The recruiting rankings are in, and just like in the old WAC days, Boise State and Fresno State are comfortably atop the conference standings.
After the jump, find out how each WAC team did in recruiting and watch video of some of the new stars of the conference. Plus, weigh in on whether or not a great recruiting class for Fresno will translate into wins down the road. See you in the comments.
The following rankings are courtesy of Scout.com and Rivals.com. The overall rankings are a reflection of the total number of points each school earned. Since Boise State's recruiting class only had 10 players, a better measure is the average points for each recruit.
Scout | Rivals | ||||||||||
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Commits | Overall | WAC | Avg Pts | 4-star | 3-star | Overall | WAC | Avg Pts | 4-star | 3-star | |
Fresno State | 21 | 63 | 2 | 2.38 | 1 | 5 | 52 | 1 | 2.81 | 1 | 15 |
Boise State | 10 | 96 | 1 | 2.40 | 6 | 82 | 3 | 2.80 | 1 | 6 | |
Louisiana Tech | 18 | 94 | 3 | 2.11 | 3 | 93 | 5 | 2.50 | 10 | ||
Idaho | 18 | 104 | 4 | 2.06 | 4 | 97 | 7 | 2.28 | 7 | ||
Hawaii | 28 | 81 | 5 | 2.04 | 2 | 65 | 2 | 2.39 | 11 | ||
Nevada | 26 | 95 | 6 | 2.04 | 3 | 96 | 6 | 2.32 | 9 | ||
Utah State | 23 | 107 | 7 | 1.96 | 1 | 108 | 9 | 2.14 | 4 | ||
New Mexico State | 17 | 110 | 8 | 1.94 | 2 | 87 | 4 | 2.39 | 7 | ||
San Jose State | 25 | 90 | 9 | 1.92 | 4 | 100 | 8 | 2.24 | 6 |
Did Fresno State set itself up to be Boise State's main WAC competition for years to come?
Assuming a) that Boise State stays in the WAC for several more years and b) that recruiting rankings mean anything, Fresno State turned in the most competitive class of the 2010 recruiting season and made the biggest strides toward competing with the Broncos down the road.
That said, the Bulldogs class was not exactly as star-studded as Utah's or BYU's. It was more so just an old-fashioned solid class and stands out as much for its above average rankings as for its opposition to the Mendoza averages of everyone else in the conference.
If we are supposed to believe that recruiting rankings mean something, then Fresno State and Boise State are the cream of the WAC's crop. Of course, once you factor in the Pat Hill Coaching Experience and the attrition of a debilitating non-conference schedule, that may just render the Bulldogs' recruiting advantage moot.
Fresno State's recruiting class
The Bulldogs' 2010 class was a step into the future where football teams pass to get first downs and student body left is a euphemism for campus politics. After landing QB Derek Carr in last year's class, Fresno pulled off a coup by getting two WRs, Davon Dunn and Josh Harper, to decommit from Cal and join the team.
Pat Hill spoke about the impact of the incoming WR recruits and how it might impact the Fresno offense:
"I think we've really given ourselves a chance to do some different things here because of personnel," Hill said while discussing his 2010 recruiting class for the first time. "Next year and the years to come, our big playmakers are on the perimeter. ... That personnel shift is due largely because of the quarterbacks that we have here. We have guys that can really throw it.
Somewhere, probably at an LA Fitness spinning class, Tom Brandstater weeps.
The nation's No. 1 punter, Matt Darr, chose the Bulldogs over USC most likely because Lane Kiffin is a nub. Depending on which recruiting service you prefer, either Darr or Dunn represent the Bulldogs' four-star recruit from the 2010 class.
The class was the highest-ranked group in Pat Hill's tenure at Fresno, but whether it translates to wins on the field remains to be seen. One of the Bulldogs' biggest areas of needs was defensive help, and the 2010 class fell short. Safety Edward Dillihunt was Fresno's best defensive pickup.
Top recruit: WR Davon Dunn
How they will use him
Inappropriately, especially in big games.
Louisiana Tech's recruiting class
Derek Dooley did pretty well in his Tennessee recruiting debut, and his replacement at LaTech, Sonny Dykes, didn't do too shabby himself. In two weeks with the Bulldogs, Dykes was able to keep most of the early verbal commitments from Dooley's tenure, including Denton, Texas, QB Taylor Burch.
"It was a little mixed up after Dooley left, but he wasn’t the reason I was going to Tech," Burch said. "I talked with Coach Dykes, and he seems like the guy I want to play for. It wasn’t really hard for me."
Also, that forehead!
Top recruit: WR Tim Molton
A transfer from LSU, Molton should boost LaTech's receiving corps and fit in nicely with whatever Texas Tech-like offense Dykes decides to install.
How they will use him:
On deep routes that Ross Jenkins will inevitably underthrow.
Idaho's recruiting class
The Vandals pulled off several rare feats on signing day.
- They did not finish toward the bottom of the conference in recruiting.
- They discovered that high school football is indeed played in the state of Idaho.
- They made mention of their winning program ad nauseum.
- They stole a recruit from a Pac-10 school.
All in all, if you were a Vandal fan, you had to be happy both because Idaho pulled in a decent class and because I heard the McRib is coming back to McDonald's. Among Idaho athletes, the Vandals got DT Tyler Kuder from Payette, OL Spencer Beale from Lewiston, QB Justin Podrabsky from Lewiston, and RB Jayson Washington from Moscow. Just stay away from Capital High, Robb Akey. You can have all the Minico players you want.
Top recruit: RB Ryan Bass
Bass spent two seasons at Arizona State before coming over to the Vandals to play with cousin Marsel Posey, a wide receiver on the team. Bass is most notable for being a former Parade All-American. I believe he was in the issue with Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz on the cover for Shrek 2.
How they will use him:
Keeping RB Deonte Jackson off the streets at night.
Hawaii's recruiting class
The Warriors went after four main areas with their recruiting push - DE, OL, CB, and WR - and they went four-for-four with a large class that was one of the WAC's best behind the Broncos and Bulldogs. The Diet Coke was flowing freely at the Hawaii athletic department last night!
Of note, DE VJ Fehoko signed with Utah. Fehoko is the third son of the Hawaii mascot. Man, I love Hawaii journalism.
Top recruit: DE Beau Yap
Yap was a Baylor commit until this week when he turned down the Bears in favor of his hometown Warriors. Choosing Waco, Texas, over Honolulu, Hawaii? Yeah, I guess I can buy that. The 6'2", 230-pound pass rush specialist should help out a lackluster Warrior front four.
How they will use him:
In a Greg McMackin PSA.
Nevada's recruiting class
The Wolf Pack went heavy on the offensive and defensive lines with 14 of their 26 commits playing in the trenches. The biggest uglies were DT Willie Faatauelafo (6'3", 292 pounds) and OG Avery Poates (6'4", 308 pounds). Rumor has it that Colin Kaepernick wore inflatable leg casts when he met the two new recruits, just in case one of them fell down and rolled into Kaepernick's shins.
Top recruit: QB Cody Fajardo
The Wolf Pack lost out on a QB prospect when Eagle High's Taylor Kelly decommitted and went to Arizona State. Fajardo came onto the recruiting radar late with a state title run and received offers from Nebraska and Arizona after committing to Nevada. He is a dual threat and the likely replacement for Colin Kaepernick either in 2011 or beyond.
How they will use him:
If Kaepernick is any indication, they will not be using Fajardo to complete more than 60 percent of the team's passes.
Utah State's recruiting class
Note to self: You don't want to have your recruiting story start out like this:
When looking at Gary Andersen and Utah State's recruiting class, the word that can best describe the Aggies' haul is progress.
The Aggies turned in one of the WAC's worst classes, and not even the lipstick of progress can make this pig look good. According to Scout's rankings, the Aggies had only one three-star recruit. According to the spin masters at the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah State now has the depth needed to withstand one or two injuries ... to QB Diondre Borel. Two of the Aggies' best recruits QBs Jeremy Higgins and Alex Hart, the latter a local product.
Perhaps the best news out of the USU class was that the Aggies scored a couple of Florida prospects. The pipeline to Logan is alive and kicking!
Top recruit: OLB Chris Fox
The 6'3" LB had plenty of offers from USU-esque schools, including Nevada and NMSU. He was the highest-ranked player according to Scout's rankings.
How they will use him:
As a distraction to how awful the rest of the defense is.
New Mexico State's recruiting class
Depending on which service you like, the Aggies either had a pretty good recruiting class or a typically anticlimactic recruiting class. Either way, at least head coach DeWayne Walker has his priorities straight:
The defensive line and offensive line were a focus for Coach Walker’s second signing class as head coach. The Aggies signed three defensive lineman and three offensive linemen.
Are they any good? Beats me. There is at least one good one in the bunch (see below) and three of the six were three-star players according to Rivals. If the lines work themselves out, NMSU might not be awful forever.
Top recruit: OL Aundre McGaskey
McGaskey was a JC star at Brinn Community College where he excelled at pass blocking, standing around prior to games, and sitting on people.
Plus, he has the intimidation face down pat:
How they will use him:
At QB because, really, who else do they got?
San Jose State's recruiting class
In case you missed it, 2010 LOI Day marked the official transition of the San Jose State Spartans into the third spot on the WAC's bottom tier, previously held by the Idaho Vandals. OK, that might not be completely true. After all, I am still pretty convinced that Idaho is a one-year wonder and that one poor recruiting year does not doom a program.
Still, there was not a whole lot to write home about with the 2010 SJSU class. The Spartans may have picked up their skill players of the future with three-star signings at QB, RB, and WR. If those players pan out, the Spartans 2010 class might look a whole lot better than it does right now.
Top recruit: RB Forrest Hightower
The Spartans got their Jeremy Avery with the commitment of Hightower. The 5-11, 170-pound back is shifty and elusive, and he could be the offensive help that the team needs in a couple years.
How they will use him:
Extensively because SJSU cannot pass worth beans.
Your turn
What do you think about Fresno State's recruiting class? Any incoming WAC players have you worried? Share your thoughts in the comments.