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Message: [QUOTE="SyraGus, post: 4096969, member: 7071"] Agree with these points, but I also think there needs to be increased emphasis on player retention. Just not sure what we can do that we aren't already doing. I find it disheartening when our kids go up against teams that have so many more upperclassmen playing, since we're typically battling players that are more physically developed and have a lot more experience. We need to find a way to hang onto guys who are valuable backups and potential starters maybe 1-2 years down the road. Getting them onto the field in limited roles, maybe on specials, doesn't seem to be enough. Should our coaches do a better job getting them a taste of action in games with lopsided scores? Would it be better to burn a redshirt year if it means we might retain the player? How can we we promote patience and loyalty to the program in an era where everyone seeks instant gratification? When I look at an incoming class - freshmen and transfers - I see 3 groups. There's usually a small number of guys who have a chance to contribute immediately and may even achieve a high degree of success. In today's world these players often enter the draft early, so they are hard to retain. Then there are the guys who for one reason or another don't get to see the field at all - maybe they don't develop as we'd hoped, or maybe there are injury or academic issues. These guys are prime candidates to transfer, and many times that may be the best option for them as well as the program. We need to do everything we can to minimize the numbers in this category by ensuring our incoming players are good fits. But then there's everyone else: the 3 star kids who have potential but maybe need a couple years to fill out and develop. These are the guys who we really need to find a way to keep in the program. I think this needs to be an ongoing process, not a 3 hour chat when the player is on the brink of leaving. One thing I've noticed is we seem to be rotating a lot more players in on defense recently, and I think this bodes well for player retention. I hope we continue to do this, and I hope we do everything we can to increase the number of upperclassmen on the 2-deep moving forward. [/QUOTE]

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