DentonStang

This is the most insane take ever, at least point #1. For point #2, you should be happy. There would be no reason for AAC to take a second team in the same market. If they didn't know we were on the way out, you'd be in the remains of CUSA. Everyone wins

If the B10 wanted them, they would have taken them. But regardless, let's say PAC explodes in 5 year - we are a lot better off with an extra $30M+ per year in media coverage plus 5 years of P5 media coverage, prestige, and recruiting

Oddly, if you are privy to the media consultant breakdowns, SMU TV viewership is much higher than you'd expect given attendance. Why? DFW interest? Old SWC curiosity? SMU fans too elite to go to the game? Schadenfreude? Complete statistical anomaly that means nothing? Don't know, don't care if it helps us.

Your invite to the AAC was to replace us. This has been an open secret (although not a done deal) since before the latest invites

This is all true, but I think Mordecai's backslide had more to do with the major holes in the team. We had some really strong units, and some total garbage. That excuse will not exist this year, and Rhett better perform. The team is a major upgrade on both sides

As you point out, the most questionable transfers are from Miami...... where Rhett just coached them and knows first hand if they weren't playing because they were busts or if they were just behind a better ACC stud. We had some severe deficiencies last year and serviceable ACC backups are major upgrades. Some transfers are for depth (another critical deficiency) and may not start, but is still a major upgrade over the disastrous 2nd string we were dealing with previously. The QB is a special case - not expected to play, knows that, and wants to coach. Job is to come, bring a P5 mindset, help coach Stone and KHJ, and not be a disaster if he has to play. We needed a prime WR1, didn't get it, needed more TE help, but overall MASSIVE, MASSIVE upgrade to total team talent. NIL is a miracle. An NIL player is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.

Keep in mind this scoring is "relative to expectations" not absolute quality. How that is quantified? Who knows.

That's the name of the game now, sir. And paying didn't really factor into our HS slate this year, only transfers. Next year, HS too

You are not wrong. That's entirely and explicitly our plan. But that's my point, we have a lot more money behind us than Poggi has unless Charlotte has some mega boosters to supplement him. Unlikely he can outspend even AAC programs in the way he did for HS.

So he's never really coached much college and by all accounts he bought his way to success in high school. That doesn't seem like a good hire?

Some questions aren't meant to be asked ....

They all have commitments they must comply with involving their image or likeness in exchange for payments.

Yes. The timing of the change killed a recruiting class, and then the first season of transfers under Lashlee consisted of defending our key players from TCU theft (there's your blatant tempering). With injuries, graduation, we had no depth. Really bad, especially later in the season.

It's a great system. We've purchased almost a whole new defense.

The answer is two fold: 1. As your numbers show we focus less on HS recruiting and bring in smaller classes (NIL is easier to leverage within the rules with transfers) 2. If you aren't needed, you are encouraged to hit the portal and move on to some place you can play, or leave the team and get on academic scholarship. Your numbers don't show transfers out.

I'm curious why you think there is so much tampering. At the highest end players probably so, but mid level and below, why would you think it is necessary? Enter portal, receive bids and take visits, pick one. If you are at a P5 and want to move, it's not like you risk having nobody want you. Also, tons of low end players end up with nobody taking them. Clearly nobody convinced them to declare.

Don't even need to tamper there. Their offensive coordinator last year was a mess, and there's an exodus far beyond what we got. 15 or 20 outbound transfers. And then one or two of them were slated as backups next year and wanted playing time. There are so many transfers out there if you have a few bucks to spend you can bring in players.

And yes, it is NIL at work, plus I believe 5 Miami transfers which are obviously connections from Lashlee's time there.

It literally said 'transfer portal'

That's far more than I expected. Disappointing. Now I need new material to razz you about.

Well how else would you entice them to enter the portal if you don't contact their people? Duh.

Excellent. Please talk to your friends in San Antonio who were complaining to the media about being outspent and raided!

Y'all will have a hard time buying much portal talent without an NIL program. The portal is not a charity

UTSA is going to be a problem in the next 5 years

This is a major trend going on right now, and not just with backups.