There won’t be a lot of media praise for the Gophers class but the lack of buzz fits with projections about Big Ten recruiting in general. Rivals.com team recruiting rankings don’t include a Big Ten school in the top 10. Ohio State is ranked No. 11 and Nebraska, No. 16, is the other Big Ten school in the top 20. The mid-January issue of Sporting News Magazine listed Ohio State at No. 4 and Nebraska No. 18 but then didn’t include any other Big Ten schools in its top 25.
A Sporting News list of the nation’s top 100 prep players was dominated by high schoolers from southern states, Texas and California. Worse news for the Big Ten was that conference schools often weren’t listed as the verbal commitment or even potential college choice for many players.
Johnson said the Big Ten needs to pay attention to such news. There’s been a trend of the Midwest and Northeast not producing high school players like the South. “Look at where the players are coming from,” Johnson said. “There’s a reason the SEC is the best conference in football. It’s not even close.
“The talent is in the South. It’s much like in baseball. I am afraid that college football in 10 years could resemble college baseball where…all your dominant programs are going to be in the South and out West. That’s something that’s got to be a big concern for the Big Ten.”
Although the rankings of prep players and recruiting classes is far from perfect, Johnson said fans can regard the listings as credible and an indication of things to come. Ohio State winning the Big Ten most years and also outdoing its conference rivals in the recruiting rankings is no coincidence.
“Who wins the Big Ten every year?” Johnson asked. “Who wins the Big Ten in recruiting every year? Does that answer it for you. You can talk all you want about all these stars mean nothing. …(But) when we’re sitting around watching football on January 5th, 6th and 7th…we’re watching Alabama, Texas, USC, Ohio State (play in the major bowl games).
“I mean I am sorry. You can try to do what you can with hidden gems, and sleepers and two star kids, but you tell me a program that’s winning big with those kids. I’ll show you a lot more that are winning with four and five star kids.”
Alabama is No. 1, Texas No. 2 and USC No. 5 in the Rivals.com team rankings of recruiting classes for 2011.