Recruiting 2009 - The 20 Big Questions
No. 1 to 4 - What's happening with Texas, Penn State, USC and Florida?
The 20 Big Questions of the Recruiting Season
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No. 5 to 8
| No. 9 to 12
| No. 13 to 16
| No. 17 to 20
4.
Q: With the coaching situation in place at
Texas, how much has that stability, or the potential of Will Muschamp if
Mack Brown leaves, mattered? What's the biggest area of need for Texas
to hit this recruiting season?
A: From Bobby Bragg, BurntOrangeBeat.com
There’s no doubt that the continuity at the defensive coordinator
position has kept the Longhorns in the fight with Dre Kirkpatrick and
Jarvis Jones. More importantly, it should help with the 2010 class as
Coach Muschamp puts more of his own stamp on the defensive style and
personnel and the recruiting of players that fit his style.
The biggest area of need for Texas is the defensive line. Texas
graduates both starting defensive ends (Brian Orakpo and Henry Melton),
its starting nose guard Roy Miller, and defensive tackle and part-time
starter, Aaron Lewis. In this class, Texas added six defensive lineman:
five-star DE Alex Okafor of Pflugerville, Kilgore DE Dominique Jones,
Elysian Fields DE/DT Kyle Kriegel, Round Rock Stony Point DE Tevin Mims,
San Antonio Warren DT Calvin Howell, and Hoxie, Arkansas DT Derek
Johnson.
3. Q: How much is the Penn State coaching
uncertainty for a few years down the road hurting? What’s the biggest
area of need to hit this recruiting season?
A: From Mark Brennan, Editor/Publisher, FightOnState.com
Penn State began the 2008 campaign with serious questions concerning Joe
Paterno's future. He was 81 and in the final year of his contract, and
then once the season started, he was slowed by a serious hip injury. I
thought those three factors would really hurt the Lions on the
recruiting front, but that was not the case. Because the team went 11-1
in the regular season and won the Big Ten title, that clearly mitigated
many of the questions about the program prospects may have had.
After the
season, Paterno had hip replacement surgery and recovered quickly. Then,
shortly before his 82nd birthday, he was signed to a three-year contract
extension. More importantly, his assistants received four-year
contracts, a move that was obviously made to let prospects know the
coaches who recruited them will be around at least as long as Paterno
is. In the meantime, Penn State will finish with a class that is in or
very near the national top 10.
With the December transfer of backup quarterback Pat Devlin, Penn State
was left with only one passer who had eligibility beyond the 2008 season
-- starter Daryll Clark. That made landing a blue-chip QB in this class
vital. Fortunately for the Lions, shortly after Devlin left, they
secured a commitment from Virginia standout Kevin Newsome. Penn State is
still far too thin at quarterback. But without Newsome, the program
would have been in serious trouble.
2. Q: How much does USC really have to fight
to get recruits? Does the program sell itself at this point? What's the
biggest area of need for USC to hit this recruiting season?
A:
From Kevin Carden, SCPlaybook.com
Obviously, USC has become the top recruiting school in the nation under
Pete Carroll, and it now has a legitimate shot at pretty much any
prospect that it chooses to recruit.
The reason
that USC has reached the high level is because of the coaches hard work,
and now that they are on top, I haven't seen any signs of them slowing
down. The coaching staff is filled with young, energetic coaches that
really excel and really push when it comes to recruiting.
With the
departure of Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, Kaluka Maiava and Clay
Matthews the Trojans need to bring in some linebackers. Right now, they
have commitments Marquis Simmons and Vontaze Burfict (soft commit), but
by Signing Day they have a chance to add Manti Te'o, Frankie Telfort and
possibly even Jarvis Jones to the 2009 class, which would make it a real
special group.
Safety was
another area of need in this class and the Trojans really filled up
early with some talented players like T.J. McDonald and Patrick Hall.
1. Q: Is it shooting fish in a barrel time for
Urban Meyer at Florida? Is he still as intense a recruiter as he was a
two years ago? What’s the one area the team really needs to beef up?
A: From Bob Redman, Football, Basketball, and Recruiting Analyst,
FightinGators.com
I would say it’s not that easy. Being located in the high school
football hotbed of the United States has its perks, but when SEC
recruiting powers Georgia, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama, and LSU are all
within eight hours drive, the recruiting is as tough as ever. That
doesn't even bring into play Florida State and Miami who are also big
time recruiting powers, especially in the Sunshine State.
Meyer has held his own of course and the results have shown on the
field, but he and his staff have definitely had to work as hard as
anyone to land recruits. I do believe it has been tougher this season
simply because they are recruiting to as stacked of a roster as Florida
has ever had.
Florida has quality depth at every position except for offensive tackle
and they need a couple of play making wide receivers to match their
outside speed receivers in the spread option offense. They currently
have commitments from the number one offensive tackle in the country in
Xavier Nixon and a couple of other offensive tackles in Jonotthan
Harrison and Kyle Koehne, who is actually planning to play center at
Florida. They also have their top two wide receiver prospects committed
in five-star Andre Debose and four-star Nu'Keese Richardson who will
both be vying for that spot vacated by Percy Harvin.
Florida has three tremendous tailbacks returning, but would like to land
a big back with speed and that would be Scout.com's five-star and number
two running back in the country Trent Richardson who is currently
committed to Alabama.
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