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Message: [QUOTE="Crusty, post: 1287910, member: 2265"] I want this staff to succeed so much that it hurts. While I try not to let it cloud my judgment, but I it is increasingly harder to do. On recruiting, I defer to those who are experienced at evaluating HS tapes and the judgment of the staff. That said, I think it is important to try and have some realism and perspective. [LIST] [*]With hindsight, the cupboard was less stocked than we had thought when Shafer took over meaning we had needs in many spots. [*]Shafer had to scramble to save his first class. [*]We have clearly reopened New Jersey, which is huge. [*]We are clearly doing better in our backyard including downstate, CT and LI. [*]We continue to work GA and FL effectively. [*]The MW has become interesting for us. [*]The staff has shown the ability to identify lightly recruited players early and to hang on as the big boys come snooping around. This is very impressive. [*]We have some big time recruits looking seriously at us for the first time in quite a while. [*]The trend is clearly up. How much is in the eye of the beholder. We will find out soon enough. [*]We have improved the roster for ST. For our program this is extremely important as we don't have the firepower to overcome poor ST play. Kicking and the return game may improve sharply. [/LIST] Apparently, sometime in the next 18 months we will get an announcement of the future of the Dome and regardless of what it is the program and recruiting will get a boost. I am one who believe that the injuries last year were devastating to us and the W-L record does not properly reflect the staff's abilities. As SWC75 said getting those guys back is like an extra recruiting class (I would add - of JUCO players). While I am resigned to uninspired offenses, at least until we can build some depth and find a real passing QB, IMO we can win 6-8 games with what we have and that is something on which to build. [/QUOTE]

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