College Football Recruiting 2012: Which Powerhouses Are Off To a Slow Start?
We're in the second month of the 2012 recruiting cycle, and as you now know, college football recruiting is a non-stop, year-round process. In past years, recruits would not start to receive offers until the summer and right before their senior seasons. Well, that's not the case anymore, as recruiting doesn't stop anymore and teams are securing commits from junior and sophomore prospects these days.
Some teams like Texas, Alabama, Miami, USC, Florida and Florida State have adjusted well to the new norm these days and begin their recruiting a year earlier than most. This ensures schools like these powers get off to a fast start when the recruiting year officially kicks off. Other teams take their time and like to really study their needs, study their current roster and then go after players they think are the best fit.
There are pros and cons to both houses of methods, but the latter does get you off to a slower start. Here 10 powerhouse programs that while likely will rev up and come on strong, are off to a slow start on the trail in 2012.
10. Oregon
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The Ducks signed a top notch recruiting class in 2011, and figure to use their BCS Title Game appearance as some extra clout on the trail going forward, but it hasn't been seen yet.
Oregon does not have one commitment for its 2012 class yet, while Pac-12 main rival USC has five pledges already going forward. Chip Kelly is in the middle of some controversy regarding his recruitment of Lache Seastrunk and LaMichael James, involving an alleged illegal use of a street agent.
Yet I honestly do not feel worried about Oregon's recruiting efforts, as the Ducks are always a force on the trail. They recruit California very, very well and recently have begun to develop in-roads into Texas as well evidenced by Darren Thomas, Seastrunk and Anthony Wallace.
9. Nebraska
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Bo Pelini has used the offseason to make some changes on his staff, including a new round of offensive coaches and a new defensive backs coach. Debate has spurred if this has affected 2012 recruiting, since Big Red only has one pledge so far.
Mike Rose, a 6'0", 215 middle linebacker prospect out of Missouri, is the lone 2012 player to step up and want the Red N on his helmet for the next four years. Rose just very recently decided the Black Shirt tradition was for him, as he made his pledge on Monday.
Now as Pelini has solidified his staff and recruiting areas have began to be re-stablished among the Cornhusker coaches, look for Nebraska to come on strong on he trail.
8. Rutgers
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Rutgers has been through a roller coaster ride this past decade. Seeing a rise to the top of the Big East under Greg Schiano, after years of misery. Then seeing a fall back to the pack.
Schiano has shown a knack for not letting elite talent get out of New Jersey, and does well in fighting the national big boys who come to Jerz looking to steal players from Rutgers. Players like Kenny Britt, Anthony Davis and Savon Huggins all go convinced by Schiano to stay home.
Now comes 2012, and Rutgers lacks a commitment so far. Their two main recruiting areas are the East/Atlantic coastal area and Florida.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Wisconsin
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Bret Bielema and his staff know what kind of players they want and what to look for at each position, and they do a good job of evaluating and identifying on the recruiting trail. It just doesn't seem they like anyone right now as Wisconsin doesn't have a commitment yet for 012.
The Badgers aren't a sexy name or school that sizzles in the recruiting industry, and they don't care. The reason why they are always competing for Big Ten titles is that they recruit tough, strong and smart players that work you every snap.
They are off to a slow start for 2012, but look for the fighting Bielemas to get running pretty soon.
6. Tennessee
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I remember as a kid when the Vols would come into California to recruit and USC and ULA would be very concerned. Tennessee to Kevin Simon, a stud linebacker from Concord De La Salle and Chargers linebacker Kevin Burnett from Dominguez in the late 90s and early 2000s. Then Tennessee actually had Steve Smith in their grasp and many USC fans wondered if they had lost Smith.
The Vols have been no stranger to the dominating the recruiting trail over the years as Rocky Top is a national draw. Yet for 2012, the Vols only have one commitment thus far. Imani Cross, a 6'1", 215-pound big running back with 4.5 speed is the lone ranger, or should I say Volunteer so far.
Tennessee usually goes outside the state to haul in prospects as the state is usually not overly riddled with Elite talent by comparison to neighboring states in the south.
5. UCLA
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UCLA signed a top 10 class in 2010 and really felt they had arrived on the recruiting trail. Rick Neuheisel had been hired in part for just that very reason: his charismatic personality was thought to be a great tool for luring elite high school players to Westwood. He did in 2010. He didn't in 2011. And so far he's not in 2012.
Neuheisel signed one of the worst classes in the Pac-12 last recruiting cycle, failing to capitalize on the 2010 momentum. The Bruins lack a single pledge so far in this recruiting class and have severely fallen behind USC in the eyes of Los Angels area prep stars, even with the Trojans in the middle of NCAA sanctions.
Already on the hot seat coming into the 2011 season, Neuheisel needs a big recruiting year to continue stocking the Bruin roster with talent.
4. Penn State
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Joe Paterno has been a man who has not let his age work against him on the recruiting front. He hears stories from recruits about how rival Big Ten coaches try to say he is retiring soon and steer a player away from PSU, but Paterno has not left the stoop yet.
The Nittany Lions have seen to elite talent head their way in Lavar Arrington, Courtney Brown, Curtis Enis and Jared Ordrick among others. Yet 2012 doesn't seem to be off to the start Penn State is looking for.
PSU doesn't have a pledge yet , though this is likely because of their own doing. Paterno and his staff are hug of character and film evaluations and are on of the main programs who oppose the early recruiting that takes place in college football today.
Don't count the Nittany Lions out.
3. Boise State
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Boise State is on this list in similar fashion to Penn State, not because their recruiting efforts are lacking but rather because the Broncos also like to take serious time to evaluate recruits.
Boise State doesn't get the elite, national player of the year types, and they are fine with that. What Chris Petersen and his staff do is evaluate smart, tough players who want to come to Boise State.
The Bronco staff is extremely confident in their coaching and player development abilities and that is why you see Boise State players get better throughout their career.
Their lone pledge so far is Marcus Rios, a 6'0", 170-pound cover corner out of California.
2. Michigan
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You have to commend Brady Hoke for the job he did by keeping most of the 2011 class intact and adding a few studs to cap off his first class at the helm in Ann Arbor. Hoke is charged in restoring the legendary program not only back to Big Ten prominence, but also on the national scale as well.
He knows it will start with recruiting, but so far in 2012 Big Blue doesn't have a verbal yet. Hoke is still getting the reigns and his ducks in a row at Michigan, and has ace recruiter Greg Mattison on staff.
I really think as the spring evaluation period moves forward, and Hoke and co. get to see prospects in person, Michigan will start to rack up pledges.
1. Auburn
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Auburn has recruited very, very well the past two years and I actually think that may work against them in 2012 recruiting. The Tigers will be pretty young on the field in 2011, and recruits like to look at depth charts and see if they have a good chance at early playing time. The recruits in the 2012 class may see the Tiger depth chart's young riches and look elsewhere.
Yet don't look for Auburn to completely fall off on the trail, as they are located in talent-rich Alabama and recruit very well all throughout the south, which is the prime breeding ground for football players aside from California.
The Tigers have just one pledge for 2012, as Michael Flint, a 5'4", 305 pound-offensive guard from Oxford (AL) is the only player to have pledged to Gene Chizik so far.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
