New recruiting strategy headed into the future.........

[OG Goat Holder]

We know a few things to be fact:

1) We have to recruit Mississippi hard, since it's a big source of players right next to us (both high school and JUCO);
2) We have to use our smaller NIL first and foremost to keep our good players on campus;
3) Our out-of-state players have a bigger propensity to transfer at the first sign of trouble.

During the last 20 years we've had success (and Mullen actively did this) by recruiting the leftovers in Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, and some in Georgia/Texas/Florida. We could drive there, and the big boys could not take them all, so we had an advantage. Now, it appears these guys are looking to transfer back home the first time something doesn't go their way. Brule, Knox, Marshall, RaRa, possibly Woody, Hargrove, some others that won't be named - those guys are trying to go to our competitors. Now let's look at the guys from MS: Cavazos, Buys this year, all the guys from last year - they are likely headed to USM, and truth be known, there's much less of them.

So I think we need to change our strategy. Our high school guys need to to be almost exclusively MS or guys with very strong ties. We have to minimize the transfer out, maximize the transfer in. That means taking committed high schoolers, JUCOs (they only have 2 years to play so likely won't transfer unless they suck), and then raiding the rosters of other SEC programs to get the talented out-of-staters that are stuck on the bench (or, guys like Matthews and Mosley who left but want to get closer to home). We are essentially gaining some star power and trading out the diamonds in the rough we used to get from AL/LA high school.

That's my take. I just don't see much use in messing with leftover out-of-staters high schoolers anymore, if we can just go get them in the portal off of other P5 teams. Just not profitable to waste that time anymore unless 1 - the kid has a strong tie, like Parson, or 2 - a coach or big alumnus has a strong tie to a kid/area. Mullen's '5-hour radius' that involved several states was a good strategy in 2010, but it's become outdated.

 

[SouthFarmchicken]

I have a strategy. Make the playoff one year and players will stop transferring out.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I have a strategy. Make the playoff one year and players will stop transferring out.

This is why people like you need to be out fixing air conditioners and not on a strategy board of......anything.

Not making fun of AC guys - absolutely a necessity. But we're talking about planning things here.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

Absolutely. We need to establish ourselves as the school where the players who aren't quite good enough to see the field at Alabama and Georgia, but still have a good attitude and work ethic, transfer to.

 

[FQDawg]

This is why people like you need to be out fixing air conditioners and not on a strategy board of......anything.

Not making fun of AC guys - absolutely a necessity. But we're talking about planning things here.

I got a good laugh out of the idea of this being a "strategy board."

 

[Hunter_4net]

I have a strategy. Make the playoff one year and players will stop transferring out.

lmao

 

[Ranchdawg]

This is why people like you need to be out fixing air conditioners and not on a strategy board of......anything.

Not making fun of AC guys - absolutely a necessity. But we're talking about planning things here.

Yea, that works for Alabama ****

 

[Perd Hapley]

More simple strategy - become the first major school to turn each major sport into its own degree program. Practices, film review, and workouts / training all count as credit hours. Other hours available from curriculum such as teaching / coaching classes, officiating classes, training / nutrition classes, sports financial management, etc. No further academic classes required for any athletes that don’t want to pursue a conventional major.

Sell it to recruits as a quality of life improvement. They spend zero school time doing anything outside their sport, and they stay eligible. Its like employers who offer lower salary but better work life balance - that appeals to a lot of people. Its forward thinking and revolutionary, so it will never happen at MSU until we’re dragged kicking and screaming into it by the rest of the establishment. But its one avenue where we could compete if we were the only ones doing it.

 

[Drebin]

More simple strategy - become the first major school to turn each major sport into its own degree program. Practices, film review, and workouts / training all count as credit hours. Other hours available from curriculum such as teaching / coaching classes, officiating classes, training / nutrition classes, sports financial management, etc. No further academic classes required for any athletes that don’t want to pursue a conventional major.

Sell it to recruits as a quality of life improvement. They spend zero school time doing anything outside their sport, and they stay eligible. Its like employers who offer lower salary but better work life balance - that appeals to a lot of people. Its forward thinking and revolutionary, so it will never happen at MSU until we’re dragged kicking and screaming into it by the rest of the establishment. But its one avenue where we could compete if we were the only ones doing it.

We can't do this unilaterally.

 

[FQDawg]

More simple strategy - become the first major school to turn each major sport into its own degree program. Practices, film review, and workouts / training all count as credit hours. Other hours available from curriculum such as teaching / coaching classes, officiating classes, training / nutrition classes, sports financial management, etc. No further academic classes required for any athletes that don’t want to pursue a conventional major.

Sell it to recruits as a quality of life improvement. They spend zero school time doing anything outside their sport, and they stay eligible. Its like employers who offer lower salary but better work life balance - that appeals to a lot of people. Its forward thinking and revolutionary, so it will never happen at MSU until we’re dragged kicking and screaming into it by the rest of the establishment. But its one avenue where we could compete if we were the only ones doing it.

It's not the craziest idea but any changes to (or the creation of) degree-granting programs have to be approved by the IHL and there's little chance they would sign off on something like this.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

I have a strategy. Make the playoff one year and players will stop transferring out.

Bama has only missed the playoff maybe twice, and they have players transferring out. If we get outbid, players will transfer no matter what we’re doing on the field.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I got a good laugh out of the idea of this being a "strategy board."

Sorry, 'I' was talking strategy, I suppose. Hot takery like "Be LiKe BaMa" or "mAkE dA pLaYoFf" generally not very useful. We are talking about how to do this, not if we need to.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

More simple strategy - become the first major school to turn each major sport into its own degree program. Practices, film review, and workouts / training all count as credit hours. Other hours available from curriculum such as teaching / coaching classes, officiating classes, training / nutrition classes, sports financial management, etc. No further academic classes required for any athletes that don’t want to pursue a conventional major.

Sell it to recruits as a quality of life improvement. They spend zero school time doing anything outside their sport, and they stay eligible. Its like employers who offer lower salary but better work life balance - that appeals to a lot of people. Its forward thinking and revolutionary, so it will never happen at MSU until we’re dragged kicking and screaming into it by the rest of the establishment. But its one avenue where we could compete if we were the only ones doing it.

Don't know if we can do this, but I like where you're head is at. Biggest thing I see is that this will happen across the board, so sure how we gain an advantage.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

Can we get the players leach needs from ms on offense though? I thought that was part of the issue though. Leach linemen and qbs aren't really trained in ms. Defense all day in Mississippi. We have some good receivers if we can get them. Judging my spurrier tweets we offering guys from all over which Is what leach does.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

I will agree that portal is going to have to be our friend in picking up players.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

I got a good laugh out of the idea of this being a "strategy board."

I got a bigger laugh at Goat proclaiming himself as chief strategist of said board.

 

[TheStateUofMS]

We know a few things to be fact:

1) We have to recruit Mississippi hard, since it's a big source of players right next to us (both high school and JUCO);
2) We have to use our smaller NIL first and foremost to keep our good players on campus;
3) Our out-of-state players have a bigger propensity to transfer at the first sign of trouble.

During the last 20 years we've had success (and Mullen actively did this) by recruiting the leftovers in Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, and some in Georgia/Texas/Florida. We could drive there, and the big boys could not take them all, so we had an advantage. Now, it appears these guys are looking to transfer back home the first time something doesn't go their way. Brule, Knox, Marshall, RaRa, possibly Woody, Hargrove, some others that won't be named - those guys are trying to go to our competitors. Now let's look at the guys from MS: Cavazos, Buys this year, all the guys from last year - they are likely headed to USM, and truth be known, there's much less of them.

So I think we need to change our strategy. Our high school guys need to to be almost exclusively MS or guys with very strong ties. We have to minimize the transfer out, maximize the transfer in. That means taking committed high schoolers, JUCOs (they only have 2 years to play so likely won't transfer unless they suck), and then raiding the rosters of other SEC programs to get the talented out-of-staters that are stuck on the bench (or, guys like Matthews and Mosley who left but want to get closer to home). We are essentially gaining some star power and trading out the diamonds in the rough we used to get from AL/LA high school.

That's my take. I just don't see much use in messing with leftover out-of-staters high schoolers anymore, if we can just go get them in the portal off of other P5 teams. Just not profitable to waste that time anymore unless 1 - the kid has a strong tie, like Parson, or 2 - a coach or big alumnus has a strong tie to a kid/area. Mullen's '5-hour radius' that involved several states was a good strategy in 2010, but it's become outdated.

The only way we're going to be good is if our NFL guys give back to the university. I mean we can't pay players $500k a year for one player.

The NCAA has just killed college football as we know it and it's disheartening. I'm about to give up following recruiting if we lose all our players and have a shell of a team next year.

I'll watch the games but that's it. This is depressing.

I'll probably end up being more of an NFL fan now.

 

[SouthFarmchicken]

This is why people like you need to be out fixing air conditioners and not on a strategy board of......anything.

Not making fun of AC guys - absolutely a necessity. But we're talking about planning things here.

It was a joke. At the moment, the only thing that matters is green. We don’t have enough of it and are screwed. This will settle down once there is no ROI.

 

[kired]

I think JUCOs are mostly going to become a thing of the past. Other than the few absolute elite players, why take a guy from JUCO when you can grab one out of the portal who's been playing or practicing against better competition? They are normally signed to fill an immediate need but now there's a better option.

 

[Cantdoitsal]

Does anybody know who much NIL money we have at this point?

 

[Perd Hapley]

We can't do this unilaterally.

It's not the craziest idea but any changes to (or the creation of) degree-granting programs have to be approved by the IHL and there's little chance they would sign off on something like this.

Well then we get with OM and USM and collectively make it happen. That works too. We’re all in the same boat….real talk is that all three schools are mediocre at best in their academic reputation outside of a handful of specific degree programs, so we really have nothing to lose. The bigger more academically reputable schools like UGA, UF, etc. are going to scoff at it because of negative academic perception. The entire Big 10 would despise the idea. So we have an opportunity to be trend setters.

 

[missouridawg]

Bama has only missed the playoff maybe twice, and they have players transferring out. If we get outbid, players will transfer no matter what we’re doing on the field.

I honestly don't know, but is Bama losing starters or key contributors from the two-deep like us and other lower level P5 schools? Or are they only losing folks who don't see playing time.

No one complained when Rex Robich transferred. Losing RaRa is absurd. Rumors that Johnson and Marks are both going to see their value. Heard a rumor today that Zavion is about to go to LSU... is Bama losing these kinds of key contributors?

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Can we get the players leach needs from ms on offense though? I thought that was part of the issue though. Leach linemen and qbs aren't really trained in ms. Defense all day in Mississippi. We have some good receivers if we can get them. Judging my spurrier tweets we offering guys from all over which Is what leach does.

Good question. All I can say is that I think we could take a bunch of flyers on the MS kids, and we know even with the publicity of the sites today, many still fall through the cracks. If they can't cut it, transfer down to USM, JSU, etc.

Then pick these guys up from the portal. I mean I just don't think we can pick these guys up in high school and keep them. I even think about Fred Ross, I mean we'll never know if he would have stayed in the NIL/portal era.

And beyond that, maybe it forces Leach to modify the offense slightly.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

@missouridawg No they are not, I don’t think (I don’t know many names on their roster), but I believe they are having better retention due to how much they pay, not because of the on field results. Probably some of both, but I doubt they are getting outbid

 

[OG Goat Holder]

It was a joke. At the moment, the only thing that matters is green. We don’t have enough of it and are screwed. This will settle down once there is no ROI.

More mouth-breathing fatalistic hot-takery. "we don't have enough", "screwed". Perhaps you could just stop commenting at this point?

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I think JUCOs are mostly going to become a thing of the past. Other than the few absolute elite players, why take a guy from JUCO when you can grab one out of the portal who's been playing or practicing against better competition? They are normally signed to fill an immediate need but now there's a better option.

Well, they are still there right under our nose, and will be there for the players that do not qualify. May as well use them. An advantage we have there is because they are close to us.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

@missouridawg No they are not, I don’t think (I don’t know many names on their roster), but I believe they are having better retention due to how much they pay, not because of the on field results. Probably some of both, but I doubt they are getting outbid

They just lost a starting offensive lineman. This 'pay' stuff is not the sole factor. I do agree that he's likely an outlier. And speaking of bench warmers.......

I look at this list: https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Season/2023-football/TransferPortal/?institutionkey=24096

.....and I see a ton of potential for us.

 

[thatsbaseball]

Absolutely. We need to establish ourselves as the school where the players who aren't quite good enough to see the field at Alabama and Georgia, but still have a good attitude and work ethic, transfer to.

" good attitude and work ethic"
I can see these two attributes leading some "less talented" football teams to victory over some teams loaded with with expensive NIL prima donnas over the next few years.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

" good attitude and work ethic"
I can see these two attributes leading some "less talented" football teams to victory over some teams loaded with with expensive NIL prima donnas over the next few years.

And not only that, these transfers who are looking for PT, will have more of a chip on their shoulder than the ones who left for money.

RaRa was already lazy and mouthy. Imagine what he will be now.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Well then we get with OM and USM and collectively make it happen. That works too. We’re all in the same boat….real talk is that all three schools are mediocre at best in their academic reputation outside of a handful of specific degree programs, so we really have nothing to lose. The bigger more academically reputable schools like UGA, UF, etc. are going to scoff at it because of negative academic perception. The entire Big 10 would despise the idea. So we have an opportunity to be trend setters.

Back when both programs were down (70s and much of the 80s), a shewed politician should have pushed for combining State and UM (come up with a new name), leave both campuses, but maybe have the football team play in Oxford, Basketball and Baseball teams play in Starkville, etc.).

 

[QuadrupleOption]

" good attitude and work ethic"
I can see these two attributes leading some "less talented" football teams to victory over some teams loaded with with expensive NIL prima donnas over the next few years.

It already has - Texas A&M and Auburn are prime examples of that. Buying a bunch of overhyped players and then having your team embarass your boosters will lead to a lot of this levelling off.

Remember, there are no rules around this. Therefore, there is nothing protecting these players from exploitation either. I would venture a guess that a LOT of players that are in the portal were encouraged to enter the portal. Also, there will most likely be collusion between NIL collectives to set the rates in the near future as the spending gets stupid and ROI isn't what is expected.

 

[Dawgg]

GOAT: So hear me out... we only focus on the kids within driving distance. That's North and Central Mississippi, West Central Alabama, East Louisiana, and maybe Selmer, Tennessee.

Strategy Board: So, no kids from Texas?

GOAT: Only if they're not good enough to make it on the field at one of the Texas colleges.

Strategy Board: What about Texas State?

GOAT: NOW you're speaking my language. We're looking for that sweet spot right between SMU and Texas State! If they get passed up by Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, and SMU... we swoop in right before they end up in San Marcos.

Strategy Board: So we totally avoid the Transfer Portal?

GOAT: What did the transfer portal ever get us? A bunch of whiny coastal elites that transferred back to mama at the first chance of trouble!

Strategy Board: Well, I mean... Makai Polk led the SEC in receiving last season.

GOAT: And what did he do? Declared for the NFL draft at the first chance at eligibility! Can't afford that kind of disloyalty when there are kids playing 1A ball in Houlka, MS and Belk, AL and that would stay on campus 6 years!

Strategy Board: What about JUCOs? Aren't they technically transfers?

GOAT: Still within driving distance. Still counts.

Strategy Board: What if a kid from Michigan transfers to East Mississippi? Fair game?

GOAT: You're making this way more complicated than it has to be. Can Leach or Arnett get in a car and drive to see them play on Thursday or Friday night and get back home in time for dinner? If the answer is "yes", then they count. Where are they going to go back to at the first sign of trouble? Scooba?

 

[SouthFarmchicken]

GOAT: So here me out... we only focus on the kids within driving distance. That's North and Central Mississippi, West Central Alabama, East Louisiana, and maybe Selmer, Tennessee.

Strategy Board: So, no kids from Texas?

GOAT: Only if they're not good enough to make it on the field at one of the Texas colleges.

Strategy Board: What about Texas State?

GOAT: NOW you're speaking my language. We're looking for that sweet spot right between SMU and Texas State! If they get passed up by Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, and SMU... we swoop in right before they end up in San Marcos.

Strategy Board: So we totally avoid the Transfer Portal?

GOAT: What did the transfer portal ever get us? A bunch of whiny coastal elites that transferred back to mama at the first chance of trouble!

Strategy Board: Well, I mean... Makai Polk led the SEC in receiving last season.

GOAT: And what did he do? Declared for the NFL draft at the first chance at eligibility! Can't afford that kind of disloyalty when there are kids playing 1A ball in Houlka, MS and Belk, AL and that would stay on campus 6 years!

Strategy Board: What about JUCOs? Aren't they technically transfers?

GOAT: Still within driving distance. Still counts.

Strategy Board: What if a kid from Michigan transfers to East Mississippi? Fair game?

GOAT: You're making this way more complicated than it has to be. Can Leach or Arnett get in a car and drive to see them play on Thursday or Friday night and get back home in time for dinner? If the answer is "yes", then they count. Where are they going to go back to at the first sign of trouble? Scooba?

This is wonderful. He’s ridiculous and his logic is insane.

 

[FQDawg]

GOAT: So here me out... we only focus on the kids within driving distance. That's North and Central Mississippi, West Central Alabama, East Louisiana, and maybe Selmer, Tennessee.

Strategy Board: So, no kids from Texas?

GOAT: Only if they're not good enough to make it on the field at one of the Texas colleges.

Strategy Board: What about Texas State?

GOAT: NOW you're speaking my language. We're looking for that sweet spot right between SMU and Texas State! If they get passed up by Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, and SMU... we swoop in right before they end up in San Marcos.

Strategy Board: So we totally avoid the Transfer Portal?

GOAT: What did the transfer portal ever get us? A bunch of whiny coastal elites that transferred back to mama at the first chance of trouble!

Strategy Board: Well, I mean... Makai Polk led the SEC in receiving last season.

GOAT: And what did he do? Declared for the NFL draft at the first chance at eligibility! Can't afford that kind of disloyalty when there are kids playing 1A ball in Houlka, MS and Belk, AL and that would stay on campus 6 years!

Strategy Board: What about JUCOs? Aren't they technically transfers?

GOAT: Still within driving distance. Still counts.

Strategy Board: What if a kid from Michigan transfers to East Mississippi? Fair game?

GOAT: You're making this way more complicated than it has to be. Can Leach or Arnett get in a car and drive to see them play on Thursday or Friday night and get back home in time for dinner? If the answer is "yes", then they count. Where are they going to go back to at the first sign of trouble? Scooba?

 

[dog12]

More simple strategy - become the first major school to turn each major sport into its own degree program. Practices, film review, and workouts / training all count as credit hours. Other hours available from curriculum such as teaching / coaching classes, officiating classes, training / nutrition classes, sports financial management, etc. No further academic classes required for any athletes that don’t want to pursue a conventional major.

Sell it to recruits as a quality of life improvement. They spend zero school time doing anything outside their sport, and they stay eligible. Its like employers who offer lower salary but better work life balance - that appeals to a lot of people. Its forward thinking and revolutionary, so it will never happen at MSU until we’re dragged kicking and screaming into it by the rest of the establishment. But its one avenue where we could compete if we were the only ones doing it.

Okay. I like this idea.

We can name the major "Sports Studies" (just like Women's Studies, or Asian Culture Studies . . . or History, or Psychology, etc.).

Let's discuss this in the context of college football. The focus of every class under this "Sports Studies" major would be to develop each individual into an NFL football player and/or the quickest/fastest/strongest athlete possible.

Every winter/spring, college football players that are likely to get drafted by an NFL team quit college and instead attend these training camps to get ready for the NFL combine.

Our "Sports Studies" major would involve much of the same thing, along with additional classes that concern football strategies (offense, defense, special teams, kicking, punting, etc.) and film study of opponents.

Put our players through 3-4 years of this, and imagine the football players we could produce . . .

 

[Perd Hapley]

Okay. I like this idea.

We can name the major "Sports Studies" (just like Women's Studies, or Asian Culture Studies . . . or History, or Psychology, etc.).

Let's discuss this in the context of college football. The focus of every class under this "Sports Studies" major would be to develop each individual into an NFL football player and/or the quickest/fastest/strongest athlete possible.

Every winter/spring, college football players that are likely to get drafted by an NFL team quit college and instead attend these training camps to get ready for the NFL combine.

Our "Sports Studies" major would involve much of the same thing, along with additional classes that concern football strategies (offense, defense, special teams, kicking, punting, etc.) and film study of opponents.

Put our players through 3-4 years of this, and imagine the football players we could produce . . .

The beauty of it is that it doesn’t only have to churn out professional athletes to be successful. Chad Bumphis, Aaron Feld, Jamar Chaney, Joe Judge, DJ Looney (RIP), and others all became millionaires or damn close to it before turning 35, all due to skills they learned as being members of our football program. It didn’t have a damn thing to do with how they did in College Algebra or Business Statistics.

College athletes, whether they participate in a revenue sport or not, essentially have a full time job on top of being a full time student. They work way harder and longer than non-athlete students in any major, even difficult ones. It’s high time to recognize that and gear the learning approach more towards what they are there for, if that is what they choose.

 

[Brew_Dawg]

Have we tried just hiring hookers for recruits?**

 

[HailStateTate]

Okay. I like this idea.

We can name the major "Sports Studies" (just like Women's Studies, or Asian Culture Studies . . . or History, or Psychology, etc.).

Let's discuss this in the context of college football. The focus of every class under this "Sports Studies" major would be to develop each individual into an NFL football player and/or the quickest/fastest/strongest athlete possible.

Every winter/spring, college football players that are likely to get drafted by an NFL team quit college and instead attend these training camps to get ready for the NFL combine.

Our "Sports Studies" major would involve much of the same thing, along with additional classes that concern football strategies (offense, defense, special teams, kicking, punting, etc.) and film study of opponents.

Put our players through 3-4 years of this, and imagine the football players we could produce . . .

wait why doesn't every do this? If you are going to make them go to class, might as well put them in classes that will help them in their careers

 

[OG Goat Holder]

GOAT: So here me out... we only focus on the kids within driving distance. That's North and Central Mississippi, West Central Alabama, East Louisiana, and maybe Selmer, Tennessee.

Strategy Board: So, no kids from Texas?

GOAT: Only if they're not good enough to make it on the field at one of the Texas colleges.

Strategy Board: What about Texas State?

GOAT: NOW you're speaking my language. We're looking for that sweet spot right between SMU and Texas State! If they get passed up by Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, and SMU... we swoop in right before they end up in San Marcos.

Strategy Board: So we totally avoid the Transfer Portal?

GOAT: What did the transfer portal ever get us? A bunch of whiny coastal elites that transferred back to mama at the first chance of trouble!

Strategy Board: Well, I mean... Makai Polk led the SEC in receiving last season.

GOAT: And what did he do? Declared for the NFL draft at the first chance at eligibility! Can't afford that kind of disloyalty when there are kids playing 1A ball in Houlka, MS and Belk, AL and that would stay on campus 6 years!

Strategy Board: What about JUCOs? Aren't they technically transfers?

GOAT: Still within driving distance. Still counts.

Strategy Board: What if a kid from Michigan transfers to East Mississippi? Fair game?

GOAT: You're making this way more complicated than it has to be. Can Leach or Arnett get in a car and drive to see them play on Thursday or Friday night and get back home in time for dinner? If the answer is "yes", then they count. Where are they going to go back to at the first sign of trouble? Scooba?

I honestly have no clue how your lamebrain works. I really didn't say anything like that. You went wrong in the first sentence.

Good Lord some of you are just flat dumbasses. Plenty of other threads for you to goof off in and put your small mind on display.

ETA: Just curious where you got the part about me not wanting to use the portal. Point that out specifically. You're such a genius and all, and I'm so ridiculous. Show me.

 

[Ibdancin]

I think the strategy should be this.

- recruit freshmen in the portal of caliber. Once they transfer out to us, decide on RS or play.

This will make our Roster way better and stable.