New Article: How to Win in the MWC (and some good news for Aggie fans)

JacobMcNeil · Post by **JacobMcNeil** » September 25th, 2019, 11:24 am

My latest for the MWC Connection. Hope you guys like it. Hard for me to write without sneaking in some USU references and analysis.

(and hopefully an acceptable number of typos, I believe the O/U was set at 5 yesterday?)

https://www.mwcconnection.com/2019/9/25 ... ntain-west

USU78 · Post by **USU78** » September 25th, 2019, 11:33 am

Very nicely done.

Jjoey53 · Post by **Jjoey53** » September 25th, 2019, 4:21 pm

Good job, though I would say CSU is underachiever numero uno.

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AggieBlues · Post by **AggieBlues** » September 25th, 2019, 4:43 pm

Can someone summarize what the differences are for Air Force and other academies as far as recruiting? The article mentioned it's hard to compare the rest of the league's recruiting with Air Force due to the peculiar circumstances they enjoy, allowing for many more recruits. I didn't realize they had such a difference...but what is it and why?

GameFAQSAggie · Post by **GameFAQSAggie** » September 25th, 2019, 5:07 pm

AggieBlues wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 4:43 pm
Can someone summarize what the differences are for Air Force and other academies as far as recruiting? The article mentioned it's hard to compare the rest of the league's recruiting with Air Force due to the peculiar circumstances they enjoy, allowing for many more recruits. I didn't realize they had such a difference...but what is it and why?

I don't know where to begin with Air Force recruiting. Them, Army and Navy have a number of obstacles making it difficult to recruit, as top football players don't choose to play for a service academy. You have to get them to commit to serving active duty, and people want to be able to go to the NFL(and more people think they are going to make it than the number that really are) after they are done. Receiver Jalen Robinette, the guy who set a school record for receiving yards in a game against us, for instance would be able to go to the NFL if he was able to get a waiver from the department of defense which he has tried unsuccessfully for two years to do.

And you have to get players to agree to deal with how they take everything seriously, like even putting their hands in their pockets, and you would think most decent football players like to be able to put their hands in their pockets! And they even take everything seriously at lunch, like they are picky about the direction the cadets walk to the table not taking shortcuts, the pace they walk at, that they sit down before they start chewing their food instead of snacking on it as they are walking, swallow their food before they stand up, and put their bag under their seat the right way.

I'll never forget when I was in high school and an army guy came to our school to do a presentation in a trailer that our teachers could take us to if they wanted, and he took everything seriously. First, he told our teachers not to let us bring food or drink. Second, he made us sit in the order we entered the trailer instead of grabbing whatever open seat we wanted. Third, he made us take off our hats after we sat down. Fourth, he got up and told us not to put our feet on his benches.

A better question, What is NOT difficult about recruiting to the service academies?

LKGates · Post by **LKGates** » September 25th, 2019, 5:36 pm

AggieBlues wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 4:43 pm
Can someone summarize what the differences are for Air Force and other academies as far as recruiting? The article mentioned it's hard to compare the rest of the league's recruiting with Air Force due to the peculiar circumstances they enjoy, allowing for many more recruits. I didn't realize they had such a difference...but what is it and why?

I don't know, but I can speculate a bit. Every team is limited by the NCAA to 105 players on the roster before the first day of class, and a total of 85 scholarships. Most schools distribute those 85 scholarships over 5 years, with a very few kids getting 6 years because of medical redshirts, so an average of 17 scholarships per year. There is no redshirting at any of the academies, so they average 21.25 scholarships per year. And perhaps, since for all practical purposes, EVERY kid at an academy is on scholarship, you could legitimately say that they have 105 players on scholarship, so 26.25 per year. I guess Troy Calhoun can point to one kid and say, "he's on an athletic scholarship", and point to another kid and say "no, he's just a walk on, who's having his tuition paid by the taxpayers, just like every other kid at the academy".

Jjoey53 · Post by **Jjoey53** » September 25th, 2019, 5:39 pm

The fact they can recruit more in numbers does not equal the disadvantages they have to overcome.

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Post by **Aglicious** » September 25th, 2019, 5:47 pm

JacobMcNeil wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 11:24 am
My latest for the MWC Connection. Hope you guys like it. Hard for me to write without sneaking in some USU references and analysis.

(and hopefully an acceptable number of typos, I believe the O/U was set at 5 yesterday?)

https://www.mwcconnection.com/2019/9/25 ... ntain-west

Loved it!

LKGates · Post by **LKGates** » September 25th, 2019, 6:17 pm

Jjoey53 wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 5:39 pm
The fact they can recruit more in numbers does not equal the disadvantages they have to overcome.
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Absolutely agree.

utaggies · Post by **utaggies** » September 25th, 2019, 6:51 pm

Great article. Thank you!

Sl7vk · Post by **Sl7vk** » September 25th, 2019, 8:23 pm

Gary will equal great recruiting classes.
He’s so far ahead of Wells it isn’t funny.
We could really elevate the program the next 10 years.

dyedblue · Post by **dyedblue** » September 25th, 2019, 8:38 pm

Wells actually recruited quite well. Gary it's a good recruiter, but don't forget Bobby and Turbin were Brent Guy recruits.

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GameFAQSAggie · Post by **GameFAQSAggie** » September 25th, 2019, 8:53 pm

LKGates wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 6:17 pm

Jjoey53 wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 5:39 pm
The fact they can recruit more in numbers does not equal the disadvantages they have to overcome.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Absolutely agree.

This. It's far easier to find 85 kids to just play football, play football and play football to get their school paid for than it is to find 105 kids that will agree to do everything beyond playing football that is required of Air Force cadets.

GameFAQSAggie · Post by **GameFAQSAggie** » September 25th, 2019, 8:58 pm

dyedblue wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 8:38 pm
Wells actually recruited quite well. Gary it's a good recruiter, but don't forget Bobby and Turbin were Brent Guy recruits.

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Yeah, by his fourth year, everyone was discrediting what he accomplished the first two years with them being Gary's players and pointing to the record in 2016 as a sign of him being this poor recruiter. But then what he accomplished in 17 and 18 were with his players. While his recruiting could have always been better, a bigger problem in his bad years was him trying to be the offensive coordinator along with head coach, and was a better head coach after he let Yost be the OC.

As for the argument about Bobby and Turbin being Brent Guy recruits, a number of people have brought that up and gotten shot down by others.

jeffdan25 · Post by **jeffdan25** » September 26th, 2019, 6:53 am

AggieBlues wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 4:43 pm
Can someone summarize what the differences are for Air Force and other academies as far as recruiting? The article mentioned it's hard to compare the rest of the league's recruiting with Air Force due to the peculiar circumstances they enjoy, allowing for many more recruits. I didn't realize they had such a difference...but what is it and why?

Also they have to abide by the same weight restrictions that the military has for each job. This is why they always have small more athletic lineman. most of the airforce offensive line is around the 270 mark witch is very light in today's college football. This also is why the service academy's run the triple option. You just have quick lineman that can cut block.

AggieFBObsession · Post by **AggieFBObsession** » September 26th, 2019, 8:36 am

dyedblue wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 8:38 pm
don't forget Bobby and Turbin were Brent Guy recruits.
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Confirmed and I'm sure that 22 will confirm it too

JFW_AGGIES · Post by **JFW_AGGIES** » September 26th, 2019, 9:11 am

dyedblue wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 8:38 pm
Wells actually recruited quite well. Gary it's a good recruiter, but don't forget Bobby and Turbin were Brent Guy recruits.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Matt did an OK job of recruiting, but he also was recruiting in the MW and not the WAC.

AgMan21 · Post by **AgMan21** » September 26th, 2019, 12:15 pm

jeffdan25 wrote: ↑
September 26th, 2019, 6:53 am

AggieBlues wrote: ↑
September 25th, 2019, 4:43 pm
Can someone summarize what the differences are for Air Force and other academies as far as recruiting? The article mentioned it's hard to compare the rest of the league's recruiting with Air Force due to the peculiar circumstances they enjoy, allowing for many more recruits. I didn't realize they had such a difference...but what is it and why?
Also they have to abide by the same weight restrictions that the military has for each job. This is why they always have small more athletic lineman. most of the airforce offensive line is around the 270 mark witch is very light in today's college football. This also is why the service academy's run the triple option. You just have quick lineman that can cut block.

Mods feel free to separate this into a different thread, but I was thinking about weight restrictions while watching the AFA BSU game.

What if the NCAA instituted a weight limit in football at 275? I can't imagine that carrying that much weight is healthy for O and D linemen and it would likely lead to them having a healthier life. Other than the change in competition, are there many cons?

Lightbringer · Post by **Lightbringer** » September 26th, 2019, 12:56 pm

I truly enjoyed the article. Thanks for sharing! It helps that the Aggies are looking good right now, but I also enjoyed the graphs and explanations. Proud that we have done "more with less" in the last several years. Hope that our uptick in higher recruits pushes us even further up the rankings!

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