ESPN's Top 25 for 2008....

[jjamuss]

Preseason polls are worthless and should be outlawed. Or at the very least, the writer/media hack should be severely punished and fined when their pre-season poll proves to be yet another in a long list of worthless crap.

 

Do I detect another Husker Man Law? No preseason polls because they dont mean jack squat!

[jjamuss]

Let's get some wins racked up and the polls will take care of themselves.

[jjamuss]

Is Texas Tech going to be #8 or top 10 by end of the year? They are the most intriguing pick to me...they could be awesome this year or just end up at back of top 25. I have no idea how we are going to do against them this year but that game looks scary this year. Clemson and BYU both seem a bit high on this poll to me. Pitt does not belong there. USC is going to beat Ohio State so I'd like to see OSU drop because I am tired of all the pub they got last couple of years only to get blown out in championship. If NU can't be there, I think a Georgia vs. USC championship would be a great game.

 

Going by this poll, our schedule is very tough this year. We play:

#3 Oklahoma

#8 Texas Tech

#9 Missouri

#17 Kansas

#20 Virginia Tech

 

 

Yup, very tough indeed.

Lets be sensible, which ones do we have a snowballs chance and which ones will be decided by a TD or less?

 

I think OU at OU is very hard to do... unless Bo KNOWS something about Stoops he can take advantage of.

TTech - another hard one to win, but I think Watson can pull it off if the D can hold their own.

Mizzou - at home, we have a pretty good chance... I dont care about Daniels, the Pinkel factor is due for NU

KU - WIN - flash in the pan fluke season - 2007 KU schedule, nuff said.

VT - WIN - Too many team troubles to win in our house!

 

Now take your shots because I manned up and put out there what I really think. Dont just tell me I am stupid, tell me WHY you think what you are going to say.

[zE bOp]

Is Texas Tech going to be #8 or top 10 by end of the year? They are the most intriguing pick to me...they could be awesome this year or just end up at back of top 25. I have no idea how we are going to do against them this year but that game looks scary this year. Clemson and BYU both seem a bit high on this poll to me. Pitt does not belong there. USC is going to beat Ohio State so I'd like to see OSU drop because I am tired of all the pub they got last couple of years only to get blown out in championship. If NU can't be there, I think a Georgia vs. USC championship would be a great game.

 

Going by this poll, our schedule is very tough this year. We play:

#3 Oklahoma

#8 Texas Tech

#9 Missouri

#17 Kansas

#20 Virginia Tech

 

 

Yup, very tough indeed.

Lets be sensible, which ones do we have a snowballs chance and which ones will be decided by a TD or less?

 

I think OU at OU is very hard to do... unless Bo KNOWS something about Stoops he can take advantage of.

TTech - another hard one to win, but I think Watson can pull it off if the D can hold their own.

Mizzou - at home, we have a pretty good chance... I dont care about Daniels, the Pinkel factor is due for NU

KU - WIN - flash in the pan fluke season - 2007 KU schedule, nuff said.

VT - WIN - Too many team troubles to win in our house!

 

Now take your shots because I manned up and put out there what I really think. Dont just tell me I am stupid, tell me WHY you think what you are going to say.

 

I agree with your predictions, though I have serious doubts about Big Red winning at TTech. Just don't think the D will be ready for that crazy Leach spread thingy. Of all those games though, I most want a win at TTech, on account uh what they done to us the last time we waz down thar.......

[Texas Aggie Football]

Updated Top 25 for 2008

 

 

 

This guy MUST be a tool! Notre Dame in the top 25 after going 3-9 last season?!?!?! What a load of CRAP!

 

Look at the past 3 recruiting classes for Notre Dame.

 

They have some straight up sick talent on that team that is really going to start making a difference. Last years team was gutted from the previous season when Quinn and Co. left.

 

2006-#8 class nationally...2-5*'s...10-4*'s

 

2007-#8 class nationally...1-5*...12-4*'s

 

2008-#2 class nationally...3-5*'s...16-4*'s

 

 

A lobotomized psych patient could coach a team with those guns to a top 25 year.

[Igetbored216]

Updated Top 25 for 2008

 

 

 

This guy MUST be a tool! Notre Dame in the top 25 after going 3-9 last season?!?!?! What a load of CRAP!

 

Look at the past 3 recruiting classes for Notre Dame.

 

They have some straight up sick talent on that team that is really going to start making a difference. Last years team was gutted from the previous season when Quinn and Co. left.

 

2006-#8 class nationally...2-5*'s...10-4*'s

 

2007-#8 class nationally...1-5*...12-4*'s

 

2008-#2 class nationally...3-5*'s...16-4*'s

 

 

A lobotomized psych patient could coach a team with those guns to a top 25 year.

 

Yeah, I guess recruiting is the only thing that matters. Bill, is that you?

[Texas Aggie Football]

Updated Top 25 for 2008

 

 

 

This guy MUST be a tool! Notre Dame in the top 25 after going 3-9 last season?!?!?! What a load of CRAP!

 

Look at the past 3 recruiting classes for Notre Dame.

 

They have some straight up sick talent on that team that is really going to start making a difference. Last years team was gutted from the previous season when Quinn and Co. left.

 

2006-#8 class nationally...2-5*'s...10-4*'s

 

2007-#8 class nationally...1-5*...12-4*'s

 

2008-#2 class nationally...3-5*'s...16-4*'s

 

 

A lobotomized psych patient could coach a team with those guns to a top 25 year.

 

Yeah, I guess recruiting is the only thing that matters. Bill, is that you?

 

How can you deny that recruiting IS what matters?

 

There is a reason why there is a correlation between rivals class rankings and the polls at the end of the year. The most talent usually wins. That's just a fact.

 

That's why Nebraska is down. The talent level isn't near what it was.

[Ohio Pete]

How can you deny that recruiting IS what matters?

Hasn't done Florida State a damn bit of good. Miami's class of 2005 has been something of a disappoint too.

[Ohio Pete]

How can you deny that recruiting IS what matters?

Hasn't done Florida State a damn bit of good. Miami's class of 2005 has been something of a disappoint too.

Of course the above teams are the most obvious, recent exceptions. Teams that are generally in the top 25 in recruiting are generally in the top 25 of the polls at the end of the season. This article goes to great lengths to explain what seems obvious: "The [recruiting] rankings are a serviceable baseline for expectation."

 

But of course, we've all had this discussion before in the recruiting forum, and I believe the result was an agreement to disagree.

[Texas Aggie Football]

How can you deny that recruiting IS what matters?

Hasn't done Florida State a damn bit of good. Miami's class of 2005 has been something of a disappoint too.

 

I think it stands to reason that 3 years of stellar recruiting for ND will pay off. The sheer athleticism alone will win games.

 

The rest is coaching.

 

Bottom line: you won't win anything if you don't have the recruits. I don't care if Lombardi came back and coached your team, you're not going to win.

[junior4949]

While I agree that recruiting is important, I don't care if Pitt had 4 #1 classes in a row because Stache would still find a way to finish under .500.

[Igetbored216]

How can you deny that recruiting IS what matters?

 

That was not my statement. I feel that you are confusing athletic potential (star systems such as Rivals, Scout...or whatever the others are) with actual athletic performance. Sure ND can get all the 5-star and 4-star recruits it wants. That's great. The team would then have alot of potential. But unless that potential is transformed into actual performance, all you have is a bunch of kids who played good football in high school, and are okay in college. College is totally different than high school, much like the NFL is on a different level than college. Coaching is key to unlock this athletic potential and make the next step (high school to college, college to NFL).

 

Recruiting (for what your team is trying to accomplish) is important, but coaching is equally important.

[zE bOp]

How can you deny that recruiting IS what matters?

 

That was not my statement. I feel that you are confusing athletic potential (star systems such as Rivals, Scout...or whatever the others are) with actual athletic performance. Sure ND can get all the 5-star and 4-star recruits it wants. That's great. The team would then have alot of potential. But unless that potential is transformed into actual performance, all you have is a bunch of kids who played good football in high school, and are okay in college. College is totally different than high school, much like the NFL is on a different level than college. Coaching is key to unlock this athletic potential and make the next step (high school to college, college to NFL).

 

Recruiting (for what your team is trying to accomplish) is important, but coaching is equally important.

 

I think the rival's and scout's star systems take into account how they see the guy doing at the next level, i.e., in college. The only fallacies I can see with the star system is there are alot more great athletes that more or less fly under the radar of the star systems and of the guys they do rate the systems have a limited number of guys they rate as 5 star since why have a hierarchical system if you allow too many guys at the top--that wouldnt be as enticing to market.

 

The other thing is that perhaps there are a higher % of 5 star guys that maybe dont give out the effort to make the great impact in college; they figure they can get by on talent, etc. Lower or non rated guys, % wise, probably give more effort since they have something to prove.

 

Obviously, the best thing is to have a 5 star guy who has a chip on his shoulder and has something to prove and an unstoppable urge to compete and win. Tommy Frazier comes to mind, I dont remember how he was rated out of h.s., but he had one of those rare qualites, just a burning fire to win--and he did, alot! You just knew that when he was playing we were pretty much going to win the game, he would find a way.

[huKSer]

How can you deny that recruiting IS what matters?

Hasn't done Florida State a damn bit of good. Miami's class of 2005 has been something of a disappoint too.

 

I think it stands to reason that 3 years of stellar recruiting for ND will pay off. The sheer athleticism alone will win games.

 

The rest is coaching.

 

Bottom line: you won't win anything if you don't have the recruits. I don't care if Lombardi came back and coached your team, you're not going to win.

So KU wasn't 12-1 last year based on their recruiting history? Does that make Mangino better than Lombardi? It can also go the other way - good recruiting does not neccessarily produce good results. Team chemistry - too many prima donnas looking for their ticket to the NFL, bone headed play calling, recruiting mostly offense and 3 QBs and 7 WR per year and ignoring needs. Sound familiar?

 

I would say its EASIER to win with good recruits. Its more important to have recruits that the coaches feel are good for their school and position needs, not what recruiting services say.

[Igetbored216]

I would say its EASIER to win with good recruits. Its more important to have recruits that the coaches feel are good for their school and position needs, not what recruiting services say.

 

I agree. The way a player will fit into the system - either offensive or defensive - is much more important than what a group of people who watch some high school videos and arbitrarily assign stars have to say.

 

It is up to the coaches to decide what the team is in need of, and decide who (of all the possible recruits) would best fit that need. Then once the player arrives, it is up to the coaches to show them what they are trying to do in their system, why they want to do it that way, and how the player can best accomplish it.