Is the state of Mississippi THAT far behind Alabama in terms of overall talent?

[Token Bammer]

Again, go back and look at early classes. Saban slowly transitioned that. The entire early run was done with Alabama players, then once he had that national title he could scale that down and go get whoever he wanted. I thought it was a mistake at the time but he's been able to maintain it. He's one of the few that really can IMO.

2007: 14
2008: 18
2009: 10
2010: 9
2011: 7
2012: 7
2013: 7
2014: 6
2015: 7
2016: 6
2017: 8

Can't really look at 2007 much because he had very little time to recruit. Lucky for Alabama and Saban, the 2008 class was loaded in state and he was able to clean up both in state and in our region. Plus, he was able to go up to Michigan and sign an underrated Mark Ingram away from Michigan State. The 2008 class was unreal and many played immediately. Ironic as it is, the 2008 class really started with a five star talent from Mobile named BJ Scott. Once BJ committed (was truly the first big in state talent to fall that year) everyone in state started jumping on Alabama. BJ was a great recruiter and was very influential with the other kids. BJ never panned out at Alabama, but if he were to commit elsewhere the 2008 class never would have been what it was and the Saban/Alabama train would have been a lot slower to get rolling. One recruit really turned the Tide, so to speak. He committed very early in the cycle and that helped as well.

[Joe Schmedlap]

A 3* player in Alabama probably would be a 4* player if MS: smaller population in Ms and all...

QUOTE=AROB44;814147]Alabama players are much more physically ready for college ball than Miss players. Just look at the MS/AL high school all star game. Alabama always wins....and it is not all on coaching. I had rather sign a 3* player from Ala than a 4* player from Miss.[/QUOTE]

[MetEdDawg]

I am not sure I agree with this. You are a coach and have hands-on experience, and probably know better than me. However I have never thought specialization, in any way, was good for development, until you have topped out in ability. For example, the best high school players (that are good enough to go to college) usually can do many more things and can be versatile, while the guys where high school is their peak, are better off specializing.

I do agree about the MS production part. MS produces tons of defensive talent and not nearly enough offensive line and skill and when they do, they are incredibly raw. Not always a bad thing, just have to know it going in.

Well think about it this way. If I'm a kid and I play 3 positions on the field, and let's say I have 15 hours of position practice a week (just going with a number because it varies), there's a good chance I'm spending roughly 5 hours at each position. Some other kid down the road is spending all 15 of his hours at one position. You do that for 2 years of varsity football over let's just say 20 weeks of practice per year. The kid playing one position gets 600 hours of practice at that one position. The kid splitting time gets 200 hours of time at that same position, but his other 400 hours are spent at other positions he won't play in college.

That's 400 hours less of running routes, learning the intricacies of the position, doing the little things that make you better at that position. I think that's a huge difference.

[Hasu Dackds]

Well think about it this way. If I'm a kid and I play 3 positions on the field, and let's say I have 15 hours of position practice a week (just going with a number because it varies), there's a good chance I'm spending roughly 5 hours at each position. Some other kid down the road is spending all 15 of his hours at one position. You do that for 2 years of varsity football over let's just say 20 weeks of practice per year. The kid playing one position gets 600 hours of practice at that one position. The kid splitting time gets 200 hours of time at that same position, but his other 400 hours are spent at other positions he won't play in college.

That's 400 hours less of running routes, learning the intricacies of the position, doing the little things that make you better at that position. I think that's a huge difference.

Athletic ability always wins out. Honestly, the college coaches that can best identify this, rather than stars and refined peaked players, are usually the ones who overachieve.

[Schultzy]

On the plane from Miami to Tuscaloosa for the press conference.

Saban: Do you think you hired a great football coach?
AD: Yes
Saban: Well you didn’t. You hired a great recruiter.

Saban’s dad used to recruit kids to play on his travel teams in West Virginia and Nick was always with him.