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Apples to Apples: Comparing Mike MacIntyre’s recruiting Classes
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Success in recruiting is relative.
The Alabama Recruiting Class of 2018 is currently rated as the No. 8 Class in the nation.
No. 8 in the nation?
A pipe dream in Boulder … a down year in Tuscaloosa.
Colorado fans fancy their school as one of the Top 25 in the country, and history is on their side. This past season, CU became the 25th school in the history of the NCAA to reach the 700-win plateau.
To maintain a Top 25 ranking, however, the Buffs will need to put behind them the past decade, where losing ten games in a season was far more likely than winning ten games.
Recruiting, not surprisingly, mirrored CU’s decline. Since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, Colorado has ranked higher than 10th in the conference in recruiting exactly twice.
That would be last year’s Class, the Recruiting Class of 2017, when CU had the No. 32 Recruiting Class (Rivals), 7th in the Pac-12.
And this year’s Class, the Recruiting Class of 2018, with CU currently ranked 38th in the nation (Rivals); 6th in the Pac-12.
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For some perspective on the Class of 2018, we need to first look at Mike MacIntyre’s previous Recruiting Classes.
CU Recruiting Class of 2013 – 21 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 67 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 68 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Quarterback Sefo Liufau; wide receiver Devin Ross; offensive lineman Colin Sutton; wide receiver Bryce Bobo
— Most successful players (based upon production, career starts, awards won, etc.): Running back Phillip Lindsay; Sefo Liufau; Byrce Bobo; Devin Ross; linebacker Jimmie Gilbert
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CU Recruiting Class of 2014 – 23 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 63 nationally; 10th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 74 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Wide receiver Shay Fields (four stars); quarterback Cade Apsay; defensive back Akhello Witherspoon; defensive back Donovan Lee
— Most successful players (based upon production, career starts, awards won, etc.): Shay Fields; Akhello Witherspoon; linebacker Rick Gamboa; linebacker Leo Jackson
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CU Recruiting Class of 2015 – 18 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 70 nationally; 11th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 69 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Offensive lineman Tim Lynott, Jr.; running back Patrick Carr; linebacker N.J. Falo; quarterback Steven Montez
— Most successful players (based upon production, career starts, awards won, etc.): Tim Lynott, Jr.; Steven Montez; defensive back Isaiah Oliver; defensive back Afolabi Laguda; defensive tackle Jordan Carrell
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CU Recruiting Class of 2016 – 18 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 65 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 69 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Running back Beau Bisharat (four-stars); wide receiver Juwann Winfree (four stars); wide receiver Johnny Huntley; linebacker Pookia Maka
— Most successful players (based upon production, career starts, awards won, etc.): Juwann Winfree; linebacker Drew Lewis; linebacker Akil Jones; offensive lineman Colby Pursell
–
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CU Recruiting Class of 2017 – 28 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 32 nationally; 7th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 35 nationally; 7th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: offensive lineman Jake Moretti (four stars); wide receiver K.D. Nixon; offensive lineman Grant Polley; linebacker Nate Landman
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And now …
CU Recruiting Class of 2018 – 19 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 38 nationally; 6th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 43 nationally; 7th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Wide receiver Dimitri Stanley (four stars); linebacker Davior Taylor (four stars); wide receiver Dylan Thomas
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Not bad … comparatively.
And the ranking might actually go higher, and CU has the wacky new National Signing Day to thank.
With about 25% of the Power Five conference schools switching coaches this season (33% – four-of-12 – in the Pac-12), moving Signing Day from February to December kept some of these schools from solidifying or expanding their Recruiting Classes.
I give you Oregon.
The Ducks, abandoned by Willie Taggart after only one season, promoted offensive coordinator Mario Cristobal to head coach, in no small part to try and keep their Recruiting Class together. Oregon was looking at a Top Ten (perhaps even a Top Five) Recruiting Class with Willie Taggart at the helm.
And now?
Oregon is currently showing the No. 11 Class in the nation, an excellent showing.
But … that is assuming a Class of 20, but, as we speak, six of those players have yet to sign their Letters of Intent. That list includes two four star players and four three star recruits. If Oregon gets all six, they can maintain their status. If there are further defections, however …
According to 247Sports, Oregon has had ten decommitments – with eight of those commitments being four star players. Had the Ducks had until February to line up their coaching staff and get more time with their recruits, who knows how many players may have wound up in Eugene?
Now, Colorado did have a few decommitments, but only one – a two-star offensive lineman – jumped ship at the last moment.
And it’s not as if other teams didn’t try to poach CU’s recruits. According to Mike Singer at CUSportsNation, there were a number of CU prospects who stayed with the Buffs despite last minute offers from other schools
(A few examples: wide receiver Dimitri Stanley took an official visit to Washington the weekend before Signing Day … offensive lineman Frank Fillip took a trip to Notre Dame … linebacker Delrick Abrams took a trip to Oregon … safety Aaron Maddox received an offer from UCLA … tight end Darrion Jones heard from USC, UCLA and USF in the final days leading up to Signing Day).
The CU coaching staff is either getting better at hanging on to recruits, the facilities upgrades are starting to take root, or the Buffs were the beneficiaries of the early Signing Day, saving Colorado from a month of decommitments.
Could be all three.
What we do know for sure is that the last two Recruiting Classes, at least through the lens of national Recruiting rankings, are the best CU has enjoyed since joining the Pac-12.
And that, in and of itself, is reason to celebrate these recruits.
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Program Note … Normally, you would find at CU at the Game, the weekend after Signing Day, an in depth look at the Recruiting Class, and how it will affect the roster heading into the new season. With this being a holiday weekend, though, I am going to hold off and post my in-depth recruiting postings until next weekend.
Hope you understand … and that you will be checking back next week. In the meantime, I will keep you up-to-date on any new Recruiting news (DB Hassan Hypolite may still become a Buff … sooner rather than later).
Happy Holidays!!
Stuart
—–
Stuart
Continue reading...
Apples to Apples: Comparing Mike MacIntyre’s recruiting Classes
—
Success in recruiting is relative.
The Alabama Recruiting Class of 2018 is currently rated as the No. 8 Class in the nation.
No. 8 in the nation?
A pipe dream in Boulder … a down year in Tuscaloosa.
Colorado fans fancy their school as one of the Top 25 in the country, and history is on their side. This past season, CU became the 25th school in the history of the NCAA to reach the 700-win plateau.
To maintain a Top 25 ranking, however, the Buffs will need to put behind them the past decade, where losing ten games in a season was far more likely than winning ten games.
Recruiting, not surprisingly, mirrored CU’s decline. Since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, Colorado has ranked higher than 10th in the conference in recruiting exactly twice.
That would be last year’s Class, the Recruiting Class of 2017, when CU had the No. 32 Recruiting Class (Rivals), 7th in the Pac-12.
And this year’s Class, the Recruiting Class of 2018, with CU currently ranked 38th in the nation (Rivals); 6th in the Pac-12.
—
For some perspective on the Class of 2018, we need to first look at Mike MacIntyre’s previous Recruiting Classes.
CU Recruiting Class of 2013 – 21 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 67 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 68 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Quarterback Sefo Liufau; wide receiver Devin Ross; offensive lineman Colin Sutton; wide receiver Bryce Bobo
— Most successful players (based upon production, career starts, awards won, etc.): Running back Phillip Lindsay; Sefo Liufau; Byrce Bobo; Devin Ross; linebacker Jimmie Gilbert
–
—
CU Recruiting Class of 2014 – 23 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 63 nationally; 10th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 74 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Wide receiver Shay Fields (four stars); quarterback Cade Apsay; defensive back Akhello Witherspoon; defensive back Donovan Lee
— Most successful players (based upon production, career starts, awards won, etc.): Shay Fields; Akhello Witherspoon; linebacker Rick Gamboa; linebacker Leo Jackson
–
—
CU Recruiting Class of 2015 – 18 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 70 nationally; 11th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 69 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Offensive lineman Tim Lynott, Jr.; running back Patrick Carr; linebacker N.J. Falo; quarterback Steven Montez
— Most successful players (based upon production, career starts, awards won, etc.): Tim Lynott, Jr.; Steven Montez; defensive back Isaiah Oliver; defensive back Afolabi Laguda; defensive tackle Jordan Carrell
–
—
CU Recruiting Class of 2016 – 18 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 65 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 69 nationally; 12th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Running back Beau Bisharat (four-stars); wide receiver Juwann Winfree (four stars); wide receiver Johnny Huntley; linebacker Pookia Maka
— Most successful players (based upon production, career starts, awards won, etc.): Juwann Winfree; linebacker Drew Lewis; linebacker Akil Jones; offensive lineman Colby Pursell
–
—
CU Recruiting Class of 2017 – 28 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 32 nationally; 7th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 35 nationally; 7th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: offensive lineman Jake Moretti (four stars); wide receiver K.D. Nixon; offensive lineman Grant Polley; linebacker Nate Landman
–
—
And now …
CU Recruiting Class of 2018 – 19 players signed
— Rivals rank: No. 38 nationally; 6th in the Pac-12
— 247 Sports rank: No. 43 nationally; 7th in the Pac-12
— Highest rated players: Wide receiver Dimitri Stanley (four stars); linebacker Davior Taylor (four stars); wide receiver Dylan Thomas
—
Not bad … comparatively.
And the ranking might actually go higher, and CU has the wacky new National Signing Day to thank.
With about 25% of the Power Five conference schools switching coaches this season (33% – four-of-12 – in the Pac-12), moving Signing Day from February to December kept some of these schools from solidifying or expanding their Recruiting Classes.
I give you Oregon.
The Ducks, abandoned by Willie Taggart after only one season, promoted offensive coordinator Mario Cristobal to head coach, in no small part to try and keep their Recruiting Class together. Oregon was looking at a Top Ten (perhaps even a Top Five) Recruiting Class with Willie Taggart at the helm.
And now?
Oregon is currently showing the No. 11 Class in the nation, an excellent showing.
But … that is assuming a Class of 20, but, as we speak, six of those players have yet to sign their Letters of Intent. That list includes two four star players and four three star recruits. If Oregon gets all six, they can maintain their status. If there are further defections, however …
According to 247Sports, Oregon has had ten decommitments – with eight of those commitments being four star players. Had the Ducks had until February to line up their coaching staff and get more time with their recruits, who knows how many players may have wound up in Eugene?
Now, Colorado did have a few decommitments, but only one – a two-star offensive lineman – jumped ship at the last moment.
And it’s not as if other teams didn’t try to poach CU’s recruits. According to Mike Singer at CUSportsNation, there were a number of CU prospects who stayed with the Buffs despite last minute offers from other schools
(A few examples: wide receiver Dimitri Stanley took an official visit to Washington the weekend before Signing Day … offensive lineman Frank Fillip took a trip to Notre Dame … linebacker Delrick Abrams took a trip to Oregon … safety Aaron Maddox received an offer from UCLA … tight end Darrion Jones heard from USC, UCLA and USF in the final days leading up to Signing Day).
The CU coaching staff is either getting better at hanging on to recruits, the facilities upgrades are starting to take root, or the Buffs were the beneficiaries of the early Signing Day, saving Colorado from a month of decommitments.
Could be all three.
What we do know for sure is that the last two Recruiting Classes, at least through the lens of national Recruiting rankings, are the best CU has enjoyed since joining the Pac-12.
And that, in and of itself, is reason to celebrate these recruits.
–
—
Program Note … Normally, you would find at CU at the Game, the weekend after Signing Day, an in depth look at the Recruiting Class, and how it will affect the roster heading into the new season. With this being a holiday weekend, though, I am going to hold off and post my in-depth recruiting postings until next weekend.
Hope you understand … and that you will be checking back next week. In the meantime, I will keep you up-to-date on any new Recruiting news (DB Hassan Hypolite may still become a Buff … sooner rather than later).
Happy Holidays!!
Stuart
—–
Stuart
Continue reading...