NCAA Football

The Michigan Wolverines are coming off a top recruiting class in 2013 and are back at it again for the 2014 recruiting class.  

Head coach Brady Hoke knows how important it is to have consistency in recruiting with highly ranked classes. 

Hoke has landed an early gem for 2014 on the defensive side of the ball in defensive tackle Bryan Mone. 

Mone is a 4-star recruit from Salt Lake City, Utah who has the build of a burly defensive tackle despite still being a junior in high school. 

At 6'4" and 316 pounds, Mone already has the physicality and body to jump into a college defensive line and hold his own.  Yet, Mone is more than a big-bodied defensive recruit.

Mone is exceptionally agile and quick for a player of his size, which is a rarity in such a young player who is still developing.

According to Tim Sullivan of the Detroit Free Press,

Although the 315-pound weight may seem high for a high school prospect, Mone carries every ounce of it well. His film shows a player who is not only massive, but also very agile – and who even has some good top-end speed. He’ll likely continue to bulk up and play the nose tackle position in Michigan’s defense.

At 6'4" and 315, Mone would normally be viewed as too big at his current level, but he has the speed to go with it. 

Mone is extremely active when he attacks the opposing offensive line out of his stance.  His combination of size and speed helps him to strike fast and beat linemen in the trenches.  

 

According to GBM Wolverine staff via SI.com:

Size is definitely a strength for Bryan Mone. He also shows surprising agility and quickness for a jumbo athlete. He gets off the ball quickly and plays with an edge. Mone is relentless in pursuit and plays until the whistle. He shows solid club and swim moves, and fights a double team very well. His agility and speed enables Mone to exhibit a good change of direction.

Mone's quickness and agility should not be underestimated.  Mone draws comparisons to Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata. They attended the same high school and play with similar styles.

While the comparisons to Ngata make some sense, Mone also has the same footwork intangibles that make New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork so successful. 

Wilfork is huge at 6'2" and 325 pounds, but his footwork is exceptional for a player of that size and he moves both powerfully and swiftly when he plays.

Mone has a similar explosiveness and agility to players like Ngata and Wilfork which makes him a rare recruit pickup and he has the potential to shine on the Michigan defensive line.  For Mone to have such a great skill set with his footwork and agility at his age is astounding.  He will need to continue to develop, but he has all the intangibles to become an impact player on the defensive interior.  

Mone's agility also makes him a versatile player that Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison can use in multiple sets on the defensive line.

According to the GBM Wolverine staff via SI.com:

 

On film we have witnessed Mone twist, line up inside on OGs, and twist outside the OT and still be able to maintain proper leverage on the QB. That is Impressive!

 

It is very impressive to see a young player of his stature have all of quickness and smarts to twist his body and work through opposing defensive lines as a pass rusher on both the outside and inside as well as a run stopper.

According to MGoBlog.com:

 

He [Mone] looks very impressive on film, and the fact that he's getting this much attention this early despite being from an under-scouted region lends credence to the idea that Michigan found themselves a potential star early in the process.

 

Mone hails from Utah which is not known as a hot bed for top football recruits, but the signs and evidence point toward Mone being a diamond in the rough.

Mone's size, agility, moves, and potential for development make him the next big thing at defensive tackle for the Michigan Wolverines. 

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Three former Auburn players participated in the 2013 NFL Combine. Tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen, running back Onterio McCalebb and defensive end Corey Lemonier did their best to impress the scouts.

Here are the complete results from their workouts, and how the performances fared against other participants at their respective positions.

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Like the rest of the Auburn defense, the Tigers secondary in 2012 had its share of struggles.

For the fourth straight year, Auburn's secondary was extremely mediocre. The pass defense ranked No. 48 in the country and No. 8 in the Southeastern conference. Auburn surrendered over 220 yards per game through the air. 

Auburn's defensive backfield recorded only one interception—a Trent Fisher pick-six against Alabama A&M. Before that interception in mid-November, LB Daren Bates had Auburn's only interception in Week 1 vs. Clemson. 

With a talented and experienced crop of defensive backs returning, the group—under the tutelage of Charlie Harbison and Melvin Smith—is poised to write a different story in 2013.

There are a few reasons for Auburn fans to be excited about the defensive backfield for the Tigers in 2013. Individual improvement in 2012, experience returning and proven development of players by Harbison and Smith.

Despite the shortcomings of the group, individuals that will be returning made important strides last fall.

Freshman cornerback Joshua Holsey became a player that Auburn could trust in man coverage. He finished the season with 30 tackles and six pass breakups. Holsey's ceiling is extremely high, and he has the opportunity to become Auburn's first shutdown CB since Jerraud Powers roamed the defensive backfield in 2007-2008. 

Demetruce McNeal and Jonathan Mincy were at the top of the chart for unassisted tackles (that also says something about Auburn's struggles up front). McNeal led the team with 53 unassisted tackles, and Mincy was second, with 41. 

Freshman CB Jonathan Jones got his feet wet in the latter part of the season. With continued improvement in spring practice, Jones will have his chance to crack the starting lineup in the fall. 

Experience is extremely valuable in the secondary, and the Tigers will have a lot of it. 

Auburn will return all but one contributor in the defensive backfield. T'Sharvan Bell—whose playing time decreased in 2012, after recovering from a 2011 knee injury—is the only departure from last fall. 

Auburn will look to seniors Chris Davis, Ryan Smith and McNeal to lead the unit's turnaround. Among those three, the Tigers will have 99 games of experience in the secondary before the Tigers take the field on Aug. 31. 

Juniors Erique Florence, Jermaine Whitehead, Mincy and Fisher have all been battle-tested for Auburn as well. 

With so much experience, defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson will have an easier time installing his 4-2-5 defensive scheme. It's a system that will give the secondary more responsibility than most, in defending the run. 

Johnson's system needs physical defenders for the much-talked-about "Star" position, that is a hybrid between a strong safety and outside linebacker. Robenson Therezie and Whitehead look like they could fit that role perfectly, along with LB Kris Frost.  

Harbison and Smith have been tasked with coaching the Auburn secondary. Harbison will coach the safeties, while Smith will be responsible for coaching the cornerbacks.

Both are familiar with developing strong units in the defensive backfield. 

At Mississippi State, Smith mentored Johnthan Banks, the 2012 Thorpe Award winner. The Bulldog secondary was second in the SEC in interceptions with 19 last fall.

Harbison spent the last four years at Clemson coaching the defensive backs. The Tigers, from the Palmetto state, had a very strong secondary under Harbison, in 2009 and 2010. 

Smith and Harbison will attempt to accomplish the same at Auburn. 

With the talent and experience that is returning to Auburn's secondary in 2013, it's not out of the realm of possibility for immediate improvement. 

With question marks at every other position, it is easy to see why Auburn's secondary will be the strength of the Tigers defense in 2013. 

The bigger question is whether or not the group will be a lone bright spot on another mediocre Auburn defense or if it will lead the resurgence to a defensive turnaround that Auburn fans have been yearning for. 

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With the disappointment of the 2012 USC Trojans football season in the rear-view mirror, fans of the program are looking to pass the idle months while waiting for retribution in 2013.

One way of doing that is to monitor the progress former Trojans who finishes their eligibility (or left after their junior year) and are seeking fame and glory at the next level.

The first step on that road began in Indianapolis, where the NFL just completed its four-day combine to evaluate prospective pros.

Six Trojans participated in the process and the reviews are mixed at best.

This slideshow will look at how quarterback Matt Barkley, center Khaled Holmes, receiver Robert Woods, cornerback Nickell Robey and safeties T.J. McDonald and Jawanza Starling did under the scruitiny of NFL scouts.

Some did well, some not so much, and others couldn't even survive the workout.

Now let's find out who did what.

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With the disappointment of the 2012 USC Trojans football season in the rear-view mirror, fans of the program are looking to pass the idle months while waiting for retribution in 2013...

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The NFL Scouting Combine is an exciting time for fans and an important opportunity for NFL scouts.

The combine gives us a fairly complete breakdown of every potential draft picks physical makeup, which, while not a substitute for actual gameplay, can provide a better idea of where a player is going to be drafted.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys only had two players participate in the 2013 combine, but both of them made a solid impact that could help their draft status this April.

 

Joseph Randle, RB

Grade: 80.6

40-yard Dash: 4.63

Vert Jump: 35 inches

Broad Jump: 123 inches

Joseph Randle's performance in the combine was impressive, especially in both the vertical and broad jump.

He posted a top-10 finish in the vertical jump and a top-five finish in the broad jump. His 40-yard dash time was pretty middle-of-road, but didn't hurt him much overall.

The most exciting thing for Randle and Oklahoma State fans is his draft grade of 80.6.

That grade slots him as the third-best running back by these standards, and sets him up to be a surefire second round pick.

 

Quinn Sharp, K/P

Grade: 61.9

Quinn Sharp grades out as the second-best specialist at this years combine and should be drafted sometime during the second day. 

Obviously, most kickers don't really need to run a 40-yard dash, so we can't look at that, but Sharp showed some great raw ability in all of his workouts.

His approach on punts and field goals will need to be fine-tuned by a professional coach, however, he'll contribute right away as a kickoff specialist and should become a reliable starter as a punter or placekicker.

Oklahoma State didn't have many players participate in this year's combine, but they both showed more than enough ability to warrant a draft pick.

Look for Randle to go sometime in the second round, with Sharp following him sometime after the fifth.

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The NFL draft has become another showcase of dominance for Nick Saban’s Alabama program, and with 10 former Tide stars participating in the NFL combine earlier this week, that trend is a strong bet to continue.

A trio of offensive linemen—Barrett Jones, D.J. Fluker and Chance Warmack—plus corner Dee Milliner and nose tackle Jesse Williams are all players that project to be selected in the early rounds of April’s draft.

For players like safety Robert Lester, linebacker Nico Johnson and defensive linemen Quinton Dial and Damion Square, the festivities at Lucas Oil Stadium represented a chance to make an impression and raise their respective stocks. 

For a handful of them, those impressions—at least ones that come on the field—will have to wait until pro day because of various injuries. 

How did each former Tide star fare and what is the buzz coming out of Indianapolis on the Tide's contingent of NFL prospects heading into the stretch before the draft?

Here are the complete NFL combine results* for all 10 former Alabama stars that traveled to Indianapolis. 

*All results are courtesy of NFL.com. Players listed in alphabetical order. 

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The NFL combine is one of the most important offseason events on the NFL schedule because it gives NFL head coaches and general managers a closer look at the new incoming talent.

For the Georgia Bulldogs, 11 players were invited to make the trip to Indianapolis. Some Bulldogs impressed the coaches and general managers, some could have done better and there were even a few, such as Jarvis Jones, that did not take part in the combine.

Regardless, the Bulldogs should have a strong showing on draft day.

Here’s a breakdown of how each Bulldog fared in the combine.

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Football is a physical sport, and the more physical a player is, the more his chances of success on the field increase.

Some players do prefer to finesse their way around the field, and that can work to their advantages if and when done right.

Yet this game is about physicality, and a player who has the mentality of relishing contact, playing big at the point of attack, having good strength and the power to dominate his opponent will earn high marks from observers.

This read will be an early look at the 25 most physical recruits in the 2014 class.

Whether be it a running back who runs hard and finishes with a pop on defenders or a linebacker who likes to take on lead blockers, shed and tackle with authority, physicality is always welcomed on the football field.

Here's the top 25 bruisers in the 2014 class.

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The NFL playing season may have ended with the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl victory, but there is never a dull moment on the yearly NFL calendar. With the NFL Draft drawing ever closer, many of the top college prospects just learned this firsthand at the NFL Scouting Combine. The yearly event, which has been held in Indianapolis since 1987, tests potential NFL stars both physically and mentally. It gives them a chance to shine directly in front of professional scouts and improve their draft stock.

The University of Florida was well-represented at this year's Combine. Ten Gators were invited to participate in the various drills, workouts and other festivities that are a part of the event. Some helped themselves with their performance, while others failed to stand out among the peers at their respective positions.

Here is a complete breakdown of how each former Gator fared at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine.

Note: all Combine results courtesy of NFL.com.

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The Texas A&M Football team sent six players to Indianapolis to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine. A few of the players improved their stock, while a couple have some work to do if they want to solidify their standing in the draft.

Four of the six players from A&M were seniors: Ryan Swope, Christine Michael, Sean Porter and Jonathan Stewart.

The other two players were juniors Luke Joeckel and Damontre Moore. They have been projected to be first round draft picks so they left A&M early and took part in the combine. 

All six Aggies traveled to Indianapolis in an attempt to improve their status.

Participants in the combine test in the 40 yard dash, the vertical jump, broad jump, do bench press reps of 225 lbs and various agility drills.

This is a look at how each of them performed at the combine.

All combine results courtesy of NFL.com.

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5-star is the highest ranking that can be bestowed upon a college football recruit, and it's undoubtedly an honor.

It's a ranking that comes with a ton of publicity and hype, but it also brings a heavy amount of responsibility, accountability and expectations.

The pressure is on when you're labeled as a 5-star recruit. College football recruiting is one of the more intense processes in sports, and it's one that requires 100 percent of a player's time and attention.

Everybody wants to land a 5-star or two, which means that everybody will by vying for said recruit's attention, time and ultimately his signature.

The process leading up to sending in a fax on signing day can be filled with pressure, but it's no comparison to the pressure of living up to the lofty ranking on the field.

Everybody is watching, and the expectations are high.

It's not easy being a 5-star recruit and it's certainly not an accidental process.

Here are five traits that separate 5-star recruits from the rest:

 

Note: Natural talent and measurables play a huge role. Such an obvious role, in fact, that they won't be featured in this piece.

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The Big Ten will be at 14 teams in 2014. That doesn't even pass the smell test, does it?

The "superconference" rumors have been around for years, as at no point did they say anything about conferences with 14 members. So something's got to give at some point.

Or so one would think.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told CBSSports.com that the Big Ten is basically fine where it is right now, and shame on the rest of the world for thinking otherwise:

Georgia Tech, Virginia and North Carolina have been speculated as potential Big Ten targets ever since Maryland and Rutgers decided to join the league in November.

“I think you're going to have all types of rumors about us and the Big 12,” Smith said. “We're not doing anything right now. We'll sit and evaluate Rutgers' and Maryland's transition. We don't want to screw that up. Right now we're not aggressively pursuing anyone.”

In Rutgers and Maryland, the Big Ten has East Coast partners for Penn State. The persistence of conference realignment since 2010, coupled with the Big Ten Network's national cable reach, has many wondering if the league will eventually push for a full East Coast division that would mushroom the league to 18 or 20 teams.

Smith said talks among league officials don't look that far ahead.

“We don't sit and talk like that,” Smith said. “We look at individual opportunities. We don't say our end game is to have an entire East Coast. We look at each business situation as it presents itself.”

This is not incongruous with anything others in the Big Ten have mentioned in any other expansion-related situation, for whatever it's worth. The conference never tips its hand, and it's not about to now.

The Big Ten is prepared to go ahead at 14 teams. That is obvious, because it's at 14 teams right now.

The Big Ten would be criminally incompetent if it spent even one day at 14 teams—even with an eye on further expansion—without a full plan in place to exist as a 14-team league. That's an extremely low baseline of competent conference management. If the Big Ten were only planning to be at 12 or 16 teams, it would be at 12 or 16 right now.

Now, as for whether Smith is telling the truth about not looking ahead, well, that's awfully tough to say. Certainly he's under zero obligation to disclose whether the Big Ten has larger plans on expansion or how far any discussions with any non-member schools have progressed. These discussions depend on confidentiality and Smith needs to protect that.

Moreover, you might remember the term "tortitious interference" from 2011's round of conference realignment, when the thought was that the SEC could face some liability for inducing Texas A&M to break its contractual relationship with the Big 12 and its members. Here is a fantastically thorough breakdown of the particulars by The Business of College Sports.

The Big Ten doesn't "offer" schools, it accepts applications for membership from them, then decides from there. Do these schools have assurances from the Big Ten that their applications will be accepted? Almost assuredly, yes. But by sticking to protocol like that, the Big Ten—like the SEC with Texas A&M—shields itself from the potential liability of breaking up conferences and their contracts.

That's what to keep in mind when Smith says things like the Big Ten "doesn't sit and talk like that" when it comes to long games for expansion. If Smith copped to that—and again, he is under absolutely no obligation to do so if asked by a reporter—all of a sudden the Big Ten looks like an active agent in the future splintering of the ACC. That just might be frowned upon in the case of a lawsuit. Might.

So the Big Ten is at 14 teams. It will be so until further notice. The "14 in '14" thing is what's coming, and even if you don't believe that's the long-term goal of the conference, you have to assume it is until the Big Ten announces otherwise.

That could be tomorrow; it could be never. Who knows?

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The ink is dry and the USC football staff has finalized its staff roster. Here's a rundown of who's out, who's in and the final verdict on what head coach Lane Kiffin calls the "reconstruction of our staff."

Out: Monte Kiffin, defensive coordinator 

In: Clancy Pendergast, defensive coordinator (via Cal)

Out: Scottie Hazleton, linebackers coach

In: Mike Ekeler, linebackers coach (via Indiana)

Out: Marvin Sanders, defensive backs coach

In: No hired replacement

Out: Kennedy Polamalu, offensive coordinator/running backs coach

In: Clay Helton, offensive coordinator, (USC quarterbacks coach)

In: Tommie Robinson, running backs coach/passing game coordinator, (via Arizona Cardinals) 

In: Mike Summers, co-offensive line coach/run game coordinator (via Western Kentucky)

Added responsibilities: John Baxter, current special teams coordinator, will also coach tight ends.

Since Ed Orgeron is the defensive line coach and Ekeler is the linebackers coach, it seems strange that there is no secondary coach, especially considering how poorly the secondary performed in Monte Kiffin's defense last season.

Multiple reports indicate that USC will go from a 4-3 defensive scheme (four down linemen, three linebackers in the box) to a 5-2 (five down linemen, two linebackers in the box). Obviously, this defense is designed to stop the run and with the way the Pac-12 has evolved over the last few years, this might be a good move.

Oregon and Stanford both have very strong running games and both teams went BCS bowling last season so this change in scheme makes sense. Against a team like Washington State, obviously this scheme won't work very well and will have to be tweaked to a 3-4. But here is an interesting question: What if the change in scheme doesn't improve USC's defense from last year's unit that went 7-6 ? 

Unfortunately, it may result in a complete staff overhaul, including head coach Lane Kiffin, since Monte is now longer around as the scapegoat.

And perhaps that's why Kiffin struggled to find an outside hire for his offensive coordinator—who wants to risk taking a job that may only last one year? Remember, when a head coach is let go, his staff is usually not retained by the incoming head coach.

There's also this: Could Kiffin's insistence in calling the plays be scaring away good offensive coordinator prospects? 

Nobody knows if Kiffin is the play caller this year—there has been no announcement on whether or not the play-calling duties have been handed off to new offensive coordinator Clay Helton.

But unless Helton is involved with the play calls on game day, his title is a paper title only which doesn't bode well for his potential advancement/promotion at another school. Why would an up-and-coming offensive coordinator come to USC? Even if he did, as long as Kiffin is calling the plays, his résumé is not nearly impressive as the resumes of other coordinators who have been play callers.  

This brings up another question: If the team improves but the play-calling and clock management are still suspect, would Kiffin still be on the hot seat?

It would be a stretch to think that Haden would not retain Kiffin after his fourth year because Kiffin has been mostly operating under scholarship restrictions—hard as it may be for Notre Dame and UCLA fans to swallow, both of their teams beat a USC team well into its 75-scholarship sanctions. While many fans are frustrated with his vanilla play calling and at times puzzling clock management, they can't be unhappy with the talent that Kiffin & Co. have brought in.

So is this current staff set? Frankly, I see room for change.

The secondary is too important of a unit to be without its own specific coach. While Baxter is experienced working with tight ends, I can't see tight ends getting coaching priority over defensive backs when there's an open spot for the secondary coach. 

Either Kiffin feels that the secondary will improve by virtue of the elder Kiffin no longer in charge of the defense or he couldn't get the secondary coach he wanted so he didn't fill it. Why have two guys coaching the O-line (James Cregg and new hire Mike Summers) while not hiring an assistant coach for the defensive backs?

Was there a problem convincing a defensive back coach to come coach at a school still on probation, still serving out NCAA sanctions and still under investigation by the NCAA?

There's also a question of whether or not Kiffin should be calling the plays—it's not difficult to understand why a coach would be oblivious to a ticking clock when his head is buried in a play call sheet. That's a problem that won't go away—compounding that is an eerie sense of detachment that Kiffin exudes while involved in play-calling duties. 

He's on Kiffin Island—alone, isolated and having little eye-to-eye contact with humans around him. Shouldn't the head coach be macro-managing instead of micro-managing?

Maybe this all gets fixed this year.

If it doesn't get fixed, one of two scenarios may happen.

One scenario looks like we can count on at least one more assistant coach for the defensive backs and Clay Helton—if he's qualified—calling the plays in 2014, perhaps even this year if things go badly early in the fall. 

And of course, we don't have to explain what that other scenario is. 

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

The ink is dry and the USC football staff has finalized its staff roster. Here's a rundown of who's out, who's in and the final verdict on what head coach Lane Kiffin calls the "reconstruction of our staff...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

The NFL combine isn't a tell-all into how well a particular player will do at the next level, but a handful of former Penn State football players took part to prove themselves to scouts and coaches.

While some didn't partake fully due to injury (Michael Mauti), others (Matt Stankiewitch, Gerald Hodges and Jordan Hill) tried to make solid impressions on those in attendance.

With that being said, let's review how these former Nittany Lions performed at the combine.

 

All stats from NFL.com/combine

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Although the majority of the attention directed towards the USC Trojans' 2013 recruiting class was negative, Lane Kiffin and his squad still put together a respectable class.

Sure, the school didn't land everybody it wanted and a few recruits decommitted, but this group of kids is still better than most of the classes out there.

With the lack of depth on the current roster and the overwhelming talent level of the young recruits, expectations are high for these players who are just months removed from high school.

So what are the expectations for the 2013 Trojans recruiting class?

Well, I see a diamond in the rough on the offensive side of the ball, a couple of defensive players who will shine immediately and a quarterback who is going to pan out just fine during his true-freshman year.

Let's take a look at some bold predictions for USC's newest recruiting class.

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Although the majority of the attention directed towards the USC Trojans' 2013 recruiting class was negative, Lane Kiffin and his squad still put together a respectable class...

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The Auburn Tigers are walking into the 2013 season with a lot of questions surrounding them. Gus Malzahn is entering his first year as the head coach, and the Tigers are coming off of a 3-9 season that saw the squad go winless in the SEC.

There is a lot of work that has to be done for the Tigers to be ready to play the big boys in the SEC, but by Week 4, all bets are off when Auburn travels to Baton Rouge to face-off against LSU.

The toughest game of the season lands in the Tigers' lap by the end of the first month, and there really isn’t much time for this program to catch its breath once the year begins.

A season-opening contest against Washington State should be won, as should a Week 2 game against Arkansas State. Week 3 brings Mississippi State to the Plains, and then the first road game of the season follows the Bulldogs.

While there aren’t any games in the first three weeks that should rattle the Tigers, there is no time for this program to rest, catch its balance or work out the kinks before a major game hits it in the chest.

LSU returns starting quarterback Zach Mettenberger and leading rusher Jeremy Hill. The Tigers also bring back a host of talent at receiver and arguably one of the most talented offensive lines in the country for 2013.

The Tigers' offense is set to push around Auburn’s defense, as the front seven was the biggest weakness for Auburn last year.

Auburn did sign some JUCO talent at linebacker and along the defensive line which should help shore up the front this year, but LSU is not the team to test new players against.

The Bayou Bengals also bring back a host of talent on defense as they return the best secondary in the SEC this fall. There are some gaps in experience at linebacker and along the defensive line, but overall this LSU defense is as good as any in recent memory.

The LSU faithful will welcome in an unsure Auburn unit even if the Tigers start the year at 3-0 heading into Death Valley. 

Gus Malzahn breeds confidence into his program, however, so they could play stronger than anyone expects.

No matter who wins the game or how well this Auburn program plays, this is the toughest contest on the 2013 schedule. A mid-October game against Texas A&M is also going to be a tough road trip, but Week 4 will be when the Tigers know if they can win big this fall. 

 

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Every program starts off a recruiting year with high hopes. It's a time of great excitement, anticipation, optimism and confidence.

And some schools have more reasons than others to believe that recruiting will go well for them.

For this 2014 cycle, I see seven programs who appear to be poised for a big recruiting year.

Whether it's due to a coaching staff that is restructured, available talent in their backyards or just stand to make a big recruiting comeback, these seven programs all have good signs pointing to a banner year on the trail.

Some schools on this list are already recruiting powerhouse programs but they figure to have an even better year on the trail by their standards.

Here are seven programs who look to be poised for a big recruiting year in 2014.

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