Some thoughts while driving through Florida and Georgia and meeting with dozens of blue-chip prospects from the class of 2009:

* The story on the class of 2008 isn't complete until quarterback Terrelle Pryor of Jeannette, Pa., makes his commitment. The top-rated player in the nation is taking his time. He attended a basketball game at Ohio State last weekend. In my view, he will choose Ohio State but he still hasn't made official visits to Penn State and Oregon and won't make a decision until he does.

* Quarterback Matt Barkley of Los Angeles is the No. 1 player in the junior class but Aaron Murray of Tampa, Fla., could rival him.

Barkley, who has committed to USC, is 6-3 or 6-4 while Murray is a 6-1, 195-pounder. But Murray, who will be a mid-year graduate, passed for 4,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 yards last season. He is the Tim Tebow of his class, someone who can run and pass. He has better running skills than Barkley and a more well-rounded quarterback. But he lacks three inches of height.

Murray has 44 scholarship offers, including Illinois, Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee. In comparing Murray and Barkley, it is like apples and oranges. But I can see Murray doing better in college, depending on where he goes. It's like comparing Tebow and Mitch Mustain in the class of 2005, two great talents.

* Notre Dame offered Glenbard West offensive lineman Chris Watt last weekend. Watt is the only Chicago area product who has been offered by the Irish.

* Northwestern could pull off its greatest recruiting coup in recent history if it lands Watt, Glenbard North quarterback Evan Watkins, Wheaton North running back Mike Trumpy and Providence offensive lineman Pat Ward. All visited the Evanston campus together last weekend.

* Illinois is in on a lot of talented players in Florida. They lost defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniels of Madison County to Florida State. But they have offered over 20 players, including Murray, defensive end Ryne Giddins and linebacker Petey Smith of Senffner and 6-4, 280-pound defensive tackle Arthur Jeffrey of Sarasota.

* Notre Dame also has a presence in Florida. One of their priorities is linebacker/tight end Rayray Armstrong of Sanford. Armstrong's teammate, defensive end Dyron Dye, also is a big-time prospect.

* There is so much talent in Florida this year. Tallahassee may be the best town in the country. Tampa is loaded, too. Miami isn't as good as it was last year when Northwestern High School produced eight All-Americans.

* How difficult is it for Illinois, Notre Dame, Michigan or anyone else to recruit a player out of Florida and get him away from Florida, Florida State and Miami?

Very difficult. Illinois, Notre Dame and Michigan have done it. But it isn't easy. The key is to go after 10 All-Americans and get one when you are battling the three Florida schools. Do the same in Texas, California and New Jersey and you will sign a top 10 class. But you must have a very aggressive recruiting staff and go after a lot of big-time players.

* The class of 2009 appears to be better than 2008. Why? Because there is more strength at the quarterback and running back positions, which were only average last year.

Posted by Second Season at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While we are waiting for Terrelle Pryor, the nation's top-rated player, to decide between Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Oregon, let us address what has emerged as the biggest story in college football recruiting--de-commitments.

Five years ago, the word wasn't even in the dictionary. Last year, more than 100 players made early commitments to Division I schools, then changed their minds and signed with another school. This year, the figure skyrocketed to over 200. Nearly every Division I school was affected.

I wasn't a big fan of adopting an early signing period for football, as in basketball, but it has become obvious to me that college football needs an early signing period to police the coaches.

College coaches can't help themselves from talking to committed players. They are too dedicated to their professions. They complain about coaches who continue to recruit players after they make early commitments--but almost all of them indulge in the practice.

What is the answer?

Aside from not allowing coaches to recruit high school prospects until after their senior year, a practice I doubt any coach would agree to, Sept. 1 should be established as an early signing date.

Coaches and kids would like it, I think, because it would give all of them an opportunity to concentrate on their seasons. And coaches wouldn't have to worry about kids de-commiting while they are trying to coach.

It also would cut down on early commitments. Kids commit in June and July nowadays because they know they can jump ship. They find a safe haven to land early, then look for some place better. Coaches do the same thing. They land a commitment, then continue to look for somebody better.

Remember, we're dealing with children and adults. In the business of recruiting, it isn't a fair matchup. Coaches are more to blame. They are poaching on other schools after a kid gives his word to one school. They don't honor the commitment. There should be more honor and integrity in college football. Coaches should honor a kid's word--but they don't.

Kids don't have to sign early, of course. If there is any doubt in their minds about which school is the best fit for them, don't sign. Now they can jump right out of it. They don't have to sign until February.

If a Sept. 1 early signing date is adopted, you will see fewer early commitments and more kids will wait to take official visits until after the season to compare schools instead of commiting to a school before he even visits the campus.

There are some new rules that will affect the recruiting process beginning this spring.

College coaches won't be permitted to attend combines. In my view, they were frivilous, gears to players who already had scholarship offers and didn't need the exposure. If they were designed for kids who are trying to make a name for themselves, they would be worth the time. But they aren't helping a majority of kids, only the sponsoring shoe companies or recruiting services that are trying to sell a product.

Another rule will prevent head coaches from going out in May to evalute kids at combines or camps or spring practices. As I see it, it hurts coaches like Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, Illinois' Ron Zook, Florida's Urban Meyer, Minnesota's Tim Brewster and Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald who have reputations for outworking their rival coaches.

They are on the road for every second they can in May. So the other coaches, who aren't as aggressive or energetic, passed the rule to prevent them from getting a recruiting advantage. In the past, head coaches could go out in May, the only time between signing day and the fall. Now it's been taken away from them.

In my view, the NCAA is punishing the coaches who want to work hard. They took away text messaging, too. The rules changes help the powerhouse teams, the Super Sixteen--or Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame in the Midwest--while leaving the others to play catchup. It isn't fair.

Posted by Second Season at 03:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

As the national signing day approaches, Notre Dame landed a top 200 player in 6-4, 240-pound defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore of Weatherford, Texas, who originally had committed to Texas A&M.

Lewis-Moore is Irish coach Charlie Weis' first recruit since wide receiver Deion Walker on Jan. 5 and only the second since lineman Trevor Robinson, a de-commitment from Nebraska, announced for Notre Dame on Dec. 14.

Lewis-Moore will help to deter the loss of defensive lineman Omar Hunter, who de-committed last month and declared for Florida.

While Notre Dame's recruiting class, which includes 11 top 100 players, ranked No. 1 in the nation in my evaluations in Sunday's Sun-Times, it doesn't appear likley that the Irish will remain at the top after Wednesday's signings.

For example, Alabama, which was No. 2, enhanced its position by landing defensive back Alonzo Lawrence, the nation's No. 26 prospect, over the weekend. Coach Nick Saban now has 27 commitments, more than anyone else.

The SEC has an edge on signing day because its schools can oversign while the Big 10 can't. If Alabama signs Julio Jones, the nation's top-rated wide receiver, the Crimson Tide almost certainly will claim the No. 1 spot.

Posted by Second Season at 09:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)