Nevertheless, if you look at the so called rankings and ratings of "recruiting classes" year after year and try to correlate them to TOP-25 finishes, you would be shocked at how little correlation there is below about 5 teams. In most cases, the recruiting class and the on-field-performance are very out of kilter. The one key component to success for any of the best 25 programs in football (BYU ranks about 16th right now), is coaching. Regardless of what Rivals or Scout says about a recruiting class, great coaches seem to win and bad coaches seem to squander purported talent. Coaching, mentoring, leadership from the HFBC's office is what makes teams great.

For that reason along Bronco Mendenhall's biggest critics should pipe down. No Bronco isn't perfect and I am a huge critic of his continued usage of Riley Nelson over the last two years, but the guy is still a winner. even if you look at the last three seasons (7-6, 10-3, 8-5; total of 25-14) he won three bowl games and his W-L % is still .641 which is way better than average. He sent us fans off smiling 11 more times than moaning!

Texas for all it's top Ten recruiting classes in the past 13 years has produced one national title and a lot of seasons not that dissimilar from many of BYU's last eight years: 9-4; 8-5, 5-7, 13-1, 12-1, 10-3, 10-3, 13-0 (NC's), since 2005. My point is, those of you who think BYU's recruiting efforts are down, or Utahs for that matter, are probably mistaken. I think BYU especially got exactly who they wanted and needed. Only time and passing seasons will tell.