YES! ACTUALLY …
Even though he has two degrees from the University of South Carolina, helped create the cutest “Baby Gamecock” on the planet and has accumulated all sorts of fan points from the program’s many years of mediocrity – our founding editor Will Folks can’t seem to stop trolling the Gamecock Nation on Twitter.
His latest offering? A tweet mocking the school’s 2016 recruiting class … which was replete with three-star talent and, as a result, ranked No. 27 nationally (as well as No. 10 in the Southeastern Conference and No. 4 in the SEC’s Eastern Division).
Take a look …
#SpursUp (for 3-star recruits) …
— Will Folks aka Sic (@fitsnews) February 4, 2016
Tssssss … burn …
Readers quickly pointed out, though, that South Carolina’s top offensive star last year – wide receiver Pharoh Cooper – was a three-star talent. Same with Clemson University’s star running back Wayne Gallman, and former defensive standout Vic Beasley – who was taken by the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 8 pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
Beasley wasn’t the only three-star player to go high in last year’s draft – the No. 3 (quarterback Marcus Mariota), No. 5 (offensive lineman Brandon Scherff), No. 7 (wide receiver Kevin White) and No. 11 (cornerback Trae Waynes) picks were all three-star players in high school.
Only one of the top twelve picks – No. 1 overall selection Jameis Winston – was a five-star high school prospect.
NCAA Division I-A (a.k.a. FBS) colleges sign nearly 3,000 players a year – of which only around three dozen are five-star talents. The vast majority of them are three-star – even two-star – recruits.
Here’s the thing, though … while there is certainly no science to recruiting (and no guarantee top talent will manifest itself consistently on the field), there is no denying that starting off with more, better-rated players improves the likelihood of a program’s success.
In the Palmetto State, this is a documented fact. Clemson has consistently landed Top Ten classes over the last few years under affable head coach Dabo Swinney, while South Carolina’s recruiting success has fallen off dramatically since 2010. Hell, Clemson finished with the No. 8 class in America this year even after missing out on No. 1 overall pick Rashan Gary.
The result? The Tigers made it all the way to the national championship game last season while the Gamecock program took a second consecutive step in the wrong direction.
Even though we trolled our founding editor’s alma mater a little bit, though, first-year Gamecock head coach Will Muschamp and his new staff deserve tremendous credit for salvaging what could have been a truly disastrous situation. South Carolina’s program has a long way to go – but having a pair of national “recruiters of the year” ready to hit the trail is reassuring.
20 comments
We? We who? Your third person is showing, and its just weird.
“Even though we trolled our founding editor’s alma mater a little bit”
and the tweet was:
Will Folks aka Sic @fitsnews
#SpursUp (for 3-star recruits) …
BTW, “spurs up” would be a chicken on its back (presumably dead), wouldn’t it?
Um, “we” is first person…
JJ Watt was only a 2 star while Mike Bellamy from Clemsux was a 5 star, so what’s the fucking point?
You missed the point. JJ Watt is the exception, not the rule. A higher PERCENTAGE of 5 stars turn out compared to 4, 3, and 2 stars
Hell Clemson won more game this year that Carolina did the last two years. So tell me again about the Great Lamecocks…..
Two degrees from USC, Will?
You sound like the spawn of Jethro Bodine, Double-naught Spy, Boy Genius, Jet-setting Playboy and 6th Grade Graduate.
At least the recruiting is off to a good start. Now all they have to do is win the Eastern Division of The Southeastern Conference.
Better concentrate on the Citadel first.
Considering the Citadel has beat them two out of the past three meetings, surely they are smart enough not to schedule them again, right?
RIGHT?
Ouch!!!
So is Will stating that USCe should apply for an FBS slot? Maybe they could be the team to give North Dakota State a run for their money.
The assertion that recruiting at South Carolina, “has fallen off dramatically since 2010” is complete and utter bullshit. If you actually review the 247 Composite Team Rankings you will see that South Carolina posted the following recruiting rankings in the last few years:
2010: 26
2011: 17
2012: 17
2013: 20
2014: 19
2015: 19
http://247sports.com/Season/2015-Football/CompositeTeamRankings
http://247sports.com/Season/2014-Football/CompositeTeamRankings
http://247sports.com/Season/2013-Football/CompositeTeamRankings
http://247sports.com/Season/2012-Football/CompositeTeamRankings
http://247sports.com/Season/2011-Football/CompositeTeamRankings
http://247sports.com/Season/2010-Football/CompositeTeamRankings
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Muschamp’s first class wound up 26th, which is not bad considering the last 2 horrid seasons at USC, the late start he got, what he had when we got here, etc. Further, he had to run off several stiffs that had been offered by the previous staff.
I’m certainly no college football expert like Fits, so I can only offer my observations. First I’d say that our talent evaluation dropped off significantly. Instead of actually putting in the hard work and properly evaluating prospects, Spurrier Jr. and crew used recruiting ranking services to dictate to whom offer were made. So while we may have had decently ranked classes, they wound up as duds once they had to compete at the college level. Just because they’re high school start does not translate into college success. We also spurned input from the High School ranks, and walking away from potential under the radar recruits, during Jr’s tenure as Recruiting Coordinator.
Further, our coaching staff dropped off significantly in terms of competence. The more Spurrier leaned on Jr., Sands, Ward and his miserable defensive staff, the worse we performed. The HBC simply failed to replace talented coaches, with similarly talented coaches. We also had virtually no support staff within the program, as I’m sure that Spurrier thought all of that “stuff” was unnecessary, as he could just do it all himself.
Finally, the HBC got lazy, or maybe just performed at the level you’d expect of a man his age, lacking motivation to keep on doing what he’d mostly done as a college coach, and that was continue to take the steps to effectively manage, operate and run a winning football program. College football is not static, it progresses and becomes more efficient and productive over time by utilizing the latest technology, information, structures, and tools available. So while we did have a really good 4 year run from 2010-2013, we essentially went backwards when compared to our counterparts, in virtually all measurable aspects of a successful college football program.
Now that we know the facts are we had Top 20 recruiting classes the last 5 years of the HBC’s tenure, it is difficult to understand we dropped so far, so fast into first a sate of mediocrity, and then into one worst teams in FBS, and certainly the worst in the SEC. I’m grateful for the success we had during the HBC’s tenure, even the early years (05-09), but I will never understand how he let it decline and crumble all around him these last 2 years. Not to mention his final act of selfishness in resigning in mid-season, subjecting the fans to what we had to endure over that kick in the ass.
I think Coach Muschamp is taking the right steps to stabilize, and move the program forward, having assembled an outstanding staff. I’m looking forward to seeing him get us moving back in the right direction, and winning with regularity and keeping his eye on the ball, so to say. I think he’s learned from his mistakes and missteps at Florida, and is the right man, at the right place, at the right time. Can’t wait to kickoff on Sept 1st against Vandy in Nashville.
Yeah, but the years that smaller classes with higher-ranked players produced our better seasons. The last few years, when we had huge classes made up for three-star recruits with a smattering of four-stars have produced 6-7 and 9-3. This one of those classes, which is probably the best we could hope for with a weak year, a coach scaring off recruits by announcing he might retire, a meltdown year, a coaching staff change that didn’t exactly turn up with a slam-dunk hire, and the taters having a national championship contender.
Don’t forget all the 2014 signees that didn’t qualify. Rerate that class based on admissions and you’re lucky if it’s still top 30. That class will be like Swinney’s first class in 2009 (12, only 9 of whom stuck around) and will come back to haunt you if it hasn’t already.
JC players are not worth the time and effort.
I would be encouraged by what they managed to put together. The administration and fans better be willing to be in this for the long(er) haul. May need 3-5 years to really get back on the right track.
John Harbaugh’s contract with the Ravens ends in 2017. His brother just landed the 5th best recruiting class. Why? Players want that NFL phat cheese. A Harbaugh in South Carolina will draw the talent to dominate the East, play Bama in Atlanta, even face Michigan in the championship playoffs. And since ESPN gives SC 15 million a year, money is no problem. The problem? Tanner wants his paychecks more than trophies
If you don’t stop writing about yourself in the third person I’m going to find me a 3-star blog to move UP to. That shit is getting downright weird.
Well, if Bernie gets elected then college scholarships will become obsolete. Er’body will get a free ride.
Hell I’ll make prediction right now. Muschump will not finish out his contact at USC and he’ll never win 10 game in a season.