How the 2007 collapse translates to the 8-5 mini-collapse in 2009

Was Cal competing for any of those recruits listed above? Who were the guys we were targeting that year?

This fanpost suggests that the following class is “shitty”?

Class of 2008 in full:
Marvin Jones WR
J.P.Hurrell LB
Spencer Ladner TE
Tyler Rigsbee OT
Dominic Galas OT
Covaughn Deboskie RB
Beau Sweeney QB
Anthony Miller TE
Marc Anthony CB
Trevor Guyton DT
Mychal Kendricks LB
Jarrett Sparks TE
Josh Hill CB
Joseph Washington WR (not on team)
Kendrick Payne DT
Matt Rios LS
Charles Satchell WR
Aaron Tipoti DE

JC signees:
Kamron Yancy DB
Verran Tucker WR
Bryant Nnabuife CB

With all due respect, to say that only one of these players has made “significant impact” is an understatement. In addition to Marvin Jones, I’d put Tucker, Nnabuife, Miller, and Kendricks on that list. And before their careers are over, maybe we add Payne and Hill, too.

Too early to throw the Class of 2008 under the bus. Some of those recruits at other schools played because they had to. A lot of our 2008 guys have had to wait their turn. For example, DeBoskie had a couple of decent RBs in front of him.

I think two things: (1) Your expectations might be a bit high, not every year is going to yield a Best or DeSean, (B) it is too soon to discount and quantify 2007’s class. They were either redshirt freshman or true sophomores this year, far too soon to draw conclusions.

Furthermore, Payne and Tipoti played significant minutes, with Payne more than excelling. Anthony Miller was our clutch 3rd down receiving tight end. Hill, Anthony, and Guyton all played, 2 of which intermittently started as redshirt freshmen, and Matt Rios was our starting longsnapper, which is all you can expect from someone being recruited at longsnapper.

I also would question whether the 2007 collapse was fully responsible for the recruiting class, I think a lot of the negativity also included the tree-sitters and the fact we were in the midst of the lawsuit, which had no end in sight at the time. Therefore, Tedford and co. stopped using the new facilities as a selling point for the program.

Were we really in the mix for players like Quizz, the Oregon “La” running backs, Prince & Moore, and Luck?

Seems to me that if not, any team from any year can make some sort of case about missing out on recruits by highlighting some studs on other teams and finding some reason for not signing them.

Of course, if each of those players above turned down Cal because of what happened in 2007, that is something to think about.

I think we took Allan Bridgford, who I like a lot, instead of Luck.

And seriously? Kevin Prince?
If you go by QB Rating Riley is 128.75 to Prince’s 115.46
And Riley is 18-8 in TD-INT while Prince is 8-8

Not to mention Riley can grow a much fuller and attractive beard than Prince.

For all the nay sayers who are bemoaning poor recruiting, on field performance, and seem to think that every silver lining has a cloud, imagine if you were working at a company trying to recruit top notch talent and:

There were idiots living in trees right next to your office.
Those same idiots were using the surrounding grounds for human waste disposal.
That said idiots’ “residences” where within a stones throw of your important training facilities where they could be both heard and smelled.
That in order to control said idiots, the company erected fences to “protect them.”

And that every other company recruiting the same top talent had glorious facilities, and used your lack of same as a HUGE hammer.

I dare say your company would not have done very well until such time as the idiots were removed and new office space was under construction.

This is what we now have — an entire recruiting year without idiots in trees, with construction well under way and with a talented coaching staff, AD and University administration combination unlike any that many of us has ever been alive for.

Do I want to go to the Rose Bowl – yes. Am I disappointed with the outcomes of an 8-5 (late collapse) season – absolutely. Am I willing to tell the world that we have the greatest public University in the world with top notch student athletes – HELL YES.

Here’s to a brighter and Golden 2010!