Michigan Football: Michigan and Penn State Rebuilds Important for B1G

Oct 11, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) gets set to run a play against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Two of the more storied programs in the country, Michigan and Penn State are the definition of true traditional powers in college football.

But recently, things have been anything but the usual for the schools with two of the best fan bases in the country that expect their team to win year in year out.

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For Michigan football, fans have suffered through the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke era’s that saw Michigan turn into a shell of itself. Finishing with a 5-7 (3-5) record last season was the breaking point, and Jim Harbaugh was brought in to be the savior.

At Penn State, the cloud of a bowl ban and other sanctions has finally cleared to where fans can finally look forward to the future. The Nittany Lions transitioned from the steady leadership of Bill O’Brien (now Houston Texans head coach), to James Franklin, who looks to be picking up where O’Brien left off.

Michigan on the other hand boasts one the most talked about coaches in the football world in general, let alone college football. Harbaugh brings the swagger back to a program that seemed to have lost its identity.

The most important part of the turnaround for both Harbaugh and Franklin is hitting the recruiting trail and hitting it hard.

Oct 11, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin reacts in the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Franklin has two signing classes to his name as head coach at Penn State. Hired on January 11, 2014 Franklin had little time to mold his first recruiting class that finished 24^th in the nation according to rivals.com. With the cupboard pretty bare roster wise, Franklin finished with a 7-6 (2-6) record in his first season but did lead the team to a bowl win. His 2015 signing class was even better ranking at 15 in the rivals.com rankings.

Harbaugh also had a late start recruiting his first class as UM head coach being hired a little over a month before signing day. Harbaugh did what he could to add to what he was left with, flipping recruits with commitments to other schools to sign with Michigan on signing day. His efforts weren’t enough, however, as the Wolverines finished at 50 in the 2015 rivals.com class rankings.

The 2016 recruiting classes for both schools look extremely promising, with both boasting top-10 classes on Rivals 2016 class rankings with a season to still be played. With both programs helping make “satellite camps” relevant in college football, it allows you to understand just how important recruiting is to them.

Ultimately, the work on the recruiting trail must pay off with great coaching, something both fan bases feel their school now has. The Wolverines and Nittany Lions are both key cogs in the B1G becoming a great conference again. The good news for the rest of the B1G is both programs seem to be on the right track.

Check out what our friends over at 120Sports have to say about the B1G East division this season.

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