NCAA Football Decommitments in 2009--Winners and Losers
NCAA Division I Team Decommitments Benefiters Total Head Coach Final Rivals Rank
Auburn 11 4 -7 Chizik 19
Michigan 9 2 -7 Rodriquez 7
Tennessee 12 5 -7 Kiffin 16
Rutgers 7 1 -6 Schiano 38
Tulsa 8 2 -6 Graham 56
Clemson 7 2 -5 Swinney 37
Miami-OH 7 2 -5 Haywood 92
Florida 5 1 -4 Meyer 10
Mississippi State 5 1 -4 Mullen 23
Bowling Green 4 1 -3 Clawson 101
Colorado State 4 1 -3 Fairchild 94
Iowa State 5 2 -3 Rhoads 77
Kansas State 4 1 -3 Snyder 74
Texas A&M 4 1 -3 Sherman 22
Boston College 3 1 -2 Spaziani 63
Cincinnati 2 0 -2 Kelly 59
Eastern Michigan 2 0 -2 English 124
LSU 5 3 -2 Miles 2
Nevada 2 0 -2 n/a 108
Ohio State 3 1 -2 Tressel 3
Oklahoma 3 1 -2 Stoops 13
Army 1 0 -1 Ellerson 97
Boise State 1 0 -1 n/a 68
Florida Atlantic 1 0 -1 n/a 122
Georgia Tech 4 3 -1 Johnson 49
Indiana 2 1 -1 Lynch 58
Louisville 2 1 -1 n/a 73
Marshall 1 0 -1 n/a 91
Nebraska 2 1 -1 Pelini 28
North Texas State 2 1 -1 n/a 96
Oregon 1 0 -1 Bellotti 32
Purdue 1 0 -1 Hope 65
San Jose State 1 0 -1 n/a 109
South Florida 3 2 -1 Leavitt 29
Temple 1 0 -1 n/a 99
Texas-El Paso 1 0 -1 n/a 95
UNLV 1 0 -1 n/a 79
USC 2 1 -1 Carroll 4
Wake Forest 2 1 -1 Grob 62
Washington 4 3 -1 Sarkisian 88
Washington State 1 0 -1 Wulff 85
Western Michigan 1 0 -1 Cubit 82
Wisconsin 1 0 -1 Bielema 43
Air Force 0 0 0 n/a 115
Alabama-Birmingham 1 2 0 n/a 60
Arizona 1 1 0 Stoops 45
Arizona State 0 0 0 Erickson 30
Ball State 0 0 0 Parrish 98
Buffalo 0 0 0 n/a 111
BYU 0 0 0 n/a 50
Central Florida 2 2 0 n/a 72
East Carolina 1 1 0 Holtz 89
Florida International 1 1 0 n/a 90
Fresno State 0 0 0 n/a 106
Hawaii 4 4 0 McMackin 81
Idaho 1 1 0 n/a 117
Kansas 3 3 0 Mangino 32
Kent State 0 0 0 n/a 70
Kentucky 2 2 0 Brooks 41
Louisiana-Lafayette 0 0 0 n/a 127
Louisiana-Monroe 1 1 0 n/a 105
Memphis State 1 1 0 n/a 64
Navy 0 0 0 n/a 119
New Mexico State 0 0 0 Walker 107
North Carolina 1 1 0 Davis 9
Northern Illinois 0 0 0 n/a 83
Northwestern 0 0 0 Fitzgerald 55
Ohio University 1 1 0 n/a 103
Oregon State 0 0 0 n/a 53
Pittsburgh 0 0 0 Wannstedt 47
San Diego State 0 0 0 Hoke 112
Southern Mississippi 1 1 0 Fedora 54
Syracuse 2 2 0 Marrone 113
Texas 0 0 0 Brown 5
Troy State 1 1 0 n/a 75
Utah State 0 0 0 n/a 102
Virginia 1 1 0 Groh 33
Virginia Tech 1 1 0 Beamer 24
West Virginia 1 1 0 Stewart 27
Wyoming 1 1 0 Christensen 78
Akron 1 2 1 n/a 80
Arkansas 3 4 1 Petrino 17
Central Michigan 0 1 1 Jones 87
Connecticut 0 1 1 Edsall 67
Illinois 2 3 1 Zook 35
Louisiana Tech 0 1 1 n/a 84
Maryland 0 1 1 Friedgen 26
Miami-Florida 2 3 1 Shannon 11
Missouri 0 2 1 Pinkel 40
New Mexico 1 2 1 Locksley 114
North Carolina State 0 1 1 O'Brien 51
Notre Dame 2 3 1 Weis 21
Southern Methodist 0 1 1 Jones 76
Stanford 2 3 1 Harbaugh 20
Vanderbilt 0 1 1 Johnson 66
Alabama 0 2 2 Saban 1
Arkansas State 1 3 2 n/a 104
Colorado 2 4 2 Hawkins 48
Florida State 1 3 2 Bowden 6
Houston 2 4 2 n/a 61
Iowa 2 4 2 Ferentz 69
Middle Tennessee State 0 2 2 n/a 108
Minnesota 1 3 2 Brewster 39
Rice 1 3 2 n/a 71
TCU 1 3 2 Patterson 46
Texas Tech 3 5 2 Leach 33
Toledo 2 4 2 Beckman 93
Utah 0 2 2 Whittingham 44
Western Kentucky 1 3 2 Elson 100
Baylor 1 4 3 Briles 57
California 1 4 3 Tedford 41
Duke 1 4 3 Cutcliffe 50
Georgia 0 3 3 Richt 8
Michigan State 0 3 3 Dantonio 15
Tulane 0 3 3 Toledo 86
UCLA 2 6 4 Neuhisel 14
Oklahoma State 1 6 5 Gundy 36
Penn State 0 5 5 Paterno 25
South Carolina 3 8 5 Spurrier 12
Mississippi 3 9 6 Nutt 18

Coaching changes are a natural reason for a recruit to reconsider their choice; however, when decommitments are due to accepting a commitment for the sake of hoping the recruit will stick or committing for the wrong reasons, there may be a coaching problem. There may also be an ethics question on the recruits behalf based on what coaches have said, and what they perceive as truths or mistruths from the coach. It appears that based on the data, the worst coaches in terms of decommitments in 2009 were Rodriquez (Michigan), Schiano (Rutgers), Graham (Tulsa) and Meyer (Florida) without a coaching change. The decommitments with coaching changes that have had the largest effect appear to be Auburn (Chizek), Tennessee (Kniffin), Clemson (Sweeney), Iowa State (Rhods), Miami-OH (Haywood), Mississippi State (Mullen) and Kansas State. The largest benefactors of the decommitments appear to be Mississippi (Nutt), Oklahoma State (Gundy), Penn State (Paterno), South Carolina (Spurrier), UCLA (Neuhisel), Georgia (Richt), California (Tedford), Michigan State (Dantonio) and Baylor (Briles). Data was obtained from ESPN on February 20, 2009. When one considers how national recruiting is done and the unethical issues that predominently are a problem in the South, SEC-ACC-Big 12 conferences, it is no wonder there are so many decommitments. Every year there are Southern schools signing more than they should, and the NCAA continues to allow this unethical approach because it is "within the rules." Certainly, this unethical approach contributes to decommitments and players wanting to visit to "feed their egos" that are already over-inflated. If the NCAA and conferences wanted to get serious about this problem, they would come up with a rule that would forbid an "official visit" unless they player provided proof to the university that they were eligible through the NCAA Clearninghouse by test score and core grade point average. The 25 per year limit with oversigning by 3 for greyshirting should be monitored more stringently be conferences and university institutions. We should never see schools publicly reporting 29-39 signees.
Worst Violator Signees Unethical Coach
Troy State 39 Larry Blakeney
Mississippi 38 Houston Nutt
Arkansas 31 Bobby Petrino
Kansas State 30 Bill Snyder
Central Michigan 30 Butch Jones
Alabama 29 Slick Nick Saban
South Florida 29 Jim Leavitt
Hawaii 29 Greg McMackin
Baylor 29 Art Briles

Oversigning

There were over 220 Division I Football decommitments during the 2008-2009 recruiting season, and the season ends on April 1, 2009. This means over approximately 2764 Division I signees, there are about 8% recruits who may change their mind due to coaching changes and/or other factors.

Decommitments
Recruit Signed School Pledged School Reason(s)
Aboushi, Oday Virginia Boston College n/a
Allen, Dominique LSU Tennessee Coaching Change
Anderson, Rishard Syracuse Wake Forest n/a
Atchison, Jonathan Alabama Auburn Coaching Change
Axon, Ben South Carolina Clemson Coaching Change
Barlow, Neal Arkansas Kansas n/a
Barnes, Jordan Oklahoma State Michigan Rodriquez
Barrent, David Michigan State Iowa Ferentz
Beaver, Shadrovick Tulsa Michigan Rodriquez
Beshears, D.J. Kansas Iowa State Coaching Change
Blake, Byron Arkansas State Louisiana-Lafayette n/a
Blake, Emory Auburn Texas Tech Leach
Bodtmann, Shawn n/a Nebraska Reneged on offer
Boffeli, Coner Iowa Iowa State Coaching Change
Bonner, Donovan Missouri Colorado State Coaching Change
Boucher, Austin Miami-OH Toledo n/a
Bowie, Michael Oklahoma State Texas Tech Leach
Boyd, Tajh Clemson Tennessee Coaching Change
Brandt, Jake Akron Miami-OH Coaching Change
Brazinski, Mark California Rutgers Schiano
Breckenridge, Kalani Hawaii Idaho n/a
Brown, Josh Iowa Troy State n/a
Brown, Michael Mississippi Texas A&M Coaching Change
Brown, Sharman Louisiana Tech Colorado State Coaching Change
Bunche, Malcolm Miami-FL Rutgers Schiano
Burns, Ray TCU Tulsa Graham
Bush, Malcolm Rutgers Rutgers Schiano
Butterfield, Phillip Arkansas State Tulsa Graham
Campbell, Will Michigan Michigan Rodriquez
Carter, Michael Minnesota West Virginia n/a
Carter-Samuels, Austyn Wyoming San Jose State n/a
Chelf, Clint Oklahoma State Tulsa Graham
Chroniger, Tom n/a Eastern Michigan Coaching Change
Cisneros, Grant n/a Washington Coaching Change
Cloud, Ty Houston Kansas n/a
Coleman, Deandre California Washington Coaching Change
Coleman, Terrence Auburn Auburn Coaching Change
Collins, Jamie Southern Mississippi Auburn Coaching Change
Conner, David Alabama-Birmingham Auburn Coaching Change
Cook, Darwin West Virginia Cincinnati Kelly
Corley, Rueben Memphis State Memphis State n/a
Cotton, Raymond Mississippi Auburn Coaching Change
D'Anguliar, Grant n/a Arkansas n/a
Dennis, Demond Troy State Georgia Tech Coaching Change
Difton, Dwayne Connecticut South Florida Leavitt
Drake, Richard Middle Tennessee St. Toledo n/a
Drew, John Duke Georgia Tech Coaching Change
Drone, Denzell Michigan State Western Kentucky n/a
Drummond, Craig Illinois Illinois Zook
Dugat, A.J. Houston TCU n/a
Dunbar, James TCU Tulsa Graham
Edwards, Tyrell Virginia Tech Virginia Tech n/a
Equae, Nosa Auburn Colorado n/a
Evans, Shaquelle Notre Dame USC Carroll
Farms, Johnnie North Carolina South Carolina Spurrier
Farr, Sean Louisville Akron n/a
Fatinikum, T.J. Toledo Bowling Green Coaching Change
Fellows, Melvin Ohio State Illinois Zook
Fera, Anthony Penn State Michigan Rodriquez
Ferrell, Willie Mississippi LSU Miles
Finklea, Erik Miami-OH Miami-OH n/a
Fitzpatrick, Austin North Texas State Florida Atlantic n/a
Flanders, Tim Kansas State Tulsa n/a
Flax, Keenan Houston North Texas State n/a
Flores, Nico Central Florida Western Michigan n/a
Forbes, Enrico Baylor Texas A&M Coaching Change
Ford, Will Texas Tech Oklahoma Stoops
Foster, Antonio Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Coaching Change
Gaddis, Kevin Rice Wyoming n/a
Gainer, Jeremy Michigan State Indiana Lynch
Gamble, Keivon SMU Tulsa Graham
Garrett, Chris LSU Mississippi State Coaching Change
Gillislee, Mike Florida Florida Meyer
Givens, Darrell Penn State Ohio State Tressel
Graves, David Hawaii Nevada n/a
Graves, Pearlie Texas Tech Michigan Rodriquez
Green, James Tennessee South Florida Leavitt
Green, Justin Illinois Ohio State n/a
Green, Shayon Miami-FL Purdue n/a
Gresham, Chaun South Carolina Georgia Tech Coaching Change
Grymes, Aaron Idaho Washington n/a
Harrell, Tyler Iowa Bowling Green Coaching Change
Harris, Josh Wake Forest Wake Forest n/a
Hasiak, Stan UCLA California Recommitment
Hasiak, Stan California UCLA Neuhisel
Hervey, James Western Kentucky Georgia Southern n/a
Hill, Stephan Georgia Tech Central Florida n/a
Hodges, Gerald Penn State Rutgers Schiano
Hollingsworth, Josh Furman Mississippi State Coaching Change
Hollomon, Devonte South Carolina Clemson Coaching Change
House, Bryant TCU Tulsa Graham
Hunter, D.J. n/a Tennessee Coaching Change
Hurst, Demontre Oklahoma Oklahoma State n/a
Jackson, Diante Colorado Oregon Belloti
Jackson, Janzen Tennessee LSU n/a
Jacques, Steven South Florida Auburn Coaching Change
Janisch, Bobby Rice Texas A&M Coaching Change
Jason, Payten Tulane Mississippi Nutt
Jeffrey, Demario South Carolina Clemson Coaching Change
Jiles, Jarvis South Carolina Tennessee Coaching Change
Johnson, Jermaine Miami-FL Auburn Coaching Change
Johnson, Josh n/a Kansas State Coaching Change
Johnson, Ricky Tulsa Arkansas n/a
Jones, Darius Baylor Oklahoma Stoops
Jones, DeQuinta Arkansas Michigan Rodriquez
Jones, Justin East Carolina Kentucky Brooks
Kasa, Nick Colorado Florida Meyer
Kersey, Shawney Penn State Rutgers Schiano
Klemm, Nick Maryland Boston College n/a
Knighton, Chris Texas Tech North Texas State n/a
Lancaster, Jarek Stanford Rice n/a
Lattimore, Justin Illinois Iowa Ferentz
Lechner, Jon Ohio Wisconsin n/a
Loston, Craig LSU Clemson Coaching Change
Lynch, Arthur Georgia Boston College n/a
Mackey, Leon South Carolina Clemson Coaching Change
Maka, Taniela UCLA Arizona n/a
Makaula, Kimo Washington Hawaii Coaching Change
Massengale, Logan Western Kentucky Miami-OH Coaching Change
Mayes, Derrick Texas Tech UTEP n/a
McDougald, Bradley Kansas Ohio State Tressel
McHaney, Thad Vanderbilt Mississippi Nutt
McHarque, Taylor Rice Houston Coaching Change
McNeal, Bryce Clemson Michigan Rodriquez
Meinken, Geoff Stanford Washington State Coaching Change
Middleton, Will n/a South Carolina Spurrier
Miller, Horace Louisville UNLV n/a
Molls, Dan Toledo Ohio University n/a
Moore, Aaron Iowa State Auburn Coaching Change
Moore, Byron USC USC Carroll
Moore, Charlie Oklahoma State Louisiana-Monroe n/a
Moore, Clayton n/a Mississippi Nutt
Moore, Freddie Alabama-Birmingham Marshall n/a
Mosby, Ryan Kentucky Iowa State Coaching Change
Moten, Josh Colorado Washington Coaching Change
Naples, Mike Boston College East Carolina n/a
Neat, Korvic Mississippi Florida International n/a
Newsome, Kevin Penn State Michigan Rodriquez
Nicely, Patrick Akron Bowling Green Coaching Change
Nobriga, Liloa Colorado Hawaii Coaching Change
Norman, Earnest Nebraska Kansas n/a
Nunes, Josh Stanford Tennessee Coaching Change
Oliver, Nyshier Tennessee Notre Dame Recommitment
Oliver, Nyshier Notre Dame Tennessee Coaching Change
O'Quinn, Nick Arkansas State Army n/a
Orelus, Henry Florida State LSU Miles
Patterson, Pat Mississippi Mississippi State Coaching Change
Payne, Chris South Carolina Clemson Coaching Change
Payne, Craig Utah Colorado State Coaching Change
Peace, Dewayne Arizona Michigan Rodriquez
Perkins, LaDarius Mississippi State Auburn Coaching Change
Person, Darrell New Mexico Syracuse Coaching Change
Petty, Bryce Baylor Tennessee Coaching Change
Phillips, Aubrey Florida State Tennessee Coaching Change
Phillips, Montez Mississippi Mississippi State Coaching Change
Pike, Ben Toledo Eastern Michigan Coaching Change
Ploetz, Ryan n/a Miami-OH Coaching Change
Pollard, Marlon UCLA Notre Dame n/a
Porter, Sean Texas A&M Houston Coaching Change
Pratt, Dexter Oklahoma State LSU Miles
Price, Aaron Indiana Miami-OH Coaching Change
Ramsey, Jamal Middle Tennessee St. Miami-OH Coaching Change
Raper, Larry n/a Clemson Coaching Change
Reid, Greg Florida State Florida Meyer
Richardson, Nukeese Tennessee Florida n/a
Robinson, Chris Washington Nevada n/a
Robinson, Montez Georgia Auburn Coaching Change
Rogers, Anthony Oklahoma State Mississippi State Coaching Change
Rudolph, Malcolm n/a Alabama-Birmingham n/a
Sam, Michael Missouri Iowa State Coaching Change
Sanders, Billy UCLA Miami-FL Shannon
Sanders, Brock Tulane Stanford Harbaugh
Schilz, Matthew Bowling Green Kansas State Coaching Change
Scott, Darrick Central Michigan Syracuse Coaching Change
Scott, Desmond Duke Rutgers Schiano
Scott, Rodney Mississippi Auburn Coaching Change
Shackelford, D.T. Mississippi Tennessee Coaching Change
Shamburger, Will Washington Boise State n/a
Shiavone, Anthony Iowa Temple n/a
Shutter, Cayman Hawaii New Mexico n/a
Sims, David Georgia Tech Kentucky Brooks
Sims, Deanthony Houston Texas Tech Leach
Singleton, Brent Minnesota South Carolina Spurrier
Smith, Shakiel Tulane Kansas State Coaching Change
Sowell, Taylor Duke North Carolina n/a
Steele, Ricky Toledo Bowling Green Coaching Change
Stephens, Eric Texas Tech Minnesota n/a
Stewart, Destin Hawaii Tulsa Graham
Stinson, Ed Alabama Florida State n/a
Stokes, Je'Ron Michigan Tennessee Coaching Change
Sula, Jack n/a Hawaii n/a
Sullen, John Auburn Southern Mississippi n/a
Swearinger, J.D. South Carolina Tennessee Coaching Change
Swindall, Evan Mississippi Central Florida n/a
Taylor, Terrence Florida International Rutgers Schiano
Teague, Marsalis Tennessee Florida n/a
Tepa, Iuta UCLA Hawaii n/a
Thigpen, Damien UCLA Tennessee Coaching Change
Thomas, Robert Arkansas Kansas State Coaching Change
Thomas, Shamarko Syracuse Louisville n/a
Thompson, Ezra Colorado State Miami-OH Coaching Change
Tischer, Cole Western Kentucky Arkansas State n/a
Toma, Robbie Notre Dame UCLA n/a
Tyler, Dakota Kentucky Cincinnati Kelly
Wade, Ivory Baylor Texas A&M Coaching Change
Watkins, Kenny Minnesota Indiana Lynch
Watkins, Tyree Duke Virginia n/a
Watson, Jansen Iowa State Colorado State n/a
Webster, Kayvon South Florida Miami-FL n/a
Wempa, Brock Louisiana-Monroe Iowa State Coaching Change
Wentz, Camden North Carolina State Stanford Harbaugh
Wilborn, Joe n/a Baylor n/a
Williams, Steve California Oklahoma Stoops
Winston, Darius Arkansas Arkansas n/a
Wise, Kadeem Tennessee-Chat. Duke n/a
Woods, Leon Central Florida South Florida Leavitt
Wooten, Rantavious Georgia LSU Miles
Wynn, Jordan Utah Colorado n/a
Yeager, Emmanual New Mexico Louisville Coaching Change
Young, Kevin Kansas Nebraska n/a
Team Recruiting

Big Ten Signees SEC Signees ACC Signees PAC-10 Signees Big 12 Signees Big East/Independents Signees
Ohio State 25 LSU 25 Miami-FL 19 USC 18 Texas 20 Notre Dame 18
Michigan 22 Alabama 29 Florida State 19 UCLA 24 Oklahoma 23 Rutgers 23
Penn State 27 Florida 16 North Carolina 29 Stanford 22 Texas A&M 28 South Florida 29
Michigan State 23 Georgia 18 Virginia Tech 21 California 18 Texas Tech 25 West Virginia 25
Illinois 20 South Carolina 29 Clemson 12 Arizona State 21 Oklahoma State 23 Pittsburgh 20
Wisconsin 21 Tennessee 20 Georgia Tech 21 Oregon 24 Missouri 25 Cincinnati 26
Minnesota 20 Arkansas 31 Virginia 25 Arizona 25 Nebraska 21 Louisville 23
Northwestern 18 Mississippi 38 Maryland 26 Oregon State 24 Colorado 19 Connecticut 21
Iowa 19 Mississippi State 27 North Carolina State 28 Washington State 22 Baylor 29 Syracuse 14
Purdue 20 Auburn 28 Duke 27 Washington 18 Kansas 24 Navy 28
Indiana 18 Kentucky 28 Wake Forest 21 n/a 0 Iowa State 23 Army 30
n/a n/a Vanderbilt 17 Boston College 17 n/a 0 Kansas State 30 Western Kentucky 26
Totals 233 Totals 306 Totals 265 Totals 216 Totals 290 Totals 283
MAC Signees Conference USA Signees WAC Signees Mountain West Signees Sunbelt Signees Totals All Schools
Kent State 22 East Carolina 19 Boise State 21 TCU 20 Troy State 39 SEC 306
Central Michigan 30 Tulsa 25 Louisiana Tech 26 BYU 21 Florida International 23 ACC 265
Akron 24 SMU 28 Fresno State 17 Utah 23 Florida Atlantic 26 Big 12 290
Ohio University 22 Houston 25 Hawaii 29 UNLV 22 Arkansas State 21 Big 10 233
Toledo 21 Southern Mississippi 22 San Jose State 17 Wyoming 24 North Texas State 21 PAC 10 216
Miami-OH 25 Memphis State 24 New Mexico State 22 New Mexico 19 Middle Tennessee 23 Big East/Independents 283
Western Michigan 24 Rice 24 Utah State 20 Colorado State 23 Louisiana-Monroe 27 Conference USA 284
Northern Illinois 24 Tulane 26 Nevada 17 San Diego State 20 Louisiana-Lafayette 18 MAC 309
Eastern Michigan 22 Marshall 24 Idaho 20 Air Force 19 Totals 198 WAC 189
Ball State 22 UTEP 21 Totals 189 Totals 191 Mountain West 191
Bowling Green 22 Central Florida 23 Sunbelt 198
Buffalo 23 UAB 23 Totals 2764
Temple 28 Totals 284
Totals 309