re: What is it about Cincinnati that breeds Power 5 coaches?

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Does their AD just know how to pick em?

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That's part of it, but I'd say it is more broader but more specific. It's their administration and a literally stated goal to move up in the sports pecking order and especially in the football world. With that commitment comes a group effort, an "all in the same boat" mentality when it comes to picking their coaches. There's a group effort to find and sign the best guy that fits their vision. And that vision comes from the top (admin) down.

Someone mentioned Ohio talent, and that is a part of it. But, again, it is broader than that. They made a concerted effort to go after "leftovers" from tOSU, MU, and PSU that normally would end up starters at Purdue, NW, or Illinois. When you pick off enough of those that would have starred individually at those "other" B1G teams you end up with classes that beget top-5 rankings. And they do not covet star ratings. They covet guys with the right build and enough talent and a chip on their shoulder. They'll S&C the physique, they'll coach the rest of the talent in, and they'll make that chip bigger. And they are not scared of small schools for their recruits either.