Link: 2026 Transfer Portal

[BamaMoon]

When I say time, I mean he has a short one, like by the time the portal closes.

Do you understand we can recruit guys out of the portal AFTER the portal closes???

 

[Jack Bourbon]

You are correct, we were targeting him

geez. Another whiff? (Diaz)

 

[denver]

Indiana is 49th in the recruiting rankings...so does HS recruiting even matter anymore?
Serious question...players transfer, it seems FR are not as valuable as JR/SR....its still probably not proven yet (the Cignetti method) but it will be interesting to see how HS recruiting is affected.

2025 Recruit Football Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

 

[bamamc1]

Very similar story in basketball with Derrick McKey. He, like Jacobs, was a late bloomer. Denny Crum at Louisville was really the only major school offering him. Wimp Sanderson and David Hobbs went over and watched Derrick play BASEBALL (at Shortstop). He was gobbling up every ball hit his direction. Wimp said to Hobbs “dang, if his hands are that good, and hand-eye coordination are that good, he should be pretty catching a basketball down on the post”.

To your point:. Many times it’s about that guy that has the eye for evaluation.

We had CNS and guys like Pendry, Steele, Cig, Burns, that didn’t get their info from 24/7. They were TALENT EVALUATORS!

 

[BamaBoySince89]

Do you understand we can recruit guys out of the portal AFTER the portal closes???

I’m not totally aware of how it works but, he has to have something to show by the time spring ball comes around

 

[JustNeedMe81]

For all of you saying "be patient", "let the process work itself out", "back off from the ledge", etc., I have one question: Can you name one piece of evidence, one past concrete action that gives you even a modicum of confidence that this staff is going to figure this out and salvage this portal effort?

I'm willing to trust if there's good basis for doing so. I'm just not seeing it.

I'm one of them that has said it and I will continue to say this as much I need to. We do need to be patient and just let the process play out. Alabama does not have that huge NIL budget like Texas, Ohio State and "Indiana" has. They can't just go throw out 6 million dollars at a player. They're grabbing players on Defense side with no issue, It's the OL line I'm concerned with and how they're struggling to lock them in. One guy they got him on campus but didn't offer him. Just land 2-3 OL players and I'm happy. I want the young guy to develop and I want some veteran mixed in.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

We had CNS and guys like Pendry, Steele, Cig, Burns, that didn’t get their info from 24/7. They were TALENT EVALUATORS!

That's not fair assessment. Saban was good at evaluating talent, but he definitely missed a lot on some players... and he had assistants that missed too. You've heard Saban talked about that many times over the years.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

When I say time, I mean he has a short one, like by the time the portal closes.

Not true!

We can sign the Portal players any time between now and whenever. The Portal closing only means that no one can enter after that date. There is NO deadline on signings...

 

[BamaInBham]

Yea, baffles me how that one got away. I mean, that is the dude that was opening holes for our transfer Hollywood. Want to keep that tandem in tact as much as possible.

It was money and the fact that he seriously wanted to stay as close home as possible. He is from NC.

 

[arthurdawg]

On my other group one guy who knows several of the On3 guys feels that Smothers is gone and they feel the staff botched it.

If so we are rapidly approaching a grad of F- on this year's portal. Ugh.

I hope they pull a rabbit out, but I feel like we just fumbled the second half kickoff and went down by 3 TDs...

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

The powers that be are very intentional, IMO about the mess that has ensued. Us as fans have been betrayed.

It messes up recruiting and development. A kid jumping around every year has to kill their development but most of them are trying to capitalize as much as they can, while they can. If you give a kid millions of dollars with no rules, then you can’t be mad at them for how they react.

Nor can you control what they do...

 

[The Ols]

And those recruiting classes are now irrelevant because most of that #2 class will be gone after one year if theyre not playing or getting a raise. Its the portal recruiting and retainafe thats now the most important, not HS recruiting classes.

It was a response to a direct statement about recruiting suffering, which it is not…how can they be irrelevant if they’re not even on campus yet?

 

[JustNeedMe81]

I’m not totally aware of how it works but, he has to have something to show by the time spring ball comes around

You can't just demand a coach has to do something. I mean he is doing something. They're working it. They're doing the best they can with the budget given... But at same time.. just don't like how they're prioritizing other positions over OL/DL thats it. That's only issue.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

That's not fair assessment. Saban was good at evaluating talent, but he definitely missed a lot on some players... and he had assistants that missed too. You've heard Saban talked about that many times over the years.

He never completely just ‘struck out’.

I’m still in disbelief that idiot Morgan said that.

I’m not in disbelief that he was chosen to say it.

I don’t know off the Top of my head what CNS’s evaluation success % was… probably at least 70% in his prime.

It’s wasn’t 0% that’s for sure.

That’s what a Strikout is… 1-2-3 your out

.000 Batting average

 

[BamaBoySince89]

Not true!

We can sign the Portal players any time between now and whenever. The Portal closing only means that no one can enter after that date. There is NO deadline on signings...

Got it, either it’s a sign of them taking their time based off production and not hype, or we have no other choice but to fill a roster with what’s left out there.

This stuff makes my head hurt btw

 

[Cruloc]

Indiana is 49th in the recruiting rankings...so does HS recruiting even matter anymore?
Serious question...players transfer, it seems FR are not as valuable as JR/SR....its still probably not proven yet (the Cignetti method) but it will be interesting to see how HS recruiting is affected.

2025 Recruit Football Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

Recruiting is going to be more for depth. Why waste resources on a 5 star with a potential when you can pay less for a guy that's proven himself somewhere else and has experience. Knowing also that the 5 star you've given a bunch of money to may transfer next year anyway.

 

[BamaBoySince89]

You can't just demand a coach has to do something. I mean he is doing something. They're working it. They're doing the best they can with the budget given... But at same time.. just don't like how they're prioritizing other positions over OL/DL thats it. That's only issue.

I’m not standing over his desk pounding it either but expectations are expectations. It’s taking some time to get used to

 

[BamaMoon]

I just hope their action with the portal/NIL is not an indication of how they’ve prepared to play games because we’ve seen multiple times how that worked out

I think next year we'll have a better idea which one it is: Jimmies and Joes OR Xs and Os.

My point is being misconstrued.

I’m saying *IF* we can’t get 4 stars consistently (and apparently we can’t even though we have Top 10 NIL Coffers)



It’s not necessarily an either or thing.

I suspect that's what we are trying to do...but everyone is acting like they know when we are really in the dark.

I woke up this morning, and I read 4-5 pages of the same old angst on this portal mess, and I should have stay in bed a little longer. its Saturday, the weekend. 36 degrees in San Jose, a beautiful cold winter morning. I suggest some posters enjoy their weekend and let the chips fall where they may.

Cold rain here in Boone, NC, which is supposed to change to snow tomorrow. A good day to watch a movie, some basketball and take a nap!

Answer: Yes

2nd part: My Question

“Why?”

I'm sorry you feel that way. "Why?" what?

I have said this numerous times, we better have a coaching staff that can develop the talent they bring in. We no longer will just be the most talented team in the field. I do have faith that our coaches are capable but reserve the right to change my mind next year. Have patience and trust the coaches

That's really all we can do, isn't it?

We can't fire CKD today; we've got to let him coach at least through the '26 season.

Next year is pivotal. Improvement in many facets is needed.

This time next year we'll know more!

 

[Cruloc]

On my other group one guy who knows several of the On3 guys feels that Smothers is gone and they feel the staff botched it.

If so we are rapidly approaching a grad of F- on this year's portal. Ugh.

I hope they pull a rabbit out, but I feel like we just fumbled the second half kickoff and went down by 3 TDs...

You can't convince me that we aren't getting outworked.

 

[Cruloc]

We got the Mercer safety.