You act like the first DB on the team is much better than the 7th. I don't see any difference. And who's fault is that we don't have a talented players in the secondary?
The defense was been terrible for years with or without injuries. All I see is the same damn coaches on that side of the ball. If they can't recruit, can't make ordinary players look good in their schemes then how exactly are we going to get better as a program?
I firmly believe that we would have had a pretty good defense last year if Brown had been the DC. With Jimmy and Jalil on the outside, a healthy Perkins and a pre-injury Major, we should have been a really good pass defense (mediocre against the run). This year, I think it was hopeless.
Do I blame Brown for the recruiting? Yes.
In 2006 when we were selling a new staff, he pulled in Jimmy Smith, Chap Brown and Jalil Brown. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that Jonathan Hawkins was a holdover recruit from Barnett that year.) No complaints here. If only every year could be like that.
In 2007, we should have had a pretty good class based on the way the rest of recruiting was going. We landed Anthony Perkins, Anthony Wright and Lamont Smith (who never qualified). Perkins was a solid recruit, but that was not a good class. Wasn't Wright a really good athlete who had injuries, though? Maybe this one could have been good.
In 2008, I don't think you can put blame on Dan Hawkins for recruiting because it was a very highly ranked class and the rebuilding project was looking like it was on the right track. Only getting Vince Ewing, Steven Hicks, Patrick Mahnke and Paul Vigo that year is shameful. Circle 2008 as the biggest reason our secondary's in this mess.
In 2009, I think that this is where you need to have Hawkins shoulder some of the blame. We signed Olatoye and Orms as DBs. Better talent evaluation than 2008, but still "meh".
In 2010, Jered Bell committed in November so he was a Brown guy. Terrel Smith was a late signee, so Ambrose would get the credit there. Pugh transferred to Ash, too. Really tough year to recruit to CU since Hawkins was a lame duck. Getting Bell was a pretty good snag, considering.
In 2011, we signed Clark, Harrington, Harlos, Henderson and Washington. Too early to tell, but it sounds like this is at least a class that will be able to compete with the athletes in the Pac-12. I like the early returns on Henderson, too. He's done a nice job as a true frosh.
Going forward, I'm hoping the year under Stoops when Brown was forced to put more effort into recruiting became a habit. Especially with Embree having the same level of emphasis on recruiting, it should help. Brown will never be a great recruiter, but he is a good teacher. If we've got athletes with the right attitudes, he will develop them. I think the way that Polk has gotten so much better as the year has progressed is a testament to Brown (along with an unheralded true freshman being dependable at cornerback).
I do think there was a big difference between the top few guys and the 8th guy at corner. Give me a healthy Bell at one corner and a healthy Orms at nickel with Harrington and Sandersfeld backing them up at those spots. I guarantee that we'd be a much better secondary. Not good, because we'd still be way too young. But we'd be able to compete.
