Recruting as a whole does not mean a lot. It is a crap shoot at best. How many of these kids ever actually see a football field at gametime? Some of these kids will last 6 years. Others will be lucky to last 6 weeks. Some schools, like UGA, could care less about the kid's ability to think or his prior arrest reord. Ditto Miami and Florida State. That is why those schools lead the NCAA in players kicked off the team or suspended. The numbers game is also a phony. USC is #1 in one poll. Alabama is #1 in another. Being #1 in recruiting does not necessairily mean success on the field. Alabama was allegedly #1 in reruiting for the last several years. Where did that get them in 2013 and 2014?
So you're saying we should be on the lookout for Utah State and Idaho to be in the CFB playoffs next year?
You're completely wrong about it not meaning anything. Sure, there may not be a big difference in the #8 consensus class vs. the #17 class. But you use Bama as an example ans say "where di that get them...?" It got them in the CFB playoff this year....and it got them 1 play away in 2013.
These recruiting rankings are actually scary accurate. Sure, there are diamonds in the rough (not all teams are going to land 24 5-star kids). There's going to be a mix of 3, 4, and 5 star kids on most rosters....and a sprinkling of 2-star and/or JUCO kids.
It comes down to recruiting, coaching, developing talent....and one more key factor: luck!
I agree it's not an exact science, but it does matter. 15 5-star kids played in the CFB National Championship game. If you add in the other 2 teams that made the playoff (Bama & FSU, probably the two best recruiting teams in the country year-in-year-out) I imagine there were another 15-20 5-stars.
Recruting matters....and so do the rankings.
