orlandosentinel.com gives USF class a "B"

[windbane]

so what

4 teams recruited better than bulls in big east alone

50 teams in usa recruited better than usf

espn rated us the 2nd best class in the big east.  you always quote the worst opinion of our school.  why is that?

[Sunil]

I'm surprised the sentinel even mentioned our recruiting class at all. If they could, thtey wouldn't even mention us by name even the week we play UCF.

Although I don't regularly post, I use these boards as a constant use of information. I can see why most people get irritated by smazza's postings...but let's be realistic. He's giving the point of view that most people around the country are giving. Most non-alums look at our recruiting and think it's a dissapointment given our WVU win this last year. They don't care about CJL's eye for talent or ability to coach up the recruits. And although we all hate it, even now the casual CFootball fan has no clue that we are even in a major conference. It might seem ludicrous to us...but we are not the nationally recognized program that we will be in a couple of years. Although I certainly don't agree with all of the guy's postings, I think it provides perspective for most of us who have our green-colored glasses on. Outsiders read this board, admire the enthusiasm, but find the reality drowned out by the enthusiasm. (We're alums, so i know you can't blame our optimism) No reason to shoot the messenger....be it smazza or any other alum. The one commonality everyone has is that we all want the program to progress... that doesn't mean we all have to "drink the koolaid" all the time.

[flsportsfan83]

I'm surprised the sentinel even mentioned our recruiting class at all. If they could, thtey wouldn't even mention us by name even the week we play UCF.

Although I don't regularly post, I use these boards as a constant use of information. I can see why most people get irritated by smazza's postings...but let's be realistic. He's giving the point of view that most people around the country are giving. Most non-alums look at our recruiting and think it's a dissapointment given our WVU win this last year. They don't care about CJL's eye for talent or ability to coach up the recruits. And although we all hate it, even now the casual CFootball fan has no clue that we are even in a major conference. It might seem ludicrous to us...but we are not the nationally recognized program that we will be in a couple of years. Although I certainly don't agree with all of the guy's postings, I think it provides perspective for most of us who have our green-colored glasses on. Outsiders read this board, admire the enthusiasm, but find the reality drowned out by the enthusiasm. (We're alums, so i know you can't blame our optimism) No reason to shoot the messenger....be it smazza or any other alum. The one commonality everyone has is that we all want the program to progress... that doesn't mean we all have to "drink the koolaid" all the time.

HOF post........... wow

[Triple B]

Why cant we just ban smazza withing a month of signing day, before and after.

Why bother? The other 10 months aren't any different...  

[Bullpride08]

I'm surprised the sentinel even mentioned our recruiting class at all. If they could, thtey wouldn't even mention us by name even the week we play UCF.

Although I don't regularly post, I use these boards as a constant use of information. I can see why most people get irritated by smazza's postings...but let's be realistic. He's giving the point of view that most people around the country are giving. Most non-alums look at our recruiting and think it's a dissapointment given our WVU win this last year. They don't care about CJL's eye for talent or ability to coach up the recruits. And although we all hate it, even now the casual CFootball fan has no clue that we are even in a major conference. It might seem ludicrous to us...but we are not the nationally recognized program that we will be in a couple of years. Although I certainly don't agree with all of the guy's postings, I think it provides perspective for most of us who have our green-colored glasses on. Outsiders read this board, admire the enthusiasm, but find the reality drowned out by the enthusiasm. (We're alums, so i know you can't blame our optimism) No reason to shoot the messenger....be it smazza or any other alum. The one commonality everyone has is that we all want the program to progress... that doesn't mean we all have to "drink the koolaid" all the time.

Blade,

Good post and I never have a real problem with smazza's posts about recruiting classes, or comparisons because they are generally based from an uninformed perspective.  

However, within your post the one point you're sliding over is in addition to smazza's bashing of recruiting classes, talent, and overall school...he also bashes Leavitt and others, which is where I draw the line.  As you stated, and you are right that few recognize Leavitt has a keen eye for talent, and is good at coaching up talent, and finding spots on the team where they can be most effective, but that is the skill of a great coach.  One that at this juncture can't recruit with the big dogs, despite smazza's assertion or wishes, he's not going to steal a bunch of 6-5 260lbs five star DE's, so he's going to have to grab the tweeners, build them up, build up the program, and after winning with that group hopefully enough attention, notoriety, and support is provided this program and then he can snag a few of the five star guys to compliment his already great ability to develop and coach up talent.

This is exactly how Bobby Bowden built FSU, and other schools that started from the ground up built their programs.  You can't condemn recruiting, and then after our coach has a great year also condemn his coaching...maybe it's one or the other, but most that are realistic realize that it's neither.  He's got to make due with what he's got, and hope for a few big dogs to fall his way, and then build that way....it's the way all programs grow from scratch.