Why Aren't We Capitalizing on This?

[DELdaBull]

So was Carl Franks completely ineffectual in his administraive role as recruiting coordinator? The man has serious Florida connections.

Is it our coaching staff? Holtz has charisma, and a very compitent coaching staff, so I don't think the coaching was what caused USF to wiff out on those #1 targets mentioned.

I think it's within the realm of possibility that we're not viewed as "Big Time" just yet with many of the local kids. Winning the Big East conference will at least help in some part to put that perception to bed. 

I'm interested in hearing your theory, Bullpride. Thanks in advance.

Some of it is confusing because the building blocks are there....but as I've come to learn a lot of it had to do with the circumstances of the new hire and the staff make-up, and their recruiting plan.  The two staffs (the remaining coaches v. the new staffers) was a bit polarizing at first.  The new coaches seem to run off in their own direction and really ignoring the current group, not working together more so trying to prove themselves...,and the new guys trying to tip-toe and figure out what to do, and it wasn't a cohesive effort in the least.  This is what led to a lot of early going simply missed opportunities with local kids...for example USF and Tresey were all over Alex Dixon...but poor ole Alex didnt' get back with the USF new coaches until late spring and by then other schools had sunk their mits in.  They completely missed on Chris Moore, they farted around with the idea of using ESS and then never followed through, they tried to comb JUCO, comb what they were familiar with in GA, SC, et al...but failed to see what was beneath them.  Frankie WIlliams was staring at them with Ruben Gonzalez but both went largely ignored.  Frankie continues to be by them...which I can understand maybe because he is now a luxury in their eyes (Frankie is a lot like a T-Rex clone), and we may have wormed our way back in Gonzalez's life but it didn't have to be this way.  Grady, and Dre Davis could have been handled differently too in the early going.  Taking Stevie Weatherford's commitment came with lots of warning signs which they largely ignored.

A lot of missteps and fumbling the ball as they moved along.

With all that being said I do believe a few of the former staff have FINALLY gotten through to Skip and Snyder and gained their trust.  Their efforts to me may eventually save this class by signing day with some good last minute saves.  Those guys are Kevin Patrick, and Scott, and Coach Phil.  I am a huge fan of Franks, his contacts are impeccable in FL...but he's very old school and his coordination seems more ad hoc, then concerted and concentrated.  There are names he should have had the staff looking at more early on, and his coordination could be better put together.  I think Skip needs to do more than just throw a BBQ for local recruits, he needs to not concentrate so hard in GA...(we supposedly offer Willie Davis' HS running mate-- what there was no good RB's in FL-- this is going to send a poor message, Willie Davis is overrated and there was better in FL, now it seems one of our first 2012 RB offers is to a GA kid-- not wise that perception could hurt us with HS kids-- O'Liar got killed early by concentrating to much out of FL-- notice the resurgence of UCF coincided with his concentration on FL kids). I think they need to beef of the recruiting staff with more back office personnel to help with video analysis, contacts, and generally combing the internet and papers to find lost data to always keep the staff in 'the know'.  That's what UCF does and why they've had success...remember tweeting, and Facebook are your friend as long as the NCAA says it's so...use it because Coach Strong is using it like crazy and no he's not doing it all himself-- staffers.

I think the staff is working more as a unit now, and we'll see how well they close after the 14th.  There are about 6-8 guys I see ripe for commitment to USF coming in to include Gonzalez, Davis, Grady, Watson, Anderson, Reeves, Scott, Plummer, and Julian....how they do will say a lot.  Furthermore if they make changes like I discuss above...at least supplement Franks with someone that helps him with the new age stuff...then things will be fine and we'll be back on our ole recruiting ways.

Wow what a response.