The Bodda Getta

I was thinking in another thread, that the most pertinent opinion on how to weigh the OC search verses the effect it has on recruits is the opinion of our head coach. First of all, I think his actions tell us all we need to know about which is more important.

But it's also worth an attempt to put ourselves in his position and imagine how he, the leader of the program, is most likely to look at things.

If you're him, you can't pander to fan's wishes and worry about a popularity contest. Both will lead you down a road to unemployment. I think if you're him, you simply can't weigh two or three current recruits against your coach selection.

It's like searching for the next CEO at a company and worrying about what mid-level manager might leave while you're searching. You have to get the right CEO and say "oh well" about losing the replaceable manager. Someone else can do his job, yet there are a select few than can be the CEO, and finding the right one is important.

Or think of this. Let's say you're looking for a new home. On your current house, you have an adjustable rate mortgage that is set to go up significantly in June. This will cause your house payment to go from $1700 to $2100. Wow, that's $400 more per month. How do you handle your search for a new home? Do you just rush to find whatever you can before June (when your payment goes up on your current house), or do you keep the search going until you find the best house, even if you don't find one until August?

I think we all agree that while searching until August will cost you something ($400 extra a month for three months), that lost money for three months is well worth the sacrifice in order to find the "right" house that you'll be living in for years to come.

There are short term sacrifices in order to make the right long term choice.

I think if you're our head coach, you have a responsibility to look at this situation in that exact manner. Do you really think questions from fans like "what is taking so long!! This is killing our recruiting!!" matter given the perspective we just looked at? No way. They can't.

And to add a little perspective on what's gone wrong so far.....we've lost one player so far, and even that player says the OC search was only one of "many" reasons that he made the switch.

So again, from Coach Chizik's perspective, what does it mean to lose a wide receiver recruit. Well, I can assure you he cares, and will fight to get him back. But does he think it puts our team in jeopardy?

Blake and Lutz are coming back. Coates and Denson are still coming up, as is 6' 5" C.J. Uzomah, all with years of eligibility remaining. We also have big body JaQuay Williams already in this class. Then add in the smaller guys like Trovon and Quan, and you tell me how much sleep Chizik is losing over the loss of Ricardo Louis verses finding the right coordinator.

It's not even close.

PS. This post isn't to say losing Louis is no big deal. It is important. Getting the best players you can get matters. This was only an attempt to put the loss of 1 or 2 or even 3 players into perspective in Coach Chizik's world and in the middle of this search.