Indiana University Athletics
Wilson Building Future With January Recruiting
1/15/2016 2:35:00 PM | Football
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - With a new 6-year, $15.3 million contract in tow, Kevin Wilson briefly returned to Bloomington this week before hitting the road for the final push prior to National Signing Day on February 3.
The week after the national championship game annually starts one final, hectic stretch of recruiting where head coaches across the nation work to hold onto verbal commits and land new ones.
Wilson was addressed the media on Wednesday on a variety of topics after spending time at the national coaches convention in Texas. When the clock struck midnight later Wednesday night, the open recruiting period began and battling for commitments became the top priority.
"It's all about recruiting," Wilson said. "We've worked hard. We've battled down the stretch pretty hard. We've got a lot of fighting to go. Recruiting crank(ed) up (Thursday). We'll start seeing kids face to face. This contract allows us to continue to bring in more talent."
Though he doesn't invest too much stock into what recruiting services have to say, Wilson has gone out of his way to point out that Indiana's signing classes have gotten stronger on paper over time since his staff arrived in Bloomington.
Part of that comes from stability, which Wilson's new contract continues to build.
"This is a commitment to our recruits," he said of the extension. "The hardest thing about this job is recruiting."
Wilson can't publicly comment on players until the school receives their National Letters of Intent, but he said Indiana is in a similar spot to where it has been at this point of the year with work left to go. He said his staff recruits slowly by design in order to earn trust with upper-level players rather than signing to fill up scholarships right away.
The 2015 class was built as one of the most skilled classes Wilson said he's signed, but the 2016 class is expected to be built around larger, longer bodies like linemen and linebackers. The Hoosiers defensive front alone is losing three starters in Darius Latham (NFL Draft), Nick Mangieri (graduation) and Zack Shaw (graduation).
"We need some length and big bodies down the stretch," Wilson said. "We need a couple of skill guys. Last year we took 13 skill guys, and it was the best skilled class we've ever signed. This year we need to find some of those tight end-outside linebacker types. It would be nice to get a solid core."
Where those players ultimately come from will be decided in the next few weeks, but Wilson said Indiana remains one of his top priorities. Recent history has shown IU's staff to also have success in nearby states like Ohio and southern states like Florida, where Wilson recruited during his time at Oklahoma.
"When we recruit, we start in our backyard. We always have," Wilson said. "There are a lot of good players in this state. We want them. This contract gives us a chance."
Wilson pointed out that Indiana has had three All-Americans and three players leave early for the NFL in the last two seasons. Offensively, the Hoosiers just graduated a quarterback, Nate Sudfeld, who set a number of single-season school records and is statistically the best passer in program history despite starting only one full season.
His point being that player development and talent has taken a steady rise over the last few seasons thanks, in part, to recruiting.
Where it goes next should be decided over this final stretch run.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - With a new 6-year, $15.3 million contract in tow, Kevin Wilson briefly returned to Bloomington this week before hitting the road for the final push prior to National Signing Day on February 3.
The week after the national championship game annually starts one final, hectic stretch of recruiting where head coaches across the nation work to hold onto verbal commits and land new ones.
Wilson was addressed the media on Wednesday on a variety of topics after spending time at the national coaches convention in Texas. When the clock struck midnight later Wednesday night, the open recruiting period began and battling for commitments became the top priority.
"It's all about recruiting," Wilson said. "We've worked hard. We've battled down the stretch pretty hard. We've got a lot of fighting to go. Recruiting crank(ed) up (Thursday). We'll start seeing kids face to face. This contract allows us to continue to bring in more talent."
Though he doesn't invest too much stock into what recruiting services have to say, Wilson has gone out of his way to point out that Indiana's signing classes have gotten stronger on paper over time since his staff arrived in Bloomington.
Part of that comes from stability, which Wilson's new contract continues to build.
"This is a commitment to our recruits," he said of the extension. "The hardest thing about this job is recruiting."
Wilson can't publicly comment on players until the school receives their National Letters of Intent, but he said Indiana is in a similar spot to where it has been at this point of the year with work left to go. He said his staff recruits slowly by design in order to earn trust with upper-level players rather than signing to fill up scholarships right away.
The 2015 class was built as one of the most skilled classes Wilson said he's signed, but the 2016 class is expected to be built around larger, longer bodies like linemen and linebackers. The Hoosiers defensive front alone is losing three starters in Darius Latham (NFL Draft), Nick Mangieri (graduation) and Zack Shaw (graduation).
"We need some length and big bodies down the stretch," Wilson said. "We need a couple of skill guys. Last year we took 13 skill guys, and it was the best skilled class we've ever signed. This year we need to find some of those tight end-outside linebacker types. It would be nice to get a solid core."
Where those players ultimately come from will be decided in the next few weeks, but Wilson said Indiana remains one of his top priorities. Recent history has shown IU's staff to also have success in nearby states like Ohio and southern states like Florida, where Wilson recruited during his time at Oklahoma.
"When we recruit, we start in our backyard. We always have," Wilson said. "There are a lot of good players in this state. We want them. This contract gives us a chance."
Wilson pointed out that Indiana has had three All-Americans and three players leave early for the NFL in the last two seasons. Offensively, the Hoosiers just graduated a quarterback, Nate Sudfeld, who set a number of single-season school records and is statistically the best passer in program history despite starting only one full season.
His point being that player development and talent has taken a steady rise over the last few seasons thanks, in part, to recruiting.
Where it goes next should be decided over this final stretch run.
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