Softball

[SoonerSpock]

Switzer was partially right. It's not ALL Jimmy's and Joe's nor is it ALL X's and O's.

Patty's game plan in Game 2 of championship series was "masterful"! There was a gameplan that was executed to perfection in those first 2 innings. We were not able to hold on to 7-0 lead but I don't know that I've ever seen anything like it! Patty and staff drew up the plan AND we had the talent to execute that plan (for the first 2 innings)! It really was a combination of the 2. They popped Auburn in the unexpected mouth those first 2 innings. Patty and staff surprised a few teams this year. And the talent usually executed flawlessly. There were no egos with this talent! I hope that continues in the future. I have no doubt that Patty will not allow it to happen.

No one is trying to imply talent is all that is necessary and that coaching doesn't matter. The total point is you are not going to compete at the top national level without top national talent. A top national program must encompass all factors talent, offense, defense, coaching, chemistry, etc. But the importance of talent cannot be minimized. For the fan the best access they have to talent information is recruiting rankings which are valid when viewed in the proper perspective. But they do not provide all the answers.

 

[scrybe]

No one is trying to imply talent is all that is necessary and that coaching doesn't matter. The total point is you are not going to compete at the top national level without top national talent. A top national program must encompass all factors talent, offense, defense, coaching, chemistry, etc. But the importance of talent cannot be minimized. For the fan the best access they have to talent information is recruiting rankings which are valid when viewed in the proper perspective. But they do not provide all the answers.

Recruiting rankings are useful, there's no doubt. But rankings are normally based on pure talent and potential; they don't always gauge some fairly important intangibles like character, heart, pride, willingness to be coached, etc. While I would prefer to see Patty sign the top-rated class every year, I'm confident that her goal is to sign kids that she believes will be the best fit for the OU program.

 

[sybarite]

I think Switzer was being somewhat humble in his statement that it was the Jimmys and Joes. That is partially true. But, Switzer succeeded because he knew which Jimmys and Joes were the right Jimmys and Joes. One of my favorite stories involved the recruiting of George Cumby who really wasn't on anyone's list. UT had looked at him as a FB, but didn't offer. He did have an offer from a JC, and he was afraid to take Switzer's scholarship offer because even he didn't think he was good enough to play at OU. Switzer and Wilkinson seemed to have the ability to find the diamond-in-the-rough player that has been overlooked. Sometimes, it is simply a change of position.

Pro football and baseball have full time scouts who are superb at their jobs. Yet, there will always be first-round misses, and Albert Pujols who was a thirteenth rounder. Even professionals miss, positively and negatively. It is probably good to have four highly-regarded kids in each class. At least one may work out. But, there will be that kid that nobody had noticed. OU has a walk-on QB. We had the most highly-recruited QBs around in Thomas and Hansen. A walk-on is better?

 

[SoonerSpock]

Recruiting rankings are useful, there's no doubt. But rankings are normally based on pure talent and potential; they don't always gauge some fairly important intangibles like character, heart, pride, willingness to be coached, etc. While I would prefer to see Patty sign the top-rated class every year, I'm confident that her goal is to sign kids that she believes will be the best fit for the OU program.

Absolutely. It is not just numbers. First recruiting star rankings are for the fans. Any coach worth their salt does their own independent evaluation to determine their offer list. But when you look at the very top programs their is an amazing correlation between who they sign and who the recruiting services identify as the top prospects.

The key is to continue to recruit top quality talent. Hone your skills as you recruit future classes and your talent will grow. Patty has really improved the quality of her talent the last 4-6 years. She has really honed her recruiting skills and today OU is signing more top national talent than she ever has.

The difficulty I see going forward is offers and commitments are going out to more and more 8th graders, freshmen and sophomores. Some of these girls are not going to continue to get better at their projected rate which will result in more and more misses over time. It has to be unbelievably difficult to know how a high school freshmen is going to perform at the D-I level 4 years later.

 

[sybarite]

As we have focused on younger recruits, does it seem that we have been recruiting more kids who have a family history of success or the daughters of coaches?

 

[SoonerSpock]

As we have focused on younger recruits, does it seem that we have been recruiting more kids who have a family history of success or the daughters of coaches?

Definitely have signed a few. Who know if it is part of a plan or mere coincidence. Could be that our recent success with three championship series in 5 years has drawn increased interest from some top softball families to explore Patty's program.

 

[Stringmusic]

Success does breed success. Each time our football team plays for the nat'l championship - or now plays in the Final Four - it enhances our recruiting the nest season. Patty's championship will attract some top notch talent to the program. Girls want to win championships.

 

[Stringmusic]

Let's quote Switzer accurately. He said, "It's not the X and O's as much as it the Jimmies and the Joes". He is giving weight to both and certainly not ruling out the coaching. You've got to have the game plan and you have to make the plays.

 

[SoonerSpock]

This is a 2013 interview that Flosoftball did with Patty but I thought it was an interesting read. Especially her comments regarding recruiting.


http://www.flosoftball.com/article/35250-q-a-with-oklahoma-039-s-patty-gasso


This second article gives you a great insight into Patty's concept of coaching and the importance of passion.


http://softballmag.com/ceditors/SBM2014-1/hk_coachesbibleii.pdf

 

[rocjunkie]

This is a 2013 interview that Flosoftball did with Patty but I thought it was an interesting read. Especially her comments regarding recruiting.


http://www.flosoftball.com/article/35250-q-a-with-oklahoma-039-s-patty-gasso


This second article gives you a great insight into Patty's concept of coaching and the importance of passion.


http://softballmag.com/ceditors/SBM2014-1/hk_coachesbibleii.pdf

Thanks for posting this Spock. Patty is so right on. What she said is exactly why I won't get into discussions about recruiting. I just can't get excited about 8th, 9th, and 10th graders. It is unfortunate though that in today's environment, the coaches have to be pro-active or be left behind. The sad thing is so much can happen in a 2 to 5 year span, and because kids commit so early, they might regret not waiting. Gee what do I know, I'm just an old Geezer.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Thanks for posting this Spock. Patty is so right on. What she said is exactly why I won't get into discussions about recruiting. I just can't get excited about 8th, 9th, and 10th graders. It is unfortunate though that in today's environment, the coaches have to be pro-active or be left behind. The sad thing is so much can happen in a 2 to 5 year span, and because kids commit so early, they might regret not waiting. Gee what do I know, I'm just an old Geezer.

Pretty wise ole Geezer. But unfortunately it is what it is and Patty is damn good at it. Would be nice if the kids did not have to become so involved until their junior year.

 

[j2d2]

I dont understand parents who permit such early commitments.

 

[SoonerSpock]

I suspect once committing early becomes the defacto standard in the recruiting process parents allow it to insure their child gets the offer the child thinks they want. In addition to the 5 NLI seniors signees in the 2016 recruiting class Patty presently has commitments we are aware of from 3 juniors, 4 sophomores and 2 freshmen. Most of those have been committed for months or years.


https://sites.google.com/site/jenkinsavenuebombers/home/page-2

 

[rocjunkie]

I suspect once committing early becomes the defacto standard in the recruiting process parents allow it to insure their child gets the offer the child thinks they want. In addition to the 5 NLI seniors signees in the 2016 recruiting class Patty presently has commitments we are aware of from 3 juniors, 4 sophomores and 2 freshmen. Most of those have been committed for months or years.


https://sites.google.com/site/jenkinsavenuebombers/home/page-2

I applaud the hard recruiting work that Patty and staff do, as we have said it is a shame that kids are pushed, (not all) by parents to play year round and not have a break. I just hope the kids really do want to play and they have good quality coaches who keep it FUN. That is the key to playing all sports, if it is not enjoyable and fun, the why pursue it.

I hope Patty is setting up for many more championships in the future to reward her hard work.

 

[sybarite]

When I was twelve or thirteen, if they had played baseball twelve months a year, it would have been insufficent. My parents could have cared less. As long as I did the chores, I could go play. Very rarely did they attend. For the most part, parents didn't. We played for the love of it.

Curiously, those who became burnt out tended to be those whose parents did come to the games.

 

[SoonerSpock]

I applaud the hard recruiting work that Patty and staff do, as we have said it is a shame that kids are pushed, (not all) by parents to play year round and not have a break. I just hope the kids really do want to play and they have good quality coaches who keep it FUN. That is the key to playing all sports, if it is not enjoyable and fun, the why pursue it.

I hope Patty is setting up for many more championships in the future to reward her hard work.

I feel certain she is. Only Mike Candrea among active coaches has won more titles than Patty and since 2000 they have won the same number 3. Despite the SEC having become the top softball conference Patty has still won as many WCWS titles as all the SEC schools combined (Florida 2 and Alabama 1). If you take the composite of the next four recruiting classes (#4/2016, #9/2017, #1/2018 and #4/2019) she has the highest ranked classes of all the top schools to go with the four returning sophomores and four returning freshmen starters.

 

[j2d2]

A request and a suggestion:

Those of you who attend the fall games, please post your observations of them, and
E-mail the administration to ask that those games be covered by a reporter for SoonerSports and a game description reported.

 

[scrybe]

A question for you recruiting gurus: Are verbal commits in softball the same as in other sports? If so, they really don't mean much.

 

[atlantasooner]

scrybe,
formally they have no authority.
practically, it appears from albeit a very limited glance that those early verbals are sticking.
Now in football I can tell you, OU the last 4 years signs about 90% of their early verbals.
In football I defined early verbals as anything before August of the eventual signing day.

 

[scrybe]

scrybe,
formally they have no authority.
practically, it appears from albeit a very limited glance that those early verbals are sticking.
Now in football I can tell you, OU the last 4 years signs about 90% of their early verbals.
In football I defined early verbals as anything before August of the eventual signing day.

Thanks, atlanta. Of course a verbal is still just a verbal, whether it comes early or late. I would assume these young ladies (softball recruits) would be free to change their minds right up to national signing day.

It would not surprise me, however (and you touched on it in your post), if a bigger percentage of the softball recruits honor their verbals than the typical football recruits. It sure seems like football recruits are changing their commitments more often than in past years.