🏈 What's a 2 Star?

[LBS]

I have been bothered by how the two kickers that Bama has commitments from are both 2 star rated by Rivals.com. They do not seem to be of the caliber of 2 stars at other positions. Heck, Cade Foster (the kicker from Carroll, TX is likely atleast a 3 star LB outright). The impact to Bama is that 2x 2-star ratings are averaged into our overall rating, and thus drags the average down as well. So I looked a bit deeper.

If these two commitments were not added at all, Bama's star average would be 3.95, up from 3.57. For perspective, that 3.57 has us ranked #2 behind Texas at 3.81. So without the value added of these kickers, and with 21 commitments apiece (read apples-to-apples), we are clearly ahead of Texas.

Still deeper. Cade Foster is rated the #11 player in the country at his position. By chance, Wide Receiver DeAndrew White is also ranked #11 at his position. The issue is that White is a 4-Star, while Foster is a 2? Kicker Jay Williams is rated #24 in the country at his position. Safety Nick Perry is also rated #24 in the nation at his position, and has 4 stars.

":headscratch:"...and you can quote me on that.

If kickers were rated as other positions were, Bama's star average would actually rise, coming within hundreths of a point from 4.0.

 

[UAgrad93]

I believe they look at just how much of an impact the kid will have and will he contribute immediately. Because they only get on thefield 5-6 times a game tops, kickers don't get alot of stars thrown their way. Now if Philip Sims(QB prospect) also handled kicking duties for his school then his "star" power may be even higher. Don't fret over the star ratings, they will come in and do a fine job for the team.

 

[Nate]

rest assured if CNS wants em.. they are probably worth it lol

 

[Swamptick]

rest assured if CNS wants em.. they are probably worth it lol

This

 

[lilstat]

Texas may as well have the same thing with them. I didn't look but they may have some 1 or 2 star kickers as well. It all evens out in the end I would think.

 

['65 Cobra]

Cade Foster is a 4-star on Scouts and Jay Williams the punter is a 3-star. BUT we are ranked #3 overall behind Texas and Oklahoma on that service. What are you gonna do? I wouldn't worry about it too much and trust CNS's judgment.

 

[BAMAFSTBACK]

FWIW Dan Hawkins was recruiting Foster as a linebacker. and you know "IT'S DIVISION I FOOTBALL!"

 

[LBS]

I believe they look at just how much of an impact the kid will have and will he contribute immediately. Because they only get on thefield 5-6 times a game tops, kickers don't get alot of stars thrown their way. Now if Philip Sims(QB prospect) also handled kicking duties for his school then his "star" power may be even higher. Don't fret over the star ratings, they will come in and do a fine job for the team.

Leigh Tiffin just became the all-time leading scorer in Alabama history, replacing another kicker in the number one slot. This is far from uncommon in College Football.

No one in those circles would think that. Kickers are point scorers of the highest order. They're not long snappers.

Cade Foster will likely kick off the season for us.

Rivals has both our kickers as 2 stars. http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/

Texas has no 2-stars and no kickers commited.

 

[UAgrad93]

LBS, you summed up my point. Coming in, kickers aren't seen as a high impact player because they only get on the field for those 5-6 times a game. If you look at the number of stars Leigh had coming in, I imagine he was only a 2 maybe a low 3 star. I know that both Cade and Jay will come in and be expected to contribute immediately. We all know the stars get thrown at the guys that are seen as impact players because they are in on so much of the action in each game(60-80 plays).

 

[Bamabacker]

I agree that its impressive to have all the stars but CNS has pointed out a few times that it is only a guideline for the type of player he needs. We've seen some highly sought after kids to never pan out or weakly recruited kids perform well...ie. Cody 3* Dareus 3* Maze 3*...BJ Scott 5* T. Love 5*

 

[LBS]

LBS, you summed up my point. Coming in, kickers aren't seen as a high impact player because they only get on the field for those 5-6 times a game. If you look at the number of stars Leigh had coming in, I imagine he was only a 2 maybe a low 3 star. I know that both Cade and Jay will come in and be expected to contribute immediately. We all know the stars get thrown at the guys that are seen as impact players because they are in on so much of the action in each game(60-80 plays).

The point of this thread was to stress the inconsistancy of stars to impact as applied to kickers. IF stars ignored imports, impact, or points, and instead focused on snap counts, they lend little value. Our worst starter blew away Tiffin in snaps played, yet who was more critical to the success of the team?

The issue is that the kicker's star rating is weighted no different than any other player. When a 3-star LB waits until his senior year before plays while a 2 star kicker places himself in line to become the all-time leading scorer at that program, something is wrong. This is Leigh Tiffin and Cory Reamer. Leigh Tiffin, one of our First Team All-Americans, was less impactful than Cory? Really?

 

[UAgrad93]

They just don't throw high number of stars at kickers,LBS. I agree with you in your points. I agree that the kickers are extremely important and Leigh has done his share to forever be in Alabama lore. Cory Reamer has been just as important IMHO as well. Scouting services give the higher star rating to those that are on the field for 60-80 plays and the kickers very rarely if ever get above 3 stars.

 

[LBS]

NO ONE ARGUES THAT THEY DO GIVE KICKERS LOWER STAR RATINGS.

Point One: That practice sucks and is just wrong.

Point Two: Bama would have the #1 recruitng class if kickers were weighted correctly.

 

[UAgrad93]

No doubt on both points LBS. I just don't see the services ever revamping their attitudes toward kickers. We all know special teams will lose you a game just as quickly as they can win one.Too bad the recruiting services don't see them as being that important.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

These two kickers are good size, tough looking boys. By no means do I mean to diminish P.J. Fitzgerald's game changing tackle against Florida, but I'm optimistic that we can have some Lane Bearden-like tackles from these two.

RTR,

Tim