Look Out Sec - Prices as No. 1 Alabama, Nick Saban prepares to go to war

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

If you think that football in the Southeastern Conference is just a game that generates a lot of money for schools and the NCAA which is regulated in a highly publicized, you do not understand what success is about the SEC.

SEC games are not battles between teams are open warfare with a fight to the last man who won by heavy artillery (talent). That's why on Wednesday (2-6-08) the first day of the signing of letters of intent from senior year was very significant. According to several analysts, Nick Saban and Alabama at No. 1 with the best class of the nation's talent.

Among Rivals.com Top 50 prospects, Alabama picked No. 4 Julia Jones, a child 6 feet 4 inches, 215-pound wide receiver from Foley (AL), N º 28 BJ Scott, one of 6 feet and 195 pounds-receptor super-athlete Vigor (AL) No. 30 Tyler Love, a 6 - feet-7, 290 lbs offensive lineman from Mountain Brook (AL) and No. 34 Jerrell Harris, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker from Gadsden (AL), and No. 35 Alonzo Lawrence, a 6-foot-1, 190 defensive pounds George County (MS).

Add to that distinguished list athlete No. 55 Mark Barron, a 6-foot-2, 202-pounds of Mobile (AL) and No. 60 Barrett Jones a 6-foot-5, 271-pound offensive lineman from Memphis (TN), and no school in the United States had 7 Top 60, but the prospects Rival.com Alabama.

Southern Cal there were 6 in the Top 60, Ohio State and Notre Dame had 5 had 5. Notre Dame recuiting class was rated No. 2 by Rivals.com, No. 8 Ohio State, and No. 10 Southern California.

Nick Saban, the highest-paid coach in the university about $ 4 million a year, got your payment. Saban was unable to sign 7 the top 11 prospects in Alabama. Auburn did not have a recruit among Rivals.com Top 100 prospects, the Tigers came up sucking pond water.

You search for Red Tide Saban and to initiate a concerted way to higher ground as a powerful current Division 1A national championship contender. If the Top 60 teams remain injury free and reach their potential on the lawn of the university, which will undoubtedly play in the NFL on Sundays.

If you are not fed for football Alabama you need to live in another state.

Three other schools catch my personal attention because I have no ties with Washington, Arizona State and Del State of Michigan.

Ty Willingham Washington Huskies had the highest peak Rivals.com between these 3 teams with No. 57 Kavario Middleton, a 6-foot-6 tight end 250 pounds of Lakewood (WA). Middleton was joined by his teammate, Jermaine Kearse, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver.

Washington also signed Everrette Thompson, a 6-foot-6, 255-pound defensive end from Burien (WA) Alameda Ta'amu, a 6-foot-4, 330-pound (yes, 330 pounds!) offensive guard from Seattle, Allen Carroll, a 6-foot-3, 290 lbs offensive guard Oakland (CA), Chris Polk, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound runner with 4.5 speed Redlands (California), and Jordan Polk , 5-foot-10, 170-pound receiver with 4.46 speed of Portland (OR).

Catch Washington called the best recruiting class and Reggie Williams and Charles Frederick in 2001.

The Huskies also picked up some speed to the linebacker Kurt Mangum (4.59), cornerbacks Adam Long (4.45), Anthony Gobern (4.4) and Justin Glenn (4.5), safety Johri Fogerson (4.55), and runners Demitrius Bronson (4.5) and David Freeman (4.4). Let me be the first to dub as Kurt Magnum Magnum PI (Personal Intimidator) and Demitrius Bronson Bronson and Death Wish.

All this comes as a surprise, Ty Willingham, unlike Nick Saban, has no reputation to be a recruiter. The fact that tealight freshman quarterback Jake Locker started last year and impressed almost everyone with his agility, speed and skill, probably not hit one iota.

Scout.com rated Washington's class as the best recruitment of 14 among the 119 NCAA Division 1A schools. Look for the Huskies to finally win more games than they lose next year. If they do, Willingham may be looking for another job.

Scout.com rated Dennis Erickson and his Arizona State Sun Devils class as the 17th best nationally. Among the top prospects Erickson was Jack Elway, none other than the son of Hall of Fame NFL quarterback John Elway.

Jack Elway has his father's arm, but apparently not his speed. However, it is an excellent gene pool. Besides his father, mother Janet was an outstanding college athlete as a swimmer at the University of Stanford.

Here are two facts you may not know about John Elway. 1) It is possible who played football at Stanford University but he was born and raised in Port Angeles (WA). 2) He had 47 runs to win the match or game tying drives in the 4th quarter, an NFL record.

Mark Dantonio and his Michigan State Spartans (my alma mater, class of 1966) did not fare as well as Washington or State of Arizona. With the exception of any local coverage in Michigan and a few among Big Ten teams, the Spartans received zero national attention. That tells me which ended with the short end of stick, and that is indeed bad news.

Dantonio knows that Jim Tressel and Ohio State Buckeyes only get better, Dantonio was defensive coordinator at Ohio State, undefeated (14-0) national championship team in 2002. Tressel also won 4 Division 1AA national championships at Youngstown State, and won-loss record as head coach at Ohio State is an impressive 83% (73-15).

If Ohio State is not sufficient for the competence of the State of Michigan Michigan will make the Spartans headaches from West Virginia and Rich Rodriguez left to coach the Wolverines next year.

Michigan has won more games than any team in the history of college football, and now along comes Rodriguez, who spent 7 seasons at West Virginia, compiling a record of 60-26 (69%) with 4 great games in the East.

Rodríguez, 1 of only 2 head coaches in Division IA Football Hispanic, went 32-5 (86%) their last 3 years in West Virginia. Rodriguez is ideal for Michigan, Michigan State that is two legs and bad news. The Spartans can get expelled mucus of them from Michigan for the next 5 years.

I am praying that Dantonio can find a few nuggets from the pile of debris of the players who are is after all the good programs have exhausted their allocations of grants. The Spartans need talent and speed away, do not have enough at this time.

The justified enthusiasm among Crimson Tide fans in Alabama has to be tempered by the knowledge that recruitment is not an exact science. While we know that the sun will morning, not knowing how these recruits to come to nothing.

What we do know is that coaching can make average players better, Rico Rodriguez an example. Its recent West Virginia recruiting classes were ranked in the mid-30s to mid 50s, however, led the Highlanders 2 BCS bowl victories in the last 3 seasons, and he was to 1 win to play for the national title the past year.

We also know that a position player as a quarterback, who touches the ball on every play, you can do a much better team. An example of this year was Todd Reesing of Kansas who led the Jayhawks to a record of 12-1 and an Orange Bowl victory. Reesing was rated as one of 2 stars for the 3-star player by the rating services (5 stars is best) but became in a 5 star player when given the chance.

Since many of these children will become red shirts (which means he will not play its first year) and become freshmen red shirt (as Jake Locker of Washington), they begin to play its second year. It is possible that all of 5 years to determine who among the many actors who just signed will become stars of tomorrow and the recruits of the NFL.

Meanwhile, I'll be praying by Mark Dantonio and my Michigan State Spartans. I see it as an important advocate the Spartans have continued to disappoint in recent years. Wherever you are I do not want go.

Filed under: College football

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