Like It Is

Tide ride 5-star wave to top; Hogs in mix

Alabama football coach Nick Saban talks about his recruiting class during an NCAA college football news conference on national signing day, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, at Naylor-Stone Media Suite in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Vasha Hunt/AL.com via AP)

It was a typical national signing day.

The SEC had five or six teams ranked in the top 10, depending on which recruiting service you prefer.

Not long after a late morning declaration by the SEC and ESPN that LSU was No. 1, the Alabama Crimson Tide made their move.

The Arkansas Razorbacks, again depending on the recruiting service, were somewhere between 24th and 31st nationally and between 9th and 11th in the SEC.

Which, like most of the recruiting Wednesday, was about what was expected.

If there was a slight surprise, it was that Ole Miss once again jumped into the top five thanks to landing five-star quarterback Shea Patterson from Bradenton, Fla., and offensive lineman Gregory Little from Allen, Texas.

Both were recruited by all the major powers and Little took five official visits -- including Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and LSU -- and opted to be a Rebel.

What isn't typical anymore, thank goodness, is national signing day in the editorial department of this newspaper.

There was a time when every phone would be ringing. Fans called wanting an update.

Wednesday, as in recent years, thousands logged on to Arkansas Online or wholehogsports.com and immediately got the latest news.

The news overall was good but not great. It started out going great guns but tailed off the past couple of weeks, but it wasn't because of lack of effort on the part of Bret Bielema and his staff.

It was much publicized that he flew more than 19,000 miles trying to add to the recruiting list and was in on three highly touted recruits going into the last day.

Bielema is not afraid to get in the batter's box and go for the home run. That's a trait guys like Nick Saban and Les Miles, and apparently Hugh Freeze, have used to take them to the top of their profession.

Even the greatest home run hitters of all time struck out, but no one can hit a home run if they don't get in the batter's box and try.

The overall numbers of Division I recruits in Arkansas was down this season, but four who the Hogs did sign may have the opportunity to contribute immediately. A fifth in-state player, Dylan Hays, is currently slotted as a grayshirt.

The four signees might be the lowest number of home-grown products ever and was the same number as the recruits who signed from Louisiana and Texas.

The Razorbacks signed players from Florida to California and states in between, including several in the SEC footprint but outside the Arkansas border.

Arkansas' consensus ranking is about 27th, with only four from the home state, and that's not bad. Bielema and his staff might continue to beat the bushes looking for some depth at linebacker.

It might have hurt a little bit that offensive line coach Sam Pittman left for Georgia. The Bulldogs are among the top 10 in the rankings, and of their first 20 signees, 14 were from Georgia.

LSU signed 16 from Louisiana. Alabama and Ole Miss each took six players from their home states.

By early afternoon, Alabama had taken the lead in the recruiting services rankings that were updating on a regular basis (ESPN was lagging way behind), and that was no surprise.

When Saban isn't coaching, he's recruiting. Because of his success, he signed five who rate as five-star players, two from Alabama and one each from New York, California and Maryland. Clemson and Georgia tied for second with three five-star players.

The Tide also signed 10 four-star players and eight three-star players to join a team that won the national championship.

It was a typical national signing day. Alabama was once again No. 1.

Sports on 02/04/2016