5 College Football Teams With Recruiting Help On The Way

[Wagerallsports]

Five struggling CFB teams with helpful recruits on the way​

ESPN PLUS $ MATERIAL

There has been quite a bit of parity this season with nine of the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 still undefeated. All but two teams in the rankings have one or no losses, and there is no telling which teams will end up in the College Football Playoff.

There have, however, been varying levels of success. For some teams, big issues have continued. For others, losses or big games exposed some weaknesses.

While these teams can't solve all their problems during the season, their success on the recruiting trail could have help on the way. These players could change the fortunes of a program in a short amount of time.

Here is a look at five teams that need help, and the recruits who are on their way to assist:

 

[Wagerallsports]

USC Trojans​

2024 recruiting class ranking: No. 19

Need: defensive help

The Trojans are the only undefeated team on this list. If USC doesn't finish the season that way, it likely won't be because of the offense. The defense has been the weak spot since Lincoln Riley arrived in Los Angeles, and while the staff has tried to improve that side of the ball through recruiting and the transfer portal, more is still needed.

Look no further than the last two games against Arizona and Colorado, when USC allowed 41 points each time. The Trojans won both games, but by a combined nine points.

The Trojans' defense ranks No. 114 in missed tackles (55), No. 112 in yards allowed per game (421.3), No. 85 in yards allowed per play (5.72), No. 91 in rushing yards allowed per game (157) and No. 115 in passing yards allowed per game (264.3). All that comes with Washington and Oregon, the top two teams in yards per game, ahead on the schedule. The Huskies (46) and Ducks (51.6) are behind only the Trojans (51.8) in points per game.


The USC staff added defensive tackle Bear Alexander, who has been a big help, through the transfer portal this offseason, as well as a few others. The coaches should continue to get good production from Alexander and some of the other newcomers, but the 2024 class is going to need to provide help right away.

The top-ranked recruit in the class is defensive end Kameryn Fountain, the No. 82 recruit overall in the ESPN 300. He's a 6-foot-6, 240-pound end from Atlanta and had offers from Texas, Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee and a handful of others.

As a junior, Fountain had seven sacks, 12 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries and 56 total tackles.

Joining Fountain is ESPN 300 cornerback Marcelles Williams, the No. 10 corner in the class, as well as top-300 safety Marquis Gallegos and outside linebacker Elijah Newby. Williams had two interceptions and four pass breakups as a junior, and now has two interceptions and two pass breakups in his senior season. Gallegos had eye-popping numbers his junior season with seven interceptions, 11 pass breakups and 96 total tackles.

Williams and Gallegos should bring immediate help to the secondary to push USC's defense in the right direction.

 

[Wagerallsports]

The USC staff added defensive tackle Bear Alexander, who has been a big help, through the transfer portal this offseason, as well as a few others. The coaches should continue to get good production from Alexander and some of the other newcomers, but the 2024 class is going to need to provide help right away.

The top-ranked recruit in the class is defensive end Kameryn Fountain, the No. 82 recruit overall in the ESPN 300. He's a 6-foot-6, 240-pound end from Atlanta and had offers from Texas, Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee and a handful of others.

As a junior, Fountain had seven sacks, 12 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries and 56 total tackles.

Joining Fountain is ESPN 300 cornerback Marcelles Williams, the No. 10 corner in the class, as well as top-300 safety Marquis Gallegos and outside linebacker Elijah Newby. Williams had two interceptions and four pass breakups as a junior, and now has two interceptions and two pass breakups in his senior season. Gallegos had eye-popping numbers his junior season with seven interceptions, 11 pass breakups and 96 total tackles.

Williams and Gallegos should bring immediate help to the secondary to push USC's defense in the right direction.

Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles left for the same job at TCU and Dan Enos was hired at Arkansas prior to this season. The team is averaging 26.67 offensive points per game, which ranks No. 76 in the FBS. The team needs more offensive playmakers and the staff is hoping this recruiting class will help fill some of those holes.

The coaches have ESPN 300 receivers Ashton Bethel-Roman and Courtney Crutchfield committed in the class. Bethel-Roman had 886 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a junior and has seven receiving touchdowns through seven games this season. Crutchfield had nine touchdowns in his junior season and has six this season, along with 363 receiving yards.

The coaches also have running back Braylen Russell, No. 228 in the ESPN 300, committed. He's a 6-foot-2, 225-pound running back who also runs the 100-meter dash in high school.

Russell had 1,643 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns his junior season and has a great combination of size and speed that should translate to college very quickly.

 

[Wagerallsports]

---

Florida Gators​

2024 recruiting class ranking: No. 3

Need: offensive linemen

The Gators are 4-2 this season with a win over Tennessee. Quarterback Graham Mertz has fared pretty well, completing 80% of his passes for 1,474 yards, with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. However, the two losses -- to Utah and Kentucky -- showed one of the Gators' biggest needs: offensive line.

In the season-opening loss to the Utes, Mertz was sacked five times and Florida had just 13 rushing yards. It was a similar story against the Wildcats. Mertz was sacked three times while the team rushed for 69 yards on 29 carries.

The Gators brought in a few transfers during the offseason, with Damieon George coming from Alabama, Lyndell Hudson from FIU, Kiyaunta Goodwin from Kentucky and Micah Mazzccua from Baylor. Goodwin ended up transferring from Florida before the season started. Mazzccua and George have been starting for the Gators, but haven't had standout seasons.

The coaches have made the offensive line a priority in the 2024 class and have some good options on the way. ESPN 300 offensive tackle Fletcher Westphal (6-8, 330 pounds) is the No. 208 prospect in the class. He chose Florida over offers from Clemson, Georgia, Penn State and a handful of other major programs.

The staff also has three-stars Noel Portnjagin, Marcus Mascoll and Mike Williams committed. Portnjagin is 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, while Mascoll is 6-5 and 295 pounds and Williams is 6-6 and 330 pounds.

There is still room to add a few more pieces, and the Gators are in on some big recruits, including ESPN 300 lineman Jordan Seaton. But even if they don't add any more prospects along the line, it will still end up as a good haul.

 

[Wagerallsports]

---

Texas Tech Red Raiders​

2024 recruiting class rankings: No. 23

Need: receivers

The Texas Tech offense should be more explosive than it is, especially in the passing game. This season, Tyler Shough has thrown for 746 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions and Behren Morton has thrown for 571 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions.

The offense ranks No. 82 in passing yards per game, No. 102 in yards per reception, No. 114 in drop percentage and No. 99 in completion percentage.

Coach Joey McGuire and his staff have done an excellent job adding big pieces in this 2024 class. There are none bigger than five-star receiver Micah Hudson (6-1, 195 pounds) from Temple, Texas, the No. 13 prospect overall. He had offers from Georgia, Texas, Florida, Miami, Texas A&M and a handful of other major programs. He will be an instant-impact recruit next season if he signs with the Red Raiders.

Hudson is joined in the class by three-star receivers Tyson Turner, Chandlin Myers, Lorenzo Johnson and Trey Jackson. The Red Raiders also have a commitment from four-star quarterback Will Hammond, who threw for 2,763 yards with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions last season. Hammond also had 828 rushing yards with nine touchdowns.

The running game has served Texas Tech well this season, but adding playmakers on the outside would help make the passing game more explosive.

 

[Wagerallsports]

---

Clemson Tigers​

2024 recruiting class rankings: No. 13

Need: receivers

Clemson, previously a perennial CFP favorite, has seen its offense grow stagnant over the past two seasons, and Dabo Swinney went through a quarterback change, moving on from DJ Uiagalelei to Cade Klubnik. Even with a new QB, the Tigers already have two losses, and outside of their running game, they have had little offensive explosion. Against Power 5 teams, they've scored more than 30 points just once, and Klubnik has only one 300-yard passing game overall.

Through six games, Clemson ranks No. 69 in yards per play, No. 59 in passing yards per game (249.2) and No. 55 in offensive points scored per game.


The offense needs an infusion of talent on the outside, and the Tigers have some pieces in the 2024 class that might be able to offer some assistance. That includes ESPN 300 receiver Bryant Wesco, ranked No. 22 overall. Wesco had 17 touchdown receptions as a junior, along with 1,160 receiving yards.

He's on pace to eclipse his touchdown production from last season and could immediately boost the Tigers' offense in 2024.

Wesco is joined in the class by ESPN 300 receiver T.J. Moore (6-3, 190 pounds) from Tampa, Florida. Moore is a big receiver, but has speed and hauled in 13 touchdowns with 1,021 yards as a junior.

ESPN 300 tight end Christian Bentancur is also in the class. He had 1,085 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior and should provide a big target who can create mismatches over the middle.