10 College Football Teams Whose Seasons May Kill 2011 Recruiting
The summer leading up to a new season is crucial for a couple of reasons. First, it gives the coaching staff time to evaluate where their team is at and get their players ready.
But it's also primetime recruiting season, with unofficial visits and camps leading toward the majority of commitments throughout the year.
A commitment isn't set in stone though, nothing is until the ink touches paper on National Signing Day.
It adds an extra level of pressure for the upcoming season as success or failure on the field will have a direct correlation between success and failure signing recruits.
Here are the top 10 programs whose 2010 seasons will do a lot of damage to their 2011 recruiting classes.
10. Washington
1 of 10
2010 Record: 2-3
2011 Commitments: 18
2011 Class Ranking: 16th
Washington helped its cause a lot with a huge win on the road against USC a couple of weeks ago, but then dropped a key conference game to Arizona State the following week.
No one expected the Huskies to compete for the Pac-10 title this season, but growth was expected in Steve Sarkisian's second year as head coach and so far it hasn't really happened.
The Huskies did a great job of getting commitments from in-state stars like Kasen Williams, Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Brendon Bigelow, but they may lose them before NSD if there isn't improvement soon.
9. UCLA
2 of 10
2010 Record: 3-3
2011 Commitments: 8
2011 Class Ranking: 51st
UCLA is in a tough spot already because besides quarterback Brett Hundley, the Bruins already are struggling with their 2011 recruiting class.
It doesn't help at all that UCLA has already lost three games. The victory over Texas was huge, but that may have more to do with the Longhorns imploding than anything. The same goes for UCLA's win over Houston, a game in which Case Keenum was already hobbling into before being lost for the year.
Even with those wins, a 3-3 start isn't going to help the Bruins get their 2011 recruiting efforts going and we're likely to see them finish the year outside of the top 50 as a result.
8. Pittsburgh
3 of 10
2010 Record: 2-3
2011 Commitments: 17
2011 Class Ranking: 17th
Pitt came into the year as one of the top teams in the nation, but quickly plummeted down the rankings after losing to Utah in the season opener.
Since then the Panthers have dropped games to Miami and Notre Dame, with their only wins on the year coming against New Hampshire and Florida International.
It's become evident that something is wrong in Pittsburgh, with Dion Lewis struggling to even stay on the field and the defense struggling to stop anyone. The Panthers have a top 25 recruiting class right now, but it's going to flee based on the way things are going.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Clemson
4 of 10
2010 Record: 2-3
2011 Commitments: 19
2011 Class Ranking: 13th
Clemson has one of the best offensive recruiting classes in the country, headlined by 5-star running back Mike Bellamy.
This was expected to be a down year for the Tigers with C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford gone, but after starting 2-0, Clemson has dropped its last three and the schedule isn't getting any easier; this may well be one of the worst seasons in recent memory for the program.
Not only does Clemson have to worry about keeping its current commitments on board, but at this point it'll be tough to garner substantial consideration from uncommited prospects like Jay Rome; especially considering Kyle Parker is off to MLB after the season.
6. Tennessee
5 of 10
2010 Record: 2-4
2011 Commitments: 18
2011 Class Ranking: 24th
Tennessee is in rebuilding mode, there's no way to get around that with the way that Lane Kiffin left the program after one hapless season.
But a 2-4 start is no way to convince recruits to join in the effort next season, not in the SEC, not with many of the best recruiters in the country competing with you for the same recruits.
The Vols top 25 recruiting class is a mirage at this point as well. They don't have any elite talent on board and the high numbers of 3-star prospects won't mean as much once more 5-stars commit elsewhere. Simply put, Tennessee is playing so poorly it's going to be very hard to convince anyone to join.
5. USC
6 of 10
2010 Record: 4-2
2011 Commitments: 12
2011 Class Ranking: 18th
USC has two of the top prospects in the country headlining its class in athlete De'Anthony Thomas and defensive end Jalen Grimble, but NCAA sanctions should be the only thing on the Trojans mind when it comes to recruiting.
USC might not be eligible for the postseason, but it still needs to win games, especially against Pac-10 opponents and that's been a problem the last couple of games.
Losses against Washington and Stanford and potential losses against Oregon and several other conference foes could be the difference between Thomas sticking around or jumping ship; and he's just the tip of the iceberg.
4. Notre Dame
7 of 10
2010 Record: 3-3
2011 Commitments: 19
2011 Class Ranking: 4th
Notre Dame has been rising up the rankings in recent months and continues to bring in the big names to help secure a top five recruiting class.
But that class isn't as secure as you might think. Many recruits have been flocking to South Bend because of Bryan Kelly, but so far he hasn't proved to be the most effective coach in the first half of the season.
Notre Dame is losing important games and faith in the program is starting to dwindle. Jordan Prestwood has already decommited to consider other options and if the Irish lose more games he won't be the last to do so.
3. Penn State
8 of 10
2010 Record: 3-3
2011 Commitments: 4
2011 Class Ranking: 63rd
Penn State is just plain and simple struggling. Not only have the Nittany Lions lost to every decent opponent they've faced, they haven't been able to get anything going when it comes to 2011 recruiting.
Prospects don't trust that Joe Paterno will be around to coach them and that's really hurt Penn State's cause so far.
Add in the losses on the field and lack of scholarship space and you have a recipe for disaster. It may be too soon to say this, but the feeling here is that Penn State is in for a long rebuilding process following the 2010 season.
2. Texas
9 of 10
2010 Record: 3-2
2011 Commitments: 23
2011 Class Ranking: 1st
Texas was expected to compete for a National Championship this season, but all hope of that went out the door with back-to-back losses to UCLA and Oklahoma.
Losing to the Sooners is one thing, but the Bruins are a different story; that one can't be excused. With Nebraska next and Missouri, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State unbeaten, Texas could will out of the Big 12 picture
That's not a place the Longhorns are used to being and it could put their top-ranked recruiting class in serious jeopardy. You could see some serious recruiting backlash if the 2010 season falls apart.
1. Georgia
10 of 10
2010 Record: 2-4
2011 Commitments: 16
2011 Class Ranking: 7th
No one should be more worried about their 2011 recruiting class than the Bulldogs. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what the issue is with Georgia, but sitting at 2-4 the season is in disarray and the consequences could be huge.
It looks like there could be at least a couple more losses on the schedule with Florida, Auburn, Kentucky and Georgia Tech to go, so the seas could get even stormier from here.
Could this be the end of Mark Richt? Maybe, and you can bet recruits are thinking the same thing. That top 10 class could melt away very quickly if Georgia doesn't figure things out in a hurry.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
