This admissions stuff is getting old. Standford, which has higher admission standards than we do, has been a good program for a few years now. WVU and Louisville, both with admission standards that are much more lax than ours, haven't sniffed the top 10 (OK, actually WVU has). Does losing that talent hurt. **** yeah it does, but admission standards aren't what is hurting this program. Bad coaching, bad recruiting, and underperforming players is what is hurting this program. If a kid is bright, knows what he has to do to get in school and still doesn't work hard enough to do it, why would you want a kid like that on the team? What makes you think he would work any harder on the field than he did in the classroom? Because he WANTS to play football? You really think that will motivate the kid when Golden is pushing them through drills in August when it is hot as ****? And we talk about wanting smart players, knowing what admission standards are and not working towards them sure doesn't seem very bright to me. And yes, football smarts does not equal school smarts, I understand that, but come on.... work ethic=work ethic on or off the field. I'm not saying they should have a 4.0, but at least meet minimum standards.... especially when you know what they are.
And yes, LSU and Ala. are getting those kids in and they are doing great, but that's coaching, system and smart recruiting. Saban could win with any talented players (unless it's a pro player). RS and Coker couldn't and it had nothing to do with admissions. And is UF's (God, I hate that school) admission standards that much lower than ours? Or lower at all? I don't think so. And up until recently they were doing pretty well.
So don't overblow the admissions thing. I mean, we had the number 1 ranked class in 2008 (and yes, they didn't live up to it, but that's not the point) with the same admission standards in place. If this team doesn't win in the next few years it is on Golden and not the admission standards....