Can one recruit really change a program???

[Green Ninja]

I have been following recruiting for about 2 years now and every year I see people make the comparisons to Cleaves and the "program changer position". Basketball you have 13-15 players on scholarship while football in football 85. One player is not going to turn the tides of 40 years of mediocrity I do not even think 2 or 3 players would change a program. We need 4 or 5 years of constant solid players and reduce attrition weather is grades or injury. You can see has started to instill the never give up winner mentality. We need more players like Greg Jones will get us to the next level.


off my

[RPMadMSU]

Basketball: Yes; Football: No.

I haven't really seen it in Football because it's such a team sport. Even a great QB recruit only plays half the game.

Maybe the closest I've see in recent memory of one Football recruit changing a program is Eddie McGee at Illinois.

Why Eddie McGee one may ask, he's a two star back up QB recruit???

Well Eddie McGee was so popular among many Washington DC high school players, a maket that wasn't tapped too often, that by him going to Illinois opened a pipeline from the DC metro area to U of Illinois that resulted in a mass influx of talent the next year that vaulted the fledgeling UI Football program.

To understand what I'm saying, one may need to understand the way DC football works. A player in DC is not tied to any HS in DC, and can openly transfer anytime they want. Because of this some kids play for 2 or 3 HS in their career, change every year to the HS which gives them the best chance to win, or get notticed. It's actually a big problem because you have school barley fielding enough kids to form a team because they had one down season, and then you have teams with 100+ players because they had a good season. This, however, does creates a network between all the players in the city, and area, rather than a rivalry. And they talk to each other often.

His play on the field did nothing to change the program, but is reputation off the field and his good network of friends changed that program.

[Floyd170]

If that recruit can get other great HS players to come play with him then yes one recruit can change a program.

[GRR Spartan]

Not in football. Without a good O Line the best qb can't bail you out. A monster MLB can't make every tackle.

We see one player carry a basketball team every year.

[Dr. Dunkenstein]

You have to have a stud QB for sure. Bring on the gunslinger

[26.2]

The last one man team in football was Red Grange. So, yes all you need is a time machine.

[RandomDaveG]

Originally Posted by Green Ninja

I have been following recruiting for about 2 years now and every year I see people make the comparisons to Cleaves and the "program changer position". Basketball you have 13-15 players on scholarship while football in football 85. One player is not going to turn the tides of 40 years of mediocrity I do not even think 2 or 3 players would change a program. We need 4 or 5 years of constant solid players and reduce attrition weather is grades or injury. You can see has started to instill the never give up winner mentality. We need more players like Greg Jones will get us to the next level.


off my

Dear Green Ninja,

Yes.

Yours Truly,
Dennis Dixon