Is this something for the IU faithful to concern themselves with or just the way things have played out thus far for IU Coach Kevin Wilson and his staff this year?
Director of Recruiting at 247sports Steve Wiltfong thinks the former is true.
“It’s not typical because Coach Wilson and his staff have generally done a good job in-state when compared to what previous regimes have done,” Wiltfong said.
In past years, Wilson has signed top-level in-state prospects such as rising junior defensive lineman Darius Latham and soon-to-be sophomore wide receiver Dominique Booth, beating out big time schools.
“Previous coaches weren’t doing that,” Wiltfong said.
Wiltfong considers there to be a solid talent pool in Indiana, but this is not one of the elite years. The two he said to be “blue-chip” prospects, Fort Wayne products Auston Robertson and Austin Mack, chose Michigan State and Ohio State, respectively. But IU was never really in the running.
The Hoosiers went hard after Avon quarterback Brandon Peters, but new Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh swooped in and received a commitment. Instead, IU picked up Cincinnati quarterback Peyton Ramsey to fill that spot in the class.
Another player Wiltfong would say IU actually “lost” with was Hamilton Southeastern linebacker Collin Miller, who picked Purdue.
Other than Miller, Wiltfong did not think IU was really losing out on players it went hard after.
There is a deep pool of running backs in Indiana this year, but IU likes the two running back prospects it has committed, Cole Gest and Tyus Flakes.
They would have liked to bring in Ben Davis Indianapolis athlete Chris Evans, but he chose Michigan.
The presence of Harbaugh in the Big Ten has changed the recruiting landscape in the Midwest a little bit.
The Wolverines have gained commitments from three of the top eight players in Indiana.
“I think any time you have a coaching change at a major university, you are going to get a spike on the recruiting trail because kids buy into wanting to get the program back to where it was,” Wiltfong said.
One player to keep an eye on in-state is Center Grove Indianapolis defensive tackle Jovan Swann. His brother, Mario, will be a sophomore defensive back at IU this season. IU is still in good position with Jovan, who is taking his time in his commitment and plans to take five official visits before deciding. Wiltfong thinks Vanderbilt is in a good spot with him, though.
Overall, IU has done well in the Hoosier state. Wiltfong pointed out if one were to look at IU’s depth chart, many Indiana prospects would occupy the two-deep spots. Many of the past signees are or will be impact players for IU.
“There’s no reason to critique what Kevin Wilson and his staff have done,” Wiltfong said, “because no previous staff, in my recent memory, has done it as well.”
The past three IU recruiting classes have been considered to be some of the best in school history, and this class is far from finished. Wiltfong doesn’t think they will be shut out in the state when it is all said and done.
“Even if they do, I think it’s more of an asterisk year,” he said. “If it happens two years in a row, then I’ll start scratching my head.”
