Recruit experts analyze Hagen's departure

With two weeks remaining until prospects can sign a National Letter of Intent, the timing is not ideal for IU to lose its recruiting coordinator.

Assistant Coach Mark Hagen left the Hoosiers in favor of a job at Texas A&M, IU confirmed Wednesday afternoon. As the recruiting coordinator for the team, Hagen has put together one of the best classes in IU history, currently ranked in the top 50 nationally by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com.

Before the 2013 group, the Hoosiers never had a class ranked in the top 50, let alone one with multiple four-star prospects committed. However, as recruits are not bound to schools until they sign a NLI, they are free to decommit from IU if they wish.

In light of Hagen’s exit, recruiting analysts said although it is possible, there will likely be no departures from IU’s 2013 class.

“Typically, when an assistant coach leaves, it doesn’t have much of an effect on a recruiting class, but what effect it will have on Indiana remains to be seen,” said Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports national recruiting reporter. “Can guys look around? I don’t know, but I think for the most part, the guys in Indiana’s recruiting class are committed to Kevin Wilson and the program and helping to move IU in the right direction.”

Two of the prospects Hagen directly recruited are Indianapolis defensive linemen David Kenney and Darius Latham. Both are four-star prospects ranked in the top 250 in the country, according to Rivals.com, and both were once committed to other Big Ten schools.

Though it is doubtful they will decommit from IU and choose another school in the next two weeks, Hagen’s departure will likely be felt in future recruiting classes, Rivals Midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt said.

“Hagen knows the state of Indiana very well and has a lot of contacts,” Helmholdt said. “Particularly because of how loved he was as a recruiter, I think it does hurt, but I don’t expect it to shake up this 2013 class. I would be surprised if they lost anybody at this stage.”

Both analysts noted that at this point in time in the recruiting cycle, much of the class is already filled. With a recruiting coordinator’s departure, they said any remaining slots in the 2013 group will most likely be determined by a group effort utilizing Hagen’s plan.

Hagen also served as IU’s defensive tackles and special teams coach. As of Wednesday evening, IU had not announced a new coach or recruiting coordinator and did not have a timeline to do so.

With the Hoosiers slated to sign their class Feb. 6, National Signing Day, Helmoldt said it will be interesting to see if the team can maintain recruiting momentum with Hagen absent.

“IU has recruited at a level that, in my 10 years of covering college football recruiting, has never recruited at before,” Helmholdt said. “Hagen was a big part of that. Though they will definitely keep this class in tact, you want to build on that momentum every year. It will be tough for them to match that in 2014.”