Getting vision is easy, just takes a couple of seasons. Everyone gets frustrated if they have a green turn yellow or red. A really fun part of the game in my opinion.

nitros

Yeah it's fun, if it starts within the first 4-6 cycles of recruiting....

Not sure if this happened in my case, but everyone knows there will always be coaches who count on other coaches being out of money to fight for a recruit four DAYS into recruiting, mere hours before signings begin. They then go in and pick off the low hanging fruit. Acting like they don't exist does no-one any good.

Yep, Wilkinson is a different beast. Waiting for your competition to run out of money or striking while your competition is engaged in battles is both effective and viable. If you want to keep recruits, you best have a healthy budget to protect the recruits you desire to keep.

1AA is particularly challenging if you are recruiting in that "grey zone" where a potential recruit is a candidate for 1A's as well (well all know those 74 OL/DL, 74 RB's and so forth). Probably best to have a backup just in case or a healthy reserve to fend off a late 1A.

I think it best to view this situation as one you control vs. one you do not control. If I really like a recruit (let's say a 75 OL), then I am going to have a 66-68 backup OL and about 15K in reserve to protect that recruit.

From my perspective, I am in control of that situation in that I can decide to expend the reserve to protect the recruit, decide to not battle and sign the backup or I can hold my reserve for a "late game" OL that a 1A passes on.

I think it is also important to understand the targets of your neighbors and keep a close eye on them. If a 1A is in a battle that I suspect he can't win, then I can anticipate that 1A potentially dropping down on my recruit if that recruit is attractive. Let's me plan a bit better and allows me to make decisions in advance.

Also, you need to resist the endowment effect. The endowment effect states that you will value things greater if you perceive you own that asset. If you have a recruit green, you will tend to value that recruit greater than an undecided which is similar. The way to offset the endowment effect is to understand the following:

1. No recruit is yours until they sign.
2. Most recruits are fungible (easily replaced with another recruit).
3. Very few recruits should make a difference on your team until they are JR/SR. Think long term.

Sometimes...despite your best budgeting you end up with a bad class (too many battles, bad decisions and what not...or just dumb bad luck). We have all been there. I reviewed your class and personally think you have a nice, solid class from my perspective.

Good luck.

nitros (James)

Good tidbits there James...I follow some of those same rules myself. I do pay special attention to the D1A programs in my 360 and what I think their needs are based on formation and roster set up. Certain coaches (I fall into this category) have a strict roster balance and I know that Coach A is going to recruit 2 DB, 2 LB, 2 DL, 1 QB, 1 WR, 1 RB, 3 OL, etc. every year. They are easier to predict, the coaches that go with best available player are tougher to figure out. Your battle watches, etc. are the best indicators for those. The late comers especially at non-bcs schools are probably the most frustrating BUT if you have some cash and good prestige at D1AA you can still win those battles.

With D1 being as full as it is I have lowered my thresholds some from what you have listed above...my vision is not maxed but is in the top 5..uness OP pulls off the recruiting upset (strong chance, the Cuse' appears to be out of money and in some other fights) the best D1AA DL is a 73 this year.


OL is worse...

And I just updated my yatzr and OP indeed took the DL...STUD

Yeah, I was watching that one as well. Great point on "knowing our neighbors". Once you have the same neighbors for a bit, you will be able to predict with a reasonable level of certainty their targets.

Gah, wish I could have played with some of those OL/DL on your list. My vision had me mostly in the 66-68 range...which is not bad but there were some opportunities out there during this recruiting cycle. For the first time since I started posting my "Top 5" on twitter...we had at least 4 SIM's get top 5 1AA recruits.

nitros

Posted by columbusbuck on 6/25/2017 2:42:00 PM (view original):
Personally, I detest spending thousands of dollars, beating off Sims and fellow 1-AA human coaches, turning a recruit green and then seeing it ALL go to waste because some 1-A coach didn't start recruiting until the fourth day.

It's why I am in D-IA........

So that now *I* can be the one to start on Day 4.

Just kidding. (Kinda). On a serious note, non-BCS recruiting with no bowl money was only slightly better than D-IAA recruiting with semi-high vision.

Posted by dukelegend on 6/26/2017 1:02:00 PM (view original):
And I just updated my yatzr and OP indeed took the DL...STUD

Mistakes were made lol

SIMAI killing it with that 73.95 DL.

Posted by nitros on 6/26/2017 2:59:00 PM (view original):
SIMAI killing it with that 73.95 DL.

2300 miles away, too risky for my blood

Now the 73.6 333 miles away was a miss.

Posted by dukelegend on 6/26/2017 1:02:00 PM (view original):
And I just updated my yatzr and OP indeed took the DL...STUD

Was lucky that I was able to hold onto him. I had him green before z32 came into the picture. Fortunatetly, was able to hang on! Stud DL.

Posted by orangepace on 6/26/2017 7:32:00 PM (view original):

Posted by dukelegend on 6/26/2017 1:02:00 PM (view original):
And I just updated my yatzr and OP indeed took the DL...STUD

Was lucky that I was able to hold onto him. I had him green before z32 came into the picture. Fortunatetly, was able to hang on! Stud DL.

Supreme example of early effort > late effort. That said I got owned haha

Posted by z32fanatic on 6/26/2017 9:11:00 PM (view original):

Posted by orangepace on 6/26/2017 7:32:00 PM (view original):

Posted by dukelegend on 6/26/2017 1:02:00 PM (view original):
And I just updated my yatzr and OP indeed took the DL...STUD

Was lucky that I was able to hold onto him. I had him green before z32 came into the picture. Fortunatetly, was able to hang on! Stud DL.

Supreme example of early effort > late effort. That said I got owned haha

You jumped in during that 3rd or 4th cycle, but you had other battles to fight. I had enough cash to hang in the fight, plus had to offer him a RS and SO start. I wouldn't have been upset losing to a D1A.

That Lehigh coach on the other hand. He had to learn the hard way that i take quality notes. He jumped on a receiver of mine around the 9th cycle.. Needless to say I grabbed the receiver and almost took his best DB.

That Lehigh coach on the other hand. He had to learn the hard way that i take quality notes. He jumped on a receiver of mine around the 9th cycle.. Needless to say I grabbed the receiver and almost took his best DB.

OP bringing the pain!

nitros