The quarterback is the most important position on a football team. When the ball is snapped their action are the focal point for three to seven seconds. They are the leaders and face of the program. They are also the lynchpin to recruiting success.
All offensive recruits want to know who their QB is going to be. This is the guy who is going to put them in the right formations, call the right play and lead their team to victory. If you can land a great QB you are likely to see him pull in a great class with him. QB recruiting is so important that almost every program tries to wrap up their QB before they really get going on their other positions.
There are many different approaches to recruiting your QB. Some schools recruit only one per year where others bring in two. Some schools send out a ton of offers and others are very selective about whom they offer. Some programs like to have a pro-style QB and others like a dual threat QB or they might bring in one of each. Some schools swing for the fences and try to land an elite QB while others are satisfied with bringing in a lesser talented but easier to land prospects. A QB can live anywhere and be get recruited. I know that Minnesota isn’t a regular stop for Miami (FL) and FSU but that didn’t stop them from landing a couple Walshes, Chris Weinke and Joe Mauer back in the day.
The QB recruits themselves also want to get their decision made sooner than the other positions because they want the opportunity to choose the program that they feel will best showcase the abilities. This means that not every program is right for every recruit. It’s like a game of musical chairs but there are many more recruits than there are FBS scholarships available on an annual basis. Offensive philosophies are important but so is the QB coach, the depth chart, the competition you face and the kind of exposure the school can give the recruit.
It is only mid-March and there are already 85 QB’s that have an offer. Even though there are plenty of QB’s offered there are also many that are being recruited but do not have an offer and are just waiting for other recruits to start narrowing down their lists so the next wave of offers will be issued.
I’ll try to focus on the BX but each piece of data is like a domino falling and it will have an impact on who goes where. I’ll start with the teams that more desperately need a QB in the class of 2012.
The Situations
Wisconsin – The Madtown Playboy swung for the fences with Jacoby Brissett who chose Florida over da U and Wisconsin. He swung so hard that he missed signing a QB in the class of 2011 altogether so the need to sign a quality QB is high. RS-Soph Jon Budamayr is the likely starter coming into spring ball while RS-Frosh Jospeh Brennan had a decent offer list coming out of HS and is a darkhorse candidate to see action this year. Curt Phillips, Joel Stave and Nate Tice will not be a factor in a QB recruit’s decision.
Purdue – The Boilermaker Band-aid actually had a decent QB recruit until Not Les Miles came along and stole him just like he did Tamani Carter from the Gophers, leaving Purdue without a QB in the class of 2011. In 2010 they landed Sean Robinson, a dual threat QB with a long offer list and he is the QB of the future. Question is, is he the QB for the present? Purdue suffered mass injuries to their QBs last year. Soph Rob Henry is the starter heading into spring ball but Robert Marve could come back from a 2nd ACL surgery to play next fall. Caleb Terbush has struggled with academic woes and may not be a factor on the depth chart.
Michigan – Junior Denard Robinson seems likely to continue as the starting QB of the Wolverines even though he doesn’t seem to fit the pro-style offense Michigan wants to use. Highly recruited Soph Devin Gardner is his backup. Russell Bellomy signed in 2011 but probably won’t be more than a depth guy for the Wolverines. I’m sure Not Les Miles would like to sign a pro-style QB to suit the offense he wants to run in 2012.
Michigan State – Senior Kirk Cousins hopes to lead the Spartans to the Rose Bowl next January. There’s no better time to recruit a QB than when you have a senior starter. Soph Andrew Maxwell is the backup but won’t deter a bigger name from picking the Spartans this spring/summer. Most likely they will sign a pro-style QB.
Iowa – Replacing Ricky Stanzi is probably going to fall on the shoulders of Jr James Vandenberg. Jt John Weinke and RS-Frosh AJ Derby will battle for his backup position. Iowa signed Jake Rudock in 2011 over Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota but I don’t think he’ll supplant Derby and will likely fall behind someone subsequently recruited.
Penn State – Joe Pa doesn’t have a starting QB lined up. He has Jr Matt McGloin as the incumbent starter but also has two highly recruited QBs entertaining the idea of transferring in Robert Bolden and Kevin Newsome. Even if they do decide that State College isn’t the place for them Joe Pa still has RS Frosh Paul Jones to turn to. Jones much like Bolden and Newsome was highly recruited out of HS.
Indiana – Hoosier Daddy will have to find a way to replace the only QB Indiana had last year with any experience, Ben Chappell. Leading the mix are two Sophs Dusty Kiel and Ed Wright-Baker. Jr Adam Follett was cast aside by the old staff but may get a clean slate with the new regime. Indiana also brought in Tre Roberson last year over an offer from Purdue. There’s no time like the present to offer a recruit and say we don’t have a clear cut starter that cannot be supplanted when you arrive next fall, which is a big factor in recruiting.
Northwestern – The QB position is a little up in the air for Northwestern. Incumbent Sr Dan Persa ruptured his Achilles heel late in 2010 and won’t be available for spring ball and pending on his recovery time may not be available until later in the fall. His production could definitely take a hit as his scrambling is one of his strengths. This could mean that Soph Evan Watkins, who replaced Persa as the starter last year, could grab the reigns again in 2011. Soph Kain Coulter is the wildcard here as his redshirt was removed after Persa’s injury and I think he could be the starter once the dust from fall camp settles.
Illinois – If it wasn’t a lock for Soph Nathan Scheelhaase to be the starter after his breakthrough season last year, it became so when Chandler Whitmer transferred out. In case Scheelhaase goes down there is Soph Miles Osei and the Illini will likely redshirt 2011 signee Reiley O’Toole.
Ohio State – All-Everything QB Terrell Pryor plays in his final season at tOSU, although he will miss some time in 2011 but he can look at his sweet tattoos while his teammates lace ‘em up. The Evil Sweater Vest can decide to go with experience to replace him in long-time back up Sr Joe Bauserman or he can turn to the QB of the future True Frosh Braxton Miller. I think many Buckeye fans are hoping that Miller is ready to grab the reigns this fall. With Miller just signing last year I don’t think any elite QB’s will strongly consider tOSU.
Nebraska – Nebraska has two returning QB’s that started in 2010 in Soph Taylor Martinez and Jr Cody Green. RS Frosh Brion Carnes also has a shot at winning the starting gig this spring. But a lot of chatter is regarding the two QB’s Bobo just signed this past February in Jamal Turner and Bubba Starling. Both are dual threat guys and were very highly recruited. Turner is smaller in stature and Starling is expected to be a high draft choice in this summer’s MLB Draft. Regardless I don’t think an elite QB will be committing to the Huskers this year.
The Offers
Zeke Pike (KY) BX offers ILL, IND, IOWA, MICH, PSU, PUR and WIS. Other offers include Alabama, Auburn, USC, Florida, FSU and LSU
Gunner Kiel (IN) BX offers from ILL, IND, IOWA, MICH and WIS. Other offers include USC, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Georgia.
Jameis Winston (AL) BX offers from tOSU and NEB. Other offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, FSU, LSU, ND and Clemson.
Matt Davis (TX) BX offer from Iowa. Other offers from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M and Clemson
Bart Houston (CA) BX offer from WIS. Other offers from UCLA, Arizona, Colorado and San Diego St
Bennie Coney (FL) BX offers from MICH and MSU. Other offers from Auburn, FSU, LSU, VT, TT and BC
Maty Mauk (OH) BX offers from ILL and MICH. Other offers from ND, Mizzou, Cincinnati and a handful of MAC schools.
Wes Lunt (IL) BX offers from ILL and MSU. Other offers from BC and Western Michigan
Shane Dillon (CA) offers from tOSU and Cincinnati
Cyler Miles (CO) Offers from ILL, ND, Washington, Utah, ASu, Baylor and Vanderbilt
Tyler Cameron (FL) Offers from ILL, Louisville, Rutgers, BC, USF, FAU and Marshall
Devin Fuller (NJ) Offers from MICH, PSU, IND, Alabama, FSU, TCU, GT, Rutgers and Maryland
Demitrious Davis (OH) Offers from Iowa, IND, Arkansas, WV, Baylor, Vandy, BC, SMU and Cincinnati
Aloyis Gray (IN) Offers from ILL, PUR and Cincinnati
Gunnar Holcombe (FL) Offers from WIS, Rutgers and SFU
Robert Gregory (IL) Offers from ILL and MN
Patrick Towles (KY) Offers from Louisville, UK, ILL and Cincinnati
Tyler O’Connor (OH) Offers from MSU, NW, Toledo and Bowling Green
Guys In BX The Waiting Room
OH – Austin Appleby
MN – Joe Mollberg
TX – Tommy Armstrong, Ben Johnson, Jeremiah Briscoe, Ford Childress, Josh Kern, Preston Dewey, Jared Johnson, Jalen Overstreet and Dalyn Williams
FL – Matt Dobson, Nathan Peterman, Trenton Norvell and Bilal Marshall
PA – Max Ward, Blake Rankin and Brendan Nosovitch
MO – Tino Martin, Luke Knott and Trevor McDonagh
IN – Ozzie Mann
MI – Brian Blackburn
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