Way too much national signing day excitement over here.

[MinerInWisconsin]

We really need to calm down a little.

http://utepathletics.com/news/2018/2/7/dimel-annouces-2018-utep-football-signing-class.aspx?path=football

Very good, very positive signing day press conference put on by UTEP yesterday. 27 signees surprised me since we were told that only 10 or 11 scholarships were open. 6 transfers already in school and ready to participate in spring ball. Winston Dimel will visit soon and coach is hoping to get him over Wisconsin, Texas A&M and Missouri. Check out the UTEP web site for details and replay of press conference.

[Austintacious]

Recruiting Rankings via 247 Sports
State of Texas teams

03 U of TX
17 TX A&M
25 TCU
30 Baylor
72 U of H
74 TX Tech
85 UTSA
89 SMU
101 N TX
117 Rice
124 NMSU
127 UTEP
144 Stephen F Austin
151 Lamar
168 SHSU
plus others

[Chanson]

For being 0-12 & little time to recruit, I'd say it was just short a miracle. I'd be happy if we won 5 games.

[kyyote]

Basically last.  Does it ever really make any difference if we don't have time or all of the time in the world.  Or coach.  But, Lady Di says we specialize in doing more with less.  The only way to attract the best is to be one of the best.  Kids don't hold press conferences to announce that they are going to play for the worst team in college football.  We get the leftovers and those who are desperate coming from other teams who didn't make it.

But, we are in a conference full of teams like us and it doesn't take a lot to go from 125 to 110 in rankings and that would put us ahead of half of the teams in our conference.  And that is why I believe that if we used that thing called the forward pass this season we might have a chance to win a few games.  I am ever the optimist and so I figure we win seven and maybe even nine because of the shock and excitement.  With a little luck we could be a top three or four team in a shitty conference year after year.  That about what I am hoping for at this point.  Instead of always being last in whatever conference we get ditched from.  The strange combination of hope and despair in one sentence is what happens to a Miners fan.

[MinerInWisconsin]

Basically last.  Does it ever really make any difference if we don't have time or all of the time in the world.  Or coach.  But, Lady Di says we specialize in doing more with less.  The only way to attract the best is to be one of the best.  Kids don't hold press conferences to announce that they are going to play for the worst team in college football.  We get the leftovers and those who are desperate coming from other teams who didn't make it.

But, we are in a conference full of teams like us and it doesn't take a lot to go from 125 to 110 in rankings and that would put us ahead of half of the teams in our conference.  And that is why I believe that if we used that thing called the forward pass this season we might have a chance to win a few games.  I am ever the optimist and so I figure we win seven and maybe even nine because of the shock and excitement.  With a little luck we could be a top three or four team in a shitty conference year after year.  That about what I am hoping for at this point.  Instead of always being last in whatever conference we get ditched from.  The strange combination of hope and despair in one sentence is what happens to a Miners fan.

Interesting that using Rivals, UTEP is already ahead of a couple of C-USA schools and ahead of half of the MWC schools, half of the MAC and 2 of the SBC.

[Chanson]

Not sure if Kyyote's 2nd sentence was a question or not, but I think it could have made a difference this year in particular.
What ever pitch Dimel is using, works. If Dimel took over the day after Kuglar bailed, he would have been able to establish a deeper rapport with kids & their families & would have had a shot at keeping the Top talent that was recruited. 3rd, he would have used an opposite pitch to get the kids that don't fit in his program to move to other schools so he can make room for more 3 & 4 stars (a la Floyd).
Dimel's history with recruiting proves his second year produces better talent (Houston).
This year it's all hypothetical, but clearly more options are available when more time is given.

[Minermojo]

"If Dimel took over the day after Kuglar bailed, he would have been able to establish a deeper rapport with kids & their families & would have had a shot at keeping the Top talent that was recruited." quote from Chans

You answered your own comment later in your post when you mentioned that Dimel does better in his second year. I was going to say the same thing. If Dimel does produce his first year it will energized the UTEP fan base. We have proven time and again that if we have good teams the people will fill the stands. Even in Basketball where we're last we're first in attendance. Same thing with different result with football. At least if Dimel is productive we know that we'll have him for four years...I hope.

[Ronstr]

eehhh....Do we want the recruits Kuglar had? What "top talent" was there?

This is a transition year. Dimel and staff did amazing for the first class. We should get a few wins next year and better recruits thereafter.

I don't put much into Dimel not coming sooner. I think it's fine....