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(07-21-2019 10:59 AM)ucbandguy Wrote:  I love the "buzz" this creates.

I am sure that a lot of potential recruits study the "recruiting rankings." We are ahead of about a quarter of the P5 (though we would be near the bottom of the SEC.) That buzz can take on a life of it's own. We need to continue to separate ourselves from the rest of the G5.

Remembering the trials and tribulations of 30, 40, and 50 years ago, it is both refreshing and almost hard to believe. Go Cats!

According to 247, we're ahead of 5 Big Ten teams: Michigan State, Nebraska, Indiana, Rutgers, and Illinois.

According to Rivals, we're ahead of those 5 and also Wisconsin and Maryland. That would put us right in the middle of the Big 10. Rivals rated one of our recruits (Bumphis) as 0 stars though, so if they had tracked him we would be rated even higher.

However, some of that is because we have 14 commits already. Although Maryland has 14, the other Big 10 schools are behind us mostly because they have fewer recruits who committed. Nebraska & Rutgers have 8 each, and Illinois only has 3. Ouch.

If we were in the P5 with P5 resources, we'd be pulling Top 25 classes every year.

That dog will hunt.

Gents, this says it all about the type of Coach we have leading our program straight from the mouth of Princeton HS Coach Mike Daniels:

What’s the most money UC and alumni donors can pony up realistically to offer coach Fick the next time his contract comes up? I know in business and in sports they say nobody is irreplaceable and I’m not gonna say coach Fick is irreplaceable, but I’ll bet he would be darned tough to replace. His recruiting ties in Ohio, his work ethic, and leadership would not be easily matched in another person in my opinion. Additionally his work ethic, morals and his personality mean he’s also able to get assistant coaches that maybe UC wouldn’t been able to get otherwise. Bottom line, he may not be irreplaceable but he may be pretty darn close to it as far as Cincinnati football is concerned.

BK was the man, but he also recruiting from a power conference. I think if you compare apples to apples, the job Coach Fick is doing is nothing short of remarkable. And imagine if we start getting into some big time bowls and winning.

(07-20-2019 10:43 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  A massive coup! Bastille, French Revolution type shat!!!

Quote:Jaheim Thomas committed to his hometown Cincinnati Bearcats today, in a massive coup for Luke Fickell.

Fickell, a longtime Ohio State assistant under both Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer, was hired in large part due to his local recruiting prowess. That paid off big time today.

Thomas’ commitment bumps Cincinnati up to No. 46 in the country in 247’s composite recruiting rankings. Cincy now has 14 players pledged.

Among the G5, only AAC foe Memphis has a higher-ranked class, at No. 42.

The 2020 product is Cincy’s first four-star player since tight end Leonard Taylor, another Ohioan, committed in the 2018 class. Cincinnati is the only G5 program to land a four or five-star player in this recruiting cycle so far.

Fick Is Hot

Building a program right before our eyes!!!!

I would argue that our class from a general perspective is "better" than Memphis' simply because we get 4 years with all of our players, while Memphis' top 4 commits are all JUCOs with Junior level eligibility, so they'll only be there for two.

(07-21-2019 06:43 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(07-20-2019 10:43 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Fick Is Hot

Building a program right before our eyes!!!!

I would argue that our class from a general perspective is "better" than Memphis' simply because we get 4 years with all of our players, while Memphis' top 4 commits are all JUCOs with Junior level eligibility, so they'll only be there for two.

Great point BearcatMan. You can even go at the angle of what has been Cincinnati's average rating since the 2018 class compared to Memphis or others in the AAC. Didn't Fick score the #1 rated class in 2018 for the conference?

So according to 247 Recruiting Rankings in the AAC [updated today]:

2020
1 Memphis [14 commits, (14) 3 star]
2 Cincinnati [14 commits, (1) 4 star, (13) 3 star]
3 USF
4 Tulane
5 ECU

2019
1 UCF
2 Memphis
3 SMU
4 Houston
5 USF
6 ECU
7 Cincinnati [only 16 commits]

2018
1 Cincinnati
2 UCF
3 USF
4 Tulane
5 Houston
6 Memphis

So how come Memphis is still rated with the 2020 higher class when we have a 4 star commit?

We need to make sure we keep Marcus Freeman as well. He's been just as big a part of this as Fick.

(07-21-2019 08:03 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  So according to 247 Recruiting Rankings in the AAC [updated today]:

2020
1 Memphis [14 commits, (14) 3 star]
2 Cincinnati [14 commits, (1) 4 star, (13) 3 star]
3 USF
4 Tulane
5 ECU

2019
1 UCF
2 Memphis
3 SMU
4 Houston
5 USF
6 ECU
7 Cincinnati [only 16 commits]

2018
1 Cincinnati
2 UCF
3 USF
4 Tulane
5 Houston
6 Memphis

So how come Memphis is still rated with the 2020 higher class when we have a 4 star commit?

It's based on average rating.

(07-21-2019 08:36 PM)bearcatdp Wrote:  

(07-21-2019 08:03 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  So how come Memphis is still rated with the 2020 higher class when we have a 4 star commit?

It's based on average rating.

Thanks. Duh on my part. Memphis currently has an average recruit ranking of 85.17 and Cincinnati has an average of 84.22.

(07-21-2019 08:46 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(07-21-2019 08:36 PM)bearcatdp Wrote:  

(07-21-2019 08:03 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  So how come Memphis is still rated with the 2020 higher class when we have a 4 star commit?

It's based on average rating.

Thanks. Duh on my part. Memphis currently has an average recruit ranking of 85.17 and Cincinnati has an average of 84.22.

once Prater bumps to a 4 star we could move ahead of them. But they do have a solid class, which is good news for the AAC.

If we pay him well enough... and I think UC will... I myself would rather be that big fish in the small pond than leave here just to fade into oblivion at a NC State or Vanderbildt.

Where do you think Scott Frost got/gets more notoriety... Nebraska or UCF? Not money, NOTORIETY.

If we get and stay ahead of the G5 curve here, we can be playing in NY6 bowls every year.

Then, by 2023-2025 when the realignment knives start being slipped into backs, we're going to be in a great position to land in a better place.

It isn't about the big bowl as much as it is about being expected to compete and win against the likes of UCLA, Ohio State, Indiana, Notre Dame, and Nebraska over the next few seasons. While Ohio State this is going to be difficult the other tgames on the list are games UC should win or can win.

Houston and Boise State more than UCF made their mark in the non-conference schedule. Boise State would knock off PAC-12 teams while Houston has just recently beat Oklahoma and Louisville.

(07-21-2019 08:46 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(07-21-2019 08:36 PM)bearcatdp Wrote:  

(07-21-2019 08:03 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  So how come Memphis is still rated with the 2020 higher class when we have a 4 star commit?

It's based on average rating.

Thanks. Duh on my part. Memphis currently has an average recruit ranking of 85.17 and Cincinnati has an average of 84.22.

Biggest difference between the two classes is that we have two players (Jake Renfro and Norman Love) whose composite score is 79.22. Memphis' lowest ranked recruit is 82. If just one of those guys were an 82 we'd be higher.

(07-22-2019 07:10 AM)Def Berkkat Wrote:  If we pay him well enough... and I think UC will... I myself would rather be that big fish in the small pond than leave here just to fade into oblivion at a NC State or Vanderbildt.

Where do you think Scott Frost got/gets more notoriety... Nebraska or UCF? Not money, NOTORIETY.

If we get and stay ahead of the G5 curve here, we can be playing in NY6 bowls every year.

Then, by 2023-2025 when the realignment knives start being slipped into backs, we're going to be in a great position to land in a better place.

Good observations. UC winning big in the coming years completes the package. Institutionally, few of the other schools mentioned can match UC for the combination of research, academic and endowment bona fides. Competitively, it's hard not to be excited about where Fickell is taking the football program.

That is all well and good, but these coaches are type A driven people. Most would like to see what they can do with a bigger budget, better facilities and have a legit shot at a playoff spot. When UC was in the BE, it was a bit of an easier sell. What is the worst that happens if you fail at the "big time" program...you end up getting a MWC or AAC job again like Charlie Strong.

I like CF. I hope he stays and sees himself as a program builder and leaves an icon @ UC. He will be a really hot name with another good season, but I don't see him leaving for anything less than a top 6 big ten program.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Fickell. He has a huge family, and Cincinnati is a great place to grow up (and it's only gotten better since I grew up there). I don't think we'll be able to hold on to him, for lots of reasons (and obviously college towns can be great places to grow up too), but we uniquely have a lot to offer to coaches with families.

I think ultimately ego/ambition/money win out but I think it makes the decision much harder.

(07-22-2019 11:32 AM)digibrink Wrote:  It will be interesting to see what happens with Fickell. He has a huge family, and Cincinnati is a great place to grow up (and it's only gotten better since I grew up there). I don't think we'll be able to hold on to him, for lots of reasons (and obviously college towns can be great places to grow up too), but we uniquely have a lot to offer to coaches with families.

I think ultimately ego/ambition/money win out but I think it makes the decision much harder.

I think he sticks around until one of Penn St., Mich, OSU open up. Which could be any year. I think the hard call would be turning down Purdue, Illinois, Indiana, etc. No way he goes SEC or B12. ACC also seems like a poor fit.

(07-22-2019 11:42 AM)Helicopter Wrote:  

(07-22-2019 11:32 AM)digibrink Wrote:  It will be interesting to see what happens with Fickell. He has a huge family, and Cincinnati is a great place to grow up (and it's only gotten better since I grew up there). I don't think we'll be able to hold on to him, for lots of reasons (and obviously college towns can be great places to grow up too), but we uniquely have a lot to offer to coaches with families.

I think ultimately ego/ambition/money win out but I think it makes the decision much harder.

I think he sticks around until one of Penn St., Mich, OSU open up. Which could be any year. I think the hard call would be turning down Purdue, Illinois, Indiana, etc. No way he goes SEC or B12. ACC also seems like a poor fit.

If you look at who the Purdue's, Illinois, Indiana etc of the world have been hiring, it is not guys out of the American. I'm not too worried about them. My biggest concern right now is Michigan State. Mark Dantonio ain't getting any younger and they are just above that hump where I could see them returning to the well and it resonating with Fickell. From what I understand, he has a good relationship with Dantonio though so if he gets fired, it may not be a choice he'd make.

(07-22-2019 11:45 AM)skylinecat Wrote:  

(07-22-2019 11:42 AM)Helicopter Wrote:  

(07-22-2019 11:32 AM)digibrink Wrote:  It will be interesting to see what happens with Fickell. He has a huge family, and Cincinnati is a great place to grow up (and it's only gotten better since I grew up there). I don't think we'll be able to hold on to him, for lots of reasons (and obviously college towns can be great places to grow up too), but we uniquely have a lot to offer to coaches with families.

I think ultimately ego/ambition/money win out but I think it makes the decision much harder.

I think he sticks around until one of Penn St., Mich, OSU open up. Which could be any year. I think the hard call would be turning down Purdue, Illinois, Indiana, etc. No way he goes SEC or B12. ACC also seems like a poor fit.

If you look at who the Purdue's, Illinois, Indiana etc of the world have been hiring, it is not guys out of the American. I'm not too worried about them. My biggest concern right now is Michigan State. Mark Dantonio ain't getting any younger and they are just above that hump where I could see them returning to the well and it resonating with Fickell. From what I understand, he has a good relationship with Dantonio though so if he gets fired, it may not be a choice he'd make.

Dantonio will get his boy Narduzzi that job.