CRFF Question of the Week: Should OSU Change Recuruiting Strategy?

Thomas Fleming: So in your guys' opinion, how badly is recruiting hurting right now and how can they fix it?

Kyle Cox: I honestly think we are underestimating how badly OSU hurt when Wickline left.

Chris Ross: He left the cupboard bare. He just avoided having the same year on his resume.

Zach Collums: Once that coaching staff started going on to different colleges and we stopped focusing on O-line recruits while we transitioned to a new coach, we lost all of Gundy's momentum, and this team's momentum in reality.

Gerald Tracy: I think they've become too comfortable. Sure, it's better than ever, but we're OK with losing (Levi) Draper or a top guy in our own state. Instead of going for more, they just say OK and get a few extra three stars.

Zach Collums: I agree with Gerald. I think OSU recruiting has rested on the laurels of plenty of non-talked about players, 2-3 stars competing really well for this team, and that well of luck has run out. Also, I don't think that we've really diversified our recruiting classes enough. Mason Rudolph wasn't even on our radar until late. He's turned out great and he came from a non-traditional pipeline of talent.

Gerald Tracy: While OSU went 10-3, Gundy hasn't proved that the team can capitalize on it (although the season didn't end favorably). OSU has to make the jump but saying that three stars are the way to do it is a lie told to make fans feel better. This school needs five star players to beat Baylor, OU and TCU consistently.

Gallagher Martin: Agreed. Blackmon was a three  star recruit, Weeden was a baseball player -- we're never going to get that lucky again.

Gerald Tracy: That's what I'm saying though. Can he recruit? None of these guys can, or we wouldn't be losing people every other day.

Gallagher Martin: He's a reverse Travis Ford.

Gerald Tracy: We need a Josh Holliday.

Thomas Fleming; Yeah, you're right. Baylor, OU and TCU gets four and five star players left and right. OSU? Nope.

Zach Collums: They really need to reevaluate how they recruit. OSU probably has one of the best weight lifting facilities and locker rooms in the nation. There is no reason why they should not at least be in the top 20-25 in recruiting classes every year.

Thomas Fleming: So where would you want to look then? For recruits.

Zach Collums: Well, trying to pull from Florida and California is really out of our wheelhouse, but the second tier of football talented states is where we should look. We've gotten some great recruits from Louisiana lately. Also, a more balanced approach would be nice. Before this year, we've really skimped on recruiting O-line talent and we are now suffering because of it.

Thomas Fleming: So, on a side note, do you think OSU's location (Stillwater) has any affect on recruits not wanting to come here?

Gerald Tracy: No, I don't really think that has any affect at all.

Kyle Cox: I agree. Look at where Alabama is located.

Thomas Fleming: Do you have anything to say about recruiting, Chris?

Chris Ross:

you can quote that.

Kyle Cox: I tend to think that the rash of decommitts is a combination of a few factors. For one, as much as we probably don't want to admit it, OSU is not a top-tier program when it comes to recruiting. Then you factor in the fickleness of high school kids and the way that the Cowboys ended the season, and voila -- here we are.

Thomas Fleming: I also think it's a number of different components coming together. When all of those recruits decommitted in the same week, some people were looking for conspiracy theories. I think they all had individual reasons, but the end of the Cowboys' season certainly didn't help the cause.

Kyle Cox: OSU has found some 'diamonds in the rough' who then start to get more attention from other schools because of their track record for doing so..So now they're stuck in a niche that they shouldn't be in. How do you fix it? Win. Recruits will come.

Zach Collums: I think if we can shake up recruiting and get some lock down coordinators we can be a consistently good team, and that will lead to better recruits.