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Message: [QUOTE="billsin01, post: 68424, member: 837"] A couple counterpoints: -- The general point is that more kids are making it, which is a good thing. I think the quality of the overall recruits is something much more accurately measured a couple years down the road (on signing day i don't think a single person was fired up about derrell smith but plenty of folks were convinced Romale Tucker was a huge get or Jonny Miller -- just as an example). -- Secondly, you list a few players but let's point out that Broyld and Smallwood are still potentially going to make it at some point (we'll see). But, regardless, it's four players from two classes. With the exception of Copa and a couple other injury cases (unavoidable), that's a very legitimate improvement over a couple of P's classes that had no-shows nearing double-digits and Grob's, which lost probably an average of 5-7 per class (in addition to the normal attrition) once the house-cleaning was finished. -- As far as the ratings of the players and the addition of playmakers, I see these as separate issues. I'm not the type who constantly bashes the star system -- it's fine. But I do believe you can get talented kids who just take a bit longer to mold into quality football players. It just takes time. When you consider Marrone's first half-class was thrown together in a couple weeks and his most recent group are true frosh, I really think the only class you can truly begin to evaluate is the Feb. 2010 kids. It certainly seems to me like there are some players in this group: I love Spruill, Lyn, Krautman and Davis. I think West, Gulley and Kobena have excellent potential (in fact I'd argue Gulley would be a factor today if not injured). Goggins and Bromley have been solid; Hay has been a 2-year starter; Wales, Wilkes and Jerome Smith have been decent, Macky's a starter and Fisher's contributed. Of the guys who haven't gotten much run, Robinson and Kinder seem to be getting pretty good reviews. I guess the jury is still out to a large degree on guys like Rene, Beaulieu, Kinder, Miller, etc. But basically it was a decent class and I wouldn't be surprised if, a year from now we're talking about Gulley as a real good back, Spruill, Lyn and Davis anchoring the defense, Wales as a dangerous TE and maybe a guy or two like Robinson or Kinder or Fleming adding some playmaking. My basic point is -- of the one class you can begin to truly evaluate I think we did OK. Could we do better? No question. But if we can just do that consistently it would represent a major upgrade. Oh, and the last point is, I don't think Marrone will ever be a sexy recruiter like a Zook or Saban or someone. I think he's more an Edsall type -- guys with good talent but very much under the radar. People can dislike that, but I just don't see him morphing into a phenomenal recruiter. At least I never bought that logic. (Kinda like people loving his public speaking appearances -- I never really saw what most here saw with those either ... but I like the guy as a coach). [/QUOTE]

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