[Goose]

We lost out on a couple guys going elsewhere, and stood pat rather than going for plan B's. IMO only taking 1 ILB and 1-2 OLB would've been fine (depending on the DiCosmo/Fox situation), but taking zero was stupid.

Right.  Sometimes taking a flyer on a project or a plan B is necessary.

BC

It is a tradeoff. "Taking a flyer" is not risk free. You may get a guy that is not good enough to play. You may get a guy that is better than nothing but you must give him a scholarship for four years. That is an opportunity cost, and it can be a big one. You might have to pass on a guy you think is a "can't miss" the next year because you have no slot for him. The staff also has to help get the guy admitted, which consumes some capital with admissions. The staff makes a judgement call. I think evaluating recruits is difficult. I believe the staff would take the best available choice unless they were convinced the guy wouldn't be worth it. Others may disagree with that choice. However, if one chooses to disagree, it would seem to require lots of knowledge of who the plan B guys were and what their potential actually was. I know I don't have that much insight.

[Goose]

We lost out on a couple guys going elsewhere, and stood pat rather than going for plan B's. IMO only taking 1 ILB and 1-2 OLB would've been fine (depending on the DiCosmo/Fox situation), but taking zero was stupid.

Right.  Sometimes taking a flyer on a project or a plan B is necessary.

BC

It is a tradeoff. "Taking a flyer" is not risk free. You may get a guy that is not good enough to play. You may get a guy that is better than nothing but you must give him a scholarship for four years. That is an opportunity cost, and it can be a big one. You might have to pass on a guy you think is a "can't miss" the next year because you have no slot for him. The staff also has to help get the guy admitted, which consumes some capital with admissions. The staff makes a judgement call. I think evaluating recruits is difficult. I believe the staff would take the best available choice unless they were convinced the guy wouldn't be worth it. Others may disagree with that choice. However, if one chooses to disagree, it would seem to require lots of knowledge of who the plan B guys were and what their potential actually was. I know I don't have that much insight.