National Signing Day 2011: The Top 10 Coaches Who Need a Strong Class
National Signing Day 2011 is approaching and there's no question to its importance.
The day is important to fans of each team, who hope and pray that the top players commit to their squad. The ideas and thoughts of top recruits throwing and catching passes, making tackles and winning games for their teams for the next three or four years is enough to make National Signing Day more important than some games in the regular season.
For the player, of course, the day is as important as they come. After months and months of recruitment, including calls and meetings from recruiters, coaches, scouts, media and almost everyone else with a passing interest in the game, it all comes to an end.
And perhaps most importantly, National Signing Day is important for head coaches across the nation. Whether they endured a solid year on the field or a tough go of it the year prior, National Signing Day is a turning point.
It's a chance to turn things around for a certain program or for a winning program to keep the trend moving in the right direction.
Here are 10 coaches who need a strong recruiting class this year.
10. Mark Richt
1 of 10
Georgia head coach Mark Richt has hyped up his 2011 class so much that anything less than a strong unit would be an utter disappointment.
Luckily for Richt and Co., the recruiting gods seem to be on his side.
The Bulldogs have compiled a terrific class and it may get even better as they await word on a handful of targeted recruits, including top running back Isaiah Crowell.
9. Lane Kiffin
2 of 10
After a down year by USC's lofty standards, which was spent in Oregon's national championship game shadow, the Trojans will be on the move heading into 2011.
And that move can start with a strong class for Lane Kiffin.
The recruiting front has been a roller coaster for the Trojans this year. Here's hoping Kiffin and Co. finish on a high note.
8. Derek Dooley
3 of 10
Year one turned out to be a decent success for Dooley in Tennessee.
Now comes the ultimate test: year two.
The expectations are high in Knoxville every year. For Dooley to continue to be a trusted leader, he'll have to land a solid class and continue to win.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Mack Brown
4 of 10
Texas had an off year on the field, but luckily, the Longhorns have put together arguably the nation's top recruiting class.
Despite the loss of top-ranked offensive tackle Christian Westerman, the Longhorns remain poised to finish the recruiting season with the Big 12's best record.
6. Dabo Swinney
5 of 10
Much like coaches everywhere, Clemson's Dabo Swinney is under extreme pressure to win and do so quickly.
And he has had to compete with Florida State and North Carolina for the top ACC recruiting class.
Luckily for Tigers Nation, Swinney has put together a masterful class, which can and likely will get better within the next few days as Clemson awaits word on a number of highly-touted recruits.
5. Les Miles
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LSU always has pressure to put forth a top-notch class. In the hotbed of recruiting the Tigers reside in, the expectations are lofty to attract in-state recruits.
When you look at the fact that LSU's main competition for recruits is Alabama, then the stakes just go up.
Currently the Tigers hold a solid standing in the 2011 class rankings and you can bet Les Miles and Co. will do their fair share to see it only improve before signing day.
4. Butch Davis
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Much like Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Butch Davis goes up against the grind of battling Florida State for the ACC's top talent.
He has done so brilliantly this year, putting together a solid class that could only improve depending on the pending decision from top running back Savon Huggins.
3. Steve Spurrier
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Simply put, the Gamecocks need to finish the year with a strong recruiting class.
And put in simpler terms, that means that South Carolina needs to land the nation's top-ranked recruit, Jadeveon Clowney.
Spurrier competes with the best recruiters and coaches in the nation in the SEC. While South Carolina has put together a decent class up to this point, the Gamecocks haven't competed as well as they've needed to in order to level the competition in the SEC.
Consider Clowney the equalizer.
2. Paul Wulff
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In his three years at Washington State, Wulff is just 5-32.
Clearly something needs to change.
With Washington having compiled a solid class and the rest of the Pac-10's powers doing the same, the Cougars are at a loss.
If Wulff doesn't breathe some life into the program soon, he's likely to be out of a job soon.
1. Will Muschamp
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Will Muschamp has big shoes to fill in Florida and he wasn't given much time to do so.
Midway through the 2011 recruiting season, one of the nation's top recruiters up and left the game.
When Urban Meyer left Florida, he caused a wave in the Gators' recruiting for the year. Luckily, Muschamp and his staff hit the ground running and have only improved Florida's class.
Depending on how some of the Gators' top targets choose on National Signing Day, Florida could jump a few pegs in the national recruiting rankings.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
