I know that everyone leaving is a scrub, but we really really need some guys in the program for 3-4 years who grow into contributing. Otherwise we will be forever young (and never win anything).

Well at this position alone, Russell is in year 5 and Cooper is in year 4. We need to keep both but most think we do.

I think things are changing in front of your eyes where expecting to have a ton of guys hang around for 4-5 years won't happen. You will get a few, but need to go portal nearly every year for at least a handful, if not 8-12 some yesrs, to avoid being young

CoachLB said:

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I need to see that film when White was playing lights out. When Cooper and Russell was on the field the LB play was way better. I would imagine when the coaches meet individually with players he was told that. I believe the staff knows who is coming from the portal and told White.

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last year cooper finished with 58 tackles
last year white finished with 57 tackles

This, I hope we get someone like Cobb and we have 1-2 young bodies coming in like Hill and someone else

SBDavis87 said:

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CoachLB said:

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I need to see that film when White was playing lights out. When Cooper and Russell was on the field the LB play was way better. I would imagine when the coaches meet individually with players he was told that. I believe the staff knows who is coming from the portal and told White.

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last year cooper finished with 58 tackles
last year white finished with 57 tackles

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That doesn't prove he played lights out. By the end of the year he was our #3 LB behind Cooper and Russell. Also we are looking at adding LBs from the portal. White was good depth but it's understandable why hrs moving on.

DallasAg 94 said:

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It will be interesting to see how many of these upperclassmen stay.

Look at it this way... the Class of 2022 was rumored to have collectively received $30M. We know that isn't true. We do know NIL did have an impact.

If you are class of 2019, like White and Chase Lane or class of 2020... you didn't get that big courtship to get you to Aggieland.

Put your name in the Portal and let the attention commence. Maybe the stay with a new NIL deal.

Chase Lane indicated that when many of the incoming freshman got on campus, there was much discussion about who got what. He seem to imply it was within the class, but I'm guessing it extended to others in the locker room.

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The NIL deals for that class of 2019 HAS SAILED!
By Now.... those kids have had 3 years to prove their worth to a Team.
By Now.... IF you are that Good, you throw your name in the NFL Draft.

I would not be surprised if the 19 Class got Jack Squat. 20 Class a little here, a little there. 21 Class yea the Chosen Few. 22 Class there was another deal. Petty Jealousy, Pretty Sure.

The stat's we see are those that try to Reenter the Portal. It would be very interesting to see the Stats of those that leave and DON'T improve their situation.

There are several potential outcomes including..... (regardless of NIL deals)

WIN/WIN from a P5 backup role to a P5 Starting Role
WIN/WIN from a NonP5 to a P5 Starting Role
WIN/WIN from a FCS Program to a FBS Program
WIN/WIN ? from a P5 to a FBS, but you play and end up getting drafted

WIN/LOSER/WIN Highly recruited HS kid, committed, decommitted, couldn't make up your mind. Went to a program, had a Me, Me, Me attitude and couldn't crack the lineup due to lousy habits and not liking the coach telling you effort counts, etc..... Transfer, get a chance to start over, have grown up and now begin to use your potential.

WIN/LOSE 4 or 5 star in HS, struggles to make the lineup. Doesn't make a difference during games, but seems to still be rotation. Gets Jealous of Others and Goes to the Portal. Get to Transfer to an ALSO Ran Program, loses the NIL they had, Find Out that their performance makes a difference to their marketability, plays but gets very little notoriety.

WIN/LOSE Promising HS Player, thinks it's still all about THEM. Is a Team Discipline Problem (Hell they got away with it in HS) get suspended, gets arrested. Loses all their NIL Cash on Legal Fees. Ends up a Juco and wonders 'What Happened?"

I just don't see this as that rosy a picture and they think.
Schools used to have a problem with many recruits that were given scholarship's based on Promise. Stayed 4 years, didn't play much, valuable on Scout Teams, Got their Degrees, etc. My guess is these kids know they don't have NFL potential and are just glad to be on the Team, and put sports behind them as they move to a professional business career.

IMO the biggest issues for Teams Now is Not ONLY FILLING Holes in their lineup, but finding kids for active spots in the playing rotation. What does this do to a team, that may have kids with experience at other programs, look like Upperclassmen, but don't know the program or the teammates. How fast can the TEAM be rebuild into a complementary/cohesive group.

Or is this large number of kids in the portal THIS YEAR an anomaly because of the recent upturn in NIL impacts.

P.U.T.U said:

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This, I hope we get someone like Cobb and we have 1-2 young bodies coming in like Hill and someone else

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We have Sanford and although he's listed as am edge on 247 last I heard was we wanted him as a LB. Hill is still on the table and Cobb is definitely a target.

Dr. Horrible said:

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1stGenAg01 said:

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Are players using the portal as a leveraging tool to get more NIL offers/counter-offers or has college football still not fallen to that level yet?

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Wouldn't you be interested in finding out what your value is in the market if you were in their shoes? It's like applying for another job, and then deciding if you're leaving your current one after you get your new offer. Don't get the job, don't leave. Players have all the power. Welcome to the new world of college football free agency. NFL minor league. It's here to stay, get used to it.

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there are very few employees who go to their boss and say "hi I'm leaving if I get more money" and then ever come back to the original company.

either the players and the fan base will hate the guy in the portal for being a traitor, or many will suspect anyone in the portal who then comes back must be a loser and slinks back to where he was before because he couldn't get any better deal.

Only 247 has Sanford as an edge, looks like everyone else has him as a LB. With his size and speed (4.55, plus runs the hurdles) it sounds like he will be a good fit in our 4-2-5 as a LB.

At this point I think we need 2 transfers and 2 high school recruits at least. Another 2-3+ next year as well

We currently have 3 experienced LB. I would like to see 1 quality portal guy and 2 HS recruits. That would give us 6 which is the minimum we should have. I wouldn't be upset if we added one more best available.

Look at 2020 tape, White was playing well. He also played well in 2021.

In 2022 he did not play as well behind the new and young'ish DL and in Durkin's system... which you can say about almost everyone on the defense for the latter.

P.U.T.U said:

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Only 247 has Sanford as an edge, looks like everyone else has him as a LB. With his size and speed (4.55, plus runs the hurdles) it sounds like he will be a good fit in our 4-2-5 as a LB.

At this point I think we need 2 transfers and 2 high school recruits at least. Another 2-3+ next year as well

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Looking ahead, how will he fit once Durkin inevitably goes to a 1-2-8?

Dr. Horrible said:

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1stGenAg01 said:

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Are players using the portal as a leveraging tool to get more NIL offers/counter-offers or has college football still not fallen to that level yet?

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Wouldn't you be interested in finding out what your value is in the market if you were in their shoes? It's like applying for another job, and then deciding if you're leaving your current one after you get your new offer. Don't get the job, don't leave. Players have all the power. Welcome to the new world of college football free agency. NFL minor league. It's here to stay, get used to it.

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A big difference is that if I'm looking for a different job, my boss doesn't know, so he might not be looking for someone to replace me.

Players have to announce they are going into the portal..and sure, they don't have to leave...but it does make the staff actively look for replacements..
Just like your job, the scholarships are not guaranteed to be there next year....except with your job, you can go behind your boss's back to look....not so with the portal.

Outcomes of picking to go into the portal:
1. Player finds a "better" place and leaves, then they are replaced through portal or recruits
2. Player doesn't leave and stays on the team
3. Player decides to not leave, but the staff finds someone else from the portal/recruit and pulls the players scholarship to make room and now he has to leave.

2 words...

Dur kin

Jarrin' Jay said:

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Look at 2020 tape, White was playing well. He also played well in 2021.

In 2022 he did not play as well behind the new and young'ish DL and in Durkin's system... which you can say about almost everyone on the defense for the latter.

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Agree. Durkin's scheme seems to have linebackers bailing into coverage at the snap a lot. It's hard to be a hard-nosed run stopper with all the deception. I hope he rethinks that premise and the front seven becomes more direct in their approach. We have speed, quickness and size on our side to win individual battles and make plays.