Conference Realignment and Effects on Recruiting

The conference shuffle effects recruiting whether anyone admits it or not.

While all the conference realignment talks continue and the face of college football continues to change (hate it, hate it) a topic that seems to be lost in the shuffle is recruiting.

While recruiting is always present and coaches sell the school and academics to young high school players, the conference realignment has to play a part in the decision making of players.

USF is currently working on one of their best recruiting classes in recent memory. With several high profile players and players that will make an immediate impact, the Bulls seemed poised for success for years to come, but what affect will realignment have on recruits?

The realignment is bound to have an effect on the recruits, whether the coaches will admit it. Players that USF and other BCS programs target are usually high profile athletes that will take their teams to bigger levels of play. These young recruits in turn want to go to a school that has the facilities, academics, and of course, the high level of competition that can take their talents to a higher level.

Would a 5-star player that has tons of offers go to a team in a lower conference like the Sun Belt when the SEC is knocking on their door? No way (unless mesmerized by that school or magic).

USF currently sits in a BCS conference but with Pitt and Syracuse bailing and Rutgers and UCONN talking to the ACC, it would appear the conference is on the verge of falling apart and the recruits are noticing. While no one has de-committed, it will make things a lot more challenging due to the uncertain future of the Bulls place in a BCS conference. Will the Bulls have a BCS conference next season, no one knows and the recruits are watching and listening to everything that is happening.

This type of uncertainty cannot be good for recruiting for players. Players that go to the SEC know the level of competition they can expect every single week, as for the Big East, there are is a lot of doubt of what the level of play will be in the next few years, not the best thing to sell to a high school player.

The coaches at USF do an excellent job in evaluating players, personalities and abilities that fit their system of play and character at the school, but the conference talk will influence some.

For now, Holtz and staff with have to continue to promote USF, the school itself, and have faith in Woolard and Genshaft to get the issue resolved. Holtz said he had little to no influence on the decision yesterday and all he is focused on is preparing his team for UTEP on Saturday night (can't wait for the game!)