| FTBL What a shocker —- Woods commits to Clemson.

I get wanting the Bama kids to play in TTown. This may be a season where the local kids just don’t have the “it” factor for Bama. I remember back in the mid 2000’s of a kid from my neck of the woods that was a beast at RB. Watching this kid game in and game out, for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why we didn’t get him. CNS offered for him to play LB but he wanted to be an RB so he went to Ole Miss. Good kid had his head on right but had his heart set on playing RB. This kid may have got something he wanted to hear from Dabo, as well as these other in state kids we miss on. Think we’ll be o.k. :)

Woods has never rubbed me in a way that I had to have his commitment. His size concerns me for some reason, like he's too big around and not tall enough. To me he's built more like an interior guy, not an end. Woods wasn't a must have for me.

I do like a good five star end and outside backer though. Possible he turns into a great one and Dabo just outworked us there. Clemson is not a concern for me these days like they were just two to three years ago.
 
Last edited:
Might. But truth is.....its the fit.....
And for some...Dabo and his Tigers fit...

Understandably for sure....Clemson Has a lot to offer....
And NIL.....it’s mostly agreed....is neutralizing some things across the board in CF...
While NIL is the common theme in recuiting, but we need to realize that sometime it's not always about NIL... and NIL isn't always the reason...

Wood fits at Clemson because of Dabo and etc. But I'm talking about scheme, Maturity and Physical Development. Woods is likely in need of 1 year to get his body right. I think Wood commited to Clemson because his dad loves Clemson.
 
While NIL is the common theme in recuiting, but we need to realize that sometime it's not always about NIL... and NIL isn't always the reason...

Wood fits at Clemson because of Dabo and etc. But I'm talking about scheme, Maturity and Physical Development. Woods is likely in need of 1 year to get his body right. I think Wood commited to Clemson because his dad loves Clemson.
ALl that and sometimes....its what momma wants...
 
Woods has never rubbed me in a way that I had to have his commitment. His size concerns me for some reason, like he's too big around and not tall enough. To me he's built more like an interior guy, not an end. Woods wasn't a must have for me.

I do like a good five star end and outside backer though. Possible he turns into a great one and Dabo just outworked us there. Clemson is not a concern for me these days like they were just two to three years ago.

I think it’s mostly agreed.....
Clemson is a program to watch this year...
Lots of new assistants.....replacing good long termers at Clemson and with Dabo...

Remembering how Tennessee and Fulmer could not replace the loss of assistants....mainly Cutcliff...( and lazyness in recruiting by fatphil)
And Tennessee went from ......"penthouse to doghouse " pretty quickly..

Can Dabo stay on top...will new assistants keep program at upper level....?

Be interesting.....
 
From Rivals...

1. NICK SABAN HASN’T LOST A STEP​

Recent comments by new Clemson commit
Peter Woods
, a four-star defensive end who lives about an hour from Tuscaloosa, that coach Dabo Swinney is more lively and more understanding of teenage life than Alabama coach Nick Saban has raised some eyebrows.

Saban is 70-years-old. Swinney is 52. There has always been a pep in Swinney’s step that is contagious and exciting where Saban, off the field, I’ve been told is more relaxed in recruiting meetings with a CEO personality. I’ve taken that as a compliment toward Saban.
Woods’ comments could have been off-handed after announcing the biggest decision of his life so far, the thinking of a teenager who doesn’t calculate every word and its meaning. It could have been meant as a compliment to Swinney and not necessarily a knock on Saban. Kids say things all the time that might not be so well-considered.
Or it could be a tactic being utilized by younger, maybe more vibrant coaches to win heated recruiting battles. The same strategies were used against Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden in their later years but both were much older than Saban and both Penn State and Florida State fell on hard times at different segments in the closing stanzas of their careers.
That is not the case at Alabama.
The Crimson Tide would have finished first in the team recruiting rankings in 2022 if not for an historic class by Texas A&M which started not only a signing day controversy around NIL deals but Saban made comments in recent months that sparked another outrage by Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher. Whichever side you fall on that argument, Saban is definitely engaged.
In 2021, Alabama had the No. 1 class. The Crimson Tide finished second or third in the previous two years. No. 1 classes have been so commonplace in Saban’s career that it’s completely surprising when it doesn’t happen now even as Georgia and Texas A&M have ramped things up under Fisher and Kirby Smart in recent years.
The Crimson Tide battled incredibly hard in the national title game this past season in a loss to Georgia where numerous starters were out. After the game, quarterback
Bryce Young
and others looked crestfallen that they lost, not just disappointed but shocked that it could happen. The program remains in incredibly good hands.

In his career, Saban has seven national titles and 10 SEC championships. Has he lost a step at 70-years-old? Probably not. But even if Saban has, he’s still so far ahead of most everyone else that national titles are still the expectation and recruiting should not fall off one iota.
 
Back to my original question, is this showing a crack in the recruiting machine Saban has created? If so why do you think? Saban's age? NIL or who knows? When decline starts there are some leading indicators just trying to see if this is one of them. Decline is a relative thing also. Compared to the std that CNS has created is what I am talking about. I still know when the dust settles CNS is going to get great talent at Bama so not overly concerned yet...
Personally, I think it’s the NIL and I believe that’s why Saban launched the atomic tipped missile at A&M. He doesn’t misspeak very often … especially when it’s not an in the heat of the moment situation. How often does the state of Alabama produce enough high school talent in one year to earn Bama a top 3 class even if they only signed in state talent? I don’t recall that ever being the case. Like I said, when the state’s had a lot of talent Saban usually cleaned up. Nothing has substantially changed except Saban’s age and the NIL. He looks like he’s in his 50’s and today’s 70’s are like my day’s 50’s anyway. It’s the NIL and the fact other coaches are using their intentionally biased interpretation of his stance on the subject against him. If the NCAA, or college football’s Power Five or the elected officials who pushed this ill conceived disaster in a knee jerk reaction to social events doesn’t put a number of ironclad restrictions on it, none of us will recognize college football in 10 years.
 
Back
Top Bottom