Midwest recruiting: Around the Big Ten, ND

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Rivals.comMidwestrecruitinganalystJoshHelmholdtlooksatsomeoftheregion'stopnews,breakingdownthelatestfromtheBigTenandNotreDame

BigTen

IllinoisClickHeretoviewthisLink.:IllinoisopensBigTenplaythisSaturdaywhenPennStatecomestoChampaign,andTimBeckmanClickHeretoviewthisLink.'sstaffisusingthegameasanopportunitytohostseveralunofficialvisitors.Twonotableexpectedvisitorsare2014tightendsEthanWolfClickHeretoviewthisLink.andDanielHelmClickHeretoviewthisLink.,whobothholdoffersfromtheIllini.SeveraltoptargetsalsoattendedIllinois'gamethispastweekendagainstLouisianaTech.Three-starrunningbackAregerosTurnerClickHeretoviewthisLink.headlinedagroupthatalsoincludedseveralofferedclass-of-2014prospects.

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IndianaClickHeretoviewthisLink.:Indianahasmadeadentinin-staterecruitinginthe2013class,grabbingthreeofthetop22players.HeadcoachKevinWilsonClickHeretoviewthisLink.andhisstaffarelookingtodomoredamagegoingforward,though,andtheyaretargetingthestate'sbest,eventhosealreadycommittedelsewhere.AlreadythisfalltheyhavehostedRivals250defensiveendElijahDanielClickHeretoviewthisLink.,four-stardefensiveendDavidKenneyClickHeretoviewthisLink.andthree-starsJohnKennyClickHeretoviewthisLink.andTimothyGardnerClickHeretoviewthisLink.forunofficialvisits.TheycurrentlyhavetheBigTen's11th-rankedclassbutwillmoveupiftheycanfliponeormoreofthoseprospects.

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IowaClickHeretoviewthisLink.:Iowafanswerenervouswhentheyheardtheirfour-starsafetycommitment,DelanoHillClickHeretoviewthisLink.ofDetroitCassTech,wasmakinganunofficialvisittoNotreDamethispastSaturday.Hill,however,assuagedtheirconcernswhenheclarifiedhewasprimarilytheretoescortsomeyoungerteammatesvisitingtheIrish,andhiscommitmenttotheHawkeyeswasstillstrong.IthasbeenmorethantwomonthssincetheHawkeyeshaveaddedacommitment,butwith16prospectsonboardthereisplentyoftimetofillouttheremainderoftheirclassbeforeNationalSigningDay.

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MichiganClickHeretoviewthisLink.:Michigancoachesmademovesontwoofthetopprospectsinthecountryforthe2014class,offeringVirginiaBeach(Va.)BaysidesafetyQuinBlandingClickHeretoviewthisLink.andChesapeake(Va.)OscarSmithdefensivetackleAndrewBrownClickHeretoviewthisLink.onTuesday.Michiganisalsostillworkingtofillthefinaltwospotsinits2013class.TheWolverineshavefive-starrunningbackDerrickGreenClickHeretoviewthisLink.cominginforanofficialvisittheweekendofOct.19andfive-stardefensivebackLeonMcQuayIIIClickHeretoviewthisLink.officiallyvisitingtheweekendofNov.9.Thenation'sNo.1widereceiver,LaquonTreadwellClickHeretoviewthisLink.isalsoexpectedtobeinfortheWolverines'Oct.20gameagainstMichiganState.

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MichiganStateClickHeretoviewthisLink.:Afterbeingshutoutofperennialstate-of-Michigantalent-producerCassTechoverthelastseveralyears,MichiganStatehashitwithtwocommitmentsinthelastmonthfromtheDetroitschool.OnSaturday,CassTech2014linebackerDeonDrakeClickHeretoviewthisLink.committedtotheSpartansoveroffersfromthelikesofIowa,NotreDame,Nebraska,CincinnatiClickHeretoviewthisLink.,PittsburghClickHeretoviewthisLink.andSyracuseClickHeretoviewthisLink..Drakejoinshisclassof2013teammate,three-staroffensivetackleDennisFinleyClickHeretoviewthisLink.,whocommittedtotheSpartansattheendofAugust.

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MinnesotaClickHeretoviewthisLink.:HeadcoachJerryKillClickHeretoviewthisLink.andhisstaffhostedtheirsecondofficialvisitweekendoftheyearonSaturday,andtheGophersputonagoodshow,beatingSyracuse17-10atTCFBankStadium.Midway,Texas,widereceiverHunterJarmonClickHeretoviewthisLink.calledhisofficialvisitexperience"reallyimpressive,"whileChelsea,Mich.,three-starrunningbackBerkleyEdwardsClickHeretoviewthisLink.tooknoteofthefansupportinMinneapolisandCanyonCounty,Calif.,widereceiverDrewWolitarskyClickHeretoviewthisLink.saidhe"hadablast"onhistrip.LakeGibson,Fla.,widereceiverEricCarterClickHeretoviewthisLink.namedMinnesotahisleaderafterofficiallyvisitingthispastweekend.

MORE:GopherIllustrated.com

NebraskaClickHeretoviewthisLink.:BadnewscamedownforoneofNebraska'stopcommitmentsinthe2013classthisweekwhenitwasrevealedthatafirst-halfinjurysufferedbyRanchoSantaMargarita(Calif.)quarterbackJohnnyStantonClickHeretoviewthisLink.wasatornACLandhewillmisstheremainderofhisseniorseason.Betternewsisonthehorizon,however,astheCornhuskerspreparetohost13officialvisitorsfortheirBigTenopeneragainstWisconsinthisSaturday.Sevenofthoseprospectsareuncommittedorcommittedtootherschools,includingfour-starsDashonHuntClickHeretoviewthisLink.,KennyLacyClickHeretoviewthisLink.andChristianMorrisClickHeretoviewthisLink..

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NorthwesternClickHeretoviewthisLink.:ThechangeinrecruitingstrategyforheadcoachPatFitzgeraldClickHeretoviewthisLink.andhisstaffwasevidentwhentheWildcatsenteredtheseasonwith17commitmentsinthe2013class.ButwearealsoseeingthetrendofearlyrecruitinginEvanstoncontinuingwiththe2014class.TheWildcatswereoneofthefirsttwoteamstoofferWheaton(Ill.)NorthjuniorquarterbackClaytonThorsonClickHeretoviewthisLink.earlierthismonthandwerealsooneofthefirsttwotoofferCarolStream(Ill.)GlenbardNorthrunningbackJustinJacksonClickHeretoviewthisLink..MostrecentlytheyofferedColumbus(Ohio)BishopHartley2014cornerbackAlonzoSaxtonClickHeretoviewthisLink..

MORE:WildcatReport.com

OhioStateClickHeretoviewthisLink.:OhioStatecontinuestoaddtoitsvisitorslistfortheannualrivalryshowdownagainstMichiganonNov.24.Rivals250widereceiverJamesQuickClickHeretoviewthisLink.hasalreadymadetentativeplanstoattendthatgameasanofficialvisitoroftheBuckeyes,andnowitappearsRivals100safetyHollandFisherClickHeretoviewthisLink.ofMidlothian(Va.)ManchesterwillbeinColumbusasanofficialvisitorthatweekendaswell.FisherisaVirginiaTechClickHeretoviewthisLink.commitment,butconfirmedthisweekhewillalsotakeofficialvisitswithOhioStateandAlabamaClickHeretoviewthisLink..

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PennStateClickHeretoviewthisLink.:DespitebeinghamperedbytheseveresanctionshandeddownbytheNCAAthissummer,headcoachBillO'BrienClickHeretoviewthisLink.andhisstaffcontinuetogaincommitmentsandaddtotheir2013class.OnTuesdaytheywereabletogetLynchburg(Va.)LibertyChristianAcademyoffensivetackleTannerHartmantoswitchhiscommitmentfromMarylandClickHeretoviewthisLink.totheNittanyLions.AweekearliertheylandedacommitmentfromLoganville(Ga.)GraysoncornerbackKaseyGainesClickHeretoviewthisLink..ThetwonewadditionsgivePennStateatotalof11commitmentsinthe2013class.

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PurdueClickHeretoviewthisLink.:TheBoilermakerscomeofftheirbyeweekandwillhosttheirfirstfiveofficialvisitorsofthe2013classfortheirhomegameagainstMarshallonSaturday.ThosefivetakingofficialvisitsareLoxahatchee(Fla.)SeminoleteammatesRayfieldDixonandKyleShortridgeClickHeretoviewthisLink.;Atlanta(Ga.)CarveroffensivelinemanDelandoCrooksClickHeretoviewthisLink.;Lithonia(Ga.)ArabiaMountaindefensiveendDannyEzechukwuClickHeretoviewthisLink.;andMiami(Fla.)ArchbishopCarrollcornerbackLeroyClarkClickHeretoviewthisLink..AstronggroupofunofficialvisitorsisalsoexpectedinWestLafayettethisweekend,includingRivals250defensiveendElijahDanielClickHeretoviewthisLink..

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WisconsinClickHeretoviewthisLink.:Lastweek'sadditionofin-statedefensivetackleCraigEvansClickHeretoviewthisLink.keepsWisconsinaheadinnumberofclass-of-2014commitmentsamongBigTenteams.TheBadgershavefivetotaljuniorcommits,onebetterthanMichiganState,whichnowhasthree.ThestateofWisconsinhasastrongcropoftalentinthe2014class,andBadgersheadcoachBretBielemaClickHeretoviewthisLink.hasputawalluparoundthestateearly.FourofWisconsin'sfivejuniorcommitmentsarein-stateprospects,withthefifthbeingSturgis,Mich.,quarterbackChanceStewartClickHeretoviewthisLink..EvanschoseWisconsinoveroffersfromMichiganState,NebraskaandPitt.

MORE:BadgerBlitz.com

NotreDame

Notre DameClick Here to view this Link.: There has not been a game in the Midwest this fall that has generated as much buzz from recruits as Notre Dame's home contest against Michigan this past weekend. And the Fighting Irish were already prepared to take advantage of that atmosphere, hosting 10 official visitors and a large group of unofficial visitors for the game. By weekend's end, Notre Dame's commitment list had grown by one when it received a pledge from Prosper, Texas, four-star wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr.Click Here to view this Link..

MORE: IrishIllustrated.com

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