Tag: recruit

Luke Fickell finished the 2024 cycle with Wisconsin’s highest-rated recruiting class in history

Thoughts on Luke Fickell’s first full recruiting cycle as head coach?

Luke Fickell’s class of 2024, his first full recruiting class as head coach at Wisconsin, can be labeled a resounding success.

Time will ultimately tell how each signee in the group performs, and whether that occurs in Madison or elsewhere. But now that the 2024 cycle has officially concluded, we can officially give props to Fickell’s effort.

Wisconsin’s class finished ranked No. 25 in the nation with 22 total signees. It also slotted as the No. 7-ranked class in the new Big Ten, behind Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, USC and Nebraska in that order. Notably, it was the program’s first time ever boasting a blue chip ratio of 50%.

Related: Where Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke falls on Fanduel’s 2024 Heisman Trophy odds

It is headlined by four-star OT Kevin Haywood (No. 50 overall, 96 rating), four-star DL Ernest Willor Jr. (No. 120 overall, 94 rating), four-star RB Dilin Jones (No. 139 overall, 94 rating) and four-star DL Dillan Johnson (No. 161 overall, 93 rating).

An account on X recently compared Fickell’s class to what the Badgers have done in the past. The findings: the class boasts the highest average recruit ranking in program history.

I’m a big believer in average recruit ranking telling a better story than total composite score. 10 five-star recruits would be a better class than 40 three-stars, but that’s not what the numbers necessarily show.

Semantics aside, Fickell should be praised for his recruiting efforts this cycle as he works to install his program on both sides of the football.

The future of Wisconsin in the new Big Ten is very much unknown. What is known: the Badgers must recruit at this level and higher for the program to join the conference’s elites.

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Alabama football expected to hire Wisconsin’s safeties coach Colin Hitschler

Alabama football hires Wisconsin’s safety and co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler

For recently hired Alabama head football coach [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag], the hardest part in replacing the legendary [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] has been putting a staff back together. Yes losing commitments and players to the portal is a harsh reality, but the coaching staff is the foundation of your program.

Despite all of the challenges he has faced, DeBoer has filled out an outstanding coaching staff that all Alabama fans have to be thrilled with. The staff will include two FBS coaches, one Big Ten coordinator, one Pac-12 coordinator and the position coach for the 2023 Joe Moore award-winning offensive line. There are a lot of really bright young minds in the room, but also guys who are hungry to get after it on the recruiting trail.

Thursday evening, DeBoer made another addition to the staff as he stole Wisconsin’s safeties coach and Co-defensive coordinator [autotag]Colin Hitschler[/autotag]. He only spent one season in Madison, but it is a massive blow to the Badgers staff as he is widely respected and was probably going to be their next DC. Hitschler was a massive piece in the Badgers recruiting success this past season and was a key piece of Cincinnati’s coaching staff in the 2021 College Football Playoffs.

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Florida State flips four-star EDGE Javion Hilson from Alabama

No. 2 EDGE in 2025 recruiting cycle flips commitment from Alabama to Florida State

Nick Saban’s surprise retirement continues to take a toll on [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] and the Alabama Crimson Tide on the recruiting trail. There was always going to be some fallout on the roster when Saban left, just a bummer to see some of it play out. However, National Signing Day is not until Feb. 7, so DeBoer and company will have plenty of time to get back out on the recruiting trail and do their work.

The unfortunate news in Tuscaloosa today comes as Florida State flipped four-star EDGE Javion Hilson from the Tide. Hilson is viewed as the No. 37 ranked player in the 2025 class and the No. 2 edge in his cycle. The Seminoles have been red hot in the transfer portal and landed former Alabama RB Roydell Williams earlier in the week.

On a more positive note, five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams was back in Tuscaloosa last night on a surprise visit. It also sounds like Safety Caleb Downs may be nearing a decision on where he will spend the last two years of his collegiate career, but there is a sense of optimism around Tuscaloosa for both Downs and Williams.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Wisconsin offers a 2025 defensive lineman from Cincinnati, Ohio

Wisconsin offers a 2025 defensive lineman from Cincinnati, Ohio

Wisconsin extended an offer to class of 2025 defensive lineman Gordy Sulfsted earlier today.

Sulfsted is a three-star recruit in 247Sports.com, ranked as the No. 38 defensive lineman in the class and the No. 16 recruit from his home state of Ohio.

The defensive lineman also holds offers from Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Iowa, Miami, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Stanford and Virginia.

The Badgers currently had four commits in the class of 2025, though none at defensive line. Sulfsted would be a commitment at a position of need, and from a location head coach Luke Fickell is expected to recruit well given his previous stops.

The program’s class of 2025 currently ranks No. 16 nationally at this early point in the process.

5 things Kalen DeBoer must do in his first day as Alabama’s head coach

The five most important acts Kalen DeBoer must complete in his first day as Alabama’s head coach

Replacing [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] was going to be an impossible task, but it feels like landing [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] is as good as it gets.

DeBoer is a proven winner with a 104-12 head coaching record. He is coming off a national title game appearance in just his second year with the Washington Huskies. He was reportedly athletic director Greg Byrne’s top target and the sides worked hard to get a deal done with almost no leaks.

DeBoer should be celebrated and enjoy the new promotion, but first thing in the morning we gotta get to work. Name, image and likeness licensing and the transfer portal have changed the game and allow you to essentially revamp your roster overnight, but DeBoer will have his work cut out for him. Many of the guys in the Alabama program came here because they wanted to play for Nick Saban, keeping them is going to require a sales pitch and a vision.

DeBoer has coordinator positions to fill, open roster spots and several other issues to attack. He has limited time to do so. Here are the five most important things DeBoer must do on his first day as head coach of the Crimson Tide:

USC transfer Domani Jackson spending Rose Bowl practice with Alabama

Former USC five-star DB seen at Alabama’s Rose Bowl practices

Coming out of high school, [autotag]Domani Jackson[/autotag] was one of the most highly touted recruits in the history of Southern California. As a junior, he earned All-American accolades as well as tying the California 100-meter dash record with a time of 10.25 seconds before committing to play football at USC.

During his two years with the Trojans, Jackson posted career stats of 34 tackles and four passes defended but ultimately wasn’t seeing the progress he needed to be a future NFL player. Jackson then decided to enter the portal on Dec. 18 and it was pretty quickly announced that Alabama and Michigan were the two leading candidates for his services.

Alabama has been out in Los Angeles preparing for the Rose Bowl, not far from Jackson’s hometown and right in USC’s backyard. Today, Jackson reportedly walked into Alabama’s practice with Bob Welton, Alabama’s player personnel director. With both Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold receiving first-round draft projections, it would make a ton of sense for Jackson to learn from Saban and come to Tuscaloosa.

Jackson is one of the best players in the portal, so that in itself would be a massive win for the Tide. Especially then when you factor in that it will be a major position of need for 2024 with Arnold and McKinstry gone.

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Alabama MBB and Arizona Wildcats set to meet in Birmingham in 2024

Alabama MBB continues to add to their gauntlet out-of-conference schedule’s

Under the guidance of Nate Oats, the Alabama basketball program is thriving in ways never seen before. From elite recruiting classes to SEC Championships to first-round draft prospects, Oats has completely changed the trajectory of the program. By the time Avery Johnson left Tuscaloosa it felt like the program was in a poor place, but stealing Oats from Buffalo was one of Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrnes’s best moves to date.

One of the things that have made the Tide so successful and fun to watch is the strength of their out-of-conference scheduling. In 2022,  Alabama took on UCONN, Michigan State, Gonzaga, Houston, and North Carolina all before even getting into SEC play.

The Crimson Tide has announced another massive out-of-conference game for the future as they will take on the Arizona Wildcats in 2024 at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL as part of the CM Newton Classic on Dec. 18th. Arizona has been one of the best college basketball programs since the beginning of the 2000s and getting them to come into the state of Alabama will be can’t-miss TV for all the Tide faithful.

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LOOK: Alabama HC Nick Saban purchases new beachfront home in Florida

Nick Saban purchases a staggering $17.5 million beachfront home

Despite being 71 years old, Alabama head football coach [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] doesn’t plan on stepping down anytime soon. In fact, this offseason Saban doubled down on that by telling five-star recruit Ryan Williams that “he plans to coach until he croaks.” With seven national championships to his name and some historical recruiting classes as of late, Saban is at the top of his game and it doesn’t seem like he will be leaving.

Unfortunately, there will eventually be a day when Saban finally steps away, but he has made sure that when he does step into retirement, he will enjoy every minute of it. Saban is currently under contract with the University of Alabama through the 2029 season on an eight-year deal that will pay him $90 million throughout its entirety.

Recently, Coach Saban decided to treat himself to a brand new $17.5 million beachfront home in Jupiter, Florida. Jupiter is the home to many great golfers and has one of the greatest golf scenes in the world, Saban is a known avid lover of the sport. He will now be neighbors with guys like Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas and Gary Player, which I am sure helped finalize his decision on the new home.

The beachfront property is gorgeous as it features six bedrooms and five bathrooms at over 6,200 square feet. It will also come with floor-to-ceiling glass walls, a private garden, a dock, a boat lift and so much more.

Cheers to Nick Saban for living his best life!

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Alabama RB Justice Haynes viewed as one of the top performing CFB players in spring

Justice Haynes is a name that all Crimson Tide fans need to know heading into 2023

The Alabama quarterback situation is a bit hazy heading into the 2023 football season, to say the least. As a result of some of the inexperience at the position, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide get back to prioritizing the ground game and establishing control at the line of scrimmage.

Jase McClellan will be the starting running back heading into the season, but true freshman Justice Haynes has turned heads through spring ball. Haynes was listed as a top-10 standout player in spring ball and Haynes was one of the few true freshmen to make the list per On3 Sports. It’s impressive that Haynes is turning heads across the country without ever playing a snap of collegiate ball.

Coming out of high school, Haynes was the No. 24 overall player in the 2023 class and the No. 3 running back. At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds he is a bowling ball and will be very difficult for defenders to bring down, but he also has great breakaway speed in the open field.

In four years as a varsity high school player, Haynes put up video game numbers. He appeared in 48 career games with 777 carrier carries for 7,407 yards and 91 touchdowns.

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Alabama basketball listed as a top-six finalist for the No. 1 player in the 2024 class

Alabama basketball in the hunt for the top player in the 2024 recruiting class

Tre Johnson, the No. 1 player in the 2024 recruiting cycle, has narrowed his list down to six schools, including the Crimson Tide. It will be an all-out war to land his commitment as Alabama is up against some very reputable programs such as Kentucky, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas and Baylor.

Johnson is a 6-foot-5, 180 pound shooting guard out of Dallas, Texas who is already a very polished shooter. He’s great in a spot-up shooting type of role but also has the ability to create his own shot with such a lengthy frame. He has the ability to get hot and take a game over at any minute. Johnson has already scored 2,000 career points in high school and has been lighting it up on the spring AAU tour.

The only other time Alabama landed the No. 1 player coming out of high school was Brandon Miller; needless to say, he was sensational for the Tide. Oats’ has been incredible on the recruiting trail during his tenure in Tuscaloosa, and the addition of Johnson would really keep that momentum going.

All schools make sense for Johnson, but if he wants to be the guy, Alabama makes the most sense. He will essentially have a green light anytime he crosses over half court and will have a chance to grow and improve on the defensive end.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to monitor Johnson’s recruitment

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.