Fumbles on National Signing Day? They happen.
Here are four of the SEC’s biggest swings and misses.
Georgia’s in-state struggle
As good as Kirby Smart’s first recruiting class was – and it indeed was very good with five-star prospects QB Jacob Eason, TE Isaac Nauta and ATH Mecole Hardman Jr. — it could have been even better had Georgia been able to reel in four more Top-100 recruits, including three from the Peach State.
The Bulldogs were hoping Smart’s stint as the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator would be enough for them to secure five-star linebacker Ben Davis, but the Gordo, Ala., product chose the Crimson Tide. Georgia also wanted Derrick Brown, a five-star DT who signed with Auburn, and E.J. Price, a four-star OL who will play at USC.
Plus, four-star safety Nigel Warrior, yet another Georgia product, signed with Tennessee.
In addition to their five-star haul, the Bulldogs also brought in four-star DT Michail Carter and got DE David Marshall to flip from Auburn. Landing all four top-100 prospects was probably unrealistic, but imagine how much better this class would be with just two or three members of this quality quartet.
Bret Bielema puts his foot in his mouth, again
While discussing his 2016 class on ESPN2 on National Signing Day, the Arkansas coach — no stranger to saying controversial things — seemed to question Florida’s recruiting tactics under second-year coach Jim McElwain as well as Mississippi’s approach under Hugh Freeze.
“Florida, kind of the new Ole Miss, they’re doing some things in recruiting that just kind of shocks you a little bit,” Bielema said.
After apparently tweaking both coaches and their respective schools, Bielema backtracked, and McElwain and Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley both issued responses.
Bielema has apparently spoken with Freeze about the matter.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss believes that the recent alleged NCAA violations against Freeze are limited to the Laremy Tunsil case, but Bielema’s tweaks are proof that even though Steve Spurrier may have left the SEC, verbal jabs among its coaches aren’t going anywhere.
Mississippi State recruit signs with Ole Miss, blasts Bulldogs
As if committing to the Rebels didn’t sting enough, Starkville native and four-star wide receiver A.J. Brown made some strong comments about his experience with Dan Mullen’s coaching staff during his recruitment.
“I was going to stay, but I felt like they didn’t do a good job of recruiting,” Brown said of the Bulldogs. “I didn’t feel wanted, to be honest. I felt like other schools wanted me more. I mean I live in Starkville. I would expect Mississippi State would be hard, like every day here.”
Not surprisingly, Brown’s remarks prompted a response from Mullen.
“We recruited him as hard as we recruited anybody else that’s out there,” the Mississippi State coach said. “We wish him the best. Our program’s not for everybody.”
Oh, Vanderbilt … at least you’re not Kansas
Vandy (No. 54) joins four other schools that bring up the rear in their respective Power 5 leagues: No. 89 Kansas (Big 12), No. 80 Purdue (Big Ten), No. 75 Boston College (ACC) and No. 69 Colorado (Pac-12).
Stan Chrapowicki is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, Alabama and Auburn.
