Rivals national recruiting analyst Ryan Wright has thoughts on Trent Dilfer‘s hire at UAB, UCF‘s recruiting class and Alabama‘s chances of signing the top-ranked class in 2023 in today’s Three-Point Stance.
1. Can Trent Dilfer make a recruiting splash at UAB?
While everyone was sleeping, Bill Clark put together a very successful program at UAB. Clark posted a 49-26 record overall, 32-12 in C-USA, in six seasons. A back injury forced Clark into early retirement leaving a great opportunity for the next head coach, Trent Dilfer.
On paper, Dilfer has all the accolades and successful benchmarks that players look for in a college head coach. Dilfer was an All-American at Fresno State, a first-round NFL Draft pick in 1994, a Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl champion and helmed the Elite 11 for years.
Looking at the 2023 class, it will be difficult for Dilfer to make a splash in a short time. The Blazers have just five commitments and their class ranks seventh in C-USA. In this era, college teams fill the immediate gaps via the transfer portal first. Given time, and the Blazers’ past success, Dilfer will be a difference maker among Group of Five programs with the ability to steal a player or two from Power Five programs.
Don’t sleep on what Dilfer can do in Birmingham.
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2. Does UCF’s 2023 recruiting class hold up in the Big 12?
After years of piling up wins in C-USA and the AAC, UCF is taking a big step up into the Power Five ranks next season. As easy as the transition may seem for some, the differences are drastic, and it all starts with talent acquired. The attrition of a full Power Five season is grueling with wins largely predicated on a team staying healthy. If there is a lack of quality talent on the depth chart, a promising season can go south on one play or off one player.
Transfer portal acquisitions are in progress, but looking ahead, how does UCF’s ’23 class look compared to future Big 12 competition?
UCF currently has the second-best class in the AAC behind Memphis with 11 commits, highlighted by four-stars Kaven Call, John Walker (No. 185 overall) and Braeden Marshall. The Knights’ class boasts an average star rating of 3.18, which would be fourth-best in the Big 12.
On the national landscape, UCF has the nation’s 58th-ranked class, ahead of only Oklahoma State and Kansas in the Big 12. The Knights have to win in the transfer portal to post victories on the field against Big 12 teams.
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3. Will Alabama hold off the competition for the top-ranked 2023 recruiting class?
From late October to within a week of the Early Signing Period starting, not much has changed in the top five of the Rivals Team Recruiting Rankings. All the programs are the same except Georgia has made the slow rise from No. 4 to No. 1 for a spell only to be replaced by Alabama.
The decisions of eight uncommitted five-stars and six Rivals100 four-star will heavily influence the recruiting races. The top five-star in the mix is Damon Wilson, down to Georgia and Ohio State. Another influential prospect is Florida cornerback Desmond Ricks with a top-three of Alabama, Florida and LSU.
The Crimson Tide can close strong by landing in-state defensive linemen Jaquavious Russaw and James Smith. Four-star defensive tackle “Big Baby” Jordan Hall is considered a heavy lean to Georgia. The Bulldogs are working to flip Alabama commits Caleb Downs and Justice Haynes, while Texas A&M is working on defensive back Tony Mitchell.
The Crimson Tide could hold onto the top spot, but they have to keep what they have away from Georgia and land the prized in-state four-star defenders to make it happen.
