People are making a huge deal out of Kentucky getting commitments from eighth and ninth graders, but there’s nothing binding in any of this. No one’s signing any papers yet. So why is this such a big deal and how is it different from what everybody’s been doing for years behind closed doors?
- Tim H., Frankfort, KY
I think getting commitments from 8th and 9th graders is rather silly. These commitments are non-binding, so what’s the point?
The player is free to change his or her mind. The coach is free to change his or her mind. Yes, I realize that can happen when a senior commits, but I’d venture to guess well over 80% of commitments made by a senior are honored.
I also think it can become a bit risky for a coach. For example, what if Frank Frankfort shows promise as a 6-3 freshman point guard, but gets no bigger, no better, no quicker, no stronger. So the coach decides the kid really isn’t good enough to help his team.
If he pulls the offer, then the coach gets beat up in the recruiting circles. “You can’t take that coach’s word,” critics would argue. If the coach takes the kid who can’t play, he’s stuck for maybe 4 years with a non-contributor.
And for the youngster, I think committing to a high profile school at a young age can only put more pressure on him. He will be the target of every opponent and every opponent’s fans.
Let the kids have fun. Let them enjoy life. Let them grow up a little before they are burdened with making decisions about which college to attend.
I watched your guys clips on Ole Miss and Mississippi State on your Sports Source page. I want to know why you think Ole Miss is in better shape than the Bulldogs. We just went to a bowl game last year while Ole Miss went 3-9. What’s up with that?
- Jerry D., Meridian, MS
I don’t think Ole Miss is in better shape than Mississippi State. The point was this: Do you think the programs will get better or worse or stay the same over the next four years?
That determines whether you buy the stock or sell the stock. I applaud the job Sly Croom did at Mississippi State last year, but I don’t think the Bulldogs will average 8 wins over the next 4 years.
On the other hand, Ole Miss was horrific in Ed Orgeron’s 3 years. The Rebels were 0-8 in the SEC last year and have lost 18 of their last 20 SEC games. Do I think that will continue? No.
If Ole Miss averages 5 wins over the next four years, that’s an improvement over the 3 wins last year and the average of 3.3 wins since 2005. That would make money on the stock market.
That’s why I would buy Ole Miss stock. I also think Orgeron left Houston Nutt with enough talent to be competitive right away. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rebels make a bowl game this season.
Who is more important to Florida’s hopes this Fall: Tim Tebow or Percy Harvin? With Harvin, Tebow won’t have to do everything by himself - and get beat to Hell again. And Urban’s already shown he can win a national title without Tebow as his starter. I think Harvin is actually more important than Tebow. What say you?
- Darrel J., Ormond Beach, FL
Tebow is more important. I’ll take a great quarterback over a great receiver any time. I’d take Joe Montana over Jerry Rice, Tom Brady over Randy Moss, Troy Aikman over Michael Irvin, Peyton Manning over Marvin Harrison.
The quarterback position is the most important on the field. There’s a reason the quarterback is the only player in football that has a won-loss record attached to his name.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think Percy Harvin is a dynamite player, one of the most explosive in college football. But Tebow makes that team go.
And while you are right that Florida won a national title without Tebow as the starter, I would submit Florida wouldn’t have won it without Tebow. Without Tebow, I don’t think Florida beats Tennessee that year or maybe Georgia and Florida State. He converted critical third and fourth down plays with his running ability to help win games.
Even with Harvin last year, Tebow got the heck beat out of him. Some of that is Meyer’s play calling and not having a reliable running back. So while Harvin is valuable, Tebow is the man.
Does Tennessee have to make Tim Tebow throw the ball in order for Tennessee to win in September and if Coach Clawson has a great year, can you see him as Fulmer’s successor?
- Jeff, Knoxville, TN
Yes, Tennessee must make Tebow throw to beat the Gators. That doesn’t ensure a win, but it helps.
I thought UT made a mistake last year against the Gators in basically playing them straight up defensively. I didn’t see a concerted effort to take away the run or the pass. That allowed Florida to do both.
Auburn devised a game plan to take away the run, forcing Tebow to throw. Tebow didn’t have a good passing game that night and the Tigers scored an upset. You have to commit one way or the other, and I think against Florida’s spread option, you commit to take away the run and hope Tebow is off target.
If Coach Clawson has a great year, or a great two or three years, I could see him replacing Fulmer. While I might be in the minority on this, I think Fulmer wants to go out on top.
If he has three good seasons, he could surpass Gen. Neyland as UT’s all-time winningest coach. If Fulmer does it in a season in which the Vols win at least 10 games, I think he would retire. And if UT is doing well during that stretch, Clawson, with his head coaching experience, would be a logical replacement.
He would know the ins and outs of the UT program, he would have been successful, he would understand what it takes in the SEC, and he would be ready for a big-time program. But I think it would take more than one good year by Clawson to promote him to the head spot.
Now, if things go sour over the next two or three years, you can count out Clawson. You don’t promote from within if the program is on the slide.
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