Top high school guard changes commitment to Alabama
By Brad Rowland
Nick Saban is the best in the business.
That fact is evident on the field every Saturday in the fall, but it also evident in the recruiting “game” during the off-season. On Sunday, he reminded us once again of his prowess in delivering the top offensive guard in the 2014 recruiting class.
According to a published report from ESPN, Ross Pierschbacher, the nation’s #1 guard recruit (and 48th-ranked player overall), has flipped his commitment from Iowa to Alabama. The young man delivered a statement in which he glowed about both the Iowa and Alabama programs:
"“I would like to thank Coach Ferentz, his coaching staff, and the University of Iowa for the offer to be part of Hawkeye football. They have great tradition, outstanding people and a top notch program,” he said. “After considering many different options and things important to me, my family and my future career, I am excited to announce that I have decided to play my collegiate career for Coach Saban and The University of Alabama.”"
It should certainly be noted that “Coach Saban” was mentioned even before the university itself, and I’m sure that was on purpose. The commitment of Pierschbacher gives Alabama 12 of the top 300 recruits in the country (again, according to ESPN) at this early stage, and that number leads the country. It was also reported that Pierschbacher was considering Stanford after visits to both Palo Alto and Tuscaloosa during the 2012 season.
The scariest thing about this possibility isn’t just that Alabama is landing top-flight recruits (this wouldn’t surprise anyone), but rather that they are seemingly grabbing anyone they want, regardless of proximity (Pierschbacher is from Cedar Falls, Iowa) or verbal commitment elsewhere. There are no chinks in the armor of Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide at this stage, and they seem poised for a long run of dominance.