'16 TX LB Jeffrey McCulloch (Texas Verbal)

[Cackalacky]

Yet Clemson moved up and down the field all night on them scoring 40 pts. If not for that 95 yard return, Clemson wins by 2.

Oh the same score they beat ND by.

Yet they were a top 5 defense by most accounts.

#2 FEI Defense
#1 FEI Overall
#1 S&P
#1 S&P Overall
#1 FEI/S&P Combined
For Defensive Line Stats they were dominant as well.
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2015 NCAA DEFENSIVE LINE STATS

I am failing to understand how one game against a top offensive opponent negates their body of work over 14 games. If you think by the transitive property ND loses to Alabama by two or even wins that game, you are fooling yourself.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texas?src=hash">#Texas</a> set to host nearly 20 recruits for massive official visit weekend. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsRide?src=hash">#LetsRide</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Horns?src=hash">#Horns</a> <a href="https://t.co/lUqbBoeSoC">https://t.co/lUqbBoeSoC</a> <a href="https://t.co/t22hQ7q3pD">pic.twitter.com/t22hQ7q3pD</a></p>— Burnt Orange Nation (@BON_SBNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/BON_SBNation/status/688027736477188096">January 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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[Wingman Ray]

Yet they were a top 5 defense by most accounts.

#2 FEI Defense
#1 FEI Overall
#1 S&P
#1 S&P Overall
#1 FEI/S&P Combined
For Defensive Line Stats they were dominant as well.
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2015 NCAA DEFENSIVE LINE STATS

I am failing to understand how one game against a top offensive opponent negates their body of work over 14 games. If you think by the transitive property ND loses to Alabama by two or even wins that game, you are fooling yourself.

Oh no doubt Bama would have beaten ND. And more than by two pts.

But Bama played a lot of bad teams in 2015. Weak OOC schedule and the conference was down as well.

I dont agree with these stats showing this or that team # nationwide when they get to factor in playing the school of the blind and crushing them like little schoolgirls. Those games should be removed from # consideration.

But again, everyone knows that it is about media and selling newspapers to fan bases.

 

[IrishLion]

Oh no doubt Bama would have beaten ND. And more than by two pts.

But Bama played a lot of bad teams in 2015. Weak OOC schedule and the conference was down as well.

I dont agree with these stats showing this or that team # nationwide when they get to factor in playing the school of the blind and crushing them like little schoolgirls. Those games should be removed from # consideration.

But again, everyone knows that it is about media and selling newspapers to fan bases.

Their OOC schedule was weak, but this was one year where the SEC was far and away the best conference. Bowl season made that clear. So though they weren't tested OOC, Bama played a difficult schedule overall, and so I think that even if you only factored in "good" opponents, Bama would still be doing okay.

Also, those are "adjusted" stats, meaning the opponent IS taken into consideration when determining the rankings. So even using your criteria, Bama was still tops.

 

[BobbyMac]

Their OOC schedule was weak, but this was one year where the SEC was far and away the best conference. Bowl season made that clear. So though they weren't tested OOC, Bama played a difficult schedule overall, and so I think that even if you only factored in "good" opponents, Bama would still be doing okay.

Also, those are "adjusted" stats, meaning the opponent IS taken into consideration when determining the rankings. So even using your criteria, Bama was still tops.

What the bowl season made clear was that SEC teams can beat up on opponents with worse records. If you believe the SEC is the best conference then they are playing teams with worse records from lesser conferences to boot.

Out of the 10 teams, the SEC opponent had a better record in just 3 of those games...and one of those was Memphis v. Auburn.

Their bowl agreements provided really bad match ups like 9-3 LSU vs a 7-5 Texas Tech and a 9-3 UGA vs a 7-5 Penn St.

 

[IrishLion]

What the bowl season made clear was that SEC teams can beat up on opponents with worse records. If you believe the SEC is the best conference then they are playing teams with worse records from lesser conferences to boot.

Out of the 10 teams, the SEC opponent had a better record in just 3 of those games...and one of those was Memphis v. Auburn.

Their bowl agreements provided really bad match ups like 9-3 LSU vs a 7-5 Texas Tech and a 9-3 UGA vs a 7-5 Penn St.

I agree that they had favorable matchups. But they didn't just win those games, they blew teams out of the water. LSU over Texas Tech was impressive to me. Ole Miss blowing the doors off OK St was impressive. Mississippi State beating the breaks off of NC State was impressive. And of course Bama putting the beat-down on MSU and following that with a win over Clemson was a huge deal.

I hate it. I think that in most years, the SEC isn't as great as many of the talking heads would have you think. But this year, they went out and dominated bowl season, regardless of matchups. And again, adjusted rankings would show that, I think.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I agree that they had favorable matchups. But they didn't just win those games, they blew teams out of the water. LSU over Texas Tech was impressive to me. Ole Miss blowing the doors off OK St was impressive. Mississippi State beating the breaks off of NC State was impressive. And of course Bama putting the beat-down on MSU and following that with a win over Clemson was a huge deal.

I hate it. I think that in most years, the SEC isn't as great as many of the talking heads would have you think. But this year, they went out and dominated bowl season, regardless of matchups. And again, adjusted rankings would show that, I think.

There is nothing impressive about beating Tex. Tech or NC State.

Matchup is everything. They blew the doors off of #4 MSU, but barely beat Clemson, why? Matchup, not rankings.

 

[Big23Head]

Scout #43 overall, 4

 

[IrishLion]

I'll stop debating, as I really don't like the SEC.

I just think it was clear that they truly were the best conference this year. And the only reason I even brought that up was because Bama's adjusted rankings/stats are impressive regardless of who they played OOC.

 

[IrishLax]

I'll stop debating, as I really don't like the SEC.

I just think it was clear that they truly were the best conference this year. And the only reason I even brought that up was because Bama's adjusted rankings/stats are impressive regardless of who they played OOC.

The SEC was the deepest overall conference this year, and I'm not sure that's really debatable. Still, Ole Miss (which was by far the second best team) went out and lost to a team like Memphis who really wasn't all that good, and Florida (champion of the east) got embarrassed by Michigan.

So while they were deep, I also think they lacked the elite couple teams they have most years. There was only Bama this year and a hot+cold Ole Miss. LSU, Georgia, etc. all really disappointed and beating bad bowl competition doesn't change that.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

isn't there an SEC thread? I keep clicking to see if he canceled his visit to Texas, but leave with nothing but disappointment

 

[NDinL.A.]

I'll stop debating, as I really don't like the SEC.

I just think it was clear that they truly were the best conference this year. And the only reason I even brought that up was because Bama's adjusted rankings/stats are impressive regardless of who they played OOC.

They definitely killed it in the bowl season, I absolutely agree there. I wasn't impressed with the wins as much as you were, because as was said, their match-ups were beyond favorable, but they did have a lot of blow-outs.

But I disagree about them being better the entire season. They were actually mediocre in the non-conference, and then did their customary job of beating each other and jumping in the polls because of it.

* Auburn needed overtime to beat Jacksonville St.
* Arkansas lost to Toledo. Arkansas lost to average TX Tech.
* Ole Miss lost to Memphis. LSU had struggles against Syracuse.
* Florida baaaaarely beat Eastern Carolina and got walloped by FSU.
* Georgia barely beat GT by less than a TD and needed OT to beat Georgia Southern.
* Kentucky lost badly to Louisville.
* Vanderbilt was Vanderbilt.
* Tennessee lost to OU.
* Missou got lucky to beat Arkansas State by a TD and UCONN 9-6.
* South Carolina lost to something called The Citadel. The Citadel.

This was a down year for the SEC during the regular season. They turned it on, no doubt, in the bowl season, but there are some chinks in the armor (starting with their awful QB play), and I personally wouldn't call them by far the best conference in the regular season. Not even close actually IMHO.

Edit: Oh yeah, back on topic, ummmm, McCullough has offers from some SEC schools.

 

[Irish#1]

So we still feel McCullouch is a long shot?

 

[Luckylucci]

So we still feel McCullouch is a long shot?

I thought that if he decided at the UA game we were the odds on favorite to get his commitment and I still think, that at that time, we were in the lead. I still think we have a shot but with Texas getting this OV and all of the other players they'll have on campus, I've had to step away from my enthusiasm

 

[GBdomer]

ISD still feels Texas here with ND behind them

 

[Big23Head]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Four-star LB Jeffrey McCulloch will choose among five on National Signing Day. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Race2NSD?src=hash">#Race2NSD</a> <a href="https://t.co/AWzhYOTDps">https://t.co/AWzhYOTDps</a> <a href="https://t.co/02T1Oildrk">pic.twitter.com/02T1Oildrk</a></p>— Scout Recruiting (@scoutrecruiting) <a href="https://twitter.com/scoutrecruiting/status/689119187097108480">January 18, 2016</a></blockquote>
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[TheChosen1]

ISD still feels Texas here with ND behind them

Scout does as well.

 

[NDShark]

Loy CB'd McCulloch to UT...but CB'd Kelly to ND. I guess I'm cool with that.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Loy CB'd McCulloch to UT...but CB'd Kelly to ND. I guess I'm cool with that.

Yeah, I'm bummed because I really wanted McCulloch for the center of this defense but if we manage to land two five stars on signing day, I'll find a way to cope. If we land no one, I'll still be pleased with our class but I'll feel empty for a day.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

I'll be slightly disappointed if we don't land this kid. The staff recruited him, got a lot of positive momentum, and then BK used his in-home...all because of his commitment timeline. Then he moved it back to NSD and ND has been trending down ever since.

I'll still be thrilled with this class, esp if they land Kelly and Robertson, but I think McCulloch is gonna be a stud.

 

[ab2cmiller]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Changing Alabama visit to Texas A&M this weekend <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gigem?src=hash">#Gigem</a> &#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57342;</p>— The Shark (@jmcculloch17) <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcculloch17/status/689575080846749696">January 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
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[gkIrish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Changing Alabama visit to Texas A&M this weekend <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gigem?src=hash">#Gigem</a> &#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57342;</p>— The Shark (@jmcculloch17) <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcculloch17/status/689575080846749696">January 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Welp.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Confirms that his heart is in Texas?

 

[dwshade]

Confirms that his heart is in Texas?

Seems that way.

 

[Irish#1]

Welp.

We knew it wasn't going to happen.

 

[Wingman Ray]

Good he can be on the sideline while ND runs up and down his Longhorns next year.

 

[NDinL.A.]

I'll be slightly disappointed if we don't land this kid. The staff recruited him, got a lot of positive momentum, and then BK used his in-home...all because of his commitment timeline. Then he moved it back to NSD and ND has been trending down ever since.

I'll still be thrilled with this class, esp if they land Kelly and Robertson, but I think McCulloch is gonna be a stud.

This has been trending away from ND for quite some time now, so personally, I'm not disappointed because the writing has been on the wall for so long now. Sucks, but oh well.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Confirms that his heart is in Texas?

Clap clap clap clap?

 

[ThePiombino]

Good he can be on the sideline while ND runs up and down his Longhorns next year.

What makes you think he won't be playing right away?

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texas?src=hash">#Texas</a> HC Charlie Strong has another big in-home visit tonight. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hookem?src=hash">#hookem</a> <a href="https://t.co/UOkMhDL2ip">https://t.co/UOkMhDL2ip</a> <a href="https://t.co/FOIqClt5xv">pic.twitter.com/FOIqClt5xv</a></p>— Burnt Orange Nation (@BON_SBNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/BON_SBNation/status/690220483170668544">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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