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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are setting themselves up for another disappointment at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Just like in the 2013 BCS Championship Game, Notre Dame will lose to Alabama in its pursuit of 5-star defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes.

Vanderdoes, the top-ranked high school defensive tackle (according to 247Sports), will choose Alabama over Notre Dame, UCLA and USC.

The 6’2”, 310-pounder visited South Bend last weekend, but is currently in Tuscaloosa. Being there, at Alabama, may prove to be too much for the youngster as he makes his decision leading up to national signing day on Wednesday.

You have to look at it from his perspective. Sure, picking USC or UCLA and staying close to home would be nice. But visiting and being introduced to two storied and successful programs like Notre Dame and Alabama might be enough to sway his decision in their favor.

That makes this a two-horse race between the teams that battled it out for the national championship just one month prior to signing day.

While staying close to home might be ideal, this is Vanderdoes’ best shot to leave the nest and go exploring. If there were ever a time for it, it is now.

He’s already decommitted from USC once, although he has kept it among his top choices in the process.

Is there any doubt what he will choose if his decision comes down to Tuscaloosa and South Bend?

The second Vanderdoes steps into Nick Saban’s office, he’s going to see the three BCS title rings sitting on his coffee table—Saban puts them there for recruits to look at.

It’s a powerful statement from a successful recruiter and college football coach. Saban is a lot of things, but recruiting is what the man does best.

He has the best sales pitch, and the best opportunity of any of the coaches vying for Vanderdoes’ services.

Can Brian Kelly, who nearly left South Bend for the NFL after the National Championship Game, sway his mind and convince him the future is at Notre Dame, not Alabama?

It’s not likely.

Notre Dame Football is one of the greatest sporting traditions in America, though. That will certainly help, but it’s not likely that tradition will win out over what we saw on the field on Jan. 7.

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For you Michigan fans living under a rock since South Carolina beat you in the Outback Bowl, 5-star running back Derrick Green just committed to the Wolverines.

Given that Denard Robinson is headed to the NFL, that's huge news.

It comes at a good time for Michigan. Brady Hoke is pushing a pro-style offense and now is the perfect time to do it. When the Wolverines transitioned to quarterback Devin Gardner late last season, they gave the offense to a guy who can be dangerous in the pocket, but isn't the threat running the pigskin that Robinson was.

Michigan also picked up five 4-star offensive linemen in this year's class. They include offensive tackle Logan Tuley-Tillman, center Patrick Kugler and guards Kyle Bosch, David Dawson and Chris Fox, via 247Sports.com.

Perhaps what is even more important than Green's talent is his running style. He's a powerful, downhill runner who loves smashing through the middle of the line and wearing down defenders throughout the game. He has a knack for falling forward upon contact, as well as pulling defenders with him for extra yardage.

Before Green, Michigan had redshirt senior Fitzgerald Toussaint, junior Thomas Rawls, redshirt sophomore Justice Hayes, redshirt freshman Drake Johnson and freshman DeVeon Smith in the backfield for next season. 

Rawls played well in limited duty last season, but struggled as the starter. Toussaint is coming off a major injury. Johnson has promise, but you have to give the edge to Green for the starting spot, based on his overall talent and running style.

It's up for debate whether Hoke actually cried upon Green's commitment to the Wolverines, but it wouldn't be surprising if he did. 

With the loss of Robinson, the Wolverines' backfield was looking questionable. It had the offensive-line potential, but needed a running back who could shoulder the load.

Green could very well be that guy.

 

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The Ohio State Buckeyes are looking to close out another successful recruiting season by acquiring 4-star safety Vonn Bell.

Ohio State ranks No. 4 in ESPN's recruiting class rankings, with Florida, Alabama and Notre Dame eclipsing the Buckeyes.

Among those who have already committed to the Buckeyes' program are 5-star corner back Eli Apple and 16 4-star recruits, including corner Gareon Conley, linebacker Trey Johnson and wide receiver Jalin Marshall (via ESPN).

So what better way to cap off the recruiting season by securing 4-star safety (h/t ESPN) and Scout.com's No. 2-ranked safety, Vonn Bell?

The 6'0", 190-pound safety has been linked to Alabama and Tennessee as well as the Buckeyes this season, visiting all three campuses in January, according to ESPN.

Kipp Adams of ESPN reports that Bell will wait until national signing day on Feb. 6 to make his decision public.

Having already secured 5-star CB Eli Apple and 4-star CB Gareon Conley, Ohio State could potentially own one of the best secondaries in the years to come if it can sign Bell.

Bell is an incredible athlete who possesses the size and speed to be a playmaker for the Buckeyes defense. The Georgia native is excellent against the run, has great hands and is usually a favorite to win jump ball matchups with opposing wideouts.

Ohio State struggled defending the pass last season, ranking 76th in passing yards allowed per game.

With upperclassmen likely clearing the way following the 2013 season, Bell should have an early opportunity to play and could possibly even see the field this season.

Given the chance to boast one of the best secondaries in college football over the course of the next few years, Ohio State must convince Bell to become a Buckeye.

 

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What is the point of a recruit committing to a program these days?

Ask yourself that question.

Get back to me when you have a reasonable answer.

College football's recruiting process has always been a madhouse, but it's gotten even worse lately. Top recruits commit, then decommit, then commit again, only to decommit again and sign with a different school on national signing day.

It causes all kinds of problems. Coaches get angry, fans get irate, recruits get confused, and everybody is stressed out.

All too often people tend to forget that these recruits are teenagers. Sure, some top recruits may play like men, but to expect them to know what they're doing at such a young age is not only naive, it's wrong.

It's funny how everyone jumps to the conclusion that a top recruit has "character concerns" if he commits then decommits. People don't say, "Well, good for him, he found the right fit." They say, "Who does he think he is?! He's just been playing us this whole time."

Is it possible, perhaps, that he never knew what he was doing in the first place? After all, it's hard enough for the modern-day teenage recruit to weigh his options without countless "mentors" and "friends" telling him what he should do. Recruits are pulled in so many different directions these days that it's a wonder that they aren't complete basketcases by signing day.

Of course, that's not to say some recruits don't play the "high and mighty" act. Some clearly like to build the anticipation, only to "shock the world" when they completely change courses when it matters. Some actually get a certain joy out of this. In other words, the egotistical become egomaniacs. 

But for those recruits not playing the fans and media, I've never understood why they commit to a program early in the first place. I've never understood the point of that. Why not wait until signing day to make your decision, when you've visited all the schools you've wanted to and you have a better picture of the pros and cons of each program?

And that's where I'm going with this. There is absolutely no reason there should be commits in the first place. It only causes chaos, confusion and ill will. Recruits these days are treated in the same manner as LeBron James was when he left Cleveland for the Miami Heat. "The Decision" indeed.

Recruits are being blasted for simply having a change of heart. For example, 5-star running back Derrick Henry was ripped by practically the entire state of Georgia when he decommitted from the Bulldogs and committed to Alabama.

Bobby Ramsay, Henry's coach at Yulee (Fla.) High School, may have said it best, via ESPN:

Really, at the end of the day, they're just making a decision about where they want to go to college. You have grown men getting online calling a kid a punk, but what were you doing when you were 17 years old? Did you ever change your mind? You've never made a decision and gone back and decided to do something instead?

Ramsay also noted that Henry was worried there would be backlash for his decision. Indeed, there was.

There should be a national signing day, and that's it. Once you ink your name on that dotted line, there is no turning back. It will make recruits think more about their decisions and it will give programs and fans alike a definite answer. Then everybody can move on with their lives without the insanity whirling above their heads.

The madness has to stop. 

 

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National signing day is less than a week away, and college football coaches across the country are hitting the recruiting trail hard with the finish line in plain sight.

Jim Mora and the rest of the UCLA coaches have been as active as any staff this cycle, making waves with big-time commitments from some of the nation's best players.

As it stands now, the Bruins' 2013 class is ranked in the top 10 nationally by Rivals and Scout, and No. 11 and No. 12 by 247Sports and ESPN, respectively.

But as great as rankings are, what really matters are results.

With the Feb. 6 deadline fast approaching, there are still a number of big fish left to be hooked, and a handful of Bruin commits waiting to be reeled in.

UCLA could find itself with a top-five class on Wednesday if Mora can land the likes of Eddie Vanderdoes, Kylie Fitts, Isaac Savaiinaea and Asiantii Woulard. But at the same time, the Bruins' ranking could plummet if a few key verbals decide to take their talents elsewhere.

And as we have learned so many times with prep athletes, it ain't over until every last Letter of Intent is signed, sealed and delivered.

Here's a look at five current commits that UCLA needs to focus on retaining, and what other programs could be in the mix to force them to flip.

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National signing day is less than a week away, and college football coaches across the country are hitting the recruiting trail hard with the finish line in plain sight...

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There are plenty of incoming freshman quarterbacks would can step right in to their new teams and start right away.

Johnny Manziel illustrated that inexperience doesn't mean that a player will struggle right out of the gate. He played in what is the toughest conference in the country, yet broke the SEC record for total yards in a season.

Being a freshman can sometimes be beneficial because opposing coaches don't have much game film  they can use to learn that player's weaknesses.

Until teams start spring practice, it's extremely hard to predict which freshman QBs will have the biggest impact.

With that said, here's three who just may do just that with their new teams.

 

Cody Thomas, Oklahoma

With Landry Jones graduating, there's going to be a big hole in the Oklahoma Sooners offense.

Cody Thomas is coming in as one of the more highly ranked quarterback recruits. There's a very good chance he'll be redshirted his freshman season. Until he fails to suit up at all in 2013, you can never fully know that it will happen.

If Thomas has a great spring, there's no reason that Stoops should put him on the bench for a season.

Thomas has a great combination of size, accuracy and arm strength. He also has the kind of athleticism that will allow him to elude pressure and open up more time to throw.

 

Jared Goff, Cal

Zach Maynard had a rather inauspicious ending to what had been a solid college career. 2012 as a whole was a year to forget for the Cal Golden Bears. They finished 3-9 and Jeff Tedford found himself out of a job as a result.

Luckily for the Golden Bears, they have a great quarterback recruit in Jared Goff who can help turn the program around.

Goff would have thrived with somebody like Tedford coaching him, but he'll be successful nonetheless. He has the prototypical size for a pocket passer, and his tools allow him to make an immediate impact.

 

Aaron Bailey, Illinois

Aaron Bailey is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He'll have Nathan Scheelhaase and Reilly O'Toole in front of him when he joins the Illinois Fighting Illini, but the two were far from great in 2012.

Bailey would be able to jump over them with a solid performance in the spring. He's a fantastic athlete who can break a big play anytime he has the ball in his hands.

He also has a very strong arm, with an ability to make the throws down the field. Like most dual-threat quarterbacks, Bailey's decision-making and accuracy need the most improvement.

Those kinds of things will come the longer he's at Illinois.

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Major Applewhite, the Texas Longhorns' co-offensive coordinator and former quarterback, admitted to a past inappropriate but consensual relationship with an adult student sometime during the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.  

Texas has called a special meeting of the board of regents for Sunday to discuss personnel matters, "discussion regarding legal issues concerning individual athletic personnel" and a "discussion regarding legal issues related to inappropriate relations between employees and students."

Applewhite released this statement Friday night:

"Several years ago, I made a regretful decision resulting in behavior that was totally inappropriate," the statement read. "It was a one-time occurrence and was a personal matter. Shortly after it occurred, I discussed the situation with [athletics director] DeLoss Dodds. I was up front and took full responsibility for my actions. This is and was resolved four years ago with the university."

Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds released a statement on Friday night in regards to the incident.

Here are the details of the statement, courtesy of Tom Fornelli of CBSSports.com:

“Major Applewhite engaged in inappropriate, consensual behavior with an adult student one time during the 2009 Fiesta Bowl activities," said Dodds in the statement. "After learning of his behavior later that month, I took immediate action to review the situation. We promptly initiated an inquiry with assistance from the university's Legal Affairs office and other units outside of Athletics. Major admitted his inappropriate conduct and he was disciplined. In determining appropriate discipline, we analyze the facts and circumstances surrounding the behavior and its relation to job responsibilities. Major fully accepted his discipline, including counseling. We have high standards for behavior and expect our staff and coaches to adhere to them in all aspects of their lives. I believe that the appropriate discipline was taken in this case.”

Applewhite is married, and the couple have a daughter who was born Jan. 2009, according to his Texas bio.

Aside from the counseling Applewhite was required to take part in, Carter Strickland of ESPN reports:

The university froze Appelwhite's salary from Feb. 5, 2009 -- almost immediately upon learning of the behavior and discussing it with Applewhite -- until Jan. 1, 2010.

This isn't the first instance of a Texas coach having an inappropriate relationship as former women's track coach Bev Kearney resigned in January as a result of a similar offense.

Kearney's 'intimate consensual relationship" with a University of Texas athlete in 2002, led to her resigning over eight years after the relationship ended.  Kearney led Texas to six national championships during her tenure.

In a statement provided to the Austin American-Statesman,  Derek A. Howard, Kearny's attorney said,

“We believe that Ms. Kearney has been subjected to a double standard and has received far harsher punishment than that being given to her male counter-parts who have engaged in similar conduct.”

Applewhite has been a part of head coach Mack Brown's staff since 2008, which was a year before this inappropriate relationship occurred, according to the statement.

Before his time at Texas as both the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Applewhite served as the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse in 2005 and as the co-offensive coordinator at Rice University in 2006, followed by a stint with the Alabama Crimson Tide under coach Nick Saban in 2007.

Longhorns fans best remember Applewhite for his time as the team's quarterback from 1998-2001, where he became well known for his late-game heroics and the numerous school records he broke.

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The second-leading running back in the NCAA, Nevada's Stefphon Jefferson, has elected to forgo his senior year and has declared himself eligible for the NFL draft.

Jefferson, a 5'11", 210-pound junior led the nation in rushing for most of the 2012 season. His production was just astonishing as he was mostly unstoppable. 

For the season, Jefferson had 375 carries for 1,883 yards and averaged 5.0 yards per carry. He scored 24 rushing TDs. His longest run was 63 yards. Jefferson averaged 144.8 yards per game. He also doubled as a receiver with 22 receptions for 170 yards and one TD.

For his career at Nevada, Jefferson had 448 carries for 2,338 yards and 30 TDs.

Despite these stats, Jefferson does not even appear on ESPN's draft page, while NFLDraftScout.com ranks him as only the sixth-best RB in the draft.

Most "experts" think he might be drafted in the later rounds or sign as a free agent.

The NFL draft experts are dead wrong, again. Jefferson is a superb RB who ran through some pretty decent defenses. Against Cal, Jefferson had 147 yards and three TDs. Against USF he ran for 135 yards. Against MWC champion San Diego State he ran for 108 yards and one TD. He torched Boise State for 139 yards and two TDs and had a huge day against Arizona rushing for 180 yards and two TDs.

Can someone explain to me how a guy who led the nation in rushing for most of the year and racked up 327 yards and five TDs against two Pac-12 teams isn't even on ESPN's draft board?

The last time the draft "experts" overlooked a Nevada player, it was a fellow by the name of Kaepernick. 

Just as the San Francisco 49ers benefited from the "experts" overlooking Kaepernick, someone in the NFL will pick up one heck of an overlooked running back in Stefphon Jefferson. He definitely belongs in the early rounds. He is not a late-round-caliber player. 

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