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Building a Team in the Portal Era


I believe greater avenues for player movement will change how universities deal with these athletes. It is imperative that the experience both on and off the field is positive. Coaches, administrators, support staff and everyone attached to these kids have to connect with them. Servant leadership is necessary. Some athletes won't be there for the right reasons ... may have to let them go. Bobby Knight-style coaching probably won't work.
 
This is a tough one for me to get a grasp on. Something seems wrong. Especially in large numbers that Colorado is doing. But is that because I like Rhule and not Deion's methods? Because I hate Colorado and like Nebraska? Lets face it, Rhule has been pretty active in the Transfer portal and we still have to eject about 10 guys before next fall. And that doesn't include any more if they were to bring on others. Is 15 a year a good number but 30 a bad number? Since Deion didn't take many unproven high school recruits but used those 25 or so scholarships towards transfers is that all bad? I just don't know. Are they choosing to transfer or being kicked out? Are they all "woke" to the Deion hype and wanting to exit on their own? Is Deion forcing them into the transfer portal against their will?
 
I'm not sure if it's about building a team in the portal era as much as it's about the ability to keep a team in the portal era. Seems like top teams lose players at about the same rate as lesser teams.
 



It's still too early in the experiment to determine if an almost exclusively portal strategy is a winning one. Most of us have played team sports at some level. Culture and team building are real ingredients, and it's hard to imagine building team chemistry when it's 80% new personnel every season.
 
As I recall, the Buffs' offensive line was not exactly a strength last year. Shedeur Sanders spent quite a bit of time on his back. From the story, I can't tell whether this is an example of disarray within the program or whether it is an example of former starters recognizing that they might not be starters anymore. So I can't read too much into this without more information.
 
Hville said:
This is a tough one for me to get a grasp on. Something seems wrong. Especially in large numbers that Colorado is doing. But is that because I like Rhule and not Deion's methods? Because I hate Colorado and like Nebraska? Lets face it, Rhule has been pretty active in the Transfer portal and we still have to eject about 10 guys before next fall. And that doesn't include any more if they were to bring on others. Is 15 a year a good number but 30 a bad number? Since Deion didn't take many unproven high school recruits but used those 25 or so scholarships towards transfers is that all bad? I just don't know. Are they choosing to transfer or being kicked out? Are they all "woke" to the Deion hype and wanting to exit on their own? Is Deion forcing them into the transfer portal against their will?
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All good questions. Two things strike me as materially different between CU and NU right now: 1) the raw numbers of players coming/going seems incredible at CU — how are they even learning each other’s names, much less any of the other team-building serial folks here mention; and 2) when starters leave — even if other, better players are on the way in — it would be concerning to me. Especially at o-line where you hope that the development difference between a freshman and senior is huge (and often much greater than for other positions). If I start on the line early, even if I have room for a lot of improvement, I’d expect to be in rotation until I graduate. It’s a lot about smarts and strength and development. Unlike RB or WR or DB, for example, where a 4.35 guy may take my job because he can lap me. And I’m not picking on skill positions — just emphasizing the strangeness of o-line starters leaving.
 
I’d add that it certainly doesn’t seem like a sustainable plan. He hasn’t shown much interest in investing in youth out of high school. Can you turn over rosters consistently with that type of movement? I wouldn’t think so but hell, nobody has ever tried.
 




Looking at last years O line roster, they had no four stars and many n/a players.
You can't just throw a line together, but you can improve it going this route.
I'm not sure how adaptive their staff is at putting kids in places where they can win. It may be they are scheme heavy and simply can't get "their" guys in the numbers they'd like.
I do think on offense they do well on skill players, but that alone won't win you many games as we can attest to.
Their defense can be disruptive but can be a sieve. There is little consistency and once figured out who to stop, they were every bit as bad as the year prior
 
All true. It’ all still an experiment. I just don’t like how they are doing it in Boulder. It’s a little TOO free agent/professional/mercenary. And maybe that’s the reality. The bottom line is that I have this game in bold type — I want development, improved play, etc. And I’m very patient with what HCMR is doing. But this game I want to win, I don’t care how.
 
HuskerBred said:
All true. It’ all still an experiment. I just don’t like how they are doing it in Boulder. It’s a little TOO free agent/professional/mercenary. And maybe that’s the reality. The bottom line is that I have this game in bold type — I want development, improved play, etc. And I’m very patient with what HCMR is doing. But this game I want to win, I don’t care how.
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The bluffs established their identity out of the gate with a handful of great offensive players. We were finding our way.
Once teams saw what they needed to do against the bluffs that offense didn't look so hot. Once we found our stride teams struggled with us, even with all our Injuries.

We will beat them, blueprints out on how to slow or stop them. We get to open up the rest of our blueprint this year on offense.

We are developing with some portal helping, they aren't moving much and hoping improvements come through the portal.
 



HuskerBred said:
www.usatoday.com

Unlike Deion Sanders, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule has been prolific in off-campus recruiting

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders and Nebraska coach Matt Rhule have completely different approaches to recruiting. Can both be right?
www.usatoday.com

Nice coincidence. All we needed to do was start the conversation, and USA Today jumped in. Haha.
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I personally don't think its possible Neons way. The dedication to every player just isn't there, he has said as much, they want winners only.

As we saw last year, he wanted players gone because they didn't win, so too now this year, as players decide on their own to leave that they weren't that big a deal in the bigger picture as Neon has said, his attitudes can't encompass the best out of guys that don't have 'it'.

He takes everything personally, even players leaving, showing no confidence in what he's doing.

His staff just doesn't have enough days and hours in those days to do what he wants done.
 
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Agree. And he can’t treat 18/19/20-year-olds like NFL personnel. Young guys are still learning the game and themselves while they’re getting bigger, stronger, and faster. Plug and play doesn’t work well with still developing football players. If he can grab every super-talented fourth- and fifth-year player around the country and get them on the same page every season, more power to him. Good luck.
 

HuskerBred said:
I much prefer how HCMR is doing things.

www.espn.com

Several linemen among Buffs players in portal

Colorado had several linemen with starting experience enter the NCAA transfer portal Tuesday, including right tackle Savion Washington, who started nine games.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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I agree. Primes model reminds me of the Angels when the singing cowboy ran things. He was always trying to go out to the waiver wire to get the next big guy who was actually the last big guy.

The Steelers model os better. They have always built from the draft. May take a little longer but in the end you are better off. Queues "Don't go chasing waterfalls" by TLC.
 
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