Recruiting had become simple for the University of Miami football staff. While counterparts were...

Recruiting had become simple for the University of Miami football staff.

While counterparts were scouring the country for the next All-American, the Hurricanes' coaches likely were parked in front of a computer with a pad and pen. They surfed Internet recruiting sites in search of talent, almost forgetting their own evaluation in the process.

In an embarrassing piece today in the Orlando-Sentinel, it turns out that under Larry Coker, Miami was essentially recruiting based off star ranking alone, all the while looking at very little, if any, actual game film on prospects. In other words... "Who do we recruit?" "Well, go get the Rivals 100 list and the Florida 75 and I'll tell you."

All in all, it's interesting stuff, and given that player evaluation was being outsourced to people largely unqualified to do just that, it's no real surprise that Miami had so many busts and underachievers the past few years. And it shows you that despite some contentions to the contrary, star ratings do matter, and at times they matter in ways in which they never should.

over 2 years ago outsidethesidelines 9 comments 0 recs |

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Hilarious read

First-timer here (figure I’d better start preppin for our 10-11 home&home). Great read; thanks for the link. Coker clearly could never carry the reigns of a Butch Davis-recruited program, but I had no idea it was that bad. Really enjoyed this bit:

“The big difference is we’re evaluating game film now,” Hurtt said. “A lot of times, it was highlight tapes, highlight tapes, highlight tapes. That could be just a big teaser for you. You watch it, and all of a sudden, people are geeked up. Then you find the actual game tape, and he doesn’t know where he’s going on the field and things like that. You find out things in the game film.”

Umm, duh?

Good luck this season bammers!

When I say to a kid, ‘Hey, get ready to get knocked on your rear end,’ I also tell him, ‘Learn. Learn why you got knocked on your rear end. --jvp

by jtothep on Jun 22, 2009 5:22 PM CDT reply actions

p.s.

LOVE the site banner. We were just this weekend discussing the merits of the Champagne of Beers.

When I say to a kid, ‘Hey, get ready to get knocked on your rear end,’ I also tell him, ‘Learn. Learn why you got knocked on your rear end. --jvp

by jtothep on Jun 22, 2009 9:41 PM CDT up reply actions

on a quasi-related note...

Alabama has oral commitments from three of Scout’s top four on the list: No.1, cornerback Demarcus Milliner of Stanhope Elmore; No.2, defensive end Craig Sanders of Ariton; and No.4, fullback Jalston Fowler of Vigor.

http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/124557213865320.xml&coll=2

by kleph on Jun 22, 2009 6:38 PM CDT reply actions

follow up on use of 'oral commitments'

I tried an inquiry over at BSD on this but got offered no substantive feedback. How long have you been using the phrase ‘oral commitment?’ Did you ever use ‘verbal commitment’, and if so, what was the impetus for change?

If you’ve always used it, what are your thoughts re: vs ‘verbal commitment’?

signed, curious about semantics,
jtothep

When I say to a kid, ‘Hey, get ready to get knocked on your rear end,’ I also tell him, ‘Learn. Learn why you got knocked on your rear end. --jvp

by jtothep on Jun 22, 2009 8:59 PM CDT up reply actions