Tom Lemming explains college football recruiting

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College football is built on rich pageantry and tradition. It appeals to our primal instincts and applies our primitive technologies -- like fax machines.

Campuses across the nation will be buzzing -- or beeping -- all day as the nation’s top high school prospects send in their national letter of intent. Heritage Hall and the J.D. Morgan Center expect most of them to come in by 4 p.m., when USC’s Pete Carroll and UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel will hold simultaneous news conferences to announce the newest Trojans and Bruins. Recruits officially have until April 1, but few hold out.

CBS College Sports Network recruiting expert Tom Lemming answered some questions about the whole process while trudging through a snow storm in New Jersey. No word if he walked uphill both ways, but his dedication is exactly what coaches expect from recruits.

Our first in a three-part interview, Tom tells us about a Beaver who almost became a Wolverine and gives props to Southland preps.

Fabulous Forum: With schools limited to 85 total scholarships, there seems to be a split philosophy in how many recruits a school should sign each year. Teams in the south have gone big (last year Alabama had 32 signees and Miami had 33) while others go small (USC had 19, Texas had 20). Is there a big advantage to going one way or the other, or is it circumstantial?

Tom Lemming: Without a doubt, there’s a major advantage for the Southeast Conference. They can choose and pick. It’s fantastic for them.

FF: What about gray shirt years or promising more scholarships than you’re allowed to give?

TL: They weed them out. A couple of the teams signed close to 40 players a year or two ago. They take the really good ones and they forget about the other ones. I think that’s a good way to do things.

FF: Is that something a player needs to take into consideration when picking a school?

TL: The players sometimes seem to be naive to the fact that they’re bad students! The players seem to think that [the team] will somehow get them in, when, in fact, if they don’t get in themselves (academically), they’ll go to junior college or prep school. The colleges benefit because then they’re the team that gets them back if he turns out to be a great player. They get the best of both worlds.

FF: Last year, Terrell Pryor (now Ohio State’s quarterback) didn’t sign on National Letter of Intent Day. This year, Bryce Brown (the top running back recruit in America) is looking to postpone as well. Is this a growing trend?

TL: Every year, it seems like one or two guys wait. It’s not a growing trend, it’s just a guy who realizes he’s an elite player and he can do whatever he wants. It’s something that’s been going on for years.

FF: Which player surprised you the most with his decision?

TL: Shavodrick Beaver. He’s from Wichita Falls, Texas. He was committed to Michigan, and he got out of his commitment to go to Tulsa. That really surprised a lot of people.

FF: That’s a relatively small program. What happened?

TL: I guess Tulsa’s got an explosive offense and he chose to play for them. It got a lot of people grumbling, especially Michigan fans.

FF: Is he the kind of player who will make an impact as a freshman?

TL: Yeah, especially going to Tulsa. I think that’s what they’re counting on -- him coming in and playing right away. Over at Michigan, he was just one of three quarterbacks who was committed, so he wasn’t even assured of playing in the next four years unless he was out there as a true freshman.

FF: Are there any other freshmen who you think have a good chance on making an impact on their team?

TL: Bryce Brown should, wherever he goes. Unless he goes to USC, then he’ll just have to wait! If he goes to Oregon or Miami he’ll play right away. USC’s Matt Barkley [considered the top recruit in America] may have to wait. With Mark Sanchez leaving, Barkley might have a bit of a shot of playing. Whoever’s there hasn’t proved himself. If Barkley has a real good spring, which he should have, he could be a surprise starter. Devon Kennard would have been one, but he’s been injured most of this year, so I think that USC will probably have to redshirt to just get his knee set. But he’s a kid who could come in and play right away.

FF: People usually talk about the best high school talent coming from California, Texas and Florida. All of them have great year-round weather for sports. How does this year’s crop stack up?

California is probably the third state, but when you talk about one area or city like Los Angeles, I think you’re talking about the best place in the country for talent. This year’s group is even better. I think most people realize that, too.

You can catch Tom Lemming today at 8 a.m. (Pacific Time) when he hosts a live, five-hour broadcast on CBS College Sports. You’ll find more of his analysis on MaxPreps.com. Later this morning we’ll share Tom’s takes on USC and UCLA.

-- Adam Rose

Top photo: Joe McKnight selects USC on signing day in 2007.