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Kelly's Recruiting Grade
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:35 am
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:35 am
When Brian Kelly arrived in Baton Rouge he said he would rebuild the LSU program through the recruiting of high school talent, with an emphasis on Louisiana players. His first full recruiting class had some successes but demonstrated the gap between LSU and the elite SEC opponents, namely Alabama and Georgia, remains considerable.
Not withstanding the Tigers last two games, few predicted Kelly's team to accomplish what it did this season. The win over the Tide was stunning, but it didn't translate into an immediate change in the LSU recruiting fortunes. The LSU high school recruiting class was ranked the nation's sixth best, about what it has averaged over the past decade or so. Bama, however, continued to lap the field with its tenth top-ranked class in the last 13 years.
In order to become a more consistent program, LSU will have start winning those head-to-head recruiting battles with Bama. That might require Nick Saban's retirement and a bad decision as to his replacement.
Since Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa, he has walked off with 26 players ranked in the Louisiana's high school top 10. LSU answered by signing just two of Alabama's best (Kwon Alexander and Armani Goodwin). The loss of Desmond Ricks, considered a strong lean to LSU all year, is just the continuation of the Tide's long recruiting domination. This year it appears LSU offered scholarships to at least 23 players who signed with Bama. LSU signed just six who Saban also offered.
If LSU really ever had a recruiting fence around the state, it was breached long ago. In recent years LSU has signed fewer than half of the four- and five-star players in the state. I think correcting that problem will be a high priority for Brian Kelly.
He will have to return to the transfer portal again to fill some very obvious gaps in the depth chart, but I don't think he considers that the long-term solution.
Ed Orgeron left the program in near ruin after his 2019 success while the transfer portal and NIL have turned recruiting in a circus. It's a tough environment in which to operate.
Overall, Kelly earned a B+ for his first full recruiting season.
Not withstanding the Tigers last two games, few predicted Kelly's team to accomplish what it did this season. The win over the Tide was stunning, but it didn't translate into an immediate change in the LSU recruiting fortunes. The LSU high school recruiting class was ranked the nation's sixth best, about what it has averaged over the past decade or so. Bama, however, continued to lap the field with its tenth top-ranked class in the last 13 years.
In order to become a more consistent program, LSU will have start winning those head-to-head recruiting battles with Bama. That might require Nick Saban's retirement and a bad decision as to his replacement.
Since Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa, he has walked off with 26 players ranked in the Louisiana's high school top 10. LSU answered by signing just two of Alabama's best (Kwon Alexander and Armani Goodwin). The loss of Desmond Ricks, considered a strong lean to LSU all year, is just the continuation of the Tide's long recruiting domination. This year it appears LSU offered scholarships to at least 23 players who signed with Bama. LSU signed just six who Saban also offered.
If LSU really ever had a recruiting fence around the state, it was breached long ago. In recent years LSU has signed fewer than half of the four- and five-star players in the state. I think correcting that problem will be a high priority for Brian Kelly.
He will have to return to the transfer portal again to fill some very obvious gaps in the depth chart, but I don't think he considers that the long-term solution.
Ed Orgeron left the program in near ruin after his 2019 success while the transfer portal and NIL have turned recruiting in a circus. It's a tough environment in which to operate.
Overall, Kelly earned a B+ for his first full recruiting season.
39
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:36 am to Tenntig
A-
I think he did superb. Still have late signing day and portal to solidify an A for a top-5 overall class
I think he did superb. Still have late signing day and portal to solidify an A for a top-5 overall class
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:37 am to Tenntig
Posted in another thread, I really really like this class.
*Signed a highly thought of Louisiana QB
*Replenished the RB room with the top two backs in the state.
*Reloaded the previously barren TE room with elite prospects
*Added to an already young but also salty, veteran offensive line with an elite o line haul.
*Added elite players to an already loaded WR room.
* Pulled in an elite edge player in womack and also managed to sign the likes of J Howard while already replenishing depth through the portal on the interior.
*Finished with two young linebackers, one of which has rocketed up recruiting rankings all the way to a top 150 national player in w. weeks.
*Added a ton of young depth to a barren secondary that features elite players like Harris, Toviano & Jackson. There are also likely more additions to the group.
*Signed a highly thought of Louisiana QB
*Replenished the RB room with the top two backs in the state.
*Reloaded the previously barren TE room with elite prospects
*Added to an already young but also salty, veteran offensive line with an elite o line haul.
*Added elite players to an already loaded WR room.
* Pulled in an elite edge player in womack and also managed to sign the likes of J Howard while already replenishing depth through the portal on the interior.
*Finished with two young linebackers, one of which has rocketed up recruiting rankings all the way to a top 150 national player in w. weeks.
*Added a ton of young depth to a barren secondary that features elite players like Harris, Toviano & Jackson. There are also likely more additions to the group.
This post was edited on 12/23/22 at 9:40 am
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:40 am to Tenntig
Grade after the season
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:40 am to Tenntig
Solid A
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:41 am to JiminyCricket
When you look at what BK did last offseason and this forst full recruiting cycle (atleast through this early signing period)… i think you have to give BK an A.
How he finishes til the second signing day, and portal transfers will decide if its A+ or A-
How he finishes til the second signing day, and portal transfers will decide if its A+ or A-
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:42 am to Tenntig
Need at least one more db to the class would help and maybe a couple dt guys and another offensive line guy would complete this class whether out of high school or the portal
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:42 am to Tenntig
It’s going to take the success Bama and Georgia has on the field on a regular basis to compete with recruiting on their level. I bet that if BK had the success they have on the field year after year, we’d have that success recruiting too…. And then some! I think BK is doing an outstanding job recruiting however more success recruiting will come once we have more success on the field in a regular basis. Give him time because I feel the field success is coming!
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:42 am to Tenntig
I give him a solid A. to go higher he will have to get a couple of quality DL in the portal and a CB or two. A LB wouldn't hurt either. I believe all of this is possible and most is probable.
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:44 am to jpcajun
Believe it or not, LSU signed more 5 stars this year than UGA.
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:46 am to JiminyCricket
A he is putting together a great program...I just like his approach on many fronts with everything he is doing...
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:48 am to Tenntig
I cannot determine what the overriding theme of this post is, but regarding your comments about recruiting the state of LA against Bama; for the first time in many years, Bama did not sign one player from LA that LSU really wanted. The only LA player they signed was the QB that was not going to come to LSU because of who we signed last year.
The only weakness in the high school recruiting class was at defensive tackle, and Kelly has already addressed that through the portal. Also noteworthy that it was a down year for DL in LA.
He recruited three highly rated TEs, a position of immediate need, and he brought in the best class of offensive linemen I can remember LSU recruiting.
Missing on Ricks was not due to lack of recruiting. It is hard to understand why a prospect that would have had a great chance to start from day 1 at LSU decided to sign at a place that has a number of great players in front of him. Criticism of that recruiting miss is childish.
Your grade of his recruiting should be adjusted up to at least an A-, if not an A.
The only weakness in the high school recruiting class was at defensive tackle, and Kelly has already addressed that through the portal. Also noteworthy that it was a down year for DL in LA.
He recruited three highly rated TEs, a position of immediate need, and he brought in the best class of offensive linemen I can remember LSU recruiting.
Missing on Ricks was not due to lack of recruiting. It is hard to understand why a prospect that would have had a great chance to start from day 1 at LSU decided to sign at a place that has a number of great players in front of him. Criticism of that recruiting miss is childish.
Your grade of his recruiting should be adjusted up to at least an A-, if not an A.
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:48 am to Tenntig
A-. As usual several 5 stars prior to them committing to LSU were down graded almost instantly. You know that Alabama bump.Wolmack and Heard I believe were elevated. Kelly did great. The only thing lacking were defensive linemen. It was a down year in the state for DL but he will add depth by way of the portal. This is a great class and will only get better. You are not going to out recruit Nick Saban until he retires that is just reality. It does not mean that we can’t beat him though.
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:48 am to Tenntig
The biggest thing that BK has done to LSU to help us compete with Bama and UGA is build our Oline. We are about to have elite Oline play which is something we haven’t seen since saban left and the early Miles years. Once this oline can go toe to toe with Bama and UGA’s front 7, things will change dramatically. The next thing BK needs to do is build an elite front 7 and I think we will start to see that next year with Smith, Wingo and Perkins leading the way.
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:49 am to Tenntig
A after the shape that O, the “recruiter” let us fall to.
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:50 am to Tenntig
If we land Harbor I’d give A
If we don’t land Harbor A-
Still solid class missed on Ricks and lost Reed and Mickens but still overall strong class
If we don’t land Harbor A-
Still solid class missed on Ricks and lost Reed and Mickens but still overall strong class
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:58 am to Tenntig
Kelly has 4 HS kids in this class that are ranked 5 star by one service or another. Then 2 transfer 5 stars. I wouldn’t be scared to say this could be one of his most talented rosters ever. Young but talented. I think I’ll give him an A for taking care of needs. He also recruited Boutte and JD back….Pretty solid job for getting that arranged.
Posted on 12/23/22 at 9:59 am to Tenntig
I give him an A-. It's the first full cycle and you only signed one consensus 5 star. Need to start hitting on more of those.
The thing not enough people are talking about is the offensive line transformation. That alone is going to do more than anything else to help us win the games we have historically lost.
The thing not enough people are talking about is the offensive line transformation. That alone is going to do more than anything else to help us win the games we have historically lost.
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