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Topic subjectTop out-of-state recruiting teams Ranking the 10 CFB schools with best out-of-state recruiting pipelines
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2103157&mesg_id=2121001
2121001, Top out-of-state recruiting teams Ranking the 10 CFB schools with best out-of-state recruiting pipelines
Posted by guru0509, Mon Jan-28-13 12:30 PM
http://insider.espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8887427/alabama-crimson-tide-oklahoma-sooners-teams-strongest-state-recrutiing-pipelines-college-football

To win a BCS title, programs have to consistently sign blue-chip talent. Sure, player development and coaching heavily factor into success, but without a roster full of former top-ranked recruits, Alabama just doesn't win three of the past four national championships. It's that simple.

The difficulty lies in landing those preps, especially when they don't reside right in a school's backyard. Take the Tide. From 2008-2012, Nick Saban signed 48 ESPN 150 recruits, just behind Florida (52) and Texas (51) during that time frame. But less than half of them (20) were from Alabama, compared to the Gators' 33 from Florida and the Longhorns' 45 from Texas. In fact, Saban pilfered from 12 different states for the other 28. To put it another way: Without thriving out-of-state pipelines, Eddie Lacy, Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix and Amari Cooper, to name a few, wouldn't have put on a Crimson Tide jersey.

So which programs, besides the Tide, can lay claim to the strongest out-of-state pipelines over the past five years? We narrowed the field to teams that signed at least five total ESPN 150 recruits from 2008-12 (one per year). That gave us a solid sample size of 34 schools. From that sample, there were 10 programs that signed at least five ESPN 150 recruits out of a single state besides their own. Finally, we ranked them based on total recruits from that state, and then determined whether the pipeline remains plentiful (or is drying up) as signing day 2013 approaches.

(Note: It's worth mentioning that while Michigan only signed four ESPN 150 recruits from the state of Ohio over the past five years, Brady Hoke has six ESPN 300 commits this year. Washington also has five ESPN 300 commits from California, compared to two over the past five years.)


1. Oklahoma Sooners
Out-of-state pipeline: Texas (14 ESPN 150 recruits from 2008-12)
STATUS: FLOWING (four ESPN 300 recruits committed for 2013; three four-star recruits in 2012; five ESPN 150 recruits in 2011)

The pipeline might be short, but when you consider all the options Texas kids have in-state, what Bob Stoops has been able to accomplish over the past five years is staggering. The Sooners signed more ESPN 150 recruits from the Lone Star State than Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor and Houston combined, as well as out-recruiting Texas A&M (12). Although OU was shut out in the ESPN 150 last year, three four-star recruits from Texas signed, and this year Stoops secured a verbal from Texas' No. 2 prospect, running back Keith Ford (Cypress, Texas).


2. Auburn Tigers
Out-of-state pipeline: Georgia (eight)
STATUS: DRYING UP (one ESPN 150 recruit committed for 2013; two ESPN 150 recruits in 2012; three ESPN 150 recruits in 2011)

On average, the majority of ESPN 150 recruits hail from three states: Florida, Texas and California. But the Peach State comes in a close fourth, and to former coach Gene Chizik's credit, he not only went into Florida and landed five recruits, but grabbed more out of Georgia than any other program other than UGA from 2008-12. (The Tigers top No. 3 Clemson because a higher percentage of their total ESPN 150 recruits were from Georgia.) That being said, Auburn fans are in wait-and-see mode with new head man and former O-coordinator Guz Malzahn. While he does have a verbal from the nation's No. 2 prospect, defensive end Carl Lawson (Alpharetta, Ga.), there's a chance that changes by Feb. 6. Two juco commits, defensive tackle Ben Bradley and athlete Nick Marshall, call Georgia home but don't necessarily indicate a continued trend.


3. Clemson Tigers
Out-of-state pipeline: Florida (eight)
STATUS: DRYING UP (zero ESPN 300 recruits committed for 2013; one ESPN 150 recruit in 2012; three ESPN 150 recruits in 2011)

In 2008, Dabo Swinney went into the Sunshine State and signed Jamie Harper and Kyle Parker. Three years later, he landed Tony Steward and Sammy Watkins. So maybe we should save judgment for 2014, because Clemson has struck out with every ESPN 300 recruit from Florida in 2013. Tight end Jordan Leggett (Navarre, Fla.) and athlete Jayron Kearse (Fort Myers, Fla.) are four-star recruits but have nowhere near the hype of Watkins & Co. coming out of high school.


4. Ohio State Buckeyes
Out-of-state pipeline: Florida (seven)
STATUS: FLOWING (one ESPN 150 recruit committed for 2013; one four-star recruit in 2012; one ESPN 150 recruit in 2011)

Funny that Urban Meyer, the man who will likely make OSU a desired destination in the Southeast, had nothing to do with these seven recruits over the past five years. But after blanking in Florida last year, Meyer has the Buckeyes back on track with a verbal from ESPN 150 defensive tackle Joey Bosa (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). (Ohio State is ranked ahead of Alabama because a higher number of its ESPN 150 recruits were from Florida.) Once Meyer is out from under sanctions, we assume he'll attract many more recruits from his former stomping grounds.


5. Alabama Crimson Tide
Out-of-state pipeline: Florida (seven)
STATUS: FLOWING (one ESPN 150 recruit committed for 2013; three ESPN 150 recruits in 2012; two ESPN 150 recruits in 2011)

As we mentioned in the introduction, Saban has no problem going into almost any state and convincing a top recruit to play for Alabama. He also signed seven ESPN 150 prospects from Georgia over the past five years, but we gave the nod to Florida because the Tide's No. 1 recruit in 2013, athlete Derrick Henry (Yulee, Fla.), is from there. Since 2008, Alabama has signed Trent Richardson, Clinton-Dix, Chris Black and Cooper from Florida.


6. Tennessee Volunteers
Out-of-state pipeline: Florida (6)
STATUS: DRYING UP (zero ESPN 300 recruits committed for 2013; two ESPN 150 recruits in 2012; three ESPN 150 recruits in 2011)

Strictly by the numbers, we have to rank the Vols this high. (Their six Florida signees from 2008-12 is a higher percentage of their total ESPN 150 recruits than Florida State and USC.) But Tennessee better hope new head coach Butch Jones can put the program back on the recruiting map -- in Florida or any other state across the Southeast. The Vols have just one ESPN 300 commit for 2013 (quarterback Riley Ferguson of Matthews, N.C.), which is their lowest total since 2008. Outside linebacker Corey Vereen (Winter Garden, Fla.) is the only sign of upper-tier talent from the Sunshine State.


7. Florida State Seminoles
Out-of-state pipeline: Georgia (six)
STATUS: DRYING UP (one ESPN 300 recruit committed for 2013; one ESPN 150 recruit in 2012; one ESPN 150 recruit in 2011)

The Seminoles have been consistent in Georgia (Greg Reid being the biggest get in 2009), but have too much to mine in Florida to make their living elsewhere. Jimbo Fisher's only Peach State commit for 2013, defensive end Davin Bellamy (Chamblee, Ga.), was just two spots away from falling outside the ESPN 300. (And he could still flip his commitment.)


8. USC Trojans
Out-of-state pipeline: Florida (six)
STATUS: FLOWING (one ESPN 150 recruit committed for 2013; two ESPN 150 recruits in 2012; one ESPN 150 recruit in 2011)

The fact that the Trojans leave California at all is rather surprising, but even more impressive is their ability to go across the country and land the likes of Nickell Robey and Leonard Williams. This year's coast-to-coast haul is safety Leon McQuay III (Seffner, Fla.). Like Meyer, Lane Kiffin should see an uptick in this talent-rich state once his scholarship reductions are lifted.


9. Oregon Ducks
Out-of-state pipeline: California (five)
STATUS: FLOWING (one ESPN 300 recruit committed for 2013; two ESPN 150 recruits in 2012; two ESPN 150 recruits in 2011)

With Chip Kelly gone, it will be interesting to see how California kids who are worthy of USC, UCLA and Stanford offers react to new head coach and former O-coordinator Mark Helfrich. But you can't argue with the likes of DeAnthony Thomas, Devon Blackmon and Arik Armstead over the past two years alone. This year, wide receiver Tyree Robinson (San Diego) is the lone ESPN 300 recruit from the Golden State, but fellow receiver Darren Carrington (San Diego) and athlete Tyrell Robinson (San Diego) are both four-star prospects.


10. LSU Tigers
Out-of-state pipeline: Texas (five)
STATUS: DRYING UP (zero ESPN 300 recruits committed for 2013; zero ESPN 150 recruits in 2012; zero ESPN 150 recruits in 2011)

For the first time since 2008, LSU doesn't have a single commit, no matter the ranking, from Texas. Texas A&M's move to the SEC has certainly affected the Tigers, who used to sell the opportunity to play in the nation's premier conference and remain closer to home. Les Miles couldn't convince ESPN 150 recruits, wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones (Sealy, Texas) or defensive tackle Justin Manning (Dallas), to shun LSU's new SEC West rival.
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