5* CB Desmond Ricks down to UF, LSU, and Bama. Commitment date 12/23/22

I just don’t get it. We have more money than those hicks in Alabama. If it’s really all about money we should be blowing away 95% of the teams in college football. Me thinks our school and alumni need to divert money away from academics and toward athletics if we want to ever be taken seriously again on the gridiron.

 

Losing recruits to other teams is not always about money. Different people are motivated by different things and in varying degrees of importance - relationships, money, playing time/positional competition, development, scheme, pipeline to the NFL, team success, facilities, etc. My point is, I don't think you can look at a UF/Bama/LSU battle and objectively conclude Ricks only chose Bama because of money.

 

Well, Bama, UGa, et al passed moral bankruptcy long ago....and sadly have been allowed to prosper for it.

 

On an individual basis, no. That would be like a one size fits all reason for why some would go there. But as an aggregate, teams that play the payola game in general, recruit at a much higher level. We know who they are....they show up in the playoffs regularly.

 

Those hicks in Alabama live and breathe Alabama or Auburn football....there are a lot of ppl over there that will reach into their wallet to make sure they have the best players. They also have fine tuned their NIL machine for more than a decade, and have a system in place to manage the teams differing financial realities among teammates.

 

Two completely different student bodies and alumni bases. Priorities are different.

 

Because Alabama & Georgia are well established all in pipeline machines to the league, they don’t have to pay premium prices either. Top shelf players will go there for less, much less in some cases, because they want be part of that machine and play with other similar talent level players. Other teams have to pay well above ask just to get a few of those types. aTm went out and bought one monster class, thinking they would join them up on their level, and it all hilariously blew up on them. Again, it’s not just about the $$$ for them, it’s about the systems they have too.

 

Agreed, but UF was a pipeline to the NFL just a few years ago and it didn't help our recruiting at all. There is something else in play here too.

 

It helped us up until the point we fell behind. The last Meyer class and a couple of the Chump classes were right up where we needed them to be. Then the poor facilities and overall downfall of the program became the narrative.

They cheaped out on facilities, recruiting budgets and coaches for over a decade.

To recruits now, we're ancient history. Most of our key performers on the last National title team have retired from the league.

 

If it was solely about money, it would be Texas every year since they earn over a billion a year just off oil leases.

If it was solely about money, how come you don't see more NFL teams be competitive?

It's partly money, but also the fact the front office/admin has to be ALL IN to win.

 

That was 12+ yrs ago, UF lost their prime spot, unfortunately.

 

Thanks to a couple of HCs who through recruiting against Alabama/Georgia was optional....I mean what were they thinking? Mullen should never receive another HC job if the AD saw what happened here...

 

Mullen and Shark Boy weren't the only culprits. Someone had to hire them first.

 

NFL has a salary cap. That may be needed in college if parity is considered worthwhile. It is really hard to see the NCAA taking that on. Conferences could provide some rules, but that wold be against most conference's best interest.

 

In the short term. Kind of like saying, "Gee, I have to eat broccoli and Mike gets to eat McDonald's every meal." We shall see who you want to be in the future.


And likely much further in the future.

 

The nfl does not have a cap on third party endorsements. The colleges aren’t paying the kids a salary, so there’s nothing to cap.

 

I was traveling through Alabama yesterday listen to signing day of recruiting. The talking heads were saying Ricks was talking to both Alabama and LSU through the night before and yesterday and it was looking better for Bama. My thoughts the ante was getting raised! fYI

 

And we were not even in the discussion? Looks like we put our offer on the table and said good luck.

 

Your post reminds me of a recent drive thru the south listening to sports talk. Guys in Mississippi thought the Freeze and Deon hires were great and that both would kill it at their new schools. (of course both Freeze and Deon coached in Ms). Hit Alabama and those talkers didnt like either hire, especially Freeze and his Liberty assistants. Had to laugh, everybody has an opinion.

 

Thank you! Everyone thinks the dean of economics is cutting a check on behalf of the school or something. The frenzy has caused all sorts of confusion and assumptions on what’s going on