College Football Recruiting 2011: The 20 Most Disappointing/Surprising Classes

The 2011 recruiting season is starting to wind down, and at this point a class is either good or it isn't.

That's not to say there isn't room for improvement, but we are past the stage of a rapid turnaround.

Miami and Penn State aren't going to jump 50 spots in the recruiting rankings to crack the top 10 and Stanford's class isn't going to slip into irrelevancy. 

For that reason, we fell pretty comfortable with our picks for the top 20 most disappointing/surprising 2011 recruiting classes. 

No. 10 Disappointing: Georgia

Since 2002, Georgia has averaged a top-10 recruiting class, bringing in top-five classes on five different occasions. 

When you recruit that well, there's little room for error before we start nitpicking. Of course with the team struggling and the school's relationship with coach Mark Richt being drawn into question, it's hard to recruit well. 

Georgia has a top-20 recruiting class, but no 5-star prospects on the books. It looks like the second straight year the Bulldogs finish outside the top 10. 

No. 10 Surprising: Louisville

Louisville's 2011 class hinges on the arm of 5-star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who committed to the Cardinals yesterday after originally committing to Miami before coach Randy Shannon was fired. 

Bridgewater is one of the top quarterbacks in the nation and has the chance to step in and be the starter as a true freshman.

Because of him, Louisville has the top ranked recruiting class in the Big East, as well as the conference's only 5-star prospect.  

No. 9 Disappointing: Oregon

Considering that Oregon won the Pac-10 last year, won the Pac-10 this year and is awaiting its matchup with Auburn in the BCS National Championship Game, you'd expect more recruiting buzz.

Sure, there's been some solid additions like 5-star linebacker Anthony Wallace as well as 4-star quarterback Jerrard Randall, but the Ducks are still just outside of the top 25 classes.

After bringing in the No. 13 class last year, more was expected. 

No. 9 Surprising: Texas Tech

Texas Tech doesn't have one of the most impressive recruiting classes in the country, but the Red Raiders do have a good deal of talent and are sitting in the top 25 at the moment. 

For a school that hadn't had a recruiting class ranked inside the top 30 since 2006, that's quite a big step in the right direction. 

No. 8 Disappointing: Texas A&M

Since 2002, Texas A&M's 26th-ranked recruiting class in 2007 marks the only time the school has not been ranked in the top 25. 

The Aggies are struggling this season, though, with a class that is currently ranked outside the top 30 and has only three 4-star prospects and no blue chips. 

No. 8 Surprising: Virginia

Virginia is in the same boat as Texas Tech, but the Cavaliers take things to another level. In the last five years, Virginia is averaging a recruiting class rank of 52.4; its best class was ranked 32nd. 

This year, though, the Cavaliers have 24 commitments and are ranked inside the top 25. But it's a bit of a farce, though, as all but three of the school's commitments have less than a 4-star grade. 

No. 7 Disappointing: Pittsburgh

Since Miami and Virginia Tech left the Big East, it's belonged to Pitt as far as recruiting is concerned. West Virginia has gotten its share from time to time, but the Panthers have been the dominant team since 2006.

Pitt had had the best recruiting class in the ACC four times in five years heading into 2011, but things just aren't working out after a disappointing season and the resignation of coach Dave Wannstedt.

The Panthers are currently clinging to a top-50 class. 

No. 7 Surprising: North Carolina

North Carolina's class is surprising for a number of reasons. First, the Tar Heels were able to convince two of the nation's top prospects, 5-star linebacker Travis Hughes and 5-star offensive tackle Kiaro Holts, to commit.

And secondly, for a school that hasn't been a very strong recruiter in the past few years, bringing in a top-15 class while the program is surrounded by the suspensions and NCAA investigations of this past season is remarkably impressive. 

No. 6 Disappointing: Florida

Florida is in the midst of vast change. Gone is Urban Meyer and the spread offense, in is Will Muschamp, the pro-style offense and defense, defense, defense. 

Obviously when you lose a coach of Meyer's status it'll hurt recruiting, and if you needed a reason why a perennial recruiting monster like Florida currently has the No. 20 recruiting class, Meyer is your reason. 

Things are only getting worse as the decommitments start to pile up. Already two big ones this week. 

No. 6 Surprising: South Carolina

South Carolina might have one more thing to cheer about before the 2011 recruiting season comes to a close as the Gamecocks are the favorite to land No. 1 overall prospect Jadeveon Clowney. 

Should they pull it off, it would mean a top-10 recruiting class.

Something South Carolina hasn't done since 2007. 

No. 5 Disappointing: Auburn

Auburn and Florida are both underachieving as far as their recruiting efforts go, but at least Florida has an excuse. 

The Gators had at one time what was looking like a solid class, but after Jeoffrey Pagan, Ryan Shazier and Nick Waisome bailed it's struggling to keep up in the SEC.

Florida had a rough year and lost its coach, though—Auburn is competing for a national title. So how is it that the Tigers don't have a single 5-star commitment and are hanging on for a top-20 class? 

No. 5 Surprising: Nebraska

Nebraska has seen itself revived under coach Bo Pelini, with back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in a long time. 

On the recruiting front, Pelini and his staff are putting together one of the best classes in the country, headlined by 5-star running back Aaron Green, one of the top overall prospects.

This from a school that hadn't had a top-25 recruiting class since 2008. 

No. 4 Disappointing: Michigan

Recruits are starting to realize the conclusion that most of the college football world has known for quite some time. 

Rich Rodriguez's days coaching the Wolverines are numbered, and he'll never duplicate the success he had a West Virginia. 

Michigan, a top-10 recruiting program, is struggling to scratch and claw its way back into the top 25 this year. 

No. 4 Surprising: Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State should have its fingers crossed hoping that 5-star running back Herschel Sims follows through on his commitment to the Cowboys. 

He and 4-star quarterback J.W. Walsh form the backbone of one of the most surprising top-15 classes in the country. 

Considering that since 2002 the school has failed to ever assemble a top-15 recruiting class, the 2011 group is something special. 

No. 3 Disappointing: UCLA

UCLA is another recruiting powerhouse that has fallen way behind for 2011, with only eight commitments and a class ranked outside the top 60. 

The Bruins are the type of team that brings in top-10 classes regularly, it seems, regardless of how good the product on the field is, so when you follow up the No. 8 class in 2010 with the No. 64 class in 2011, that's a terrible sign. 

No. 3 Surprising: Clemson

Clemson's 2011 recruiting class is one of the most intriguing in the country and is just so loaded with offensive talent that it probably makes any offensively-minded fan drool.

With Mike Bellamy and Marline Lane at running back and Charone Peake and Sammy Watkins at wide receiver, the Tigers are doubled down with top-10 talent at both positions.

Clemson is on its way to its first top-10 recruiting class of the 21st century.  

No. 2 Disappointing: Penn State

Things were looking even worse for Penn State just a few short weeks ago, but the Nittany Lions were able to add four recruits over the last month or so to double their commitment total. 

The program still has only two 4-star prospects on the books, and even though Joe Paterno has made it clear he's returning, prospective recruits have their doubts.

You can't blame it all on Joe, though; the product on the field hasn't helped either. There are a lot of reasons why Penn State has fallen from being the Big Ten's best recruiter last year to a class ranked outside the top 60 this year. 

No. 2 Surprising: Stanford

Stanford hit the ground running when it came to the 2011 recruiting season. The Cardinal collected over 20 commitments before most schools were even at double digits.

At one point you could argue Stanford had the best class in the country short of Texas. As the months have passed, others have caught up to the Cardinal, but there's no denying this is still a top-10 recruiting class. 

For the last five years, Stanford has averaged a recruiting class rank of 32.6.

No. 1 Disappointing: Miami

Miami is a situation that can somewhat be explained, but still there's absolutely no good excuse for a recruiting powerhouse located in a hotbed of talent to rank outside the top 80 for 2011 recruiting.

Sure, the Canes had limited scholarships to offer so they had to be selective, and yes, firing Randy Shannon might have been a good idea for the long term, but he was a great recruiter and it hurts you in the present. 

Miami has only four commitments right now though and just one is a 4-star prospect. 

No. 1 Surprising: Arkansas

Arkansas, along with South Carolina, has a staggering 26 commitments, but only offensive tackle Brey Cook has received a 5-star grade. 

It's a bit of a cheat considering the sheer numbers of prospects on the books, but the Razorbacks easily have a top-10 class right now and it's doubtful they relinquish it. 

This is Arkansas' highest-ranked recruiting class in a very, very long time.