College Football Recruiting 2013: 5 Schools That'll Have a Down Recruiting Year

Recently, we did a piece on schools that are poised to have a big-time year on the recruiting trail. For this read, I'm switching it up to the opposite. This list is for the schools that could very well see themselves scratching their heads and being disappointed this 2013 recruiting cycle.

Every school has an off year on the recruiting trail every now and then. These schools have the potential to see that "every now and then" become this recruiting cycle.

Here are five programs that could be disappointed next February.

5. Arkansas

Arkansas had a solid recruiting class in 2012, hovering around the top 25 overall. This year, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to the Hogs' recruiting prowess.

It's not a diss to them, but more so just the conference they play in, which means their recruiting competition.

Anytime you have to muster up the strength to relentlessly compete for recruits with the likes of Alabama (top-tier RB prospect and top Arkansas player RB Altee Tenpenny is already committed to the Tide according to Scout.com), Florida, LSU and Georgia on a normal basis, that's not good.

Tack on the notion that Ole Miss and Mississippi State are doing well at locking down their state, and you start to see why I could be on to something here. 

4. Oregon

Sure, I know Oregon already has a commitment from Thomas Tyner, who very could be the fastest player in the country and the best RB prospect for 2013.

But as the cycle moves forward, I'd like to see how recruits react to the fact that Chip Kelly told Arik Armstead that he's not sure he'll even be at Oregon for much longer, as reported by Joe Davidson of the Sacramento Bee.

Kelly flirted hard with the Buccaneers and he may soon feel the need to see if his offense could work against the big boys. Recruits may back off because of this, which will see Oregon take a dip in recruiting this year.

3. Nebraska

Big Red was one of my recruiting disappointments last year, as Scout.com ranked them a low 50th overall in the 2012 recruiting rankings.

The Cornhuskers only has two commitments so far, and I don't see many prime-time Midwestern prospects heavily considering them.

This could be a consecutive downer in Lincoln in regards to recruiting on the trail.

2. Michigan State

Sparty finished inside the top 40 last recruiting cycle, which is a bit surprising as I thought I had them ranked higher. But I went back to my final 2012 class rankings, and they were 39th.

This year, with Michigan and Ohio State both back to their old dominant and suffocating recruiting ways, Sparty will be the one that suffers the most. Brady Hoke is locking down the state of Michigan, and Urban Meyer is doing the same in Ohio.

Then the Wolverines and Michigan will both be in an arms race around the Midwest and nationally. Oh, and I almost forgot about that program in South Bend that Michigan State has to compete with on the trail as well.

1. California

Cal surged up late in the cycle last year with commitments from Shaq Thompson, Ellis McCarthy, Jordan Payton and even were close to landing Arik Armstead.

None of those players signed with Cal in the end—not one of them. The Bears lost ace recruiter Tosh Lupoi to Washington and saw their recruiting class crumble, as far as elite prospects go. 

Bryce Treggs and Zach Kline stayed aboard, but the class fell in the rankings.

With Lupoi now at rival Washington, I don't think Cal will have the pull it had last year and will see a disappointing year this 2013 cycle.