re: Coach Kelly says they aren’t going to buy players.

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CBK not doing everything possible to improve DT is embarrassing.

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Team chemistry and locker room harmony is more important than trying to pay a 1 year merc $1.5 million while their uncle or former coach runs around trying to get more and more and more. You have to draw a line. He told y’all when he got hired he wanted to build through high school players that are invested in the program. See Bama and UGA for examples

Ok so let’s say there is no quality player in the portal that you perceive.
Does that mean just keep coaching up the guys you’ve been trying for years or just out of HS? It seems like you’re just saying oh well leave it up to chance...the coaches know when they need help

So does LSU generally

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Why would next year's elite HS players take less than supposedly average DT's got this cycle?

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That’s like asking why Delta would sell tickets 3 months out at $100 when Spirit can sell them a few days out at $300.

As it stands today, HS players have less leverage than spring transfers, at least when it comes to positions that are in high demand. HS players have to sign before the spring portal window opens. Most “elite” HS players sign in the early period nowadays, which will now happen before the December portal window starting this year.

So when most HS athletes sign, the schools will still have 2 portal windows to fill remaining needs. Not the case for guys entering the portal in the spring window.

On top of that, a HS recruit is much less likely to step in and contribute immediately.

And on top of that, I don’t think comparing “elite” HS players to “mediocre” transfers makes sense in the first place.

Kirby Smart and dabo swiney DESERVE more than Kelly based on their recent history. Dabo does need to get with the program though and start using the transfer portal.

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Bama and UGA supplement from the portal whenever possible.

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In 2022 Bama took 5 transfers. UGA took 1. LSU took 15. Not the best comparison though as LSU also lost a bunch to the portal/draft in a coaching change year.

In 2023 Bama took 5 transfers, UGA took 4, and LSU took 13.

So far this year, UGA has taken 9 and LSU has taken 7. Bama has taken 12 but they also lost 39.

So yes, I think it’s valid to look at Bama/UGA and say they have focused more on developing HS talent. Compare all of this to a program like Ole Miss on the opposite end of the spectrum, having taken 18/23/19 transfers over the past 3 classes.

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Coach Kelly says they aren’t going to buy players.

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Maybe we should. Just saying.

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When you recruit people whose true passion is primarily money, performance is not the primary focus.

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Exactly. Brian Kelly is recruiting character as much as he is talent level. This is how you increase your number of leaders on the team, which is far more impactful that having a couple talented players out there only for themselves.

But that’s the whole point. If we offered Williams $750k (which is likely close to what we offered) and nobody matched it, would you say it’s a bad pickup?