Best closers in the Big East

Big East Blog

September, 8, 2009

Sep 8

8:00

AM ET

By Brian Bennett

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

When it comes to recruiting, which coaches in the Big East are the best at closing the deal? After consulting with our recruiting experts from Scouts Inc., here's a top-five list:

1. Dave Wannstedt, Pittsburgh: Wannstedt has proved to be a great recruiter since coming to college from the NFL. Flashing his Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl rings probably doesn't hurt.

2. Bill Stewart, West Virginia: With the help of recruiting coordinator Doc Holliday and other assistants, Stewart has helped bring in some top-notch players to Morgantown. His down-to-earth style has to play well in homes.

3. Jim Leavitt, South Florida: Though he can come off as a bit crazy on the sidelines, Leavitt knows how to turn on the charm on recruiting trips. His Bulls landed their best-ever class this past offseason.

4. Greg Schiano, Rutgers: Despite a flurry of decommitments last fall, Schiano managed to bring in a well-regarded class. The Scarlet Knights are starting to make the State of Rutgers a reality.

5. Brian Kelly, Cincinnati: There's no smoother talker in the Big East, and Kelly and his staff have been locking up early commitments from some of the better players in southern Ohio.

Tags:

Pittsburgh Panthers, South Florida Bulls, Cincinnati Bearcats, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, West Virginia Mountaineers, Greg Schiano, Dave Wannstedt, Brian Kelly, Jim Leavitt, Bill Stewart

Sort comments by: Most Recent | First Posted

Comments that include profanity, or personal attacks, or antisocial behavior such as "spamming" or "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of use. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.