Concerns for OSU, UCLA as CU loses blue chippers

The Hotline is delighted to provide Pac-12 fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on Nov. 30 …

December (dates) to remember

The NCAA’s recruiting dead period ended at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday — for the next 17 days, the contact period is in effect.

That means college coaches can not only visit high schools and attend games but also start taking in-home visits. More importantly, they can snap pictures with recruits in front of their Christmas trees and lock up their 2024 recruiting classes.

In reality, coaches are more likely to be looking at prospects in the 2025 and 2026 classes — and potentially 2027, too. So much of the heavy lifting for ’24 is already done.

The next three weekends will be open for official visits. The dead period returns on Dec. 18 and runs through Jan. 11.

OSU’s uncertain landscape

Oregon State lost two commitments in the wake of coach Jonathan Smith’s departure to Michigan State.

Three-star offensive tackle Payton Stewart, a Washington native who had flipped to the Beavers after Northwestern, his original preference, fired Pat Fitzgerald, has re-opened his recruitment.

Three-star Florida athlete Andrew Brinson also opened his recruitment on the heels of the departure of OSU running backs coach Keith Bhonapha, who’s headed with Smith to Michigan State.

As if the Beavers weren’t already facing enough questions about their future and an uncertain conference situation, their top-rated pledge in 2024, Under Armour All-American offensive lineman Rustin Young, said he may push back his signing until February as he waits to see who the Beavers hire to coach the front.

The promotion of defensive coordinator Trent Bray to head coach should answer some questions, and several key assistants are expected to stay in Corvallis. But the Beavers didn’t need any more issues hanging over the program.

UCLA: tense times ahead?

Whereas OSU is struggling to lock down recruits after Smith’s departure, UCLA’s decision to retain Chip Kelly could help the Bruins keep their class together for 2024. But the likelihood of Kelly being a lame duck next season certainly won’t help the Bruins with their 2025 class.

UCLA already recruits fewer high school players than any school in the current Pac-12. Now, with the Bruins being criticized for retaining Kelly, recruiting probably won’t be successful over the next year.

While Kelly prefers transfers to high school players, even that approach could be fraught. The Bruins sputtered down the stretch, losing three of their final four games. Two of the defeats were at home, in front of recruits, to sub-.500 opponents.

CU gains one, loses three

It was a rough November for the darlings of September.

At one point, Colorado was the hottest team in college football. But the 3-0 start turned into a 4-8 season, and the Buffaloes have lost three commitments from their 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes in the past week.

Things looked like they were trending in the right direction when four-star Georgia prospect Kamron Mikell, the No. 4 athlete in the country in 2024, committed to the Buffaloes on Thanksgiving Day.

But CU started to bleed recruits over the weekend — first Georgia quarterback Antwann Hill, the No. 5 passer in the 2025 class, then three-star Florida running back Jamarice Wilder.