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Do you think Jon Gruden can turn 4 star and 5 star recruits to UT this recruiting season?  You always hear about relationships, but maybe?   :dunno: 

I don't believe that.

I also don't believe that Gruden would have a 9 or 10 win season in 2013 if Bray / Hunter / Patterson and a couple of OL plus McCullers and Sentimore defect.

Those are very real possibilities too.  The difference being we did redshirt a couple guys this year. The roster is better than it was but it is still full of holes and a lot of holes if those guys go to the NFL.

The difference is that even if they leave, we are a year away rather than three years away. That's what Dooley provided. He just wasn't ever going to take us further.

Make no mistake that this is a better job now than it was when Kiffin left, and I think when Fulmer left.

I've read a number of forum posts in the last few days by people who clearly believe our roster is the worst it has ever been . . .  but I'm with you. The roster is better at key positions-- even with some early defections-- than it has been in the last 5 years. The new coach won't inherit SEC championship level talent, but he won't be inheriting a team that should be going 5-7 either.

I think we have roster issues but we have better roster depth than we've had in a while. It's not depth that we are lacking, it's playmakers... at DB, LB, and RB.

Studs at those positions make everyone else better.  Well said.

Agree

I agree with you 100%.  Great points. 

I think we begin to see positive feedback from top recruits, a positive feel overall, a positive vibe out there. Notice the word "positive"? We won't have a very good season next year, but we will be seeing more discipline, more schemes that work, a feeling that we are in big games. Thats my opinion.

I read yesterday in the Chat paper that Dooley only had 68 scholarship players when he took over....an OL with one start between all five of them, no experienced QB, no experienced RB, but did at least have a WR or two.  Defense was in better shape, but still down.

It would be really hard not to leave the program in better shape than that.

Is it better than 2008 when Kiffin took over?  Depending on how much we get back, the O almost certainly is, particularly the OL.   I would say better on offense, worse on D, overall hard to say.  Probably not much difference at best, but let's be optimists and say it is better.   :biggrin:

My $0.02 worth is that if you have the face of Monday Night Football coming into your home to talk about coming to UT, then yes, I think 4 and 5 start talent will pay attention and listen. Not sure how many he will get to turn towards UT, but he will at least get them to add UT to their list if they haven't already. The goal of every one of them is to get to the NFL, and when you have one of the most recognizable faces that is connected with the NFL, a lot of them are going to pay attention.