Ever since February 7, 2008, there has been a race on to get the jump start on the 2009 recruiting season which will culminate on the 2009 version of LOI Day. As of this moment Texas as 19 verbal commitments and USC has 15, and the 2008 season hasn’t even started.

Many people who follow recruiting know that there is a good possibility that a few of those commits will go back on their word and choose another school by the time the LOI is signed and faxed. This causes a lot of heartache and anger in coaching staffs across the nation because just when they think they have their class just the way they want it; their 5-star athlete jump ship for another school in their conference.

With that being said, it seems that year after year there is more of a calling for an early signing period in college football just like in college basketball. When you quickly glance at the subject, it sounds great on paper. Especially for coaches since they can lock up players and have their class figured out, but for high school kids, it can be a huge gamble.

First remember that nothing in recruiting is biding, not the verbal offer, verbal agreement, or even written offer letter until LOI Day. There are ways for schools to get out giving an athlete a scholarship even after they sent a written offer letter to the kid. There is fine print in there that states that the school can pull the offer if it sees a dip in the kids production on the field. Well that right there covers a broad spectrum.

If you read recruiting publications like Rivals.com or Scout.com you are most notably reading about visits, whether they be official or unofficial, by kids to numerous schools. Most of the time you will hear the phrase “I felt comfortable there,” or “I felt really good about the coaching staff.” These are 17/18 year old kids who are going to be leaving home for the first time in their lives, a good part of their choice is to go to a school where they feel they will play and that they feel at home for the next 3 to 5 years of their lives.

Insert an early signing period in December. Now look back at the 2007 season and look at that month and the amount of coaching changes that happen during that month. How is it fair to a kid who just recently signed a binding contract to attend your school to play for a coach who just got fired, or better yet, jumped ship for another school?

Imagine the impact it would’ve had at a school like Michigan. The style of offense under Lloyd Carr is completely different than what will be run under Rich Rod. But under that binding contract, the recruit, if he chose to transfer, would be required to sit out a year. Where as a coach can hop from job to job without sitting out any time. Most of the time they don’t even honor the contract they signed at a school, because if they want out, they can find a way out.

You are probably saying, well the NCAA could rule and allow waivers. The NCAA moves at a snails pace most of the time. Look at what has been going on with the Reggie Bush/USC investigation. Also, each year you hear about a recruit’s eligibility in question because the NCAA has not passed them through the Clearinghouse. I for one do not trust the NCAA in this matter to rule swiftly and justly.

There is so much pressure right now on these 17 and 18 year old kids. This decision for college is probably the biggest one they have made in their lives to date, and maybe one of the most important decisions they will make in their lives. Coaches continually pressure them to verbally commit, without a full commitment on their part as I stated above.

I just hope the NCAA doesn’t listen to the little murmur that has been going around and keep the recruit schedule the way it is right now. By February the coaching staffs are 99% of the time set and there is no need for an early signing period. If a kid is set on a school he will honor that commitment and feel safe that he is making the right decision for his future.

Last week Bill Conley of ESPN.com/Scouts Inc. wrote an interesting article on the importance of team sponsored summer camps in identifying under-the-radar talent at the high school level. Conley, as I’m sure some of you know, spent nearly two decades as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Ohio State, finally retiring in 2004 to work as a media analyst. Needless to say, this guy has been around the scouting block a time or two (as opposed, to you know, some washed up backup from a I-AA team.) Conley uses the example of former Ohio State safety and current Tennessee Titan Donnie Nickey as a player who came out of virtual obscurity to impress coaches at a summer Ohio State camp, earning his way to a scholarship and eventually stardom. Nickey’s story, while one of the more prolific examples in recent memory, is not the only illustration of an unheralded recruit who gets a big boost in his recruitment thanks to a strong camp showing, and this summer dozens of rising high school seniors will go through similar situations.

Having attended the Naval Academy’s summer camp as a high school underclassman in 2003 I have some familiarity with the subject, although I’d be lying through my teeth if I said I was ever in a position to be recruited, much less even compete in touch seven-on-seven’s (note to aspiring youngsters; 5’4, 130-lb cornerbacks do not match up well against even legitimate Division III level talent.) Still, despite all too frequent burnadge and an inability to understand even a simple two deep zone coverage, I left with a better understanding of the process and what the older kids (that is those with actual ability) went through in their quest to pick up a Division I-A football scholarship offer.

High school camps are still tremendously important in today’s recruiting landscape, but over the last few years we’ve seen a real growth in the prominence of independent Scouting combines. There’s the NIKE/SPARQ combines, the National Underclassman Combine, and the new look Scout.com/Under Armor combine. Over the course of May, Under Armor and Scout.com sponsored four of these combines, held in the cities of Charlotte, Cincinnati, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Today another combine will take place in my home town of Baltimore, while combines in Kansas City, Oakland, and Atlanta will take place later in the month. While there had certainly been a good deal of hoopla surrounding the top prospects entering the Under Armor sponsored combines, there have also been some ‘sleeper’ prospects who have really improved their stock in recent showings, just like Nickey did years ago at the Ohio State camp. These players, many of whom came into the month with only a few Division I offers (if any at all) proved their abilities in a series of standardized physical tests as well as one-on-one competition. Here are seven under-the-radar players (all currently 1-star rated prospects by Scout.com) from recent combines who posted strong enough performances to make their case as the next Donnie Nickey.

RB Shane McCullen, Apache Junction (AZ) - This may very well be your first time hearing about the rising senior from Arizona, but I can guarantee you it won’t be your last. Coming into last week’s Phoenix combine McCullen had already established himself as one of the best mutli-purpose backs in the state, but even his already impressive on-field performance in 2007 couldn’t have prepared scouts for what they were about to see. The 6’2, 191-lb McCullen ran an amazing 4.35 40 yard dash (highest at the combine) to go along with a 4.10 shuttle (second highest) and 35.4-inch vertical leap. Already a state track standout in the 100 meter, McCullen had curiously garnered only four offers before the combine, with only one coming from a BCS conference program. With amazing athleticism and plenty of room to fill out his 6’2 frame, expect McCullen’s scholarship offers to double or even triple over the course of the summer.

EDIT: Since writing this, McCullen has picked up offers from Utah and California. See, I told you.

WR/S Steve Hull, Sycamore (OH) - A relative unknown coming into the Cincinnati combine, Hull’s performance and attitude earned him both an on-the-spot offer from the University of Cincinnati and numerous double-takes from the so-called recruiting experts who overlooked him. Already an impressive performer at both safety and wide receiver on tape, Hull posted solid measurables with a 4.44/40 (second amongst wide receivers), 4.16 20-yard shuttle, 7.00 Three-Cone Drill (an agility and quickness test; highest at the combine) and a 9-10’ standing broad jump (second amongst receivers.) More telling perhaps was his performance in the one-on-one drills, where Hull out-muscled and out worked some of the best defensive backs in the area. Illustrating the importance of a good combine, Scout.com analyst Bob Lichtenfels went so far as to say that the single day performance by Hull probably helped him move from being a “MAC type player” to an “upper level Big Ten” prospect at the wide receiver position.

DT Jordan Stepp, Ben Davis (IN) - Is this the next Trevor Laws? Consider for a moment that of the thirteen safeties who ran the 40 yard dash at the Cincinnati combine, only two ran times faster than a 4.62. Now consider Jordan Stepp, who as a 280-lb interior lineman ran faster than those eleven players. Stepp, while undersized at just a hair over 6’0, showed elite level quickness with a 4.41 short shuttle, while posting one of the highest vertical jumps for a defensive tackle at all the Scout.com combines with a 33’ effort. Already being recruited by several MAC schools, Stepp’s strong showing in Cincinnati should garner him increased attention from some of the big boys.

WR Jeremy Dang, Peoria (AZ) - Before his MVP performance at the Phoenix combine, Dang was getting the usual interest-but-no-offer looks from schools throughout the west. At 6’2, 209 there were never any questions about his size, but a self-reported 4.67/40 yard dash (really though, it’s not that bad) likely kept some schools from offering despite solid junior year production. While he ran an average 4.80/40 at the combine, he posted a ridiculous 4.03 20-yard shuttle, which some scouts consider to be the most indicative physical test of a player’s quickness and explosion. His 37.0-inch vertical jump and a 10.5 standing broad jump were the highest at the combine regardless of position. Since his performance in Pheonix, Dang has picked up offers from Big Sky conference contenders Northern Arizona and Montana State, as well as Colorado State.

OT Taylor Lewan, Chaparrel (AZ) - Thanks to the evolution of passing offenses and the speed many top defenses have, offensive tackle has really become the new “it” position in the game over the past fifteen years. While scouts are certainly looking for players upwards of 6’5 to watch their quarterback’s blind side, they’re also looking for dynamic type athletes with the quickness to deal with the game’s best rush ends and outside linebackers. You’d think anyone with those qualities would garner tons of interest from big-time schools, but Chaparrel’s Taylor Lewan has been a relative unknown throughout the recruiting process and isn’t even ranked at his position by Scout.com. Amazingly, Lewan straight up dominated the Pheonix combine, impressing in one-on-one’s and in the physical tests. A 4.72/40, 7.60 three-cone drill, and 8-11’ broad jump were all tops for offensive lineman at the combine, a feat made all the more impressive considered his 6’6 frame. Weighing in at 252 he’s fairly light, but scouts are likely already drooling over getting this kid in a college weight room. He went into the combine with a single offer from lowly Utah State, but I’m predicting he goes into his senior year of high school with maybe a dozen offers from some of the interior west’s best.

RB Brent Michaels, Lake Havesu (AZ) - Statistically speaking Michaels has been one of the best running backs in the state of Arizona over the past two seasons. A standout with a great highlight reel, concerns over his competition level have kept many teams from offering. While McCullen rightly stole the show in Phoenix, Michaels quietly compiled a very strong resume to include a 4.41/40, 4.29 short shuttle, and a combine position leading 7.32 second three-cone drill. I honestly don’t know how many more FBS offers Michaels will receive, but he certainly showed he has the meaurables to play on the BCS conference level even if he does not attend a BCS conference school. Expect some more teams to offer over the summer and for Michaels to continue to dominate in the fall.

CB Byron Best, Greenwood (SC) - Best came into the Charlotte, North Carolina combine with no FBS offers but sure turned heads when he ran a combine leading 4.37 40-yard dash. At only 5’9, 180 size concerns may have hurt his early recruitment, but aided by his 40 time at the combine and a position leading 38.0-inch vertical leap he has since earned a scholarship offer from North Carolina. Greenwood is a highly respected South Carolina program that turns out FBS prospects with the best of them, so don’t be surprised to see more ACC programs jump into Best’s recruitment over the summer.

Other Sleeper Prospects from the May Scout.com/Under Armor Combines to Watch: RB Shad Bride, St. Johns (AZ), WR Kyle Larimer, Green Valley (NV), Joumeel McLaurine, CB Columbus East (OH), S Winston Hines, Pulaski County (KY), WR Luke Swift, Center Grove (IN), RB Ali Alaboody, Dearborn Fordon (MI).

Full List of Combine Results:
[Charlotte]
[Phoenix]
[Cincinnati]

So you think you know who the best high school football players in America are? Chances are you probably do, but just in case names like Matt Barkley or Cierre Wood don’t mean much to you, here are five top prep players to keep an eye out for in 2008 and beyond.

QB Kevin Newsome, Chesapeake Western Branch (VA): Michigan

Michigan may have lost out on Terrelle Pryor in 2008, but the new look Wolverine offense figures to get a good one in 2009 with the recent commitment of Virginia quarterback Kevin Newsome. Newsome is an intriguing player because while the athleticism is certainly there, he’s not strictly an option quarterback, and displays very good arm strength and solid pocket fundamentals. While he may not be as explosive or shifty as Pat White he has deceptive straight line speed for his size (6’3, 217) and quick enough feet that defenders have a hard time getting a clear shot at him. Probably will need to adjust to spread option reads at the next level as well as improve his delivery and accuracy with short-midge range throws, but definitely has the physical skills to succeed in 2008 and beyond.

MLB Tom Wort, New Braunfels (TX): Oklahoma

Wort doesn’t just play like a Tomahawk missile, the guy literally is one. Originally hailing from across the pond in England, Wort is one of those kids who opposing players’ moms have nightmares about. That’s because he plays the game with nothing short of a violent and relentless intensity that shows itself in every tackle he makes. His highlight film has already been called the defensive equivalent of the infamous “McGuffie Mixtape,” and has become something of a minor internet sensation over the past several weeks. I know he’s a bit undersized at 6’1, 210, but he projects as an outside linebacker at the next level and could even play strong safety. A physical specimen in terms of speed, strength, and pure hitting ability, Wort’s high-intensity style of play should make him an instant fan favorite when he gets to Norman in 2009.

RB Brandon Wegher, Sioux City Heelan (IA): Undecided

One of the Midwest’s most explosive offensive players, Wegher is a complete back with the strength, speed, and vision that you love to see in a Division I prospect. The Iowa star currently holds scholarship offers from 16 different schools and is expected to narrow his list to five over the summer. As you can see from his highlight video, he shows great cutback ability and a fluid running style which allows him to navigate through the second level of defenses almost untouched. A legitimate sub 4.5/40 guy (Also runs a 10.8/100) Wegher has the ability to blow up defensive angles once he gets to the sideline, and has enough upper body strength and leg explosion to also run through tackles. One thing I love about Wegner is his combination of work ethic and natural athletic ability. Often times you’ll see a guy with one or the other, but rarely will you find a guy who is motivated enough to continually improve.

WR Andre DeBose, Sanford Seminole (FL): Undecided

A dynamic all-purpose athlete who has drawn comparisons to Percy Harvin, Debose is ridiculously smooth in the open field and makes opposing defensive players look like their running through jello. This kid is a pure athlete all the way and has exceptional straight line speed as well as good cutback ability and lateral quickness. He’s exceptionally versatile in that while he projects as a wide receiver on the college level he can be lined up at several positions. He reminds me a lot of Harvin as well as former Purdue wide receiver and return man Dorian Bryant. One drawback I may see in his game is that he’s far from polished as a pure wide receiver and will likely need to play in a spread style offense to make an immediate impact. Translation? Don’t go to Florida State.

DE Sam Montgomery Greenwood Greenwood (SC): Undecided

Montgomery is a really exciting prospect not just because he has the “measurables” which give him unlimited potential on the next level, but because he has displayed outstanding overall production at the prep level. At 6’5 he has ideal size coming out of high school at the defensive end position, and with a 4.65/40 time he boasts more than enough speed to make an immediate impact as a rush end once he gets to college. You’d like to see him attack the weight room a little harder his senior season, but you can’t argue with 20 sacks as a junior in 2007. The amazing part of it? 2007 was his first year playing football, which means with refining he should be able to put up monster numbers down the road.

We are 6 days removed from the 2008 LOI day and there are really only a few things to look forward to if you are a college football fan. First is the Terrelle Pryor saga and where he will end up signing. As I understand it right now, he will visit Penn State this weekend and is still thinking about going to Oregon, but that’s a long shot right now. In my opinion, it is down to Ohio State, who I believe is still his leader, and Penn State for his services. According to this statistical model done by the Mercer University School of Business and Economics, Penn State has a 35.9% probability of signing him with Ohio State second at 23.8%.

I believe if Penn State is honest with him about what the plan will be after Joe Paterno retires, they will have a great shot in landing him. I will be talking about Pryor and other recruiting news on tonight’s Under Center show with Adam Nettina. If you check out Adam’s site, you will see how to listen live to the show. It runs every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm and tonight I am slated to go on at 9pm EST. Once again I will record the show and put it up for a podcast so the readers of this blog can hear the interview.

Russell Shepard is a name to remember

The final recruiting rankings are out, and since Pryor’s signing will have no impact on the top 5…here they are from Rivals.com.

1. Alabama
2. Notre Dame
3. Florida
4. Miami
5. Oklahoma

But if you take a closer look at the commitment list you will see that both Alabama and Miami have 32 and 33 signees respectively. Since you can only take 25 per year, that leaves a few people that the schools are expecting won’t qualify and have to go the prep school route, or greyshirt and enroll in the school in January of 2009. Rivals.com usually updates this list again near fall camp time.

One team name you don’t see up there is the USC Trojans, but they have already had a head start on the 2009 class. As of this moment the Trojans have 9 verbal commitments for 2009. Matt Barkley is regarded as the #1 QB recruit in the 2009 class and is the marquee guy to verbal to USC so far. It use to be that Texas would be the team that jumped out front with the early verbals, but USC has beat them to the punch this year.

An interesting battle that will be shaping up on the recruiting field will be one for the athletic quarterback Russell Shepard from Texas. Sheppard has already attended Texas’ Junior Day, but has not committed to them yet, and now word out of Michigan is that they are hot after him since the Wolverines are skeptical that they will not get Pryor in this class. Shepard has said that he wants a chance to play QB and he would get that at Michigan and most likely start there, but at Texas he would face some stiff competition and might end up playing another position. This is a battle I would definitely keep my eye on.

Don’t forget bloggers that voting for the 2007 College Football Blogger Awards is underway. Check out EDSBS for all of the details on how to vote.

Throughout the day I will be posting my comments and some news that happens during the first day that the 2008 High School class can sign their letters of intent. Usually we have a few shockers and a few switches, so we could be in for a long ride. All times posted are EST just for your information.

6:45 AM EST - This came in late last night but it will be the first thing posted today. There is more of a possibility that Terrelle Pryor will not sign today. Late last night, he sent a message to the coordinator of Rivals.com recruiting and told him that he is still undecided. He wants to take an official visit to Penn State and possibly Oregon. His father has been impressed all along with the way Penn State has handled his recruiting. As of right now, Pryor will not commit today. This latest article details what he has been going through the last day. From my understanding of that article Pryor was going to pick Ohio State, and his father wants him to go to Penn State.

7:45 AM EST - A non Pryor update for once. The top RB on the board still left uncommitted, Darrell Scott will announce at 12:50 pm and from what I am hearing, Colorado is going to win the Big 12 battle over Texas. Julio Jones, a 5 star WR from Alabama will announce at 12:30 p.m., and I believe his home state will be elated with his decision.

8:13 AM EST - Despite a late push from Tennessee and Penn State, WR Deion Walker sticks with his commitment to Notre Dame.

Big day in Ann Arbor early

9:25 AM EST - Michigan has reportedly gotten an LOI from Roy Roundtree, a 4 star WR from Ohio. Roundtree did verbal to Purdue earlier in the year. Four-star offensive guard Josh Jenkins signed with West Virginia after taking a look at Florida State and Ohio State when Rich Rodriguez left WVU.

9:30 AM EST - DUAL FLIP ALERT!!! Michael Shaw has switched from Penn State to Michigan. So the Nittany Lions get spanked off the field by the Wolverines too! Michigan also gets Ricky Barnum away from the clutches of the mighty Urban. Big day for Michigan so far, Barnum is a 4 star center.

9:43 AM EST - Not exactly recruiting news but former Wolverine and current Razorback Ryan Mallett is petitioning to play next season. He is hoping that the NCAA will waive the year he has to sit out. Good luck with that…FLIP ALERT!! - Ramon Buchanan who had committed to Miami, then switched to Florida, and now has signed his LOI with Miami.

Canes building momentum

9:54 AM EST - Just taking a quick look at the Rivals.com Team Rankings…Florida will most likely fall from #1 since they have lost two players already, so that leaves a battle between Alabama and Notre Dame for the Mythical Recruiting Championship of 2008. Saban and Weis are really doing a good job with teams that combined for 9 wins in 2007.

10:00 AM EST - Another team that I have to give props to early on is “Da U”. The University of Miami has pulled out some great recruits early on…Tommy Streeter, Ben Jones, Kendall Thompkins, and the aforementioned Buchanan. All blue chip recruits that could bring Miami back to the top of the ACC.

10:17 AM EST - Okay forgive me…I jumped the gun a little bit on Michael Shaw, but that is what a live blog is all about…rumors…predictions…and sometimes they are wrong. Shaw just stated at his press conference that he is too conflicted and hasn’t made a decision even though the Rivals.com Michigan report had said that he (Shaw) chose Michigan. Shaw will come back at 1 pm EST to make his choice.

10:24 AM EST - Butch Davis had a great year last year on LOI Day, but he just lost E.J. Abrams-Ward. Abrams- Ward is a 6-foot-5, 210-pound athlete from Thomasville (N.C.) High and chose Tennessee over North Carolina. He has expressed interest in playing basketball in college.

10:45 AM EST - My eyes are crossing and we are only a little over 4 hours into LOI Day. This is great! It’s like the NFL Draft for college football fans. Omar Hunter who originally committed to Notre Dame…then switched to the Gators is now torn on who to sign with. This could be more bad news for Gator fans. Four star Tight End Dwayne Allen has picked Clemson over Georgia according to 790 The Zone in Atlanta.

10:54 AM EST - Some news on the wafflers…Michael Shaw is apparently upset because someone leaked the info of where he was going before he announced it. So what…if you know where you want to go, does it really matter if a stupid internet recruiting person said it first? Omar Hunter is concerned now that Florida co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison is going to take a job with the Baltimore Ravens. Another recruit Corey Lewis who had verballed to Virginia and recently opened his recruiting back up has set a 3 pm press conference. Rumor has it he will choose Ron Zook and the Illini.

Never doubt the power of The Pete

11:05 AM EST - If it wasn’t a big enough kick in the nuts for Nebraska fans to get squashed by Kansas (like the Mangino reference?) but apparently Kendall Thompkins showed up to his announcement wearing Nebraska gear…only to pick the Canes. Ouch! I had Kevin Jones flashbacks there! Omar Hunter ended the speculation and signed with Florida.

11:20 AM EST - As I speculated before, Florida has dropped from #1 in the overall recruiting rankings with Notre Dame being the new #1 and Alabama at #2. Nick Perry is set to announce anytime now and he is between USC and Michigan. Also there are more grumblings about Sam McGuffie and a possible switch from Michigan.

11:23 AM EST - A chink in the armor of USC as Joe Adams signs with Arkansas.

11:35 AM EST - I am still awaiting word on Nick Perry but a few kids from the prep school ranks have signed their LOIs. Running back Enrique Davis chose Mississippi over a host of other schools and his old teammate, Quinton Coples signed with North Carolina. Davis was widely considered the top prep school recruit in the nation.

11:39 AM EST - Just when I go a take a shot at Pete Carroll, he goes and gets one of the best defensive ends out there…Nick Perry picked USC over Michigan and Miami.

11:50 AM EST - Update on Julio Jones who will annouce in about 45 minutes. They are setting up the tables and put 4 hats on it…Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida State, and Florida. He also got reportedly got a call from the Governor of Alabama last night to push the Tide. Next up for the USC train is hopefully TJ Bryant but they are in a battle with Florida State and Miami for him.

11:54 AM EST - News is flying in like crazy…I have learned that Khiry Battle will sign with Arkansas. Battle, from Dacula (Ga.), is a standout running back and safety will chose the Hogs over the Rebels (HT: MJ4H).

11:56 AM EST - Ron Zook has a huge smile on his face right now as he just stole a recruit right in his old stomping grounds of Florida. Corey Liuget picked the Illini over LSU. Watch out Big Ten, Zook is for real! Clemson also picks up their 4th 4 star of the day with OT Antoine McClain. Give me some slack for the next few minutes as I attempt to stuff my mouth with food for lunch.

12:25 PM EST - I am full of energy with food in my belly. Here is some news that I have been hinting towards which is now making its ranks to the official news. Sam McGuffie might be following in the footsteps of Terrelle Pryor…and not sign today. Like I said last night in my interview and today on the blog, McGuffie is having second thoughts about signing with Michigan. Notre Dame have received 23 LOI’s today and they might not be done. Four star RB Milton Knox is having second thoughts about signing with UCLA.

Clemson is creeping up

12:35 PM EST - Okay I am officially done picking against USC. The Trojans pull in TJ Bryant and Alabama pulls in a stud WR with Julio Jones like I said earlier.

12:50 PM EST - A 4 star athlete from Montour PA, Christian Wilson, was once a verbal to Michigan but now has signed with North Carolina. Wilson picked the Tar Heels over Boston College. It seems as if the momentum that Michigan built early is fading. Another signal of that is now there is smoke to the rumor where Michael Shaw will actually honor his verbal commitment to Penn State and we will find that out in about 10-15 minutes.

Hawkins gets his man

12:55 PM EST - This is a bit of old news…relatively speaking of course but Clemson got a signed LOI from Jamie Harper today. Harper is a 4 star fullback that ran for over 1400 yards this year. The Clemson Tigers are another team quietly moving up the recruiting rankings.

1:04 PM EST - The number 1 ranked running back recruit Darrell Scott chooses to go to Colorado over Texas.

1:10 PM EST - You didn’t actually think that Urban Meyer would lose everyone did you? TJ Lawrence picked the Gators over Michigan, Virginia Tech and South Carolina. Now Gator fans can celebrate a victory over the Wolverines.

1:15 PM EST - What is that wooshing sound I hear? It is the Hurricanes picking up another 4 star commitment. Brandon Harris chose Miami over Ohio State, UCF, Ohio State, and Florida. Michael Shaw’s press conference is going on now.

1:19 PM EST - Michael Shaw picks Michigan. Bad day for the Nittany Lions they are getting slaughtered. They have to hope some how to get Pryor and even that in my opinion is very unlikely.

1:34 PM EST - I am through making predictions that much I know…but I will make some educated speculations. With Shaw going to Michigan, they are getting close to their limit of scholarships. That means they either have to greyshirt someone or they won’t be able to take someone that might still be undecided…McGuffie…Pryor. Maybe they know something we don’t? I gotta give a hat tip to the Notre Dame staff for pulling in the 23 kids they did after a 3-9 season. It’s funny how they can sell a school that last won a bowl game when these kids were 3 or 4 years old. I can’t be too nice to the Domers.

What will we do with all these recruits?!?!

1:38 PM EST - FLIP ALERT!!! - It is about time we have another filp-flop…things were starting to get a little boring around here. Four star wide receiver Sedrick Johnson went back on his word to go to Texas A&M and chose…really…ummm…Iowa State. I’m serious on that one. I was also looking at the team recruiting rankings and noticed that as of now Minnesota has the 17th ranked class. Tim Brewster is going be turning that program around in no time.

2:01 PM EST - Michigan recruit Dann O’Neill does not seem too worried about Sam McGuffie going back on his verbal commitment. O’Neill said he knows McGuffie loves Ann Arbor…well if he loves it that much, what is he waiting for?

2:20 PM EST - The defending MNC LSU Tigers got some good news today when 5 star cornerback Patrick Johnson decided to pick LSU and also 4 star offensive tackle Greg Shaw plans on joining him. Right now LSU is just outside the top 10 at 11 in the recruiting rankings.

2:55 PM EST - As you can tell the news is slowing down to a pace of a trickle. There are still a few big names left to commit, mainly in California. So once I get word I will post them. Thanks to everyone who has been checking back throughout the day, this has been a fun day to say the least.

3:23 PM EST - Alabama continues to add to their list of massive recruits as they locked up four-star linebacker Jerrell Harris. The Tide right now sit at about 31 for today…somebody should let Saban know that he can’t have all these kids come into camp this fall. Come on Bama…leave some for the rest of the country!!

3:59 PM EST - In case you were curious on who was still left to commit today….check out this page on Rivals.com.

6:38 PM EST - News out of Arkansas is saying that four star OL Matt Hall from Russelville, AR has signed with Arkansas but his parents have not signed their part of the LOI. Rumors are flying that they want him to go to Ole Miss. The 3pm press conference at Arkansas had no mention of Hall since it is forbidden to talk about a recruit that hasn’t signed yet, but he did sign with Arkansas in front of the media this afternoon.

9:32 PM EST - Four star RB Milton Knox stays with his initial verbal and signs with UCLA.

10:30 PM EST - Sam McGuffie ends the suspense and sends his LOI in to Michigan.

10:38 PM EST - FLIP ALERT TIMES TWO!!! Uona Kavienga, who had previously verballed to BYU and UCLA, signs his LOI with USC.

All the speculation will end promptly tomorrow, February 6, 2008 at approximately 12:05 p.m. EST on ESPNU. According to this article, just posted on Rivals.com, Terrelle Pryor will sign and one team has waddled (hint hint) its way out of contention.

A lot of times it isn’t getting the best recruits or athletes to come to your school as much as getting the ones that will fit your particular system. For example, a running quarterback at West Virginia (and now Michigan), a pro style passer at USC, or a combination runner/passer like at Florida. Some coaches can adjust their offense to the types of players they get, but for the most part teams will recruit kids that fit their system. Chris over at Barking Carnival is going to be doing a multipart series called Let’s Build An Offense. The first part is called Building A Base and in part 2 he will look at Basic plays installed, and counters for the looks defenses would give us. This is a series that football fans should seriously look at because it is really well written and the analysis is great. Articles like this are one of the main reasons why Barking Carnival was my choice for top new blog of the year.

Pryor still undecided 1 day before LOI Day

Speaking of building an offense around a talented player, it is day…um…who really cares at this point, of the Where will Terrelle Pryor go watch. What we do know right now is that tomorrow is National LOI Day. That I know for certain, but what we do not know right now is where, when, or if Pryor will sign his LOI tomorrow. Three conflicting reports have come out, all saying different things. The first one came from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette saying that Pryor would sign on Wednesday and that he had called Oregon to tell them that the Ducks were eliminated from the running.

A few hours later Rivals.com came out with a report from their staff saying that Pryor still may not sign on Wednesday, and that he had not eliminated Oregon. Pryor stated in this article that there is a 50/50 chance that he would sign his LOI tomorrow. Finally, another Pittsburgh paper, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review states that Pryor said there is an 80% chance he will sign his LOI on Wednesday and that he has not eliminated anyone out of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon. Also, he says that he does not have a leader at this point.

So what does this all mean? I have no freaking idea. I’ve followed his recruiting closer than any other recruit, mainly because he plays football close to my home town and the media attention he gets is non-stop. Pryor is either really media savy for an 18 year old or he really has no idea where he wants to go. I presume to think he still hasn’t made up his mind and with the pressure culminating of LOI day being tomorrow, it is making it worse on him. If I were to make a prediction right now, I suspect he doesn’t sign tomorrow. He will make a trip to Oregon to see what Eugene is all about, come home and sit down with his family, and make his decision.

Don’t forget tonight I will be a guest on the show Under Center, hosted by Adam Nettina. I will be discussing more Terrelle Pryor news, along with some other Big Ten information that I have about recruiting. I have gotten the go ahead from Adam to tape my segment on the show and post it as a podcast for those who cannot listen to it live. For a full list of his guest check out his blog Under Center.

One last reminder that In The Bleachers will be live blogging LOI day tomorrow, starting at around 7:30 am est and continuing through most of the day. Any time I hear any rumors or infomation of note such as signings or where people are leaning, I will post them on the blog. If you have any tips please email them to me at inthebleachers[at]gmail[dot]com.

Like many of you around the country, we are all sitting at our desks, drinking an extra cup or two of coffee this morning to try and be some what functional at work the day after the Super Bowl. With the football season officially over, unless you are a fan of the AFL, we all now have to look ahead to late summer to when our teams go to camp or when preseason practice starts around the country. In The Bleachers will hopefully help that time go quicker by bringing you up to date news throughout the offseason.

- Wednesday February 6th is National Letter of Intent Day. I will be live blogging the event the entire day, keeping you up to date with all of the change of hearts, and shocks that occur during the day when 17/18 year old kids make the biggest decisions of their lives with grown men trying to push them to follow their agenda.

- Tuesday night I will be one of the first guests on the show Under Center, hosted by former Pitch Right blogger Adam Nettina. Adam is doing his own college football show on WCUA from 8pm EST to 10pm EST every Tuesday. As of right now I am slated to go on around 8:20pm EST and you can listen live to the show by clicking here. If Adam doesn’t have a problem with it, I will record the interview and post it as a podcast for everyone to check out.

- Speaking of podcasts, if there is anyone out there writing a book or a blogger that wants to just talk football, please shoot me an email. I am looking for guests for the podcast because I’d like to do at least 2 a month during the offseason.

- In case you haven’t heard (or lived in a cave for the last 2 years) Terrelle Pryor is the #1 recruit in the nation. Last Friday was his last high school basketball game and a wrestling match almost broke out between the coaching staffs of Michigan and Ohio State. Okay, I am exaggerating a bit, but both teams had their head coaches and coaching staffs there at the game. If you still don’t have enough of Pryor, here is a slideshow of his career.

- Finally, congratulations to the New York football Giants for doing something that nobody else could do this year, beat the Patriots. I still haven’t figured out if there was more support for the Giants winning or for seeing the Patriots lose. Either way it was a great fourth quarter capped of by a Super Bowl play that will be remembered for ages. Also, if you haven’t yet, don’t forget to thank the Boston Globe for jinxing the Patriots.

Even though there aren’t any games, there is plenty of news in the college football world. First the East-West Shrine game happened over the weekend, not as prestigious as the Senior Bowl, but still a chance for college seniors to strut their stuff in front of NFL Scouts. It was Utah State’s Kevin Robinson who stole the show catching a touchdown pass and returning a punt for a score as the West beat the East 31-13. Houston’s Scout site has a list of players who stood out in the game. As I said the Senior Bowl will get a little bit more publicity, and I will have those rosters posted on ITB as soon as they are officially announced.

I hinted at it on Friday, but it looks more and more like Norm Chow will become the offensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins. Chow has an impressive resume’ of quarterbacks that he has worked with in his career. That list includes Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Philip Rivers, Jim McMahon and Steve Young. UCLA is hoping that this hire, teamed with head coach Rick Neuheisel will persuade some top notch offensive talent their way instead of heading over to their rival USC.

Putting the slap fight aside for a second, Rich Rodriguez has signed his contract with Michigan and it is reportedly worth $2.5 million a year. A buyout of $4 million is included in this contract which will decrease by $500,000 per year that Rodriguez coaches at Michigan.

Staying in Ann Arbor, the #1 recruit in the nation, Terrelle Pryor, was there visiting this weekend. If there is one thing I have noticed about Pryor is that he really knows how to play the media. In my opinion, I think it will come down to a Michigan and Ohio State battle for his services with teams like Penn State, Florida, and LSU on the outside looking in right now. For Michigan fans, Pryor did say his visit to the school “Was Cool”.

The nominations for the 2007 blogger awards have opened. Head over to Rocky Top Talk to read over how to go about nominating your favorite blogs.

Whenever Rich Rodriquez became the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, it wasn’t a matter of if Ryan Mallett would transfer, but more a matter of when. A few schools were after his services, mainly UCLA and Arkansas but ITB has found out that Ryan Mallett has enrolled in Arkansas and we should expect an official announcement later in the week. Mallet visited Arkansas this past weekend, and with the Spring Semester starting soon, he wanted to get a jump on classes. He will have to sit out next season due to NCAA Transfer rules, but given that he still has a redshirt year to burn, it won’t be a big loss for him.

I think this is going to be a really good fit for Mallett and Arkansas. Bobby Petrino is going to move away from the running game, especially since Felix Jones and Darren McFadden are both reportedly going pro. By getting Mallett, who was ranked the #2 QB behind Jimmy Clausen in his recruiting class, Petrino has a solid arm to build his pass happy offense around, just like he did with Brian Brohm at Louisville. And I am sure Razorback fans are happy they only have to watch Casey Dick for one more year.