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(10-26-2022 03:42 PM)blazr Wrote:  How do we know the impact of the transfer portal on coaching changes at our level? Not saying that’s a reason to never fire a coach again, but it would seem there would have to be considering on the portal having a net-positive, neutral (at least bring in as much talent that bails), or net-negative on the program.

I think this is a very important question, not just for who you keep but maybe for who you get. For one, will the new coach be able to keep who we have, and/or will he be bringing players with him? There's a chance, with every coaching change, of a program implosion--especially if you lose a ton of players and you have to start over in recruiting.

I hope our new coach has a strong enough name that he brings enough excitement to retain our returning players, and our commitments--and that he brings some transfers with him.

I think Mark is fully aware and expecting roster turnover. Way of the world now. It is probably made even worse by the fact that there are still all these guys with extra COVID years. Guys are stuck behind older players who normally would be gone, guys have already played 4 or 5 years and have graduated and just want a change of scenery and then there are all the usual reasons.

Speaking of the portal, you guys seen this: AU's Harsin and RS/Portal.

With Harsin at least it's play early or begone. Not sure about that philosophy. It's is a whole new world in college sports and I don't really care for it.

(10-27-2022 09:45 AM)bftb Wrote:  

(10-26-2022 03:42 PM)blazr Wrote:  How do we know the impact of the transfer portal on coaching changes at our level? Not saying that’s a reason to never fire a coach again, but it would seem there would have to be considering on the portal having a net-positive, neutral (at least bring in as much talent that bails), or net-negative on the program.

I think this is a very important question, not just for who you keep but maybe for who you get. For one, will the new coach be able to keep who we have, and/or will he be bringing players with him? There's a chance, with every coaching change, of a program implosion--especially if you lose a ton of players and you have to start over in recruiting.

I hope our new coach has a strong enough name that he brings enough excitement to retain our returning players, and our commitments--and that he brings some transfers with him.

we need to keep as much possible of defensive players and ol players

(10-27-2022 09:45 AM)bftb Wrote:  

(10-26-2022 03:42 PM)blazr Wrote:  How do we know the impact of the transfer portal on coaching changes at our level? Not saying that’s a reason to never fire a coach again, but it would seem there would have to be considering on the portal having a net-positive, neutral (at least bring in as much talent that bails), or net-negative on the program.

I think this is a very important question, not just for who you keep but maybe for who you get. For one, will the new coach be able to keep who we have, and/or will he be bringing players with him? There's a chance, with every coaching change, of a program implosion--especially if you lose a ton of players and you have to start over in recruiting.

I hope our new coach has a strong enough name that he brings enough excitement to retain our returning players, and our commitments--and that he brings some transfers with him.

I don't see it as that big of a deal actually. Every year can be a program implosion in this new transfer environment, regardless of whether you have a coaching change or not.

Whoever leads this program is going to have to have a mindset of reloading consistently with the transfer portal because that's where mid-tier teams like we want to be will live and die on a season by season basis in this new reality. Our best players will transfer to bigger schools, and the bigger schools players that don't get as much playing time will be looking at places like UAB to get that recognition.

I don't understand people being so scared about a coaching change affecting that because we need to be in that mindset every season to have long-term success in today's college football landscape.

If we hire a new coach, he needs to get his players in immediately. I know basketball has smaller rosters, but a lot of people questioned the turnover AK had his first season. I’d say that all played out just fine. Whoever we hire needs to put their roster together. If it contains a bunch of guys who are happy at UAB and solid contributors, great. If not, we will have new contributors immediately next season.

In today’s environment, portal and juco are going to be the place where programs like UAB distinguish themselves.

Roster turnover is just part of it when you do that, even before the free transfers. The only reason there hasn’t been more roster change at UAB is the fact that so many players chose to use there COVID year here.

Bill Clark was incredibly smart to build this program with transfers and jucos. There wasn’t time to develop high school guys, without taking a bunch of Ls, and in general the transfers and jucos fit this program’s mentality. Those guys tend to be hungry and have an edge. They have already gone through recruiting and gained some humility from having experienced both college completion and long bus rides.

The flip side of that is what you get at Charlotte where you tried to build it with high school kids, didn’t win, for yourself in trouble, then didn’t get some of the transfers you might’ve needed. That is a recipe for guys being on the field before they are ready and getting beaten down.

In a perfect world, uab would be able to recruit high quality high school kids from this state but that just rarely happens. Those kids all face a lot of pressure to go to the p5 schools. Uab will stand a much better chance to get some of those kids on the bounce back than out of high school.

Let’s be real, and not compare UAB and Charlotte. Clark had significant advantages in recruiting that no other school could match at the time. I’m not ever recommending a school axe there football team, but we were basically the team that got all the transfer and portal advantages before they actually existed.

(10-28-2022 12:00 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  Let’s be real, and not compare UAB and Charlotte. Clark had significant advantages in recruiting that no other school could match at the time. I’m not ever recommending a school axe there football team, but we were basically the team that got all the transfer and portal advantages before they actually existed.

That's true and I'm not one whos ashamed to say it. Other schools' coaches can recruit heavy JUCO too if they wanted to.

It is sorta true. But distorted.

UAB wasn’t given *extra scholarships.* We got to cram the 2015 class into the winter signing period after everyone else had picked over that pool of players and then add our regular classes after that at the same time and limits as everyone else. There was not a single player signed who couldn’t have already have been signed by any of the schools complaining about “advantages.” Not a one. So we did sign 50ish players in a 3 month period but that was just bringing us closer to everyone else who had already been signing.

The only *real* advantage was stopping the eligibility clocks for some of those laure who signed before 2016. But that was also the right thing to do. And in fairness it allowed uab to win a few recruiting battles on some injured guys who were really talented. Or a few guys who needed to do some more academic work. Other schools still could have signed those guys, though and had in many cases first crack to do so.

They were welcome to kill their team, lose most of their good players and try this if they thought it was a good idea.

I just hope we get over our 2nd Half struggles. Here is a chart that shows where we are compared to the rest of FBS.

(10-28-2022 01:23 PM)blazerblazer Wrote:  I just hope we get over our 2nd Half struggles. Here is a chart that shows where we are compared to the rest of FBS.

I actually expected it to be worse given our rush tendencies.

What advantages did Clark have when he took over a team that went 2-10 and got blown out by a team with a 23 game losing streak and made them bowl eligible?

(10-28-2022 05:06 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  What advantages did Clark have when he took over a team that went 2-10 and got blown out by a team with a 23 game losing streak and made them bowl eligible?

So much this. Does everyone think McGee was just almost there and Clark just carried the program the last few inches to respectability (compared to where we had been at the time)? If anything, McGee cratered the program (purposefully, just for spite?) and Clark started in a mile-deep hole.

(10-28-2022 09:26 PM)blazr Wrote:  

(10-28-2022 05:06 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  What advantages did Clark have when he took over a team that went 2-10 and got blown out by a team with a 23 game losing streak and made them bowl eligible?

So much this. Does everyone think McGee was just almost there and Clark just carried the program the last few inches to respectability (compared to where we had been at the time)? If anything, McGee cratered the program (purposefully, just for spite?) and Clark started in a mile-deep hole.

Just highlighting

(10-28-2022 05:06 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  What advantages did Clark have when he took over a team that went 2-10 and got blown out by a team with a 23 game losing streak and made them bowl eligible?

None. Did anybody say he had any? Saying the program had advantages during the shut down is not a knock on any coach or player or fan during that time, it’s simply stating a fact. We had corresponding disadvantages as well, but I personally felt the advantages we had outweighed everything else because Clark got guys who bought in.

...last time we were 0.500 headed into November - 2014.

yeah, the stat is a bit skewed, but still the fact...

I will say it here too Vincent has got to go