College Football Recruiting Update: Big 10

Due to a vacation and my sudden relocation into Big 12 country, the recruiting updates had to take a back seat for a little while.  The series continues today with a breakdown of the Big 10. 

The conference, as a whole, has been struggling in this area in the past few years.  As you will notice below, Penn State’s recruiting class was rated the best in the Big 10, but only ranked 12th nationally. 

Michigan’s class barely made the top-20, and was the second best in the conference.  Could this be one of the reasons the Big 10 has so desperately been looking to expand?

Recruits view the Big 10 just as I do: a boring ass conference!  They need to put their conference back on the map, so that they can acquire the kind of athletes that are required to be successful on the national landscape.

They made a good first step with the acquisition of Nebraska, but it remains to be seen where they will go from here. 

The chart below further illustrates how badly the teams in the Big 10 have recruited compared to the other “Big 6” conferences in the past two years:

They only had a total of three teams inside the top-15 the past two years, which only is more than the Big East. 

If they want to be considered one of the elite conferences (which they, for some reason, already do) they are going to need to pick up their recruiting efforts.

What do arguably the best three coaches in the country (Nick Saban, Mack Brown, Urban Meyer) do better than anyone else out there? Recruit!

I have only chosen four teams out of the conference to highlight, due to them being the only teams to show even a smidgen of success on the recruiting front. 

Wisconsin and Iowa fans may get upset, but the success those teams have showed on the field in the past had nothing to do with recruiting, which is a tribute to the coaches of those teams for their ability to develop the lower-tier athletes that they get.

Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Penn State are highlighted below:

Ohio State

Last Year’s Class Ranking: (25)

# of Commitments: (15)

# of Top-250 Commitments: (6)

Key Commitments (National Rank): DT Michael Bennett (#30), DE Kenny Hayes (#46), QB Braxton Miller (#56), DE Chase Farris (#184)

Key Targets (National Rank): DT Kevin McReynolds (#218), LB Andre Sturdivant (NR), LB Trey DePriest (#93), LB Ryan Shazier (#165), CB Doran Grant (#23), S Ron Tanner (NR), S Jabari Gorman (#167), WR Devin Smith (NR), WR Shane Wynn (NR), TE Nick Vannett (#174), OT Aundrey Walker (#117)

Notes: Head Coach Jim Tressel is a solid recruiter, and Ohio State’s 25th^- ranked recruiting class is better than the ranking.  They only took 19 commitments, with almost half of them being rated four stars or better. 

I really like the start of this recruiting class.  They have already picked up who I think is the best QB in this class in Braxton Miller.  They have also helped themselves along the defensive front, picking up ultra-athletic 280 lb. DT Michael Bennett and a solid DE in Chase Farris.

They are really looking to pick up a linebacker or two, and with Ohio native Trey DePriest likely heading down south to play for the Crimson Tide and Ryan Shazier likely to head elsewhere, it appears they have focused their attention on Andre Sturdivant.

Michigan

Last Year’s Class Ranking: (20)

# of Commitments: (5)

# of Top-250 Commitments: (2)

Key Commitments (National Rank): DE Brennen Beyer (#187), CB Delonte Hollowell (#236)

Key Targets (National Rank): OT Ray Ball (NR), OT Jacob Fisher (NR), DE James Adeyanju (NR), ATH Kris Frost (#27), LB Ed Davis (NR), DE Jack Miller (NR), QB Marquise Williams (NR), DE Corey Marshall (#250), RB Demetrius Hart (#34), DE Anthony Zettel (#58), LB Kellen Jones (NR)

Notes: Rich Rodriguez better win this year, or he is going to get the boot straight out of Ann Arbor.  He has a reputation as a good recruiter, but his last class shows the uncertainty surrounding the Michigan football program. 

Lloyd Carr was always able to put up excellent classes, because he was able to preach the tradition of the Michigan program. 

Sleezy Rich has just about annihilated that reputation by bringing an unproven spread option attack to the Wolverines, and getting the program in major trouble with the NCAA for the first time in school history. 

They only have five commitments to date, and I don’t think they are going to be able to convince any blue-chip prospects to join them unless they see some success on the field. 

That is why this season is vital not only for Rich Rodriguez, but for the Michigan football program as a whole. 

Rich Rod can’t use the excuse that he doesn’t have his “system” players in place yet anymore, because his team will have plenty of experience (albeit bad experience) to be successful in the Big 10.

So, in general, I think Michigan will have a very solid class if they are able to churn out 9 or 10 wins this year.  If not, it will be worse than the 2010 class.

Michigan State

Last Year’s Class Ranking: (30)

# of Commitments: (5)

# of Top-250 Commitments: (1)

Key Commitments (National Rank): LB Lawrence Thomas (#11)

Key Targets (National Rank): C Jack Allen (NR), TE Jake Duzey (NR), LB Shaquille Petteway (NR), DT Mark Scarpinato (NR), S Trae Waynes (NR), OL Kyle McAvoy (NR), OL Luke McAvoy (NR), RB Vernard Roberts (NR), OT Parker Ehinger (NR), OL Kyle Lints (NR), OT Jacob Fisher (NR), LB Ed Davis (NR)

Notes: Mark Dantonio does a pretty good job with his recruiting efforts for what he has been given to work with.  They were able to pick up five-star William Gholston last year, and they have picked up an even bigger prospect already for this class.

Five-star LB Lawrence Thomas is a versatile nightmare for offenses, and he will do great things as a Spartan.  Offensive line seems to be a big priority for the staff at Michigan State. 

Recent Indiana commit Jalen Schlachter has had the Spartans on top of his list from the get-go, and would likely jump on an offer.  If not they have many other possibilities at the position as stated in their key targets.

Penn State

Last Year’s Class Ranking: (12)

# of Commitments: (1)

# of Top-250 Commitments: (0)

Key Commitments (National Rank): None

Key Targets (National Rank): DE Deion Barnes (#141), S Mike Caputo (NR), ATH Terrell Chestnut (#229), S Dondi Kirby (#111), TE Ben Koyack (#71), DE Shawn Oakman (#244), RB Jameel Poteat (#188), S Michael Cole (NR), DE Ishaq Williams (#52), QB Cardale Jones

Notes: I feel like people are finally starting to realize that Joe Pa is not going to be around much longer.  He has only secured one commitment in this class to date. 

I was extremely impressed (shocked may be a better word) at the class he was able to put together last year.  They were basically signing to play for a team that they have no idea who the coach will be, because I don’t see how Joe Pa coaches more than 1 or 2 more years. 

Then again, I didn’t think he would still be around today, so maybe I will be proven wrong. 

After producing top prospects such as 5 star DT Sharriff Floyd and Rivals 100 DB Cullen Christian, the talent in Pennsylvania is relatively weak this year.

PSU is going to have to broaden their recruiting prowess to the surrounding states, and will not be able to rely on prospects to commit just because they love the school.

Somehow, Joe Pa is going to have to sell his coaching staff and the future of the PSU program to prospects.  They are hot on the trail on several highly ranked prospects, but it remains to be seen whether they can close.