TOB and talent

Here is an article on the guys awaiting the draft. It speculates that as many as five players might be drafted. I doubt it. I think Brown will probably go the free agent route. If five are taken it will be the most BC players drafted in more than a decade and even a greater accomplishment given how the draft has been scaled back the past few years. I am excited for the guys, but part of me is frustrated. With all this supposed talent, what did BC actually accomplish? This group was the winningest Senior class in BC history BUT that number is skewed by the expanded schedules and number of bowls. This core contributed to a Co-Conference Championship BUT it was four-way split Big East title -- during the weakest year of a major conference and after they blew a chance to win the title outright. This team won four bowl games BUT they were in places like Boise, Charlotte, San Francisco and Detroit.

This probably sounds like I am slighting these guys. I am not trying to. Once again I am just frustrated. In the TOB era, the number of NFL ready players has varied over the last few years. His first few recruiting classes seemed to produce about two guys a year. Yet as the talent supposedly rises or declines, the results on the field remain pretty consistent (winning season, with a letdown along the way and a third tier bowl).

Year     BC Players Drafted
2006     ?
2005     0
2004     2
2003     2
2002     2
2001     1

I keep trying to figure out what might break our "pretty good" but not "great" season cycle. If talent isn’t the driving force, then what is? Also is it a good thing or a bad thing that TOB produces the same results year in and year out regardless of the caliber of players? I have the summer to hopefully figure it out. Your thoughts are appreciated.