Jacob Eason of Lake Stevens, Wash., talks to members of the media while on hand to receive the Bobby Dodd national high school back of the year award at the Touchdown Club of Atlanta, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)KNOTT PICKS TIDE
Alabama picked up a commitment Monday from Nigel Knott, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound cornerback from Madison, Miss. Knott, whose father played at Ole Miss and who has a sister who runs track at Mississippi State, is rated the nation’s No. 7 corner nationally by 247Sports.com.The addition of Knott enabled the Crimson Tide to move from No. 7 to No. 5 in the 247Sports team rankings.Former Alabama receiver Chris Black announced Monday via Twitter that he was playing his final season at Missouri as a graduate transfer. The 6-0, 192-pounder had 25 catches for 290 yards and two touchdowns in his 25 appearances with the Crimson Tide.
Recruiting efforts seem to be going just fine for Mark Richt's former and current programs.
Coaching transitions typically result in recruiting setbacks, but Georgia is currently ranked No. 7 in ESPN's team rankings, while Richt's Miami team is No. 14. He was introduced as the new coach of the Hurricanes on Dec. 4, and Kirby Smart was introduced as his successor in Athens three days later.
"We're talking about two programs where there is already a perception that is positive, so it's not something that the incoming coach has to overcome," ESPN recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill said. "There is also such familiarity in recruiting circles when it comes to the personnel. If Kirby Smart had taken the head coaching job at Texas Tech or Nebraska, then you would be talking about having to completely introduce yourself and your staff and your way of going about things to an entirely different player pool.
"That hasn't been the case for either one of these two head coaches. They know the player pool and probably had most of these kids on their campuses at their former institutions. That helps you hit the ground running and allows you to not miss a beat."
Richt and Smart have returned to their respective alma maters, so they are certainly familiar with their recruiting territories. It is very rare, though, when a school undergoing a coaching change actually improves its recruiting ranking from the winter before.
Georgia finished eighth in ESPN's rankings last February, while Miami was 23rd.
It's a different story at Missouri, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Rutgers and Syracuse, as those schools also are going through transitions but experiencing tougher times on the recruiting trail compared to a year ago.
Miami's class is overrun with four-star prospects from the Sunshine State, most notably quarterback Jack Allison, running back Travis Homer, receivers Sam Bruce and Dionte Mullins, inside linebacker Shaquille Quarterman and cornerback Tyler Byrd. Each of those players had committed to the Hurricanes before Richt was hired.
"Some programs out there can overshadow or overcome one individual regardless of who the coach is going to be," Luginbill said. "The way Georgia and Miami are viewed helps both of those coaches without question."
The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 8 in the 247Sports.com standings, have a chance to be the first Southeastern Conference program to post a top-five class amid a coaching change. Not even Nick Saban did that, with his 2007 class at Alabama containing linebacker Rolando McClain, cornerback Kareem Jackson and center William Vlachos getting ranked 10th by Rivals.com, 13th by 247Sports.com, 17th by ESPN and 22nd by Scout.com.
Georgia could wind up in the top five by landing the Peach State quintet of Buford defensive tackle Derrick Brown, Elberton athlete Mecole Hardman, Savannah receiver Demetris Robertson, Lawrenceville tackle E.J. Price and Jackson defensive tackle Michail Carter. The Bulldogs are viewed as the favorites for Hardman, Price and Carter, with Robertson reportedly waiting until after signing day before deciding among Georgia, Notre Dame, Stanford and Alabama.
Brown, the nation's No. 9 overall prospect according to 247Sports, appears to have a final four of Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.
"Georgia's class is a credit to the job Mark Richt and his staff did recruiting up until the point he got fired, and it's a credit to Kirby Smart and the job his new staff has done," longtime analyst J.C. Shurburtt said. "They have not only kept (quarterback) Jacob Eason in the fold, but they also closed the deal on five-star tight end Isaac Nauta. They had some lower-rated guys decommit, but most of their guys have stuck with them.
"When Urban Meyer handed off to Will Muschamp at Florida, the Gators finished No. 11 that year, but that's not top five."
Shurburtt said the highest-rated class amid a coaching transition was Meyer's first year at Ohio State in 2012. That crop contained quarterback Cardale Jones, tackle Taylor Decker and defensive end Noah Spence, and it was rated fourth nationally by Rivals and fifth by 247Sports.
"I'm not counting anything at USC," Shurburtt said. "They've had so many midyear transitions, so it's not a fair comparison."
While Georgia and Miami are faring well, better days could be ahead. Michigan's Jim Harbaugh and Florida's Jim McElwain are coaches Luginbill has praised this winter for making the most of their first full recruiting cycles.
"We may be having the exact same conversation next year with Kirby Smart and Mark Richt after they've had their first full year at their institutions," Luginbill said.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.