Post by mhbruin on Jul 2, 2022 10:00:30 GMT -8
Some people have worried about whether the Pac-12 teams can compete with the teams in the strong Big Ten. Let's take a look at recruiting.
Some observations:
Overall, if the LA schools figure out NIL, I would expect the Los Angeles schools to be able to attract more elite talent than any team in the Big Ten, with the possible exception of Michigan. We won't be overmatched in the Big Ten. If anything, we should be competing for conference championships, at least based strictly on talent.
| Team | 2022 5 & 4-star Recruits | 2022 Recruiting Ranking | 2021 5 & 4-star Recruits | 2021 Recruiting Ranking | 2020 5 & 4-star Recruits | 2020 Recruiting Ranking | 2019 5 & 4-star Recruits | 2019 Recruiting Ranking | 4-Year Total of 5 & 4-star Recruits | Average Recruiting Ranking | column 14 |
| Illinois | 0-6 | 6 | 0-3 | 24 | 0-2 | 17 | 0-1 | 69 | 0-13 | 29 | |
| Indiana | 1-2 | 10 | 0-2 | 39 | 1-1 | 16 | 0-1 | 53 | 2-6 | 30 | |
| Iowa | 0-0 | 78 | 0-0 | 73 | 0-0 | 64 | 0-1 | 73 | 0-1 | 72 | |
| Maryland | 0-1 | 61 | 0-2 | 44 | 0-1 | 62 | 0-1 | 29 | 0-5 | 49 | |
| Michigan | 0-5 | 8 | 2-3 | 3 | 0-3 | 15 | 0-2 | 64 | 2-13 | 23 | |
| Michigan St | 0-2 | 53 | 1-2 | 12 | 0-2 | 52 | 0-2 | 26 | 1-8 | 41 | |
| Minnesota | 0-1 | 55 | 0-0 | 97 | 0-0 | 55 | 0-1 | 37 | 0-2 | 61 | |
| Nebraska | 0-1 | 44 | 0-2 | 18 | 0-0 | 68 | 0-0 | 52 | 0-3 | 46 | |
| Northwestern | 0-0 | 126 | 0-1 | 37 | 0-0 | 90 | 0-1 | 57 | 0-2 | 83 | |
| Ohio State | 0-4 | 7 | 0-1 | 49 | 0-1 | 48 | 0-3 | 14 | 0-9 | 30 | |
| Penn State | 0-1 | 35 | 0-0 | -- | 0-0 | 84 | 0-0 | 85 | 0-1 | 68 | |
| Purdue | 0-2 | 41 | 0-2 | 40 | 0-2 | 37 | 0-0 | 58 | 0-6 | 44 | |
| Rutgers | 0-0 | 92 | 0-0 | 101 | 0-1 | 33 | 0-0 | 127 | 0-1 | 88 | |
| Wisconsin | 0-0 | 110 | 0-0 | 33 | 0-1 | 35 | 0-0 | 133 | 0-1 | 76 | |
| UCLA | 2-1 | 13 | 1-1 | 35 | 0-2 | 56 | 0-1 | 78 | 3-5 | 50 | |
| USC | 1-2 | 9 | 0-1 | 41 | 1-1 | 30 | 2-1 | 7 | 4-5 | 22 |
Some observations:
- Both UCLA and USC have signed more 5-star players in the last 4 classes than any Big Ten team.
- The seven 5-star player are more than the 14 teams in the Big Ten combined.
- Michigan is the top recruiting team, while Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan State, and Purdue recruit well.
- In the past two year, recruiting has improved for the Big Ten as well as for UCLA.
- In the past two seasons, UCLA has wins over Michigan and Michigan State and a loss to Ohio State.
- During that time USC hasn't played a Big Ten team.
- Many Big Ten teams seem to out-perform their recruiting. Wisconsin, in particular, seems to do very well without elite HS talent. Part of this is definitely coaching. Part is scouting. For example, Johnny Davis was a 3-star recruit. I am not sure how much of this is due to transfers.
- If there are coaching advantages due to more money to hire staff and assistants, UCLA should be able to match that pretty quickly.
- The Los Angeles schools will need to compete on NIL to continue to attract elite talent.
- Th LA schools will likely be VERY strong in the So Cal talent pool.
Overall, if the LA schools figure out NIL, I would expect the Los Angeles schools to be able to attract more elite talent than any team in the Big Ten, with the possible exception of Michigan. We won't be overmatched in the Big Ten. If anything, we should be competing for conference championships, at least based strictly on talent.