RECRUITING RUNDOWN: Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame & Indiana BATTLE For Midwest DOMINANCE

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Time to break down the Midwest recruiting.

Who's winning the battles between Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Indiana,

and more?

Let's talk recruiting.

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Thank you for making the Portal Podcast your first list in each and every day right here

on the nation's number one sports podcast and network locked on, we're going to be going

over the gauntlet of primary Midwest programs that I've a shot to make the playoff and a few

that are trying to get over the hall, William Hill, Iowa, Wisconsin, some of those programs

as well, but Ohio State, Michigan, they got a new coach and kind of winning him, got questions

about them, Notre Dame, can they keep it rolling?

Possibly.

I still have some questions about the Irish.

This is going to be a fun podcast.

Please chime in in the chat if you have any questions now or if you're listening or

watching this later, please comment down below.

So let's dive in with Midwest Recruiting and the first thing that I want to say is it

is always, regardless of what location in the country, about O-line, D-line, and quarterback

first and foremost.

If you do not secure those positions, you will fail.

It's no different for Indiana.

Look, they got the Heisman order, they helped develop this past year, it's going to be

the first pick in the draft, that matters.

And they also were very selective with the players that they took, including Pat Kubin

for Notre Dame as their starting center to help them win a national title.

So it's a balance, but O-line, D-line, and quarterback are the bottom line.

And I'm going to start with Ohio State, I've got questions for them, Michigan and Notre

Dame, and they will kind of go into Indiana too.

They're a very unique situation, because now they're one of the primary programs, they

just want to title.

Those are going to be the main four and we'll continue from there.

With the Ohio State Buck Outs, my three questions.

With Ryan Hartline no longer there, does Ohio State's wide receiver recruiting continue

to be a lead?

Look, Hartline wasn't a good recruiter for Ohio State, he was insanely good.

He might have been the best assistant recruiter in the nation.

Several players from around the country, California, Texas, Florida, et cetera, that had offers

from all their local major programs, and he took them.

Guys that are starting for the Seahawks, et cetera, like everybody that you can imagine that

one of these guys, Ohio State, would get them no matter what their depth chart was.

Hartline was the reason.

I think that's a really important question.

We'll get into their overall situation, but right now, Ohio State's not exactly hurting

in terms of their roster or what they've got committed, but you know what?

I think it's important to mention, again, you've had just such a dominant run.

If they don't get a couple of those kids every year, their program might change a little.

Number two, this past year, Ohio State certainly made it an emphasis.

What they do it again, OI and D1 are recruiting.

As past year, they had five offensive linemen and seven D1, including Carl Wilder, who I thought

was the best interior defense linemen, West of the Rockies, and maybe of the country.

And they also had Sam Greer, an in-state kid, as an offensive tackle that might challenge

for playing time this year.

He's awesome.

Can they back that up with another one if they do, then Ohio State's not really going anywhere.

Number three, this isn't really good year for the Midwest, especially in the trenches

in Chicago in particular.

Will the Buckeyes beat Michigan and Notre Dame for many of those top recruits?

Again, Chicago is really a big part of that, but Ohio, they want a few more guys out

of Ohio than what you might expect.

Will the Buckeyes reclaim that?

And they've done some good things in the state of Indiana recently too, in Monson sales

is an absolute dog.

White receiver out of Indianapolis is somebody on the radar, so that's another guy to think

about as well.

Him and I'd say just two or three other guys.

Indiana's a pretty prime state for the Buckeyes, obviously.

It's next to it.

Can they beat the Hoosiers in Alabama, etc. for sales?

So I think there's some pressure right now.

I really do.

I think there's some pressure on Ryan Day because Michigan went out and hired a real coach,

a real staff.

They had a really good class despite all the shenanigans off the field and they're picking

up some of the pieces.

They cannot lose to Michigan in year one, under what again, they just can't.

On top of that, recruiting is perception.

They're boosters, they're fans, they're going to want to know, hey, we're headed in the

right direction.

We got upset by Indiana, I should determine, okay, they want it.

We can't be behind Indiana and Michigan, that can't happen.

So I think there's a lot of pressure for the Buckeyes.

I think they'll answer the battle in general, but I still have a hard time seeing, hey,

White receiver recruiting being the same.

I'm not trying to be mean, but Heartline is now at USF as they had coach and good for

coach Heartline.

He's a nice guy.

I hope he does well.

Let's see what that happens because they're going to lose Jeremiah after this year.

Obviously, he's going to be a top five pick.

That's important.

And then secondarily, they're going to lose Brandon in us, too.

He's talked about a lot, but that's their slot receiver.

That'll be kind of the end of that little era of the key guys that got out of Florida.

Cardinal Tate was another kid that they'd side.

He's Chicago originally, but he played at IMG Academy and braided in Florida.

It's going to be harder to get a lot of those national kids without a heart.

He was a great recruiter.

I'm a great coach.

We'll see.

Now, let's talk about the Michigan Wolverines.

Does Michigan land its quarterback in the future?

Like him?

Well, potty.

He's the kid out of Utah who's committed Illinois.

I think he's visiting Notre Dame and or Michigan soon.

I can't remember the order, but there's a big push for him.

Illinois is trying to hold on to him.

Who is Michigan's future quarterback?

I think that's really important.

I'm not sure how Kyle and his staff are really going to use their offense, but I know they

want to run the quarterback a little bit.

I really get out of it.

He would be a good fit with the great Midwest D line group.

Does Michigan cash in over Ohio State Notre Dame and such?

Are you going to see this as a theme?

Is it'll be similar on my Notre Dame questions?

They already got one kid in state.

That's really good.

And he's a kid that could play for anybody.

A defensive in you.

So you've already secured him.

He committed last fall before the coaching switch.

Can they get a few more guys like that?

Possibly.

But if they don't, what happens?

Are they not going to be able to get over the hump?

I don't know.

Recorder kitchen is the player in question.

They've got five commitments to pretty good spot.

I think they could have a really good class overall.

But they need to have him if they can break new on class this last year.

Because Ohio State already has DJ Jacobs.

I met him recently at Under Armour in Carrollton, Georgia.

He's the normal player in the country.

He's committed to the buck guys.

You need to kind of keep up pay.

So that's going to be pretty interesting.

Ohio State, by the way, has nine commits.

Michigan's got five.

The next question.

And it is also a very, very important one for the Wolverines.

Does Michigan close the talent gap overall with Ohio State?

Just because you beat them recently,

doesn't mean you have as much talent as Ohio State.

Oh, I think needs another talent upgrade.

I talked about Wapati and some other guys.

They may be going after quarterback wise.

I don't know where that's going,

but they need to get a really good QB.

And overall, they just need a very balanced class.

They can't have holes.

In other words, can't have a class with one linebacker.

They lost their linebacker coach to Notre Dame.

These recruit some of those kids.

They recruit for Michigan now for the Irish.

Are they going to be able to go out

in half a balanced class?

That's very, very important.

Now, for the Notre Dame fighting Irish,

does Notre Dame dominate in Chicago?

There's about a better part of 10 players.

I think at Chicago this year that Notre Dame

could go out and sign and be happy with.

That's their home base of home bases.

I know it's across the state line,

but Chicago's got a really big pull for the Irish.

Can they win those battles?

There's numerous kids breaking parks.

This is one example.

Chris Zorch is his godfather.

He's famous Notre Dame player, all American.

And Notre Dame played the NFL with bears, et cetera.

I think they need to get two or three

of the key guys out of that city

if not four or five minimum.

Because this is the best year in Chicago

if probably the last 30 years.

If they don't get them, that means

you're going to open the door for Ohio State and Michigan.

Number two, will the Irish capitalized

on having CJ Carr one of the best players in the country

and a quarterback with the wheat wide receiver recruits?

There's a really good receiver in Chicago.

There's a few down south thereafter,

including Jewish Jones Jr. at St. Thomas Aquinas.

They're throwing it around.

Let's see what they can do.

I think they have to capitalize

because CJ is going to be in the Heisman race.

Even if they don't get a kid this spring summer

with CJ throwing around this fall,

they might be able to flip somebody

that's something to watch.

And number three, winning in warm weather states.

It's a little different from Notre Dame

than it is the others.

Being a private school with different kinds

of academics take recruit nationally,

they're going to have to win a few battles like they do

every year.

This is nothing unusual for Notre Dame fans.

That you're not the favorite.

The kid may not have known much about you.

Let me give you an example.

The wisdom didn't kid.

They just got, he's from Texas.

He didn't know what to talk about.

Notre Dame takes his first visit and commits.

Texas wanted it.

Texas tech wanted.

A&M Baylor, SME, all these schools were after him.

Takes one visit to Notre Dame and they get it.

You need to be able to do that in Georgia, in Florida,

in North Carolina, et cetera.

How many of those battles will they win?

I think it'll go pretty well for Notre Dame

in that regard to their class already.

By the way, it started off very, very well.

Notre Dame sits in eight commitments.

They got James Holter committed his dad

played at Notre Dame in the early 90s.

Big time offensive lineman at a Pittsburgh.

And they also got Xavier Hassan at a Cardinal Givens High School

down in Rowley, North Carolina.

I've seen him play a couple of Don Tees.

Really good, really physical player.

So they're off to a great start from all around the country.

But getting some of those skill guys

and maybe even D-Limon down south.

I mean, they got a defensive lineman out of Florida last year.

That's hard to do.

If you can do that, you can have another top five class.

Maybe even top two like they did this past year in 2026.

Now, when we come back, I want to talk about Indiana,

because that's a program that it's very difficult to project.

They're the anomaly of all anomalies.

They won the national title with fewer than 10

four star recruits out of high school.

That doesn't fit any measurement ever.

How do we grade the Hoosiers?

What is next for them?

And are they going to start taking recruits away

from Notre Dame and Michigan and Ohio State?

Maybe even Penn State.

It's possible.

We're going to talk about that next right here on the 4-Bot Guest.

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All right, let's talk a little bit about Indiana.

This is a wild scenario.

I still don't know how great this,

and I don't know anybody does.

You win a national title by being very selective

with the portal and hitting on just about everybody.

Their hit rate is there's nothing like it,

including Fernando Mendoza.

Hand full of transfers really worked out

at receiver, D-line, linebacker, whatever they did.

It worked.

That eight holdovers from their original portal class

that they brought in the JMU kids

or 13, eight of them were back last year,

if I remember correctly.

They all continued to be leaders and getting even better.

And finally, that team chemistry was great.

So how do you grade that when you just talk about raw talent

and now kind of switching it up

and going towards high school recruit?

Should Indiana not do that?

They signed 22 kids this past year,

still not in a week class by any means,

but this should be the class that really takes a step forward.

And to that, I've got a few questions about Indiana.

Are you gonna get five or six of the elite kids

that the Michigan's and Notre Dame's, et cetera,

and want in the Midwest?

Some of those kids from Chicago, Cincinnati, et cetera.

They got one, I'll talk about him momentarily.

But if you don't, are you gonna get them nationally?

They've got some history with Sydney,

coached at Alabama, he's coached in Virginia, he's coached in PA.

They're different spots.

Maybe any one of those could be a possibility.

But overall, are you gonna get the elite prospects?

Number two, you set a standard this past year.

I mean, they had four offensive linemen

and six defensive linemen.

And then they went and got four defensive linemen

in the quarter plus Joe Brunner,

the offensive linemen for Wisconsin.

So you did a great job there.

Now can kind of like with Michigan and Ohio State Notre Dame,

can you back it up and just have a plethora of linemen ready?

There was no way around it.

linemen are in one area where it's harder to get kids

and to have that depth and when you don't, you get balanced.

I'm not saying Indiana couldn't make a run,

not doing it exactly that way,

but you're probably gonna mitigate your concerns

about falling back to the pack

if you continued bringing in linemen the way they did

this all season.

Their poor class was really good.

Joshua Brunner, Brunner, excuse me from Notre Dame,

they got the DN's, both of them, from Kansas State.

They bring in a kid from Tulsa at Nose Guard.

They did a great job, just a great job.

If they could start getting just a couple of kids,

do you mind wise, they're really good every year?

Out of the high school ranks,

same with the offensive linemen, they would be set.

So Monson, a Torburt kid,

out of Cincinnati, Princeton,

their best recruit right now,

they got four guys pledged.

They need to hit in-state.

It's a really good year in the state of Indiana.

Indianapolis in particular is up even more than normal.

Monson sales is probably the most important guy

on their board.

He's a special receiver, 6'4 1,210, 10 plus inch hands.

Alabama wants to do Miami wants to do Ohio State, et cetera.

Let's see if Indiana could take that next step.

I like their class so far.

It's got four guys, they're good players,

but are they gonna get the linemen?

Are they gonna hit on a few national guys?

I think it's really important that they do,

because you're not gonna get this all the time.

Devonta Hugen, by the way,

is a guy out of Sarasota that I think is gonna play early.

Depends on linemen, 2026 kid, watch out for him.

Penn State, they don't have any commitments.

Is that gonna change?

They've got a big recruiting weekend coming up,

and in-state recruiting is a must,

but Matt came on his staff,

I've had a ton of guys on campus.

I think they're a very important program to the Big 10

to get them rolling, but they got roughly 40 or 50 kids

from Iowa State, it's insane.

I would imagine the Penn State fans are getting a little nervous.

I'm not too worried if we get about it

in three weeks from now, they don't have any commitments.

I'll be nervous, because you're going through

your spring visits with all these kids coming to practice.

If they don't get somebody,

come like Notre Dame got the wisdom to get

from this weekend that a bunch of kids don't get.

You should get somebody in the first week or so

after those visits.

If Penn State doesn't have somebody

by April 15th, we can talk about concern.

I'm still not that worried, but my biggest questions

are you gonna get in the lead quarterback?

I think they're in the position to do so.

They're in on a couple of guys.

Are you gonna get the Lyman in-state?

They've been getting hammered by Michigan

and Ohio State and Notre Dame.

And now Indiana's gonna be a problem too,

especially in Ohio and Pennsylvania probably.

Penn State needs to hit there,

but in-states where it starts,

will Campbell adjust to that?

He's gonna recruit the state of Illinois and Wisconsin

in Iowa and Kansas.

Even Oklahoma, North Texas, that's fine,

but they've got to win New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia,

Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky.

Those states that are at least somewhat close to them,

they've got to win some more battles in those areas.

I don't know where to go with this,

but this is an important year.

Again, Indiana's coming on.

That's why I brought them up before Penn State.

Let's see what happens.

Wisconsin, they've got four kids committed,

including Corps Logan, one of the better tight ends

of the country, InstaKid, Isaac Miller,

Defense of Lyman might grow into a defense attack.

He's a defensive fan right now.

Wood Pickles group, they started out better.

Four commits, InstaKids are doing better.

Can they start getting the playmakers outside?

They've done a little better.

They've got more NIL.

I like the trajectory right now,

and they went and got Colt Joseph out of the portal

that will help.

They should win more this year.

They should be a seven win team anyway.

Let's see, but at the same time,

there's pressure on him to win this year.

There cannot be any more, quote unquote,

waiting around in Madison.

They've got to get it done, man.

That's a program that shouldn't have a ton of problems

winning, but then again, maybe they will.

Iowa, I'm just going to bring it up.

At what point does coach parents have

some issues getting recruits because of his age?

We thought he might have retired a couple of years ago.

And he keeps on going, which is good for him.

He's still a great football coach.

Are they going to be able to get more recruits?

And by the way, Penn State's,

are we going to get a little slag all it sounds like?

Maybe the best offense of my men's state of Iowa.

Obviously, well, you got Matt Campbell over there,

trying to steal kids from the area that he's familiar with.

They need to have a good year recruiting.

Was Constance kind of on the way back up?

Minnesota is better.

Illinois is better than they have been.

By the way, congrats to them.

They've got a nice program.

And of course, Indiana is.

It makes it harder for Iowa.

It's one of the reasons I brought this up.

I think Iowa is in a very peculiar situation.

Some of the programs that were around you

that were down in Nebraska should be up some too

are all up a little bit.

Big two in less is getting better,

even produced better than what they've been.

It's a very important year for Iowa.

Let's see if they can get a quarterback.

Can they win some of those linemen battles?

I've always just found a way to kill it in Chicago

with some linemen that nobody else wanted.

It ends up being all big 10.

They evaluate as well as anybody.

Total hats off to that staff for 20 plus years

of doing that.

But it's going to be harder now.

Illinois is good.

Wisconsin's got more NIL money.

Indiana is doing kids.

That's going to be different.

By the way, Indiana's quarterback recruit.

He's from the Chicago area.

Everybody's recruiting that spot.

And that was used to be Illinois in Notre Dame,

just a few schools, right?

Iowa was another one kind of snuck in there.

But Penn State's going to hit it more now.

Indiana is going to have more cash.

Obviously, Michigan or high state can recruit anywhere.

I think it's going to be more difficult for Iowa.

And you might see them drop off a little bit, especially

as first career kind of winds down.

Finally, Louisville.

They've already got a couple of defensive linemen

committed.

They've got a stud that's committed

from the local ranks.

That's a corner.

That's a big time player.

Let's see what this kid's name is.

I got a rim down here.

Alan Evans, he's at Louisville Trinity.

He's a traditional great program, top 150 kind of guy.

You're off to a good start.

They got eight guys committed.

I was just got three and they're all in state kid, including

Gavin Stacker.

But like, can Louisville get over the top though?

I've talked about it several times during the show today

with offensive and defensive linemen.

They got two pretty good D-Limemen committed.

They're in on a couple of other guys.

I know one of the guys from Kerrwood Day,

down at Tampa, some of my buddies that coach

they were talking about, Louisville's been all in.

But if you're not able to get the linemen,

you're still just going to be stuck in that purgatory

of like six to eight wins, because at the end of the day,

the certain teams that we know who they are,

that you play, they're going to have better linemen

than you most of the time unless that goes up a notch.

Especially O-Lim.

They've got to do better there.

But I think that Brahm does a great job with this program

and most likely, I guarantee, but most likely, at this point,

you would think the NIL and everything they have,

they could start getting a few more offensive linemen too.

Got a couple of good D-Limemen in this class.

It's possible, but that's the difference maker.

You're not going to out-skine him.

You're not going to out-coaching all the little things,

but you're still going to have the Jimmy's and the Joe's

to get over the top, so we'll see.

When we come back, we're going to dive into the chat

a little bit.

We're going to talk a little bit about big box

with recruiting, what's coming up.

That is next right here on the 405 guest.

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Let's get into the chat and have a little bit of fun.

See what everybody's got going on today.

What's going on, Salty?

I'm glad you're in the, oh wow,

what's like, Salty had a little problem today.

I'm stuck in LAX with delayed bags, pray for me.

Rather, there's no pray in an LAX,

that's not a good spot to be.

Which is the bigger coaching loss

in his position.

That line on Ohio State, or Mickens Notre Dame,

I say, heartline, because I've never seen anybody

recruit at one spot like he has,

a week kid after a week kid there.

All the Mickens pretty close.

There's two of the best recruiters in the country.

Salty, how much faith should players have

at their position coach, coordinator or head coach

will be there as long as they are zero.

Never believe that.

You better be careful what you ask for.

How often have you heard of coaches

who recruit even though they are now,

know that they are going to leave,

they don't do things like that in the Midwest, do that.

Now, if you're leaving, you can usually see it.

Why would you prepare for your future

or for your future somewhere else?

It's usually pretty obvious.

For Michigan, how much trouble will the coaches have?

Innery, a recruiting recruitment area

where they don't have long term contracts?

That's interesting, but the Michigan brand sells.

I think Detroit, Cleveland, Toledo,

Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend,

Corridor to Chicago, any of those areas they'll be fine

because it's Michigan.

Where I'm more concerned about Michigan

is when they recruit in Ohio,

like Central Ohio, Southern Ohio,

against Ohio State.

They used to win a lot of those battles.

They have a one as many lately,

but now those coaches don't know that area.

That's not as good.

They've got a supplement for at least for now.

Utah, Arizona, California, Texas, Colorado.

And that's fine, they probably will.

But they also need to still be Ohio State

for some kids in their backyard.

Salty, is it better to lock up a recruiting class early or late,

early means the poachers know the number they have to be?

It depends on the kid.

Some kids they just want to be done with it.

I spoke to a big time safety the other day,

told me it wasn't about money.

He just wants to find the right fit for him,

go through the process.

OK, some kids that is about the number.

So everybody, it depends.

Katie, Ohio State, why does receiver recruiting

has always been a week to look back through history?

It's been really good, but the stuff that

heartlines none is retarded.

I mean, it's just insanity.

Like he gets pretty much a top five guy every year.

And he signed argue with the best receiver

multiple times out of the high school ranks.

Even though they're going to have to wait,

because they don't rotate receiving us.

It's insane.

It's just insane.

Notre Dame took two of Ohio State receivers.

My one grand will play immediately or very soon.

I think that both those guys will play really early.

We'll see.

But I think the fact that heartlines gone

is part of the reason they transferred.

Katie, I don't know if anybody closes the gap with Notre

Dame as long as Freeman is head coach.

I think Notre Dame's depth chart is pretty good.

As long as he stays there, they'll be top five roster.

Is there any academic progress rule?

That's a good question.

If I had transferred as many times as some of these portal

players, I'd still be a fourth year freshman.

There is no way some of these transfers are progressive.

I think they're just making some of these schools

within the universities or colleges within these are

past the credits.

I do because of that.

I agree.

Katie, yes, I agree, man.

That's that's kind of scary.

Katie, Indiana now has the high profile.

It takes to attract the lead high school recruits.

They do, but you have to capitalize if you don't, you will fail.

Never thought I'd agree with on anything with Tommy

Tupperville, but the legislation he just

introduced in the Senate is sorely needed.

I'd add a cap on how many portal players of school

can take in each window.

I'd set a limit of five for school.

There's no way it's ever going to be five, Katie.

25 would probably be about the lowest number,

because everybody's looking to transfer.

There just wouldn't be enough because the kids have

the ability to leave.

I don't think you can do that because the kids would sue you

that I don't have a place to go.

I don't think that's going to work.

By the way, Clemson recruiting is on fire, Davo.

We'll be back.

I need to see how they do with quarterback.

I don't know if they've got a quarterback, which

means everything.

Her cane chicks, Midwest kids are starting

to go a little more national.

That is true.

That is true.

Miami's the tackles of Chicago kid.

One of their deans is Chicago kid.

It is a little different than it used to be.

Some of the guys down south have always come up,

because there's just more players down there.

But it could be a scenario where we see more players

from up north, because there's more familiarity

with the internet and having your cell phone everywhere.

It is possible.

Very, very much possible.

Thank you, folks, very much for checking out

the Portal podcast.

I appreciate it.

Love doing these live shows.

There are a lot of fun for me.

I think that Michigan and Ohio State

that recruiting battles are going to be fun this year.

Indiana coming back into the season in a favor again

to possibly win the national title.

I don't know.

It's hard to grade them.

But how do they recruit?

Is there a possibility they really

get monster sales?

Maybe the best receiver in the country?

Is there a chance that Notre Dame wins out in Chicago?

There's a lot of really neat Midwest pieces

that you got teams like Iowa that coach at the end of his road

that's constant trying to make some inroads

to get back to the top of the Big Ten.

This is fun.

I like talking about this.

We'll do something with the South on Friday.

Have some fun with it.

This has been the Portal podcast.

Thank you very much.

We will see you again soon.

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