[NU Sports] Recruiting

[Jeff Beamsley]

The Daily column was nice, but it also assumes that RW knows something that
nobody else has figured out.  It's dangerous to take something that looks
like failure and predict victory based on a secret plan.

There are really only two ways to evaluate whether this class was a success
or a failure.

The first is how our recruiting classes compare with other schools that have
high admissions standards.  Using that yardstick this was a failure.  On
Rivals Stanford (53) and Duke (55) had virtually identical classes with
Vandy (60) close behind.  As others have pointed out, NU wasn't even in the
neighborhood (80).

The other is what happens on the field.  We won't know that for a year or
two.

The poor class this year does call into question the "wisdom" of coaching
continuity.  That wisdom says that in order to build a consistent winner, we
have to allow a coach to build a program.  Evidence of growth in the program
is posting winning seasons and going to bowl games (which RW has done).
Those wins and bowl game appearances produce a recruiting advantage. That
recruiting advantage translates into more wins and better bowl appearances
and ultimately as long as you don't commit the cardinal sin of firing your
coach, you reach nirvana and have a winning tradition and a consistently
competitive program.  Now many of those same people are saying that
recruiting class rankings don't matter?

If recruiting class rankings don't matter, doesn't that call into question
the supposed advantage of continuity?  Illinois is only the most recent
example that good recruiters CAN attract gifted athletes regardless of
tenure and recent performance.  Also I'm certain that most everyone on this
list is willing to agree that Illinois is like to have a MUCH better team
going forward as a direct result of the quality of this recruiting class.

Were I a betting man, I would also wager virtually any sum that RW would
trade his class in a heartbeat for the class that Ron Zook or Jim Tressel or
Lloyd Carr signed up.

It is possible that RW does more with less than anyone else in the league.
It's also possible that he has had to get good at doing more with less
because he's a bad recruiter.  

Jeff


-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
Behalf Of Roy Lamberton
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 6:59 PM
To: cherron604 at aol.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: RE: [NU Sports] Recruiting

Pool [Scout] had us ranked 11th of 12 [he includes ND]

Read the Daily column about Walker's underachievers

rsl

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton - Senior Associate
Computer Applications & Support Associates and Publisher of Purple Reign,
The Scout.com Northwestern University Site
(http://www.purplewildcats.com)
AIM Handle: CoachRoy74
======== Go Cats -  Beat 'em All =========== Every time I think I've got
this Computer Biz handled 
            -- There's another upgrade.
============================================

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
> [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of cherron604 at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 6:08 PM
> To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
> Subject: [NU Sports] Recruiting
> 
> 
> ESPN Radio in Chicago reported the following 'ratings' for the 
> football classes signed today:
>  
> Northwestern   68th
>  
> Illinois             39th
>  
> Notre Dame       5th
>  
> A few observations.
>  
> I am not sure what or who their source was (they did not report that).
>  
> I seem to recall every ND recruiting class being rated in the top 10, 
> but not alot of their teams have finished in the top 10 (lately).
>  
> If it is believable - 68th is not a rating that we should be 
> achieving, especially if newcomer Ron Zook is coming in 39th.
>  
> If it is not believable or well-regarded, what ARE some very 
> trustworthy rating services, and how did we finish in those ?
>  
> Chuck Herron   Tech '85
>  
>   
> _______________________________________________
> nwu-sports site list
> nwu-sports at tssi.com
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> 

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