Damn it feels good to have 3 5*s in this class... and Lincoln is creating depth as well - 4*s all over the place too. But with all 3 of those 5*s being on the side of the ball that we just don't have problems with, I decided to take a deeper look into our recruiting to see if we have reason for optimism on the defensive side of the ball (FUMS)...
To keep it simple, I approached this from the perspective of the age old saying, "games are won in the trenches"... so I just looked at the number of 4 and 5*s we had in the front seven. Mike Stoops has been preaching for a long time now that we just needed better talent on that side of the ball... so let's see if he can be excited about the talent he has now...
Front 7 recruiting classes (# of 4* and 5* recruits SIGNED):
2009: 4 (Tom Wort, Jamarkus McFarland, Ronnell Lewis, Justin Chaisson)
2010: 3 (Corey Nelson, Geneo Grissom, Eric Humphrey)
2011: 4 (Jordan Phillips, Marquis Anderson, Nathan Hughes, Jordan Wade)
2012: 1 (Eric Striker)
2013: 2 (Kerrick Huggins, DJ Ward)
2014: 0
2015: 4 (Marquise Overton, Neville Gallimore, Ricky DeBerry, Arthur McGinnis)
2016: 4 (Caleb Kelly, Mark Jackson, Amani Bledsoe, Bryce Youngquist)
2017: 5* (Addison Gumbs, Kenneth Murray, Isaiah Thomas, Levi Draper, *Ryan Jones (listed as a 4* WR))
2018: 6 (Michael Thompson, DaShaun White, Nikolas Bonitto, Ronnie Perkins, Jalen Redmond, Ron Tatum)
From 2009-2014 (6 years), we signed a total of 14 4*/5* front seven guys...
From 2015-2018 (4 years), we signed a total of 19 4*/5* front seven guys...
To take it a step further... what about just on the DL (excluding LB's)?
From 2009-2014 (6 years), we signed a total of 10 DL.
From 2015-2018 (4 years), we signed a total of 10 DL (including Arthur McGinnis, who spun down to DL).
Factor in the 2019 class (2 4/5* in the front 7 so far)... and you see the disparity even more... but it doesn't necessarily look like we'll sign any more 4 or 5* guys on the front 7 for this year (unless we get lucky). We'll definitely need to stock up on some more of 'em for the '20 class.
Even when looking at just the past 2 classes ('17 and '18), it's safe to assume that these next next couple of years should be significantly improved on the defensive of the ball when it comes to talent. I mean... we signed 11 front 7 guys in the past 2 years alone... our edge guys and everywhere along the DL has plenty of 4* depth now, and looks to only improve.
We still have to deal with Mike Stoops... but the moral of the story is that our talent has been significantly upgraded compared to what we saw from '09-'14. I don't think it's any coincidence that Lincoln Riley arrived in 2015. (And yes, I know he was our OC... just saying he brought a sense of urgency on the recruiting trail with him that extended to everyone on staff).
It's also no coincidence that from 2012-14, we signed only 3 4/5* guys on the front 7, and then had some horrendously shitty defense from 2014-2017. Amazing what happens with shitty talent (and coaching... FUMS).
To keep it simple, I approached this from the perspective of the age old saying, "games are won in the trenches"... so I just looked at the number of 4 and 5*s we had in the front seven. Mike Stoops has been preaching for a long time now that we just needed better talent on that side of the ball... so let's see if he can be excited about the talent he has now...
Front 7 recruiting classes (# of 4* and 5* recruits SIGNED):
2009: 4 (Tom Wort, Jamarkus McFarland, Ronnell Lewis, Justin Chaisson)
2010: 3 (Corey Nelson, Geneo Grissom, Eric Humphrey)
2011: 4 (Jordan Phillips, Marquis Anderson, Nathan Hughes, Jordan Wade)
2012: 1 (Eric Striker)
2013: 2 (Kerrick Huggins, DJ Ward)
2014: 0
2015: 4 (Marquise Overton, Neville Gallimore, Ricky DeBerry, Arthur McGinnis)
2016: 4 (Caleb Kelly, Mark Jackson, Amani Bledsoe, Bryce Youngquist)
2017: 5* (Addison Gumbs, Kenneth Murray, Isaiah Thomas, Levi Draper, *Ryan Jones (listed as a 4* WR))
2018: 6 (Michael Thompson, DaShaun White, Nikolas Bonitto, Ronnie Perkins, Jalen Redmond, Ron Tatum)
From 2009-2014 (6 years), we signed a total of 14 4*/5* front seven guys...
From 2015-2018 (4 years), we signed a total of 19 4*/5* front seven guys...
To take it a step further... what about just on the DL (excluding LB's)?
From 2009-2014 (6 years), we signed a total of 10 DL.
From 2015-2018 (4 years), we signed a total of 10 DL (including Arthur McGinnis, who spun down to DL).
Factor in the 2019 class (2 4/5* in the front 7 so far)... and you see the disparity even more... but it doesn't necessarily look like we'll sign any more 4 or 5* guys on the front 7 for this year (unless we get lucky). We'll definitely need to stock up on some more of 'em for the '20 class.
Even when looking at just the past 2 classes ('17 and '18), it's safe to assume that these next next couple of years should be significantly improved on the defensive of the ball when it comes to talent. I mean... we signed 11 front 7 guys in the past 2 years alone... our edge guys and everywhere along the DL has plenty of 4* depth now, and looks to only improve.
We still have to deal with Mike Stoops... but the moral of the story is that our talent has been significantly upgraded compared to what we saw from '09-'14. I don't think it's any coincidence that Lincoln Riley arrived in 2015. (And yes, I know he was our OC... just saying he brought a sense of urgency on the recruiting trail with him that extended to everyone on staff).
It's also no coincidence that from 2012-14, we signed only 3 4/5* guys on the front 7, and then had some horrendously shitty defense from 2014-2017. Amazing what happens with shitty talent (and coaching... FUMS).
