The state of Georgia has approximately 40 blue-chip recruits—an 11% national share—in a given year. Florida has a staggering 65, or a 17.8% share. Three of the four playoff teams last year had the desired "blue chip ratio," defined as half a roster bearing four- or five-star ratings. (This is based on an article from February, and I'm assuming it's accurate.)
Tech would love to climb into that top bracket, like everybody else. But a more immediate goal would be to climb into the Top 25 bracket, which gets them into position for more. That step wouldn't require any miracle, but it would make a huge difference in perception. Tech has been getting very occasional blue-chips. Currently, according to Rivals, 15 of 17 commitments are three-star; the other two are two-star. And three-stars are bread and butter for a top 25 team. But you need a few difference makers to be in position to win the biggest games.
I know the hype-driven "star" fixation is tedious for many, obsessed over by others. Let's just say Collins needs to at least slightly raise the production level in getting that game-changing talent. Even five four-stars would make a difference, and you build from there. After three years, you have fifteen elite contributors on your roster. Almost thirty friggin' percent of the nation's blue chip talent is in geographical reach. Sure, it's highly competitive; you run into three or four distant assistant coaches at the grocery store. But it's criminal negligence to bat .000 or thereabouts. I figure Collins targets the sub-group out of the top layer, those who would show interest in a Tech education and playing in Atlanta. I've read people explain away Chan's 2007 class here; I don't know whether it was a fluke or not, but it's fairly recent history and if it could be annually duplicated, with outstanding effort by Collins and his assistants, 2009 is the indicator of what can happen (I know that was a triple option team, but it was a highly athletic one).
