NCAA Football FanHouse

Bryce Brown Commits To Tennessee

Brian Grummell — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:44:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee, SEC, National Signing Day 2009

After much drama and delay, running back Bryce Brown has decided to play for Lane Kiffin and the Tennessee Volunteers. Brown, considered the nation's top recruit by Rivals.com, delayed his decision until more than a month after signing day.

He had committed to Miami early in the recruiting process, before opening things up and deciding between Miami and USC (both of whom later stopped recruiting him) as well as LSU, Oregon and Tennessee.

Amusingly, Tennessee recently added another late signee in tailback David Oku. Both pass the sniff test on film as sturdy and agile backs bulky enough to handle the SEC's more inside running style.

Brown's been a bit of a headache, as are all recruits who don't stick to making a decision on signing day. Terrelle Pryor similarly stirred up a lot of drama last year before deciding to join Ohio State over Michigan and Penn State.

What he didn't do was funnel his recruitment through an advisor like Brown has. The NCAA is now investigating the practices of Brown's advisor, Brian Butler. Butler has a website where, for a while, he charged a fee for access to updates about Brown and others under his advisory umbrella.

Regardless, Brown's a potentially great get for Tennessee, as he can be an every-down back and offer some versatility as a receiver, as evidenced by his performance in the Army High School All America game. Brown consistently beat linebackers and defensive backs in patterns downfield, flashing good hands and big-play ability against talented peers.

Bryce Brown Commits To Tennessee originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orson Charles Chooses Georgia

Brian Grummell — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:45:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Just over a month past college football's official signing day one of the last major uncommitted college football recruits, Florida tight end Orson Charles has signed with Georgia among a host of suitors. The Tampa Plant High School product -- same school as collegiate superstar turned NFL flameout Mike Williams -- picked the Bulldogs over USC and Tennessee after having also visited Florida and Florida State.

He's also the answer to a trivia question. You might remember him as the person who accidentally destroyed Florida's 2006 BCS Championship crystal football on a recruiting visit. Fortunately it was insured and eventually replaced. Unfortunately for Florida guilt over his goof wasn't enough to secure his services.

Charles' signing ensures the 'Dawgs add a versatile and athletic tight end to the fold for whoever emerges as its quarterback next year and beyond. Charles' high school quarterback, Aaron Murray, also signed with Georgia but the favorite right now appears to be senior Joe Cox.

Whatever, his crystal football smashing incident has him high in Athenian hearts. A sampling of comments:

Welcome Charles! You've been a legendary Dawg since the moment you smashed UF's glass.

Anyone who breaks Urban Meyer's trophy then publicly rejects Florida, Tennessee, and USC in favor of Georgia is instantly a DGD [Damn Good Dog - Ed.] in my book.

Over five minutes of hilites below.

By our count, that leaves dubiously represented back Bryce Brown the last uncommitted football recruit after itinerant back David Oku inked with Tennessee Thursday.

(Via: Get The Picture)

Orson Charles Chooses Georgia originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Big East Recruiting Notes

Chas Rich — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:25:00 EST

Filed under: Big East, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Signing day has come and (nearly) gone, filled with celebration and upheaval. Sort of like life. We're here to parse what can be parsed and detail the recruiting classes that were for the major conferences.

So, who had the best recruiting class in the Big East? It seems to depend on who you ask. West Virginia was tops according to Rivals.com and Scout.com. ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc., however, had them at number three. Rutgers was ranked first, third and fourth in the various team rankings. Only South Florida seemed to have consistency at the two spot.

There is no question that the Mountaineers got offensive talent that would thrive in their old spread schemes. Whether it will still happen under the Bill Stewart and Jeff Mullen version of the offense is the big unknown. The headliners were running back Tavon Austin and quarterback Eugene Smith. Both are players that fit perfectly in the spread option offense.

The player that may have the most immediate impact would be JUCO defensive end Tevita Finau. West Virginia also got more help for the defensive line with Dominik Davenport, a defensive tackle from Virginia.

Unlike in the actual season, South Florida closed the recruiting season strong as Jim Leavitt appears to be doing more in Florida than just picking up kids missed by Florida, Miami and Florida State. Ryne Giddens is one of the top defensive ends in the country and chose USF over all the Florida programs along with Tennessee and North Carolina.

The defensive side, was definitely a place where USF hauled in some major talent. Defensive tackle Khyri Thornton is one of the top prep school players. Ricardo Dixon is an underrated cornerback that South Carolina, Auburn and Florida State wanted.

Much like the actual season, Rutgers recruiting had ups and downs. The Scarlet Knights pulled in a lot of talent early, especially getting quarterback Tom Savage out of Eastern Pennsylvania. Then they started the season 1-5 and several top verbal commits started looking elsewhere. At the last minute, Rutgers pulled in a couple more solid players in tight end Malcolm Bush and defensive tackle Isaac Holmes and to complete a very strong class.

Dave Wannstedt has provided Pitt with the Big East's top recruiting class the prior three years. This year the class was solid, but not eyepopping. Part of that was having the second smallest class with only twenty signees. Todd Thomas, a wide receiver, has the size and sure hands to provide another big target. Of the class, seven are offensive or defensive linemen, as Pitt works on building depth on the lines. Jack Lippert, a defensive end looks to be the best defensive player in the class.

At Cincinnati, Brian Kelly continues to build the team for the spread. Nearly one-third of the recruiting class were receivers or tight ends. The best player in the class, though is cornerback Chris Williams. A local kid, and one of the top players in the state.

It is not like Steve Kragthorpe does not know he is under pressure to win soon at Louisville. He has made excuses for the drop-off after following Bobby Petrino left. When your recruiting class has four JUCOs and possibly three more signing soon, well that is a clear indication of desperation and needing to win now. Adam Froman, a JUCO quarterback, has a good shot at playing immediately.

For UConn, it is still about coaching up the players they get and finding the sleepers. Dwayne Difton, a wide receiver from Florida fits the sleeper category. Given the struggles in the Huskies passing game, he could also provide immediate impact.

Despite one of the worst recruiting classes in the country, Syracuse fans are actually feeling something resembling optimism as the Doug Marrone era begins. Greg Robinson did not just do a lousy job of coaching, he was sub-par as a recruiter. The Orange only had three verbals when Marrone was hired in mid-December. That Syracuse was able to cobble together eleven more in the brief time was not too bad. There is actually a chance they could still land one of the top running backs in the country in David Oku. That the Orange even got in the picture at this late date gives hope.

Signing Day: Big East Recruiting Notes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lane Kiffin Apologizes to Urban Meyer

Will Brinson — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:10:00 EST

Filed under: Florida, Tennessee, SEC, Coaching, Media Watch, Recruiting, Rumors, General CFB Insanity, National Signing Day 2009

Lane Kiffin waltzed out onto some pretty thin ice when he called Urban Meyer out for cheating in his recruitment of Tennessee commit Nu'Keese Richardson. That ice got a heck of a lot thinner when Florida got wind of the accusations and responded,charging that Kiffin slandered both Meyer and the university.

The best route for Kiffin was likely a quick and humble apology. That's exactly what he did apparently after a little pressure from the SEC.

"I've been made aware by the Southeastern Conference that my comments this morning at a breakfast with our donors violated a conference policy. In my enthusiasm for our recruiting class, I made some statements that were meant solely to excite those at the breakfast.

"I apologize to Commissioner Mike Slive and the SEC, including Florida AD Jeremy Foley and coach Urban Meyer. My comments were not intended to offend anyone at the University of Florida."

But, hey, at least Kiffin's getting off on the right foot, huh? As Matt Hinton noted, this situation could actually have been more embarrassing for Kiffin had he stood by his stance and demanded that the SEC and NCAA investigate a violation of a non-existent rule.

Alas, he didn't. Which means now he just has to settle for trying to stop Meyer from scoring 240 points when Tennessee and Florida play Sept. 19.

Earlier: Florida Says Kiffin Slandered Meyer
Earlier Still: Kiffin Calls Out "Cheat" Meyer

Lane Kiffin Apologizes to Urban Meyer originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Florida Says Kiffin Slandered Meyer

Will Brinson — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:10:00 EST

Filed under: Florida, Tennessee, SEC, Coaching, Media Watch, Recruiting, Rumors, General CFB Insanity, National Signing Day 2009

Lane Kiffin made some pretty bold statements at a recent recruiting celebration banquet, stating that Urban Meyer "cheats" -- without winning no less! It was an odd way to behave considering that Kiffin must have known he was being recorded.

Florida's athletic department, predictably, is not thrilled about the accusations. And they're going so far as to sling around the legally charged term "slander" in a statement from athletic director Jeremy Foley.

"There was no rule violation and we have confirmed this with the Southeastern Conference. It is obvious that Coach Kiffin doesn't know that there is not a rule precluding phone contact with a prospect during an official visit on another campus during a contact period. His allegations are inappropriate, out of line and, most importantly, totally false. It is completely unfair to Urban Meyer, our coaching staff, our football program and our institution. The appropriate action at this time in my opinion is for Coach Kiffin to make a public apology.

His comments not only slandered our coach, but he violated SEC rules by publicly criticizing another coach and institution."

Florida's NCAA compliance officer, Jamie McCloskey, echoed similar statements, pointing out that this is "not the way you handle [a conflict with another coach]." And you know what? He's right.

It's amusing to the media that Kiffin pulled this stunt, but the fact remains that what he's accusing Meyer -- a two-time national championship-winning coach -- of is pretty serious business. And, in fact, if he's erroneous in his statements, he could be accurately portrayed as disseminating slanderous information, which could, in theory, lead to a pretty spicy lawsuit.

Ergo, unless he's 100 percent committed to his statements, the smart thing is to probably apologize to Meyer before things escalate any further.

Florida Says Kiffin Slandered Meyer originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lane Kiffin Says Urban Meyer 'Cheats'

Will Brinson — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Florida, Tennessee, SEC, Coaching, Fans, Media Watch, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Okay, Lane Kiffin actually said a lot more than that about Urban Meyer at a recent Tennessee "recruiting celebration banquet." In fact, Kiffin states that he is "gonna turn Florida in right here in front of [the crowd]" and then states that while Nu'Keese Richardson was on Tennessee's campus, Meyer was calling him (which Kiffin believed was a violation, apparently incorrectly so).

So, yes, this seems like a pretty monster way to fire up a rivalry that didn't really need any firing up. But not to close out on a "calm" note, Kiffin decided to bring the house down with "I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get [Richardson]" before being drowned out by Volunteer fans cheering. (Watch the video from VolunteerTV after the jump, and you have to hit the volume button -- be careful, it's loud.)

Lane Kiffin Says Urban Meyer 'Cheats' originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: The Top Recruiting Classes

Brian Grummell — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:57:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, USC, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

The headline says it all, this is about the top college football recruiting classes in 2009. Like Rivals, we're calling Alabama the top recruiter after a stellar final day saw the 'Tide seal the deal with in-state five star cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick and four star linebacker Tana Patrick. They also picked up the south's best back in Floridian Trent Richardson.

Nipping at their heel was another SEC power with Nick Saban connections: LSU. The Tigers inked the country's top receiver, Louisiana's Rueben Randle. They also got an early enrollment from Texas quarterback Russell Shepard. On defense they picked up five-star cornerback Janzen Jackson and five-star defensive tackle Chris Davenport. Just a monster, monster class.

After the jump, the rest of the real power elite recruiting classes at the end of signing day.

Checking in a notch behind but still a robust third place is perennial recruiting power USC. The Trojans lost a handful of top-notch recruits throughout the last few months, but still put together a ridiculous class. The headliner is the nation's top quarterback Matt Barkley, but USC loaded up on versatile players particularly in the secondary. In fact, they quietly may have assembled the best group of defensive backs in many a year. Keep an eye out for James Boyd, a rare quarterback/defensive end combo athlete.

After the Trojans we begin to see some separation. Ohio State, Texas and Florida State were all within range of each other. The Buckeyes didn't find a long-term backup solution in case Terrelle Pryor goes down, but they stockpiled physical defenders to go with a few fleet backs and receivers. Everyone has been buzzing about receiver Duron Carter, the son of NFL legend Cris Carter.

Texas did its usual ho hum top five, cornering all but a few of Texas' best prospects. Austin-bred quarterback Garrett Gilbert is a five-star clearly targeted to take over for Colt McCoy after his senior season.

Florida State surprised many by putting together such an impressive class. They flat-out stole cornerback Greg Reid from Florida to pair with defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel. The rest of their class is loaded with four-star depth.

Rounding out the elite group of signing classes are the Michigan Wolverines and Florida Gators. Michigan inked Detroit five-star defensive tackle William Campbell and mean Ohio safety Justin Turner. Several players decommitted at the last moment, but Michigan assembled a ton of high level athletes to play in Rich Rodriguez's speed driven offensive and defensive systems.

Florida got knocked around a bit today, but ignore the naysayers, even with decommits and a low number of players, the Gators rocked. Receiver Andre DeBose will thrive in Florida's attack and linebacker Jelani Jenkins is a heady, surprisingly young elite athlete who has a tremendous ceiling. Stopping the run is job one at all levels of football and the Gators quietly added five-star defensive tackle Gary Brown. Urban Meyer had the luxury of a young team playing at a high level this year and could tinker a bit with his recruiting class.

From here some more separation emerges. North Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma and Miami all had fine classes but I don't feel they quite matched up with this elite group this year.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: The Top Recruiting Classes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Big 12 Recruiting Notes

Brian Grummell — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:36:00 EST

Filed under: Big 12, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Signing day has come and (nearly) gone, filled with celebration and upheaval. Sort of like life. We're here to parse what can be parsed and detail the recruiting classes that were for the major conferences.

Last year's big story in college football until its series of bowl flops, the Big 12 finds itself once again among the nation's top conferences when it comes to recruiting. Several schools finished well, with three falling inside of Rivals.com's top 25 classes list. Predictably, Texas and Oklahoma have separated themselves from the pack this year, but the conference remains competitive to where we find many big names at Big 12 places we wouldn't expect.

Mack Brown is one of the great recruiters of our era. He has figured out a way to put a fairly sturdy fence around the state of Texas and pick and choose at his whim what players are worthy of the burnt orange. That fence isn't perfect, but it works well for Texas and helps them make winning at least games every year look boring.

LSU did snag two of the state's top players (No. 1 Russell Shepard, a quarterback and No. 4 Craig Loston, a safety), and Oklahoma picked up No. 7 Jamarkus McFarland, a defensive tackle. Other than that, Texas went to town in putting together the Rivals.com No. 5 recruiting class.

Head of the class is Austin local boy Garrett Gilbert, a five-star quarterback. He joins fellow five-stars offensive tackle Mason Walters and defensive end Alex Okafor. This being Texas, there's more than a fair share of guys in this class named Garrett, Trey, Barrett and Mason. Just one player signed from outside of Texas -- Arkansas defensive tackle Derek Johnson.

Just behind the 'Horns with a No. 13 class was BCS Championship runner-up Oklahoma. Overall the Sooners picked up 11 players from neighboring Texas, to go with players from Kansas, Nevada, Missouri, Mississippi and Pennsylvania in their class of 23. In-state defenders Gabe Lynn, a defensive back and Ronnell Lewis, a linebacker, are the headliners. Just eight of their commits are offensive players as Oklahoma has clearly chosen to shore up its shaky defense.

The final and most surprising Big 12 program to land in the top 25 was Texas A&M. I've been down on them and coach Mike Sherman for his vanilla approach in a game dominated by the innovative. However, he appears to have made headway in his second signing class picking up five star tailback and boy named Sue wannabe Christine Michael. The Aggies kept things simple with their laserlike focus on their home state. Just four players were from outside of Texas, namely four star Louisiana linebacker Jonathan Stewart.

In Missouri, the rebuilding has begun as the Tigers start the post Chase Daniel/Jeremy Maclin era. The Tigers stunned the recruiting world in obtaining and maintaining a commitment from five-star defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. It helps he was from nearby St. Louis, but for years that area has been considered open territory, ready to be raided by programs from afar. They also picked up four-star JUCO linebacker Josh Tatum, a former USC player. The Tigers have also gotten bigger, with just one recruit listed under six feet tall.

Mike Leach's Texas Tech Red Raiders made waves by picking up a pair of elite defensive tackles. They grabbed Myles Wade, a former four-star recruit, out of a JUCO in Arizona, then on signing day stole Pearlie Graves, a four-star tackle, from Michigan.

Nebraska flew a bit under the radar this year in Bo Pelini's second signing class. They pulled in just a handful of four-star players, led by Maryland defensive end Jason Ankrah. Their signing class is heavy on players from California and Texas.

Colorado had a frustrating signing day, watching several previously committed players go elsewhere. The Buffaloes did, however, rope in athletic California defensive tackle Edward Nuckols and in-state end Nick Kasa.

Oklahoma State left the safe waters of Oklahoma and Texas to bring in players from Indiana, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi, Kansas and Arkansas in 2009. A pair of lightly regarded quarterbacks were added in anticipation of Zac Robinson's inevitable departure.

Kansas State's new coach is same as the old coach -- Bill Snyder. The old dog hasn't learned any new tricks, still drawing from junior colleges to fill his roster. Nobody really jumps out at you, but then he built a small empire with overlooked players so don't count this signing class out.

Iowa State as usual is near the bottom of the pile in recruiting. They did pick up a six foot six receiver out of Florida named Donnie Jennert who may intrigue.

Finally we arrive at Kansas. The Jayhawks are all over the map, having added one of the nation's best fullbacks (pro-style attack?) and a pocket passer, but also picked up an athletic quarterback named Christian Matthews with offers from spread-y schools Michigan and Tulsa. Hey, at least they've got options.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Big 12 Recruiting Notes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Big Ten Recruiting Notes

Mark Hasty — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Big 10, National Signing Day 2009

Signing day has come and (nearly) gone, filled with celebration and upheaval. Sort of like life. We're here to parse what can be parsed and detail the recruiting classes that were for the major conferences.

While recruiting services Scout and Rivals differ widely in their overall assessments of this year's Big Ten recruiting classes, they're both impressed by many of the same things. Of course, they're also unimpressed by many of the same things.

But hey, you're a smart person. You can figure things out for yourself. You want to know who helped themselves. You want to know who shot themselves in the foot. You want to know if the talent-rich got richer, like Michigan did with defensive end Craig Roh (pictured). Make the jump, grasshopper; all will be revealed.

Illinois wasn't severely affected by its disappointing 5-7 season. No matter what else people may think of Ron Zook and his staff, they have proven they can recruit with the best of them. Their class is led by offensive tackle Andrew Carter, who had offers from all the Florida schools and cornerback Justin Green, who picked the Illini over Ohio State. Other highly regarded recruits include quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase and wide receiver Terry Hawthorne. Hawthorne's high school teammate Kraig Appleton had given Illinois a verbal commitment but opted to sign with Wisconsin this morning. If there's a knock against their class, it's a failure to address the running back situation.

Indiana fans should not be expecting a huge, immediate turnaround in their team's fortunes. Both Rivals and Scout place the Hoosiers ninth in the conference. This is a team with needs everywhere, but they couldn't persuade most of the state's best players that they could be part of something special. The Hoosiers' offense-heavy class will bring some needed speed. Wide receiver Duwyce Wilson and running back Nick Turner both run a 4.4 40. However, Bill Lynch's team had the worst defense in the conference last season and did little to stop the bleeding.

Iowa let the state's top prospect, offensive tackle David Barrent, slip away to Michigan State. That was a disappointment. Nobody outside of Iowa is deeply impressed by the Hawkeyes' signees, but this was a young team without a lot of glaring weaknesses. Wide receivers Keenan Davis (pictured right) and Jordan Cotton should provide some depth and stability at the position, which is something the Hawks have lacked recently. Running back Brandon Wegher was a hot commodity Kirk Ferentz's staff were able to land.

Michigan did well despite coming off their worst season since Bo Schembechler was in kindergarten. That reflects the tradition of Michigan football, Rich Rodriguez's recruiting prowess, and the blatantly obvious fact that every position on the field is up for grabs. Their big coup was grabbing Ohio's top recruit, defensive back Justin Turner. Defensive tackle William Campbell passed up three good SEC schools to sign with Michigan. He's a Detroit native, which makes him something of a rarity among this year's Wolverines-to-be. Most of the state's top prospects signed elsewhere.

Michigan State is that elsewhere, in case you were wondering. Mark Dantonio absolutely cleaned up in Michigan this year, landing seven of Rivals' top ten players from the state. Sparty looks to be getting quicker, with 4.4 running backs Edwin Baker and Larry Caper and 4.4 wideouts Bennie Fowler and Patrick White. The class could have been a little longer on top defensive prospects, but that's just a quibble. The Spartans did much better than most outsiders would have expected given their somewhat modest recent history.

Minnesota was already a freakishly young and talented team. Tim Brewster and his staff made it a little more so with a class that both Rivals and Scout regard as mid-pack. While the state's top prospect, wide receiver Bryce McNeal, signed with Clemson, the Gophers gobbled up most of Minnesota's top-ranked preps. The team needs immediate help on defense, so signing defensive back Michael Carter counts as their greatest accomplishment. Carter chose Minnesota over Florida, Georgia, and Miami. Quarterback Moses Alipate (pictured above) should love the passing atmosphere in Minneapolis, too.

Northwestern obviously can't recruit just anyone, so take their lower-division finish with a grain of salt. Pat Fitzgerald loaded up on defense, signing five linebackers, two defensive ends, and a pair of defensive backs. Offensive lineman Patrick Ward leads the class, however. Quarterback Evan Watkins hints at a passing attack yet to come.

Ohio State, by general acclamation and to the surprise of no one, had the best class of any Big Ten school. Scout says the Buckeyes had the best class of anybody, period, while Rivals says "Not so fast, my friend," but still rates them No. 4 nationally. Linebacker Dorian Bell and defensive back Corey Brown were Rivals' top two Pennsylvania prospects. The Buckeyes also locked up seven of the top ten preps in their home state. It's not a speedy class, wide receiver James Jackson excepted. It's more of a classic Tresselball class, with big bruising running backs and powerful linemen on both sides of the ball.

Penn State cracked Scout's top ten but Rivals was significantly less impressed. The Nittany Lions didn't recruit Pennsylvania very well this year. Ohio State, Michigan, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers fared much better. The Nits did get a lot of speed, however, and landed Eric Shrive, Scout's second-ranked tackle. Quarterback Kevin Newsome will get thrown into the 2010 quarterback mix for sure.

Purdue was hoping for a better start to the Danny Hope era. Nobody's in love with their smallish batch of signees, though running back Al-Terek McBurse passed up Miami and Nebraska for West Lafayette. In what must be a first for any Big Ten school, the Boilermakers have not yet signed a single player from the state of Indiana.

Wisconsin benefited greatly from wide receiver Kraig Appleton's last-minute change of heart. Their class will build on traditional Wisconsin strengths and the Badgers did an admirable job of keeping home-grown talent at home. They landed all five of Rivals' top five Wisconsin preps. The class is thin in the offensive backfield, however.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Big Ten Recruiting Notes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: SEC Recruiting Notes

Chris Burke — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:34:00 EST

Filed under: SEC, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Signing day has come and (nearly) gone, filled with celebration and upheaval. Sort of like life. We're here to parse what can be parsed and detail the recruiting classes that were for the major conferences.

You've got to feel for Kentucky and Vanderbilt today, at least a little bit. In Scout's team-by-team rankings, there are 10 SEC representatives in the top 25, led by LSU at No. 2. Over at Rivals, those same 10 SEC teams cracked the top-25 overall, with Alabama claiming the top class.

In both cases, Kentucky and Vandy are the lone SEC teams unable to find a spot up top. Tough for those two, sure, but that hardly takes the luster off another ridonkulous recruiting year in the conference.

You can take your pick between Alabama and LSU for top dog down south. Both teams put together recruiting classes that basically every other team in the nation would gladly take.

The Tigers started off signing day strong, plucking linebacker Barkevious Mingo (Best name competition? We have a winner!!) and defensive lineman Sam Montgomery. Things only got better when the nation's top receiver, Rueben Randle -- after stating that he might put off his college decision past Wednesday -- packed his bags for Baton Rouge.

With all those bullets in the gun, it looked for a long while like LSU would grab the stranglehold on the SEC's best class. Some might argue that the Tigers still did -- but no one making that argument lives in Tuscaloosa.

Nick Saban led Alabama to an incredible signing day haul (and, obviously, an incredible overall class). The two biggest highlights for the Crimson Tide came in the form of defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick and running back Trent Richardson. One star for each side of the ball, and both are capable of earning playing time right off the bat, even with Alabama's already-loaded roster.

And could there be a major quarterback battle-of-the-future brewing here? LSU brought in five-star stud Russell Shepard, while you'll want to remember the name A.J. McCarron before he takes over the Tide's offense.

Those two classes were great, but sweet sassy molassey, the SEC just dominated again. The conference's reputation helps in that regard, of course, but the simple fact is that there is maybe more talent coming from the southern part of the U.S. right now than ever before.

Georgia cashed in on that bumper crop as well and Mark Richt's Bulldogs find themselves with a top-notch class again. Richt's big signing day move came when he stole wide receiver Marlon Brown out from under the nose of home-state Tennessee. As of right now, there are only 18 faces in this class -- and just four of them are less than four-star talents, according to Rivals. Quality over quantity.

Defending national champion Florida batted .500 in its pursuit of last-second coups. The Gators got the yay vote from the Old Line State's top player, Jelani Jenkins. Picking up the linebacker probably eased the pain of another linebacker, Frankie Telfort, turning down UF for USC.

A name you may not expect to have among the highest-ranked is South Carolina, which landed 29 total commitments. This is sort of the opposite of Georgia -- the Gamecocks went quantity-centric with its approach. That's not to say that there aren't any studs here, but 14 four-stars and 11 three-stars don't equal to a handful of five-stars.

Arkansas traveled down a similar path, bringing in a whopping 30 letters-of-intent. The Razorbacks, like the Gamecocks, will have to figure out what to do with all these players. The headliner is five-star Darius Winston.

Down Dixie way, Ole Miss brought in a strong group as well -- and the Rebs may have to start airing it out after bringing in stud receiver Patrick Patterson. He wasn't the only huge pickup for Ole Miss, with offensive lineman Bobby Massie joining.

Auburn didn't get to South Carolina or Arkansas territory ... but close. The Tigers signed 28 guys, 16 of which are Rivals' three-stars.

Mississippi State, undergoing a coaching change like Auburn, also found a place in the top 25 with a recruiting class of 27.

The Vols of Tennesssee also only brought in 18 guys, but still managed to get into the top 25 (despite yet another SEC coaching change falling down in Knoxville). They did make a signing day splash, getting safety Darius Myles on board.

And that brings us down to Kentucky and Vanderbilt. The Wildcats actually have 29 commitments and, even though none are going to bring down the recruiting house, they will help the team stay competitive.Keep in mind the name Ryan Mossakowski, a four-star quarterback who may eventually be a sleeper star in the conference.

The Commodores -- as the Commodores tend to do with football recruiting -- slumped down to the back of the pack. Of their 17 commits, Rivals awarded exactly zero of them four or five stars.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: SEC Recruiting Notes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Pac-10 Recruiting Notes

Brian Grummell — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:20:00 EST

Filed under: Pac 10, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Signing day has come and (nearly) gone, filled with celebration and upheaval. Sort of like life. We're here to parse what can be parsed and detail the recruiting classes that were for the major conferences.

First up, the wild and unconstrained Pac-10. So long as Pete Carroll's around, the story every year will begin with USC and end with a lot of broken hearts. This year was no different with the Trojans easily claiming the best signing class in the conference, and one of the three to four best, nationally. The Trojans' headliner is future golden boy quarterback Matt Barkley, but didyouknow USC hemorrhaged several major recruits this year? Details after the jump.

So yeah, somewhere along the way USC lost tight end Morrell Presly, defensive back Byron Moore (who then returned to the fold), linebacker Vontaze Burfict, receiver Alshon Jeffery and rumored commit linebacker Manti Te'o.

USC's in a position to more than weather that kind of storm, however, loading up on some of the best players across America and the west. Nationally they pulled in defensive end/linebacker Jarvis Jones out of Georgia, defensive end Devon Kennard out of Arizona, cornerback Torin Harris out of Nevada, center John Martinez out of Utah, safety Jawanza Starling out of Florida and athlete Simione Vehikite from Hawaii.

Plus feel free to scan the list of the Tacoma News Tribune's Western 100 and Long Beach Press-Telegram's Best of the West. USC's everywhere.

Elsewhere ...

At press time, three Pac-10 schools are ranked in the top 25 of the Rivals.com class rankings -- No. 3 USC, No. 16 UCLA, and No. 19 Stanford. If Washington weren't so horrible you'd swear this was 1990.

Despite a rough first season for coach Rick Neuheisel and the loss of defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker to a head coaching position, UCLA finished reasonably well. They snagged athlete Damien Thigpen out of Virginia on signing day, as well as highly regarded offensive lineman Xavier Su'a Filo from Utah. This after grabbing four-star Stanley Hasiak out of Hawaii to rescue what looked to be a desperate offensive line situation.

There are also high hopes for quarterback Richard Breuhaut, cornerback Marlon Pollard who they convinced to decommit from Notre Dame, tight end Morrell Presley and two bloodline picks -- Hawaii back Dalton Hilliard son of LSU and New Orleans Saints star Dalton Hilliard Sr. and defensive back Brandon Sermons, related to former USC tailback Rodney Sermons.

Stanford was the biggest surprise. Despite academic limitations they burst into the top 25 this year with coach Jim Harbaugh's second signing class. There's a lot of athleticism and versatility near and on the line with a ridiculous eight players considered either tight ends or defensive ends. Quarterback Josh Nunes was a nice get, pulling him from Tennessee's clutches several months back.

California was quiet with its class of just 18 players, headed by Orange County passer Allan Bridgford and local product tailback Dasarte Yarnway.

Arizona State made headlines by pulling linebacker Vontaze Burfict from USC and picking up local boy defensive tackle Corey Adams, but otherwise pulled in its usual combination of three-star Arizona and California kids.

Arizona was quiet, but did pick up nationally regarded Tucson native, athlete Adam Hall.

Oregon did the near-unthinkable, completing an entire recruiting class with just one player from the state of Oregon. The Ducks picked up some excellent late signings in Fresno (CA) defensive back Cliff Harris, Kansas receiver Tyrece Gaines and California receiver Diante Jackson.

Oregon State signed 24 players, with just one four-star recruit. He's a good one though, Rivals.com's No. 1 offensive guard Michael Philipp out of San Bernardino, California.

Washington State ... well, they're Washington State. Here's hoping they found a future Marcus Trufant or Ryan Leaf among their Team Anonymous signees.

And finally Washington under new coach Steve "SarkHeisel" Sarkisian signed 18 players, only two of whom hail from the state of Washington. Junior college safety David Batts is the headliner of the bunch.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Pac-10 Recruiting Notes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Trent Richardson (and Everyone Else) to Alabama

Chris Burke — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:38:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

College football recruits often cite the amount of available playing time as a reason for choosing a particular school. That factor, apparently, is not a consideration for anyone Alabama goes after. Once again, Nick Saban and the Tide landed a ridiculous class -- topped off on late Wednesday afternoon by superstar running back Trent Richardson.

He chose Alabama over Florida and LSU. In the ESPN's top 150, he was ranked the nation's top running back. Scout and Rivals rated him No. 2 in the country behind Wichita's Bryce Brown Most recruiting services regarded him as the South's top runner.

Brown looks like he'll wait until after signing day to choose a school but, at this point -- despite the Tide not being in the running for him -- I think we can just assume he'll sign with Alabama. It's just easier to assume every recruit will sign with Alabama.

The resurgent Alabama program looked strong heading into Wednesday, and then just blew up.

The Tide closed with running back Eddie Lacy, offensive lineman Brandon Moore, linebacker Tana Patrick and wide receivers Kenny Bell and Kendall Kelly on Wednesday.

All of those players? Excellent. The Tide's late surge jumped them up to the No. 2 overall class on Scout, while they made it all the way to the top of the charts at Rivals.

I think it's safe to assume that Alabama will be very good for a good, long while.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Trent Richardson (and Everyone Else) to Alabama originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ka'lial Glaud Lets Coin Flip Decide His Fate -- Tails to Rutgers

Shane Bacon — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:10:00 EST

Filed under: Rutgers, West Virginia, National Signing Day 2009

Some decisions are easier than others. What to eat for breakfast. Which roads you'll take to work that day. Which college you're going to sign with for the next four years of your life.

Wait, what? Ka'lial Glaud, a linebacker from Atco (N.J.) Winslow Township, was struggling with his decision to pick a school in the waning minutes of signing day, so he did what any logical three-star recruit would do -- let a coin decide.

His principal jokingly gave him a quarter to help him along. But it was no joke to Glaud, who decided it would be West Virginia if it was heads and Rutgers if it was tails.
"Tails came up, so that's when I decided Rutgers," Glaud told the Courier-Post of Camden, N.J. "I didn't know where I was going to go."

Glaud, ranked the 25th-best player out of New Jersey, will help out a Rutgers defense ranked 33rd in the nation last year. The 6-foot-2, 217 pound senior had 97 tackles and eight sacks his senior season.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Ka'lial Glaud Lets Coin Flip Decide His Fate -- Tails to Rutgers originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dre Kirkpatrick Commits to Alabama

Chris Burke — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:08:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Dre Kirkpatrick, a consensus five-star guy and arguably the best cornerback prospect in the nation, moved Alabama one step closer to the mythical recruiting title by signing with the Tide. That sentence implies a bit that the whole process was cut-and-dry -- that Kirkpatrick sat down at a table, quietly signed his letter of intent and went on his way. False.

Kirkpatrick, the nation's top cornerback, delighted the crowd in Gadsden City by setting up a Texas and Alabama hat. Then looked at the UT hat and said, "This hat right here. It don't have enough swagger." ... So he pulled out a gym bag, asked his mom to open it up, pulled out a wrapped present, opened it, pulled out a bag, opened that, then looked out at the crowd and said, 'Y'all ready?" ... "Alabama."

Humblest man in the world? No. Something tells me the 'Bama faithful won't mind all that much.

Kirkpatrick will enter Tuscaloosa will the ability to start from the first snap of practice. It's not a coincidence that his list of suitors reads like a Greatest Programs in College Football History article: USC, Texas, Michigan, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia and so on.

Everyone knows that this kid can be a difference maker. Heck, just ask him how scared he is of matching up with wide receiver Julio Jones in practice:

"I ain't scared of Julio," said Kirkpatrick, not even smiling.

Get ready, SEC.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Dre Kirkpatrick Commits to Alabama originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Je'Ron Stokes to Michigan

Chris Burke — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:34:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Rich Rodriguez may have lost out on a couple of defensive prospects, but the snake-oily wizard pulled an offensive star out of his hat, securing wide receiver Je'Ron Stokes from Philadelphia.

Stokes' recruitment underwent a whirlwind of activity that had as many as four schools -- Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois and Michigan -- thinking they had a great shot at him. In fact, Stokes was originally a Volunteer commit until Philip Fulmer's untimely exit. When that happened, Stokes reopened his recruitment.

This signing gives Rodriguez four Rivals.com four-star wide receivers in the past two recruiting classes: Stokes and Michigan native Cameron Gordon in 2009, and Darryl Stonum and Roy Roundtree in 2008. That doesn't even take into account speedy slot guy Martevious Odoms, who had a decent first season in Ann Arbor, or burner Jeremy Gallon -- another Odoms-type player, who could drive defenses crazy.

Between the stable of wide receivers, a running back group that progressed as 2008 went along, and incoming freshman QBs Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson, Michigan's offensive future suddenly looks much brighter than it did last season during slopfest losses to teams like Toledo.

Cue the Stokes video -- and renewed hope in Ann Arbor.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Je'Ron Stokes to Michigan originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Marlon Brown to Georgia

Brian Grummell — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:08:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia, National Signing Day 2009

Tennessee receiver Marlon Brown has done the unthinkable in spurning the home state Volunteers to play for Mark Richt and the University of Georgia Bulldogs. The six-foot-five receiver was widely regarded among the nation's best, with an excellent combination of speed, hands and leaping ability.

His offer sheet included nearly every top national program before he narrowed things down to Florida, Ohio State, Tennessee and eventual pick Georgia. Asked by ESPNU to explain his decision, Brown cited Georgia's ability to get young receivers up to speed. The 'Dawgs clearly have a solid record of that lately, as A.J. Green was among the SEC's best receivers as a true freshman last year.

Several years ago, Mohammed Massaquoi also found tremendous playing time as a freshman. Brown has a strong chance to start and be part of perhaps the biggest receiving tandem in college football. He is 6'5" while sophomore-to-be A.J. Green is 6'4".

What remains to be seen is who will throw to them. Incumbent Joe Cox is the early leader, but has been average throughout his career. Sophomore Logan Gray was a highly regarded recruit but is undersized and may get beat out by true frosh commitment Aaron Murray. If so, Georgia may head into SEC play next year with the nation's youngest pass-catch troika.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Marlon Brown to Georgia originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Dre Kirkpatrick to Alabama

Chris Burke — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

Kirkpatrick, the nation's top cornerback, delighted the crowd in Gadsden City by setting up a Texas and Alabama hat. Then looked at the UT hat and said, "This hat right here. It don't have enough swagger." ... So he pulled out a gym bag, asked his mom to open it up, pulled out a wrapped present, opened it, pulled out a bag, opened that, then looked out at the crowd and said, 'Y'all ready?" ... "Alabama."

"I ain't scared of Julio," said Kirkpatrick, not even smiling.

Get ready, SEC.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Dre Kirkpatrick to Alabama originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Xavier Su'a Filo to UCLA

Brian Grummell — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:28:00 EST

Filed under: UCLA, National Signing Day 2009

Provo, Utah offensive tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo has chosen to play football at UCLA. Su'a Filo selected the Bruins over suitors Utah, BYU, USC and LSU. His decision was yet another in a day of surprises, as many had expected him to end up with the home state Utes, who were last seen thrashing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

As one of the last remaining uncommitted offensive linemen, Su'a-Filo's stock has continued to rise, and no school came close to needing him as much as UCLA. The Bruins were hemorrhaging offensive linemen last year, leading to quarterback injuries and bad play and otherwise ruining their offense. Su'a-Filo is a great step in a more positive direction.

UCLA's line class looked like a disaster just a month ago, but coach Rick Neuheisel put down the guitar and put on his recruiters' hat and went out and found himself some linemen. Besides four-star Su'a-Filo, UCLA added four-star Stanley Hasiak out of Hawaii and three-star Nik Abele down the road in Irvine, California.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Xavier Su'a Filo to UCLA originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Rueben Randle Delays Decision Signs With LSU

Chris Burke — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:33:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Recruiting, National Signing Day 2009

When prospect DeAngelo Benton announced on Tuesday night that he would sign with LSU, it apparently did not sit well with stud wide receiver recruit Rueben Randle. Mere hours before signing day started, Randle -- long considered an LSU lock -- told a reporter that he may not commit to any school on Wednesday.

"When I get home, I'm going to sit down with my family and talk about it. Then I'll decide whether I'm going to sign (Wednesday) or not," Randle told the Bastrop Daily Enterprise before baseball practice today.

I guess Randle cooled off after baseball practice, because he wound up signing with LSU anyway.

This tale had a bit of a weird conclusion, but that doesn't take away from the importance of this haul for LSU. ESPN has Randle rated as the No. 10 recruit in the country; Rivals has him at No. 2 overall, and No. 1 for wide receivers.

Randle is 6'3" and 195 pounds and he is just a freak of an athlete. In his junior season at Louisiana's Bastrop High, Randle made 55 catches for 1,058 yards and 11 touchdowns. This past year, he converted to the quarterback position ... and threw for 2,400-plus yards and 20 TDs, while rushing for nearly 700 yards.

Rivals expects him to play from day one at the collegiate level, stating "The instant he steps on campus he will be a quarterback's best friend."

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Rueben Randle ~~Delays Decision~~ Signs With LSU originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Signing Day: Wisconsin Swipes Recruit From Illinois

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Illinois, Wisconsin, Big 10, Recruiting, Video, National Signing Day 2009

Whenever you are dealing with young kids, you're going to experience some difficulties in decision-making. Plenty of adults have issues with commitment, so kids are bound to have the occasional change of heart. I've never thought it was a terribly big deal when it happened, but it seems to be grounds for assault when a teenage athlete changes his/her mind on a college choice. One of those who has made that change on Signing Day is Kraig Appleton, a wide receiver from East St. Louis, Illinois. YouTube of his skillz is after the jump.

I'm not a scout, so I don't know how good Appleton is going to be at the next level. He looks like he has some wheels, and he uses his size pretty well for a young kid.

Anyway, Appleton had previously committed to Illinois. Somewhere along the line, however, he started to waver on his commitment, and he followed through on that wavering Wednesday.

Appleton has signed to play his college football at Wisconsin. Not surprisingly, Badger fans are a tad pleased with this.

Of course, as Jeff Potrykus points out, they're not so giddy when it goes the other way. That's the nature of fans, though. You expect that.

In cases like this, I've always felt that it's wrong for a school to continue recruiting someone who has already given a commitment elsewhere. That said, how do you stop it? The answer is that you don't. Good salespeople don't take "No" for an answer, and good recruiters are going to learn that mantra, too. It might not be right to put pressure on a teenager who had enough trouble making a decision, but if you don't do it, you can be certain someone else will.

FanHouse takes you into the belly of the college football beast that is recruiting. We'll be around before, during and after Signing Day '09.

Signing Day: Wisconsin Swipes Recruit From Illinois originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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