Recruiting story

[Mister Moses]

This is an article that's great for the future of the Sooners. I was thinking a while back about how Bob's gradually spread out the recruiting has worked. Another good thing is when we change conferences OU is already taking recruits in those areas.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfrecruiting/on-the-trail/insider/post?id=76731P

 

[Mister Moses]

Sorry that link doesn't work. This might if not bed time.
http://oklahoma.247sports.com/tu/MTc3MjA4NnRpbnkyNDc=

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

Those coaching changes energized the program like no other. And as a result, the new coaches brought with them their relationships developed w/ HS players from their previous coaching stops. It was like a flip of a light switch. Bam! Things immediately started to happen.

 

[CTOkie]

Those coaching changes energized the program like no other. And as a result, the new coaches brought with them their relationships developed w/ HS players from their previous coaching stops. It was like a flip of a light switch. Bam! Things immediately started to happen.

Sometimes it is possible to make the "greatest" even "greater".

 

[918sooner]

Good read. I don't think most Sooner fans understand how fortunate we are to have had Bob for this length of time.

 

[BillyRay]

Those coaching changes energized the program like no other. And as a result, the new coaches brought with them their relationships developed w/ HS players from their previous coaching stops. It was like a flip of a light switch. Bam! Things immediately started to happen.

This is exactly correct. For all the battles on here in the past few years about the coachings staff, in the end Bob made the correct move in making huge changes to get things going again. So I think the results we are seeing settles the debates of the past handful of years. Bob is still the same great head coach that he has always been. But he finally had to take a realistic look at things and had to admit the problem was his staff of assistants. That staff is gone, and this new staff has really breathed new life into the program. It's been quite a few years since OU recruiting has started off this strong. And really we saw signs that things were changing with the last class.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

BillyRay, what I was attempting to say is that the new coaches came from many different places and geographical regions. While there, they were cultivating relationships on the recruiting trails for the school they were coaching for. Those cultivated relationships became OU relationships when the Coaches signed on at OU. Of course not every kid was OU good, but many were. As a result, the 'nationwide' recruting was created not necessarily by design but by necessitity. When you add to the ability of the recruiting prowess of the newer coaches, BAM , there is instant interest in OU as it being a Blue Chip. The changes have paid off enormously so far.

 

[BillyRay]

BillyRay, what I was attempting to say is that the new coaches came from many different places and geographical regions. While there, they were cultivating relationships on the recruiting trails for the school they were coaching for. Those cultivated relationships became OU relationships when the Coaches signed on at OU. Of course not every kid was OU good, but many were. As a result, the 'nationwide' recruting was created not necessarily by design but by necessitity. When you add to the ability of the recruiting prowess of the newer coaches, BAM , there is instant interest in OU as it being a Blue Chip. The changes have paid off enormously so far.

Well not only that, but also the stories we heard about certain previous assistants were flat out lazy when it came to recruiting. Nice to have a staff that puts a tremendous amount of energy into recruiting again. But I see what you mean. Bob hires coaches from certain parts of the country, then they go right back to those parts of the country wearing an OU shirt and instantly they get OU into the door with kids that OU couldn't have previously. Not to mention OU makes the playoff after the coaching changes, so now elite kids see it as a whole new set of coaches that are interesting and exciting that may be about to make a great run. Any intelligent kid would LOVE to be a part of that.

 

[Mister Moses]

BillyRay, what I was attempting to say is that the new coaches came from many different places and geographical regions. While there, they were cultivating relationships on the recruiting trails for the school they were coaching for. Those cultivated relationships became OU relationships when the Coaches signed on at OU. Of course not every kid was OU good, but many were. As a result, the 'nationwide' recruting was created not necessarily by design but by necessitity. When you add to the ability of the recruiting prowess of the newer coaches, BAM , there is instant interest in OU as it being a Blue Chip. The changes have paid off enormously so far.

This is what I agree with you brought up a good point and a new point. Lazy recruiting I've heard repeatedly. Bob knows what's going with his staff he's too good to put up with that. They just weren't getting results anymore like became stale and needed a change. As far as I know they all got hired quickly elsewhere.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Also, and despite his Clark Kent mild mannered public persona, Bob isn't shy about holding his staffs feet to the fire when warranted.
He canned a storied natty champ QB after all.
That took a sack to do that.

 

[BillyRay]

They just weren't getting results anymore like became stale and needed a change. As far as I know they all got hired quickly elsewhere.

Yep and it was one of those things where it worked out great for both sides of the situation.