Arizona and Arizona State football

Facilities are not that up to date compared to Oregon and Washington for sure.

They have made shitty coaching decisions too. Arizona stood with Stoops and gave him half a decade to "build" and RichRod came in and did better than him in 2 years. Arizona is recovering from a decade of a coach who should have been a coordinator (Koetter) and a washed-up coach 15 years past his prime (Erickson). Graham has them moving in the right direction but how long will he stay?

Both of these guys will trend their programs upward, but as mentioned, both have the loyalty of a Hilton sister. Rod & Co. have a good, young qb and I wouldn't be shocked to see the Cats win the Pac12 within a few years.

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What's holding these two programs back from really turning to that next level. They both are so incredibly inconsistent. It seems like a 8-4 season at ASU is good and 10-3 is the ceiling. For Arizona, a 7-5 season is good and 9-4 or 10-3 is superb. Arizona is a highly populated state...roughly around 7 million. Arizona borders California, the most populated state. Neither have daunting academic hurdles for their athletes and students. They both play in an elite conference. Is it facilities? Fanbase? Apathy? Recruiting/high school football? What's holding these two (potential gold mines) back?

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For one thing, it's a state with a population filled with transplants. There is no loyalty to staying in-state for college. Any worthwhile recruits always seem to venture elsewhere.

Take a look at the past few recruiting classes for the entire state. This is a breakdown of how many of the top 15 players in Arizona, as rated by Rivals, signed with an out-of-state institution:

2015 10/15
2014 8/15
2013 9/15
2012 10/15

There is little vested interest in staying loyal to the state because I am willing to bet that most athletes weren't born and raised in Arizona. Louisiana has one of the highest proportions of natives to transplants populations of any state in the Union. That is one of the main reasons why the majority of top flight talent typically signs with LSU, as long as LSU is successful.

Homegrown Population Statistics

Only two states have a lower homegrown population percentage: Nevada and Florida. Florida's is due in large part to the influx of Cuban immigrants and the departure of Snow Birds from the Northeast and New England.

On the other hand, 78.8% of Louisiana's population has been born and raised in Louisiana. That's more than twice the percentage of Arizona's native population.

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Arizona borders California, the most populated state.

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Arizona and Arizona State also have to compete against about 20 other major colleges vying for those same recruits.

Within a 1,000 miles of Los Angeles you have the following Division 1 football programs:

Washington
Washington State
Oregon
Oregon State
Cal
Stanford
Fresno State
USC
UCLA
San Diego State
UNLV
Nevada
Boise State
Utah

Both schools have to get in line with everyone else.

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This may come off as slightly racist, but it shouldn't if you have any sort of common sense, but the lack of elite success also might have to do with population demographics.

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Actually, you may be on to something in a roundabout way. Minorities have not been friendly with Arizona for a couple of decades. First over the threats not to recognize the MLK holiday, and now disputes over border patrolling.

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You can argue that the "transplant" thing hurts them. But what doesn't hurt them is telling a kid from Ohio or Pennsylvania that you can go to a top ten party school with lots of babes and warm weather year round if Ohio State doesn't want you. With very little effort and momentum, the school just sells itself. That's why it's always amazed me that nobody can win at UNLV anymore either.

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Party school or not, Tempe is still located in the desert. Not everyone is fond of that particular biome.

Also, can you name one elite coach that has been at either institution?

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Within a 1,000 miles of Los Angeles you have the following Division 1 football programs:

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The same can be said with New Orleans. Within 1,000 miles of New Orleans you have the following Division 1 programs:

LSU
Alabama
Georgia
Florida
Florida State
Auburn
Tennessee
Arkansas
South Carolina
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M
Clemson
Vanderbilt
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Missouri
Kentucky
Ohio State
TCU
SMU
Notre Dame

Etc.......


You would just think that these two "warm and sunny" and "fun/party" schools could attract recruits more so than a lot. I get the transplant theory though. That's a good one.

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This may come off as slightly racist, but it shouldn't if you have any sort of common sense, but the lack of elite success also might have to do with population demographics.

Blacks make up only 5% of Arizona's total population. By comparison, look how the majority of the states in the South stack up:

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That's a good theory. I wasn't aware of Arizona's demographics. Also, I doubt they are reaching into New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, or Nevada for recruits. However, given the location of Tempe and Tuscon to Los Angeles and San Diego (under an 8 hour drive), I just assume that it wouldn't be hard to sway recruits to these schools. Not every recruit can go to USC, UCLA, etc,

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ASU is more concerned with partying and anal sex

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If that is truly the case, Sun Devils, you are excused.

Arizona, what's your excuse?