re: O will consistently get top 10 recruiting classes

How is it ignorant? Teams that play a weak schedule can typically “get up” for 1-2 big games a year.

Asking a team to play at their top potential for 5-6-7 big games a year is an absolute grind. Clemson would not be 11-1 in the SEC had they played a SECw schedule this season. Probably 9-3, 8-4 or so. To take a team that just went through the grind of the SECw and then play the SECCG and then play the playoffs and then play the championship game is much harder than the ACC schedule and title game. The talent disparity is obvious in NFL draft selections.

You could have probably taken this year’s LSU team and won the ACC (as long as Troy isn’t in the ACC)

Recruiting rankings absolutely matter.