The Tide swept through the South to reload. Alabama went over toBaltimore to get wide receiver Cyrus Jones, scooped up eightplayers from Georgia, three from Florida, picked up a quarterback,Alec Morris, from Texas, and even dipped into LSU territory to grabhighly touted safety Landon Collins from Geismar, La.
Considering Meyers track record, simply having him on OhioStates side was probably all the advantage the Buckeyesneeded.
FLORIDA TROJANS
While the quantity is down, the quality of the Trojans classwas not, and Kiffins crew made a couple of big scores in Floridaon signing day.
With NCAA sanctions kicking in at USC, Lane Kiffin had 10 fewersctechnical schools in shreveport laholarships to hand out this year.
URBAN renewal
There were no big surprises for the national champion CrimsonTide. And that was a good thing because Saban and his staff hadalready lined up a class that most of the analysts had ranked aseither the best in the nation or very close to it.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban celebrates with his team after theBCS National Championship college football game against LSU Monday,Jan. 9, 2012, in New Orleans. Alabama won 21-0. (AP Photo/GeraldHerbert)
Wednesday was no different. By lunchtime, the Alabama coach hadmost of his latest highly rated recruiting class locked up.
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technical schools in shreveport la Alabama is class of nation again,
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Maybe the most surprising signing day flip came from receiverDeontay Greenberry from Fresno, Calif., who backed off of along-standing verbal commitment to Notre Dame and signed withHouston. ... Texas swooped in late to pick up linebacker TorshiroDavis, who is from Shreveport, La., and had committed to LSU. Forthe second straight year, Texas signed one of the most highlyregarded running backs, landing Jonathan Gray from Aledo,Texas.
Meyers class was a consensus top-five, loaded with defensivelinemen, including Noah Spence from Harrisburg, Pa., and AdolphusWashington from Cincinnati. The Buckeyes got a late boost whenoffensive tackle Kyle Dodson from Cleveland switched from Wisconsinto Ohio State on Wednesday.
Collins selection of Alabama over LSU last month on national TVwas memorable for his mothers obvious and vocal disapproval(Tigers No. 1, she said, eyes rolling at her sons choice). OnWednesday, with mom by his side, Collins signed his letter ofintent at Dutchtown High School.
You might remember Michigan was not pleased with the ct thatMeyer and the staff he was assembling was allowed to recruit whilethe old staff was preparing the Buckeyes for their bowl game. TheNCAA signed off on the arrangement. This just after Ohio State washanded a one-year bowl ban for transgressions under former coachJim Tressel.
IRISH, TEXAS SURPRISES
Defensive end Leonard Williams from Daytona Beach, Fla., andreceiver Nelson Algholor from Tampa both chose the Trojans.
The Buckeyes recruiting coaches as opposed to their coachingcoaches did a bang-up job with Urban Meyers first Ohio Stateclass.
Every coach claims to have a great national signing day. NickSaban actually does every year.
After announcing his decision on ESPNU, Algholor said he waslooking forward to catching passes from Matt Barkley, who decidedto return for his senior season.
