Remember my thread about being disgusted about being #66? Well now we are only a few short weeks away from National Signing Day, and we are not tied for 71st! Florida, Miami, and FSU are all in the top 12. USF is at 35. And we are in 71st place. Pathetic. Why did we build all these new facilities again?
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January 25th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Its another ho-hum recruiting class if you ask me. Not bad but not great. Plus you don’t really know how good a recruiting class is until 2-3 years later. Also, Coach O’Leary hasn’t developed a QB in his 5 years here. UCF was just fortunate in 07 that the O’Line was good and Kevin was great. In college football if you don’t have a QB it doesn’t matter where you rank in recruiting because you will struggle. Boise St has made a living having recruiting classes below 50.
In CUSA where most of the defenses are POOR, they are just hoping a team comes out and lines up with 2 TE’s. That makes there job a little easier. O’Leary plays right into their hand.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:33 am
I would agree that UCF does not necessarily nned to be in the top 20. I also agree that these rankings are subjective and a class could turn out to be much better or worse than projected. BUT, in this state of massive high school talent, UCF should be in the top 40 every year. USF is at 35. That’s about right. UCF should be right there with them.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
As of 27 Jan @ 9pm, UCF is ranked #62 in the Rivals.com recruiting rankings. I must concur with Mr. Jay. Who knows how these recruits will turn out to be in a couple of years. Go ahead and name the multiple recruits that had a huge impact in UCF’s football program and, later, go on to the NFL.
UCF has the athletes to compete in the football field. It’s the f!@#ing football philosophy/regime currently in place.
Personally, I could care less about the Rivals.com rankings. It’s like taking the local weatherman’s report seriously. Whether they’re 2-stars, 3-stars, no-stars…I want improvement and winning results.
Everybody knows that the blue chip recruits will come once this program starts winning consistently year after year (with the occassional win over BCS teams, well-established/winning football program or Top 25 team).
Personally, I see a pretty good recruiting class this year.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
That’s a nice theory. But if you look at the schools at the top of the rankings, they are the ones who are playing in the big bowl games. It’s no coincidence that the Floridas, LSUs and USCs are always at the top of the BCS standings. They are always at the top of the recruiting rankings. The two go hand in hand.
January 28th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
True, the teams competing for the national championships are consistantly at the top of the recruiting rankings. However, we are UCF and we aren’t going to get the 5 star recruit. According to rivals there are 33 5 star recruits and 0 have committed to a non BCS school. Furthermore of the top 100 recruits, 0 to non BCS schools. I don’t think we are going to close the gap in recruiting until we are in a BCS conference regardless if we have a nice campus or an on campus stadium.
This is where coaching comes into play(or lack there of). If GOL is that great of a coach, he wouldn’t be going 4-8 every other year in C-USA. At this point, we should be going bowling every year at a minimum. We should be beating the middle and bottom feeders of BCS conferences. George just hasn’t gotten it done with his dinosaur ball.
I’d like to think we could be like TCU. They are a non BCS school in a talent rich state.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Exactly… Do you recall USC’s days before Pete Carroll was named head coach for their football program? They were horrible. They were the total opposite of what their program represented back in the past. Each school you’ve named has a history of winning (not to include BCS affiliation).
It’s too much to ask for UCF to bring in the blue chips recruits (at the rate you’re asking) at this point.
Put yourself, without being biased, (as an elite HS football player); do you really think a lot of them would initially consider UCF on their list? Heck, I bet 90% of them don’t know that UCF is the 6th largest university in the nation. That’s what most of the of the interviews by Brandon @ UCF’s webpage on Rivals.com consists of. They always end up saying, “I didn’t know how nice the facilities are…how big it is…how broad the academic spectrum is…etc., etc.”
Everything is in place. The one thing that UCF is missing are the “wins”. And not just any “wins”, but the ones that count (against “bigger” programs). But that’s all on the current regime that’s in place…not the student athletes. That’s why the recruits almost always have UCF listed at “Medium” until signing day. And, at this point, they’re asking themselves…”Everythinng is good about UCF. It’s just that they’re not associated with a big conference and their history as a winning program isn’t apparent.”
There will always be the occassional 4-star recruit that will join UCF for only one thing; playing time…for which the coaching staff heavily uses on the recruiting front for the “elite”. Every UCF fan (and some HS recruits) know that the secondary is wide open and nobody is certain who will start next season; hence, the signing of ATH Josh Robinson. He’ll definately be competing for the starting CB position. My fear is that history will repeat itself again next year with the secondary; just like this year’s running back corps. It’s a good thing UCF has an insurance policy…by way of the defensive line/linebacker group.
I highly doubt “Jabba The Hutt” will take this program to where it’s supposed to be. Until then…keep watching USF moving up the rankings (along with the bowl appearances) and cross your fingers that FAU doesn’t pass us as a whole with the football program (they’re building their own on-campus stadium within 4 years). Howard Schnellenberger has done wonders with this program since “birth”. He gets my ultimate respect out of all the coaches in college football. I love the way he utilizes the FB position. And their offense is extremely entertaining, efficient, and potent. They gave USF a scare in Boca Raton.
Wins…that’s all UCF needs (on a constant basis). Everything else will fall in place…from the highly touted recruits to BCS affiliation; most likely the Big East Conference knocking on UCF’s door.
I still believe it’s a good incoming class. There will be a lot of depth in the trenches for years to come…both offensively and defensively.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:57 am
I’m not saying we are going to get five star recruits. I’m saying where you recruit has a lot to do with where you finish. It’s not 100%. There are the Notre Dames and Tennessees that underachieve. There are the Boise States and Utahs who overachieve. But look at the recruitinf rankings on signing day. Then look at the final rankings at the end of the season. It will be very similar. You recruit in the 60s and 70s, you will be in danger of missing a bowl game.
January 31st, 2009 at 3:28 pm
UCF is going to have to be one of those teams that overachieve based on recruiting rankings. Rarely is there a non BCS team in the top 25 in recruiting. However there is usually about 4 teams every year that end up in the top 25 for the final BCS poll. UCF has to be one of those teams.
Before UCF can be like UF, LSU, or Ohio State, it first has to be like Utah, Boise St, and TCU.
February 1st, 2009 at 3:27 pm
The fact of the matter is that aside from facilities, the UCF program in no where near where it needs to be. There is but one reason for this.. “Coach” George O’Leary. I use the term “coach” loosely as he has done nothing but collect a paycheck. Most 12 year olds playing NCAA on their 360/PS3 have better game plans than this guy. It seems my college and NFL teams suffer from the same Fat, Dumb, Idiot Syndrome (my pro team being the Cowboys, please hold the boos). Fact of the matter is, UCF will never be a respected or decent program with O’Leary at the helm. I’m not sure how he achieved success at Georgia Tech or Notre Dame.. oh wait, that’s right, he didn’t. Clearly integrity was not a consideration when building the football program of the future. Making UCF football successful is not some 1000 piece puzzle. I’d say it’s more a play skool type puzzle, but it seems our illustrious coach had a hard time with the square block circle hole thing. Hmm, guess I kinda went on a rant there. My whole point is, O’Leary is as good at recruiting as he is at designing an offensive game plan. On scale of good to bad… it’s bad.
February 4th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I still think it’s a solid incoming class. Cross your fingers that Josh Robinson shows glimpses of Mr. Burnett on special teams duties during his FR year and, eventually, meet or exceed Mr. Burnett’s on-field accolades throughout his career as a Golden Knight. ‘Cause I don’t see anybody else on the team filling the positions; except for maybe “Lightning Bolt in a Bottle” incoming FR WR Quincy McDuffie.
O.K….quick question. It’s been a while since the “chosen one” was demoted to 3rd string QB (Michael Greco)…how do you propose UCF will utilize him for his senior season? Personally, if I was him, I’d transfer to FAU or FIU? …your thoughts on the matter? I had this kid ranked as high as Chuck Norris; f!@# the 5-star ranking. Nothing beats the “Chuck Norris” ranking.
February 4th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
He can’t transfer to those schools without sitting out a year. A stupid rule I think. If we redshirted him already, which I don’t know if we did or not, he can’t transfer because it would burn up his last year of eligibilty. My guess is we’ll see another revolving door QB situation like last year with the guy who is in constantly looking to the sideline to see if the other guys are warming up in the bullpen.