5 Burning Questions 1 Month Away from National Signing Day
A frenzied 2015 recruiting cycle concludes Feb. 4, when national signing day rolls around and solidifies incoming classes for college football programs across the country. Despite years of diligence dedicated to the recruitment of top players, most coaches remain faced with plenty of unknowns during the final month of this process.
Some situations demand more attention than others during the oncoming stretch. We looked across the recruiting spectrum to uncover five developments worth monitoring in the weeks to come.
How Will New Regimes Fare at Florida and Michigan?
1 of 5
It's always a challenge to take on any high-profile head coaching job, inheriting another staff's roster while charged with the task of reshaping a program's culture. An oft-overlooked aspect of the process is recruiting.
Jim Harbaugh and Jim McElwain stepped into messy situations when they accepted jobs at Michigan and Florida, respectively. Neither team's 2015 class currently rates among the top 75 squads in 247Sports' composite rankings, a far cry from "the good ol' days" in Ann Arbor and Gainesville.
Last year, we saw two other powerhouse programs make changes at the top. Steve Sarkisian helped USC finish on fire in 2014 with a top-10 class, while Texas saw mixed results under Charlie Strong last signing day.
Harbaugh carries plenty of clout among 2015 prospects. He led the San Francisco 49ers to three NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl during their high school careers and worked with superstar NFL quarterback Andrew Luck at Stanford prior to his NFL tenure.
"Coach Harbaugh going to Michigan is a game-changer," 5-star cornerback Iman Marshall told Allen Trieu of The Detroit News. "Obviously, he knows what it takes to get to the highest level. He has changed Stanford and the 49ers around."
Just a few weeks removed from trying to keep San Francisco alive for a playoff spot, Harbaugh is now focused on making the most of a Michigan class that is crippled by decommitments. The list of former Wolverines pledges include 5-star talents Damien Harris (running back) and George Campbell (wide receiver), along with Ohio State running back pledge Michael Weber.
Meanwhile, McElwain takes over a Gators program that looks much different than it did when Urban Meyer resigned in 2010. Florida lost a lot of its luster during a four-year stretch under Will Muschamp that resulted in just one season with more than seven wins.
The team's current class has dwindled to just eight commits after losing 4-star quarterback Sheriron Jones (now a Tennessee pledge) in December. Top targets like 5-star defensive end CeCe Jefferson were open-minded in the immediate aftermath of McElwain's hiring.
"We'll see what he's bringing to the table," CeCe Jefferson told Bleacher Report.
McElwain is aiming for players to build around, regardless of their star rating. He explained Florida's recruiting efforts during an early January press conference, per 247Sports:
"We're not going to hit home runs all the time. I think part of the infrastructure is part of how we go about our identification, making sure we don't make critical mistakes or fatal flaws at certain positions in which we're recruiting and those aren't just playing the game. Those are making sure they're the right fit for what we're gonna accomplish here at Florida.
"
Will USC Repeat Its Late 2014 Recruiting Surge?
2 of 5
Many wondered how head coach Steve Sarkisian would fare during the final stretch toward signing day last winter. He took over a team that seemed to lose its way under the direction of Lane Kiffin; the roster was crippled by severe scholarship sanctions.
Sarkisian and his staff responded in grand fashion, enjoying an excellent final push that could only be viewed as a resounding success. A memorable 2014 signing day concluded with a pair of Southern California 5-star prospects (Adoree' Jackson and John Smith) and top-ranked offensive guard Damien Mama.
Those pickups vaulted the Trojans to 10th in 247Sports' final 2014 class rankings. This February offers potential to provide more fireworks and an even stronger finish in recruiting rankings.
USC is considered a top contender for several All-Americans, including in-state standouts Rasheem Green (5-star defensive tackle), John Houston (4-star linebacker) and Iman Marshall (5-star cornerback). The Trojans are also a threat to reach beyond state borders for top talent like Damarkus Lodge (4-star receiver), Osa Masina (4-star linebacker), Cordell Broadus (4-star receiver) and Porter Gustin (4-star linebacker).
No team is as heavily involved as USC with so many top-tier uncommitted prospects at this point. USC, currently rated fifth in 247Sports' 2015 class rankings, has room for serious growth during the next month.
Can Charlie Strong Continue to Build Toward a Texas Rebound?
3 of 5
Charlie Strong's first season in Austin ended in disastrous fashion, with a pair of defeats to TCU and Arkansas that saw Texas get outscored 79-17. However, those setbacks haven't slowed things down from a recruiting standpoint.
The Longhorns, arguably the hottest team on the recruiting trail right now, have claimed eight commitments since Dec. 15. That haul includes 5-star Texan Malik Jefferson, the nation's top-rated linebacker who was previously considered a Texas A&M lean.
Strong and his staff have taken care of business on home turf recently—success that served as a recruiting staple during the Mack Brown era. Coveted Dallas linebacker Anthony Wheeler pledged to Texas during Under Armour All-America Game action, while versatile 4-star athlete DeAndre McNeal joined Jefferson, his high school teammate, in the Longhorns' class.
Concerted recruiting efforts outside of Texas have been a noticeable philosophical switch under Strong. He landed a pair of U.S. Army All-Americans from Florida on Jan. 3 when defensive back Tim Irvin and tight end Devonaire Clarington committed.
Strong enjoyed tremendous success securing prospects from the Sunshine State during his stay at Louisville and previously served as defensive coordinator at Florida under Ron Zook and Urban Meyer.
He now holds four Texas commits in this class. The entire 2014 Longhorns roster featured just three players from the state.
"We're going to take over Texas," Clarington told Max Olson of ESPN.com. "What (Strong) did at Louisville is exactly what he's going to do at Texas. That's all I've got to say."
Texas could add another Florida recruit into the mix if 4-star receiver John Burt recommits. Other top Longhorns targets include Texas running back Chris Warren, North Carolina cornerback Mark Fields and former Aggies pledge Daylon Mack, a 5-star defensive tackle.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Where Will Uncommitted 5-Star Prospects End Up?
4 of 5
Plenty of potential program-changers are still searching for the right fit. An abundance of available 5-star prospects will ultimately determine which teams dominate national signing day.
Amazingly, we still don't know where four of the top five prospects in 247Sports' composite rankings will play college football.
Offensive tackle Martez Ivey and defensive end Byron Cowart are both interested in Florida and Auburn, though Cowart will spend his final official visit at Florida State. Defensive end CeCe Jefferson has shown a lot of love for Ole Miss and Alabama, but the Florida standout is still a strong candidate to stay home with the Seminoles or Gators.
California cornerback Iman Marshall may be the most difficult recruit to read. In-state institutions USC, UCLA and Stanford continue to clamor for his commitment, but visits to Notre Dame, LSU, Florida State and Michigan create a complicated decision-making process that appears destined to reach signing day.
Rasheem Green is another USC target, but he also has Oregon, Miami and Arizona State on his mind. Fellow 5-star defensive tackle Daylon Mack surprised many when he decommitted from Texas A&M in December, and while the Aggies remain in the picture, Texas and TCU have also risen to the forefront.
Illinois defensive end Terry Beckner is another wild card. He wraps things up with a Jan. 30 visit to Missouri, which is considered his longtime lean, but Ohio State, Auburn and Florida State continue to put up a strong fight.
Damien Harris and Soso Jamabo, the lone composite 5-star running backs in this class, have also taken their respective recruitments down to the wire. Harris is expected to decide between Alabama, Ohio State and Kentucky on Jan. 9, while Jamabo is still considering UCLA, Texas A&M and Notre Dame.
Can Anyone Dethrone Alabama Atop National Recruiting Rankings?
5 of 5
Nick Saban may be two years removed from his most recent national championship, but he remains the king of college football recruiting. Alabama has finished atop 247Sports' class rankings every year since 2011, and this signing day is shaping up to extend that streak.
The Crimson Tide are currently ahead of second-place Florida State by a margin of 19.28 points. That's more of a gap than the one that exists between the Seminoles and sixth-place Clemson.
Alabama holds four 5-star commitments (tied with Florida State for most in America) and a nation-best 15 4-star pledges. This group includes top-five players at seven positions: quarterback, receiver, safety, tight end, offensive guard, defensive tackle and cornerback.
Simply put, Alabama is loaded again in 2015.
We've grown accustomed to these star-studded hauls in Tuscaloosa, and along with Saban, they're what keeps the Crimson Tide in national title conversations on an annual basis.
USC may have the strongest chance to knock off Alabama, but it's going to take an amazing final stretch from the Trojans. As we alluded to in an earlier segment of this piece, plenty of top prospects are still in play for USC.
Florida State could threaten the Tide, but it would probably require commitments from at least top-ranked cornerback Iman Marshall and one or two of the Seminoles' top defensive end targets (CeCe Jefferson, Terry Beckner and Byron Cowart).
However, that's all assuming Alabama is done bringing in elite 2015 talent. With Saban's sights still set on 5-star running back Damien Harris, top Maryland offensive tackle Isaiah Prince and others, the Crimson Tide aren't likely to keep quiet.
Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report national recruiting analyst Tyler Donohue unless otherwise noted.
Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
