22-23 Transfer Portal and General Recruiting Catch-All Thread

[GawainBuff]

I too am anxious for the happy side of this to start.... but gotta trust that Prime and Co have a pretty clear understanding of who is coming and going

I know my reaction to all of this is affected by lingering PTSD from almost two decades of sucking it bad. Everyone outside of this program (and some inside, I'm sure) knew we were 1-11 for good reason (and we weren't even close in those 11): we rarely had more than a handful of P5 players.

As Adam posted to Twitter today, HCP has been blunt about how this was going to play out. And just this last week, before the Spring Game, he was just as clear, even as to the WRs left.

To me, HCP's discussion of Trevor Woods (last Monday?) was the most telling, as he emphasized that T.Woods was a prior guy he wanted here for all his hard work, etc. HCP said it in a way that almost seemed to imply Woods might be the only one (or one of only a handful). True dat.

 

[Medford M.]

I know my reaction to all of this is affected by lingering PTSD from almost two decades of sucking it bad. Everyone outside of this program (and some inside, I'm sure) knew we were 1-11 for good reason (and we weren't even close in those 11): we rarely had more than a handful of P5 players.

As Adam posted to Twitter today, HCP has been blunt about how this was going to play out. And just this last week, before the Spring Game, he was just as clear, even as to the WRs left.

To me, HCP's discussion of Trevor Woods (last Monday?) was the most telling, as he emphasized that T.Woods was a prior guy he wanted here for all his hard work, etc. HCP said it in a way that almost seemed to imply Woods might be the only one (or one of only a handful). True dat.

Remember, we had a team that got boat raced in 11 games last year and had the audacity to state it was the most fun they ever had playing football...

 

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Not true, not true. There have been commitments. Those commitments just haven't gone public yet.

If you paid attention during the 1st signing period last December, CU had a new commitment almost every day through the new year. This was clearly orchestrated by Coach Prime to keep CU in the headlines. The commitments will be public when Coach Prime wants them to be public.

It is not beyond reason that the CU staff ask recruits to delay their public pronouncements until after Bloody Monday is over. It would be the right thing to do for the former AND prospective Buffs.

 

[cu3x]

This isn't about talent. We are losing some players like MLC who have the talent to contribute at a P5 level. A number of the players we are losing I had hoped would still be here.

Reality is that most of the guys who are leaving aren't good enough to beat out the guys who will be replacing them. A lot of these guys may hope to get P5 offers but if they are on a roster next year it will be G5 or even FCS.

More importantly this was a team that barely won one game last year. It was a team that would have had trouble winning half of their games in the G5 conferences and that wasn't strictly because of talent. The bigger issue was coaching and even more importantly attitude.

This was a team that didn't know how to win. They didn't know how to prepare as individuals, they didn't know how to work as hard as it takes to match what other programs are doing. They also have a defeatist attitude. They expect to lose, they expect bad things to happen, and they follow it up losing.

Prime is busy bringing in talent but even more importantly he is bringing a whole new way of thinking, a whole new way of believing. This will happen much faster if he doesn't have to push against guys who still have one foot in the past.

It may seem harsh but it is actually better for everyone. Had he kept another 20 guys who really didn't want to be here or who didn't fully buy in it would result in a bad experience for those guys and a tougher transition for everyone else.

Now if guys from last year are both good enough to hang with the talent coming in and completely willing to commit themselves to the new culture then there is a space for them.

The biggest problem may be depth, next year and thereafter. Almost none of the players leaving would have been starters, but many would have been decent backups.
The guys coming in thru the portal want to start, they want to show off what they've got. They aren't old-style,
"I've always wanted to be a Buff" types. If they don't get to start next fall, do they re-enter the portal?

 

[GoBuffs99]

I’m not specifically concerned with all these players leaving but I am concerned by who’s replacing them. The quantity/quality of players currently in the portal is clearly below the fall portal. In turn many of the recent transfers we’ve offered seem pretty underwhelming. Prime said a few days ago that most of the players who will be starters next season aren’t even on the team yet. I’m really not sure who he’s even hypothetically referring to. Seems like wishful thinking.

To expand on the quality of the players currently in the portal…247 rates MLC as the #5 best uncommitted transfer in the country and every on here is like…good player but we’ll add someone else who’s just as good. Tyson is rated #4 and he’s probably not even playing next season. Chance Main and Rodman who certainly didn’t look like P5 starters last year are rated #35 and #38.

The portal is slim pickings. I don’t see the point of running guys off only to replace them with low-end starters from FCS Maine (two of the recent offers).

 

[#1 pick]

The biggest problem may be depth, next year and thereafter. Almost none of the players leaving would have been starters, but many would have been decent backups.
The guys coming in thru the portal want to start, they want to show off what they've got. They aren't old-style,
"I've always wanted to be a Buff" types. If they don't get to start next fall, do they re-enter the portal?

Prime coaches his ass off. You think you can come in without wanting to dominate and think Prime will be cool with that.

It's gonna take awhile but you will realize that Prime is a tough SOB and he's extremely old school. The reason you don't see coaches like Prime anymore is because most can't recruit that well to run off a guy and find a better replacement.

Prime is really Bobby Bowden with swag in terms of style and type of coaching.

 

[#1 pick]

To expand on the quality of the players currently in the portal…247 rates MLC as the #5 best uncommitted transfer in the country and every on here is like…good player but we’ll add someone else who’s just as good. Tyson is rated #4 and he’s probably not even playing next season. Chance Main and Rodman who certainly didn’t look like P5 starters last year are rated #35 and #38.

The portal is slim pickings. I don’t see the point of running guys off only to replace them with low-end starters from FCS Maine (two of the recent offers).

Talented WRs are easy to find. Jimmy Horn Jr and Xavier Weaver. He got Willie Gaines. He damn near had just two offers out of JUCO, one of the MAC schools and JSU. No one thought he would do anything, he ended up JSU top playmaker. Talented WRs are everywhere. You just gotta find the right fit.

DLs are hard to find. But based on last year's metrics and how they cut most of them, they felt they can do much much better in the portal.

 

[Victory]

To expand on the quality of the players currently in the portal…247 rates MLC as the #5 best uncommitted transfer in the country and every on here is like…good player but we’ll add someone else who’s just as good. Tyson is rated #4 and he’s probably not even playing next season. Chance Main and Rodman who certainly didn’t look like P5 starters last year are rated #35 and #38.

The portal is slim pickings. I don’t see the point of running guys off only to replace them with low-end starters from FCS Maine (two of the recent offers).

There’s no way Main is the 35th best portal player.

But sure, I think we all agree Tyson and MLC were good players.

 

[manhattanbuff]

Man, I wonder who will be left from last years team

5-10%?

 

[Jello Bear]

Prime is really Bobby Bowden with swag in terms of style and type of coaching

 

[GawainBuff]

Talented WRs are easy to find. Jimmy Horn Jr and Xavier Weaver. He got Willie Gaines. He damn near had just two offers out of JUCO, one of the MAC schools and JSU. No one thought he would do anything, he ended up JSU top playmaker. Talented WRs are everywhere. You just gotta find the right fit.

DLs are hard to find. But based on last year's metrics and how they cut most of them, they felt they can do much much better in the portal.

I agree. I’m not worried about getting quality WRs here, but I don’t see how we get enough quality DL.

Kinda weird to feel pretty good about the OL at this point in the midst of all of this.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

To expand on the quality of the players currently in the portal…247 rates MLC as the #5 best uncommitted transfer in the country and every on here is like…good player but we’ll add someone else who’s just as good. Tyson is rated #4 and he’s probably not even playing next season. Chance Main and Rodman who certainly didn’t look like P5 starters last year are rated #35 and #38.

The portal is slim pickings. I don’t see the point of running guys off only to replace them with low-end starters from FCS Maine (two of the recent offers).

I'm not sure why you would be concerned with the wr position. We've already added players that are better, and more are on the way. Would I have preferred they stayed, absolutely but that is a position that will be fine.

Now the DT position is where I get nervous because those players don't grow on trees.

 

[#1 pick]

I agree. I’m not worried about getting quality WRs here, but I don’t see how we get enough quality DL.

Considering that they cut most of them, they think they can. They also got many coming in the summer from the previous recruiting class

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

I agree. I’m not worried about getting quality WRs here, but I don’t see how we get enough quality DL.

Kinda weird to feel pretty good about the OL at this point in the midst of all of this.

I actually feel pretty good about the o-line. I feel like we have good depth and better talent ( at least in the 2 deep).

 

[NuggNinja]

The biggest problem may be depth, next year and thereafter. Almost none of the players leaving would have been starters, but many would have been decent backups.
The guys coming in thru the portal want to start, they want to show off what they've got. They aren't old-style,
"I've always wanted to be a Buff" types. If they don't get to start next fall, do they re-enter the portal?

If I’m not mistaken there are limits on the amount of times you can transfer—with exceptions for things like coaching changes.

But I think guys chasing starting roles is going to cause an issue for most teams maintaining depth for at least the next few years until everyone figures out how to navigate this system.

 

[vinniew_11]

The biggest problem may be depth, next year and thereafter. Almost none of the players leaving would have been starters, but many would have been decent backups.
The guys coming in thru the portal want to start, they want to show off what they've got. They aren't old-style,
"I've always wanted to be a Buff" types. If they don't get to start next fall, do they re-enter the portal?

And have to sit out a year? Doubtful

 

[JonSergeantMajor]

Not true, not true. There have been commitments. Those commitments just haven't gone public yet.

If you paid attention during the 1st signing period last December, CU had a new commitment almost every day through the new year. This was clearly orchestrated by Coach Prime to keep CU in the headlines. The commitments will be public when Coach Prime wants them to be public.

I’d think Prime would want to announce at least one to keep the hype going from the Spring Game and to distract from the MLC transfer/Ju’Juan decommit.

I have my black and gold glasses on, but you gotta admit that the optics of a bunch of players leaving (though expected by those who followed the situation) and no commits/top recruit decommitment right after the hyped up Spring Game is a weird look.

Obviously, I hope you’re right though!

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

I’d think Prime would want to announce at least one to keep the hype going from the Spring Game and to distract from the MLC transfer/Ju’Juan decommit.

I have my black and gold glasses on, but you gotta admit that the optics of a bunch of players leaving (though expected by those who followed the situation) and no commits/top recruit decommitment right after the hyped up Spring Game is a weird look.

Obviously, I hope you’re right though!

I don't think Prime cares what the optics are. All he cares about are the results he was looking for.

 

[seattlebuff]

To expand on the quality of the players currently in the portal…247 rates MLC as the #5 best uncommitted transfer in the country and every on here is like…good player but we’ll add someone else who’s just as good. Tyson is rated #4 and he’s probably not even playing next season. Chance Main and Rodman who certainly didn’t look like P5 starters last year are rated #35 and #38.

The portal is slim pickings. I don’t see the point of running guys off only to replace them with low-end starters from FCS Maine (two of the recent offers).

This, all day.

Yes, we all know we have to shed 90% of last year's roster, but I really hope this next week we add at least 2-3 guys that have some "wow" factor to make this whole process feel a little better. Where the hell are we getting 3-4 quality DLs? We know we're not getting any former starters from P5 schools. That's a given. But are there even any 2nd stringers from good programs still looking for a team? Seems highly unlikely. And frankly, adding guys from Kent State and Arkansas State and Jackson State doesn't exactly fire me up.

 

[MtnBuff]

The biggest problem may be depth, next year and thereafter. Almost none of the players leaving would have been starters, but many would have been decent backups.
The guys coming in thru the portal want to start, they want to show off what they've got. They aren't old-style,
"I've always wanted to be a Buff" types. If they don't get to start next fall, do they re-enter the portal?

We have lost a bunch of guys who couldn't get on the field for a 1-11 team.

I would rather have our depth be a bunch of guys who were G5 starters who want to prove they can play at P5 instead of a bunch of guys who were happy to be backups for a team starting G5 talent.

Of course the guys coming in on the portal want to start. We don't want guys who don't want to compete at the highest level.

We have seen far to much of what the "I've always wanted to be a Buff" as well as enough of the bring em in because they are a Colorado kid or other excuses.

If some of the transfers in leave again because they don't get to start then we just replace them again, and again with guys who belong on a P5 team.

 

[SanDiegoBuff]

I don't think Prime cares what the optics are. All he cares about are the results he was looking for.

This.... all coverage is good coverage... CU is all over the news today, there's no reason to burn commitment spotlights on a day like today. They'll start doling them out as coverage starts to wane and by this time next week, today's black Monday feel will be a forgotten footnote to the season.

 

[Sheldon]

And frankly, adding guys from Kent State and Arkansas State and Jackson State doesn't exactly fire me up.

It should. I would bet all three would have whipped our asses last year. All 3 would likely have offered immediate upgrade in talent.

 

[SewallBeach]

 

[manhattanbuff]

When I was diagnosed with cancer, my doctor removed 40% of my colon. I was lucky.

If I’d waited to get tested, that number would’ve been more like 80% and I’d have a colostomy bag for the rest of my days.

Colorado had a glimpse at health with Mel Tucker and decided instead to sunbathe our balls with Karl Dorrell. During Dorrell’s tenure, a global pandemic was his only saving grace. Everything else was catastrophic.

We had the worst two offenses in CU history in back to back years. We had a defense that played in slow motion. Yet, after the coach was fired, we had players who said that they had fun playing football for their dreadful remaining coaches. We waited to visit the doctor and now need surgery, chemo, and radiation to have any shot.

Coach Prime said “we will win right now.” Did y’all really think that a bunch of dudes from the worst teams in school history were gonna feel good about being evaluated and coached by actual professionals? We already heard that players were butthurt by Coaches Brew and Sal. Did y’all think that these would be the people who could help play Colorado to greatness NOW?

Sure, it hurts to see a few bright spots leave. Good luck to them. That’s the business of big time college football.

Our spring game was one of the most well attended (top 10) games of all P5 schools. % to actual capacity was one of the top 2-3. We had a two hour infomercial on ESPN. Everyone else was relegated to the Ocho App and ESPN2/U.

Get the loser mentality out of your brains right now. We’re coming.

 

[buffaholic]

Figured this one would happen. It's the Smoke, Edwards and Hankerson show in 2023 with a little bit of Venn and Offerdahl sprinkled in

Not sure Venn....

edit: Oops, I'm just catching up. Didn't get to him gone too until several posts later!

 

[seattlebuff]

It should. I would bet all three would have whipped our asses last year. All 3 would likely have offered immediate upgrade in talent.

Maybe. But all 3 of those schools would have likely gotten beat by the same schools that beat us last year, maybe by 20 points instead of 30. I guess that incrementally better but ...

 

[leftybuff]

Good luck to him, I really liked his tape, and he looked good on Saturday. I figured he would be in the mix at RB...

 

[buffaholic]

What the **** were people expecting?

Many on here (and many more on 247) weren't really hearing CP say this day was coming. Math.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Many on here (and many more on 247) weren't really hearing CP say this day was coming. Math.

 

[buffaholic]

Hankerson needs to hit the portal. It's in his interest. IMO if there's a "tie" for PT for some of these positions, or even a perceived tie, it's just human nature for the staff to lean towards the guy(s) that they've brought in.

Nobody is treating a 2nd year guy from St. Thomas Aquinas who can actually ball and show out like that. Anybody who makes the cuts are "their guys".