Note: This post is the second of seven interrelated posts on how Louisville can keep Charlie Strong. Strong has to be somewhere where he can attract the type of thoroughbreds necessary to win at the national level. Will the top recruits -- those that are NFL early-round caliber, those for whom the national powers compete -- consider coming to Louisville?
So far, the evidence suggests that Strong is quite capable of bringing in top prospects. Since his hiring in December, big-time recruits such as Michaelee Harris, Corvin Lamb, and Dominique Brown committed to the Cards, to say nothing of potential commit Demar Dorsey. The quality of these players has rapidly boosted the program's national pedigree. Even outside of Strong's quick recruiting pickups, Louisville shouldn't feel insecure. We are the alma mater of Brian Brohm, Michael Bush, Chris Redman, Dave Ragone, Roman Oben, Deion Branch and so many others who went on to play in the big leagues. Some were highly touted recruits (Brohm, Bush), some not (Ragone). But with alumni like this, Louisville has no reason to feel shy about recruiting top-flight talent.
Louisville boasts the most excellent facilities in the country, a recently expanded stadium that is first-rate, a conference BCS bid. It is still only a few years removed from its last (and only) BCS birth. There are so many critical pieces in place. So I think of the Louisville football program during the past few years, if not as a sleeping giant, then as a sports utility vehicle equipped with all the necessary horsepower, if only the right driver could be found.
In just a few short months, Charlie Strong has taken the resources he was given and used it to bring in a higher tier of talent, a level that we haven't seen since the Petrino era. As he continues to find his footing and puts his mark on this program, recruiting will only get better. Of course, if it doesn't go without saying: the Big East Conference has to hold on to that BCS bid for all this calculus to work out..
0 comments:
Post a Comment