Auburn 'talent' and how it relates to Muschamp...

[goldmember]

Everyone assumes that all successful SEC schools recruit top 10 classes every year and we can discount the success Muschamp has had.

Here are the Scout rankings for Auburn from 2002 - 2005 (assuming these classes make up the majority of his defenses for the past 2 years):

2002: 11
2003: 16
2004: 33
2005: 22
2006: 9

I would say that based on pure recruiting rankings he is at a talent disadvantage compared to most of the schools he faces in the SEC.

 

[MaconGTfan]

His LSU defense is what really gets him high marks. And like I keep saying...he had 4 All-Americans :wow:

 

[TerminusTechie]

I would say that based on pure recruiting rankings he is at a talent disadvantage compared to most of the schools he faces in the SEC.

Yes, but the worst of those recruiting years is in the range of the best of GT's recruiting years.

 

[goldmember]

Yes, but the worst of those recruiting years is in the range of the best of GT's recruiting years.

Yea but we don't face the same competition. The comparison would only be valid if Auburn played in the ACC. The point I am making is that his top 10 defenses (at Auburn at least) weren't built by just rolling out better talent.

 

[goldmember]

His LSU defense is what really gets him high marks. And like I keep saying...he had 4 All-Americans :wow:

I agree with this but his defense was ranked nbr 1. A lot of folks though this years LSU defense had even better talent. Where did they end up?

 

[TerminusTechie]

Yea but we don't face the same competition. The comparison would only be valid if Auburn played in the ACC. The point I am making is that his top 10 defenses (at Auburn at least) weren't built by just rolling out better talent.

I thought one of the goals of the change is to beat the SEC school to the northeast of Atlanta.

 

[MaconGTfan]

I agree with this but his defense was ranked nbr 1. A lot of folks though this years LSU defense had even better talent. Where did they end up?

It couldn't have been that bad, it got their DC a job at Nebraska. Their defense had their moments, for better and worse.

 

[goldmember]

I thought one of the goals of the change is to beat the SEC school to the northeast of Atlanta.

You are missing my point (or I am not making it well). The entire point of this thread was to say that Auburn defensive success under Muschamp was not predicated entirely on him rolling out better talent that the teams he played ( in the SEC). So the recruiting rankings are only valid when comparing to other SEC teams that he competed against.

Make sense? I am not really projecting how these rankings would play out at GT. Only saying that he got top 10 production (and the best defense in the SEC) without top 10 talent and certainly not the top talent in the SEC.

The reason for posting this is a lot of folks are entirely dismissing his success as a coordinator.

 

[savbandjacket]

How does Muschamp himself do as a recruiter? I have heard that last year wasn't his most glorious (didn't we recruit Claytor from under him?).

That is my only concern w/ him - that he isn't the recruiter that we think he is. I'm pretty sure he can coach - but he will also be head man for recruiting.

 

[MaconGTfan]

LSU's defense is #3 total D in the country right now...
http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2007&div=4&rpt=IA_teamtotdef&site=org

Auburn is 8 and we're 11...can you really argue that our talent level is that close? I think Tenuta really coaches our defense up.

 

[goldmember]

LSU's defense is #3 total D in the country right now...
http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2007&div=4&rpt=IA_teamtotdef&site=org

Auburn is 8 and we're 11...can you really argue that our talent level is that close? I think Tenuta really coaches our defense up.

I agree that Tenuta has done one hell of a job. Just pointing out that Muschamp has also done one hell of a job.


Regarding your question - No, I don't think our overall defensive talent is as good as Auburns but I thought we were talented and experienced on D this year. I also think Auburn played a much tougher schedule (SEC West + uga + UF + USF + KS). I don't think we are nbr 11 with that schedule.

 

[mmbt0ne]

Macon,

Can you argue that GT has played offenses as good as SEC teams?

Do you think that good coaching has something to do with players becoming All Americans?