On the surface, it feels pretty bad, because we don't have, and never really had at any time recently, any West-Coast recruiting presence, so I can't imagine we will benefit much on the recruiting trail out in California from this move. Plus, USC adds another blueblood school to the conference, who already had nationwide appeal and will now have a more direct connection to Midwestern recruits. That can only lead to further thinning out of the talent pool for the middle and low-tier conference schools in a region that isn't amazingly talent-rich to begin with.
Additionally, I worry that IU's almost entirely Southern recruiting pipeline, which has been good for us, might become a problem. We don't have much of a Eastern Seaboard or West Coast presence, it doesn't seem like, and now our best recruiting ground is going to become the only part of the country left that is solidly outside the Big Ten's sphere of influence or appeal. I worry that the SEC hold and pull on recruits' minds down South will only get stronger if the SEC pushes to get to 20 as the rumors suggest, presumably by cannibalizing the ACC's strongest programs. And if it does, what will that do to our chances in the states where Allen's connections to coaches and schools are the most fruitful?
Additionally, I worry that IU's almost entirely Southern recruiting pipeline, which has been good for us, might become a problem. We don't have much of a Eastern Seaboard or West Coast presence, it doesn't seem like, and now our best recruiting ground is going to become the only part of the country left that is solidly outside the Big Ten's sphere of influence or appeal. I worry that the SEC hold and pull on recruits' minds down South will only get stronger if the SEC pushes to get to 20 as the rumors suggest, presumably by cannibalizing the ACC's strongest programs. And if it does, what will that do to our chances in the states where Allen's connections to coaches and schools are the most fruitful?
