Big Ten Spotlight: Five programs that still have a lot of work to do
The spring wave of commitments has brought the Big Ten’s average class size up to 14 prospects per team, but some programs within the conference are lagging behind that mark. Here are the five Big Ten programs that need to do the most work yet in the class of 2021.
1. PURDUE
Number of commits: 9
Conference ranking: 13th
Summary: When Jeff Brohm turned down Louisville, his alma mater, to remain head coach of Purdue a year and a half ago, the expectation was recruiting in West Lafayette would operate at a level not seen in a long time now that recruits did not fear Brohm bolting from the program.
The two subsequent classes ended up in the top half of the Big Ten recruiting rankings, but this 2021 class ranks second-to-last to start July. Not only does Purdue have the fewest number of commitments of any team in the Big Ten, but the Boilermakers have yet to add a four-star prospect. The numbers situation is saddled with limited scholarship spots being vacated after the 2020 season, but who really knows what that picture looks like in a post-COVID world? The bigger issue is talent infusion, which is why four-stars like Yanni Karlaftis and Kyran Montgomery are such important targets.
2. ILLINOIS
Number of commits: 10
Conference ranking: 14th
Summary: Illinois recruiting under Lovie Smith has typically been slow early on, and that was the case again in this 2021 class. In an effort to augment the Illini’s recruiting efforts, Smith brought on Ashton Washington to be the Director of High School Relations in May, and she gave the class an immediate boost. Seven of the Illini’s 10 current commitments have pledged since Washington was hired on May 19, five of whom hail from the state of Florida. Illinois has only signed 13 prospects in each of the last two classes, however, so there is still work to be done to inject talent into this roster. Notably, Washington cited the need to be better at in-state recruiting shortly after being hired, which has long been a critique of Illinois recruiting under Smith. There may be no better way for Illinois to address its recruiting shortcomings than to improve its standing at in-state high schools.
3. MINNESOTA
Number of commits: 15
Conference ranking: 6th
Summary: Minnesota has a class that currently ranks in the top 20 nationally, so why are the Golden Gophers among the Big Ten programs that have the most work to do in 2021? The reason is a unique one related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Minnesota built the bulk of its class since the NCAA shut down recruiting visits in March, and many of their top commitments during that stretch pledged without ever having set foot on its campus. That fact makes Minnesota more susceptible than most of its Big Ten brethren to decommitments later in the cycle, and we are already starting to see that occur. The Gophers suffered three decommitments in the month of June, including Chicagoland athlete Sam Jackson, who flipped to Big Ten rival Purdue. Not only does Minnesota have remaining spots to fill, but they also will have their hands full keeping the current group of commitments intact until Signing Day.
4. NEBRASKA
Number of commits: 10
Conference ranking: 10th
Summary: No Big Ten program had a more exciting Signing Day last December than Nebraska, but do the Cornhuskers want to wait until the end of the cycle every year to pull their class together?
This is not likely to be a big class for the Cornhuskers when all is said and done due to their scholarship constraints, but Scott Frost and his staff still have significant work to do to make 2021 a success. One of the biggest concerns with this class is the lack of four and five-star prospects. Only offensive tackle Teddy Prochazka currently rates four stars, though more than half of the remaining commitments in this class rate at the highest three-star level. So, it is not just talent acquisition, but also the development of the players currently committed that will ultimately determine just how well this 2021 class addresses the Cornhuskers' needs.
5. PENN STATE
Number of commits: 12
Conference ranking: 7
Summary: Penn State has come a long way from where it started when this coronavirus pandemic put recruiting into a dead period four months ago. Normally a fast-starting recruiting program, Penn State had just two commitments in mid-March and was banking on spring visits to jump start its efforts.
To their credit, James Franklin and his staff have been able to add numbers and talent to the commitment list these last four months and now has a class size that is getting closer to the Big Ten’s average. Recently, though, Penn State seems to be increasing its recruiting efforts in a time when many schools are winding theirs down in preparation for the start of summer workouts. That tells me Franklin feels they still have plenty of work to do in 2021, and seeing Big Ten East foe Ohio State atop the national recruiting rankings provides plenty of motivation to keep their foot on the gas.