every single year of schools with one or more Top 10 recruiting classes that play for a national title. There's a reason teams get to the top. They develop talent but they also recruit at a high level.

I said it at the end of the season. There are too many factors that have to come into play for us to continue recruiting at our current level and get to a national title. We had a down SEC this year where only 3 teams returned their starting QB from the previous year. The best QB we ever had. Probably the best coach we've ever had and probably the best offense we've ever had. Most favorable schedule we could have asked for. We went 10-3. It's clearly better than what we've done and don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic we got here. But I think that we have to start recruiting better if we want to do better than that going forward.

The only thing there we have control of is our schedule and our recruiting and this year our schedule was not the issue. We HAVE to recruit at a higher level plain and simple and I will maintain that until we throw a couple of Top 15 classes together 2 out of 3 years, we have a ceiling on where we can go as a program. It's just too hard to get through the SEC when you are going against elite talent at other schools with just as good or better coaches.
Bull. This year TCU absolutely does. They were that good. They might have played closer games but they are very good and could have won 12 games in the SEC this year as well. You want prime examples, Missouri and A & M came in and have competed very well.

If you are going to narrow it down now to just national titles then, before the playoffs, you only had 20 or so teams that fesibly could win it. That's a different argument and one you have to look very long range. Oregon is finally there but it took them over 25 years. People don't want to hear that but if you are not a traditional power it is very hard. Talent is a component no doubt, but the coaching and substructure advantages inside these programs is huge. With the playoffs and more money you will see more teams to vie for it. So Carolina finished what 4th a few years ago. They were right there for a playoff spot if we had it then. Same for Arkansas and A & M their first year in.