Prior to losing to WKU, we were trailing Boise State in the CFP rankings. We could have won that game and the conference championship and we still would not have had enough to unseat Boise, who won out. Just the same, we could have lost two other games, not even played in the Conference Championship, and when bowl selection time came around, we'd have been playing NIU in Florida (unless WKU or LTSU decided they wanted to, for some reason).
This this this god this. Makes me think of the Blake Keller article the week of the Louisville game...I think it was meant to make us think we're lucky to have him on the team, but it more or less said the kid quit on UCF mid-season because he didn't want to play football anymore. Why do you give a kid like that a scholarship? Why do you bring that attitude into your lockeroom? Why would you be surprised when he doesn't live up to his potential?
The 2011 class has been by far our best during the Doc era, but the 2012 classes has to be one of our worst classes since moving to FBS back in 1997. If you look at the top-18 recruits by position in each class from 2011-2015, the 2011 class was the highest composite rating (72.46 = 3-star), highest star rating (2.778), had one of the best overall retention rates for the top 18 recruits by position (61.11%), and had the highest retention rate among 3-star plus recruits (69.231%). The class also gave us all-time stars in Cato and Shuler (4th rated WR in class so not included in numbers), and was the key class in rebuilding the program. The 2013 class was good for solid starters and depth players so they contributed to our success, but the 2012 class was abysmal. Only 4 of the top 18 recruits turned into depth chart or starting caliber players, and the class was also one of our lowest rated classes. The retention rate for the top-18 recruits by position in the class was 27.78%, and the retention rate for 3-star plus recruits was 10%. So while Seider did a great job with the 2011 class, his 2012 class was the complete opposite, and is partially at fault for the lack of senior leadership we see on this year's team, since only 1 SR remains and he doesn't even play.
The 2016 class is our best yet on paper under Doc when you figure in the "futures" or NQs. Now the 2011 class was great overall, so only time will tell if the 2016 class can get to that level of success.
I believe I would agree with that, the 2012 class talent level was pretty good for a G5, but the 2012 class was close due to the insane attrition level. The only players in the class that produced on the field were Leggett, Devon Johnson, JUCOs (Ken Smith and Gage Niemeyer), Massaquoi, Tindal, and Thompson besides Cincotta and Williams on special teams.
