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When Brady Hoke took the Wolverine coaching job, his recruiting priorities were the states of Michigan and Ohio.

And by looking at his first two recruiting classes, one couldn't help but marvel at his fortune.

His 2012 class was rated No. 4 in the nation by Scout.com and this year's class should finish in the same neighborhood.

How might the success of these classes translate into wins is the important question.

With the majority of Hoke's recruits on the field by this fall—and definitely by 2014—can Michigan battle for a Big Ten title? Further, can Michigan compete with Alabama and the remainder of the SEC for a national title?

Looking back at Alabama's 41-14 lopsided win over Michigan in the 2012 opener, it's obvious the Wolverines are far from challenging the nation's top teams. It's been said that Hoke must expand his recruiting strategy if he intends on competing for a national title.

In truth, Michigan always recruited on a national scale until Hoke readjusted his priorities to get his house in order. Michigan dominated rival Michigan State the past two seasons in the state of Michigan while fighting Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes to a standoff in Ohio.

Now that Hoke's drawn his lines in the sand, it's time to spread his wings. Michigan can step up its national recruiting and even compete head-to-head with the SEC schools in the Deep South.

The Wolverines could always use a few wide receivers and cornerbacks with 4.4-40 speed, or even a few quick defensive linemen.

Fred Jackson, who's been a Michigan assistant for 21 years, recruited the fertile states of Texas and Louisiana before Hoke came aboard. Jackson had a part in recruiting Anthony Thomas (Winnfield, La.), Mike Hart (Syracuse, NY) and, of course, Derrick Green (Richmond, Va.).

Hoke, himself, should have no problem getting reacquainted with California since he spent two years there as San Diego State's head coach.

And Greg Mattison, who closed the deal with suburban Washington's Blake Countess, should locate numerous prospects around the D.C. and Baltimore beltways.

While recruiting the Deep South against tougher SEC schools might be difficult,  it's not impossible.

One thing to remember is that Rich Rodriguez was somewhat successful in Florida. Denard Robinson, Jeremy Gallon, Martavious Odoms and Ricky Barnum all played their high school ball in the Sunshine State. And how Robinson took to Hoke and the university over his career, you can expect him and the others to pitch in.

Mattison, who was Urban Meyer's defensive coordinator at Florida from 2005-07, was also a very successful recruiter in SEC country. While working as an analyst for ESPN, Meyer called Mattison, “the best recruiter in college football.”  Expect both Meyer and Mattison to meet often along the recruiting trail.

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With National Signing Day just around the corner, Tennessee head coach Butch Jones' tenure in Knoxville may ride on how he manages to salvage the 2013 recruiting class. Although Jones has yet to even coach a down for the Vols, the days leading up to Feb. 6 may be the most important to his success in Knoxville.

According to Rivals.com, the Volunteers' 2013 recruiting class ranks 45th overall and 12th in the SEC. This is a major problem for a Tennessee team looking to replace their entire passing attack, as well as fixing a defense that ranked 107th overall last season.

Many things can happen between now and the first Wednesday of February, but the fact remains, Jones and his staff must be able to make an impact before the deadline and secure players who are sending in their letters of intent to their choice programs. Jones' recruiting performance will play a major role in his approval rating back home.

A respectable recruiting class will win over many doubters in the Tennessee fanbase. Let's be honest, the Vols' fanbase has extremely high expectations every season, despite being a program in "rebuilding mode" for the past few years.

Many of the coaching candidates on the Tennessee fans' wish list were far fetched, but the common trait that most of them shared was that they weren't Butch Jones. Despite an impressive press conference and a growing optimism amongst fans, Jones still has his doubters amongst the Big Orange faithful. A strong finish in an inherently weak recruiting class may swing naysayers to his side, at least for the time being.

The long-term affects of this recruiting class will also play a major role in Jones' success, especially if the Vols don't see an immediate turn around during the next two seasons. In year three of the Jones' tenure, next season's freshman class will be veteran players and presumably starters.

Therefore, Jones will ultimately be judged by the performance of his first recruiting class as Tennessee's head coach. To succeed, Jones must be able to convince the remaining top prospects still on the fence to buy into his plan of rebuilding Tennessee into an elite SEC football program.

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Ohio State's offense, while very good at times, lacked the explosive playmaker that Urban Meyer had in in Percy Harvin.

While Tebow was the face of the Meyer dynasty in Florida, Harvin was just as crucial to the two national championships that the Gators won under their former head coach.

OSU has Braxton Miller back for his junior season, but he needs some help. He needs his "Percy Harvin" whether he is already on the roster or coming in as a true freshman.

Here are four possible players that can play the "Percy position" for the Buckeyes.

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If you take a look up and down LSU's 2013 recruiting class you will see 26 current verbal commitments. Of those 26 prospects, 12 play on the offensive side of the ball, 13 on defense, and one player —Kendell Beckwith —is listed as an athlete, according to rivals.com.

That is pretty darn good when it comes to numbers on each side of the ball.

So now we ask, what or who is it that LSU needs to make a top priority on National Signing Day?

When looking at the list of top recruits in 2013 that answer should be pretty glaring right off the bat. You don't have to look far down that list to see that the nation's top prospect, DE Robert Nkemdiche, has LSU listed in his top three school choices.

Nkemdiche was expected to visit LSU soon, but according to Neal McCready of Rebelgrove.com, Nkemdiche had a very successful official visit to Ole Miss this past weekend and likely won't even make an official visit to LSU anymore.

Rueben Foster is another top-notch prospect who had LSU listed in his finalists, but my guess is that Foster will likely stay in his hometown and commit to either Auburn or Alabama.

If this indeed proves to be true, then it is in the Tigers' best interest to move on and focus on filling positions of need for their final spots.

With 26 verbal commitments, LSU's class is pretty close to being set at this point. That means that National Signing Day likely won't hold quite as much excitement as it has in the past for the Tigers.

However, with that said, there is still one prospect out there that LSU needs to make a top priority on National Signing Day:  wide receiver Eddie Jackson of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.-Boyd Anderson.

According to William Weathers of TigerBait.com, Jackson might have a slight lean towards Alabama right now, but LSU needs to make it a priority to get this kid in the Tigers' purple and gold in 2013.

Remember, LSU has a number of talented quarterbacks on its roster, but all of them —outside of Zach Mettenberger—lack major playing experience. That is why adding talent at skill positions is so important to this team, and Jackson has plenty of talent, make no mistake about that.

The ship may have sailed on the likes of Robert Nkemdiche and Rueben Foster, but don't let it sail on Eddie Jackson, folks.

This kid is the real deal.

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College football is used to losing juniors to the NFL draft. College football is not used to seeing 73 players take off before their senior seasons.

From the reigning national champion to the bottom-feeders in the worst-performing FBS conferences, there are future NFL stars in every corner of the nation. (Ask Joe Flacco if you have to be from a major conference to be successful in the NFL.)

All-America selection(s), stats, position rank, projected draft round and consistency were all considered in the ranking of each individual. When applicable, intangibles were considered to break ties and put players in their rightful positions.

*Each player's official profile is linked via the first appearance of his name, and the complete profile is the source of all information unless otherwise linked.

*All referenced draft projections and player rankings are from nfldraftscout.com.

*All intangibles (drug use, expulsion, etc.) are mentioned in the applicable slides.

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After what could only be described as a very eventful past few days for Trinity High School (Louisville, KY) defensive end Jason Hatcher, the Scout.com 4-star prospect has finally made up his mind as to where he will spend his college days.

In a case of "recruiting deja vu," Hatcher will return from where he came, as it is being reported by various outlets—as well as Hatcher's tweets themselves—that the big defensive lineman has re-committed to the Trojans.

And 247sports.com's Avinash Kunnath reports that this time, Hatcher looks "like he is back for good."

For USC, this is very welcome news indeed—while they are still in the hunt for some big-time recruits, nothing is for certain.

As for Hatcher, his week-long odyssey ends after decommitting from the Trojans, then returning to USC after recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron flew across the country for a sit-down with the young man and his mother.

Welcoming back Hatcher means that the Trojans will have at least one defensive end in the 2013 class. At one time, earlier this year, they had three recruits at the position.

But one-time commit Kylie Fitts from Redlands, CA, has scheduled and gone on a variety of trips, and some pundits have him now signing with UCLA.

Meanwhile, Torrodney Prevot, a very athletic defensive end from Houston, TX, and a 4-star Scout.com prospect, is labeled a "soft commit" and has taken a trip to Texas A&M since he visited the Trojans.

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After what could only be described as a very eventful past few days for Trinity High School (Louisville, KY) defensive end Jason Hatcher , the Scout.com 4-star prospect has finally made up his mind as to where he will spend his college days...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

Up-and-down.  Topsy-turvy.  Unpredictable.  These words don’t even begin to describe the Auburn recruiting season.

Fans and coaches agree, the Tigers have seen one too many high-profile recruits commit—then decommit. 

This recruiting cycle has been filled with hires, dismissals and questionable tattoos.  But still, just a week out from National Signing Day, the Tigers are in position to secure pledges from some of the nation’s top prospects.

With a completely new coaching staff, and coming off their worst season in decades, it is now more important than ever that Auburn signs great players. 

But who will these next great Tigers be?

Several recruits currently favor Auburn.  But it is impossible to know for sure if they will ever become Tigers.  Though it is fun to speculate.

The following lays out the betting-style odds that Auburn has to sign their top uncommitted targets on February 6.

 

Mackensie Alexander — Immokalee (FL)

Mackensie Alexander is a very highly rated defensive back who has been flying under the radar in some recruiting circles.

Though he had very little interest in the Tigers just a month ago, pre-existing relationships with new Auburn coaches Charlie Harbison and Melvin Smith piqued Alexander’s interest recently. 

At the US Army All-American game, Alexander was asked about any potential leaders in his recruitment.  He responded, “with them (Harbison and Smith) coming together, Auburn has a great chance of getting me.”

Being that Alexander was on Auburn’s campus for an official visit just last weekend, it appears that the timing may be perfect for the Tigers to land ESPN’s fourth-ranked overall prospect.

Odds: 1-to-1 (50%)

 

Montravius Adams — Dooly County (GA)

The nation’s second-best defensive tackle has had his eyes on Auburn throughout the entire recruiting process, and now his list has been narrowed to three—Auburn, Georgia and Clemson.

As of today, Clemson looks to be the team to beat for Adams’ commitment.  Dabo Swinney and company have found success going down south to Georgia and Flordia to find recruits and have been high on Adams from Day 1.

Auburn does have an official visit with Adams tentatively scheduled for February 1, just days before the signing period begins. 

If Adams decides to travel to The Plains this weekend, he could see firsthand the momentum that Gus Malzahn and the Tigers are gaining towards the end of the recruiting cycle and could easily be swayed into becoming the next big piece of the puzzle.

Odds: 4-to-1 (20%)

 

Reuben Foster — Auburn (AL)

Reuben Foster’s story is one of the most interesting of this recruiting period.   Originally an Alabama commit, Foster abruptly flipped to Auburn and commemorated this decision with a forearm tattoo of the Auburn logo.  Then, after the dismissal of Gene Chizik, Foster backed out of his commitment to the Tigers and now remains undecided.

Like Adams, Foster is going to be on Auburn’s campus for an official visit just days before the signing period begins.  Many are calling him a lock for the Tigers, but if this young man has shown us anything throughout his recruitment, it’s that he is truly unpredictable.

Overall, the proximity of his home to Auburn’s campus, along with the potential to contribute as a true freshman, should be enough to get the nation’s top inside linebacker to sign with Auburn on February 6.

Odds: 4-to-5 (56%)

 

Dee Liner — Muscle Shoals (AL)

If Foster’s story was the most interesting of the recruiting period, Liner’s is number two.  The talented defensive lineman committed to Auburn nearly two years ago in June of 2011 and remained committed until recently when he cited that he has “nothing against Auburn,” but he felt there was not “enough time to get to know the new staff.”

Liner’s recruitment included two arrests in a period of 10 days and a short stint in which he was suspended from his high school football team.

The 6'3", 275-pound defender now seems to have his head on straight and is focused on preparing for his SEC football career.  Many think this career will take place in Tuscaloosa, not Auburn.

After becoming Auburn’s first commit in the class of 2013, it looks like the Tigers and Liner have parted ways for good.

Odds: 12-to-1 (8%)

 

Conclusion

Overall, Auburn fans should not be surprised if two or more of these prospects call Auburn home in the near future.  Gus Malzahn and his staff have "hit the ground running" since reaching The Plains and look to continue this upward swing in recruiting.

Only time will tell, and predicting the decisions of teenage boys is far from a perfect science, but those are the odds, and now it is all a waiting game. 

 

 

 

For the most accurate and timely Auburn Football and recruiting news, follow Jeff on twitter. @JeffJones99

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Currently, the University of Michigan has two No. 1 ranked teams in the country, men's basketball and men's swimming and diving.

Michigan consistently maintains a strong national presence in men's swimming and diving, but the rise to number one in men's basketball really has Ann Arbor abuzz.

The Wolverines have not held a No. 1 ranking in basketball since the days of the Fab Five back in 1992.  

On top of basketball and swimming and diving, Michigan has the No. 3 ranking in both men's and women's gymnastics.  The Wolverines continue to be powerhouses in gymnastics each year.  

Even with all of these elite teams sitting atop the rankings of their respective sports, Michigan is still not satisfied.

The Wolverines have been and always will be considered a football school.

Michigan is working its way back to national prominence in football and here are three reasons the Wolverines can join the school's other sports atop the rankings.   

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College football head coaches get paid the big bucks when they build a program into a powerhouse championship contender that can consistently compete for big BCS bowl berths.

Still, just because it’s the coaches who receive the credit, the publicity and the big day, that doesn’t mean that they’re playing the biggest factor in their team’s success. 

The talent out on the field is what wins you national championships. It’s no big secret. 

If you want to compete with the big boys of college football, a team has to have enough elite talent, and there are only a few few teams every year which have that talent. 

While we won’t learn just how good teams really are until at least October, there are still some teams that at least have a clear talent advantage on paper going into next season. 

Here’s a look at college football’s 25 most talented teams for the 2013 season. 

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Although the Michigan Wolverines lost one of their two verbally committed prospects from the class of 2014, head coach Brady Hoke should not lose any sleep over parting ways with offensive tackle Denzel Ward (Chicago).

Chantel Jennings of ESPN.com broke the news this afternoon, and Sam Webb of Scout.com confirmed that the coaching staff decided to part ways with Ward:

#Michigan has decided to part ways with 2014 IMG Academy OL, Denzel Ward

— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) January 29, 2013

The writing had been on the wall for the Wolverines and Ward for quite some time now considering how fixated the IMG Academy lineman became on taking visits to other schools. Earlier this month, Ward told Tim Sullivan of TheWolverine.com he was not 100 percent committed to the Wolverines.

Once Ward picked up an offer from the Florida Gators and moved down to Bradenton, Fla. to attend the IMG Academy, his commitment began to waver. Another offer from the Ohio State Buckeyes also hurt Michigan's chances of keeping Ward in the fold.

An unofficial visit to Gainesville proved to be "the last straw" for Hoke and his staff, according to a report by Sullivan on Tuesday afternoon. Sullivan also noted that the Wolverines are likely finished recruiting the junior tackle. 

Ward more than likely made an emotional decision less than one week after receiving a scholarship offer from Michigan during an unofficial trip to campus, and this recent decision by the coaches works out well for everyone.

Hoke once again proved the staff's policies on post-commitment visits are not going to be bent, and Ward gets to look around after bringing his recruitment to an end too early for his mother's liking last October. 

"My mom wants me to take all my visits," Ward told Jennings. "I want to be able to see where I can play early and develop."

The second part of Ward's statement is the top reason why nobody in Ann Arbor should be fretting about the fact the Wolverines were not able to hold on to the 6'9", 285-pounder, despite being the first perennial power to offer him.

Three out of four offensive linemen from Michigan's 2012 recruiting class will be battling for the team's vacant spots at right and left guard this spring.

Additionally, the Maize and Blue will welcome seven more linemen to their 2013 roster, including 4-start tackles Kyle Bosch (Wheaton, Ill.), Logan Tuley-Tillman (Peoria, Ill.) and Chris Fox (Parker, Colo.), barring any surprises before Feb. 6.

Ward would have given the Wolverines an immense amount of depth at offensive tackle moving forward, though there is also a chance he could have wound up being stuck behind Michigan's highly touted prospects.

It is always frustrating for teams to lose recruits, but this move will not hurt the Wolverines going forward and is one that should not have taken anyone by surprise.

Thankfully, the coaches made the decision to separate themselves from Ward early enough to take a long look at some of the top linemen across in the nation.  

 

Note: All player rankings are courtesy of Rivals.com.

Follow me on Twitter @ZachDirlam_BR  

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With every new college football season there are plenty of new quarterback battles waiting to be hashed out through spring and fall practices—and maybe into the start of the new season. The upcoming 2013 season won't be any different, especially with so many big-name quarterbacks leaving top programs around the nation.

Big-time QBs like Matt Barkley, Geno Smith and Collin Klein all need to be replaced on the roster. Can the underclassmen step up to make a name for themselves, or will that always-reliable backup finally get his shot at glory in his own right?

While there will be plenty of quarterbacks vying for that coveted top spot on the depth chart, we've selected 10 of the most intriguing quarterback battles to watch this spring and fall as teams prepare for the 2013 season.

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